You are what you read
February 1, 2012
How many books do you get to read every month? And are they the sort you should be reading.
I’ve always been a bit of a bookworm and I appreciate not everyone finds it a pleasure to read. The one thing I have noticed in my choices, is that over the years the ratio of fiction to work orientated books has changed. Depending on the content of what I’m reading (i.e how much it makes me think) I’ll read between 3 and 6 books a month, (not including audio products, journals and articles). When I’m doing research that could increase to being about 6 per week. Now I don’t expect my clients to read that many (although it’s nice if they do), however often when I give them a book to read in a month they choke (not literally you’ll be pleased to know). ” I don’t have the time”, is a common cry, usually seeing reading this as been on top of their job. Yet the book absolutely relates to their work and their desired future.
Jim Rohn said “are you feeding your brain protein or candy every day?” Candy being TV, radio, etc. It’s the nice stuff that distracts us and helps us unwind. I love watching NCISon a Friday night, yet if someone said you can watch it every night I’d say no thanks. Another 5 hours of NCIS isn’t going to take me closer to achieving my vision. 5 hours reading something from my book shelves is going to be more useful investment.
What stimulus and inputs are you feeding to your brain on a daily basis and when you know what they are and exactly how much, is this exactly what you’d pick from the menu – or would you choose different options or change the portion size?
Whatever you’re doing right now is contributing to your current results, if you’re happy with these, great and keep going. If you want different results then maybe it’s time to revisit the menu.
Does your goal demand change or transformation?
January 17, 2012
Welcome to January, the time of goal setting. Success in achieving what you desire depends on a few things. Actually taking the time to write it down is one. Yes it’s that simple and so many people skip that step.
The big one I want to write about is whether your goal asks for change or transformation, so what’s the difference? Well change is doing something a different way. Sleeping on the other side of the bed, eating something you’ve never tried before, are simple examples of change. The end result of course is still the same, you’ve slept and you’re fed. Transformation on the other hand is where there is a major shift, a little like a caterpillar going to sleep and waking up a butterfly. At some point the caterpillar knew it had a butterfly inside and to become that, it needed to let go so the inner self could emerge.
When you set a goal the courageous question to ask yourself is ” given everything I am currently, can I achieve this goal?” and in some cases the answer is no and what’s required is a major shift. So if you still choose to achieve your goal, you embark upon the journey of transformation. The journey can take months or even years and because transformation is called for it will have moments of pain and vulnerability, and as you keep moving through and towards your goal, you realise it is this process of transformation that is giving you the resources you need. There is no by-pass or quick fix, it just helps if you’re clear beforehand how committed you are to achieving your goal. If the prize isn’t compelling enough then the pain associated with the chrysalis phase will seem too higher price to pay.
My advice then is to take the time to write down your compelling prize, then throughout your transformation it’ll guide you and remind you that the apparent madness and folly is all going to be worth it.
Building Trust In The Workplace
September 26, 2011
Now more than ever trust is a critical component to the success and performance of leaders and of a business. It would seem that to some businesses Ethics, Values and Trust are cheap dispensable commodities to be put aside if it will sell a few more widgets, newspapers, or get them closer to a large shareholder dividend.
Then again I know from conversations with my clients and their staff the importance and value of building ethical trustworthy relationships as a route to sustained business growth. They’re not resting on their laurels here either and the results are speaking for themselves.
Last year I did a trust masterclass with Sue Swanborough HR Director for General Mills UK & Ireland. The feedback was fantastic and this year we’re doing it again. However in this masterclass we’re notching it up a few gears. Last year our masterclass was packed with the basics, this year we’re doing an advanced version. Both Sue and I will be sharing our experience, key learnings, and the things that make the difference in the practical world of business.
On this tele conference call we’ll be discussing amongst other things:-
* Why trust is an inside job first and foremost
* Authenticity in leadership and it’s impact on trust
* Common behaviours that undermine trust and credibility, yet are often seen as acceptable in the workplace.
* Plus we’ll open the lines so you can ask your questions direct, as well as giving you the opportunity to send in your questions beforehand.
Remember high trust organisations out perform low trust ones by 278%. Not only that customers aren’t making purchase decisions based on price alone, trust and credibility are primary influences and fundamental to building brand loyalty.
To get all the details and secure your place on this complimentary master class click here.
Life – Here’s a philosophy
August 11, 2011
I came across this the other day and wanted to share. It’s a beautiful reminder about life. Sometimes we can get sucked in to focusing on things that don’t really matter.
It’s a holstee manifesto and it’s possible to purchase it from them.
The Power of Teamwork – Team Development
August 3, 2011
Sometimes we can overlook or take for granted a teams performance.
Here’s a short video – how many of these do you see in your team?
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