I’ve been thinking a lot about building something new.

Three weeks ago today I was totally off the grid in the middle of The Atlantic Ocean on the Cunard Ocean Liner, The Queen Mary 2. Elizabeth and I were returning from ten days in Portugal, and three days in England. We were making the crossing from Southampton, England to New York City.

What an amazing week. No internet, no email, no cell phone. Just time to relax, read, exercise, listen to some amazing lectures, attend some wonderful concerts and shows, and of course eat … 3, 4, sometimes 5 times a day.

One morning early in the week I went into the large theatre at the front of the ship to attend the first of a series of lectures being presented that day. I sat down in the second seat from the aisle and said hello to the person sitting on the aisle. He was dressed in a suite and tie and spoke with a distinctive British accent.

“I’m us next,” he said.

“Oh, you are our lecturer?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m Dr. Stephen Payne, the designer of this ship.”

And so began a series of amazing conversations about the design and build of what is today the world’s largest ocean liner, The Queen Mary 2.

Begin with Previous Failures and Successes

In opening his presentation, Dr. Payne began with this mantra:

“Before attempting anything new, the best chance of success is to have a full appreciation of what has previously been a failure and what a success.”

Wow! What a wonderful personal philosophy.

And as you can imagine, he went on to tell us what he learned from the sinking of the Titanic.

Then Dr. Payne went on to explain the differences between an Ocean Liner and a Cruise Ship.

And he described in some detail the two-year process of designing the QM2, and the three years of working with a ship yard in France to build the ship.

Learning from OPE outside our industry

As you all may know, one of my more positive personal characteristics is that I am very curious. I have “an unquenchable thirst for learning.” Even though I’ve been working in Home Care for over four decades, I’m still learning. There is so much new to grasp.

And an amazing way to learn and grow is through OPE – Other People’s Experience.

One of the things I’ve found important is to seek learning opportunities outside of Home Care. As I travel around the world and meet very interesting people I’m always looking for new learning.

One of the best ways to do that is to ask questions of interesting people you meet. I’ve observed that most people in conversations don’t ask questions. They wait to speak. However, being curious and asking questions is perhaps the best way to learn and grow as a business owner and leader.

I’ve learned a lot about being curious, asking questions, and learning, from my friend, mentor, and role model, Jim Rhode. Last month I wrote to you about Uncommon Friends, and our mastermind and travel group, The SoulJourners. Jim is the founder of an amazing company in Phoenix, AZ serving the Dental Industry called Smart Practice. Elizabeth and I met Jim and his wife, Naomi, through our National Speakers Association.Jim and Naomi are both past Presidents of NSA, and Cavett Award Recipients.

Asking Great Questions

Over the years, I’ve learned a lot from watching Jim approach new people and start a conversation by asking great questions. I saw this on the QM2 as he engaged in a wonderful discussion with Dr. Payne about the design and construction of this amazing ship. At dinner that evening, Jim shared with me some facts, information, and insights that he had gathered from his conversation with the naval architect and ship builder.

Mentors, Coaches, and Masterminds

As a leader in Home Care, I hope you also have an unquenchable thirst for learning. And I hope you have developed the skill of asking great questions when you meet new people.

If not, you may want to explore some other ways of developing new skills, strategies, and insights to grow your business. You may know another experienced Home Care owner who is not a competitor, and who would be willing to serve as a mentor.

Or, you could reach out to one of several experience Home Care coaches who will provide one-on-one guidance and strategic advice.

Or, you could explore joining a Home Care CEO Mastermind Group, where you can meet regularly with other owners of companies your size who are not competitors to share ideals, solve problems, and support one another.

If you would like to have a conversation about coaching or masterminds, feel free to reach out to me.