Are you asking questions for 2009?

People who ask confidently get more than those who are hesitant and uncertain. When you've figured out what you want to ask for, do it with certainty, boldness and confidence.
Jack Canfield

It is New Year's Eve and as I do every year (and every Lunar New Year, too) along with many others I set a few goals. Although I don't really do New Year's Resolutions any more (too much self-induced pressure and suffering when I miss the mark set because my hopes are based solely on the outcome and not the learning that takes place while getting there so I used to miss all of the opportunities in between) I do set goals frequently and December 31 is as good a time as any to set a few more.

This year, my focus has been on creating solutions and setting goals around solutions that will make my clients' business move with great velocity and operate with clarity and resonate with trust. I began to think about what that would entail and realized that most conversations, research, relationships, great discoveries start not as: "I have a problem, now lets think about solutions. . ." but more so, a: "What if? What's possible when? How do we? How could you? Will you? Can you? Can we? Can I?" So, essentially great ideas and solutions start with questions about what you want.

It occurred to me that most of my goals traditionally set, are not coupled with questions, so this year I am encouraging myself, my clients, and my friends and colleagues to ask questions.

What does it take to formulate the questions that will lead you to where you want to go?

Here is a short list of how things you may consider in formulating your questions:

1) If you ask a closed ended question, it must be followed by an open ended one.
Am I living the life I want to live?; Is my business where I want it to be?; Am I satisfied with things the way they are in the world? The answer to these questions could be dichotomous. Therefore, if you answer them yes or no or maybe, a second question must follow. Respectively, No, I am not living the life I want to live--What will it take for me to live the life I want to live?; Yes, my business is where I want it to be--What have I learned that will allow me to expand my business and create something new for my customers that inspires me?; and No, I am not satisfied with things the way they are in the world.--What is my role in the transformation of my community, my city, our country?

While these examples may lean towards the general vs. the specific the point is to ask questions that you can build on and are oriented towards thinking about things broadly and with little to no limits.

2) After creating and asking the questions, don't begin to answer them immediately. One of the biggest challenges with most human beings is our propensity to want to resolve everything immediately. It goes like this,:your friend or colleague calls and begins to talk about something facing him or her. In some instances they want you to give them advice and in other instances, you want to give them advice. And I do and sometimes they did not want advice, they wanted me to listen and perhaps ask a question or two, but they were not looking for me to solve their problem.

If we can ask a question of ourselves or work with others to generate questions that are pertinent to their goals and dreams, we are not required to nor should we attempt to answer the question(s) at that moment. In fact, limiting the space that is created between the time the question is asked and the time possible answers emerge limits the magic that is created in that space. Without the broadening and deepening of that space, we limit the divine nature of nothingness. Only from nothingness is somethingness created. Ask your question(s) and then let nothingness reside and experience (like most of us have) how the divinity arises out of that space.

3) Ask your questions then ask them in another way and then ask them in another way and then ask them again. No, I am not advocating that you become annoying. What I am saying is that questions, like your goals, evolve. As the process of being with/pondering a question evolves, you begin to construct a new sense of what the deeper question might be. Within every question of significance, there are many more significant questions. After posing what I am naming right now, "the trigger question" (I hope that is not the name of someones book, if soon, I will attribute it to them once I know) there are myriad questions that can arise from it. Like composing a song, you try different combinations and chords and percussion, harmonies, melodies, lyrics, etc. and the different twists and turns lead you to possibilities that the original question just scratched the surface of.

4) When formulating your questions, know that you know everything--the purpose of the question will be clearer. Consider that you are all knowing. Now, I am not saying this to stroke you (I am happy to do that however, as I believe in ample acknowledgement of your greatness) but I am saying it because for you to pose a question, for the most part, I believe there is an answer that given the connectedness entity we are, as a human species, all answers lie within each of us individually and collectively. As the song says "There's not a problem that I can't fix." (Last Night a DJ Saved My Life, performed by Indeep). For both the DJ and for you if you ask the question, it can be answered. There is not a question you don't have the answer to so trust that it will come and as I stated above, let go of "trying" to find a solution. Ponder the question, be assured the answer is emerging from the moment it is asked and let it run its course.

5) You have to ask a question before the answer will be revealed. Here is where most of us miss the mark: We never ask the question. If you have a burning, urgent, question, whatever it may be ask it! Ask it not just silently to yourself, but ask it out loud. If you are not comfortable sharing it with others, ask it out loud with no one around. You need to hear the question in reality almost as if it was not just you who was generating it, but like it came from elsewhere for the answer to come to you to share with the person who asked it. Asking it aloud will generate the energy that will lead to the revelation that you are seeking.

Ask questions out loud that inside you don't feel are even probable, let alone possible. The energy generated from simply asking will blow you away.

Remember, you get what you ask for so ask with clarity and be thankful for what you get. You are going to get what you ask for. When you ask questions, be aware that if you are asking for something specific, you want to be very very clear about your purpose and objective of attaining what you desire. When you get it, in whatever form it comes, be grateful for it. Even if it is not quite what you expected know that what you received is exactly what you needed to learn what you need to learn and move you into a deeper understanding of what you REALLY want. Give thanks for all that comes, there is no good or bad that comes from your questions, only answers. All of them are worth appreciation and all of them open up the next field of dreams and possibilities.

Now, go ask some questions with certainty, boldness, and confidence, and let's make 2009 all we know that it can be. Thanks for all you do and all the beauty that you have revealed and inspiration I have received from you in 2008. I appreciate each and every one of you that are reading this and those who may not have the opportunity.

Make it a great 2009!

Amri

What do you expect BIG or not so big?

Life is too short to [play] small.
~ Benjamin Disraeli

It came to my attention a few weeks ago that I had been playing small.

No one said to me, "you failed", I didn't get a curt email.
I did not hear it in a book, not a soul gave me a second look.
The result I had was thinking flat, ideas were slow creativity sat
Tucked away in cold dark rooms, wondering about its pending doom.
Dawn then struck, a second look, innovation lying in a crook.
Woke up and saw the time had come, got back on the horse and it started to run.
Giant Steps are double timing, I am playing BIG again and now I'm rising.

Thanks for indulging me. Have you thought about whether you are expecting big things consistently vs. having a fleeting thought about something BIG, potentially happening for you then as quickly as it came it went?

I have had both and I have observed and began to talk to colleagues and clients about the nature of the phenomena. There are plenty of books about playing big and thinking big. One of favorites and where I got the Benjamin Disraeli quote is from the David Schwartz The Magic of Thinking Big. The premise is that you can only go as far as your thoughts take you. Many people that I have spoken to, said they never really thought about how big they were being in their work or in their lives.

So a couple questions for you:

• Are you in a job expecting that you will only go so far?
• Are you a manager that is concerned that your team is not doing things that will make you look good for your boss?
• Do you see your relationships growing powerfully?

If you are a yes to any of these situations or any other situation that is leaving you in a place where you feel that you have limited power, you are probably thinking, playing, or living in smallness. Trust me, you don't want to live there and that is not who you are.

I just put together a talk on inclusive leadership in health care and across all industries, and I illustrated that playing small as I will share with the audience--meaning not giving the people that you interact with every training and development opportunity, piece of information, freedom to share ideas, acknowledgement, and appreciative bit of coaching you can--leaves you smaller than you truly are. It has an impact on you and on those you interact with in an even more dis-empowering manner.

If you don't find ways to give people around you every opportunity within your power to be fulfilled, particularly those you manage or supervise, you are a leader limiting both your potential for greatness and that of those around you. The best surround themselves with the best and they do so by giving them every opportunity, every day to get better while they develop themselves to get better, too. They do this by listening to great people that they work for, work with, and those that work for them (especially the later).

In doing so, you will get more than you imagined!

What I am seeing in many so-called diversity problems where people are managing across difference whether it is generational, disabled vs. non-disabled, or situations with appararently little to know differences, is that managers are not challenging their teams to play bigger than they think they are able to. As a result instead of being inclusive managers pulling for their folks to grow and expand each and everyday with the result being innovation, fun, and mind-blowing results; they are finding their people constricting and holding back.

Whether it is a since of fear given the economy or fear of retribution, I guarantee it is costing your company money now or it will cost you later.

As an employee in this situation (and yes, you are part of the cause, too) not contributing ideas and insights for whatever reason will leave you overlooked and your contribution bundled up and sent to the Twilight Zone that no one will ever from again.

So, the anecdote: choose BIG! Contribute to your teams, your bosses, your families, your friends, your bowling partners, think BIG on their behalf or even better with them, and watch yourself develop the habit for yourself in the process. You will never feel more free and never accomplish more in every area of your life.

Make it a BIG day!

Strong Finishes

My observation the other day about finishing strong stands true.

What occurs to me though is a reason that may stand out beyond all other reasons to finish strong. I got this insight while weight training with my friend and stress management advisor Juju Poogie (http://www.jujupoogie.com/) and his brother and another long time friend of mine, John.

We were in the process of finishing our last few sets. We began to discuss a workout we did about a week ago doing lunges on a football field near our homes in Atlanta. We lunged the field and immediately lunged back and then did it once more. . .It wore me out. What I recall however, was how actually going harder at the end made it easier to finish. Juju said, push harder when he sensed me feeling fatigued.

Interestingly, I also recently heard a triathlon coach talk about the phenomena of "hitting the wall" in a race. He actually said rather than slowing down--SPEED UP! He instructed his athletes to do this and stated that 95% of them that in earnest speed up vs. slow down experience a greater ability to get past or over the wall better than when they slow down.

So today we are closing in on our second to last set with the weights and I determined that I would actually push harder on the second to last and last set than I had throughout the workout. (Don't get me wrong, I was working hard the whole time, I just stepped it up a little ;-))

In putting that idea into my mind, the weight that I was pushing seemed easier and I was left with a great sense of accomplishment and fulfillment with the workout. I always get something from a workout, but not necessarily fulfillment in the sense that I could transfer the energy of that commitment into other things that I am up to.

How strong are we finishing? If we understand that the whole idea of finishing is a temporary phenomena and while the concept of starting and finishing exists, we are always in perpetual motion. If we can understand the concept at its core we recognize this is all about momentum.

Within the dynamics of start to finish to start again an energy of commitment exists. President-elect Obama knows it. Finish strong: win the popular vote, win states democrats rarely win, dominate in the electoral college=move into the White House powerfully. Simple:

Strong finishes create strong starts.

When we finish strongly and do so consistently we can create an unstoppable energy of commitment that is so highly concentrated, that upon completion of one thing we are doing, it propels us powerfully into the next thing, regardless of what it is. You finishing strongly will start your next endeavor off in a way that gives you the the energy of success regardless of the outcome.

FINISHING STRONG=POWERFUL STARTS in whatever you are up to whether it is job seeking or studying for your boards, vying for a promotion, or running for public office. If you want an awesome career and an incredible life, finish strong without excuse every time!

Finishing the Race

The 2008 Elections have come to a conclusion and our new President-elect has made history in many ways. I am an Obama supporter so I am very excited, too. I am also aware that there is a lot of work to do and all of us as health care professional and those committed to diversity in health care.

One of the most powerful lessons I learned watching this election season was one that speaks to how we finish the races we run.

During the primary, Senator Clinton in her attempt to come from behind, winning several key states, would often reference Mr. Obama's inability to "close the deal". It was a challenge for Obama. Of course, he eventually one, but many headlines at the end of the primary stated, "Obama Limps to the Finish Line". Of course Obama finished with the nomination in hand and while doing so learned a very important lesson--Finish Strong and Take Nothing for Granted.

There was a point during the primary campaign in which Senator Clinton took for granted the nomination, in fact, she in some people's opinions she acted as if she was entitled to primary victory and the nomination and in a sense she took it for granted. Now, I am not sure if she relaxed and did not strategize in preparation for unknown threats or in search of unseen opportunities. Nonetheless, what it looked like was that she was not taking a 360 degree view and making sure all of her bases were covered. As a result, she gave her the opponent the chance to make his move.

Senator Clinton re-grouped and made a valiant come back, and if she had recognized that she was missing opportunities to finish each phase of her campaign more powerfully earlier, the outcome of the primary may have been different and perhaps history would have been made in another fashion. However, she missed finishing when she had the chance.

Fortunately, she taught our soon to be 44th president a lesson about finishing a race powerfully. During the general election, Obama dotted every proverbial "i" an crossed every proverbial "t". He never stopped campaigning up until election day and for everything thrown at him he had a response that met the specific need for each moment.

When you are looking for a job, candidate, or working on an important project, how well do you finish the race?

Where your diversity and cultural competency efforts are concerned, are you taking a 360 degree view and assuring that you are being inclusive of the needs of all patients, clinics, and staff? If not, get started now and know that there will be a series of races in front of us and that if we complete them, the possibilities of the kind of high-functioning organizations we desire. And of course, we can also move towards health equity.

The next time you get close to the finish line remember what Senator Clinton taught President-elect Obama: Take Nothing for Granted--go harder, it will take you to victory without doubt!

Abundance and The Job Search

In a tough economic climate, it is very easy to get discouraged about the prospects of finding work. It is challenging to think you are going to find a job that will allow you to pay the bills and keep a little something extra on the side to save, invest, etc. What I want to make sure you consider is give this dip we are in, what mindset do you need to be your most powerful in your job search activities.

Over the past couple weeks, I have been bombarded by many writers and speakers talking powerfully about the distinction between abundance and scarcity.

Let me first share Webster's (http://www.merriam-webster.com/) take on the two ideas and then a little from a couple of other writers:

ABUNDANCE
Pronunciation:
\ə-ˈbən-dən(t)s\
1 : an ample quantity : profusion 2 : affluence , wealth 3 : relative degree of plentifulness

SCARCITY (http://www.dictionary.com/)
 /ˈskɛərsɪti/ 1. insufficiency or shortness of supply; dearth. 2. rarity; infrequency.

Steven M.R. Covey in his book The Speed of Trust says, "Abundance means that there is enough for everybody. The opposite--scarcity--says that there is only so much to go around, and if you get it, I won't." He goes on to state that, "Abundance is a choice!"

I agree and I agree that you can make the choice to focus on what you can contribute regardless of your current situation.

It is likely that you are thinking that I don't know your situation. You are right and on the other hand we may be more closely related than you think. I have been in situations many times as an entrepreneur where I did not know where my next meal ticket was coming from. What I learned as a result is that the more I thought in scarcity the more scarce opportunities arose. (If you think that sentence sounded like a oxymoron and contradictory, try getting results with a scarcity mindset.)

On the other hand, when I thought in terms of what was possible and had clarity about the reality that I could always contribute to others, I was clear that what I needed to fill my tummy was right in front of my eyes.

What a mindset of abundance does is allows you to not be focused on what you think your current reality is and leads you to considering the needs of others. When you can meet the needs of others and do it in a powerful and credible way, a job, contract, revenue stream is coming your way very soon.

Scarcity scares, Abundance Attracts. . .You choose!

* * *

We are building the largest pool of diverse health care professionals in the world. Stay tuned to find out what a Wii, an iPhone, and a Flip camera have to do with diverse health care professionals!

First National Indian Nursing Conference Embraces Diversity, Excellence

From Nurse.com
by Lorraine Steefel, RN, MSN, CTN

Indian nurses in the U.S. have made huge contributions in shaping healthcare, says Donald Kautz, RN, MSN, PhD, CHRN, CRRNA, assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Nursing.

To showcase those contributions, 11 chapters of the National Association of Indian Nurses of America participated in the organization's first national conference Sept. 26 to 28 in Skokie, Ill. The association was inaugurated in May 2007 and embraces nurses' change, growth, and development.

Whole Article

ANCC Magnet and Cultural Competency

This week I have been at the ANCC Magnet Conference in Salt Lake City, UT. Cook Ross had an exhibit and we were the only consulting organization of our kind (specializing in cultural competency/diversity and inclusion) there. It was very insightful to be with all of the nurses and other health care professionals there to learn about what was up in the world of nursing excellence and of course to see what people are thinking and saying about cultural competency and diversity in their organizations.

What I observed was that the conversation is really just getting started in most places (hospital and healthcare systems). It is also clear that the education that many have had around the subject is leaving them wanting to learn and know more. I heard numerous anecdotes about situations that were culturally oriented and how the nurses learned to deal with them, often times after great struggle--yet with a great deal learned from the experience.

One nurse talked about her experience with a Kurdish refugee family that fled Iraq after the first Persian Gulf War. The nurse was a student and new at caring for patients during her OB rotation. She took care of a pregnant Kurdish woman and observed that that the father was not helping with the child.

The nurse remarked that at first she was judgmental. However, when she learned from a Middle Eastern colleague familiar with Kurdish culture she realized that the dynamic may not be one of neglect but rather one of cultural norms. She later learned that Kurdish men are accustomed to families taking care of the mother and child and since they did not have extended family with them (many of them had stayed in Iraq or were killed) it never occurred to him that his wife would need help.

These sorts of conversations are crucial to the healthcare community in that while many people have these experiences, the stories are not often shared and therefore the learning is limited. Therefore, some healthcare professionals are clear and even passionate about cultural competency while others are desirous of learning more but don't have access to the conversation. In many cases both groups work with one another--how do organizations connect them?

I think this is critical in that a facilitated conversation about an experience is a learning experience on a variety of levels from the personal connection to a certain dynamic or situation that someone else has experienced or is experiencing to an organizational learning that can give health care clinical and non-clinical professionals and staff understanding of their colleagues in a way that lends to improved communication and connection--becoming more aware of how culture affects everything where human interactions are concerned.

Next time I write, I will also discuss a little bit that it coming to me in regards to children's hospitals and cultural competency. I am thinking that there are distinctive dynamics in cultural competency where children's health and the parental component is concerned. We will explore them next time. Make it a great day!