Bryan Gillette's Blog, page 2
April 18, 2022
Looking for Some Inspiration? Consider These Books or Movies
Here are a few movies and books that will make you realize the human mind and body can persevere through unbelievable pain, achieve extraordinary results, or accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. These are just a few of my favorites. What would you add to this list?
MoviesApollo 13 (Amazon) shows the amazing story as three astronauts and NASA’s ground crew face extraordinary odds to safely return to earth after an accident in space.Miracle (Netflix) about the 1980 US Men’s Hockey team as they surprise the world with their bid for an Olympic Gold medal.Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (Netflix) follows the life of professional surfer, Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm as a young teenager to a shark attack.The Impossible Flight (Netflix) aims to be the first airplane flown 22,000 miles around the globe powered only via solar.Kim Swims (Amazon) about ultra-distance swimmer Kim Chambers who swims 26 miles from the shark-infested waters of the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.Iron Cowboy: The Story of the 50.50.50 (Netflix) is the story of one man’s attempt to complete 50 Ironman races (2.4-mile swim / 112-mile bike / 26.2-mile run) in 50 days in 50 states.The Dawn Wall (Netflix) shows how two climbers attempt to scale the impossible 3,000 foot Dawn Wall of Yosemite’s El Capitan.Losing Sight of Shore (Netflix) recounts the feats of four women who rowed from San Francisco to Australia.Free Solo (Amazon) captures Alex Honnold as he scale’s Yosemite’s El Capitan without a rope.Pursuit of Happyness (Netflix) is the rags-to-riches saga of a homeless father who raised and cared for his son on the streets of San Francisco and then went on to Wall Street.BooksEndurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (Alfred Lansing) The harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole and one of the greatest adventure stories of the modern age.Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desparate Early Days that Launched SpaceX (Eric Berger) The story of how SpaceX was formed and the tremendous risks Elon Musk took in the early days.Alive (Piers Paul Read) about the Uruguay Ruby Team’s plane crashing in the Andes and their story of survival.Deep Down Dark : The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free (Hector Tobar) about 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days and their saga underground.One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew us to the Moon (Charles Fishman) is the story of the trailblazers and the ordinary Americans on the front lines of the epic mission to reach the moon.50/50 (Dean Karnazes) shows what it is like to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days. Also consider reading Karnazes first book, Ultra Marathon Man.Into Thin Air (Jon Krakauer) about the 1996 climbing disaster on Mt. Everest the claimed five lives and left many changed forever.Touching the Void (Joe Simpson) is the tale of two mountaineer’s harrowing ordeal in the Peruvian Andes when a horrific accident mid-descent forced one friend to leave another for dead.We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance (David Howarth) recounts an amazing story of will and determination as a team of expatriate Norwegian commandos try to escape the Nazis.Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (Laura Hillenbrand) about WWII Air Force Bomber Louis Zamperini’s unforgettable story of perseverance, resilience, and determination to survive.Life Lessons from Centre Court at Wimbledon (Brad Pearce) about how to set process and aspirational goals.April 4, 2022
You Can Be What Ever You Want To Be – NOT!
“I will only reluctantly deal with reality.” (Bill Routt, President MobiTV)
I love the saying, “You can be whatever you want to be.” It makes me feel like I can do anything. But let’s be real, I can’t.
I have ruled out wearing the Yellow Jersey in the Tour de France. I remember being glued to the TV as Greg LeMond raced into Paris to be the first American to win that European-dominated sport. Even at 21-years old I dreamed of being the second person to hold that coveted trophy while standing on the Champ Elysees with the Arc de Triomphe at my back.
Now in my 50’s, statistically I won’t be riding in the Tour de France, ever. The physiological peak of an elite cyclist is mid to late twenties. Since the average age of a Tour winner is 28 and the oldest was 36 years old (1922), I am playing the odds and focusing my goals elsewhere. But I still dream big.
When I interviewed several people for EPIC Performances and asked if they believed “You can do anything” they responded, “No.”
A successful venture capitalist said,
“That’s bullshit. I’d love to be a model in New York City, but that ain’t happening.”
One Chief Information Officer I interviewed said,
“My parents never told me ‘You could do whatever you wanted’ but they also never told me I couldn’t do whatever I wanted.”
Another person I spoke to who recently ran 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents said, “I have ruled out winning an Olympic gold in the 100 m sprint. I know my body and like to focus on goals which are realistic.” While still young for many accomplishments, 40 is a bit old to win an Olympic gold in that category.
In the S.M.A.R.T. acronym where goals should be Realistic, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be a stretch. In fact, they should be on the “Can I Do It?” side of the line versus the “I Can Do It” side if you really want to dream big. You know you are thinking big when you are nervous and there is a chance you will fail. If not, kick it up a notch.
My view and the view of so many I interviewed is that, while we can’t do everything, we can do more. I like the Army motto: “Be all that you can be.” And I would add, “You can likely be more.”
If you want to assess how well you reach extraordinary goals and get a FREE customized report:Click on EPIC Performances AssessmentUse Company Code: EPICBlogIt takes less than 10 minutes. From your report, you will see your strengths and development areas and be given ideas to improve.
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March 30, 2021
Rethinking Possibilities: 4 Questions To Ask Yourself As We Come Out of This Crisis
“Once you STOP believing something is IMPOSSIBLE, You START believing it’s POSSIBLE.”
We have been in crazy times this past year and it has forced us to think beyond the limits we thought capable of. Crisis forces creativity. And while the light at the end of the tunnel burns brighter, we should never forget the benefits of a good pandemic.
Think back to February 2020 and all the things we would have said were impossible. As a former Vice-President of Human Resources, had I suggested to my CEO that everyone works from home before COVID, he would have told me to ‘Go home” because that would be crazy. But one month later many of us moved into our new office and remained there for a year. In fact, the CEO of Morgan Stanley said in an April 2020 interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box,
“If you said three months ago I would have 90% of my staff at home, the probability would be virtually zero.”
Here is what happened:
City Building Inspectors conducted home inspections via video.Theater Directors performed rehearsals via Zoom.Physical Therapists evaluated shoulder rotation over video.Customer Service Reps responded to banking inquiries from home.Sommeliers offered wine tasting via Zoom.Most kids, at some point, joined their classmates while wearing their PJs and sitting on their bed. A year ago, ask any of these people if they felt this was possible and most – maybe all – would have said, “Absolutely, NOT!”
And one year ago, each of them would have been correct because we had a different mindset of what was possible. But what we have seen this last year is ingenuity, determination, grit, and the most out-of-the-box thinking in my lifetime. Crisis forces creativity. So, knowing these skills exist within us during times of crisis gives us confidence they exist at other times.
Were these situations optimal? In most cases, no. But as my wife said to me shortly after we entered this lockdown and saw our kids challenged with school,
“We are no longer working toward optimum; we are striving for adequate.”
And with each day we moved a little further from adequate and a little closer to optimum as we adapted to a new reality.
Do I want to get back to normal? Yes, but not the same ‘normal’ as of February 2020. As summer approaches and most of us will have had the opportunity for a vaccine, we should ask ourselves:
1. What did I do differently this year that I will keep doing?
2. What changes should my organization, team, or employees make permanent?
3. What changes would my customers want me to continue?
4. What did I once say was impossible, but realize now it might be possible?
Pushing oneself, whether physically or mentally, involves using a muscle and that muscle was stretched to new limits this year. Unfortunately for some, it broke as we have seen some companies go out of business. But the vast majority will survive and come out stronger. That’s resilience.
I have learned a few things about strengthening muscles after training for and finishing many crazy endurance events. I ran 205 miles – eight marathons back-to-back — around Lake Tahoe in 76 ½ hours with only 90 minutes of sleep. I cycled 4,000 miles across the United States. I road 300 miles on my bike in one day. None of those were impossible. All, however, were hard, forced me to tears, or caused significant pain. But as the muscle stretched further each day and I became stronger physically and mentally, I grew and realized I could go even further.
That is exactly what this year is doing for many of us. As Yvon Chouinard, CEO of Patagonia and pioneering rock climber, wrote in his book:
“IMPOSSIBLE. The lamest of the lame excuses! Difficult maybe, or impractical, or too expensive, but rarely is anything impossible.”
March 2, 2021
COVID is Preparing Our Kids For Their First Job
Featured on NPR Radio, “With a Perspective…” on March 2, 2021
Children’s education has taken a serious turn this past year and most will say for the worse. And for the first few months of this pandemic, I would have agreed as my son’s teacher was MIA and he demonstrated emotional outbursts like we’d never seen. My son that is, not his teacher.
I kept thinking about how this will have a long-term impact on my two boys. And then I thought, yes, this WILL have a long-term impact as it WILL prepare them for what lies ahead better than any classroom experience. For months I looked at the glass as being half empty, but I am starting to see how much water is actually in that glass.
As a manager who has hired many college grads, I looked for those who overcame extreme difficulty or managed through significant change. This is what my kids are learning.
At work, how many times have you had to identify a prime number, dissect a frog, or explain the Marshall Plan? Me? Never. But I have had to deal with uncomfortable situations. Been asked to do something that seemed impossible. Or worked on tasks not in my job description. That’s life.
Granted, this year has thrown many challenges in front of us and I would rather it had never occurred. There have been more tears shed, doors slammed, and angry words screamed than I would have liked. And not just from my kids. But the year did happen, so I am changing my perspective and seeing the silver lining during some very dark and cloudy days.
While my kids have missed critical social time with friends, saw a decrease in their math and grammar education, and couldn’t play their favorite sport, the lessons they learned will have far more value when they leave school and start their first job. I am confident they will eventually understand those math and grammar skills. But if not, Microsoft Word will underline the mistake and Excel will calculate the answer.
I recognize everyone’s impact is different and am hopeful most will come out of this stronger as adversity fosters growth and builds resilience.
With a perspective, I am Bryan Gillette.
View all “Perspectives” or listen to this one on NPR at KQED.org
February 16, 2021
Three Questions To Ask Yourself When Receiving Feedback
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” Bill Gates
Throughout my career — and my married life — I have received a lot of feedback. Some have been extremely valuable and helped me progress forward. Some not. Some have been solicited. Some not. For the record, all the feedback from my wife is valuable.
As an Executive coach and a manager, I have also given a lot of feedback. I have sat down with hundreds of leaders to review their 360-degree reports and provided regular performance feedback to my employees.
Whether receiving a formal 360-report from a coach, a performance appraisal from your boss, or feedback from your spouse, I find these three questions to be helpful.
Do you understand the feedback?Some of these highly detailed and specific 360-reports are extremely easy to read while others have more graphs, charts, and data elements than a CFO’s quarterly earnings report.
Or sometimes the feedback you get is so general that you don’t know what to do with it. How many of you have heard, “He needs to communicate better”? What the heck does that mean? Does he need to improve his grammar for the written communication? Does he need to be more sensitive when giving feedback? Does he need to deliver presentations more persuasively in company all-hands meetings?
If you don’t understand what the feedback means, ask clarifying questions. Ask for an example of when you performed and how could you have been better. Ask what ‘great’ would look like? But, ask for more clarity until you understand.
Once you can answer “Yes” to this question, move to number 2.
Do you care?When someone gives you feedback or a 360-report shows that you are perceived as ‘strong’ or ‘weak’ in a certain area, it does not necessarily mean you should take action. It does, however, show what others care about which is an important consideration to whether YOU should care and take action. If you are the CFO and your ‘financial acumen’ is low, that is a problem. But if your “Informational Technology” skills are weak, maybe it is not critical.
Consider the following:
Who gave you the feedback?Why is this person giving you this feedback?How will this information help or hinder your future success?What happens if you DO NOT heed the advice and make a change?What will happen if you DO heed the advice and make a change?How often have you heard this information before?Why is this information important?Once you can answer “Yes” to this question, move to number 3.
What will you do about the information?Now that you understand the feedback and care, it is time to put together an action plan. What will you do differently?
April 13, 2020
Looking for Some Inspiration? Consider These Books or Movies
Feeling overwhelmed as we enter our 5th week of Shelter-in-Place while trying to balance home, work, school, family or Zoom all at the same time and in the same rapidly confining space? Need some inspiration?
Here are a few movies and books that will make you realize the human mind and body can persevere through unbelievable pain, achieve extraordinary results, or accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. These are just a few of my favorites. What would you add to this list?
MoviesApollo 13 (Amazon) shows the amazing story as three astronauts and NASA’s ground crew face extraordinary odds to safely return to earth after an accident in space.Miracle (Netflix) about the 1980 US Men’s Hockey team as they surprise the world with their bid for an Olympic Gold medal.Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (Netflix) follows the life of professional surfer, Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm as a young teenager to a shark attack.The Impossible Flight (Netflix) aims to be the first airplane flown 22,000 miles around the globe powered only via solar.Kim Swims (Amazon) about ultra-distance swimmer Kim Chambers who swims 26 miles from the shark-infested waters of the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.Iron Cowboy: The Story of the 50.50.50 (Netflix) is the story of one man’s attempt to complete 50 Ironman races (2.4-mile swim / 112-mile bike / 26.2-mile run) in 50 days in 50 states.The Dawn Wall (Netflix) shows how two climbers attempt to scale the impossible 3,000 foot Dawn Wall of Yosemite’s El Capitan.Losing Sight of Shore (Netflix) recounts the feats of four women who rowed from San Francisco to Australia.Free Solo (Amazon) captures Alex Honnold as he scale’s Yosemite’s El Capitan without a rope.Pursuit of Happyness (Netflix) is the rags-to-riches saga of a homeless father who raised and cared for his son on the streets of San Francisco and then went on to Wall Street.BooksEndurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (Alfred Lansing) The harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole and one of the greatest adventure stories of the modern age.Alive (Piers Paul Read) about the Uruguay Ruby Team’s plane crashing in the Andes and their story of survival.Deep Down Dark : The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free (Hector Tobar) about 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days and their saga underground.One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew us to the Moon (Charles Fishman) is the story of the trailblazers and the ordinary Americans on the front lines of the epic mission to reach the moon.50/50 (Dean Karnazes) shows what it is like to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days. Also consider reading Karnazes first book, Ultra Marathon Man.Into Thin Air (Jon Krakauer) about the 1996 climbing disaster on Mt. Everest the claimed five lives and left many changed forever.Touching the Void (Joe Simpson) is the tale of two mountaineer’s harrowing ordeal in the Peruvian Andes when a horrific accident mid-descent forced one friend to leave another for dead.We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance (David Howarth) recounts an amazing story of will and determination as a team of expatriate Norwegian commandos try to escape the Nazis.Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (Laura Hillenbrand) about WWII Air Force Bomber Louis Zamperini’s unforgettable story of perseverance, resilience, and determination to survive.There are many more, so please add your favorites in the comments.