I have been re-examining Asset-Based Thinking (ABT), which is a valuable leadership tool for creating personal mastery that supports your work and career. Very simply, it is about your glass being half-empty or half-full, when in actuality it is probably both.
ABT is a cognitive process for identifying our assets, strengths, talents, synergies and possibilities that are available in you, other people and any situation. It is about viewing your business, yourself and life in terms of opportunities rather than problems, strengths more so than weaknesses, and what can be done instead of what can't be done. ABT creates a focal point of concentration and mental energy that will keep us alert and inspired to maximize all there is to gain from situations.
ABT is not blind optimism; and major companies, such as Monsanto, DuPont, Microsoft, Starbucks, Peabody Energy, Deloitte & Touche, MasterCard and the US Air Force have adopted ABT thinking in its approaches to developing leaders and managing change.
The opposite of ABT is deficit based thinking: telling yourself "it is not going to work, it can't be done." One problem is that deficit based thinking is hard-wired into our thinking as a survival mechanism. Survival, however, is no longer a controlling theme in our lives. The good news is that ABT is hard-wired also but less utilized and therefore takes a slight shift, conscious at first, in how we see things.
DEVELOP YOUR ABT
To strengthen your ABT make a list of three to five things you have accomplished in the past week or so. Now, reflect on the personal talents, strengths, and skills you used in making those accomplishments happen. Jot those down next to each accomplishment.
Take a good, long look at your talents, strengths and skills, making notes about common traits and how these traits are experienced. This is your ABT profile. What patterns do you see? Think about how you can leverage this particular positive pattern of skills, talents, and strengths-today, tomorrow, and next weekend! Do this reflection on a regular basis and you will be amazed at what you discover about yourself. (We all have major blind spots when it comes to our own unique assets).
ABT is a cognitive process for identifying our assets, strengths, talents, synergies and possibilities that are available in you, other people and any situation. It is about viewing your business, yourself and life in terms of opportunities rather than problems, strengths more so than weaknesses, and what can be done instead of what can't be done. ABT creates a focal point of concentration and mental energy that will keep us alert and inspired to maximize all there is to gain from situations.
ABT is not blind optimism; and major companies, such as Monsanto, DuPont, Microsoft, Starbucks, Peabody Energy, Deloitte & Touche, MasterCard and the US Air Force have adopted ABT thinking in its approaches to developing leaders and managing change.
The opposite of ABT is deficit based thinking: telling yourself "it is not going to work, it can't be done." One problem is that deficit based thinking is hard-wired into our thinking as a survival mechanism. Survival, however, is no longer a controlling theme in our lives. The good news is that ABT is hard-wired also but less utilized and therefore takes a slight shift, conscious at first, in how we see things.
DEVELOP YOUR ABT
To strengthen your ABT make a list of three to five things you have accomplished in the past week or so. Now, reflect on the personal talents, strengths, and skills you used in making those accomplishments happen. Jot those down next to each accomplishment.
Take a good, long look at your talents, strengths and skills, making notes about common traits and how these traits are experienced. This is your ABT profile. What patterns do you see? Think about how you can leverage this particular positive pattern of skills, talents, and strengths-today, tomorrow, and next weekend! Do this reflection on a regular basis and you will be amazed at what you discover about yourself. (We all have major blind spots when it comes to our own unique assets).
Change The Way You See Everything, Thought Asset-Based Thinking, Cramer, Kathryn & Hank Wasiak. 2006. Running Press.
4 comments:
Hi Rick. Thanks for the post on Asset-Based Thinking. Your advice is spot on and particularly relevant in these challenging times. You're right, the glass is both half full and half empty at the same time. It's what's "in the water" that really matters. Identifying and making the most of the assets that are in the glass. Keep up the great work.
Hank Wasiak
Hi Rick, Great blog on Asset-Based thinking. ABT is like meditation to me-- you have to practice, practice, practice. Now Cramer and Wasiak have come out with a new book for Teens. I only wish it had been published back when I was a teen.
I'm such a fan of ABT! The kicker is to really believe what you're saying...which comes with practice...it's easy to talk about the glass being half full in your life but it's human nature to say it out loud while secretly believing it's half empty.
and it's always what's in your heart that is manifested...
thanks, Richard! you're awesome!
love
nati
Thanks for the comments. ABT is an art and talent to be practiced.. the more we practice the better we get. It has been said that Mikhail Baryshnikov claimed to be a world-class dancer before there was any proof of it. Rick
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