Do you remember a time when you had a big and lofty dream? Maybe you wanted to be a movie star in art house films, an organ transplant doctor, or a world-class triathlete. Perhaps you dreamed of crossing the ocean in a sailboat or chiseling sculpture out of mountain rock. As a youngster, you may have worked hard toward achieving that dream. You talked about it with your every acquaintance and most distant relation whenever you had the opportunity. But slowly you drifted away from your heart's desire. What happened?
The answer is easy: You got distracted! You got confused. Your friends enticed you into joining their parade. You were no longer in rhythm with who you are.
The law of momentum in physics says that a body in motion tends to remain in motion until an outside force acts upon it. Distractions. Your friends or family members acted upon you by overtly discouraging you, or by encouraging you to follow a more "sensible" path. So you stopped practicing, stopped studying, stopped working toward your highest ambition. All those distractions and "sensible" decisions competed for your attention. Your grand dream gradually became just a footnote in the history of your life.
Have you ever heard the truism that says "used to bees make no honey"? Do you know people who are always talking about what they used to do? They usually say, “Someday I will pick it up again.” But that's a weak excuse for avoiding the risk of living your dream. The time is now! When you have a worthy goal—something that is worth going after, you have to apply the law of critical success to your life. This law says that you should always be doing something that moves you closer to your goal. Question: What are you doing today that is drawing you a little bit nearer to accomplishing your dream?
Shakespeare wrote, “This above all, to thine own self be true.” Bravo, Mr. Shakespeare! Being true to yourself means that you do what matters most to you, regardless of what else is competing for your time. Our deeds and achievements are the only yardsticks we can use to measure our integrity, and the only evidence we can use to judge whether we have been true to our selves.
From now on, why not put the law of momentum into action? It is said that motion creates emotion. When you take action toward that which you most desire, your self-confidence will soar. Distractions shift you off-course or slow you down; actions accelerate you forward along your chosen course. Every action strengthens you to take another. You will become unstoppable! You will liberate yourself from guilt and self-pity. You will become the envy of the world. Many people never commit to anything. They have interests and hobbies, but no passion or driving ambition. I believe that you are one of those people who can commit; otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article.
Life is like a bicycle. The moment we stop pedaling, we start losing momentum. If we coast for too long, we fall. Resolve to press on in spite of all your distractions.
Here is what you can do to get whatever you want in life: First, identify your distractions and move away from them. By doing so, you will become effective rather than merely efficient. Being effective means doing the right things, while being efficient means doing things right. It's nice to be efficient, but it doesn't do you any good if you're not doing the things that will move you toward your dream. Focus first on being effective; let efficiency come as it may.
Second, write the word MOMENTUM in big letters and hang it somewhere that you will see it often. Do something daily that will bring you closer to your goal.
Third, make a public commitment by asking your friends—those who are positive and encouraging—to hold you accountable. Talk about your dream with them to begin edging it into the world. Speak of it as something that you are doing, not something that you think about doing.
Finally, learn all you can about the lore of your passion. If you are not, at the least, more knowledgeable than the average person about the subject of your dream, you are fooling somebody—yourself.
So, my friend, live your finest ambition. Do it because you must. You probably won’t find any help when you begin. You will, however, get all the help you want when you are already there. So be true to thine own self. Honesty is the iron string that vibrates within every heart. Let results be the measure of your integrity. Work hard at it. Do more than is expected, more than is common. Keep the momentum going!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Get fresh
Get fresh
SIMPLY put, creativity is about coming out with something new. Being creative may not make you another Michelangelo, but new ideas are certainly necessary for today’s fast changing world.
As Edward de Bono, the world’s foremost authority on lateral thinking and innovation, said: “It is no longer enough to be efficient and solve problems. Businesses need creativity … to make the shift from administration to true entrepreneurship.”
You can also use creativity in your daily life. You can look at what you are doing and find alternative ways to improve. Problems become opportunities for you to use your creative thinking.
Critical versus creative
Our brain’s left hemisphere is all about logical, rational and sequential thinking while the right brain hemisphere is concerned with intuitive, random and subjective thinking.
Schools tend to concentrate on boosting the left brain in “scholastic” subjects and right-brain activities such as creativity and aesthetics tend to be downplayed. As a result, many people end up being more critical than creative.
Stimulating the right brain can be done by attempting tasks that require imagination and a fresh approach. The human brain has the ability to create an infinite amount of ideas. Unfortunately, most people use only 2 to 3 per cent of their brain capacity.
As a technique for generating ideas, take a look at a classical method called Scamper, an acronym for a collection of seven techniques. There are success stories for each of these techniques:
Substitute: The Russians failed to market vodka in the United States in the 1930s because clear alcohol was not popular. Heublein bought the rights, and looked for other ingredients (substitute) to colour the drink. Moscow Mule, Screwdriver and Bloody Mary were born and caused vodka sales to rise from 6,000 cases a year to 38 million in 1988.
Combine: Customers of American gas company Arco asked if they could walk over to the adjacent convenience store to pick up a hamburger and a quart of milk after they had pumped their gas. As a result, customers can now do all three (combine) all at the same petrol kiosk.
Adapt: William Durant, the founder of General Motors, had great ideas but could not run the company profitably. He was replaced by Alfred Sloan, who was able to take many of Durant’s ideas and turn them (adapt) into reality.
Modify: 3M’s advertisements to sell Post-It pads did not cause sales to pick up. Its general sales manager, Joe Ramey, noticed that people who used the pads could not stop. He convinced the company to modify its marketing approach by giving away free samples. Since then, the Post-It has become one of 3M’s all-time champion products.
Put to other uses: A toilet tissue manufacturer discovered a carload of paper that was too thick to be made into tissue. Unable to return it, he asked himself what else could be done with the paper?” (put to other use), and paper towels were born.
Eliminate: Before 1836, mail charges were paid by the addressee, with the fees computed according to distance and weight. This made correspondence expensive and slow. Rowland Hill proposed that postage be uniform regardless of distance (eliminate), and that this fee be prepaid by buying and affixing a stamp.
Rearrange: Xerox’s first copier was priced at $4,000 and few companies were willing to make such a capital investment. Xerox understood this and began selling what they produced: copies. At 5 cents a copy, company staff could pay for the documents from petty cash (rearrange).
Taking up a hobby is a good start to being creative, and magic is one hobby that requires a lot of creative input. Since magic tricks rely on illusions, it takes a lot of creative effort to make something that is not real appear believable.
You will find that the process of conceiving a magical idea and communicating it to the audience through a performance is a creative process.
SIMPLY put, creativity is about coming out with something new. Being creative may not make you another Michelangelo, but new ideas are certainly necessary for today’s fast changing world.
As Edward de Bono, the world’s foremost authority on lateral thinking and innovation, said: “It is no longer enough to be efficient and solve problems. Businesses need creativity … to make the shift from administration to true entrepreneurship.”
You can also use creativity in your daily life. You can look at what you are doing and find alternative ways to improve. Problems become opportunities for you to use your creative thinking.
Critical versus creative
Our brain’s left hemisphere is all about logical, rational and sequential thinking while the right brain hemisphere is concerned with intuitive, random and subjective thinking.
Schools tend to concentrate on boosting the left brain in “scholastic” subjects and right-brain activities such as creativity and aesthetics tend to be downplayed. As a result, many people end up being more critical than creative.
Stimulating the right brain can be done by attempting tasks that require imagination and a fresh approach. The human brain has the ability to create an infinite amount of ideas. Unfortunately, most people use only 2 to 3 per cent of their brain capacity.
As a technique for generating ideas, take a look at a classical method called Scamper, an acronym for a collection of seven techniques. There are success stories for each of these techniques:
Substitute: The Russians failed to market vodka in the United States in the 1930s because clear alcohol was not popular. Heublein bought the rights, and looked for other ingredients (substitute) to colour the drink. Moscow Mule, Screwdriver and Bloody Mary were born and caused vodka sales to rise from 6,000 cases a year to 38 million in 1988.
Combine: Customers of American gas company Arco asked if they could walk over to the adjacent convenience store to pick up a hamburger and a quart of milk after they had pumped their gas. As a result, customers can now do all three (combine) all at the same petrol kiosk.
Adapt: William Durant, the founder of General Motors, had great ideas but could not run the company profitably. He was replaced by Alfred Sloan, who was able to take many of Durant’s ideas and turn them (adapt) into reality.
Modify: 3M’s advertisements to sell Post-It pads did not cause sales to pick up. Its general sales manager, Joe Ramey, noticed that people who used the pads could not stop. He convinced the company to modify its marketing approach by giving away free samples. Since then, the Post-It has become one of 3M’s all-time champion products.
Put to other uses: A toilet tissue manufacturer discovered a carload of paper that was too thick to be made into tissue. Unable to return it, he asked himself what else could be done with the paper?” (put to other use), and paper towels were born.
Eliminate: Before 1836, mail charges were paid by the addressee, with the fees computed according to distance and weight. This made correspondence expensive and slow. Rowland Hill proposed that postage be uniform regardless of distance (eliminate), and that this fee be prepaid by buying and affixing a stamp.
Rearrange: Xerox’s first copier was priced at $4,000 and few companies were willing to make such a capital investment. Xerox understood this and began selling what they produced: copies. At 5 cents a copy, company staff could pay for the documents from petty cash (rearrange).
Taking up a hobby is a good start to being creative, and magic is one hobby that requires a lot of creative input. Since magic tricks rely on illusions, it takes a lot of creative effort to make something that is not real appear believable.
You will find that the process of conceiving a magical idea and communicating it to the audience through a performance is a creative process.
When tempers start to fly
WHEN people get together, great things can happen. They enjoy new ideas, new products, new friendships and thrilling sporting events. But, there is also potential for conflict.
In the business arena, conflicts surface that seem huge and intractable. If they are handled well, with a visionary leader and competent technical staff, differences can be hashed out and the company’s best product may be created.
Conversely, conflicts arise that seem small and inconsequential, but if they are handled poorly, rifts between people begin to erode the sense of community in the office. If not checked, a misunderstanding can grow into a feud that is felt by the entire team.
Conflict may be defined as “a disagreement, clash, struggle or battle between ideas, principles or people”. Yet ideas and principles do not clash by themselves. People are always involved.
When you have the skills to handle conflict well, you learn more about each other, and the clashes make room for new ideas and new possibilities.
Don’t ignore it
Most people are afraid of conflict, and shy away from disagreement of any kind. They wish it would just go away, and may act as though it doesn’t exist.
This denial can take many forms, such as avoiding people and places where conflict may occur. When employees are avoiding each other, communication sours and efficiency in the workplace goes downhill.
In addition to avoidance, many people will resort to gossip as a way to handle their dissatisfaction. This polarises the office, with people taking sides.
The atmosphere around the workplace becomes charged and uneasy. In addition to escalating the conflict, rising tension around the office can contribute to illness and absenteeism. Essential work isn’t completed, deadlines aren’t met, stress increases and the whole team suffers.
A few people seem to relish conflict. They look for it, create it and bully others in aggressive ways. These are the “difficult people” who like to dominate others on their way to “get ahead”.
They often play with power and want a steady supply of attention. Rather than avoid conflict, these people try to use it to their advantage.
Managing conflict
Fortunately, there is a middle ground between avoidance and aggression. This is the ideal space in which we can work with conflict: the territory of compromise and problem solving.
In contrast to avoidance and aggression, which don’t take much skill, this middle ground requires patience, intelligence, thoughtfulness, creativity and respect.
These are attributes that can be learned if they are not already present as personality traits. From top management down to the lowest-level employee, everyone can benefit from learning to use these skills, so that all members of the company are transformed into fantastic problem solvers.
One of the keys to conflict management is to train staff members in communication skills, so that they will be able to stop a conflict from escalating.
Remember, conflict will escalate unless one or more employees take the initiative to reverse the trend. Once team members are trained, they will be able to use their skills at the outset of a disagreement, to “nip the problem in the bud”. They will be candid, respectful and sincere in their work toward resolution.
Communication skills consist of listening with an open mind, expressing opinions safely and respectfully, having mutual respect for all people involved, and stress reduction techniques for calming the mind and emotions.
These have to be practised with diligence, because most people have not been taught how to listen or express themselves in the best possible way. Instead, society has supported a normative culture where interruption, bullying, secrecy and jockeying for power dominate.
These things may not be obvious, but they are nonetheless potent underlying features of human interaction.
To counteract the destructive force of these outmoded patterns, company members must be sincere in their practice of new techniques, forming new communication habits and a new paradigm inside the corporate culture.
Ongoing support from management signals leadership to the entire company. Conflict can then move from being avoided or misused to being a motivating force for innovative change.
Practise these skills
# When tensions rise with a fellow staff member, lower your stress by breathing out slowly. Count to four as you inhale, then count to eight as you exhale. Repeat this “relaxing breath” as much as you need to, as you calm yourself down and clear your mind.
# Listen to others with an open heart. Give your full attention to what is being said, knowing that you don’t have to agree with it.
# Pause before you respond. Be aware of the power of your words to be either constructive or destructive €” and choose with care.
In the business arena, conflicts surface that seem huge and intractable. If they are handled well, with a visionary leader and competent technical staff, differences can be hashed out and the company’s best product may be created.
Conversely, conflicts arise that seem small and inconsequential, but if they are handled poorly, rifts between people begin to erode the sense of community in the office. If not checked, a misunderstanding can grow into a feud that is felt by the entire team.
Conflict may be defined as “a disagreement, clash, struggle or battle between ideas, principles or people”. Yet ideas and principles do not clash by themselves. People are always involved.
When you have the skills to handle conflict well, you learn more about each other, and the clashes make room for new ideas and new possibilities.
Don’t ignore it
Most people are afraid of conflict, and shy away from disagreement of any kind. They wish it would just go away, and may act as though it doesn’t exist.
This denial can take many forms, such as avoiding people and places where conflict may occur. When employees are avoiding each other, communication sours and efficiency in the workplace goes downhill.
In addition to avoidance, many people will resort to gossip as a way to handle their dissatisfaction. This polarises the office, with people taking sides.
The atmosphere around the workplace becomes charged and uneasy. In addition to escalating the conflict, rising tension around the office can contribute to illness and absenteeism. Essential work isn’t completed, deadlines aren’t met, stress increases and the whole team suffers.
A few people seem to relish conflict. They look for it, create it and bully others in aggressive ways. These are the “difficult people” who like to dominate others on their way to “get ahead”.
They often play with power and want a steady supply of attention. Rather than avoid conflict, these people try to use it to their advantage.
Managing conflict
Fortunately, there is a middle ground between avoidance and aggression. This is the ideal space in which we can work with conflict: the territory of compromise and problem solving.
In contrast to avoidance and aggression, which don’t take much skill, this middle ground requires patience, intelligence, thoughtfulness, creativity and respect.
These are attributes that can be learned if they are not already present as personality traits. From top management down to the lowest-level employee, everyone can benefit from learning to use these skills, so that all members of the company are transformed into fantastic problem solvers.
One of the keys to conflict management is to train staff members in communication skills, so that they will be able to stop a conflict from escalating.
Remember, conflict will escalate unless one or more employees take the initiative to reverse the trend. Once team members are trained, they will be able to use their skills at the outset of a disagreement, to “nip the problem in the bud”. They will be candid, respectful and sincere in their work toward resolution.
Communication skills consist of listening with an open mind, expressing opinions safely and respectfully, having mutual respect for all people involved, and stress reduction techniques for calming the mind and emotions.
These have to be practised with diligence, because most people have not been taught how to listen or express themselves in the best possible way. Instead, society has supported a normative culture where interruption, bullying, secrecy and jockeying for power dominate.
These things may not be obvious, but they are nonetheless potent underlying features of human interaction.
To counteract the destructive force of these outmoded patterns, company members must be sincere in their practice of new techniques, forming new communication habits and a new paradigm inside the corporate culture.
Ongoing support from management signals leadership to the entire company. Conflict can then move from being avoided or misused to being a motivating force for innovative change.
Practise these skills
# When tensions rise with a fellow staff member, lower your stress by breathing out slowly. Count to four as you inhale, then count to eight as you exhale. Repeat this “relaxing breath” as much as you need to, as you calm yourself down and clear your mind.
# Listen to others with an open heart. Give your full attention to what is being said, knowing that you don’t have to agree with it.
# Pause before you respond. Be aware of the power of your words to be either constructive or destructive €” and choose with care.
A world of difference
A world of difference
AN INCREASING number of business people are working with, contributing to or managing multinational teams. It is important, therefore, that they gain a fuller understanding of how cultural differences can affect the performance of these teams.
Different cultural perspectives can influence how you approach discussions, meetings, teamwork and even concepts such as success and failure.
Subtle rules of etiquette governing everyday interactions may also cause difficulties that can take months to be identified.
For example, people from many cultures are embarrassed to admit that they do not understand something. So they may say that they do to please the person asking them.
This can have serious implications for health and safety, product quality and efficiency.
Some cultures see making mistakes as a way to improve processes. But for other cultures, any admission of failure represents an unacceptable loss of dignity.
This has important implications for quality management.
DON’T LOSE FACE
Alan Needle, a former divisional chief executive at Filtronic, a wireless communications equipment manufacturer, recounts how a quality assessment score of 93 per cent for its plant in China was seen as a failure by the local workforce, for whom nothing less than 100 per cent was acceptable.
“There was a massive loss of face, especially as the result was presented in front of other colleagues,” he says.
“The Chinese would repair a fault themselves, rather than admit that an error was found on the shopfloor. That way, you couldn’t track any problems and improve design and systems.”
Filtronic’s managers learnt to explain the context of scoring, being careful to promote the successes first, before giving the absolute score.
They handled errors sensitively, and by checking specifications and suggesting slight changes, they were able to introduce the correct information.
DO IT IN PRIVATE, PLEASE
Professor Mohammed Zairi highlights his experiences of working with an international oil company in the Middle East.
“Loss of face is a really big issue there. You must never put someone in a situation where they can be perceived to be failing and can’t explain or get out of it,” he warns.
“Some of the firm’s directors were there because of their skills; others were there because of their connections. Strategy didn’t come naturally to everyone. We had to coach them on a one-toone basis.
“It involved lots of praise, calling on their leadership and getting them to show commitment.
“Putting everyone into team discussions wouldn’t have worked because that would have shown up too many weaknesses.”
YES OR NO
People in different cultures are embarrassed about different things.
In some countries, people can feel uncomfortable about declining invitations because it appears unkind or rude.
They may say “yes” to please you and then not turn up, which to other cultures may be more upsetting than a refusal at the outset.
EARLY OR LATE
The concept of time also differs from culture to culture.
People are often baffled by the complex etiquette of arriving promptly in some situations but coming late in others.
People are expected to be on time, or even a little early, for business meetings, and an explanatory phone call is considered polite in the event of a delay.
On the other hand, an invitation to someone’s home for dinner may be arranged for 8pm, but a guest wouldn’t be expected to arrive on the dot.
Being sensitive to different social and cultural values is the way to break down barriers.
The feeling that you belong and can contribute in a positive way to your workplace and friendships is ultimately what unites everyone.
AN INCREASING number of business people are working with, contributing to or managing multinational teams. It is important, therefore, that they gain a fuller understanding of how cultural differences can affect the performance of these teams.
Different cultural perspectives can influence how you approach discussions, meetings, teamwork and even concepts such as success and failure.
Subtle rules of etiquette governing everyday interactions may also cause difficulties that can take months to be identified.
For example, people from many cultures are embarrassed to admit that they do not understand something. So they may say that they do to please the person asking them.
This can have serious implications for health and safety, product quality and efficiency.
Some cultures see making mistakes as a way to improve processes. But for other cultures, any admission of failure represents an unacceptable loss of dignity.
This has important implications for quality management.
DON’T LOSE FACE
Alan Needle, a former divisional chief executive at Filtronic, a wireless communications equipment manufacturer, recounts how a quality assessment score of 93 per cent for its plant in China was seen as a failure by the local workforce, for whom nothing less than 100 per cent was acceptable.
“There was a massive loss of face, especially as the result was presented in front of other colleagues,” he says.
“The Chinese would repair a fault themselves, rather than admit that an error was found on the shopfloor. That way, you couldn’t track any problems and improve design and systems.”
Filtronic’s managers learnt to explain the context of scoring, being careful to promote the successes first, before giving the absolute score.
They handled errors sensitively, and by checking specifications and suggesting slight changes, they were able to introduce the correct information.
DO IT IN PRIVATE, PLEASE
Professor Mohammed Zairi highlights his experiences of working with an international oil company in the Middle East.
“Loss of face is a really big issue there. You must never put someone in a situation where they can be perceived to be failing and can’t explain or get out of it,” he warns.
“Some of the firm’s directors were there because of their skills; others were there because of their connections. Strategy didn’t come naturally to everyone. We had to coach them on a one-toone basis.
“It involved lots of praise, calling on their leadership and getting them to show commitment.
“Putting everyone into team discussions wouldn’t have worked because that would have shown up too many weaknesses.”
YES OR NO
People in different cultures are embarrassed about different things.
In some countries, people can feel uncomfortable about declining invitations because it appears unkind or rude.
They may say “yes” to please you and then not turn up, which to other cultures may be more upsetting than a refusal at the outset.
EARLY OR LATE
The concept of time also differs from culture to culture.
People are often baffled by the complex etiquette of arriving promptly in some situations but coming late in others.
People are expected to be on time, or even a little early, for business meetings, and an explanatory phone call is considered polite in the event of a delay.
On the other hand, an invitation to someone’s home for dinner may be arranged for 8pm, but a guest wouldn’t be expected to arrive on the dot.
Being sensitive to different social and cultural values is the way to break down barriers.
The feeling that you belong and can contribute in a positive way to your workplace and friendships is ultimately what unites everyone.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
DETERMINATION
Enliven International have changed my life and I believe it can change yours too for the better. “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
Many people sad to say lack determination to pursue their goals in Enliven International. They failed even before they begin. For those of you who
are still with Enliven International I must congratulate you for sticking
on because you ain’t seen nothing yet. Be determined in what you have recognized and embraced. Enliven International will provide the leverage
to take you wherever you want to be.
The secret of success in every promising endeavor is getting up again whenever you fall. Be determined and you will overcome every adversity that comes before you. Treat them as stepping stones towards another
step nearer to your goal. The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination. When you know what you want
and you want it badly enough, you will find the ways to get it. You have
to be single minded, drive only the Enliven International, Inc vehicle on which you have decided. Be like a postage stamp. Stick to something
until you get there.
We can learn to soar only in direct proportion to our determination to rise above the doubt and transcend the limitations. What this power is I cannot say: all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man
is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it BIG through Enliven International.
To further inspires and motivate you, take your time to read the story of SYLVESTER STALLONE and put the similar principle to practice in your Enliven International, Inc building process.
Story of SYLVESTER STALLONE
Determination best describes what it took for Sylvester Stallone to achieve his phenomenal success. As a child, Stallone was frequently beaten by his father and told that he had no brains. He grew up a loner and emotionally anguished. He was in and out of various schools. An advisor at a university told him that, based on aptitude testing, he should pursue a career as an elevator repair person.
He opted to pursue an acting career, but his imbalanced life produced
one failure after another. Stallone remained determined to learn the profession, using his acting failure to also try his hand at writing. His undying determination through thick and thin allowed him to see setbacks as stepping stones. “You see,” said Stallone, “success is usually the culmination of controlling failures.”
Stallone was inspired one night by watching Muhammed Ali fight Chuck Wepner. The excitement of the crowd watching the underdog go the distance awakened his talent and allowed Stallone to write ROCKY script
in just three and a half days.
Stallone’s writing reflected his own determined efforts to find emotional, physical and mental balance in his life. In ROCKY I, Rocky Balboa trained and prepared his body and mind to go fifteen rounds. He did not win the fight but won the hearts of the crowd by reaching his goal. ROCKY II developed around a fighter determined to win the world championship – and he did. Perhaps ROCKY III best captured Stallone’s desire to find himself. Rocky Balboa grows soft and loses his crown. His determination
to develop his talents and remain the best was extinguished by the
comfort of the good life. Rocky’s one-time foe, Apollo Creed, inspired
and challenged him to get back on track. Rocky returned to the sweaty gym, revitalized his winning hunger and ultimately regained his world championship.
Through time, determination and effort, SYLVESTER STALLONE built
a life, a career and a future.
My beloved partners, follow the footsteps of SYLVESTER STALLONE, you will become whoever you want to be through Enliven International.
Enliven International, Inc in network marketing is the world and the world in network marketing is Enliven International.
Many people sad to say lack determination to pursue their goals in Enliven International. They failed even before they begin. For those of you who
are still with Enliven International I must congratulate you for sticking
on because you ain’t seen nothing yet. Be determined in what you have recognized and embraced. Enliven International will provide the leverage
to take you wherever you want to be.
The secret of success in every promising endeavor is getting up again whenever you fall. Be determined and you will overcome every adversity that comes before you. Treat them as stepping stones towards another
step nearer to your goal. The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination. When you know what you want
and you want it badly enough, you will find the ways to get it. You have
to be single minded, drive only the Enliven International, Inc vehicle on which you have decided. Be like a postage stamp. Stick to something
until you get there.
We can learn to soar only in direct proportion to our determination to rise above the doubt and transcend the limitations. What this power is I cannot say: all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man
is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it BIG through Enliven International.
To further inspires and motivate you, take your time to read the story of SYLVESTER STALLONE and put the similar principle to practice in your Enliven International, Inc building process.
Story of SYLVESTER STALLONE
Determination best describes what it took for Sylvester Stallone to achieve his phenomenal success. As a child, Stallone was frequently beaten by his father and told that he had no brains. He grew up a loner and emotionally anguished. He was in and out of various schools. An advisor at a university told him that, based on aptitude testing, he should pursue a career as an elevator repair person.
He opted to pursue an acting career, but his imbalanced life produced
one failure after another. Stallone remained determined to learn the profession, using his acting failure to also try his hand at writing. His undying determination through thick and thin allowed him to see setbacks as stepping stones. “You see,” said Stallone, “success is usually the culmination of controlling failures.”
Stallone was inspired one night by watching Muhammed Ali fight Chuck Wepner. The excitement of the crowd watching the underdog go the distance awakened his talent and allowed Stallone to write ROCKY script
in just three and a half days.
Stallone’s writing reflected his own determined efforts to find emotional, physical and mental balance in his life. In ROCKY I, Rocky Balboa trained and prepared his body and mind to go fifteen rounds. He did not win the fight but won the hearts of the crowd by reaching his goal. ROCKY II developed around a fighter determined to win the world championship – and he did. Perhaps ROCKY III best captured Stallone’s desire to find himself. Rocky Balboa grows soft and loses his crown. His determination
to develop his talents and remain the best was extinguished by the
comfort of the good life. Rocky’s one-time foe, Apollo Creed, inspired
and challenged him to get back on track. Rocky returned to the sweaty gym, revitalized his winning hunger and ultimately regained his world championship.
Through time, determination and effort, SYLVESTER STALLONE built
a life, a career and a future.
My beloved partners, follow the footsteps of SYLVESTER STALLONE, you will become whoever you want to be through Enliven International.
Enliven International, Inc in network marketing is the world and the world in network marketing is Enliven International.
SUCCESS IS A CHOICE
Stop wasting your time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead, realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only YOU have the power to make
those seeds grow. YOU are responsible, not your mother, not your
father, not society, not capitalism, and certainly not the circle of
friends or business associates around. The seeds, and the power to
grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created:
the human mind. No computer can come close to duplicating the goal setting, goal seeking, goal-attaining mechanism of the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. YOU were born a winner. YOU
were born rich. YOU can be a success if only YOU make the right choice. “Success is not only reserved for the extraordinary gifted people, it is available for those who seek it with a commitment and vision.” YOU
cannot be successful without first developing your self-esteem. Your
level of self-esteem is always based on the degree of control that you
are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with
low self-esteem are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for, their lives. They are the perennial victims and martyrs. They are leaves tossed by the winds of chance blown about
with any sudden change in the weather. YOU can exercise control over
your life only to the degree that YOU believe that YOU are responsible
for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they
are responsible. Everything happens as a result of something. If we
can identify the cause, we can control the effect. Thoughts and beliefs cause everything. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. One’s success is dependent
upon one’s level of confidence. We are responsible for thinking
confidently about ourselves and the attainment of our goals. Whatever
the conscious mind accepts as true and chooses to believe, the subconscious will be driven to achieve. We are responsible for what
we consciously choose to accept and believe. Our attitudes and
actions are a result of habits ingrained in us over a period of time.
We are responsible for either reinforcing good habits or unlearning
bad habits and consciously replacing them with consistently practiced
good habits. If YOU associate with positive-thinking people, YOU are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary, the opposite
happens. We are responsible for finding, planting, and nurturing the
seeds that contain future victory, born from setbacks. In short, in all
areas of your life, whether they be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual, YOU are responsible. Once YOU recognize this, accept it,
and firmly believe it, YOU are on the road to success. If YOU fail to
accept this basic tenet, no success system or formula will pull you
out of the hole you have dug for yourself. Acceptance of responsibility
is the crucial starting point of a successful life. None of the practical techniques for achievement are of value unless YOU first realize that
YOU can take control of your life. YOU will not set a definite goal, with
a plan for its attainment on a certain date, unless YOU realize that YOU
will take control of your life by doing so. If YOU believe that you are
totally controlled by fate, your environment, or other external forces,
then YOU most certainly will be ruled by those forces. All causation
is mental, and YOU can control your thoughts.
“IT’S UP TO YOU”
“WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN OR WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN’T, WHICHEVER WAY IS RIGHT”
“SUCCESS IS A CHOICE”
those seeds grow. YOU are responsible, not your mother, not your
father, not society, not capitalism, and certainly not the circle of
friends or business associates around. The seeds, and the power to
grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created:
the human mind. No computer can come close to duplicating the goal setting, goal seeking, goal-attaining mechanism of the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. YOU were born a winner. YOU
were born rich. YOU can be a success if only YOU make the right choice. “Success is not only reserved for the extraordinary gifted people, it is available for those who seek it with a commitment and vision.” YOU
cannot be successful without first developing your self-esteem. Your
level of self-esteem is always based on the degree of control that you
are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with
low self-esteem are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for, their lives. They are the perennial victims and martyrs. They are leaves tossed by the winds of chance blown about
with any sudden change in the weather. YOU can exercise control over
your life only to the degree that YOU believe that YOU are responsible
for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they
are responsible. Everything happens as a result of something. If we
can identify the cause, we can control the effect. Thoughts and beliefs cause everything. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. One’s success is dependent
upon one’s level of confidence. We are responsible for thinking
confidently about ourselves and the attainment of our goals. Whatever
the conscious mind accepts as true and chooses to believe, the subconscious will be driven to achieve. We are responsible for what
we consciously choose to accept and believe. Our attitudes and
actions are a result of habits ingrained in us over a period of time.
We are responsible for either reinforcing good habits or unlearning
bad habits and consciously replacing them with consistently practiced
good habits. If YOU associate with positive-thinking people, YOU are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary, the opposite
happens. We are responsible for finding, planting, and nurturing the
seeds that contain future victory, born from setbacks. In short, in all
areas of your life, whether they be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual, YOU are responsible. Once YOU recognize this, accept it,
and firmly believe it, YOU are on the road to success. If YOU fail to
accept this basic tenet, no success system or formula will pull you
out of the hole you have dug for yourself. Acceptance of responsibility
is the crucial starting point of a successful life. None of the practical techniques for achievement are of value unless YOU first realize that
YOU can take control of your life. YOU will not set a definite goal, with
a plan for its attainment on a certain date, unless YOU realize that YOU
will take control of your life by doing so. If YOU believe that you are
totally controlled by fate, your environment, or other external forces,
then YOU most certainly will be ruled by those forces. All causation
is mental, and YOU can control your thoughts.
“IT’S UP TO YOU”
“WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN OR WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN’T, WHICHEVER WAY IS RIGHT”
“SUCCESS IS A CHOICE”
Your Ideal Self and Life
Your self-concept is made up of three parts, each of which affects each of the others. Understanding these three parts enables you to put your hands on the keyboard of your own mental computer. When you learn to take charge of the development of a new and positive self-concept of selling, you can then control your sales destiny for the rest of your career.
Determine Your Direction
The first part of the self-concept is the "self-ideal." Your self-ideal largely determines the direction in which you are going with your life. It guides the growth and evolution of your character and personality. Your self-ideal is a combination of all of the qualities and attributes of other people that you most admire. Your self-ideal is a description of the person you would very much like to be if you could embody the qualities that you most aspire to.
Strive Toward Excellence
Throughout your life, you have seen and read about the qualities of courage, confidence, compassion, love, fortitude, perseverance, patience, forgiveness and integrity. Over time, these qualities have instilled in you an ideal to which you aspire. You might not always live up to the very best that you know, but you are constantly striving to be a better person in light of those qualities that you value so highly. In fact, everything that you do on a day-to-day basis is affected by your comparing your activities with these ideal qualities and your striving to behave consistently with them.
Clarity is Essential
Successful salespeople have very clear ideals for themselves and their careers. Unsuccessful salespeople have fuzzy ideals. Successful salespeople are very clear about being excellent in every part of their work and their personal lives. Unsuccessful salespeople don't give the subject very much thought. One of the primary characteristics of successful men and women in every walk of life is that they have very clearly defined ideals and they are very aware of whether or not their current behaviors are consistent with their idealized behaviors.
Set Challenging Goals
Part of your ideals are your goals. As you set higher and more challenging goals, your self-ideal improves and crystallizes. When you set goals for the kind of person you want to be and the kind of life you want to live, your self-ideal rises and becomes a greater guiding and motivating force in your life.
Your Future is Unlimited
Perhaps the most important thing for you to realize is that whatever anyone else has done or become, you can do or become as well. Improvements in your self-ideal begin in your imagination, and in your imagination, there are no limits except the ones that you accept.
What is your ideal vision of the very best person you could possibly become? How would you behave each day if you were already that person? Asking yourself these questions and then living your life consistent with the answers is the first step to creating yourself in your ideal image.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, dream big dreams. Set big, exciting, challenging goals and ideals for yourself in every part of your life. Allow yourself to imagine a wonderful life ahead.
Second, think about how you would act if you were an outstanding person in every way. Then, practice being this person, as though you were acting a role in a play. You'll immediately notice a difference in your behavior.
Determine Your Direction
The first part of the self-concept is the "self-ideal." Your self-ideal largely determines the direction in which you are going with your life. It guides the growth and evolution of your character and personality. Your self-ideal is a combination of all of the qualities and attributes of other people that you most admire. Your self-ideal is a description of the person you would very much like to be if you could embody the qualities that you most aspire to.
Strive Toward Excellence
Throughout your life, you have seen and read about the qualities of courage, confidence, compassion, love, fortitude, perseverance, patience, forgiveness and integrity. Over time, these qualities have instilled in you an ideal to which you aspire. You might not always live up to the very best that you know, but you are constantly striving to be a better person in light of those qualities that you value so highly. In fact, everything that you do on a day-to-day basis is affected by your comparing your activities with these ideal qualities and your striving to behave consistently with them.
Clarity is Essential
Successful salespeople have very clear ideals for themselves and their careers. Unsuccessful salespeople have fuzzy ideals. Successful salespeople are very clear about being excellent in every part of their work and their personal lives. Unsuccessful salespeople don't give the subject very much thought. One of the primary characteristics of successful men and women in every walk of life is that they have very clearly defined ideals and they are very aware of whether or not their current behaviors are consistent with their idealized behaviors.
Set Challenging Goals
Part of your ideals are your goals. As you set higher and more challenging goals, your self-ideal improves and crystallizes. When you set goals for the kind of person you want to be and the kind of life you want to live, your self-ideal rises and becomes a greater guiding and motivating force in your life.
Your Future is Unlimited
Perhaps the most important thing for you to realize is that whatever anyone else has done or become, you can do or become as well. Improvements in your self-ideal begin in your imagination, and in your imagination, there are no limits except the ones that you accept.
What is your ideal vision of the very best person you could possibly become? How would you behave each day if you were already that person? Asking yourself these questions and then living your life consistent with the answers is the first step to creating yourself in your ideal image.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, dream big dreams. Set big, exciting, challenging goals and ideals for yourself in every part of your life. Allow yourself to imagine a wonderful life ahead.
Second, think about how you would act if you were an outstanding person in every way. Then, practice being this person, as though you were acting a role in a play. You'll immediately notice a difference in your behavior.
Two Principles for Financial Success
The Two Great Principles for Success
There are two great principles for achieving financial success. The first Principle is what we call the law of attraction. The law of attraction says that you are a living magnet. It says that your thoughts create a force field of energy that radiates out from you and attracts back into your life people and circumstances in harmony with them. Any thought you have, combined with an emotion, positive or negative, radiates out from you and attracts back into your life the people, circumstances, ideas and opportunities consistent with it.
How to Attract the Success You Desire
Many people feel that this is perhaps the most important of all mental laws. It says that if you have a very clear idea in your mind of your desired goal, to become wealthy, and you can hold that idea in your mind on a continuing basis, you will inevitably draw into your life the resources that you need in order to achieve it. Every person who has become wealthy or successful has become wealthy and successful as a result of holding the idea of wealth and success in their mind long enough and hard enough, until they drew into their lives the resources they needed to accomplish it.
Your World Reflects Your Thoughts
The second principle is called the law of correspondence. This mental law is very powerful. It says, "as within, so without." It says that your outer world is like a mirror that reflects back to you what is going on in your inner world. And this law of correspondence says that everything that happens outside of you corresponds to something that's going on inside of you. When we say that your outer world is a reflection of your inner world, we mean both at a conscious and at a subconscious level.
Visualize Your Goals Clearly
If you consciously believe that you have the ability to achieve your goals and you can hold a picture of those goals clearly in your mind long enough and hard enough, eventually your outer world will correspond with it.
Three Reflections of Success
There are three places where we see this law of correspondence. First of all, your outer world of people will correspond exactly with your own attitude. You will always see your attitude reflected back to you in the faces and the behaviors of the people around you. If you have a positive, optimistic attitude, people will respond to you almost immediately, even before you open your mouth, in a positive and cheerful way.
Relationships Show You Who You Are
The second area where we see the law of correspondence is in your relationships. Your relationships will always mirror back to you exactly the kind of a person you are. When you are happy and optimistic and at peace, your relationships will be happy and harmonious and loving. But when your thinking is disrupted or negative for any reason, consciously or unconsciously, this will be immediately reflected in your relationships.
Inner and Outer Wealth
The third place you see the law of correspondence is with regard to your wealth. Your external world of wealth and financial accomplishment will be a mirror image of your inner world of preparation. The only part of the equation that you can control is your conscious thoughts, and if you can keep your conscious thoughts on what you want, on your images of wealth and affluence, eventually your external world of reality and experiences will reflect it back to you.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply these principles in your financial life:
First, guard your thoughts carefully. Whatever you think about, combined with the emotions of desire or fear, you will attract into your life. Be sure that you are attracting what you want by continuing to think only about what you want.
Second, keep feeding your mind with new information, ideas and pictures of the person you want to be and the life you want to live. By creating this inner attitude of mind, you change the outer aspects of your reality.
There are two great principles for achieving financial success. The first Principle is what we call the law of attraction. The law of attraction says that you are a living magnet. It says that your thoughts create a force field of energy that radiates out from you and attracts back into your life people and circumstances in harmony with them. Any thought you have, combined with an emotion, positive or negative, radiates out from you and attracts back into your life the people, circumstances, ideas and opportunities consistent with it.
How to Attract the Success You Desire
Many people feel that this is perhaps the most important of all mental laws. It says that if you have a very clear idea in your mind of your desired goal, to become wealthy, and you can hold that idea in your mind on a continuing basis, you will inevitably draw into your life the resources that you need in order to achieve it. Every person who has become wealthy or successful has become wealthy and successful as a result of holding the idea of wealth and success in their mind long enough and hard enough, until they drew into their lives the resources they needed to accomplish it.
Your World Reflects Your Thoughts
The second principle is called the law of correspondence. This mental law is very powerful. It says, "as within, so without." It says that your outer world is like a mirror that reflects back to you what is going on in your inner world. And this law of correspondence says that everything that happens outside of you corresponds to something that's going on inside of you. When we say that your outer world is a reflection of your inner world, we mean both at a conscious and at a subconscious level.
Visualize Your Goals Clearly
If you consciously believe that you have the ability to achieve your goals and you can hold a picture of those goals clearly in your mind long enough and hard enough, eventually your outer world will correspond with it.
Three Reflections of Success
There are three places where we see this law of correspondence. First of all, your outer world of people will correspond exactly with your own attitude. You will always see your attitude reflected back to you in the faces and the behaviors of the people around you. If you have a positive, optimistic attitude, people will respond to you almost immediately, even before you open your mouth, in a positive and cheerful way.
Relationships Show You Who You Are
The second area where we see the law of correspondence is in your relationships. Your relationships will always mirror back to you exactly the kind of a person you are. When you are happy and optimistic and at peace, your relationships will be happy and harmonious and loving. But when your thinking is disrupted or negative for any reason, consciously or unconsciously, this will be immediately reflected in your relationships.
Inner and Outer Wealth
The third place you see the law of correspondence is with regard to your wealth. Your external world of wealth and financial accomplishment will be a mirror image of your inner world of preparation. The only part of the equation that you can control is your conscious thoughts, and if you can keep your conscious thoughts on what you want, on your images of wealth and affluence, eventually your external world of reality and experiences will reflect it back to you.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply these principles in your financial life:
First, guard your thoughts carefully. Whatever you think about, combined with the emotions of desire or fear, you will attract into your life. Be sure that you are attracting what you want by continuing to think only about what you want.
Second, keep feeding your mind with new information, ideas and pictures of the person you want to be and the life you want to live. By creating this inner attitude of mind, you change the outer aspects of your reality.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Three Powerful Principles for Success
Be Clear About Your Goals
There are many simi larities between business and war. In both cases, the victor is the one who uses superior strategy against his or her competition.
There are three principles of military strategy you can apply to your work every single day. The first idea from the military is called the Principle of Man euver. The principle of man euver says that you should be clear about the goal, but be flexible about the process of ach ieving it. According to the Menninger Institute, this quality of flexibility is the most important single quality that you will require for success in times of rap id change.
Be Open to Continuous Feedback
A key peak performance quality for you is to "accept feedback and self-correct." Peak performers are those who can take information from their environment and even if the information is contrary to all of their planning, they can accept the information, modify their plans, and continue moving forward. They are always open to new ideas and insights.
Learn What You Need to Know
The second military principle you can use is the Principle of Intelligence. This principle of intelligence means simply, "get the facts!"
The most important thing in business decision making is for you to get accurate information. Facts don't lie. It is important that you get the real facts, not the assumed facts or the apparent facts or the obvious facts, or the hoped for facts, but the real, provable facts.
Make Better Decisions
Perhaps the key job of the executive is decision making. The quality of the decisions that you make will be in direct proportion to the amount of time that you take to gather timely and accurate information. The very best thing that you can do, if you have insufficient information, is to delay making a decision at all.
Invest Your Resources Wisely
The third military principle applied to strategic planning is the Principle of Economy of Force. Economy of force means that you expend only the resources necessary to achieve the objective and not more. It also means that you commit sufficient resources to achieve the objective once you have decided upon it.
Since your own personal en ergy is all you really have to invest over the course of your lif etime, the military principle of economy says that you should be very selfish when deciding how you are going to use your self. Keep asking your self, "How important is this?" and more important, "How important is this to me?"
Action Ex ercises
Here are two ideas that you can apply immediately to be more strategic in your work and personal life.
First, remain flexible when you are working towards your goal. In times of rap id change, all of your best ideas can be contradicted by new information. Be willing to try different things. Be open to new inputs and ideas.
Second, get the facts! The more and better information you can acquire before you make a decision, the better your decision will be. The very best managers spend a good amount of time getting the real, provable facts before they take action.
There are many simi larities between business and war. In both cases, the victor is the one who uses superior strategy against his or her competition.
There are three principles of military strategy you can apply to your work every single day. The first idea from the military is called the Principle of Man euver. The principle of man euver says that you should be clear about the goal, but be flexible about the process of ach ieving it. According to the Menninger Institute, this quality of flexibility is the most important single quality that you will require for success in times of rap id change.
Be Open to Continuous Feedback
A key peak performance quality for you is to "accept feedback and self-correct." Peak performers are those who can take information from their environment and even if the information is contrary to all of their planning, they can accept the information, modify their plans, and continue moving forward. They are always open to new ideas and insights.
Learn What You Need to Know
The second military principle you can use is the Principle of Intelligence. This principle of intelligence means simply, "get the facts!"
The most important thing in business decision making is for you to get accurate information. Facts don't lie. It is important that you get the real facts, not the assumed facts or the apparent facts or the obvious facts, or the hoped for facts, but the real, provable facts.
Make Better Decisions
Perhaps the key job of the executive is decision making. The quality of the decisions that you make will be in direct proportion to the amount of time that you take to gather timely and accurate information. The very best thing that you can do, if you have insufficient information, is to delay making a decision at all.
Invest Your Resources Wisely
The third military principle applied to strategic planning is the Principle of Economy of Force. Economy of force means that you expend only the resources necessary to achieve the objective and not more. It also means that you commit sufficient resources to achieve the objective once you have decided upon it.
Since your own personal en ergy is all you really have to invest over the course of your lif etime, the military principle of economy says that you should be very selfish when deciding how you are going to use your self. Keep asking your self, "How important is this?" and more important, "How important is this to me?"
Action Ex ercises
Here are two ideas that you can apply immediately to be more strategic in your work and personal life.
First, remain flexible when you are working towards your goal. In times of rap id change, all of your best ideas can be contradicted by new information. Be willing to try different things. Be open to new inputs and ideas.
Second, get the facts! The more and better information you can acquire before you make a decision, the better your decision will be. The very best managers spend a good amount of time getting the real, provable facts before they take action.
Resolving conflict
ORGANISATIONAL conflict can occur at several levels: between individuals, between groups and between organisations. While this article will focus on interpersonal conflict, the principles and ideas discussed here are also valid for inter-group and inter-organisational conflicts.
Confl ict typically proceeds through four stages even if each step is not recognised as such. The phases identifi ed by theorist Louis Pondy are as follows:
Phase 1: Latent
When two or more parties must cooperate with one another in order to achieve a desired objective, there is potential for confl ict. Latent confl ict is often created whenever change occurs. Examples are a budget cutback, a change in organisational direction, a change in a personal goal or value, a new crisis project added to an already overloaded work force, or an expected occurrence (such as a salary increase) not happening.
Phase 2: Perceived
This is the point when members are becoming more aware of a problem, even if they are not sure where it comes from. Incompatibility is perceived and tension begins.
Phase 3: Felt
The parties begin to focus on differences of opinion and interests, sharpening perceived confl ict. Internal tensions and frustrations begin to crystallise around specifi c, defi ned issues and people begin to build emotional commitment to their particular position.
Phase 4: Manifest
The outward display of confl ict occurs when the opposing parties plan and follow through with acts to frustrate one another. Confl ict is very obvious at this point.
As confl ict proceeds through the stages, resolution becomes more diffi cult. People become more locked into their positions and more convinced that the confl ict must be a win or lose situation.
The ideal situation is to recognise confl ict early and work for a resolution that is a win for each of the parties.
Calming things down
There are fi ve basic behaviours that will help you resolve confl ict in almost any situation you encounter. They will allow you to benefi t from positive disagreement without having those disagreements escalate into out-of-control personality confl icts that damage the morale and productivity of the organisation. These basics are:
1 Openness
State your feelings and thoughts openly, directly, and honestly without trying to hide or disguise the real object of your disagreement.
Don’t attribute negative statements about the other person to unknown others. Use I-statements and talk about how you feel and what you want. Focus on current specifi cs and on identifying the problem.
2 Empathy
Listen with empathy. Try to understand and feel what the other person is feeling and to see the situation from his point of view. Demonstrate your understanding and validate the other person’s feelings.
Comments such as “I appreciate how you feel”, “I understand your feelings” and “I’m sorry I made you feel that way” let the other person know that you are sincere in understanding his views.
3 Supportiveness
Describe the behaviours you have diffi - culty with rather than evaluating them. Express your concern for and support of the other person. Let him know you want to fi nd a solution that benefi ts both of you.
State your position tentatively with a willingness to change your opinion if appropriate reasons are given. Be willing to support the other person’s position if it makes sense to do so.
4 Positiveness
Try to identify areas of agreements and emphasise those. Look at the confl ict as a way to better understand the entire situation and to possibly fi nd a new and better solution.
Be positive about the other person and your relationship. Express your commitment to fi nding a resolution that works for everyone.
5 Equality
Treat the other person and his ideas and opinions as equal. Give the person the time and space to completely express his ideas. Evaluate all ideas and positions logically and without regard to ownership.
Successful resolution of small confl icts can diffuse the possibility of more serious confl icts and result in better working relationships.
Confl ict typically proceeds through four stages even if each step is not recognised as such. The phases identifi ed by theorist Louis Pondy are as follows:
Phase 1: Latent
When two or more parties must cooperate with one another in order to achieve a desired objective, there is potential for confl ict. Latent confl ict is often created whenever change occurs. Examples are a budget cutback, a change in organisational direction, a change in a personal goal or value, a new crisis project added to an already overloaded work force, or an expected occurrence (such as a salary increase) not happening.
Phase 2: Perceived
This is the point when members are becoming more aware of a problem, even if they are not sure where it comes from. Incompatibility is perceived and tension begins.
Phase 3: Felt
The parties begin to focus on differences of opinion and interests, sharpening perceived confl ict. Internal tensions and frustrations begin to crystallise around specifi c, defi ned issues and people begin to build emotional commitment to their particular position.
Phase 4: Manifest
The outward display of confl ict occurs when the opposing parties plan and follow through with acts to frustrate one another. Confl ict is very obvious at this point.
As confl ict proceeds through the stages, resolution becomes more diffi cult. People become more locked into their positions and more convinced that the confl ict must be a win or lose situation.
The ideal situation is to recognise confl ict early and work for a resolution that is a win for each of the parties.
Calming things down
There are fi ve basic behaviours that will help you resolve confl ict in almost any situation you encounter. They will allow you to benefi t from positive disagreement without having those disagreements escalate into out-of-control personality confl icts that damage the morale and productivity of the organisation. These basics are:
1 Openness
State your feelings and thoughts openly, directly, and honestly without trying to hide or disguise the real object of your disagreement.
Don’t attribute negative statements about the other person to unknown others. Use I-statements and talk about how you feel and what you want. Focus on current specifi cs and on identifying the problem.
2 Empathy
Listen with empathy. Try to understand and feel what the other person is feeling and to see the situation from his point of view. Demonstrate your understanding and validate the other person’s feelings.
Comments such as “I appreciate how you feel”, “I understand your feelings” and “I’m sorry I made you feel that way” let the other person know that you are sincere in understanding his views.
3 Supportiveness
Describe the behaviours you have diffi - culty with rather than evaluating them. Express your concern for and support of the other person. Let him know you want to fi nd a solution that benefi ts both of you.
State your position tentatively with a willingness to change your opinion if appropriate reasons are given. Be willing to support the other person’s position if it makes sense to do so.
4 Positiveness
Try to identify areas of agreements and emphasise those. Look at the confl ict as a way to better understand the entire situation and to possibly fi nd a new and better solution.
Be positive about the other person and your relationship. Express your commitment to fi nding a resolution that works for everyone.
5 Equality
Treat the other person and his ideas and opinions as equal. Give the person the time and space to completely express his ideas. Evaluate all ideas and positions logically and without regard to ownership.
Successful resolution of small confl icts can diffuse the possibility of more serious confl icts and result in better working relationships.
Make someone’s day
HOW many compliments did you give someone in the last week? How many did you receive? Probably not very many.
Compliments are a great way to boost someone’s mood. People yearn for recognition and appreciation. A compliment is a gift that can make someone’s day. They are easy to give and cost nothing. So why are they so rare?
Learning how to pay compliments is one of the most effective things you can do to improve the way you relate to others. With a little practice, you can master the art.
HOW TO DO IT
Before giving a compliment, remember to smile, make eye contact and use the person’s name.
A smile makes you appear friendly and sincere. People always respond positively to a warm smile.
Eye contact also conveys sincerity. People distrust those who do not look them in the eye when speaking.
Using the person’s name helps you connect with others. People feel good when they hear their name. As Dale Carnegie observed, a person’s name is the sweetest sound in the world — to him.
The compliment itself should be direct, sincere and positive. Usually, it is a statement of something you like about a person’s physical appearance, a possession, a personal quality or type of behaviour.
Bear in mind that compliments about personal qualities and behaviours are more meaningful than those directed towards appearance or possessions.
To make a good compliment even better, don’t just say what you like, but also explain why you like it. People will understand your reasons for complimenting them and will be less likely to wonder about your motives.
For example, if you want to compliment someone on the new car he has purchased, say, “Hey, Alex, is that your new car? I love it! It’s sporty and suits your image.”
If you like somebody’s sunny nature, say, “You’re always so optimistic and positive, Ann. It feels good to be around you.”
And if you want to thank someone for his help, say, “It was kind of you to help me unload those boxes, Pat. You saved me a lot of time. Thank you so much.”
Many people feel selfconscious about receiving a compliment and may deny it or qualify it to deflect attention from themselves. For example:
You: “May, I like your new hairstyle—it’s very chic and shows off your high cheek bones.”
May: “Oh, it makes me look so old.”
You can make it easier for May to accept your compliment by asking a follow-up question. Instead of wondering how to respond or denying that she is worthy of your kind words, she can just answer your question.
You: “May, I like your new hairstyle — it’s very chic and shows off your high cheekbones. Where did you have it done?”
May: “I went to that new shop across the street. Thanks, I’m glad you like it.”
GET USED TO IT
When you consider how effective compliments can be and how easy they are to deliver, there is no reason not to use them. Start slowly and gradually increase the frequency. If you suddenly begin to compliment everyone around you, they will question your motives.
Do not use compliments when you want a favour in return or you will lose credibility. Take care to pay compliments only when you do not want anything from that person. He will more likely believe a compliment is sincere when there are no strings attached.
Compliment people on qualities that are not obvious. Complimenting something that has been overlooked by others will sound more genuine and will be greatly appreciated.
Compliments are a great way to boost someone’s mood. People yearn for recognition and appreciation. A compliment is a gift that can make someone’s day. They are easy to give and cost nothing. So why are they so rare?
Learning how to pay compliments is one of the most effective things you can do to improve the way you relate to others. With a little practice, you can master the art.
HOW TO DO IT
Before giving a compliment, remember to smile, make eye contact and use the person’s name.
A smile makes you appear friendly and sincere. People always respond positively to a warm smile.
Eye contact also conveys sincerity. People distrust those who do not look them in the eye when speaking.
Using the person’s name helps you connect with others. People feel good when they hear their name. As Dale Carnegie observed, a person’s name is the sweetest sound in the world — to him.
The compliment itself should be direct, sincere and positive. Usually, it is a statement of something you like about a person’s physical appearance, a possession, a personal quality or type of behaviour.
Bear in mind that compliments about personal qualities and behaviours are more meaningful than those directed towards appearance or possessions.
To make a good compliment even better, don’t just say what you like, but also explain why you like it. People will understand your reasons for complimenting them and will be less likely to wonder about your motives.
For example, if you want to compliment someone on the new car he has purchased, say, “Hey, Alex, is that your new car? I love it! It’s sporty and suits your image.”
If you like somebody’s sunny nature, say, “You’re always so optimistic and positive, Ann. It feels good to be around you.”
And if you want to thank someone for his help, say, “It was kind of you to help me unload those boxes, Pat. You saved me a lot of time. Thank you so much.”
Many people feel selfconscious about receiving a compliment and may deny it or qualify it to deflect attention from themselves. For example:
You: “May, I like your new hairstyle—it’s very chic and shows off your high cheek bones.”
May: “Oh, it makes me look so old.”
You can make it easier for May to accept your compliment by asking a follow-up question. Instead of wondering how to respond or denying that she is worthy of your kind words, she can just answer your question.
You: “May, I like your new hairstyle — it’s very chic and shows off your high cheekbones. Where did you have it done?”
May: “I went to that new shop across the street. Thanks, I’m glad you like it.”
GET USED TO IT
When you consider how effective compliments can be and how easy they are to deliver, there is no reason not to use them. Start slowly and gradually increase the frequency. If you suddenly begin to compliment everyone around you, they will question your motives.
Do not use compliments when you want a favour in return or you will lose credibility. Take care to pay compliments only when you do not want anything from that person. He will more likely believe a compliment is sincere when there are no strings attached.
Compliment people on qualities that are not obvious. Complimenting something that has been overlooked by others will sound more genuine and will be greatly appreciated.
Develop A Prosperity Consciousness
The starting point of all riches is the development of a prosperity consciousness. You must become a financial success in your thinking long before you achieve it in your reality. Both poverty and riches are the result of a state of mind, and the most important single step you ever take on the road to wealth and financial independence is the decision to change your thinking, to impress into your mind an unshakable belief that you can and will achieve your financial goals. This must happen before anything else happens.
Think And Grow Rich
When I was growing up, I was fascinated by stories of successful men and women and how they made and lost their fortunes, and then made them over again. I read about the importance of a prosperity consciousness in the book, Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill, several times. But I never fully understood what it meant until about five years ago. Then it hit me and I've never been quite the same since. Every aspect of my life has improved dramatically, especially in the area of accumulating wealth, since I finally understood what is meant by a prosperity consciousness.
Two Great Discoveries
Here are two of the most exciting principles ever discovered in the long search by mankind for the secrets of health, happiness and great personal wealth.
All Causation is Mental
The first principle is this. All causation is mental. That means that everything that you are or ever will be will be a result of how you use your mind. You are merely a mind with a body to carry it around with. The entire man made world that you see is simply an expression of thought. Your entire life is an expression of your own thinking. And since the quality of your thinking determines the quality of your life, if you improve the quality of your thinking, you must, you will, inevitably improve the quality of your life.
The Law of Expectations
The second principle is what we call the law of expectations. This law says that whatever you expect with confidence, positive or negative, becomes your reality. If you confidently expect to succeed, if you confidently expect to learn something from every experience, if you confidently expect to become wealthy as a result of applying your talents and abilities to your opportunities and you maintain that attitude of confident expectations long enough, it will become your reality. It will give you a positive optimistic cheerful attitude that will cause people to want to help you, and will cause things to happen the way you want them to happen.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to practice these principles in your day to day life:
First, start thinking today in a positive, optimistic, confident way about personal and financial success. Continually imagine what differences it would make in your life if you were financially independent. This is the starting point of developing a prosperity consciousness.
Second, develop your own attitude of positive expectations. Look for the good in every situation. Look for the valuable lesson in every setback or difficulty. Be positive and cheerful about everything that happens and you will be amazed at the difference it makes in your life.
Think And Grow Rich
When I was growing up, I was fascinated by stories of successful men and women and how they made and lost their fortunes, and then made them over again. I read about the importance of a prosperity consciousness in the book, Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill, several times. But I never fully understood what it meant until about five years ago. Then it hit me and I've never been quite the same since. Every aspect of my life has improved dramatically, especially in the area of accumulating wealth, since I finally understood what is meant by a prosperity consciousness.
Two Great Discoveries
Here are two of the most exciting principles ever discovered in the long search by mankind for the secrets of health, happiness and great personal wealth.
All Causation is Mental
The first principle is this. All causation is mental. That means that everything that you are or ever will be will be a result of how you use your mind. You are merely a mind with a body to carry it around with. The entire man made world that you see is simply an expression of thought. Your entire life is an expression of your own thinking. And since the quality of your thinking determines the quality of your life, if you improve the quality of your thinking, you must, you will, inevitably improve the quality of your life.
The Law of Expectations
The second principle is what we call the law of expectations. This law says that whatever you expect with confidence, positive or negative, becomes your reality. If you confidently expect to succeed, if you confidently expect to learn something from every experience, if you confidently expect to become wealthy as a result of applying your talents and abilities to your opportunities and you maintain that attitude of confident expectations long enough, it will become your reality. It will give you a positive optimistic cheerful attitude that will cause people to want to help you, and will cause things to happen the way you want them to happen.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to practice these principles in your day to day life:
First, start thinking today in a positive, optimistic, confident way about personal and financial success. Continually imagine what differences it would make in your life if you were financially independent. This is the starting point of developing a prosperity consciousness.
Second, develop your own attitude of positive expectations. Look for the good in every situation. Look for the valuable lesson in every setback or difficulty. Be positive and cheerful about everything that happens and you will be amazed at the difference it makes in your life.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Living Without Limits
The starting point of great success and achievement has always been the same. It is for you to dream big dreams. There is nothing more important, and nothing that works faster than for you to cast off your own limitations than for you to begin dreaming and fantasizing about the wonderful things that you can become, have, and do.
As a wise man once said, “You must dream big dreams, for only big dreams have the power to move the minds of men.” When you begin to dream big dreams, your levels of self-esteem and self-confidence will go up immediately. You will feel more powerful about yourself and your ability to deal with what happens to you. The reason so many people accomplish so little is because they never allow themselves to lean back and imagine the kind of life that is possible for them. A powerful principle that you can use to dream big dreams and live without limits is contained in what Elihu Goldratt calls the “Theory of Constraints.” This is one of the greatest breakthroughs in modern thinking. What Goldratt has found is that in every process, in accomplishing any goal, there is a bottleneck or choke cord that serves as a constraint on the process. This constraint then sets the speed at which you achieve any particular goal.
What Goldratt found is that if you concentrate all of your creative energies and attention on alleviating the constraint, you can speed up the process faster than by doing any other single thing.
Let me give you an example. Let us say that you want to double your income. What is the critical constraint or the limiting factor that holds you back? Well, you know that your income is a direct reward for the quality and quantity of the services you render to your world. Whatever field you are in, if you want to double your income, you simply have to double the quality and quantity of what you do for that income. Or you have to change activities and occupations so that what you are doing is worth twice as much. But you must always ask yourself, “What is the critical constraint that holds me back or sets the speed on how fast I double my income?”
A friend of mine is one of the highest-paid commission professionals in the United States. One of his goals was to double his income over the next three to five years.
He applied the 80/20 rule to his client base. He found that 20 percent of his clients contributed 80 percent of his profits, and that the amount of time spent on a high-profit client was pretty much the same amount of time spent on a low-profit client. In other words, he was dividing his time equally over the number of tasks that he does while only 20 percent of those items contributes 80 percent of his results.
So he drew a line on his list of clients under those who represented the top 20 percent and then called in other professionals in his industry and very carefully, politely, and strategically handed off the 80 percent of his clients that only represented 20 percent of his business. He then put together a profile of his top clients and began looking in the marketplace exclusively for the type of client who fit the profile; in other words, one who could become a major profit contributor to his organization, and whom he in turn could serve with the level of excellence that his clients were accustomed to. And instead of doubling his income in three to five years, he doubled it in the first year!
So what is holding you back? Is it your level of education or skill? Is it your current occupation or job? Is it your current environment or level of health? Is it the situations that you are in today? What is setting the speed for you achieving your goal?
Remember, whatever you have learned, you can unlearn. Whatever situation you have gotten yourself into, you can probably get yourself out of. If your real goal is to dream big dreams and to live without limits, you can set this as your standard and compare everything that you do against it.
The three keys to living without limits have always been the same. They are clarity, competence, and concentration.
Clarity means that you are absolutely clear about who you are, what you want, and where you’re going. You write down your goals and you make plans to accomplish them. You set very careful priorities and you do something every day to move you toward your goals. And the more progress you make toward accomplishing things that are important to you, the greater self-confidence and self-belief you have, and the more convinced you become that there are no limits on what you can achieve.
Competence means that you begin to become very, very good in the key result areas of your chosen field. You apply the 80/20 rule to everything you do and you focus on becoming outstanding in the 20 percent of tasks that contribute to 80 percent of your results. You dedicate yourself to continuous learning. You never stop growing. You realize that excellence is a moving target. And you commit yourself to doing something every day that enables you to become better and better at doing the most important things in your field. Concentration is having the self-discipline to force yourself to concentrate single-mindedly on one thing, the most important thing, and stay with it until it’s complete.
The two key words for success have always been focus and concentration. Focus is knowing exactly what you want to be, have, and do. Concentration is persevering, without diversion or distraction, in a straight line toward accomplishing the things that can make a real difference in your life.
When you allow yourself to begin to dream big dreams, creatively abandon the activities that are taking up too much of your time, and focus your inward energies on alleviating your main constraints, you start to feel an incredible sense of power and confidence. As you focus on doing what you love to do and becoming excellent in those few areas that can make a real difference in your life, you begin to think in terms of possibilities rather than impossibilities, and you move ever closer toward the realization of your full potential.
As a wise man once said, “You must dream big dreams, for only big dreams have the power to move the minds of men.” When you begin to dream big dreams, your levels of self-esteem and self-confidence will go up immediately. You will feel more powerful about yourself and your ability to deal with what happens to you. The reason so many people accomplish so little is because they never allow themselves to lean back and imagine the kind of life that is possible for them. A powerful principle that you can use to dream big dreams and live without limits is contained in what Elihu Goldratt calls the “Theory of Constraints.” This is one of the greatest breakthroughs in modern thinking. What Goldratt has found is that in every process, in accomplishing any goal, there is a bottleneck or choke cord that serves as a constraint on the process. This constraint then sets the speed at which you achieve any particular goal.
What Goldratt found is that if you concentrate all of your creative energies and attention on alleviating the constraint, you can speed up the process faster than by doing any other single thing.
Let me give you an example. Let us say that you want to double your income. What is the critical constraint or the limiting factor that holds you back? Well, you know that your income is a direct reward for the quality and quantity of the services you render to your world. Whatever field you are in, if you want to double your income, you simply have to double the quality and quantity of what you do for that income. Or you have to change activities and occupations so that what you are doing is worth twice as much. But you must always ask yourself, “What is the critical constraint that holds me back or sets the speed on how fast I double my income?”
A friend of mine is one of the highest-paid commission professionals in the United States. One of his goals was to double his income over the next three to five years.
He applied the 80/20 rule to his client base. He found that 20 percent of his clients contributed 80 percent of his profits, and that the amount of time spent on a high-profit client was pretty much the same amount of time spent on a low-profit client. In other words, he was dividing his time equally over the number of tasks that he does while only 20 percent of those items contributes 80 percent of his results.
So he drew a line on his list of clients under those who represented the top 20 percent and then called in other professionals in his industry and very carefully, politely, and strategically handed off the 80 percent of his clients that only represented 20 percent of his business. He then put together a profile of his top clients and began looking in the marketplace exclusively for the type of client who fit the profile; in other words, one who could become a major profit contributor to his organization, and whom he in turn could serve with the level of excellence that his clients were accustomed to. And instead of doubling his income in three to five years, he doubled it in the first year!
So what is holding you back? Is it your level of education or skill? Is it your current occupation or job? Is it your current environment or level of health? Is it the situations that you are in today? What is setting the speed for you achieving your goal?
Remember, whatever you have learned, you can unlearn. Whatever situation you have gotten yourself into, you can probably get yourself out of. If your real goal is to dream big dreams and to live without limits, you can set this as your standard and compare everything that you do against it.
The three keys to living without limits have always been the same. They are clarity, competence, and concentration.
Clarity means that you are absolutely clear about who you are, what you want, and where you’re going. You write down your goals and you make plans to accomplish them. You set very careful priorities and you do something every day to move you toward your goals. And the more progress you make toward accomplishing things that are important to you, the greater self-confidence and self-belief you have, and the more convinced you become that there are no limits on what you can achieve.
Competence means that you begin to become very, very good in the key result areas of your chosen field. You apply the 80/20 rule to everything you do and you focus on becoming outstanding in the 20 percent of tasks that contribute to 80 percent of your results. You dedicate yourself to continuous learning. You never stop growing. You realize that excellence is a moving target. And you commit yourself to doing something every day that enables you to become better and better at doing the most important things in your field. Concentration is having the self-discipline to force yourself to concentrate single-mindedly on one thing, the most important thing, and stay with it until it’s complete.
The two key words for success have always been focus and concentration. Focus is knowing exactly what you want to be, have, and do. Concentration is persevering, without diversion or distraction, in a straight line toward accomplishing the things that can make a real difference in your life.
When you allow yourself to begin to dream big dreams, creatively abandon the activities that are taking up too much of your time, and focus your inward energies on alleviating your main constraints, you start to feel an incredible sense of power and confidence. As you focus on doing what you love to do and becoming excellent in those few areas that can make a real difference in your life, you begin to think in terms of possibilities rather than impossibilities, and you move ever closer toward the realization of your full potential.
Increasing Productivity and Profitability
Business executive Dr. Alan Wagner says that the real manager with genuine interest in his people will discover that in tough times productivity, loyalty and enthusiasm are factors, and if the organization is unionized members see that management is one of the good guys and negotiations take on a different tone. In short, they realize that labor and management have the same objectives. To get these kinds of results that will increase productivity and profitability, it takes training.
Many times management asks the question, “Why should I train my people and then lose them?” And the answer is very simple: There is one thing worse than training people and losing them, and that is not training them and keeping them.
The benefit of keeping them around and the benefit of training them, as research clearly points out, is that people stay where they grow and are respected and appreciated. With training you add value to the employee; then the employee adds value to the company.
A recent USA Today article carried the information that after studying 400 corporations 60% of the people under 30 years old said their number one desire in working for the company is to develop skills. The opportunity to develop skills was their most important consideration.
Message: To increase the profitability of the company, employees need to perform every day as they do on the day before vacation. I’ve asked hundreds of audiences whether or not they perform better on that day and in 100% of the cases they responded yes, they do. The reason is quite simple. They plan the night before so when they arrive at work the next day they have a game plan that increases their confidence and hence their productivity. I want to emphasize that I’m not talking about working harder. I’m talking about on that day before vacation you had a plan for the next day and so you worked smarter, not harder. Committed people with a game plan just do considerably more.
Employees also need to understand that while they do not work for the company 24 hours a day, they represent the company 24 hours a day. They need to understand that when they are off the job, if their company is mentioned it should always be with praise, and if they have nothing good to say they should say absolutely nothing.
The owner or manager needs to understand that he has two groups of customers-those who are directly employed by the company and the customers whom the direct employees work with. The way management treats its direct employees (or customers) has a bearing on how they in turn will treat their customers (the ones who actually buy from the company).
Several years ago during the Iacocca days at Chrysler we had the privilege of doing some training for them. This was just as they were bringing out the cab forward concept with much flair and publicity. The way it was developed was interesting and very profitable. The company asked the workers if they had any ideas as to how they could improve the quality of the automobile. Of course, those on the line who did the actual work had some ideas-many of them. I’ll mention only two.
Idea number one: Instead of the “pit” where workers had to step down several steps and then look up to work on the underside of the car, workers encouraged management to discontinue the pit because over a period of time they would occasionally slip and fall.
Idea number two: Workers encouraged management to put the automobile frame on a tilt so the workers could stand almost straight up for the majority of the installation instead of having the assembly line level, requiring them to bend over to do the installations. They pointed out this would be much easier and would ease back pains considerably. Chrysler listened and did both.
The increase in quality was dramatic. The reduction in days missed because of injury or illness was substantial. The insurance costs were unbelievably lower than they had previously been. The profits of the company went up dramatically. The neat thing is the direct customers (meaning the workers) were extremely happy, the management was ecstatic, and all of the stockholders were cheering them on. In short, it was a win/win/win situation.
Many times management asks the question, “Why should I train my people and then lose them?” And the answer is very simple: There is one thing worse than training people and losing them, and that is not training them and keeping them.
The benefit of keeping them around and the benefit of training them, as research clearly points out, is that people stay where they grow and are respected and appreciated. With training you add value to the employee; then the employee adds value to the company.
A recent USA Today article carried the information that after studying 400 corporations 60% of the people under 30 years old said their number one desire in working for the company is to develop skills. The opportunity to develop skills was their most important consideration.
Message: To increase the profitability of the company, employees need to perform every day as they do on the day before vacation. I’ve asked hundreds of audiences whether or not they perform better on that day and in 100% of the cases they responded yes, they do. The reason is quite simple. They plan the night before so when they arrive at work the next day they have a game plan that increases their confidence and hence their productivity. I want to emphasize that I’m not talking about working harder. I’m talking about on that day before vacation you had a plan for the next day and so you worked smarter, not harder. Committed people with a game plan just do considerably more.
Employees also need to understand that while they do not work for the company 24 hours a day, they represent the company 24 hours a day. They need to understand that when they are off the job, if their company is mentioned it should always be with praise, and if they have nothing good to say they should say absolutely nothing.
The owner or manager needs to understand that he has two groups of customers-those who are directly employed by the company and the customers whom the direct employees work with. The way management treats its direct employees (or customers) has a bearing on how they in turn will treat their customers (the ones who actually buy from the company).
Several years ago during the Iacocca days at Chrysler we had the privilege of doing some training for them. This was just as they were bringing out the cab forward concept with much flair and publicity. The way it was developed was interesting and very profitable. The company asked the workers if they had any ideas as to how they could improve the quality of the automobile. Of course, those on the line who did the actual work had some ideas-many of them. I’ll mention only two.
Idea number one: Instead of the “pit” where workers had to step down several steps and then look up to work on the underside of the car, workers encouraged management to discontinue the pit because over a period of time they would occasionally slip and fall.
Idea number two: Workers encouraged management to put the automobile frame on a tilt so the workers could stand almost straight up for the majority of the installation instead of having the assembly line level, requiring them to bend over to do the installations. They pointed out this would be much easier and would ease back pains considerably. Chrysler listened and did both.
The increase in quality was dramatic. The reduction in days missed because of injury or illness was substantial. The insurance costs were unbelievably lower than they had previously been. The profits of the company went up dramatically. The neat thing is the direct customers (meaning the workers) were extremely happy, the management was ecstatic, and all of the stockholders were cheering them on. In short, it was a win/win/win situation.
control of your life
BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE
Goals are extremely important in our lives. You have to be in control of your life and not allow your current situation to take control over you. Accept change to come into your life immediately if you are not experiencing progress in your life. Here are some wise directions you
may take to control you life:-
Crystallize Your Thinking
Determine what specific goal you want to achieve to accomplish through Enliven International, Inc. Then dedicate yourself to its attainment with unswerving singleness of purpose, the trenchant zeal of a crusader.
Develop a Plan for Achieving Your Goal and a Deadline
for its Attainment
Plan your progress carefully; hour-by-hour, day-by-day, month-by-month. Organized activity and maintained enthusiasm are the wellsprings of your power. Determine your weekly, monthly and yearly goals.
Develop a Sincere Desire for the Things You Want in Life
A burning desire is the greatest motivator of every human action.
The desire for success implants “success consciousness”, which in
turn creates a vigorous and ever-increasing habit of success.
Develop Supreme Confidence in Yourself and Your Own Abilities
Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility
of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses…
on your powers, instead of your problems. Everyone is a born winner.
You can when you believe you can!
Develop a Dogged Determination to Follow Through on Your Plan
Regardless of obstacles, criticism or circumstances or what other people say, think, or do. Construct your determination with sustained effort, controlled attention and concentrated energy. Opportunities never come
to those who wait… they are captured by those who dare to attack.
It is my honest believe that when you practice the above you will be
able to attain ultimate success through Enliven International. You are
on the road to accomplish you dream!
JUST DO IT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Goals are extremely important in our lives. You have to be in control of your life and not allow your current situation to take control over you. Accept change to come into your life immediately if you are not experiencing progress in your life. Here are some wise directions you
may take to control you life:-
Crystallize Your Thinking
Determine what specific goal you want to achieve to accomplish through Enliven International, Inc. Then dedicate yourself to its attainment with unswerving singleness of purpose, the trenchant zeal of a crusader.
Develop a Plan for Achieving Your Goal and a Deadline
for its Attainment
Plan your progress carefully; hour-by-hour, day-by-day, month-by-month. Organized activity and maintained enthusiasm are the wellsprings of your power. Determine your weekly, monthly and yearly goals.
Develop a Sincere Desire for the Things You Want in Life
A burning desire is the greatest motivator of every human action.
The desire for success implants “success consciousness”, which in
turn creates a vigorous and ever-increasing habit of success.
Develop Supreme Confidence in Yourself and Your Own Abilities
Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility
of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses…
on your powers, instead of your problems. Everyone is a born winner.
You can when you believe you can!
Develop a Dogged Determination to Follow Through on Your Plan
Regardless of obstacles, criticism or circumstances or what other people say, think, or do. Construct your determination with sustained effort, controlled attention and concentrated energy. Opportunities never come
to those who wait… they are captured by those who dare to attack.
It is my honest believe that when you practice the above you will be
able to attain ultimate success through Enliven International. You are
on the road to accomplish you dream!
JUST DO IT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Have fun at work Have fun at work
COMPANIES that are highly creative give their staff a work environment that is exciting
With more and more people working from home, out of their cars, in coffee shops and elsewhere, the term “workplace” takes on a whole new meaning.
Add to that a bit of innovative thinking, a flair for the dramatic, a burning desire to be different, and you have some clever and cool workspace concepts for creative people.
Physical space matters. It’s easier to be productive, creative and happy at work in a colourful, organic, playful environment than in a grey, linear, boring one.
The goal of a workplace is to provide a place and space to allow a person to get work done. The best workplace is comfortable, functional and inspirational.
What this means can vary from person to person, but one common factor is that people want to work in a place where they can focus, create and produce.
Maybe the best way to judge whether or not a work environment is effective and efficient is to see what comes out of it.
That’s why the Pixar corporate offices (which created the animated movies Finding Nemo, Cars, Toy Story and The Incredibles) are awesome.
They inspire creativity. Instead of cubicles, the animators work in customised cottages set on what looks like a long street, complete with addresses and a neighbourhood feel.
The common areas at Pixar also foster creativity through interaction and relaxation. There is a room filled with games for inspiration and a tropical lounge for kicking back.
The great enemy of creativity is fear. When we are fearful, we freeze. Creativity has a lot to do with a willingness to take risks.
Think about how children play. They run around the playground without thinking about where they’re going.
They trip, they fall down, and then they get back up again and run some more. They have a wonderful belief that everything will be all right.
Popular writer Stephen King was asked how he could write such extremely ugly, strange, unreasonable, offensive, original stuff and he replied: “I have the heart of a small boy . . . and I keep it in a jar on my desk.”
King wrote in On Writing that he switched from a grand desk in the middle of his office to a smaller one in the corner to better focus. Considering how many books he has written, it seems to be working well.
At Googleplex, they don’t really care what your desk looks like — gadgets and gizmos, loose papers and piles are a part of the casual work environment.
Desks can be made from a surfboard, the bed of a truck, an old door, and the wing of a plane. It doesn’t matter what your desk is created from, as long as it works for you.
In the past, HP engineers were encouraged to leave prototypes and projects-in-progress on their desk with a pad of paper on top. This way other engineers could see what was being worked on and write down their ideas or insights.
Years ago, a study discovered that CEOs who liked to leave everything out actually were more successful than their counterparts who preferred to put everything away at the end of the day.
At a video production company in San Diego, the creative department only had one filing cabinet (and it was painted purple with yellow flowers).
Instead, the walls were lined with cork to pin things. There were tons of table tops to pile papers on and cubby holes for a lot of the loose stuff.
The physical workspace is one of the most ignored. None of the ideas mentioned here will apply to every company, but most companies have room for improvement.
It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money but it does take a little creativity and courage.
Does it seem strange to turn a meeting room table into a ping pong table? Would it be weird to have to ride a slide to get into a room?
Would meetings on the roof and in the fresh air be asking too much? All these things are a reality at Red Bull’s corporate offices.
Your office should be a reflection of who you are and who you want to be. It can be both comfortable and professional. It can be weird and still work.
Finding a way to maximise creative potential is one of the most pressing problems in corporations. Knowing what makes one team more creative than another is an important first step.
With more and more people working from home, out of their cars, in coffee shops and elsewhere, the term “workplace” takes on a whole new meaning.
Add to that a bit of innovative thinking, a flair for the dramatic, a burning desire to be different, and you have some clever and cool workspace concepts for creative people.
Physical space matters. It’s easier to be productive, creative and happy at work in a colourful, organic, playful environment than in a grey, linear, boring one.
The goal of a workplace is to provide a place and space to allow a person to get work done. The best workplace is comfortable, functional and inspirational.
What this means can vary from person to person, but one common factor is that people want to work in a place where they can focus, create and produce.
Maybe the best way to judge whether or not a work environment is effective and efficient is to see what comes out of it.
That’s why the Pixar corporate offices (which created the animated movies Finding Nemo, Cars, Toy Story and The Incredibles) are awesome.
They inspire creativity. Instead of cubicles, the animators work in customised cottages set on what looks like a long street, complete with addresses and a neighbourhood feel.
The common areas at Pixar also foster creativity through interaction and relaxation. There is a room filled with games for inspiration and a tropical lounge for kicking back.
The great enemy of creativity is fear. When we are fearful, we freeze. Creativity has a lot to do with a willingness to take risks.
Think about how children play. They run around the playground without thinking about where they’re going.
They trip, they fall down, and then they get back up again and run some more. They have a wonderful belief that everything will be all right.
Popular writer Stephen King was asked how he could write such extremely ugly, strange, unreasonable, offensive, original stuff and he replied: “I have the heart of a small boy . . . and I keep it in a jar on my desk.”
King wrote in On Writing that he switched from a grand desk in the middle of his office to a smaller one in the corner to better focus. Considering how many books he has written, it seems to be working well.
At Googleplex, they don’t really care what your desk looks like — gadgets and gizmos, loose papers and piles are a part of the casual work environment.
Desks can be made from a surfboard, the bed of a truck, an old door, and the wing of a plane. It doesn’t matter what your desk is created from, as long as it works for you.
In the past, HP engineers were encouraged to leave prototypes and projects-in-progress on their desk with a pad of paper on top. This way other engineers could see what was being worked on and write down their ideas or insights.
Years ago, a study discovered that CEOs who liked to leave everything out actually were more successful than their counterparts who preferred to put everything away at the end of the day.
At a video production company in San Diego, the creative department only had one filing cabinet (and it was painted purple with yellow flowers).
Instead, the walls were lined with cork to pin things. There were tons of table tops to pile papers on and cubby holes for a lot of the loose stuff.
The physical workspace is one of the most ignored. None of the ideas mentioned here will apply to every company, but most companies have room for improvement.
It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money but it does take a little creativity and courage.
Does it seem strange to turn a meeting room table into a ping pong table? Would it be weird to have to ride a slide to get into a room?
Would meetings on the roof and in the fresh air be asking too much? All these things are a reality at Red Bull’s corporate offices.
Your office should be a reflection of who you are and who you want to be. It can be both comfortable and professional. It can be weird and still work.
Finding a way to maximise creative potential is one of the most pressing problems in corporations. Knowing what makes one team more creative than another is an important first step.
The Qualities of Skillful Leadership
If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills, and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. I call leadership the great challenge of life.
What's important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here are some specifics:
1) Learn to be strong but not rude.
It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It's not even a good substitute.
2) Learn to be kind but not weak.
We must not mistake kindness for weakness. Kindness isn't weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell somebody the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.
3) Learn to be bold but not a bully.
It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble.
4) You've got to learn to be humble, but not timid.
You can't get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. Humility is almost a God-like word. A sense of awe. A sense of wonder. An awareness of the human soul and spirit. An understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we're part of the stars. So humility is a virtue; but timidity is a disease. Timidity is an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem.
5) Be proud but not arrogant.
It takes pride to win the day. It takes pride to build your ambition. It takes pride in community. It takes pride in cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is being proud without being arrogant. In fact I believe the worst kind of arrogance is arrogance from ignorance. It's when you don't know that you don't know. Now that kind of arrogance is intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that's just too much to take.
6) Develop humor without folly.
That's important for a leader. In leadership, we learn that it's okay to be witty, but not silly. It's okay to be fun, but not foolish.
Lastly, deal in realities. Deal in truth.
Save yourself the agony. Just accept life like it is. Life is unique. Some people call it tragic, but I'd like to think it's unique. The whole drama of life is unique. It's fascinating. And I've found that the skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. But the fundamental skills of leadership can be adapted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community, and at home.
What's important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here are some specifics:
1) Learn to be strong but not rude.
It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It's not even a good substitute.
2) Learn to be kind but not weak.
We must not mistake kindness for weakness. Kindness isn't weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell somebody the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.
3) Learn to be bold but not a bully.
It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble.
4) You've got to learn to be humble, but not timid.
You can't get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. Humility is almost a God-like word. A sense of awe. A sense of wonder. An awareness of the human soul and spirit. An understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we're part of the stars. So humility is a virtue; but timidity is a disease. Timidity is an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem.
5) Be proud but not arrogant.
It takes pride to win the day. It takes pride to build your ambition. It takes pride in community. It takes pride in cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is being proud without being arrogant. In fact I believe the worst kind of arrogance is arrogance from ignorance. It's when you don't know that you don't know. Now that kind of arrogance is intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that's just too much to take.
6) Develop humor without folly.
That's important for a leader. In leadership, we learn that it's okay to be witty, but not silly. It's okay to be fun, but not foolish.
Lastly, deal in realities. Deal in truth.
Save yourself the agony. Just accept life like it is. Life is unique. Some people call it tragic, but I'd like to think it's unique. The whole drama of life is unique. It's fascinating. And I've found that the skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. But the fundamental skills of leadership can be adapted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community, and at home.
Empowering Others
Get the Cooperation of Others
Empowering people is the key to building a high-performance team. Once you empower people by learning how to motivate and inspire them, they will want to work with you to help you achieve your goals in everything you do. Your ability to enlist the knowledge, energy and resources of others enables you to become a multiplication sign, to leverage yourself so that you accomplish far more than the average person and in a far shorter period of time.
Determine the Key People to Empower
There are three types of people that you want to and need to empower on a regular basis. They are, first of all, the people closest to you: your family, your friends, your spouse and your children. Second are your work relationships: your staff, your coworkers, your peers, your colleagues and even your boss. Third are all the other people that you interact with in your day-to-day life: your customers, your suppliers, your banker, the people with whom you deal in stores, restaurants, airplanes, hotels and everywhere else. In each case, your ability to get people to help you is what will make you a more powerful and effective person.
Always Be Positive
Empower means "putting power into," and it can also mean "bringing energy and enthusiasm out of." So the first step in empowering people is to refrain from doing anything that disempowers them or reduces their energy and enthusiasm for what they are doing.
There are things you can do every single day to empower people and make them feel good about themselves.
Satisfy the Deepest Needs
The deepest need that each person has is for self-esteem, a sense of being important, valuable and worthwhile. Everything that you do in your interactions with others affects their self-esteem in some way. You already have an excellent frame of reference to determine the things that you can do to boost the self-esteem and therefore the sense of personal power of those around you. Give them what you'd like for yourself.
Continually Express Appreciation
Perhaps the simplest way to make another person feel good about himself or herself is your continuous expressions of appreciation for everything that person does for you, large or small. Say "thank you" on every occasion.
Thank your spouse for everything that he or she does for you. Thank your children for their cooperation and support in everything that they do around the house. Thank your friends for the smallest acts of kindnesses. The more you thank other people for doing things for you, the more things those other people will want to do.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, continually look for ways to make people feel more valuable and important. Say things to others that you would like others to say to you.
Second, express appreciation for everything anyone does for you, large or small. Say the words, "thank you" on every occasion.
Empowering people is the key to building a high-performance team. Once you empower people by learning how to motivate and inspire them, they will want to work with you to help you achieve your goals in everything you do. Your ability to enlist the knowledge, energy and resources of others enables you to become a multiplication sign, to leverage yourself so that you accomplish far more than the average person and in a far shorter period of time.
Determine the Key People to Empower
There are three types of people that you want to and need to empower on a regular basis. They are, first of all, the people closest to you: your family, your friends, your spouse and your children. Second are your work relationships: your staff, your coworkers, your peers, your colleagues and even your boss. Third are all the other people that you interact with in your day-to-day life: your customers, your suppliers, your banker, the people with whom you deal in stores, restaurants, airplanes, hotels and everywhere else. In each case, your ability to get people to help you is what will make you a more powerful and effective person.
Always Be Positive
Empower means "putting power into," and it can also mean "bringing energy and enthusiasm out of." So the first step in empowering people is to refrain from doing anything that disempowers them or reduces their energy and enthusiasm for what they are doing.
There are things you can do every single day to empower people and make them feel good about themselves.
Satisfy the Deepest Needs
The deepest need that each person has is for self-esteem, a sense of being important, valuable and worthwhile. Everything that you do in your interactions with others affects their self-esteem in some way. You already have an excellent frame of reference to determine the things that you can do to boost the self-esteem and therefore the sense of personal power of those around you. Give them what you'd like for yourself.
Continually Express Appreciation
Perhaps the simplest way to make another person feel good about himself or herself is your continuous expressions of appreciation for everything that person does for you, large or small. Say "thank you" on every occasion.
Thank your spouse for everything that he or she does for you. Thank your children for their cooperation and support in everything that they do around the house. Thank your friends for the smallest acts of kindnesses. The more you thank other people for doing things for you, the more things those other people will want to do.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, continually look for ways to make people feel more valuable and important. Say things to others that you would like others to say to you.
Second, express appreciation for everything anyone does for you, large or small. Say the words, "thank you" on every occasion.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Characteristics Of Good Leadership: How Effective Leaders Lead Their Team To Success
Oftentimes, we find it hard to identify the characteristics of good leadership. In one book, a leader is described as the take-charge person who leads his team. In another, you’re considered a leader if you empower your subordinates and rely on their own ability to make decisions for the team.
In this article, we will discuss the nature and characteristics of good leadership. While it is true that anyone can lead or motivate a team, only a good leader can maximize the application of available tools to achieve maximum results.
The main objective of any business is to earn profit and ensure sustainability. You, as the leader of your team, are the driving force behind a successful business. Hence, you must have the necessary characteristics that can lead the team to realize your objectives.
Here are some characteristics of good leadership that you must possess in order to lead your team to victory:
1. Confidence in your own abilities – Even though you trust your subordinates’ capacity to make their own decision, you must lead them by providing an exciting picture of the future.
As a leader, it is your role to provide the vision and direction. Having such vision transmits the message that you are confident about your projections, continued relevance of your products/services, and your own capability to gain more market share.
2. Intense motivation – To motivate others, you must first be passionate about your own work. You must not only direct others, but you must also be able to lead yourself. It is always good to lead by example.
3. Decisiveness – When faced with difficulties, you must have the ability to come up with firm decisions and maintain a positive attitude. It is also important that you remain calm during critical situations to be able to think objectively on what needs to be done to improve the current situation.
4. Aim towards excellence – This is one of most vital characteristics of good leadership. You should maintain high standards in your field of work and devise sound strategies to reach the team’s goals.
Many claim that effective leaders are born naturally. However, the characteristics of good leadership can be developed through constant practice. Constant practice leads to continuous improvement. The quest for continuous improvement is one secret of a reliable leader.
In this article, we will discuss the nature and characteristics of good leadership. While it is true that anyone can lead or motivate a team, only a good leader can maximize the application of available tools to achieve maximum results.
The main objective of any business is to earn profit and ensure sustainability. You, as the leader of your team, are the driving force behind a successful business. Hence, you must have the necessary characteristics that can lead the team to realize your objectives.
Here are some characteristics of good leadership that you must possess in order to lead your team to victory:
1. Confidence in your own abilities – Even though you trust your subordinates’ capacity to make their own decision, you must lead them by providing an exciting picture of the future.
As a leader, it is your role to provide the vision and direction. Having such vision transmits the message that you are confident about your projections, continued relevance of your products/services, and your own capability to gain more market share.
2. Intense motivation – To motivate others, you must first be passionate about your own work. You must not only direct others, but you must also be able to lead yourself. It is always good to lead by example.
3. Decisiveness – When faced with difficulties, you must have the ability to come up with firm decisions and maintain a positive attitude. It is also important that you remain calm during critical situations to be able to think objectively on what needs to be done to improve the current situation.
4. Aim towards excellence – This is one of most vital characteristics of good leadership. You should maintain high standards in your field of work and devise sound strategies to reach the team’s goals.
Many claim that effective leaders are born naturally. However, the characteristics of good leadership can be developed through constant practice. Constant practice leads to continuous improvement. The quest for continuous improvement is one secret of a reliable leader.
Fortune Favors the Brave
Boldness is a necessary part of courage but it must be a boldness based on an intelligent assessment of the potential risks and rew ards. The wonderful nature of boldness is that, properly directed, it builds the habit of courage in the person who practices it.
Act Boldly in Every Situation
In my experience, any virtue translated into action leads almost invariably to positive results. This applies to integrity, persistence, courtesy, love and courage. I've always liked the advice of an old man to his grandson. "Act boldly and unseen forces will come to your aid."
Take a Leap of Faith
Perhaps the most obviously important part of courage is the courage to step out in the face of uncertainty. Every great venture in the history of man has begun with faith and a giant leap into the unknown.
General Douglas MacArthur said, "There is no security in life, only opportunity." The creed of Frederick The Great, one of history's most successful leaders was, "Audacity, audacity-always audacity."
Launch With No Guarantees
A 12-year study of successful entrepreneurs conducted by Babson College concluded that the only thing they had in common was the willingness to launch, to step out in faith. Once they had started, they learned the lessons they needed to succeed. Many of them ending up successful in completely different businesses from where they started.
Dare to Go Forward
Dare to go forward. Successful companies are invariably those that continue to research, develop, experiment and introduce new products and services - even during the deepest recessions. Successful executives are those who are continually stretching themselves to move out of the comfort zone, to face the twin fears of failure and rejection and to move forward in spite of them.
Action Exercises
Here are two ways to develop greater boldness in your work and personal life.
First, just do it! Step out in faith! If you think of some action you can take to improve your life, give it a try. You may be surprised.
Second, when in doubt, act with audacity. Audacity may get you into trouble but even more audacity will get you out. Go for it!
Act Boldly in Every Situation
In my experience, any virtue translated into action leads almost invariably to positive results. This applies to integrity, persistence, courtesy, love and courage. I've always liked the advice of an old man to his grandson. "Act boldly and unseen forces will come to your aid."
Take a Leap of Faith
Perhaps the most obviously important part of courage is the courage to step out in the face of uncertainty. Every great venture in the history of man has begun with faith and a giant leap into the unknown.
General Douglas MacArthur said, "There is no security in life, only opportunity." The creed of Frederick The Great, one of history's most successful leaders was, "Audacity, audacity-always audacity."
Launch With No Guarantees
A 12-year study of successful entrepreneurs conducted by Babson College concluded that the only thing they had in common was the willingness to launch, to step out in faith. Once they had started, they learned the lessons they needed to succeed. Many of them ending up successful in completely different businesses from where they started.
Dare to Go Forward
Dare to go forward. Successful companies are invariably those that continue to research, develop, experiment and introduce new products and services - even during the deepest recessions. Successful executives are those who are continually stretching themselves to move out of the comfort zone, to face the twin fears of failure and rejection and to move forward in spite of them.
Action Exercises
Here are two ways to develop greater boldness in your work and personal life.
First, just do it! Step out in faith! If you think of some action you can take to improve your life, give it a try. You may be surprised.
Second, when in doubt, act with audacity. Audacity may get you into trouble but even more audacity will get you out. Go for it!
The choice is yours
ACTOR Robert de Niro once said: “The talent is in the choices.” In other words, you must make the best choice available to you at a given point of time. The more choices you have, the better the chances of achieving your desired outcome.
Two is better than one
In the philosophy of Neuro-linguistics Programming (NLP), if you have only one choice, it is not considered a choice at all.
If you have two or more choices, you have an opportunity to make the best decision to influence the outcome. You can draw on the vast resources of your brain to create choices for yourself. You can also reframe your problems and see them in a different perspective.
For example, you have a choice to remain as poor as a church mouse or to become more financially stable. You have a choice to be untidy or be organised. You have a choice to do it now or later. You have a choice to be complacent or to be alert to opportunity.
The Post-It lesson
The glue used in 3M Post-It pads was originally meant for fixed surfaces like bulletin boards. A 3M chemist, Arthur Fry, tried to find other uses for the glue but could not think of any.
One evening, while he was singing in church with his choir, a light breeze blew his hymn sheets away. At first, he was irritated. Then he had a creative, brilliant insight. The 3M glue could be used to stick paper onto paper! And the Post-It pad was born.
Fry received a yearly royalty for his invention, thanks to his committed desire to find a use for one of his company products.
No failure, only feedback
Sometimes you make the wrong choice and the result is failure. Take heart, making the wrong choice is better than not making any choices at all. At least, you take the initiative to act.
Failure is not the opposite of success, but its by-product. Inaction, apathy and tolerance of mediocrity are the opposites of success.
We learn valuable lessons from failure, such as taking the hard knocks in life. The lessons are not taught in formal universities but out in the street.
In NLP, there is no such thing as “failure”. Instead, failure is actually feedback that can be used to improve your performance. Failure is a necessary part of success. It is actually a step before success.
Many quit when confronted with failure, not knowing that the next step is success.
Domino theory
Tom Monaghan, the founder of the Domino’s Pizza chain, was only four years old when his father died. Poverty drove his mother to place him in an orphanage. Young Tom harboured two childhood dreams — to be a priest and to play in the Detroit Tigers, an American baseball team.
However, after a year of studying to be a priest in a seminary, he left. In 1960, he started Domino’s Pizza. Initially, it was very successful, but in the 1970s, he started losing control of the company because of rapid expansion. Domino’s was on the brink of bankruptcy.
By 1993, Tom Monaghan had rebuilt Domino’s Pizza into one of the largest pizza chains in America with a sales turnover that exceeded US$2.2 billion (RM7.3 billion).
So compelling was his dream to play in the Detroit Tigers that he purchased the entire team. He also remained Domino’s president. Had he given up during his bankruptcy, he would not have enjoyed Domino’s later success — and he would not have fulfilled his second childhood dream.
He chose to see his bout of failure as an opportunity to do even better. As Henry Ford once remarked: “Failure is the only opportunity to begin more intelligently.”
Two is better than one
In the philosophy of Neuro-linguistics Programming (NLP), if you have only one choice, it is not considered a choice at all.
If you have two or more choices, you have an opportunity to make the best decision to influence the outcome. You can draw on the vast resources of your brain to create choices for yourself. You can also reframe your problems and see them in a different perspective.
For example, you have a choice to remain as poor as a church mouse or to become more financially stable. You have a choice to be untidy or be organised. You have a choice to do it now or later. You have a choice to be complacent or to be alert to opportunity.
The Post-It lesson
The glue used in 3M Post-It pads was originally meant for fixed surfaces like bulletin boards. A 3M chemist, Arthur Fry, tried to find other uses for the glue but could not think of any.
One evening, while he was singing in church with his choir, a light breeze blew his hymn sheets away. At first, he was irritated. Then he had a creative, brilliant insight. The 3M glue could be used to stick paper onto paper! And the Post-It pad was born.
Fry received a yearly royalty for his invention, thanks to his committed desire to find a use for one of his company products.
No failure, only feedback
Sometimes you make the wrong choice and the result is failure. Take heart, making the wrong choice is better than not making any choices at all. At least, you take the initiative to act.
Failure is not the opposite of success, but its by-product. Inaction, apathy and tolerance of mediocrity are the opposites of success.
We learn valuable lessons from failure, such as taking the hard knocks in life. The lessons are not taught in formal universities but out in the street.
In NLP, there is no such thing as “failure”. Instead, failure is actually feedback that can be used to improve your performance. Failure is a necessary part of success. It is actually a step before success.
Many quit when confronted with failure, not knowing that the next step is success.
Domino theory
Tom Monaghan, the founder of the Domino’s Pizza chain, was only four years old when his father died. Poverty drove his mother to place him in an orphanage. Young Tom harboured two childhood dreams — to be a priest and to play in the Detroit Tigers, an American baseball team.
However, after a year of studying to be a priest in a seminary, he left. In 1960, he started Domino’s Pizza. Initially, it was very successful, but in the 1970s, he started losing control of the company because of rapid expansion. Domino’s was on the brink of bankruptcy.
By 1993, Tom Monaghan had rebuilt Domino’s Pizza into one of the largest pizza chains in America with a sales turnover that exceeded US$2.2 billion (RM7.3 billion).
So compelling was his dream to play in the Detroit Tigers that he purchased the entire team. He also remained Domino’s president. Had he given up during his bankruptcy, he would not have enjoyed Domino’s later success — and he would not have fulfilled his second childhood dream.
He chose to see his bout of failure as an opportunity to do even better. As Henry Ford once remarked: “Failure is the only opportunity to begin more intelligently.”
The New Mental Diet
One of the most powerful personal programming activities you can engage in is positive self-talk. Be your own cheerleader and talk to yourself positively all of the time.
Think About Your Dreams
As it happens, the average person talks to himself in a negative way. As much as 94 percent of your inner dialogue tends to be about the things you fear, your worries, the people you're angry at, your problems, your concerns and so on. You have to consciously keep your words, your inner dialogue, consistent with what you wish to accomplish.
The Most Powerful Antidote
Psychologists have proven that the words, "I can do it," are the antidote to the fear of failure that often holds you back from trying. Repeat these words over and over to yourself whenever you feel fearful or doubtful about anything that you want to attempt. Say very enthusiastically to yourself, "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it!" When you start saying, "I can do it, I can do it," you drive that message deep into your subconscious mind. This message lowers your fears and builds your self-confidence.
Make A Million!
Another thing you can say to yourself is, "I make a million. I make a million." Impress that message into your subconscious mind. Whenever you think about your work, say over and over again, "I'm the best, I'm the best, I'm the best." Making any one of these three statements, or anything that is positive makes you feel good about yourself and causes you to be more motivated. You become more focused, more determined. Wealthy, successful people have a continuous inner dialogue that is positive and constructive and uplifting and consistent with their goals and objectives.
Feed Your Mind Continually
Feed your mind from morning to night with words, pictures, information and ideas consistent with your goals for financial success. Develop the habit of thinking positively and confidently about wealth accumulation. Read stories, books and articles about other successful people. Think about how you could be like them. Visualize yourself, imagine, fantasize, pretend in your mind that you are like the kind of people that you admire and respect and want to be like.
Select A Role Model
Psychologists have proven that role models are essential for magnetizing your mind with the qualities and characteristics that you wish to develop in yourself. Pick a person that you admire. Whenever you face any kind of difficult situation, ask yourself, how would this person act in this situation? What would this person do? How would this person behave? You'll find that when you think about how someone you admire might behave, your own thinking becomes better and you tend to act at your very best.
Become An Expert
Read everything you can find about your business. Become an expert in your field. The more you learn about your profession, your trade and your craft, the more confident you will become that you can do well in it.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to put yourself on the new mental diet for financial success:
First, repeat to yourself, over and over again, the wonderful words "I can do it! I can do it! I can do it!" Whenever you are anticipating any new goal or opportunity. This affirmation builds your self-confidence and conditions you for success.
Second, monitor your mental diet the way you would your physical diet. Be sure that you feed yourself throughout the day with positive stories, words, pictures and conversations about the things you want to have in your life. Refuse to read, watch, listen to or discuss things that are negative or depressing. This will make a tremendous difference in how you feel and how you act.
Think About Your Dreams
As it happens, the average person talks to himself in a negative way. As much as 94 percent of your inner dialogue tends to be about the things you fear, your worries, the people you're angry at, your problems, your concerns and so on. You have to consciously keep your words, your inner dialogue, consistent with what you wish to accomplish.
The Most Powerful Antidote
Psychologists have proven that the words, "I can do it," are the antidote to the fear of failure that often holds you back from trying. Repeat these words over and over to yourself whenever you feel fearful or doubtful about anything that you want to attempt. Say very enthusiastically to yourself, "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it!" When you start saying, "I can do it, I can do it," you drive that message deep into your subconscious mind. This message lowers your fears and builds your self-confidence.
Make A Million!
Another thing you can say to yourself is, "I make a million. I make a million." Impress that message into your subconscious mind. Whenever you think about your work, say over and over again, "I'm the best, I'm the best, I'm the best." Making any one of these three statements, or anything that is positive makes you feel good about yourself and causes you to be more motivated. You become more focused, more determined. Wealthy, successful people have a continuous inner dialogue that is positive and constructive and uplifting and consistent with their goals and objectives.
Feed Your Mind Continually
Feed your mind from morning to night with words, pictures, information and ideas consistent with your goals for financial success. Develop the habit of thinking positively and confidently about wealth accumulation. Read stories, books and articles about other successful people. Think about how you could be like them. Visualize yourself, imagine, fantasize, pretend in your mind that you are like the kind of people that you admire and respect and want to be like.
Select A Role Model
Psychologists have proven that role models are essential for magnetizing your mind with the qualities and characteristics that you wish to develop in yourself. Pick a person that you admire. Whenever you face any kind of difficult situation, ask yourself, how would this person act in this situation? What would this person do? How would this person behave? You'll find that when you think about how someone you admire might behave, your own thinking becomes better and you tend to act at your very best.
Become An Expert
Read everything you can find about your business. Become an expert in your field. The more you learn about your profession, your trade and your craft, the more confident you will become that you can do well in it.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to put yourself on the new mental diet for financial success:
First, repeat to yourself, over and over again, the wonderful words "I can do it! I can do it! I can do it!" Whenever you are anticipating any new goal or opportunity. This affirmation builds your self-confidence and conditions you for success.
Second, monitor your mental diet the way you would your physical diet. Be sure that you feed yourself throughout the day with positive stories, words, pictures and conversations about the things you want to have in your life. Refuse to read, watch, listen to or discuss things that are negative or depressing. This will make a tremendous difference in how you feel and how you act.
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