Spend a Private Day with Jim Cathcart, 1 to 1 14 Apr 2025, 3:20 pm

Call Today

Sometimes you just need to not be the person in charge, for a moment. Step out of the “Go To” person role long enough to reflect on what really matters to you and your organization. Take Time To Think…Clearly and Calmly about what you will do next.

A couple of days each month Jim Cathcart sets aside time to spend a day with his colleagues who need a new perspective.

This could be having brunch by Lake Austin, exploring some interesting places, meeting privately in a conference room, having lunch at the country club, going for a drive, or just sitting together in casual conversation. It’s your time. Time to get really clear on what you’ll do next. And how you will approach it.

Have a difficult decision to make? A challenge to face? A vital presentation to give? A “people problem” to solve? Or do you just want to Think Out Loud with someone you can trust? This is your private time to talk about what you care about. It is where Jim can truly be a Mentor and friend to you best.

So, book a day, come to Austin or choose your preferred spot. After a refreshing day with Jim you can stay in touch by phone or email for a month of follow through. Put the man who other top thought leaders turn to on Your Team. “Come with me and let’s discover how much more successful you can be.”

Call Today

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Cathcart Institute announces 3 new Certified Professional Expert, CPEs 14 Apr 2025, 2:36 pm

News Date March 25, 2025

New CPE Certifications at Cathcart Institute

Recognizing Excellence in Professional Expertise

The Cathcart Institute proudly announces the certification of three new Certified Professional Experts (CPEs) at the prestigious Professional Experts Summit held in Santa Barbara, CA. The newly awarded CPEs, Beth Robins, Niki McCuistion, and Terry Paulson, join the elite ranks of 26 other CPEs who have distinguished themselves across numerous disciplines and professions.

Acknowledging New CPEs

The addition of Beth Robins, Niki McCuistion, and Terry Paulson to the cadre of Certified Professional Experts is a testament to their exceptional skills, dedication, and contributions to their respective fields. Each has demonstrated remarkable expertise and has met the stringent criteria set by the Cathcart Institute for this esteemed certification.

• Beth Robins, CPE
• Niki McCuistion, CPE
• Terry Paulson, CPE

Previous Recipients

Previous recipients of the CPE include:

• Joe D. Willard of Oklahoma
• Nido R. Qubein of High Point, North Carolina
• Tony Alessandra of San Diego, CA
• Patricia Fripp of San Francisco, CA
• David Chu of Shanghai, China
• Don Hutson of Memphis, TN
• Allan Pease of Australia
• Ivan Misner of Austin, TX
• Christina Richter of Texas
• Brian Tracy of California
• Les Brown of Georgia
• Dave Kauffman of Florida
• Erik Swanson of Utah
• Jim Cathcart Jr. of Santa Barbara, CA
• Kevin Davis of Kentucky
• Anthony Criniti IV of Pennsylvania
• Victor Antonio of Georgia
• Dennis Madden of Nevada
• Troy Hoffman of California
• Michael Graham of California
• Michael D. Butler of Bangkok, Thailand
• Todd Duncan of California
• Brian Livingston of Canada
• Robin Creasman of Texas
• Ron Karr of Florida

Jim Cathcart designed the CPE in the same fashion that he crafted the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation for the National Speakers Association. More information on each can be found at NSASpeaker.org and Cathcart.com.

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Saddle Time 17 Mar 2025, 9:00 pm

Before we all had cars, people would travel on horseback or by wagon, even on foot. Yes that limited their range of travel and what they could take with them. It also had some wonderful side benefits. Not the least of which was time to think and learn.

Last week my good friend Wade Hudson introduced me to Cary Joe Needham, a rodeo champion and full-time cowboy. Wade lives near Cary’s ranch and arranged for me to stop by for a casual ride. Since moving to Texas I have done many Texas-specific activities but not riding…yet. So Wade helped me check yet another item off of my Texas “bucket list”.

When I moved to Texas after 37 years in Southern California, I came here to BECOME at Texan. I did not bring my California mindset and lifestyle with me. Growing up originally in Arkansas, I always thought of the Texans as the “cool kids.” They had more horses, cattle, rodeos, cowboys, ranches and cacti than Arkansas. So Texas was like the Western Heroes I watched each weekend in movies and on TV.

I bought a few books about Texas, scoured the many “about Texas” websites and created a great list of things to do and see in order to become a Texan. In a few years I had a track record that included the Texas State Fair, floating the San Marcos River, singing around a bonfire at a ranch, hunting wild boar, getting my “license to carry” permit, performing a song or two at various famous Honky Tonks, kayaking Lake Austin, serving in the Army at Fort Sam Houston, spending my honeymoon in Dallas, going to Six Flags Over Texas, speaking at the Texas Small Business Festival, meeting with the Governor’s staff in the Capitol building, performing with a local band in small town Wharton, staying with friends at various ranches, riding my motorcycle over thousands of miles of Hill Country roads, going to Luckenbach and singing in the saloon, performing at BBQ festivals and car shows, visiting The Alamo, hiring the Lone Star Riverboat for my Experts Summit event, giving speeches on campus at the University of Texas, attending UT Football games, basketball games, volleyball and more. I also went to Friday Night local football and baseball games, met with long time locals, went to see the Austin FC soccer games, joined the University of Texas Golf Club, watch the sunset at The Oasis on Lake Travis, gave a speech in the Houston Astrodome, hosted a TV show on PBS Dallas. I really got into Texas!

Wade’s mom, Bodie saw a robust post about my Texas activity on Facebook and took it to the Texas House of Representatives, the honorable Carrie Isaac, who had me officially declared a “True Texan.” Bodie and her sisters presented me with a flag that had flown over the state capitol along with a handsome certificate that included the comment, “Texas is Proud of You!” Wow!  What wonderful friends the Hudson and Kyle Families have been to me.

Now back to my main point. With all this activity over many years of my life, you would think that I didn’t have much time to just relax and think. Not true, I have intentionally made time to reflect, observe, listen, read and interact because I know that is where the value of experience will be. You see it’s not the information that comes into us that matters. What matters is how much of it goes through the quiet reflection process and ends up affecting our behavior. “If it’s not affecting your actions, it’s doubtful that you believe it.” I think Will Rogers said that.

If all we do is have experiences then we will be well worn. Like a rug that has been vacuumed a few too many times and is now threadbare. If all we do is read books, attend events, and take classes, we will have a lot of data traveling through our minds. But that data only sticks when we have some quiet “Saddle Time” to reflect on what it means to us. We need the long rides without the radio playing. We need long walks with friends or road trips where we are able to talk about everything in our heart and mind. We need space to allow the food to become nutrition. Otherwise your books just become “Shelf” help as decorations.

So, even in the brief time Wade and I rode together, we shared stories, memories, values and life lessons that made both of us better off. Maybe it’s time for you to take a ride or walk or road trip with a friend. You will be wiser when you do.

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Think Like An Owner 17 Mar 2025, 8:27 pm

Job Security Hack:

The quickest way to be respected and valued in a group or organization is by taking the attitude of an owner.

Most people participate but don’t commit. They accept a job but don’t truly take on the responsibility associated with it. You can hear it in their comments; “Sorry, that’s not my job.” “We are about to close, you’ll have to come back another time.” “That’s not our policy.” “There is nothing I can do about it.” “Sir, the sign says ‘No exceptions.'” “I’m on break.”

But a rare and wonderful few truly take on the role of making things happen and getting things done. Employers LOVE this! If you want job security, don’t think like a job holder. Think like an owner. Truly care about the customers, respect your company, learn all that you can about it. Be a solution source. Make things happen, do what is needed and what is right. Find a way. Customers will also love you. And your boss will not want to lose you from the team. In tough times, we keep the people who are valuable to the company. Others can come and go.

A dear friend of mine recently became the General Manager of a luxury resort. He asked for some recommendations and I shared the following suggestions.

1. Make a point of impressing everyone with how good of a listener you are. You will be tempted to tell them about yourself, but they really want to know if you are sincerely interested in them. Be more interested in them than you are in your own plans.

2. Act as if you were acquiring ownership of the resort. Inspect it as a skeptical buyer would. Look at everything. Inquire about everything. Walk every inch of the property, twice (so as not to be misled by first impressions only.) Explore the system and practices they use day to day. Open every door and cabinet. Have the employees give you an orientation to each of their jobs and duties.

Roam the neighborhood and ask people about the resort. What do they think about it? How do they feel about it? What is its local reputation? What stories are circulating about it, true or not? If it were your money would you buy it as is? Or would you require some changes, upgrades, renovations first? Think like an owner.

You don’t have to BE an owner in order to think as one. Just take the perspective that everything matters to you and you will have a long history with this entity. Invest yourself and you will see abundant returns on your investment.

If your existing organization could use more of this thinking, call me. Let’s get everyone on board. info@cathcart.com

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What is “The Cathcart Method™” 17 Mar 2025, 6:05 pm

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Four Stressors Leaders must control 24 Feb 2025, 8:59 pm

The Four Types of Stress that every Leader must control 

By Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE

Author of The Acorn Principle

If you don’t control these four stressors, you become their victim.

-Physical Stressors
-Situational Stressors
-Relationship Stressors
-Attitudinal Stressors

Leaders, this is an article you don’t want to miss. Need Higher Production from your team? Control these stressors. Want Deeper Sleep? Control these stressors. Want to Retain your Top Talent? Control these stressors. Want to Live Longer? Control these stressors. Want Fewer Medical Issues? Control these stressors.

Jim Cathcart answers your real-life scenarios and explain how you can implement easy-to-use tools to master stressors in your life.

• Higher Production comes from uninhibited action. Stress reduces energy, distracts attention, generates fear, leads to indecision, produces interpersonal friction, and threatens work quality.
• Retaining Top Talent requires a stress-free connection with each of your people. People do not quit jobs, they quit their employers. It is the managers they want to get away from, not the work. Learn to be the kind of boss that others are eager to work with.
• Deep Sleep only happens when our minds and bodies don’t feel afraid. When you’re distracted by financial issues, interpersonal conflict, daunting challenges and a lack of clarity on where to place your energies, your sleep is the first to suffer. Sleep is essential to well-being.
• Longevity is directly affected by stress. Those whose mindset, life habits, work habits and relationships are stress-free have been proven to live longer with fewer issues.
• Medical Issues are often predictable and preventable. The major causes of premature death are life-style related. Heart disease, cancer, and many other top diseases can be alleviated by better choices and behaviors. Accidents are greater among those who are stressed.

Here are the Four Major Stressors that Leaders must control.

1. Physical Stressors
2. Situational Stressors
3. Relationship Stressors
4. Attitudinal Stressors

PHYSICAL STRESSORS

This is often the easiest of all stressors to control or even eliminate.

Imagine having to sit on a hard chair that is too short for you to easily reach your desk. Add to that poor lighting or too much bright light. Then a dash of ambient noise, not just sound, Noise! Sprinkle in some danger from things around you, like faulty wiring, broken furniture, proximity to moving parts, debris on the floor, and unpleasant temperatures. Add a dash of poor air quality in the workplace. Now place all of this in a dangerous neighborhood without protected parking, no convenient food places nearby, limited transportation, and ugly décor.

It is not hard to see how this would impact your work, your attitude and your safety.

Step one in controlling stress is to enhance your environment. Find a better work surface for your project. Place supplies in a more convenient location. Adjust the chair you sit in. Improve the lighting. Reduce the noise and distractions. Control the information and images that surround you. Change what you can, control what you can’t and manage the impact of what you are left to deal with.

Maybe you should plan regular micro-breaks in your work day. Stand and stretch occasionally, walk when you can, take the stairs instead of the elevator, bring your own desk lamp, buy a “white noise” speaker to drown out bad noise. Hold meetings standing up instead of seated.

Adjust your workspace ergonomically to make each action more body friendly. The tilt of your chair or computer screen, the placement of your keyboard, the fingertip access to supplies you need. Take charge of making your physical experience better, as if you had an injury and needed to accommodate it. Imagine that you had a back injury or broken arm. How could you adjust your workspace and tools to allow for the limited movements?

WHAT IS STRESS?

Dr. Hans Selye, Austrian born, “Father of Stress Research”, defines it as, “the rate of wear and tear in the body.” The non-specific response of the body to the demands placed upon it.

A specific response to a burn would be a blister. The non-specific response would be the emotional upset and resulting tension held in the body.

Historically, stress has been called by many names: What we know today as PTSD, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, in the Civil War 1860s was called “Palpitations” and “Soldier’s Heart.” In World War I it was called “shell shock.” In World War II we called it “battle fatigue.”

These are all reactions to sustained high levels of tension or anxiety, “stressful circumstances.”

Stress ignites the Fight or Flight response of self-protection. It is instinctive and unavoidable. But it is also manageable. We can reduce its impact on us.

Stress doesn’t exist within the event itself; it lives in our response to events. Psychiatrist Thomas Holmes and Psychologist Richard Rahe created the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Scale in the 1950s after surveying 5,000 people. They found that high scores even predicted injuries among football players and diminished immune responses among grieving families.

Ratings on the Holmes-Rahe Scale were based on total stress points experienced within a given time frame. The more points you had, the higher your chances of illness, injury, accidents, conflicts and breakdowns. The highest points went to Death of a Spouse, then Divorce, Jail term, Personal injury or illness, being fired from work, then “empty nest” when children move out, followed by such things as: an outstanding personal achievement (yes, even good things produce stress), trouble with a boss, change in sleeping habits, change in eating habits, vacation, and Christmas holidays. All of these require some level of adaptation and add up to “stress points.”

It’s relatively easy to identify stressors. A package you mailed that didn’t arrive on time. Being overcharged for something. Being placed on “hold” yet again while problem solving. Missing an important meeting or call. There are thousands of little items that “drive us nuts!” The points add up, and they affect us when we don’t notice it.

Tension is obvious, Stress is not. Stress is the “silent killer” that shows up as nervousness, self-doubt, indecision, forgetting important things, feeling “out of sorts”, being irritable, and unable to fully engage.

What’s a person to do?

Adjust what you can. Avoid additional stressors. Behave in healthy ways.

Get around people you enjoy.

Eat well and take your time while eating.

Learn to be body aware: try progressive relaxation head to toe.

Practice your hobbies, play a musical instrument, sing with others.

Walk, exercise, stretch, run, lift, and just…move.

Laugh. Tell stories, share the experience with others.

Remember your goals and dreams. Write them down and read them daily. Visualize your dreams vividly.

Do things for others. Volunteer, give, share, help, be a supporter or encourager.

Look for things to praise in others. Tell them what you admire.

Make a Gratitude List of everything you’re thankful for. The longer the better.

Pray, read scripture, practice your faith.

SITUATIONAL STRESSORS

Ever walk down a dark alley in a bad part of town, at night, alone? How about standing in front of a room full of people who don’t know you or like you? Have you been “called on the carpet” by a teacher, drill sergeant, employer or parent? How did you feel when the police officer pulled you over?

Have you been out making “cold” calls on new prospects? Did you notice your tension level increasing when you were about to ask for the order on a sales call?

Did you notice a tension increase when you challenged the bill your doctor or service provider presented to you? When you took a spill on your bicycle how long did the effect of that mishap resonate with you? Been dreading a conversation with someone you know?

All of these are Situational Stressors. And many of them can be avoided or disarmed.

The famous mantra “It is not what happens that counts, it is how you respond to it” was championed by professional speaker and author W. Mitchell and he has lived this message.

Mitchell had a motorcycle accident as a young adult that resulted in severe burns that melted his face, burned off his fingers and required months of surgeries and skin grafts to just allow him to survive. Despite all of this he recovered to a near normal life, though his appearance was permanently altered, and he needed prosthetics to deal with daily life. Then he broke his back in an airplane accident (He was the pilot!) and confined to a wheelchair for life.

Rather than give up, he became a radio personality and later was elected mayor of his city in Colorado. After that he became a full-time professional motivational speaker and traveled the world solo to thousands of conventions. He was elected president of the Global Speakers Federation and is admired by millions. I’d say he mastered Situational Stress wouldn’t you?

Two types of Situational Stressors:

            Things you Can Control and Things you Cannot Control

The Serenity Prayer applies here: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

What can you control? Where you go, when you go, who you go with, what you do, how you do it, what you don’t do, how you cope with fear and challenges, and more.

What can you not control? How others behave, random occurrences, greater forces (e.g. weather, or traffic) and the news.

Other strategies:

1. Convert it to something you can control. Change assignments, reschedule, take a new approach. Involve others, find better resources or tools.
2. Consider it a gift. Stuck in traffic? Practice a new skill. Listen to a podcast. Breathe and relax. Review your upcoming plans in detail.
3. Ask for help. Don’t limit yourself to only your ability. Reach out.
4. Accept reality. Maybe just saying, “It is what it is.” Will allow you to focus on “Now what can I do?” instead of “Woe is me.”

Become more aware of how you behave and how you feel when situations arise. Know thyself. Then interrupt your normal response pattern. Pause, breathe, think, reconsider. Then choose a new attitude or solution.

RELATIONSHIP STRESSORS (Interpersonal)

Personal relationships and business relationships may require different approaches, but they have similar patterns for success. Saying you are sorry is difficult, but the process is the same for all relationships. First you must admit that you erred, then you must show the other person that you realize the problem you created, then you must express sincere regret and the willingness to make things right again. “I’m sorry. I can see that this put you in a bad position. I was out of line, please accept my apology. It will not happen again.”

Some relationship stressors come from the rules, expectations or habitual patterns we follow with others. If your coworkers bring you problems to solve and then leave them with you…that is a stressor. Author Willam Oncken called this the “monkey management” problem. People bring the monkey on their back to you and leave it on your back for a solution.

It’s better to have them bring the problem, put in on the desk between you and them, discuss how to handle it, then let them leave with the monkey to solve it using your advice.

At work we each have certain Outcomes that we are tasked with achieving. If you are a sales person then your job is producing sales or acquiring new customers. If you are an administrative assistant, your job is making your boss more productive. The better we clarify our Roles, Responsibilities and Expectations, the more happily we can work together.

In every relationship there are Three Essentials to make it productive and satisfying.

1. Mutual Commitment to the success of the relationship
2. Open Truthful Communication
3. Clear Agreements as to what is expected from each other

Personality Differences

            We are all unique, yet we share many characteristics. Areas of difference include:

Behavioral Style (Our habitual ways of acting in stressful and non-stressful situations.

Values (What we care about most. What motivates us.)

Trusted Sources (Who or what we rely on in order to determine the truth)

Velocity (The energy and drive patterns that determine how we approach a task)

Each of these has the potential for conflict…or compatibility.

We must Notice them, Accept them, Adapt to them, and Remember them.

ATTITUDINAL STRESSORS

The way you think and feel about yourself shows up in everything you do.

So does the way you think and feel about others.

And the way you think about your work, your employer, your products, coworkers and life in general.

The PRIMARY source of interpersonal stress is your attitude. Not what they did, but how you interpreted it. “He was late for the meeting.” (A Fact) “That means he doesn’t respect me.” (Your Opinion). “She knows I don’t like to be surprised.” (Your Opinion) You cannot know what someone else knows or remembers, nor how they see or interpret it. You can know that they didn’t act on that knowledge, but you cannot know why unless you ask.

Do you feel that you’re a sickly or frail person? A strong and resilient person?

Are you lucky or unlucky? Good looking or not? Cool? Funny? Interesting? Smart?

The way you filter the world through your attitudes has a HUGE effect on your experiences and your stress levels as you experience them.

Learn to manage your mind. Train your thoughts. Feed your mind.

“Five years from now, you will be the same person you are today except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read.” Charlie “Tremendous” Jones.

What you feed your mind shapes how you see the world. How many varied sources of information do you ingest regularly? Is it true that you are the common denominator of the five people you spend the most time with? Many believe that is true. Choose your relationships intentionally and thoughtfully.

CONCLUSION

You either control the stress levels in your life or they control you.

This all starts with awareness. Notice more about yourself, your circumstances, your feelings, your actions. See the Patterns. Then, if you want to make a change, Interrupt The Patterns. Pause long enough to make a better decision. Choose what to do next. Then repeat the good patterns until they become habitual. Guard what goes into you mind, don’t rely on just one source or point of view. Become the person you want to be, someone you can admire. Be an example of how to control stress, be good enough at it, that others will want to follow your lead.

2438 words

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Are we afraid of the real situation or of what the news has told us? 24 Feb 2025, 6:44 pm

“Life expectancy keeps climbing. Extreme poverty continues to fall. Literacy rates are rising. Child mortality is dropping. More people have clean water than ever before. These century-long positive trends—the foundations of rational optimism—remain unshaken.”

The above quote is from The Rational Optimist newsletter (2025)

The news would have us believe that the world is in chaos, the climate is killing us, hatred is running rampant and the greedy few are taking all the spoils while the rest of the world starves and dies.

Granted, there is much hatred, poverty, oppression, disease and war in the world, but not as much as popular media tells us.

120 years ago life expectancy on Earth was about 40 years. Most people died from harsh conditions and diseases we didn’t understand. Today life expectancy is above 70 and we have vanquished smallpox, polio, malaria, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, AIDS, and so many other diseases. Most people die from lifestyle related causes: heart disease, lung cancer, drug overdoses, etc.

Have you bought into the news narrative? Do you live under a cloud of fear that you might be next?

I’m not saying the news is wrong, I’m just saying that what they report on is not the dominant reality. For example: the recent spate of aircraft related incidents has many people afraid to fly. They think the whole system is coming down and planes are unsafe. Not true. Sometimes weather trumps training and unavoidable accidents occur. Sometimes foolish pilots collide with other planes on the ground. Sometimes a person in a crowded airport doesn’t hear the control tower and takes off into the path of another plance. But RARELY.

The planes themselves are the safest form of public transportation we have. People who seem willing to get into a driverless Uber are afraid of a professionally operated aircraft. People drive their own cars to the airport and then fear the plane. The car is many times more dangerous and most drivers were not professionally trained nor regulated.

The world recently panicked over Covid, but drugs that could easily treat it were being suppressed and governments were manipulating treatment in ways that made it worse. Now many who got vaxxed have come to regret it. And the disease has diminished as a threat. Treatment is now about like “the flu” and fears have subsided. Yet the news media keep telling us “Fears increase of a possible variant!” (Run & hide! Not really.)

If all you hear about each day is how many government workers are being laid off, how badly the hostages have been treated, how air disasters have killed people, and how rich some people are…then that becomes  your world. Not THE world, but YOUR world.

Change the mix of what goes into your mind. Don’t allow one information pipeline to dominate you. Look around you right now, do you see or hear any of those “threats”? Is your community in lock down? Are there gangs around you? Most of us would say no. That doesn’t mean we should not be sympathetic and help where we can, it just means we should not be overwhelmed by just one line of information.

Have a very Nice Day and make it nice for others too.

Cathcart.com

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Problem Solving for Experts 24 Feb 2025, 6:21 pm

Problem Solving for Experts: The process for solving one problem will likely also apply when solving other problems.
You may be an expert who analyzes security threats, or who counsels people on stress reduction, or coaches them in mathematics, or designs sound systems for buildings, or any number of other specialties. What makes you an Expert is your experience and dedication to becoming exceptionally skilled in that one niche. Yet, all experts have to be Problem Solvers.

Here is a simple structure that I’ve used effectively over many decades and more than 3,000 different clients.
1. Ask “Who OWNS this problem?”
For example; in the war between Ukraine and Russia, who owns the problem? The Ukraine and Russia do. (PS: please do not debate this conflict via this posting. I’m teaching a problem solving method, not discussing the merit of viewpoints nor justification of actions.)
In an unrelated example; if employees in different departments aren’t communicating effectively, who owns the problem? The entire organization does, but specifically it is the employees in the affected departments who are limiting information.
2. “Who is affected by the problem?”
The entire NATO organization, the USA and many others are affected by the war in Ukraine. But in varying degrees. Poland is directly affected by the refugees and the war threat. The USA is affected more by the news of the war than the actual war. But we are allies with them and have a vested interest that goes beyond geographical limits.
In the Departmental Communication instance, everyone in the organization is affected but mostly the two departments.
3. “What immediate action is needed?”
In the war, peace talks and a cease fire are needed. Not reparations, that comes later. Not assignment of guilt or admission of error, that too comes later. First they must stop the killing.
In the communications instance, what is needed is, of course, communication. They need to talk to each other and share information better.
4. “What is causing the problem?”
Ukraine/Russia: This could be debated for years, but the cause of the immediate problem is not philosophical differences, nor is it retribution for earlier misdeeds. The Cause is simply military actions. If you stop the shooting, the problem is reduced dramatically. Later you can take steps two, three and four.
The corporate communication issue might be due to unfair pay structures, competition for company resources, a symptom of a bull headed manager, or any number of things. Chances are good that somebody in-house knows why things are dysfunctional.
5. “Who should take the needed action?”
Often the person who feels the strongest need is the one who should act, but occasionally another person might have a greater chance for success. This should be determined by their ability to achieve results, not by title or position.
In Ukraine, Donald Trump has asserted his influence to bring the warriors to the table. (Whether you agree or not, he has proven to be the most influential person in this dispute for now.)
In the departmental instance, it could be a consultant, a senior executive, or even a person of power in a friendly organization.
6. “How should we measure our effectiveness?”
What is the outcome that is needed FIRST? In Ukraine and Russia the outcome would be “don’t shoot.” Then “let’s talk”, then handle each item by urgency and importance.
In the corporate communications, you’d first measure actual communication and then seek ways to alter the internal culture so that everyone felt more connected and interdependent.
7. Only after these six questions are handled would you get to the other factors and issues.

Most people who are not good at problem solving are taking the wrong actions or at the wrong step in the process.
In First Aid Training they teach you to first Keep The Patient Alive!
As an Army Medic in the 1960s I was taught this battlefield first aid process:
1. Stop the Bleeding! (Nothing is more important than that.)
2. Clear the Airway! (Make sure they can breathe.)
3. Protect the Patient. (Get them out of danger & cover the wound.)
4. Treat for Trauma/Shock. (Help them calm down, relax their defenses and allow breathing and blood flow to begin the healing process.)
The same approach is present in the Problem Solving Method above. First stop the damage. Then open the dialogue. Then guide them to a safer and more effective way to deal with whatever is threatening them.
And please don’t send the wrong person to handle the problem.

Note: Some of you may have been “triggered” by my use of the Ukraine/Russia example or my mention of President Trump. For you, I say, learn the lesson, don’t go down a rabbit hole of emotions. This is not a political post. It is skills training. I will delete all political comments.

@Cathcart.com/summit  #professionalexperts 

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Should Happiness be your goal? 21 Mar 2022, 6:50 pm

People claim to treasure happiness. They say it is the one thing they want most. If asked, “What do you want for your children?” They often reply, “I just want them to be happy.” But that’s not the whole picture.

Happiness is the frosting, not the cake. It is the outer evidence of an inner state. Happiness is like eating sugar. It makes you feel good momentarily. Inner Joy is like eating meat or vegetables. They make you healthier and keep you feeling good.

Pursuing happiness should not be done directly, but rather indirectly. Don’t go after the result, go after the things that produce the result. Then you can produce it again and again.

In the ancient parable we are told that if you give a man a fish you will feed him only for today. But if you teach him how to fish, then you will have enabled him to eat for a lifetime. That is like happiness, it may be what we think we want, but it comes from something else. Make inner joy your goal. Inner Joy is defined as a sense of well-being, a celebration of happiness, a state of peace and safety. It is the feeling that you are a good person and you have done good things. The feeling that you are worthy of the best life has to offer.

Joy is not acquired or bought, it is deserved and cultivated. “God said, ‘Build a better world!’ And I asked, ‘How?’ The world is so big and complicated now. I’m just me, what can I do?” God replied, “Build a better You!” Self respect is a huge part of inner joy.

When we do what is right, behave with dignity and respect for others as well as ourself, we make the world a better place. This requires no special skill. You can help people right now. Hold a door open for a stranger, pick up a piece of trash from the street, offer directions to someone who is confused, give sincere compliments to deserving people. Offer encouragement to those who struggle. Be a good and trustworthy friend. Bring a smile to an unhappy moment. Point out the beauty around you instead of taking it for granted. Clean up after yourself. Take pride in your workspace, auto and home. Keep them clean and neat and healthy.

Give a smile to a beggar and shake his hand. Nobody else shows him respect, why not be the first? The more you do these things the more respect and admiration you will have toward yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It is one of the great compensations of life that no man can sincerely endeavor to help another without, in turn, helping himself.”

Happiness is rooted in what you want. When you get what you want you are happy, yes? Well, let’s examine that. What do you want? I want to be happy. Why do you want to be happy? Because I’ll feel better and have more energy to do what I want to do. What do you want to do? I want to be productive and useful. I want people to care about what I do and to value it.Why do you want to be useful and valued? Because then I will feel that I am worthy and good. I’ll be at peace inside and with the world. In other words, you want a sense of Inner Joy? Yes, I guess that’s true. So, I ask you, “What do you want?” And then, why do you want it? What does it mean to you? The more clear you are on what you want, the more easily you can communicate it to others, and the more likely they will be to help you get it. Take time to specify what you want to be, experience, have, and do in your life. Do this in writing. Then reflect on what you’ve written and ask, “Why do I want that? What will that do for me?” Your joy will be discovered by becoming the person who would attract the outcomes you want. Don’t just get it, be worthy of it. Deserve it! Develop in yourself the qualities of the person you would ideally like to be. Then what you want will be also seeking you!

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Intelligent Curiosity hits Number 1 on Amazon! 22 Sep 2021, 4:06 pm

Our new book has hit #1 in Two Categories on Amazon in its first day on the market!

Thank you to all who bought the Kindle edition so soon. It is now available in Kindle ebook, Paperback and Hardcover.

Here is the link to the hardcover on Amazon. Only $19.95.

Intelligent Curiosity: The Art of Finding More
By Jim Cathcart with Lisa Patrick
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637921233/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MM6TPF8GYP0Z88C70ZPH

The post Intelligent Curiosity hits Number 1 on Amazon! appeared first on Jim Cathcart | Cathcart Institute.