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Entrepreneurial Speech by Mr. Narayan Murthy

Hi All,

An excellent speech of Mr. Narayan Murthy, Chief Mentor of Infosys, on Reflection of an Entrepreneur to the Wharton graduating MBA class of 2001.

It reminds us What is an Entrepreneurship in today’s scenario?, that is also in such a time where we all are hearing about Scams and lack of Corporate Governance and all unethical business practices.

I am strongly recommending you to read his speech. A class of its own.
 

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Your Performing Edge: Top 10 Tips !!

"Cutting Edge" or "Competitive Edge" are buzzwords of today's business. However , it is the performance which provides these two edges.So , let us have a look on this aspect, PERFORMANCE EDGE through an article, which I am giving below.It is taken from the book " Your Performance Edge" written by JoAnn Dahlkoetter.


Power Imagery:
Visualization is not something you do only in the quiet of your bedroom. Use your mental images throughout the workout to create feelings of speed and power. (e.g., When you come to an unexpected hill visualize a magnet pulling you effortlessly to the top).

Positive Attitude:
Use everything in the workout to your advantage. For example, if another athlete passes you, tuck in behind and go with his or her energy for as long as possible. You may catch a “second wind” and be carried on to a new personal record.

Mindfulness:
Practice being in the present moment. Remind yourself to stay in the here and now. Let past and future events fade into the background.

Short-term Goals:
Focus on your immediate target. Break your training down into small, manageable pieces and begin to focus only on the first portion, not the entire workout (e.g., Say to yourself: “I’m just relaxing and getting my rhythm during the first mile”).

Association:
Pay close attention to your tension level and training form. Do a body scan while working out and relax your tight muscles frequently. Ask yourself: “Are my shoulders and neck relaxed; how does this pace feel; how much energy is left in my legs?”

Pain Manangement:
If you have “good pain” that is not seriously damaging your body, just shift attention to your breathing or cadence of movement, and let the discomfort fade into the background. You can also use the pain as feedback. Register it not as pain but as effort level. Say: “Now I know exactly how hard I’m working. I know how this pace feels. My body is doing what it should be doing.”

Process Not Outcome:
Look only at what you need to do right now (e.g., pace, breathing, concentration); your final time, place, or score will take care of itself.

Focused Attention:
Be aware of distractions. Breathe out unwanted thoughts with your next exhale and re-focus your attention instantly on what is important.

Affirmations:
Make positive self-statements continually. Negative thinking is quite common; everyone has an inner critic. Become aware of these thoughts early on. Don’t fight with them; simply acknowledge their presence, and then substitute a positive affirmation. (e.g., When you’re thinking: “This hurts too much, I want to lie down and die”; say to yourself: “This feeling is connected with going faster and doing my absolute best”).

Enjoyment:
Celebrate your fitness and strength. When the competition arrives, let your body do what you’ve trained it to do. Remember that your goals are realistic. All you need to do is perform up to your capabilities. ​

 
HOW TO GET MORE FROM LIFE EACH DAY !!

Given below is an article on "HOW TO GET MORE FROM LIFE EACH DAY" by Craig Lock.

* Focus on one day at a time.

* Live the moment.

* Forget yesterday and look forward to tomorrow. If you are guilty about
what happened yesterday, or are anxious about what might happen
tomorrow, your energy will be dissipated.

* Plan your work, then work your plan.

* What good and bad habits have you developed? Reinforce the good daily
patterns and break the bad.

* Be an "early bird".

Habits start as consciously made decisions, eg.. what time to get up.
Once established, good habits become second nature.
Success is the result of habit. It depends not so much on doing the
unusual, but on doing the commonplace unusually well.
DON'T PROCRASTINATE - DO IT NOW
Don't confuse being busy with working efficiently - activities can be
tension-relieving, not goal achieving. By concentrating on fewer,
priorities regularly on a fixed schedule, you can achieve a lot more in
less time.
IS TIME THE PROBLEM OR ARE YOU?
[FONT=times new
roman]Draw up a daily "to do" list. Rank priority tasks (the important few),
as well as the trivial many. This allows you to focus on fewer things
and achieve more. Sort into A, B & C's
A's are important and urgent. Must do today.
B's are important and not urgent. Want to do today. C's are not important. Today, if possible or delegate.
TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS:
1. LIST YOUR GOALS AND SET PRIORITIES: * Life Goals
* Work Goals
* Identify Short Term A's.
2. MAKE A DAILY "TO DO" LIST
* Set A B C's
* Don't schedule every minute of the day.
3. Start with A's - NOT WITH C's
A's are 80% of everything. Make inroads into A's every chance you get. Use the 'Swiss Cheese' approach, ie. Identify small tasks that will poke
a hole in a big one. Do these in your odd moments. Do anything that moves A along.
4. ASK YOURSELF: WHAT IS THE BEST USE OF MY TIME RIGHT NOW?
Why waste time on C's if you've an A to do? Fight habits and just filling in time.
5. HANDLE EACH PIECE OF PAPER ONLY ONCE
Have a C drawer
6. DO IT NOW!
Decide you can do it right away. Itemise (write it down) Categorise
Prioritise
Crystallise
SOME COMMON TIME WASTERS
1. Telephone Interruptions 2. Drop-in Visitors
3. Meetings
4. Crisis Management 5. Lack of Objectives, Priorities a Daily plan 6. Cluttered Desk, Personal Disorganisation. 7. Ineffective Delegation 8. Attempting too Much at Once 9. Lack of Clear Communication 10. Inadequate, Inaccurate Delayed Information 11. Indecision and Procrastination 12. Confused Responsibility and Authority. 13. Inability to Say "No". 14. Leaving Tasks Unfinished 15. Lack of Self-Discipline
MORE COMMON TIME WASTERS (IN RANK)
1. Planning (lack of). 2. Priorities (lack of) 3. Telephone interruptions 4. Disorganisation/cluttered desk 5. Procrastination 6. Visitors 7. Lack of Self Discipline 8. Ineffective delegation 9. Attempting too much 10. Inability to say 'No'
TIME TIPS FOR THE BUSY
Get the news only once a day - in only one form - read the paper or
watch television or listen to the radio, but vary the form so you don't
get the news through one bias. Don't worry about or spend time on
things irrelevant to you, eg.. reading every bit of the newspaper. Unless it is crucial for your business, the news is not only depressing
(don't worry about it, unless you can do something about it), but it
gives a distorted picture of life. If you can't sleep, don't waste time lying in bed. Get up and do
something. Use an answer phone. Walk out of a poor movie or show. You've already wasted the money -
so don't waste the time as well. Plan your leisure. Don't expect your free time to fall into place by
itself. Plan your weekends as carefully as you plan your weeks...and
it's OK to do nothing.
PLANNING is the key. Make a conscious decision to plan more. Most
people's lives are too busy to think clearly about what they really want
out of life, yet I believe we can do our "best" thinking whilst relaxing
(like when walking or jogging)
Trust your instincts and BELIEVE in YOURSELF If you have the will, you Do have the Power to change any aspect of
your life...so,
WHEN YOU TAKE CONTROL OF TIME, YOU TAKE CONTROL OVER YOUR LIFE.

































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Top Ten Ways to Generate Brilliant Ideas !!

Here you will find ten of the best methods I have used in my organisation for idea generation. They have worked for me very well. I now share them with you. I trust they will assist you in your endeavours as they have done with mine.

1) DEFINE THE PROBLEM
To generate ideas to solve business problems we all need a starting point. You will not be able to fly from New York to Frankfurt, Germany until you first arrive at JFK. If you don't exactly know where you are you will need a map to pinpoint your current location and then gradually work your way to JFK airport.
[FONT=times new
roman]It is imperative that you establish where you are before looking to progress. In other words study the map that will take you to New York thoroughly. [/FONT]
2) BRAINSTORMING
You have quite probably heard of this brilliant method. Simply, when a group of people get together and simply write down as much as you can in relation to the objectives outlined. Don't worry about about strategic planning or anything like that. Concentrate solely on idea generation. Place a time limit on the group and choose the location and the time well so that they are conducive to performance.
Make sure that everybody is at their peak and has been instructed to "Think Big". I have been able to move mountains after a very healthy brainstorming session.
3) FOCUS ENTIRELY ON WHAT YOU WANT
To give your ideas the best chance to sprout for your business solutions you are going to need to switch off to outside influences. Tolerate nothing! Eradicate the distractions, the daily frustrations and predictable dramas of your life once and for all!
Don't just fix the problem, re-design your routine so the predictable irritations can't ever bother you again!
4) HAVE A GENUINE INTEREST IN WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SOLVE
Do you remember your schooling days when you participated in sports (or particular class subjects) that you absolutely detested; as back then, they were compulsory? Do you remember how good you were at these activities? Probably not as it doesn't present itself as a good memory. But it's probably safe to say that you didn't perform well.
It's very very difficult to perform magnificently at something you're not overly fond of. If you have a vested interest in what it is you're trying to do, the likelihod of success is multiplied substantially. If you are trying to solve something that bores you to tears for heavens sake give it to someone who really likes it. This concept encompasses teamwork which is another subject altogether. [FONT=times new
roman]If you are self-employed you will have an automatic interest (taking into account that you have a vision of what you want your business to become). [/FONT]
5) LOOK AT PARALLEL PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
Relate your current problem to one that you had in the past and check for parallels between the two. The way(s) earlier problems were solved can assist you greatly in generating ideas to solve subsequent situations that present themselves.
Think laterally, think vertically, think logically. The best ideas will always come from groups working for the common goal. Give your group as much opportunity to be creative by listening twice as much as speaking. Do this as informally as possible and get past situations into the open. You can then draw on the past successes and take them a step further with the challenge of today.
6) LOOK AT EACH TASK AS A CHALLENGE
It's true that if you look at a problem simply as a "problem" then that is exactly how many will look at it. Sure it is a problem and therefore, needs a solution. However, this thought should not be in the forefront of the mind when looking to turn this "problem" into an "asset".
The word, "problem" tends to sum up negative thoughts within us. It is these negative thoughts that can almost act as a barrier to its resolution. Now if we turn the coin over and look at it from the other side (using our example in step 1) we can look at the trip from wherever we are to New York as an adventurous challenge. It is simply by this method that we have more positive thoughts within our mind and are more likely to enjoy ourselves along the way presented with an interesting challenge as opposed to a potentially difficult problem. Just look at the goal. How happy will you be when you arrive at Frankfurt?
7) TURN THE CHALLENGE/PROBLEM INTO A CATCHY _EXPRESSION
Okay we have looked at using past example and creating parallels to "answer our challenge". One step further is to present the challenge as a catchphrase.
Using our same example: 'Aunty Jackies For Christmas' 'Frankfurt Or Bust' (Hmmm!! This one's a bit old) 'Europe For The Summer' 'Dream Trip Of A Lifetime' 'The European Cultural Experience' 'Tomorrow travel at 250kmh legally' Doing this will give everyone an idea of the benefits associated with the attainment of the problem at hand. It puts them in the situation that they are already there. It's so much easier to get there with a popular vision on the mind. What _expression would you suggest?
8) DAYDREAM!!! LET YOUR CEATIVE SUB-CONSCIOUS WORK FOR YOU!!!
It's no strange coincidence that during the time you drive along staring out the window, sleep in your bed, undertake your daily duties at work or anything for that matter your sub-conscious continues to work for you (even though you may not always be fully aware of this).
How often have you been doing something totally unrelated and then suddenly an idea snaps into your mind? Often? Sometimes? Never? In any case after you have put considerable time into solving your problem you will find your inner mind will work for you. Sometimes if you try too hard to solve something you end up with nothing short of major frustration. So, as the _expression goes "chill out", have a break and sleep on it. You may be surprised at how successful switching off can be.
9) ALTER YOUR ROUTINE REGULARLY
Have you ever noticed how easily we accumulate habits. Many habits can actually stifle your creativity. If you are someone who:
'travels the same route each day' 'work at the same desk and task day in day out' 'mix with the same people regularly' 'take your annual holidays to the same destination each year' To continue generating healthy ideas to better our work, our surroundings, our family etc we must continually be looking for "newness". Familiarity is very good in that it makes us feel very very secure. It is this very security that closes our mind to change and restricts our creative abilities. Take the bus or the train across town or maybe even just a different route from time to time, broaden your job responsibilities, take on another sport or leisure activity and meet some different people with a different outlook. You will be quietly surprised at how much positive energy you will get from doing things as small as that outlined above.
10) CARRY A NOTEPAD
I always have a notepad with me. I am now at the point where I can't live without one of the most simple devices known to man, which has probably been around almost since the days of the "Cave Man".
A pen with a pocket size pad is brilliant as you can capture every idea that comes to you. It's absolutely useless to say "I'll write it down later" as the chances are very slim that you will in fact do that at all. They will be your ideas. Capture them, preserve them, apply them.
I hope you enjoyed this article today.

Think Successfully


By Darren Roberts

 
The Top 10 Tips for Multi-tasking !!

We normally make a list of pending / important tasks on previous Friday or on Monday and address them one by one.

Here is an article by Stephanie McDilda which tells us about ways and means of doing multi-tasking effectively.


Multi-tasking is a very misunderstood activity. Most people claim to be multi-tasking, when what they are really doing is wearing themselves out trying to do too many things at once. Here are some tips for helping you multi-task effectively without burning yourself out.​

1.Pair activities that require a lot of mental attention with those that require little or no mental attention.​
Many people make the mistake of attempting to do two activities which both require mental focus at the same time. Multi-tasking works best when you pair an activity that requires your attention with another that doesn't. For example, you might read while peddling your stationery bike.​

2. Make a plan.​
Having a written plan for the things that I need to do helps me identify which things can be done at the same time. It also helps me see things that can be delegated, and things that will be more effective if done in a sequence. Before I learned to multi-task, I would run out in the morning and do two errands. Then I would run out at lunch and do another, then two more after work. Now I have learned how to map an effective route through town that will let me hit all of my errands efficiently and get them out of the way in one quick trip.​

3. Make your wait time productive.​
Never allow someone else to waste your time. Almost everywhere I go, I carry a small tote bag (or a brief case if you prefer). I carry reading materials, such as a magazine or book, note cards, bills and my checkbook, etc. Carry work related materials if you prefer – the latest proposal you need to read, or a report that requires your feedback. When you are forced to wait pull out something you can do to make your wait productive.​

4. Leverage the time of others.​
Are you someone who feels that you have to do everything yourself? If you can get others to pitch in, the work gets done faster and, technically, you are doing more than one thing at a time. Remember, you do not have to do something yourself to know that you have completed the task. Delegate.
Ask your spouse to take out the trash while you do the dishes. Have friends over for a covered dish or potluck supper. Everyone agrees to bring something and it is not only less work for you, but you get to try out each other's special dishes. Ask your teammates at work to help out with a project. Remember that asking for help from your friends or co-workers also implies a relationship in which you will at some time be the giver instead of the receiver. Hire.
If you can afford it, hire others to do the work you hate or which you feel is not a good use of your time. This also provides an income for someone else. A good example would be hiring a housekeeper or a yard service. While they are cleaning your house or mowing your grass, you can be doing something else. Accept offers of assistance.
When someone offers to do something, or help with something – let them! Unless you believe there are strings attached, accept any sincere offer of assistance... and be willing to reciprocate when appropriate.


​

5. TV time is a great time for multi-tasking.​
I try to limit my television viewing to special shows. If you really don't want to turn the TV off, try to add another activity. Some people will exercise while watching TV – maybe you can put your treadmill or stationery bike where you can view the TV, or make an agreement with yourself that you will do push ups or crunches on every commercial. I also use TV time to read magazines, pay bills, send notes and cards, or cross-stitch.​

6. Group similar activities.​
It is important to me that I keep up with my friends and business associates. I have a group of girlfriends that I enjoy seeing regularly. They all know and like each other, so rather than meeting with or having lunch with each of them separately, we schedule a "Girlfriend" outing at least once a month and everyone gets together at the same time. Likewise, I have a group of business associates that all know and enjoy each other. Rather than schedule four separate lunch meetings, we will plan lunch or dinner as a group, and everyone catches up at the same time. Give your wallet and waistline a break. Unless you need to discuss something confidential or pertinent to only one person, try a group gathering.​

7. Take advantage of technology.​
A portable phone will allow you to pick up stuff around the living room while chatting on the phone. (A cordless headset will give you two hands free!) I work from home and will usually run the dishwasher and the washing machine while I am working. A website can be used to market your business, and even generate income while you sleep. (I should mention here that I am NOT a big advocate for talking on your cell phone while driving.)​

8. Involve the people you cherish in your activities.​
One of the most difficult things about our busy schedules is having the time to do community service, or other activities and still spend time with the people you love. Use multi-tasking by involving those you love in your activities. Find a community service activity where you can involve your kids, friends, or significant other. If you have younger children consider becoming a scout leader or sports coach so that you can donate your time and be with your children. Teenagers can be involved in more sophisticated activities like volunteering with you at the Food Bank or Habitat for Humanity. I often recruit friends to go shopping with me. My husband and I work out together at the gym. Get creative. See how you can do the things you want and still spend time with the ones you love and enjoy.​

9. Many hands make light work.​
Another opportunity to flex your creative muscle. Every year at Christmas, one of my close friends (a single woman) has a tree trimming party. She provides dinner, and the friends gather together to put up and decorate her tree. Consider a cookout/car wash. Have your friends meet at noon and bring a dish for a cookout. Have a ball washing everyone's car. In late afternoon, wrap up with a cookout. Remind everyone to bring dry clothes... I think you might need them.​

10. Remember that some things deserve your undivided attention.​
You wouldn’t want your surgeon watching TV while removing your appendix! Some things are so important that they require your full attention. I never multi-task my quality time with my spouse and kids. (Almost never, see #8 above.) I also give my time with God priority. Don't attempt to multi-task while praying, meditating, or sitting in church. Remember, too, that problems or issues at work or home will be handled most effectively if you will give them your complete focus.​



By Stephanie McDilda
 
Made for Success- Ability, Motivation, Attitude, Opportunity and Focus !!

Get a New Attitude

One of the first and foremost things to do to change your life is to change your attitude. Attitude is fundamental to the success or failure that we experience in our life. Are you less successful than you would like to be? Do you have the money you want? Do you have the family you want? Do you have the job that you want? If you answered “no” to any of the questions above, then you may want to take a look at your attitude, because so much depends on it!

“Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it,” says Irving Berlin. It is true. Now don’t get me wrong, that 10 percent is M-A-J-O-R, but even bigger than that is what your attitude is. So, do everything that you can – action wise – to make your life an absolute success. But when you are done acting, you will only have what you have. It may be big and it may be little. But it is what you have to live with. Now the biggest key will be what your attitude is toward what your actions have brought to you. One person will work and be happy with it. Another will work, achieve the same thing and have a terrible attitude about it. Who will achieve the most successful life? My bet is on the one with the best attitude.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven.” It is all in what value you give to it! You see, you may look at one thing and say “That’s terrible,” while another person may say, “That’s great!” A simple example would be a half a ham sandwich. Now, if you are used to filet mignon, you are going to think, “A measly old ham sandwich? Is that it?” But a starving person would have a very different viewpoint! They would think, “I won the lunch lottery!

Another reason to keep in mind that our attitude is so very important is because often times the attitude we demonstrate is exactly what we will get back to us. The great Earl Nightingale said, “Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us.” Think about it. You walk into a store and say to the clerk, “Hey lady, do you think you could get off your duff and tell me where I can find the milk?” What kind of attitude do you think you will get back? Instead, we should go in and say, “Excuse me, but would you be so kind as to tell me where I could find the milk?” You will get a good attitude back from that! The same is true in every area of our lives. Do you find that others have a bad attitude toward you? Then maybe you have a bad attitude toward them. The old saying is true that you reap what you sow. If you are reaping bad attitudes, you are probably sowing bad attitudes. Take a closer look, and you may find the key to turning your life around.

“There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” W. Clement Stone. Let’s face it, there is little difference in people physically or intellectually. But what does make the difference is the attitude. You can take two people of similar background, education, skill and intelligence and find that one is the kind of person you are looking for because of a positive attitude while the other is a complete dud – the eternal pessimist! Your attitude is the big difference.

What is your attitude? Is it positive or negative? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I guarantee you, no matter what your attitude is, it is affecting you – and your success. Take this test: Purposefully upgrade your attitude for 90 days and see if life doesn’t begin to change for you! Pick a few areas where you can make a change. For example, begin to trust people and believe the best in them and see if your relationships begin to change!
If you’re stuck or if you just want to go to the next level of success, it’s time to “Get a New Attitude!”

Ability, Motivation, and Attitude
“Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Lou Holtz.
There are three primary aspects of your life that will determine whether or not you are successful in your endeavors. You will not be successful if you have only one or two. You must have all three working together. Consider them like the three legs of a “stool of success.”

Ability – the level at which you are able to actually do things. Your skill level. If you have a high level of skill, that’s good. And the better you get, the better it will be for you. To the degree that you can perform your actions at higher and higher skill levels, the more and more success you will find in your chosen field.

Motivation – the level at which you are able to find “a reason to act.” This is the internal drive that you find that enables you to exercise your abilities. To the degree that you can find a way, or ways, to keep yourself motivated, you will see yourself right in the thick of things, carrying out your actions to the best of your abilities and succeeding accordingly.

Attitude – this is the mental state that you have while carrying out your actions to the best of your ability. It is the way you view the world around you and choose to see it, either positively or negatively. To the degree that you can maintain a positive attitude about yourself, others, and the circumstances you find yourself in, you will see yourself achieving greater and greater things.
“But Chris, can’t I get away with just two?”
No.
What if you have high skills and motivation but a rotten attitude? People will stay away and hinder your success. What if you have a good attitude and motivation but poor skills? People will like you, maybe even root for you, but go to someone else with the skills they need. What if you have great skills and attitude but no motivation? Well, you’ll be sitting on the couch like a lazy slug while the go-getters are out there making your money and achieving your dreams!
No, it takes all three. So let’s ask some questions:

Ability: How highly skilled are you? Is your skill level holding you back? How so? What could you achieve if you just took your skills to the next level beyond where they are right now? How would improving your skills improve the bottom line of your success?

Motivation: How motivated are you? Why do you answer that way? What would your spouse or close friends say? Would they say you are as motivated as you say you are? Why or why not? Why do you have the level of motivation that you have? What could you do to find a higher level of motivation? What would happen if you became super motivated for the next period of your life. What great things would happen?

Attitude: Do you have a good attitude or a poor one? How would you rate yourself? What about when things go wrong? Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist? What would happen if you took your attitude to the next level for the next 60 days? What if you just chose to have an incredible attitude? What would be the ramifications?
“The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts.” Booker T. Washington.
This is so true. People will judge you on what you accomplish, not what you know or what you talk about. In fact, if you know a lot or talk a lot but do not accomplish anything, people will wonder what happened. So the question is whether or not you will take the actions necessary to deliver on your potential. To do so, you will need to focus in on the three legs of the stool of success: Your ability, your motivation, and your attitude.
Take some time this week to give some serious thought to these three areas. Your success depends on it! And when you have done some reflection – put the conclusions you come to into action!

When the Door of Opportunity Opens
Anybody can achieve anything – do you believe that? I do.
But there is a caveat that must be made. Those who succeed are those who walk through the door of opportunity when it swings open. That we know. But what is the secret to getting through the door of opportunity?
Being outside the door when it swings open.
As the story goes, Frank Sinatra got his big break while working as a waiter. One day, as he was waiting tables, who does he see sitting in the restaurant, but one of the biggest names in the music industry. Old Blue Eyes did the unbelievable: He cleared off a table next to the gentleman and got up on it and sang! He knew he was done at the restaurant for doing so, but how many times would this door of opportunity open up? Needless to say, the rest is history.
You may remember my article about the stagehand for Kenny G who one day was in the auditorium with Kenny, just the two of them, when he started to play every song for him on the piano that was set up. Kenny didn’t even know the guy could play the piano. Guess who is now the lead keyboardist for Kenny G? You got it!

You see, you never know when the door of opportunity is going to open wide. For some, the big break comes early in life and for others later on. But for all of those who become successful, there is one key similarity: They were ready. And for every one of those who were ready, there were thousands more who weren’t.

So, the principle for us is: Be ready!
Are you ready? Here are some thoughts for you to consider.
Are your skills as sharp as they could be? Are they enough so when your shot comes you can perform?
Is your character deep enough to handle success? Let’s face it; you don’t want big success if your character won’t be able to handle it.

Are you working hard to position yourself now? The job to do while waiting for the door to open is to develop your skills and your character, so as to position yourself to get through that door before it closes.

Your door will open someday. It opens for everyone. It may only open once or it may open many times. It is different for everyone and life just isn’t fair that way. But everybody gets a shot. Will you be ready?
When that huge door of opportunity opens up, will you be able to walk boldly through it?

Do everything you can to be ready. Don’t just sit and wish and dream. Be proactive and make sure that you are the most qualified when the door opens. Make sure that you are the hardest worker. Make sure you are the closest to the door.
When it opens – Be Ready!
Shhh. Do you hear that? Hinges creaking! It is the sound of the door opening. Your door of opportunity! Are you ready?

The Secret to Intense Focus
One of the common elements you see in almost all successful people is focus. They saw what they wanted to achieve and they focused in on it like a laser. Then, when they become famous and we, the common folk, know their name, we are amazed at the focus they have.
Focus will set two people apart who have equal skills.
What I am about to say may appear to be blasphemous to some:
Tiger Woods is not that much more highly skilled than the other top PGA players!
No, I haven’t lost my marbles. Take any of the big names and stick them on any course and on any given day they can shoot a 65 for 18 holes. You see, it isn’t whether they can – they all CAN – it is whether or not they DO. And that is determined mostly by F-O-C-U-S.

Watch Tiger sometime in a close race to the finish. Watch when he hits a bad shot. Does he fall apart and grumble to anyone who will listen? No! In fact it is almost eerie to watch him lock back in, even more focused than ever. THAT is what makes him a champion. I truly believe it is Tiger’s focus that has distinguished him from the rest of the field to become the best golfer ever.
The same is true with others who achieve great things, even in crucial and highly tense situations. Think John Elway in those final minutes of those games he brought the Broncos back in. Think of all of those last second shots that Michael Jordan took (that everyone in the entire arena knew he was going to take – including the other team). These were classic examples of focus.
So what can the average person do to increase their focus? There are some things to do to train yourself. You may never be Tiger Woods, either on the golf course or in the office, but you can increase your focus to where it needs to be to give you the success you desire.

In the remaining part of this article I want to show you how to stay away from a common mistake and turn toward a discipline of focus that will be the first step in greatly enhancing your ability to focus. I will show you a practice technique to use that will greatly enhance your focus and your performance.

The myth is that to focus we must push other things out of your mind. For example, people will say to an athlete, “Don’t listen to the fans.” Or someone will say to another, “Don’t think about…” This doesn’t work! For example, right now, do not picture your car. You thought of it right? Exactly. This myth actually gets you to focus on exactly what you don’t want to focus on!

Instead, the secret to intense focus is to set your mind intently on what it is you want to focus in on. For example (I’m hoping we have some golfers here – and if not, make the changes you need to, but you should get the point), let’s say you are standing over a ten foot putt. What do you want to focus on? Making that putt! So what are the elements you should be aware of? Then focus on them. But go beyond mere observation. Most people just look at the line of the putt, take a guess on how hard to hit and fire away…

Here are some other things to do (remember the process here is to get you highly aware of your surroundings and to focus with intensity):

Look at the hole. Is the plastic cup even with the top of the grass or is it sunken in? How much? Bet you never noticed that before. Does the grass tip in at the edge or is it even? How long is the grass between you and the hole? Does it waver in length from foot to foot? Is there sand along the way in your path? How much? What color? What size? Is it even or just for a section? Are there any bugs sitting on the ground between you and the hole? Does the hill go up or down at all? Not significantly – you would have already noticed that – but even slightly? Is there a slight wind? Can you feel it blowing on your face? Lastly, imagine that ball rolling along that path, curving slightly if it has to, and falling in the hole. I mean, really create that movie in your head and watch it!
Chris, is this the secret to making your putts? No, but it’s an example of how to focus… Be observant. Notice. Focus. Lock into your focal point(s).

The same could be done at a business meeting with all of the people there, what questions they are asking, what points are being made, what may come next, what the others are wearing, why they chose that outfit for this meeting (What they were trying to accomplish etc).
The myth of most focus advice is to try to not focus on bad things. The secret to intense focus is to focus to a higher degree than you normally do on the “good things” – the things you are trying to accomplish!
Give it a try for a week. Focus intensely on what it is you want to accomplish. Bring yourself to a much higher degree of awareness of the surroundings etc… and see for yourself the power behind this methodology!

Then when you have taught yourself to do this for practice, it will become a part of you and you will start to do it naturally and that will be an incredible day!


By Chris Widener
 
Lateral Leadership: Ignite your Team's Potential !!

Many CEOs are focused on improving efficiency, controlling costs and delivering better operational performance. They are working extremely hard in tough conditions. But they are acting as managers not leaders. Incremental improvement in the existing operations is not enough. In addition to improving current operations, leaders must spend time looking for entirely new ways to do things. They must find and implement different and better ways of meeting the overall goals. They should be starting bold, new initiatives - some of which will fail and some of which will succeed. Above all, they must inspire and empower their people to take a creative approach to new opportunities.

Sometimes the situation you are in is so tough that you just cannot work your way out of the problem. You have to think your way out of the problem. But most organisations are resistant to rapid and discontinuous change. They operate as they have operated in the past. It is as though they learnt to walk from A to B and now they are finding it tough to walk from B to C. So they try to walk faster. They work harder and try to improve efficiency but they are still not getting there. Instead of working harder they should be working smarter - and differently. There is a better way of getting from B to C than by walking - maybe it is cycling or riding or driving or taking a helicopter. There is a better way of reaching your organisation's goals and if you look hard enough you will find it. But you cannot look in a new direction by staring harder in the same direction.

The lateral leader is the kind of person who can create a climate of creativity by inspiring people to have the confidence to take risks and who can help them develop their skills in creative techniques. These leaders paint a vision for the organisation, communicate it and derive goals and objectives from the vision. They spend enormous effort on the culture of their team to make it open, questioning and receptive to new ideas.
The Three Platforms of the Lateral Leader are:

1)The Vision - a shared view of the destination to which the business is headed. It should be short, inspirational and readily understood to everyone. The Leader constantly reinforces the vision.


2)The Culture - which empowers individuals to be entrepreneurial, open to new ideas, questioning of all assumptions and boundaries and with a positive attitude to managing risk.


3)The Process - which includes; practices in place to generate a wealth of new ideas from routine improvement to crazy initiatives, response mechanisms for suggestions, funding for prototypes, evaluation methods to gate resource release


Leaders in every sector have a responsibility for initiating and directing change. Everyone has the shared responsibility of changing the business to make it better equipped to meet its changing goals and to keep finding innovative ways to deliver its objectives. Just doing better what you do today is not enough.

To do this requires a different style of leadership, lateral leadership. The conventional leader is fine when what is needed is command and control of a well-defined process. But for rapid and discontinuous change the lateral leader is better equipped. He or she focuses on developing the skills of the team in innovation, creativity, risk-taking and entrepreneurial endeavour. The lateral leader manages change by initiating it.


By Paul Sloane​
 
How to Read Your Boss' Mind !!

Looking for a pay raise or promotion? You’ll need your boss on your side. Before helping an employee up the ladder, bosses – either consciously or unconsciously – ask themselves seven questions. If you can put yourself in your boss’ place (it also works for audiences) and answer these queries, you’re much more likely to get the help you need

1)What can you get done for me?
A dream employee reflects favorably on the boss and the department, getting great results with minimal training and hand-holding. Your boss must be able to size up quickly, simply and clearly the value of your work.


2) Why is that important to me?
Your boss is looking for something that is important to him or her rather than to you. You may love some aspect of your work, but if it is of no value to your boss, who cares? Find out what the chief wants and needs most – and get it done. Then, without being too obvious, get it noticed.


3)Is that more than I’m getting now?
Whether they own up to it or not, everybody wants more. It’s not just about greed – having more offers some protection against having less at some other time. Getting more from you also lets your boss feel smart for having you around.


4)Is that better than I’m getting now?
Even bosses who desire quantity seek quality in your work. High-quality results that exceed expectations – not only of your boss, but your boss’ boss – will do wonders for your perceived worth.


5)Is that sooner than I’m getting it now?
Time is money. If you can deliver the results sooner than your boss expects, it distinguishes you from other employees who may have trouble meeting deadlines.


6)Does it cost less than I’m spending now?
Cost is vital to your boss. His budget is skimpy, but he has to make do. If your results far exceed your cost, you’re a diamond in the rough. Even considering cost sets you apart.


7)Is that less risky than what I’m doing now?
As much as bosses like the excitement of a throw-caution-to-the-wind new project, the potential slips and slides scare them more. Help your boss safely take on bigger and better projects.


By Mark Goulston
 
Leadership - Seeing, Describing, and Pursuing What's Possible !!

"We can be # 1 in our industry!"

Historians spend their lives dissecting the past; leaders focus their energies on the future. They see, describe, and pursue new possibilities with great vigor. Leaders are confident there is always something higher to achieve, a new level of excellence to attain.
The possibilities triangle includes the following:
  • Seeing what's possible
  • Describing what's possible
  • Pursuing what's possible

Seeing What's Possible
Leaders start by focusing on current reality. New presidents and CEOs often spend up to six months visiting company facilities meeting with employees at all levels. They probe, observe, and evaluate what people say, and how people think and behave. What's being accomplished? What's not getting done? In his book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don't, author Jim Collins says that great leaders have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts about the current situation. They cut through the hype and spin to uncover the truth.
However, leaders aren't satisfied with the status quo. They believe most people and organization are underperforming and capable of achieving and redefining their potential as new challenges are presented. A colleague states, "Leaders have bigger ideas and loftier goals in mind. They see opportunity while others only see - business as usual!" The major message in Tom Peters' new book, Re-imagine is just the point I'm making - discover what's possible. I encourage you to take this concept a step further by challenging yourself to see new possibilities everyday.

What is possible?
  • 100% customer satisfaction
  • Equal opportunities for all
  • Six sigma quality or zero defects
  • Being the world leader
  • Employees who love what they do

Non-leaders, bystanders stay focused on the status quo and obstacles that prohibit change. Their attitudes and assumptions paralyze them from exploring and uncovering new opportunities and possibilities. They often operate with one or more of the following mind-sets.
  • Stereotypes-"He's a bean counter. He could never be in Sales." "She's only a secretary. She could never be a team leader."
  • Theory X Assumptions - "Most people are lazy, irresponsible and don't want to work." "He's incapable of directing his own behavior."
  • Negative/Pessimistic - "We'll never solve that problem."

When people hold these assumptions, beliefs, and attitudes they aren't able to see the potential in people and organizations. They have no vision of what can be.
How do leaders discover what's possible? It starts with a fundamental belief in people: in their capacity to create new ideas, experiment, learn, adapt, grow, work as a unified team, and their will to create a better future. Some of the actions you can take to discover what's possible include:
  • Study The Best - Every chance you get observe the best-the top tennis player, the most efficiently run zoo, the company that annually receives outstanding customer service awards, etc. There are always new ideas and lessons to be learned from studying the attitudes and actions of the best performers.

  • Change Your Mission - Restate your business purpose or mission. For example, if I change my business mission from "to make buggy whips" to "to design and produce unique leather products," I'm opening my mind to consider a wide range of leather products such as belts, bags, pants, and wallets.

  • Be Curious - Ask Questions. "How can we cut cycle time by 50%?" My favorite questions are "why" and "what if." "Why do we have that procedure?" "What if we outsource the HR function?" The right question forces you to truly evaluate how something is currently being done and how it might be done differently.

  • Start With a Clean Sheet of Paper - Ask the question if you were starting out today how would you set up and operate your business? What would you do differently?

  • Travel - I'm a big believer in international travel. See first hand how businesses operate in other countries. Experiencing a totally different culture always helps me see new possibilities and opportunities.

  • Leave Your Comfort Zone - Tom Russell, author, trainer and publisher states, "When I think about what's possible I focus on what makes me uncomfortable. What lies just outside what I believe is possible. I find new opportunities and directions just beyond my comfort zone."

Bottom line - leaders discover new possibilities in terms of both what can be accomplished and how it can be done. As a parent, husband, teacher, and coach I have frequently asked the question-what possibilities do I see? What can my children become? How can my marriage evolve to a new level? What can my students achieve? If I can't see what's possible I can't lead. I have no direction to pursue without a vision.
What possibilities do you see for your team, department, and organization?

Describing What's Possible
Leaders not only see what's possible, but also describe what's possible. They describe what's possible in a clear, concise, and compelling manner. Leaders paint the picture of a better future in a way that people can visualize it, feel it, and connect with it.
How can you make your message stand out from the crowd? What makes Madonna stand out? She's bold and daring. She's provocative in her style, dress and delivery. What makes Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream "speech stand out as one of the best of all time? His message was simple - equal opportunity for all. However he packaged his message with colorful language, hit emotional cords and his presence was clearly felt.
Ho-hum messages go by unnoticed. Originality, boldness, daring, passion, and guts grab people's attention. What you say - the message and how you say it - the delivery are both critical to getting people's attention.

[FONT=times new
roman]Creating the Message [/FONT]
Leaders have to take their ideas regarding what's possible and organize these abstract thoughts into a powerful concrete presentation. Sometimes you only have a few minutes to informally present your ideas; while in other instances it may mean giving a 40-minute formal speech. They use many of the following techniques to create their presentation.
  • The Right Balance - Leaders package their message with the right balance of realism and optimism. They keep hope alive.

  • Keep It Simple - Boil things down to the core nitty-gritty. Leaders use simple stories, examples and illustrations to make their point.

  • Contrast - They often compare or contrast "what is" versus what "can be." Leaders talk about "good-bad," "right-wrong," "present-future." They boil things down to two options so people have a clear choice of what needs to be done and why. For example, "Our choice is to embrace risk and uncertainty as a challenge, or stay in our comfort zone and lose market share."

  • Stories - Nothing is more interesting than a good story. When leaders tell stories, they engage people both emotionally and intellectually. A senior executive told me, "The best stories are personal. They describe how someone faced difficulty, struggled, experienced fear and doubt, and eventually found a way to succeed. Memorable stories are simple but make a powerful point."

  • Colorful Language - They paint pictures. "The red BMW convertible…" is easy to visualize. Former President Reagan once said, "a trillion bucks amounts to a stack of dough as high as the Empire State Building."

  • Business Case - Present one-to-three reasons why change is needed. Most people want a clear definitive reason why they need to change and what's in it for them.

Delivering the Message
How do leaders deliver their message? They are:
Passionate
Energetic
Animated
Confident
Determined
Purposeful
Happy
Where do the passion, energy and fun come from? They're excited about the possibilities they see. Leaders love to discuss their vision. It's like an evangelist who wants to preach his message every chance he gets. In addition, they project confidence and certainty that they know where they are going and how to get there. Tricia Day, Chief Labor Relations Officer, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority states, "Having confidence in yourself and your beliefs provides the energy to be forceful and direct."
Leaders create a clear, focused, powerful message. Their delivery is animated, enthusiastic, and purposeful. However leaders don't create and deliver a "perfect speech" on their first try. It's like writing a book. Making revisions, editing, and fine-tuning are needed to make it focused and powerful.
Describe one possibility you see for yourself, your team, and your organization. Get feedback on the content and delivery of the message. In what ways could it be improved?

Pursuing What's Possible
Step one is seeing what's possible. Step two is describing what's possible. Step three is pursuing what's possible.
Talk is one thing. Execution - taking action is something quite different. "Walking the talk" means your actions had better match your words. A senior executive states, "I must set the example. If I don't take risks and show I'm willing to change how can I expect my direct reports to change? No one will stretch more than I do."
In addition to "setting the example" pursuing what's possible means helping people change. As people leave their comfort zone doubts and fears creep in. Fear of failure can become more pronounced as people move farther out of their comfort zone. Leaders help people find the courage, knowledge, and skills to make the needed changes. They provide the following support:
  • Psychological Support - Help people deal with their doubts and fears. Build people's confidence. Affirm their talents and determination to succeed. Remind people of their previous successes.

  • Training Support - Help people learn the "how-to-do-it" part of the equation. Change usually requires new knowledge and skills. Provide the target audience with the appropriate education and training. Help people use and apply their new skills.

  • Cheerleading Support - Provide frequent recognition and rewards for people's efforts and accomplishments. Plan and celebrate short-term wins. Momentum will increase if there are positive results early on.

  • Feedback Support - The best leaders give frequent and candid performance feedback. They let people know what they would like to see "more of," "less of," and what should continue unchanged. Performance feedback reinforces desired behavior and defines when new behavior is needed. Without feedback, employees are left to assume their performance is meeting or exceeding expectations.

Achieving what's possible requires focus, hard work, and determination. Expect problems and frustrations especially during the initial implementation. When the "rubber meets the road," it can be bumpy. There are always potholes and problems along the way. Some people will react with fears and doubts. "I don't think I can learn the new software." "I don't know how I'm going to handle being on three teams."
It's easy to get distracted and lose your focus. It's tempting to give up on your dream when problems and setbacks occur. However, leaders know the end result is worth the effort. They help everyone keep their eye on the "prize."
To what extent are you pursuing the possibilities you see for yourself and others? To what extent are you implementing your plan to achieve your goals?

Summary
Some people can't see beyond today. They have no vision. Other people see new possibilities but have trouble describing them clearly, concisely and convincingly. Still others see what's possible, describe it, but never take the first steps to achieve their vision. To be an effective leader all three actions - seeing what's possible, describing what's possible, and pursuing what's possible - are needed to lead and make a difference.

[SIZE=+0][/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0]By Paul B. Thornton[/SIZE]
 
The Genuine You !!

As we take on the unfinished agenda and the new priorities, it will be useful to pass through some thoughts which make us believe that remaining "genuine self" is the best foot forward.

Here are some views from Ralph Marston.


It is good to laugh when you find something funny. It is good to cry when you are sad.

You are a beautiful, unique living person, with hopes and dreams, feelings, values, opinions, thoughts and visions. It is good to let all that shine through.
People sometimes think they can appear sophisticated by denying who they truly are. Yet real sophistication and value comes from fully expressing your most genuine sentiments and truths in the way you live your life.
You'll never find fulfillment by trying to be someone you're not. You'll never find fulfillment by following someone else's dreams.
Life is always best when you live each moment as the real person you are. Though it can be painful and difficult at times, it is far better to live the genuine truth of your own being than to run and hide from it.
Go ahead and feel the joy, the pain, and fully live the ups and downs and twists and turns of the rich and wonderful life with which you're blessed. Be the real, genuine you, and there's no limit to the fulfillment you can know.
 
The Secret of Success !!

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." In the end, it's the persistent bulldog that will own the backyard.
Perhaps there's some hope for me, after all then!
It's in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." -- Anthony Robbins
"If you've tried to do something and failed you are much better off, than, if you tried to do nothing and succeeded."
I believe some essential qualities in achieving success in life are: # DRIVE
# PASSION
# ENERGY
# SELF BELIEF and INNER CONFIDENCE and most importantly
# HAVING A LIFE PURPOSE
HOW to do it?...Listen to that still inner voice deep within you -your soul. Nurture your inner qualities of intuition. Focus on your strengths and build on your weaknesses (but also build up your strengths even more).
Develop strategic relationships, where you build teams with people whose skills you lack. Build "win-win" relationships with your complementary relationships, so you ALL win. It's the process of synergy at work - that is, 1+1 =3 (or perhaps even 111)
[FONT=times new
roman]To do this effectively, you need to share a common vision of where you (and/or your business) are headed. [/FONT]
To do this you need to be an effective communicator in communicating your goals and vision to others.
NB: Have a positive outlook on life. ATTITUDE is the most important ingredient in whether you will be successful. You can everything else,but without the 'big A', it will be very hard.
Think differently to the masses and let your creative imagination work for you. The human mind has amazing power. Let it find numerous unique business ideas for you, if you only ASK it. Then sit back and wait for the answer to come from the creative subconscious mind.
There are many lucrative undiscovered business and life opportunities out there, just waiting for you to take ACTION.
Be a person of ACTION. Don't just talk your ideas away. Just be YOU. THE FINAL WORD:
I truly believe that... the key steps to achieving success in whatever endeavor you choose in life are "the A,B,C,D,E" ,ie:
A. ATTITUDE
B. BELIEF
C. COMMITMENT
D. A DREAM (+ DETERMINATION + DISCIPLINE)
E. ENERGY+ PASSION+ PURPOSE = SUCCESS!

Success is a process... as life is the journey, not the destination. So take pleasure in it.
"You are not in this world to live up to anyone else's expectations but your OWN."

Honesty, integrity, persistence and ingenuity are the keys to success.
"Success is your birthright. Loss is impossible.

Do what you came here to do. Be what you are." - Alan Cohen

"Some people dream of success...while others wake up and work hard at it."
"If you can believe it, you can achieve it.
If you can visualize it, you can realize it!"


By: Craig Lock
 
Influencing Your Families Success !!

Give your child UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Be sure that your child receives affection, interest, attention, and acceptance regardless of behavior, good or bad.

Unconditional love shows a child that he or she is a
person of worth and is important. Examples include a hug before bed, cooking a treat for all the children, saying "I know you can succeed."while a child prepares herself for a test or college, etc.

BE SURE TO NOT GIVE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER A CHILD MISBEHAVES - YOU
ARE ACTUALLY REWARDING THE MISBEHAVIOR.

Give it when the child is doing something good or at a random time.

Give your child RESULTANT LOVE. Resultant love is showing love and appreciation to a child when he or she acts properly. Getting positive expressions and rewards for acting properly will increase the child's tendency to act properly again plus it will improve the child's self-esteem and help create a pleasant atmosphere in the home. Resultant love also entails imposing penalties as guidelines for misbehavior. Real love sometimes means following through with unpleasant consequences when you rather would not.

Use CONSEQUENTIAL FOCUSING. This means when a child misbehaves, youmust focus the consequence on the misbehavior of the child - not thechild himself. Do not allow your "upset" discipline mood to "spillover" to other actions. In other words, do not act harshly to the child after the punishment has been given. If the child does something good after his punishment - praise the child for that proper action. Being harsh with the child even after his actions have changed will only leadthe child to two conclusions, "I'm no good" or

"Mother (or Father) is unfair." If consequential focusing does not occur - it leads to poorchild self -esteem and bitterness in the home. Remember - people become what they are ASSOCIATED with. A child will become what it lives with. For example if a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn. If a child lives with defeating statements, youwill raise a failure. However, if a child lives with encouragement, helearns confidence.

Although sometimes unpleasant experiences must occur
in the home to discipline child, your POSITIVE RESPONSES TO YOUR CHILD SHOULD FAR OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVE ONES.

An ideal ratio should be about
five to one - meaning that you should be expressing praise,
unconditional love, encouragement, resultant love, and approval FIVE TIMES MORE than you punish or speak harshly for discipline.

Enhance FAMILY UNITY. Plan family activities and make them fun. Hold family meetings weekly, if possible, to discuss family concerns and establish family goals and rules. Allow children and parents to give feedback about family matters. Children will like to be with the family if it is rewarding to do so.

THE FAMILY CAN FUN!!






Source Unknown


 
Sam Walton's 10 Rules for Success !!

The Basics ...


Rule #1
Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anything else. If you love your work, you’ll be out there every day trying to do the best you can, and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you - like a fever.

Rule #2
Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. In turn, they will treat you as a partner, and together you will all perform beyond your wildest expectations.

Rule #3
Motivate your partners. Money and ownership aren’t enough. Set high goals, encourage competition and then keep score. Make bets with outrageous payoffs.

Rule #4
Communicate everything you possibly can to your partners. The more they know, the more they’ll understand. The more they understand, the more they’ll care. Once they care, there’s no stopping them. Information is power, and the gain you get from empowering your associates more than offsets the risk of informing your competitors.

Rule #5
Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune.

Rule #6
Celebrate your success and find humour in your failures. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Loosen up and everyone around you will loosen up. Have fun and always show enthusiasm. When all else fails put on a costume and sing a silly song.

Rule #7
Listen to everyone in your company, and figure out ways to get them talking. The folks on the front line - the ones who actually talk to customers - are the only ones who really know what’s going on out there. You’d better find out what they know.

Rule #8
Exceed your customer’s expectations. If you do they’ll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more. Let them know you appreciate them. Make good on all your mistakes, and don't make excuses - apologize. Stand behind everything you do. ‘Satisfaction guaranteed’ will make all the difference.

Rule #9
Control your expenses better than your competition. This is where you can always find the competitive advantage. You can make a lot of mistakes and still recover if you run an efficient operation. Or you can be brilliant and still go out of business if you’re too inefficient.
[FONT=times
new roman][/FONT]
Rule #10
Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going exactly in the opposite direction.



Sam Walton's 10 Rules For Success - from Sam Walton: Made in America, My Story, co-authored by J. Huey, Doubleday.
 
Manage in Style !!

The days of one style fits all are gone. Today’s manager needs to vary his Style of Management to bring out the Best in each Employee.
The demands of the workforce today are not the same as they were yesterday. The corporate world is changing at the speed of light and there is no escaping the pressure to create a new profile of what a manager should be. In the past, you could survive as a manager with one main style. This is not possible anymore. New demands from customers, employees and society drive the corporation and the manager to be different. This means that as a manager, you need to assess and evaluate what type of leader you need to be. It also requires you to be ready, willing and able to change. The successful manager of the 21st century is regularly evaluating himself and constantly asking: "How can I do this better?" He is flexible, learns fast, thinks and acts globally and creates value for all stakeholders involved such as colleagues and customers. He takes full responsibility for his own behaviour and drives his team to achieve exceptional results. By using situational leadership styles, he ensures each team member creates value and results for the company.
Once you take charge of a division, you will be lucky indeed if you inherit an entire team of people who are already self-motivated, self-responsible peak performers. But that is not likely to happen. Instead, you will probably have to help members of your staff understand and fully internalise the principles of self-motivation and self-responsibility.

You will need to use different styles for different people and different situations in order to get your people to perform at peak levels. You should therefore analyse what type of support your subordinates need in their various tasks and responsibilities and then manage and lead them accordingly.
What you need to do is to evaluate your subordinates’ ability and motivation to perform their tasks in order to choose the correct management style. And it’s a different style for each task, depending on their ability and performance. To make it simple, you can divide your team members into three categories.
The Low Performer
This person has little or some ability and is often new to the job or specific task. His performance is low and he doesn't deliver significant results. The reason for the low performance can be a lack of ability for and understanding of the job or task.
However, the person can also be de-motivated, that is, not being committed to the work or having a negative work attitude. If a person is categorised as a low performer, you need to provide him with a clear direction, clarification and training, then supervise closely and follow-up accordingly. Basically, you tell him what he needs to do. The management style for a low performer is Directing.
The Average Performer
This person has a good understanding of the job or specific task and moderate or even high ability. His performance varies throughout the year. Sometimes, the individual's willingness to perform is reduced due to a lack of self-confidence, low motivation or difficulties faced in performing the task. If a person is categorised as an average performer, you need to encourage, support, motivate and give some direction and clarification. The management style for an average performer is Coaching.

The Peak Performer
This person has an excellent understanding and ability of what needs to be done. He achieves beyond expectations or even produces superior results. The motivation is high and he seldom needs Encouragement.
He is a self-starter and needs very little or even no direction and supervision. But he will expect a facilitating management style and a manager who is more a colleague and mentor than a boss. Make sure you delegate responsibility, give him authority to decide and challenge him to take additional responsibilities. The management style for a peak performer is Empowerment. To be a manager in the 21st century is definitely a challenge. But if you follow the above guidelines you will take a big step forward as a manager. Remember to: Analyse your subordinates’ performance levels, motivation and general needs’
Apply the “correct” leadership style accordingly;
Develop each person’s ability and influence to achieve self-responsibility;
Give your vision of where you want to be as a company, division and team; and
Lead them towards your vision and encourage peak performance at all levels and all time




By Henrik Essen
 
Empty Your Bag of Excuses for the Last Time !!

It’s time for me to take off the kid gloves and give it to you straight. Here goes . . . . .

You will NEVER achieve anything in your life if you don’t stop making excuses for why you’re not as wealthy as you would be or why you’re overweight or why you can’t find someone to share the rest of your life with.

The first step to becoming successful in any area of life is to actually conceive and think of what goals are worthy to be pursued.
[FONT=times new
roman]The next step is to actually convince yourself that you can achieve your goal or goals. [/FONT]Don’t be defensive and don’t dismiss this article. Read it through to the end and see if you are holding onto excuses that are limiting your potential. Excuses are just well, an excuse not to begin, not to succeed and not to go beyond your comfort zone.

Yes, going outside your comfort zone isn’t easy and you’ll have to endure some short-term pain, but isn’t it worth it? Don’t you owe it to yourself to rid yourself of those excuses that have you stopping one foot short of the finish line? Or worse, those excuses have so crippled you that you haven’t even entered the race at all? Yeah, But…
No buts about it. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to achieving. Think hard about the current excuses you make for not achieving your goals. I bet you I could name a dozen people who have had the same “roadblock” in their life and have achieved greatness despite having your EXACT same excuse. Don’t believe me? Let’s examine some common excuses and I’ll debunk them for you.
ELIMINATING ROAD BLOCKS – EXCUSES ARE JUST EXCUSES
No Money I don’t have money to invest right now.’ That’s probably the biggest investing LIE people tell themselves. The truth is you don’t need money to become rich and I’m not talking about “no money down” deals. Consider Anne Scheiber, who when she died in 1995 in New York at the age of 101, was worth $22 million. That fortune began as a $5,000 investment in the stock market by the auditor when she retired in 1944. Yeah but she must have been putting a lot of money in each year, right? Not exactly. She lived on a modest salary as an auditor for the Internal Revenue Service. Her salary at the start of her journey was just over $3000 a year.
She just made it a priority to invest month in and month out. You would be wise to dump your excuse of having no money to invest. Find a way to scrape up an additional $10 a week, then find $20 a week, then more and more. You’ll find that as you start the process of really examining how you’re spending your money, you have more than you think. If you’re too lazy to examine your budget, you can invest as little as one percent of your salary in your company’s 401(k) plan. So if you make $800 every two weeks, that’s only $8.00 that you would be investing every two weeks or $4 a week. That’s all it takes to get started. Now can you somehow squeeze an extra $4 from your paycheck each week?
Too Young I agree that you are young which might make it difficult to get a loan from a bank, but there are lenders out there that will take a chance on you. You just have to go to bank after bank until someone says yes. You’re young, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start a business. You just have to work hard at finding a way. Remember the old saying, ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way?’ Well, it’s the truth. If you really want it badly and you’re committed to having it, the way will present itself. Steven Jobs revolutionized the computer industry and became a millionaire by the age of twenty-three. And he did this in an age when it was hard, even for the founder of a company, to make a million dollars. Being young means you have a great asset in your corner. What asset is that?

Time Time is on your side. Time is one of the greatest allies of an investor. The earlier you start, the better off you are because time can help make up for the mistakes all beginners make. How many people in your town or country for that matter would change places with you in a heartbeat? How many people want to go back to their youth and start all over? We all do, even me. The truth is that you’re never too young to start.
Once you turn eighteen in this country you can own your own investment account registered in your name. If you’re under the age of eighteen, your parents can set up investment accounts for you. A qualified financial planner or broker should be able to help parents set up investment accounts for their children.

Too Old Too old to succeed or get started? Just another excuse. [FONT=times new
roman]Granted, you may be older than some people and you may regret not having started when you were 20 or 30 or 40 or 50, but don’t compound the problem by not starting at all! While time may be the second most important factor in your success (money is the other, remember) and time may not be on your side, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn enough or invest enough in the coming years to impact your retirement years by starting today. [/FONT]
Colonel Sanders got his first social security check before he even conceived of the idea of hitting the road to sell his famous chicken recipe. How old was Ronald Reagan when he became president? Harrison Ford was in his thirties when he got his first break.

The real reason age is such an excuse for people is that in their minds they’re too old to change.
Changing your daily routine and their lifestyle is a hassle. You’ve become accustomed to your standard of living and don’t want to part with that first $100 dollars it takes to start investing.
Here’s a little tough medicine, if you don’t change you’re giving up and resigning yourself to a life of poverty, both in the fiscal and the mental aspects of life. It’s your decision and your age has nothing to do with it.
Begin today and live the life you deserve not the one that you’ve forced yourself to live.
No Knowledge I don’t know anything about investing and I’m not good at math, so there’s no way I can invest in the stock market. One word: baloney. There is so much information out there today, you’ll probably drown yourself in it. Books, videos, magazines, newsletters, seminars, continuing education classes and the Internet. I can see how the choices can be overwhelming. I’d suggest that you re-read Peter Lynch’s books One Up on Wall Street and Beating the Street as primers. Also, any book about Warren Buffett is sure to help you. At the same time, start reading magazines like Money and Smart Money. Fortune and Forbes magazines will give you some great insight into business trends and great profiles on companies. You can hear what the CEOs of companies are saying through interviews and profiles.”
Oh, I left out one other source….THE INTERNET! This is my favorite source of information. I can go to my brokerage account and get stock quotes, financial information and I don’t have to do the math on all those financial ratios I look at. The site does it for me. In addition, I get some newsletters sent to me through e-mail. I just open my e-mail account and read away. It’s that simple.
You don’t need a college degree to start investing, so stop using your lack of knowledge as an excuse. You don’t have to be an investing expert to do well in the stock market. You just have to learn the basics and anyone, and I mean anyone, can do this in less than a year’s time.

Not Smart Enough One of the reasons people often tell me they don’t want to invest is that they’re not smart enough. They point to the fact that they don’t have a college degree or that they dropped out of high school. I tell them they’re just making excuses for themselves. Bill Gates dropped out of college. Ben Franklin dropped out in his teens, as did Edison. It doesn’t take an advanced degree to learn about the stock market. I’m not saying school education isn’t important, but I am saying is that you should never stop learning. Today you have a current level of knowledge, but it’s up to you and you alone to increase that knowledge. The people I just mentioned didn’t have college degrees, but they were experts in their field. They made sure they kept up on what was going on in their fields through constant reading and other information sources. Second, they were all driven to succeed because they believed they could succeed. They never looked at their lack of a degree hold them back.
Yeah, but they were brilliant you say. Sure, those guys were smart, but take a look at Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He constantly tells people that he’s not smart, that he relies on his financial advisors and that despite the fact that he once flunked English he has written several best-selling books.

Nope, sorry folks, not being smart enough is not a valid excuse.
If investing is what you want to do, I suggest you pursue your financial degree in money. Getting your financial degree in money is about the process of taking responsibility for your future by learning as much as possible about investing, budgeting, assets and liabilities. All it takes is an hour a day, every day for the next month or two depending on which resources you use.
While it might sound like a lot of work, all it takes is an hour of reading every night or two or three hours on the weekends and you can be an expert in your field in less than five years. Yes it’s a big commitment, but if your goal is to become financially free and improve your life along the way, shouldn’t you do what it takes to achieve that goal?

No One To Help Me Next up is the ‘I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth’ or ‘I grew up in the ghetto’ or ‘I didn’t have a father’ or ‘let me figure out who to blame other than myself excuse.’
People have a natural habit of comparing themselves to others around them. When they see someone around them who is doing well they either try to put that person down and or justify why they themselves are not as successful as the other person.

Just stop it. Stop comparing yourself to your sister, your mother, your neighbor, and your best friend. One of the biggest excuses that comes out of people’s mouths when you’re talking about why someone is successful is, ‘yeah, but he/she got help from their _______ . ‘If I was given ______ like they were, I’d be rich too.’

I usually respond in one of two ways. If the person is thick-headed, I just nod my head and say ‘pass the chips.’ If I can reach the person, I usually point out the other things the successful person had to do in order to become successful. Sure Donald Trump got help from his father, but he still had to go to Cincinnati and work his plan. Sure Bill Gates came from a wealthy family, but did that mean he was handed Microsoft? No, he built it from the ground up.
Even J.Paul Getty had to strike out on his own. J.Paul Getty had a lot of family money, but he had to go out to the oil fields and take the risks of drilling on his own. In the end, he ended up with an empire that dwarfed his father’s all because he worked and worked hard. As for those that don’t have father’s and mother’s like J.Paul Getty and Donald Trump, they simply have to work harder and smarter to get ahead. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’ve read The Millionaire Next Door. You know that the majority of the millionaires in this country started with close to nothing and no inheritance. It can be done. Just stop making excuses, find the mentors and resources you need and put your plan into action. End of story.
No Time
We’re all busy. We have work to do, friends to hang out with, loved ones to spend time with and errands to run. These are important things, but if you analyze how you spend your time in a given week you’ll realize how much time is wasted on non-productive things. How much time do you spend each week watching television? The average adult spends over twenty-four hours a week watching TV. That’s over a day a week, dedicated to the mindless absorption of sitcoms, news, and commercials.
The truth is that you can find the time if you want to achieve something badly enough
It’s not the TV that’s killing you, it’s how you’re choosing to spend your time, your precious time. Investing doesn’t require that much time, but it does require your attention and some dedicated time during your week, especially in the beginning. Once you’ve chosen your brokerage firm and set up your automatic withdrawal from your savings account, you’ll spend maybe an hour per day learning about investing and following up on your investments.
Then after a month or two of this intensive reading, you’ll know 90 percent of what you’ll need to become a successful investor.
In short, we’re all busy, but if we wanted to, all of us could find the time to set aside for investing.
In Summary… Stop making excuses and just do it. That’s the attitude you need to have. If you just get started today and over time you’ll reap the rewards for your actions. [FONT=times new
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[FONT=times new
roman]Need More Inspiration to Get Started? [/FONT]
How about these little facts… Franklin D. Roosevelt led this country from a wheel chair.
Helen Keller was blind and deaf and led a more rewarding life than most ever will.
Michael Dell was a freshman in college when he started his company.
Colonel Sanders was a senior citizen before starting KFC.
Beethoven was deaf and composed some of the greatest music ever written.
What’s your excuse? Why not eliminate it and start doing something today to reach your goals? I wish you the best in your pursuit of your dreams. Begin today.
All the best.


By Fabio “fabman” Marciano
 
What Does Great Performance Look Like !!

Picture this: It's the Friday night before Christmas in a large bookstore. The lines at the register are consistently 50 to 60 people deep, and have been all day. The staff is tired, and the managers have been on a mandatory six-day workweek since November. All eight registers have been going nonstop for hours, when suddenly, at around 8 PM, the registers crash. Not freeze, not need rebooting, but completely shut down. All of them. At the same time! With 60 people in line! Time to panic?

Ah... there's where great performance comes in.
Rebecca is the manager there, and she jumps into the emerging chaos. Quickly one supervisor is on the phone paging the IT department, and Rebecca has a basket of candy and is moving down the restless line of customers, explaining what is happening, giving each person some candy, and assuring them that a solution will be found shortly. No one leaves the line.

Ten minutes later the IT department is trying to get the registers working again, and Rebecca is walking down the line with coffee, explaining to each customer how very sorry we are, what options they have (leaving their info and us shipping the items later, putting items on hold, etc.), and offering them coffee. 20 more people have joined the line. No one leaves the line.

Twenty minutes. IT is frantically bringing the computers back up, and Rebecca goes back down the line, this time with bottles of water and $5.00 gift certificates, good anytime, apologizing and letting the customers know we expect to be back online in the next 5 to 10 minutes. Four people leave the line - leaving their info with us so we can mail their purchases (free of charge) to them the next day.

Thirty minutes - the registers are finally back up. The line stretches to the back of the store with over 100 people waiting. Rebecca makes an announcement over the paging system, and a cheer goes up through the store! Almost every employee is at the registers, ringing, bagging, and Rebecca is still going up the line, thanking everyone for hanging in there.
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Registers were down for half an hour, on one of the busiest days of the year, and we still beat budget by over 20%. Why? Because Rebecca demonstrated all the qualities we look for - honest, sincere, friendly, knowledgeable, and most importantly - she brought it all together into professionally handling a daunting situation with grace. We didn't lose a single customer, and she got a letter from the CEO thanking her. The supervisors who were working that night all chipped in to treat her to dinner. I also received about 10 phone calls and 3 letters from customers complimenting her behavior.

Now that's what great performance looks like!
So what do your customers and fellow employees say about you?


By Darlene Pineda​
 
The Power of True Love !!

Bernie and Elaine Lof-chick of Winnipeg are the parents of David, born with cerebral palsy. Thirty doctors advised them to put him in an institution. But when David was two, the Lofchicks managed an appointment with a noted specialist. They went to Chicago for the comprehensive examination. Dr. Pearlstein spelled out the treatment required if David was to make the progress he knew David could make.

The prime factor was consistency. If they skipped a single daily exercise or failed to keep one daily regimen, David would experience a setback. For example, they were to put heavy braces on his legs, and tighten them every night. Consequently the pain constantly increased for David. Many, many times cute little David would plead, "Mom, do you have to put them on to-night?" But his parents said "no" to the tears of the moment so they could say "yes" to the laughter of a lifetime.

Today, barrel-chested David weighs in at 195 pounds and is the top condominium salesman with Winnipeg's number one real estate firm. Through faithful reliability, Bernie and Elaine, along with David, overcame the problems to achieve success.

—Zig Ziglar in Success Without Guilt
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How To Motivate People -The Pride System !!

Workers face dynamic and ever increasing challenges. A global economy of discriminating consumers has placed demands on meeting planners never before seen. Managers face tasks of finding, keeping, and motivating workers. Environmental pressures, rising health care costs, and the sophisticated needs of the workforce have placed management in a complicated and tenuous situation. The answer lies with creating a work environment that motivates people toward exceptional performance. Supervisors and managers who maximize the potential, creative abilities, and talents of the entire workforce have a greater competitive advantage than those who don't. Motivated workers provide the health insurance businesses desperately needed in these chaotic times. How To Motivate People -The Pride System

Supervisors have the responsibility for creating a motivating working environment. Dr. Edwards Deming said, "The aim of leadership should be to improve the performance of man and machine, to improve quality, to increase output, and simultaneously to bring pride of workmanship to people." A motivating environment is one that gives workers a sense of pride in what they do. To show supervisors and managers how to build a more productive work environment, I've created a five-step process called the PRIDE system. Leaders can improve motivation within their organizations by following this process: • Provide a positive working environment
• Recognize everyone's efforts
• Involve everyone
• Develop skills and potential
• Evaluate and measure continuously Step 1 - Provide a Positive Working Environment

Motivation begins by first providing a positive work environment. Fran Tarkenton says, to find what motivates people, "you have to find what turns people on." This is the most important factor in the process. A motivating working environment requires going over and beyond the call of duty and providing for the needs of the worker. Walt Disney World Company provides an excellent work environment for their employees or "cast members." Employee assistance centers are spread strategically across the theme park. Some of the services included employee discount programs, childcare information, money orders, postage stamps, check cashing, and bus passes. The Walt Disney Company realizes that taking care of their employee's needs keep them motivated, on the job and loyal to the company. Step 2 - Recognize Everyone’s Efforts

Mark Twain once said, "I can live for two months on a good compliment." Personal recognition is a powerful tool in building morale and motivation. A pat on the back, a personal note from a peer or a supervisor does wonders. Small, informal celebrations are many times more effective than a once a quarter or once a year formal event. Recognition by one's peers is more motivating than by supervisors. United Services Automobile Association (USAA) provides "Thank You" note stationary for their workers. Employees are encouraged to say "Thank You" to each other for the help they receive at work. The most surprising thing happened on the first day USAA printed the notes . . . they ran out! The company couldn't keep up with the demand. Step 3 - Involve Everyone

Having workers involved at all levels of the business is a key element improving morale and motivation. It also has a major impact on improving profit and productivity. The best way to involve workers is the use of teams and teamwork.
Businesses have found that teams improve productivity, increase morale and empower workers. Teams have decreased the need for excessive layers of middle managers and supervisors.
Johnsonville Foods located in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, has been a flagship of productivity improvement. Almost 90% of the workforce belongs to some type of team. The team, not management, decides who is hired, who is fired, and who gets a pay raise. Ralph Stayer, Johnsonville's Chief Executive Officer, reports that his company's productivity has risen by at least 50% since 1986. Teamwork has made a tremendous impact on the morale of the company. Step 4 - Develop Worker’s Skills and Potential

Training and education motivates people and makes them more productive and innovative. At Federal Express, all customer contact people are given six weeks of training before they ever answer the first phone call. Learning never stops and testing continues throughout their employment tenure. Every six months customer service people are tested using an on-line computer system. Pass/fail results are sent to each employee within 24 hours. They receive a personalized "prescription" on areas that need reviewing with a list of resources and lessons that will help. Federal Express' intensive training and development program has resulted in higher motivation and lower turnover.
There are many reasons training and development makes sense. Well-trained employees are more capable and willing to assume more control over their jobs. They need less supervision, which frees management for other tasks. Employees are more capable to answer the questions of customers which builds better customer loyalty. Employees who understand the business, complain less, are more satisfied, and are more motivated. All this leads to better management-employee relationships.
Step 5 - Evaluate and Measure Continuously

Continuous evaluation and never ending improvement is the final step of the PRIDE system. Evaluation is a nonstop activity that includes a specific cycle of steps. The primary purpose of evaluation is to measure progress and determine what needs improving. Continuous evaluation
includes, but is not limited to, the measurement of attitudes, morale, and motivation of the workforce. It includes the identification of problem areas needing improvement and the design and implementation of an improvement plan.

Businesses have searched far and wide for the competitive advantage, the best equipment, robotics, or the latest business technique. These devices provide only temporary solutions. The true competitive advantage is trained and motivated people proudly working together, contributing vitality and energy toward the goals of the enterprise.


Gregory P. Smith








 
The Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Empathic Ability !!

Dear Friends ,

We all have the ability to be empathic. Empathy can be a great asset in your professional and personal life. Enjoy the process.
​

1. Check out your emotions.​
Let them out and touch, feel, taste, smell and look at them. Some people only identify a few emotions (happy, sad or angry). There are many more. Get acquainted with your feelings.​

2. Clear out your stuff, physically.​
Clean out your garage, attic, closets, cupboards, bookcases, get rid of anything you don't use/need. We invest lots of energy hanging on to things from the past. It's time to let go and free up that energy for something better. If you are a major pack rat, get someone to help(they won't have emotional ties to your stuff).​

3. Clear out your stuff, emotionally.​
Get rebirthed, get a coach, clean up your tolerations, get a therapist. All those emotions that were never fully experienced, take energy to keep stuffed. There are lots of emotional release techniques, use them.​

4. Clear out your stuff, mentally.​
We accumulate beliefs throughout our whole lives. Many of our beliefs stem from childhood, the media, family, and friends. Some are contradictory, some are wrong., some will shock you. Make friends with your subconscious, because (to paraphrase a Prego commercial) "They're in there". Use NLP, hypnosis, affirmations to select the beliefs you choose to live with daily.​

5. Learn to ground yourself.​
If you spend most of your life in your head, grounding will help bring you back into your body. If you already spend most of your time in your body, grounding will be like adding a great big battery backup. Walk barefoot in the grass, wade in water, even a shower can help ground you.​

6. Spend at least 20 minutes a day alone.​
Find the time everyday to contemplate, meditate or pray. The can be the most valuable gift you give yourself. Get to know yourself.​

7. Breathe!!!!​
Oxygen is life. Breathe it in. When we feel strong emotions, we tend to hold our breaths. Don't! Take a great big breath or ten. It'll help you move through the fear, anger or pleasure. Just wait till you find out what's on the other side ;-)​

8. Exercise.​
I know, you've heard it before. But exercise really does help you handle emotions more easily and it'll make you feel good in the process. Scientists tell us it's all those lovely brain chemicals. Get some and it'll be much easier to deal with whatever emotions come into your life.​

9. Get in The Zone.​
Barry Sears, Ph.D. has written 2 books on the zone. Enter the Zone explains why it works. Mastering the Zone tells you how to get there and has lots of recipes. It will make a big difference in how you feel everyday.​
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10. Notice how someone else is feeling.​
As you empty out the stuff you've been carrying around, you'll have the space to experience how someone else is feeling. As you understand another better, you can improve your connection in relationships, understand your customers better and provide what they really need, and show more compassion and understanding to yourself and others.


Submitted by Julia Ruskell
​
 
Leadership and Real Change !!

One of the most frustrating things about change is that no-one can see the benefits as quickly as you can, as leaders. Why is that? Why are people so stupid, defensive and traditional. Why can't they be more like you? You've done all the hard work. You've looked at the strategy, weighed up the pros and cons. You've even carried out a cost-benefit analysis to prove that it's worth it. Yet still they won't change.

Well there are some very good reasons. The first would be because you, as instigators of change are in a pretty good position. It's your change. You own it and have bought into it. It really means something for you.

Also, you really are ahead of the game. In terms of the Coping Cycle you've gone past the denial, defence and discarding stages. Your self-esteem and performance may have been on the floor a few weeks ago, but now - hey - you're all for it. Of course you are but your team aren't there yet.

They'll be at various stages of the cycle. There'll be some with you and there'll be others in the 'why?', 'you are joking?', 'change again?' stages. These people need to be helped through this cycle and supported as their self-esteem dips, their performance hits rock bottom. You know what this is like.

Remember that new computer system we had installed. They said it was the best, state of the art, superb, blah, blah. A week later you couldn't even send an email - it had all changed. God how you hated it. How you wished you could have your new system back. However, as time went by and you learnt to use it properly it was 'so much better than the previous system', and even 'I don't know why we didn't introduce this years ago?'. So, that's another good reason.

There's also a really interesting model that explains this in a different way. It's a very simple formula for change. It says that to overcome resistance to change you need a Vision, an idea of the first steps and enough dissatisfaction with the current situation to make it happen:

Dissatisfaction x Vision x First Steps > Resistance​
The Vision is usually the easiest. Well, it's all relative. However, if you haven't got something to aim for then why on earth are you carrying out this change process. Unfortunately people who have the vision are not always the best at communicating that vision to others. If this is something you, as a leader, struggle with then perhaps getting others involved at this stage would help. These could be people at all levels who are committed to the change. Choose the cynics in the Organisation as well as the starts. Cynics frequently have great networks and once they are won over the task gets a lot easier. Invest time and effort into these 'change champions' ( not my favourite word either), and communicate, communicate, communicate. Use every medium you can think of - people are different. They pay attention to different things - you know that.

The first steps can prove tricky. If people are sold the vision properly and the benefits explained it's a great start. People, already under threat from this change process want to know what's going to happen and when. There's nothing wrong with that. The problem however is that life isn't that simple. If it's a large change programme that will take months, years - then there's probably no-one in the Organisation that knows every step of the process. Yet, people expect you to. They expect that you'll know what will happen to their part of the office on April 24th 2007. It's not logical. It's not reasonable but there it is. What is logical and reasonable is that you'll know with some certainty what the first steps will be. You have to let people know what you know, and also what you don't know.
A useful analogy to help with this is to think of the change as a journey across the sea. Your Organisation is the boat and the vision is somewhere out there. The vision is fairly clear. OK it may change slightly but it should have been defined clearly so you at least know where you're heading. The journey is not entirely under your control. There are numerous factors that will affect your route. In nautical terms; wind, tide, expertise of crew, condition of boat, etc. In business terms; finance, resource, expertise of crew, condition of Organisation, etc.

The only reasonable expectation would be to chart out the first few weeks, stages of the project. If you try to do anything more than this inevitably it will fail and you would have failed to meet peoples' expectations. Then you'll have the whole 'told you it wouldn't work' scenario to deal with. Don't set yourself up to fail.

The difficult part (which doesn't seem to occur in other models) is the element of dissatisfaction. For this process to kick off the dissatisfaction needs be real and significant before any change happens. It's generally not until this dissatisfaction reaches epic proportions that you'll do anything. This applies to change in all areas of life, not only the business world.

For instance I'm 47 years old. I used to play rugby and football but that was a while ago now and .. well let's just say I like a drink, good food and I could do with losing a few pounds. Really I should start going to the gym and eating healthier (my first steps). I would quite like to see my daughter grow up and have grandchildren and live a good few more years yet (my vision). So why on earth aren't I doing the right things now? It make total sense, logically for me to eat healthier, take more exercise yet I haven't done it. I guess my dissatisfaction level isn't sufficiently high yet. If I started having some heart murmurs, or had a friend of a similar age in hospital that may well do the trick.

I'm not suggesting for one minute that you go out and make your staff miserable with the current situation. That would certainly raise their dissatisfaction level but they may well decide to leave instead of change. No, what I'd suggest is that you talk to people and raise their level of awareness. One consequence of being stuck in 'denial' is that you won't see what's going on around you. Something obviously needs to change - hence change initiative. People need to address that problem. Once they do and accept there is a problem their resistance should be significantly lowered. This takes time. People need to be communicated with and their fears addressed. Change is scary. But it's a lot easier when you've people with you than agin you.


By Byron Kalies
 
Getting the Right People on Your Bus !!

In the process of recruitment, the recruiting agencies do their best to provide us with right candidates. However, preparing a proper requisition for handing it over to recruiters helps us very effectively in getting the right people on our bus.

Here are some thoughts about it by Lori Dernavich.



What makes a company great? Jim Collins, author of the book "Good to Great", sums it up by saying that great companies "first get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. People are not your most important asset. The right people are." The right people are those individuals who fit into your organization and help you to accomplish your future goals.

You might be thinking that this is a topic you don't have to worry about at the moment, especially if you are a startup. I say it's a topic you can't afford to ignore. Many companies fall into this classic case. One person has a great idea and draws in a friend who he has worked with in the past. They then hire a friend of a friend who is an expert in a desired technology. Six months down the road, things haven't progressed as planned, everyone has a different idea about the direction of the company, the original passion is missing, and the dream dies a slow death.

So, who are the "right" people and how do you get them on your bus? I believe there are three things you must consider when getting the right people on your bus: job descriptions, the interview process, and team design.

Let's start with job descriptions. Where do you get your job descriptions? Competitors' websites? Monster? Do you even have them? Most companies put little thought into them. Traditionally, jobs are defined as a certain set of skills and experiences, and prospective candidates are screened for these skills and experiences. But even if a candidate meets these requirements, you might still encounter turnover and poor performance. The reality is that, although a job requires a person to have a certain background and set of skills, it also requires a person to have certain predictable behaviors, talents, motivators, and communication style. These are all unteachable qualities. The job, in other words, has a personality. To get the right people on the bus, companies must first be able to correctly define the personality of the job, and then assess people with respect to the total job personality. Only then can a good fit be achieved.
When developing job descriptions, first think about what skills and experience a candidate will need today and in the future, then, identify those critical components that are unteachable. Keep in mind that you should have diversity on your team(s). Have a balance of detail-oriented people and "big picture" people, PhDs and MBAs, fact checkers and cheerleaders.

The second thing you need in order to get the right people on your bus is a solid interview process. Companies are often formed because founders have a passion for a technology or idea, but these individuals are not necessarily expert interviewers. It would be comparable to expecting your salespeople to code your software. Invest in some training for your staff or hire someone to help with the hiring.
A good interview process employs behavioral interviewing. This is a method of asking probing questions about competencies based on a candidate's past and present performance in order to predict future ones. In today's market, most candidates have become expert interviewers and will tell you exactly what you want to hear. Going with your gut won't work.

The last thing to consider when getting the right people on your bus is team design - picking the right people and placing them in the right seats on the bus. All of us can adapt to situations that aren't a perfect fit, but 99% of the time we will resort back to our normal way of doing something (i.e. once a disorganized person, always a disorganized person).

Don't set your people up to fail by putting them in roles that don't match their personalities. Examine the total employee and determine which role would best fit each employee. Don't simply promote employees into manager roles because they have tenure and you want to prevent them from leaving. Place them in manager roles only if they possess the great manager qualities. This will absolutely help you to retain employees, keep them motivated, and increase their performance.
 
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