Have you ever spent time worrying about tomorrow? Or thinking about what happened yesterday? As a leader, we have a responsibility of planning for tomorrow and for knowing why things happened yesterday. But our biggest challenge is living fully today. We have to set the examples for those we lead. If we made mistakes in the past today, is our day to correct it. This means staying focused on the day and fulfilling promises made today.
Perhaps you have met people who give yesterday more time than today. I often work with businesses, who are struggling because employees are living in the past. They resent changes being made, sometimes because they are fearful of the future. While others, I meet who are having problems getting along are fuming over events that happened in the past. By the time, the company decides that they need to bring in an outside resource such as myself; the level of frustration is often so high, I wonder if combat pay should be involved. I know from training and experience that when I work with these employees that progress will be slow. They tend to have a need to dwell in the past, wanting to rehash what could have been done to present this and what should’ve been done earlier. For some of the people they must express their concerns and apprehensions based on the past. However, as the leader, I know we have to move them beyond the yesterdays and in to today. The danger is that without proper guidance these individuals can very easily get caught up in the Ain’t It Awful Club, where their only focus is on what has been going wrong, instead of what they can do to take charge of improving today and the future. Dwelling in the past not only prevents from living fully in today, it allows people to get hooked into a blame game, thereby avoiding responsibility for making changes today.
The only day we can really live is today. So today, consider deleting worries and trouble by deleting two days tomorrow and yesterday. Lead others into facing today and letting go the baggage of yesterday. Promote a healthy work environment today. Face life with all the energy possible. Make each decision with conviction and determination. This day will never return and it could be our last opportunity to leave a legacy, to see the sunrise, to touch someone’s life in a positive way. To share information so that those we lead can lead without us present. Be courageous enough today to lead without regrets.
Today is important be careful what you do with it! What if today never ended and tomorrow never came?
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Working with Passion Part II
Leaders need to be genuine about their passion attempts to fake it in order to energize people around them can create problems larger than have a robotic uninvolved staff. If the passion is not authentic then the person faking it is seen as a fake, destroying their credibility.
Passion Assessment:
What one thing are you passionate about? If this thing or person were removed from your life you would feel that a part of your life would be extinguished without it? This is something or someone that brings you passion.
Why are you passionate about this?
How would life be different if this thing were removed from your life?
Are you passionate enough to start a project or to build a relationship with someone knowing that you may never see the projects completion or that the relationship could be limited by time?
Do you have the strength and desire to accomplish great things? Why or why not?
Are you willing to share your passion?
Passion Extinguishes Burn-Out
A person who works 40 hours a week spends 60% of their awake hours at work. If at the end of the week all they feel is that they worked for 40 hours and received a paycheck in exchange. Both the employee and employer are being shortchanged. The employer is dealing with an employee who has quit but still shows up for the paycheck. The employee is stuck a routine of drudgery instead of doing what they enjoy. They need to be energized or they may need to move on. Leaders may try to ignite the passion in others or they may have to assess if this person is willing to be revived.
Here is a Way to Transfer Passion to Others
Encourage employees to express their passion and increase their zest for life. People who are passionate about life have an allure that attracts people. This attraction supersedes expensive clothing, money, and having a popular car. Regardless of age, people can the authenticity and depth of enthusiasm that radiates from these individuals. Too often people are afraid of burning out so they hold back and stop living life to the fullest. As sad as it is the reality is that there are some people who have never tasted the richness of passion in life. They lack an understanding of how to inhale the aroma that can fill their life and lungs with an energy that creates an overflow. Instead these people are suffocated by fear and reluctance to reach for all that life has to offer. As a leader we need to be willing to set the example to help them understand that a life goal should be to desire more than we can accomplish and live each day to soar higher. Live for the moment and spend more time enjoying reality than seeking an escape.
Imagine the return that comes from living with passion.
Suddenly every second, every minute, every hour has more meaning and it is lived more fully. We are more open to fully experience every interaction. Our roles have more meaning, whether it is being a parent, or in a relationship. When our actions are influenced by our passion life is more intense and more fulfilling. Our roles in the business world become clearer. What we are selling or marketing is more than a product it is an item that helps us to meet the needs of our customers. We are providing goods and services that add positive value to the people we serve. Best of all the people we serve see our genuine desire to help them and they want to do business with us.
Passion shapes our existence, fuels the fires of inspiration and makes the heart and mind open to changes all around us. It is food for the soul, a spark that re-illuminates our purpose and mission for being here. When we experience a critical moment in our life it is passion that helps us find the strength to continue. Passion is ours to experience and revel in. And even if it causes us some bumps and bruises as we struggle to take off and fly higher we are reaching for what is rightfully ours the right to see all that life has to offer by discover all that we can put into life every day in every way.
Passion Assessment:
What one thing are you passionate about? If this thing or person were removed from your life you would feel that a part of your life would be extinguished without it? This is something or someone that brings you passion.
Why are you passionate about this?
How would life be different if this thing were removed from your life?
Are you passionate enough to start a project or to build a relationship with someone knowing that you may never see the projects completion or that the relationship could be limited by time?
Do you have the strength and desire to accomplish great things? Why or why not?
Are you willing to share your passion?
Passion Extinguishes Burn-Out
A person who works 40 hours a week spends 60% of their awake hours at work. If at the end of the week all they feel is that they worked for 40 hours and received a paycheck in exchange. Both the employee and employer are being shortchanged. The employer is dealing with an employee who has quit but still shows up for the paycheck. The employee is stuck a routine of drudgery instead of doing what they enjoy. They need to be energized or they may need to move on. Leaders may try to ignite the passion in others or they may have to assess if this person is willing to be revived.
Here is a Way to Transfer Passion to Others
Encourage employees to express their passion and increase their zest for life. People who are passionate about life have an allure that attracts people. This attraction supersedes expensive clothing, money, and having a popular car. Regardless of age, people can the authenticity and depth of enthusiasm that radiates from these individuals. Too often people are afraid of burning out so they hold back and stop living life to the fullest. As sad as it is the reality is that there are some people who have never tasted the richness of passion in life. They lack an understanding of how to inhale the aroma that can fill their life and lungs with an energy that creates an overflow. Instead these people are suffocated by fear and reluctance to reach for all that life has to offer. As a leader we need to be willing to set the example to help them understand that a life goal should be to desire more than we can accomplish and live each day to soar higher. Live for the moment and spend more time enjoying reality than seeking an escape.
Imagine the return that comes from living with passion.
Suddenly every second, every minute, every hour has more meaning and it is lived more fully. We are more open to fully experience every interaction. Our roles have more meaning, whether it is being a parent, or in a relationship. When our actions are influenced by our passion life is more intense and more fulfilling. Our roles in the business world become clearer. What we are selling or marketing is more than a product it is an item that helps us to meet the needs of our customers. We are providing goods and services that add positive value to the people we serve. Best of all the people we serve see our genuine desire to help them and they want to do business with us.
Passion shapes our existence, fuels the fires of inspiration and makes the heart and mind open to changes all around us. It is food for the soul, a spark that re-illuminates our purpose and mission for being here. When we experience a critical moment in our life it is passion that helps us find the strength to continue. Passion is ours to experience and revel in. And even if it causes us some bumps and bruises as we struggle to take off and fly higher we are reaching for what is rightfully ours the right to see all that life has to offer by discover all that we can put into life every day in every way.
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