I was reading a human resources article regarding dealing with difficult people. The article had a very textbook approach. While interesting and perhaps a great jumping off point, can the practical address the emotional? Afterall dealing with difficult people is a challenge based on the emotions that well up in us. I am a big fan of education, practical solutions, etc.; however, I think it is important that we know not one template addresses all situations. The last thing anyone needs when they feel they are being painted into a corner by someone difficult is to feel they have also failed in the solution. Where is the line in between self-examination, education and action? How long does one seek before acting? It is important to touch base with YOURSELF, not just others to see where YOU are and what YOU feel is the right solution for any situation. Because in the end, the consequences belong to you, not any of the sources that provided you input. In the end after all, isn’t this how we grow? “A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.”~ English Proverb
Smart & Inspiring
What a great post for the New Year! http://laurajuarez.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/happy-new-year/ This year, my wish for you is to live your life authentically knowing you are being true and conveying the best, not necessarily the easiest, but the best you there is. That is the greatest example and gift you can give all at home and work. I believe people get confused about what ‘the best’ is sometimes because along the way we have made less than optimal choices for ourselves. That is what makes us human. Being authentic and true to ourselves is what helps us realign and correct our path, rather than continuing to build upon mistakes. You wouldn’t throw good money after bad would you? Well being authentic is infinitely more important and impactful than any monetary action. Let your authenticity guide you as you walk down the path into 2011.
Smart & Inspiring
What a great post for the New Year! http://laurajuarez.wordpress.com/2010/12/31/happy-new-year
What If It Goes Right?
How much would your life change if you made the mind shift of turning your “what if” things go wrong to “what if it all goes right”? “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” ~ Winston Churchill “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” ~Willie Nelson “A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
The ABC’s Of Leadership
The book “The ABC’s of Leadership” is now available, via…
Excuses, Just Another Path To Failure
“Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.” ~D. Wilder, B. Rechin I was looking over the list of goals I wrote out twelve months ago. The list is of twenty-eight goals to reach within eighteen months. Some reality based and some are not so much, given the time they were written. For example, last December when writing them I wrote I wanted to run a half marathon. Having never run before this was a ‘reach’ kind of goal. On August 1, 2010 I ran a half marathon in Chicago. Was it hard, yep. Was it a commitment, yep. Were there a thousand and one excuses I could have used to justify not doing it, absolutely. But the first excuse would have been the first step towards failure. And the second excuse would have made it easier to come up and present a third excuse, and so on and so on. Were there days that I had to sacrifice something to go run? Sure, plenty of them. But isn’t that what goals are about? If you are not willing to sacrifice for a goal, do not make it a goal. That would be wasting your time and the time of anyone else involved. A goal equals a priority. So ask yourself whether or not your goal is your priority. If money is your priority then chances are you will always sacrifice fitness, friends, etc. for work. If friends are your priority, that is great, but make sure your goals can be incorporated. As long as you are comfortable and happy with your priorities it is all good. However, if you are not, then you need to realign your priorities prior to setting and committing to goals. Otherwise you will end up with nothing but excuses at day’s end.
Keep On Keepin’ On
“It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.” ~Zig Ziglar I read this quote this morning and then opened up email and came across a blog post forwarded on from a friend about working through the hard parts of building something for yourself. The blog is Seth Godin’s and the post is as follows: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/12/the-first-rule-of-doing-work-that-matters.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fsethsmainblog+%28Seth%27s+Blog%29 We all can hit the wall. It isn’t hitting it that matters, it is what you do when you do hit it. In addition to Seth Godin’s thoughts I recently read about a MIT graduate engineer that determined that part of our brain is programmed to send us into a state of hitting the wall as that piece of the brain is programmed to keep us in our comfort zone. When we venture out of our comfort zone reaching for new goals, etc., it sends out a warning to us. The trick is recognizing the process and moving through it.
Motivational Videos!
Loving the blog that pulled these together in one place! Enjoy! http://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog/2007/08/15/22-of-the-best-motivational-videos-online-free/
Kindness
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” ~Plato A friend had mentioned how deeply unkind someone had been to her at work. It reminded me of the simplicity of kindness and the need for it on all fronts, work and home. But it also reminded me the first step in kindness is being kind to oneself. Why is being kind to ourselves so hard? We tend to put ourselves last on the list so often. Our ‘to do’ list grows, our time shrinks and the unrealistic goals and tasks laying before us we use to berate ourselves and tell ourselves we should be doing more. Well that is just ridiculous. Stop doing that to yourself. Being kind to yourself helps others in ways we do not always see or think of. First, it helps us stay in the present moment and when we give, we then give freely and authentically. People will feel the shift in how you give and they will know the sincerity of it. It also gives others permission to take care of themselves through our example. What better gift could there be during the holiday season than that! Argh, it exhaust me to see people trying to keep up appearances for each other and impress each other in a way that feeds nobody’s soul, only drains energy. And if it exhaust me to see it, I know it exhaust those doing it. So, this holiday season, and beyond, give yourself the gift of kindness. Once you do, you will find you automatically pass the gift on to others.