Bridging The Gap Between Knowledge and Action
Chances are, you already know what needs to be done. You know you need to stop procrastinating. You know you need to watch less TV. You know that you need to set smart goals and intelligent deadlines. And hopefully, you know you need to track your work, track your results, and put more of your effort into the aspects of your business to give you the strongest results.
But there's a very big gap between knowledge into action. Think of all the money that's spent on knowledge: whether it's a large companies trying to improve their efficiency, or housewives and stay at home dads trying to get into better shape. They know the adjustments they need to make, but they always fail to set habits and follow though.
Let's look together at some of the gaps that keep you from turning knowledge into profitable and useful habits.
The Fear Of Change
Failure can be comfortable. It represents a continuation of a routine that, at least on some level, has brought us a lot of pleasure. Now where this breaks down is that pleasure and happiness are two very different things. Pleasure can be bought with a cookie, it can be found in the bottom of a bottle, you can get a short rush of it with a few minutes on Facebook.
Happiness is harder, and the road towards it is longer, winding, and littered with distractions. The constant pursuit of pleasure, ironically enough, keeps more people away from becoming happy.
You Won't Learn By Doing
There are too many people who tried to do by learning instead of learning by doing. Talking about problems to death rarely solves them. People talk too much already. It's natural to want to go into a scary situation with knowledge at your back. But once you've learned the basics of a skill, start acting on it. Then look for new information once you've run into a serious roadblock, or have a smaller aspect of the skill that demands your attention.
You Rely On Motivation Instead Of Habit
It's okay to "feel unmotivated" sometimes, to hit a roadblock and need something positive to dig you out. But you're always needing to be motivated for any kind of positive action in your life, it's a sign that you haven't really put the energy you should into setting habits.
Habits aren't subjects that need motivation. Habits are things that we just do, whether it's a good time or a bad time. If you can devote one month to establishing a positive habit, chances are much better that you do it for a long time to come.
Accepting "Life Excuses"
Too many people take "life happens" as an excuse not to do the things that they should. It's almost like there's no effort to leap the obstacles that life puts in front of them. It's important to set uninterrupted times and uninterrupted places for the most important priorities cannot be violated.
When you give yourself a choice between any two things, there's a chance you will take the less beneficial choice.
Set up at daily routine that eliminates those choices.
Going From Zero To A Hundred
When it sinks in how far behind we are on our goals, it's easy to try to do too much at once and destroy our desire to improve altogether. While there are people who can handle this sort of drastic shift, for most people it'll be best to start small, focus on repetitive action, and scale up from there!
No More Excuses
The time for learning and not doing it over. Step up and start making a serious change in the way you approach problems... right now!
BANABU
Fran Watson
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Have You Ever Had One of Those Days?
Have you ever had one of those days? You know, the kind where you know you should be doing something specific, like writing your blog post, but you just can't wrap your brain around it at the moment and so you search endlessly through various files on your computer, reading this, watching that and thinking about what you should be writing but nothing materializes? Well that's where I am today.
I looked at some articles on removing clutter from my life and I removed a few papers from a few file folders, and deleted some emails. I watched a video on leadership and posted it to my Toastmasters Facebook page. I made a couple of phone calls and that was about it. Oh yes, and I did attend a one hour Webinar on creating Teleseminars (which was very good). But I didn't really feel like I accomplished anything and I finally realized why. I didn't write out a list of what I wanted to accomplish today. I simply let the day take me by the hand instead of me managing it. (Oh, perhaps I should mention I am self-employed and work at home.)
Now, it is ok to let that happen every now and then, but if this becomes a pattern for your life, then it can create some major problems. If you have some projects you need to accomplish and you just let the day take you, you will find yourself rushing to complete them at the last minute, or just letting them slide.
So, I am now going to sit down and plan my day for tomorrow so that by the end of the day I will have a feeling of accomplishment. I will book the appointment for my oil change and a hair cut to start and then plan the rest of the day around those appointments.
I hope you are not having "one of those days" and that your day has been much more fulfilling than mine was.
To Building A New and Better Universe (BANABU)
Fran Watson
I looked at some articles on removing clutter from my life and I removed a few papers from a few file folders, and deleted some emails. I watched a video on leadership and posted it to my Toastmasters Facebook page. I made a couple of phone calls and that was about it. Oh yes, and I did attend a one hour Webinar on creating Teleseminars (which was very good). But I didn't really feel like I accomplished anything and I finally realized why. I didn't write out a list of what I wanted to accomplish today. I simply let the day take me by the hand instead of me managing it. (Oh, perhaps I should mention I am self-employed and work at home.)
Now, it is ok to let that happen every now and then, but if this becomes a pattern for your life, then it can create some major problems. If you have some projects you need to accomplish and you just let the day take you, you will find yourself rushing to complete them at the last minute, or just letting them slide.
So, I am now going to sit down and plan my day for tomorrow so that by the end of the day I will have a feeling of accomplishment. I will book the appointment for my oil change and a hair cut to start and then plan the rest of the day around those appointments.
I hope you are not having "one of those days" and that your day has been much more fulfilling than mine was.
To Building A New and Better Universe (BANABU)
Fran Watson
Monday, October 20, 2008
Comfort Zones
As I was researching this topic for my Toastmasters meeting, I came across a great list which I have copied below on how to step outside of our comfort zone. It came from "Evolving Times"
A comfort zone denotes the limited set of behaviors and environments that a person can engage in without becoming anxious.
The Comfort Zone is our living, work, and social environments that we have grown accustom too. It determines the type of friends we make or people we associate with. It determines a life style we accept or reject.
Most of us love the familiar. Whether we realize it or not, we put a lot of work into ensuring that certain things in our lives remain constant. This personal “comfort zone” is the invisible, but very real area that defines the boundaries of what we know and understand. By staying within this comfort zone we reassure ourselves that we are safe. And as long as we are safely held within the walls of what we know we feel secure and confident.
As we move closer to the edges of that zone we begin to feel a bit shaky and unsure of ourselves. But those edges are where we grow. And by stretching those boundaries we increase our ability to receive.
T. Harv Eker, the author of The Secrets of The Millionaire Mind has said that our comfort zone equals our money zone. In order to have more money in our lives we must expand our comfort zone.
I would add that our comfort zone equals our joy zone, our love zone, our fulfillment zone, our spiritual connection zone, you name it.
So if you want more of anything in your life, the place to start is with your comfort zone. By expanding your comfort zone you will get more of what you want. It’s that simple.
Now it sounds easy enough, but most of us have built up some pretty sturdy walls around our comfort zone. Pushing them out or breaking them down requires conscious, concerted effort. And I have found that it’s easier to expand the comfort zone in small, steady, steps than in great big leaps. But in order to do that, you need to intentionally take expansive action on a daily basis.
So to get you started, I’ve created a list of 50 actions that might expand your comfort zone.
Keep in mind that the parameters of everyone’s comfort zone are different. So if you already love to Scuba dive, number 30 on this list isn’t going to expand your comfort zone very much! But there are most likely other items on this list that will work for you.
Also realize that many of these can, and may need to be, turned around to work for you. For example, number 6 is “Be the first to say, “I love you.” But if you’re the one that always says I love you first, you’ll need to turn it around to “Let the other person say ‘I love you’ first.” For some of you that’s going to be quite uncomfortable, especially when the other person doesn’t say “I love you!”
This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list. It can’t be. Instead, it’s a catalyst and a reminder for you to take small steps each and every day that expand your comfort zone.
Here’s the list:
1. Try some new food.
2. Go on a silent retreat.
3. Ask for a raise.
4. Smile at strangers.
5. Say hello to people in the grocery store.
6. Be the first to say “I love you.”
7. Perform at an open mike night.
8. Eat at a local restaurant by yourself.
9. Take a day off from work to volunteer at your child’s school.
10. Go back to school.
11. Start a new business.
12. Moonlight as a waitperson.
13. Unplug the TV for a week.
14. Write in a journal every day.
15. Learn to surf.
16. Go to a different church/temple/mosque each week.
17. Get your news from different sources.
18. Live in another country.
19. Do a house-swap for a month.
20. Use public transportation.
21. Wear an outrageous outfit.
22. Meditate for 15-minutes a day.
23. Put your cell phone in a drawer for a full week.
24. Make a fool of yourself – on purpose.
25. Call someone you admire in your community and ask them out for lunch.
26. Ask someone you admire to be your mentor.
27. Switch sides (of the bed) with your partner.
28. Confront a phobia.
29. Jump out of a plane (with a parachute please!).
30. Learn to scuba dive.
31. Say I love you to your parents/children/siblings/friends.
32. Admit you were wrong.
33. Go to a movie by yourself.
34. Take responsibility for something you didn’t do.
35. Give away all one-month’s income.
36. Give a public talk on a topic you’re passionate about.
37. Join a networking group.
38. Disconnect the Internet for a week.
39. Ask for help.
40. Get a part time job as a checker at your local grocery store.
41. Enter an art show.
42. Forgive someone.
43. Join Toastmasters.
44. Start a blog.
45. Ask for a partial or complete telecommute arrangement at work.
46. Take lessons in something you’ve always wanted to try (art, music, woodworking, dancing, etc.).
47. Learn a foreign language.
48. Read a book in a genre you don’t usually read.
49. Delegate more of your work.
50. Get up an hour earlier than usual.
51. Try a therapy or modality that seems a bit “out there.”
Which of these have the most potential for expanding your comfort zone? Which ones made you gulp or start to sweat a bit?
Which actions did I leave off this list that, for you, are particularly effective at expanding your comfort zone?
Leave a comment below and share some of yours.
Take a chance, step outside of your comfort zone every now and then and see what happens. If public speaking is outside your zone, Check out #43 on the list - attend a Toastmasters meeting just to see what it is all about. You won't be required to give a speech, you can just listen.
Fran
A comfort zone denotes the limited set of behaviors and environments that a person can engage in without becoming anxious.
The Comfort Zone is our living, work, and social environments that we have grown accustom too. It determines the type of friends we make or people we associate with. It determines a life style we accept or reject.
Most of us love the familiar. Whether we realize it or not, we put a lot of work into ensuring that certain things in our lives remain constant. This personal “comfort zone” is the invisible, but very real area that defines the boundaries of what we know and understand. By staying within this comfort zone we reassure ourselves that we are safe. And as long as we are safely held within the walls of what we know we feel secure and confident.
As we move closer to the edges of that zone we begin to feel a bit shaky and unsure of ourselves. But those edges are where we grow. And by stretching those boundaries we increase our ability to receive.
T. Harv Eker, the author of The Secrets of The Millionaire Mind has said that our comfort zone equals our money zone. In order to have more money in our lives we must expand our comfort zone.
I would add that our comfort zone equals our joy zone, our love zone, our fulfillment zone, our spiritual connection zone, you name it.
So if you want more of anything in your life, the place to start is with your comfort zone. By expanding your comfort zone you will get more of what you want. It’s that simple.
Now it sounds easy enough, but most of us have built up some pretty sturdy walls around our comfort zone. Pushing them out or breaking them down requires conscious, concerted effort. And I have found that it’s easier to expand the comfort zone in small, steady, steps than in great big leaps. But in order to do that, you need to intentionally take expansive action on a daily basis.
So to get you started, I’ve created a list of 50 actions that might expand your comfort zone.
Keep in mind that the parameters of everyone’s comfort zone are different. So if you already love to Scuba dive, number 30 on this list isn’t going to expand your comfort zone very much! But there are most likely other items on this list that will work for you.
Also realize that many of these can, and may need to be, turned around to work for you. For example, number 6 is “Be the first to say, “I love you.” But if you’re the one that always says I love you first, you’ll need to turn it around to “Let the other person say ‘I love you’ first.” For some of you that’s going to be quite uncomfortable, especially when the other person doesn’t say “I love you!”
This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list. It can’t be. Instead, it’s a catalyst and a reminder for you to take small steps each and every day that expand your comfort zone.
Here’s the list:
1. Try some new food.
2. Go on a silent retreat.
3. Ask for a raise.
4. Smile at strangers.
5. Say hello to people in the grocery store.
6. Be the first to say “I love you.”
7. Perform at an open mike night.
8. Eat at a local restaurant by yourself.
9. Take a day off from work to volunteer at your child’s school.
10. Go back to school.
11. Start a new business.
12. Moonlight as a waitperson.
13. Unplug the TV for a week.
14. Write in a journal every day.
15. Learn to surf.
16. Go to a different church/temple/mosque each week.
17. Get your news from different sources.
18. Live in another country.
19. Do a house-swap for a month.
20. Use public transportation.
21. Wear an outrageous outfit.
22. Meditate for 15-minutes a day.
23. Put your cell phone in a drawer for a full week.
24. Make a fool of yourself – on purpose.
25. Call someone you admire in your community and ask them out for lunch.
26. Ask someone you admire to be your mentor.
27. Switch sides (of the bed) with your partner.
28. Confront a phobia.
29. Jump out of a plane (with a parachute please!).
30. Learn to scuba dive.
31. Say I love you to your parents/children/siblings/friends.
32. Admit you were wrong.
33. Go to a movie by yourself.
34. Take responsibility for something you didn’t do.
35. Give away all one-month’s income.
36. Give a public talk on a topic you’re passionate about.
37. Join a networking group.
38. Disconnect the Internet for a week.
39. Ask for help.
40. Get a part time job as a checker at your local grocery store.
41. Enter an art show.
42. Forgive someone.
43. Join Toastmasters.
44. Start a blog.
45. Ask for a partial or complete telecommute arrangement at work.
46. Take lessons in something you’ve always wanted to try (art, music, woodworking, dancing, etc.).
47. Learn a foreign language.
48. Read a book in a genre you don’t usually read.
49. Delegate more of your work.
50. Get up an hour earlier than usual.
51. Try a therapy or modality that seems a bit “out there.”
Which of these have the most potential for expanding your comfort zone? Which ones made you gulp or start to sweat a bit?
Which actions did I leave off this list that, for you, are particularly effective at expanding your comfort zone?
Leave a comment below and share some of yours.
Take a chance, step outside of your comfort zone every now and then and see what happens. If public speaking is outside your zone, Check out #43 on the list - attend a Toastmasters meeting just to see what it is all about. You won't be required to give a speech, you can just listen.
Fran
Friday, October 17, 2008
The Secret Masters
I'm sure by now you're aware that hundreds... maybe even thousands of "teachers" around the globe are touting The Secret as the next best thing to getting into Heaven.
But none of these hard-core Secret fans seem to know that some of the most vitally important... crucial knowledge... has been kept from them... actually stripped from the movie!
This information has unlocked the doors to manifesting riches, cars, houses, food and financial freedom for those few individuals who know the real secret... want to know what it is?... I'll give you a hint:
http://www.mastersofthesecret.com/?join=10795
You'll only find out from the web site above.
Why?... Because some of the exact same teachers of The Secret (from the movie) are together once again, this time in a project that exposes the lies, deceit and deception about metaphysics, spirituality and manifestation that seem to rule the world of the mainstream audience.
No wonder there are so many skeptics of The Secret... they clearly see the holes that were never filled in the movie's lush "new age" philosophy... until now!
Click Here and See This Now:
http://www.mastersofthesecret.com/?join=10795
Sincerely,
Fran
PS. I'll warn you... this isn't for everyone. Some folks will be offended, others may cry... but all will know the REAL Secret that you were never supposed to hear!
****************************************************
But none of these hard-core Secret fans seem to know that some of the most vitally important... crucial knowledge... has been kept from them... actually stripped from the movie!
This information has unlocked the doors to manifesting riches, cars, houses, food and financial freedom for those few individuals who know the real secret... want to know what it is?... I'll give you a hint:
http://www.mastersofthesecret.com/?join=10795
You'll only find out from the web site above.
Why?... Because some of the exact same teachers of The Secret (from the movie) are together once again, this time in a project that exposes the lies, deceit and deception about metaphysics, spirituality and manifestation that seem to rule the world of the mainstream audience.
No wonder there are so many skeptics of The Secret... they clearly see the holes that were never filled in the movie's lush "new age" philosophy... until now!
Click Here and See This Now:
http://www.mastersofthesecret.com/?join=10795
Sincerely,
Fran
PS. I'll warn you... this isn't for everyone. Some folks will be offended, others may cry... but all will know the REAL Secret that you were never supposed to hear!
****************************************************
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 | Get your hands on Masters of the Secret. This is a $197 value and worth the price of this package alone.
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Monday, October 13, 2008
Perceptions
PERCEPTIONS
How was your latest car wash experience?
Did you take your car to a do-it-yourself car wash where you could ensure that every spot that needed to be cleaned was clean?
Did you approach the car wash cautiously, checking your windows 2 and 3 times to ensure that they were firmly secure so that no water could come inside? Then carefully ease your car up to the marked line and then wait - feeling powers beyond your control begin to move your car forward and then feel trapped inside when the thunderous rush of water, soap and brushes hit your car from all directions?
Or did you cheerfully approach the car wash, deposit your coins and gently guide your car into the tracks calmly and serenely.
Did you wonder if you were going to get stuck in the middle and be unable to get out? Did you wonder if the machinery would break down? Did you wonder if your windows Or did you sit back comfortably in your warm cocoon, knowing that you were in good hands and that the machinery was there simply to wash away the dirt and the grime to leave your car clean and ready to go again?
I was at my mom's a couple of weeks ago. Mom likes her car clean, but doesn't feel comfortable doing it on her own - well, she is over 80, so I guess that's why. As I was taking her car through the car wash, I thought about the various car wash experiences, and realized how this experience applies to our daily lives.
Some people see their lives as out of their control. They feel buffeted about by the trials and tribulations of life. They approach it with fear and trepidation, wondering what will hit them next. They are constantly looking around, waiting for the next blow.
Others see that they have set things in motion, that they are on the right track as they pass through life, and that the forces that buffet them are simply there to clean away the debris, leaving them refreshed and ready to carry on with a clean slate.
For those that like the do-it-yourself car wash, and I confess, I am one, our lives are probably much more controlled. We are not content to be on a pre-set track. We may be highly competitive. We may have to be number one. We may have to, as Frank Sinatra said "do it my way." Some of us may not be content to work for someone else, we have to be entrepreneurs so that we can guide our life in the way that we want it to be go. And we ensure that all the specks are removed, that there is nothing hindering us, that there is nothing in our way. It's all in how we perceive our life.
The same situation is often viewed very differently by people in each of these groups. That's why even "eye witness" accounts vary so much. Everyone has heard the question - is the glass half full or is it half empty? Do we look at what's missing - what we don't have, or do we consider the benefits and blessings we do have? Now my oldest son likes to say - "It depends on whether you are filling it up, or drinking it". However, most of us would have a set response. For those who have the scary car wash experience, they may see the glass and their life as half empty and out of their control. For people who see the glass as half full, they probably have a good car wash experience. They are content, calm, ready to travel on with life.
The way we look at things changes how we feel about what goes on in our lives, and how we deal with things. When it comes to employment, some people have a perception that a person without a grade 12 education is not worth hiring, yet there are a number of very successful businessmen, some even millionaires, who have less than a grade 8 education, but more smarts than a university graduate.
In the job search - if you think you won't get a job, your body image changes and the employer's perception of you and your abilities may be affected by this. Try this: Let your shoulders hunch forward, hang your head a little and say "I feel great". It's almost impossible to feel great when your posture says I feel lousy. Next, take a deep breath, put your shoulders back, your head up, a smile on your face and say, "I feel great". This time when you say it, you'll mean it. When you change the image, you also change the perception - both for yourself and the employer.
Our perceptions of events are coloured by the way we think, by the way we perceive life. I know a woman who has a beautiful home, an expensive car, fairly expensive clothes and she owns a company. People perceive her as being very rich. What they don't know is that her house is heavily mortgaged and that she has extensive credit card debt, and the clothes that she is wearing are probably 15-20 years old, purchased at a time when she had a little more money. But it is difficult to change people's perceptions. Someone else might be seen as incredibly poor, living in a tiny shack of a house, not driving the latest car, but that person may be very, very content with what they have. So, while others perceive them as being poor, they may see themselves as very, very rich.
Think about your perceptions. Are you full of hope? Or hopeless? Even the worst situations can have a positive side if we look for the silver lining. For those with a hopeless perspective, this is much more difficult as all they can see are the storm clouds. These people may need help to see that the sun always comes out eventually and that there is always another day, another chance to change things, to wash away the troubles of life.
It's up to the hope full people to lead the way. I challenge you to view life with a positive perspective. To look for the lesson in life's difficulties so that you can share what you've learned with others, so they too can survive and grow from their car wash experiences.
Fran Watson
How was your latest car wash experience?
Did you take your car to a do-it-yourself car wash where you could ensure that every spot that needed to be cleaned was clean?
Did you approach the car wash cautiously, checking your windows 2 and 3 times to ensure that they were firmly secure so that no water could come inside? Then carefully ease your car up to the marked line and then wait - feeling powers beyond your control begin to move your car forward and then feel trapped inside when the thunderous rush of water, soap and brushes hit your car from all directions?
Or did you cheerfully approach the car wash, deposit your coins and gently guide your car into the tracks calmly and serenely.
Did you wonder if you were going to get stuck in the middle and be unable to get out? Did you wonder if the machinery would break down? Did you wonder if your windows Or did you sit back comfortably in your warm cocoon, knowing that you were in good hands and that the machinery was there simply to wash away the dirt and the grime to leave your car clean and ready to go again?
I was at my mom's a couple of weeks ago. Mom likes her car clean, but doesn't feel comfortable doing it on her own - well, she is over 80, so I guess that's why. As I was taking her car through the car wash, I thought about the various car wash experiences, and realized how this experience applies to our daily lives.
Some people see their lives as out of their control. They feel buffeted about by the trials and tribulations of life. They approach it with fear and trepidation, wondering what will hit them next. They are constantly looking around, waiting for the next blow.
Others see that they have set things in motion, that they are on the right track as they pass through life, and that the forces that buffet them are simply there to clean away the debris, leaving them refreshed and ready to carry on with a clean slate.
For those that like the do-it-yourself car wash, and I confess, I am one, our lives are probably much more controlled. We are not content to be on a pre-set track. We may be highly competitive. We may have to be number one. We may have to, as Frank Sinatra said "do it my way." Some of us may not be content to work for someone else, we have to be entrepreneurs so that we can guide our life in the way that we want it to be go. And we ensure that all the specks are removed, that there is nothing hindering us, that there is nothing in our way. It's all in how we perceive our life.
The same situation is often viewed very differently by people in each of these groups. That's why even "eye witness" accounts vary so much. Everyone has heard the question - is the glass half full or is it half empty? Do we look at what's missing - what we don't have, or do we consider the benefits and blessings we do have? Now my oldest son likes to say - "It depends on whether you are filling it up, or drinking it". However, most of us would have a set response. For those who have the scary car wash experience, they may see the glass and their life as half empty and out of their control. For people who see the glass as half full, they probably have a good car wash experience. They are content, calm, ready to travel on with life.
The way we look at things changes how we feel about what goes on in our lives, and how we deal with things. When it comes to employment, some people have a perception that a person without a grade 12 education is not worth hiring, yet there are a number of very successful businessmen, some even millionaires, who have less than a grade 8 education, but more smarts than a university graduate.
In the job search - if you think you won't get a job, your body image changes and the employer's perception of you and your abilities may be affected by this. Try this: Let your shoulders hunch forward, hang your head a little and say "I feel great". It's almost impossible to feel great when your posture says I feel lousy. Next, take a deep breath, put your shoulders back, your head up, a smile on your face and say, "I feel great". This time when you say it, you'll mean it. When you change the image, you also change the perception - both for yourself and the employer.
Our perceptions of events are coloured by the way we think, by the way we perceive life. I know a woman who has a beautiful home, an expensive car, fairly expensive clothes and she owns a company. People perceive her as being very rich. What they don't know is that her house is heavily mortgaged and that she has extensive credit card debt, and the clothes that she is wearing are probably 15-20 years old, purchased at a time when she had a little more money. But it is difficult to change people's perceptions. Someone else might be seen as incredibly poor, living in a tiny shack of a house, not driving the latest car, but that person may be very, very content with what they have. So, while others perceive them as being poor, they may see themselves as very, very rich.
Think about your perceptions. Are you full of hope? Or hopeless? Even the worst situations can have a positive side if we look for the silver lining. For those with a hopeless perspective, this is much more difficult as all they can see are the storm clouds. These people may need help to see that the sun always comes out eventually and that there is always another day, another chance to change things, to wash away the troubles of life.
It's up to the hope full people to lead the way. I challenge you to view life with a positive perspective. To look for the lesson in life's difficulties so that you can share what you've learned with others, so they too can survive and grow from their car wash experiences.
Fran Watson
A thought for today
Be ready when opportunity comes.... Luck is the time when preparation and opportunity meet.
D Chapin, Jr. Roy
Never be entirely idle; but either be reading, or writing, or praying or meditating or endeavoring something for the public good.
Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471)
Have a wonderful day!
Fran
D Chapin, Jr. Roy
Never be entirely idle; but either be reading, or writing, or praying or meditating or endeavoring something for the public good.
Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471)
Have a wonderful day!
Fran
Friday, September 5, 2008
Happy New Year
"No, this is not an autoresponder message that is out of
sync. And I haven't gone off my rocker.
It's my way of reassuring you that regardless of what day it
is on the calendar, you can start a New Year today!
Think about it. Traditionally we all get excited about
setting goals on January 1. We are all revved up about
Taking Action - for about 2 weeks. Then we start to beat
ourselves up about why we haven't stuck with the plan - and
by March 1, we're tired and discouraged and think "oh well,
another year down the drain."
It doesn't have to be that way!
You can start a New Year ANY day of the year. For example,
- A New School Year starts the day after labor day.
- A new fiscal year starts for businesses on whichever day
they choose to start it.
- The Chinese new year starts on a different date every
year.
So decide TODAY that you're going to start a new year TODAY.
1. What goals do you have?
2. What actions do you need to take to achieve them?
Take a few minutes to write these down. You already know
what they are because you've set New Years Goals before. But
now you get a "bonus" new start for the year - right here in
the middle of September!"
This is from an email I received today. First it made me laugh a bit and then it made me really think about my goals for this year and how I'm doing on them. The year is 3/4 complete and I should have 3/4 of my goal accomplished. I'm sorry to say that I don't and now I know I will have to get busy and work a little harder!
How about you? How are you doing on the goals you set for youself this year? Are you halfway there, or still at the starting block? Well, there is no time like the present to get back on track. Take another look at your goals and see what it is that stopped you from achieving them. Were they too large? If so, break your goals into little steps. One step per week for the balance of the year. You will be surprised at how much you can achieve.
Take some time each evening to write down your goals for the next day, so that when you wake up your mind will already have begun processing the steps to accomplish those goals.
As I said above.....Happy New Year!
Fran Watson
http://www.quickinfo247.com/7910757/EE
sync. And I haven't gone off my rocker.
It's my way of reassuring you that regardless of what day it
is on the calendar, you can start a New Year today!
Think about it. Traditionally we all get excited about
setting goals on January 1. We are all revved up about
Taking Action - for about 2 weeks. Then we start to beat
ourselves up about why we haven't stuck with the plan - and
by March 1, we're tired and discouraged and think "oh well,
another year down the drain."
It doesn't have to be that way!
You can start a New Year ANY day of the year. For example,
- A New School Year starts the day after labor day.
- A new fiscal year starts for businesses on whichever day
they choose to start it.
- The Chinese new year starts on a different date every
year.
So decide TODAY that you're going to start a new year TODAY.
1. What goals do you have?
2. What actions do you need to take to achieve them?
Take a few minutes to write these down. You already know
what they are because you've set New Years Goals before. But
now you get a "bonus" new start for the year - right here in
the middle of September!"
This is from an email I received today. First it made me laugh a bit and then it made me really think about my goals for this year and how I'm doing on them. The year is 3/4 complete and I should have 3/4 of my goal accomplished. I'm sorry to say that I don't and now I know I will have to get busy and work a little harder!
How about you? How are you doing on the goals you set for youself this year? Are you halfway there, or still at the starting block? Well, there is no time like the present to get back on track. Take another look at your goals and see what it is that stopped you from achieving them. Were they too large? If so, break your goals into little steps. One step per week for the balance of the year. You will be surprised at how much you can achieve.
Take some time each evening to write down your goals for the next day, so that when you wake up your mind will already have begun processing the steps to accomplish those goals.
As I said above.....Happy New Year!
Fran Watson
http://www.quickinfo247.com/7910757/EE
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Think Right Now!
===================================================
Out Of Every Thousand People...
The most organized person will achieve the most, do it faster with the least amount of effort AND have the most free time...
Learn NOW how simple & easy it is to be that one in a thousand.
==> http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmd.asp?Clk=2547468
===================================================
DO YOU SET GOALS BUT RARELY REACH & KEEP THEM?
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE LAZIEST PERSON ALIVE...
If you just can't get yourself to do what you must do, if
your willpower and persistence always seems to fizzle out,
then join people from 54 countries who are now using the
new paradigm in personal growth. Free course. Join the
single largest personal coaching ezine in the world.
Click here to learn about it all...
http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmd.asp?Clk=2547492
===================================================
CHANGE YOUR LIFE... JUST BY LOOKING AT YOUR PC MONITOR
Think Right Now For Windows makes
every computer minute an effortless self-help session.
Just use your PC as you always do. That's it!
Learn more now...
http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmd.asp?Clk=2547470
*************************************************
Decide What You Want
In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want. Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can't see how it's possible to get what they want - so they don't even let themselves want it.
Don't sabotage yourself that way!
What scientists now know about how the brain works is that you must first decide WHAT you want, before your brain can figure out HOW to get it. Once you lock-in your desires, your mind and the universe can step in.
Are you ready to get started?
Be Willing to Dream BIG Dreams
As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You'll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, they compel others to want to play big, too.
Set Goals That Will Stretch You
Another value in giving yourself permission to go after the big dreams is that big dreams require you to grow in order to achieve them. In fact, in the long run, that is the greatest benefit you will receive from pursuing your dreams - not so much the outer trappings of fulfilling the dream (an expensive car, impressive house, loads of money and philanthropic opportunities), but who you become in the process.
As I've seen many times over, the outer symbols of success can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go bankrupt, relationships end, cars get old, bodies age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned, and the new skills you have developed never go away. These are the true prizes of success. Motivational philosopher, Jim Rohn advises that "You should set a goal big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become someone worth becoming."
Service to Others
Something else you'll discover is that when your dreams include service to others - accomplishing something that contributes to others - it also accelerates the accomplishment of that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.
Turn Your Dreams into Goals and Objectives
Once you are clear about what you want, you must turn each item into a measurable objective. By measurable, I mean measurable in space and time - how much and by when. For instance, if you were to tell me that you wanted more money, I might pull out a dollar and give it to you, but you would probably protest, saying "No, I meant a lot more money - like $20,000!" Well, how am I supposed to know unless you tell me? Similarly, your boss, your friends, your spouse, your brain - God, the Universe - can't figure out what you want unless you tell them specifically what it is. What do you want - exactly - and when do you want it by?
Write Your Goals Down
Write your goals down in detail, and read your list of goals every day. This will keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want. For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and focus on each goal and ask yourself, "What is one thing I could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?" Write down your answers and take those actions.
I recommend writing down a minimum of 3 goals in each of the following 7 areas:
Financial Goals
Career/Business Goals
Free Time/Family Time
Health/Appearance Goals
Relationship Goals
Personal Growth
Making a Difference
To help your reticular activating system begin finding YOUR wants in unexpected places, take time now to decide what you want and start writing!
If you want help getting started, I have a handy worksheet for you that models this formula, including examples. Click here to download this resource and start creating all that you want from your life this year.
Remember, don't hold back!
***author Jack Canfield
Cme on, take that first step towards your personal success.
Fran Watson
Out Of Every Thousand People...
The most organized person will achieve the most, do it faster with the least amount of effort AND have the most free time...
Learn NOW how simple & easy it is to be that one in a thousand.
==> http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmd.asp?Clk=2547468
===================================================
DO YOU SET GOALS BUT RARELY REACH & KEEP THEM?
I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE LAZIEST PERSON ALIVE...
If you just can't get yourself to do what you must do, if
your willpower and persistence always seems to fizzle out,
then join people from 54 countries who are now using the
new paradigm in personal growth. Free course. Join the
single largest personal coaching ezine in the world.
Click here to learn about it all...
http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmd.asp?Clk=2547492
===================================================
CHANGE YOUR LIFE... JUST BY LOOKING AT YOUR PC MONITOR
Think Right Now For Windows makes
every computer minute an effortless self-help session.
Just use your PC as you always do. That's it!
Learn more now...
http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmd.asp?Clk=2547470
*************************************************
Decide What You Want
In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want. Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can't see how it's possible to get what they want - so they don't even let themselves want it.
Don't sabotage yourself that way!
What scientists now know about how the brain works is that you must first decide WHAT you want, before your brain can figure out HOW to get it. Once you lock-in your desires, your mind and the universe can step in.
Are you ready to get started?
Be Willing to Dream BIG Dreams
As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You'll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, they compel others to want to play big, too.
Set Goals That Will Stretch You
Another value in giving yourself permission to go after the big dreams is that big dreams require you to grow in order to achieve them. In fact, in the long run, that is the greatest benefit you will receive from pursuing your dreams - not so much the outer trappings of fulfilling the dream (an expensive car, impressive house, loads of money and philanthropic opportunities), but who you become in the process.
As I've seen many times over, the outer symbols of success can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go bankrupt, relationships end, cars get old, bodies age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned, and the new skills you have developed never go away. These are the true prizes of success. Motivational philosopher, Jim Rohn advises that "You should set a goal big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become someone worth becoming."
Service to Others
Something else you'll discover is that when your dreams include service to others - accomplishing something that contributes to others - it also accelerates the accomplishment of that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.
Turn Your Dreams into Goals and Objectives
Once you are clear about what you want, you must turn each item into a measurable objective. By measurable, I mean measurable in space and time - how much and by when. For instance, if you were to tell me that you wanted more money, I might pull out a dollar and give it to you, but you would probably protest, saying "No, I meant a lot more money - like $20,000!" Well, how am I supposed to know unless you tell me? Similarly, your boss, your friends, your spouse, your brain - God, the Universe - can't figure out what you want unless you tell them specifically what it is. What do you want - exactly - and when do you want it by?
Write Your Goals Down
Write your goals down in detail, and read your list of goals every day. This will keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want. For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and focus on each goal and ask yourself, "What is one thing I could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?" Write down your answers and take those actions.
I recommend writing down a minimum of 3 goals in each of the following 7 areas:
Financial Goals
Career/Business Goals
Free Time/Family Time
Health/Appearance Goals
Relationship Goals
Personal Growth
Making a Difference
To help your reticular activating system begin finding YOUR wants in unexpected places, take time now to decide what you want and start writing!
If you want help getting started, I have a handy worksheet for you that models this formula, including examples. Click here to download this resource and start creating all that you want from your life this year.
Remember, don't hold back!
***author Jack Canfield
Cme on, take that first step towards your personal success.
Fran Watson
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Points to Ponder
Points to Ponder
If you were to FULLY live your life, what is the first change you would start to make?
What's one change you could make to your lifestyle that would give you more peace?
For your life to be perfect, what would have to change?
What do you really, really want?
Fran
If you were to FULLY live your life, what is the first change you would start to make?
What's one change you could make to your lifestyle that would give you more peace?
For your life to be perfect, what would have to change?
What do you really, really want?
Fran
Monday, July 21, 2008
Out of Balance??
Here is an article by one of my colleagues. I hope you enjoy it.
Lenny's Tip For The Day: Don't replace the garage door!
For weeks, every time Lenny and Kathy would back the car out of the garage to leave the house, the remote-controlled garage door would shake, hit a certain point, then bounce back open again. After multiple attempts to close the door (hitting the remote control at just the right time, getting out of the car and pulling down the door by hand, or the ultimate - performing the complex, "Please, please close now" ritual) somehow, it would eventually shut.
One day, after 10 frustrating tries to close the door, Kathy resorted to calling a repair shop and asking them to come look at the door. The next day a technician arrived. After assessing the situation he said, "Ma'am, you need a new garage door. This one is old, worn out, and coming off the tracks."
Given his recommendation, and her own level of aggravation, Kathy felt she had no other choice than to replace the door.
Later that same day, Kathy's next-door neighbor came for a visit and Kathy mentioned the broken garage door. The neighbor asked to take a look and after he did he said, "Kathy, you don't need a new door. The door is just out of balance. It just needs something to stabilize it." He returned a few minutes later with a metal bar and attached it to the top of the door. It was like magic. The door opened and closed with ease!
Lenny has observed humans and has noticed that they sometimes allow their lives to get out of balance, without even realizing that a lack of balance is the source of their problems. Sometimes balance shifts through overuse, lack of maintenance, or inattention and that makes people begin to get off track. Often times, just making a small life adjustment will help stabilize us, get us functioning and working again with ease!
Lenny's Challenge: Take 60 seconds and ask yourself, "Am I out of balance? Working to hard? Not spending enough time with my family and loved ones? Not taking enough time for myself? What is one thing I can do today to make an adjustment that will help stabilize my life and bring it back on track and into balance?" Before you decide to "buy a new door," how can you learn to recognize your own state of balance?
Staying balanced is 100% your choice! Shed or You're Dead (TM)!
***************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Announcing NEW BRIDGES program!
Kathy Dempsey has partnered with Bob Danzig, former CEO of Hearst Newspapers, to bring you a new spirit-driven leadership program called Bridges - Connecting the spirit, commitment, and morale of your colleagues to your organization's noble purpose. Visit www.TheLearningAgenda.com for more information.
Order Kathy's new book, Shed or You're Dead (TM): 31 unConventional Strategies for Growth and Change (recipient of a Writer's Digest International Book Award). It makes a great gift for family, friends, colleagues, or staff! Do you know someone who needs a few strategies to get unstuck and grow? To order personalized and autographed copies, visit www.TheLearningAgenda.com or call 302-765-3301. Shed or You're Dead (TM) is $15.95. Free shipping to the first 10 people who mention this message! Order five or more copies and get 30% off the cover price.
Does your organization need a little help shedding? Looking for a speaker or trainer for your next meeting? Need help in 2004 with strategic planning? Kathy and Lenny's facilitated programs might be just what you need. Email Info@TheLearningAgenda.com or visit www.TheLearningAgenda.com for more details.
Recommend 60 Seconds of Shedding to a friend by sending them to www.KeepShedding.com to sign up for their own subscription.
Kathy B Dempsey - www.TheLearningAgenda.com - 302-765-3301 - Kathy@TheLearningAgenda.com
TheLearningAgenda.com - Helping individuals and organizations grow by "shedding their skin."
Change Management - Communication - Strategic Planning
***********************************************************************************
Here's to staying in balance!
Fran Watson
3119 Stone Road
Douglas
Ontario K0J 1S0
Canada
Lenny's Tip For The Day: Don't replace the garage door!
For weeks, every time Lenny and Kathy would back the car out of the garage to leave the house, the remote-controlled garage door would shake, hit a certain point, then bounce back open again. After multiple attempts to close the door (hitting the remote control at just the right time, getting out of the car and pulling down the door by hand, or the ultimate - performing the complex, "Please, please close now" ritual) somehow, it would eventually shut.
One day, after 10 frustrating tries to close the door, Kathy resorted to calling a repair shop and asking them to come look at the door. The next day a technician arrived. After assessing the situation he said, "Ma'am, you need a new garage door. This one is old, worn out, and coming off the tracks."
Given his recommendation, and her own level of aggravation, Kathy felt she had no other choice than to replace the door.
Later that same day, Kathy's next-door neighbor came for a visit and Kathy mentioned the broken garage door. The neighbor asked to take a look and after he did he said, "Kathy, you don't need a new door. The door is just out of balance. It just needs something to stabilize it." He returned a few minutes later with a metal bar and attached it to the top of the door. It was like magic. The door opened and closed with ease!
Lenny has observed humans and has noticed that they sometimes allow their lives to get out of balance, without even realizing that a lack of balance is the source of their problems. Sometimes balance shifts through overuse, lack of maintenance, or inattention and that makes people begin to get off track. Often times, just making a small life adjustment will help stabilize us, get us functioning and working again with ease!
Lenny's Challenge: Take 60 seconds and ask yourself, "Am I out of balance? Working to hard? Not spending enough time with my family and loved ones? Not taking enough time for myself? What is one thing I can do today to make an adjustment that will help stabilize my life and bring it back on track and into balance?" Before you decide to "buy a new door," how can you learn to recognize your own state of balance?
Staying balanced is 100% your choice! Shed or You're Dead (TM)!
***************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Announcing NEW BRIDGES program!
Kathy Dempsey has partnered with Bob Danzig, former CEO of Hearst Newspapers, to bring you a new spirit-driven leadership program called Bridges - Connecting the spirit, commitment, and morale of your colleagues to your organization's noble purpose. Visit www.TheLearningAgenda.com for more information.
Order Kathy's new book, Shed or You're Dead (TM): 31 unConventional Strategies for Growth and Change (recipient of a Writer's Digest International Book Award). It makes a great gift for family, friends, colleagues, or staff! Do you know someone who needs a few strategies to get unstuck and grow? To order personalized and autographed copies, visit www.TheLearningAgenda.com or call 302-765-3301. Shed or You're Dead (TM) is $15.95. Free shipping to the first 10 people who mention this message! Order five or more copies and get 30% off the cover price.
Does your organization need a little help shedding? Looking for a speaker or trainer for your next meeting? Need help in 2004 with strategic planning? Kathy and Lenny's facilitated programs might be just what you need. Email Info@TheLearningAgenda.com or visit www.TheLearningAgenda.com for more details.
Recommend 60 Seconds of Shedding to a friend by sending them to www.KeepShedding.com to sign up for their own subscription.
Kathy B Dempsey - www.TheLearningAgenda.com - 302-765-3301 - Kathy@TheLearningAgenda.com
TheLearningAgenda.com - Helping individuals and organizations grow by "shedding their skin."
Change Management - Communication - Strategic Planning
***********************************************************************************
Here's to staying in balance!
Fran Watson
3119 Stone Road
Douglas
Ontario K0J 1S0
Canada
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Transforming Leaders
TRANSFORMING LEADERS
By Ken Keis
Leadership is missing in our political system, businesses, schools, and even our families. Our streets are filled with wandering souls waiting for someone to build a vision they can grasp.
Everyone is a leader at some level with someone. Leadership skills are required for parenting and being a friend or part of a couple—in your household and at work. We have all seen examples of ineffective leaders, from the lazy boss who expects everyone else to do his work, to the parent of the uncontrolled child at the mall. Leadership is not restricted to the manager of a major corporation; it applies to everyone in every organization.
The challenges for many leaders are that they can manage but not lead; quantify yet not empathize; control but not empower.
Leadership is learned; it is not a skill we receive at birth. To expect someone to automatically know how to build and lead anorganization is a fallacy at best.
We must approach the subject of leadership with a fresh, new vibrant attitude where we truly believe each person makes a difference and is a leader in his or her own right. This new way of thinking forces us to consider changes―where collaboration comes before confrontation, empowerment replaces control, and the value of the individual precedes profits or self-centered hidden agendas.
Leadership credibility comes from four qualities: inspiration, honesty, competency, and forward-looking. Effective leaders operate daily according to certain principles for positive change and demonstrate skills that others want to model.
Five skill sets are essential in the development of transforming leaders. Our experience has proven that few people are competent in all five skills. Educational programs can be created to help individuals learn these important skills.
Self-Management SkillsThis intensely personal yet important area includes the clarification of beliefs, values, purpose, and goals. If leaders are not clear about where they are going and what they stand for, few people will be willing to follow them. Only from a position of self-awareness will you be in a better position to devise a plan to develop and strengthen your weaker areas.
Interpersonal Communication Skills
Interpersonal communication skills are the vehicles through which all interactions you have with other people are made more clear and effective. Attending, listening, responding, and questioning are just four of the twelve skills identified as necessary for quality communication to occur.
Problem Management and Counseling SkillsLeaders who develop these competencies are able to encourage others to develop and perform to their potential. At the heart of effective coaching and mentoring, these proficiencies are critical to any organizational development. Advanced empathy, problem-ownership, action planning, confrontation, and self-sharing are just five of the twelve skills needed for competency in the areas of problem-management and counseling.
Consulting Skills
Group facilitation, clarification, assessment, evaluation, and reporting are included in this skill set. The emphasis of this section is your ability to handle complex situations with an increasingly in-depth set of responses.
Advanced Versatility and Style-Shifting SkillsThe ability to style-shift into appropriate behaviors that match the style of others is a necessity when building and empowering teams. This skill is for everyone; it can be applied to customer service, supervision, team building, and even spousal/family relationships. This expertise is required for gaining credibility with others and for adapting to the permanent state of change in which we find ourselves.
One way to identify your clients’ leadership strengths and weaknesses is through the Leadership Skills Inventory (LSI). The base of the LSI is Transformational Leadership, the belief that leaders can be made, with the right training and guidance. Today's tough organizational challenges require transformational leaders who can adapt to rapidly changing social and technical environments. The Leadership Skills Inventory provides participants with the necessary feedback to better understand and develop their own transformational leadership skills.
Dr. Doug Perkins, Director of People for Coastal Pacific Xpress (CPX), has taken a number of his company’s senior staff through the Leadership Skills Inventory. CPX, headquartered in Cloverdale, BC, has evolved from one truck and trailer in 1985 to 160 trucks and 250 trailers today, making it one of the fastest-growing, temperature-controlled truckload carriers in the province. In fact, the company serves major markets throughout North America.
“Trucking often attracts lower-skilled people,” states company owner Jim Mickey. “Factors combine to create what I call a ‘stupid business.’ You have a $160,000 truck, you put on a trailer worth $70,000 holding $50,000 of cargo and you trust a guy with no competence. How dumb is this?”
To tackle the problem, Jim and CPX set out to hand-pick the best in the industry. Enter Dr. Doug Perkins and CRG assessments.
Doug gives the Leadership Skills Inventory–Self to all CPX managers to evaluate their own leadership skills. To create a full picture of each manager’s strengths, each manager gives Doug the names of five employees who know them well. Doug then distributes the Leadership Skills Inventory–Others to those individuals. To protect people’s anonymity, those who complete the LSI–Others tools return them to Doug, not the manager.
After Doug has received the five LSI–Others for each manager, he averages all five scores and compares them against the manager’s scores on the Leadership Skills Inventory–Self. He then gives the results to the respective manager for review.
Doug and the manager work through the three highest and the three lowest scores in each category. Where the manager received scores that showed he or she was highly competent in that area and capable of teaching that skill, for example, Doug asks the manager to teach his or her assistant how to train the staff in that particular area. Where the manager scored low and wants to improve, Doug teaches or provides resources to help the manager in those areas.
Doug sees the Leadership Skills Inventory as a helpful coaching tool to complement the other CRG resources Coastal Pacific Xpress is using.
Becoming a transforming leader is not an overnight process. You may find it overwhelming and extensive at times, but it will be worth it. You will discover you can make a difference, whoever you are.
Ken Keis is the president and CEO of Consulting Resource Group in Abbotsford, B.C. (www.crgleader.com). He can be reached at (604) 852-0566 or ken@crgleader.com.
By Ken Keis
Leadership is missing in our political system, businesses, schools, and even our families. Our streets are filled with wandering souls waiting for someone to build a vision they can grasp.
Everyone is a leader at some level with someone. Leadership skills are required for parenting and being a friend or part of a couple—in your household and at work. We have all seen examples of ineffective leaders, from the lazy boss who expects everyone else to do his work, to the parent of the uncontrolled child at the mall. Leadership is not restricted to the manager of a major corporation; it applies to everyone in every organization.
The challenges for many leaders are that they can manage but not lead; quantify yet not empathize; control but not empower.
Leadership is learned; it is not a skill we receive at birth. To expect someone to automatically know how to build and lead anorganization is a fallacy at best.
We must approach the subject of leadership with a fresh, new vibrant attitude where we truly believe each person makes a difference and is a leader in his or her own right. This new way of thinking forces us to consider changes―where collaboration comes before confrontation, empowerment replaces control, and the value of the individual precedes profits or self-centered hidden agendas.
Leadership credibility comes from four qualities: inspiration, honesty, competency, and forward-looking. Effective leaders operate daily according to certain principles for positive change and demonstrate skills that others want to model.
Five skill sets are essential in the development of transforming leaders. Our experience has proven that few people are competent in all five skills. Educational programs can be created to help individuals learn these important skills.
Self-Management SkillsThis intensely personal yet important area includes the clarification of beliefs, values, purpose, and goals. If leaders are not clear about where they are going and what they stand for, few people will be willing to follow them. Only from a position of self-awareness will you be in a better position to devise a plan to develop and strengthen your weaker areas.
Interpersonal Communication Skills
Interpersonal communication skills are the vehicles through which all interactions you have with other people are made more clear and effective. Attending, listening, responding, and questioning are just four of the twelve skills identified as necessary for quality communication to occur.
Problem Management and Counseling SkillsLeaders who develop these competencies are able to encourage others to develop and perform to their potential. At the heart of effective coaching and mentoring, these proficiencies are critical to any organizational development. Advanced empathy, problem-ownership, action planning, confrontation, and self-sharing are just five of the twelve skills needed for competency in the areas of problem-management and counseling.
Consulting Skills
Group facilitation, clarification, assessment, evaluation, and reporting are included in this skill set. The emphasis of this section is your ability to handle complex situations with an increasingly in-depth set of responses.
Advanced Versatility and Style-Shifting SkillsThe ability to style-shift into appropriate behaviors that match the style of others is a necessity when building and empowering teams. This skill is for everyone; it can be applied to customer service, supervision, team building, and even spousal/family relationships. This expertise is required for gaining credibility with others and for adapting to the permanent state of change in which we find ourselves.
One way to identify your clients’ leadership strengths and weaknesses is through the Leadership Skills Inventory (LSI). The base of the LSI is Transformational Leadership, the belief that leaders can be made, with the right training and guidance. Today's tough organizational challenges require transformational leaders who can adapt to rapidly changing social and technical environments. The Leadership Skills Inventory provides participants with the necessary feedback to better understand and develop their own transformational leadership skills.
Dr. Doug Perkins, Director of People for Coastal Pacific Xpress (CPX), has taken a number of his company’s senior staff through the Leadership Skills Inventory. CPX, headquartered in Cloverdale, BC, has evolved from one truck and trailer in 1985 to 160 trucks and 250 trailers today, making it one of the fastest-growing, temperature-controlled truckload carriers in the province. In fact, the company serves major markets throughout North America.
“Trucking often attracts lower-skilled people,” states company owner Jim Mickey. “Factors combine to create what I call a ‘stupid business.’ You have a $160,000 truck, you put on a trailer worth $70,000 holding $50,000 of cargo and you trust a guy with no competence. How dumb is this?”
To tackle the problem, Jim and CPX set out to hand-pick the best in the industry. Enter Dr. Doug Perkins and CRG assessments.
Doug gives the Leadership Skills Inventory–Self to all CPX managers to evaluate their own leadership skills. To create a full picture of each manager’s strengths, each manager gives Doug the names of five employees who know them well. Doug then distributes the Leadership Skills Inventory–Others to those individuals. To protect people’s anonymity, those who complete the LSI–Others tools return them to Doug, not the manager.
After Doug has received the five LSI–Others for each manager, he averages all five scores and compares them against the manager’s scores on the Leadership Skills Inventory–Self. He then gives the results to the respective manager for review.
Doug and the manager work through the three highest and the three lowest scores in each category. Where the manager received scores that showed he or she was highly competent in that area and capable of teaching that skill, for example, Doug asks the manager to teach his or her assistant how to train the staff in that particular area. Where the manager scored low and wants to improve, Doug teaches or provides resources to help the manager in those areas.
Doug sees the Leadership Skills Inventory as a helpful coaching tool to complement the other CRG resources Coastal Pacific Xpress is using.
Becoming a transforming leader is not an overnight process. You may find it overwhelming and extensive at times, but it will be worth it. You will discover you can make a difference, whoever you are.
Ken Keis is the president and CEO of Consulting Resource Group in Abbotsford, B.C. (www.crgleader.com). He can be reached at (604) 852-0566 or ken@crgleader.com.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Lifestyle Changes
I have been listening to Jim Rohn for the past few weeks as I drive back and forth to work and what he has been saying has really got me thinking about my lifestyle and the way I do things. One of the main things that he has said that I've heard before, but has made more of an impact this time is MAKE A PLAN - If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This is particularly true in the area of finances. Jim talks about the value of investing our time wisely. He states that you can always get more money, but you can't get more time.
It is time for me to PLAN my time, to decide what I want to do, need to do and let go of all the rest. One of the things that has fallen by the wayside in my busy life has been this blog. I had intended, (but not specifically planned for) to keep this up on a daily basis, or at the very minimum a weekly basis, but I have falled far behind on that. Those of you who have been reading have probably been wondering when I would be returning.
My plan for this weekend is to finish up yard work and I have booked my son and my boyfriend to help with this project. That will free up some of my time. As well, I am no longer President of two Toastmaster Clubs, nor am I the Area Governor, so that will also free up some of my time. Next I will sit down and write out a plan of when I will do my writing, my blogging, my reading and also plan time for my family and friends.
I would encourage you to check out Jim Rohn for yourself, to see if some of what he says hits home with you too.
All the best
Fran Watson
It is time for me to PLAN my time, to decide what I want to do, need to do and let go of all the rest. One of the things that has fallen by the wayside in my busy life has been this blog. I had intended, (but not specifically planned for) to keep this up on a daily basis, or at the very minimum a weekly basis, but I have falled far behind on that. Those of you who have been reading have probably been wondering when I would be returning.
My plan for this weekend is to finish up yard work and I have booked my son and my boyfriend to help with this project. That will free up some of my time. As well, I am no longer President of two Toastmaster Clubs, nor am I the Area Governor, so that will also free up some of my time. Next I will sit down and write out a plan of when I will do my writing, my blogging, my reading and also plan time for my family and friends.
I would encourage you to check out Jim Rohn for yourself, to see if some of what he says hits home with you too.
All the best
Fran Watson
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