Archive for April, 2009

Champions Take Action

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

On your mark, get set go!

Act Now. You’ll never win the race if you never leave the starting gate. In order to become successful, you must choose to act. You can set lofty goals and develop complex plans. However, without execution all you really have are foggy dreams and dusty hopes. A well executed plan is the key ingredient that helps you get ahead. Most people think about, dream about and talk about what they want to do. Champions visualize, plan and do. They know what they want and they are willing to do what it takes to secure it. Champions are usually well out in front of everyone else. Even if they make mistakes, they usually have sufficient recovery time. They take action knowing that each step takes them closer to the prize.

Challenge yourself.

Everyone takes action, however, it’s important to recognize which activities are worth your time and effort. When taking action, it is essential that you do not settle for the easy and comfortable tasks. Stepping outside of your comfort zone will enable you to stretch and grow. It will build your endurance and prepare you for even greater opportunities. A champion weighs very carefully the things that they will spend their time on. Meaningless and mindless activities (such as watching television or gossiping on the telephone) are dismissed in favor of more productive and challenging goal oriented activities.

Take Responsibility.

Quite often champions are required to make decisions and take action with very little information. They use everything at their disposal. Champions use good judgment to make quick decisions. However, they are willing to own up to their mistakes – always leaving room to understand the lesson that was learned from the experience. Instead of blaming the outcome on the nearest scapegoat, a real champion is open, honest and accountable. Champions are responsible for their actions, they accept the role they played in the outcome and they make no excuse. They don’t point fingers at anyone (including themselves) because they realized that blame is destructive, especially when it is turned inward. Instead they take responsibility by focusing on using the data gathered to come up with a better solution. They incorporate lessons from past failures as they gear up to take action again.

Be an Innovator

Often when taking action, a champion will have very little company. This is because they seek out innovative ideas and concepts – things that are not even on most people’s radar screens. They are essentially mavericks on the bleeding edge. They are the ones that test new ideas and concepts even in the face of opposition. By the time most people catch up, the champion has worked out the kinks and has moved on to the next exciting project. They are risk-takers and they seem to rebound from set backs. Champions do not wait for other’s opinions, they develop test and launch prototypes that others simply accept as the standard. A champion’s successful technique or strategy is usually adopted by the team.

Overcome Obstacles

One way to overcome an obstacle is to understand why it is being presented in the first place. Champions ask, “What can I learn from this situation?” The numerous lessons that result from roadblocks and challenges are invaluable. Champions use obstacles as a powerful asset for winning. Taking action in the face of an obstacle ensures long-term success. Champions send a message that nothing will stop them from taking action. They understand that obstacles are placed in their path to build character, provide resistance and produce growth. Weight training provides resistance required to build muscles; obstacles provide resistance required to build character.

Never, Never Quit.

There are challenges that were specifically designed to deter you from your goals. Champions confront adversity and push right through until they get to the other side. On the other side of a storm is bright sunshine. Similarly, on the other side of a disappointment is joy; on the other side of adversity is strength. Champions expect and plan for adversity. With this keen awareness of the challenges and dangers, they press forward to the mark. Champions realize that the important thing about adversity is how it is handled. Champions respond to adverse situations instead of reacting to them. They may re-chart their course when they’ve drifted off, however, they make conscious decisions to never, never quit.

You can become a champion today by taking action on something that you have been putting off. No matter what the challenge, take the responsibility right now for your actions. Think about it a little differently – be innovative. Don’t get caught off guard by obstacles – expect them, overcome them and never, never give up.

Andrea Richards Scott, is the co-author of Keys to the Kingdom, A Manual for Success in Today’s World. She is a Competent Toastmaster (CTM) and a Life Coach specializing in helping her clients achieve a Life Without Limits Visit http://www.keystothekingdombook.com or write to her at customerservice@walk-write.com to find out more about Life Coaching or to book her for a speaking engagement.

The Gambling Pastimes Betting Fans like to Participate in: Gaming Room Taking a Risk

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

If you haven’t caught on to gaming room games of chance, feel free to read on —

casino

Generally speaking a betting establishment is an edifice that focuses on betting. Patrons are expected to test their luck by challenging one armed bandits or trying out some other games. Betting saloon games commonly have well calculated odds informing them that ensure the organization reserves an advantage over the gamers. Countless betting saloon games can result in you becoming overly dependent speedily. For example the notorious slot-machine, a coin operated gadget with three drums that whirl when a knob affixed to it is started. The contraption regularly renders in alignment with a range of glyphs observable on the dials on the gadget. Lamentably, betting hall games suggest an appearance of power, thus conning the gambling fan — the addressee is passed choice, but in reality these can’t match up the patron’s long term handicap. This is brought about by the the betting saloon not paying out the entire wager as expected. This philosophy is often found in acclaimed casino games like Texas hold’em, craps, roulette or blackjack.

Five card stud poker is indeed a highly fashionable casino game. The patrons, studiously guarding their either fully or partially hidden cards, wager in a principal pot which is finally awarded to the last player controlling the leading set of cards. (And as eveyone knows, the bluff may well prevail too!) Analogous to seven card stud, blackjack too is a highly popular casino pastime. An amount of its is caused by the mix of chance and ingenuity and choice making, and a process named card counting. The aforementioned is a particularly demanding strategy in which gambling fans may force the probabilities of the game in their interest both by wagering & strategic opetations correlating with the hands dealt. Craps is yet another highly popular game using the throw of two dice. Patrons are placing bets on the score of one roll, or on a string of rolls on two dice. Contrary to blackjack, there’s no viable bona fide winner betting system punters could exploit to boost the chances. Roulette is another eminently popular casino game; here, a croupier twirls a roulette wheel incorporating a set of 37 (French roulette) or thirtyeight (American or Vegas roulette) differently tagged places in which a ball will then come to lie, thereby defining the winner as well as the other chances that will come with it. When the participant has bet on a single number and actually makes it so they’ve got a lucky hand, the promised recompense is going to be 35:1, the initial bet being repaid. So in totality it is multiplied by thirty-six.

Please take care to be very wary all the same because each of these gaming establishment gambling pastimes can be particularly habit forming. Indeed an incredible number of lives may well have been ruined in the course of gambling & even though it indisputably may be enjoyable, do attempt to restrain your wagers.

Lessons In Leadership: What Not To Do… From A Canoe!

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

When it comes to fishing, my husband takes the lead. But his lack of leadership ability in a recent canoe trip on the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota offered wonderful lessons on how leaders can unknowingly screw up.

(1) Assign responsibility without authority.

Bill insisted that in order to cast his fishing line, he needed to be in the back of the canoe. I was to paddle as he cast and trolled his lure. The only challenge is that the ability to steer a two-person canoe is handled by the person in the back. He’d shout directions to me but I had little authority over the craft. Frustrated, I wanted to turn around and whack him with the paddle. LESSON: If you assign someone a task, put them where they have full control to do what is required rather than hamstring them with your positional authority.

(2) Hire a skill set but don’t let the employee use it.

The Boundary Waters are comprised of many lakes connected with islands and it is frequently necessary to portage the canoe to the next lake. I have a good eye for reading navigational maps. I would identify the portage spot as we approached. On more than one occasion, Bill would insist I was wrong and we’d spend time “looking”, only to return to the site I had identified. I felt like throwing the backpacks up the trail. LESSON: If you hire someone with a skill you don’t have let them take the lead.

(3) Never believe someone closest to the problem.

We were fishing along a rock ledge jutting out from one of the islands. Bill was a distance from me when I suddenly yelled for help. “I have a fish and I can’t tighten the reel.” “No,” replied Bill, “You don’t have a fish.” “Yes, I do. Please help me.” He slowly made his way over and took the rod from my hand. A deft fisherman, he fixed the problem and to his amazement, pulled out a fish. I wanted to hit him with it. LESSON: Pay attention to people down line. A removed view might very well be wrong.

(4) Practice unclear communication.

From my weak directional paddling position Bill would also holler out a specific direction. “Head toward that tree”, he’d call. Now remember he is sitting behind me. The island is covered with trees. Just what is that tree? “The GREEN one,” he’d say. ” Sorry, Bill. They are ALL green!” Since the eyes in the back of my head were shut I couldn’t see where his finger pointed. I wanted to bite that finger. LESSON: Clairvoyance is not a skill set you can hire. Describe specifically what you want, andwhat you see. Bring people along into your vision.

(5) Make others bail you out of the trouble you cause.

As we circled the various islands, Bill would cast toward the shore. He has a good eye for distance but on occasion his line would snag the low lying bushes and I’d have to climb out and untangle the mess. One foot almost landed on the back of a monstrous rock that moved: a moss covered snapping turtle with a shell the size of a toilet seat and jaws that could break my ankle. I screamed. LESSON: You can be bailed out once. But for repeated errors, get out and do it yourself.

P.S. Concerned about workplace violence? Look at my response to a person I deeply love. Consider these lessons VERY carefully.

(c) 2004, McDargh Communications. All rights in all media reserved. Reprints must include byline, contact information and copyright.

About The Author

Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE is head of McDargh Communications, a training and consulting practice founded in 1980. She’s also an award-winning author, radio commentator, and on the Board of the National Speakers Association. Eileen can be reached at http://www.EileenMcDargh.com.

Womens Underwear Sales Do Considerable Well in the British Credit Crunch

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Girls lingerie sales are growing even in these economic markets. With British chains suffering a dip in sales and high street retailers shutting down faster and quicker, the womens lingerie market is seeing sales increase at a fantastic rate. Check this sexy lingerie from Mademoiselle, Valisere, Freya, Odille, Sielei and Passionata.

A well known sexy Lingerie retailer in the UK has reported a sales inflation by eight per cent. The biggest reason appears to be clear, ladies appreciate to feel good about themselves irrespective of how the economy is doing. With even more girls spending time at home instead of going out, females are finding the advantages of looking hot for their partners.

For the choicest in beautiful underwear, lingerie retailers provide a range of gorgeous and recession busting underwear. For the girl that loves to appear angelic and virginal there are silk chiffons, and for the more adventurous girl there is satin bras and knickers. For the girls that are dressing to seduce then there are plunge bras and g strings that is sure to please their partner.

Of course, female underwear is not only for the ladies. Mens underwear is also seeing a rise in sales, mainly due to the media frenzy David Beckham billboard ads for designer clothing company Emporio Armani.

Consequently whilst the British credit crunch continues to grab newspaper headlines, it seems women are more interested in grabbing tremendous underwear.

Medical Insurance Plans for University Students: What Do You Need to Understand?

Monday, April 13th, 2009

It’s easy to overlook health insurance when planning for a college education. By And Large, health insurance is the last thing on a student’s mind. As a student in your twenties you will believe that you will be around forever so you will never suffer from an illness.

Please surf to our very good page for student health insurance dental advice

However, no matter how well an individual may appear, this is no way to guarantee their continuing good health. Inexpensive medical insurance is not a good idea, it is absolutely necessary. Students who are included in a family insurance policy are generally included up to their twenty-third birthday. For individuals who do not have cover under their family plan, a crucial part of preparation for college has to be finding an appropriate medical insurance policy.

So what should a student look for in health insurance designed for students? Deductibles: It’s a yearly payment made before any health benefits commencing, like an auto insurance plan. To give an example, should the deductible be $500, $500 must be paid prior to getting any benefits connected with your plan.

What is meant by the term co-pay? When you have paid your deductible, generally for every visit to the doctor, medicinal drug, or procedure you’ll have to pay a portion of the cost. This, in a nutshell is co-pay. What is the range of insurance coverage? Most policies are Health Maintenance Organization or Partnership for Prescription Assistance. Essentially this means certain doctors might not be in your list of health professionals and may not be included under your insurance policy. Most programs provide a listing of approved providers, consider this carefully when you take out a medical plan for students. What exactly does the term catastrophic coverage mean? Limitations are frequent in medical insurance plans specifically for college students particularly as far as terminal illnesses are concerned, in almost all cases, the cover is usually lower than any regular health insurance policy.

So what are the limits? Low-cost student medical coverage plans normally put in place certain limits. Be sure to read over your insurance policy to learn what your insurance policy includes. Have any health insurance papers safe everywhere. It is not just impossible to anticipate an accident or illness, but they are most likely to happen when you least anticipate them. Make sure to be conversant with the parameters unique to your inexpensive college health insurance even if you are included in your family insurance plan.

Graduation Diplomas For All

Sunday, April 12th, 2009


Graduation Cords

In many organizations or institutions, graduates’ unique achievement, accomplishment and participation is recognized with cords during the graduation commencement ceremony. Graduation cords are basically twisted cords in pairs that are bound together with a knot slip. They have tassels on both ends, which are either in cords color or else they have a different color. Cords are worn together with other pieces of graduation regalia like graduation caps, gowns, hoods and tassels among others. graduation cords are taken as perfect accessories for graduates’ commencement ceremony. They are premium accessories that reward the graduates of highest level with high level accessories. Graduates are not permitted to put on cords after the academic year they were awarded for the honors. Cords are worn at the discretion of the institution and each institutition has its own criteria for awarding coveted cords.

Graduation cords of two types the single style cord and double style cord. Single style cords are made of ragon or poly material with tassels at the ends. These cords dangle at the side of a graduation gown. Single cords can be made of different colors like gold, white, red, silver and black among others. Double style cords signify high level achievement. They have knot slips tied in the middle and they have variety of colors that can be used for them like navy blue, Kelly green, and forest green, gold, silver and black among others.

GraduationSource, a leader in graduation regalia products since 1960.

Leadership and Followership in a Team Setting

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

Many solopreneurs work in a team environment either with their client’s staff, or with subcontractors. Having spent over 20 years in a teaming environment before becoming a solopreneur 13 years ago, I know that during the course of any highly functioning team effort, the leadership and followership roles flow back and forth between the members.

An observer of such a team would see that at any moment, the person on the team who has either information, wisdom, or creativity to offer steps quietly forward to assume the leadership position. After she has delivered her knowledge to the group, she then steps quietly back into the role of a follower, as the next person slips into the leadership position. This ebb and flow of leadership and followership is one of the hallmarks of a highly-functioning and productive team.

“So you did this just because all your friends did it?
If all your friends laid down on the tracks
in front of a train, I suppose you would too?
Do you want to be a follower all your life?”
— Your Mother

You Mother was right. To be effective in today’s teams, you can’t be a follower all your life. You need to step out into the glare of the lights and assume the leadership mantle, contributing your unique specialness, knowledge, and creativity to the group. In this way, the work product of the team is strengthened.

This leadership role is not granted you by title or position. Instead, you take on the role voluntarily. And your team members grant you the role because of your expertise, credibility, reputation, or influence. In other words, it is a temporary role on the team that you earn over time.

To be effective in this type of leadership role, you must first secure the respect of your team members in at least one of the following three areas:

1. Knowledge. You must have respected expertise and proven judgement in areas relevant to the team’s goals.

2. People Skills. You must care about your team members and value the team’s goals.

3. Performance. You must show that you are willing to take on tasks and activities that actually help the team meet their goals.

To build respect and credibility in either of these three areas, you must first be a terrific follower. Not the type of follower your Mother railed against. But the type of follower who is committed to helping the team reach their goals. A follower who contributes focus and influence to getting the work product delivered to the required standards of quality and timing. A follower with a courageous conscience and controlled ego. A follower with the ability to think creatively and critically, who is self-motivated, proactive and self-disciplined.

This week, monitor your role on the team’s of which you are a member. Are you shifting smoothly in and out of the roles of leadership and follwership as appropriate to you and the team? Or are you failing to step into the leadership role when appropriate? Or failing to step back and contribute in the role of a follower? What could you change about how you shift between these roles to better contribute to the team?

Copyright 2004, Rose Hill, Inc

EzineArticles Expert Author Rose Hill

Rose Hill, Founder and Owner,of Biz Whiz Expert (http://www.SoloBizVille.com) and Team Member of Solo-E.Com (http://www.Solo-E.Com) has been self-employed since 1990. Knowing how to run corporate departments and how to market corporate entities, products, and services did nothing to prepare her for successfully running and marketing a one-person business. That is why Rose created the SoloBizVille and SoloBizU community to specifically to help solo entrepreneurs jumpstart their business success without all the trial-and-error learning.

Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com, the lifestyle-inspired online learning and connection community. Visit now to receive a free copy of our special report, The Four Secrets of Solo Entrepreneur Success, plus a complimentary 30-day membership.

Elevate Your Vacation to New Heights in Denver

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

It is no coincidence that it gets its nickname as the Mile-High City because the official elevation of Denver is 5,280 feet, which if you can remember your elementary school classes, is precisely one mile. For new visitors this will take a little adjusting but is really just a minor one at that.

Denver, Colorado, is a four-season city, so it is not unexpected that it will receive an average of 4 feet of snow on an annual basis. This makes it a logical destination for access to many nearby world class ski resorts.

In the summer it is an important agricultural hub for the region since the summers will see varying weather conditions and sufficient rain to support farming. Denver is also a significant distribution point for the mountain states since it is about half way between Chicago and the west coast.

Major businesses include the Coors Distributing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and United Airlines to name a few of the more well known companies that employee a large number of the cities population.

Denver has seen three of its major sports team win their individual championships in recent memory. They include the NFL Broncos (Super Bowl), MLB Rockies (World Series), and the NHL Colorado Avalanche (Stanley Cup). The city also has the NBA Nuggets to fill out the four major sports in the United States.

BIG-3 Leadership!

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

“Do what you do so well that they will want
to see it again
and bring their friends.”
- Walt Disney

What is your organization striving to achieve?

- Big Profits?

- Big Growth?

- Big Stock Price?

- Big Accolades/Recognition?

- Some other Big Result?

All of the above?

Okay, just so we are clear – all of the above goals/outcomes are NOT bad things to experience.

However, we all must realize as leaders that all these wonderful “outcomes” are actually the result of good leaders staying focused on the fundamentals.

Leaders clearly know that if they are able to execute the fundamentals well – the rewards are virtually inevitable.

Ask yourself the following questions:

- Can I expect to achieve sustained Big Results without strong Leadership?

- Can I expect to achieve sustained Big Results without great Teamwork?
- Can I expect to achieve sustained Big Results without delivering quality Customer Service?

Answer to all three questions above? – NO!

Sound too elementary? Perhaps – but the point here is that a great leader will ensure that “The Big Three” topics – Leadership/Teamwork/Service, will always remain central to their overall message when speaking to Employees, Customers, and/or Shareholders.

It’s too easy to lose sight of the fundamentals once you create momentum and start experiencing growth and get a taste of success.

But know this – the minute you take your eyes off the things that created your initial success, you are sure to experience shorter gains and potentially a downward spiral.

So how do you ensure you stay focused on the fundamentals? (aka: The Big Three – Leadership/Teamwork/Service)

Make “The Big Three” part of your every day CULTURE! It’s actually easier than you might think.

Read on for a sample blueprint of a Leader’s message that is clearly staying focused on the fundamentals.

“Well done is better than well said”
- Benjamin Franklin

Consider using the following real life Leader’s Notes example as a blue print for how a Leader can clearly communicate the importance of “The Big Three” – Leadership, Teamwork and Customer Service.

Talking Points for addressing team members:

Leadership

- Teach/Coach/Expect – talk about the importance for all managers to be hands-on in teaching and coaching employees – only then can they justify holding employees accountable to meet all expectations. Leader’s take ownership and are accountable.

- Motivation – It’s a personal choice every employee makes every day when they walk in the door. It’s not our responsibility to motivate employees, but it is our responsibility to hire self-motivated individuals and then provide a working environment that supports and inspires employees to want to consistently improve their skills.

- Support/Lead a Growth Environment – Every 90 days we must grow. Businesses either grow, or eventually die. We will grow by anticipating and meeting our customers needs, improving current relationships and developing new ones.

Teamwork

- Definition of “FUN” – Fun in our organization is defined as when we realize/achieve our goals after working extremely hard. The thrill of victory is only a thrill if the prize is hard-fought. When we are creative in finding solutions, plan appropriately and then put forth monumental effort toward achieving our vision – the feeling we then experience is: FUN!

- Energy/Enthusiasm > Experience – While experience is certainly valued in our company, it’s been proven that individuals who are highly energetic and enthusiastic can more quickly gain experience and do a phenomenal job. To the contrary however, experienced individuals who do not possess the energy and enthusiasm for their job, should go somewhere else to work. Those without a passion for their work should go work for any one of our competitors.

Customer Service

- Every Employee Takes It Personal – When a customer leaves to do business with a competitor, you should take it personal. Taking it personal means you care. Talking it personal means you are disturbed enough to change what you are doing so that next time you win the business. Taking it personal ensures you get to the top and stay on top. How “disturbed” are you?

- We Have The Advantage! – We have the secret weapon. We have something that none of our competitors can claim to possess. We have “what makes the difference”.

What is IT you say? Simple, WE HAVE YOU! YOU are the key to the success of this organization. YOU make the difference with each customer interaction. YOU are my secret weapon – and I truly value and appreciate all that you do.

“In business you get what you want by giving other people what
they want – the way they want it.”
- A. MacDougall

Richard Gorham is the founder and President of Leadership-Tools, Inc. His web site, http://www.leadership-tools.com is dedicated to providing free tools and resources for today’s aspiring leaders. Offering high-quality tools in the areas of Business Planning, Leadership Development, Customer Service, Sales Management and Team Building.

Three Factors Of Leadership Motivation

Friday, April 10th, 2009

Leaders do nothing more important than get results. But you can’t get results by yourself. You need others to help you do it. And the best way to have other people get results is not by ordering them but motivating them. Yet many leaders fail to motivate people to achieve results because those leaders misconstrue the concept and applications of motivation.

To understand motivation and apply it daily, let’s understand its three critical factors. Know these factors and put them into action to greatly enhance your abilities to lead for results.

1. MOTIVATION IS PHYSICAL ACTION. “Motivation” has common roots with “motor,” “momentum,” “motion,” “mobile,” etc. all words that denote movement, physical action. An essential feature of motivation is physical action. Motivation isn’t about what people think or feel but what they physically do. When motivating people to get results, challenge them to take those actions that will realize those results.

I counsel leaders who must motivate individuals and teams to get results not to deliver presentations but “leadership talks.” Presentations communicate information.. But when you want to motivate people, you must do more than simply communicate information. You must have them believe in you and take action to follow you. A key outcome of every leadership talk must be physical action, physical action that leads to results.

For instance, I worked with the newly-appointed director of a large marketing department who wanted the department to achieve sizable increases in the results. However, the employees were a demoralized bunch who had been clocking tons of overtime under her predecessor and were feeling angry that their efforts were not being recognized by senior management.

She could have tried to order them to get the increased results. Many leaders do that. But order-leadership founders in today’s highly competitive, rapidly changing markets. Organizations are far more competitive when their employees instead of being ordered to go from point A to point B want to go from point A to point B. So I suggested that she take a first step in getting the employees to increase results by motivating those employees to want to increase results. They would “want to” when they began to believe in her leadership. And the first step in enlisting that belief was for her to give a number of leadership talks to the employees.

One of her first talks that she planned was to the department employees in the company’s auditorium.

She told me, “I want them to know that I appreciate the work they are doing and that I believe that they can get the results I’m asking of them. I want them to feel good about themselves.”

“Believing is not enough,” I said. “Feeling good is not enough. Motivation must take place. Physical action must take place. Don’t give the talk until you know what precise action you are going to have happen.”

She got the idea of having the CEO come into the room after the talk, shake each employee’s hand, and tell each how much he appreciated their hard work physical action. She didn’t stop there. After the CEO left, she challenged each employee to write down on a piece of paper three specific things that they needed from her to help them get the increases in results and then hand those pieces of paper to her personally physical action.

Mind you, that leadership talk wasn’t magic dust sprinkled on the employees to instantly motivate them. (To turn the department around so that it began achieving sizable increases in results, she had to give many leadership talks in the weeks and months ahead.) But it was a beginning. Most importantly, it was the right beginning.

2. MOTIVATION IS DRIVEN BY EMOTION. Emotion and motion come from the same Latin root meaning “to move”. When you want to move people to take action, engage their emotions. An act of motivation is an act of emotion. In any strategic management endeavor, you must make sure that the people have a strong emotional commitment to realizing it.

When I explained this to the chief marketing officer of a worldwide services company, he said, “Now I know why we’re not growing! We senior leaders developed our marketing strategy in a bunker! He showed me his “strategy” document. It was some 40 pages long, single-spaced. The points it made were logical, consistent, and comprehensive. It made perfect sense. That was the trouble. It made perfect, intellectual sense to the senior leaders. But it did not make experiential sense to middle management who had to carry it out. They had about as much in-put into the strategy as the window washers at corporate headquarters. So they sabotaged it in many innovative ways. Only when the middle managers were motivated were emotionally committed to carrying out the strategy did that strategy have a real chance to succeed.

3. MOTIVATION IS NOT WHAT WE DO TO OTHERS. IT’S WHAT OTHERS DO TO THEMSELVES. The English language does not accurately depict the psychological truth of motivation. The truth is that we cannot motivate anybody to do anything. The people we want to motivate can only motivate themselves. The motivator and the motivatee are always the same person. We as leaders communicate, they motivate. So our “motivating” others to get results really entails our creating an environment in which they motivate themselves to get those results.

For example: a commercial division leader almost faced a mutiny on his staff when in a planning session, he put next year’s goals, numbers much higher than the previous year’s, on the overhead. The staff all but had to be scrapped off the ceiling after they went ballistic. “We busted our tails to get these numbers last year. Now you want us to get much higher numbers? No way!”

He told me. “We can hit those numbers. I just have to get people motivated!”

I gave him my “motivator-and-motivatee-are-the-same-person!” pitch. I suggested that he create an environment in which they could motivate themselves. So he had them assess what activities got results and what didn’t. They discovered that they spent more than 60 percent of their time on work that had nothing to do with getting results. He then had them develop a plan to eliminate the unnecessary work. Put in charge of their own destiny, they got motivated! They developed a great plan and started to get great results.

Over the long run, your career success does not depend on what schools you went to and what degrees you have. That success depends instead on your ability to motivate individuals and teams to get results. Motivation is like a high voltage cable lying at your feet. Use it the wrong way, and you’ll get a serious shock. But apply motivation the right way by understanding and using the three factors, plug the cable in, as it were, and it will serve you well in many powerful ways throughout your career.

2004 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

The author of 23 books, Brent Filson’s recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. – and has worked with thousands of leaders worldwide during the past 20 years helping them achieve sizable increases in hard, measured results. Sign up for his free leadership ezine and get a free guide, “49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,” at http://www.actionleadership.com