Striking out swinging or looking?

Despite being an Aussie who should have probably grown up loving cricket, thanks to my American-sport-loving Dad I’m a huge fan of baseball instead.

For those of you not super familiar with the game, you’re probably still familiar with the phrase “strike out” - where the pitcher is able to throw three “strikes” past the batter meaning they’re out.

There’s two different ways you can “strike-out”.

You can strike out “looking” – which is where you watch the ball go over the plate not attempting to hit it.

Or you can strike out “swinging” – where you’re doing your darndest to connect bat to ball but don’t quite get there.

People write to me often asking me for advice on how to know if it’s the right time for them to start up a business. My advice to them is typically this - what’s going to hurt them more in the long term:

- the regret of knowing they had a great idea and did nothing
- or the potential downside that may come with the financial loss of starting up a business that doesn’t succeed.

In short, do they want to strike out looking or swinging? If you strike out looking, there’s no chance of a home run. If you’re swinging – sure you might strike out – but you might also make that connection that makes all the difference.

See a cute girl across the bar? If you ask her for her phone number and she says no, you’ve gone out swinging. You’ve given it your best bet. If you never ask, you’re in exactly the same position, but you never had a chance for a date.

Know that promotion is right up your alley? Apply or not? Swing or look?

Think you are deserving of an award? Nominate yourself or remain quiet? Swing or look?

If the possibility of striking out is real (and, lets face it, in almost every endeavour it is) how would you prefer to go out?

By Kirsty Dunphey with 2 comments

The power of pause-itivity

The world seems to be crashing down around my ears today. I haven’t held the tiny child enough, my inbox is overflowing, there are three fires to put out in the office, I know I left a letter half written open on another staff member’s computer, I’m waiting on a bunch of people to get back to me so I can complete jobs and to top it off I snapped at my husband within 10 minutes of walking in the door.
Pause… deep breath… stop.
Hold the tiny child, cuddle her, hang out with her uninterrupted for a half hour til she goes to bed. She looks at me with her big blue eyes and giggles.
Pause
Apologise to husband for snapping, take a minute to just give him a huge hug. Mood calmed significantly already.
Pause
Categorize my emails, prioritize my to do list for tomorrow, move anything I don’t need to work on tomorrow into a folder called “do after tomorrow”. Tomorrow’s list already looking do-able.
Pause
Fire off a few more emails and tick a few things off tomorrow’s to do list.
Pause
Take 5 minutes and send out an email to two of my team who do a great job, but that I haven’t acknowledged enough lately.
Pause
Have a long relaxing bath.
Pause
For me, multi-tasking only leads to more confusion. I know I’m not getting anything done when I’m mid-way through 5 different things. I know I just need to pause and do one thing at a time and do it well. If I just take the time to pause, the list doesn’t seem so overwhelming. A huge and insurmountable list can be broken down into more achievable chunks by simply taking a moment to pause, stop, breathe, reassess and start on (and finish) one thing at a time. Do you need to pause?

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Onwards, Over and Upwards

Thanks to Adam Drummond for sending me this video to follow… Three and a half minutes of action packed fun.

VCA 2010 RACE RUN from changoman on Vimeo.

I think this bike run is a great analogy for business. The guy racing through the obstacle course (who appropriately seems to be wearing a pin striped suit) is always looking forward.

He goes through ups and downs. At a time he even gets off course, but at no stage does he look backwards, he just gets back on course and continues on. Were he to look backwards he’d almost definitely crash.

There’s even a very difficult obstacle (with 4 legs) in his way at one point, but he continues onward, finding a way over it. At no point does he stop his forward momentum.

Too often, it’s easy to have an off course moment, or an obstacle that makes you stop or look backwards. Forward momentum with constant adjustments works for our pin striped racer… could it work for you too?

By Kirsty Dunphey with 1 comment

The power of the word

I’m quite distraught. I was eating my personal trainer approved afternoon snack of 12 almonds (my suggestion of 12 Tim Tams: not approved) when I got a lovely crunchy surprise in my mashed up almond mix. Part of a rear tooth had dislodged and was busily working its way towards my small intestine.

Having my wisdom teeth stitches “accidentally” left in for about 2 weeks too long has left me with a justified fear of going in to see the man with the drill. Not to be deterred I picked up the phone and was told by the monotone receptionist: “you won’t be getting in for at least 4 weeks”.

Now note this was not “our next vacancy is in 4 weeks” or “I’m really sorry, barring dental emergencies we won’t be able to fit you in for 4 weeks” this was simply “you won’t be getting in for at least 4 weeks”.

The front face of this business, the director of customer relations and the person I think is responsible for calming irrational odontophobics like me (yes, that’s the word for those who fear the dentist) had actually somewhat alleviated my fear... by replacing it with indignation!

In your business or in your workplace does your front face realise the power of the word? Do you? Perhaps take a leaf out of my hair dresser's book – they answer every phone call with “Thank you for calling Bladerunner. How can I make your day today?” It’s a bit zany, it makes them laugh and it makes me smile.

The power of the word can invoke rage, or cultivate a fan – what do the words at your business do?

By Kirsty Dunphey with 3 comments