Advice

Should you take someone's advice?  Good question and here are the reasons we end up taking someone's advice according to author Jeffrey Gitomer:

                                      1. Your firends with them.
                                      2. You trust their expertise.
                                      3. You have a relationship
                                      4. Your immediate family.
                                      5.  Battling logic verus emotion as you receive this advice.

Taking advice is a very sensitive and delicate process because it usually means someone else has helped you make a decision or made the decision for you, and you were willing to accept it based on a combination of your gut-level feeling and your trust.  I still ask is that what you should do? 

The last person's advice I trusted was the math teacher who told me that algebra would be useful to me someday.

Think you are tops?

What's the  worst personal quality that a bos can display, accordign to 1,000 workers recently survey by Hogan Assessment systems?  Arrogance.  Followed by manipulative, emotionally brittle, a micromanager, passive aggressive and distrustful.   Source: Chad Brooks/Live Science.com   Interesing point of view huh?  I've had some great bosses in my caree and they have all been respnsibile, inspiration, tactful and foremost trustworthy. 

There is nothing like a trustworthy boss.  You will do soo much for the individual even without them asking you, or I would.  That is not everyone's story.  Trust yourself.  You know more than you think you do.  Dr. Benjamin Spock.

Do you trust yourself?  Have you ever looked back a decision you made and got angry with yourself?  I know that I've done it and I will probably do it again.  It is always easier to see what one could have done or should have been done after the fact.  I've learned that as I trust myself with decisions, my trust causes me to get more clarity in decision making.  Then the next time I'm faced with a decision which is difficult I decide to trust myself and move forward. I will get an A, B, C or D, but, I won't fail because I'm learning.  If I make it a mistake it will teach me to be more in tune to my judgment.   It is a great stepping stone for building trust within myself.  Trusting self is a very important step to beginning to trust others.

This means you have to trust your thinking, your wisdom, your knowledge, your judgment, your instincts, your powers of observation, your powers of deduction, your ability to reason, and your ability to discern.  It's in your gut, however, it's whether you choose to trust it or ignore it. 

I say trust yourself, its a great opportunity to grow!!

Email Management

Did you know you email is controlling you?  Here are a few tips so that you can control your email.

1. Why cc or bc- it just give you more replies and increases the email traffic.  Only do it if necessary.
2. How many emails are in your in box - 100 many people have 300-500 email.  This is psychologically destroying you.  It is like having 1000 physical sheets of paper all over your desk. Now you wouldn't think of doing that would you?
3. Stop responding to email when it comes in.  A lot of people use email for procrastination.  Decide to respond to email 2 or 3 times in the morning and again in the afternoon (time trap) shut down the alert or even close the email.
4. Do no check your email in the evening or on weekends.  Enjoy the evening and weekend.
5. Don't send partial emails just to get back to people.  Use the draft feature, save and send later.
6. When emails turn into a back and forth discussions (time trap) just pick the phone.
7. Use subject titles to people using black berries/iphones.  Use EOM - End of Message, NTN -No Thanks need, NTR- No reply needed.
8. People give you 5-7 seconds to say what is necessary in your email.  State the purpose of the email right up front.  Use lots of white space because it is easier on the eye. Stop the on going saga......
9. Begin to coach everyone on minimizing the number of emails coming through.  This is a great coaching opportunity. Go see them face to face.
10. Last but not least set up email folders. 

If you will only use three of the above referenced tips you will begin to eliminate waisting time and control your email rather than it controlling you.  Then you will have more time to work on your negotiations skills to ask that big fat raise you want or maybe just the corner office.

Other responsiblities as assigned....

Other responsibilities as assigned which translates into team leader for the coordination of Holiday events within the office.  You know events where no one really wants to participate because they have more work on their plate and they really don't have the time to do it; but it is expected. 

Here's the run down: 

1.      Compose the email with the request for ideas, make it fun, and an upbeat opportunity for o display your creative flair if you participate. (Most people are looking for avenues to display their creativity in ways their current profession will not allow them so this should be simple).  displays initiative

2.       Wait 2 hours and if you receive no response, send another email highlighting one of the team members creativity and enlist their help.  displays consistency

3.       Move to the common area and engage in conversation about the idea and watch others who are listening decide to join in. displays strategy

4.      As the conversation builds allow the individual with the most passion to take the lead as they share their idea.  Chime as necessary to keep the conversation/brainstorming session going.  

5.      Once the idea has been accepted assign and prepare to execute the idea.

The day of the event check with the individual that has shown the most passion and excitement about the about idea or whomever it was that agreed to bring the supplies and make the person the said team captain.  Just follow their lead for being the execution of a project, door decorating contest, chili cook off or whatever.  

I've attached pictures of our finished door.... We are expecting to be the winners of the Halloween door decorating contest 2012.   And that my friends; “are other responsibilities as assigned”.  You don't have to do it alone and you don't have to feel you don't have any power or authority because you do.  It is all about figuring out how to convert this challenge into an opportunity to display your leadership skillset.

Gaining and maintaining the lead position

I've known this analogy for sometime, however, I'd like to share it with you all.  What it cost to get and maintain the lead position. 

If you decide to think about trying out for the position on an athletic team or any team for that matter.  It might be in the workforce the choice is up to you; however, if it is a lead position consider the what has to happen with you internally.

There are three areas of conciousness you should effectively address 1.  Self-  Am I good enough to try out for this position.  Do I have what it takes?  2.  Once I've  determined that I have the shinagrin to tryout for the position,  am I ready compete against the competion on the team?  (someone ultimately always wants what you want) and 3.  Once you are the successful candidate after the tryouts amongst the team and you have secured the lead position it is now time to compete against the actual opposing team.  If you look at it there are three battles that occur:   The first being with self - Am I capable can I actually complete against my team members?  2. The competiton of the team -  They want the spot too.  Am I really that good to represent the team?   3.  The actual covet position is now yours because you beat the battle with self and tried and they you overcame the competition to gain the lead position.   Now and only now do you get to compete for the team against the actual stated competiton.  I wonder if most people think about that when they begin to go after what it is they THINK they really want?   I personally refer to this as adding up the cost emotinally and mentally.  I use this everytime I think of going after something I believe I want so dearly in my life.   I can have it, however, do I want it bad enough?  Good question to ponder.

Punchdrunk

When we are not clear that we are worthy, worthwhile and valuable beings, we believe that life must be hard.  This belief will bring into your experience difficult situations that you will have to fight your way through.  On the other end of the fight, you can sit back and marvel at what you have done.  You have bragging rights about what you have been through.  You are tough and a survivor!!! 

This may come as a shock and it might be difficult for you to understand that you are creating these situations to support the subconscious belief that you do not deserve to live a joy-filled or peaceful life. 

·         When we learn to duck and dodge the punches life sends our way, this process of living can become an exhausting habit. 

·         When you expect to be punched, you are always looking for the fist, and you know what it comes again and again.

Life does not have to be hard.  Check to make sure that you are not waiting for the next disaster to strike, just to prove that you can take it.   Begin to open your mind and your heart and expect that you can live a joy-filled and peaceful life.  Believe and Expect it.

Why independent voter matter little in Tennessee

 I read an article in the NashvilleCity Paper.Com by Steven Hale which I think is worth a read to by anyone that is in Tennessee could be an independent voter.  After reading it, I'm STILL on my way to the polls to early vote and I'm voting early.   The article is on page 28.  Take a look at it you get the chance. nashvillecitypaper.com

aaahhhhh I can exhale

Another TN Summit has come and gone.  It was one of my fourth quarter finish strong goals.  We had participation from KY, ATL and TN!!!  Great success and over 500 attendees, 20 vendors and all 19 of our colleges and universities in the State TN participated.  

All things considered... we did exceptionally well.   Now the planning begins for 2013 to remarket and to make the conference even bigger.  Thinking of how to make it a regional conference. 

Fourth Quarter

It is really intriguing how another individual's frame of reference can change your mind; or even make you think about something differently about something you've embraced.  I just read a colleugues blog on what the fourth quarter means through their lense.  I have for the last two years embraced "it's fourth quarter finish strong". 

In my eyes which meant to re-evaluate where I am with any goals and decide whether to scale back or move forward, readjust my plan to have some level of success on December 31.   The blog that I read said the point of any fourth quarter is to make your point.   That is in goal setting, basket ball or whatever.  It's fourth quarter; do it or forget it.  Cause you know what the time is up!   Interesting point of view. 

Take for instance most sales representatives; the fourth quarter is where a major push is given.  Finish strong and do whatever it takes to finish strong.   Most sales people try to do a lot during the fourth quarter;  because in essence we know our times up.  It's harvest time and sales are ripe for the picking or we hope.  If we have slacked, now is a good time to give it all you got! I usually finish strong on the things that I've been working on and the momentum usually starts at the end of the second quarter for me.   If it starts in the second quarter I can anticipate it as a finish strong in the fourth quarter.   My fourth quarter is usually slow and that is because what I've started in second quarter finishes in the early part of the fourth quarter.  Then I'm left with what do I need to do now....  I guess I've made my point early on.   Going forward I think I'll plan more goals that begin in the 2nd quarter that can expand through the fourth quarter.  All a matter of planning.  If you fail to plan then you plan to fail.  And I don't plan to fail. 

Transparency

I do this for those coming after me.  Here are is my sister and her daughter and friends.  Someone has to show them how to take a risk, be transparent and open to life.  Or we all stand in one line and never do anything out side of what is expected.  And maybe not even what is expected just something.  Do more, be more and expect more out of life.  I am so excited about this blog and just being able to share pictures, posts, links, videos.  I am now being published and what a great gift from God.  Thank you God.  I will use it wisely.  Until we meet again wishing you candy coated kisses.
Size Sexy 16!

Just do it!

This post is a just do it post.  Got to get started, can't continue to think or plan about blogging.  Just have to do it.  If I make mistakes so what that just shows that I believe in myself enough to know that if I fall down I know how to get up.  Observing, looking and reading everyone else's blogs helps but it is nothing like having your own.  So this is my first stab at it and I've been planning since November 2011 way to long.  I'm doing it.  Life is too short to not do everything I have on my bucket list.  I really believe the way one learns is by doing and if it is wrong believe me wrong will let me know I am WRONG.  But what if I am right, what if I'm right. There you go.  I could possibly be right and I really believe that I am right about quite a few things in life.  And to that end I believe it. Until next time wishing you "Candy coated kisses!"