A good friend of mine is a very successful head-hunter. In conversations, I’ve often jokingly explained to him that I see no difference in the work he does and the work of a B&E artist.

A B&E artist comes uninvited into your home, takes what is clearly not his (an asset) and sells it to the highest bidder.

A head-hunter comes uninvited into your company, takes what is clearly not his (an employee), and sells that person to the highest bidder.

My friend doesn’t appreciate my cerebral humor and each time I point out the truthfulness of what he does for a living, he is quick to arrogantly and sarcastically comment about the lack of value consultants bring to the world.

Clearly the man has no sense of humor but during many serious discussions he has frequently told me of how the recruiting industry has changed over the years, particularly with regard to what is being sought in perspective employees, and to the degree of willingness or discomfort experienced by candidates in response to certain types of questions during an interview.

My friend told me that it was not too many years ago that a commonly asked question, (what would you say are your most glaring weaknesses?) would cause candidates to break out in a cold sweat and often mutter some incoherent response.

Today, he tells me, quite the opposite is true. That very same question is one which many candidates spend hours crafting the responses to.

It is a question that enables the candidate to openly brag about his/her prowess in addressing weaknesses and converting them into productive strengths.

The perspective of both the interviewer and the interviewee has changed radically over the past few years.

For two weeks now we have been discussing the Habit of Reframing and it seems to me that by using this habit to change perspective around a topic as uncomfortable as our weaknesses, enables us to capture huge potential opportunities for empowering people because “an identified and acknowledged weakness is often a diamond in the rough – a gem to be polished and admired.”

And old saying reminds us that when we change the way we see the world, the world itself changes too. Reframing allows us the opportunity to explore the notion that “things are seldom as they seem to be” and that they can indeed be anything we wish them to be if we are simply willing to place a different frame around “things.”

The power afforded us by the Habit of Reframing is formidable. It enables us to turn bad into good and disaster into opportunity and by so doing we collectively contribute to a better world.

Einstein is famously quoted as saying, “I think the most important question facing humanity is, ‘Is the universe a friendly place?’

‘This is the first and most basic question all people must answer for themselves.

“For if we decide that the universe is an unfriendly place, then we will use our technology, our scientific discoveries and our natural resources to achieve safety and power by creating bigger walls to keep out the unfriendliness and bigger weapons to destroy all that which is unfriendly and I believe that we are getting to a place where technology is powerful enough that we may either completely isolate or destroy ourselves as well in this process.

“If we decide that the universe is neither friendly nor unfriendly and that God is essentially ‘playing dice with the universe’, then we are simply victims to the random toss of the dice and our lives have no real purpose or meaning.

“But if we decide that the universe is a friendly place, then we will use our technology, our scientific discoveries and our natural resources to create tools and models for understanding that universe. Because power and safety will come through understanding its workings and its motives.”

“God does not play dice with the universe.”

The Habit of Reframing.

Perspective!

If it’s good enough for Einstein …

Let’s make a habit of meeting like this.

P.S. My company, Strategic Pathways, this week introduced our newest Personal Coaching experience called Boot Camp for Your Brain. Please click here and take a peek at our Ebrochure

I have recently done a series of radio interviews in my book, Life Sinks or Soars – the Choice is Yours and its application t people in different industries

Here are links to the interviews.

Interview 1

Interview 2

Interview 3

Interview 4

I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas or suggestions once you have listened to the interviews. Please contact me at rael@raelkalley.com and share your thoughts.

–  My book Life Sinks or Soars – the Choice is Yours now has its very own website. Please visit us at  www.lifesinksorsoars.com  and let me know what you think.

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