Focus Magnifies

Concentration of attention directed at any point will magnify that point. Other things become smaller in comparison. A personal crisis puts everything in life into a different perspective; everything else becomes trivial in comparison.

Magnification can be good when it is on the right things, or the right side of the issue. Continuously reminding any individual of their strengths will affect that person in a positive manner and allow them to intensify and utilize those natural talents to grow. Focus on a business problem will put other priorities down the list in terms of importance. That problem will likely get resolved.

However, focus on the negative will magnify the negative. The intensification of problems will not yield positive results. This is similar to planting weed seeds in a garden and then purposely watering them. The weeds will eventually choke out anything good.

You likely know at least someone that spends a great deal of time and energy on the negative. They can be pessimistic about almost anything. Perhaps you are like this. What can you (they) do about this? Unfortunately nothing. Outside of getting a lobotomy, this kind of person is doomed to a life of mediocrity, problems and diminishing returns – they will eventually get sick and die young.

I am kidding . . . sort of.

It is possible for the pessimistic to change but not easy. Using the earlier analogy, one must plant good seeds and water so that they will grow and choke out the weeds. Our thoughts become our words; to change our thoughts, we must change our words. If I speak constructive and positive – I plant good seeds. They [spoken words] may not be what I believe – at first, but by speaking them, I plant the seed in my mind. And, if I continue to speak what I want vs. what I have, they will eventually grow and become my thoughts.

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.

Be careful of your words, for your words become your actions.

Be careful of your actions, for your actions become your habits.

Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character.

Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.

Adapted from a quote by Mahatma Gandhi

Focus Magnifies

Leadership Deflation

Ever been publicly criticized; reprimanded; reproved?

Often goes something like this; "Great results from Colleague A & B – thanks A & B, but poor results from you – when are you going to get your act together and do as good as them?"

Think back to how that made you feel; where you inspired and motivated to rise up and embrace your mistake with a renewed devotion to do better? Probably not, unless you are a masochist.

This is a chicken way out of doing the right thing. It can be hard to reprimand or coach someone one on one and takes a great deal of energy and time. However, providing completely candid feedback in a private setting is the best method of solving any issue and will not only allow you to maintain the respect of your team, but will cause that level to grow – especially among those that you extended respect by coaching in private.

Only cowards publicly humiliate members of their team.

Leadership Deflation

Major in attitude

During a business unit review, I commented to the manager that her department had really improved. She enthusiastically responded, "Whatever you ask me to do, I am going to do my best to get it done." What a great attitude!

I can work with anyone that has a great attitude and help him or her to be successful. Poor attitudes are like hard crusty soil – it is very difficult to get anything to take root and grow. Weeds seem to do well.

Regardless of the level of education, ability or natural talents, the positive attitude will always outperform.

We should start a university with only one course; Developing a positive attitude.

This should be the only prerequisite.

Major in attitude

I will never forget

I am trying to imagine the experience of fighting in a war, having to focus all my energy, every hour of every day for months / years, trying to preserve my life.

I am trying to imagine what it would be like to have a family member in war, on the other side of the world, aware that I may never see them again alive.

I am trying to imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in war.

The truth is that I could never fully comprehend what any of this would be like. I am thankful that others have gone before me to provide the freedoms and privileges that I enjoy today.

I will however, never forget, because I know that history forgotten is almost certain to repeat itself.

Those who have fought and currently fight for our freedom deserve the highest honour that any of us can provide. Never take the freedoms that you enjoy for granted. This is how we honour and show our appreciation.

I will never forget

Mess up, Fess up, Dress up

On a 10 point scale, if you do everything right all the time – the highest level of customer satisfaction you will achieve is a 7 or 8. However, if you screw up, admit it, and make it right, you jump up to a 9 or 10.

Knowing this makes us welcome complaints and energizes problem solving.

Therefore, dropping the ball can be a fantastic opportunity.

Messing up and pretending that you didn't is one of the best ways to destroy a relationship.

Mess up, Fess up, Dress up

How fragile is your day

I overheard a college as he answered his phone.

"How are you?" he asks the caller.

"Why is that?" I overhear next but with a tone of concern indicating that the caller advised his day was not going so well.

"Really?" he questions with both concern and disbelief, but then quickly adds this next question, which I will never forget;

"Are you really going to let that define your day?"

It's actually a choice.

How fragile is your day

You are who your customer says you are

. . . not who you think you are.

Think for a moment about how the customers of the enterprise that you own or work in would describe it. (Name of enterprise) is ______, represents ______, and does ______ really well but does not do ______ very well at all.

Now compare this to what your enterprise seeks to be – the mission or purpose of the organization. It seems to me that if the two match – what you are trying to be and the perception of your customer – the organization is highly successful. Of course, the opposite is also true. The world does not view companies such as BP & GM in the way that they planned.

Facebook, Google, Amazon, Walt Disney, Wal-mart are all examples of successful organizations that actually look like they purposed to be (according to their mission statements).

This is elementary . . . except in failing organizations. Hmmm, perhaps this is the reason for their failure.

You are who your customer says you are