CARTOON:

Artist: Jaf

PUZZLE:



Divide the plot into four pieces of equal size and shape with the same number of threes in each piece.

Can you identify what is odd about this halfpenny stamp depicting Columbus, and issued by the British Colony in the year 1903?

Last month's solution:
Columbus died in 1506 whilst the telescope was not invented until 1609.

Please feel free to give us your feedback by sending us an e-mail at: coach@wghill.com

QUOTE:

Our deeds still travel with us from afar, and what we have been makes us what we are.

George Eliot

New Additions and Reviews:

• Going on an interview?  See our updated section.
• Book Review:  The Consultant's Calling by Geoffrey Bellman.  Also an update:  Phillip McGraw has just written a workbook for his book Life Strategies.
• Check immediately below.  In keeping with our theme for this month and the idea of play for next month, we are introducing a new section called Imagine.
• We recently developed the The Balance People Portfolio^TM and have posted a brief introduction.

Imagine:

To tap into both our imagination and step back and look at things from a greater perspective, take some time to answer the following question.  You can use this activity in a group setting to open up discussions as well.

What would be the impact, not just on you personally but on social and political policy, if the life span of the average person across the world doubled to between 150 and 170 years, effective immediately?

Tip for the Month:

What are some of the concrete things that you can do to make sure that you are thinking strategically?

1. Ask yourself the question WHY?  Challenge others to answer this five times to get at the root issues.

2. Disengage and separate yourself form the problem or issue.  This can distance yourself from the details.  It can also provide the incubation time for a "break through" idea.  

3. Participate in a hobby.

4. Determine what the impact of this direction or decision will have five or ten years from now.

5. Identify the worst case scenario and your contingency plans.

6. Read material outside of your expertise.  I recommend the magazine Fast Company to help look into the future.

7. Decide what decisions or choices you would make if you owned the company?  

8. If someone else were in your shoes, what would you really advise them to do?

9. When all is said and done, ask yourself  if this decision or choice is consistent with the kind of person you want to be.

Articles for the Month:

You might find Nancy Rosanoff's article on Intuition very informative.  She also gives some specific exercises to help develop your intuitive abilities.

If you work in HR and want to understand why your strategic role is important.  Check out Derek A. Smith's two part article "Gearing Up for HR's Strategic Role".   Part One and Part Two.

Next Month: The role of play in our lives.