I always have a great time interviewing Guy Finley.  He is one of my favorite authors with a heart of gold, and a love for humanity.

I had the pleasure of actually being involved in the making of “Being Extraordinary-The New Model for Success“.  This new book is what is referred to as an enhanced book for the Apple iPad.  I am a partner in an organization called Wiseologie Media Group, and we develop enhanced books for authors and publish them in the various forms of digital media for tablets such as the iPad, Nook, Amazon Kindle Fire etc.

Guy’s new book ” Being Extraordinary” is  a question and answer format allowing the reader to easily extract the words of wisdom from Guy Finley without having to read every page of the book–although you should its a wonderful book.  I personally interviewed Guy for over five hours, and our interviews are the foundational material included in “Being Extraordinary”  For Guy Finley this book is a leap into addressing many issues facing business leaders from a spiritual perspective.

A very important topic that is covered is the shift that Guy would like to see business leaders make, from one of “what can I take” to “what can I give or contribute to the world“.  This concept might seem simple, but imagine a world where our business leaders make a shift in their thinking from “taking” to “giving”.  Not only would our business world be transformed, all businesses and the stakeholders–employees, vendors, stockholders would become part of a global transformation in the exchange of good and services benefiting humanity–social responsibility would be the focus.

Guy says that the ordinary is created to serve the extraordinary, and that we realize this relationship within ourselves by learning what it means to come “awake” and be “present” to ourselves at all times.  In becoming extraordinary, one of the most valuable lessons is to awaken to our own personal relationship with our “higher-self” the self that transcends aspects of our self that are not awake to what and who we are becoming in each and every moment.  At this point we experience our own personal revelation, we realize that their are not failures only learning lessons and opportunities to progress in our own awakening to who and what we are becoming.

Guy states that the “I” must be willing to die for the “We” if we are to become fearless.  In “Being Extraordinary” the reader will learn that to transcend the ego’s dominion and realize our connection to the “One”.  You learn that you are  not separate, you are One with the Source and Being Extraordinary is part of our divine right.

If you want to learn more about “Being Extraordinary” please click here to be directed to the iTunes store where you can download the first two chapters for review on your iPad.  You can also learn more by clicking here to be directed to a You Tube video with an introduction to the book.  I hope you enjoy this wonderful interview with author Guy Finley about “Being Extraordinary“.

As Vadim states in the article ” As the world get flatter, its’s getting fatter and sicker.  Heart disease, diabetes, cancer and a host of other conditions afflict more of us than ever. But it’s not only our ballooning bodies that are ailing.  Companies are suffering from ill health, exhibiting symptoms that include lower productivity, engagement, and morale, as well as higher medical costs.”

In my interview with Vadim we speak about not only the issues of developing wellness program for organization to improve the overall health of the organization, but just as importantly we discuss the important issues of the necessary cultural changes necessary to sustain organizational vitality and health.

The main purpose of wellness programs–trimming medical expenses–is obvious.  Except that it’s obvious to no one outside the United States.  You see our focus is on reducing medical costs and it is our number one priority, but in other countries such as Canada, Europe, and Latin America productivity is companies’ top wellness-program objective.   According to Vadim’s research US businesses may be swallowing the wrong pill to slash overall expenses.  Productivity has a greater financial impact than medical costs, explains Barry Hall, a principal in the clinical-health-consulting and global technology-solutions practices of Buck Consultants.

According to the recent Buck Consultants global-wellness survey, two thirds of organizations currently have a formal wellness strategy, up from 49% in 2007.  However, few companies say they have fully implemented their plans, especially across borders, and 28% of those with no strategy admit they don’t know how to get started.  One thing for certain is that companies should seriously consider implementing a wellness strategy, and it needs to include a focus on the cultural issues of wellness as well as the metrics of creating a well and vital organization.

One connection seems clear: between worker heath and productivity.  ”People who have poor health report lower levels of productivity” In fact one study indicates an 18 percent difference in productivity between healthy and unhealthy worker.  If you would like to read the entire article please click here to be directed to the Conference Board article.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Vadim Liberman the senior editor for ” The Conference Board Magazine“

An Independent Consultant, Educator and Speaker since 1978, Mark has gained a reputation for masterfully demonstrating how Accountability can improve a company’s bottom line. He teaches organizations of every stripe to thrive in the competitive 21st century global marketplace through results-oriented management based upon the practice of Accountability.

Mark is considered a “practical visionary” by top executives in many Fortune 500 companies. CNBC, Bloomberg and Fortune Magazine have recognized him as a top authority on how companies can end blame in the ranks and create a place where people want to work because they can produce results.

He is frequently called in by companies to address leaders on his unique approach to solving the challenges of culture change, performance improvement, leadership development and effectively managed teamwork. His personal objective is to ensure that his clients achieve meaningful and measurable breakthrough performance results that are sustained over time.

An award-winning speaker, Mark has addressed national conferences of ASTD, AQP, ODN, ASHHRA and ISPI. He has moved audiences in Europe and North and South America to effective action with his engaging, inspirational, humorous, interactive and thought-provoking presentations.

Mark’s work has effected long-term positive, profitable improvement in companies worldwide, including Chevron Corporation, American Express, Genentech, Baptist Healthcare, Honda Corporation, Texas Instruments, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, AMGEN, The Royal Bank of Canada, Baxter Pharmaceuticals, The University of California at Berkeley, General Dynamics, Michelin Tires, Paris, France, and Siemens.

Mark holds a Bachelors Degree in Social Science from the University of California, Irvine; a Masters Degree in Management, with a special emphasis in Organizational Development, from the University of California, Irvine; and a Masters Degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Santa Monica, in Santa Monica, California.

During our dialogue in this interview we discuss Mark’s “Personal Accountability Model” which has two loops.  The first loop is that of being a victim, and the second loop is that of being accountable.  What I find interesting is that accountability is all about a choice.  If a situation arrises and we set our intention to become accountable, then we own the outcome and it is so much more empowering.  On the other hand if we choose to be the victim, them we frequently go into the blame game and rationalize our actions.

Mark has identified “forgiveness” as one of the legs on his accountability loop.  As Mark states ” forgiving others–and one’s self–is like hitting the “un-scribe” button in response to those annoying e-mails you get, which you never asked for.  That unsolicited spam is just there, taking up space in your e-mail box, taking time in your day. They don’t add anything; they’re just a nuisance. The same holds true for those judgments: they take the place of creative thoughts, of loving thoughts.

If you are at all interested in learning how accountability to yourself and other can empower you, and propel you into understanding the power of your stated actions and desired results then you need to listen to this interview with author Mark Samuel.  Mark has been teaching classes and conducting seminars for years empowering people about accountability.  Through self-examination you learn the most important thing, to have control over yourself.

If you would like to learn more about Mark Samuel then I would recommend that you visit his website by clicking here.  Enjoy this wonderful interview with a master in accountability, Mark Samuel.

Roger Connors and Tom Smith are the principals and founders of Partners In Leadership, the premier provider of Accountability Training® Services around the world. They are the authors of several leadership and management books listed on numerous bestselling lists, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Publishers Weekly and Amazon.com. Their company has thousands of clients in more than 50 countries and their books and materials have been translated into 14 languages. They have conducted workshops and consulting engagements throughout the world, including most European countries, Japan, North America, South America, and the Middle East.

Roger has accumulated extensive experience in working with over a hundred senior executive teams, as well as with thousands of managers and leaders in almost all major industries. His work includes long-term and short-term consulting engagements (from a few months to several years), speaking engagements, national sales meetings, workshops and speeches. He has also won respect as a trusted advisor to senior executives, having personally coached hundreds of managers and leaders. Roger and Tom are recognized as the worldwide experts on the topic of workplace accountability and bring extensive expertise to helping management teams facilitate large-scale Cultural Transition through their Accountability Training methodologies and models. Roger is well received as an entertaining and provocative speaker and is a highly respected facilitator of senior executive groups and management teams.

He has co-authored the classic New York Times bestselling book, The Oz Principle: Getting Results Through Individual And Organizational Accountability, ranked year after year as one of the top five bestselling business books in the leadership and performance categories. He has also co-authored the bestselling Journey To The Emerald City: Achieve A Competitive Edge By Creating A Culture Of Accountability, and the New York Times bestsellers, How Did That Happen? Holding People Accountable for Results the Positive, Principled Way, and the recent release Change the Culture, Change the Game: The Breakthrough Strategy for Energizing your Organization and Creating Accountability for Results.

Roger is a member of the American Society for Training & Development. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree with Distinction from The Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Brigham Young University. Roger and his wife, Gwen, have five children and live in Alpine, Utah.

Many of us who are involved in the personal growth and human potential fields know that one of the first things we learn is personal responsibility.  This concept is at the cornerstone of being in integrety, and living a life of authenticy.  In my interview with Roger we discuss the “Oz Principle”  which by the way is borrowed from the characters in the Wizard of Oz.   I know everyone remembers the journey of Dorothy and her cast, the Tin Man, The Scarecrow, and the Lion.  And if you remember all of them were seeking something to make them whole, and they all were victims.

One of the most challenging situations for individuals and organizations is when they get into the cycle of being a victim as Roger explains it.   In this book Roger explains how the attitude of victimization has captured businesses everywhere in a chocking stranglehold.   In the book Roger explains why people in organizations must avoid the debilitating effects of the victim cycle in order to achieve results.  Also revealed are the “Steps to Accountability” as the key to obtaining what you desire, or yourself, your team and your organization.

If you are at all interested in creating personal accountability in conjunction with organizational accountability, then I highly recommend that you obtain a copy of “The Oz Principle“.  It is a must read for any person in management seeking to improve the performance of their organization, and create a happier, healthier and more creative organizational culture.  If you would like more information about the “The Oz Principle” please click here to be directed to the Partners In Leadership website.

I hope you enjoy this interview with a very knowledgeable change agent Roger Conners.

I have known Craig Neal for a number of years, as a matter of fact I attended one of his “The Art of Convening” meetings at the Gap in Northern California several years ago.   I recently reconnected with Craig and had the opportunity to discuss his newly released book entitled “The Art Of Convening-Authentic Engagement in Meetings, Gatherings, and Conversations“.

If you are like me, you have attended lots of meetings during your career and frequently walk away wondering “why” did I attend?  If you have ever asked this questions, then Craig’s new book “The Art of Convening” is a must read.

In my interview with Craig we discuss what he refers to as “authentic engagement”.  Authentic engagement is , simply, a genuine expression of what is true for us, and an attentive listening to what is true for another, or others.  Why this simple human interaction often eludes us can be a matter of habit, distrust, faulty modeling, lack of attention, or fear.

Craig has created a wonderful model in the book that assists “the convener” in understanding the art associated with creating a gathering.  The model is referred to as the “convening wheel” and at the center is “The Heart of the Matter” with eight adjacent spokes:  Clarifying Intent , The Invitation, Setting Context, Creating the Container, Hearing all the Voices, Essential Conversations, Creation, Commitment to Action.   Craig states that there is a lot of pressure in our lives to go, go, go all the time–to drive to results and spring into action, often before the actions’s optimal time has come.  It’s counterintuitive to take the time to reflect on how we ill be in relationship with others. In a way, we have to slow down and do the internal due diligence to know what results we really want to drive and when it is time to take the action.

If you are at all interested in better understanding how to hold meeting with meaning, purpose and aligned outcomes then I highly recommend that you obtain a copy of “The Art Of Convening“.  This book will instruct you with essential questions to better understand your purpose, your meetings purpose and the associated actions you really would like to achieve from meetings, gatherings and most importantly conversations.  I hope you enjoy this interview with one of the masters in the business of “authentic engagement”.

You can learn more about Craig and Patricia Neal the authors by clicking here to be directed to their website.

Roger and I discuss what he refers to at the Results Pyramid, which is the tool that his organization uses to help create accountability within organizations.  At the core of the Results Pyramid are the experiences, beliefs, actions and ultimately the results that are created.   So the leaders of the organization must create the needed culture, the culture produces the results, the most effective culture is a culture of accountability then this helps transition the organization into one with a competitive advantage.  Sounds simple doesn’t it.  Well hold on just a minute—this only happens when the people in every corner of the organization make the personal choice to take the Steps to Accountability–and each step builds on the previous one.

So what are these steps of accountability that are require to produce results.  1) See it- means moving Above the Line or staying there whenever a new challenge arises.  2) Own it-means being personally invested, learning from both successes and failures, aligning your work with desired company results and acting on the feedback you receive. 3) Solve it-requires persistent effort as you encounter obstacles that stand in the way of achieving results.  When you take this step, you constantly ask the question “What else can I do?’  4) Do it- the final step in the process, represents the natural culmination of the first three steps–it means doing what you say you will do.

If you think that this stuff is just for business people, think again.  The basic principles that Roger speaks about in this book are so important to your own personal growth and development.  If you follow the sound advice in the book about being personally accountable, not only to yourself but to those you work with you will find a wonderful transformation in your personal life.  You can only imagine the amazing results that occur when you can get a whole organization where personal accountability is the guiding light for the employees.  This is a company that you will want to do business with.

I highly recommend that you obtain a copy of “Change the Culture, Change the Game“.  It will give you the guidance both personally and professionally in creating cultures of accountability, once you know the forumla for creating accountable people,  positive organizational transformation is bound to occur.

If you would like to learn more about Roger Conner’s and Partners In Leadership  please click here, and enjoy my interview with Roger.

Dr. Edington is the author or co-author of over 500 articles, presentations, and several books, including Biology of Physical Activity, Biological Awareness, Frontiers of Exercise Biology, The One Minute Manager Gets Fit and the 2nd edition, The One Minute Manager Balances Work and Life. Dr. Edington’s teaching and research focus on the relationship between healthy lifestyles, vitality and quality of life, as they benefit both individuals and organizations. He is specifically interested in how individual health promotion, worksite wellness activities and programs within organizations impact health care cost containment, productivity and human resource development. In essence, the HMRC studies the precursors to disease and vitality. Dr. Edington enjoys the constantly emerging challenges at the HMRC. He describes the Center as dynamic, innovative and a world-class leader in driving towards information-driven decision making in the evolving new health care environment.

http://www.hmrc.umich.edu/content.aspx?pageid=42&fname=zerotrends.txt