Mojo. How to Get It, How to Keep It, and How to Get it Back When you Need it

By Marshall Goldsmith with Mark Reiter

I've read this book before, but I can't find the notes. 

I appreciate reading Goldsmith.Goldsmith focuses on executive coaching. I wish there was a version of this book for people who aren't executives. I can still take much away from it. 

I intentionally reread this book since I am starting a new job. 

Five qualities we need to bring to an activity in order to do it well are...

1. Motivation,

2, knowledge,

3, ability,

4, confidence,

5, authenticity...

Four ingredients to have great Mojo..
1. Identity... who do you think you are?
2. Achievement... what have you done lately?
3. Reputation... who do other people think you are?
4. Acceptance... what can you change? What is beyond your control?

Four Pointless Arguments...

1. Let Me Keep Talking... Talking when you should listen.

2. I've had it rougher than you. People don't change their mind because someone else has had it rougher than they. Kids don't listen when you say "When I was your age I....

3. Why did you do that? You can't judge everyone's actions through the lens of "Am I being respected, or disrespected?" People will do things that annoy or enrage us. It's almost impossible to get to the bottom of why they did them. Don't waste your time trying.

4. It's not fair. 

"These four loosing arguments all have the same end result. We don't change the outcome. We don't help our organizations or our families. We don't help ourselves. We only lower our Mojo."

Change you or it. Don't keep whining about it. Don't be passive aggressive.

Tools for building Mojo...

1. Establish Criteria that matter to you.

2. Find out Where You're Living. 

3. Be the optimist in the room. But realistic, but optimistic. 

4. Take Away one Thing. Simplify. Focus

5. Rebuild One Brick at a Time

6. Live your mission in the small moments too.

7. Swim in the blue water...Find your niche. Don't copy everyone else.

8. Think though when to stay and when to go.

9. Hello, Good bye. Be prepared for abrupt exits.

10. Adopt a metrics system-- measure yourself in real ways. Against targets that affect your criteria. 

11. Measure the bad things. Not just the good. Reduce the bad things.

12. Influence Up as Well as Down.

When Goldsmith coaches someone he asks they...

1. Let go of the past. You cannot change the past. 

2. Tell the truth. Not just what they want to hear. 

3. Be supportive and helpful. Be encouraging, not cynical or sarcastic. 

4. Pick something to improve yourself, so everyone has skin in the game, rather than just judging. 

Peter Drucker's five questions for solving problems...

1. What is your mission? Why does your organization exist in the first place? What are you trying to accomplish for your customers?

2. Who are your customers? Describe the person you wish to satisfy with your actions.
3. What does your customer value? What is it that you do especially well that you are uniquely suited to provide to your customers? How can you exceed the standards set by your competition?4. What results are you trying to accomplish? How do you measure success?5. What is your plan? How do you go about satisfying your customers and getting the results that are most important?