In her new book The Laws of the New Game Changers: How to Make Breakthrough Impacts that Take You Forward (©2013, New Reality B-Corp), author Dr. Raye Mitchell offers some inside tips on how to close the gender inequality gap by being a game changer. The book illustrates how innovators and game changers share a common story of overcoming uncertainty, taking risks, and putting it all on the line. They are the ones whom everyone is seeking out now but no one listened to then. There is no sure formula for success, but a healthy dose of persistence and turning up big ideas helps. Dr. Mitchell shares eight laws of successful game changers. One of the first actions women can take when they seek to do something new is to challenge themselves to get unstuck and move forward. But how do you get unstuck to catch fire as an innovator? The call to action for the new game changers is "You can't play it safe" and "To move forward, you are going to be a breaker, a maker, or both." As a game changer, you can't stay neutral. You have to pick your battleground to develop your skills to be one, the other, or both. Here are some hints on how to decide if you are to be a breaker or a maker.
You know you are a breaker when:
- You thrive on constructive deconstruction of the status quo;
- You are the first to decide that enough is enough and something has to change;
- You are the one who works behind the scenes to clear the way for others to follow.
- You lead the go-ahead team who gather the intelligence so that others can lay a strategic game plan;
- You may take all the battle hits now, but history will reward you later.
You know you are a maker when:
- You can't think outside the box because there is no such thing as a box. There are no limits, and you set the boundaries others will follow.
- You can't stop thinking about what if, so what, and why not. When presented with a challenge, your response is to experiment.
- You do not weigh risk and return on investment (ROI) by the same scale as others.
- Your measure of success and ROI is based on the degree of innovation and new thought generated, even if your vision is ahead of its time.
- You live by a modified version of "If you build it, they will come." Your call to action is "If you build something new, what's the worst thing that can happen?"
In our current world of achievement and gain, we often move too fast. As a result, we lose the essence of who we are, disconnecting from our core selves, according to Michele Phillips, motivational speaker, president of Key Performance, and author of Happiness Is A Habit (©2013, Plain Sight Pubishing). The book maintains that by renovating the rhythm of your life you can find that core, creating a healthier, happier you. The book suggests that by implementing simple daily habits like journaling, juicing, and unplugging electronics can improve your quality of life. An easy read and simplistic suggestions, and it only takes 21 days to change a habit.
Caring and compassionate organizations can also function as honest and effective businesses. In his book, Beyond Nice (©2013, Lulu Publishing Services), former human resource executive Martin Woodroofe explores how nonprofits and church organizations can have excellent working relationships while running an effective organization. Woodroofe found that nonprofits struggle with managing people in comparison with for profit businesses in the corporate world. Ultimately, he concludes, we need to "…set the right example, inspire or support a healthy vision for the organization, search for new and better ways of doing things, foster collaboration, and celebrate the contribution of others."