Posts Tagged ‘RAC’
Friday, August 20th, 2010
If you Google the word entrepreneur, you will find a number of definitions which will include some version of the phrase “a person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture.” Albeit this definition is tactically accurate, I believe the true essence of an entrepreneur is much more. An entrepreneur is an individual who has a dream, a vision, a purpose, and is committed to make it happen!
It all starts with a dream and an intense desire to build something of value. Many people dream about inventing something, seeing the world change based on their efforts, or building a successful business around their craft, talent, or expertise. These dreams are vital to the strength and success of the United States. Over 90% of businesses in the United States are defined as small businesses and employ less than 99 people. Many of these small businesses started with a tiny seed planted by an emerging entrepreneur. What have you dreamt would be your gift to the world? What inspires you the most? What are you naturally (skills, abilities, and gifts) good at? Could your dream become a viable business? What action have you taken?
In addition to the dream, an entrepreneur needs to have a clear and concise vision of what the business will look like. What service or product will it provide and to what customer base? Equally as important as identifying the product or service is identifying the measurable value the product or service will bring to the customers served. Knowing that RAC strives to “be the world class leader in the learning and development field, help organizations develop a competitive edge, improve the quality of lives and create a better today and tomorrow” keeps our company focused on success and growth for the right reasons.
A successful entrepreneur must also have a purpose. Being in business for the sake of being in business, for the sake of making money, or for the sake of “getting out of corporate” is not enough. Purpose fuels the drive necessary to make success happen and to make it meaningful. What are you passionate about? What do you strongly believe in? Are your passions and beliefs being met in your current role, and are you truly satisfied? Be honest with yourself! Now is the time to really identify your purpose and assess whether or not you are settling or thriving. As British author, Rose Tremain said, “Life is not a dress rehearsal.” We only get one shot to fulfill our dreams, vision, and purpose. What is currently standing in the way of you having your own successful business? Given your talents, passions, and values how could you become a viable resource and contribute to others?
80% of people who say they want to be in their own business are daydreaming. Only 20% actually take action and do what is necessary to make it happen. Your level of success is entirely your choice. As Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, says “It is every individual’s choice. You can choose to live at a level of survival, a level of success, or a level of significance.” Will your significance be achieved by serving others through your own business? Are you one of the 20% who will actually take action and accomplish success through entrepreneurship?
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: contribution, entrepreneur, Google, Purpose, RAC, Resource Associates Corporation, success, United States
Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010
There continues to be a great deal of focus on organizational culture and environment. Whether you are focusing on that issue for the first time or whether you are looking at changing or improving an existing culture, it may be wise to remember that, like the long journey which begins with one step, an organizational culture is the cumulative effect of individual attitudes, values, and standards. Changing or improving the culture begins with a focus on the individual.
 How you genuinely feel about yourself, your worth, and the worth of others greatly influences everything you do and the results you achieve. How the people in your organization feel about themselves, their worth, and the worth of others will affect their achievements and the culture of the organization. Goal setting is a process that creates an environment in which people want to succeed and are recognized and rewarded for achievement. Another tool that can positively influence growth is affirmations. An affirmation is a statement that reinforces what you believe to be true. You use affirmations every day, both in thought and conversation. These are often ideas you have taken from some other source—quotations, scripture, and family sayings—which reinforce your values.
Such borrowed expressions only become effective affirmations when they correspond with your value system and internal beliefs. Once accepted and internalized, they lose their borrowed qualities and become part of you. The power of affirmations can be best recognized when we realize that the mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined. For example, suppose late at night, you imagine there is a prowler in your home. Are you less frightened than if you knew there was a prowler in your home? Certainly not. You are afraid because you imagine a fearful situation.
The use of affirmations to reinforce growth and improve conditions is an application of the same principle. Through the use of affirmations, you begin to imagine that you possess those qualities and skills that you want to develop more. You begin to visualize yourself acting and behaving in a manner consistent with your goals. As your new image becomes clearer, the behavior is easier. The use of affirmations is also an effective management tool. By affirming certain characteristics and behaviors and helping others to develop affirmations, you can enhance growth and development throughout the organization.
Affirmations should have the following qualities: they should be positive, stated in the first person singular, should be within the realm of capacity to believe, and should be directly related to your goals. Affirmations should also employ the power of spaced repetition. By repeating affirmations over and over, day after day, these positive thoughts begin to affect the subconscious mind and influence behavior. If, at first, affirmations seem difficult to compose and use daily, remember that you are developing a new habit. Once you see and feel the results that follow the repeated use of affirmations, you will want to use the tool with others. Affirmations help use to see others and ourselves not as we are but as we can become.
Create a culture in your organization in which failure is viewed as an opportunity to learn and critical to innovation and discovery. Recognize and reward new ideas, attempts to improve something, and even failure when it results in trying something new or an attempt to improve a process. Encourage innovation and utilize the goal setting process to get people to set stretch goals and brainstorm innovative solutions. It stimulates creativity, broadens options, and produces better decisions by looking at many alternatives and selecting the best.
Goethe said, “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and help them to become what they’re capable of being.”
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in business and management consulting, strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching, and youth leadership. For more information visit http://www.resourceassociatescorp.com/ or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: affirmations, culture, goal setting, Goethe, Leadership, RAC, Resource Associates Corporation, success
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »
Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Valueship is not a new concept. Those who are leading successful companies are doing so because they are practicing valueship.
James L. Heskett, former UPS Foundation Professor of Business Logistics at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvey University, and Leonard A. Schlesinger, the George Fisher Baker Jr., Professor of Business Administration, senior associate dean and director of external relations for Harvard Business School, have studied the correlation between leadership, behavior, and organizational performance. They found that leaders of the best-performing organizations defined their jobs as:
- Identifying and constantly communicating commonly held values
- Shaping such values to enhance performance
- Ensuring the capability of people around them, and
- Living the commonly held values
Never before has Valueship been more important than today. Role models, athletes, corporate leaders, and government officials are accused and convicted of crimes both small and large. Our daily entertainment consists of television and video games filled with violence, impropriety, and questionable values. Implicit in all of this is a subtle approval of behavior we then verbally condemn. By our actions or our apathy, we are setting the standards and values or lack of them for our employees, our children, and the next generation. The need for Valueship can be seen in every profession, rank, and industry. The important decisions we make in life and in business should be influenced by values.
Valueship is a process of leading people and organizations with as much focus on doing the right things as doing things right. When people, processes and structure are in alignment with the values, vision, and strategy, the individual and the organization is balanced and the actions of each produce positive results for the other. When people feel as if they are an important part of the organizational whole, are committed to the goals and values of the organization, and see the leaders living these goals and values, they will generally be motivated to do good and even exceptional work. The result is a strategic alignment of resources and true organizational cohesion.
Value-based leadership begins with identifying core values. Core values are the basic principles that we have chosen to guide our actions. Core values define beliefs, standards, and acceptable behavior. Once determined and communicated throughout the organization, they guide and govern the decisions and actions of the individuals and the organization. The core values shape the organizational culture the behavior and the actions of all who are associates with the organization. The core values provide the framework for decisions, priorities, and actions.
Many people have given little more than a passing thought to identifying the values that govern their personal behavior, and even fewer organizations have done so. Instead, they accept the values of others or let situations determine the values. In almost all cases in which values are not clearly defined, good decisions are more difficult to make. Without values, people are easily influenced and decisions are subject to frequent change or compromise. Situational values confuse people and create problems and complexity.
Successful leaders make important decisions based on a set of core values and do the right things for the right reasons. In an organization, personal values may differ. A leader will help everyone focus on common values that will engineer a desire for cooperation and teamwork, without invalidating those personal differences. What are your values? Can you easily and specifically identify them? What about people throughout your organization? Are they committed to the organizational values?
“My firm belief is that values are the buoys in the channel of commerce. During the course of your career, you’ve got to make thousands of decisions. You’ve got to react to what happens every day. But if you can’t tie your decisions back to your core values, you get lost. Totally lost.” James R. Houghton, former chairman and CEO of Corning Incorporated.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve sustainable results through management consulting, strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching and youth leadership. For information on creating a leadership succession plan visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Corning, Harvard, Leadership, people, process, RAC, Resource Associates Corporation, strategic alignment, strategy, UPS, Values, valueship
Posted in Values | No Comments »
Monday, July 26th, 2010
He went to war as a Captain and returned as a Private. Afterward, he failed in business. As a lawyer in Springfield he was too impracticable and temperamental to be a success. As he turned to politics, he was defeated for the legislature in 1832. In 1833, he ventured into the business world again, and again he did not succeed. 1834, he was elected to the state legislature. In 1838, he was defeated for Speaker, in 1840, he was defeated for Elector. In 1844, he lost a race for a congressional seat. In 1846, he gained a seat in Congress, only to lose it in 1848. He ran for the Senate in 1854, but lost. In 1856, he ran for Vice President but lost again. In 1858, he ran for the Senate again and again was defeated. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States.
Certainly, Lincoln’s life was a bit unusual. Not many of us are born in a log cabin and rise to be the leader of one of the greatest nations in the world. But there are lessons to be learned from Lincoln’s journey to success. The road to outstanding goal achievement is filled with adversity. If you expect your road to success to be a smooth highway, you will be frustrated and disappointed. The journey is a process of trying, failing, adjusting, and choosing to continually move forward. Along the way you will make mistakes, but without mistakes there is never progress.
Often people fear making mistakes, but fear of mistakes inhibits your personal development. Rather than risk making another mistake, you might tend to play it safe. Fear of failure breeds mediocrity and the accomplishment of very little.
If you suffer from a fear of mistakes, you can conquer it by changing your attitude. Recognize that past errors, mistakes, and negative experiences do not inhibit your development. In fact, they contribute to the learning process. Use them as feedback for personal and professional growth. If you make a mistake, admit it, learn from it, adjust your thinking, and redirect the necessary efforts toward your goal. Focus on the positive. Consciously forget the error and dwell upon the successful aspects of the attempt. No one likes to make mistakes, but the fact is everybody does. You can choose to view a mistake either as a failure or as a lesson learned. If you continue to criticize yourself for past errors, you will perpetuate the very behavior you want to change. The moment you change your mindset and stop giving power to past mistakes, you will be released from the power that past mistakes have over you.
Errors are road signs to direct you on your journey to personal success and achievement. They are necessary steps in the learning process, but they are a means not an end. When they have served their purpose for learning, move past them. You are responsible for your own success. Take responsibility for your mistakes and failures and don’t try to shift blame to other people or circumstances. Remember, by taking responsibility in life you will also gain power and influence.
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in the world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, make them.” George Bernard Shaw
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, accomplishment, failure, George Bernard Shaw, learning process, mistakes, RAC, Resource Associates Corporation, success
Posted in Personal Development | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
 Often when succumbing to frustration, businesses and individuals find success to be a fleeting proposition. There is no question that success is a journey, but it can become a very manageable and measurable journey focused on desired outcomes and results. There is a significant difference between wishing for success and accomplishing success. And, that difference makes all the difference in the world!
Successful businesses and successful people have a long list of attributes that contribute to and foster their accomplishments. However, the objective of this article is to focus on five foundational attributes that apply to both personal as well as business success. Understanding and committing to these five core attributes will definitely propel you to a higher level of success.
Perspective: For the last three summers the Food Network has run the show “Who The Next Food Network Star.” Within the first several weeks of the season the judges inquire as to each contestant’s culinary point of view. What is his/her unique perspective on food, cooking, and the potential audience he/she may be in front of with this individual’s own show? Why would the audience at home want to watch their show and learn these recipes and techniques? Differentiation is critical as with your business and you. What is your business’s unique point of view? How does your business’ perspective differ from the competition? What are your unique set of beliefs to business and your life, and how can YOU capitalize on those?
Conviction: Having a strong belief in yourself and your business goes hand in hand with your unique perspective. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest) rate your belief in yourself and your belief in your business. Are your ratings where you want them to be? If not, why not? What you accomplished yesterday is a great measurement of the success of past decisions. However, your conviction or belief in yourself and in your business is a huge predictor of your future success.
Vision: Where do you want to go? What do you want to become? Why? Just like an organization’s vision your personal vision should be a short, succinct, and an inspiring statement of what you intend to become and achieve at some point in the future. Vision refers intentions that are broad, all-inclusive and forward thinking. It is the image that a business must have of its goals before it sets out to reach them. It describes aspirations for the future, without specifying the means that will be used to achieve those desired ends. Warren Bennis, a noted writer on leadership says: “To choose a direction, an individual (an organization) must have developed a mental image of the possible and desirable future state.”
Experience: Every individual and every business represents a unique set of skills and knowledge. How can you leverage those talents?
Attitude: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.” This quote by Charles Swindoll states that attitude is more important than many things. The remarkable thing about attitude is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, and we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is control our attitude and stay focused. Your attitude is your greatest tool!
Your challenge is to review these five attributes and conduct an honest assessment of where you stand as it relates to your perspective, conviction, vision, experience, and attitude. Are these five attributes propelling you to success, or are they hindering your desired outcome? Based on your answer to the last question what additional steps do you need to take or what do you need do differently? Your outcomes are directly connected to your choices—so choose wisely.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: attitude, Attitudes, Bennis, conviction, perspective, RAC, resource associates, results, Swindoll, Vision
Posted in Attitudes | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
 No matter how well informed you may become, no matter how much knowledge you acquire in your field, it is important to remember that very few have ever accomplished more or gone far in any endeavor without the assistance and cooperation of many people. Leadership, goal achievement, and effective communication are inseparable, and they are all inextricably tied to trust. Valueship provides the values, direction, and strategy that support and guide behaviors.
Open and honest communications are always important, but in times of major change, communication is critical. When people are unsure and insecure and feel as if they don’t know what’s going on rumors and innuendos abound, and blame generally gets placed on management. Not knowing is worse than knowing (even bad news). Take the time to communicate face-to-face if possible, one at a time. This gives you an opportunity to show your concern and respect. It also gives you and them the opportunity to address questions and feelings, as well as discover the best solutions. What and how you communicate is critical.
Communication is the exchange of ideas between two people. It involves more than telling. Effective communication is “connecting.” Effective communication results in understanding and it involves feeling. It is an active two-way process. It is not accurate to think that when we communicate with others, we transfer a precise piece of information from one mind to another. Words in and of themselves do not have explicit meanings that are unaffected by other influences. Instead, people have meaning for them. The meaning that any one person places upon words is influenced by gestures, expressions, intonations, and beliefs.
It is in the sharing of ideas and thoughts and emotions between 2 or more people that communication occurs. Exchanging facts or data is only part of the process. The feelings and emotions that develop during the course of any transaction strongly influence the behavior of those involved, and ultimately the outcome of the conversation. Human behavior is rarely a result of strictly logical and rational thought. Effective communication hinges on our ability to make emotional contact with the listener.
Once you understand the role that emotions play in communication, you can begin to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. This is called empathy, and it is a quality that can be cultivated by developing genuine interest in other people. It is far easier to do this when you are authentic, genuine, and honest.
Empathy is not to be confused with sympathy, nodding your approval, or simply agreeing with another person’s point of view so as to appear understanding. Empathy is recognizing the fact that others are entitled to their beliefs, just as you are, that they have certain needs to satisfy and goals to achieve, just as you do. Communicate with both words and actions that reveal genuine interest in people as individuals and in what they say and feel. They need to know you appreciate their efforts and their accomplishments are recognized. Knowing their needs, you can chart a career path designed to give them what they want and contribute to the overall achievement of the organizational goals. People respond positively to this type of leadership because they realize that they are actually only doing what you sensed they wanted to anyway.
For some reason, many people believe that the ability to speak articulately is an important prerequisite to successful communication. St. Francis of Assisi said that we should “Seek first to understand then to be understood,” It is impossible to find out what someone is thinking or feeling unless we listen to what they are trying to tell us. In valuing others, what others are trying to tell us, we establish value for what we are trying to communicate to them. By valuing others we add value to ourselves.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: communication, empathy, Francis of Assisi, Leadership, RAC, resource associates corp, Resource Associates Corporation, strategy, Values
Posted in Communications, Leadership | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
 “Your listeners won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” - Anonymous
One fundamental truth about effective communications is that people will not believe what you say if they don’t believe in you. Credibility is the cornerstone of successful communication. To be an effective communicator, you must be believed. To be believed, you must be credible. To be credible, you must be authentic. To be authentic, you must be genuine. You must be you! Accordingly, authenticity is a state of constant evolution. The authentic person is someone who knows who they are, who they want to become, and what their core values are. Authentic people value themselves and give value to others. They are usually confident and open, trusting, trusted, and believable.
Authentic also means genuine and trustworthy, and trust is vital. People trust you when you are honest with them. Honesty is a critical leadership trait. People need to know you have no hidden agendas and that you honor your commitments and promises. Trustworthiness and believability are synonymous. You can’t have one without the other. To communicate persuasively and effectively you must earn trust, and to earn trust, you must be believable. So, how do you do it?
The first step in being more believable is being yourself. By knowing yourself and understanding your own fears, anxieties, goals, and aspirations, you will be able to relate more closely to others. The key to understanding others is self-understanding. People are more inclined to hear and believe someone who is honest and genuine. Belief is acceptance on faith. Some people will believe you on first impression. Others will need more time. They’ll want to get to know you and need to realize promises kept and will want to know that you walk the talk.
Most people learned early in life who should be trusted. Generally it was those people who were easy to understand and read. People who were happy, warm and caring made you feel good, and you trusted them. Others whose competence and confidence in you and gave you confidence to grow, were also people you trusted to help you achieve goals. These are the same qualities you look for today. These are the qualities others look for you to exhibit. Learn to recognize and speak the language of trust. Strength in your voice, confidence and openness in your posture, and genuine interest in your expressions are all qualities you can use to create trust. Use your personal energy, enthusiasm, and facial expressions along with your words. When you coordinate your vocal tone with your words, with your actions, and with visual messages, you are more likely to be trusted and believed. Trust is one of the most basic but most powerful tools for change.
Many will hear everything you do and say. Your words and actions should be consistent to send the message you want to send. Your personal values and beliefs will be evident through your actions and behavior more than by your words. The only way to communicate values is to act in accordance with them. You can write volumes about the right way to treat people or speak about customer focus or cost containment, but if you publicly berate a staff person, or make a customer wait while you finish a personal matter, or blatantly waste supplies, your message will be what your behavior shows, not what your words say. The more congruency there is between your words and your actions the more people will trust you. As Jack Welch said, “Trust is enormously powerful in a corporation. The only way I know to create that kind of trust is by laying out your values and then walking the talk. You’ve got to do what you say you’ll do consistently and over time.”
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Authenticity, communication, Jack Welch, Leadership, RAC, resource associates, Resource Associates Corporation, trust, Values
Posted in Communications, Leadership | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
 Significant changes in customer retention rates have resulted in extraordinary improvements in profitability. One survey found that a 5% increase in customer retention consistently resulted in a 25% to 100% increase in profits. These almost unbelievable results would suggest that there must be a powerful force, (your emotional connection to your customer) which needs to be understood and effectively managed.
Creating a new business model that focuses on loyalty would then suggest, in fact, a linkage between all elements of a business system: your employees, customers, and investors and the generation of profits. Providing customer value begins with a management philosophy that supports the cultivation of strong customer relationships and is implemented by having properly trained and motivated employees who know how to deliver value. Research has shown that customers who have an emotional connection and feel valued will repeatedly come back and do business with your organization as well as provide a strong referral base for new customers. Loyal customers repeatedly purchasing your product or service are what generate sustainable business growth and profit. However, your practices and processes that generate loyal customer relationships must be in place before you will begin to see a profitable impact. This model does not work in reverse, although many organizations by their actions appear to think the reverse is possible.
This new business model is important because it initiates a series of steps that can cascade through an organization as follows:
- Revenues and market share grow as your best customers (loyal customers) build repeat purchases and recommend you to others who also become loyal.
- Employee retention increases due to job pride and satisfaction, which in turn creates a loop that reinforces customer retention through familiarity and better service to the customers. Customers like doing business with people they know and your employees want to do the right things because it makes their job easier and far less stressful.
- As costs go down and revenues go up, profits increase. Improved profits provide resources to invest in employee development and compensation (further increasing retention), and in new features and products that enhance customer value. Profits are important not just as an end in themselves. They also allow the organization to improve value and provide additional incentive and reasons for employees, customers, and investors to remain loyal to your organization.
- Costs begin to shrink as the expense of acquiring and serving new customers and replacing old customers declines.
This loyalty model effectively provides insight to success versus failure in any organization. It is clear that the companies or organizations with the highest retention rates (retention of loyal customers) also earn the highest profits and maintain viability. As mentioned earlier, loyal customers reduce cost. In one study, it was found that in most service organizations word of mouth advertising accounted for one-third to one-half of all new customers. Relative customer retention also explains bottom line implications better than market share, scale, cost position, or any variables usually associated with a competitive advantage.
So what can you do differently for your business? Perhaps a good place to start would be to find better ways to create and sustain a loyal customer base. While there will be an investment, the advantages will be enormous for your customers, employees, and investors. Strictly from a financial perspective, revenues increase from improved service quality tend to be 10 to 20 times the costs associated with fixing the problem. What strategies do you need to implement today?
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve high levels of excellence and success by adopting customer loyalty strategies as a critical success factor of organizational success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Customer Loyalty, customer retention, emotional connection, employee retention, margins, profits, RAC, Resource Associates Corporation
Posted in Customer Loyalty | 1 Comment »
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
 “A financial analyst once asked me if I was afraid of losing control of our organization. I told him I never had control, and I never wanted it. If you create an environment where the people truly participate, you don’t need control. They know what needs to be done and they do it.” - Herb Kelleher, Co Founder of Southwest Airlines
High performance people see things not only as they are, but also as they could be. This is the first step in creating an environment and structure where people truly participate and genuinely believe they are integral to the organization’s success. When people expand their focus on the possible, they begin to seek new and better ways of doing things. They realize they have the capacity to shape their lives rather than accept things as they are. Leadership is the norm, not the exception. Everyone is encouraged to examine situations and lead in response to them. Previous habits of “doing it this way because we have always done it this way” give way to new attitudes, innovative thinking, and process improvements. The philosophy “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” gives way to “regardless of how good it is, we can make it better.”
Mentoring people to higher levels of performance requires that you establish the conditions within which performance serves both the organization’s as well as the individual’s best interests. The structure and culture of the organization must support the efforts of the individuals. Everyone needs to realize that his or her best interests and personal successes are served by the success of the entire organization. If the environment is not conducive to supporting and guiding people to new levels of achievement, new skills and behaviors will not thrive. You cannot lead people to higher levels of achievement if the structures do not support the behavior.
The way people think leads to what they do. What people do leads to results. If you want to improve results, it makes sense to improve the way people think. Significant achievement is not likely without change, and change in behavior starts with a change in thinking.
You have no doubt heard the expression, “We are creatures of habit.” There is considerable truth to that statement, for almost all that we do and most of what we think is the result of habits that have been formed during the course of a lifetime. Much of what we do in a 24-hour period demands little conscious thought because we have developed habits that help us accomplish a number of things. Just as much of our behavior is habit, so are most of our attitudes. Attitudes are habits of thought. We have thought the same way about something for so long that it is now a habit. While some habits are useful in preventing us from having to consciously figure out the mechanics each time we confront a familiar situation, many habits keep people from stretching their capabilities and trying new, inventive, and possibly better ideas or techniques. Behavior and performance are likened to attitudes. If you want to improve performance, you have to improve the habits of thought that improve performance.
How are the “we have always done it this way” attitudes and habits holding your organization back from the success you need to achieve?
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Attitudes, Behaviors, habits, Herb Kelleher, Leadership, mentoring, peak performers, RAC, Resource Associates Corporation, Southwest airlines
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Attitudes determine the way we treat people. They affect the way we perceive change. They influence our ability to set and reach goals. Attitudes affect our ability to realize and progress through Maslow’s levels of need satisfaction (http://www.abraham-maslow.com/). The following sequence may help you see the significance of attitudes.
Results: Each of us as goal seekers want to achieve certain results from our lives.
Behavior: The results we get depend upon our behavior, how we react to situations.
Attitude: The results we get depend upon our behavior and attitudes toward the people or events involved, and toward ourselves.
If attitudes are basically negative, goals will be set low, and it will be difficult to progress. Growth and promotion will be all but impossible until a positive mindset is developed.
You can identify people with negative attitudes by their actions and by their reactions. When presented with a challenge their focus will be on problems: what can’t be done, and why things won’t work. Their discussions will often revolve around negative issues and blame. They do not respond well to compliments and will even discount them. However, they remember every one of their failures and mistakes, and this memory stifles much of their activity. They are usually part of the problem not part of the solution.
If attitudes are basically positive, individuals will focus on possibilities and ideas for improvement. This will be evident in the way they treat people. They will be very comfortable giving others credit, and their transactions will be directed at making others feel better about themselves. They accept both constructive criticism and compliments with open consideration and appreciation. They are regularly part of the solution and rarely part of the problem.
It is important to understand that attitudes are developed very early in life. Years and years of early conditioning helped to develop the attitudes that many people carry with them throughout life. Much of early conditioning was negative, what you can’t do, where not to go, etc. For the most part, negative attitudes are far more prevalent than positive attitudes. Too many people think more often of what’s wrong, how they might fail, and why it won’t work rather than what’s good, what’s right, and how it can work.
On the positive side, since attitudes are developed, they can be changed. In fact, as a leader, you will frequently find yourself in a position to help people develop positive attitudes. The first step is understanding that what took years to develop will also require some time and effort to change. Daily encouragement is important. Positive input on a daily basis will help to replace some of the negative attitudes with positive ones. Audio books, articles, brainstorming sessions, affirmations, and seminars are some techniques you can employ to create positive input.
There are many ways and opportunities to create a learning organization with a focus on positive attitudes and possibility thinkers. Recognition programs, leadership opportunities, personal mentoring, and corporate coaching (http://www.resourceassociatescorp.com/whatwedo/lifebuscoach) are but a few ways to help your team develop the appropriate attitudes focused on goal achievement. One of the vital contributions a leader can make is instilling the desire and creating the opportunity for continuous improvement.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve sustainable results through leadership development and executive coaching. For information on creating a leadership succession plan visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Attitudes, Behavior, Coaching, goal achievement, Leadership, Maslow, RAC, Resource Associates Corporation, results, success
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