Kick Start Your New Year

‘Tis the time of year when the holly comes down, trees get recycled, and eggnog is off the shelves. The cheer and goodwill that resonated all through December has fled and we find ourselves making resolutions for new habits and swearing off the old. The New Year brings with it the promise of something better and the hope that dreams will be realized.

Unfortunately, while taking our inventories, what we imagine is lacking in our lives becomes amplified. We find ourselves wanting something other than what we have. When making this year’s resolutions consider this: If we want to change our lives, we need to begin in a state of appreciation. Gratitude brings with it a feeling of abundance and peace. It is impossible to feel motivation when we’re overcome with frustration.

Begin your inventory with what is RIGHT in your life. Write down at least three things that you are thankful for, or happy about. Reflect for a few minutes about the abundance you already have. Take a little time and concentrate on these things. When you feel ready, assign a number between 1-10 representing your level of satisfaction or contentment with each, ten being the most satisfied.

Next, write down three things you’d like to improve or change. Remembering that you already have good things in your life, you can set goals that will be more realistic, and seem less daunting. We don’t want our inner critic dictating our goals for the next year, because the inner critic is just that, full of criticism! The list should be short and concise. Too many goals and we become overwhelmed and can feel like a failure before we even begin.

Next to each item on your “to do” list, determine how much time you can devote to each. Create a timeline, not only how often you’ll work on your goal, but an end date. When can you celebrate your success? Open ended goals or tasks can be difficult to focus on, and in this case, a deadline can be a wonderful motivator and help keep you on track.

A key to success is using a support system. If one of your goals is exercise or weight loss, consider teaming up with your friends, family members, or co-workers who might enjoy walking together or spending time moving your bodies. If you want to stop smoking find a support group through your local hospital or health center, who generally offer free classes or meetings to support healthy behaviors. Another way to succeed is to share your goals, no matter what they are, with others. It increases your commitment to the goals, and allows others to cheer you on.

The law of attraction is one of the most important factors in achieving your goals. Focus on what you want and envision what your life will look like once you’ve attained your goal. Remember that focusing on lack produces more lack, and feelings of discontent. Envision your goals as reality. Keep a positive attitude and call on your support network when you hit a roadblock or a patch of unease. You attract to you the things you focus on, so focus on what you want, not on what you don’t have! Consistency, a positive attitude, support from friends and family, and gratitude for the gifts in your life will help you to achieve your resolutions this New Year.

Communication improves performance

Employees who feel connected, passionate, and part of your organization are obviously people who you feel good about investing your company resources in. How about those employees who have grown disenchanted, burnt out, or who exhibit negative attitudes? Are they worth an investment of your time and resources? Absolutely!

The irony is that these individuals most likely feel a strong connection to your organization and have become disenfranchised because they have been disappointed from their experiences. This is an excellent opportunity to examine your workplace. Why are people becoming frustrated? Is your organization living up to its mission to the end user, as well as the employees hired to execute the mission?

The single most common complaint of employees is they feel their workplace lacks effective communication and employees often feel unappreciated or uninformed. The decisions of management seem to be made at will, without clear understanding by the staff tasked with carrying out the policies and procedures.

One of the most effective techniques for turning around negativity in the workplace is to communicate directly with the employees and ask them to share their perceptions and/or experiences. It is likely that what they share may be information you were unaware of. Encourage them to not only pinpoint the problems, but also encourage them to make suggested solutions. Perhaps they have thought of solutions but were unaware their feedback would be considered. Work to improve communication in the workplace with weekly meetings between employees and the appropriate managers. When employees feel as though they have a valued role on the team, they tend to perform more productively.

If after meeting to address the employee frustrations and/or concerns, it becomes clear that the individual cannot or will not be amenable to solutions, you may want to consider the impact this employee has on the greater work team. Leaving negativity unchecked in the workplace is a disservice to those employees who are productive members of your work group.

Essentials of Leadershp

Competent leaders know that to reach their business objectives, the team(s) they employ need to be focused, committed, and have a shared vision. Because teams are only as effective as their leaders, it is essential for team leaders to create environments where teamwork and productivity thrive. Some key factors to effective leadership include:

• Creating a positive work environment. Leaders are responsible for setting the tone and should always encourage and model positive attitudes and communications, even in the face of great challenges.

• Inspire confidence. In the face of challenge, how do you respond? What behaviors do you model for your team? Believe in your product/service and others will follow.

• Set clear expectations. Tell others what you expect. Unclear expectations set your organization up for frustration and missed opportunities.

• Give clear instructions. Don't expect team members to "figure it out." Give them the road map; don't keep information from them.

• Be enthusiastic. It is contagious!

• Provide training and necessary resources. Show your team members you value them by making resources available to them that will enable them to grow professionally and aid them in their work.

• Inspire team spirit. Show appreciation to team members and provide regular opportunities to give and receive feedback. Team members will feel more committed to the company's success if they feel their ideas and performances are valued and respected.

Are the best things in your life FREE?

It's said that money can't buy happiness and that the best things in life are free. From a philosophical perspective, it's true. Sunsets, beaches, smiles from a baby, a call from a friend, that melody that makes you tap your toes ... some of life's biggest rewards are not things that are bought and sold.

In more practical terms, some of the things that make us happy do involve dollars and cents. A simple exercise can help you determine if your $$$ investments are in alignment with those things that bring you smiles.

First, make a list of all the things that make you happy: traveling, spending time with friends, concerts, sleeping late, watching a play or movie, etc etc. Think back to the last few weeks and off the top of your head make a list of how you've spent your money: gas, food, excursions, bills, any and all drains to your pocketbook that come to mind.

Refer back to your first list, your happiness list. Put $$ signs next to the things on this list that cost money. Now look over your expense list and determine if any of the things you've spent money on, also make you happy. Do the first and second lists have commonalities?

This quick exercise is meant to help you reflect on your asset allocation strategy, and see how often you are turning your dollars into smiles.

Reduce turnover and improve productivity

Reducing employee turnover is an integral part of helping to boost your company's bottom line. The top reason that employees leave an organization has nothing to do with salary -- it's due to frustrations with management.

How can today's employers combat frustrations and burnout?

• Keep your employees connected to your organization by clarifying and communicating your company's goals and mission. Staff can best handle challenges when they understand the value and purpose of their work.
• Reward employees that exhibit behaviors that promote your company's mission. Employees want to do work that is valuable, but most importantly, they want to be valued.
• Allow employees the opportunity to determine how they will accomplish their goals. The highest levels of burnout occur in situations where employees have high levels of responsibility coupled with little control. Delegate assignments and whenever possible let your staff determine how the work will get done.

Giving your employees the latitude to accomplish tasks under their own direction is not only good management, it makes good dollar sense. A motivated and enthusiastic staff member will accomplish more in 8 hours than two disgruntled or burnt-out employees in 12 hours.

Building a top notch organization

There are four winning strategies that can propel your organization to greatness. It's been said that "ordinary happens, greatness is achieved." Just ask the fishmongers at the world famous fish market at Pike Place in Seattle. By employing four simple principles, this team of committed and spirited individuals created a winning and profitable model for businesses everywhere.

Choose Your Attitude:
Not all of us can love the work that we do. But we can choose how we do our work. The simple and conscious decision to choose our attitude every day, it is the difference between ordinary and great. Attitudes are contagious -- does your work team have an attitude that is worth catching?

Be Present:
Business is based on communication between people. How many times have you been dismissive, abrupt or not fully present in a meeting, on the phone, or in person? When you choose to be fully present with others, people will feel as though they are important, they will feel valued, and they will feel you are on the same team. In today's world of impersonal and often slip shod customer service, just being fully present can have a remarkable impact on your clients and staff. Being present builds loyalty and trust with your internal and external clients.

Make their Day:
Simple gestures can make some one's day. You've already committed to having an attitude worth sharing with the world, and you're committing yourself to your interactions with others by being fully present...now what would happen if you went the extra mile and made their day? This might mean your customers receive an added value at no additional charge (ie 5th cup of coffee free; no interest charges for 6 months; movie passes; etc etc) or that your staff receives recognition for their work (ie time off; movie passes; free coffee; or a compliment!). When people choose where they want to spend their money, or how they want to spend their time -- it's with those companies and people that make them feel like they are receiving a good value and where they will be treated in a friendly and respectful manner. The value of positive interactions cannot be underestimated. Making their day is simple and has a lasting effect.

Play:
At the fish market you'll see fish flying and staff laughing and engaging with customers and passersby. It's a playful vibe and it's impossible to miss. The fishmongers are working and playing. While it's not practical for most organizations to fling fish across the lobby, it's not about throwing fish. It's the manner in which they approach the work. Playfulness makes work less like work. There are many different ways that your organization can approach play at work: contests, fieldtrips, barbeques, giveaways -- online booksellers have virtual shelves packed with activities meant to make work more fun. Injecting play into your work day does not mean important tasks are cast aside, but it does create an environment that can lead to increased productivity and employee ownership.

In today's competitive marketplace it takes continued commitment and vision to attract and retain clients and quality staff. Does your organization employ principles that will keep customers coming back? Is your organization poised for ordinary? By engaging in a handful of simple, practical strategies your organization can rise above the ordinary and achieve greatness.

Three steps that can help you on your path

Someone once told me "If you believe you can, or you believe you cannot, you are always right." Probably the number one barrier to personal achievement is negative self-talk, the tape that plays in our heads, telling us we'll never make it, we couldn't possibly do that, or we don't deserve "it", whatever that "it" may be.

When we change our attitudes, we change our lives. The first step is to STOP that negative tape when it creeps into your consciousness. Replace that tape with a new message. It takes practice, typically 21-28 days to create a new belief. Practice, Practice! Ask yourself:

• How often do I envision reaching my goal?
• How often do I dismiss it and reason my goal is unreachable?

You must consciously and purposefully focus on what you want and tell yourself that you WILL have it. Envision what it will look like, what it will feel like. EVERY day, without fail. Practice, practice. Make it a habit to focus on success.

An excellent exercise is to journal. Consciously write down you goal. Script what it will feel like to reach your goal. What will it look like? What feelings will you have? Devote 10 minutes each day to write in your journal. Begin every entry with "I am so thankful to have abundance in my life. I am joyful to be/have ....because...." Start every entry in the same way and then intently write about what it feels like to have reached your goal. When you are done, read back what you have written.

Do this each day or evening for 21 days. You will feel the positive effects long before 21 days - however it will take a little time to create a new belief system.

One of the most important steps of the process is creating a support system. You are committed to your goal. Now you need to share this goal. Talking about your goal in positive speak is an important part of the process. As you begin to visualize your success, share it with others.

Think about who in your life will share in your joy of having achieved what you want. This could be a colleague, partner, family member or friend. You needed have "it all figured out" just yet. But sharing where you want to be, where you intend to be, where you WILL be, reinforces your commitment & energizes your focus.

You may receive feedback that feels less than supportive - turn off the negative tape - and continue to take care of yourself by focusing on achievement. YOU are scripting your life.

Best of luck on the journey!