By Clemens Rettich, on December 23rd, 2011 
Comet Lovejoy – Lester Barnes
Prima Facie
Mistaken or not, how easy to see that over 2000 years ago 3 royal scholars/astrologers/scientists would have been compelled to see what such a vision pointed to.
In a world of an imploding America, and Arab Spring that still cracks hearts and sidewalks, and a Europe at the edge of its biggest challenge since the second world war, how does one not seek a guiding star?
Verso
The great unifying visions of the human race have lead to so much suffering. Having found our star, or our interpretation of that star’s . . . → Read More: We Could Use an Orient Star
By Clemens Rettich, on December 15th, 2011 
I don’t want a balanced life. I want an aligned life.
You want the wheels on your car aligned. When the wheels are even a little bit out of alignment, the ride is uncomfortable, the wear on tires and other parts goes up, and the vehicle works less efficiently. When the wheels are critically out of alignment the ride is unbearable, and your safety is at risk.
When things that matter in your business and your life are not in alignment:
there is conflict and discomfort; you, or your business, use more energy than you need to, and . . . → Read More: The One Thing That Matters: Alignment
By Clemens Rettich, on November 15th, 2011 
What are you selling?
If nothing, then you are not in business. If only commodities, then you won’t be in business for long.
“But wait,” you say “I am a service provider. I don’t sell commodities. So I guess I’m safe.”
Sorry. A service alone is still a commodity. In the brave new world of social business, anything is a commodity to the extent to which it is a) a transaction that consists only of the exchange of a good or service for money, and b) reproducible in every important way.
So a service which is repeated over . . . → Read More: The Social Market: Relationships, Stories, and Desire
By Clemens Rettich, on November 10th, 2011 
Information theory. Physics. Classical music & jazz. Monastic orders. The sciences of the brain and cognition. Statistics and probability.
Business Fundamentals.
Rules.
Each of these disciplines have rules at the heart of them.
So why do I find myself constantly going back there to think and act out of the box? Isn’t getting out of the box, out of the rut, all about breaking the old rules?
No. This is a complete failure of insight. We are not boxed by rules. We are boxed by habits, instincts, and unexamined emotions. One prejudice creates a prison of a box more . . . → Read More: Back to the Middle to Get Outside
By Clemens Rettich, on October 18th, 2011 
It has become a truism that many of us are too busy.
My trouble is that every time I hear a pronouncement like that I feel my feet cleaving and two little bumps pushing through my skull just at the hairline. The urge to advocate for the devil becomes strong. For example, when I hear someone say we should all be seeking balance in our lives I get like that… but that’s another article.
So really, are we too busy? Too distracted? Have we lost something important that we once had?
Reading What Happened To Downtime? The Extinction Of . . . → Read More: Give it a Rest. Downtime and Productivity
By Clemens Rettich, on July 18th, 2011 
A while ago I wrote a blog on what I don’t do. Looks like I am going to have to declare a few more things I don’t do.
Recently, a wonderful person on my social media network tweeted this (thank you @promote_it):
So why wasn’t I there?
That question got me thinking again about the things I choose not to do in my business. These are are decisions about ROI for me and for my clients. If you have any thoughts on how you manage your priorities, let me know!
So here’s my list… framed as questions people . . . → Read More: Why Don’t I Go To Tweet-Ups?
By Clemens Rettich, on December 6th, 2010 
You can’t do everything. So how do you decide where to put your time and energies?
One challenge I have as a coach is supporting my clients in developing lists of priorities that keep their process moving forward, without overwhelming them.
An inspiring article by John Jantsch called The Logistics of Time suggested an interesting approach. In this article, John explores the idea that every business has three clocks it must attend to: Real Time, Deal Time, and Meal Time. While my thinking has deviated from John’s original premise, the basic idea remains the same: that there are three . . . → Read More: Music of the Spheres: A Model for Business Planning Part 1
By Clemens Rettich, on October 1st, 2010 
Image by Clarita
Its not going to get better. Get over it.
When I interview a potential client (I call it “seeing if we can stand to be in the same room together”) one of the things I listen for is conditionals. I listen for things like “When that new employee is fully trained…” or “I just need to get month-end behind me, and then I’ll get my my operations manual done” or “If I can get my line of credit paid down, then I’ll invest in …” When I hear those things, I know I am in . . . → Read More: As Good As it Gets?
By Clemens Rettich, on May 24th, 2010
Anger is a natural emotion that has its place, but rarely in the workplace. When we respond to injustice, disrespectful behaviour, or threats, anger can be a useful tool. However, uncontrolled anger or aggression only lead to more conflict and have no place at work or at home.
Some steps in changing aggressive behaviour:
Clarify the damage the aggressive behaviour is causing. Be specific and include specific events. Clarify what constitutes aggressive behaviour (loud outbursts, abusive language, sarcasm, abrupt phrasing, aggressive or threatening body language, etc.). Again be specific, using examples. Ask the person to identify . . . → Read More: Supporting Change In Aggressive Workplace Behaviours
By Clemens Rettich, on April 11th, 2010
Image by Clarita
How to keep the wheels turning even when you aren’t looking…
The Problem: you want your staff to go the extra mile. You want your team to take some risks. You want your employees to ‘get the big picture’ and do what it takes to make it happen. You want the wheels to stay on the bus even when you aren’t there.
What you want is engagement.
But no one’s buying. If you want something done you have to spell it out in detail, or just give up and get to that ugly . . . → Read More: Perpetual Motion Management
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