STRETCHING THE BOUNDARIES

I was honored to be invited on April 10 to the 17^th Annual Cultural Awareness Salute dinner at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. BCA (http://www.bcaglobal.org/index.php) focus is the collaboration of different cultures going in one direction.

The theme for that evening event was ‘Stretching Boundaries’ which can easily refer to what is needed in both the education and industry sectors to support developing students, professions, and leaders.  Each leader that was honored stretched beyond what they though were imaginable in their work.

It made be think how do we stretch out boundaries. Is there a really a definitive meaning to those words? How do we apply them in our personal and professional lives?
Push the envelope” is now used figuratively to mean, “Stretch the boundaries. Look outside the box.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mohandas Gandhi

Challenge you, your peers, colleagues, family members and employees to stretch their boundaries. It will and can make a difference.

• If we reach beyond and challenge our bosses, employees, students, colleagues and we to do more or something different that could bring value.
• Have our employees involved in making the budgets?
• Have you involved others in R & D? visiting clients?
• Have family members work on budget to decide spending?
• Learn a new technology,new techniques, new concept
• Learn how to engage in social media or apply a new application to your computer
• Mentor a colleague or student

Those types of things add value.  Make a difference. I have always believed in pushing my boundaries learning, networking and listening to others to challenge by self, concepts, etc. Ask my employers, employees, family, and they will tell you I think out the box and make them do the same.  This past year doing more consulting, branding, marketing and sales has taught be that the same old is no longer a useful concept.  If you like I will put my resources that have helped me in my  discoveries . Read http://tinyurl.com/yavfegx and http://www.visibletechnologies.com/webinars.html.

An executive chef told me recently, “I never looked for work my reputation always brought business to me”. I told him, “He needed to stretch his boundaries and think outside the box. What can he offer today’s public /consumer that is needed, value added to help them. It is not about you!”

Another thought that came to me last night. I am President Elect of the Dietitians in Business and communication, which is practice group of the American dietetics Association (70,000 members).  How can I push the envelopes with ways to mentor, marketing and outreach to our members? Times and needs have changed and we need to embrace and look for more relevant ways in reaching and engaging our audiences.

When launching a product, concept or trend you need to embrace and stretch your boundaries-Think outside the box. Each ideas or action you do to stretch your boundary will help you, your services and goods become better and more valuable.

The power of choice begins with awareness. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), “The outward freedom that we shall attain will only be in exact proportion to the inward freedom to which we may have grown at a given moment.”

When was the last time you thought or acted outside the box? Share how you stretch your boundaries? Any resources? Webinars that made the difference?