I found the following article in Healthcare Executive May/June 2009 to be very interesting and pertinent for our time.
“Technology has provided revolutionary devices during the past few years that have allowed us to perform many tasks once thought impossible. Unfortunately, too many people are overdosing on emails, Blackberries and online activities. Fortunately you can control how technology participates in your life. The following suggestions can help.
Evaluate the time you are connected
Emailing during off-hours is OK. The problem however, comes when you work a full eight-hour day, plus stay up into the wee hours of the night emailing. This is when you need to evaluate your “on” time.
Document the amount of time you’re connected each day. Is your cell phone always on? Are you regularly on the computer until midnight? Do you check you messages while you are playing with the kids? Is your email program always running in the background? Do you feel panicked when you are unplugged? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you should figure out why you are connected at certain times and why you can’t turn the device or program off.
List how technology tools should ease your life
Technology can be your friend, if you use it within boundaries and limits, and for the reason it was intended. Get back to the basics of why you need technology. Most likely, you wanted tools such as email and your cell phone to be convenience, not a burden. Map out how you can best use technology in a way that is convenient for you.
Stop blaming technology
If you believe you can’t get away from the constant ringing of your cell phone or the nonstop barrage of email messages, maybe it is time to take some responsibility for your situation. If you can’t turn your cell phone off for an hour (or disable your email for a half-day), what does that say about the way you manage your life? Remember, someone has to push the “on” button.
Get serious about time management
How do you spend your time? Instead of allowing incoming email messages to always pop up on your screen, check your email twice per day and schedule a cetain amount of time for each email session. If you allow your incoming office calls to go to voicemail, can’t you turn off your cell phone for certain hours of the day and let those calls go to voicemail? Schedule your technology-related items and priorities just as you would any other task on your to-do list. Make a schedule that includes time for everything—work and personal activities—and stick to it.”
Source: Adapted from an article by Carol Ring, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Rogers Cable
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Secret to Success (part 2)
The decisions we make on a daily basis shape who we are and represent what we value. Good habits make it easy for us to make good choices. And a lifetime of good choices results in satisfaction and success. So, how do we develop good habits or change bad ones? Below are some solid ideas to help us overcome bad habits and begin good habits.
Write
A great first step is to either write down the habit we want to create or break. When we write things down, it is easier for us to visualize and internalize what we want. Putting it on paper makes our thoughts and desires tangible. Once written down, we should place the list in a prominent location that we will see often to help remind us. We should also write down all the potential benefits of developing a good habit or the potential harm of not stopping a bad habit. This exercise will help us think and reflect on the impact our actions have and motivate us to change.
Track
Develop a way to track progress. Whether it is simply making an “X” on a calendar, or using a more sophisticated or formalized tool, we must track our progress in developing or stopping habits. Tracking is an easy way to help us know if we are being successful or not.
Trend
Once we begin tracking our progress, we then can begin to trend. This means each week and each month we review how we are doing to see if we are improving from the previous weeks and months. If we are not improving, we must come up with new strategies and a new plan to improve. If we have a positive trend, we can feel good about what we are accomplishing and celebrate.
Plan
Develop a daily plan or routine. As much as possible, set a specific time each day to work on your habit. If your habit is to write a thank-you letter each day to someone who deserves your appreciation, set aside a specific time to accomplish it. Don’t let chance or lack of planning, or a lack of energy at the end of the day prevent you from developing or breaking a habit. Plan it in to your day and stick to it!
Strategize
Develop goals and time lines. Think about and develop a plan on how and when you hope to completely break or establish a habit. In your plan, start slowly if necessary to build up confidence until you gradually reach your goal.
Ask
Ask friends and families members to help. Tell them your goals and the habits you want to develop or break, and then ask them for their support and encouragement. A strong support group can go a long way in helping us be successful.
Report
Ask a friend or someone you trust to call you each night to see how you did that day. Tell them to hold you accountable to your plan and your goals. When we know we will be reporting to someone on how we are doing each day, it will motivate us to reach our goals.
Good daily choices is the secret to success, and though simple, these suggestions will work! As we learn to replace bad habits with good ones, success will come as a natural result. Good luck!
Write
A great first step is to either write down the habit we want to create or break. When we write things down, it is easier for us to visualize and internalize what we want. Putting it on paper makes our thoughts and desires tangible. Once written down, we should place the list in a prominent location that we will see often to help remind us. We should also write down all the potential benefits of developing a good habit or the potential harm of not stopping a bad habit. This exercise will help us think and reflect on the impact our actions have and motivate us to change.
Track
Develop a way to track progress. Whether it is simply making an “X” on a calendar, or using a more sophisticated or formalized tool, we must track our progress in developing or stopping habits. Tracking is an easy way to help us know if we are being successful or not.
Trend
Once we begin tracking our progress, we then can begin to trend. This means each week and each month we review how we are doing to see if we are improving from the previous weeks and months. If we are not improving, we must come up with new strategies and a new plan to improve. If we have a positive trend, we can feel good about what we are accomplishing and celebrate.
Plan
Develop a daily plan or routine. As much as possible, set a specific time each day to work on your habit. If your habit is to write a thank-you letter each day to someone who deserves your appreciation, set aside a specific time to accomplish it. Don’t let chance or lack of planning, or a lack of energy at the end of the day prevent you from developing or breaking a habit. Plan it in to your day and stick to it!
Strategize
Develop goals and time lines. Think about and develop a plan on how and when you hope to completely break or establish a habit. In your plan, start slowly if necessary to build up confidence until you gradually reach your goal.
Ask
Ask friends and families members to help. Tell them your goals and the habits you want to develop or break, and then ask them for their support and encouragement. A strong support group can go a long way in helping us be successful.
Report
Ask a friend or someone you trust to call you each night to see how you did that day. Tell them to hold you accountable to your plan and your goals. When we know we will be reporting to someone on how we are doing each day, it will motivate us to reach our goals.
Good daily choices is the secret to success, and though simple, these suggestions will work! As we learn to replace bad habits with good ones, success will come as a natural result. Good luck!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Secret to Success
“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man. Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give.”
David O. McKay
How do some people repeat success time and time again while others seem to never quite reach any sort of sustained success? The answer is simple and easy, however actually doing it has proved to be difficult.
In life, there are natural laws that govern our world. When we obey those laws and use them to our advantage, we become successful. (Does this sound like The Secret? Well, it should because much of what The Secret teaches us is true.)
In life, one of our greatest gifts is our ability to choose. And during each day, we make thousands of choices which shape our lives. These choices bundle together over the years and become who we are, and represent what we value.
Now although we have the ability to choose our actions, we cannot choose the consequences that follow. In fact, the consequences of our actions will be either good or bad based on a natural result of any choice we make. Therefore, if we learn to make wise choices more often than unwise ones, we will gain success.
So, the key to success is wise choices. So how do we consistently choose wisely? Through patterns in our lives or habits. When people are able to create good habits, they find success. On the other hand, when people fall into the trap of creating bad habits, they fail.
Our world today often entices us to create bad habits, to follow the crowd, to indulge ourselves, to take the easy road, and to not be too different. In fact this seduction is so intense we often see successful people, who once had great habits, replace those good habits for bad habits which inevitably leads to their downfall. Thus, once we are able to establish a pattern of good habits, we must always tenaciously stick with them while seeking better habits.
So, the key to success is developing good habits. Easy, right? It sure sounds easy, but it is not easily accomplished. It takes effort, discipline, desire, and determination to achieve good habits in our lives. Thus, creating good habits is easier said than done. The good news is, we all have the ability to choose our habits.
In my blog next week, I will offer some suggestions on how to motivate us to develop good habits. Until then, evaluate your patterns and habits in your life to see if the natural consequences of these habits result in good or bad outcomes. Then next week, we will focus on changing and developing good habits!
David O. McKay
How do some people repeat success time and time again while others seem to never quite reach any sort of sustained success? The answer is simple and easy, however actually doing it has proved to be difficult.
In life, there are natural laws that govern our world. When we obey those laws and use them to our advantage, we become successful. (Does this sound like The Secret? Well, it should because much of what The Secret teaches us is true.)
In life, one of our greatest gifts is our ability to choose. And during each day, we make thousands of choices which shape our lives. These choices bundle together over the years and become who we are, and represent what we value.
Now although we have the ability to choose our actions, we cannot choose the consequences that follow. In fact, the consequences of our actions will be either good or bad based on a natural result of any choice we make. Therefore, if we learn to make wise choices more often than unwise ones, we will gain success.
So, the key to success is wise choices. So how do we consistently choose wisely? Through patterns in our lives or habits. When people are able to create good habits, they find success. On the other hand, when people fall into the trap of creating bad habits, they fail.
Our world today often entices us to create bad habits, to follow the crowd, to indulge ourselves, to take the easy road, and to not be too different. In fact this seduction is so intense we often see successful people, who once had great habits, replace those good habits for bad habits which inevitably leads to their downfall. Thus, once we are able to establish a pattern of good habits, we must always tenaciously stick with them while seeking better habits.
So, the key to success is developing good habits. Easy, right? It sure sounds easy, but it is not easily accomplished. It takes effort, discipline, desire, and determination to achieve good habits in our lives. Thus, creating good habits is easier said than done. The good news is, we all have the ability to choose our habits.
In my blog next week, I will offer some suggestions on how to motivate us to develop good habits. Until then, evaluate your patterns and habits in your life to see if the natural consequences of these habits result in good or bad outcomes. Then next week, we will focus on changing and developing good habits!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Simple Leadership Reminders
Are you a leader? Do you consistently do the things below to ensure your effectiveness as a leader? The following are a few simple leadership reminders that will help us become better leaders.
Connect and Recognize
Effective leaders must connect with others through recognition and appreciation. Frequently expressing genuine appreciation motivates others and helps establish trust. When successful, good leaders “look out the window” and recognize others for the results rather than taking credit. Good leaders also connect with others by having a firm and sincere belief in the potential of each individual. Rather than criticize and degrade, leaders must inspire, coach, and uplift.
What You Give, You Get
People are committed to a cause to the degree a leader is committed to it. If a leader cares, others will care. Good leaders do not expect others to do things they are not willing to do themselves. For this reason, leaders must set the example they want others to follow. Likewise, the effort a leader puts forth is often matched by others. Thus, the way a leader behaves, thinks, and acts, is mirrored by others. For this reason, what a leader gives, they get.
Communicate
A key to leadership is communication. This does not necessarily mean leaders have to be great orators or speech writers. Instead, it simply means leaders understand how and when to communicate, which is effectively and frequently. Leaders must also be mindful of how they communicate, and they must strive to consistently take the right approach when delivering messages. Leaders who are able to decipher the correct way to communicate and how often to communicate in any given situation will be successful.
Make Decisions
Good leaders are able to make tough decisions. This does not mean a leader always makes the right decision, but it does mean they have the courage to make a decision and stand by it. Ineffective leaders hesitate or wait for a clear picture that never comes while good leaders take intelligent risks based on imperfect information. Simply stated, good leaders act.
Include Others
Effective leadership includes seeking help and input from others. Leaders should be humble enough to search for better ways, different opinions, and new ideas. Leaders who understand that people are much more motivated to support a world they help create will become much more successful. Leaders should have the habit of bringing people together and including them in the problem solving process.
Be Better
Finally, a leader should never stops learning, never stop growing, and never stop trying to be better. Leaders who are not improving and learning each day will never remain effective.
These simple leadership reminders will help in our efforts to reach our potential and become better leaders. Take time now to evaluate yourself in each of the areas above, and then determine how and where you can improve. By doing this, you will greatly enhance your ability to be an effective leader. Good Luck!
Connect and Recognize
Effective leaders must connect with others through recognition and appreciation. Frequently expressing genuine appreciation motivates others and helps establish trust. When successful, good leaders “look out the window” and recognize others for the results rather than taking credit. Good leaders also connect with others by having a firm and sincere belief in the potential of each individual. Rather than criticize and degrade, leaders must inspire, coach, and uplift.
What You Give, You Get
People are committed to a cause to the degree a leader is committed to it. If a leader cares, others will care. Good leaders do not expect others to do things they are not willing to do themselves. For this reason, leaders must set the example they want others to follow. Likewise, the effort a leader puts forth is often matched by others. Thus, the way a leader behaves, thinks, and acts, is mirrored by others. For this reason, what a leader gives, they get.
Communicate
A key to leadership is communication. This does not necessarily mean leaders have to be great orators or speech writers. Instead, it simply means leaders understand how and when to communicate, which is effectively and frequently. Leaders must also be mindful of how they communicate, and they must strive to consistently take the right approach when delivering messages. Leaders who are able to decipher the correct way to communicate and how often to communicate in any given situation will be successful.
Make Decisions
Good leaders are able to make tough decisions. This does not mean a leader always makes the right decision, but it does mean they have the courage to make a decision and stand by it. Ineffective leaders hesitate or wait for a clear picture that never comes while good leaders take intelligent risks based on imperfect information. Simply stated, good leaders act.
Include Others
Effective leadership includes seeking help and input from others. Leaders should be humble enough to search for better ways, different opinions, and new ideas. Leaders who understand that people are much more motivated to support a world they help create will become much more successful. Leaders should have the habit of bringing people together and including them in the problem solving process.
Be Better
Finally, a leader should never stops learning, never stop growing, and never stop trying to be better. Leaders who are not improving and learning each day will never remain effective.
These simple leadership reminders will help in our efforts to reach our potential and become better leaders. Take time now to evaluate yourself in each of the areas above, and then determine how and where you can improve. By doing this, you will greatly enhance your ability to be an effective leader. Good Luck!
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