New Year’s resolutions are the beginning of what you bring to each new year.
· Choose them wisely.
· Make them a part of your life.
· Live them throughout the year.
Let your resolutions be what you bring into the New Year, starting today.
Happy New Year!
Vern McLellan: Canadian author, speaker, associate pastor, broadcaster, and musician.
In deciding whether you’d rather be right, or happy, make it your work to discover your happiness.
· No one is all right or all wrong: there is always a middle ground.
· Resist polarization by listening to all sides of the issues you face.
As 2023 draws to a close, I am saddened that our society continues to devolve into opposite camps and positions, with little thought of finding common ground and purpose. My entire professional career revolved around finding shared objectives and values and building a culture of community in the companies we managed. We had employees from every walk of life and background, as diverse as the communities we lived in: we valued and honored that diversity of thinking, perspectives, and approaches and found strength and competitiveness in the blending of those differences. Whether because two heads or more are better than one or the 360-degree perspective it shined on everything we did, we truly believed we were better together than apart. Nobody gave up who and what they were when agreeing to work together harmoniously. It was hard work, but it was worth it. My wish for 2023 is that we somehow find ways to bridge our differences and become stronger together. Listen to others, seek to learn why they are who they are, and find ways to still be friends, colleagues, neighbors, and mutual supporters. Discover who you are and how to live a more collegial life and then, with all your heart, give yourself to it in 2024. That might be a good resolution to consider today.
Siddhartha Gautama, commonly referred to as the Buddha ('the awakened'), was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
· According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lumbini, in what is now Nepal, to royal parents of the Shakya clan, but renounced his home life to live as a wandering ascetic. After leading a life of impoverishment, asceticism, and meditation, he attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in what is now India. The Buddha thereafter wandered through the north-central section of the Indian subcontinent, teaching and building a monastic order. He taught a Middle Way between sensual indulgence and severe asceticism, leading to Nirvana.
Passions must be put into perspective lest we misunderstand them or follow the wrong ones.
· We can get enamored with our own ideas.
· That’s why they should get scrutinized.
· So that you only follow the good ones.
When I have a big idea, I believe in it, sometimes too much; the antidote for that is to involve others to get their perspectives. Not just people who’ll always say yes, but those with varied experiences and backgrounds. Not that I won’t argue and lobby long and hard, but I want to be surrounded by those who’ll stand their ground when appropriate. The best ideas will survive, but if they don’t, it should be from their weakness no matter what we think. My career was dotted with good ideas that survived that kind of rigor, as well as many others that didn’t. Don’t be afraid to get passionate about your ideas but keep an open mind – you’ll want to be sure that only the right ones make it. It’s with this kind of thinking that you should roll into the New Year, full of ideas, eyes wide open, and ears to the ground. That’s a good way to begin to formulate your New Year’s resolutions today.
Fran̤ois de La Rochefoucauld (1613 Р1680): French author (Maximes and Memoirs) and moralist of the era of French Classical literature.
Passion moves people in many ways – in work, in life, and in love.
· My daily messages focus on people at work,
· What drives them and what restrains them.
· What inspires them to do what they do.
My work was nearly all consuming – thousands of employees in a 24/7 business that most thought was larger than life. It wasn’t, but that was lost in the hype and glitz. People thought my crazy projects were equally mythical, but the truth was they were in response to real business problems that I was allowed to get creative and passionate about. They were complex and often frustrating, but the passion pushed me beyond the difficulties, shortcomings, and failures. Having the chance to do something different that hadn’t been done before. Things that few understood and most said couldn’t be done. Big or small, these are the kinds of things people can get passionate about. Faced with one yourself: go for it. Advocated by a subordinate – support them, encourage them to do their homework, listen to see if they can define the need, and take a measure of what they’ll do to succeed. If you can feel their passion, give them the green light and the support they say they’ll need. If they won’t walk away, then neither should you. Support someone’s passion today.
Joseph Campbell (1904 – 1987): American writer whose work discusses focuses on his theory of the journey of the archetypal hero shared by world mythologies, termed the monomyth.
If you’re really into something, with all your heart and soul – that’s passion. That’s good. But “pluck” is a whole different kind of swagger.
pluck
/plək/
Noun
spirited and determined courage.
"it must have taken a lot of pluck to walk along a path marked “Danger”"
Similar: courage bravery nerve boldness daring resolve fearlessness passion resolution grit guts spunk gumption moxie valor determination heroism audacity mettle gutsiness spirit fortitude ballsiness
Webster defines this so well – spirited, determined, courageous, bold, and resolute. Spunk, gumption, moxie and ballsiness. Yikes! I thought my writing style was out there, but I’ve got nothing on Webster. You can be many things – smart, experienced, and skilled; but if you don’t have pluck, you probably are not going as far as you could if you had it. So, go back and read the terms that Webster says are “similar” to pluck, passion being one of them. Because that's what it's going to take. It's not enough that you’re into what you’re doing, you’ve got to be all in, all the time, eating, sleeping, thinking, and living it. As 2023 winds down and you start thinking about 2024 and resolutions, find the courage to have passion (and all those other “similar” terms) for what you’re doing. If you don’t, look at what you’re doing. Be honest. Make choices. Try not to lose money; protect your honor; but don’t lose the pluck it will take to be ready for 2024 today.
Ernest William Hornung (1866 – 1921): English author and poet known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London.
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
Theodor Seuss Geisel
Have a Very Merry Christmas!
Discussing anything with others is the best way to fully understand it from a variety of viewpoints.
· Everyone sees things from their own unique perspective.
· Listening to others is the best way balance your own viewpoint.
I’m not sure where and when the value of open discussions gave way to dogmatic polarization in our society. Fortunately, that kind of behavior isn’t allowed in the workplace. Where people are encouraged to think outside the box and open discussion is encouraged. Two heads are better than one, especially when both are allowed to speak and each listen to the other. Good leaders support this and must actively supervise their peeps to make sure it happens. Even disagreements are allowed if there’s a process to amicably resolve them. Because it’s about doing what’s right, not being right. Where the concept of the greater good makes good business sense. Make sure you participate in, encourage, and support the open exchange of ideas, perspectives, experiences, and viewpoints. Thank everyone for participating in that. And continually point to the results that produces. Keep the dialogue going to promote a balance of viewpoints today.
Christine A. Varney (born 1955): American antitrust attorney who served as the U.S. assistant attorney general of the Antitrust Division and as a Federal Trade commissioner.
It’s hard to learn something without studying, and it’s hard to get good at anything without practicing.
· Learning is a participative sport.
· You must get engaged to be any good.
Throughout my active HR career, I taught lots of management classes to our managers and supervisors. Many of the participants spoke up that their managers needed to take those same courses so they knew what it was that was being taught and should be reinforced. That to me is the essence of corporate learning – that supervisors get actively involved in coaching, mentoring, and reinforcing the things they want their subordinates to get good at. Those same actions are also the essence of employee relations – where managers and their direct reports work together, understand each other, and are aligned in the things that matter to the company. If you have employees that are taking classes, reading these messages, or learning new things in other ways – find out what they think, ask them questions to determine if they understand the material, watch their work to see if they know how to use the new things they learned, and coach them as needed to practice. Don’t wait for them to fail – that’s the worst thing you could do. Get involved to help your peeps learn to be all they can be today.
Thomas Zachariah Glazer (1914 – 2003): American folk singer and songwriter
More on my daily messages: they relate to the kinds of values that families seek to instill in their children and companies use to motivate their employees. Both types seek to be relevant and inspiring.
· My messages focus on a revolving group of ten values.[1]
· I focus on a single value each week, five days in a row.
· I select a quote each day that relates to that value.
· My daily message is a story about how they relate.
· Each message recalls something I’ve experienced or learned.
· And each is intended as a thought-provoking way to start the day.
· Yours and mine.
These aren’t random values – they’re ones I’ve found in many companies and are intended to be themes around which employees can rally. About things they can get behind and participate in. Better to try than not. I’ll be honest: many days I get up and think it’s unimportant to go on writing these. And then I think ‘what will I become tomorrow if I stop learning today’? As tired as I get each day, I’ve learned that every little push helps. People who see these on social media tell me they help. Managers who use them in pre-shift meetings tell me they help. Like with my elderly neighbor, it’s a habit that keeps on giving. Whether it’s these or something else, find something to participate in today.
Dr. Debasish Mridha is a physician, writer, philosopher, and philanthropist.
[1] Teamwork, Excellence, Innovation/Creativity, Integrity, Loyalty, Ownership/Responsibility, Participation/Involvement/Engagement, Passion, Pride, and Professionalism.
It’s the middle of December and I’ve been thinking about the year that’s coming to an end. About why I continue to write these messages every day.
· What started as a simple request, has become a daily devotional.
· Thinking about what’s been done and how to be better.
· Using a simple thought to begin each day around.
Fourteen years ago, after opening the Resort at Pelican Hill, I was asked to continue my participation with them by writing a daily message for their pre-shift meetings. That’s how these started. Back then, the concept was inspired in part by an elderly neighbor in Laguna Beach who started each of her days by driving down the canyon to her church in town and meditating about what was important to her. I’d watched her do that every day for 3 years and saw how that was a central part of her life. Starting one’s day with some sort of devotional – whether prayer, meditation, a solitary exercise, or a quote, seemed like a smart way to approach each day. And after 14 years, I enjoy and benefit from this as much as any of those other start of the day strategies. Because I’m actively participating in getting my thoughts together, not just standing around hoping that my first step will be the best one each day. Well intended. Sometimes not entirely successful. But always hopeful. As we start each day, it pays to participate fully rather than watch from the sidelines. Do what it takes to get into that mindset today.
Kathrine Switzer (born 1947): American marathon runner, author, and television commentator. She was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon.
T omorrow morning when you look in the mirror, think back to all the days of your career. However long you’ve been working, there are sure t...
