Week 10

From the learning material this week, there was one short clip that really got me thinking.  When I watched the video with Marissa Mayer from Google this week I realized that I've got some real work to do. I tend to think of myself as analytical and practical. Creating and imagination are not things that come naturally to me at all. I would choose to scrub my kitchen over an art project any day. Hearing Ms. Mayer's thoughts on time spent on creative pursuits really got me thinking. Google allows their employees to spend 20% of their time on creative pursuits. 20% is a potential massive loss of productivity for employer and this freedom shows an incredible amount of trust Google has in its employees. What struck me even more though was when Ms. Mayer talked about how many new projects came to be from this option provided by Google. It really ended up being a massive benefit for everyone involved. I started thinking about myself and creativity and how my life could benefit from adding more creative elements. Those types of activities are never going to happen if I don't seek them out and make time for them in my schedule, but life will be enhanced if I can develop those talents and use those outlets. The information really got me thinking about how I can improve my overall happiness level by finding things that fill those voids in my book of talents.

Week 9

The reading material that we were able to learn from this week was full of short, impactful stories and cautionary tales about life. So many of them provided opportunities for reflection but "A Message to Garcia" really sank into my heart. I found myself nodding in agreement as I read the article. I realized that there have been times in my life where I was Colonel Rowan and was able to deliver for someone in need. I have proven myself to be trustworthy and dependable in a lot of situations and it was empowering to reflect on a few of those experiences. 
As I read further though, I realized that I am not a great delegator and I create situations where my "team" becomes dependent on my knowledge or skills. When those that are supposed to work with us are only given the tools to work for us, we do everyone a disservice. I realized the urgent need for me to teach people to fish rather than doing all the fishing for them and expecting little contribution from them. I can see this play out at work and especially at home. My kids are only in my home for a short time and there is a lot to teach them. If I do everything for them and expect very little, I create a situation where they are on their own and frustrated with inexperience. A greater legacy than being Colonel Rowan is raising my kids to be Colonel Rowans as well!

Week 8

This week’s learning material could not have come at a better time. I had spent some time last week really looking into some opportunities and had encountered some frustrating circumstances. So much of the reading and videos this week was focused on overcoming obstacles and not giving up. I cried as I watched the video of Elder Holland and his young family making the difficult trek across the country. I remembered difficult times in my own life that made me into who I am today. If we don’t encounter, face and conquer the struggle, we will never be ready for the rewards that are waiting on the other side.

Entrepreneurship is not for the weak at heart. When there are problems or mistakes, the correction lies in the hands of the business owner. If the boss isn’t willing to take responsibility and try to right the course, then no employee will fully invest in the vision. Beyond that, customers won’t stay. Research has shown that customers who encountered a problem, then had that problem corrected in a satisfactory way were more likely to be repeat customers. Those customers were more likely to return than customers who had never had a problem with the company at all. It’s okay to make mistakes or to struggle. The important growth comes when we rise to the occasion and make things right.

Week 7

I’m amazed at the amount I’m learning from the learning materials this semester. I have loved hearing real world examples of entrepreneurs and leaders that are willing to share their secrets of success with others. I’m also looking forward to figuring out how to execute my own plans and what it looks like for my family to be operating with two entrepreneurial ventures at the same time.

A lot of the information this week involved Stephen R. Covey’s 7 Habits for Highly Effective People. I always benefit from reviewing these principles and assessing where I am on the path of effectiveness. The habit that struck a chord with me this week was to “Seek first to understand…Then to be understood.” This is a skill that I’ve been working on for years and still have plenty of work to do. Recently, I was aware of a disagreement between colleagues and as I spoke with each of the parties separately they had such different views of the situation. I realized that each of them was so focused on making sure they were understood that they couldn’t even wrap their heads around understanding the other. Neither had done anything to intentionally offend the other and at the end of the day the whole situation was just a giant misunderstanding. This skill will benefit all of us in business relationships, family relationships and connection with all those around us. When we gain the confidence and love of a great circle of friends and family we’re prepared to sync our efforts, or synergize, creating far more than any of us could achieve on our own. I don’t think there’s a public victory worth having if you haven’t cultivated great relationships with those you love along the way.