When Nothing Works

There are moments in life, when nothing seems to be working. Things seem to be falling apart. Such moments in life, could be a great opportunities for big breakthroughs in one or more areas of your life. Here is a three-step and three-R formula to review and transform any situation in your life:

Reflect: What have you been postponing in your life? Is there something incomplete for long? If yes, this could be a perfect time to clean up your cupboard, financial matters and relationships.

Reform: Pick up a bigger problem, a larger goal, a grander vision. With a wider horizon, your current problems will either disappear or become too small to be 'classified' as a major setback.

Recreate: Who are you? If you are a magnet, then what do the current circumstances reveal about you? Where have been holding yourself back? Go beyond mundane issues of life, Identify your Highest Self, Declare your Highest Vision and work full-blast on your dreams!

Are these three steps enough? Or, do you have some 'Rs' to add?

Toughest Business Questions!

Jack & Suzy Welch traveled all over the world for three years and spoke to hundreds of thousands of people about their work, career, and life challenges।

They wanted to create a treatise and a how-to manual on fundamental business principles. They went on to publish a book called "Winning" in April 2005 to "pretty much wrap up what had felt like a great, extended conversation".

However, the authors soon found out that the response to the book was - "just the opposite!". During their book tour across various business schools and business groups, people started throwing "Hey, wait a minute, what about_____" kind of questions.

For example, people agree with Winning's message that candor makes business (and life) immensely better, but wondered how can it be made to work in situations like dealing with very old seniors or with some of the polite cultures of Asia.

Out of the several thousand questions they encountered, they chose 74 questions in their next book - "Winning - The Answers": Confronting 74 of the Toughest Questions in Business Today!

A sampler: How to turn a company into a "preferred employer"?

Their take:

1. Demonstrate a real commitment to continuous learning.
2. Be a Meritocracy - Rigorous appraisals and pay/promotion linked to performance.
3. Allow people to take risks - celebrate those who do and don't shoot those who fail trying.
4. Be diverse and global in outlook and environmentally sensitive.
5. Tight hiring standards.
6. Grow and be profitable.

Another one: Does executive coaching work?

Their take:
Generally, yes, depending on the quality of the coach. Good executive coaches can look you in the eye and tell you what no else will, especially if you are the boss. The challenge for you is to listen and the ultimate value of executive coaching depends on your ability to receive it.

Read about "Taking on China . . . and Everyone Else" in an excerpt.

This time, the authors conclude:

"Like life, the conversation about work will go on and on. It has to. Economies rise and fall. Competitive dynamics never stop changing. Careers move zig and zag. And so, questions will keep coming. We look forward to listening to them all".