D. Trinidad Hunt

Self-Reflection for September 21st

Could it be that those who are highly successful are highly successful not because of what they say but because of the quality of the questions they ask?

As I said in my last entry, I was talking with Toby from KTA Superstores and he brought up the adage of, 'What are the questions that are worth asking?' He actually stated it further when he said, "What is the question behind the question?"

In this light, it is important for those of you in leadership positions to ask yourself, "What are the questions worth asking? Or..."What are the questions I, as a leader in my organization, should be asking"

The power of questions is that they open our mental files and guide us to seek answers in particular areas. Not all questions lead to good answers. It's that QUALITY QUESTIONS lead to QUALITY ANSWERS.

A high quality question causes us think more deeply than we have before. High quality questions make us pursue the 'question behind the question', as Toby called it. It is by this means that they lead to further questioning and thus to high quality answers, answers that help to shift our fundamental paradigm.

So here are the 2 high quality questions that I invite you to engage in at the close of each day this week:

1. What is one big insight I had today or one incredible thing I learned today?
2. How can I use the insight I gained or the thing I learned to improve my results tomorrow?

Let these questions and the answers they deliver lead to an ever expanding upward growth and learning spiral!

And have a wonderful week!

Aloha from the beautiful Hawaiian Islands, Trin

Screen Shots On Your PC

Ask and you shall receive! I know only too well that RELATIONSHIPS ARE EVERYTHING and I'm forever grateful for my relationships. It's through relationships that my gaps get filled and questions answered. 

So one of my primary business relationships gave me the word on taking screen shots on a PC. I was on  the  phone with Toby Taniguchi the VP of Store Operations at KTA Superstores on the Big Island of Hawaii. I should have known that Toby, would have the answer to doing screen shots on a PC. Toby is a PC tech wiz who almost always has the answers for my tech challenged mind. (Being as limited as I am by my passion for the Macintosh computer!)

So here it is:

1. Hold down the SHIFT key and the PRINTSCREEN (PRNSCR) key at the same time.
2. There will not be an indication or sound to let you know that the pic took, but it did. It is stored on your clipboard.
3. Open MS Word or a photo edit program and PASTE it into the document.
4. Crop the image and SAVE to your desktop.
5. Place it into your screen saver file and you're done!!

Well that's it....

Thank You, Toby!!

ALOHA from the beautiful islands of Hawaii, Trinidad

Train the Trainer

It's been an active week for me here! The trainers at Hawaii State Federal Credit Union are sailing along. I licensed 4 of my programs to HSFCU and the trainers are doing just fine!

However when Cherese (far left) went to take a screen shot of her wordle image for the week, she couldn't figure out how to do that on a PC. I'm Apple-Mac savvy and it's very easy on a Mac (hold down apple-shift-4) But I'm cluless on a PC so I couldn't help!

Even Sheldon (far right) couldn't figure it out! Hey, so I didn't feel so bad! However, he's a Mac fan too... are we all clueless about the PC???

So, the line-up is Cherese, Gina, Jennifer (our Wonder Woman department head) and Sheldon. Turns out we're all looking for a method to do screen shots on the PC!

HELP!! If anyone one is clear on how to shoot screen shots on a PC let me know and I'll pass on the news to Cherese!

She did discover something really cool though and I thought I'd pass it on: if you type in the same word more than once, it raises the font size. Cherese typed in 'Love' 10 times and it was VERY large. She did joy 5 times and it was 1/2 as large.

In this way she showed her priorities by the size of the value word. Her wordle is very cool and located somewhere in the wordle gallery.

Have a great end of the week....

Much ALOHA from the beautiful islands of Hawaii!

Weekly Reflection - September 14

I was rethinking myself the other day mostly because I realized that I could be falling into a mental rut. I wasn't sure that I was falling into a mental rut, but just in case I thought I'd do the 'man in the mirror' thing and review some of my old assumptions and beliefs. So I began a true review and rethink!

It actually began with my own self-reflective process last week when I wrote my professional values and then transferred them into Wordle. It erupted into full consciousness when I completed the entire process only to find a whole bunch of other professional values lurking beneath the surface of awareness. I couldn't even do my own reflection! How could I suggest that you might do it!?! 

So I thought I'd approach my personal values another way. And this week's reflection comes out of my experience with this. This approach helped me attain the goal with greater ease. See what you think:

Imagine that you are embarking on a space exploration and that the captain of the craft asked you to bring along your top 30 values. Brainstorm these values on paper.

Now imagine that you have arrived at the ship and the captain apologizes for the mistake saying that only 15 of your top values will be allowed to go with you. What values would you pick?

Compare each value to the another value and pick the one closest to your heart. Then pull another value and compare it to that value and again pick the one that is closest to your heart or core. Continue to compare the best value of 2 to the next value on your list until you have your top 15 values.

Then do your 'wordle' design at http://www.wordle.net/. Then take a screen shot of your picture.  Finally, place your picture into your screen saver file so that it floats across your screen periodically to  remind you of your core values. Here's mine:

It will serve as a reminder to reflect on your core values every day. Then ask yourself the following questions as you do reflect intermittently during the day:

1. In what way am I demonstrating my core values today?
2. What have I done inadvertently today that might demonstrate something different from my core values?
   
3. Where can I improve and more fully express my core values for the rest of the day (and tomorrow)?
   

My insight from all this is that my reflection for the week does take a week... Have a wonderful week... I'm about to and I wish you the very same!!

Aloha from the Islands called Hawaii! Trin

Self-Reflection for the Week of September 6th

I thought I'd comment on my own self-reflection for last week... mostly because the comments I'm getting are in person. Then I thought it might be a good idea to run another similar idea for this weeks reflection. This is why...

I was doing a Train the Trainer program for a team of professional trainers here in Honolulu and one of the trainers started commenting on the "cool self-reflection item of the week". The other members of the team wanted to see it so they called up the site on their Smart Board screen and the entire team got really excited.

Every one of them decided that they were going to do their 9 word life passion on Wordle and make it into a screen saver. They even did some practice runs with Wordle on the Smart Board and got even more excited as they saw they words turn into various colored images. (By the way they showed me that my link did not work. So just look up www.wordle.net/ if you find that my link doesn't work.)

I want to inspire you who did not get a chance to try it... or thought you would try it later... to give it a go!

In fact let's try another one so that you can make 2 screen savers:

If you could say your highest professional values in 14 words or less, what would they be?

Now remember, this is professional. We'll focus on personal next week.

Here are 2 copies of mine. When I went into Wordle I got so excited about the possibilities that I had to do 2 samples to show you.

Notice that I left the font and the design the same just to show you some of the color options. There are hundreds of various combinations available. Let your imagination take you! You are the author and artist of your life! Go for it!!!

Start by reflecting. Ask yourself, "What are my top 14 professional values?"

This in itself will be a challenge. I wanted to add a hundred more words like, 'People, Joy of Work, Purpose, Passion, Collaboration, Insight' after I thought I'd finished. The more I reflected, the more my values kept expanding.

In order to stop, I finally had to barter with myself by agreeing that I'd do another one later. As an author I know that you have to be satisfied to stop somewhere. But it was really a challenge. I wanted to go on and on!

So, back to the instructions! Write your words down and when you're satisfied (if you ever are, and if you're not...do as I did and stop somewhere) go into Wordle and create. It's fun and while you're having fun you're creating a visual reminder of your professional values.

I already put both of these wordle pics into my screen savers and they look 'HOT'!!!

Give it a try. Then share them with your Master Mind Partners and send them on to me. I would love to see them!

This will help you keep your professional values front and foremost! Then have a wonderful, magical, uplifting week!

Much Aloha from the islands of Hawaii, Trinidad

Self Reflection for the Week

If you could share your life passion in 9 words what would it be?

Then go to http://www.wordle.net/ and turn it into magic. Take a screen photo of it so that you can save it. Put it on your screen as a screen saver to remind you of the heart and soul of you!

PS: If you send it on to me, I'll start a library of our 9 word life passions...

Here is mine:

Be Still & Remember That Life Works!

My Australian tour was exceptional. I now have many new friends, and I want to thank all of you men and women who are committed to 'raising the bar' in your lives. In each event the focus was growing your leadership skills, skill sets and competencies. All of you shared your courage and compassion with me. I was touched by your trust and your willingness to explore the edge, the boundaries of yourself, pushing yourselves to new heights of introspection, self-reflection and self-awareness! 

In each and every event that I did, I walked away with a heightened sense of respect and honor for all human beings. I was especially moved by the personal connections I made with each of you. Thank you for your words, your quiet comments, a gentle look in your eyes. The human spirit you shared with me has touched my heart and inspired my soul. Thank you! I am forever changed and bettered as a result of our time together.

I returned home to the islands six days ago to find that my personal life had gone into hyper-drive! Two of my dearest Aunts are in the hospital as we speak! My emotions were ajumble, my heart hurt and I had to give a speech to the Speaker's Association of Hawaii on Tuesday night and a full day training the next day. 'These are the times that try mens' souls' as they say and I had to use every bit of the training to stay centered.

BE STILL AND REMEMBER TO REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE... I chanted the words in my head as I did the last minute prep for each event... I had to count on my inner stillness to keep me from going over the edge! The results were amazing. Each event went off smoothly!! The participants said they couldn't have been happier!

Robyn Teryvaud said she went through a similar experience. She had to call on her inner strength to do an event after she returned from the Life Without Limits Retreat and she used REMEMBER TO REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE to stabilize herself. She tells me it worked and the event went off really well.

Remember to remember that:

Life works if you will only get out of the way and let it!

I'd love to hear your personal story. How did you use the training? Let me hear from you!  Your stories are food for my soul.

I know that I am eternally grateful for the training... And I am ever thankful to you for inviting me into your life!

ALOHA from Hawaii...

Trin

Self-Reflection for the Week

Aloha from Down Under...

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Or - 

Write down three things that you would you do if you knew that you would succeed beyond your wildest dreams?

Then pick one to start on. Chunk it into steps and begin taking those steps toward greater success! Truth be known - you cannot fail!

August Down Under

I’ve just spent one of the most unusual weeks in my life! On the one hand, my Australian tour is going magnificently well. The raves have been exceptional. On the other hand, I have not been able to use the Internet because the apartment where I’m staying has removed the hotspot due to certain tech issues they have had. 

It’s been very strange to be cut off from Twitter and my blog for a week… like living back in the mid 19th century. It felt as if my lifeline had been cut. Naturally, I was able to release the angst about it, but even with that, I felt disconnected from my support lines!

Ah well, back on line for the moment! The tour has been wonderful – wonderful people and great connections with leaders from all walks of life!

What I also love about these tours away from my home in Hawaii is the opportunity to play, visit with friends, and see the country. Lynne, David Linke and his wife, Andrea, and I took the dinner tram last night. It was an incredibly good 5 course dinner served on a tram as it circles the city of Melbourne. We checked in and boarded the tram at 8:30pm. As soon as we were seated the dinner team served our first glass of champagne as the tram rumbled forward. 

Time dissolved into the background as food, laughter and the company of good friends filled our evening. Before we knew it we pulled into the station to the tune of “Good Night Sweetheart, Well It’s Time To Go…” It was 11:30pm; three hours had flashed by in the blink of a moment.

There’s so much to see and do in Melbourne, but this one is a must! I’d recommend it to anyone!!

It will be a bit before I get back to my blog on a regular basis. I have to sort things out with the management of the apartment where I'm staying.

Raving Fans #4

Syrus couldn't hide his jubilation on the next visit. Rolling the flip charts out on the table, he said that he could feel the shift in each department. "More proactive," he said. "They are all working on projects that they initiated."

"So the next step is clear, Syrus."

"Not to me," Syrus countered.

"It's time to step in and acknowledge the progress of each of teams." I paused. "It's time to go on a walk about;LBWA"

"What's LBWA?" 

"Leadership By Walking About! It's time to begin a practice of personal engagement with the troops, Syrus. They want to see you and connect with you."

To make a long story short, as they say... Syrus began strengthening his relationship with his managers and his teams. From that time on our coaching sessions began to focus on the key indicators that make success in leadership as well as in life.

Based on the latest research, Syrus took the IQ, EQ, SQ Inventory and began developing the key traits necessary to improve his results with people. Over the next year, I taught him the art of tracking, a process that helped him make a distinction between the words and behaviors that served his purpose and those that didn't.

 The tracking process brought precision and clarity to his self-observation and Syrus began to increase his capacity to deal with what had previously been uncomfortable situations. We focused on enhancing and accentuated his strongest qualities so that his potential as a leader could be realized.

Over the next two, Syrus bought out two of his competitors and went on to take his company to the top in its sector. Today, his company still leads the field in results and service.