Straining for Relevance

Relevance is a fleeting proposition.

Relevance or being relevant in the modern working environment is getting more and more challenging. As senior leaders change, as technology advanced, as new methods are embraced, some team members struggle to retain their position of relevance.

This phenomenon occurs outside of work as well. In churches, organizations and even in homes, more seasoned people struggle when they do not adapt and when the rest of the dynamic does not respect or appreciate their perspective. Sociologically speaking, this also relates to the uniquely American process of warehousing the old.

There are two distinct and very different strategies to look at related to relevance. From the organizational perspective, increased engagement, respect and reaching out to appreciate past experiences and methods is needed. From the individual perspective, the grace and good judgement to not fight change and to even step away is needed.

Coming Soon-Webinars from Soaring Eagle Enterprises

Soaring Eagle Enterprises has spent a great deal of time and effort in developing a series of webinars. Our first launch will be with a private customer in early February and is built around our Customer Service Excellence program.


A webinar is an on-line seminar that incorporates a presentation, audio, video and some interactive elements. Although some elements of interaction are not available, they are a good substiute for some programs and to augment other training activities.


Look for more information in the coming weeks about more webinar titles and availability.

If Work Was Like America's Biggest Loser

I had the opportunity to watch America's Biggest Loser the other night and I was fascinated by the contestant elimination system.

For those of you that have not seen the show it is about weigh loss in a competitive environment and it culminates in one "loser" who loses the most percentage of original body weight. For those of you that know me, you realize that I will not qualify as a participant on the show.

The fascination comes from a process that the two people who lose the least amount of weight fall below a yellow line and then a single participant is voted off by the remaining contestants.

Imagine for a moment, a workplace in which the poorest performers during a period of time were below a yellow line. A team meeting was conducted and then one of the poor performers were voted off the team.

It makes you wonder about the value of public disclosure of performance factors and the competitive nature that exists in most people when challenged.

Nice to Meet You

Nice to meet you at the Las Vegas Biggest Mixer Event in December.

Leadership and Teamwork

Great teamwork and great leadership are not mutually exclusive. To build better teamwork, the leader should engage in these strategies:

To Build Ownership-Seek input in vision, mission, and strategic objective creation. Ask the team what they think about the future.

To Build Accountability- Describe the task, objective, or project and the associated deadlines and restraints. Allow the team to build the necessary methods and ways to accomplish the task. Do not allow team members to blame others or outside circumstances for setbacks and require team members to share credit with others involved.

To Build Participation-Ask for input from all team members. Use aggressive methods of participation that requires input from everyone. Avoid using passive methods or relying on the same, select few team members for information and participation. Require team members work with each other and with others they normally do not work with.

To Build Trust-Provide trust and trust team members.

To Build Respect-Respect team members, roles they perform, and the contributions they make. Listen to team members. Provide respect.

Six Ways to Improve Flexibility

From our Self-Management program:

1. Discard the baggage of past methods and past approaches.

2. Review and understand the classic definition of insanity (doing the same thing and expecting different results).

3. Move between changing priorities and demands without comment or grumbling.

4. Become more open to other people’s ideas and suggestions.

5. Appreciate different approaches and methods.

6. Review situations from an all-sided perspective.

Spring 2009 Class Schedule

We are pleased to announce the Spring, 2009 open enrollment class schedule and the beginning of registration for these great programs.

The spring semester offerings will include:

Supervisory Leadership ExcellenceHuman Resource Management Excellence
Human Resource Professional Excellence
Customer Service Management Excellence
Security and Risk Professional Excellence
Workplace ExcellenceSecurity and Risk Management Excellence

Please visit our website at www.soaringeagleent.com for more information and registration instructions.

Snow Days in Las Vegas

Several people did not believe it. Our customers in Minnesota, Utah and Pennsylvania laughed at it.

LAS VEGAS HAD A SNOW DAY. Actually two of them. On Monday and Wednesday of this week, travel was dramatically hampered by snow. Up to ten inches in some parts of the valley and typically three to five inches in most parts.

Eighteen years in the Las Vegas Valley and never a snow day. Until now.

If Work was Like Professional Sports

If you ever compare work and professional sports, you can see some similarities and some very stark contrasts. If work was more like professional sports, from a team member perspective you would:

1. Always receive congratulations from the coach after a job well done.

2. Hear cheering for your great efforts.

3. Renegotiate your compensation at the end of the year based on how well you did and your current market value.

4. Compete for awards based on merit and performance.

From another perspective, you would:

1. Have to earn your position every year against new talent brought in to compete against you.

2. See your name in the paper if you were disciplined or if you lost your job.

3. Be booed and scorned if you performed poorly.

4. Be the subject of trade rumors.

2008 Pet Peeves

Another year is almost done and, when reflecting back, found some pet peeves that need to be shared:

10. Anyone who refers to me as dude, pal or buddy.

9. Any family member who calls my wife a winno. She is a wineyes.

8. The solar powered Hyundai traveling 56 miles per hour in the left lane on the I215 at 7:15am and 6:00pm everyday.

7. Takers and Idlers.

6. Anyone who scoffs at my wiener dogs. They are miniature doberman, pigeon hunting machines.

5. Wealthy benefactors and politicians that think the answer to all social ills is to squeeze more taxes and donations from me.

4. The entitled. Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. It doesn't. It was here first.

3. The righteous, smug and arrogant.

2. Those who will not take risks. Cover up in some bubble wrap and go outside once in awhile.

1. The grim and grim looking. Dude, smile occasionally.

Wow. That feels better. My Etch-A-Sketch is now clean for the year.