Be passionate about helping others...

NOTE: I somehow forgot to post this on Friday, January27, 2023. First time that's happened. I didn't want January to get by without it, so here it is...better late than never.

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others.” Dalai Lama

 

The prime purpose of every leader should be to help others. Some do, others don’t. Therein lies the story of a company’s culture.

 

·      Helping others

·      Is a noble activity.

·      Leaders, like parents

·      Each have this in common.

 

I write here often about emotional intelligence and servant leadership – these are practices that influence a leader’s management style. They represent awareness of and concern for others and putting other’s interests and well-being ahead of their own. These practices are leading reasons why companies that practice them are fully staffed while those that don’t, aren’t. If that seems overly simplistic, ask your employees what they like most or least about their managers: you might be surprised to learn they like, trust, and respect those that care more than they do those that don’t. The best leaders coach and mentor their employees to become better every day; they listen more than they speak and are there when employees need them. Higher recruiting success, higher employee morale, higher productivity, higher customer satisfaction, and higher retention rates are the result of caring about and helping employees.  Being passionate about helping others is both a good idea and a business imperative.  Make it your prime purpose to help others today.

 

The 14th Dalai Lama (born 1935) is the highest spiritual leader and former head of the country of Tibet.

Stand firm and proud...

If you always do your best, you can be proud of all that happens each day. Good or bad, you should not be reduced by any of it.

 

·      Always do your best

·      And you’ll have no regrets.

·      Some may approve or some may not,

·      But you should be proud of your efforts.

 

Like every other HR professional I know, our days are filled with having to make countless decisions. And every one of them affects someone – usually, one person is satisfied with a particular decision and more than one are not. That’s just the nature of the job. In fact, it’s the nature of the job of most professionals. Each of us knows that any of our decisions have the potential for dissent, but if we do our best with each there’s no reason to second guess ourselves. To be honest, I never liked it when it when someone tried to second guess me without having or knowing all the facts – I guess that’s natural. But I learned to listen because there was always a chance to learn from other’s perspectives. And when I did make a mistake, I learned to quickly admit it and move on, letting that be a learning experience rather than a moment of doubt. We’re all human and that’s a good thing to remember today.

 

Maya Angelou (1928-2014): American Poet, dancer, producer, playwright, director, and author.

Bring your best self to everything you do...

Whatever you do, wherever and whenever you do it, take pride in your work.

 

·      Whoever you are,

·      What you do matters.

·      But more importantly,

·      How you do it matters too.

 

I was a kid when Ford Frick was commissioner of baseball back when it was America’s pastime. Athletes in the 50’s were bigger than life, proudly working to win games and championships for their fans. They were all about teamwork, not personal glory. Many people watch sports and, in my opinion, the best players inspire us to work hard and to have pride in ourselves and what we do. In every walk of life, there are people like that, whose personal integrity and pride make them role models. That’s what everyone should aspire to. And the best way to achieve that is to take pride in your work at all times. Whether it’s a big play in a crucial game or a routine task in your daily life, pride in your work matters. People who have that are the ones you want to work for and work with. Whether you’re a champion ball player, a supervisor on the floor, or an hourly worker, always take pride in your work. That’s how to succeed in whatever you do today.

 

Ford Frick (1894 – 1978): American sportswriter and baseball executive. He was the third Commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1951 to 1965.

Don't sit on your dreams...

I remember watching that “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey game and being inspired to work hard and achieve great things.

 

·      Hard work 

·      And good planning

·      Is a winning combination

·      For success and achievement.

 

People aren’t aware of the risk I took to develop a paperless application system. My boss, who was very supportive of so many of my achievements, wasn’t convinced that paperless applicant tracking could be done. And even though my projections showed a significant and immediate ROI, the high price, unproven idea, and new technology concerned our company’s leadership. I had put several years into research and some  incremental steps, but this still looked like a scary leap of faith. But I knew that if it worked, it would be great, and I was passionate about completing that ambitious project. While I didn’t risk my job with this effort, I did risk losing the confidence and support I had enjoyed for so many years. But I wasn’t willing to sit on that dream. So, I worked harder than ever, tested the system many times along the way, and maintained my passion and commitment to see it through. And it worked. We all have dreams and should passionately follow them when all the conditions are favorable. Scary or not, the best planned dreams can come true. Don’t just sit there - take some good risks today.

 

Herb Brooks Jr. (1937 – 2003): American ice hockey player and coach. His most notable achievement came in 1980 as head coach of the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic team that upset the heavily favored Soviet team in a match that came to be known as the "Miracle on Ice."

Create something you're passionate about...

People create things every day. They see what’s needed and creatively and passionately get them done.

 

·      People’s work is most

·      Often a series of many parts.

·      Like an artist’s marks on canvas,

·      The elements come together in the end.

 

Throughout my career I developed many training courses that were led by subject experts and conducted in classrooms. It was difficult to schedule managers and supervisors to be in classrooms and finding temporary substitutes for them was a logistical challenge. Several years ago, I began developing a better way to present soft skills training to managers and supervisors and the result was a series of short format videos that they could take anywhere, anytime on computers, tablets, and smartphones. The courses lasted 1 hour, and each was divided into six 10-minute chapters that were quick to take and easy to digest. Coupled with each was a guide to make sure the people they reported to – usually their department heads, had summaries of the course materials, questions to make sure the attendees understood the material, and exercises they could assign to see if the participants could use this material on the job or needed additional coaching. In creating this masterpiece of training, I put these marks on its canvas: short courses, easy access, practical information, straightforward information, and an alignment between the people taking the courses and their bosses. It's called Tiny Classroom Training (www.tinyclassroomtraining.com) and it launched this past month. It’s what I’m passionate about today.

 

Jasper Johns (born 1930): American painter, sculptor, and printmaker whose work is associated with abstract expressionism, Neo-Dada, and pop art.

Be passionate about being you...

Professionals don’t just assume roles and follow directions. They shape them with their style and professionalism.

 

·      Most professionals perform effectively. 

·      They often take what they’re given and improve it. 

·      Don’t just do what’s expected – overperform for success.

 

It’s what you do with a job after getting it that is the most important and rewarding part. Take me for example: I was hired to be an HR Director and used that opportunity to develop applicant tracking software and practices.  Or my buddy Alan Feldman: he was hired to be a PR Director and went on to champion responsible gaming as the best PR for gaming companies. The list of examples is endless. Learn how everything fits together, watch, learn from those who are or were there, and show a genuine curiosity about how things work. Once you’re comfortable with all of that, carve out a place for your interests, skills, and style – nothing flashy or pushy, just stuff that reflects you and helps and complements others and the company. Be willing to do whatever is asked and then over deliver on what’s expected – nobody ever got criticized for doing more. Don’t be judgmental and don’t keep score – it’s all about you and what you can do, not others. Just be the best you can be – that’s all anyone wants of expects. Be passionate about being you - that’s how best to sculpt a professional role that’s right for you today.

 

William Shatner (born 1931): Canadian actor, author, director, musician, and producer, best known for his role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek.

Be passionate about being your best...

The formula for success: passion, drive, focus, and support. 

 

·      Passion is love and a fire in the belly to be your best.

·      Drive is the inner commitment to be your best.

·      Focus is keeping your eye on being the best.

·      Support comes from the best around you.

 

The first three are all on you: know what you want and work until you attain it – there’s no substitute for hard work and commitment. The last comes from the relationships you build, nurture, and are loyal to – if people trust and respect you, they’ll have your back. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a team – alone you might struggle but combined you can be invincible. Everything I’ve ever achieved has been the result of the support of everyone around me. Whether it’s singing in a band, opening resorts, or having a family – immerse yourself in your peeps; show them your passion and they’ll show you theirs. Don’t be fooled that it’s just you – be aware, humble, and thankful of those you work for, your colleagues, and those that work for you. With them, you can do anything today.

 

Reba Sabrina Hinojos (born 1984): American dancer, choreographer, actress, and singer known professionally as Sabrina Bryan.

Act with professionalism...

Professional is what you do. Professionalism is what you believe and how your act. Sometimes they’re the same; sometimes they’re not.

 

·      Professionalism

·      Is all around us.

·      In every walk of life.

·      It’s not what you do…

·      But what you believe and do.

 

We’ve all worked with professionals – people engaged or qualified in a position. Some are better than others, but they all usually try hard. But that can be a far cry from how they act. We expect professionalism to involve appearance – how people look and act, but that’s only the superficial part. Competence, accountability, and integrity are the more important components of professionalism that separate the good from the not so good. Competency is doing things in the most effective way; accountability is accepting responsibility for your actions; and integrity is doing the right thing – always, even when nobody’s watching. While we’ve all worked with professionals who don’t quite measure up to those criteria; if they’re trying, give them credit and coach or mentor them to be better. But when you’re lucky enough to work with professionals who act with professionalism, watch what they do and try to emulate them, stick by them, and thank them for being what they are. Make sure the professional in you is acting with professionalism today.

 

Amit Kalantri (born 1988): Indian author.

Don't give up hope...

When we begin to get comfortable, things often happen to rock our world. The real challenge is to not let them get you down. 

 

·      We often handle the big things

·      Better than the little challenges.

·      When our world gets rocked, trust

·      That it can work out well in the end.

 

Last night I was in a busy casino and, when I needed it most, found my wallet was missing. Wallets, like cell phones, have become the primary tools with which we navigate through life and losing one or the other is unsettling. I quickly checked all the usual places it could be and with a growing sense of panic confirmed that it was indeed missing. I reported it to the property’s security department and braced myself for the effort of figuring out how to cancel and replace all the things that were in it. I went to bed a nervous wreck and was surprisingly awakened at 3am by a call from that Security department telling me they found it and everything was intact. I don’t know which stunned me more: losing it or learning it had been found. As I write this, the wallet is back in my pocket, and I am marveling at the ups and downs we go through in life. Bottom line: life’s disruptions can end well, good people do make good things happen, and we usually can begin again. Be thankful for the good things that happen today.

 

Sharon Salzberg (born 1952): American author, teacher of Buddhist meditation practices, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society at Barre, and leader of meditation retreats.