Do you have a strong sense of purpose for your life? Can you name 10 people that you know that have a strong sense of purpose for their lives? Management experts teach that the number of people today who lack a strong sense of purpose is astounding. In fact the pundits offer that:
50% of people don’t pay any attention to where they are going;
40% of people are undecided and will go in any direction; and
9% of people know what they want but don’t make provisions to get what they want:
1% of people create the direction all of us have to follow because these folk create change.
Can you think of life before Microsoft Windows; can you think of life before cellular phones; can you think of life before facsimiles; can you think of life before OPEC; can you think of life before Velcro; can you think of travel before 9/11? All these events that now shape our lives were created by the 1% of people who shape our lives. The sad thing for me is that all of us have the seed to produce change and most of us ignore it and allow change to seed us.
You can determine today, however, to set your goals and then develop a plan of action to achieve them. Keep your goals simple and achievable – you may be in a place in life that your daily goal is just to get out of bed and come to work, but then don’t get stuck there! After this routine is established, then make another goal, and then achieve it. Don’t worry about set-backs or challenges. Just keep your eyes on the prize!
Have a GREAT GOAL setting day!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Naysayers
Remember that the race is not given to the SWIFT, but to those that endure to the end. Always be encouraged and not distracted by the naysayers!
If we as a team embrace the same values, then we as a team will have a connection to one another. It is important on a daily basis to articulate our team values such as DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME; having integrity; using our intelligence to solve problems; and making the best of each day!
As we articulate and compare our values it becomes clear that there are always people who will not SUPPORT the common values but cannot tell you why, other than the fact that they wish not to be supportive. These TEAM members seem to always need coaching and always have a reason why SOMEONE else is the source of their problems and not THEMSELVES. When you have TEAM mates such as these, what should you do? Here are some hints:
Instead of buying into their excuses, encourage them to perform to the standards as set forth by leader.
Use yourself as the example of someone who is able to perform at the expected levels.
Encourage them not to be disgruntled.
Encourage them to seek help to improve their performance.
Encourage them to be adults and accept responsibility for their lack of performance.
Remind them that all of us face challenges and it's how we conquer the challenges that defines us as people.
NEVER JUST LISTEN without responding in a manner that promotes the TEAM. Silence is never golden with nay sayers -— they actually use your silence to state that you are in agreement with their opinion!
Misery always loves company. Don’t buy into the negative hype!
If we as a team embrace the same values, then we as a team will have a connection to one another. It is important on a daily basis to articulate our team values such as DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME; having integrity; using our intelligence to solve problems; and making the best of each day!
As we articulate and compare our values it becomes clear that there are always people who will not SUPPORT the common values but cannot tell you why, other than the fact that they wish not to be supportive. These TEAM members seem to always need coaching and always have a reason why SOMEONE else is the source of their problems and not THEMSELVES. When you have TEAM mates such as these, what should you do? Here are some hints:
Instead of buying into their excuses, encourage them to perform to the standards as set forth by leader.
Use yourself as the example of someone who is able to perform at the expected levels.
Encourage them not to be disgruntled.
Encourage them to seek help to improve their performance.
Encourage them to be adults and accept responsibility for their lack of performance.
Remind them that all of us face challenges and it's how we conquer the challenges that defines us as people.
NEVER JUST LISTEN without responding in a manner that promotes the TEAM. Silence is never golden with nay sayers -— they actually use your silence to state that you are in agreement with their opinion!
Misery always loves company. Don’t buy into the negative hype!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Visualize
Remember that one of the habits of highly successful people is the ability to visualize. Great vision precedes great achievement. A team without vision is at worst, purposeless. At best, it is subject to the personal and sometimes selfish agendas of various teammates.
One of the jobs of the leader is to state the vision and then keep the vision in front of the team... Now you would think that everyone could get behind a VISION that so positively affects the members we serve, but there are people who both criticize the vision and the visionary. This speaks more for their lack of leadership potential then the vision.
Remember that Einstein once said, GREAT VISIONS are always OPPOSED by Mediocre minds and people (paraphrased). Don’t be Mediocre! Decide today to be a leader. State your own vision and then get behind it!
One of the jobs of the leader is to state the vision and then keep the vision in front of the team... Now you would think that everyone could get behind a VISION that so positively affects the members we serve, but there are people who both criticize the vision and the visionary. This speaks more for their lack of leadership potential then the vision.
Remember that Einstein once said, GREAT VISIONS are always OPPOSED by Mediocre minds and people (paraphrased). Don’t be Mediocre! Decide today to be a leader. State your own vision and then get behind it!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Leadership
Now that we have covered the 7 habits of highly successful people, I want to focus on our taking those habits and gaining success both spiritually, personally and professionally as a corporation. Success is within each of us and therefore within the reach of each of us individually and collectively. Personal success requires the other twin tower, which is leadership! Success without leadership only brings limited effectiveness. A person’s impact is only a fraction of what it could be with good leadership.
Leadership is also not related to the position you hold in a company, in your family or in your own life. Martin Luther King said, we can all be leaders because we can all serve. True leaders understand the concept of willful and voluntary service.
Someone I know used to work as a secretary in a law firm. As the secretary her duties included getting coffee for her boss, answering his phones, sorting his correspondence and keeping his calendar. One day her boss was having a meeting and asked that she wipe down the chalk board. She was not happy that she was asked and instead of wiping down the chalk board fully she only wiped down that portion of the board she could reach.
She was never asked to wipe the chalk board again, but who won the “contest”? In this situation the “second mile” would have been to wipe the entire board because at the point you are walking the second mile you are in control and the one imposing the task on you. All of us can demonstrate leadership in our specific roles. Leadership will take place when we can learn the lesson of servitude with gladness in our hearts.
Look at our economy and the economy of other countries. Those countries in which each person is invested in the success of the country, like China and India, are winning because they are all working with one common purpose. Think of how great our organization would be if none of us cared who got the credit or the BLAME!
Leadership is also not related to the position you hold in a company, in your family or in your own life. Martin Luther King said, we can all be leaders because we can all serve. True leaders understand the concept of willful and voluntary service.
Someone I know used to work as a secretary in a law firm. As the secretary her duties included getting coffee for her boss, answering his phones, sorting his correspondence and keeping his calendar. One day her boss was having a meeting and asked that she wipe down the chalk board. She was not happy that she was asked and instead of wiping down the chalk board fully she only wiped down that portion of the board she could reach.
She was never asked to wipe the chalk board again, but who won the “contest”? In this situation the “second mile” would have been to wipe the entire board because at the point you are walking the second mile you are in control and the one imposing the task on you. All of us can demonstrate leadership in our specific roles. Leadership will take place when we can learn the lesson of servitude with gladness in our hearts.
Look at our economy and the economy of other countries. Those countries in which each person is invested in the success of the country, like China and India, are winning because they are all working with one common purpose. Think of how great our organization would be if none of us cared who got the credit or the BLAME!
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