Global Creative

A good friend who is also a global creative is a small business owner running a service company out of his house.  Ted is a one man operation so if he is not working he is generally not making money.  He is also an amazingly generous individual – almost to a fault.  If a friend makes a request, Ted will often drop what he is doing and help his friend in need.  To exacerbate the situation Ted owns a pick-up so people are always asking him to haul and drop off stuff.

You can see how these two identites compete for Ted’s attention with ‘generous friend’ often winning out over ’successful business owner’.  This is not an uncommon challenge for global creatives in general especially if they are master responders allowing others to dictate their daily intentions (more on the Responder here)

Covey and Allen refer to these as roles but I prefer identities.  Identities speak more to who you are (father, husband, professional, provider) than a role that you play.  I’ve been focusing on rediscovering and reinforcing identities with my clients recently.  CG’s have a tendency to not only forget the name of the game in the middle of a good hunt (or distraction) but also forget their best identities.

A number of factors can contribute to this.  A fallible memory and limited inhibition (impulsivity) certainly do not help.  Throw emotion  into the mix (would you rather help a buddy or bill a customer?) and you can see how we arrive here.

Best Identities also help to reinforce our level of confidence reminding us that indeed we are up to the task.  They also give us a better option than less-than-stellar identities that can step in when our guard is down (Shiny Object Chaser, Day Dreamer, Walk-by completer)

Steps to Reinforcing Identites

• Name your best identities with appropriate qualifier (successful business owner, for example)
• List attitudes and actions that support this identity (confidence, vision, cultivating new clients/work, billing customers)
• List what happens if you do not regularly step into this identity (stagnating business, loss in visibility)
• List what happens if you do regularly step into this identity (regular completions that contribute to building business)

Posting your best identities prominently to remind the brain (R of REBEL) is a good idea.

Some of mine

• Add Value Coach
• Successful Business Owner
• Knowledgable Trainer
• Generous Collaborator
• Loving Husband and Father
• Olympic Biker (well not really, but it gets me on the bike!)

These are identities I strive for.  I am not successful all the time but having these accessible gives me useful  focal points.

Enjoy!

Cameron Gott PCC

ADHD Coach

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Often people come to coaching struggling with an overloaded ‘plate’ of mounting tasks and actions.  ”I just need an extra hour, Cam!” is often the lament.  In addition to letting the mundane pile up, Global Creatives love adding new projects, rarely turning down requests.  The inability to say “No!” is not a character trait (or flaw).  It is related to challenges around prioritizing tasks, projects and requests.  Global Creatives can really struggle here and will often just resort to urgent tactics or the “latest and loudest” approach.

Recognizing we have a glitchy prioritizer (we can make a case for just about any intention) doesn’t mean we shouldn’t prioritize.  The term ‘limit scope’ refers to this prioritizing process not only necessary for timely completions but also necessary for maintaining our sanity!

Recently I’ve been talking about picture frames with my clients.  Frames are a great metaphor for limiting scope, helping demarcate the area where one chooses to make a difference.   This last phrase is important because the struggling GC often has the mindset of “I can do it all!”  Once we let go of this impossible frame of mind then we are free to choose where we focus our attention.   When we actively limit scope we can trade in urgnecy as a motivator and develop tools such as choice and creativity (What makes a global creative a global creative!).  I’ll speak to how limiting scope ultimately leads to ‘mastery’ in a future blog entry.

So if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed then draw a frame around what is essential.  Distinguish the stuff inside the frame from stuff outside the frame.  Natural forces (and colleagues) will try to move items from the outside to the inside of the frame.  Notice this and practice the gentle “No thanks”.  Better yet, confirm your priorities with those who count.

One of my favorite expressions…

When you say No to one thing, you say Yes to another!

Cameron Gott PCC

ADHD Coach

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This is a review of each component of REBEL,  a process I use to help clients with ADHD  get things done.

Today’s blog looks at the second E of REBEL: Exposure to new experiences.

Let’s focus on three distinct areas.

Plan Differently

Execute Differently

Review Differently

By ‘differently’ I mean have a new experience.

Plan Differently

Global Creatives can approach planning in an All or Nothing manner.

They can spend ample time in planning phase not leaving enough time for execution.  These expert planners can struggle with initiating for task and ‘perfectionism’.  They often struggle with Inattentive Type ADHD and cobbling enough energy to activate for task.  They are the ‘vision without action’ folks.

GC’s can also skip the planning process altogether opting for a ‘latest and loudest’ approach to prioritizing, relying heavily on respond mode.  These GC’s often have an excess of energy struggling to tap the brakes in a timely fashion. They are the ‘action without vision’ folks.

For both groups practicing a brief  ’review and plan’ session can make a huge difference in there day.  Ten minutes to determine your top three actions for the day can be greatly benificial.

Execute Differently

Practice focusing on small, significant completions for brief portions of your day.

Two mindsets are handy here:

Practice Mindset

Assuming a practice mindset can be helpful in managing the constant evaluation provided by our friend the inner crtitic.  When we approach actions with a practice mindset we let go of outcomes and judgments.  Think of Tiger Woods on the practice range.  He is not thinking about what may happen – success or failure.  He is focused on being present and consistent.  All that is left for him is hitting the ball.  A mix of challenging actions with fun and rewarding actions is essential too.

Prototype Mindset

The prototype mindset is thinking about version 1.0’s as opposed to 6.0’s.  We have a tendecy to accessorize our tasks adding more actions that can weigh down a decent project grinding it to a halt.  You can always add accessories later.

Review Differently

Global Creatives tend to succeed in big ways and fail in big ways. When they fail,  GC’s can really focus on the failure (the fall off the horse).  So much so that they don’t focus on climbing back in the saddle.  This is related to challenges around effective transitioning.  Reviewing Differently is bringing in the Fire Chief (curiosity and questions) as you sit on the ground brushing of the dirt.  Get curious about getting back in the saddle (there are an infinite number of ways to do this!).  Making space for reflection without judgment (Mindfulness) can really be helpful here.

In conclusion, all of us gain rich learning and insight from our own experiences.  Expose yourself to doing things differently and you’ll be the greatest beneficiary.

Enjoy!

Cameron Gott PCC

ADHD Coach

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This is a review of each component of REBEL,  a process I use to help clients with ADHD  get things done.

B stands for Balanced Attack

Exercise the weak muscle.

Set aside time to plan, review, remember, reflect, adjust, organize, prioritize.

Set aside time to work on the important and not urgent tasks (Covey’s Quad II items).

David Allen addresses these two categories as-

Defining Work and Doing Defined Work

Global Creatives like to spend time in his third category – Doing Work as it Shows Up

An approach I like to ‘Doing Defined Work’ is to name one intention for each day (preferably in the AM) that is important but not urgent.  Set aside one hour at first and then build on that.  So regardless of what happens the rest of the day you atleast got your one intention time in.

The key is to do it before you start cranking up your big responder muscle-responding to requests, emails, ‘crises’

You may be saying- “I don’t have time for this Cam!”

That is your urgent brain speaking.  Unless you are a fire fighter or a ER doctor you have the time.  What is helpful here are motivators other than urgency.

Soon I will post my “5 C’s of Completion” Document which touches on motivators other than urgency.

Cameron Gott

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This is a review of each component of REBEL,  a process I use to help clients with ADHD  get things done.

‘Expand the Mind’ has two very different components.  Part 1 addressed the practical challenge of freeing up usable space in the ADD brain.

The other component addresses attitudes and useful perspectives.  For example expanding what is possible.  So this component focuses more on improving mind ‘flexibility and resiliency’.

For all of our creativity, Global Creatives can fall prey to one dimensional thinking with respect to action.  Urgency and overwhelm (which produce stress and anxiety) squelch creativity and force the GC into a ‘just push harder’ frame of mind (not very flexible).  A common challenge of ADHD is black and white or ‘all or nothing’ thinking.  This is related to challeges around setting priorities.  It especially comes out when we slam ourselves (ANT’s) showing up as absolutes.

“I always mess up!”

“I never get it right!”

So, when you push a large object you literally put your head down.  Figuratively, when we come to a challenging task we do something similar with our familiar language.

“I just need to push harder!”.

This is a great time to practice the first E of REBEL – an expansive mind.

When we are focused solely on doing and finishing we are not focused on the potential resources that are available to us.

So some informal ways to expand the mind is a Cam favorite – asking questions.

Starting with questions for self (and the Fire Chief)

What have I not thought of?

What has worked in the past?

What is another way?

Questions for others (delegating is hugely under-utilized)

Who is the best person for the job?

Who can I bring in?

As ‘doers’ we naturally want to hang on to tasks and can be reluctant to hand off to others.

This can be useful for the occasional push to finish the big project but not a basket to put all of one’s eggs into.

Informal practice is great but formal practice is really where major headway is made.

Quiet reflective time is a wonderful way to cultivate an expansive, flexible mind.  This can come in the form of prayer, solitude, and mindfulness.  I am a big fan of mindfulness because it seems to work nicely with the global creative brain.

A study at UCLA has found that meditation is bringing real benefits to individuals struggling with ADHD.

Quiet reflection coupled with strategic planning is a wonderful practice that hels to ‘reset’ the brain.  Even 10 minutes of quiet reflection will make a difference.  Then out of this quiet ask these questions:

What are my intentions for the week?

What is one thing I can do each day that will make a difference?

enjoy

Cam

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This is a review of each component of REBEL,  a process I use to help clients with getting things done.

Expand the Mind has two very different components.  One addresses attitudes and useful perspectives.  For example expanding what is possible.

The other component is much more practical and addresses the issue of storage space in the brain.  

GC’s are famous for using their brains as their primary storage facility for thoughts, actions, shoulds, someday maybes.  Sytems get lost, forgotten and most often unused.  The real issue GC’s have to contend with is the phenomenon of overwhelm.  We often operate right on the edge, maxing out the ampage we have on board.  Much of this energy can go into keeping order of things we don’t need for our current task like “remember to pick up milk!”.

There are two ways to make more space in a room.  Move the walls out or remove some of the clutter.  Regular practice of dumping stuff out of the brain into a reliable holding space is essential for managing overwhelm.  A Global Creative loses his creative production element (his Creative moniker!) when overwhelm is nearby.  The default production element sadly becomes urgency where the GC prioritizes by the latest and loudest and is motivated only by hard deadlines.

Our global processor is a natural phenomenon.  The creative producer is not.  We have to pave the way for creative production.  One way is to stop using our brains as storage devices.  

As you look for a reliable storage device keep in mind the distinction between visibility and accessibility.  Visibility is often not enough to get us to remeber to use the system.  Objects (planners, PDA’s) over time can fade into the background.  Accessibility is much more important-how accessible the system or device is, how accessible that specific task is.  This has a lot to do with personal preference and preferred modalities.  A tactile individual is more likely to be drawn to a paper based system preferring the touch or feel of paper to a PDA.

One of my clients shared with me a very cool tool that is paper based and easily modified.  It’s the PocketMod.  

I’ve found the best systems are developed through trial and error.  The key is to keep tweaking the ststem (that means keep using it) till it works for you.

Cheers, Cam

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Another important fire chief question to ask…

What do I already know?

I am currently reading Appreciative Coaching by Orem, Binkert and Clancy for a Coach Approach course I am teaching with Denslow Brown.    This model of coaching is primarily based upon Aprreciative Inquiry — a sucessful process for positive change in the field  of organizational development.  

In addition to positive inquiry and clear development of values and goals,  the process relies heavily on what the organization or individual already knows — past successes.

Global Creatives can forget past successes, mired in or focused on the current challenge.  Reminding oneself of past successes is a place to start.

Have I been here before?

What have I done in the past?

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This is a review of each component of REBEL,  a process I use to help clients with getting things done.

G-C’s understand the value of “Remembering to Remind the Brain”.  Keeping the pump primed is key to Effective Brain Management.   There are two methods to consider.  A formal event such as a weekly or daily review and an informal event such as pausing and asking a relevant ‘fire chief’ question.

Formal

GC’s can get stuck in over-review (in a way it keeps them out of action phase).  A brief review of daily intentions can really clarify the tracks you are choosing for the day.  A lengthier weekly review similar to the GTD approach can go a long way in reminding us of our intentions and goals.

Informal

Informal reminder events don’t get the attention their formal cousins do but these can have a huge impact on the outcome of any given day.  An informal event shows up most effectively as a pause in the day- a check in on where you are and where you are heading.  Getting your attention is best done in the form of a question.  Central to the success of a question is what, how and when it is asked.

Consider the following:

What to ask.

“What is most important right now?….What’s a priority?….”

This helps keep the train on the intended track and limits tangents thru the day.

“Where is my brain?….What is getting in my way?….”

Recognizing distraction in the moment is a huge skill. 

How to ask.

“Hey Dipshit!  Get to work!” will get your attention but sets a tone of disdain and frustration.

You don’t need more stress.  You need more clarity.  Asking in a more neutral way will take the focus off you and place the focus where it needs to be — the problem and eventual solution.

When to ask.

“Where am I heading?….Do I want to go this way?….”

The best time to ask is soon after the train has left the track (not two hours later)

So make some space for R of REBEL and see what happens

CBG

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REBEL is a process I share with clients in the early stages of our coaching.  It is quite useful for Global Creatives wanting a more balanced and consistent approach to their work day.  Today I share the entire strategy.  Over the next several weeks I will expand on each component.

Would love to hear your feedback!

If you are an individual – use it freely

If you are a coach – please cite globalcreative.org

Cam

The Process that I embrace is REBEL

Think about what you are doing or would like to do in each area

R

Remember to Remind the Brain

Memory is a big component of ADHD.  Remind self of values, commitments/intentions, strategies/best practices, worst practices, misteps, what you are up to, priorities, work actions that contribute to: bottom line, adding value for customer, contributing to development of client or company.

A Weekly Review is excellent opportunity to do this.  Can offset pull of immediate gratification. 

E

Expand the Mind

Expand what is possible

Our black and white thinking tells us there are two options. Full out or dead stop.  There is a middle ground to explore.

Loosen up vs. tighten down.  We tend to just try harder when we run into an obstacle.  This is about trying different.

Clear out the clutter

A more practical exercise is to literally empty the brain-get stuff out of head and in to safe place.  Develop a reliable task & time manager outside the head.

B

Balanced Attack

Exercise the weak muscle.  Set aside time to plan, review, remember, reflect, adjust, organize, prioritize.  Tracking may not be a strong suit but you can develop ways to manage and track papers and information.

E

Exposure

Exposure of time-how do you get things done.  How do you not get things done.  Where are you efficient and effective, where do you lollygag.  Find time-bleeders. 

Exposure to new experiences.  Get out there and do it.  Too much planning will kill good actions.  Put the ball in play!

L

Limit Scope

A necessity in order to complete.  Limiting allows us to be more selective.  When we say no to one thing we say yes to something else.  When completion replaces urgency as a motivator we move to a new level of operating that includes choice and creativity.  Actively being selective leads to richer more fulfilling experiences and outcomes.  

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 ”Is my job safe in these uncertain economic times?”

Certainly a question worth asking and yet who has the time to explore this query?

You’ve learned about the pro-active stance of the “fire chief”.  Now we get to put him to use.

Learn about Big Black Holes and what to do about them.

We equip our fire chief with necessary tools to explore pertinent Big Black Holes and we find that they are not Black Holes after all.

 

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