Posts Tagged ‘resource associates corp’
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
“Success is determined by our willingness to achieve and the spirit upon which we assume risk and responsibility.” Jan DeLory
If you read this quote and focus on the words that were selected, it packs quite a powerful punch. Success is defined in very individual and personal ways. Some people define success financially, some by the success of their children, some by professional title and status, and some by material items such as the size of the house or the brand of the car sitting in the driveway. How you define success is important to you and to you alone.
However, success by whatever definition is often elusive because of our ‘willingness to achieve.’ How many times have you heard a team member, an employee, family member, or friend say they wanted to achieve something: make more money, buy a new car, earn a promotion, etc., and in subsequent conversations they share their unending frustrations about why they are not accomplishing what they want. Sometimes our desire to achieve something far out weighs our willingness to achieve it. Willingness to achieve means doing what is necessary and having the appropriate attitudes to drive the required activity. Developing and maintaining appropriate attitudes takes courage, the courage to think and behave differently in order to achieve different results. Creating new habits of thought that link directly to desired results takes commitment that can’t waiver when challenges present themselves. Achievement worth having will take extra effort and dedication to the outcome—true success is never easy.
Do you have the spirit to assume the risk and responsibility for your success? Are you confident enough in what you want to achieve that you can say with confidence that you will take personal responsibility and face the risks of success head on? When working with people, one of my biggest frustrations is what I call the “success shell game.” Just like the street game where the shells are moved around in a random pattern for the person to identify which shell the pea is under, many individuals who find success elusive, are just moving the shells of their life around and around. In this case, each shell represents an outside force or circumstance which they believe is the reason for lack of results.
I couldn’t do it because …
It didn’t happen because …
It would have happened if only …
The truth of matter is that most times the obstacle lies deep within us. In the equation of success the only variable you can control with 100% certainty is you.
Most people know Oprah as one of the most iconic faces on TV as well as one of the richest and most successful women in the world. Oprah faced a hard road to get to that position. She endured a rough and often abusive childhood as well as numerous career setbacks including being fired from her job as a television reporter because she was “unfit for TV.” Stephen Spielberg’s name is synonymous with big budget. He was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film, and Television three times. He eventually attended school at another location, only to drop out to become a director before finishing. Thirty-five years after starting his degree, Spielberg returned to school in 2002 to finally complete his work and earn his BA. Finally, Winston Churchill, a Nobel Prize winner, twice-elected Prime Minster of the United Kingdom wasn’t always as well regarded as he is today. Churchill struggled in school and failed the sixth grade. After school, he faced many years of political failures, as he was defeated in every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister at the ripe old age of 62.
These are just three examples of individuals who wanted to achieve success and they had the courage, the willingness, and the spirit to do what it takes to make it happen. They did not let outside circumstances or obstacles stop them, and they refused to let their own attitude be the biggest obstacles of all.
Your success is linked to your attitude. Do you have the courage to do what is necessary to succeed?
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: attitude, courage, oprah, resource associates corp, stephen spielberg, succeed, Success, winston churchill
Posted in Attitudes, Succession | No Comments »
Friday, October 29th, 2010
Too often, we live our lives as if we have an unending supply of days. Unfortunately, that is simply not the case. Everybody has 24 hours in a day, and individual experiences vary from day to day. Sometimes we accomplish a great deal, and time just seems to fly by. Sometimes we look at our watches and are surprised by the lateness of the hour. On other days, everything seems to be in slow motion.
The quantity of time doesn’t really change. There are always sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day. Only our perception changes, and our perception is our reality. When we work at challenging and stimulating projects directly related to our goals, our achievement level skyrockets and time flies. When we are bored or doing something we don’t like, time drags as does our level of accomplishment. When we feel under the gun or out of control, time seems to go too fast. We feel out of control, stressed, unable to get done what we need to accomplish in the time allotted, and are continually behind schedule. Since we cannot increase or manufacture more time, we must get more out of the time we have.
If most of us know how to manage our time and if we realize the value of becoming more effective at managing our time, why don’t we do a better job of it? We all know what we should do. Why don’t we just do it? For most of us, what is easy to say is more difficult to do. To answer that question, we must first look at the key factors that influence our behavior.
The first step in changing any habit is to identify the habit you want to change. Therefore, in order to change your time management habits, you must evaluate your present use of time by analyzing your attitudes and behavior in relation to outcomes. An accurate time analysis will help you to pinpoint who and what occupies your time. Look for time wasters and peak performance periods. Pinpoint precise behaviors that are incompatible with your goals.
Define the new habit that you wish to develop and be as specific as possible. Negative habits in our lives are destructive and positive ones are uplifting. They help us achieve our goals. In order to build habits, we must define precise behaviors for change and perform them at specific times. As Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit.”
You will get more out of your time when you learn how to get more out of your life. After you determine what you want, what you value, what you believe, and where your priorities lie, determining how to spend a given day or hour is easy. In order to get more out of your time, know what you want and what you want to get out of it. That may seem very basic, but many people fail to define their values, purpose, and goals. They are immersed in their daily activities, and they fail to think about what they really like to do. They overlook the real purpose of their lives.
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: perception, Purpose, RAC, resource associates corp, Time, Time Management, time management habits
Posted in Time Management | 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 »
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