Skeptical But Now A Believer

We are always appreciative when someone reviews our book and posts their comments. Dan in Focus has an interesting and thorough review of Juggling Elephants. You can read it at http://bit.ly/wOYlR5.

Thanks Dan!

So, Who's Driving Anyway?

Who determines what you will become? That is a deep question. Maybe too deep for a simple blog that you are just scanning. But, stop and ask yourself who is driving your life. Are you behind the wheel or is someone else?

O.K., so maybe you are at the wheel but the car is full of backseat drivers telling you where to go and how to get there. Your boss, your spouse or significant other, the economy, your friends, teachers, parents, siblings, pastor/priest/rabbi/church leader, your email, Facebook friends, children and Dr. Phil are all encouraging or trying to influence you on how you should live your life and what to do next. It might even feel like you are no longer responsible for what you will become because the car is on auto pilot and someone else is plugging in the coordinates for you.

Remember, "you are the ringmaster of your circus." You are behind the wheel, the keys are in the ignition and the engine is running. What will you do now? It is wonderful to have people in your life that will help guide and direct you. But, at the end of the day, it is up to you to put your foot on the gas and steer yourself in the direction you choose. Make a conscious decision on where YOU are going and how YOU are going to get there.

You Must Find Some Pain!

One of the many "aha" moments in the Juggling Elephants training program comes when we discuss the need to stop juggling elephants-that is, to stop working from the mindset that everything can get done. We then work with the individuals on finding the "pain" associated with attempting the juggling elephants routine on a daily basis. Some potential answers include:

• Reduced productivity
• Lack of sense of accomplishment
• Physical stress
• Mental distraction
• Isolation from friends/family

Few of us are willing to change unless we find a source of pain that is so prominent we seek a better way. If you are struggling with the juggling elephants routine today, what's the pain you can identify that would drive you to seek the solutions offered by the perspective of the circus?

Giving People A Visual At ASTD

Exhibiting at the ASTD Conference in Orlando is always a fantastic opportunity to engage with our current client base and get new opportunities to share the message of Juggling Elephants. One of the most telling moments is how people identify with the phrase "juggling elephants" in so many different ways. Here are some of their initial comments when they walk up to our booth:

• "Hey! That's my job description."
• "That describes my life situation perfectly."
• "My people feel like that."
• "...And last week one of the elephants fell on me."
• "Isn't that the new norm in the workplace?"

Pictures or visuals shared in an analogy give us the opportunity to emotionally connect to an issue or challenge in a fresh and less threatening way and then to look at possible solutions. We are thankful for the chance to help others look at their struggle of "too much to do" in a new light, and to begin making changes that will help them get more "standing ovations" in their circus.

The Tent Flap Holder

Because Juggling Elephants is a parable about the circus, we sometimes get people who see things differently. After speaking on the concept for almost 6 years, we are frequently surprised by how people bring new insights and applications to a training program.

A couple of weeks ago while working on the section entitled, "Be The Ringmaster" one participant pointed out that they didn't see themselves as the Ringmaster. Instead they saw themselves as the person who holds the tent flap open and is yelling for the acts to get in line and be ready. While it provided a good chuckle, it also brought a new perspective to what we need to do to insure the right tasks get into our schedule.

In honor of this new thought, here are some things to keep in mind if you feel more like the "tent flap holder" instead of a ringmaster:

• You can only hold the tent flap open for a period of time-and then you need a break (an intermission no less).
• Sometimes you need help holding the flaps open wide enough so the act can get into the circus (teamwork and delegation)
• If there are too many acts waiting to enter the rings, you may need to close the tent flaps to keep down the noise level and to not distract from the acts that are performing.
• Occasionally, you may have to "go get" an act that forgot to make it's way to the tent. In those instances you need to have someone else that can take your place while you are gone (cross training and succession planning).

What new analogy do you have about how the circus or its performers relate to our workplace performance or personal success? Comment on this blog or send your thoughts to info@jugglingelephants.com.