Find the fire in your belly....

“We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”Marie Curie

There are times when things don’t go exactly as planned: circumstances change and priorities shift, but we must have a fire in the belly to go on. That’s easier said than done. Most people try to overcome obstacles, both natural and man-made, looking for a quote or example that will motivate us to continue on. I read books and articles all the time about this, and yet it rarely gets any easier: then the other day while walking in the woods I saw a tree that had died and fallen – one of many in the forest.  But on closer observation there was a sapling growing up out of that stump: fiercely determined, proud of its progress, and determinedly overcoming significant odds. In that forest was a metaphor for life: don’t give up, believe in yourself, organize your strengths, work on your weaknesses, ignore the odds and be proud of what you can achieve. That’s what it takes to attain your goals today.

Marie Curie (1867 – 1934): Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize

Be proud without being vain....

One of the virtues I write about here is pride: the kind found when good people do things for good reasons. In excess, it can become perverted and can be seen as selfishly putting one's own desires before the welfare of others: in this latter example, pride is often described as being one of the Seven Deadly Sins. But as a virtue, pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves and the things we do; too much misguided pride can become vanity and be overly focused on what we want others think of us and the things we have. Managers sometimes think they’re better than the people that report to them rather than making their employees feel good about themselves - that’s when pride becomes a bad thing.  Be proud without being vain today.

Jane Austen (1775 – 1817): English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which focus on the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century

Find something you're passionate about.....

People have great ideas all the time: many, however, never follow through with them. That’s not the case with one of my former college roommates - earlier this year he celebrated his semi-retirement and announced his intentions to bike across America with a friend. Yesterday marked the 19^thday of that journey and the completion of their first 1000 miles. They’ve made it to Montana and celebrated by taking a half day off before starting on the next 1000 miles: I know this because he’s posting a blog every day about their progress. This is one of those burning ideas that they were passionate enough about from the start and they’re sticking to it.  I love reading about their exploits and observations and am inspired to see if there’s something I could be so passionate about. The discovery of our own passions is something we should all try to find today.

Steve Jobs (1955 – 2011): American entrepreneur and business magnate. widely recognized as a pioneer of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s

Add color to your everyday commentary....

I do a fair amount of corporate training for clients that want to develop and sustain high output organizations. My training partner is a clinical psychologist and the workshops we conduct cover both the behavioral science behind the subjects we teach and the practical business examples that relate to them: this approach gives participants the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ needed to produce each program’s desired changes. We’ve found that professionals and leaders learn best when the materials are presented with authenticity and passion: this format is often referred to as ‘entertainment with a message’.  Stories are a powerful way to convey information and this presentation style mimics the way we talk to one another in everyday life: the messages are full of the color and commentary that make them meaningful and memorable. Learn to teach, mentor and coach your team effectively by including stories that punctuate the information you wish to convey.  That’s the best way to help others learn something new today.

Deepak Chopra (b. 1946): Indian-born American author, public speaker, alternative medicine advocate, and a prominent figure in the New Age movement

Happy 4th of July....

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."Harriet Tubman

In honor of the brave men and women who 242 years ago had strength, patience, and passion to reach for the stars to change the world: Happy 4^thof July!

Harriet Tubman (1822 – 1913): American abolitionist, political and antislavery activist, and leader in the struggle for women's suffrage.

Don't be afraid to be passionate about the work you do....

"It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind." T. S. Eliot

Ever wonder why more people are not passionate about their work? Maybe it’s because we don’t talk enough about its importance when recruiting - look at your interview questions: you can ask if they have a passion for the job they’re applying for, or what they were most passionate about in their last job; and watch their body language when they’re answering: do you see the light in their eyes to match the words they use? Or maybe it’s because we don’t recognize passionate performance enough: do you measure it, nurture it, coach it, celebrate it; employee surveys often reveal that managers don’t understand and pay attention to their efforts and commitment. So, if you want passionate employees, be passionate yourself; and if you see passionate employees, tell them how much you appreciate that. Remember: inspect what you expect, and comment on it. And remember to explore the importance of passion for work with recruits and employees today.

Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888 – 1965): American-born English essayist, publisher, playwright, literary and social critic, and "one of the twentieth century's major poets"

Look for this when looking to hire great employees....

I am again vacationing for the summer in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York: the weather here is beautiful and the solitude good for the soul. These are remote areas and the local businesses have difficulty finding employees: one newly purchased restaurant remains closed for lack of staff. But one we found open last night had a waitress that the proprietor referred to as a ‘gift from heaven’: smiling, engaged, proficient and fun. When I asked where he found her he told me she was a friend of a friend who was referred by another friend: meaning she wasn’t hired because of some complex assessment process. She was, in a word, wonderful: you couldn’t fake or train the passion she had for being a genuine service professional. Which goes back to my theory about hiring for attitude and training for skill.  Focus on hiring employees like this by learning how to discover what comes naturally in each of your applicants. It’s the only way to successfully operate your business today.

Barbara Ann Corcoran (b. 1949): American businesswoman, investor, speaker, consultant, syndicated columnist, author, and television personality (on Shark Tank).