Catalyst West Origins 09 - Notes - Becoming an Expert

I'm posting these notes because this was a fantastic session, even though I'm still in LA. Like my friend DJ Chuang said, this lab was a gold mine. More processing from Catalyst West later next week.

Rick Yamamoto
Becoming an Expert/Managerial vs. Entrepreneurial

fund researcher/venture capitalist
researcher for Erwin
elder at Mosaic

strong Belief strength - 'no, I cannot do that'
John 4 - Samaritan woman

++ 2 models of strategic thinking
#1 - Managerial - "Conquering"
traditional, business plan, maximize performance, predict the future
typical MBA strategy
a. a goal or objective
b. have resources lined up
c. act on the plan
key - control efficiency/resource allocation
failure in this context is fatal - it is your fault

#2 - Entrepreneur
minimize risk - creating the future
a. start with what you have done before
b. acquire resources in stages - resources acquired through relational capital - resources determine the goal
whatever I get, that's what I'm starting with
c. goal - adjustable
key - empowerment, depth and breadth of commitment
failure early, not large, adjust from it
contingency plan
piece meal-raised up resources, localized, contextualized

'Mosaic will never be the same' - statement when someone shows up - perspective on expansion of the goal since a new resource has just arrived
When resources come, adjust the goal - expansion

You will interact with someone differently if you are always a headhunter. When you are an entrepreneur, you are always looking to resource and unleash

Permission issue in managerial vs. entrepreneur
I'm either willing or not willing to release people to do things.
People that are process oriented will go crazy with the entrepreneurial strategy.

++ Talent Spelunking
share accomplishments - what did you accomplish in the past?
people don't want to brag.
do they people working with you know about your accomplishments?

Create environments where we are interested in others accomplishments - acknowledgment of great resources.
What would you love to do - What were you meant to do?

++ Characteristics of an expert
- somebody has practiced for 10K hours [right from Gladwell]
- perception is different
holistically vs. individually
underneath vs. outward
experience vs. formula
patterns vs. no patterns - fills in gaps
- knowledge and experience - rethink information differently than the novice - org info around their principles
- problem solving
short term vs. long term
experts transfers short term into long term
experts come sooner to most critical factors
high self awareness
accurate memory of their performance

If you want to be an expert at something, be an expert at relationships.

3 phases to job performance
1. don't get fired
2. minimize mistakes/maximize performance
3. do the job with your eyes closed
Experts never let the job get to #3. They are always raising performance.

[See my full post of notes from Origins/Catalyst West.]