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Forrest Christian, consultant with The Manasclerk Company, is the author of most of these pages. Unless noted otherwise as written by another author, all of this site's content is Copyright 2002-2010 E. Forrest Christian, Valparaiso, Indiana, USA. All Rights reserved.
Monthly Archives: April 2008
Knowing Who You Are Can Get You Out of Underachievement
Some of you may not believe that knowing who you are and what size work you could do (given the opportunity and some mentoring) will have any affect on the rut you now find your career in. Here’s a short statement from Alan, whom I’ve been talking with for the past few years. Continue reading
Posted in Coaching, Overachievers, Underachievers
Tagged adult underachievers, career, overacheivers
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Conversation with Luc Hoebeke, Part 1
In April 2007 while vacationing in Tervuren, I took an afternoon to drive out to see Luc Hoebeke at his home outside Leuven, Belgium. Luc and I sat on his patio in some historically warm spring weather (above 80F) amongst…
Posted in Managing
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Are Underachieving Artists Simply Underpricing?
Let’s take a look at art. Because part of the artist’s dilemma is how to price a particular piece. And this is related to our questions about underachievers.
I’ve been coaching Paula, a Chicago-based artist who is a high potential.…
Posted in Careers, Coaching, Underachievers
Tagged adult underachiever, artist, pricing, salary level, salary negotiation, underachiever
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New Podcast Series: A Conversation with Luc Hoebeke
Announcing a new podcast series from my interview with Luc Hoebeke outside of Leuven in spring 2007. Continue reading
Posted in Admin, Updates
Tagged Belgian, elliott jaques, Flemish, interview, Leuven, Luc Hoebeke, podcast, requisite organization, stafford beer, systems, viable systems theory
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Underachievers, Are You Simply Out of Flow?
Recently, I had the misfortune to have to do some work behind a knee wall in my converted attic. It’s less than three feet (~ 0.9m) tall and not all that wide. I’m about 5’10″ (1.8m) so to work in…
Posted in Careers, Coaching, Underachievers
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It's About Time, Underachievers!
Photo by Felipe Micaroni Lalli
When last we left them, the three union men had burst upon Elliott Jaques with the brilliant solution that had come…
A Brief Historical Interlude
(The next post today will address the Underachieve issue directly. This one describes why Wilfred Brown is important to listen to. We’ll refer to these things later.)
As Paul Holstrom pointed out, my telling of the story about the Union…
Posted in Underachievers, Wilfred Brown, elliott jaques
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New York Public Library's Business in iTunes U
TUAW reported that the NYPL joined the iTunes U pages. What’s incredible is that this includes some of their business presentations and audio, including such things as “Accounting and Bookkeeping Essentials” and “Credit Management and Credit Repair for Entrepreneurs”. A…
Posted in Resources
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When Being An Underachiever Is Really Just Being Stuck
Do you feel like you’re underachieving because you are just stuck where you are and can’t get out?
Byron (not his real name) feels like this. He was doing well for a long time. A graduate of one of the…
Posted in Careers, Coaching, Underachievers
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New MacUpdate Promo Bundle
Since I got so much grief from some of y’all for failing to mention the last one, here’s the news: a brand new MacUpdate Promo bundle is available. You get some great apps, plus the chance that they will unlock…
Posted in Admin, Computers/IT
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The Bookshelf Mocketh Not the Poor
(Or perhaps “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” The make of my bookshelf is 57th Street Bookcase & Cabinet so maybe they don’t care.)
Michelle Malay Carter…
Are You An Adult Underachiever or Is That Someone Else's Label?
We’re taking a detour on our answer to last week’s question on Adult Underachievers to address something that has popped up in emailed responses. It’s a great question because it gets to the real heart of the matter. It may…
Posted in Careers, Coaching, Underachievers
Tagged labeling, self-image, Underachievers
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Chinese Young People: Loyal and Adamant About It
The New York Times has a recent piece on the surprising loyalty of Chinese young people to the government, especially its actions in Tibet. (They do have a point that China is treating its “aborigines” better than the Americans treated…
Posted in Change
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Are You Really An Adult Underachiever?
Let’s take another look at the Adult Underachiever and what all this means.
(I am putting together a formal series on this, and if you want to know more about that publication, just drop me a note.)
The first thing…
Posted in Careers, Coaching, Underachievers
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Why RO Fails: People Don't Like the Implications
Let’s face facts: RO means that a lot of people (1) aren’t as “smart” as they think they are, and (2) the system in which they have succeeded is built on sand. And that’s a big reason why RO doesn’t…
When You Aren't Really Agreeing: The Dangers of Universal Language
Last month, Michael Spencer posted a list of what he, as a religious person, wanted in a church. His readers, from a variety of denominations, all agreed whole-heartedly with his vision. And that’s the problem. Take a look at how using vague Universal Language (as opposed to even Universal Values) can lead to agreement where there probably isn’t any, whether in churches, companies or associations. Continue reading
Posted in Organizations
Tagged church, Internet Monk, universal language, utopia, utopian visions, values
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If Training is Lipstick on a Pig, At Least Make Sure They Aren't Hogs
Michelle Malay Carter over at Mission Minded Management recently wrote a post asking “Is Training Anything More Than Putting Lipstick on a Pig?” She raises some good points there’s more to the problem than she admits. Although the solution may…
Posted in Learning
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Got Baby Boomer Executives? Here's the Succession Planning Solution
You’ve got a problem: your executives are all “baby boomers” and about to hit retirement. But so are the ranks just below them. How in the world can you get new executives in the pipeline who have industry experience and know your corporate culture? Continue reading
Posted in Managing, Organizations, Succession Planning
Tagged Succession Planning, Underachievers
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