Leadership Solutions

Funny Birds

 

This bird has an important question.

 

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"You ate what for breakfast?"

    ( Black Phoebe )

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Notice how this question assumes that you did something.

 

The point: Do you ask questions that convey an assumption?

Much success,

 

Steve Kaye
Nature Photographer

PS I need help. More birds lead to more photos. See: Help Birds

 

Whose Side Are You On?

Suppose you were a sports team.

And you were in the stands watching yourself play.

Are you cheering or booing?

I'm asking because the other day I overheard someone say, "I'm so stupid."

This, by the way, is an example of booing.

Every professional athlete will tell you that cheering fans help them win games.

So how do you talk to yourself? Do you:

1) Encourage yourself to do things that lead to success?

2) Praise your achievements?

3) Cheer your efforts?

Recognize that positive self talk is inspiring; Negative self talk is defeating.

Just for today, pay attention to your self-talk.

Today's Question: Would you allow a stranger to talk to you the way that you talk to yourself?

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of Create Success

714-528-1300

Did You Forget Something?

Everyone is busy.

Some people are crazy-busy.

Some people are even proud of being crazy busy.

Unfortunately, in this frantic scramble to do and own more, many are forgetting something.

It is: Have a successful life.

Recognize having a successful life is not a matter of owning a faster car, a newer cell phone, or a larger hard drive.

So what is a successful life?

It's many things, that might include:

1) Being at peace with yourself so you can sleep at night.

2) Knowing you are doing something that leaves a significant legacy.

3) Having relationships with people who truly care about you.

4) Finding joy in every moment of time that you spend.

5) Being in control of yourself so that you choose what you think and do.

Now, here's the intriguing part: You can easily have these things.

All you have to do is go wisely slow.

Today's Task: Slow down and focus on the things that really matter.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of Create Success

714-528-1300

PS: My workshop on Time Management shows people how to design a successful life.

How to Get What You Want

 

Let's begin with an experiment.

 

You may recognize this as a standard punishment used in school. It involves having to write something like:

 

I will not talk in class.

 

I will not talk in class.

 

I will not talk in class.

 

I will not talk in class.

 

I will not talk in class.

 

And so on, 500 times.

 

Now, read through those five sentences again and note what stays in your mind.

 

Is it "talk in class"?

 

And that's the point: Negative commands contain a mixed message.

 

So if you say:

 

"Don't do that!" people hear "Do that!"

 

"Don't be late!" people hear "Be late!"

 

Don't talk back!" people hear "Talk back!"

 

Thus, there are three important points.
 

1) The mixed message in negative commands requires extra mental processing.

 

2) Very young children are unable to process (and understand) negative commands. In addition, adults often shout the latter part of the message.

So children act on the part of the command that they hear most clearly and that they understand, which is the action the adult wants to stop.
 

 

3) Very busy, highly stressed adults also have difficulty processing negative commands.

 

This brings us to two recommendations:

 

1) Avoid negative commands. They are often ineffective. And they sound mean.

 

2) Use positive directions. That is, ask for what you want. For example, you might say, "Be early" instead of "Don't be late."

 

Next Step: Pay attention to how you ask for what you want. Then make adjustments.

 

Much success,

 

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of Create Success

 

714-528-1300

How to Build Trust

Some people go backwards in their jobs.

Of course, they try to go forward by working hard.

But at the same time they make mistakes that ruin their efforts by destroying trust.

For example, they call a meeting without having prepared an agenda.

Or, they arrive late for a meeting.

Or, they come to a meeting unprepared.

Such mistakes demonstrate a failure to plan, manage time, and prepare. As a result, they cause two major problems that destroy trust:

1) They produce unpredictable results.

2) They waste people's time.

So, here is a quick list of ways to build trust:

1) Work with a plan, such as an agenda.

2) Arrive early.

3) Prepare.

Recognize that people trust those who deliver consistent, predictable, excellent performance.

Next Step: Identify three ways that you can build trust this week.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of 119 Tips for Effective Meetings

714-528-1300

PS: My workshops show how to build trust by being an effective leader.

The Age of Carelessness

We've been fooled.

Really.

Our modern society is so well put together, that it's easy to think we're invincible.

Long ago, it was different.

If you were lazy, you starved. If you were stupid, you lost. If you were careless, you died.

As a result, people respected danger.

Today, it's possible to be rescued regardless how you live.

And that's a very bad thing.

Because lazy, stupid, careless people still get hurt.

The problem is they don't make the news. Or their suffering is easily swept away. (If you'd like an example, visit a hospital and talk to the people who were in accidents.)

And so we have a society of people who are rushing about as if they were some miraculous exception to basic physics.

They drive too fast, they text while driving, they collect credit card debt, they eat too much, they waste their time on TV, they smoke cigarettes, and so on.

Pause here to reflect on the risks that you're taking.

Consider everything that you take for granted or assume can't happen to you.

Then, begin making changes.

Your life is too precious to waste on something foolish.

Today's Task: Slow down and live as if you were going to be here for a long time.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of Create Success

714-528-1300

How to Come Home Alive

The statistics are in.

Now we have proof that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunk driving.

In fact, it's a lot more dangerous.

This should be obvious.

At least the drunk is trying to watch the road (maybe both of them).

The person who is texting is trying to press buttons.

In fact, the person who is busy texting doesn't even know that an accident is about to happen until after it's over. Assuming the texter survives.

So - Please - here is an urgent reminder: Don't text and drive.

The life you save may be my client.

Seriously, if this blog saves one life - your life, it was worth writing it. 

Today's Task: Turn your cell phone off before starting your car.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of Create Success

714-528-1300

This Bank Has Too Much Money

Update: Maxwell Goodcat received mail.

It was an invitation to open a credit card account.

First, Maxwell is a cat, who:
 

1) Has no money, and
 

2) Was returned to a pet adoption service after destroying $6,000 worth of furniture and carpeting.

However, aside from the damage that he caused, Maxwell was a wonderful cat.

But, that's beside the point.

How many people (in North America) do you think do not have a credit card?

Six? Eight? Maybe Nine?

And of these, how many of them are waiting by their mailbox for a credit card application?

Two?

So, why would anyone think that such an ad campaign might find another customer?

The point: Make sure that your efforts to find new business have a finite chance of accomplishing a result.

Consider: A new economy requires new ways of thinking.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of Meow (poems about cats)

714-528-1300

Time for a Review

Here we are with two-thirds of the year gone.

So how are you doing?

Here's a friendly reminder to check on your progress and make adjustments.

You might consider:

1) What have you accomplished so far this year?

2) How does that compare with what you planned to do at the beginning of the year?

3) What changes do you need to make in your plans? That is, what new opportunities have appeared? And what no longer needs your attention?

4) What would you like to accomplish during the next four months?

5) What actions will you need to take so that you can achieve these goals?

A review like this is always beneficial. I encourage you to conduct one today.

Today's Task: Review and revise your plans for the year.

Much success,

Steve Kaye

Results Specialist

Speaker, Meeting Facilitator, and Author of Create Success

714-528-1300

Labor Day

 

Everyone seems to be taking a holiday.

 

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Even this Black Phoebe let a bee escape.

 

Enjoy the holiday.

 

Much success,

 

Steve Kaye

Nature Photographer

 

PS I need help. More birds lead to more photos. See: Help Birds