Thursday, May 31, 2007

Busted, part 3

I'm sure most of you have seen the reports about Lindsay Lohan's recent arrest for drunken driving.

I don't know about you but I am sick and tired of stars (Hollywood as well as athletes) who get in trouble and are glamorized by the press. In spite of this, this recent transgression by Ms. Lohan can teach us something.

While I don't consider Lindsay Lohan to be a role model, as Christians in the workplace, I do consider each of us to be one. As a result, we are held to a higher standard, and we should be. We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) so let's act like it!

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Angry Horn


I was outside doing yard work this weekend when I heard 4 successive blasts from a car horn. Then I heard 5 more. It's weird, but I could tell there was anger behind the horn blasts. It wasn't a friendly "beep beep" but rather a "honk, honk, honk, honk!"

My next door neighbor's daughter was being picked up by her mother. They are divorced and she gets her daughter on certain weekends. Apparently she wasn't very happy.

I got to thinking about all the ways we communicate. If we can communicate how we're feeling through our car horn, how much more do you think we communicate through our facial expressions or our mannerisms.

One of my family's favorite movies is Disney's Toy Story. In one scene Mrs. Potato Head tells Mr. Potato Head to make sure not to forget his angry eyes. Don't we all have angry eyes?

The Bible tells us throughout to be an encouragement to others. Let's do that not only through our words but also through our non-verbals.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Goals


All of us have goals of one sort. Some of us have specific goals while others have general goals. Some have their goals written down and others have it in their head.

Let me ask you this, which of these goals do you think is more likely to happen?

1. I would like to reduce shipping errors in our company.
2. I would like to reduce shipping errors in our company by 75%.

No question, #2 has a better chance since it is specific. Now if it was written down and shared with others, the degree of success goes way up!

You can see this on TV now. Valerie Bertinelli is now a spokesperson for a weight loss product along with Kirstie Allie (sorry but I can't remember the product). Kirstie Allie says she has lost a lot of weight using this product and now Valerie wants to do the same. But what is cool about this is she has stated her goal on national TV!

Apparently those who watch TV will see progress reports of how she is doing.

Do you think she will lose the weight?

I think she will. First, she stated a specific goal. Second, she made it known to others - a lot of others. She has A LOT of incentive now. She has told a lot of people. Her credibility is on the line.

Is there something holding you back? Set a specific goal, write it down and tell others. It will help give you incentive to put an action plan together to achieve it!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Your Serve

I talked with a good friend of mine yesterday who has been experiencing some difficulties in his marriage. His wife recently had emergency gall bladder surgery and was not to do much for 4-6 weeks. As a result, my friend had to really step up and fill in the gap while she recovered.

I asked him how he and his wife were doing and he said, "It seems like she is a little more tender-hearted toward me as a result of all this." I asked why he thought this was and he said it probably had to do with the way he was serving her.

What a great lesson for each and every one of us to use in all our relationships, especially if you are a leader. The greatest Leader of all time, Jesus said that He "did not come to be served, but to serve."

Who can you serve today? You might find that your service toward that person really improves your relationship.


Tuesday, May 22, 2007

How to Handle a Bad Boss


I just found a neat quiz that might help you to handle a bad boss. Click here.

Check it out.

If you would like more information about handling a bad boss or not becoming a bad boss go to http://bleedership.com/BookIntercept.html.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Busted, part 2

A few days ago, I wrote about the feeling of being caught red-handed and how I thought I was caught speeding. Thankfully, I was not speeding at the time.

However, over the weekend, I received a surprise in the mail. Apparently my town is now using cameras to catch people speeding and I was one of their victims. They have been using cameras to catch red light violations but this method to catch you speeding was news to me.

I was with my family at an event put on by Impact World Tour (a Christian outreach event) and it was pretty loud. My 10 year-old son has very sensitive ears so he asked if I would run out to get ear plugs for him so I did. I was in a hurry to get back so I wouldn't miss too much. Even though my motives were pure - I was trying to serve my son and we were at a Christian event - I was busted! I guess no matter what your motives, if you violate the rules, you must pay the consequences.

God sure does have a sense of humor and I have learned a $95 lesson.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Gossip



Zig Ziglar comes through again with another great article - this one about gossip:

We frequently hear little jokes about gossip, like the two people who were talking and one said, "I can't tell you any more. I've already told you more than I heard." In that line is much of the tragedy about gossip, which can and often has destroyed a person's reputation. Gossip always damages relationships and specifically with the person you are gossiping about. For example, once you have said something unkind about a person, you will feel uncomfortable around him or her and your relationship will suffer.

Dr. Adrian Rogers wisely points out that before we disseminate information that might be considered gossip, we must carefully ponder three questions:

(1) Is it the truth? If it fails the first test, then it is not repeatable.

(2) Even if it is the truth, do you really need to share it? Will it help anyone? Will it hurt anyone? Would it be better left unsaid? If there are no benefits to anyone, then what possible purpose could repeating it serve?

(3) Is it kind? In our world so full of cynicism and skepticism, will repeating this story be kind? Can it be better left unsaid? Would you really be better off repeating this information?

When you analyze it this way, your chances of being a gossiper are dramatically reduced. When you consider the benefits of stopping gossip in its tracks, you'll discover they're substantial.

First, you do not damage yourself, which means that your reputation and esteem are untarnished. That's good. Second, you won't harm someone else's reputation. This means that your circle of friends will be larger. Since most of us do not have any friends we would like to lose, that's good!

Think about it and I'll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
This article is adapted from Zig's book, Something Else To Smile About. For more information on all of Zig's books click
here.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Not My Job!



Have you ever said, "That's not my job!"?

As Christians, we are commanded to be different, to be set apart. One way to do that is to do more than what you are asked to do.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Busted


I was driving on the highway to a doctor appointment this morning. I came around a bend and saw a state highway patrolman standing next to his car and pointing his radar gun right at me. I immediately had this panicked feeling - a feeling of serious guilt - a feeling of being caught red-handed. I looked at my speedometer and I was going the speed limit.


If I wasn't breaking any laws, why did I have this feeling of guilt? Probably because I don't always go the speed limit. I thought how much less stressful driving would be if I always went the speed limit.


Then I started thinking about the rest of my life and other areas where I am not always doing the right thing.


Are there any areas in your life where you would have the feeling of being caught red-handed should someone notice you? It could be in any area: gossip, pride, judgment, worrying...




Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Leading Up?

John Maxwell tells us as leaders that we also need to lead up:

The Principles 360° Leaders Practice to Lead Up

Leading up is the 360° leader’s greatest challenge. We’re accustomed to influence flowing from the top down, and, for that reason, leading up feels like running uphill. True enough, leading up requires extra effort. To exert influence upon those in authority above us calls for boldness, respect, and sacrifice. In the long run, the extra effort will distinguish you from the rest of the pack. Jack Welch calls this “getting out of the pile.” The following suggestions are ways to successfully catch the attention of those at the top.

Lighten Your Leader’s Load

To lead up, increase your value by helping to lift your leader’s load. Try to anticipate what your leader needs and wants. Occasionally, you may even approach your leader and ask, “What can I do for you today?” Always remember: when the boss succeeds, the organization succeeds. Ultimately, you can’t succeed if your boss fails.

Being a load lifter has its benefits. It demonstrates your dedication to the team, and displays gratitude for your position on the team. In easing your leader’s burden, you’ll be noticed and valued. At the same time, you’ll be playing a substantial role in helping the organization move forward.

How to Lift Your Leader’s Load

Be sure to do your own job well before you concentrate on lifting your leader’s load. If you drop your personal responsibilities, you’ll drag your leader down rather than propping them up.
When you find a problem, provide a solution. If you only identify what is broken, you look no different than a complainer. Show initiative by repairing the problems you encounter.
Tell your leaders what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. In the words of President Dwight Eisenhower: “A bold heart is half the battle.” Have the courage to speak your mind and confront difficult truths.

Go the second mile. Be willing to arrive early, stay late, and do more than your share of work.
Stand up for your leader whenever you can. Don’t become party to backbiting or criticism. Speak highly of your leaders and diffuse the negativity others may show toward them.
Stand in for your leader whenever you can. In the words of Colin Powell: “When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not.

Disagreement, at this stage, stimulates me. But once a decision has been made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.” There will be instances when you do not see eye to eye with your leader’s decision. Respecting their authority by supporting them, even when you disagree, will give them the confidence to trust you.

The Principles 360° Leaders Practice to Lead Across.

Leading your peers is no simple task. It’s easy for an effective leader to lead followers, but leading across can be difficult—especially for highly productive people who might create feelings of jealousy or resentment among their peers. Effective 360° leaders give their colleagues reasons to respect and follow them. Because they lead across successfully, they are able to assist the people beside them, profit the organization, and advance themselves.Understand, Practice and Complete the Leadership Loop.

Leading peers is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process. When leading across, the temptation is to try to take the lead too quickly. Taking shortcuts or cheating the process will erode your respect from others rather than gaining influence with them.

The Leadership Loop (Refer to the picture at the top)

Caring – Take an interest in people. People always move toward anyone who increases them and away from anyone who decreases them.
Learning – Get to know people Invest the time to understand the values that motivate your fellow leaders.
Appreciating – Respect people Find and encourage the strengths unique to each of your colleagues. Assume they have your best interests in mind, and be open to their ideas and concerns.
Contributing – Add value to people Few activities add to a leader’s credibility like the dedication to add value to the people around them – especially when the leader is neither obligated to add value nor receiving direct benefit from doing it. Adding value to peers lets them know that you are on their side and are cheering for them to win.
Verbalizing – Affirm people To affirm signifies to make firm. An affirmation is a statement of truth you make firm by repetition. Affirmations enable others to believe in their dreams. For people to reach their potential, their dreams must become more real than their doubts.
Leading – Influence people Understand, enlarge, and empower those who are leading beside you.
Succeeding – Win with People When you succeed with people, you gain opportunities to influence even more people. The leadership loop completes a cycle and begins anew. As additional people enter your life, you must again choose to take an interest in them, get to know them, etc.

If you would like to read more from John Maxwell, go here.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Happy Mother's Day


This is from Darren Hardy's Blog:

Mother’s Day is upon us. One day where we repent and honor the woman we have agonized, frustrated, bewildered and inflicted excruciating pain upon. Even still she suckled, nurtured, repeatedly forgave and loved us silly. (At least) on this one day be sure to walk through the door with a big bouquet of flowers, long enveloping hugs and wet kisses. Make sure she knows she is special, loved and appreciated – she deserves it.

Now, a few tips for the other 364 days a year ;-)

8 Reasons You Shouldn’t (always) Listen to Your Mother

Momism #1: "Wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident!"

Truth: When emergency-room personnel cut the clothes off trauma patients, Dr. Alexander says, it's done so quickly that they never pay attention to whether the underwear is stained, dirty, or full of holes.


Momism #2: "Don't go out without a coat or you'll get sick!"

Truth: Colds and flu are not caused by catching a chill or by dejectedly walking home from your girlfriend's in the rain without your rubbers. Nonetheless, this myth persists, largely because most people get sick during winter, when these situations commonly occur. Dr. Alexander suggests that it may even be possible to think yourself ill. If you dread damp feet, your brain may depress your immune system when it happens.


Momism #3: "Keep touching yourself, and it'll fall off!"

Truth: There's no evidence that doing “that” will cause your staff to revolt. Such exploration is "a normal part of growing up," says Dr. Alexander.


Momism #4: "Someday your face will freeze like that!"

Truth: No matter how far you stretch the corners of your mouth or how deeply into your nostril you plunge your tongue, facial muscles will never become paralyzed as a result.


Momism #5: "You're gonna fall and crack your head open!"

Truth: Your skull can split like an egg, but it would require a severe impact, such as falling into the corner of a coffee table, says Larry L. Alexander, M.D., an emergency-room physician at Baylor Medical Center. "You're much more likely to fracture your skull."


Momism #6: "You'll poke someone's eye out with that!"

Truth: It's impossible to "poke out" an eyeball with a sharp instrument. What you'll probably do is pierce or rupture it. To actually pop an eyeball out, Dr. Alexander says, you "have to get in there with your fingers and pull it out."


Momism #7: "If you break a leg, don't come running to me!"

Truth: It's unlikely that you'd be able to run with a broken leg, but you could still walk. Dr. Alexander has seen people with broken legs walk into the E.R. "It hurts like crazy," he says, "but the muscles spasm and produce enough support to bear weight."


Momism #8 - "You pick your nose like that you might accidentally pull out your brain"

Truth: Uh, no.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Management and Youth Soccer


I attended a leadership conference last year and heard Patrick Lencioni speak. He had some great things to say about building a team in business. I just read this from him that I found very interesting about how management relates to his experience coaching youth soccer:
Last spring was the big draft. You may have heard about it.

No, I'm not referring to the NFL draft that took place in April, or the NBA edition in June. I'm talking about the Mustang Boys' Under-nine Soccer draft in Danville, California. That's right. As ridiculous as it sounds, I'm talking about eight-year-old boys, third graders, actually getting drafted to play "competitive soccer." And the process by which they're evaluated, rated, and selected is a sight to see.

Imagine a soccer field surrounded by clipboard-toting coaches (myself included) who are taking detailed notes as they watch little boys run and kick and dribble and scrimmage against one another. Afterward, those coaches sit down around a table and take turns selecting twelve players for their respective teams.

Luckily for me, I don't know a great deal about soccer. I played very little of the sport as a grade-schooler, though I've coached my sons' six- and seven-year-old teams. But to be fair, the nature of the game played by my boys' pee wee teams more closely resembled a revolt within a prison than it did a sporting event.

I say that I'm lucky to be ignorant of soccer because it forced me to confront a brutal fact: I was going to be at a distinct competitive disadvantage when it came to assessing the technical skills of the munchkins on my list of draftable players. You see, the other coaches in the league have all played soccer at collegiate, professional, or semi-professional levels, and they appreciate the nuances of the sport the way I do basketball or baseball. They are the type of people who not only understand the offside rule, but actually like it!

Anyway, to mitigate my soccer naiveté, I made a decision that was motivated mostly out of desperation, with a little inspiration mixed in. In essence, I decided to completely change the criteria I would use to evaluate and select players for my team (which, by the way, is called The Swarm).

So, I took the official evaluation form that was given to me before the tryouts and crossed out the provided category descriptions like "speed," "field awareness," "touch," and "power," and replaced them with others like "attitude," "hustle," "skill," and "parents." Of course, that meant I would have to focus on observing different things than my peers would be looking for during the tryouts.

For instance, instead of spending most of my time looking at the players' feet, I tended to watch how they treated one another. I wanted to see how they responded when the instructor asked them to help move one of the portable goals or a bag of soccer balls to the other side of the field. I also watched the way they interacted with their parents during breaks. Were they respectful or inattentive? And I wanted to see how hard they played on the field. Did they only run when the ball came to them, or did they get involved and help out on defense?

During breaks I might slyly approach one of the kids and ask, "Hey there Billy, how do you like school?" or "What's your favorite subject?" And I was looking for someone who would say, "Yeah, I like school a lot," or "I like math, but not spelling so much." What I didn't want was a blank stare or an answer like "Nah, the only thing I like is recess."

Anyway, when the tryouts were over, my assistant coach (who never played or coached soccer before) and I ranked the players from top to bottom, according to our largely attitudinal criteria. When the draft began, we nervously waited our turn. By the time the draft had ended, we had picked more of our top "prospects" than we could have imagined, and assembled a team that we felt had a very high likelihood of being positive and coachable.

Now, don't misunderstand this philosophy of mine for altruism or nobility. I have a competitive streak too, and I wanted our team to be successful. Certainly, I value character-building and fitness more than winning, but I didn't want to field a team full of nice kids who couldn't score goals. And I would be lying if I said we didn't pay any attention to the basic athletic ability of the players we selected. But those skills took a distant back seat to attitude and demeanor.
As the season approached, my assistant coach and I wondered how much talent we had on the team. We hoped we'd have at least one good goalie and a few natural scorers. By the time our first practiced was upon us, we didn't know what to expect. So we crossed our fingers, skimmed through Soccer For Dummies, and began the season.

That was six weeks ago. As of the writing of this article, we've played a little less than half of our games, and a few things have become crystal clear to us.

First, our team is a team. They treat each other well, encourage one another, and seek out collective attention more than individual praise. Second, they're having fun. They don't complain about practices, and they enjoy being together. Third, their parents are having fun. Many of them have approached me and my assistant coach to tell us how pleasantly surprised they are about the positive environment on the team, and how much they enjoy being on the sidelines with the other parents.

What about the soccer? So far, so good. We've only lost three of thirteen games, and we've outscored our opponents 24-7. Of course, that is not near as important as the other factors (I have to keep reminding myself and the other parents about that), but it's a nice confirmation that our attitudinal approach is as viable on the field as it is off of it. It will be interesting to see how the team handles itself when we inevitably lose a few games in a row.

I'd like to say that this early success of the team is a result of great coaching and tactical training. But that just isn't the case. The fact is, as Jim Collins points out in Good to Great, getting the right people on the bus is the first critical step toward building a great organization of any kind.

Once the bus is full, then it's all about getting the right people in the right seats (or in our case, the right players in the right positions). But selecting the people who fit your culture, whether they are eight-year-old soccer players, senior executives, teachers, or church volunteers, is the first critical step.

Why? Because it's a lot easier to teach a humble, hard-working young man how to play goalie than it is to teach a spectacular athlete how to listen and put the team before himself. I'm guessing that applies to the organization where you work. Not the goalie part. Well, you know what I mean.
If you would like to learn more from Patrick, visit http://www.tablegroup.com/.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Just Text Me!

My kids are world class texters. When they send text messages to their friends I am amazed with the speed in which they do this. I just wrote about this topic and the negative impact that technology can have on communication in an upcoming newsletter.

Zig Ziglar also wrote something on this topic:

In America there is growing concern about the dramatic increase in the use of text messaging to communicate with others. Admittedly, in many cases there would be no communication at all if it were not for text messaging. But the reality is we miss a great deal if that’s all we do. To provide specific information about the whereabouts or activities is probably okay, but Charles Osgood, the CBS word merchant, expressed it quite well when he said, “Compared to the spoken word a picture is a pitiful thing indeed.” It’s one thing to tell someone you love him or her in a text message; it’s quite another thing to give that person a call and say, “Just thinking about you…wanted you to know that I admire you a great deal and I love you very much.”

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

IMPEDERSHIP


I just ran across a new term, Impedership - "the art of demotivation"--the ability to stifle innovation, stamp out ideas, and discourage success among employees. This was discovered at a dispute resolution blog.

In the blog, they refer to a well-done video which captures the qualities of a demotivating boss. Check it out!

Friday, May 04, 2007

Mom Needs a Raise



If you are a stay at home mom, you will like this story. If you are married to a stay at home mom, you might want to thank her again for all she does.

Stay-at-home mom’s work worth $138,095
Annual amount she’d earn as a housekeeper, cook and psychologist

NEW YORK - If the typical stay-at-home mother in the United States were paid for her work as a housekeeper, cook and psychologist among other roles, she would earn $138,095 a year, according to research released Wednesday.

This reflected a 3 percent raise from last year’s $134,121, according to Salary.com Inc , Waltham, Massachusetts-based compensation experts.

For the rest of the article go here.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

The Strike Out


I receive a magazine each month from Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Les Steckel, who many remember as a coach in the NFL (Minnesota Vikings) is the President of FCA and he wrote this letter in this month's issue:

Picture yourself in this situation. It's Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, and you are up to bat for the home team. It's the bottom of the ninth inning. Your team is down by three, and the bases are loaded. Not only that, but since you were voted the American League MVP last season, you've got a lot to live up to.

Talk about expectations. Everybody in your dugout, the fans in the stands, everyone watching on TV, your family, all the higher-ups in the front office - they all expect you to do something special. Your mind is racing, I need to hit this thing out of the park. My team needs a grand slam. That's what they expect. That's what everyone expects.

Do you ever feel like that - like you've got a lot to live up to? Like you have to meet an unreasonably high level of expectation?

Well, I want to share something with you - something that I've learned from situations like those. If you hit a grand slam, hallelujah! Those grand slams happen from time to time. But in our lives, we can't expect to hit a home run every time we go to the plate.

Every great player strikes out, and so do you and I. But when we strike out, we have to realize that it's not the end of the world. Most likely, a day will come when we will have another chance. It may not be the same exact situation, but there will be another opportunity for great achievement. That's one of the unique things about living the Christian life. Sometimes God wants to see how you handle failures before He gives you victories.

Do you remember watching this year's Super Bowl? Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy went through what seemed like so many personal and professional defeats during his career. But through it all, the world watched as he walked by faith and never took his focus off of Christ. And look what happened! After he endured many trials and defeats, he was blessed with the ultimate NFL victory.

This month, whatever you're facing, whatever expectations are threatening to crush you, I challenge you to turn it all over to the Lord. He has a perfect plan for you. And not matter what the outcome, you can't forget that He's watching. Not only that, but He's cheering you on. He wants you to trust Him and to praise Him, win or lose. And once you learn to do that, He may grant you the victory that you've awaited so long.

Are you up to the challenge? I expect that you are.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
1 Corinthians 15:57

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Developing an Abundant Mind

Have you ever been really down? Have you ever felt like things just weren't going your way no matter what you did? Perhaps you feel that way now. Michael Pink had this to say on his blog about an experience he had:

Years ago at a New Year’s Eve celebration, we were part of an intimate gathering of friends in a home. All of us had just come through a difficult year and none of us felt like celebrating. That’s partly why we came together - for support. The host suggested we go around the room and share one significant thing the Lord had done for us that year. As we called to mind the good report and shared it with the group, our bones were made strong! Our faith was lifted! Our hope was restored! Our mind had been filled with abundance. It wasn’t long before it showed up in our natural lives. Whose report are you listening to? Which one will you believe?
To read the rest of his article, go here.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Winning the Battle but Losing the War



On leading blog, the following insight was shared about knowing when to not press your position:

In Pearls of Wisdom, Joyce Brothers wrote, “There is a rule in sailing where the more maneuverable ship should give way to the less maneuverable craft. I think this is sometimes a good rule to follow in human relationships as well.” Relationships are what leadership is all about. As the leader we are the more maneuverable ship. Being immovable or stubborn, just because we are right, doesn’t move us closer to our goal. It is up to us to step back, bend, or give way and let the other person pass. Later we might try a different tack if it is really that important to make the point. Hitting a difficult person head on is rarely the appropriate action.

When we come up against conflict, we must ask ourselves if winning this one is really that important. How will winning affect my ability to work with this person? What is motivating me to win? We don’t need to fight every battle. We should choose battles that in the final analysis will strengthen our relationships and improve our effectiveness.

How true - and how difficult this is! As leaders, lets agree to work on this in our workplace - and in our homes!