Richard Dedor: Finding Focus » Education

NAFSA – Focus Your Life!

Richard — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:40:35 +0000

This is the group from the NAFSA Conference last week here in Kansas City! An amazingly inspiring group!

Control Your E-Mail

Richard — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:39:46 +0000

I have recently changed the way I process my email. It has been a God-send! First off, I have two offices. I have my home office and my office office. I manage each one differently; mainly because they use different systems and because I have different needs at each place. But as I said, I recently made some drastic changes in how I manage my e-mail in and out flow.

There are tons of articles out online about how to manage your e-mail inbox like a CEO. And while I love reading and taking tips from my role models, I’m not a CEO. I don’t have a secretary that can manage my flow for me. So, I can’t really manage my inbox like a CEO. I have to manage it with a system that works for me. Below are my three tips that I have slowly implemented to manage my inbox like someone who cares how time is used.

1. Set up times to respond.

This will take some getting used to. Trust me. I tried a year ago to do it and I eventually reverted back to my old ways of leaving my inbox open all day. But last month I thought I’d give it another shot. This time, I pulled out an index card and wrote six times on it. 8:00, 9:30, 11:30, 12:45, 2:00 and 3:00. I put it up on my bulletin board which is right beside my monitor. Those are the times when I can open my inbox. Then I have to close it. As I said, this takes some getting used to not only from yourself, but from your coworkers. I actually got an email the week after I went on this schedule that asked (because I hadn’t responded two seconds after I receieved the message) if I had received the message. Here’s a tip, if you need something immediately, pick up the phone.

2. Develop a file structure.

I still struggle with this one at the office. I don’t like the idea of a “to do later” folder, but at home, I have created a similar system. I get a ton of emails. Most of them are by choice. I get notified of new comments on my Brazen Careerist profiles, as well as Facebook notifications. But I also get a lot of emails from my bank, my credit card companies and my investment firms. I used to take care of all these emails and bills on a daily basis. 18 months ago I decided that was a waste of time. So I now pay all my bills on Sunday evenings. It manages the time better. But now, I have a folder that I use weekly to file away all the financial emails I get throughout the week that I know I will go back to on Sunday. It keeps my inbox clean and makes it easy to get through my Sunday night without any problems.

3. Turn off the notifications.

Seriously! If you don’t want to take my No. 1 point up there and implement it, at least turn off all the notifications. Turn off the pop ups and the little chims. They are destroying your productivity! And you could even turn off your phone notifications too. I have news for you: none of us are that important that we have to drop everything, every five seconds to check the email.

Since I have implemented these changes, I have noticed something. A half hour after I shut my inbox, I look on my taskbar and search for the e-mail; out of habit! I had never realized how much time I spent on emails until I made these changes. Take control of your inbox!

What tactics do you use to manage your inbox?

(Flickr image via buckaroobay)

Respect Other’s Time

Richard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:27:22 +0000

I was recently in a business meeting and for the first hour it was was report-outs from the staff. There were nine people to report during a 50-minute period. It was simple updates on on-going projects and recent meetings and trainings the group had attended. The first three reports went smoothly and gave their brief updates. That’s when the train went off the tracks.

Two people took a half hour, leaving only 20 minutes for the rest of the group. The second of the two people pretty much did a play-by-play of their recent two-day trip. They gave detailed descriptions of discussions and conversations. They even described a wasted meeting where the group couldn’t agree on an item.

We got way off schedule and it astonished me on the way they presented the way they did. What it showed was the things we must all remember anytime you are delivering a report.

Respect everyone’s time
Whatever you report and say must add to the conversation
Give relevant information… follow up with details later

Doing those three things will show you respect the other people in the meeting and show you know the most important details of your presentation.

(flickr photo via ToniVC)

Earn It

Richard — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:51:41 +0000

*Beginning in 2010, I started writing a bi-weekly column, “From Richard’s Oft Cluttered Desk” which appears every other Wednesday.

Oh, Jim Boeheim. What a silly man you are. Especially since you have it all backwards. Just ten days ago, the men’s NCAA basketball bracket was released. The Sunday evening and next Monday always evolves into a huge debate on the seeding and the the teams who were on the bubble. Who was left out and who made it? Who deserved in? Who shouldn’t be there? It happens every year.

I usually don’t complain. Partly because my school is usually in the correct place. We’re a mid-major and aren’t able to have the toughest schedule. This season’s number 9 seed had me angry. The scheduling of mid-majors against each other in the first round made me angry. Then Boeheim’s comment pushed me over the edge.

In the days leading up to Selection Sunday and in the days following, the discussion was not only on the 65 lucky teams, but on the future of the tournament. For those who don’t care or who have been living under a rock, there is serious discussion about expanding the tournament to 96 teams. Seriously. that’s nearly 1/3 of all Division I schools. In this year’s tournament, there were maybe four – and I say maybe – that deserved to be in that didn’t make it. And even they weren’t that deserving.

Jim’s reason is insulting. He said, and I’m not quoting, that expanding the tournament would eliminate those teams that don’t deserve to be there by the time the second round begins. Oh really Jim? Is that how you really feel? Not only does this insult my team (the Northern Iowa Panthers), but it insults every non-power conference team.

It leads to the overriding theme of this column. What if we not only took 33% of every medical school applicant because, well, the bad ones won’t make it to the end. Or, if we only let the most powerful and rich get to medical school. Doesn’t matter how hard you’ve worked, or that you’ve followed procedure and built up a great resume, you’re not from one of these six conferences, and even though you’ve proven you can beat us, you don’t deserve to be here.

The problem with this entire situation is that we want everyone to feel like they belong. Oh, you’re a .500 team, so you should definitely be in. It’s just like giving kids a medal just for participating. I’ve been against that from day one. Luckily they didn’t start that practice until I was done with Little League. I’m sorry, if I didn’t win or wasn’t good, I don’t deserve anything but a swift kick in the ass.

All we are developing is a generation of kids who think they are entitled to praise, no matter how bad the effort. They come to expect something just for participating.

In Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture, he writes about how he developed a system for students to score their classmates on various scales of measurement. He then posted the aggregate scores. This is true teaching. This is showing where you rank and what you need to do to be better. It shows what a student needs to do to earn their medal.

That’s what we need to be doing. We need to be tough again. We need to be less worried about feelings and more concerned with true and honest learning.

For the record, the teams that Boeheim thinks “deserve” to be there, well, only two remain in the final 16. (Big East teams that is). What does that say about deserving? Earn it Jim. It will feel much better in the end.

Anything is Possible

Richard — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:05:00 +0000

What a journey it has been! From the first moment I became inspired to actually developing the idea and then finally putting pen to paper until the day the book finally arrived it has been a labor of love.

My life has certainly been a journey. This book is the first of a journey I hope to take into the world of authorship. I already have an idea for another non-fiction book and also an idea for a novel as well as a novel already in first draft form. Who knows where this journey will go or if this is the end of the road for this dream. All I know for certain is I’m not going to get in my way. I’ve done it! I had the idea and ran with it and I couldn’t be happier.

Yes, I did want to quit and scrap the whole project at various times. But I kept reminding myself why I got started writing this book in the first place. I wanted to create a product that would be a road-map for people to guide a journey. Each of our journeys is very personal, but all very similar. We all have dreams and it is what we do with our dreams that matters. It is that tiny difference that makes all the difference in our lives.

Three years ago I wasn’t doing anything to go after my dreams. Today it is what I live for.

Ultimately it is up to you. I’m not looking for the glory. It’s all yours. I did this for you. I see unlimited potential in people I meet and I want the best for you.

“What have you done today to achieve your dreams?” Not happy with your answer…? Remember: Anything is Possible.

Blink – Book Review

Richard — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:37:37 +0000

I recently finished Blink by Malcom Gladwell, and while not as good (in my opinion) of his latest work, Outliers which I already reviewed. While Outliers looked at what created personal success. Blink focuses on the two seconds your mind takes in making decisions. In a nut-shell it was fascinating.

Why You Should Read It:

If you’re at all interested in how our minds operate, this is a good and quite quick read about our conscious and subconscious processes.
If you’re a manager or leader, Blink will definitely shed some light on not only why employees react the way they do, but also why you, as a leader, respond the way you do as all.
If you think you know everything there is to know about how to best make every day and major life decisions, this is a must read.

What You Can Expect to Walk Away With:

A changed perspective on your decision making.
Realize knowing everything oftentimes can be a huge detriment to your ability to make quality choices.
Less is definitely more
On the flip side, in certain situations, more is better, but you must allow the information to process.
If not a deeper understanding, you’ll definitely be challenged to look back on the decisions you have made and will make.

I do recommend this book, but it is harder to follow than his later works. Gladwell always seems to take very simple things, that are actually very complex concepts and biolt hem down to real-life stories and research that make sense. I caught myself on multiple occasions having the “ahhh, that’s why that happens,” moments. I think you will too.

I leave you with a quote from the book. It comes from Retired Colonel Van Riper; “What my brother always says is, “Hey, say you are looking at a chess board. Is there anything you can’t see? No. But are you guaranteed to win? Not at all, because you can’t see what the other guy is thinking.’ more and more commanders want to know everything, and they get imprisoned by that idea.”

Open by Agassi

Richard — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:45:19 +0000

As a tennis fan, the release of Andre Agassi’s, Open, was a shock to the system. Agassi wasn’t my favorite player growing up. I’ll say for the record that I was a Pete Sampras guy. In fact, I’ll never forget the match at the US Open when for nearly three hours, Agassi and Sampras traded blows for four sets. Four tie-break sets and no breaks of serve! It was one of the best matches I’d ever seen – even though I cheered for Sampras.

Much was made before the book’s release about Agassi’s admission to using drugs while on tour. The funny thing is, as I read it, I knew it was coming and with the buildup of his personal destruction, I could see it coming. Ultimately, for all that was made of the admission, it was a tiny log in a mountain-pile of Agassi logs.

In Open, we see a man. A true man. He’s a guy I can completely relate to. He says countless times throughout the book that, “I hate tennis.” At first I didn’t believe it. I figured throughout the book Agassi would realize he was just a kid and just hated living and breathing tennis everyday. I was wrong.

He completely and with every bone in his body, hated the game. As a fan, it is hard to hear that one of your sports idols hated the game you love and the only game you played growing up. Tennis is a game I make sure to watch any time it is on television. To hear this guy hates it, made me sad. I was sad for Agassi. I was sad for the game. ‘What else could he have become if not for tennis?’ I wondered.

The great part of Agassi’s story is that he found his place in the world and in tennis. That’s where he and I are similar. He didn’t find his way until he was about 28 years ago. I found myself when I was 21.

“What people see now, for better or worse, is my first formation, my first incarnation. I didn’t alter my image, I discovered it.” –Andre Agassi

Agassi is a testament to hard work and perseverance. From the drug use, the divorce from Brooke Shields and the ever present realization that he hates tennis, Agassi became an American champion.

Despite just a bit too much play-by-play tennis action, even if you aren’t a tennis fan, there are plenty of life lessons in this work. You feel for Agassi. You pull for Agassi. You will sit in the stands and be in the locker room when Brad Gilbert lays into him. You’ll be with him when he finally meets his dream girl in Stefanie Graf.

Towards the end of his career, once he finally realized his purpose in life, Agassi created a charter school to help students find the value in education, something he never did. (He never finished high school).

All told, this is a tremendous inside look at one of the best American tennis players and a true American hero.

Thoughts From Team Drake

Richard — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:25:13 +0000

Last Wednesday I had the great challenge and opportunity to work with Drake University to strengthen their team. (I want to thank all the participants for being great sports!) There was a great variation in the departments and job duties attending this session. But one thing is certain: we learned a lot about ourselves and who Team Drake is.

I believe two keys things came from our two hours together:

We are not all that different than the person working clear across campus.

Think about it: a struggle you’re having in your life, someone else in your company may have already encountered that obstacle. It doesn’t have to be work specific. It be anything from divorce, sending a kid to college for the first time, having financial difficulties or being the only person in your department that refuses to read Harry Potter (yes, that is me!).

Of course we are all unique and I’m not diminishing that – but more importantly – we are all very similar. It is important as we work on our teams and in our offices to remember that despite our many differences, there is more that unites us together.

Relationships are important.

It is constantly said in motivational speeches and personal development books, but especially in teams where you are bound to spend 40+ hours per week with the same group of people, that having strong relationships is key. I don’t disagree.

The reason it is so important is that because of the closeness and interdependence on each other, we must have a strong – and if not strong – at least a positive working relationship with everyone on our team. That doesn’t mean they are your best friends. It means having the ability and openness to be able to discuss issues, present ideas, and still be friendly at the coffee machine later in the day.

When we have a certain level of friendliness and friendship with those on our team, we are much more likely to be strong team members and be an over stronger team.

So What?

No matter if it is an actual “team” or just your co-workers, it is vitally important to remember who similar we all are and that by building and maintaining positive relationships, our teams and ultimately our lives are strengthened.\

(Flickr photo via Tom Leuntjens)

The Final Thesis

Richard — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:48:42 +0000

I know it has taken a long time for me to read Tuesdays with Morrie, but it was well worth the wait. I took note upon note to reflect on later and as I write this, here they are, sitting in front of me.

How do I sum up a brilliant, open, emotional and final thesis? Simple: “Love is the only rational act.” (That’s from Levine.)

There are so many questions we have about life. We want to know how it will turn out. We want to understand death. We don’t want to be fearful. We don’t want to have greed. We want to know the keys to a strong and lasting marriage. We want to know about how to make a strong family. We need to understand society. And ultimately, we have a life-long quest to understand the meaning of life.

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Our lives are meant to be lived and lived passionately. We should love our children every minute of every day, unbiasedly and without prohibitions. We should be open to emotion, publicly and privately.

In the book Morrie says, “Be compassionate. And take responsibility for each other. If we only learned those lessons, this world would be a much better place.”

Back to my main point: Life is meant to be lived. Our path in life is to impact others and impact the world in a positive way. We teach by our experiences. That teaching must go on.

We are Creative, so be Creative

Richard — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:33:08 +0000

An old friend of mine who is a high school English teacher was recently telling me a story of a group of young kids visiting her high school classroom.

The scenario is typical of what you’re picturing. The preschool takes a field trip to the high school, meet some older kids, get read to by the older students and the ones they hope to one day grow up to be like. We’ve all be there!

At one point in this story, one of the students went up to my friend and asked, “Where are your games and colors?” Interesting question, no?

What if back in preschool you knew that the fun and games would soon be ending and you’d be spending the rest of your school days reading thick text books and being tested on the words in them, instead of what they are inspiring you to do. You would have quit on the spot! I know I would have. What is a world without creativity? Or imagination? Or that simple thing we all take for granted: colors!

We are creative, innovative, imaginative creatures and we must use these brain functions to survive and color our own world around us. So, grab your crayons, markers, colored pencils or paint brushes, and join me!

(Flickr photo by mel810)