June 2006

MARK'S DAILY THOUGHTS: June 2006

2006-06-01 - Make sure the Outside Reflects what's Inside
Many people don't accomplish what they want in life because they never outwardly show the passion and drive that's inside them. They seem afraid to do or say something wrong, and never truly express the creativity that's inside. Don't let this happen to you. Have the courage to show the world who you truly are.

2006-06-02 - Always Look for the Double & Triple Wins
Today, we all have so much to do and we need to try and get the most out of each activity and our time. Always look for activities that will give you benefits in multiple areas. An example is exercising while listening to an audio book. You get the physical benefits of the exercise, and also the learning benefits from listening to the audio book. Remember, you get more out of your day when you continually look for these double wins and even triple wins.

2006-06-03 - Our Minds Provide the Context
Everything that happens to us in our life is given a context by our mind. Our mind provides this context based on all our life's experiences to date, and that's why two people can see the same event in entirely two different ways (their life experiences have been different). Next time you observe a person's strange reaction to something, consider their life experiences that have shaped their reaction.

2006-06-04 - Role Models - The Most Powerful Way to Educate
The most powerful way to educate others is by being the best role model you can be. People notice everything a leader does, and by observing the leader's habits, they pick them up for themselves (whether they are good habits or bad habits). It is important to make sure your people pick up good habits, so be the best role model you can be.

2006-06-05 - Eliminate your Internal Obstacles
Most of the obstacles in our way to success are not other people, but our own internal obstacles; and the obstacles we put into our minds are much more dangerous than what others could put in our way. However, we often have our focus on others, rather than ourselves. Focus on eliminating the obstacles (limitations) in your own mind, and success will be yours.

2006-06-06 - Take Responsibility for your Own Attitude
Many times you will hear people say, "He or she doesn't make me happy." These people are always relying on other people to help them stay happy. However, their attitude is not another's responsibility, but their own. When people take responsibility for their own attitude (happiness), they begin to act in a way that drive people to act differently around them. Remember; take responsibility for your own attitude.

2006-06-07 - Decide Right When It Shows Up
The best approach to handle all incoming mail (be it electronic or paper) is to decide right away what to do about it. The more times you can make decisions right when it shows up, the more productive you will be. Try it today: Decide right when it shows up.

2006-06-08 - Too Controlled is Out of Control
Productivity is about being focused and organised. However, you can actually be too organised. This happens to people who are "activity" focused versus "outcome" focused. They spend too much time organising activities, when the real goal is to monitor their progress towards the key outcomes they want. Too controlled on "activities is out of control.

2006-06-09 - Polluters and Purifiers
In every organisation you have two types of people. One type is the Polluters: They always are telling everyone what's wrong and are complaining about everything. The other type is the Purifiers: They look for how they can improve everything and are always taking a positive approach. Which type does your organisation have more of?

2006-06-10 - Most People Spend Time Reconstructing the Past
Many people spend too much of their thinking time trying to reconstruct the past. We really can't do anything about the past, and can only take the learnings from it and move forward. Therefore, once you have taken the "learnings" from your past experiences, move on to focus on the present; and the actions that will drive you towards a different and brighter future.

2006-06-11 - Listening - One of your Most Important Skills
Listening can be one of your most important skills to be successful as a leader. Listening helps you to understand your people and how to influence and motivate them. Often after listening, the right approach forward with your people becomes much more clear. Allow for more "listening time", and leading your people will become easier.

2006-06-12 - Feel, Felt, Found
To help someone through an issue, use the feel, felt, found approach. You can say: "I understand how you feel. I have felt the same way in a similar situation. Could I share with you what I have found?" It's a powerful way to get others in a position to listen to your advice. Try it. It works.

2006-06-13 - Read All Types of Books
If you want to be more creative, you've got to stretch yourself and exercise your brain. Reading the same types of books reinforces the same type of thinking. Try reading something new and stretch yourself. You'll find new ideas and develop new views on many things. Why not try a different book this week.

2006-06-14 - Decisions are the Power of Change
The decisions you make in your life provide the power behind your changes. Think back and you will recall that every major step forward in your life has been launched by taking a decision. Is there a decision you need to make in order to launch another major step forward?

2006-06-15 - Who do you spend time with?
There is an old saying that you become what you are around. If that's true, how you grow and what you become is greatly influenced by whom you spend your time with. Are the people you spend your time with helping your grow?

2006-06-16 - Send Emails with a Purpose
Many people just start off writing their emails without taking just 5 seconds and think about what the real purpose is for that email (that is, what is the real action you want from who will be receiving it). Just a few seconds up front thinking can really help you to create a much shorter and focused email (one that will get the "action" you want). Take a few seconds to "Think" before "Send".

2006-06-17 - Commitment Transforms a Promise into Reality
You have heard about commitment and how important it is. One of the best ways to describe commitment is that it is turning a promise made to yourself and/or others into reality. It is commitment that makes "real" what we want in life.

2006-06-18 - Give People a Vision of What's Possible
People will sometimes amaze you with what they accomplish. If we, as leaders, constantly provide a vision of what's possible, our people will turn those possibilities into reality. What would you accomplish if someone was constantly telling you what's possible for you?

2006-06-19 - Don't Buy other's View of How to Live
If you don't have goals and direction in your life, then you are really buying into other people's view of how to live. How? Because you lack the direction, you are greatly influenced by others and may not even realise it. Why not take control of your own direction in your life, and set some goals today.

2006-06-20 - Everything Counts
Too often we overlook the small things in life and don't add too much importance to them. However, when you are a leader, it is especially important to remember that everything counts. It is often the small things you do that your people notice first, and make the biggest impressions. Remember, everything counts.

2006-06-21 - Stretch your People with New Challenges
Your people grow faster when new challenges are given to them. Training helps to provide the knowledge and foundation, but it is the new challenges and experiences that put the training to good use and develop your people faster. Look for new challenges for your people this week.

2006-06-22 - Tomorrow is determined by what you do Today
Your future is really determined by what you do today (and the accumulation of today's). It highlights the importance of focusing on the present and taking action, Your actions today will then determine your tomorrow and all your future tomorrows.

2006-06-23 - A Compelling Future Creates the Desire
You hear many motivational speakers talk about the importance of picturing the future you want (and in as much detail as you can). A compelling picture of the future then creates the desire in you to make it happen. Start today and create that compelling future for yourself.

2006-06-24 - Help your People with their own Decision Making
Delegating to your people also means delegating some decision making as well. It's important to help your people to make decisions by asking questions to help them think through the issues. Your questions provide two purposes: 1) Questions show them the way to think through issues in order to have the right information to make the decisions. 2) The experience with your help shows them a way to then help their own people (in the same way).

2006-06-25 - Leadership Requires Enthusiasm
A leader can never expect his or her people to act any different then they act. If you want your people to have enthusiasm, then you, as a leader, have to act enthusiastic. Nothing generates action faster than an enthusiastic leader.

2006-06-26 - Decide what you want and write it down
One of the best first steps towards getting what you want in life is to decide what you want and write it down. When you write it down magic happens, as you begin to imagine it more clearly and it drives you to take action. For everything you write down, put a date next to it as to when you would like to achieve it.

2006-06-27 - Improve Yourself vs. Compare Yourself
Some people spend more time comparing themselves to others than improving themselves. Simple comparisons to others have no real advantages to you unless you are trying to model the successful behaviours of others to improve yourself. Stay away from simple comparisons and concentrate on improving yourself.

2006-06-28 - You need Debate in your Team
To build a very effective team, you have to really have some debate over issues. Diversity in teams (in terms of thinking, personalities, etc) makes them stronger, and these teams usually come up with more creative and better solutions. Create a diverse team and give them the opportunities to debate the issues.

2006-06-29 - Don't get infected by Success
People who get success sometimes get infected by it. They assume that they have been successful in the past, and that it will just naturally continue. Slowly, they stop taking action with the same intensity that brought them that original success. They have been infected by success and then the downward trend starts. Don't let yourself be infected by success.

2006-06-30 - Sharpen your Political Skills
If you are working in any size organisation (especially large one's) you need to use some type of political skills to help influences others. Political skills have a negative connotation with people, probably due to the behaviours of "actual" politicians. However, we all need to practice "positive" politics to influence others in the organisation and to build consensus towards goals that are important to us. Use "positive" politics.

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