Adapt or Die - Keeping Skills Up to Date

Most business professionals realize that it is absolutely necessary to keep abreast of their industry and keep their skills up to date to remain relevant. For technical professionals this is also very true and very challenging. Many of my colleagues are amazed at how up-to-date I am on my technical and business skill set and often ask how I manage to keep them so topical. The answer is simple: adapt or die.

At first glance this statement seems a bit dire but it does tend to simply capture the essence of what anyone who loves what they do. If you are passionate about what you are doing, then no matter what you find a way to keep yourself motivated to do better. That means doing more, learning more, and making what you do more valuable and enjoyable. 

So that may be a great say mental motivator but what about the nuts and bolts? Basically that is nothing more than plain old hard work. For many technical professionals that I coach, I often ask what they would like to know more about and then go about working out a plan of action for them so that they can improve.

In one case someone wanted to know a little bit more about cloud services and the difference between relational and non-relational data stores. They had been trying their own form of learning and research yet wanted a bit more to help them cement what they had gained. Since the individual was still fairly hands-on, we worked out a plan for them to create a simple "To Do List". Yet rather than building it on relational technology, I thought it would be better for them to sign up for the free Amazon Web Service tier and work with the S3 service instead. S3 was a great way to get them to see how a non-relational data store could be used and at the same time give them some practical exposure to using cloud services to solve a faily simple problem. Within a couple of weeks they had not only solved their smaller problem but they also began to work on larger problems with different services. In a matter of a few months the individual had not only improved in their overall understanding, but had gained the attention of their manager at work which resulted in being involved in a more strategic and valuable project at work.

Simply being aware of a concept is not always enough for people to cement an idea into a key learning. Often times practical application  helps reinforce the concept so that the individual can carry it forward in their career. 

Many times keeping skills up to date is very difficult yet I find with enough effort, dedication, perseverance and planning keeping skills up to date is fun and engaging!

Motivating Yourself - It's Not As Difficult As It Seems

One of the most common questions I am asked in my professional career is "How do you know so much about this stuff?" The stuff that most ask me about are various technologies, new trends in technology, how businesses are using these new tools to their benefits, how to tackle problems, management and leadership insights, among others. It is pretty easy to explain to most; long professional experience, personal associations, firsthand experience, open-mindedness, etc. Yet the one of the key traits that I mention seems to be one of the most commonly absent for many... motivation.

In my countless discussions ranging from technical topics, leadership, project management, even personal growth the trait of motivation is one of a core few that I find myself talking about the most. Generally speaking everyone is motivated by something. By motivation I mean performing activity solely on your own without being constantly reminded to do, yet not because it is a regimen, but because it is something you enjoy doing. For example some people love playing golf, kayaking, surfing, reading, biking, running, traveling, playing with their pet, building furniture, etc. I do mean that they love doing these things. It is not something forced onto them, not something that they see as a chore such as taking out the garbage. Rather it is something that so innately resonates within them that they are compelled to do something. It is this kind of motivation that I find most professionals are lacking.

There may be many historical reasons for this. However recent events specifically the recession has forced in my opinion a significant opportunity to evaluate one's goals and desires especially when it comes to their career. For instance I have seen a number of professionals who "made due" with positions at a company under significant duress with long hours, poor compensation, high stress, and more just so that their organization could "survive" the recession. This is not a bad strategy for a number of reasons but merely subsisting eventually leads to burnout. On the other hand another group of professionals who have long hours, low compensation compared to a standard position, and high stress are entrepreneurs. Compared to the former group these individuals are excited about what they are doing, and constantly re-invigorate themselves to push ahead. Most do not suffer burnout as their counterparts understand it, rather they thrive and grow on the challenges presented to them. The difference again is based on several key concepts but motivation is chief among them.

No one will pursue what they feel is a "job" or a "task" for any length of time. Chores are done because they have to be, not because you enjoy them. But what changes a chore into a joy is a mixture of passion and belief that what one is doing is worthwhile. Once that is in place, the motivation comes easily enough. Yet for many professionals they are not motivated to do their best. The core reason for this is that they are not passionate about what they are doing. When they love what they do, they find the motivation.

As a result I often ask professionals are they "doing what they love". Not because it is a deep or trick question but simply because if they are unhappy then they are not doing what they love to do and consequently they will not be motivated.

I typically use my own professional experiences as examples. I am extremely curious. I love tinkering, and working on things. Much of the time I like to get hands on. To get a sense of the true challenges, the true nature of the work, and different perspectives on a common topic. I have worked in technology and innovation leadership through auto manufacturing, professional consulting, credit scoring, silicon valley software and hardware companies, financial services, startups, e-commerce, cloud, telecommunications, government, and many others. Naturally working in any of these industries is a challenge yet what many find fascinating is that I do such things on a regular basis. To most this seems tremendously daunting. I find it fun and exhilarating. I love learning new things and making an impact. As a result of this core passion, I am highly motivated to learn things quickly, to observe and move quickly, and to make an impact that benefits everyone. Without the passion, there is no motivation.

Almost all professionals believe they see their passion clearly enough. Which is true at least to some extent. I advise them to go deeper than a mere surface belief because often times unless someone has spent a very long time at introspection, true passion cannot be immediately nor accurately communicated. So when someone replies to my question about their passion with quick statements such as "I love project management!" I ask them "Why?" or "What do you love about?". This takes many twists and turns which is expected but it is a journey that most professionals never undertake because they have been too busy dealing with their "chores" rather than their "joys". Everyone needs to take some quiet time to really look at what they enjoy doing.

I often mention to my friends and colleagues motivating yourself is not as difficult as it seems, it is a natural result of being in tune with your passion. Once the time is taken to look at what one is passionate about, motivation to do something about it is almost instantaneous. They act more deliberately, without hesitation and with more vigor. They take charge which is an empowering action for any person no matter their profession.

Professionalism - Observation, Assessment, Action

In some of my more recent conversations with colleagues and people whom I mentor there has been a lot of discussion about obstacles. Actually most of the time it is not overcoming them which most are adept at. Rather it is the general lack of noticing potential obstacles so that they can be acted upon.

From my experience a good way to tackle this problem is something I call pattern observation. This is a synthesis of scientific methods such as from software engineering, coupled with religious meditation and introspection, and influenced with past martial arts experience. The different perspectives all have similar practical approaches when it comes to problems: observation and pattern recognition.

In most professionals minds the ability to recognize a problem is based on something reasonably concrete - hitting profit targets, getting to a certain level of sales, cutting a certain amount of cost, etc. When they get to more abstract concepts general approaches such as "going with your gut" which are in fact not bad pieces of advice make large assumptions about individual professionals in terms of their experience to see the abstract, make it concrete and take action.

Every problem has a known domain with it's own set of characteristics that create unique instances. While it is true that domains may share characteristics with one another, they are highly individualized such that it is not necessarily advantageous even in noticing these commonalities. A good martial art view of this happens to be a sparring match. Sparring with your teacher is different than sparring with another student which is definitely different than sparring with someone from another school. Yes they have certain things in common, but the situations are fairly unique. However in spite of these myriad number of differences, certain common patterns do exist and can be applied universally. For example you know it is a match which means there are three outcomes: you overcome your opponent, your opponent overcomes you, or it is a draw. Interestingly it is the same for a business or technical situation: either you overcome the situation, the situation overwhelms you, or the situation stays the same. This understanding of certain realizations is not to oversimplify a situation, rather it is a basis by which an individual can come to grips with it such that they can act on it. In this example, some professionals see any where half a dozen to dozens of outcomes, when in truth using this process there are really only three.

Now that we have established some clarity of the potential outcomes, next happens to be understanding some rational in refining the domain via it's characteristics. Using the same martial arts example some rational can be assumed:

• Sparring with your teacher: you are being educated, they are teaching a lesson to be learned.
• Sparring with a fellow student: you are both practicing and applying what you have learned.
• Sparring with a total stranger: you are applying what you have learned.

Generally speaking, each of these circumstances has certain characteristics based on the rational provided, one is for teaching, one is for discovery and learning, and one is for application of that learning. If this sounds familiar it should, it is not just common to martial arts, but sports, education, and pretty much anything else we do outside of the work environment.

This is one of those empowering moments for my students: that what they do in their professional lives is not totally alien, that it in fact follows similar principles and concepts that they apply in their daily lives just in a different way. This realization helps to make a professional comfortable with their abilities, builds confidence in that they now know based on other experiences that they can master a situation, and sets proper expectations.

Now this circumstance can be applied to pretty much any technical or business problem as well. Are you just learning about it? Have to done this in the past and are now just enhancing your learning about the problem? Or is it the case that it is something truly new and challenging?

With a reasonable basis established the next step is to home in on some of the more important characteristics per domain:

• Being taught/learning. Keep an open mind. Understand the basics. Grasp the core philosophy. Visualize the outcome.
• Practicing/self-learning. Keep your skills sharp. Strengthen your core. Make key learnings and skills such that they are almost instinctive not conscious.
• Practical Application. Assess the situation. Lead off with an initial foray. Adjust and adapt. Think on your feet. Take what works and incorporate into your skills.

Often times especially in the business world or when looking at a technical problem, most professionals tend to forget how quickly they can make these decisions. For example in martial arts or sports, yes there is a strategy, yes there are actions one takes in accordance to that strategy, but it is not doggedly followed. It is adjusted, compensated, modified and refined and above all it is not a conscious decision once engaged. It flows naturally as a result of relentless practice. This is a key point that I also make. What may look "natural" and "comes easy" to someone is not just because they are talented and gifted, but because they have applied themselves to constant and relentless practice to make themselves the top of their game.

Another interesting point that most professionals fail to recognize or at least realize is that there is innovation, creativity, and spontaneity in many of these examples. The opponent is another person who adjusts and adapts as much as they do. So simply doing the exact same thing over and over again may work for a little bit, but people change and hence so does the individual. It is the core of being able to change that is absolutely critical to understand. Nothing remains static. Nothing stands still. Any business environment is a struggle to adjust to change. While it is true that certain foundations are constant, the way they are tackled are not. For example software engineers of today constantly look at how to do things better, faster, with higher quality, and better efficiency. Companies have come to understand that using this talent is not just a matter of applying them to a 9-to-5 schedule and expecting brilliance. Rather they look at the situation differently and harness such talent differently for the benefit of the organization. A similar approach can be seen in sports. Teams do have a schedule to keep. But exactly how they use that time varies even though there are strict rules that all participants follow. While it looks very regimented it is in fact flexible enough to allow for individuals to apply themselves as needed. In martial arts breaks between spars do have rules such as not leaving the dojo, etc. But they do not regiment the break down to saying "you have to meditate for 5 mins, stretch for 5 mins, drink 5 cups of water, etc." How each practitioner manages their time is up to them. It is what allows them to come back into the match centered in their own manner to achieve success.

I also mention how focus plays such a critical role in sports and martial arts; by concentrating efforts on specific goals and eliminating distractions. The same thing goes for business. A professional has to focus their efforts on achieving the goal. Interestingly enough many professionals get lost in the distractions. For example, many professionals see playing politics or being extremely personable as the focus of their efforts. This would be akin to a star athlete walking onto the field and thinking that their most important effort is to sign autographs and shake the hands of fans. While those activities do round out an athlete, their core assignment is to play. This is the same for sales, communications, whatever. There end result is to make a sale, to communicate a message in a certain way, etc. The way they conduct themselves in achieving those ends can help but are certainly not the end result. By focusing on what is essential versus what is not, professionals can tackle problems more effectively.

Another point I bring up is conflict. Sports has it. Martial arts definitely has it. So do professional encounters. They are all conflicts. It is why military philosophies are applied to many business cases. However even so, conflicts do not last forever and they can have a variety of outcomes. In sports you put your best efforts forth every game with the understanding you have many seasons to go. In martial arts you spar as if it is the last one you will have, and repeatedly do that every spar. The same thing goes for business. Each instance is as important as the last one. It is also important to understand there will always be another instance with more conflicts. If you conduct yourself to the best of your ability, and treat others with respect, you will have acted in the most professional manner possible.

In concluding my lessons I focus in on individual power specifically the power of choice. A martial artist can choose which spars to engage in. A professional athlete can choose where to take their careers. The same is said of any business or technical professional. It is through the power of individual choice that each professional decides where they take their career or not. While each person is influenced by any number of factors, it is up to the individual to insure that they are staying true to a process of observation, assessment and action that is best for them. After all effectively doing these simple yet core things is what keeps people at the top of the game.