Now is the right time.  Ask any of the Olympic medal winners or last night’s Oscar winners.  They will tell you, NOW is the right time.

            At the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, the Gardiner Sisters agreed in song… “Follow your heart, right from the start.”  Now is the right time to start living, or working, your dream.

            The word “dream” is spoken a lot on these momentous occasions.  It’s a word that is expected, accepted and real when spoken by the top performers in these fields. And yet in everyday life, dreams are often sabotaged by doubts and doubters, perpetuating not just short term procrastination but lifelong regrets.

            Dreams are founded on passion, and when pursued generate more energy than any other motivating factor.  With total belief, they give the power to propel beyond any perceived obstacle.

             In the business world, dreams exist in the beginning as organizations are created. With maturity, comes a different attitude. Dreams are seen as soft, a head-in-the-clouds waste of time, being too abstract and just a wish.  Quite frankly, dreams that aren’t pursued are just that.

            Businesses take up strategic planning, which many believe to be a more concrete process. The problem with most strategic plans, though, is they leave out the dreaming step, and end up with more of the same. They wrongly perceive the key word to be “more,” when it is the “same.”  And the “same” isn’t a long-term strategy for success. 

            The vision, the imagination and creativity that helped crystallize the organization’s path in the beginning is not tapped. Mired in protective mindsets, safeguarding the position of individuals and the organization, new directions feel too risky.  Nay-sayers are honored, for what is usually mistaken as loyalty.

            Ironically, dreamers who engage in the pursuit, work the steps of a strategic plan.  Gathering information, determining action steps, creating measurements, as well as planning and adjusting for obstacles along the way are just what they do. The difference is that their level of belief, passion and drive carry them further.  They take the necessary hard work in stride, and safe is no where on their radar.

            Geoffrey Fletcher, when accepting his Oscar for Precious, Best Adapted Screenplay, acknowledged the work and shared the moment, saying, “This is for everybody who works on the dream everyday.”

            Life pursuits are no different than those of business.  In working with kids, I hear them talk about their dreams, and then the possibilities for failure.  They’ve heard such things as “most don’t make it,”  “you can’t do that,”  “you might not win.”  They are hungry to talk about how their dreams could come true, a topic often avoided in an effort to keep them from getting their hopes up too high.

            On into adulthood and the work place we go, all the time being cautious with our hopes.  And yet, when given the chance, we want to be there to experience dreams coming true for others.  We soak in the feelings of victory and success, allowing ourselves, for a few moments, to dream again.

            In so doing, try to remember this perspective from Sarah Ban Breathnach, “The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers.  But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.”  And then consider some “doing.”

            In various leadership positions throughout my career, I’ve often thought if I could wave a magic wand I would want to give people confidence.  I had observed that confident people behaved differently. For the most part, they seemed less defensive. 

            Upon further observation, it became clear that confidence was not something that was always experienced holistically.  For example, I’ve coached some folks that are very confident in their abilities to do their job, but not so confident in the value of themselves as individuals. Therefore, defensiveness emerged.

            Then there are those who are so confident that their defensiveness is elevated to arrogance, and takes on the face of bullying, diminishing anyone who questions them.

            Carol S. Dweck addresses these behavior differences more eloquently in her book, mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Rather than speak of them in terms of confidence, she talks about their mindset and how that translates into behavioral styles.

            In examples of what most would consider successful people, she draws lines of distinction by detailing values and coinciding behaviors.  She would no more put John McEnroe in the same athletic ranks with Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth, than she would group Lee Iacocca and Steve Case with CEO greats Jack Welch and Lou Gerstner.

            And here’s why. McEnroe, Iacocca and Case share what Dweck terms a “fixed” mindset, whereas Jordan, Ruth, Welch and Gerstner share a “growth” mindset. The differences are as stark as being billions in the red as opposed to billions in the black.

            Giant egos, airs of superiority and constant parading of their greatness are characteristics of the fixed mindset group.  Abuse and judgment of the underlings, especially the most competent, is routine and required to uphold the self-created royal status of fixed-mindset leaders. Talent, not effort, is supreme.

            McEnroe blamed losses on many things, but never himself.  The responsibility didn’t lie with him, so neither did the fix.  He even blamed his temper tantrums on others for having allowed them.  Jordan and Ruth, in contrast, looked losses in the face and increased efforts to improve their games.        Likewise Iacocca and Case sat atop success with the sole focus of elevating their self-image. All the while, Chrysler and AOL Time Warner danced with disaster.  True to their fixed mindset, both CEOs lost their crowns but not their elitist attitudes.

            With a switch in mindsets, it was human potential, teamwork and growth that drove Welch and Gerstner. Like the spotlighted Undercover CEOs of the current TV program, they went to the ranks and thrived on good communication.

            Turf wars were banned, credit shared and mentoring replaced blame.  The “Royal I” was no where to be found, resulting in wins all around, including nothing less than stellar financial gains for GE and IBM.

            So you see, while confidence is a characteristic linked to leadership, it alone does not guarantee a leadership style that is respected and sustains success.  True leadership, after all, is only sustainable through the engagement and growth of self and others.  Dweck’s book does a great job substantiating this through a collection of detailed examples. 

While in New York this weekend, I was reminded of how frequently we are faced with decisions that speak to our authenticity. It was more than the patterns of styles and behaviors that emerged while people-watching. It was what I saw in formal exhibits and on stage that spotlighted our human struggles and triumphs of being true to ourselves.

  Authenticity is that desired state that we connect with success, leadership and happiness.  And while it is so desired, there are ongoing pressures to be otherwise. Fitting in, being accepted, avoiding ridicule, controversy and conflict keep many teetering on the edge, rocking between a unique self and the collective blend. Some just succumb, believing it is easier to mix with the majority.

            Leave the streets of NYC, step into a theater or art museum, and find a celebration of the authentic. For originality and individual victories draw us in, and connect at a gut level.

            The fancy footwork of Billy Elliott, the young boy growing up in a struggling mining town, won him the opportunity to pursue ballet, but not without enduring some soul-searching pirouettes of his family and community. It’s an all too common theme in life.

            At Lincoln Center, South Pacific’s Emile de Becque made decisions according to his priorities, leaving him unpopular at times.  His love, Nellie, resisted her true feelings for him, listening to what others thought and said, for she was already tagged “nutty” for being herself.  This play, full of many such struggles, shows them to be more of a daily occurrence than we might want to acknowledge.

            We find differences and creativity recognized and appreciated in exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). While his work is revered now, Claude Monet made choices that were not so easy at the time.  He snubbed artistic traditions to make way for playing with personal expressions. Creations throughout MoMA reveal similar sentiments, with artists eliminating the concept of convention to toy with just about everything.

            When it came to interpreting space, within and surrounding structures, Frank Lloyd Wright was another artist who didn’t believe in sacrificing personal style. He wove form, function and light into revolutionary architecture, as is the case with the Guggenheim Museum. In observance of the museum’s 50^th anniversary, the world has been Contemplating the Void, which Wright so boldly designed into the center of this “catalytic” building.

            Standing in the spiraling open space, one can begin to understand Wright’s dedication to his own sense of being and imagination.  There was no conforming, no imitation.  And yet, with just one step outdoors, existence becomes a monotone blur defined by peer pressure. Even in our pursuit of being different, too often we are the same.

            Unless, like young Billy Elliott, you feel sparks inside, like electricity, and totally free, you are not being true to you. 

Potential can be a bit elusive.  We talk about it as if it’s easy to measure, and at other times it sounds as if it’s infinite.  “Living up to our potential” is a lifelong theme heard at home, school and the office.

But what is it?  How do you measure it?  Has anyone ever reached their full potential? All are good questions; let’s take a stab at some answers.

Behavioral scientists throughout time have agreed that, in general, we use a fraction of our potential.   They vary on the specifics, with that fractional use ranging between 5 and 25 percent.

No one seems to claim that anyone has ever demonstrated using anything close to full potential.  Einstein is purported to have said that he tapped about 10 to 12 percent of his potential.  Psychologist William James estimated that 10 percent was about what most humans use, and anthropologist Margaret Mead believed most use only 6 percent.

Does it matter if we use 6 percent or 10 percent?  What’s a few percentage points of potential really mean, anyway?  Perhaps it’s all in how it’s measured.

We are led to believe that we all have potential, though not to an equal degree.  This belief is usually based on findings about intellect and talents.

There are tests to measure IQ, but it has been repeatedly shown that IQ is not equivalent to potential.  Neuroscientists can measure the percentage of the brain used, and at the same time cite many examples of how the brain reconfigures itself, growing synapses and the possibility for more potential.

When it comes to talents, it has historically been believed that, like intellect, they are a part of the equation that determines one’s potential. Not everyone agrees.  In his book, Outliars, Malcolm Gladwell attributes much to effort and lucky opportunities.  Let’s assume we can’t do a whole lot about lucky breaks and focus on effort.

Gladwell quotes neurologist Daniel Levitin, who concludes achievement is equal to talent plus preparation. And, Levitin says, preparation plays the biggest role.

He repeatedly found, no matter what the talent, 10,000 hours of preparation was required to achieve a level of mastery or be a world class expert in anything. This was true for athletes, composers and musicians, as well as intellectual pursuits like chess playing.

To put it into the context of our discussion, the key to achievement or living up to more of our potential is directly linked to the level of our efforts, according to Levitin.

That means you can cross intellect and talents off your list of excuses. Realizing more of your potential, however it’s measured, is a matter of choosing and doing so.  

My husband and I are remodeling an 1890 Victorian that sits perched upon the shore of Lake Memphremagog. While our friends tend to see it as a project and work, we have found it to be a source of fun and an outlet for creative energy.

            We’ve just moved beyond the gutting stage on the third floor, respectful gutting mind you. This gorgeous grand lady of a house has been remuddled more than once. So we will accentuate any gems from the past that we happen upon. For instance we’ve uncovered beautiful, herringboned fir floors, and will restore them.

              As we looked at the bathroom, we tried to envision a way to make it more than a room that met the basic utilitarian needs. It’s a fairly long bathroom with tub, sink and toilet all lined up on one side. The other half is just a wide walkway, with a large window overlooking the lake at the end.

We had already decided to put in large, deep tub for soaking. After all this is Vermont with its long winters, lots of snow and nippy temperatures. We are able to make it fit by taking down a wall separating a storage area out under the eves. With the slanted ceiling, we’ll add a skylight so one can gaze at the stars while sipping wine and releasing the tensions of the day.

As our contractor was removing walls and old fixtures, he mistakenly took down a wall that had separated the tub from sink and toilet. And in so doing, he literally opened up our minds to some new and wonderful possibilities.

Just simply by having that one wall removed we saw a totally different scenario. No longer would everything be lined up horizontally along one wall. We could now see the possibilities for playing with perpendicular placements.

It made me think about the walls we allow in our life, our businesses… blocking our conceptual views and closing our minds to other possibilities?

We absorb so much limiting thinking from the day of our birth, on through school and right into the work place.  It becomes all encompassing of our creative spirits and our active minds, planting endless doubts because of the life-long repetition. Remember hearing any of these:

            Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t talk unless first spoken to. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Better safe than sorry. Curiosity killed the cat. You got to have money to make money.

Whether you realize it or not, these are walls within most of our minds.  They are there to greet any new ideas, different paths or innovative exploration. They won’t be as easy or swift to remove as a literal wall, but with conscious effort you can make way to some perpendicular possibilities for yourself and your business.

   Communication is truly an art.  And like a work of art, it can require some interpretation to gain full appreciation of what is being presented and received.

            It is often said to seek first to understand, and then to be understood. That statement is recommending we ensure our understanding of what the other person is saying before we become determined to have them understand us. Unfortunately, an assumption is being made and a step skipped.  The result in many cases is anything but a mutual grasp of meaning.

            The assumption is that we understand ourselves at a very basic level. Recognizing and understanding our emotions, our patterns and what drives our reactions is essential to effective communication.  First, and foremost, we must understand our Self.

            And while most of us think we know ourselves, my experience has shown many don’t. Granted we know ourselves at the conscious level. That’s not all that helpful when most of our behavior, 90 percent, is driven by our subconscious.

            With 80 percent of communication being non-verbal, we may not even realize what signals our subconscious is sending out.  You may realize you are tense, but not know how that’s emerging in your posture, facial expressions and gestures.

            There are a variety of profiles that can help you gain a better understanding of how you interact, and how that is received.  Then you can move onto understanding how our differences interfere, because more often than not, we operate as if everyone sees and thinks the same way we do.  That, too, is a big mistake.

No company would survive the chaos created from a lack of leadership and a well-defined tactical mission. Free-wheeling departments operating without an eye to collaboration and coordination would only add to the confusion.  Why do we think it will work at a larger scale in the disaster recovery effort of Haiti?

            Perhaps under the auspices of the United Nations, there should be the ability to pull together the necessary expertise in a team that would lead such critical efforts to save and restore lives. Or perhaps there is a non-governmental agency that specializes in such efforts, and would be keen to the types of players needed and expertise available around the world.

            Of course, any such team would need to include expertise from the country in need to avoid the cultural missteps that come from donations that won’t work.  Offering food that can’t be eaten because it violates religious beliefs is a nice gesture, but not truly helpful.

            There is need for the dollar donations, but there is nothing like human capital with the right knowledge and skills to designate the spending.  In our ever-changing, fast-paced environment, the leadership and tactical expertise exists. It needs to be called upon and leveraged in times of catastrophe.

            There is no excuse for our world’s repeated failures to deliver swift and effective aid in such disasters. In our own country we should have learned from Katrina. Perhaps President Obama, with his audacity for hope, could step forward and offer a calm and respectful hand in setting up this team. Conferring with other world leaders on such an effort would be a good start.  Naming a member or two to the team would be a great second step.

            And while there will be those who think we don’t have time for such coordination, even fast-paced entrepreneurs will tell you that all have to be moving in the same direction on a major effort.

            I’m an optimist but I know there will be another disaster to contend with at some point.  So why not get our worldly act together, have a game plan, line up the players and the leadership.  And let the world, as John Lennon wrote, live as one… at least… and at first, in times of disaster.

   Malcolm Gladwell, author of Tipping Point, Outliars and Blink, made an interesting  observation about entrepreneurs in a recent New Yorker magazine.  He purports that they don’t take risks, it just looks that way.

            Through his examples, Gladwell explains that entrepreneurs are predators of perceived value, investors of others’ money or savvy information gatherers. His points:   There is no risk in charging more than cost when value is perceived higher; Nor is there personal risk in structuring a deal to only risk the assets of others; And when you have knowledge of a sure thing, that eliminates risk as well.

            While I am a great fan of Gladwell’s, I beg to differ.  Hindsight is that wonderful thing that takes away all doubt.  And doubt can exist in the human mind even though some see a situation as a sure thing.  That doubt translates into perceived risk.  In other words, not everyone in the situations of Ted Turner or hedge-fund manager John Paulson would have acted, nor necessarily succeeded to the level that they did.

            Successful entrepreneurs are passionate, comfortable with themselves, and are confident in their pursuits.  And when they experience a mishap, they learn and move on. They are savvy in the sense that they reduce the number of unknowns along the way, and therefore reduce the risk.  But risk they do.

            Work relationships vary in many ways.  Sometimes they are strictly business, but more often they cross over into the personal arena.  And that’s a good thing. Relationships, after all, are touted as being at the core of success.

            It’s old-fashioned to think that we cease to be people at work. That checking the heart and brains at the door stuff never really happened.  It’s not possible, thank goodness.

            Getting to know one another, not just on the surface, but in a more profound way allows for better discussions, debates and more effective decision-making.  It’s an asset no organization should be without.

            When team members are storming about an issue, it helps that they see each other  as individuals with hopes and fears, and lives beyond work.  It allows for a different level of respect and caring.  Operating day-to-day on a personal level means the business differences never go there.

            Aside from talking about the family, pets and vacations, how do team members bond, you might ask.  And that’s not a silly question.  For too long we’ve acted like people at work are somehow different than neighbors, friends and family.  And quite simply, they’re not.

            Bonding is another word for creating a connection.  People connect through shared experiences; the more powerful the experience the stronger the connection.  At work you’ll see a team pull together instantly when they face a shared crisis.  That experience will create an ongoing bond.

            The same is true if team members can let themselves be relaxed, let their guard down, and laugh together.  It’s amazing how being a little silly can let people be more comfortable with each other.  Laughing is an amazing bonding tool.

            So take a chance, let your hair down and induce a little laughter.

We spend 90 percent of our time on autopilot.  And while that has its benefits, like efficiency, it can also be detrimental.  When 57,000 thoughts of the 60,000 we have each day are exactly the same as the day before, it doesn’t allow for a very open mind.

            If we tried to translate that into business opportunities missed, what do you think that’s worth?   While the exact dollar amount may be hard to determine, it is easy to conclude we probably miss more opportunity than we see.

            When we get so focused on the day-to-day, on the market, on the limitations and obstacles, we literally miss opportunity right before us.

            If you need a demonstration, before reading further, click on the following link: http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/flashmovies/15.php. Once there, watch the video and count how many times the ball is passed between those with white t-shirts.  Or if you prefer, count how many times it is passed between those with black t-shirts.

            Many have already seen this video.  By the way, the ball passes from white to white 14 times, and between the blacks 19 times.  That of course is not the point of the video. Most people focused on counting the ball passes totally miss a gorilla walking through the group, slowly.

            If you experience this, it is quite shocking. It appears to be some kind of a trick.  It’s not. It has been learned that conscious perception or focused attention is needed to literally see something that is right in front of you, in plain view.

            You can get off auto pilot.  You can switch your focus to capture more opportunity.  It has to be a conscious effort.  And it has to be backed by a process that involves written goals, attitude management and a change in habits.

            So I repeat, while you are focused on the challenges of the day, to how many opportunities were you blind?