This is not the time to sit on the sidelines but to get in the game. Listen to this quote from President Theodore Roosevelt: “It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
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(How to) Make less meaningful work more meaningful. Take all the senseless BS out of people’s jobs – unnecessary tasks, paperwork, and CYA-related nonsense. When you ask someone to do something, use what they’ve done, or quit asking them to do it. Ask people to develop their own best ways to accomplish results, hold them accountable, and reward them for hitting targets. On the premise that we all need to see the needle move once in a while, give them some opportunities for quick wins. Source: Contented Cows
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Contented Cows is a great blog about how to facilitate cooperation in the workplace. The premise is simple: contented cows produce more and better milk. While not looking to produce milk, as a leader I am interested in how to create an environment where people can be productive, feel appreciated, and accomplish great things. In that spirit, I pass along this post entitled "Stop Being Ordinary!" ****************** Have you seen the YouTube video of the Thomson Airways (a UK carrier) safety video? If not, click on it (above), take 3 and a half minutes to look at it, then keep reading. Sure, it’s cute. The kids are really good. Adorable. And the creative team that put it together is brilliant. But what makes it work is that it’s anything but ordinary. Thomson passengers actually watch the thing, and I have to believe that retention of the material is off the…
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“How do you know if a man needs encouragement? If he is breathing.” -Truett Cathy, Founder, Chick-Fil-A
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Author Jon Gordon ("The Shark and the Goldfish" and "The Energy Bus") has a great blog post on "5 Things to do Instead of Complaining." The basic idea is this: we can choose how to respond to our environments. Here is the article: ********** I’ve been speaking to a lot of organizations around the country and the one thing I keep hearing from leaders and employees is that complaining is at an all time high. I’m not surprised. There are two main reasons why we complain. 1. We complain because we feel powerless. 2. We complain because it’s a habit. The economy has shaken a lot of people’s foundations and we feel powerless which leads to a rise in habitual complaining. So this week I want to encourage you to go on a complaining fast. Not because it will make everyone around you happier, although it will, but because it…
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