Screaming Monkeys

I grabbed a few dairy items still left on my list, like yogurt and milk, and headed toward the checkout lanes by slipping through the toy aisle near the edge of the store.  As I worked my way up to the front of the store I was distracted by toys on either side of me and memories of some childhood favorites.  I noticed a small stuffed animal in the middle of the aisle on the floor.  My hardware retail store and customer service training fell into place as I stopped to pick up the fallen toy - everything in its place.  As I searched the toy bins to find its home I looked down at the toy in my hand and thought it looked familiar. 

Jay Leno had a bit on the Tonight Show a few years back where he demonstrated some toys he liked for Christmas.  One of his favorites was a screaming monkey sling shot. You placed your index and middle fingers into the little pockets of the monkey's hands, pulled it back like a sling shot and then let it fly. The little monkey screeched as it flew. And it could really go quite a distance. They looked like so much fun I went on-line that night and bought one for each of the boys.  They were fun but I am not quite sure where they ended up.  And here was the delightful toy in my hand - a sock monkey version - but the same screaming flying monkey sling shot.  I decided that the family needed another one, and also thought it would be a good prop for my risk taking talks, so I placed the monkey into my basket. 

 

When we take a risk there is always a little bit of anxiety - it can be barely detectable or to the point - almost - of the screaming monkey taking flight across the room.  What can you do to relieve some of that anxiety?  Consider the steps to more successful risk taking - 

Risk taking - a course of action or inaction, taken under conditions of uncertainty, which exposes one to possible loss in order to reach a desired outcome

• Clarify a goal - what is it that you really want to do and what will it accomplish?
• Evaluate ways to accomplish the goal - be creative and brainstorm options
• Consider your risk taking tendencies - stretch yourself beyond your normal tendencies but not too far
• Increase the reward/risk ratio - develop a prototype and test, share the risk with another person,  ask for more time to collect information
• Take action - just do it

See you at my next risk talk - and let the screaming monkeys fly!

Move On Up - to the Front Row

I find it interesting to observe where people place themselves in a room. 

When I am teaching yoga some new people come right up to the front so that they can see and learn the right way to perform the poses.  Others that want to hang back and relax and participate at a different level may set their mat down in the back row or back corner. Occasionally they get a little surprise when I move to the side or back of the room to lead the class through a few poses and all of the sudden they are the front row now.  

In cycle class those that really want to focus and work the hardest tend to resonate to the front of the room.  In the front they can observe their form in the front mirrors and make corrections.  I sometimes wish I could automatically turn all of the bikes in cycle as easily as I can rotate my yoga class, (by having them turn on their mats), so that the back row would become the front row. It all makes for interesting dynamics.

I was presenting to a group of technical professionals on perceptions and assumptions in a business setting.  I was part of a half day long combined trainings plus meetings for a group that was only together once a quarter.   The finance group was presenting after my talk.  After I finished, I grabbed my lunch and stayed for part of their presentation before I headed out, on to my next adventure. While I was eating my lunch I observed that there were a few technical females in the room but they were seated in the last rows in the back.  The finance group that was presenting also had representation but they were also seated at the back of the room around a round table.  I noticed that several of them were texting or checking e-mails on their phone while their co-worker was presenting. 

There are a number of reasons people take a back seat at meetings. Some don't want to be called on.  Some may not think they have anything to contribute.  Others may have work that needs to be done and they don't want to disturb others in the room while they toggle back and forth between listening to the speaker and answering e-mails on their laptop or their device. But the truth is - they aren't totally "there".  We are most effective when we are totally present with whomever and whatever we are involved in.

What do you need to do to be more present and effective in your personal and professional life?