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Google Beams, Curiosity and Innovation

Last week when I toured Google’s corporate headquarters, the “Googleplex,” I was shown a monitor that had an image of the planet earth with multicolored beams of light shooting up from the various contintents. The beams represented Google searches that were presently being conducted from those locations. (For example, when I searched on Google this morning for an article on “augmented intelligence,” it would have appeared on Google’s global search monitor as a beam of light shooting up from Greenwich, Connecticut where I live.)

What stood out to me when I observed Google’s global search monitor was that locations such as North America, East Asia and Western Europe were aflame with Google beams of search activity whereas some regions like Africa and much of South America were largely dark.

If Google searches can be thought of as a proxy for curiosity and learning, then locations (nations and organizations) that are aflame with search activity are preferable to locations that are dark.

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Leadership Speaker for ASTD and Linkage

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be speaking for two of the world’s leading organizations in the training and development field. On July 23rd I’ll be speaking about how Connection Cultures relate to leadership, employee engagement, productivity and innovation in an hour long presentation via Webex to members of ASTD (the American Society for Training and Development).  ASTD is the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals with 80,000 members from more than 100 countries. 

On December 10, I will be at the headquarters of Linkage Corporation near Boston to record an 90 minute presentation on Connection Cultures that will be made available on demand to Linkage clients.  Linkage is a global organizational development company that specializes in leadership development.   More than 200,000 leaders and managers have attended Linkage programs since 1998.

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Intrapreneurs: Find a Work Environment to Help You Thrive

If you aspire to be a successful intrapreneur, seek a healthy work environment. There are organizations with healthy work environments that energize employees and others that suck the life out of them.  Unfortunately, the latter dominate.  According to research from Gallup, over the last decade, 75 percent of American workers reported that they were not engaged in their jobs.

Here’s what you should be looking for in a work environment that will help you thrive.

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Culture Change = Compelling Values + Portfolio of Stories

Mario Sundar at Marketing Nirvana just wrote about changing corporate culture with corporate storytelling. I agree that leaders should have a portfolio of stories they tell that bring corporate values to life.  In addition, I recommend that leaders clearly articulate their values in writing. The corporate mission, strategy and objectives express what has to be done.  Clearly articulated values in writing help make it clear how work is to be done and how it is not to be done.  

Here is one of the best expressions of values by a leader that I’ve seen.  It comes from the commander of the U.S.S. Montpelier, a nuclear submarine.    

The USS Montpelier Command Philosophy

Montpelier is a warship, designed to steam into harm’s way and win.  Our flesh and blood bring this ship to life.  We are stewards of one of the most capable warships in the history of mankind.   These thoughts provide a framework for executing that stewardship and for building the teamwork that will enable us to fight and win in war.

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Guy Kawasaki: “Connection Culture” a “must read”

Guy Kawasaki, Founding Partner of Garage Technology Ventures, best-selling author and Entrepreneur magazine columnist, just wrote on his Twitter that “The Connection Culture: A New Source of Competitive Advantage” is a “must read.” I hope you’ll agree! Guy also posted about it on his Open Forum blog.

You can download it for free by clicking here.

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Connection Critical to Healthcare

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about healthcare organizations.  I recently spoke in New Haven to nearly 500 managers at Yale-New Haven Hospital and in Philadelphia to a group of CEOs that included several leaders from the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.  I’ve written from the patient’s perspective about my wife Katie’s battles with breast and advanced ovarian cancer and about Dr. Herb Pardes, head of New York-Presbyterian Health System, and how he is leading his organization to deliver patient-centered care. Recently, I interviewed Bill Shannon, Chief Wisdom Officer, at DaVita, Inc., the leading provider of kidney dialysis services and shortly I’ll be hosting a webcast with Pat Charmel, CEO of Griffin Hospital, a perennial member of Fortune’s best places to work list.

Two books I recently read reminded me again just how critical connection is to health care.

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Connection — and Connectors — in Federal Government

Recently I’ve been spending more time in Washington, DC.  Earlier this year I spoke at the General Services Administration, the Executive Development Exchange Network (EDEN) and at  Senior Fellows and Friends.  In the coming months I’ll be speaking at the US Treasury Executive Institute, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Government Accountability Office.

Washington, DC is abuzz with energy, enthusiasm  and a “can do” spirit.  Some government employees meet on their personal time in groups such as Senior Fellows and Friends and 13L to exchange ideas that  make government more effective.  They have come up with innovative practices and programs such as Flash Mentoring and FedPitch.  The private sector could learn much from these thoughtful civil servants who dedicate their professional lives to a cause greater than self.

Yesterday I had the privilege of joining Martha Dorris, the Deputy Associate Administrator at the GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and AM 1500 Federal News Radio hosts Chris Dorobek and Francis Rose in an hour long discussion about my book, Fired Up or Burned Out, and creating Connection Cultures in Federal Government.  Martha is a dynamic leader and an intentional connector who is developing a Connection Culture at the GSA.  Chris and Francis are outgoing, intentional connectors too.  Their radio programs are thoughtful and encouraging.  They inform, educate, inspire and help federal government workers feel more connected. You can listen to our radio conversation by clicking on leadership and employee engagement in federal government.

During this critical time in history when we are rethinking the roles of the government, private and social sectors, government is playing an increasingly important part in shaping our collective future.  To this end, President Obama is challenging federal workers to make a difference.  He inspires them with a vision of positive change, values their service and contributions, and gives them a voice by seeking their opinions and ideas. And I’m looking forward to spending more time in DC to encourage and advise leaders about how to develop Connection Cultures that will help release the genius of the dedicated individuals who work in federal government.