Sometimes we get stuck
We are going along in our lives day in and day out…week in and week out…month in and month out…when we find ourselves in a rut…stuck.
Or it may be that we are tackling a issue at work and have thought about it and thought about it…looked at the issue from different angles…asked for advice but can’t seem to figure out a solution…stuck.
Being stuck causes us some stress…perhaps a good amount of stress…maybe even overwhelming stress.
What to do?
How can you get un-stuck?
Someone just said…”Step back and punt!”
Now that’s an option…not a very good one but still…it’s an option.
But let’s think about a different one…
Take a long walk…
A run if you prefer
But a long one…
By yourself.
Put your walking or running shoes on and just start moving.
As you are moving there is one rule…you cannot turn around…
Yup
You cannot turn around until…
You cannot turn around until…you get a legitimate new idea.
That’s it!
You walk - or run - going away from your starting point and cannot turn back around until you become un-stuck. Until you get a new idea - a new approach to the issue you have.
Then on your way back you can work on the plan of action to help you achieve the new idea you just came up with.
I have used this so many times. It is one of the reasons I love to run out on country roads by myself. You can just “be” without the distractions of anything…
(running on a busy street doesn’t work as well for me because I keep looking at everything around me and wondering about those things instead of letting my mind clear)
I have used this so many times that my team at work often reply to my new ideas with
“Oh…you went for a run yesterday didn’t you?”
They say it with an attitude sometimes…(but in good fun)
I am amazed how this simple action - walking by yourself to let you mind clear - works. It’s success rate must approach 90-100% - at least for me.
So when you are stuck
Take action
Move to get un-stuck
Because really…if you don’t move and stay in the place you are stuck in you will never get unstuck…I think that’s a law of physics or a quote from Einstein…or something…
An Unstuck Walk…just get moving…
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Tagainya, Tesfa and Manny
I want to tell you a story about three men - Tagainya…Tesfa…and Manny
Now Tagainya and Tesfa are businessmen…very successful businessmen. They are from two different generations as Tesfa is about 75 years old and Tagainya is about 40 years old.
Tesfa is retired now but he owned and ran a shop for years…again very successfully. His shop sold a wide variety of items from food to clothes to hardware and all things in between. Now he had slow times and fast times but on the whole he was extremely successful and set up his family well.
Tagainya is in his prime as a businessman. He owns a rice factory, two gas stations and is building a hotel. He has a family too…a wife and two kids…and if you ask him he would say his life is wonderful!
When you look at either of these two men they seem to have little stress. They both smile a lot, joke around a lot and are always reaching out to help others. I am very impressed with them and enjoy my time with them.
Of course, since I am always curious about leadership and business, during the many conversations I have had with them I asked them - separately - what their secret was. Why did they think they were so successful in business.
Each man - remember they’re from 2 different generations and been through different business climates - both gave the exact same answer.
And it came in one word
Respect
I couldn’t let it sit at just one word so I asked for more. They didn’t give much more because they said it is so simple.
Respect those who work for you and they will treat the business like it is their own
Respect those who you do business with and they will give you fair deals
Respect those who buy from you and they will keep coming back.
Oh…I forgot to tell you one thing…
Tagainya and Tesfa are from Ethiopia. Their businesses are located in Ethiopia in an area that would be considered…well…very poor by our standards. But these two men are rich in both the conventional way of thinking of the word and by how you would describe their lives.
Other businesses in the area come and go…rise and fall - or fail. But Tesfa stayed in business for over 50 years and Tagainya’s businesses are successful even by American standards.
And they give the credit to
Respect
And remember what they said - if you treat those who work for you with respect they will treat your business like it’s their business.
A case in point - Tagainya can’t be at all of his business each day. He relies on his people. Each evening one of his workers brings him the daily receipts…in a cloth bag. I asked Tagainya if he has any idea how much money should be in the bag. See there are no cash registers in his business and it’s all a cash business. Tagainya says “nope…I have no idea.” I ask him if he’s worried about that. Again he replies, “Nope.” And he goes on to say that with the respect he gives his team he absolutely never worries about how they will take care of his business.
And it works…
See…the bag of money…in it there is generally between $5000 to $20,000 and it would be so easy to “lose” some of it. But no worries…
Wow
Oh…I forgot to talk about Manny. You guys may know Manny. He was a Major League baseball player - Manny Ramirez - and he had one of the best bats in the game. He made a lot of money and played for 5 different teams.
However, Manny had some issues. His issues weren’t with swinging the bat…again he is considered on of the best right handed bats ever in the game…his issues were with just about everything else. There was even a phrase coined…”Manny Being Manny.” See Manny was so good at what he did that people put up with his issue by shrugging them off as Manny Being Manny.
But where Tagainya and Tesfa showed respect…Manny did not.
He didn’t show respect for the game.
He didn’t show respect to his teammates.
He didn’t show respect to his talent.
And the teams he played for soon grew weary of Manny Being Manny and no matter how great his bat was they were willing to trade him away.
Manny Being Manny wears on a team…
So…do you have Manny’s in your store or do you have Tagainya’s and Tesfa’s? I bet you have both.
Are you a Manny or a Tesfa or Tagainya? I am sure in our own management ranks we have both.
The reason I’m talking about this today…well I was planning on talking about this sometime in the future but today seemed like a good time. And I say that because on Tuesday I went to a conference - a big HR conference here in Atlanta - and one of the speakers talked about respect. I took it as a sign that the time was right for me to talk about Tagainya, Tesfa and Manny.
Do you and your team show respect or accept Manny being Manny?
See like the Boston Red Sox…like the LA Dodgers…we can’t accept Manny being Manny anymore. Our culture is changing and to solidify that culture we can’t afford Manny’s in our operation. No matter how well they give you numbers - Manny hit a lot of home runs - they will wear on your people…they’ll wear on their co-workers and destroy the culture you’re trying to create.
Again…do you and your team show respect or are you accepting Manny being Manny
One will help your business the other will hurt it…
Now Tagainya and Tesfa are businessmen…very successful businessmen. They are from two different generations as Tesfa is about 75 years old and Tagainya is about 40 years old.
Tesfa is retired now but he owned and ran a shop for years…again very successfully. His shop sold a wide variety of items from food to clothes to hardware and all things in between. Now he had slow times and fast times but on the whole he was extremely successful and set up his family well.
Tagainya is in his prime as a businessman. He owns a rice factory, two gas stations and is building a hotel. He has a family too…a wife and two kids…and if you ask him he would say his life is wonderful!
When you look at either of these two men they seem to have little stress. They both smile a lot, joke around a lot and are always reaching out to help others. I am very impressed with them and enjoy my time with them.
Of course, since I am always curious about leadership and business, during the many conversations I have had with them I asked them - separately - what their secret was. Why did they think they were so successful in business.
Each man - remember they’re from 2 different generations and been through different business climates - both gave the exact same answer.
And it came in one word
Respect
I couldn’t let it sit at just one word so I asked for more. They didn’t give much more because they said it is so simple.
Respect those who work for you and they will treat the business like it is their own
Respect those who you do business with and they will give you fair deals
Respect those who buy from you and they will keep coming back.
Oh…I forgot to tell you one thing…
Tagainya and Tesfa are from Ethiopia. Their businesses are located in Ethiopia in an area that would be considered…well…very poor by our standards. But these two men are rich in both the conventional way of thinking of the word and by how you would describe their lives.
Other businesses in the area come and go…rise and fall - or fail. But Tesfa stayed in business for over 50 years and Tagainya’s businesses are successful even by American standards.
And they give the credit to
Respect
And remember what they said - if you treat those who work for you with respect they will treat your business like it’s their business.
A case in point - Tagainya can’t be at all of his business each day. He relies on his people. Each evening one of his workers brings him the daily receipts…in a cloth bag. I asked Tagainya if he has any idea how much money should be in the bag. See there are no cash registers in his business and it’s all a cash business. Tagainya says “nope…I have no idea.” I ask him if he’s worried about that. Again he replies, “Nope.” And he goes on to say that with the respect he gives his team he absolutely never worries about how they will take care of his business.
And it works…
See…the bag of money…in it there is generally between $5000 to $20,000 and it would be so easy to “lose” some of it. But no worries…
Wow
Oh…I forgot to talk about Manny. You guys may know Manny. He was a Major League baseball player - Manny Ramirez - and he had one of the best bats in the game. He made a lot of money and played for 5 different teams.
However, Manny had some issues. His issues weren’t with swinging the bat…again he is considered on of the best right handed bats ever in the game…his issues were with just about everything else. There was even a phrase coined…”Manny Being Manny.” See Manny was so good at what he did that people put up with his issue by shrugging them off as Manny Being Manny.
But where Tagainya and Tesfa showed respect…Manny did not.
He didn’t show respect for the game.
He didn’t show respect to his teammates.
He didn’t show respect to his talent.
And the teams he played for soon grew weary of Manny Being Manny and no matter how great his bat was they were willing to trade him away.
Manny Being Manny wears on a team…
So…do you have Manny’s in your store or do you have Tagainya’s and Tesfa’s? I bet you have both.
Are you a Manny or a Tesfa or Tagainya? I am sure in our own management ranks we have both.
The reason I’m talking about this today…well I was planning on talking about this sometime in the future but today seemed like a good time. And I say that because on Tuesday I went to a conference - a big HR conference here in Atlanta - and one of the speakers talked about respect. I took it as a sign that the time was right for me to talk about Tagainya, Tesfa and Manny.
Do you and your team show respect or accept Manny being Manny?
See like the Boston Red Sox…like the LA Dodgers…we can’t accept Manny being Manny anymore. Our culture is changing and to solidify that culture we can’t afford Manny’s in our operation. No matter how well they give you numbers - Manny hit a lot of home runs - they will wear on your people…they’ll wear on their co-workers and destroy the culture you’re trying to create.
Again…do you and your team show respect or are you accepting Manny being Manny
One will help your business the other will hurt it…
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Just Wish Happiness
Today’s post will be short. It is short because the idea I am going to give today is a very simple one.
A simple idea that may have HUGE benefits to both you as an individual and those around you.
And the idea is to…
Just Wish Happiness
Yup…just wish happiness for the people you meet today - and everyday.
You don’t have to say anything - that’s what makes this so simple - you just wish it.
As you meet people today - as you cross paths with people - wish them sincere happiness in their lives.
As you pass Sally today you just say in your head, “I wish Sally all the happiness in the world today” and move on.
This might sound like something very out there…very zen like…or hippie-ish…but try it. It will change your mood and I think you’ll be amazed on how this will rub off on others and create an environment around you for people to flourish. And no one will know why…it’ll just happen because of you…because you
Just Wished Happiness…for everyone…
A simple idea that may have HUGE benefits to both you as an individual and those around you.
And the idea is to…
Just Wish Happiness
Yup…just wish happiness for the people you meet today - and everyday.
You don’t have to say anything - that’s what makes this so simple - you just wish it.
As you meet people today - as you cross paths with people - wish them sincere happiness in their lives.
As you pass Sally today you just say in your head, “I wish Sally all the happiness in the world today” and move on.
This might sound like something very out there…very zen like…or hippie-ish…but try it. It will change your mood and I think you’ll be amazed on how this will rub off on others and create an environment around you for people to flourish. And no one will know why…it’ll just happen because of you…because you
Just Wished Happiness…for everyone…
Monday, April 20, 2015
Imagination
If you were asked to name the human brain’s greatest achievement, you might think first of the impressive artifacts it has produced—the Great Pyramid of Giza, the International Space Station, or perhaps the Golden Gate Bridge. These are great achievements indeed, and our brains deserve their very own ticker-tape parade for producing them. But they are not the greatest. A sophisticated machine could design and build any one of these things because designing and building require knowledge, logic, and patience, of which sophisticated machines have plenty. In fact, there’s really only one achievement so remarkable that even the most sophisticated machine cannot pretend to have accomplished it, and that achievement is conscious experience.
Seeing the Great Pyramid or remembering the Golden Gate or imagining the Space Station are far more remarkable acts than is building any one of them. What’s more, one of these remarkable acts is even more remarkable than the others. To see is to experience the world as it is, to remember is to experience the world as it was, but to imagine—ah, to imagine is to experience the world as it isn’t and has never been, but as it might be.
The greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine objects and episodes that do not exist in the realm of the real, and it is this ability that allows us to think about the future. As one philosopher noted, the human brain is an “anticipation machine,” and “making future” is the most important thing it does.
This comes from a book called “Stumbling on Happiness” by Dan Gilbert. Why am I talking about it here…because imagination can take us where we want to go…
We heard that since we were a kid. Well actually we didn’t hear it we practiced it! As a kid our imagination was in full bloom - on display for everyone to see. We were princesses and pirates, cowboys and indians, spacemen and superstars. We pretended everyday. We imagined ourselves and our world as something different…
Have you ever just watched a kid…or listened to one when they were pretending…imagining. It is so uplifting…and just plain enjoyable.
We often say after watching kids play, ‘If we could just bottle that energy and excitement!”
We can…
It starts with our imagination.
Many of us have stopped using this power…and it’s like a super power
Why have we shut down our imagination factory?
Imagination is not just for kids. As the passage stated imagination is the greatest achievement of the human brain.
Let’s use it.
Let’s use it for good (another super hero reference)
So as you walk your store tap into your imagination. Imagine what could be. Imagine what it would be like if everyone is
Energized!
Excited!
Happy!
Imagine success…and it can happen!
Seeing the Great Pyramid or remembering the Golden Gate or imagining the Space Station are far more remarkable acts than is building any one of them. What’s more, one of these remarkable acts is even more remarkable than the others. To see is to experience the world as it is, to remember is to experience the world as it was, but to imagine—ah, to imagine is to experience the world as it isn’t and has never been, but as it might be.
The greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine objects and episodes that do not exist in the realm of the real, and it is this ability that allows us to think about the future. As one philosopher noted, the human brain is an “anticipation machine,” and “making future” is the most important thing it does.
This comes from a book called “Stumbling on Happiness” by Dan Gilbert. Why am I talking about it here…because imagination can take us where we want to go…
We heard that since we were a kid. Well actually we didn’t hear it we practiced it! As a kid our imagination was in full bloom - on display for everyone to see. We were princesses and pirates, cowboys and indians, spacemen and superstars. We pretended everyday. We imagined ourselves and our world as something different…
Have you ever just watched a kid…or listened to one when they were pretending…imagining. It is so uplifting…and just plain enjoyable.
We often say after watching kids play, ‘If we could just bottle that energy and excitement!”
We can…
It starts with our imagination.
Many of us have stopped using this power…and it’s like a super power
Why have we shut down our imagination factory?
Imagination is not just for kids. As the passage stated imagination is the greatest achievement of the human brain.
Let’s use it.
Let’s use it for good (another super hero reference)
So as you walk your store tap into your imagination. Imagine what could be. Imagine what it would be like if everyone is
Energized!
Excited!
Happy!
Imagine success…and it can happen!
Saturday, April 18, 2015
The Definition of Happiness
You know we talked about happiness and awesomeness in previous blog posts and I love talking about all things awesome and of course all things that make me happy!
As you recall I stated that if you are happy you are more productive, more creative more in just about everything positive.
But what do I mean when I say happy?
If you won a million dollars today in the lottery you would probably say, if asked, that you were happy.
Of course you would - you’re an instant millionaire!
If you were in an accident and became a paraplegic you would probably say, if asked, that you were not happy.
But you know what…
When asked about their level of happiness one year after an event of that sort the lottery winners and the paraplegics on average rated their happiness levels equal.
What!?
A lottery winner and someone who doesn’t have the use of their legs are both equally happy?
Well that’s interesting…
So how do you define happiness?
How about this definition…
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
It’s not about the winning of the lottery - oh yeah that brings a ton of pleasure…but it doesn’t necessarily make us happy.
A kid getting a popsicle - experiences a lot of pleasure at the moment. Might even say ‘I’m the happiest girl in the whole wide world” Of course we all know that her true happiness comes from a whole lot more than a popsicle. Just as true happiness comes from more than winning the lottery.
We can’t confuse the feeling of pleasure and true happiness.
And you can have true happiness when you become an instant paraplegic too. I know a guy who experienced this.
He was my Produce Manager down in Athens when I ran a store there. He was a great produce manager and he ran one of the busiest produce departments around at that time - doing over $90,000 a week in 2005.
One night he was driving home after having a few beers. He was on the phone arguing with his wife and flipped his car. He was thrown out of the car landing in the middle of the road…less than 500 yards from his house…and would never walk again.
Tragic
Or so it seemed
But his story has a happy ending…or I shouldn’t say ending because it continues today with energy and excitement.
When talking to him he said the accident was the best thing that ever happened to him…and he means it. The energy in his voice is contagious. He takes his son to motocross and loves it.
Yes…HE takes his kid because he has a car set up so he can drive.
He is happy…
His true happiness comes in the joy he feels while pursuing his potential. It is amazing.
So when I ask you to “Choose to be Happy” I am asking you to look at your entire mindset on living…on working…
Being happy doesn't mean you won’t have set-backs or stresses…shoot we all have those - sometimes seemingly everyday…but being happy is what you are thinking during those set-backs or stresses.
Happiness isn’t about being blind to the negatives in our environment; it’s believing we have the power to do something about them and then imagining a positive reality - a positive result from those negatives.
You all have heard about the glass half-full people and the glass half-empty people. There is a third group of people we often don’t think about. Those people who don’t care if the glass is half-full or half-empty because they see another option…they see the full pitcher of water sitting off to the side!
Change your thinking a little…or a lot…and the possibility of happiness grows. Being able to see the positive future is a key to having real happiness.
As you recall I stated that if you are happy you are more productive, more creative more in just about everything positive.
But what do I mean when I say happy?
If you won a million dollars today in the lottery you would probably say, if asked, that you were happy.
Of course you would - you’re an instant millionaire!
If you were in an accident and became a paraplegic you would probably say, if asked, that you were not happy.
But you know what…
When asked about their level of happiness one year after an event of that sort the lottery winners and the paraplegics on average rated their happiness levels equal.
What!?
A lottery winner and someone who doesn’t have the use of their legs are both equally happy?
Well that’s interesting…
So how do you define happiness?
How about this definition…
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
Happiness is the joy we feel as we pursue our potential
It’s not about the winning of the lottery - oh yeah that brings a ton of pleasure…but it doesn’t necessarily make us happy.
A kid getting a popsicle - experiences a lot of pleasure at the moment. Might even say ‘I’m the happiest girl in the whole wide world” Of course we all know that her true happiness comes from a whole lot more than a popsicle. Just as true happiness comes from more than winning the lottery.
We can’t confuse the feeling of pleasure and true happiness.
And you can have true happiness when you become an instant paraplegic too. I know a guy who experienced this.
He was my Produce Manager down in Athens when I ran a store there. He was a great produce manager and he ran one of the busiest produce departments around at that time - doing over $90,000 a week in 2005.
One night he was driving home after having a few beers. He was on the phone arguing with his wife and flipped his car. He was thrown out of the car landing in the middle of the road…less than 500 yards from his house…and would never walk again.
Tragic
Or so it seemed
But his story has a happy ending…or I shouldn’t say ending because it continues today with energy and excitement.
When talking to him he said the accident was the best thing that ever happened to him…and he means it. The energy in his voice is contagious. He takes his son to motocross and loves it.
Yes…HE takes his kid because he has a car set up so he can drive.
He is happy…
His true happiness comes in the joy he feels while pursuing his potential. It is amazing.
So when I ask you to “Choose to be Happy” I am asking you to look at your entire mindset on living…on working…
Being happy doesn't mean you won’t have set-backs or stresses…shoot we all have those - sometimes seemingly everyday…but being happy is what you are thinking during those set-backs or stresses.
Happiness isn’t about being blind to the negatives in our environment; it’s believing we have the power to do something about them and then imagining a positive reality - a positive result from those negatives.
You all have heard about the glass half-full people and the glass half-empty people. There is a third group of people we often don’t think about. Those people who don’t care if the glass is half-full or half-empty because they see another option…they see the full pitcher of water sitting off to the side!
Change your thinking a little…or a lot…and the possibility of happiness grows. Being able to see the positive future is a key to having real happiness.
(please read "Before Happiness" by Shawn Achor...I've been reading and enjoying it. I like his definition of happiness...so I used it here!)
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