Ode to Yoda

Ah yes. One of my favorite characters of all time… Master Yoda. Yoda was one of the most renowned and powerful Jedi Masters in galactic history, who was known for his legendary wisdom, mastery of the Force and skills in light saber combat.  Sounds like modern day health care education to me.

The need for wisdom and knowledge.

Mastery of regulations.

Skills with technology.

The Jedi are considered keepers of the peace and justice in the galaxy (healthcare), with Jedi Masters (educators) often working together on missions with their respective apprentices in order to pass their knowledge and employ their abilities on the field.

A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind.

                                                                -Yoda

Fear Not.  As educators, Inquisit’s goal is to find the topics your need and want and bring that education to you. We understand what subjects are your pain points or even scare you. We package them for you so you can increase your knowledge of them and you can overcome them. No need to sidestep an issue or ignore a topic. Knowledge is the best way to confront and overcome the fears.

Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

-Yoda

Size matters not. I often say Inquisit is small but mighty. Our team is successful because we have the Force with us… you. Our valued customers who inspire us to deliver the education you need and want. You are our Force.

Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.

-Yoda

Just do it. I love Yoda’s just do it attitude and this quote teaches us to believe in ourselves and our own abilities. It is a confidence boosting quote that encourages us to go beyond “trying” to the point where you just do it. It gets rid of all sense of hesitation and doubt. To me it pushes the point that you must have conviction in everything you do.  For those of you who know Inquisit…enough said.

Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.

-Yoda

Learn new things. There is nothing magical about learning new things. All lifelong learners should know that learning is hard work, and knowledge combined with practice may make you excellent at something. There are no shortcuts and no books you can read to have the secrets of a skill simply cast upon you. You have to do the thing you want to be better at…over and over and over again.

Much to learn you still have. This is just the beginning!

-Yoda

Learn. Teach. When many of us went to school, it was the strategy to keep everything you learned close to the chest. If you knew it, and no one else did, you were superior. The tables have turned now—information is freely available. Now, the strategy is to divulge your knowledge base, so others “know that you know.”

Share your knowledge. Pass it on. Mentor another.  If you don’t someone else will and you’ll look like Jar Jar Binks. Messuh sorry. Messuh does not want to share. Messuh want to keep all the space-junk.

Always pass on what you have learned.

-Yoda

May the Force Be With You!

Yo ho, yo ho, a learner's life for me! Educate-up me hearties, yo ho!

I can’t say the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are among my all-time favorites. I can, however, say that Captain Jack Sparrow is a character that stands above many.

Captain Jack brings real pirates like Bartholomew Roberts to life.  His nickname was Black Bart and he is said to be the most successful raider in the history of piracy. From the late 1600’s, he took prisoner an astounding 470 vessels, and so renowned was his ferocity, that many of those ships were surrendered to him without a fight.  Wouldn’t you love to achieve one of your goals without the battle behind it?

Roberts was said to have been reluctant at first to be forced into piracy - but he soon saw the point of it! A contemporary quotes Roberts as saying: "In an honest service, there is thin victuals, low wages and hard labour. In piracy, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power...”

As a self-proclaimed work-alcoholic and life-long learner, I see no redeeming qualities in piracy and laziness and am a true believer in hard work.  

But, I do learn something from everything, so I even found lessons from the intriguing Captain Jack Sparrow:

It’s All About Character and Charisma

I once had a colleague who told me charisma wasn’t everything. I totally disagree. Character and charisma are everything. They create likability!  Then there’s Jack. What a fascinating character study. Is he good or bad? He’s never totally bad–he doesn’t kill or maim like the other pirates, but he’s never totally good either–his schemes always have his ultimate interests in mind. He is intriguing to watch and interesting to follow. Jack Sparrow is an innovator, a survivor and challenges the status quo at all times. However, this boldness eventually comes with a price: you’ll upset people in the process. Innovation involves change and the status quo hates change. Be charismatic. Be innovative. Be original! Yo ho days will be yours for the taking.

The Code
Aye, the Code.

The Code is a long list of rules on how a pirate should behave. Yes, even as adults, we follow a code of civility to each other. Our code is not much different from the Pirate Code:

• Rule one, befriend others wisely. Surround yourself with those who support you.
• The Right to Parley!   A parley, or "talk", is a meeting held between kings and their Chief Retainers. Talking! What a novel idea.  Use your right to parley and talk to your boss, to your peers, to your team. Imagine the possibilities of a good parley.
• Sharing of the spoils.  When teams work together with common goals and clear strategies to achieve those goals, they all share the spoils of the hard work.
• Whoever spots a treasure-laden ship first, could choose the best pistol for themselves. Well, I don’t know about a pistol.  But innovators, those who go the extra mile and focus on the goal, deserve the best prize.
• Every crew member is to have a share in any treasure found. Team work, team success. Enough said.
• Any person who refuses to serve aboard a pirate's ship must die. Now, let’s not get nuts here. I think this is the business saying “get on the bus”.  Not all of us belong on a specific pirate ship. The mission of that ship may not be our passion. It’s okay. Find the ship that lets your passion soar.

The Code also contained strict regulations on eye patch color and peg leg size (organization dress code).

Keep to the code! Aye.

Focus the Crew
You don’t need the perfect ship. You don’t need the perfect weather at sea. What you do need is for the crew to respect each other and work to the common goals. Not every pirate on the ship will befriend each other. But, mutual respect and equal share…well, it’s the Code.

Be true to yourself. No matter what you do. No matter how good your “product/service” is, you can’t make everybody happy. And that’s OK! If you try to please everybody, you’ll destroy what makes you different!

Jack Sparrow is not worried about finding the perfect ship, the perfect crew and the perfect opportunity. He’s even less worried about what others think about him. However, he’s extremely focused on achieving his goals! And, you and your crew should be too.

Have you Lost That Lovin’ Feeling?  Get Passion Back for your Job
Jack Sparrow had one very special tool with him at all times: a broken compass. What’s the use for a compass that doesn’t point North? It doesn’t matter if you are not trying to find North. Jack Sparrow’s compass pointed to the thing he wants most! It pointed to his passion!

It’s very hard to work day-in and day-out at something that you’re not passionate about. This is true because exceptional results come with a lot of hard work. You need determination, heart and discipline to do all the hard work before you begin to see the final results. Passion is the main motivator behind the drive for success.  Not money. Of course, no one is in business to lose money. Money exists to measure the applause you get by the results you create.

Yo ho, yo ho, a learner's life for me.

Have you any learned any life lessons from Jack Sparrow? I hope you will share them with me in the comment section below.