Issue 26 [ISSN 1712-4670]

We confide in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.

Thomas Jefferson,
1743-1826


Register now:
September 18-20, 2008 in
Vancouver, BC

TESTIMONIALS
Very worthwhile program! The tools along with the training are going to be easy to apply. They would be valuable to any organization. A great complement to any existing training or coaching program! 

Jim Skinner, General Manager
Human Resources, London Drugs


I loved the program the first time around, but got even more out of it on the second go-round. I have a deeper understanding of the tools, some brilliant new flashes of insight, and I feel energized to implement my plan. It was a great group of individuals to spend the 3 days with. 

Elizabeth Fletcher Brown,
Life Mastery International

This is an intense training program that is both dynamic and analytical. You will all learn a lot about yourself and about others around you. What an asset to take into your workplace and into your home life! Time well spent! 

Vijay Basdeo
Innerlink Training Seminars Ltd.

 

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Secrets of Sucess Journal
This 40-page PDF outlines and provides a summary of most of our 100+ resources. It also provides valuable articles that you can re-purpose or forward to others.

My Source Experience - Journal

My Source
EXPERIENCE Journal

Online Personal Style Indicator

Online Job Style
Indicator



Online Entrepreneurial Style and Success Indicator

Online Values
Preference Indicator

Online Stress Indicator and Health Planner

Online Self-Worth Inventory

Online Leadership Skills-Self Inventory

Online Sales Style Indicator

Online Instructional Style Indicator

Online Learning Style Indicator

CRG´s Licensed
Associate Program

 

This is YOUR newsletter! If you are using our tools and have a unique story, idea, or suggestion to share, let us know: submissions@crgleader.com

We look forward to hearing from you! Please direct your questions and correspondence through our Website.
Contact us.

TO SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE go to:
crgleader.com/ezine

Leading the Way is a free ezine published by Consulting Resource Group International, Inc, Copyright 2008.

 

Focus on Professional Development

Play to Your Strengths

Strength: the quality of being strong; the ability to do or endure; power; toughness; solidity

Guest Author, Dr. Ray Williams

Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, authors of the book, Now, Discover Your Strength, suggest that we build our lives around our strengths and show us ways to minimize the impact of our weaknesses.

The authors define strengths as “consistent near-perfect performance in an activity.” As an important corollary to this definition, they add “the ability is only strength if you can fathom yourself doing it repeatedly, happily, and successfully.” 

They go on to thoroughly describe the hallmarks of the 34 strengths identified by the Gallup organization research.

3 Tools to Build Your Life Around Your Strengths

1.  Understand how to distinguish your natural talents from the skills you can learn.


It’s true you can improve at activities for which you are not naturally gifted. The question is whether you can reach consistent, near-perfect performance, repeatedly. Buckingham and Clifton talk about the differences among talents, knowledge, and skills. 

  • Talent is a naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior. 
  • Knowledge consists of facts and lessons learned.
  • Skills are the steps of an activity.

With skills and knowledge, you can perfect an innate talent. On the other hand, the authors claim, you can acquire skills and knowledge to a point—to adequately get by—but you’ll never be able to attain the consistent near-perfect performance that comes with innate talent

2.  Have a system to identify your dominant talents 

The authors suggest trying an activity to see how quickly you:

  • pick it up;
  • skip steps in the learning; and
  • add twists and kinks you haven’t been taught yet.

See whether you get so absorbed in the activity that you lose track of time.

3.  Learn a common language to describe your talents and the talents of others 

Our language isn’t up to the challenge, the authors say. The language of human weaknesses is rich and varied whereas, in contrast, the language of human strengths is sparse. They point out that while a person with people skills has a strength for relating well to people, he or she may not have the particular strength needed to succeed in a specific area. For example, one person with people skills might excel at building trust, while another person with people skills might be brilliant at initiating contact or networking. 

5 Creative Strategies to Manage a Talent Weakness

1. Get a little better at your strengths
2. Find a partner to help you
3. Develop a support system
4. Use one of your strongest themes to overwhelm your weakness
5. Just stop doing the weak thing

When dealing with a persistent weakness, the authors advise “stop doing it and see if anyone cares.” They point out that a person can never have too much of a particular theme; they just don’t have enough of another. For example, rude people don’t have too much Command. They have too little Empathy. 

The authors summarize the state of most organizations in this way: Most organizations are a puzzle put together in a dark room. Each piece is clumsily squeezed into place, then the edges are ground down so they feel well positioned. But, pull up the shades, let a little light into the room, and we see the truth. 

  • 8 of the 10 pieces are in the wrong place
  • 8 out of 10 employees feel they are miscast.
  • 8 out of 10 employees never have the chance to reveal the best of themselves. 

Buckingham and Clifton say it doesn’t have to be this way.

A knowledge economy in an increasingly competitive global economy means that the right employees are becoming more precious with each passing year. Those of us who lead organizations must become more sophisticated and more efficient when it comes to capitalizing on our people. We must find the best possible fit for people’s strengths and the roles we are asking them to play.

The authors maintain that ethical, effective leaders have always focused on the importance of people. They seek out talent and concentrate performance on outcomes, rather than forcing individuals into stylistic modes. 

One of my recommendations is that you use assessments to help you define and discover your strengths. Make sure you are holistic in your assessment package and your processes.

Use the assessments to benchmark your current preferences and strengths, then compare those results to your life and your responsibilities.

Dr. Ray Williams is Executive Vice President of PCMG Canada, a premier career management company based in Vancouver, BC. He has more than 30 years’ experience as CEO, HR Executive, mediator, management consultant, and executive coach. Ray recently attended CRG training and is now a CRG Licensed Associate. 

www.pcmgexecutive.com

ARTICLE SUBMISSION

CRG is expanding its online content and we invite you to participate

How? We are looking for articles from you that engage the audience and help them with specific issues. 

Here are our requirements.

  • Length: 600 to 1000 words. Short, punchy text is preferred over length. 
  • Focus on the issue(s) you believe are important to this segment (lifelong learning) and add your practical recommendations. Case Studies are welcome, as long as the parties mentioned have signed off. 
  • Your article(s) must mention how a CRG resource has or can be used to resolve the challenges or issues you have outlined in your content. 
  • CRG is free to use your article at our discretion. You will, however, always be acknowledged as the author/content-provider and your basic contact info will be included. 

Your article must fall in the following categories/markets.

  • Career Profession/als 
  • Training and Speaking Profession/als 
  • Small Business and Entrepreneurs 
  • HR Profession/als 
  • Corporate Applications 
  • Education Profession/als 
  • Relationships and Dating 
  • Parenting/Children 
  • Coaching Profession/als 
  • Christian/Church Groups 
  • Health and Wellness Profession/als 
  • Assessments as an overall development strategy
  1. If you are not a writer, we encourage you to have a professional editor review your content prior to submission. 
  2. You may submit up to 5 different articles in this callout. 
  3. We reserve the right not to use your submission. 
  4. At the top of the first page, please cite the market segment(s) to which your submission relates and the length of the article (the number of words).
  5. We accept MS Word files for PC only. 
  6. To create the file name, type the title of your article + your name.
  7. Forward to submissions@crgleader.com

Finally, you must be a CRG Associate or Affiliate to qualify to submit. If you wish to submit but are not yet a CRG Affiliate, please go to this link to register.

TRAIN-THE-TRAINER

 Do you wish to develop personally and professionally—while helping others? If so, plan to attend CRG’s next 3-Day Train-The-Trainer program.

CRG’s 3-Day Train-The-Trainer Intensive is designed for all professionals who want to make a difference in other people’s lives.

The combination of personal growth, experiential learning, and business development created an empowering and dynamic TTT seminar—that will help me to accomplish the purpose I see for my life.

Minette Riordan, Ph.D.

Register now for our event in Vancouver, BC on Sept 21, 22, 23, 2006.



What started out as a simple 2-day assessment-orientation program 15 years ago has grown into a 3-day Intensive Personal and Professional Development Experience.

Over the past 3 years, we have re-tooled and re-branded the CRG organization and revisited the entire Train-The-Trainer program. The 3-Day TTT session is designed for all professionals—whether you are new to CRG or you have been using our resources for years.
 
Our goal is to ground and serve YOU so you can better assist your customers.

Recently, when one of our long-term clients attended the program, he thought he was going to learn about CRG. He did not anticipate he was also going to learn about himself.

In the program debriefing, he found himself raw with emotions because of his new levels of self-understanding. Not only is he living his life more on purpose, his new-found passion has helped him triple his CRG business in less than 12 months.

Honoring the learner on the journey to living more fully on purpose is what CRG is all about—and professionals acknowledge that in their recommendations. It’s no accident that 80% of professionals switch to CRG resources from other choices. 

In fact, the more experience you have in the HR field, the more important it is for you to attend a CRG session—to understand the uniqueness of CRG’s resources and unlearn some popular false assumptions in the marketplace.

That’s why CRG introduced the TTT Alumni program. Those who have already attended the CRG Train-The-Trainer program can re-attend—at a significantly reduced fee—to stay current, learn what’s new, and network with Associates from around the globe. 

Many of our Associates attend TTT on an annual basis, to keep up with the progress and exciting developments at CRG.

Register now for CRG’s Train-The-Trainer program.
Space is Limited.


CRG’s Upcoming Train-The-Trainer Events in Vancouver, BC

If you have questions about our TTT, please contact Neal Diamond.
neal@crgleader.com
Toll-free in North America: 1-866-852-4347
International clients: 604 852-0566

Download the TTT PDF now!

CRG LAUNCHES 15 NEW MICRO SITES!

CRG has created 15 new micro sites. Go to www.careerresourcegroup.com and scroll down on the left. There is a link to all our new sites.

We have already posted more than 60 articles. 

We’re looking for content from you, too.

We will link to your site, based on a reciprocal program. You have either an affiliate program of your own and/or you have CRG linked on your site.

As we roll out this program and sites, please contact CRG with your questions.
Ask for Andrew, CRG’s Webmaster.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CRG Train-the-Trainer
Where: Vancouver, BC
When: September 23, 24, 25, 2006
To register:  https://www.crgleader.com/trainthetrainer/

International Coaching Federation – Vancouver Chapter:
Assess for Success, with Speaker Ken Keis, President of CRG
Where: Vancouver, BC
The Arbutus Club, 2001 Nanton Avenue
3rd floor meeting room
When: September 28, 2006
Time: 7 PM to 10 PM
To register:  http://www.icfvancouver.org/

International Career Development Conference 2006
Professional Development Session on the CRG Personal Style Indicator and Model, with Speakers Ken Keis, President of CRG, and Richard Knowdell, Executive Director, Career Planning and Adult Development Network
Where: Santa Clara, CA 
When: November 1, 2006 
Time: TBA
To register: http://www.careerccc.com/ 

CRG Train-the-Trainer
Where: Vancouver, BC
When: November 16, 17, 18, 2006
To register: https://www.crgleader.com/trainthetrainer/

UPDATES

  • New Positions Available Immediately at CRG
    Want to work in a dynamic, fun, and entrepreneurial environment? If you qualify, here’s your chance!

    All positions are located at CRG’s Head Office in Abbotsford, BC.
    If you are interested, please send your résumé to lisa@crgleader.com.

    • Welcome, New CRG Team Members
      o Suzanne Bunbury, a summer student majoring in business, is assisting in our admin and customer service functions.
      o Leanne Lenzin is focusing on customer service and Affiliate relations. 
      o Sherri Cochrane is fulfilling the role of office manager and bookkeeper.
    • All the Best to Adam Ford
      o After 5 years of dedication to CRG, Adam has moved on to new challenges as an instructor in his family’s education business. Though we will all miss his positive energy on the phone and in the office, we wish him the best as he pursues his purpose to teach others.
    • Print-Based Private-Labeling Brochure 
      Learn how you can add your logo and contact information to the CRG assessments and have your logo or images appear on the CRG Website. Download the PDF File now!
    • New Version of My Source Experience Journal™ Now Available! 
      Source has been completely revised and rewritten. The new format is 88 pages. The previous edition was 16. That’s 62 more pages for you! It’s going to press next week, so place your orders now.
    • Spanish Translations Now Available!
      The Personal Style Indicator and PSI In-Depth Interpretations (print-based versions) are available in Spanish. Place your orders now.
    • Vietnamese Translations: On the Way!
      The Personal Style Indicator and PSI In-Depth Interpretations (print-based versions) will be available in Vietnamese in June 2006. Place your orders now!