Three frogs were sitting on a lily pad. One frog decided to jump. How many frogs were left?

If you said “three,” you’re right. “Deciding” and “jumping” are not the same. Deciding is a thought and jumping is an action.

The world is filled with people who have decided to be successful, healthy, and happy. And, while I applaud those aspirations, I also see their limits. My overwhelming admiration goes to those who take the necessary steps to achieve the desired success, good health, and happiness.

I have no complaint with those who write down their goals and ambitions. (I do so myself.) And I know how powerful imagery can be when you create full-sensory mental pictures of future achievements. But please don’t stop there. Jump into action, take risks, make mistake - and learn from them. It's those action that will move you – however tenuously – toward turning your dreams into reality.

NYC

Just back from a speaking trip to New Jersey (presenting a seminar on "The Power of Collaboration" for the Institute of Management Studies) and then on to NYC for the weekend. As I saw the skyline of the City, I was reminded of the week after September 11, 2001 when I flew to New York for a Conference Board presentation. About a dozen of us passengers on a Boeing 747 - the dust still in the air from the recent attacks - and New York strangely subdued and half-empty.

What a difference this trip! Now I flew east on an overloaded 737 and creeped along choked highways in a 2-hour ride from New Jersey to Manhattan. And despite any qualms about public transportation after the London bombings, New Yorkers and tourists alike jammed the subways and buses.

I love New York! And if you are planning a trip there in the near future, here are a couple of reccommendations:1) When in SoHo, eat at Kittichai (60 Thompson - 212-219-2000). I'm from the Berkeley/San Francisco area and I'm used to great food - but this restaurant serves the best Thai food I've ever had! 2) Get tickets to "The Light in the Piazza" at Lincoln Center. It is wonderful.

Just in case you forgot to mark your calendar, this past weekend was the opening of deer hunting season in Northern California. I know this for a fact because my husband is a hunter and every year since he was sixteen, he’s gone to the same region (where we have a small cabin and hunting camp) for the seven weekends of the season.

I don’t hunt. But I do go with him to camp. And here’s what I’ve learned: Hunting is not about killing Bambi’s daddy (although a fair amount of them have been eliminated during the years). Hunting is about telling stories –mostly the same stories - over and over every year. It’s how my husband and his friends bond, how they learn from one another and caution each other, and how they transfer what they’ve learned to the next generation.

I’ve spent several years looking for great examples of knowledge sharing and collaboration in organizations, only to find some of the best examples around a campfire.

Okay, here's the deal. You make this company your No. 1 loyalty -- even above your family. You do what you're told. If we transfer you to Timbuktu, you move to Timbuktu. In exchange, we'll give you security -- you'll have a job for life.

Perhaps no one ever stated it so explicitly, but that was the basic loyalty contract between employer and employee 20 years ago.

What do you thnk? Is loyalty dead and gone, a victim of turbulent times in the corporate world? Or is it still here, only different somehow?

Over the years I have interviewed many scientists, inventors and other creative people from various professions. One of the things I most wanted to know was the key to great brainstorming sessions. Although it is widely practiced, brainstorming is seldom utilized to its full potential.

I already knew these fundamentals:
• Start with a warm-up exercise - especially if the group doesn’t brainstorm frequently or when the group seems distracted by outside issues. Use word games or puzzles or humor to set an atmosphere that is relaxed, fun and freewheeling.
• Encourage everyone to participate, either with original ideas or “piggybacking” (adding on to) other people’s input.
• Focus initially on quantity, not quality of ideas. Write all ideas on a white board or large sheets of paper and number them to help motivate participants and to jump back and forth between ideas without losing track of where you are.
• Urge participants to say anything that occurs to them, no matter how wild or “far out” those ideas may seem.
• Realize that brainstorming sessions tend to follow a series of steep energy curves. When the momentum starts to plateau, the facilitator needs to build on what’s been stated (“That’s a great idea; now what are some other ways to _____________?”) or to jump to another point (“Let’s switch gears and consider _____________.”)
• Break the brainstorming session into two parts: the first for idea generation and the second for evaluation. During the idea generation phase, no one should be allowed to judge, criticize, or squelch any of the ideas presented.
• Stay alert for nonproductive comments such as, “We tried that last year,” “I don’t think that will work,” etc. and counter premature judgment with, “This isn’t the time for evaluation yet.”

But the best advice I ever received about brainstorming was this: Invite the janitor. Or any other person who can bring a new perspective to the problem. It’s the diversity of thinking styles, points of view, personal experience, and gut feelings that increases effectiveness. One of the most productive brainstorming sessions I have ever facilitated mixed administrative assistants, lawyers, mail clerks, janitors, accountants, and corporate communicators. Their unique capabilities and contributions made the session so much more effective – and fun!