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My Daily Motivation 3/11/10

March 11, 10 by nschoychid

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”
  ~ Mary Anne Radmacher  
Courage Doesn't Always Roar Today’s quote comes to you from Courage Doesn’t Always Roar .
 
To learn about this book and our full range of personal and professional development resources, please visit us at http://www.walkthetalk.com/?SRC=blogDI031110.

Leadership Courage special offer!

March 11, 10 by nschoychid
Hi Friends …“Go above and beyond, you get noticed. Screw up, you get noticed. Do good solid work, you’re just there.”  Sound familiar? Actually, that’s a verbatim quote I recently heard from a friend of mine – and it’s one that really got me thinking. As a leader, how often have I been guilty of giving most of my attention to the best performers (“super stars” ), and those with performance problems (“falling stars”), while taking for granted the vast majority of team members in between – the “middle stars”? That’s a question you might want to ponder, yourself.

In their materfully written book Leadership Courage, best-selling authors David Cottrell and Eric Harvey adress this topic (and many others) head-on. And they provide a wealth of information and strategies for ensuring that your team’s faithful majority don’t end up as the forgotten majority. The excerpts below are definitely worth remembering, applying, and sharing with others.

And here’s something else worth remembering: As the largest segment of the employee population, middle stars are the backbone of your team. Many are people who occasionally exhibit super-star behaviors but are inconsistent in their overall performance. They are important, “on the bubble” contributors – with the potential of becoming super stars … or falling stars. Clearly, your ability to affect the performance of this group is critical to your success as a leader.

Lead well … LEAD RIGHT

Excerpts from Leadership CourageTIPS FOR LEADING “MIDDLE STARS”

1. Build their confidence by increasing their responsibilities. Start small and then increase as they achieve success. Sometimes employees are unsure of their ability to excel. Allow them to discover their “hidden” talents and encourage them to exceed their own expectations.

2. Give frequent and accurate performance feedback. Be specific. Clearly explain what is required for them to become super stars on the team.

3. Teach them how to set goals to keep their performance on track. And, by all means, hold them accountable for those goals.

4. “Catch” them doing good things, and then praise them. The more you focus on finding the good, the more good you will find … and the more they will do! Reinforced behavior becomes repeated behavior.

5. Hook them up with a super star for mentoring. An effective mentoring program provides middle stars with positive role models and encourages super stars to be even more involved. That’s a good deal for everybody!

6. Create rewards that appeal to their personal values. Maybe you are rewarding team members in ways that you like to be rewarded – and it is not working for them. They will be happy to tell you what motivates them … if you’ll just ask.

Often, it’s the “small things” you do that will inspire middle stars to become super stars – things like remembering facts about them and their family; asking their opinions on job-related matters; showing empathy when they’re facing a personal crisis; taking the time to listen to them; or merely doing something special when they need a boost. These are, by the way, things that should be done with and for ALL employees.

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This is Not the Life I Ordered

March 10, 10 by nschoychid
We all have great expectations for our lives, and when our lives don’t live up to those expectations, it can be tough. What began with four friends getting together for “kitchen table coaching sessions” to talk about their lives eventually led to a deeply moving and compelling book: This Is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down. Through this collection of stories, wisdom, and practical advice, you will meet four ordinary women who have faced extraordinary life challenges. Together, they have a history of six marriages, ten children, four stepchildren, two miscarriages, a failed adoption, and foster parenthood. One of them was shot and two have lived through the death of their spouses. In reference to This Is Not the Life I Ordered, Kristi Yamaguchi, the gold medalist figure skater, said, “These women inspire us to go for the gold in our lives. They all deserve 10s!This Is Not the Life I Ordered reminded me that I can keep my head above water when life keeps dragging me down. If you have ever felt overworked, overwhelmed, or just plain unlucky, you will find hope and inspiration through the true stories in This Is Not the Life I Ordered.Live Inspired,

Michelle Sedas

Host of the Inspired Living Café
Questions? 888.822.9255

This is Not the Life I Ordered
Excerpted from: This Is Not the Life I Ordered
Our collective lives have been filled with more transitions and life changes than we would have ever thought possible. Transitions are such an important part of the fabric of every woman’s life. They affect us individually but also have a ripple effect that we witness in our families and communities. Successful transitions can make us strong—ready to extend a hand to other women who will join us.
For over ten years, the four of us gathered round a kitchen table and told our stories. We looked forward to our gatherings because we knew that it was the one place in our lives where we would be heard. It was a place where other women would listen intently without judgment. We can state without one ounce of doubt that being able to tell our story to another woman saved our sanity and, in some cases, saved our lives.
Starting today, carve out a minimum of fifteen minutes a day of time to call your own. Do this even if you have to wake early in the morning or stay up late at night to find the time. During that time, take a walk, listen to beautiful music, read a novel, or do anything that connects you to the quietness of life. You will be surprised how rejuvenated you can feel even after only fifteen minutes of solitude.

New Product Release – INSPIRED TO LEAD

March 08, 10 by nschoychid
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This book transforms 12 real-world sagas into a dozen teachable moments that can make you a more effective leader or spark a professional development dialogue with your team. Enjoy a rare resource that leaves you refreshed, empowered and INSPIRED TO LEAD!

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Heaven on Earth

March 08, 10 by nschoychid

When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present…we experience heaven on earth.
~ Sara Ban Breathnach

watch this movie

the Dash Today’s quote comes to you from The Dash: Making a Difference With Your Life.

“Business as usual” is a mindset that will NOT serve any of us well.

March 04, 10 by nschoychid
Hi Friends …

It’s no secret that In today’s ever-changing competitive marketplace, one of the biggest enemies all of is face is the “status quo.” In order for our organizations to survive and prosper – and for us to have successful leadership careers – we have to get good at encouraging and cultivating new and different ideas.

“Business as usual” is a mindset that will NOT serve any of us well. That’s a factual statement you’d be wise to write down and post in your work area. And it’s the message behind one of the most clever and thought- provoking books I’ve ever read, A Peacock in the Land of Penguins.

There’s a reason this charming and engaging corporate fable has sold over 320,000 copies and has been translated in 22 languages. It hits home! Authors BJ Gallagher and Warren Schmidt provide a story echoing one that is unfolding each and every day in organizations big and small – how to build a culture of creativity and capture the talent, energy, and commitment of all employees.

Take my word for it – this book is a “must read.” Better yet, take the word of world-renowned author and speaker Ken Blanchard as you read excerpts from his Foreword to the book (below). Most importantly, remember that fostering diverse and creative ideas really is a “MUST DO” responsibility for all of us who are privileged to lead others.

Lead well … LEAD RIGHT

A Peacock in the land of Penguins
Excerpts from Foreword to A Peacock in the Land of Penguins
by Ken Blanchard (Co-author of The One Minute Manager)

… Every once in a while a book comes along that deals with a profound subject in a simple and elegant way. A Peacock in the Land of Penguins is such a book.

… Stories are a great way to convey important messages – they inspire and teach at the same time. People forget facts, figures, and theories, but they remember stories.

… This is the story of Perry the Peacock – a bright, talented, colorful bird – who comes to live in the Land of Penguins. He soon runs into problems because the penguins have established a chilly organizational climate that is formal, bureaucratic, and governed by a vast array of written and unwritten rules. Although his talent is recognized, his different and unusual style makes the penguins feel uneasy. The very thing he was recruited for – his distinctive flair and creativity – is viewed as a “problem” by the penguins once Perry is inside the organization.

… While executives and managers today say that they want new ideas and new thinking from their employees, their actions often indicate otherwise. New ideas are disruptive, they’re messy, they require taking chances and increased risk, and they push everyone out of their comfort zones. So people who are different, people with new views on how to make the organization successful, are often discouraged from expressing them – much to the detriment of both the individual and the organization.

… If you’re interested in new ideas for making yourself and your organization successful, read this book. Creating a workplace where new ideas and innovation can flourish is a top priority for managers and employees alike.

What do you think of when you think of home?

March 03, 10 by nschoychid

Home is the place where love lives.”
~ Mary Anne Radmacher

What do you think of when you think of home? I think of a place full of acceptance and peace. A place where I spend lazy Sunday afternoons and find solace at the end of a long day. And, to borrow Mary Anne Radmacher’s words, home is the place where love lives.

I had the wonderful privilege of interviewing Mary Anne Radmacher about her new book May Your Walls Know Joy. While Mary Anne LOVES to travel, one of the best parts of her travel experience is gathering the memories and messages and joys of her travel and taking them to her home. The walls of her home comprise a sweet sanctuary where she focuses on restoration and rejuvenation. In her book, she has reflected on that unique balance between “going out” and “coming home.” She says, “This book is a celebration of all that home is and can be. I love to hear this book being used in so many different ways: a hospitality gift, real estate professionals use it as a closing gift, it’s the perfect substitute for a bottle of wine as it pours out its own inspiring brew! It’s a house warming gift, and is great as an anniversary recognition.”

After reading this blessing-turned-book, I am inspired to make my own home even more of a sanctuary for my family and me. It is my hope that you, too, may be inspired to create a home which provides comfort and peace. And it is my hope that, most of all, your walls may know joy.

Live Inspired,

Michelle Sedas
Host of the Inspired Living Café
Questions? 888.822.9255

Excerpted from the Introduction to May Your Walls Know Joy by Mary Anne Radmacher

Some years ago I left Ireland after weeks of traveling throughout the island. I was a visitor, a stranger each place I went. Yet I never felt the stranger. Hospitality wrapped me in welcome, encouragement, and joy. I felt so “at home.” I wanted to write a blessing that captured this spirit.

I did not remain lost any place in Ireland for very long. I loved hearing the inquiry prompted by my furrowed brow and puzzled look: “You lookin’ fer yur way home, lass?” My way home. It is true that home is so much more than a building with a number we list on forms or licenses. Home happens in unexpected places and at unanticipated moments. Home can be a surprise at a new address.

Many years after writing the blessing that Ireland inspired (May your walls know joy…), I was excited to create a permanent home for myself. Discouragement set in after so many drive-arounds with my real estate agent. I wanted to see joy in the walls…I just didn’t. That is, until one afternoon when I was steps inside a place. I heard my patient realtor whisper behind me, “I have a very good feeling about this…” “Home,” I interrupted.

“Home. This is it. This is my home.” It was a declaration.

My realtor understood that connecting with the intangibles of “home” is essentially like love at first sight. Who can explain that beyond a feeble, “I just knew”? An offer was delivered within an hour. Soon this blessing was a framed poster, hanging on a wall in my new home.

This book is what came of writing that blessing and my thoughts about it. This is a blessing for coming in and going out. A blessing for what happens on the inside of a home as much as the road way from and back to home. This is a blessing for the guest as well as the dweller. These wishes hold inspiration for a dorm room, a first home, a last home. They are a celebration of place, story, and joy.

Beyond structures, the blessing extends to those who travel and look through many windows. Great possibilities await us all—and those are blessed who get to travel to that promised joy from their own walls or gaze upon them out the window of their home.

My Daily Inspiration 1/15/2010

January 15, 10 by Schoychid

What you love is a sign from your higher self of what you are to do.
 
~
Sanaya Roman

Today’s quote comes to you from 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women:  A Portable Mentor


The Next Level

January 14, 10 by Schoychid

Hi Friends …

“What does it take to get to the NEXT LEVEL?” You hear that question in almost every board room and meeting room – regardless of the industry or current performance level. There have been many sleepless nights pondering how we can move our organizations, our people, and ourselves to the next level of success and security. Admittedly, I’ve lost a few winks over this one, myself. But that insomnia has been reduced by a truly helpful resource – appropriately titled, THE NEXT LEVEL – that I’ve come to rely on for practical advice.

In his informative and practical book, best-selling author David Cottrell (along with colleague Alice Adams) pinpoints several common sense, easy-to-follow strategies for reaching new heights of performance and success.  One of the many gems that resonated with me is quite paradoxical in nature:

Stop relying totally on the things you know well and do well!

My immediate reaction to that was: Whoa … hold the phone! That’s illogical. It’s convoluted! What kind of “advice” is that? However once the author explained, I got it. You see, the things we know well and do well are COMFORT ZONES. They’ve brought us success in the past … they make us feel good, skillful, and valuable. But here’s the catch: The more we stay in our comfort zones, the less growth we experience. And in this ever-changing world we live in, today’s skills quickly become yesterday’s news.

So what’s the answer … what’s the pathway to “the next level?” Keep doing what you do well AND engage in activities that produce growth and advancement. Refine your skills. Learn new ones. Tackle new challenges. Periodically “re-invent” yourself and help your people do the same. Pursue laurels – don’t rest on them. And remember that what got you to this level is not necess-arily what will get you to the next one. As the old saying goes: The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing and expecting the results to be different.

Lead Well … LEAD RIGHT!

My Daily Inspiration 1/14/2010

January 14, 10 by Schoychid

No act of kindness is ever wasted.
 
~Aesop

Today’s quote comes to you from The Ten Golden Rules:  Ancient Wisdom From the Greek Philosophers on Living the Good Life