Week 10: Dream Big Dreams

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This week you will make your tenth journal entry/blog post. Reflect upon the things that you are learning and experiencing so far in this course. What are you looking forward to learning and experiencing? What did you learn from the readings and videos this week?

This week I worked hard on my Entrepreneur Interview paper. I re-listened to the interview a few times really soaking it all in. I had noted my impressions and went back over those notes seeing if my impressions had changed from when I first heard Jo's comments to now. First impressions remained the same. That in and of itself was interesting to me.

I particularly enjoyed the short video "License to Pursue Dreams" by Marissa Mayer at Google. She said that passion and momentum build when skilled employees have access to great tools and the time to stretch them in new directions. My ears perked up a bit with this one. Jo Day, my entrepreneur interviewee, and her husband Kevin created their company out of frustration with the tools made available to them at their jobs. This goes hand in hand with "necessity is the mother of invention." Our lives are made better because of great tools. As humans, we gauge the animal kingdom's intelligence in part based on a species' use of tools. As God's crowning creation, we can be better too with the creation and use of better tools. I loved what Ms. Mayer added though, that the time to stretch ourselves in new directions is critical too.

Another lovely bit I learned this week in the videos was from Acton Hero Kathy Huber. When asked about thinking outside of the box, she said she always liked to play with problems. I loved that she used the word "play." Do we allow our children enough time to play and to figure out their own problems? Do we allow them to struggle enough? Or do we fix everything, make it better, eliminate failure possibilities, refusing to see them as growth, strength, and character builders? I think yes.

My favorite assignment for the week was watching/reading (then) Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk "The Challenge to Become." He said,

Now is the time for each of us to work toward our personal conversion, toward becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. As we do so, we should remember that our family relationships—even more than our Church callings—are the setting in which the most important part of that development can occur. The conversion we must achieve requires us to be a good husband and father or a good wife and mother. Being a successful Church leader is not enough. Exaltation is an eternal family experience, and it is our mortal family experiences that are best suited to prepare us for it.

I LOVE how President Oaks ALWAYS nails a concept. He is a prophet, seer, and revelator indeed. My husband and I discussed this talk quite a bit this week. It helps us to remember that charity is not an act, but a condition or state of being. We must be changed into better creatures--into Christlike creatures--by our actions & choices. And we must know and remember that it is in the family situation where this is most likely to happen. It was wonderful reading this again as 2018 comes to a close and 2019 brings changes in format at church. So many people are focused on only 2 hours of church that they're missing the point. The point is 1 more hour of instruction and practice in the home, the most holy of places on earth next to the temple! What a wonderful time to be alive!

Week 9: Disciple Leadership

This week you will make your ninth journal entry/blog post. Reflect upon the things that you are learning and experiencing so far in this course. What are you looking forward to learning and experiencing? What did you learn from the readings and videos this week?

I am always in awe every time I read "Brigham Young University-Idaho: A Disciple Preparation Center (DPC)" by David A. Bednar and "Leadership with a Small "L" by Kim B. Clark. I imagine reading these two talks will be required of me a few more times in various classes before I complete my degree at BYUI, and I am quite happy to do so. These talks teach me that I am here for a great purpose, one far greater than running any department or company--even those may be wonderful endeavors, to do them without leading others to Christ in one way or another would be a waste of my God-given talent and neglecting my call. I am here to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and to help bring others to the Lord. My time with BYUI is more rewarding and beneficial than I can imagine with any other college or university because of this unique training I'm receiving. Following the Savior's example to lead with love, lead with vision, and lead by example will not only bring joy to those around me, but will bring me to my greatest joy too.

This week I interviewed an entrepreneur. I ended up choosing to interview someone other than who I had originally wanted to interview. I am so happy I listened to the still small voice inside that was nudging me in a different direction! I interviewed one of my husband's bosses: Jo Day. She and her husband own Trumpet, Inc. One thing that I was reminded of during my time with Jo is that I have a knack for interviewing. It's been years since I interviewed people thought. As I've grown a little older and wiser, I believe my listening and understanding have improved. Interviewing Jo gave me an opportunity to probe and dig further, to learn intentionally. I'm excited to keep moving on my writing assignment about what I learned from her. I'm sure during the writing process I will have more insight... I'm so thankful I recorded our interview!

In a short video called "Aspects of Building Trust," Guy Kawasaki taught that it is imperative as a business leader to TRUST FIRST. He gave three retail examples: Amazon, Zappos, and Nordstrom. Each company has a stellar reputation for their customer service and ease in both buying and returning products. I'm a bona fide Amazon & Nordstrom girl! These were examples that sang straight to my heart. Each of these companies first trusted that their customers would love the products and services provided well enough that they were happy to create return policies that were simple, hassle-free, and made the customer feel appreciated no matter what. Wow! Because the customer was first trusted this way, customers now trust these companies to always wow them. These companies bought loyalty with trust.

Guy Kawasaki also taught to "default to yes." Rather than looking at the people or world and asking "What can I gain from this?" I ought to look at people or the world and ask myself "How can I help or improve this?" I feel that this is excellent advice not just in business, but most certainly in every aspect of life. To me, this falls into the same place as Love One Another. Defaulting to yes is choosing to see beauty instead of instantly picking out the flaws. Defaulting to yes makes me an innovator & creator instead of a destroyer. Defaulting to yes opens the world to me instead of closing me in to limited possibilities. Defaulting to yes is positive. I liked this advice very much.

Frank Levinson reminded me that the Golden Rule is still a terrific practice. He said that the goal of any company is to "weld" customers to the business, so it's advisable to treat those customers like I'd want to be treated... or even better. He also taught that unethical members of any team will cause stress, tension, and division. Yikes! He likes to hire nice people. That sounds good to me. After all, mean people suck.☹️ This somewhat flies in the face of the stereotypical business woman in the movies, who's so tough, cut-throat and cold. That just seems so exhausting. Being nice is just better for everyone.

Week 8: Overcoming Challenges

This week you will make your eighth journal entry/blog post. Reflect upon the things that you are learning and experiencing so far in this course. What are you looking forward to learning and experiencing? What did you learn from the readings and videos this week?

I have to admit, I'm super excited about the entrepreneur interview coming up! I'm looking forward to picking this person's brain a bit and learning why he went the direction he did. He was pre-med at ASU and now has nothing to do with the medical profession. It will be interesting indeed.

This week's readings were less about business this-or-that and more about positive thinking and true reliance on Christ. I love how I'm being taught that business this-or-that absolutely needs to involve reliance on the Lord if I'm to truly have success in life. I understand that doesn't necessarily equate to the largest net profits, but it can equate to large blessings of all kinds.

Taylor Richards taught in a little video segment called "You Can Do Anything" that if I involve the Lord in all I do, then He'll open doors and ways for me. He advised to not doubt myself, my abilities, or the Lord. It brought to mind the talk I gave in sacrament in my ward last month on Sabbath observance, "Worry Less, Worship More."

Eric Ries said in "The Five Whys" video that typically when a breakdown or problem occurs, the root cause is generally a human problem. To get to the root of the problem or technical failure of some sort, keep asking why and you'll get back to the person problem. I wholeheartedly believe this to be true. I am a root cause finder. Getting right down to the real source of any problem brings clarity for the failure, but more importantly, it brings clarity for the solution. Taking the time to ask five (six, seven, ten, twenty) whys will bring you to the solution faster and more completely than treating symptoms instead of the cause.

Elder Holland gave this sweet advice, which is always a treat to hear:

"Don't you quit.
You keep walking.
You keep trying.
There is help and happiness ahead.
Some blessings come soon.
Some come late.
Some don't come 'til heaven.
But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come."

How I love him and how thankful I am this week's work/readings/videos fed my soul!

Week 7: Moving Forward with a Driving Passion

Reflect upon the things that you are learning and experiencing so far in this course. What are you looking forward to learning and experiencing? What did you learn from the readings and videos this week? 

This week be sure to also share which of the 7 habits has the most meaning for you and why the 7 habits will help you fill your life with passion and purpose as you seek to achieve both a private and public victory.

When considering the seven habits of highly effective people that Bro. Covey identified, number six, or Create Synergy, means the most to me. To create synergy is the creation of some entity that is bigger than the sum total of the parts. At first blush, it doesn't make sense, but in purpose and practice, it is very real. This habit resonated with me because I know the feeling. I know the feeling of the energy that flows when synergy is created. I've been part of this before. I've helped create it within a group working with a single purpose inside each of us, but I wasn't necessarily the one driving it. Habit number six is intriguing, exciting, and big. Habit number six reminds me that I am (we are) heir to the Creator.

I know the Church creates synergy with the welfare program. It's one reason to feel so good and confident in being obedient in paying a fast offering or contributing to the humanitarian fund. I put X amount of dollars into the pot each month. If I were to take that same amount of money and go out and try to do some good with it, the results would be meager at best. However, when the Church pools all the fast offerings & donations together, it can feed, clothe, educate, rescue, immunize, and provide clean drinking water to the poorest and neediest communities or people on earth. The Church can mobilize beautifully, and it is because each contribution is made larger by being part of the whole. I can only hope and pray that my endeavors can be magnified and made part of something bigger and lovelier than I could ever produce on my own. 

Covey's Seven Habits will help fill my life with passion and purpose as I seek to achieve both a private and public victory because I am naturally a scatter brain these days. By identifying what it takes to be highly effective, I can "fall in line." Once I really nail, or make a true habit of being proactive and beginning all my endeavors with the end in mind, and putting things in proper priority, I can consider that a lovely private victory. If I choose to view life and each opportunity in a way that all parties can benefit (win/win), then I put myself in a humble position. In a place of humility and empathetic listening, I am ready and able to understand. When I understand, I am able to teach and be understood. These two habits, "win/win" and "first seek to understand, then seek to be understood" are all about other people. When I can view others as the Lord would have me do, then I am capable of habit number six, "create synergy." I am highly effective with others when working with respect, empathy, and purpose. The seventh habit "sharpen the saw" reminds me that as life rolls on, so do my needs and the needs of others. It's important to regroup, re-energize, and do whatever is necessary to take care of myself so that I can have the power to be effective always.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was quoted this week...

That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but that our power to do has increased.

Habits are funny like that. At first they're hard, but after a while, they become second nature.

In the Passion vs. Money short, Guy Kawasaki advised learners to broaden their horizons, to seek learning beyond their borders, and to spend as much time learning in life as possible. I agree! However, that doesn't necessarily mean spend an excessive amount of time enrolled in college. Learning happens outside the classroom too, dare I say even more for some. It's also important that my goals should make the world better in some way, and that whatever I do, may it be about my passion and not all about the money.