Happy New Year...

"Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them."Madam C.J. Walker

 

You’ve probably already decided upon some (if not all) of your New Year’s resolutions. Now comes the hard part: even the best ones will be difficult to achieve if you don’t get up and make them happen.  

 

·      Get focused

·      Keep a positive attitude

·      Stay passionate about your goals

 

New Year’s resolutions are like any other to-do list – they’re things we want to get done. If they’re important enough, do what it takes to accomplish them; if not, don’t waste your time or the paper and ink to write them down. At the very least, I hope you’ll do whatever it takes to be happy and healthy today.          

 

Happy New Year!

 

Madam C.J. Walker (1867 – 1919): African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America

Learn from your successes AND your failures...

Being successful at anything is never easy.  I married a professional artist who exposed me to the nuances of all things artistic. So, when my boss started collecting fine art I learned more – he liked van Gogh, and I became familiar with the artist’s work. And now there’s a traveling show that is an immersive experience into the art, life, and challenges of van Gogh. For me, life has been full of lessons (about art and so much more):

 

·      Like artists, most professionals experience lots of ups and downs

·      Sometimes success occurs at the end of, and often because of, a whole string of failures

·      The key to being successful is getting back up and learning from those failures

 

I guess that means we shouldn’t give up, but that’s easier said than done. Learn to talk about your failures and successes, don’t be afraid to take a step back to take two steps forward, and know that you’re not alone in that kind of experience. Most likely, others you know have had similar experiences: seek and listen to their advice. That reminds me of a line in a song I know that says “the next best thing to playing and winning is playing and losing”. Learn from each of your successes and failures today.

 

Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890): Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history

Plan wisely...

If you’re considering making some New Year’s Resolutions, consider that you cannot become what you want to be by remaining what you are. While everybody’s different, a lot of the resolutions are similar. According to research, here are some of the top New Year’s resolutions from year’s past:

 

·      #1 resolution each year is exercise more

·      #2: lose weight 

·      #3: get organized

·      #4: learn a new skill

·      #5: live life to the fullest

·      #10: spend more time with family and friends

 

Seems to me that replacing #1 with #10 might help people achieve all the others.  But whatever they are, it helps to have a plan.  According to some other research, the most effective elements of this kind of plan are:

 

·      Mentally prepare yourself for change

·      Choose resolutions that motivate you

·      Limit resolutions to a manageable amount

·      Be specific

·      Write down your goals

·      Break up big goals into smaller goals

·      Share your resolutions with others

·      Review your resolutions regularly

·      If you fall off track, get back on quickly

 

Maybe that’s more work than you intended; without it, however, you’ll probably fall short. But if you’re serious about making and sticking to your New Year’s resolutions, take the time to choose wisely and have a plan. Those are prudent first steps to becoming what you want to be today.

 

Max De Pree (1924 – 2017): American businessman (CEO Herman Miller office furniture company) and writer (Leadership is an Art). 

Re-pot yourself regularly...

We want our favorite artists to stay the same as when we first fell in love with their work. But styles change with the times and artists, like the rest of us, must continually grow and keep up with those times. The recent Beatles retrospective on the Disney Channel combined with their music being played on a dedicated Sirius XM channel serve as reminders of how much they changed in the relatively short 7 years between being discovered and their breakup. 

 

·      I thought myself a knowledgeable Beatles fan, but I now realize how much they tried new sounds and arrangements. 

·      So many other bands from that era are still touring and doing what they did then, probably thinking we might not still like them if they continued to evolve.

·      If you’re good, people will continue to support you.

 

The lesson for all of us is that we must continue to grow or end up like last night’s cornbread – stale and dry. Every day we’re alive is another opportunity to learn and grow and the more we grow, the more alive we’ll feel. And that’s what inspires us to continue to achieve. Don’t allow yourself to become stale today.

 

Loretta Lynn (born 1932): American singer-songwriter. In a career which spans six decades in country music, Lynn has released multiple gold albums.

Don't be a Scrooge...

It’s the last week of the year, and what a year it’s been. The pandemic is again surging all around us and burrowing deeper into our psyches. We’d all like to think it’s behind us, but, like Dickens wrote, we will continue to live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.  Where Covid is concerned, the Spirits of all Three shall continue to strive within us. A year ago, we were writing about the prospects of a “new normal”; today that new normal is embedded in our lives. In churches and communities worldwide, holiday songs are sung behind masks and greetings were conveyed with fist bumps… and very few thought that odd. Best wishes for the holiday combined with prayers for good health, the latter taking on a greater poignancy this year. As we all prepare for 2022, think about the lessons learned this year: 

 

·      Life is fragile 

·      Family and friends are treasures 

·      The time to tell someone you care is now. 

 

These holidays focus on the blessings of family and friends, the spirit of giving, and a genuine thankfulness for all that we have.  These are powerful principles. Strive to remember them today.

 

Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870): English writer and social critic; from A Christmas Carol

Happy Holidays...

“Family and friendships are two of the greatest facilitators of happiness.” John Maxwell

 

This is why “home for the holidays” is so special. Being with family and friends at this time of year, in good health and cheer, is the gift that’s on everyone’s wish list today.

 

                                                      Happy Holidays!

Be responsible and accountable...

At some point in our lives, we've all gotten caught with our hands in a proverbial cookie jar: that’s when honesty and contrition are appropriate reactions. Similarly, many have been passed over for selection or promotion, a moment when humility, reflection, and re-commitment are needed. In both, excuses are common… the kind that ring hollow to all but those making them. While disappointments are hard pills to swallow, once digested they could and should enlighten as well. 

 

·      Life’s experiences run the gamut – good to bad, and all contain lessons to be learned.

·      Disappointments aren’t the end of the world – only lessons to be learned.

·      Successes for some shouldn’t be the cause of sorrow by others – only lessons to be learned by all.

·      Moments of exhilaration are a lot like times of sadness – each contain lessons to be learned.

 

These are the kinds of lessons that teach us how to best handle life’s events properly and the impropriety of making excuses when they don’t go as we may have wanted. We control our own destinies and, likewise, our reactions to them.  As you look back on 2021 and prepare for 2022, stop making excuses and remember that you’re the only one stopping you today.

 

Jo-Issa Rae Diop (born 1985): American actress, writer, and producer

Put in the time...

I talk to managers all the time who tell stories about the people that work for them. Nothing specific, just their general nature. Lots of good stuff, but sometimes lamenting that not enough of them are entirely positive or effective or reliable. My response is usually the same: you get out of them what you put in… which is something like what we learned in Sunday school as kids: that you reap what you sow. At work, this proverb often means:

 

·      Putting in the time during with on boarding to teach your employees how to perform and meet expectations.

·      Putting in the time during their first few months of work to check back with them often to see if they need further information or instruction.

·      Putting in the time to personally watch their performance to know first-hand how they’re doing.

·      Putting in the time to coach them when needed.

·      Putting in the time to catch them doing things right.

·      And putting in the time to let them know you care.

 

That way you end up with only one kind of employee: the ones you’ve invested in to give them an equal opportunity to succeed. The rest is up to them. That way, whatever the outcome, you’ll know you did all you could. Invest in giving your employees what they need to succeed today.

 

Thomas Clancy Jr. (1947 – 2013): American novelist. He is best known for his technically detailed espionage and military-science storylines set during and after the Cold War.

Don't be fooled by old habits...

Today’s the shortest day of the year: sunrise at 6:48am and sunset at 4:29 pm. The only good thing about the Winter Solstice is that from now until next June the days will steadily be getting longer. Just the same, this time of year I need to push myself to not let these short days affect me: 

    • Just because it’s dark when I’m trying to wake in the morning doesn’t mean I should stay in bed – a new day and my morning exercises and routines are good in any light. 

    • Just because I know it gets dark early doesn’t mean I should quit what I’m doing early – perseverance, motivation, and good work happen in any light. 

    • Just because it’s dark at dinner time doesn’t mean we can’t do things after we eat – evening talks and walks with family and friends are good in any light. 

We get lulled into daylight habits and need to adjust and adapt to this time change like any of the countless other changes that occur in our lives each year. Nobody should care if it’s light or dark out… just do what you need to do. Like my little dog, our inner clocks beat the same every day – the changes in daylight hours should have no more discernable effect on what we need to do than it does on her continual interest in and readiness a walk… in any light. That’s a good lesson to learn and remember today. 

Martha Graham (1894 – 1991): American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide.

Give from your heart...

During these last two weeks of the year, many people are planning for the holidays, giving gifts, making contributions, and volunteering their time for good causes. For many, it’s also a busy time at work: holiday customers, holiday closings, and holiday cheer. In these cases, people are working long hours, giving and getting holiday gifts, and hopefully getting time off. But like with all things in which we get involved at this time of year, you should make sure that what you do makes a difference. 

·      If there’s someone at work who needs extra time off – offer to work for them.

·      If there’s someone you’re donating to – find out what they need and put that package on top.

·      If there are those less fortunate – volunteer your time in a meaningful way.

·      And if someone is sick – drop them a line to let them know you care.

These continue to be crazy times, but what you do with these last two weeks of 2021 can make a difference in someone’s life. Stop and think about it. Don’t put it off. Make a difference today.

 

Kathy Calvin (born 1949): American politician, journalist, and business leader who served as President of The United Nations Foundation from 2013 to 2019

 

Be an effective communicator...

Throughout my career in human resources, I worked with thousands of managers and supervisors, most of whom were professionals in every sense of the word. They knew everything about the jobs they supervised but managing the motivations and moods of their employees often confounded them. Those managers earned their promotions and were proud to have done so; it wasn’t always easy, but they persevered, and that’s probably why they often struggled with employees who didn’t always have that same work ethic and dedication. To them, dealing with employees like that was a hardship and so I coached them to learn more about communicating effectively – I would tell them (like my boss told me) that the difference between a good manager and a great one was his or her ability to communicate effectively. That’s because communications are at the heart of just about everything managers do:

·      Speaking and writing clearly

·      Giving instructions 

·      Providing feedback

·      Asking good questions 

·      Knowing how to listen

·      Coaching people 

·      Handling difficult conversations

·      Understanding the nuances of non-verbal communications

·      Conducting meetings 

·      Keeping everyone in the loop

Effective communications can help build confidence and trust in the workplace; without it, confusion grows and diminishes competencies and performance. Master the art of communication and make the job of managing your employees easier today. 

 

Helen Keller (1880 – 1968): American author, disability rights advocate, political activist, and lecturer