Maximize Your Strengths: March 2012

Sunday, March 18, 2012

The "Kobe System" and Strengths

Nike has produced an entertaining set of commercials with a tongue in cheek spoofing of the those that sell success. They key figure is Los Angeles Laker Basketball Star Kobe Bryant but the co-star list is pretty amazing including Kanye West, Hope Solo, Landon Donovan, Serena Williams and even British Billionaire Richard Branson. As you see in the clip above, Tony Robbins is actually in a whole series of the commercials as the student of success learning from Kobe, rather than the teacher/coach role that has made him famous.

Robbins began his career offering some very good material that I believe a lot of people have found helpful including myself. His "Personal Power" program was outstanding and his focus on taking "massive action" set him apart from other teachers of success. Historically, he seemed to fall into the same "Anyone Can Do Anything" trap that most success trainers do. His background in Neuro-Linguistic Programing that holds as a major pre-supposition, "If one person can do something anyone can do it" fit in with that. So did his focus on "modeling" which encourages students to identify a successful person and basically copy them or do what they do.

But in recent years Robbins has begun tweaking his message to incorporate natural talent and strengths as a fundamental component of success as has Stephen Covey with his book "The Eighth Habit". In, fact Robbins and Covey did a dvd together in a program called "Find Your Gift". Robbins also now offers coaching that begins with Strengths Discovery and 2 assessments put together by Jay Niblick's InnerMetrix. Covey has a simple strengths assessment available on your iPhone as an app.

In the above clip, Tony underscores a major tenet of most Strengths Practitioners, "focus your time on improving on your natural talents rather than trying to overcome your non-talents". In this case Tony's gift is his terrific smile.

Great stuff!!!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

A St. Patrick's Day Strengths Message

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I don't know what comes to your mind when you think of St. Patricks' Day. Susy and I have a bit of Irish in our massively mixed heritage and we are celebrating more than usual this year. My parents coming over for corned beef and cabbage, green clover shaped ravioli stuffed with Irish cheese and some Irish themed Ben and Jerry's to top our Irish themed cup cakes. I can't wait :D

In doing some research, I was surprised to learn that a 3 leaf clover and not a 4 leaf clover is actually a symbol of St. Patrick. As he traveled Ireland preaching the gospel and planting over 200 churches, he used the 3 leaf clover to explain "The Trinity" concept that is so core to the Christian faith and message.

Actually, each of us are "trinities" as well in a sense. We are all body, mind, and spirit. And each of the three components offer up a unique individual lens to view our natural talents and strengths.

What are your body talents? Are you coordinated? Do you have good tweezer dexterity? Are you naturally strong? Do you have unusual eye sight? Is your sense of taste or smell especially pronounced?

What about your talents of mind? Do you naturally think strategically? Are you creative? Are you strong at math? Are you gifted with words?

How about your spirit? How do you love and relate with others? Do you have a knack for encouragement and building others up? Do you naturally serve?

St. Patrick's Day is a magical day of sorts. Go out and spread your own unique brand of magic today!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

"Hugo"

Susy and I watched "Hugo" last night. It's an adventure drama about an orphan boy growing up in Paris train station just after World War I. The film was a bit slow paced for me but other than that I found it absolutely magical, and a movie with a strong "Strengths" message. Hugo is a mechanical genius. In fact the movie has several characters who are full of passion and genius in their respective life work.

Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer, Jude Law and Christopher Lee, Hugo received five Oscars—for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing. It's 11 total nominations was the most for this 84th Academy Awards.

This is a good one to watch with young children and have "The Strengths Talk" in the hours and days following!

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Coaching, Class, and Collaborator Comments

The Purpose of this letter is to describe the benefits I enjoyed from my coaching experience with Dale Cobb. I had a very specific issue, which I needed help getting over the hump with. Our conversations were very helpful in keeping me on track and getting me to the finish line. I believe that Dale is a keen observer of the human condition and has the ability to reflect back an individuals thoughts and goals as one strives for success. I found the services offered by Dale to be timely and effective. In the future, I am sure I will be presented with challenges that require outside assistance. When that time comes, I will not hesitate to call on Dale for his fresh bright and insightful guidance.

Joe Sexton, Managing Partner, CFR Executive Search, Chicago, Illinois

“Working with Dale has always been rewarding. Dale has always been on the leading edge developing new ways of marketing his products and services. Always willing to try new approaches and follow through... Always convincing.”

Fred Friday, Junk King Franchise Owner, Chattanooga, Tennessee

"Dale has always impressed me with his integrity, marketing insights, compassion and follow through. He thinks outside the box, asks the questions that others fail to ask and has a real heart for training others to be the best they can be. You can count on Dale."

Tim Turner, Owner Turner Strategic, Atlanta, Georgia

“Dale is always the most prepared person in the room. He has the ability to listen and clarify the issue at hand. He is a creative, caring leader. He has always been a joy to work with.”

Beverly Sherman, Owner Creative Connections, Lansing, Michigan

“I would like to take the opportunity to offer my recommendation for Dale Cobb. He has the remarkable ability to clearly listen to a problem, understand the issues and suggest a course of action that satisfies the needs of me and my clients. I cannot tell you how many times his advice was precisely what I needed to close a deal or carefully resolve a difficult situation. He is resourceful and creative in his teaching style. Over all he helped me to be more efficient and successful in my career.”

Michael Ward, Houston, Texas

“Dale gives attention to detail and runs one of the best team meetings I’ve ever seen. He has the keen ability to make complex things seems simple enough that anyone could understand them.”

Elwyn Henderson, Owner-Partner Mosaic Images, Gilmer, Texas

“Thank you for all your time and encouragement. With your advice and direction, I was able to get a decent job offer. They even complimented my resume.”

Ben Davidson, Visalia, CA

Strength Maxims

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know it when you find it. Your time is limited; so don't waste it living someone else's life... Have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition. They somehow already know what they already want to become. Everything else is secondary."

Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple Computers

"Maintaining focus is the key to success. You should understand your circle of competence, the thing that you're good at, and spend your time and energy there."

Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft

"If there is any difference between you and me, it may simple be that I get up every day and have a chance to do what I love to do, every day. If you want to learn anything from me, this is the best advice I can give you."

Warren Buffet, Investor

"Voice lies at the nexus of talent (your natural gifts and strengths), passion (those things that naturally energize, excite, motivate, and inspire you), need (including what the world needs enough to pay you for), and conscience (that still, small voice within that assures you of what is right and that prompts you to actually do it)... There is a deep, innate, almost inexpressible yearning within each one of us to find our voice in life. Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs."

Stephen R. Covey

"The Hedgehog Concept is an operating model that reflects understanding of three intersecting circles: what you can be the best in the world at, what you are deeply passionate about, and what best drives your economic or resource engine."

Jim Collins, From Good to Great

"Most Americans do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them, they look at you with a blank stare, or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer."

Peter Drucker, Modern Management Founder

"Being intelligent means that you are able to solve a problem, create a product or service that is valued in your community."

Howard Gardner, Harvard Professor and Founder of Multiple Intelligence Theory

"I've come to believe that genius is an exceedingly common human quality, probably natural to most of us."

John Taylor Gatto, Teacher, New York City Schools

"For the most part I do the thing which my own nature drives me to do."

Albert Einstein

"I've learned to draw and read a little bit, but I'm really still a very one-sided person and I don't know a great deal. I have limited intelligence and I use it in a particular direction."

Richard Feynman, Nuclear Scientist, Nobel Prize Winner

"What children need most are families and schools that demonstrate unconditional belief in their strengths."

Jennifer Fox, Author, Your Childs Strengths

"All children are born geniuses; 9,999 out of every 10,000 are swiftly, inadvertantly degeniused by grownups."

Buckminster Fuller

"Most people reach adulthood with no idea what their strengths might be; yet, they are painfully aware of their failings."

Marcus Buckinham, Author, The Truth About You

"...forget about the math and concentrate on what your son can do well. Success is achieved by the development of strengths, not by the elimination of weaknesses. Name any successful person. Does this person have weaknesses? You bet!"

Marilyn Vos Savant, Guiness Book Highest IQ Scorer (228)

"You can't coach height"

Basketball Saying

"Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it."

Buddha 273-232 BC

"God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well."

The Apostle Paul, From Romans 12

"Your ability unveils your destiny"

Max Lucado, Author, Cure for the Common Life

"...I was never a businessman... I mean I can add and subtract but I hate to read sheets of numbers. I like to write stories."

Stan Lee, Marvel Comics, Creator of Super Heroes

"To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness."

John Dewey, Educator

"Most do violence to their natural apptitude, and so attain superiority in nothing."

Balthasar Gracian, 17th century Spanish Jesuit

"If you have twelve crayons in your box, use your creativity and resourcefulness to make the best picture you can with these. Don't spend time worrying that someone else has forty-eight or sixty-four crayons. As you are, you are basically adequate to life."

Laurence G. Boldt, Author, Zen and the Art of Making a Living

"Picasso is weak on Einstein's theory of relativity, and Einstein is weak on impressionist painting. I can assure you they did not become successful people in their fields by trying to counter-balance their weakness."

Bernard Haldane, Pioneer in Career Planning

"If Benjamin Franklin would have tried to be a general and George Washington would have tried to be an inventor, we'd probably still be living in an English Colony with electricity."

Tim Timmons, Author and Speaker

"If there is nothing very special about your work, no matter how hard you apply yourself, you won't get noticed, and that increasingly means you won't get paid much either."

Michael Goldhaber, From Wired Magazine

"Talent, I love that word! So different from employees.

So different from personnel. So different from human resources. Talent! Just uttering the word per se makes you puff up and feel good about yourself!

...I love it because of the...images ...that it immediately brings to mind. Yo-Yo Ma playing the cello. Pavarotti at full volume. Gene Hackman or Nicole Kidman in complete command of a scene. Derek Jeter turning a double play. Michelle Kwan doing a triple axel. Michael Jordan "parting the waters"...and making that famous last shot that won the Chicago Bulls their sixth championship during his reign with the team."

Tom Peters

"Everyone has some natural talent or aptitude in one or more areas. If you can identify those areas you not only will be happier and perform more successfully in that role, but you will become better paid for that. Our free market system pays for performance at some point. When you have a natural aptitude coupled with desire experience, the result is productivity plus."

Dave Ramsey

“Success in its highest and noblest form calls for peace of mind and enjoyment and happiness which come only to the man who has found the work that he likes best.”

Napoleon Hill