Author: Mark S. Brown

I have written many times about the power of being positive. Hopefully everyone that is reading this has challenged themselves to live more positively. This morning, I was thinking about how to be more positive. How could we take the positive energy we start with each morning, and turn it up to a whole new level.

Here are some ideas:

1. Identify your highest priority action for the day and do it first. Have you ever had something you needed to do, but did not really want to do? Usually we leave it till later in the day, trying to postpone it if possible. It becomes a grey cloud hanging over you on a sunny day. Sometimes the best action is just do it. What ever needs to be done today, just do it first. Get it done. The rest of the day will feel much better.

2. In every interaction you have with another person, give them something positive. The key concept in this idea is every time. When you say good morning to someone take a moment to ask them about their day. When you meet people for work, in your community, at the grocery store, or wherever, give them positive feedback. Thank them. Recognize them. These actions will take very little time from your schedule, but will make the entire day have a positive tone with everyone you meet.

3. When you find yourself in a negative situation, turn it around. If you walk into a conversation that is not very positive. Insert yourself, and make it positive. Find a way to bring up positive results, positive actions, and positive attitudes. This may be very challenging in certain situations, but can lift the spirit of the entire group.

What ideas do you have to bring more positive energy to your life?

 

“You must love your people more than your position.” – John Maxwell

A true leader serves others. Put others before yourself, and your leadership will grow. It seems counter intuitive. You want others to look to you for guidance and advice, but the more you push your agenda, the less they respond.

To gain influence you must find a way to meet them on their ground, with their objectives. Here are four ways you can serve others.

1. Stop trying to control others. Encourage people to experiment, make mistakes, and find their own solutions. Support them in their growth, and let them be more successful than you.

2. Start listening to others. Too many times we have a message that we feel is important to be said. Others do as well. Listening more than you talk will increase your ability to make others successful.

3. Start serving others. Put time in your agenda to help others. Don’t have an agenda, but learn how you can assist them with their agenda. Make time for the projects of others.

4. Take a risk that will benefit others. Taking risks is not easy. When we take risks it is because the benefit is greater than the risk. Taking a risk for someone else’s benefit is even harder. But a true leader will find times when it is worth the effort and will jump without knowing the outcome just for their people.

When you begin to serve others, you multiply the success of everyone in many ways. You develop win-win outcomes instead of win-lose. Maybe it is time to review your agenda and think about how you can increase your dedication to your team.

“Looking back, my life seems to be one long obstacle course, with me as the chief obstacle.” – Jack Paar

Your road to success is filled with roadblocks, detours, and stop signs. Unfortunately, the biggest roadblock is probably you.

Most people like to think success is easy, and it will happen in the future. But if you are not working toward success every day, then it is further away than you think.

Abraham Lincoln said, “I will get ready, and then perhaps my chance will come.” Too often the chances come and go, and we are not prepared. In most cases we do not even recognize them.

Making progress every day requires some thinking, some action, and some discipline. If you cannot answer the following questions, you may want to set aside a day, and reflect on how you can get started.

1. What is my purpose?

2. What talent do I bring to the world?

3. What is my plan?

4. What are my priorities?

5. What system do I use that helps me stay focused and disciplined to follow my plan?

6. How well am I doing?

They are tough questions. You probably don’t have great answers for them all. But I am sure the answers are within you. Success awaits. Set aside time to build your plan for achievement.

When someone becomes demotivated it can affect an entire team, a project, or even an organization. Keeping people motivated is an important job for any leader. Sometimes even the best leaders make a mistake, and say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

I remember one time in my career when I was heading up a large project. My boss had called me a few other team members in for a progress review. When we arrived, he immediately began to tell us how we were not on the right track, and that we needed to start over, and began to question our leadership. It was instantaneous humiliation for the team that was dedicating their time and effort on bringing the project to a successful conclusion. This happened prior to our delivering any of our status updates.

In the end, my boss apologized, and realized his frustration was related to other issues. Issues that had nothing to do with the team or the project. So as a leader how do we avoid saying something that will affect the team’s morale, but can still say what needs to be said?

As a reminder, here are four approaches that can cause motivation problems.

1. Public criticism – Criticism can be difficult to deliver, but if you attempt to deliver criticism in public, expect to create more issues than you will solve. People do not like to be challenged in front of their peers or subordinates. Be cautious on how and when you deliver criticism, even constructive criticism.

2. Manipulation – If you try to manipulate a person or team, you will remove trust from the relationship. If you give trust, it will be returned. Manipulation takes away a person’s ability to succeed on their own.

3. Insensitivity – Put yourself in their shoes. What is their perspective? If you are not aware of their perspective or their effort, then you risk being insensitive to their message. You must meet people in their space, not in yours.

4. Limiting risk – Every leader must evaluate risk. However growth and innovation happens through failure. Taking risk, experimenting, and stretching to your potential are all attributes of highly successful people. You must be careful not to shut down creativity under the guise of eliminating risk.

Keep your teams motivation high, and celebrate their success!