"It felt a little bit like what I imagine sending your kid off to college feels like," says Kristen Bell about wrapping up "The Good Place," currently in its fourth and final season on NBC. "It's a good and bad feeling."

That's indicative of the thoughtful, philosophically-inclined and morally-minded comedy's theme, the constant push-pull between good and bad places. But Bell, a self-confessed weepie ("Believe me, I have the instinct to cry through almost everything -- I mean, I cry at a Folgers commercial."), said she chose to celebrate rather than mourn the ending of a show that's proven to have as much meaning for its audience as it has for its creative team.

"I refuse to spend my final moments being allowed to play with these people in misery -- I think that would be pitiful," says Bell. "I didn't want to let that ruin it, because it is a gift. It really does feel like we did it for a reason, and when you see the ending you'll know."

When the finale comes, it will mark the end of a long, always fitfully funny but also moving journey of striving for enlightenment and self-betterment in the afterlife of a group of damned souls -- Eleanor (Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil), Jason (Manny Jacinto), plus the reforming demon Michael (Ted Danson) and the ultimate Siri/celestial automaton Janet (D'Arcy Carden). It's meaty philosophical, territory peppered with silly swear word substitutes.

"I definitely felt the anxiety of landing the plane more acutely than in previous years," the show's creator and executive producer Michael Schur tells CNN. A veteran of "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation" -- two series both riotously funny and deeply warm-hearted which also struck pitch-perfect notes as they concluded -- Schur admitted his team sweated many details crafting "The Good Place's" endgame. "We spent a massive amount of time on the ending. Because we really wanted to get it right,"

"I feel like we had a fairly good handle going into it, where our end point was," says supervising producer and writer Jen Statsky, who explained that the series' creative team constantly took a "forward-thinking" approach to the way the story unfolded season by season, neatly set up the story and character arcs to play out in subsequent episodes, which paid off as the final season was conceived. "You want to give the proper ending to these characters."

"And to make sure that we had covered all the ground we wanted to, and to be like, 'Did we explore every facet of these characters and of the world?'" adds co-executive producer and writer Megan Amram, nodding to the rich, comic afterlife mythology the series has constructed. "In some ways we've been talking about the ending of the show almost since we started writing the show."

Thus the decision to end after four seasons, on their own terms, at a moment in time where broadcast networks tend to mine hit series for as long as they possibility can. When it became apparent that the fourth season would lead to the most organic and satisfying conclusion, NBC deferred to Schur's creative vision. "We knew why [it was time to end], and it was because of the meaning of the show and it was because we were telling story that deserved its ending," says Bell.

As the cast and crew delved into the many ethically and morally thorny issues the show's characters would have to contend with, they found themselves in an extended learning curve as they routinely consulted academic experts in fields such philosophy, neuroscience and criminal justice to bring nuance and context to the series. "We've learned so much about so much stuff," says Schur. "It's been like a rotating course of lectures that we've had in our writers room, and it's been so fun."

"We've all been very lucky to work with various writers rooms before, but this is the first one that felt like a combination writers room/college course," agrees Statsky. "And for a true dummy like myself, it's been very enjoyable to just not only get to be at work, but get to be learning about these topics that I had no previous knowledge of."

"This is paying us to go to college," laughs Amram.

Bell says that by exploring such heady, meaningful topics, even through a comedic lens, had a profound effect on everyone involved in the show, leaving everyone considering seriously what it meant to make a positive impact, both on those around them and on a global scale.

"There are these opposing theories in my head about ways to be, to state my opinion fighting for good or do it with my art, and I vacillate between the two," says the actress. "This was one where I felt like I really did it with my art, where I was a part of saying some things that I wanted to put out in the world, and I was really lucky to be able to be offered a job that was both creatively fulfilling and emotionally fulfilling to my sort of maternal instincts towards the world...I hope to get both again, but this is a pretty lucky experience."

The show's conceit, to strive to be better even in the face of eternal damnation, proved downright infectious.

"In the fabric of the show we talk about, life is a lot of little choices," says Amram. "The show helped me realize that going through my day, I am presented with a lot more moral decision-making than I had previously thought. And I try to always make this slightly better choice now. And I think that is what the show is about. It's like, when presented with two things, think about it, and maybe try to make the slightly better choice." As a result of her involvement on the show, for example, Amram committed to a vegetarian lifestyle.

"I don't think that I totally understood the level of which moral decision making can become a factor in your life, where from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep almost everything you do has a moral component," says Schur. "It can drive you nuts. I'm not necessarily saying this is a good thing."

"We do it when we order lunch and when we have any big decision to make. You can get really paralyzed," adds Schur, noting that the show used the character of Chidi and his inability to resolve micro-ethical considerations to illustrate the point.

"If you let the idea of making a moral decision infect your life to that level, you become a nonfunctioning human being," he adds. "The important thing is that you think about it, and then the next most important thing is that you are okay with the idea that you're going to blow it sometimes...You need to let yourself off the hook when you do things that aren't exactly perfect."

It's a quandary that resonates deeply for the actor who brings Chidi's indecision to life.

"A lot of that is a very intuitive manifestation of a lot of my own stuff," says Harper. "Maybe it's more universal than I thought. Maybe a lot of people feel that way, but I personally get stuck a lot, and I think that just seeing what that paralysis looks like can actually be freeing, because sometimes it's really useful to see it from the outside, the commitment to an action or inaction, how frustrating that can be. Especially to someone who is like, 'Any choice you make right now will be better than not making one'... The most salient thing about the show and especially about this character for me is that."

Harper says that as a result of being a part of "The Good Place," on screen and off, he couldn't resist a powerful impulse for self-improvement.

"I've learned in a very visceral way that people make the world, and the world that we are so privileged to inhabit for these past four seasons is beautiful, and wonderful, and full of good feelings and positivity and kindness," he says. "And there's no way to have that environment at work and not feel like, 'Well, why can't this be what the rest of my life is like?' So coming away from the show, I want to make sure that I try to put as much good into the world as I can going forward."

Much of that is a result of the people Schur invited in to "The Good Place's" world, says Stasky.

"Mike's an expert picker of people to work on projects. He has a very good radar for good people who want to make good things and treat each other well in the process of making those things. He empowers people to feel like they are a part of the project, and that really I think creates this environment where everyone is just happy, they're happy to come to work, they feel they have a stake in it, and it's a fertile ground for relationships to grow."

Indeed, as the public face of the show, the cast has demonstrated an emotional investment in both "The Good Place" and one another that's rare among even the oft-self-proclaimed "families" of other TV series. A recent panel at the Television Critics Association's press tour found the actors all tearing up as Danson waxed poetic about what a gift the series had been to them. And the show's fans are likely to have similarly intense feelings about its departure.

But will it have a lingering effect on the way its viewers choose to impact the world?

"I am extremely wary about ascribing success or failure to the show in any goal," says Schur. "People used to ask if I felt like 'Parks and Recreation' had convinced people that government could be good or something."

"The only thing you can ever do is you can be very specific about what the show is saying. You can't force people to hear the message or to react to it in any specific way," he continues. "I don't know whether people engage with the show purely comedically, or whether they engage with it spiritually, or academically, or whatever. I don't think you can ever hope to control that. You can only say, 'Here's the thing: now it's yours. You can react to it however you want.' And we certainly have hopes that that's true, but I don't think there will ever be a meaningful way to gauge that."

Harper, however, offers anecdotal evidence to suggest otherwise.

"I remember this one time there was a woman on a train who recognized me from the show, and we started crying," he says. "I feel like there's a real desire for people to see other people being good to each other, especially where we're at right now in the country where it just doesn't feel like that's happening very much."

"It gives you hope that this is something that is possible, that there's someone out here that's thinking about these things, and putting it on television for people to watch." Harper adds. "It must be comforting for people to know that people like Mike Schur exist."

Read the original here:
How 'The Good Place' made the cast, creative team and maybe even the viewers better people - WFSB

Fox Business Briefs: A new Merrill Edge report shows 59 percent of Americans worry about their finances.

Feeling anxious? Youre not alone. Millions of American adults suffer from anxiety disorders, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Anxiety disorders are actually the most common mental illness in the U.S., according to the group. And while the disorders can be treated, they said less than four in 10 people suffering from anxiety get treatment.

The association recommends that people suffering from anxiety disorders seek treatment like therapy or medication.

While an app cant provide the same care as an expert, there are many apps that offerhelp with ways to calm down and get through the day. Here are some of the most popular apps to help deal with the stress:

This app offers help in learning how to mediate, breathe and live mindfully. It has different exercises on topics like managing anxiety, relieving stress and breathing.

Its two three-minute mini meditations are perfect for a quick quiet moment alone during a stressful day.

Headspace also comes with features to help users sleep better, including sleep meditations and sounds.

The app is free but a subscription costs $12 per month or $69.99 for the year.

Here's where you can find it in the App Store and the Play Store.

This female-focused app includes more than 800 guided audio sessions designed to help users examine their emotional health.

The creators said they want to take the shame out of taboo topics, and its sessions include topics ranging from relationships and sex to anxiety and self-improvement.

The audio sessions range from five to 30 minutes, offering something for people with different schedules.

The app is free, but a $99.99 annual subscription opens up more features.

Here's where you can find it in the App Store and the Play Store.

This Best of 2018 award-winner offers hundreds of guided meditations offering help with sleeping, being more mindful, improving relationships and generally becoming happier.

The app includes brief meditations to help users when they just have a few moments free. It also brings stories and inspiration to help with mindfulness.

Its free, but a subscription opens up the apps full library of content.

Here's where you can find it in the App Store and the Play Store.

Apple named this app its 2017 App of the Year and it boasts the No. 1 ranking in the App Stores health and fitness category.

The app comes with guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing programs, stretching exercises and relaxing music. Its mindfulness exercises are designed for beginners up to advanced users, and meditation sessions came in six length variables between three and 25 minutes.

The sleep stories include celebrity voices like Stephen Fry, Matthew McConaughey and Leona Lewis, plus the sounds of painter Bob Ross.

The app is a free download, but subscriptions range from $14.99 per month to $69.99 per year or $399.99 for a lifetime.

Here's where you can find it in the App Store and the Play Store.

This app, also a Best of 2018 selection, offers users a personalized program led by a self-care expert to help work toward specific self-care goals.

Users will receive an empowering message with affirmations and advice each weekday morning. The app also recommends articles, meditations and exercises based on a users mood, plus a library of more than 500 guided meditations.

For bedtime, it includes stories inspired by movies.

The app is free. It offers monthly and annual subscriptions to unlimited access to its Shine Talks, priced at $11.99 and $53.99, respectively.

Here's where you can find it in the App Store and the Play Store.

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Stressed at work? These apps offer help for anxiety and trouble sleeping - Fox Business

According to economist and author Scott Paige, When we solve problems with generally one perspective, we build an error rate of 30%.

An example of this error occurred in the car industry. Previously, teams responsible for testing car safety were typically made up of all males. Because of this perspective, safety tests were done with male-sized dummies. Up until 2011, women were 43% more likely than males to be injured in a car accident. This mistake was not done out of ill intent, but as a result of having an undiversified perspective and an unconscious bias. These biases, as well as emotions, assumptions and habits, have become ingrained in our subconscious over a lifetime of experiences.

According to psychologist Timothy Wilson, Our five senses bring in 15 million bits of information every second and our brains can only consciously focus on 40 bits of this information at a time. This means, that 99.9% of the information that we receive is being processed by our subconscious. When forced to decide or respond to a situation, we really are not thinking at all, but are reacting through our unconscious bias perspective.

Knowing this, how can we become proactive and build in a safety net to open our minds to diverse perspectives and decrease the error rate?

Step 1: We must open our own mind to diverse opinions through improved self-awareness and increased self-confidence. Consistent attention on personal development and working on emotional intelligence will help you find value in behaviors instead of performance. When we solely focus on our production, we tend to pursue perfection and rarely will seek or be open to a difference of opinion. However, when we judge our success based upon our behaviors, we tend to pursue excellence and will see differing opinions as opportunities to learn and get better. Improving our self-awareness can be achieved by reading and listening to self-improvement books, enrolling in leadership development programs or seeking wisdom from some experienced mentors.

Step 2: We must begin surrounding ourselves with people of different perspectives. This doesnt mean that we just hire anyone. On the contrary, we must hire people who bring value to and fit our culture; however, we must bring in people who view things differently. This can include the obvious diversity of age, gender and race, but must also include people who are more or less dominant, extroverted, patient or process oriented. By looking to capture these differences, we are beginning to build a team that can tackle any problem.

Step 3: In order to create a safe environment where opinions can be shared without fear of retribution, intent and the behaviors required of the group must be set. One can imagine how intense and sometimes heated a boardroom could get with driven leaders of differing views. However, if the team first agrees on the intent of the group and the behaviors needed to achieve the vision, leaders are then given permission to hold one another accountable for the positive behaviors needed for all to feel safe. If behaviors are not upheld, safety and trust will never be achieved, and the group will fail to maximize the talent and diversification of the team.

Today, lets enhance our leadership and culture and start becoming people and companies that others want to follow!

Be a Champion Today.

Brandon Buck is theCEO/owner of Infinite Strengths, a Boise-based coaching company.

Excerpt from:
The power of diverse perspectives - Idaho Business Review

High achievers are typically keen on self-improvement. For me, that means constantly having a stack of books on my desk, bedside table, kitchen counter and in the door of my car which have been written by smart people. Here are several nuggets I've bookmarked in the last week in my quest to get better, achieve more and feel more fulfilled. If you're like me, these challenges serve as inspiration.

If you want to achieve more, you need to work harder than everyone else

In Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different, Sunny Bonnell and Ashleigh Hansberger tell the story of Kobe Bryant addressing his fellow athletes while accepting the 2016 ESPY Icon Award, during which he refers to the kind of legendary and obsessive work ethic it takes to become great.

It's the same with you. The authors put it this way:

Most people won't do what it takes to be truly excellent in their field, but then they feel frustrated and demoralized by not being where they want. They won't work weekends. They'd rather party than study. They live for Fridays. They wouldn't dare show up two hours early for work to get a head start on a project. And they sure as hell aren't rolling out of bed in the middle of the night to shoot free throws.

How much harder are you willing to work, compared with the people around you?

Never negotiate against yourself

It's called having a "poverty mentality," according to David Nichtern, author of Creativity, Spirituality and Making a Buck. He says that while there may be people in the world rooting for you to fail, falter and doubt yourself, that person should never be you. While it's important to possess an honest assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses, often people get into the habit of defeating themselves in the mind before undertaking anything.

Overcoming this tendency, he writes, necessitates taking control of your thought life and cultivating kindness and compassion toward yourself. "When we lack confidence, for whatever reason, we can easily underestimate our own value and the value of whatever it is that we're presenting as our offering," he writes. "Our business can only succeed to the level of success we'll allow in our life."

You must have a coach

Just like there are certain parts of your body you can't see when you look in a mirror, there are aspects of your personality and performance which elude your awareness. In Aligned: Connecting Your True Self With the Leader You're Meant to be, Hortense Le Gentil makes the point that just like elite athletes cannot become champions without a coach to develop their talents and provide motivation and emotional support, you need a coach in business, too. "The notion that everyone, including surgeons and CEOs, can stretch further and perform better, no matter how good they already are, is making headway outside the sporting world," he writes. "Studies have confirmed that coaching improves how individuals function in organizations, with significant positive effects on performance, skills, well-being, coping, work attitude, and goal-directed self-regulation."

Do what doesn't come naturally

In Elevate: An Essential Guide to Life, Joseph Deitch makes the excellent point that people tend to fine-tune their strengths instead of working on shortcomings and weaknesses. However, your productivity and profitability can be dramatically multiplied by doing the hard work of leaning into what you're not good at. Deitch writes:

Let's face it, focusing on areas of strength gives us pleasure, while dealing with our weaker attributes is usually unpleasant, often frustrating, and sometimes agonizing. As a result, we generally don't want to confront those weaknesses. Plus, sometimes we believe that we don't have to look at them because we're sufficiently successful doing what we do well, and we rationalized that we can just keep doing things the way we always have.

Not only does confronting weakness exponentially improve performance, it also bolsters your self-image. It's because you know deep down that your willingness to do hard things is what sets you apart from your competition.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

Read the original here:
4 Things Experts Say You Must do if You Truly Want to Get Ahead in Your Career and Make More Money - Inc.

Braeden Olheisers short film, Tandem Thoughts, has been nominated for an award for best youth film and best narrative and storytelling at the 45th Parallel Film Festival, which takes place at Salem Cinema on Saturday, Oct. 19.

Braeden Olheiser (right) chats with actor Jonathan Echavarria on set (Submitted).

Braeden Olheiser has only been interested in filmmaking for a couple of years, but despite his inexperience, the 16-year-old McNary High student is already getting recognized for his skills.

Olheisers short film, Tandem Thoughts, has been nominated for an award for best youth film and best narrative and storytelling at the 45th Parallel Film Festival, which takes place at Salem Cinema on Saturday, Oct. 19.

The fact that this is getting recognized at all is an achievement, Olheiser said. It was really gratifying when I found out I was nominated. It feels like all my hard work is finally paying off.

Tandem Thoughts, which is just under five minutes in runtime, is a drama about a guy who just graduated from high school and is moving to Spain. But during his going-away party, his ex-girlfriend shows up to try and re-kindle the relationship.

The entire movie is the conflict and dialogue between these two people who are at battle with each other on what they should do, Olheiser said.

Olheiser first got into filmmaking after taking a video production class from former McNary media production teacher Jason Heimerdinger who is now in his first year teaching at San Luis Obispo High School in California.

The second I got the camera, I started hogging it to be honest. Once I got a touch of actual video production, I just had to keep going, Olheiser said.

During his freshman and sophomore years, Olheiser spent time behind the camera making a variety of different short videos that featured different clubs and events at McNary. Over time, he began to grow his skill-set.

As an aspiring filmmaker, Braeden was constantly trying to improve his storytelling and cinematography, Heimerdinger said. He appreciates technical details and would often go the extra mile to get a shot.

When Olheiser got the chance to borrow Heimerdingers video equipment this summer, he knew that he had to take advantage.

Ive done two years of video production and I need to do something with it, Olheiser said.

Generally, one of the most difficult parts of the filmmaking process is writing the script. Olheiser, however, wrote this 10-page script in just one night over the summer, using a green-apple flavored Bang Energy Drink as his fuel.

He then cast McNary students Makayla Hadley and Jonathan Echavarria as the two lead characters.

I dont think it was the quality of the script that they were excited about, I think they were just excited about this other avenue of acting because there arent a lot of opportunities in videos here at McNary, Olheiser said.

After three days of filming and almost 20 hours editing, the short film starting running on Capitol Community Television (CCTV) in September.

I had full creative control over what was happening and I had also had help from people that I trusted who are very talented people who can give me really good input. I fell in love with that process, Olheiser said.

One of Olheisers biggest inspirations is Zeek Earl, a 2006 graduate of McNary and another one of Heimerdingers former students.

Along with his friend, Chris Caldwell, Earl formed the production company Shep Films. In 2018, the duo co-wrote and co-directed their first feature film called Prospect, a critically-acclaimed science-fiction film.

(Earl) came from the same place that I did and now hes making out big. He is one inspirations for what I do today, Olheiser said. Because he did it before me, it makes me feel like I can do it. I feel like this is my calling.

Olheiser already has another film that he is in the process of making, called As The Crow Flies. He has been much more deliberate with this project as he started writing the 50-page script last December, and held auditions in late September.

Similar to his first film, As The Crow Flies centers around two characters preparing to leave high school and enter the real world.

Even though his first film is up for an award, Olheiser is much more confident in his ability to put out an even better piece of work this time around.

The driving theme behind the film is to not look back, Olheiser said. Im very excited about it because I spent a lot more time on it than my first film. Im much more confident in the outcome because I really got to plan it. I know a little bit more of what Im doing.

Olheiser has a constant drive for self-improvement when it comes to his films, which he believes will help him in the long run.

At the end of the day, I still probably wont be satisfied, which is why I will keep moving forward. I want to chase that dream and make something worthwhile, Olheiser said.

Heimerdinger added: Braedens technical skills will make him an experienced young engineer or tech right out of school. His networking and ability to satisfy a client will also take him a long way. Its a tough industry to break in to, but I would like to have him on my side after hes had more filmmaking experiences.

Go here to read the rest:
McNary junior to be featured in 45th Parallel Film Festival - Keizertimes

Does modern life cause dopamine overstimulation?

Eric Bowman, Ph.D., a neuroscience lecturer at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, hadnt heard of dopamine fasting before Inverse reached out to him, but he grasped the concept behind it right away.

My admittedly superficial understanding of the idea behind dopamine fasting is that modern life causes dopamine overstimulation, which in turn causes the molecular changes which calm down dopamine neurotransmission, but that this results in dopamine transmission being too low between rewards, he tells Inverse. A break from the fast pace of modern-day rewards would allow the system to reset, or so the theory goes.

He points out that this idea does revolve around real neuroscience, particularly one called dopamine homeostasis. Thats the concept that, when we flood our bodies with too much dopamine over time, the body makes molecular adjustments to the dopamine receptors that dwell in the brain.

But, as Bowman adds, to actually get to that level where adjustments would happen, it would require very strong changes in dopamine neurotransmission due to drugs or neurological disorders.

This mode of thought is largely derived from research on drug addiction and applying addiction science to living in modern society can be dangerous. Even though we may feel overwhelmed by normal life, are we really soaking our brains in a dopamine-rich bath every time we order takeout or scroll through Instagram? And is that enough to really cause changes in the brain?

Kent Berridge, Ph.D., is a psychologist at the University of Michigan and runs a lab that literally studies pleasure in the brain. He explains that there may actually be some truth to the idea that dopamine is all around us.

It is definitely true that we live in a reward-rich world and we live in a reward-cue rich world, he tells Inverse. Even when were not consuming rewards, were often encountering cues for them in advertisements and imagery, opening the refrigerator, on the web, the internet, and emails. So that would keep us in a kind of constant or repeated frequent repetition of dopamine activation.

But to say whether or not human dopamine receptors actually do decrease is complicated. Berridge explains, in animal studies where the animal is exposed to high-fat, dopamine-igniting diets, receptor reduction happens temporarily and receptors mostly come back during abstinence. When it comes to humans, the answer is a bit controversial, may depend partly on context, and mostly comes from studies on people who use drugs and alcohol.

Even if this is a reward-rich world, we still dont know if its rich enough to cause lasting changes in the brain. Taken together, Bowman says that, actually, some ideas behind the dopamine fast seem to check out when examined in isolation but not all of them.

See the rest here:
What if "dopamine fasting" isn't Silicon Valley B.S.? The science is there - Inverse

News

After a disappointing campaign, Nikolaj Ehlers went to school on himself, studying each and every one of his shifts from the 2018-19 season in an effort to take his game to the next level.

Coming off the worst season of his NHL career, Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets changed his bedtime ritual over the summer. This had nothing to do with the scientific approach to sleep professional athletes and teams seem to be taking now, but there was still a huge element of self-improvement to it.

Every evening before turning in this off-season, Ehlers would take his iPad with him to bed and watch each one of his shifts from one or two games last season. By the end of the summer, he had viewed each one of his 1,299 shifts 1,190 in the regular season and 109 in the playoffs from the 2018-19 season. And it looks as though it has already paid off. Ehlers has roared out of the gate for the Jets with a goal and five points in four games. In the Jets first game of the season, a 6-4 loss to the New York Rangers, Ehlers had eight shots and finished the game with three assists. The goal came Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins and could not have come at a better time. Including last years disastrous playoffs when he was shut out in the Jets first-round loss to St. Louis, that was Ehlers first goal in 19 games. But it wasnt so much that he scored it as the way he scored it, jumping on a soft pass by the Penguins in their own zone and using the Pittsburgh defender Marcus Pettersson as a screen before firing a low snapshot into the net

Basically, those were the kinds of things he was seeing himself not doing when he watched his shifts over the summer. Its a lot of small details, Ehlers said during the NHLs pre-season media tour. Its small things like how to come in with your stick on the forecheck on the guys and how to maybe notI wouldnt say panic, but maybe not just throw the puck away. Try to have some patience with it. A little more patience than I do have, shoot a little bit more. Stuff that I do know, but I also have to actually work on it.

So far, so good on the shooting more thing. Through four games, Ehlers leads the Jets with 17 shots, which puts him fourth in the league and in the company of Alex Ovechkin and Auston Matthews. And its no easy feat having that many shots when you have guys such as Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler on your team. The bad news is that Ehlers has just one goal to show for it, but the analytics people are pretty constant in their belief that these things do tend to even out over time. They certainly did not during the playoffs last spring when Ehlers trailed only Laine with 16 shots in the series against St. Louis, but had zero goals. The concerning thing is that Ehlers has actually played 21 career playoff games and has zero goals.

Id be lying if I said it didnt touch me at all, Ehlers said. Not scoring in the playoff sucks. Theres no other word for it. It sucks. But its not like I get to the playoffs and I just shut myself down. I work as hard as I can to help this team win every single day. Im happy with where Im at right now. I wasnt happy with my season last year because of injuries and I wasnt going the way I wanted to, but its a new season.

One thing that Ehlers saw himself doing a lot last year was getting rid of the puck too quickly, both on shots and passes. And if this season is any indication, that part of his game is changing. Two of the assists in his first game came because he was willing to hang onto the puck and wait to find an open man. Getting playing time on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Wheeler certainly helped, but Ehlers knows he has the talent level to be able to play and produce with top players.

Like I said, just throwing the puck away when I do have time and a little bit of space to have some patience and keep the puck on my stick, Ehlers said when asked what he saw on those late-night highlights. Stops and starts, (things) that Paul (Jets coach Maurice) keeps telling me to do. Positioning in the defensive zone. Theres a lot of small things. Im ready to work on it. I think its something thats hopefully going to help me.

Want more in-depth features, analysis and an All-Access pass to the latest content?Subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.

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Ken Campbell

Ken Campbell, The Hockey News' senior writer, is in his second tour with the brand after an eight-year stint as a beat reporter for the Maple Leafs for the Toronto Star. The Sudbury native once tried out for the Ontario League's Wolves as a 30-year-old. Needless to say, it didn't work out.

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Jets' Ehlers watched all of his shifts during the summer, and what he saw made him change the way he plays - The Hockey News

Blind spots impact every leader, and they can become costly when they are not identified or improved. They could sabotage a leader's impact and cause followers to question the direction that the leader is taking the team.

The best leaders work on overcoming their blind spots.

My business partner and I have examined leaders and organizations to discern what blind spots are and what leaders can do about them. Together, we have concluded that there is a difference between blind spots and weaknesses.

People usually think they're unaware of their blind spots because blind spots are outside their view. But just because a pilot can't see something, doesn't mean they know for sure it's not there. On the other hand, people usually think they have a good grasp on what their weaknesses are, but I would challenge that they don't have any idea at all.

The best leaders have a sense of what their blind spots are, just like a pilot. They can't see them, but they could if they pivoted. A weakness is something leaders don't know exists, and it requires someone else pointing it out.

A leader's goal should be to never let a blind spot become a weakness if they want to have lasting success and create powerful breakthroughs, but both blind spots and weaknesses can be identified in several ways:

1. Take assessments and tools to understand your strengths and weaknesses.

Only the leaders who know how they work can work most effectively.

There are many different types of assessments that a leader can take to help them discover their blind spots, strengths, weaknesses and understand themselves better. Strengthsfinder and DISC are two popular ones. Assessments should be reviewed and relied on consistently to show a leader how they operate and work best.

Every leader is unique, and a leader's uniqueness can also prove to be their strength when they handle their weaknesses properly. Leaders shouldn't ignore their weaknesses but rather admit them to their team then ask for their support in areas where that leader is weak. Every leader needs a team around them to help them perform at their peak.

2. Listen to a trusted advisor, and ask them to be a mirror for your behavior and your choices.

Trusted advisors or business coaches can help a leader see themselves more accurately. An independent third party who is non-emotional can speak honestly and strategically to the leader about what they are perceiving and what they are hearing from the team. Leaders can also ask this trusted advisor to interview their staff and make conclusions based on what multiple people in the organization say about how the leader leads.

3. Get your team's feedback on your leadership behaviors and decisions.

Leaders inspire their teams to improve, but teams can also inspire their leader to improve. When a leader asks their team how well they are leading, they show the team their intent to improve their leadership skills and interactions.

Many leaders are afraid to ask their team for feedback, yet a leader's team can be the best tool to identify their own blind spots. Leadership assessments such as 360s can be helpful in illustrating the team's perception of their leader. Additionally, together, both the leader and their team can explore and develop a strategy for improvement.

When a leader practices humility and seeks to improve themselves, they will find that they model self-improvement throughout the entire organization.

4. Ask a friend to tell you the truth about yourself.

There is a proverb that states: "Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy." People who care about the leader are more willing to be honest with them. They can often see their actual abilities, strengths and weaknesses. This often includes the leaders' spouse and children.

Leaders can ask personal friends what they see in their behaviors and even ask what recommendations they might suggest for improving their leadership skills. One technique a leader can use is to prepare a series of questions to ask their personal friends and family that can lead to honest, one-on-one conversations. Questions could include:

1. How do I handle mistakes?

2. What is my biggest leadership flaw?

3. How do I treat my team?

4. What change could I make to improve my leadership effectiveness?

Every leader needs to embrace that they have blind spots, but blind spots do not need to stop the leader from moving their team and their organization forward. Blind spots can help the leader know where to add to their team and thus improve themselves and their organization.

Original post:
Four Ways To Identify And Improve Blind Spots And Weaknesses - Forbes

This year honorary doctorates were awarded to the following:

Sherry Coutu is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor who serves on the boards of companies, charities and government. She has founded several of her own companies, and serves as a non-executive member of several more.

In November 2014, Sherry authored the Scale-Up Report which urged the UK government to support scaleups and not only start-ups, following which the Scaleup Institute was created.

Philanthropically, Sherry supports The Princes Trust, The Francis Crick Institute and Founders4Schools, a charity to improve the employability of young people.

Sherry has an MBA from Harvard, an MSc (with distinction) from the London School of Economics, and a BA (Hons with distinction) from the University of British Columbia, Canada.

She was awarded a CBE in the 2013 New Year Honours for her services to entrepreneurship. In 2019, she was inducted into the BIMA (British Interactive Media Association) Hall of Fame and won the Veuve Clicquot Social Purpose Award. She was named Most Influential Woman in UK IT 2017, Barclays Entrepreneur of the Year 2017, Top 50 inspiring women in Europe by the Management Today, and Top Entrepreneur contributing to Queen and Country by Sunday Times Magazine.

Continued here:
Footballer, entrepreneur, economist and nursing professor receive honorary degrees at Foundation Day - The University of Manchester

Published Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, 9:36 am

Front Page Business How to keep the fire of entrepreneurship ever blazing

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Everyone who starts out as an entrepreneur has the dream of becoming successful and getting to build a brand that will reach out to a broad market range, as well as, have sustainable continuity. Starting an entrepreneurial journey is, therefore, the foundation stone to years of commitment and dedication into building an empire from an idea. This is never the smoothest highway to ride in, but it holds so much that the satisfaction gained from the toil is always worth the effort and time invested to a feasible vision or objectives. Any successful entrepreneur who had to go through lots of challenges and frustrations while starting out and growing will attest to this since the results attained overshadow the past. Still, it takes a lot of self-sacrifices and focuses on transforming those ideas into practicality, duties that every entrepreneur should be ready to handle.

Time has proven over and over that no entrepreneur ever succeeds in a vacuum, and while you might be the bearer of the ideas, there are must-dos for success. The most suitable way to learn about these vital lessons is through mentorship and following the lessons from successful entrepreneurs. Great entrepreneurs understand that they can never complete the journey alone and from time to time need practical ways to achieve self-improvement and personal growth. This is because without having the right drive, the fire of entrepreneurship will dwindle, making it impossible to get to the levels desired. There are lots of dos for the modern-day entrepreneur, but among the core aspects that have to be taken into account are;

As the vision carriers, entrepreneurs are the light that guides the ship through the dark and turbulent waters to the right harbour. This is a task that has never been completed with a distracted mind or an individual who lacks the passion for what they are doing. No breakthrough can ever be achieved regardless of how good an idea is without the leader being up to the challenge. Fortunately, it is possible to unleash the power within and get to have the extraordinary capability to attain personal and business success. For this to work out, you need a personal development plan that is oriented on getting you from free from the chains of fears and individual limitations that could limit your great potentials.

It is no secret that the failure to plan translates to planning to fail, which is never what you envision as an entrepreneur. Regardless of whether you have just launched your first start-up or are looking for suitable techniques for brand advancements, a strategic plan that focuses on the future is unavoidable. Thinking long-term also keeps you focused on continuously achieving those milestones that consequently become the pillars for having a sustainable business empire. By having a set of objectives to achieve over time, you also get to pre-anticipate and be ready to resolve any challenges that might be experienced.

The secret behind every great business is the right team, and every entrepreneur must understand that one will only become half as good as the staff they have with them. It is never easy putting together the right team as this involves carefully evaluating every person before giving them the chance to prove themselves. If this task seems impossible to accomplish on your own, it never hurts to seek professional guidance from seasoned professionals who understand what it takes to hire the right staff.

Once you have the right team in place, you must strive to give them the right tools for success, and this involves re-investing in your business. The central role of technology in businesses today cannot be wished away as it directly dictates core competence and market dominance. Futuristic entrepreneurs understand this, and regardless of their areas of expertise, they are ever looking for ways to incorporate technology into their operations. You can learn from the best and always be on the lookout for the right technology that will complement and simplify operations. Overly, becoming the successful entrepreneur you want to be today takes a lot of work, perseverance, and passion besides having an open mind to learning as it enables you to become wiser with time.

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How to keep the fire of entrepreneurship ever blazing - Augusta Free Press