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John S. Gordon - Business and Personal Coach
"You have the greatness and the power. I just help you turn on the switch."
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MARVELOUS MONDAYS
May 20, 2013 - Issue 226
Play-The 3rd Step to Peak Performance
This is a seventh in a series on achieving peak performance for yourself and others you may manage. I acknowledge as a resource Edward Hallowell, psychiatrist, neuroscience expert and best-selling author.
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Dear ,
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Welcome to Issue 226. If you did not receive a previous issue, you may use the archive link below to view it now. The mission of "Marvelous Mondays" is to offer an inspirational thought, a practical exercise, some humor, or a simple tip to jump-start your week and to enhance your life, business, outlook or relationships.
Please feel free to forward "Marvelous Mondays" to others who will enjoy it.
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A DEFINITION OF PLAY | |
In the last issue we used Dr. Hallowell's definition of play as "any activity that engages the imagination."
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IMPROVING YOUR ORGANIZATION THROUGH PLAY | |
Two ways to improve your organization through play are:
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OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS | |
A manager who values and encourages others to play (engaging the imagination) helps them achieve peak performance. One of the ways is through open-ended questions such as:
- What else could we do to bring out the best in everyone?
- Let's talk about what worked and didn't work
- What do you think can we learn?
- What are we avoiding
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EXERCISE & RIDDLE
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I invite you to experience this concept of play in your personal life or in your organization by doing the following:
- Personal retreat-go to a park or peaceful place for an hour. Better yet, schedule a full day or overnight for yourself in a natural retreat setting. My favorite is Timber Creek Retreat House located just about 40 minutes outside of Kansas City. Tom and Beth Jacobs are the directors . Click here to view the beautiful retreat house.
- Your organization-schedule a meeting (preferably offsite) where people can relax and discuss open-ended questions.
- A riddle and a playful way to start a meeting-Here's a playful way to start a meeting:
Jack is looking at Anne, but Anne is looking at George. Jack is married, but George is not. Is a married person looking at an unmarried person?
A) Yes B) No C) Cannot be determined
(Please think about this question before looking below)
Most people choose C. But that is the wrong answer. The right answer is A. Think about it. We know whether or not Jack and George are married, but not if Anne is married. If Anne is unmarried, then a married person is looking at an unmarried person because Jack is married and he is looking at her. If Anne is married, then a married person is looking at an unmarried person because George is unmarried and Anne is looking at him. Either way, a married person is looking at an unmarried person, so the answer is A.
Once again, getting the correct answer does not depend on having a high IQ, but rather on not settling too soon for what at first glance seems to be the correct answer.
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"When we play, we are engaged in the purest expression of our humanity, the truest expression of our individuality. Is it any wonder that often the times we feel most alive, those that make up our best memories, are moments of play."
-Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, from the book Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul
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| JOHN'S BIO | John has owned several businesses and is an attorney who has practiced in the business and estate areas. In addition, he coaches business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, professionals, speech makers and presenters. He also coaches persons who are determined to accelerate their careers and leadership skills or who are considering a career move or retirement. John uses coaching as a tool in his leadership and business results based consulting. He is also a life coach.
**John is currently accepting a few new coaching clients.** |
Did you miss a previous issue of Marvelous Mondays?
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Click here to view an Archive.
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