I admit it. I like football. Until my daughters-in-law came on the scene, I was the only female in my immediate family, so going to football games, watching football on TV, and talking about football was inevitable. My choices were to: 1) Be miserable from mid-August until early February or… 2) Learn to enjoy and appreciate the game. I chose option #2. Like all sports, football teaches some life lessons. A primary one is, “Don’t look back.” Certainly one of the most exciting plays in a game occurs when a ball carrier breaks away from the pack and sprints down the field headed for the goal line. If he crosses the goal line and scores, it’s a thrilling moment for… [Read More]
Unplug
It’s summer. And because of school schedules, it’s typically the time of year that many people choose to take a vacation. The root word of vacation is “vacate” which means to empty, free, divest, remove, clear out, leave, quit, relinquish, depart, check out, resign from, depart from…you get the picture. But how many of us really do that? When you’re on vacation, do you – can you – unplug? Can you free yourself from your phone and other devices? Can you truly let go of what’s going on at the office and enjoy your time off? It’s not easy, is it? Technology makes it so easy to stay connected and so hard to let go of what’s happening “back at… [Read More]
Safe Zone
One aspect of my work that gives me tremendous satisfaction involves working with people who want to improve their presentation and communication skills. The learning is particularly effective in a group setting where people have the opportunity to work together and see the amazing transformation that takes place. As we often do, my colleague and friend, Dr. Shirley Garrett, and I recently spent the better part of a week working with a group of bright, interesting, high-level executives. We have discovered that even people who are experienced, mature professionals are often anxious – even terrified – at the prospect of presenting their thoughts, ideas, and information in front of an audience. The thought of “putting themselves out there” and being… [Read More]
Stop Whining!
I have very little patience with whiners. You know – those people who snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way. In fact, a family mantra that we frequently repeat to our grandchildren is this: “Alexanders don’t whine!” It’s annoying when children whine; when adults whine, it’s a serious irritant. On a trip to the Monterey/Carmel area of California, I visited one of Monterey’s best attractions – the city’s world-class aquarium. The aquarium houses not only a fantastic collection of aquatic life but also a small exhibit dedicated to the sardine industry that once made Monterey Bay the sardine capitol of the world. In the first two decades of the twentieth century, the canneries produced as many as 1,400,000 cases… [Read More]
All You Need Is Love. Really.
In 1967, The Beatles released a song called, “All You Need is Love”. The words of the chorus summed up the simple message: All you need is love, Ta-da-da-da-da, All you need is love, Ta-da-da-da-da, All you need is love, love; Love is all you need. The Beatles manager Brian Epstein said of the song, which became something of an anthem for the “love” generation, “The nice thing about it is that it cannot be misinterpreted. It is a clear message saying that love is everything.” While this message may cause many of us to raise our eyebrows, shake our heads, roll our eyes, and skeptically say, “Yeah, right! What about money and a job and a home and… [Read More]
The Same Old Same Old?
Thanksgiving is a distant memory. Christmas, Hanukah, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day are over. You’ve finished the leftovers, opened presents (and perhaps returned a few), toasted the new year, and eaten black-eyed peas. The only remnants of the holidays that remain are some gifts you haven’t yet returned, football playoffs, the NCAA championship, the Super Bowl, and perhaps a few extra pounds. In the last week or so, I’ve heard several people comment, “I’m so ready to get back to my routine”. The question is: Is your “routine” what you need to get back to? Does it serve you well? Are you satisfied with the results of your day-to-day activities? If so, great! Good for you. If not,… [Read More]
Looking Back, Looking Forward
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” Anonymous “What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.” Colette In Roman mythology, there was a god called Janus. Janus was the god of gates, doors, beginnings, endings, and time. Most often he is depicted as having two heads facing opposite directions; one head looks back while the other looks forward. His principle temple in the Forum, ancient Rome’s center of political and social activity, had doors facing east and west to mark the beginning and end of the day, and between the doors stood his statue gazing in opposite directions. Janus… [Read More]
What’s On Your List
With the holidays just around the corner, many of us are focused on shopping for gifts for family and friends. Decisions made on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the other no-name shopping days are often driven by “wish lists”. Perhaps you’ve made a wish list to share with those who may be gifting you this year. Here’s a challenge for you. Make a list of gifts to give to yourself. Now, I don’t mean material gifts that can be purchased at the mall or online — not an IPad, a new coat, golf clubs, fuzzy house shoes, or a plasma TV. What I’m talking about are gifts that only you can give to yourself and which, in most cases, don’t… [Read More]
Employees Must…
You’ve seen it, haven’t you? The sign in every restaurant restroom. It’s a good sign, and as a customer, you’re glad to see to it and hopeful that employees do as the sign instructs. In your business, what are the “musts”, the things that team members must do to fulfill not only your expectations but also those of your customers and their co-workers? What must they do to contribute to a results-oriented workplace, a workplace that’s a great place to work? Here’s my list. Team members must… Be competent. And, you’re the leader or business owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure they have the skills they need to be successful. Be cooperative. They must be good at working with… [Read More]
Shake It Up, Baby!
Sometimes you’ve got to shake things up! Charles Duhigg, author of the best-selling book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, says that “40-45% of our daily activities are habits”. We do what we do without thinking. And in many ways, that’s good. Habits create routines in our life and work, some of which are extraordinarily helpful. They make daily living easier, more efficient. But some habits are hindering. When we do the same old things in the same old way, it’s easy to become complacent about important areas of life, work, health, relationships. If you’re a long-time reader of Great Days e-Tips, one look at this edition will tell you that this… [Read More]
