Thursday, November 29, 2007

Concepts 101 Part 13: Goal

Hi,

There are 3 kinds of "Wants", i.e. Goals, Purposes and Dreams.

All 3 are essential as Success is defined as getting what you want. If you don't know what you want, success will never come, no matter how eager and hardworking you are!

Let's start with Goal.

Many people know about SMART Goals. SMART Goals are Specific (i.e. What), Measurable (i.e. What), Achievable (i.e. How), Realistic (i.e. How) and Timed (i.e. When).

But there is no Non-SMART Goal! If it is a goal, it must be SMART, or it is a Purpose or a Dream. If you do not know the "What", "How" and "When" of what you want, how can it be a goal?

It is very OK to dream. But one must then work it into Purpose and then Goals in order to actualize your Dreams.

Dreams can be of any time-frame. It can be as short-termed as an hour, mid-termed as months or years, or as long-termed as decades. But in today's ever-changing world, long-termed goals can be quite meaningless.

Dreams are your destinations while Goals are your landmarks to your Dreams.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Announcement: Exam Results of RCC 2007

Hi,

There are 58 classmates attending this year's Registered Corporate Coach Program of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches.

The passing rate is as high as 97% this year - a Great Class!!!

What makes me feeling more than happy is that there are 20 classmates scoring 100% in their examination, i.e. 34%.

Below please find a list of classmates who score 100%.

Chan Suk Yin
Arvin Chan
Elvin Kan
Kwong Suet Hing
Lam Yan Yee
Lee Ka Fai
Leung Yin Ming
Li Wah Ling
Maria So
Pun Kam Chung
She King Chi
Tse Pui Hong
Eliza Wong
Winnie Wong
Wong Wai Yue
Yiu Yau Ning
Chan Mei Wah
Tsui Lou Yee
Kwan Chi Ning
Lau Chun Kok

Congratulation to all of you. HKPC will inform you the result very soon. (once I check all your assignments)

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Top 5 Tips: Top 5 Tips to Facilitate Creativity from Groups

Hi,

You need and want to have creativity from your team because you can't expect new ideas just from yourself. Collective intelligence is much better than a single mind.

1. Focus on Possibilities. Never focus on your problems and barriers. They are important but they won't lead you to any new ideas.

2. Encourage, not Push. People opens their mind when they feel secure and safe. Don't push.

3. Appreciate Others' Contributions. No matter how useless the idea is, appreciate others' effort in producing it and voicing it out. This motivates others to create more!

4. Suspend your Judgments. All good ideas at their initial stage will not look great. Some are insane and some are impractical. It is our job to make them sensible and practical afterward.

5. Make it Fun for Everybody! Don't be too serious. An environment with fun encourages people to create more.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

我的觀點極短篇: 原創難求

Hi,

原創難求!

為何難求?在於低成本抄襲誤解了分享

當只需抄襲、無需自行思維,為什麼要花時間、精神創作?

當以為把他人的東西無條件分發給朋友,而不是把自己的成果送給別人,就以為是分享(分贓才對!),那還有誰願意創作?

我們要跑羸,就需更多原創!

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

NLP: The Most Important Concept and Skill of NLP

Hi,

According to myself, the most important concept and skill must be Meta-Model. This is the very first model of NLP and it is also the very core of NLP!

If there were no Meta-Model, NLP did not exist at all!

Meta-Model is used to uncover the Deeper Structure of thinking beneath the Surface Structure of Communication. This helps to identify any misunderstanding in thinking and communication.

The Surface Structure is the content of our thinking and communication after being filtered by our values, beliefs and rules. Not much is left behind. However, these simplified information of the Surface Structure making thinking and communication simper, easier and possible. We just can't think and talk in every single details. This will overload our and others' minds!

The value of Meta-Model is NOT its application in clarifying misunderstandings. Unless you are a detective or a therapist, we seldom use Meta-Model with ourselves and others. It breaks rapport instantly and seriously. Surface Structure is our "normal" communication while Deep Structure is totally abnormal!

Then why is Meta-Model so important?

In order to use Meta-Model effectively, one must be at his/her Meta-Position (i.e. perceiving and thinking above and beyond). When we are in our Meta-Position, we can see more and think clearly. We are outside the "Matrix" of our thinking and environmental influences!

Practicing Meta-Model trains us being able to "go meta" under even the most stressful and confused situation, when a clear mind is most desirable and essential. "Going Meta" is just an impossible skill without practice. The best practice is to practice Meta-Model.

The very basic qualification of a NLP Trainer is not his/her certificate(s). It is too easy to get one nowadays. The basic requirement are the ability to "Think on his/her Feet" and to remain calm and humorous under any situation in class. (Why humorous? One can only be humorous when one can see something different from "normal". You cannot "prepare" and "practice" your "humor" beforehand. Genuine humor is simultaneous and instant.)

Only when one is in the Meta-Position, one has all the above abilities.

The major outcome of learning NLP is NOT to be more persuasive or being excellent. These are the secondary gains only. We learn NLP to make our Inside World nearer to the Outside World, i.e. perceiving, thinking, acting more realistically.

Only when one is in the Meta-Position, one can perceive, think and act more realistically.

Practice your Meta-Model!

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Announcement: The Language Breakthrough Workshop & the Certified Handwriting Analyst Program

Hi,

After thorough thinking, I finally decided to cancell the coming Language Breakthrough Workshop, which was originally scheduled in April 2008.

Instead, I replace it with the more interesting and rare Certified Handwriting Analyst Program. There are so many "speaking workshops" out there, though I always think mine is great, but anybody can learn that from someone else.

The Certified Handwriting Analyst Program is composed of 2 Parts, the Foundation Course and the Advanced Course. Each is 12 hours long.

Foundation Course: April 2-23, May 7-14 2008 (7:30pm - 9:30pm)
Advanced Course: June 6-27, July 18-25 2008 (7:30pm - 9:30pm)

Sorry to disappoint some of you and please accept my appology.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Monday, November 12, 2007

我的觀點極短篇: 歷史課是不重要的?

Hi,

政府的毫無遠見的政策,竟讓兩成的中學不再為初中教授中國歷史課!

試問有什麼科目比歷史更能掌握世界,開拓思考?

但是歷史是舊東西,我們要向前看,就好像什麼『十大建設』才有價值,這又是新比舊好,硬件比軟件重要的理論。

最佳的學習是從經驗中取經,但經驗剎那即逝,難於掌握學習,但歷史卻給人『固定』下來,讓我們慢慢研究,歷史事件本身、歷史事件之間的因果、歷史的發展趨勢,全都是智慧,能放棄學習嗎?

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Written on: Oct 30 2007

我的觀點極短篇: 以低成本運作

Hi,

不論行事或做人,產能(Productivity)不是一個絕對的概念,而是相對性的,它相對於你的成本,成本越低,回報不高也可以是高產能的。

低成本不是靠『減低成本』來實踐的,如果本身是屬於高成本結構的,能減的只是浪費了的成本,再減就必影響回報!

有效的低成本是基於『低成本結構』,即本身就不需要太多成本,Internet-Based及我在Laser Lessons Program中提及的『單元模式』就是『低成本結構』的例子。

不要只管節省,想想如何以『低成本結構』運作可能得到更多!

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Facilitation: Differentiating Facilitation & Coaching

Hi,

Both Facilitation and Coaching are great tools for the 21st Century management and helping professionals. But they are different, though the difference is subtle.


What are Coaching & Facilitation?

Both aim at helping others through making them discovering more to develop their own solutions. The difference is not being the number of audience. Both coaching and facilitation can be done on an one-to-one or one-to-many basis.

Coaching is at the far end, the Discovery End of the communication spectrum. It is quite a pure form of discovery. A coach does not know how something was happened and how it is going to happen. A coach helps the clients by perceiving and thinking more and clearer through non-directive questioning.

Facilitation is a less pure form of discovering. A Facilitator guides the clients in perceiving and thinking in a direction decided by the facilitator. A facilitator is an expert in some of the processes commonly faced by a person or an organization, like ideas generation, conflict resolution, etc. A facilitator guides these processes under some frameworks. These frameworks provide directions so that the process becoming easier and faster.


Does Coaching or Facilitation lead others? Yes. A coach leads others' context of perceiving and thinking, while a facilitator leads others' context of the processes. But both do not lead others' content of the issues, i.e. they do not give advises and teach.

When a coach or facilitator advises others, he/she is doing something else other than coaching or facilitation. But most coaches and facilitators give advises because it is easier to do so. Telling always seems easier than helping others to discover by themselves. However, the advises can be not appropriate or wrong!

So, a coaching model must be a perceiving or thinking model (like our A to B Model, 6 Tiers of Questioning Models, Fulfill Model, etc.). A facilitation model should be a process model.

There are so many coaching models out there should be classified as facilitation models as they are talking about a specific process for the clients, like self improvement or business development, etc.


Coaching or Facilitation, which one is easier?

Coaching is easier for the coach, but more difficult for the clients. Facilitation is more difficult for the facilitator, but easier for the clients.

A coach can just rely on one single thinking model to coach while a facilitator require to apply different process models to facilitate different situations. Even for the same kind of situation, like ideas generation, a facilitator might use different process models according to the background of audiences and situation.

It is easier for the facilitator's clients because they are provided with the directions to think. However, the depth of discovery can be greater in coaching and the effects can be longer term and more extensive.

Facilitation is more linear and faster while coaching is more radiant but slower.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

我的觀點極短篇: 用平常心思維,以進取心行事

Hi,

小心還是進取?一個很大的矛盾。

小心,最後可能什麼也得不到;
進取,亦有可能什麼也失去!

任何矛盾如能看通,也就沒有什麼矛盾存在。

用平常心思維,以進取心行事。

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Monday, November 05, 2007

Facilitation: 12 Principles of Process Facilitation (plus Principle 1: Preparation)

Hi,

Facilitation is making the process easier and faster.

To make learning facilitation and doing facilitation easier and faster, I designed the 12 Principles of Process Facilitation.

You an apply facilitation in any process in your organization, no matter it is a meeting, or a brainstorming, conflicts resolution, idea-generation or decision-making session.

I will discuss very briefly (to make it easier and faster!) each of the 12 Principles here and in subsequent articles. Here comes the first principle, Preparation: Creating Base of Successful Facilitation.

Facilitation needs a concrete base to start. Preparation is the key. Preparation happens before the sessions. The most important part is Contracting.

Contracting is not signing of the agreement. It is about both the Facilitator and the Client knowing "what" are going to and need to be happened.

Apart from the "what", ensure both parties understand the "where", "when", "who" and some "how" in order to accomplish the "why" of the process.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Concepts 101 Part 12: Complex

Hi,

Complex is different from Complicated.

The nature can be Complex, but not Complicated. We, human beings make things and our lives complicated. Complexity is due to the number of elements and their inter-relationships.

If something is complicated, we see the simplicity in it by viewing it from different perspectives and then we remove the complications.

If something is complex, we admire, understand and utilize its complexity by identifying its components and their interactions.

Effective people simplifies the complicated, but sees through the complexity.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Concepts 101 Part 11: Simple (原文為英文,後加中文翻譯)

Hi,

If something is good and lasting, it must be simple.
If something is a truth, it must be simple.

If it is not simple, there will be too many parts subjected to influence and it will not be lasting. If it is not lasting, it can't be the truth!

Human beings tend to complicate things. Success is resulted from simplifying complicated things.

True simplification is not simply removal of unwanted stuff. Unwanted stuff can be the key elements, which must exist.

True simplification is seeing the simplicity in complicated things and then unfolding the simplicity accordingly.

Seeing is more important than removing.

中文翻譯

如果某件事情是優秀和持久的,那一定是簡單的。
如果某件事是一個真理,那它一定很簡單。

如果不簡單,被影響的部分就會太多,基於持久。如果不持久的,就不可能是真相!

人傾向於把事情複雜化,成功是把複雜的事情簡單化。

真正的簡化,不是簡單地去除你不想要的部份,不想要的,可能是必須存在的關鍵元素。

真正的簡化是在復雜的事物中看出簡單,然後相應地展現簡單

看到比去除更重要

Keith
Explore, Exceed Excel

Updated: Nov 9 2021

Concepts 101 Part 10: Concept, Principle & Skill

Hi,

Behind every great skill, there is a Concept so that the skill can be adapted and adjusted according to the situation. Even fools can understand that there is an underlying concept, but not everyone can comprehend the concept behind even he/she knows about the skill.

Then he/she can only use the skill at its surface level and can never be a master of it! (That's why I always do a long introduction at any of my programs so that everyone understand the concept before they learn something)

Concepts
are difficult to be comprehended because they are abstract. To make the skill useful, smart originators of any skill will formulate Principles to guide the Skill users in applying. When you learn a skill, at least clarify its Principles or you have not really learned the skill.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Systemic Typology: Concepts Behind Fate Reengineering Workshop

Hi,

I don't like to transfer just skills and techniques in my programs. There are always underlying concepts behind all of my seminars and workshops.

I am going to present the concepts behind all my programs. Starting with the one I did recently...

Fate Reengineering Workshop is the Level 1 of my Systemic Personality Typology Series. This is a systemic approach of changing our own fate by means of being aware of our personality:

1. Personality is the collection of many faces of our ego. They are interactive. We seldom can see most of these faces. We need tools.

2. Personality Typologies are the tools. Each guides us to see our personality from a different perspective.

3.  There is no good or bad personality.Your quality of life depends on how you cope with your super-systems, like your environment, your family, your social groups, etc.

4. Being aware of our personality and then adjusting and adapting with the bigger super-systems around us is an Intentional Process. We need to make a conscious decision to do so.

5. Awareness, Reality Check and Acceptance are the basis of effective adjustment and adaptation.

6. Adjustment and adaptation starts with stop manipulating others and ourselves.

7. People with Effective Personality (remember: no good or bad personality!) can grasp the Rising Opportunities and avoid the Falling Traps. Thus we can go up in our Fate Cycles.

8. People with Ineffective Personality can easily be affected by the Falling Traps to go down their Fate Cycles.

9. Effectiveness is about adaptability. Is your personality producing behaviours that create desirable results in your environment?
 
10. It is all about development. You are still you, but you can be bigger and better.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel

Updated: Feb 14 2014