Monday, February 22, 2010

4 Steps to Improvement

Why make things more complicated than they have to be?




Here are four simple steps to take in order to make improvements in virtually anything you pursue.





  1. Know your desired outcome.

  2. Take action.

  3. Notice if it’s working.

  4. If it’s not working, try something else.



Oversimplified?




Not really.




Stick to it and accomplish things.




Fight it and risk wallowing in mediocrity.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Find What's Right Day

It’s easy to find things that are not going well.  Alarms go off too early, cars don’t start, busses are missed, toast is burned, lines are too long, reports are missed, on and on.



We get what we look for thanks in part to the the brain’s gatekeeper, the Reticular Activating System  (RAS), the part of the brain that filters out noise and stimuli so we can function.  It’s why you notice things in the world that are important to you.  The parent who hears a baby gurgle in the next room, how you hear your name in a crowded room, or see your dream car on the highway.



Why don’t you spend the day testing your RAS and be on the lookout for everything that’s going right in your world.  From green lights, to unexpected checks in the mail, finding a good deal on a new suit, or accepting gracious complements on your hair.  Instead of being convinced you’ll be a victim of Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong", be determined to be a recipient of its opposite, “Anything that can go right will go right.”



Challenge yourself to find everything right in yourself and others.  This may be odd at first, because you may not do it very often.  Tomorrow, do it all day long.  Within a few hours you will notice things you never noticed before and it will lift your spirits and awareness.  Share what happens.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Snakebite and Venom

b007_19ATwo friends are walking along a path when they happen across a rattlesnake. One of the men, pompous and careless, severs the snake with an ax, but not before it bites the foolish man on the wrist. The man wails and flails his arm all about in pain while his companion is immobilized with panic. There is a third man, an experienced hiker several hundred feet away who has witnessed the events. Which one is you and what do you do next?



Perhaps you are the foolish man, filled with bravado who acts violently in the face of latent danger and who is paying the painful price of his folly.

Maybe you are the other man, made powerless with indecision and panic, whirling about uselessly.


Or perhaps you are the experienced hiker, equipped with the knowledge that, although painful, snakebites don’t kill people, it’s their venom. Venom that if not removed, courses through the veins, accelerated by the constant movement and shaking of an ignorant and fearful victim.



This scene is repeated in people’s lives nearly everyday. We’ve all experienced painful situations. We may have antagonized someone who then lashes out at us, or we may have come across trouble unexpectedly and been the victim of a painful blow. Our first inclination is to lash back, to bellow accusations of unfairness and to blame our trespassers. If only we recognized that energy would have been better spent by removing the venom and repairing the damage. How often are we the experienced hiker, witnessing these events yet instead choosing to keep walking rather than help those who are angry, confused or hurting? Even though we have the skills or knowledge that could solve the problem, bring about calmness, alleviate pain, or perhaps even save a life, we decide not to get involved.



Therein sits one of the differences between a leader and a follower. Leaders get involved. They act. They do not shrug their shoulder and sigh, “Oh, well.” They give of themselves, protect people and remove the venom from the veins of others, and teach others to do the same.



When trouble looms before you, what role will you play?

Friday, February 19, 2010

Tigers are Not Always Ferocious

Tiger Woods GolfAmericans are well conditioned on seeing a public figure apologize for their infidelity or crimes.  Its frequency is almost seasonal.  We are an unforgiving lot as you work your way to success; and take a morbid joy in seeing people stumble.  Inevitably, those who have a passion for what they do, brush themselves off and work on atonement, either with self deprecation or extra ambition to “do-good” in the world.  And as a culture, we love a comeback story.



Because we’re experienced in these matters we’ve become a bit more discerning.  For example, we no longer like it when a straying politician has his wife standing next to him in the limelight.  We prefer our tarnished stars take their lumps quickly and alone.



I’ve often felt public figures should hold themselves to slightly higher standards.  They have to manage their image, which is their brand; but they don’t NEED to be role models.  We just like it when they are because it takes the pressure off ourselves.



At some point in our lives, we are all role model for someone.  The question is, are me making a positive or negative difference?  Taking responsibility to be a role model builds in a level of accountability.  There’s that word again.  It’s okay, we know accountability keeps us focused.



Our responsibility pie has three slices, professional, personal and private.  The professional slice is how we pursue our career.  The personal slice contains the things that are unique to us as individuals; our opinions and beliefs.  The private slice is private; the things the world does not have a right nor a need to know.  When you’re a public figure, that slice of you life can get very thin.



Tiger Woods shared his remorse for his professional and personal transgressions during his press statement today.  His privacy, his relationship with his family, his rehabilitation and all that goes along with his own healing and redemption are private matters.  The public does not need to hear about them, and most don’t care.



As a sample of poor crisis and brand management the Tiger Woods matter is exemplary.  Anyone in customer service will tell you when there’s a problem, fix it and fix it fast.  Lay blame later.  Work on quality improvement initiatives on your own time.  Firs, solve the problem.



Some fans are calling Tiger Wood brave for his statement earlier in the day.  There was nothing brave about it.  It was the opening salvo of a rehabilitation campaign too long in coming.  His words may have been nice, and his delivery over coached and we may not know his sincerity for months to come.  We do know, addressing a group of friends, family, fans and the media like a sorrowful politician didn’t do him any favors.  Bravery is a press conference not an address.  Bravery is answering your critiques until you have exhausted their questions.



His words rang of him being selfish and apologizing for that.  Critics note his actions don't support this.  Choosing this medium on this day to speak was contrived.  Fans say it was the only opening on his schedule.  Selfish people never make room on their scedule.  Tiger Woods did not take the media spotlight today, it was given to him.  Supposed professionals continue to call his event a press conference, even though no questions were asked.  Networks continued to run his remarks in their entirely, “In case you missed it.  Just how important was it?



From a brand perspective, the goal is to get your unflattering stories out of the public light.  Tiger Woods, and those managing the personal and professional slices of his image have continued to keep the story alive.



A brand for a company is a promise.  A brand for an individual is called your reputation.  The reality is you cannot control your reputation, after all it’s noting more than other people’s perception of what you do.  The best you can do is know your values and beliefs and practice them everyday.  If you fail to, you will eventually fail.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Angry People Are Boring

There's anger in our nation and there's plenty to be angry about, however we should stop acting as though this is a new phenomena.  As a nation, we were angry ten years ago and ten years before that.  Take five random people and ask what they're angry about and at least four will tell you everything that's wrong with the world.  Of those four, two will agree and two will think the other two are to blame.  Be the fifth person.  It’s okay to get ticked off from time to time yet remain reasonable.



Have you spent time with angry people? They make a lot of noise, even when they pout and give the silent treatment you can hear the doors slamming and feet pounding and music blaring. They may incite some passive aggressive behaviors from you, either because you support them, or you disagree with them. Eventually though, all angry people become boring and boring people ultimately get ignored.



Anger isn't bad. It's a clue that something is assaulting our core beliefs and values.  If we don't respond to the feeling of anger we run the risk of letting our beliefs and values atrophy.  That is our nation’s biggest threat.



When we’re angry we make trigger reactions and are fueled by instinct.  That's good, it's a survival mechanism.  A quick vehicle to check our gut. However, it's not meant to be our primary modus operandi.  At some point if you want to affect change you need to shift from a reactive stance to a position of “respond-ability.”



Ever witness two people quarreling?  When we're not directly involved in the dispute it’s often times very amusing to watch and listen to the irrational  arguments and assertions they make and huge leaps of logic they take.  You can tell they're not hearing each other. They just want to be more right than their opponent.



Contrast that to an angry customer pitted against a well trained customer service professional. The professional may mirror the irate customer but they also empathize.  They’re not using the primitive brain to react and counter react, they are responding by being thoughtful and creating a setting where cooler heads can arrive at a mutually satisfying solution.



Anger is fine, but at some point, you need to act responsible and lower your irrational, venomous rhetoric so you can get to work on fixing what's making you angry to begin with.



If you just stay mad, the adrenaline rush may be fun for you, but you quickly degenerate into a whiner, and no one likes a whiner. Whiners make crappy leaders.  That’s the fundamental problem with the current political climate.  We have a bunch of angry whiners who love to make a lot of noise and get attention because they equate that with leadership.  It's not, it’s gimmickry.  People can’t resist a freak show, they’ll even spend money on it, but they quickly moved on.



Leaders do things.  Sometimes they make noise, sometimes they make mistakes; but they always do things.  Are you part of the angry mass, upset about something within your control?  Grab a mop and start cleaning up the mess instead of being angry about the size of the mop, or the floor, or the cleaning solution. Offer alternatives and lead people or shut up and get over yourself, you’re boring.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Snooze and Lose?

Snooze.001

Do you use an alarm clock to wake up?  Author, Ken Blanchard, a perennial optimist gifted with a positive attitude suggests it be renamed an Opportunity Clock.  Wouldn’t you prefer to be awakened by opportunity rather than an alarm?



Granted, some people like to sleep.   Just like a new vegetarian’s willpower prevents them from indulging in an artery hardening but delicious prime rib, there are those who relish their slumber.  They deeply value it.  It rejuvenates them.  They would never agree with statement, “There will be plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead.”  (To be clear where I stand, I have no problem eating a steak at 11pm, but that’s another story).



Have you seen the sobering advertisements the state of Michigan tourist board have put out, that remind us, “25,000 mornings, give or take is all the average person gets.”



What percentage of those mornings have you hit the snooze button and decided to put off the day for a little while longer?  I asked 235 people how often they hit the snooze button in the morning and here’s the results:



29% - Once


22%  - 2-3 times


9%  - More than 3 time


40% - Before it goes off




When you are living on purpose, you tend to wake up enthusiastically with the alarm, or one minute before it goes off.  Have you ever experienced that?  It’s amazing how you can program your mind that way.  Unfortunately many do not.  People who are not thrilled by the prospects of the day choose to snooze.  Inevitably they then run late and compound their stress.



ACTION: Live on purpose and find your passion.  Passion is easy to identify.  It keeps you up late at night and wakes you up in the morning.  It causes your heart to race, not with anxiety, but with anticipation.  As Wayne Dyer has often said, “You can decide to wake up and get out of bed, open the shades and mumble, good lord, it’s morning.  Or, you can wake up, get out f bed open the shades and declare, Good Morning, Lord.”  The choice is always yours.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

How Much and By When?

How Much.001

Some people make achieving goals sound like a mysterious science.  They complicate things.  I’m not saying achieving your goals is easy, infact, often it’s easier not too.  Which is why so many don’t.  It’s easy to stay with the status quo.  It’s even relatively easier to go back the way things were.  That’s hardly progress though.



Have you even been stymied after a long meeting that didn’t seem to produce any actions?  Or received instructions from your manager or even a customer that weren’t clear?  There are two questions that will help. How Much?  and By When?



Yes, there are other elements to effective goal setting, however these two questions cut through much of the clutter. “How Much?” is your volume measurement.  It can be anything; dollars, units, customers, votes, legislation. “By When?” gives you a timeframe; a day, week, month, year.  Put the two question together and you have the immediate basis for accountably.  Which is why it’s hard for some people to answer those questions.  They want wiggle room.  They don’t want the accountability.



No one “likes” accountability yet we all thrive when it’s there.  We’re at our best when we’re accountable to ourselves, our family, customer or constituents, and ultimately a higher calling.  Accountability creates movement.  How much and by why is the lever to get things moving.  Get in the habit of asking those questions and providing the answers to projects that are important to you.



It’s hard to predict the future, so sometimes your answers will be off.  Maybe your how much was too much or too little.  Your by when too near or too far.  It’s okay.  Revise the answer and keep going.  If we can hold ourselves accountable to those two progress inducing questions we can achieve more.



As an exercise, listen to your favorite or least favorite politician speak and see how often they offer answers to those questions.  It will give you insight to the breadth of their vision.  If they have no vision, by no means follow them.



Action: Ask, How Much and By When at least once a day for a week then share your results here or on the Karl Bimshas Consulting Facebook fan page. Did your quest for accountability tick people off?  Did you feel like you moved something forward?  Were you satisfied with the answers?  A caveat: make sure you provide your own How Much and by when answers to anyone who asks you.





Monday, February 15, 2010

How To Stay When You Want to Quit

Quit CovHere's the book that inspired the last 21 Days.




You can find “How to Stay When you Want to Quit; re-scripting your life from whiner to winner”, here or here.  Now there's a chance for you to win a FREE Copy.




Simply become a fan of Karl Bimshas Consulting on Facebook (Join Here) and make a comment on the Whiner to Winner series.  A random fan will be selected to get an autographed copy of the book.

So share your thoughts, insight or other ideas with other fans.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Final Thoughts - Whiner21 (Day 21)

Karl_Jan 2010

Here we are at Day 21!

For the last three weeks I posed a series of questions, exercises and thought starters aimed at helping you get over yourself and get working on something productive.





I’m sure you found concepts that can apply to virtually any job and any position in any organization.  Maybe it gave you some thought starters to begin moving your mind in a more positive direction.



My intention of these last 21 days was to help inspire others to maximize their strengths and continuously improve themselves and their organization or society, by bringing the powers of vision, passion and action.  I believe in some way doing so can help positively energize our nation and contribute to greater peace, prosperity, fun, understanding, responsibility and liberty in the world.



Now it’s up to you.  It’s time to put yourself back in the driver’s seat of your career and your life and begin pursuing the dreams, hopes, and aspirations that you’ve been moaning about all this time.  People believe in you.  I believe in you.  Now, believe in yourself and get to work.

Make the time to share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.




Want to learn more about Karl Bimshas Consulting and finding the a-ha within?

Email - Karl@karlbimshas.com
Call - 619.717.6204
Visit - www.karlbimshas.com
Write - Karl Bimshas Consulting
P.O. Box 83983
San Diego, CA  92138

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Meaningful Recognition - Whiner21 (Day 20)

recognition

There must be a regular diet of meaningful recognition.

Positive reinforcement, thanks and praise are the nutritional components of a healthy workforce, the helium that lifts the organizational balloon to new heights.  It is a currency that many organizations are afraid of spending; yet its value can be limitless.  Without it, or withholding it until the perfect moment, can result in at worst, a bankruptcy of human potential, and at best, leave people with a feeling of emotional deficiency.

All people want to do a good job, regardless of which motivations they declare to be driven by; the rewards of learning new experiences, enhancing important relationships or legacy building, people will respond to those who notice what they have already contributed with even greater performance.

It’s amazing.  Many times people think about thanking people for a job well done – but thinking is not the same as doing it. The best of intentions are still only intentions.  To make an impact you must actually do something.

Make a plan and recognize people for the good things they're doing.

Recognition Plan



Next up: “Final Thoughts”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Overwhelming Optimism - Whiner21 (Day 19)

JarOfOptimism

There must be a sense of overwhelming optimism.

The compelling vision is not only the day to day, here’s what we need to do and why, but the over arching, here is our place on earth, here’s our legacy, here’s the good that we wish to do.

Living that is what creates a legacy. Knowing that is what helps create positivism.

That positive approach has to be all-encompassing.  Tolerance of rampant apathy or negativism is a weakness.  If optimism is not visible in practice, alarms should sound and priority given to overcoming whatever the obstruction may be.

This does not forego the crucial role of devil’s advocate and challenging viewpoints -- but to leave negative feelings or remarks unchecked, even in the simplest day to day transactions, is to enable the contagion.  Counter the virus with positive encouragement and recognition. You don’t want to be Pollyanna with everything – that can be just as dangerous.  But negativity is an acid that corrodes everything.  It must be neutralized.



Are you more or less optimistic now than before you started this program?

How do you handle apathy or negativism when you encounter it?

(What more could you do?)

How do you recognize those who are positive?

Next up: “Meaningful Recognition”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Vision Thing - Whiner21 (Day 18)








publicdomainpictures

The organization must have a repeatable compelling vision and sense of purpose.

If possible it should be a clear and concise singular vision.  Every activity that the organization tackles must be able to foster a closer linkage to that compelling vision.  It must be memorable and repeatable so that every message, action and strategy supports the purpose with their obvious connections.

The clarity of the vision should be worded and promoted in a way that others can understand, support, be excited by, grow some passion around, and be inventive in discovering numerous ways to achieve that purpose. Too often people spend too much time and energy trying to create a literary masterpiece instead of a clear, easy to follow and understand vision. It’s a terrible waste of resources.

Leadership is about inspiring people – not tiring people and putting them to sleep.



Does your organization have a repeatable compelling vision and sense of purpose? (If it does, what is it?)

Does it excite you or anyone else?



Next up: “Overwhelming Optimism”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.



Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The 1st of the Four Musts - Whiner21 (Day 17)

450px-Washington_in_Public_Garden

The Four Musts are the things every organization, family or team need for optimal performance.  Now that you’re a winner your role is to act as curator for each of the “musts”.  The first must is about a leadership.





There must be a strong leader and strong, pervasive leadership.




Charisma is not leadership, although it can act as a helpful tool to quickly gain the acceptance of an audience.  Effective leaders share a passion for and a record of accomplishments.  Strong leadership is demonstrated daily by a person or a group of people who are honest, forthright, markedly visible and approachable.  Leaders fulfill their insatiable need to be out in front regularly.  When not actually walking on the frontlines then they talk with people who work there, both in “town hall” meetings and in one to one settings.  They remember that just as the shepherd is there for the benefit of the flock, leadership is there to serve the people and they take that responsibility seriously.



Do you have a passion for a record of accomplishment? What are your top three accomplishments right now?






How often do you talk to people who are on the front lines of your organization?



It’s one thing to talk like a leader – quite another to act like one.

Next up: “The Vision Thing”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Review Where We’ve Been - Whiner21 (Day 16)

PBTO_Ocean3

Let's take a moment to review where we've been so far, and notice how far you've already progressed.  The first thing you needed to do was to acknowledge and honor the change that was occurring around you.  You had to figure out how you were going to deal with it and learn how to get happy.  Once you identified that, you had to be prepared to defend and protect the things that made you happy.





Next, you needed to beware of the three-donkey day.  You learned that it was foolish to blame what you were going through on burnout when you were acting like an arsonist.  You had a choice.  You could change, ignore things for a little while, or move on, but you had to do something.  You rediscovered what motivates you and remembered the way you felt when you first got your job and why you wanted it in the first place.  And that it was up to you to choose your attitude and approach.



You needed to become less selfish so you began asking people, “What one thing can I do for you that will most help you make a positive difference?”  If you found people were being negative you started to challenge them, asking them why they were still doing what they were doing.  You figured out your learning style and began to identify in yourself, and others the places where you could begin to make the most positive impact; in customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and profitable revenue growth.  You knew that talking about it was a good start, but not enough, so you built weekly action plans around each goal.



It’s crucial to set goals with measurements and timelines, accomplishing them without that is more luck than effort.



You learned that you needed to protect your people at all costs.  To improve their jobs, their outlook and in fact, their lives was one of your key roles.  You’ve learned to begin to run to things – not away from things.  You now understand that it’s better to operate from a position of strength – not weakness as you continue to identify your vision.  It makes sense that people like to follow people who are passionate and competent and because of that you continuously refine your strengths.



It wasn’t easy.  You had to consciously get optimistic and turn everything into an upside.  You trained yourself to find the pony in nearly every situation.  It helped a lot to list your ten best excuses for not doing something to see how foolish you were truly acting.



Now you’re ready to learn about The Four Musts.



Next up: “The 1st of the Four Musts”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Monday, February 8, 2010

What Do You Want? - Whiner21 (Day 15)

Boy Dreamer

Take an inventory of what it is you want.  It is readily available or do you have to go someplace else for it?  Would you?



Maybe you’ve gotten comfortable with all your complaining.  People seem to be giving you pity – and you’ve been playing a great victim.  Keep it up and you could keep doing what you’ve been doing until you retire or die, whichever comes first.



But that’s no way to live, so how about spending some time working on you.  What do you want to do with yourself?  You’ve got to have a clue. Reach back into your childhood if you need to.



What did you want to be when you grew up?  Why?





Examine that in today’s context.  Is it still appealing?  If not, why not?  If yes, then why the heck aren’t you doing it now?





Go ahead; list your ten best excuses for not pursuing your dreams.  Write them down.  Prioritize them just like you would your goals.  Next, problem-solve them.  Get rid of the barriers.  Those SOB’s are keeping you from your dream.


10BestExcuses



Think of yourself as an actor on a television show.  You want to contribute toward getting high ratings each week so the show avoids cancellation; you want to get renewed each season.  So, you act and perform in a way that leads to the show’s success and you eventually earn awards.  Remember, you want to be a Highly Valued Star, not a Greatness Inhibitor.





Next up: “Review Where We’ve Been”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Find the Upside - Whiner21 (Day 14)

Journaling

Make sure your network is is not the only thing working.  The fish don’t always bite; the ball does not always go through the hoop. Changing your attitude takes effort too.  What’s going on in your world that you can use to your benefit?



Act like the boy who walked into a room full of horse manure.  While his father grimaced and plugged his nose, the cheery boy excitedly proclaimed, “There’s got to be a pony in here somewhere.



So, get optimistic and turn everything into an upside.  Make a game of it.  When you do, a boring training class coming up becomes a test of endurance.  Got a thick new policy manual to read?  Time to practice speed-reading.  You’re a champion problem solver!  Keep a log of the problems you successfully solve each day.  Track and improve your average.  Measure progress.



You need to make time for yourself.  Take a break from the madness.  If you can get away for a while, great, even for an afternoon or a lunch hour.  Get away from your job and work on something else.  Anything.  Make the best grocery list the world has ever seen.  Wax your car.  Clean your closet.  Play.  Go buy a set of Lego Bricks and build something.  Just make sure you’re active, and that you’re engaging as many of your senses as you can.  Sitting on the couch with a pint of ice cream watching reruns of “Friends” does not count.  You need to move your mind, body and heart. When you’re done, there needs to be something you can look at with that all but forgotten feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.  Go do it.  Then answer the question below.





What did you do that moved your mind, body and heart?





Next up: “What Do You Want? ”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Ask for Help - Whiner21 (Day 13)

lifepreserver

It may be time to start looking for something new – tap the network.  Ask for help.  People like helping people reach their goals.  Know your goal.





Goals are easy to find.  What things do you do at work that you enjoy?  Working with people?  Creating presentations?  Analyzing data?  Every time you find that passion, pay attention to yourself and see what you respond to.  Spend more time doing that. Describe how it feels.  Probably pretty darn good.  Enjoy it.  Relish it.  And do everything you can to repeat it.  Ignore, delegate or trade the rest if you can because it’s the passion-inducing moments that are going to give you your happiness and personal success.  People like to follow leaders who are passionate and competent so keep working on your skills and your strengths.



Don’t get lazy.  Just know your strengths.  Dig up any number of personal assessments or ask five people who you interact with daily what they think your strengths are.  Look for themes that are repeated and begin to focus on those things.  Refine your strengths.  Let the others atrophy – you weren’t built to do them anyway so don’t worry about them.

Strengths and Weaknesses



Next up: “Find the Upside”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Crumbs and Spilled Drinks - Whiner21 (Day 12)

spilled-milk2

When people ask, “how are you?” --don’t mumble, “fine”.  When they ask, “Can I do anything to help?” don’t say “No”.  Seek and ye shall find, ask and ye shall receive.

Very little will drop in your lap.  Come to think of it, the things that normally drop in people’s laps are crumbs and spilled drinks and the answers to your challenges aren’t in that!

Begin to tell people forcefully, calmly, professionally what you need them to do, so you can do your job.  Let them know if they can’t provide excellence, it will be difficult for you to deliver excellence.

Next up: “Ask for Help”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Action Plan

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Check Your Vision - Whiner21 (Day 11)

blurry-vision

If you’ve been doing the recommended exercises to this point, you’ve probably been hitting some emotions you didn’t know you still had and hopefully it’s been challenging and invigorating to you.  Hold on to that because you need to pay attention to those feelings and fight for what you need.

Lobby for change.  Be brave and run to things – not away from them.  Operate from a position of inner strength not external weakness.  You are better than the problem that is set before you.

If you’re still working through this you must still care and truly want to make a difference. Good for you!  Now, can you define it?  What is the difference you truly want to make?  You wont have to try hard; the answer is sitting right on the surface.  Something is spurring you on.  There’s a vision you have that is aching to be realized.  Now is the time to breathe some new life into it.

What lofty ideal do you want to achieve?  Don’t be put off by other people’s definition of lofty.  Your vision has to be seen through your eyes first.  Make it crystal clear.



Write down or draw your vision or picture of success.



Next up: “Crumbs and Spilled Drinks”

Tell me how it’s going for you.  Have you been following along these last few days or did you just stumble across this?  Are you scrambling to catch up or have these posts failed to resonate with you?  Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Fix What's Wrong - Whiner21 (Day 10)

FixIt

It takes true commitment.  Doing “it” even if it’s hard or you don’t feel like it.  The world is filled with enough poor leaders who negatively affect the lives of other people.  You must keep your commitments to others at all costs.

This is about responsibility and applies to anyone who has formal or informal influence over a team of people.  As a leader, people depend on you.  Anyone you come in contact with – you affect or influence in some way.  If you are not totally and completely there, then those influences such as downsizing, or a corporate initiative that everyone knows is foolhardy, will get to them.  It will fester and resentment will grow and that would be catastrophic.

Do not let it happen!  Protect your people by any means required.  Focus on improving their jobs, outlook, and life.  If you’re lucky you’ll feel better about yourself too.  If not, well at least you’re not the dead weight dragging everyone else down.



You might be so completely apathetic as to have adopted the, “so what, I don’t care, what difference does it make?” attitude.  That might be one of your problems.  It’s important that you find something to start to care about.  To know that you, can make a difference – and in fact it’s your human responsibility.

When something is wrong and you know it’s wrong or there is a direct or indirect assault to your values, beliefs, mission, goals or people, you need to fight back.  Do what is right even if it’s not correct.  Find a role – make a difference.  Don’t complain – express.  Take a stand.

Next up: “Check Your Vision”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Why Are You Still Here? - Whiner21 (Day 9)

Rainbow

Ask yourself, “Why are you still here?” Keep probing until one or more of the three intrinsic motivators are revealed.

  1. For personal development,

  2. Because of enriching experiences with others

  3. Or to work on leaving a legacy.




Why are you still here?

Now define your primary learning style.

  1. Is it Action-Oriented? Are you likely to roll up your sleeves and get to it, preferring to learn through trial and error?

  2. Are you People-Oriented?  Do you like to confer with others who may have experienced the problem prior to you?

  3. Or are you Information-Oriented?  Are you among the first to look for the training manual or some type of documentation you can refer to frequently?




What is your primary learning style.

It’s important to recognize that in business you need to be equally successful in three areas, Customer Satisfaction, Employee Satisfaction and Profitable Revenue Growth.  These are the three legs to the stool that you are resting your career on.  If the stool is wobbling - fix a leg before you fall off.



In which of these areas do you feel you could make the greatest positive impact?



Now, review all the choices that you made and answer the question, “What am I going to do in the tomorrow to get started?”



Review your answers.



Find linkages and hold yourself to your commitments.  Be open to the answers and make it your mission to accomplish the requests of anyone brave enough to provide you with honest feedback



Next up: “Fix What’s Wrong”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Making a Positive Difference - Whiner21 (Day 8)

Reach

As you begin to realize what it was that you had wanted to do in the first place, you may feel a growing frustration.  Perhaps you feel that the people around you are not moving fast enough.  They’re not making the same self-discoveries that you are and it is beginning to tick you off.

By now you should be convinced that if you continue to behave in the same glum manner you have been acting, you will build momentum and speed toward a much-deserved outcome.  Unfortunately, that outcome will probably not be a positive one.  You’re not doomed, but you need to change your approach toward the people you work with, and it doesn’t have to be complicated.  As a start, in true servant-leadership fashion, you should begin to ask others, “What one thing can I do for you that will most help you make a positive difference?”



You see, you probably owe your coworkers more than you’ve been giving them.  You should ask a few questions of yourself first.  Once you know your own answers begin asking your coworkers’ one on one.  Honestly answering these questions will create a positive and proactive buzz, the likes of which you probably have not seen in quite a long time.  With that newfound energy you can then direct the momentum that will give you far greater odds of reaching a more satisfying destination.  In this activity your leadership – not your management, is crucial.  It is important to reflect on some biblical wisdom that the shepherd is there for the flock, not the other way around.



Next up: “Why Are You Still Here?”

Share your comments, progress or tips on the blog, on the Karl Bimshas Consulting page on Facebook or on Twitter using the #whiner21 tag.