Vince Poscente's Speed Blog

Don't Push the River - Easier Life

If you ever forget who said something, just call is a Chinese Proverb.

“Don’t push the river” is one such proverb.  AND… for what it’s worth, what does it really mean?

There are three basic messages inherent in, “Don’t push the river.”

1. Go with the flow.  This is not about being a helpless cork in the river of life.  This refers to an awareness of the natural order of the environment you are in.  It is a balance of the instinctual interpretation and a cerebral context.  Where is the flow in your job or relationships?  How can you maximize your position where everyone wins?
2. Use your energy wisely.  It can be tempting to conquer all that stands in your way.  With dogged determination and brute force, you can be the victor.  A worn out, bewildered victor might be your reward.  Use the martial art technique of using the force that faces you to your own advantage.
3. Rest with intention.  Find the places in the metaphorical river of life to rest.  There are eddies where you can recoup your sprits and regain perspective.  Rest frequently, pop back into the flow when you have caught your breath.

Here's to an easier life,
Vince Poscente
Personal Development
Success Strategies
Performance Psychology

Sundial in the Shade - Discover Your Strengths in Business

Your company can make more profit!  And you, my friend, are the solution.  Capitalize on your strengths and everything will improve.  You will be a hero and gain job security all at once! 

Easier said than done.

In a Gallup survey of over 1.7 million people, in 101 companies, in 63 countries, only 20% of employees working in large organizations feel they predominantly do what they do best.  Even more astonishing, the higher a person climbs in an organization, the less likely he is to use his strengths.

According to authors Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton in Now, Discover Your Strengths, “Most organizations remain startlingly inefficient at capitalizing on the strengths of their people.”  There is an “unrealized capacity that resides in every single employee.”

Wasted strengths are a powerful adversary to well-run organizations.  Put more graphically, wasted strengths, in the words of Benjamin Franklin, are like “sundials in the shade.”

There are three ‘steps’ you can take to properly illuminate your strengths or the strengths of your people.

1. Step Back.  Take a system-based look at what your strengths may be.  Use a self-discovery tool like an advanced learning and coaching system to shed direct light on you or your people.  Find out what really makes people tick and you discover a wealth of opportunity. 

2. Step Sideways.  If your job feels like a Hamster Wheel, your best option might be to step off.  Clearly it takes courage to take a new course.  For example, after acquiring a degree in economics and a cubicle on a massive New York office floor, Chris Lattanzio took a step sideways.  Expression in a unique form of art was his passion.  After years of unfaltering dedication to his strengths, Lattanzio now sells his art for thousands of dollars and was just selected as the official artist for the Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy. 

If you are a manager with a struggling employee, heed the words of Peter Drucker, “To keep misfits in jobs they cannot do is not being kind; it’s being cruel.” (Note: Stepping sideways does not necessarily mean firing or quitting.  Finding a new role in the organization may be exactly what needs to happen.)

3. Step Wisely.  Once you identify and execute on the things that you love to do and are great at, accelerate growth by managing your steps.   Prudently balance your weaker performance activities through delegation, limitation or elimination.  Power ahead with what jazzes you up and you will ultimately reap rewards beyond your expectations.

It takes resolute courage to take any one of these three ‘steps.’  With courage, take your sundial out of the shade and enjoy the time of your life.

Vince Poscente
Business Strategist
Olympic Speaker
New York Times Best Selling Author

No Mistakes - Unanswered Prayers

Scanning down the list of nineteen I couldn’t see my name. I looked again more carefully. I was not listed. There had to be a mistake.

I found the head coach in the hallway of the hockey rink. Choked up and shaking in my sub five-foot frame I said, “My name’s Vince Poscente. I looked at the list and wasn’t on it. Do you think I was left off the list?”

The coach, Ken Hitchcock, looked down and said flatly, “There are no mistakes.”

I couldn’t believe it. Earlier that day he had faced the forty young teens and said, “If you work hard and show the desire, you will make this team.” From the age of five my entire hockey career was short on talent but long on hustle. I knew that I had more fire than any of the pubescent players in the arena that day.

I played out that season in a B league but quit immediately after. My disillusionment with the politics and my own mediocrity made skiing far more appealing. In skiing I could just play and do it on my own terms.

Had this not happened I would not have been in the position to take up ski racing eleven years later. Had I not ski raced I would not have competed in the Olympics in Albertville. If this didn’t happen I would not have had the privilege to impact hundreds of thousands of people, write four books, reach the New York Times bestselling list, establish some amazing friendships and, just this past Saturday, be inducted into the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame.

Garth Brooks has a song called Unanswered Prayers. In the lyrics he describes how he and his wife chance upon an old girlfriend of his. “As she walked away I looked at my wife and then and there I thanked the good Lord for the gifts in my life. Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”

Meanwhile, Ken Hitchcock went on to be one of the NHL’s most successful coaches leading the Dallas Stars to a Stanley Cup in 1999. Two years after that I was backstage with Ken at a function. I introduced myself and said I grew up in Sherwood Park.

His eyes lit up and we realized that we didn’t live far from each other. We also figured out that he sold me hockey equipment at a store in Edmonton. Finally I dropped the bomb, “Hey, did you know you cut me from a hockey team in 1975?”

He looked back and said, “Are you over it yet?”

“Oh ya. It was the best thing you could have done,” and I left it at that.

In our fast paced world today it is easy to get passed by opportunity or other people. But rest assured, you will only be limited by the forward speed you choose to employ. Leave setbacks behind and put your foot on the accelerator. You never know what unanswered prayers await you.

There are no mistakes!

What unanswered prayers have you noticed in your life?

Navigating the Holidays - Christmas Gift Ideas

Last week we talked about saving time during the holiday rush and saving time for those you bestow gifts.

There isn’t a doubt that time is precious commodity since online sales are experiencing another 20% increase over last year. Of note, online shoppers will not wait more than eight seconds for the website to load or they will abandon the site and move onto another one.

“It’s just indicative of the expectations that people have with high speed connections today,” says Shawn White of Keynote Competitive Research. Their research revealed people expect one or two seconds to see what they are looking for.

With all the time you’re saving shopping online, here are some gift ideas that will save time for the recipient. (NOTE: Presentation is everything. Put some thought into it before giving these gifts.):

#1. Beyond Words – A container of her favorite color M&Ms with her name on them or personalized name cards add a nice touch. It says, “I took the time to show you how special you are.”

#2. Rent a Hubby for the Hubby – There isn’t a guy on the planet that enjoys wasting a majority of a cold Sunday afternoon taking down Christmas lights. Hire a handyman to take down the Christmas lights and put them neatly into boxes.

#3. Love Connection  – Really surprise her with dance lessons or couples cooking classes. Nothing says “I love you” like giving her time to connect on a regular basis. You never know guys. You might inspire a few fringe benefits. ;-)

#4. Temp Time Treasures – Call your local temp agency and get a gift certificate for the home office. Everybody has catching up to do on filing or office organization. A temp can introduce better ways to organize or software utilization that will save even more time.

#5. Homemade Gift Certificates – Use a computer and printer to make a few gift certificates for everyone in the family. Each person gets something that you know they’d love from just you. Your spouse could get a one hour massage, your son could get a two tickets to a local game, your daughter could get a date with daddy. They can redeem it any time they like.

What are some time saver gifts that you would like to share?

Thanks for your input
Vince Poscente author of
Motivational Products