Monday Morning Mentoring-3

Seven:Exits and entrances

The two major issues in organizations are how to deal with change and how to handle the communication issues that accompany change.

I know the success of any change depends, in large measure, on your attitude about that change.

Henry Ford once said, One of the great discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.

Mark Twin defined courage as “resistance to fear, mastery of fear-not absence of fear.” We walk forward along a path, fear is there, too. We keep walking.

The opposite of change is conformity. Courage is having the guts and the heart to do things differently for the sake of progress. Improvement doesn’t happen by taking the path of least resistance or conforming to the way things have always bee done.

It takes leadership and courage to led people through change and maintain focus, even when you have doubts about your own ability.

Have you ever heard the phrase “ The only constant is change.”

Can we improve without changing something? Does improvement come from just wanting improvement? Obviously not. Change is as natural as breathing, yet many seem to prefer to take their 1st breath rather than embrace change that leads to improvement.

Change involves exiting your comfort zone and trying something different-entering an opportunity to improve. Without change, we can all get stuck in a rut of doing the same things the same way. So why should we be surprised when we achieve the same result?  That rut can eventually become a grave. Why? Because the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth of the hole.

In my own experience, I’ve found that people resist change for five primary reasons:

First, the change is out of their control

Second, people don’t understand why they are changing

Third, they succeeded the old why

Fourth, they feel they are incapable of change

Fifth, people think the price they have to pay outweighs the reward

As a manager, you can help determine your team’s enthusiasm for the change by focusing on the entrance of potential while you are working through the exit of the past.

“That’s a tall order,” I responded.

…

“As you lead your people through whatever changes are in the works, keep focused on the result. Talk about the rewards and see change as a leadership challenge. You may be entering the greatest time of your career.”

I nodded my understanding.

As Heraclitus said, Change is here to stay, so I need to embrace it because when I stop changing, I stop improving.

Eight: Do Less or Work Faster

I have seen too many executives go down in flames by making changes without understanding the situation and without having developed trust among the troops.

Everything is going pretty smoothly, but this hiring process has been so time-consuming, I’ve barely had time to get anything else done…and that’s another issue I wanted your insights on- how do I get everything done?

“You are sounding like you did in our first meeting: ’Woe is me…I have no control over my time’…

sorry if I came across harshly, however there is a lot we can do about situations at work.”

I’ve studied time management for years-in fact, it’s one of my favorite pastimes- and I’ve discovered that there are no magic bullets when it comes to time management. I’ve never found anyone could save time by doing one thing better, but I have seen people could use time better by doing a few things differently.

If you want to make better use of your time, you need to be looking for the small increments of time…a minute here, five minutes there, etc. Add them all up, and you will create more time to use for other activities.

Bottom line, most people can’t solve their time problem by working harder. Doing the wrong thing more or harder doesn’t help. What we need to do is to find ways to shorten tasks, eliminate steps, combine some tasks, and work easier while getting other tasks done.

“One thing you have to remember is that no one can save time…we all have the same amount, and we can’t carry any time over to the next day. Keeping these limitations in mind, we have to make better decisions on how we spend our time. I know only two ways to spend time better. You can do less, or you can do everything faster.

“What are the time robbers you have to battle every day?” Without having the real facts of the situation, I had to give Tony my best guess. “I think the major time robber for me is interruptions.  It seems as though I am continually interrupted by people needing information that only I can provide. Also, the mounds of paperwork I have, and of course, all the meetings I have to attend take a lot of time.”

“So the first thing you need to figure out is where your time is currently being spent: Get the facts. If you want to make improvements and become a better time manager, you’ve got to know where to start and what to improve. To find those answers, I suggest you track your time for two weeks so you can make some educated decisions about to improve.”

Main Things Right E: Run a productive and necessary meeting	Main Things Wrong E: Waste two hours during an important meeting
Wrong Things Right E:  Facilitate a great meeting that was not necessary	Wrong Things Wrong E: Waste everyone’s time at an unnecessary meeting

Since you’ve already identified the main things in your department, I want you to classify your activities- are you doing those main things and how well are you doing them?

Most executives have three areas where they can make changes that will lead to major time improvements: prioritizing/organizing, interruptions, and meetings.

There are a few things that you can do that will yield better results than you’re doing a whole lot of other things. It’s your duty to yourself and your team to know where your highest payoff activities are and eliminate the activities that yield the fewest results. If you can concentrate your time and energy on your most important task, do it well, and complete the task, then you will be successful. If you spend your time on things that are not important, do a halfway job, or never complete tasks, you will not be successful.

Using the Pareto principle, one of those tasks will generate 80 percent of your results. Which one of the tasks do you think the average person would do first?...

"The task most people are likely to procrastinate on is the most important task--probably because it's often  the toughest task to complete. They stay busy with all the tother task, save the most important, then wind up accomplishing very little. Now, if you were really doing what you said-completing first the task that generates 80 percent of your results- I doubt that we would be having this conversation on time management.
"You've got me there." I confessed.
Tony continued, "Prioritizing is where time management begins. Select your most important task for that particular moment and get it done quickly and wel. Many people  become stressed over what they have to do instead of getting things done.

Always ask yourself, What is the most important use of my time right now?, and get started. Starting and completing important tasks first will eliminate stress and help you to feel good about yourself and the rest of the day.

“One of the most important activities for me is to set aside some uninterrupted planning time every day,” Tony said. “It was difficult for me to discipline myself to do this, but I found that in twenty uninterrupted minutes, I could get the same amount accomplished that would have taken sixty minutes of interrupted time.”

“Just close your door and think about what needs to be done and in what order. It will make a huge difference in defining your focus for the day,” he suggested.

“In reality, you will never have enough time to do everything you need to do, so what you need is a crystal-clear understanding of the important things you have to do.”

“Now let’s get to the paperwork issue. Like many, you probably think you are the only person feeling bogged down by paperwork… Time management guru will tell you to touch paper only once.Actually, I think the key to taking control of your paperwork is to keep the paper moving. Throw it away, act on it, or put it into your reading pile. Do something with the paper instead of shuffling it. It may not be reasonable to touch paper only once in every situation, but remember-shuffling and reshuffling paper from pile to pile with no evaluation or action is a waste of time.” 

“One more thing. If I were to walk into your office right now, what would I see on the top of your desk?”

“I think I have several piles of paper on my desk. You would probably describe my desk right now as cluttered.”

“When you get back to your office today, first thing, clear off the top of your desk. I think you should always be able to see the majority of your desk’s surface. A cluttered desk makes you look disorganized and contributes to the shuffling and reshuffling game. It also adds stress. At a minimum, your desk should be completely clean at the end of every day.”

“Another organizational tip is to batch activities-do like activities together-so that you’re not starting and stopping all the time. Do all your voice mails at once. Return all phone calls at one time. Write memos or letters at one sitting.”

“Let me ask you another question. How often do you call the people on your team?”

“in most cases, when something comes up, I call them immediately ad take care of it right then. That sounds like something you would be pleased with, eh?” I reasoned, thinking I was finally doing something in a productive mode.

“Well, the immediate call is good on critical items, and maybe all of your response are critical. But maybe you can eliminate interrupting them if you create a “talk to” file for every person on your team. Unless it is real emergency, wait until you have at least two items in the file before calling that person and ask both questions at the same time. "

“The key to batching is to eliminate as many transitions from one activity to another as possible. I assure you, if you batch activities together, you will save time.”

…"Great,” he responded, much to my relief. “Most people don’t know who is interrupting them or why they’re being interrupted. You seem to have a good feel for it, but just for a week or so, keep track of who is interrupting you and why they’re interrupting. Then you can make some informed decisions about how you’re going to address the problem.

“In my own experience, I’ve found that even if you can’t eliminate the interruption,” Tony said, “ you can keep it short. Try to make all of your phone calls shorter and straight to the point.”

“If someone comes into your office and interrupts what you are doing, I have discovered that, as a general rule, the length of the interruption is in direct proportion to the comfort level of the interrupter. The secret is not allowing the interrupter to sit down and et comfortable in your office. When someone comes into your office, sand up. You can take care of business standing up more quickly. “That point hit home to me…

Another good management practice is to schedule one-on-one sessions at least monthly with your staff and your boss. It forces you to communicate regularly as well.

Finally, you may want to ask your team this: What do I do that wastes your time and hiders your performance?

“Let’s talk about one of the biggest time wasters I know-meeting…I have found that if everyone is prepared, on time, and focused-most meetings can be accomplished in half the time meetings are currently taking. "

Here are some suggestions to improve meeting productivity:

First, don’t fall into the “perpetually scheduled meeting” syndrome.

Always begin a meeting by covering the most important items.  That way you ensure that you cover what you need to accomplish, and you’re not rushing through the important items.

…Tony was quick to jump in. “Be careful with that strategy because you are sending a message to the people who showed up on time that they are not as important as Kevin…My suggestion is to start your meeting on time and avoid the temptation of recapping when someone shows up late. When you recap, you’re rewarding the tardy person and punishing the people who were on time. There should be accountability with your meetings with a penalty for showing up late.  Reward the people who made it on time with a well-planned, productive session.

“Probably the simplest tip that pays the biggest dividend in meeting management is to start and end your meetings on time.”

“Another meeting time waster is allowing people to continue to “sell” their points after a decision has been made. Some folks like fighting losing battles. Don’t fall for that. Set limits on the time allowed per item and move forward.

My general rule is “ Never eat and meet”.

I have seen many executives burn out because they try to accomplish an impossible task-getting everything done.

Nine:Buckets and Dippers

…You may have to swallow your pride…

Here are two facts you should never forget:

First, your leadership success is the cumulative results of your team.

Second, you need your team more than your team needs you (…Tony had a way of cutting to the chase…) they have entrusted a portion of their life to you, and its your job to help them grow. That means you need to do everything you can to help them become the very best.

Follow me on this analogy: Every person has a bucket of motivation. That bucket can be filled to overflowing, or it can be empty and desperately in need of filling. Sometimes the buckets have leaks.

“Every person also has a dipper,” Those big, long dippers represent cynicism, negativism, confusion, stress, doubt, fear, anxiety, and any other thing that can drain someone’s desire and motivation.

As a leader, your job is to keep everyone’s bucket filled. You are the chief bucket filler, and the best way to fill buckets is with excellent communication and encouragement. In fact, there are four things you really have to do if you are going to keep your team members’ motivation buckets full:

1, a full bucket requires knowing the main things important to doing a good job. A leader with focus and direction fills buckets. A leader who creates confusion and inconsistency has a big, long dipper.

2. To keep buckets filled, you need to provide the bucket holders with feedback on how they’re doing. People need to know how they are doing all the time, not just at performance-review time, but you need to follow the rules of effective feedback…and they are the following:

One: Be sincere.

Two: be specific.

 If you just tell someone “good job” is ok, but what behavior would you want them to repeat… “Thank you for your excellent detailed report on the project; I especially liked the way you outlined the action plan required for next week,” you told them what is specifically important to you.

Three: Feedback must be timely….The quicker you give you are trying to reinforce, the better results will be. The more time you wait to fill, then you will have to work twice as hard to fill it back up.

Four: Feedback must be aligned with the receiver’s value system. Don’t try to fill someone’s bucket with something that’s only important to you but not to him.

3.  To let them know you care about them and the job they do.  One of the basic human needs is to be appreciated… showing your care does not require money or much time… it only requires your focus and attention

1)      Involve people in major decisions

2)      Listen to them-they often have the best ideas

3)      Memorize facts about them and their family

4)      Most people enjoying sharing their family weekend experiences. Let them fill their own buckets while you listen

5)      Send thank-you notes to team members

6)      Record significant events

7)      “Wall of fame”

8)      Spend time with them. Sometimes simply being around and showing that you care will automatically fill their buckets

Make it your personal mission to encourage others!

Ten: The gift of your legacy

“What you were missing overrides all the skills you could learn- it was enthusiasm. You were beaten down to the point that you were unable to be enthusiastic about anything. You were allowing your past failures to consume your future”

“Enthusiasm is something you can’t fake, and it has a tremendous effect on everyone around you.”

The old-timer’s message? If you want to be around people who are positive and enthusiastic and eager to live life, your attitude has to be the same.

“Do you think your attitude is basically on autopilot?” he wondered aloud. “Well, yes, to a certain degree. “I responded. “Many people subscribe to the theory that attitudes are simply automatic responses to circumstances, that your attitude is simply a reflection of external circumstance. Whatever happens to us dictates the way we respond…Personally, I don’t buy into that theory. Of course, all things that happen to us are not all within our control, but we do control what we respond to those events. We have to deal with them. No, let me put that another way. We have to have the courage to deal with those events. We may not want to admit this responsibility, but the facts are clear: We are in charge of our attitudes- and our happiness.

Your attitude is powerful!

“Then answer this one,” I challenged. “ If positive attitudes make us happier, more productive, and more successful, why would anyone in the world choose negativism-a self-inflicted wound-and all the ramifications that come along with that choice? Why people choose to hurt themselves?”

“Maybe they choose to be negative because they don’t realize they have the power to be positive…or perhaps they enjoy feeling sorry for themselves…or maybe its just more difficult to be positive…or it could be because negative attitudes are a natural response.

Most people love to be around people who are positive and enthusiastic, always looking for the best. They attract others like a magnet. Positive and enthusiastic people add energy to those around them.

Successful people cultivate the habit of enthusiasm in the same way as others cultivate the habit of waking early or exercising. It takes time, perseverance, planning, and commitment.

Real enthusiasm is a way of life...

Enthusiasm is more important to your success than how you dress.

A lot of people allow adversity literally to consume their thoughts, actions, and enthusiasm.

I was in a meeting of twenty highly successful people, and the topic of adversity was discussed.  Every single person agreed that overcoming personal or professional adversity was a critical turning point in their success.

" Think about that. Adversity turned them toward success. Within that group, our team had faced cancer, suicide, divorce, loss of children, drug abuse, loss of jobs, bankruptcy, and other major areas of disappointments...Successful people have problems just like everyone else...Some say adversity grinds you down. Others say it polishes you up...it depends on what you're made of and how you choose to attack the adversity that comes your way."

I firmly convinced that one of the major difference between successful people and average people is that successful people make a conscious choice to spend their energy attacking their situation and moving forward. That choice is powerful.

When confronted with adversity, we can choose to see the positive alternatives and rise from the ashes to become even better than we were before-or we can choose to sit and savor our pitiful circumstances for the rest of our lives.

Average people choose to spend their energy complaining, justifying, and blaming others for the problem, which changes nothing, much less creates a positive outcome. In fact, complaining drains the energy.

But regardless of how bleak the situation appears, there are alternatives that will help you move forward... if you choose to see them.

"One of the greatest dangers in facing adversity is that we panic, freeze, and stop moving forward because we perceive the roadblocks, barriers, or mountains as insurmountable. We also know-from the research and our personal experience-that people respond better to crisis when they maximize their forward motion and keep moving. Whatever's happening in your world, when you invest yourself in working toward a goal, there is no time to think about the hurdles. You just keep moving.

The bottom line is that success is not dependent upon  what happens to us...success is dependent upon how we react to what happens. Optimism can be learned and developed... It is your choice. You can choose how you react to events and challenges and become the architect of your own happiness.

the Six Laws of Growing Optimism:
You Reap Only What You Sow
Know Where to Sow
When the Time Is Right, Reap
We Can't Do Anything About Last Year's Harvest
Don't worry about the weather
Be Easy on Yourself.. don't expect others to like you if you don't hold yourself in high esteem.


"What does legacy mean to you, and what kind of legacy would you like to create?"

"The legacy I would like to hand down would be that I gave 100 percent in everything I did and helped others become better."..I did my very best and gave knowledge and experience to others."

Andre Carnegie once said, "The average person puts only 25 percent of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50 percent of their capacity and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100 percent.

...If for no other reason, do it selfishly; in order to get more, you must give more.

Ten weeks ago, your inner fire was almost out--barely a flicker. You needed some to rekindle the fire. I am thankful you chose me to work with you to fan the small flicker and allow it to flame again. Think about what would happen if there were no people willing to share their knowledge and experiences with others. Our society would be stymied.  There would be no positive role models, no examples, no endowments, no helping hands.

George Washington Carver once said, "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.

Thanks to Fleming's discovery-penicillin-his life was saved. That young man's name: Sir Winston Churchill.

Whether this tale is true or a mix of myth and legend, its moral esily reflects life- what we do for others eventually comes back to us multiplied. It's the law of legacy.

" I chose to jump in this hole with you because I have been in this hole before, and I know the way out."

Maybe you have not faced the exact same situation that has led to rescuing someone is a "deep hole." Nevertheless, you can listen to, coach, and support those who are working their way out of the holes they have fallen into. Trusted counselors, mentors, and guides make an indelible mark on the lives they touch,  and they provide the two ingredients to success if life-caring and sharing-that cannot be learned or purchased.

Your legacy begins when you decide to leave your comfort zone and enter into what I call the legacy zone. To leave a legacy, you have to have knowledge to share. There are three rooms in the legacy zone.

The first room is the reading room. you learn more by reading more. Did you know most people don't read one nonfiction book in a year? Not one. You'd think books were scarce or expensive. But there is an abundance of books at every public library, waiting for people simply to walk in and check them out- at no charge-free! Many top executives of organizations will read up to ten books a month, yet average American workers will probably not read ten books in their lifetimes.

Next time you visit someone's home, check out the books on the table next to his or her favorite chair.  See what kind of books are on the bookshelves. By doing that, you can generally tell what has molded the philosophy and values of that person.

The question is not do you have the time or money. The question is do you have the discipline to set aside time every day to read.


You are today what you'll be five years from now, except for the people you meet and the books you read." Think about that. In five years, you can be completely different or just like you are right now- it is your choice.

"You may be limited in the people you will meet in your lifetime...don't stifle your career by limiting your knowledge."

The second room is the listening room. Did you know the principle reasons that executives fail are arrogance, out of control egos, and insensitivity?

Anytime you gather new information, you can make better decisions. You can learn to listen better by making  better use of your time while you are in your car.

The third room is the giving room. You cannot succeed without giving back.

I realize its easy to agree..but the fact is, nothing is going to change unless you set specific goals for improvement...specific, measurable, and obtainable goals.

Four reasons people fail to set goals:
Dont know the importance of goal setting ( write down on a sheet of paper)
Dont know how to set goals ( write down what actions you will take, because writing clarifies the goal and commits you to it.)
dont do becasue they are afraid of  failure
it requres you to leve your comfort zone

People don't want to follow someone who loses his health or his family because he works all the time.
People want to follow someone who is balanced in all areas.

Stay positive!

Golf...similar unfair things happen in business.