Past Messages from Dick

May 2008

Ectoconnect is providing the LLF process with an effective framework for easy, secure accessibility, in one place, 7x24, of historical/current/upcoming Forum materials.  And it facilitates networking among an increasing number of graduates, speakers, sponsors & participants.  I announced this service in January, 2008 at the REJIS “Hosted” LLF in St. Louis, after almost a year trial.  I have posted a very large amount of my Forum materials [e.g. all “posters”], and am keeping all recent sessions [now 7 in a row] summarized, with presentations, and am putting up the past book summaries from the last 24 years, as soon as I locate them in my files/office.

 

This sharing has forced me to do more personal organizing than I have in a while!  But to very good, and acknowledged, benefit for many of you.  The “viral” attribute/behavior of this service, combined with the deeply positive feelings of those thousands connected [some since 1984] to the Forums, may increase total members engaged, over these next years into a very large private network.

 

As a graduate, sponsor or speaker, if you’d like to explore these expanding materials and connections, call or email me at 508-771-0534 or dick@thedooleygroup.com

August 2007

I am adding several new powerful learning opportunities via Cross Industry Field Trips (chick here for an explanation), to Great Lakes Naval Services Training Command, Cantigny Park and Museums, and Alsace, France (Click here for the new full curriculum).  Such sessions are unique, attended by most LLF’ers & ALLN’ers, but also by many connections from my network, so the Leadership dialogue and professional networking are superlative! Plan for attendance now!

January 2007

Ray Kurzweil’s book “The Singularity is Near” is very important I believe [click here for an outline of it].  It’s become a “core book” for me, and also  an integrating book for all Leadership Forums.  I’d encourage everyone to peruse it thoroughly.  A powerful resulting action is, for all of us, the crucial development of future leadership energy in all industries, @ all levels, in all walks of life.  So….. I’m much more committed to continue and broaden that focus myself.  And to help others do so, via my coaching, and sharing under written arrangement, my copyrighted materials, much here on this website.

June 2006

Sponsor engagement is essential for most TDG Leadership Series participants.  Invaluable for anyone, their involvement is essential for real impact today!  I require an Executive Sponsor (senior leadership responsibility and budget control), plus a Coaching Sponsor (more recent graduate, closer to the participant's work/life place), and communicate with both!

November 2004

Feedback I have often said, is one of the two most important subsets of communication (the other being listening).  Our country will provide itself with ultimate forms of both, as the National Elections occur.

July 2004

The extensive minutes from our Leadership Series of Conference Calls (February 9th - Kathryn Hayley, May 10th - Darwin A. John), are available (simply request them here).  Conference Calls with past, noted, Forum speakers are held quarterly (see TDG, Inc. Attendance Plan).

June 2004

More people then ever before are both paid attendees and also just asking questions about my Forums.  It seems with all the concerns of outsourcing and off shoring that's what left, is that people get very good at the leadership capacities we focus on.

May 2004

We drive together (both cars) to Centerville, MA, on March 2nd, hoping to get settled, and back in touch with everyone by the end of the month.  Our new Cape Cod home is a wonderful opportunity to grow, learn, and change!  And enjoy!!  We will do all four!!!

March 2004

Barbara and I are looking forward to  this year, a lot of new elements mixed in with some existing ones.  Our new Cape Cod home (c. mid March) is a huge set of dreams/plans/wonders for us both.  The TDG programs covered here will continue as is well into 2005.  By then we'll have set how and what we'd like to focus on.

January 2004

May your Holiday Season be marvelous, serene and fulfilling!  It's hard to believe 2004 is almost here.  But then, I'm happy with the flow.  Hopefully it will be for you too!

November 2003

The literature, and client actions, are now reflecting a positive focus on Leadership Development of staff; a focus on those who are there now.  This is different from recent years and all three of the above show that by current attendances.

September 2003

Having just returned from Southern France leading the Executive Leadership Learning Network (ELLN) over the course of the WWII Southern invasion, the inescapable value of travel in all our leadership and learning growth opportunities, is startlingly vivid again.  Despite recent events/situations/worries, we were with real people (ELLN'ers and French village visitors) and, tasted in all ways their culture, history, diversity so we can better understand and appreciate our own!!  It's a "must" at least once for you.

May 2003

Decision avoiders are in their glory (market, long winter, war, global uncertainty, etc.), but the need is always there for leadership which includes some definitive choices.  My sense is, that people all over, are looking for clear choices to follow.  It is a time for Leaders!

March 2003

My last "Opening Thought" was about how many massive personal renewal, or "sea change" challenges are occurring in my network of friends/family/clients, and how this seems to be required of us all today.  Validation continues.  And I am applying the various lessons in my own life/business.  Probably we all should have always done so!

November 2002

About a dozen of my close friends, clients, and several family members, have chosen new jobs/locations/life commitments, all of which seem to be massive personal renewals and energizing challenges.  I am learning from these myself.  Such shifts are more than commonplace now.  Maybe required of us all.

April 2002

Barbara and I were guests of Xerox at the Winter Olympics.  The USA, Salt Lake City, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Xerox Corporation, 1000’s of volunteers, numerous athletes, and many gracious/polite (really!) intelligent and interesting attendees helped make this, five days of “little children at Christmas”!  A fantasy for both of us, experienced together!!  Unique and Powerful!!!  Xerox is alive, focused, working as a set, and seems to have turned a corner.  I was very impressed by their leaders/staff who were present at the Games.  The volunteers were equally impressive, as individuals, and in a holistic way.  It will be a huge, uplifting, long lasting memory.  Such a wonderful result of planning, care, and human interaction.  Inspirational.  (Ask me about it.)

 

March 2002

I go out of my way to stay in all ten modes of communication (see #366).  Don’t ever want to “drop” one, or let it get “rusty.”  In the virtual Forum (LLXsm), we emphasize all, even if electronic means do dominate.  In recent years I have met more and more professionals who rely on just email/www.  It’s dangerous to become single dimensional for communication.  Multiple modes are essential.  All are useful in their moment!  Practice as many as you can!!

 

February 2002

Many professionals I am in touch with are relearning "how to work" i.e., getting results, not just do process. (Some are learning for the first time since it was often not required, to get something done, in the recent years of prosperity.)  But now, with a tighter economy everywhere and different mind set/heart set for many, being good at getting to "done", appropriately, is a highly sought after skill!

 

November 2001

The War we are in now will continue to be as different from others as Desert Storm was from Vietnam, Vietnam was from WWII, etc.  I believe it will test the character, stamina and will of many, if not all Americans, and that is where the battles will be won (or lost).  We are truly in a new age.  Again.  Each of us, carrying out our own professional and personal lives, must be part of this.

 

October 2001

September 11th's incredible terrorist attacks and the unfolding impact on us all, requires, in my opinion, highly focused and disciplined performance, each in our own way, professionally and personally.  With prayers, we'll deal with this new future.  Alertly and intensely.

 

September 2001

Mortimer Adler's death focuses more intensely on his immense contributions and insights.  They are part of many of the programs detailed on this website.  You can learn more about him and what people have said since his death by going to the Center for the Study of Great Ideas - TGIdeas@speedsite.com -  My own note to back to Max Weismann, co-founder of CSGI, follows:

Mortimer's life was a huge statement.  His impact lives on.  Many of us are still motivated to think, read, grow, become more human, and more Christian, as he taught.  That influence should grow, from him, through all of us.  I expect all of us to be connected via these prayers.

 

July 2001

After moving the LLF out of our home, seven months ago, we have more than doubled in size and will split into two groups in June.  Everyone will be together for certain activities/speakers, but we'll utilize smaller groups for most discussions.   Participants will rotate between groups so that the great potential for networking and benchmarking is available to all, but the smaller dialogue setting is preserved also.   Thus, we benefit from the growth without losing the intimacy and camaraderie of the smaller number.  We can and will continue to grow, likely eight times our original sizePEACE, ENERGY, STRENGTH, JOY and $, throughout 2001 for you,  Dick

May 2001

March 2001 proved to be a momentous time for me to review lots of our current TDG LLF programs:

  • Jim Dowling, Vice President Alignment Consulting Practice, TEC, spoke at the LLF March 13th.  He was the very first student in the original LLF in my home!  (Three participants were at that opening!)
  • Pat Wallington, President, CIO Associates, spoke at the LLE March 12th.  When she was President of SIM in 1992, she asked that I provide the design/license for SIM to use my copywritten LLF material, which was so successful for the eight years it existed.
  • Bill Ringler, Senior Vice President and CIO, Regions Financial Corporation, also spoke to the LLF on March 13th.  He was part of the TDG Strategy Board that sponsored the generation of the LLF in 1982-1984.
  • Five new participants started March 13-14, 2001 highlighting this span of sixteen years, of program growth, of roughly six thousand people involved, that now has enormous, unequalled impact for today's high-potential leaders.  Nice for me to contemplate!

February 2001

Our LLFsm, proven over sixteen years, constantly being updated by experiences with TDG client organizations and completely separate from SIM, is detailed in the LLF Working Description.  Please make sure you aren't settling for some other secondary, experimental program.

2001 was always the new Millennium for me (maybe because of that classic movie almost 30 years ago).  I hope it will be a great year for you.  We are planning on one for us!   (See Event Calendar.)  Our programs are integrating well and being received well (see the whole website actually).

Barbara and I will continue to travel (see China/Tibet notes).

Misleading actions or statements taken by the Society for Information Management (SIM) and SIM facilitators require some direct countermeasures on my part.   Please read my current letter and attachments written for their new leaders (NSL).

 

December 2000

"NEW THINGS"

In addition to continuing and expanding the fifteen years of success with our Leadership Legacy Forumsm (LLFsm), and the recently developed Executive Leadership Legacy Forumsm (ELLFsm), we are planning a giant reunion of all forum graduates next March 12, 2001, the Leadership Learning Exchange (LLEsm), and have in process now:  

the Leadership Learning Internationalsm (LLIsm) - Europe 2002

the Project Leadership Learningsm (PLLsm) - Indepth group management experience, and

the Leadership Learning Expresssm (LLXsm) - The virtual, electronic version.

Of course, all these programs are of one fabric, a natural evolution, as the thousands of forum graduates continue their growth.  We invite your assistance and comments.

August 2000

Many current relationships have helped me think through, integrate, and act on, a set of convergences, happening in the marketplace and in my own professional and personal life.  I believe "I've got it," now.  For the moment anyway.  LLFsm, ELLFsm, LLEsm, all ILLF's and LLXsm are of one fabric, with our Masters' Guildsm meetings and Institute (TELLsm) membership.  (See Etymology of LLF Inc.)  Particularly exciting and of great, unique value for you are:

LLFsm moving to the Arlington Sheraton on October 10-11, 2000, and then running there continually.

LLE with Dr. Hammerschlag, March 12, 2001

ELLFsm at Gettysburg, October 12-13, 2000

May 2000

On April 10-12, 2000, in Tempe, Arizona, Integrated Information Systems, a fabulous, young, fast growing company, hosted my first Executive Leadership Legacy Forumsm.  My intent as a catalyst, was to help bridge the gap, in so many places, between the traditional and the new e-conomy; between the dot-com world and the "signature" buildings/HQ campus establishments; between the young professional and the tenured managers; between web design and methodological disciplines.  We did that there, and will continue to in the LLF (below), future ELLF's, and all internal clients LLF's.   This gap is also the backbone to a book I'm co-authoring.

February 2000

Time is never, ever, a legitimate reason (i.e., excuse) for anything.  Only less competent people reference it.  And time isn't ever going to change, i.e., to help you get something done.   It's always the same.  Always will be.  When we blame time, what we really are acknowledging is that we have failed in some management practice, e.g., delegation, priority setting, research allocation, etc.  Time is never the reason.   It's crucially important to be honest with ourselves about this.  Today it's socially, even professionally acceptable, to blame time.  And that's very misleading, diverts our attention and allows a way of escaping our own responsibility.  In the forums I lead, or consulting I do, I encourage people to never hide behind time in this manner.

October 1999

I've added the word "thinking" to my Leadership Learning Output Forum.  People say I make them think.  Today, schedules are so over jammed its easy not to "think," just to focus on "doing" (maybe "spinning" for some, I believe).   And every human does it so we accept it, take it for granted, believe we do it well enough.  Thinking is a capacity that never gets fully developed, i.e., we can all improve/expand/add new styles.  It's something I was always into as a Leader, and as an Executive.  It's worth highlighting.  High potential professionals often are untrained/unexercised in this area of development.  It's essential.  As are all four of the title elements:  Leadership Learning Output Thinking Seminar (LLOTS (sm))

July 1999

Over the last fifteen months, I've become clear that my continuous communication (sending and receiving) must be in all modes:

A.    Partially by voice, directly face-to-face (my first and favorite method).

B.    Partially written, traditional document based (my second, but perhaps best form).   This includes fax which I do not use a lot.

C.    Partially electronic, (largely email, but including voice mail, both having grown substantially for me, especially the former).

These three channels, mixed when appropriate, and without loss of efficiency or effectiveness when switching, must be a model to share with many leaders, at all levels, in the forums I'm in.

February 1999

"It's become clear to me" that the four basic ideas (icons) in my Conceptual Reference Document for the Next 30 Years (nee 30-year plan) (click below) are also essential for the participants in all the forums I facilitate.  They are:

1.   Broadcasting and Receiving (speaking and absorbing)

2.   Bridging (being a catalyst)

3.   Wholistic (balanced, broad, complete)

4.   Solid Foundation (deep, steady, can use to move elsewhere)

Think on that for yourself.

December 1998

There is a pervasive need today for accomplished technicians to learn management processes and leadership activities, without giving up their technician skills, reputation, or effectiveness, and without being absorbed into administrivia or apparent bureaucracy (the reverse is true also).  My activities (below) are now focused on these bridgings, and shared via The Institute (TELL™).

August 1998

With all the change, challenges, and competition around today, leadership and learning exercises which provide a centering or stability of self are screamingly crucial to high potential professionals.  It seems like my life more completely focuses on those forums now.

June 1998

Like the seasons of the year, this TDG Inc. home page is still evolving.  We'll add passwords, photos, video clips and more forum specific material.  Please send your suggestions via the Email icon below.