Practice continuous self-improvement...

Today is Yom Kippur, considered the holiest of the Jewish holidays. On this day, we reflect on who we are and what we’ve been this past year, and what we aspire to be in the next. To contemplate how we might be better by learning from what we’ve been. Like a commitment to continuous personal improvement. Because it’s never too late to be what we might have been. All major religions have a regular practice of self-reflection and repentance, but in Judaism it’s an annual event during the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) and Yom Kippur, which is called the Day of Atonement. On which we don’t eat or drink, waiting to be given a sign that we’ve been absolved by God. A common phrase for Jewish people to say to one another during this time is, “May you be inscribed in the book of life.” The notion is that by the end of Yom Kippur, G-d will have decided who gets to live another year. As a child, that seemed rather harsh, but all these years later it is a fervent wish.  May you be inscribed in the Book of Life today.  

 

Mary Ann Evans (1819 – 1880): Known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.

Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Eliot

Spark someone's enthusiasm...

We assume highly successful people like today’s author are an inspiration to others. But the fact is, any of us can be an inspiration to those around us. Especially if you’re a manager or supervisor – employees look up to those positions and are always watching and listening and that presents opportunities to add motivation and inspiration to you regular management duties. Start by talking about what’s on their minds, bring them into the loop by discussing business issues relevant to them, coach them to discover how they can get the most out of their jobs, and be an example of expected behaviors.  Inspire them to think about the stars they can reach for in their jobs and beyond. These kinds of interactions boost commitment, enthusiasm, and productivity. They help build a great workplace culture. Add this kind of out-of-the-office and ‘on-the-floor’ time to your calendar every day. Then leverage that to inspire your employees to reach for the stars today. 

 

Ellen Ochoa (born 1958): American engineer, former astronaut, and former director of the Johnson Space Center.

It takes one to know one...

This quote sounds to me like a roundabout way of saying you need to be engaged to get others to be engaged. And since engagement is one of the big issues in the workplace these days, management – leaders, managers, and supervisors, must be more engaged with their business and employees. Actively. In plain sight. Modeling engaged behavior like being interested, asking questions, encouraging communications, coaching to improve understanding and performance, building consensus and teams, and reinforcing it with feedback and recognition. Looking at all that, it seems like a bit much; but it’s really what you want your employees doing among themselves, discovering opportunities to improve process, performance, and productivity. And seeing how their engagement helps the business reach its objectives and be more successful. That’s a leadership challenge: to embed this stuff in the workplace culture so it becomes self-motivating and -sustaining. Start small – walking around, engaging in conversations, feeding your curiosity. And let this grow and build interest and acceptance from there. Getting everyone bought in and engaged.  It’ll take a plan. Get your peeps engaged in developing that too. It’s how successful companies remain competitive. So, at the risk of sounding overly simplistic, get engaged in getting this started today.

 

Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867 – 1944): American composer and pianist. She was the first successful American female composer of large-scale art music.

Read her story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Beach

Use your head...

When asked about how to be successful at something, my grandfather would point to his head and say the Yiddish work “sachel”. A derivative of the Hebrew word “sakal”, that roughly meant “use your head”. Or use common sense and good judgment. On reflection, I think those two things should be included in every job description. For line employees, that could mean using common sense when performing a job, applying what you know and adjusting when you should. For managers and professionals, it could mean using common sense when supervising employees and servicing customers, being aware of what is happening and needed, and why. While every company has policies, they should teach those to employees along with how and when to be situationally aware. When it’s black and white, go by the book, but when something is in a grey zone, it often calls for judgment and prudence. A leader’s job is to actively teach others how to behave and perform professionally and effectively, while supporting their prerogative to apply common sense. Guidance in these areas should be actively provided by coaching, mentoring, and role modeling. Allow your peeps to practice and learn; don’t be too hard on them, let them know your expectations, be around to answer questions and give feedback, and nurture a safe learning environment. Because it takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently. Help your employees to act intelligently today.

 

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (1821 – 1881): Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and journalist.[1]

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[1] He is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in both Russian and world literature,[3] and many of his works are considered highly influential masterpieces.[4][5] Dostoevsky's literary works explore the human condition in the troubled political, social, and spiritual atmospheres of 19th-century Russia, and engage with a variety of philosophical and religious themes. His most acclaimed novels include Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), Demons (1872), The Adolescent (1875) and The Brothers Karamazov (1880). His Notes from Underground, a novella published in 1864, is considered one of the first works of existentialist literature.

 

Just be a good person...

You can be proud of yourself and what you do, but you shouldn’t let it go to your head. Artificially swelling your ego causing you to strut around like you’re better than others. The media – print, TV, movies, and social, like to make you think that some people are larger than life when in fact everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time. That you’re only cool if you have a personal brand or are some kind of an influencer. But there was a time, not so long ago, when the cool cats were the ones who didn’t think they were better than everyone else and were known to hold the door for others and say please and thank you. The ones who were appreciative and humble. It’s okay to be proud and humble. It’s not okay to make yourself feel big by making others feel small. It’s nice to be great but better to be a good person. Caring more about and doing more for others than you do for yourself. That’s what leaders and role models do. That’s what the people you want to be around do. Be proud and humble today.

 

Thomas Merton (1915 – 1968): American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and scholar of comparative religion. 

Learn more about this cool cat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Merton

Support self-confidence...

It’s good to be passionate about the things you do and to believe in yourself. Self-confidence is greatly admired by family, friends, and employers. Especially employers. But that doesn’t mean anyone should take that for granted. And because it can be shaken by the kinds of uncertainty that often exist at work, people’s self-confidence should be nurtured with lots of open, two-way communication, timely feedback, and fostering a sense of inclusion. Make it a point to show them the link between their efforts and the overall status of the things they work on. And never take it for granted they know what you’re thinking – be pro-active, over communicate, catch them doing things right, and always be available to listen and respond to their questions. Because in this, what you as their leader do also makes a difference. Creating a positive, communicative, and engaging environment lifts peoples’ sprits, improves their performance, directly affects customer experiences, and impacts the bottom line. Make it a point to let your peeps know that they do make a difference today.

 

William James (1842 – 1910): American philosopher and psychologist.”[1]

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[1] The first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States, he is considered to be one of the leading thinkers of the late 19th century, one of the most influential philosophers and is often dubbed the "father of American psychology.

 

Steer yourself in the right direction...

Many grew up with these Dr. Seuss books, filling children’s hearts with great stories on which they can easily get hooked. Books from a decidedly different time which were built around a decidedly different kind of rhyme. Trying to write in this unique kind of style is challenging for me, especially when my message is meant to be simple to see. The point I am trying to make here today is that each of us is responsible for deciding about the direction from which we can each make our way. Those decisions can be hard because so much is at stake, and it can be confusing to know which decision is to make. But because you have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself in any direction you choose. Now you’re on your own, and know what you know, so you are the one who’ll decide where to go. Suffice it to say it’s important to fashion a personal decision that’s filled with interest, commitment, and a whole lot of passion. Forgive me for attempting to write like the good Dr. Seuss, but in staying in style with the way that he writes I am hoping to ignite your personal insights. So choose the way where you want to go today.

 

Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991): Writer, Cartoonist, Animator known as Dr. Seuss – from the book “Oh the Places You’ll Go”