This is a great article, will be trying each out and seeing if we can get what Barbara Sher calls an Idea Party going in the next week or so using one of these!
Showing posts with label idea lady. Show all posts
Showing posts with label idea lady. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
5 Free Tools for Quickly Hosting Online Brainstorming Sessions
5 Free Tools for Quickly Hosting Online Brainstorming Sessions
This is a great article, will be trying each out and seeing if we can get what Barbara Sher calls an Idea Party going in the next week or so using one of these!
This is a great article, will be trying each out and seeing if we can get what Barbara Sher calls an Idea Party going in the next week or so using one of these!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Jack of all Trades... Master of None?
I'm in a group on Facebook that is geared towards Scanners, Renaissance Women and Men, Polymaths, Slashers... or whatever you like to call us. It's an amazing group for someone like me, and the people there are thought-provoking, supportive, and they inspire me constantly. Today one of them asked for help in how to respond to Specialists who don't understand Scanners.
It also brought to mind some of the articles I've been reading lately in which "Slashers" have been denigrated, a post from a "friend" on Facebook today where she was appalled that someone reveled in being mediocre, and other articles I've read. As a quick aside, a slasher is someone who's title is made up of slashes. Mine is (or could be): Trainer/Coach/Writer/Photographer. It made me realize that there are people out there who quite simply do NOT understand us. So first I'll give you my response to the Specialist who calls us "Jack of all Trades" in a derogatory way, and then I'll move on to what we're really about, and what some of our strengths are.
My response to someone who intimates that I'm a Jack of all trades, master of none is to tell them the full quote:
It gives a different feeling, doesn't it? Typically, I'll leave it at that. But if someone desires a more full understanding, it's this: I have a breadth of knowledge in a variety of subjects. In business, and with clients, this allows me to have a better idea of what the bigger picture is.
Consider this scenario: I am a writer, photographer, typist, bookkeeper, teacher, trainer, and many other things. I'm very good at all of these things, although there are many who are better at any one of these things. I tend to prefer jobs that hold the title of Office Manager, working for a small but growing company. Why is that? Because it's a job where all of my experience and interests come into play. I am currently creating a marketing brochure (using my photography, design, and writing skills). I also do invoicing (bookkeeping skills), and write and type business letters, for one company. They don't need a professional photographer on staff, nor do they need a staff writer. But they need someone with my combination of skills. It's a win-win. Does this employer look down on me because I have chosen not to get a degree in Accounting, or don't have my CPA? No. He appreciates the skill set that I bring to the table, because he needs a generalist, not a specialist.
If I meet someone, and I explain it in this way, many times, I'll see the "aha!" moment when they get it. Maybe it changes his/her mind permanently. Maybe it doesn't. But generally speaking, when I explain that I am a Creative Career Coach, and I help people figure out how to create a life they can love living, I'll ask for the Specialist's business card. I explain that I keep a resource bank of names, numbers, and specialties, so that if a client comes to me requiring more in-depth knowledge than I have, I would love an opportunity to be able to call on them for their expert opinions.
I've never looked down on Specialists. I have a fascination that they can love one thing so much that they know that's what they're meant to do. I have a deep appreciation for the time they have spent honing their craft, the dedication it takes for them to reach the pinnacle of their career. All I ask for is the same respect for them. I choose to be a generalist. I choose how in-depth into a career or hobby that I get. And I learn from it. In reality, I am a specialist in learning and teaching. I just prefer a breadth of knowledge rather than a depth of knowledge about any one thing. It doesn't make me less-than. In fact, I'll wear the badge proudly (if such a badge existed).
In my coaching practice, having such a breadth of knowledge is essential. If my client describes the job above as her dream career, if I only know of being a Specialist in a large corporation, I can't help her find her way to her dream job. But with my knowledge, I am able instead to direct her to the types of companies that might need her particular skill set.
So, the next time you hear someone call someone like me or you a dilettante, slasher, or any number of derogatory terms... think twice about judging them as harshly as they've judged me or you. Try to appreciate them for being the Specialist they are, and try patiently explaining why I am or you are the way we are. After all, it takes all kinds...
Jack of all trades, master of none, though ofttimes better than master of one. -Geffray Mynshul (1618)
It gives a different feeling, doesn't it? Typically, I'll leave it at that. But if someone desires a more full understanding, it's this: I have a breadth of knowledge in a variety of subjects. In business, and with clients, this allows me to have a better idea of what the bigger picture is.
Consider this scenario: I am a writer, photographer, typist, bookkeeper, teacher, trainer, and many other things. I'm very good at all of these things, although there are many who are better at any one of these things. I tend to prefer jobs that hold the title of Office Manager, working for a small but growing company. Why is that? Because it's a job where all of my experience and interests come into play. I am currently creating a marketing brochure (using my photography, design, and writing skills). I also do invoicing (bookkeeping skills), and write and type business letters, for one company. They don't need a professional photographer on staff, nor do they need a staff writer. But they need someone with my combination of skills. It's a win-win. Does this employer look down on me because I have chosen not to get a degree in Accounting, or don't have my CPA? No. He appreciates the skill set that I bring to the table, because he needs a generalist, not a specialist.
If I meet someone, and I explain it in this way, many times, I'll see the "aha!" moment when they get it. Maybe it changes his/her mind permanently. Maybe it doesn't. But generally speaking, when I explain that I am a Creative Career Coach, and I help people figure out how to create a life they can love living, I'll ask for the Specialist's business card. I explain that I keep a resource bank of names, numbers, and specialties, so that if a client comes to me requiring more in-depth knowledge than I have, I would love an opportunity to be able to call on them for their expert opinions.
I've never looked down on Specialists. I have a fascination that they can love one thing so much that they know that's what they're meant to do. I have a deep appreciation for the time they have spent honing their craft, the dedication it takes for them to reach the pinnacle of their career. All I ask for is the same respect for them. I choose to be a generalist. I choose how in-depth into a career or hobby that I get. And I learn from it. In reality, I am a specialist in learning and teaching. I just prefer a breadth of knowledge rather than a depth of knowledge about any one thing. It doesn't make me less-than. In fact, I'll wear the badge proudly (if such a badge existed).
In my coaching practice, having such a breadth of knowledge is essential. If my client describes the job above as her dream career, if I only know of being a Specialist in a large corporation, I can't help her find her way to her dream job. But with my knowledge, I am able instead to direct her to the types of companies that might need her particular skill set.
So, the next time you hear someone call someone like me or you a dilettante, slasher, or any number of derogatory terms... think twice about judging them as harshly as they've judged me or you. Try to appreciate them for being the Specialist they are, and try patiently explaining why I am or you are the way we are. After all, it takes all kinds...
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
I heart connecting with people!
I'm always amazed when something I've written, posted, or advertised causes me to connect with another person. And I LOVE to connect! So, interested in connecting with me? Find me here...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorkimearley I try to share inspiring posts of others, some of my own, and interact with friends, family, and people who are interested in what I do on this page. Start a conversation! I'll join in! :) Link is also below.
Follow @kimberlyearley
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kimberlyearley I'll be honest here. I just don't remember to use Twitter very much. But occasionally I do. So if you'd like to connect with me here, I'll try to remember not to forget to talk to you. :)
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyearley Again, Facebook is my main way of interacting with others, so don't be surprised if I'm quiet on here quite a bit. But I do really like to network, and LinkedIn is a good way to find people that are already living your dream life (the career portion, if you want a career).
Connecting with others means we each have the opportunity to find out we have interests in common, a common goal, or simply that we can enjoy and appreciate one another!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorkimearley I try to share inspiring posts of others, some of my own, and interact with friends, family, and people who are interested in what I do on this page. Start a conversation! I'll join in! :) Link is also below.
Follow @kimberlyearley
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kimberlyearley I'll be honest here. I just don't remember to use Twitter very much. But occasionally I do. So if you'd like to connect with me here, I'll try to remember not to forget to talk to you. :)
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyearley Again, Facebook is my main way of interacting with others, so don't be surprised if I'm quiet on here quite a bit. But I do really like to network, and LinkedIn is a good way to find people that are already living your dream life (the career portion, if you want a career).
Connecting with others means we each have the opportunity to find out we have interests in common, a common goal, or simply that we can enjoy and appreciate one another!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Books I Love
These are my all-time favorite books (for now). :)
Barbara Sher's Teamworks! on the left, Barbara Sher's I Could Do Anything If I Just Knew What It Was, Barbara Winter's Making a Living Without a Job, and Barbara Sher's Wishcraft. Any of these books (except possibly Teamworks! which is now out of print) can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking on the book in the carousel below, if you're interested in reading them for yourself.
They are the inspiration for my Dream Teams, and we rely heavily on Teamworks!, Wishcraft, and Making a Living Without a Job with our teams. It was these books, along with a few others, that solidified my desire to create the Dream Teams, along with my coaching practice.
If you have ever seen my LinkedIn profile, you will see that my professional/business experience has really run the gamut. While I enjoyed certain aspects of nearly every job I've ever had, I knew that each one wasn't a particularly good fit for me. I enjoy working with start-ups from the idea forward, and I enjoy checking on their progress, offering help here and there when they need it. But the day-to-day functioning of a business is not for me (other than my own). But for me, the most fun is the idea phase... which led to my creating Dream Teams. Seeing someone light up when they realize what it is they want to do is the second best part of my "job". The first place moment is when I see their dream come true... when the doors to the coffee shop opens, or they leave for their trip across America (or overseas).
What's your dream?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Scanner Daybook
I've started my Scanner Daybook, as Barbara Sher's I Could Do Anything... if I Just Knew What it Was challenged me to. Although I already knew that I was what she considered a Scanner, my daybook really proves it. I'm interested in so many things, and just getting them into a book seems to take a load off my mind. It helps me concentrate. It's a pretty drawing pad, with the word Dreams inscribed on the front cover. I figure that's very apropos.
So many of the ideas I have, I have no intention of bringing to completion. Maybe one of my clients will, at some point. I love the idea that they may see the light of day, and I could gauge the success of the idea by someone else's bringing it to light. I don't have to do it all, I just think of it. I'm the Idea Lady. :)
Do you have a Scanner Daybook? What's in yours?
So many of the ideas I have, I have no intention of bringing to completion. Maybe one of my clients will, at some point. I love the idea that they may see the light of day, and I could gauge the success of the idea by someone else's bringing it to light. I don't have to do it all, I just think of it. I'm the Idea Lady. :)
Do you have a Scanner Daybook? What's in yours?
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