Monday, May 28, 2007

Batter Up!

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING MAY 21, 2007

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Plan for gradual improvement, not spectacular leaps. A slow and
steady stream of water will, in time, erode the hardest rock."
~ John Campbell, Ph.D.

BATTER UP!
It's exciting to attend a baseball game in any league and see the batter swing into a major home run. It really ramps up the fans, and pumps up the score. Hoorah for the home team! What batter wouldn't be excited running around the bases?

In most baseball seasons, however, there are many more base hits, more runs batted in, and more games won on singles and doubles. Oh sure, the crowd is more subdued, the accolades lower key, and the base-hit batters not as widely recognized. Nevertheless, at the end of the season it's the base hits that win the pennant.

Yet, as youngsters, we all heard our parents and relatives talk about the day "their ship will come in." This is the mythical tale, beloved by grown-ups, that attributes wealth and financial independence to a single event - the sudden and unexpected arrival of a ship laden with gold and silver.

While awaiting the ship, many others are quietly hitting singles and doubles - getting an excellent education, saving and investing modest sums, quietly improving their service to employers and customers. They understand that each step forward, no matter the size of the step, will pay larger and larger dividends in the form of promotions, added income, and independence later on.

Solid growth in all areas of life is most often the result of carefully laid foundations on solid bedrock, rather than sudden, whimsical actions carried out without consistency, careful forethought, and vision. Read "The Millionaire Next Door" and you'll learn that those with wealth have lived in the same home and been married to the same spouse for many years. They shop at Wal-Mart and Sears, drive the same car for many seasons, and spend many hours each month planning their growth.

Before any ship can come in, it must first leave the harbor. It must have a destination, enough fuel, an excellent navigator, food and water, a map and compass, and a captain passionate about reaching the destination. If you want to leave the harbor, repeat to yourself the words of William Earnest Henley from "Invictus" - "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."

Land ahoy!

(Originally published June 30, 2003)

posted by The Office Grapevine at 12:33 PM 0 comments  

Feeling Lost?

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING MAY 14, 2007

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"One of the advantages of being disorderly is thatone is constantly making exciting discoveries."
~ A. A. Milne

EVERYTHING IN ITS RIGHT PLACE!
Remember as a kid, how your mom would admonish you when you left your shoes lying by the front door, or threw your jacket over the kitchen chair as you sprinted upstairs to change and go out to play? "How many times have I told you to put your things where they belong? If you don't keep track, you won't remember where you put them."

She already knew the secret that taking a couple extra moments or steps now would save a lot of time spent searching later. Yet even now, it can be hard to apply that knowledge to our daily lives. We still come in from the garage and throw our keys on the counter with a stack of other stuff, instead of hanging them up where they belong. We're too tired, busy, or preoccupied, and we toss things aside without a second thought.

Chances are that our behavior will cause us inconvenience somewhere later down the line. If we could only learn to keep things in their proper place, we'd be able to find them again when we really need them. It's not just shoes or keys we're talking about here, either. It's our spirituality, our sense of well-being.

We're often too busy or too distracted to pay attention to ourselves. We have to remind ourselves of our center, if we ever expect to find it when we (or others) need it. We need to take a few moments each day to "put our house in order," whether it's through meditation, prayer, or simple contemplation.

What are your blessings and your priorities? Find them every day by keeping them in their proper place. Then you'll always know where to find them!

posted by The Office Grapevine at 12:32 PM 0 comments  

What If?

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING MAY 7, 2007

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
“He who reflects too much will achieve little."
~ J.C.F. von Schiller

GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!

Decisions, decisions. We're all faced with any number of choices during the course of our days. Sometimes we choose what we believe is right, sometimes what we believe is easiest, or sometimes what we believe others would have us choose.

Regardless of our choices, it's what comes afterwards that determines our satisfaction with our decisions. Success is not just dictated by the outcome - it's also a result of the game of "What If..." (also known as second-guess paralysis). What if... I hadn't accepted this job? What if... I had asked for a raise sooner? What if... I chose a different major in college? And so on.
Questions like these transport you to a world of abstracts, where nothing is certain and every answer is only limited by your imagination. It's a dangerous place. Spending too much time there will only undermine the decisions you have made, and lead you to self-doubt.

Sure, it can be a fun and fascinating exercise to imagine what might have been, but it does not serve the decision-making process very well. Too much time thinking and guessing precludes us from action. It also kills our determination and confidence.

It's time to come to terms with who you are, where you are, and what you are doing. If you're really unhappy with the results of your choices, then resolve to stop dreaming about what might have been and move swiftly forward, with nary a backward glance.

But here's a caveat: those who spend their time imagining other possible selves and choices are at a much greater risk of dissatisfaction with all of their decisions. Confidence, happiness and success are the result of realizing that even if our choices prove to be wrong, we can learn and adapt if we only lose the fear of making a commitment to our actions and ourselves.

posted by The Office Grapevine at 12:30 PM 0 comments  

The Culture of Courtesy!

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING APRIL 30, 2007

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom."
~ Theodore Rubin

TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS!
If you've ever heard that "nice guys finish last," hopefully your experience has proven otherwise, because some of the most successful businesses actually got to the top by caring about both their customers and their employees. Case in point: Chick-fil-A franchises, known for the fact they are never open on Sundays. Why? Because their employees, every single one of them, need a day of rest.

The doctrine of putting people before profits allows the restaurant to make as much money in six days as their competition does during a seven-day week. And their revenue has increased by at least 11% every year for the past decade.

Keeping employees happy is just half the picture, of course, because it's the customers who ultimately contribute to a company's success story. By going out of your way to satisfy customers, even the happiest ones, you gain an edge. As Linda Kaplan Thaler explains in her March 2007 REALTOR® Magazine interview, "Being nice doesn't dull your competitive edge - it IS your competitive edge."

Kindness is a sort of secret weapon in all your personal and business transactions and relationships. Like a boomerang, whatever you throw out there can (and usually will) come back to you. Like primates in the wild, humans mimic each other. Your actions will speak louder than words. Try smiling at someone - chances are, they'll smile right back!

Create a work and personal environment that is defined by how you act, and you'll be amazed by the magnetic force you create, attracting and encouraging others who do likewise. In this society of cutthroat competition, put the culture of courtesy to work for you!

posted by The Office Grapevine at 12:27 PM 0 comments