From My Notebook... Gap Analysis

It's been a while since I've pulled my notebook out. My blog has now become my notebook. It's nice because I can search for stuff.

This particular entry was in a Journal (I've confessed to you before about my paper and pen combined fetish) that I called my transformation journal. Well, I only have about 3 8x10 pages filled in. Short transformation! But in the first entry dated 09.18.04 it said: "I have decided to leave my job at the first of the year". I did tender my resignation in April of 2005. It took until December to leave.

What I was happy to find is this--I wished I had referenced where I pulled this from. And...it is funny to find this, for I was looking for the book. Nevertheless--I'll write for you what I have. I think that it is important, and I hope that you'll find it inspirational or at least thought provoking.

How can you best express you?

The first test is knowing what you want, knowing your abilities and capacities and recognizing the difference between the two.

The second test is knowing what drives you, knowing what gives you satisfaction, and knowing the difference between the two.

The third test is knowing what your values and priorities are, knowing what the values and priorities of your organization are and measuring the difference between the two.

The fourth test is having measured the differences between what you want and what you are able to do, and between what drives you and what satisfies you, and between what your values are and what the organization's values are, are you able and willing to overcome those differences?

For me, I did that and said that the organization's values and mine were too far apart (not that the organization was doing anything wrong, but the NEW focus was not what I enjoyed doing). Anyway, I wanted to share these with you as well as put them someplace I can access them. As soon as I find my book, I'll ascribe the correct credit for these words, and regret that I'm currently unable to do so.

Genius!!!!!!!!

I mentioned that I was clearing cobwebs. I started with a bookcase. It's a lovely antique bookcase that I found in a shoppe in Toano, near Williamsburg. It is now closed. I have bought some nice pieces from them over the years. This bookcase is Victorian. It is solid walnut with two doors of framed glass. I made a deal to buy this along with a late 1800's server that is gorgeous. I keep my liquour and some serveware in that lovely piece.

Back to the the bookcase......As I was cleaning it out, I found one of my favorite books: How to Think Like Leonardo Davinci: Seven Steps to Genius Everyday. Ahhh.....who can resist the call of accessible genius--daily no less! I surely cannot!

Since I'm going through those cobwebs--a personal process surely--I plan to write about tidbits here over the next couple of weeks. I'll not finish this process by NY's--that's okay. I don't mind taking the time to revisit some things. As I share some of this "stuff" with you, keep in mind that I'm not trying to evangelize you in any way. Rather, I want to introduce you to some "stuff" that you may not have run across.

Selfishly, it's also a good way for me both to document and systemize my process. In other words, I'm bringing you into that process should you wish to come along--but I'm doing it for selfish reasons! The beauty of the internet is that you can merely click and escape!

There's the pre-amble. Now I bring to you

The Seven Davincian
Principles

Curiosita—An insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest
for continuous learning.

Dimostrazione—A commitment to test knowledge through experience,
persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

Sensazione—The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the
means to enliven experience.

Sfumate (literally “Going up in Smoke”)—A willingness to embrace ambiguity,
paradox, and uncertainty.

Arte/Scienza—The development of the balance between science and art, logic
and imagination. “Whole-brain” thinking.

Corporalita—The cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.

Connessione—A recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. Systems thinking.

How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to
Genius Everday, Michael J. Gelb, p. 9.

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I've been incubating a thought about how I wanted to structure my NY's resolutions. I must admit that I made no resolutions last year, and it was not a bad thing. Nevertheless, I wanted to be very businesslike about it. Leisa, Inc. was going to have a balanced scorecard--to list goals in about 5 areas that would ensure that I brought some balance into my overall improvement efforts. I'm still working on those categories, but you can be sure that I will be incorporating some of this.

I'm also a big fan of mind mapping. I still have on my wall one of the one's that I did for work. It really is terrific. I like Tony Buzan's, The Mind Map Book.

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