DO YOUR CUSTOMERS LOVE YOU?

Here's a question: Would you rather have 10,000 customers
buy your products once, or 500 customers who were raving
fans? I hope the answer is obvious!
Advertising and marketing make it possible to sell your
products around the world, and getting customers to try
your service once is a relatively well-defined science. You
can hire experts on marketing and branding, and consultants
to target your niche and refine your message.
What you cannot buy (at least not in the same way) is
customer loyalty. You buy customer loyalty and repeat
business with extraordinary customer care--not customer
"service," but honest, extreme, personal caring for your
customers. Fortunately, this is not difficult or expensive.
Caring for your customers means working with them to solve
their problems and achieve their goals. It means listening
to them, and responding. It means the old boundaries
between "seller" and "buyer" break down and we work as a
team to achieve win-win results that enrich us both.
Recently, a friend and I compared notes about two local
businesses. Bob talked angrily about a company that refused
to provide an exchange, a refund or credit when it's
product failed to meet his needs. Then we talked about
another local vendor who has a reputation for always going
the "extra mile." Guess who we'll do business with next
time?
A few dozen customers, well taken care of, can make you
rich. Never, never, never forget that!

REALITY CHECK: DO THESE 3 EXCERCISE OR YOU MAY GET FIRED

Have you ever wondered what would happen to you if you lost your job? Whether it's your clients or your boss keeping you working, our current world of work does not guarantee that they will still keep you tomorrow. This is the illusion of security I refer to in my book Passion Pays. Gloom picture, I know. But if you perform a strong reality check, you can make the right adjustments before it's too late and you can feel confident about your present and your future.

Here are 3 specific exercises to give you the best chance to, not only keep your job, but most importantly to be confident in your own abilities to get the job that you deserve.

Exercise 1: Commitment and Attitude Check

Honesty is key when evaluating yourself. Be ready, in fact, be open to criticism. It will make you stronger. On a scale from 1 (lowest) to 10 (the highest), rate yourself on the following:

Ask yourself:

• How committed am I at work?

(If it was your business, would you like to have someone like yourself doing this job?)

• What attitude do I take into work?
• (Distracted? Focused? Careless? Dispassionate? Passionate? Helpful? etc)

2. Choose 5 trustworthy colleagues, boss and/or clients:

• Imagine their answers to the two questions about you
• Ask them to answer the two questions about you (you must trust them to be honest and trust their judgment)

Exercise 2: Why should you NOT be fired?

Let's follow this up with checking out how much value you currently bring to your work. Imagine your boss had to fire half your team or that your client had to cut expenses.

Write down 5 reasons why they should keep you on. Be honest: are you doing the best you can? Really? What have you actually demonstrated? How do you compare to your peers? This is NOT about your potential, but your track record! If you don't have one, start it TODAY.

Examples:
1) I often go the extra mile to provide more value. I always look for solutions.
2) I am very organized and get things done fast and well.
3) I successfully implemented project A, which made a difference.
4) I am reliable.
5) I work well with my colleagues/clients and provide a positive atmosphere that enhances our performance. I always try and help others.

Most people will find that they can do more and that they do need to improve their attitude at work. This is especially true for those who think they're chronically unlucky. Nothing ever goes their way, they never win anything, they can never catch a break, blah blah blah. Do you know people like that? Me too.

Exercise 3: Improve your chances of success, for today and tomorrow

From the first exercise, what are the differences between the scores you gave yourself, the scores you imagined from others and the scores others gave you?

What score do you want?

If your commitment is not where you want it to be, then ask yourself WHY. The answers I normally get from clients are related to being in the wrong job, lack of self-belief, lack of motivation, or fear of failure. Again, be honest! You need to address these issues within yourself.

Now, remind yourself why you need to be committed to this job by asking yourself why you are in this job. How is this job serving you? If you say “it's not”, do you like self-inflicted unnecessary pain? Be honest, is it for money, self-image, status, a stepping stone, keeping busy? Do you want to build different skills? Do you secretly relish the drama? Be grateful for what the job is doing for you. It will be easier then to notice and move on to more positive things, not mentioning decrease your stress levels!

You are creating your life, your track record, to bank today AND tomorrow (even if you change jobs, towns, careers, identities, never leave a mess behind that you could have cleared!)

How to improve your commitment:

• Think of the last time you were committed at work and successfully delivered a piece of work that makes you feel proud.
• Describe your sensations/ energy/feelings. (relive this moment and imagine yourself walking into your body at that moment)
• What factors contributed to your commitment and positive attitude? (think about the environment, the people, the atmosphere, the qualities etc)

• Get yourself a good mentor. Someone you respect and to whom you can speak at least once a month. They will challenge you, question you and help keep you on track.

Think of someone whose commitment and attitude you admire and ask yourself what they would do.

Every-time you lack commitment, remember these moments and these people. This should help you bring back that drive!

What ONE thing can you do TODAY to improve your attitude and commitment? (You know what it is... )

FINAL TIP: Reward

So, have you:

1. Made 5 (extra) cold calls?
2. Sent the 2 emails you've been holding?
3. Finished the dreaded paperwork on time?
4. Gone the extra mile?
5. Gone to work with a smile? On a Monday?
6. Asked even with the fear of rejection?

Do something to celebrate your personal achievement (this is guilt-free play, go for dinner, watch a movie, play a game, meet a friend etc.)

You cannot underestimate the power of commitment and a positive attitude. It really is the difference between success and failure.        

 

THE POWER OF TWO

The power of synergy, joint-ventures and collaboration
always amazes me.
In designing and negotiating the details for a new project,
this week I spent hours on the phone with a national
expert, asking about her best material, reading her
reports, and thinking about my business and what she can
teach me. Even if no the venture goes nowhere and we never
make a dime, my profits are already enormous--and they are
totally tax free since so far they are not measured in
dollars and cents!
By putting our heads together, we are smarter, more
efficient and more effective than either of us are by
ourselves. We have sharpened our focus, and honed our
skills. We will share our best material with our customers,
but the PROCESS of creating is, quite honestly, my greatest
benefit. And, that can never be lost, taxed or taken away.
Most small business owners completely miss the power of
joint-ventures. They see their colleagues mostly as
competitors. They want to keep their business knowledge a
secret, and tend to view others with suspicion, and that is
a shame, and a waste. It limits your success.
Who can you collaborate with? Who has a system, a product
or an idea you can bring to your audience for mutual
benefit? Who can you partner with on a special project? Who
would you like to hang out with, learn from, or introduce
to your customers?
Take a moment. Write down three names. Then, make the
calls! You can't possibly know where it will lead until you
explore the possibilities. Make the calls!

EXXONMOBIL NIGERIA MASSIVE RECRUITMENT!!!

ExxonMobil's subsidiaries in Nigeria are Equal Employment Opportunity organizations.
If you need this job and other job info send your phone number to hasconsulting@listwire.com or if you dont mind type it below
... Diversity is important to us and we provide a work environment that treats all employees with respect, values diverse perspectives, encourages individual growth and achievement, and rewards people based on their performance.
Everything that we do is guided by our commitment to establish and follow the highest technical and business standards in our entire industry. We provide highly competitive compensation and benefits knowing that this represents investment in our people. Our people are our competitive edge!
Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd (TEPNL) has indicated the intent to sell its equity in OML 138 (Usan) and simultaneously will resign it’s operatorship of the asset. In this regard, the Co-Venturers have nominated Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Ltd (EEPNL), an ExxonMobil subsidiary, as the new operator. Operatorship transfer is targeted for July 1, 2013; however, actual timing is dependent on the fulfillment of certain requirements and NNPC’s approval
As a result of this operatorship transfer and the associated opportunities within our Deepwater function, technical and non-technical career opportunities exist for ambitious and result-oriented individuals (national and expatriates).
 ExxonMobil Nigeria is recruiting to fill the following positions:

1.) Procurement Specialist

2.) Accountant

3.) Mooring Master

4.) Geoscientist

5.) HVAC Technician

6.) Mechanical Technician

7.) Senior Mechanical Technician

8.) Control Room Operator

9.) Machinery/Rotating Equipment Engineer

10.) Senior Electrical Technician

11.) Electrical Team Lead/Specialist

12.) Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

13.) Instrument Technician

14.) Senior Instrument Technician

15.) Electrical Engineer

16.) Distributed Control Systems (DCS) Technician

17.) Materials & Corrosion Engineer

18) Instrumentation Team Lead/Specialist

19.) Marine Engineer

20.) Planner / Scheduler

21.) Production Operation Technician

22.) Surveillance & Reliability Engineer

23.) Subsea & Pipelines Engineer

24.) Mechanical Team Lead/Specialist

25.) Senior Production Operation Technician

26.) Operation Team Lead/Specialist
To register visit http://adf.ly/NYMdl

Application Closing Date
30th April, 2013.

THINKING MAKES IT SO

There is great wisdom in the idea that "we become what we
think about most of the time." The human brain is a goal-
seeking, problem-solving machine, and the things we think
about, focus on, and worry about inevitably shape our
destiny. We all know this, and yet most of us completely
fail to see (or seize) the opportunity.
Most of us know the term, "GIGO", which usually stands for
"Garbage In, Garbage Out". If you give a computer false
data or confusing instructions, it dutifully processes the
"garbage" you put in and gives you "garbage" back out.
In human terms, however, the phrase can also stand for
"Good In, Good Out."  I like that interpretation much
better!
This week I've been contemplating the things most of us
"put in" to our lives. 
I caught myself getting addicted or obsessed with the news
from Boston. I think many other people did, too. For
myself, the only good thing about it was that it was so
obvious! By focusing on evil and violence, destruction and
carnage, I made myself anxious! My blood pressure was
probably up; I know my productivity was down. And for what?
Nothing bad happened around here. No one threatened my
life, my family or my local community. But I got "caught
up" in the drama and filled my life with some of the most
gruesome images and fears imaginable. I can't see the
benefit in that--awareness of current events, yes.
Compassion for the people of Boston? Certainly! But
fascination with violence and watching the "news" all day
long? Not so good.
As I get older, I may be getting cranky, but there seems to
be an amazing amount of garbage in our society. From local
traffic fatalities to wars and famine and pestilence around
the world, the news is full of stomach-turning images.
There's even a cynical phrase for it: "If it bleeds, it
leads!" How sick is that?
And more personally, why do we permit it to enter our
brains?
This week, I also had several emails and conversations with
people who inspired me for GOOD! One woman, age 67, wrote
that she was considering canceling her subscription to TIPS
because she was no longer going to have any goals except to
"do what I want, have fun and leave this world a little bit
better."  I wrote back that I thought that was "one of the
most courageous goals I've heard in a long time." I hope
she's still a subscriber!
I thought of a man who is leaving a lucrative law practice
to teach high school math. He'll earn less, but as he said,
"(our) kids are on their own, our expenses are down, and I
think I can contribute more that way, than in the
boardrooms where I've spent most of my life." He's pursuing
a grand dream, and my guess is he'll have the best (and
perhaps some of the worst) days of his life! At least,
he'll know he's alive! Whoopee!
Several years ago, Michael Clark, gave me a wonderful
phrase. He said, "When you do what you love, you'll never
work another day the rest of your life."  I love that, and
have (usually) found it to be true.
Sure, some clients frustrate me, and sometimes I frustrate
myself, and life throws a curve once in a while, but doing
what we love, what we're good at, and what fulfills us,
changes everything!
In my opinion, if you truly desire to live well, to achieve
much and (perhaps) to make some real money, consider these
two propositions:
1.  Refuse to fill your time, your life or your brain with
garbage. Read the best stuff. Talk with the healthiest,
wisest, smartest, most ambitious people you can. Attend the
seminars, learn from the experts! Listen to amazing music.
Sit quietly and listen to your heart. Laugh a lot, and take
naps. Worship often, and be grateful.
2.  Do what you love. You will make your biggest
contribution when you passionately pursue your talents and
use your strengths. Martin Luther King, Jr. did many great
things, but perhaps his greatest moment came when he
proclaimed, "I have a dream!" We all remember that, and
millions have been inspired by it. What's your dream?
Some of us can change jobs or move around the world
whenever we wish.  For others, there are responsibilities
and obligations and things take more time, but in the end,
life is to be lived and it requires our very best. Life,
and success, will never settle for anything less. "Good In,
Good Out!"

LEADERSHIP IS JOB ONE!

There's a saying that you can manage things, but you must
lead people, and it is absolutely critical for leaders to
profoundly "get" that distinction.
Philip Humbert shared this."In the companies I've led, we have never used the title of
"Manager" because I felt it was essential for every member
of the organization, from myself and members of the Board,
down to the newest hire, to know they were hired and paid
to be leaders. If you want to build your business, there is
no alternative.
Almost 30 years ago, I worked in our County Mental Health
department and (to avoid any hurt feelings) I want to say
that I worked for and with great people. But the system
encouraged us to be "worker bees," and the managers were
primarily paper-shufflers. They were trained to manage the
budget, manage the staff and manage the clients. They were
good at those things, but they were not LEADERS, and both
morale and productivity suffered.
Achievement comes from leaders. Leadership sets the
direction and the pace. Leaders model appropriate
attitudes, behaviors, and values. Great leaders never have
to refer to the company policy manual or explain the
mission statement because from a new employee's first day
they see, taste, smell and "get" what the company is all
about.
Ford Motor Company used to have a slogan that "Quality was
job one," and it's a good slogan. But here's an even better
one when it comes to selecting, promoting and rewarding
people in executive and decision-making roles:
Leadership is Job One!
To grow your business, you must select, train, support and
empower leaders. Leaders will take you places!

THE POWER OF PAUSING

What do you think is the most important listening skill that all top salespeople use? All the top salespeople ask good questions and listen carefully to the answers.

One of the most important skills of listening is simply to pause before replying. When the prospect finishes talking, rather than jumping in with the first thing that you can think of, take three to five seconds to pause quietly and wait.

Becoming a Master of the Pause

All excellent listeners are masters of the pause. They are comfortable with silences. When the other person finishes speaking, they take a breath, relax and smile before saying anything. They know that the pause is a key part of good communications.

Three Benefits of Pausing

Pausing before you speak has three specific benefits. The first is that you avoid the risk of interrupting the prospect if he or she has just stopped to gather his or her thoughts. Remember, your primary job in the sales conversation is to build and maintain a high level of trust, and listening builds trust. When you pause for a few seconds, you often find the prospect will continue speaking. He will give you more information and further opportunity to listen, enabling you to gather more of the information you need to make the sale.

This is the salesperson's winning edge

You're a sales professional. It's what you were meant to be. Selling is in your blood.

But to keep moving ahead, it helps to have a coach, a mentor, a knowledgeable, reliable source of new sales information. You need a practical, visionary guide - someone who's been there, who knows where the sales field is today and where it is going. You need, quite simply, an advanced course in selling taught by a master of the trade.

Carefully Consider What You Just Heard

The second benefit of pausing is that your silence tells the prospect that you are giving careful consideration to what he or she has just said. By carefully considering the other person's words, you are paying him or her a compliment. You are implicitly saying that you consider what he or she has said to be important and worthy of quiet reflection. You make the prospect feel more valuable with your silence. You raise his self-esteem and make him feel better about himself.

Understanding With Greater Efficiency

The third benefit of pausing before replying is that you will actually hear and understand the prospect better if you give his or her words a few seconds to soak into your mind. The more time you take to reflect upon what has just been said, the more conscious you will be of the their real meaning. You will be more alert to how his words can connect with other things you know about the prospect in relation to your product or service.

The Message You Send

When you pause, not only do you become a more thoughtful person, but you convey this to the customer. By extension, you become a more valuable person to do business with. And you achieve this by simply pausing for a few seconds before you reply after your prospect or customer has spoken.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, take time to carefully consider what the customer just said and what he might mean by it. Pausing allows you to read between the lines.

Second, show the customer that you really value what he has said by reflecting for a few moments before you reply.

GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS, QUALITY CONTROL OFFICERS, ACCOUNTANT, PROJECT MGRS!!!!

Sinbol Group wants to employ graduates who studied Chemistry, Biological sciences, Economics, Business Administration, Accounting or Chemical engineering.

The available positions are below:

Business Development Officers...
· Minimum of 2:2 in Business Administration or Economics (BSc.)

· Basic Microsoft Office and IT skills.

· Ability to prepare proposals and presentations.

· Detailed, goal-oriented and enthusiastic.

· Able to work in a fast-paced environment with results.

Quality Control/ Production officers
· Minimum of 2:2 in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Industrial Chemistry or Chemical Engineering (Bsc.)

· Basic Microsoft Office and IT skills.

· Detailed, goal-oriented and enthusiastic.

· Able to work in a fast-paced environment with results

· Interested in working with a Manufacturing and Production Company.

· 2-3 years experience in manufacturing or production.

Project Manager
· Minimum of 2:2 in any social science related field (Bsc.)

· Qualified project manager.

· Basic Microsoft Office and IT skills.

· Detailed, goal-oriented and enthusiastic.

· Able to work in a fast-paced environment with results.

· At least one year experience in project management.

Accountants
· A qualified chartered accountant (ACCA or ICAN).

· Minimum of 2:2 in Accounting, Business Administration or Finance (BSc.)

· Basic Microsoft Office skills.

· Able to work in a fast-paced environment with results.

· Detailed, goal-oriented and enthusiastic.

Interested candidates should send their CV and Cover letter (not more than 300 words) to sinbolgroupjobs@yahoo.com. The heading of the mail should indicate which position you are applying for.

PROSPERITY AND PEACE IN A CHAOTIC WORLD

Recently, North Korea has been making lots of frightening
statements, even threatening nuclear war. In some ways,
we've seen nothing like it since the Cuban Missile Crisis
of 1962, although the sense of anxiety seems much less than
it was back then.
Iran continues its work on nuclear power, and both Pakistan
and India are nuclear states. The war in Afghanistan
continues its slow grind, and of course, Syria is in
flames. While the financial crisis in Cyprus has been
mostly out of the news this week, Europe continues to
struggle. And in the U.S., we are in the midst of political
turmoil over gun control, President Obama's budget
proposal, and immigration policy.
Our stock market has set record highs, but job creation
continues to lag. Unemployment (and under-employment) is
far too high and the March retail sales numbers were the
worst in several months. Health care costs continue to
climb, and energy policy is virtually lost in the blur of
other things.
And yet, IMPACT is supposed to be a letter of encouragement,
written to subscribers who are among the most ambitious,
optimistic and energetic people on earth! Where is the good
news in the midst of so much chaos?
I think that's an important question. My sense is that
while, in small increments, consumer sentiment and business
investment fluctuate from month to month, Americans
(including IMPACT subscribers) have grown weary of the
economic doldrums and political wrangling. For many, it is
growing difficult to remain focused and hopeful in the
midst of so much turmoil. And yet, that is both our task
and our natural inclination.
IMPACT subscribers are, by nature, doers! We are people with
goals, people who love a challenge, who are accustomed to
building things, getting stuff done and making a
difference. We are driven by and in love with success!
I sometimes wonder if these times are actually easier for
the "low information voters," the folks who simply go to
work, watch television and pretty much ignore the world
around them. Unfortunately, for most IMPACT, that is
not who we are! We are awake! We pay attention to the world
around us and we search for opportunities. A "can do"
attitude is built in to our DNA; it's who we are.
So, I think it's vitally important to master the art of
being a thoughtful, "disinterested observer" of the world
around us, while staying intensely single-minded about our
personal goals and the things we can control.
We cannot easily change the world "out there." It will
struggle and do whatever it does. We should watch and
observe, but with a certain detachment and objectivity,
being aware of world events without letting them distract
us from our daily tasks.
For us, life is about moving forward. It's about achieving
our goals, doing our work, loving our family and becoming
the best, richest, most enlightened people we can become.
Worry and distraction do not interest us! Disciplined
achievement is our game; it's what we do with our time and
with our skills, our energy and our effort.
In the midst of chaos, we are unusual and slightly "weird."
We are focused when all the world is rushing madly after
the latest fad. We are disciplined and productive when
other folks are worried, anxious, and using the world's
problems as an excuse for their lack of results. But not
us!
This week, re-commit to your most important goals. Review
and clarify your top values. Spend time with those you
love, and show them how much you care. This week, notice
any distractions or tolerations that have crept in, and
eliminate them! Be ruthless about this! Chart your path.
Review your plans. And work hard. It's how successful
people have always achieved, and it's the old, traditional
way that will see us through one more time.

MOVING UPWARD AND ONWARD

Did you know that it's not what you have but what you do with what you have that will determine your success or failure?

Abraham Maslow, the great psychologist said that the story of the human race is the story of people selling themselves short. He said people have a tendency to settle for far less from life than they are truly capable of. Many people are spinning their wheels in careers where they should be moving rapidly onward and upward. What can you do to put your career on the fast track? Here how:

Choose Your Parents Carefully

Someone once said that the key to success was to choose your parents carefully. That may be partially true but it is even more important to choose your job or career with great care. The choice of a job or occupation for which you are ideally suited comes before anything else. If you try to work at something you don't enjoy or don't believe in, you'll never be happy, and you'll never be successful.

Be the Best at What You Do

Which leads us to the next point. If you want to reach the stars in your career, you have to become excellent at what you do. You have to pay any price, go any distance, spend any amount of time necessary to "be the best." Extraordinary rewards only go for extraordinary performance; average rewards for average performance; below average rewards, insecurity and failure for below average performance. And here's a vital key, you are being paid today exactly what you're worth - no more, no less. If you want to earn more, you must increase your worth, your value to others.

The Key to Motivation

The reason why choosing the right career, why doing what you love to do is so important, is because unless you really care about your work, you will never be motivated to persist at it until you become excellent. And until you become excellent at what you're doing, you can't move ahead.

The Key to Peak Performance

The antidote to these fears is the development of courage, character and self-esteem. The opposite of fear is actually love, self-love and self-respect. Acting with courage in a fearful situation is simply a technique that boosts our regard for ourselves to such a degree that our fears subside and lose their ability to effect our behavior and our decisions.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do to be more successful in your career.

First, set high standards for yourself and recognize that anything that someone else has achieved, you can probably achieve as well. There are no limits.

Second, select one key skill area that is important in your job and resolve to become absolutely excellent in that area. Start today to get better and better.

5 REASON YOU SHOULD START YOUR "BUCKET LIST" TODAY

   

If you haven't already seen the movie starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, I recommend putting it on your to-do list.

In a nutshell, this is the list of:

The things you want to do

Places you want to go

People you want to meet

Basically, it's your personal TO DO LIST BEFORE YOU DIE...or, 'Kick The Bucket'.

Surprisingly, most of us have a list...in our heads. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't write them, let alone make them visual, let alone take action on them.

Here's why I think it's a good idea to invest your time creating your Bucket List:

1. Your LIST will remind you of your 'why.'
So often, we are consumed by 'how' to do something (how to have a better life, make more money, spend time with family, etc.). In the process we overlook why we want these things, in essence, if we don't know 'why', the 'how' makes little difference. The 'why' defines our purpose and helps to provide some motivation to persist in spite of the challenges along the way.

2. Reviewing your list is a great way to re-energize yourself.
How often do we find ourselves so busy running on the 'hamster-wheel' of life that we lose sight of the bigger picture? Your LIST can refresh your perspective, sharpen your focus and get you back on track. Are you more motivated to work for what you want or what somebody else wants you to have?

3. Your LIST is also your reward.
People find it difficult to reward themselves when we achieve a goal or milestone. It's like buying yourself a birthday present. I mean, why not?...you work hard, don't you? So you deserve something special. Once you make this list, you have no excuse to deprive yourself. Now, when you set some great personal or business goals, you select the reward that accompanies their achievement.

4. Stealing from the book 'The Secret', your LIST will create tension between you and the things on your list once it's written.
With The Law of Attraction working with you, you'll find that things will show-up and fall in place in your life to allow you to accomplish your list. Don't knock this phenomenon until you try it! Creating and sharing your list makes it possible for others to assist you in achieving your dreams. Couple this with a positive attitude and some discipline you'll see it happen.

5. Add to or build your legacy.
How would you like to be remembered? Years from now, when stories are being told about you and how you lived, what do you want your kids and their families to be saying? Consider the example you will set for future generations. What an awesome privilege and responsibility! To be known for your accomplishments, kindness, wisdom, and experience would be a great legacy to leave behind. And to be known for having fun doing it!

You are only limited by your imagination and creativity. My suggestion is to share your list with those around you and steal from theirs to build your own. There are no limits here.

"It comes down to a simple choice...you can get busy livin' or you can get busy dying."
– Shawshank Redemption

WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE

One of my favorite quotes is from Edward Deming, the famous
business consultant who revolutionized management theory.
He observed that what we measure and hold ourselves
accountable for, gets done.
Nobody likes being embarrassed by publicly failing to
complete a task. Once we’ve committed ourselves to complete
a task or reach an objective, we HATE falling short. I
think that actually explains a lot of failure, both in
business and in our personal lives.
We hate failing so much we fear to set objective,
measurable expectations. We have dreams or wishes or
fantasies (call them what you will) but we hesitate to set
hard, measurable performance goals.
I see this in talking with people who are "interested" in
coaching. When we interview each other they tell me they
are ready to achieve more than they have in the past. But
when I ask them to describe exactly what they want to
achieve, they often hesitate and then give me a vague
statement about being "more successful."
Unfortunately, success, by itself, is not a thing to be
achieved! Success is a side-benefit of achieving specific,
measurable results. Success is the recognition or wealth we
enjoy after we've completed far more specific (and less
spectacular) tasks.
If you want "more success," it's easy! Just do the things
that achieve the results you desire. I guarantee, success
will follow, but only AFTER you've achieved those more
mundane, measurable results.

6 TECHNIQUES TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TEAM

Group brainstorming can be a highly effective way of using the power of the collective mind to address a project related issue. Bringing together all the different skills and experiences of your team in this way can help to inspire different approaches and novel ways of dealing with things, and has been used for decades as a project management tool.

The way in which you approach your brainstorming sessions can be critical to the effectiveness of the process. A typical brainstorming session will involve getting your team together to discuss an issue, for which they may or may not have been briefed earlier. Notes are often taken on whiteboards or computers with projectors, and everyone is encouraged to speak out loud to the group. Whilst this works well in many cases, some team members may not be comfortable with shouting out in front of the group, or may take longer to form ideas, thinking after the event, "Oh I wish I'd said..."

Here are some of the more popular techniques for better brainstorming sessions:

• To prevent ideas being influenced away: The Stepladder Technique
Present the issue to the group together, and give them time to think it over. Get two team members together and let them discuss the problem. Add a third member to the group, and have them present their ideas without hearing the thoughts of the first two, then let the three discuss. Repeat by adding a fourth, fifth and so on, until everyone is back in the room.

• To ensure everyone has their say: The Brainwriting Technique
There are numerous variations of this, but the most popular is the 'brainwriting pool', where everyone writes their ideas on a card or post it note, and places it on the table. Other team members can draw a card to help them get inspiration for more ideas. A great way to have a quieter, more controlled brainstorming session.

• To get ideas from a big group when you don't have time to discuss each one: Crawford's Slip Method
The Crawford's Slip Method is one of the simplest ways of getting a lot of ideas in a very quick and controlled manner. Simply hand out slips to everyone in the team, anything from five to fifty slips depending on how many responses you get, and ask them a question. Give them some time to fill in as many ideas as they can, then collect them back in. You'll be able to organize these slips into groups and collate the responses, which can form a powerful basis for a more in depth planning session later on.

• To improve a product or service: Reverse Brainstorming
This is a fun method, and great for revealing flaws in your current products or services which might not be that easy to see. Instead of asking "How do we do..." turn the question on its head and ask the opposite. For example, instead of brainstorming "How do we improve customer satisfaction" try asking "How do we make our customers more dissatisfied". The answers you get will be revealing, and you can then spend some time discussing whether you are actually doing any of these things unwittingly.

• For effective brainstorming in a large group: The Charette Procedure
This process involves several small groups discussing different parts of the big picture, and then passing on their ideas to the next group for discussion and refinement. Finally the ideas are prioritized by the last group, giving an outcome of several parts of the big issue having been thoroughly brainstormed by many people, and a 'top 3' or 'top 5' ideas being produced.

When using brainstorming sessions as part of the process of project management, it is important to choose a method based upon the characteristics of your team and what you think will suit them the best. Brainstorming can be used for defining the project objectives, gathering requirements or solving problems. It is used as part of a project management framework in many organizations and often taught on project management courses.   

ATTITUDE VS APTITUDE

Did you know that a major source of stress in your life is the "fear of rejection" or "fear of criticism"? This fear of rejection manifests itself in an over-concern for the approval or disapproval of your boss or other people. The fear of rejection is often learned in early childhood as the result of a parent giving the child what psychologists call "conditional love." Have you ever experienced this type of fear?

Rise Above the Need for Approval

Many parents made the mistake of giving love and approval to their children only when their children did something that they wanted them to do. A child who has grown up with this kind of conditional love tends to seek for unconditional approval from others all his or her life. When the child becomes an adult, this need for approval from the parent is transferred to the workplace and onto the boss. The adult employee can then become preoccupied with the opinion of the boss. This preoccupation can lead to an obsession to perform to some undetermined high standard.

Avoid Type A Behavior

Doctors Rosenman and Friedman, two San Francisco heart specialists, have defined this obsession for performance as "Type A behavior." Experts have concluded that approximately 60% of men and as many as 30% of women are people with Type A behavior.

Don't Burn Yourself Out

This Type A behavior can vary from mild forms to extreme cases. People who are what they call "true Type A's" usually put so much pressure on themselves to perform in order to please their bosses that they burn themselves out. They often die of heart attacks before the age of 55. This Type A behavior, triggered by conditional love in childhood, is a very serious stress-related phenomenon in the American workplace.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to deal with the fear of rejection, criticism and disapproval.

First, realize and accept that the opinions of others are not important enough for you to feel stressed, unhappy or over concerned about them. Even if they dislike you entirely, it has nothing to do with your own personal worth and value as a person.

Second, refuse to be over concerned about what you think people are thinking about you. The fact is that most people are not thinking about you at all. Relax and get on with your life.

THE POWER AND JOY OF SMALL STEPS

I've written about my suspicion of "Giant Steps" before.
Lots of coaches and programs, motivational seminars, books
and conferences encourage you to take "massive action" or
create major changes in life, really fast.
And of course, when that's both possible and appropriate,
it's wonderful! What fun to dramatically expand your income
and get rich and famous all at once! If you can get fit,
slim and trim and become a whole "new you" in 30 days, go
for it! I love it when that happens!
But it doesn't happen very often. And when it does, it
doesn't always last. Not everyone who wins the lottery
finds happiness in the months afterward.
For myself (call me a small thinker if you wish), I prefer
the solid reliability of persistent, consistent small steps
that inevitably lead to the achievement of my most
important goals.
Want to learn a new language? It can't be done in a day,
but practice 30-60 minutes a day and in a month, you'll see
some nice results.
Want to double your sales, run a marathon or raise healthy
kids? You won't accomplish those things in a day, or even
in a week. But over a few weeks or months, anything is
possible!
The key is small, persistent and consistent steps, every
single day. Want to save for retirement? Invest a little
every month. Want a better marriage? A nice date every
week, and conversation over brunch each Sunday can work
wonders.
A great life is no accident, and it doesn't happen over-
night. A great, balanced and satisfying life is built day-
by-day, over time, with persistent action. It's built with
some consistent trial-and-error and even more trial-and-
success!
Big, rapid change requires tremendous discipline, skill and
unusual luck. It's hard work, and it can be upsetting for
everyone involved, including yourself and your loved ones.
That breeds resistance and hesitation.
Slow, steady progress, on the other hand, is safe,
satisfying and enormously powerful. Folks want to cheer you
on! They long to be around success and they'll encourage
you every step of the way. Trust me on this! (I did get a
nice backrub after that first exhausting day, but then "the
look" set in when no further progress was forthcoming. Now,
I get hugs and high-fives and other nice rewards, every
single day! I love that!)
To achieve remarkable things, define your goal, develop a
practical, do-able strategy, and persist. It works! Inch by
inch and day by day, anything is possible!