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Management Observation Program Best Practice 15 – Selecting an Activity to be Observed

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StrategyDriven Management Observation Program Best Practice ArticleNot all activities impact or potentially impact the organization equally. Consequently, they should not be treated equally when being selected for observation. So what activities should be prioritized for observation?

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About the Author

Nathan Ives, StrategyDriven Principal is a StrategyDriven Principal and Host of the StrategyDriven Podcast. For over twenty years, he has served as trusted advisor to executives and managers at dozens of Fortune 500 and smaller companies in the areas of management effectiveness, organizational development, and process improvement. To read Nathan’s complete biography, click here.

Thinking about success… welcome to the club!

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“Thoughts are things” is the title and the first words of the first chapter in the immortal Napoleon Hill book, Think and Grow Rich.

When I first read those words, in 1972, I didn’t really understand what they meant – even when I read the first chapter and the examples offered in Think and Grow Rich, it didn’t resonate – until I got to the end of the chapter and read, “Whatever the mind of man can conceive, and believe, it can achieve.”

I started to get it.

By coincidence, it was only a few days later when I heard the late great Earl Nightingale in his immortal The Strangest Secret say, “You become what you think about.” At that moment I got it – it clicked. And it clicked forever.

Powerful thoughts and concepts that seem so simple, yet elude most people. Think about the way you think. Positive? Happy? Consistent? Attractive? Encouraging? Believing? Self-inspiring? For most the answer is, “sometimes.” And in this political year, almost never.

Positive thinking is a self-imposed challenge in a world surrounded with negatives. Facing that, I began to read all I could find. More reading and studying about thinking and the thought process revealed that neither Hill nor Nightingale had the original thought.

From Socrates who said, “I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.”
…to Buddha who said, “The mind is everything. What you think you become.”
…to Samuel Smiles who said, “Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.”
…to Orison Swett Marden who said, “All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.” “It is psychological law that whatever we desire to accomplish we must impress upon the subjective or subconscious mind.”
…to Elbert Hubbard who said, “I believe in the hands that work, in the brains that think, and in the hearts that love…I believe in sunshine, fresh air, friendship, calm sleep, beautiful thoughts.” And said , “Picture in your mind the able, earnest, useful person you desire to be, and the thought you hold is hourly transforming you into that particular individual… Thought is supreme. Preserve a right mental attitude – the attitude of courage, frankness, and good cheer. To think rightly is to create.”
…to Dale Carnegie who said, “It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.”
…to Napoleon Hill who also said, “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.”
…to Earl Nightingale who also said, “Before you can achieve the kind of life you want you must think, act, talk, and conduct yourself in all of your affairs as would the person you wish to become.”
…to Norman Vincent Peale who said, “Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture… Do not build up obstacles in your imagination.”
…to Steve Jobs who said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Each of these people had their own way of saying the SAME THING. Your thinking becomes your actions. And it’s those dedicated well-planned and directed actions that lead to your outcomes. Your reality. Better stated, your success.

All of these legendary scholars cannot be wrong.

All of these men told me in their writings – in the same way I’m telling you, that positive thought leads to positive actions, and positive results, if the aim and the purpose are passionately believed.

The way you dedicate yourself to the way you think will have the greatest impact on your life – either one way or the other.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey GitomerJeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

There is now an online course to master the principles of Think and Grow Rich. All you have to do is go to http://jeffreygitomer.com/napoleon-hill-special and register.

A Fish Out of Water

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When does a fish notice water? When it is out of the water! The fish gasps for breath. The fish beats its tail on the deck and moves in a helpless manner. It is out of the water and clearly feeling the difference. Hence the saying “like a fish out of water”.

I recently had many of those “fish out of water” experiences while I was on my business trip to Ecuador. I arrive into the new Quito airport. As I get my bags a red, yellow and green traffic type light confronts and guides whether you need to get your bags checked by Immigration or not. If you get a Green light, which I did, out the exit door you go. Red light and into security you go. Traffic lights for bag security, never saw that before. It is OZ like in that you do not know exactly who is controlling the light or why they decide whether you get checked or not.

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About the Author

Since growing up in his family’s boating business to founding his company CMI, Bruce Hodes has dedicated himself to helping companies grow by developing executive leadership teams, business leaders and executives into powerful performers. Bruce’s adaptable Breakthrough Strategic Business Planning methodology has been specifically designed for small-to-mid-sized companies and is especially valuable for family company challenges. In February of 2012 Bruce published his first book Front Line Heroes: Battling the business Tsunami by developing high performance organizations (Volume 1). With a background in psychotherapy, Hodes also has an MBA from Northwestern University and a Masters in Clinical Social Work. More info: [email protected] or www.cmiteamwork.com.

Leadership Lessons from the United States Naval Academy – Providing Effective Performance Feedback

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StrategyDriven Leadership Lessons from the United States Naval AcademyMidshipman receive feedback numerous times a day during almost every activity in which they are involved. This feedback is intended to strengthen their performance and character; preparing them for the extreme challenges of leadership in combat and other high-risk situations.

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“Wellth” is the New Wealth

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals ArticleWealth has historically been viewed as financial success in business that translates to success in life. Money, real estate, investments, and “stuff” like cars and expensive vacations – if you’ve got these things, you’re doing well for yourself… right?

Perhaps it’s time we recognized that the wealth game is changing. While money does matter, it’s no longer the foremost defining attribute of personal or professional achievement. Instead, a new focus on happiness and purpose is driving the common consciousness. This shift is due in part to the influence of millennials, whose priorities about work and life are reshaping everything from world economies to the business landscape as a whole.

The millennial mind looks at something like the price of real estate – the financial Everest they would need to climb to achieve some conventional form of “wealth” – and realizes that maybe there are more important things within their reach. Indeed, 53 percent of millennials say they value health more than any other priority besides family. Additionally, nine in 10 say they pursue health in order to be successful in other areas of life. It’s clear that, rather than wealth, this next generation of leaders prioritizes what I like to call “wellth.”

What is wellth? Wellth is the combination of physical, mental, and financial wellbeing that provides a foundation for each of us to strive toward success by living our best lives. Wellth redefines what it means to “arrive” by focusing instead on the journey; it’s about not being a slave to the daily grind; it’s making a conscious decision to live well. And while wellth may seem like some kind of New Age idealism, it’s not limited to vegan yoga students, boot camp evangelists, or spin bike enthusiasts queuing up to find inner strength at studios all over the world. In fact, there is a definite growing awareness among middle-aged professionals and corporate leaders that seeking wellness will help to accomplish larger goals.

Here are three trends that showcase how millennial-minded workers and businesses are switching their focus from wealth to wellth.

Fueling an Appetite for Ambition

It’s true: green is the new black. Just take a look at the many healthy eating gurus who are dominating Instagram feeds and building entrepreneurial empires on the foundation of wellness. Beyond the trendiness, though, this new focus on eating right underscores an emerging understanding and appreciation of how food affects all aspects of our lives.

The healthy food/happy employees connection has not gone unrecognized by most forward-thinking businesses. Research shows that employees with unhealthy diets are 66 percent more likely to experience a loss in productivity than those who regularly eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. This is something most people realize from personal experience without even needing the science to back it up. There are foods that increase focus, concentration, and alertness, just as there are foods that make you feel sluggish, uninterested, and tired—it’s the reason we all silently chide ourselves for reaching for that bag of chips when we’re stressed.

Not surprisingly, Google has spared no expense to ensure their cafeteria nurtures employees from the inside out. That’s because they realize that there’s an integral correlation between health, employee happiness, and the combined effect of both on business success. They value wellth!

Finding Focus in Action

Increasing your heart rate and physically pushing your body isn’t only good for your muscles and bones, it’s also great for your brain. This relationship is why many of the world’s most successful business leaders turn to fitness to help them stay centered. In fact, Sir Richard Branson cites daily exercise as his number one secret to staying healthy and productive.

But it’s not only physical action that makes a difference. In addition to building fitness and wellness programs into their cultures,top companies are also recognizing the impact of purpose on the emotional wellbeing of their employees (and, ultimately, their bottom line). Those that prioritize action in the form of corporate social responsibility and embrace the power of giving back are finding success, both in terms of profitability and in terms of employee motivation, retention, and engagement.

Taking Mindfulness to Work

Balance in life is necessary, and burnout at work can often tip the scales in the wrong direction. Burnout manifests as a lack of interest or motivation, depression, or even physical illness – and 69 percent of employees cite burnout as a key contributing factor to poor productivity.

Along with eating right and staying fit, being mindful of burnout is essential for keeping your wellth account full. This can be as simple as scheduling time to unplug or learn new skills. Even technology – the supposed enemy of peace and quiet – can help. For example, apps like Headspace can act as a personal trainer for your mind and help you achieve your daily 10 minutes of mindfulness.

Businesses that want to help their employees avoid burnout can provide unique experiences, such as sponsoring a company cycling team or organizing regular outdoor retreats. Oftentimes, just getting outside is enough to reset the balance, as research shows that time spent in nature can increase happiness and attentiveness.

Journeying Toward Wellth

These three trends represent the tip of the iceberg for the wellth movement. As the millennial mindset continues to shift wellness from a mere fad into the mainstream, traditional constructs of personal/professional achievement are actively being replaced with a new appreciation of life goals (and how we reach them). The basic tenets of wellth may focus on diet, fitness, and mindfulness, but this movement is about more than just working out and eating berries and kale; it’s a conscious choice to live well.

As motivational philosopher (and friend) Jay Shetty notes, “We are human beings but act more like human doings. Instead of a ‘to do’ list we need a ‘to be’ list. Rather than thinking what we should we do in situations we should think about who we want to be in situations.” Wellth is how many of us are bringing the act of being back into everything we do. It provides a holistic vision of what it takes for each of us to reach higher and go farther, which empowers us to build a solid foundation for attaining success in all aspects of life—including work.

So, how wellthy are you?

About the Author

Nick Goode is the Vice President Product Management — Cloud & Sage One, Sage’s cloud accounting and payroll solution for start-ups and small businesses. Goode is accountable for the commercial, channel, product and marketing strategy for Sage One worldwide. Goode is previously Head of Sage One for Sage UK, and prior to that, Head of Marketing for the Accountants Division at Sage. His LinkedIn can be viewed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickgoodeuk and his Twitter handle is @nickgoode.