http://ja-nae.net/blog Adventures In: Experimentation, Imagination & Sophistication Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:43:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-recognize-opportunity http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-recognize-opportunity#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 14:20:42 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4018 I have known Sam for years. But I also haven’t seen him in awhile, so getting together for a cup of coffee sounded great to me. Sam is getting his MBA at a well-known institution in Cambridge (there are really only two choices, so I will let you decide which one you think he goes to). He was walking me through the curriculum when I asked, “What is the objective of most of these classes?” He looked at me like I had four heads and responded, “To solve problems, of course.” That’s when it occurred to me that this program (and many MBA programs) has it all wrong. Life and in this case, business, isn’t about just solving problems. It is about recognizing opportunities. Those opportunities can come in many forms: some are where to present change and innovations. Some opportunities allow us to capitalize on a system that is currently working and integrate it into other areas or create derivatives of that model. That was why part of the Our Revolution team went on the road: to find the models that were working and share them with the world, so others could use them. Not everything is broken. There are many things [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-recognize-opportunity/feed 0 http://ja-nae.net/blog/its-obvious http://ja-nae.net/blog/its-obvious#comments Wed, 04 May 2011 15:23:18 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4008 Jeff was looking for his glasses…again. This was the 3rd time this week. He had to find them and find them quickly because he was going to be late for a meeting. So, the search was on. He went through everything on his desk. He searched through his bags, tore up the living room, his bedroom and to no avail. “My jacket!” They must be in my jacket.” he scurried his way to the black jacket hanging there on the coat rack. He turned every pocket inside out. Jeff even shook the jacket. Nothing. After about forty-five minutes of searching, Jeff sulked down onto the couch furious with himself. As he glanced through the window, he caught something within the reflection. He saw a little glimmer from atop his head. He slowly reached up and realized that what he has been searching for had been with him the entire time. Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? Most of the time, the answers we are looking for are right in front of us or within us. Keeping your eyes, ears and minds open to what is around you can help you find the resources you need or the solutions to your challenging [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/its-obvious/feed 0 http://ja-nae.net/blog/why-you-should-be-power-napping-for-productivity http://ja-nae.net/blog/why-you-should-be-power-napping-for-productivity#comments Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:40:12 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=3499 “I’ll sleep when I’m dead!” It’s the rallying cry of the overwhelmed, the busy go-getters who haven’t the time for sleep.  I recently proposed how a to-do list can save your life in this article.   But if your plate is too full for a little shut eye, like mine, then you may be missing out on the productive benefits of power napping and a good night’s sleep.  Productivity never stops with me, and I am always looking for new ways to improve my productivity.  But don’t doubt the power of the power nap – it has proven to actually increase your overall productivity in the long run.  I have been power napping since college and it has allowed me to work four jobs and take double the course load while at Northeastern and New England Conservatory. Joe Spring reminds us in “How to Take a Nap at Work” that a lack of sleep increases stress and compromises the immune system.  If you’re worried about productivity, think of how much time you’ll waste sick in bed!  Meanwhile, a power nap can reduce stress, lead to quicker reaction times, and improve overall fitness – all of the things that make us happier, more [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/why-you-should-be-power-napping-for-productivity/feed 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/channeling-anger-into-artistic-energy http://ja-nae.net/blog/channeling-anger-into-artistic-energy#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:30:05 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=2783 As artists, we are passionate people full of raw emotion and creativity. But we can channel our anger into a burst of creative thinking. Here are a few ways I have learned to turn my anger into creative problem solving:]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/channeling-anger-into-artistic-energy/feed 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-leaders-can-be-great-by-asking-the-hard-questions http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-leaders-can-be-great-by-asking-the-hard-questions#comments Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:30:09 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=2772 By falling back on addressing your crowd with questions that are safe for everyone, you may only generate a discussion useful to no one. Questions will result in immediate feedback. You can enhance the relationship between you and your crowd and find better ways to connect with them. The more in sync a leader is with their audience, the more effective your crowdsourcing efforts.]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-leaders-can-be-great-by-asking-the-hard-questions/feed 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-a-to-do-list-can-save-your-life http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-a-to-do-list-can-save-your-life#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:04:36 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=2779 Coming to the rescue of the over-ambitious, over-stretched is the simple to-do list. With just a pen and paper you can break down your meaty aspirations into small, digestible bite-size chunks. ]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-a-to-do-list-can-save-your-life/feed 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/creativity-is-a-two-way-street-2 http://ja-nae.net/blog/creativity-is-a-two-way-street-2#comments Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:21:28 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=2398 I was so pleased to read Talent Culture contributor Mike Brown’s list of recommendations for leaders seeking to foster creative strategy and build creative minds amidst their team members! I’ve experienced tons of trial and error regarding this very subject, especially because I deal with teams in so many industries, including the small business, freelance, social media, consulting, and life coaching sectors. The core of Brown’s advice turns a leader’s questioning gaze inward, to ensure a level of accountability that sometimes gets ignored when a manager assumes that the root of a team’s deficiency is the result of individual deficiency. Speaking of accountability, I love how one of Brown’s strategies is to up the ante of accountability for EVERYONE, not just for the boss. Long story short, creativity is a process of give and take, and that should be mirrored in the collaborative process between managers and staff. Take a look at these strategies and let us know what you think. How do you build creativity on your team? How do you encourage your staff to think outside of the box? Any anecdotes from the field? Any tips to add [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/creativity-is-a-two-way-street-2/feed 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/starting-a-business-how-to-be-productive http://ja-nae.net/blog/starting-a-business-how-to-be-productive#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 13:04:02 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=1291 Are you a DIY perfectionist? My dad happens to be one. You should see him redoing a house. What about starting a business or working on a project? Do you procrastinate finishing or launching in because you want everything to be perfect? Well then, this “How to Be More Productive” video is for you! Like this article and want to read more, feel free to subscribe to my blog feed ]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/starting-a-business-how-to-be-productive/feed 3 http://ja-nae.net/blog/language-lessons-leadership-livemocha http://ja-nae.net/blog/language-lessons-leadership-livemocha#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 13:13:03 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=1103 Learning new languages is one of my hobbies. I think it’s one of the reasons I went into opera. What other art form are you guaranteed to perform in another language? With this in mind, I am constantly looking for ways to maintain and improve the languages I speak. I found LiveMocha about 9 months ago and feel in love with it. Livemocha divides a language into courses, units, and lessons.  Lessons are divided into four types of activities: learn, review, write, and speak. What’s nice is that you can also make flashcards from the content in the lessons, or you can make your own flashcards.  There is even a chat feature, so you can connect with people learning the same language you are. Have you tried LiveMocha or have another way of learning languages quickly. Let me know. I am always open to ideas and suggestions. ]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/language-lessons-leadership-livemocha/feed 4