Daily Thought Archives: December 2005

December 1
MODEL THE GOOD BEHAVIOURS YOU SEE IN OTHERS
Many of us improve ourselves faster if we see good behaviours in others and try to emulate them in ourselves. Look for others who are doing things better than you, and then try to emulate them in your daily routine. Sometimes you are acting first, but soon these behaviours become "Habit" and people start to take notice.

December 2
FOCUS YOUR MESSAGES
If you want to influence others in presentations and meetings, you need to really focus your messages. If you know you'll need to answer key questions, come up with your key answers or messages you want to convey before the presentation or meeting. You will be much more effective in the meeting when you have prepared your key messages beforehand.

December 3
TAKING NOTES FOR SUCCESS
If you want to simplify your note taking and make it more successful, only take notes on two things. (1) Always capture actions (who, what and by when) and (2) Exact words being used by the other people. First, it's always important to capture and track actions. Second, by capturing the exact words of others, you can now use their words in communications back to them and be able to better influence them (you are using their words - and they will much more quickly relate to them).

December 4
MOVE YOUR VOCABULARY FROM "TRY" TO "DO"
Too often we respond to a request and use the words "I will try to do it by then." Try is such a vague word and when you use it too often, you lose credibility. Always use "I can do it by ....." and if necessary renegotiate the due date. If you can't do it by the due date, you have more credibility in the long run by saying so - even saying no. "No" is being clear. Saying "try" is vague and people don't know if you will do it or not.

December 5
SHARE IDEAS TO GET CLARITY
There's a saying: How do I know what I think until I hear what I say. Share what you are thinking and your ideas with others. Talking it through helps you to become more clear on your ideas, and you might get some more good ideas from those people you share them with. Share a few ideas today with your trusted co-workers or friends and get more clarity on them.

December 6
ENERGY "GIVERS" AND ENERGY "TAKERS"
You can divide your world into two groups: (Energy Givers and Energy Takers). Energy "Givers" boost your energy when you are around them, and Energy "Takers" drain your energy. Which type of people do you interact with the most each week? Always look to spend as much time with Energy "Givers" to get the most out of life. This way you'll never be without the energy to always "Make Things Happen."

December 7
GOOD PREPARATION LEADS TO SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS
How many times have you shown up for a meeting that has no agenda, the right people aren't there, and no information or material has either been prepared for the meeting or distributed beforehand. Successful meetings happen when good preparation has been done. First, answer the question: This meeting will be successful if.... if what? What to accomplish? Then, you decide the participants who need to be there and the topics to be discussed (the agenda). Try it and have more successful meetings.

December 8
KEEP PERSONALITIES IN MIND
Everyone has a different personality or way of working. For example, if you want to influence a direct and straight talking manager, you don't use an indirect approach. You speak very direct also, and match the speed that her or she is talking. It's always important to adapt your style to match the person you are talking to.

December 9
WHY NOT LISTEN TO AUDIO BOOKS
People go so many places in their cars these days. Often people just listen to music, but those people who use this time to listen to audio books can speed their personal development. Listen to audio books and motivational CD's regularly. Also, at the end of each day, list up what you have learned and decide how you can apply it that very week.

December 10
USE SMART PHONES WITH EMAIL CAPABILITY
Smart phones with email capability can really make a difference in your productivity. If you have email capability on the move, you can action emails that are important and in most times, not lose 24 hours if you waited to reply in the evening. It's great to quickly respond to others when you are trading emails on setting up meetings. Also, a quick response shows you are very pro-active when you provide a fast reply on important emails.

December 11
BRAINSTORM USING POST-IT NOTES
An excellent way to brainstorm with your team is to give everyone post-it notes to write down their ideas. You can then put all the ideas up on the wall and arrange them with other like ideas. When you see all the ideas together, you suddenly see even more ideas. There's something about the physical act of writing and re-arranging post-it notes that also brings more creativity and more ideas.

December 12
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE (PARTICIPANTS)
When running a meeting, it's really important to know your participants (i.e. - what's their position on the subject and how will they act in the meeting). When you are running a meeting, you are as an orchestra conductor. You want some participants to speak up more and others maybe less (even shut up!!!). How you manage the participants can be the difference in having a successful meeting or not.

December 13
ABOVE ALL, BE CONSISTENT
People who are consistent are always given more respect and more help along the way. Have you ever had a co-worker who you could never predict how they would act? How was it like to work with them? Remember, be consistent and you will attract both respect and help from others.

December 14
ALWAYS BE IN A "LEARNING" MODE
Successful people are the best learners. They view their education as a process that never ends. They are like "sponges", soaking in every new experience and information. Always be in a "Learning" mode yourself. You will be amazed at how valuable your "Learning" time will become as your time investment will yield an unbelievable payoff.

December 15
DEVELOP OPTIONS IN ADVANCE
Successful managers spend the time to think about their options in advance. Business is at such a fast pace these days and situations are continually changing. If you have thought about the options in advance, you'll be able to react more quickly when the situation changes. Think through the options you have on your major initiatives for the possible situations that might arise. You'll be better prepared.

December 16
THINK AHEAD A FEW STEPS
The people who are the best organised and least stressed are always thinking a few steps ahead. They are looking beyond the next step and always making sure they are prepared as well as possible and ready for anything. Think ahead & prepare and you will set yourself apart from the others.

December 17
DELEGATE TO GROW YOUR PEOPLE FASTER
People sometimes forget this, but delegating is the most effective way to grow your people. It's a double win. Your people grow faster as they quickly learn what they need to know in order to do the delegated task. Learning and growing faster is very motivating for them. You benefit by having the job done by someone else and get a stronger person in the process. All they need is a little coaching up front.

December 18
KNOW THE BEST TIMES OF YOUR BOSS (& OTHERS)
Everyone has the their best times of the day (even best days). Understand the best times of your boss. It is key if you want to influence him or her and always pick the best times to present your ideas. Also, make sure that you have the right amount of time you need. Don't ever try to pack a 30 minute conversation into 10 minutes because that's all her or she has. Match the topic to the time available.

December 19
ALWAYS STRIVE TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Much of what we accomplish is down to our ability to communicate with others. It's a core skill and we often don't spend enough time to develop it. Take every opportunity to improve your communication skills and always treat it as one of the most important skills for your greater success.

December 20
MAKE CHANGE SOMETHING NORMAL
People really don't like change. However, our world is changing at such a fast pace, that change is now normal. That's a great way to think about it. Change is normal. If you are not changing, then people are moving right past you (in life, in work and to the success you want). So, from today, think "Change" is "Normal" and don't hold back.

December 21
WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS?
Everyone needs role models to help speed their own development. We learn more and faster when we copy the good attitudes and behaviours of others. Who are your "Role Models"? If you don't have any, you are losing an opportunity to develop yourself faster. Pick a few role models today, and observe what they are doing and model it.

December 22
NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT! (THE SMILE)
It's such a simple thing to do, but often we forget its power. A smile makes one of the best first impressions. In many ways, it's the door that's opening your personality to others. "Open the door" to others and Smile all day long (and by the way, it's contagious as well).

December 23
CHANGE YOURSELF FIRST
Too many people wait for things to change in their outer world (other events, etc.) before making a change in their inner world (themselves). They could be waiting forever! If you really want your circumstances to change, you need to change first. Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. Change yourself and your whole world will change.

December 24
THIS MEETING WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IF?
We all have been to too meetings that did not result in anything productive. Those type of meetings should have started with: "This meeting will be successful if? It's what we want to accomplish, and "just discussing" is an activity, not an accomplishment. Set "success" in everyone's minds from the beginning of your meetings and you will have many more successful meetings.

December 25
WHEN EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT MET, EMOTIONS GO WILD
It's important for all of us to control our emotions. The most successful people are very disciplined and don't let their emotions get in the way of the actions towards their goals. When people don't live up to our expectations, we get disappointed and our emotions "go wild" (we go through all types of thoughts). This is the time to stay disciplined. Keep your emotions in check and you will maintain high energy to keep focused on your goals.

December 26
LISTEN TO MOTIVATIONAL CD'S TO KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS POSITIVE
Everyone feels down from time to time. However, if you are constantly feeding yourself positive thoughts, there will be no room in your head for the negative ones. Take the opportunity to listen to motivational CD's often. Fill your mind with the possibilities and soon nothing will seem impossible.

December 27
MAKE THE EMOTIONAL LINK
Many times we try to influence or convince someone with logic only. Ever notice that much of the advertising for consumer products doesn't focus on the logic (or the detailed benefits), but on the emotion you will feel if you use their product. Use the same idea when you are trying to influence or convince others. Try to make the emotional link with them.

December 28
ALWAYS FOLLOW-UP THE COMMITMENTS OF OTHERS
It's important to always follow-up the commitments made to you by others for three reasons. (1) You make sure they get their commitment done on time to not adversely impact your own productivity. (2) You reinforce good behaviours in others (they notice you follow-up). (3) Your credibility increases as people will respect you more (they see you are very organised).

December 29
COMMEND / RECOMMEND / COMMEND
Toastmasters (the speakers group) have a great technique for providing evaluations of member's speeches. They first Commend (provide praise for what he or she did well), then Recommend (comments on areas to improve), and finishing with another Commend (again, praising something he or she did well). This is something to keep in mind when providing feedback to others.

December 30
BEING HAPPY - IT'S JUST A DECISION
Too often people say that they will be happy "when" or "if" something happens. They are waiting for external changes for them to make an internal decision. You have within yourself to be happy. It's just a decision for you to make. So, make the decision to be Happy Today and don't wait for the "when" or "if".

December 31
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU "CAN DO"
Many people focus their mind too often on what they cannot do. If you spend too much time thinking of what you cannot do, soon you will convince yourself of that. It's much better to focus on the possibilities and what you "Can Do" (even if it's a small thing - just to get started). Focus today entirely on what you "Can Do".