Monday Morning Motivation Newsletter - Serendipity, Coincidence & Trust

 

You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.

Monday Morning Motivation The Performance Improvement Institute Newsletter from BreedingTrust.com Serendipity, Coincidence & Trust May 19th, 2008 In This Issue Two Great VIDEOS Rusted Trust? Serendipity & Coink-kee-dink What is a Real Man?   Funny, true Story: Billy Graham, the Protestant preacher and leader, was returning to Charlotte, NC after a speaking engagement and when his plane arrived there was a limousine waiting to transport him to his home. As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped and spoke to the driver.    "You know" he said, "I am 87 years old and I have never driven a limousine. Would you mind if I drove it for a while?"   The driver said, "No problem. Have at it."   Billy gets into the driver's seat and they head off down the highway. A short distance away sat a rookie State Trooper operating his first speed trap.   The long black limo went by him doing 70 in a 55 mph zone.  The trooper pulled out and easily caught the limo and got out of his patrol car to begin the procedure.   The young trooper walked up to the driver's door and when the glass was rolled down, he was surprised to see who was driving.  He immediately excused himself and went back to his car and called his supervisor.    He told the supervisor, "I know we are supposed to enforce the law.... But I also know that important people are given certain courtesies.  I need to know what I should do because I have stopped a very important person."    The supervisor asked, "Is it the governor?"  The young trooper said, "no, he's more important than that."   The supervisor said, "Oh, so it's the president"   The young trooper said, "No, he's even more important than that." The supervisor finally asked, "Well then, who is it?"    The young trooper said, "I think it's Jesus, because he's got Billy Graham as a chauffeur!"     Contributed by Russ Walker, Greensboro, NC   _______________     Visitor on Tuesday, April 8th I was interviewed for 20-minutes on Sirius Satellite Radio who has over 7 million subscribers by Gus Lloyd, whose two-hour Seize the Day morning show, generated a livelydiscussion!  You can listen to the audio recording at this link.    Enjoy! ________________   All Experts.com for New Leaders   I serve as an "expert" in several areas of www.allexperts.com, and recently provided this answer to a question:   Charlie, I just got a job as a manager of a group of about 17 people.  My management experience is novice to intermediate.  I've managed 12 people before, but the scenario was quite different in that in my previous management job, I was promoted above my peers, all of whom with I had a great relationship.    Fast forward to now--7 years later--I'm up for a new position.  This will undoubtedly be very different in that I'll be joining a brand new organization with extremely little prior knowledge of the department orpersonnel.  That said, what would you recommend I do in my first 5 days?  30 days?   Jeff   Answer: Jeff, This is an excellent, thoughtful question so I'll attempt to give you a concise and complete answer based on my experience:   - spend most of your next 5-30 days doing one thing:  asking questions and listening, assessing the current situation while also understanding the past heritage, traditions & group behaviors.  Get people's perspectives, show genuine interest in getting to know them, & be careful that when you hear an opinion or analysis of a problem that you then seek validation and confirmation of that opinion and analysis.   - decide what new "traditions" might be important to lay out, such as a weekly meeting or quarterly lunch or some new tradition.   - tell people how to best work with you, whether you prefer written or verbal communications & in what circumstances   - look for areas of vagueness, ambiguity and confusion and shed light upon them, fix them with specific measures or indicators and get a handle on what people think is a slippery area to manage and improve it.  If necessary, set rules, boundaries, guidelines & resources (people like clarity) in those same areas.   - cooperation between departments is hellacious for any leader, much less a new one, so get to know your peers, colleagues and key stakeholders ... and ask questions & listen (take notes)   - spend time with customers doing (ditto), listening & how they think you can improve your service or products (btw, this could be an internal customer, too)   - be working to craft a mission for the team (aligned with co. mission, if it exists) and think about either a vision or big, hairy, audacious goal at end of 30 days for 2008 that will challenge you and the group.   - prioritize what gets your attention and what does not deserve it (or not right now).  If prioritization is challenging for you, check out  HERE (disclaimer, one of my products)   - get with HR to get an overview of if and how they measure high-potentials, conduct career development, organizational development and seek to provide meaningful training right away for your team, even if you (or one of them) is leading it.   - out of 12 people, there's probably 1-2-3 of them who should've been let go six months ago, who you want to carve out dead weight, non-productive people or disruptions to your team.  Do NOT condone mediocrity.   - lastly, start right now looking for who on your team could take your job or could grow into it, and mentor them - develop them, because when they are ready, you'll find yourself moving up (again) & this time, one of your own will take your responsibilities.  If no one is developed under you on your team, then don't expect to get promoted again.   Hope this helps you -- Charlie _____________   Demand-Driven Workforce Development     Occasionally, we highlight organizations on the leading edge of thought and action. The Human Capital Academy (HCA) provides effective community-based, demand-driven workforce development [approved by the United States Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration] and their paradigm is worth sharing.   HCA's program "TrainTo Work" (TTW) matches the human capital needs of hiring employers (demand) with the available source of displaced and unemployed workers (supply).   Following a specific methodology and using specially designed tools, the program involves re-skilling and re-employing recently displaced workers to fill critical employer job openings. The HCA currently serves employers in Healthcare, Telecommunications, Financial Services, Hospitality, Bio-Tech, and Manufacturing.   Though there are many similar programs, most are not nearly as effective as TTW and therefore, do not offer the same long-term return-on-training investment. All TrainToWork programs deliver a unique result: each seat in class equals a confirmed job.   The main differences are in process and content, including candidate recruitment, careful prescreening, in-depth assessment, and thorough employment preparation. We are not overlooking their skills training; it is just that many competing organizations conduct skills training without nearly their levels of success.   TTW requires a cooperative effort between local academic institutions, hiring employers, downsizing employers, and the workforce development system. It exceeds the DOL standards for return on training investment, because the enrollment level is matched to the hiring employer's demand and commitment to hire all graduates.   Plus, preliminary studies indicate that TTW is at least 40 percent more effective in hiring and training workers for the long term than competing programs.   Creating a job-ready workforce needs to be "Job 1" for the US and other developed countries of the world. HCA stands ready to license its techniques and programs to organizations in other countries. This innovative program is one excellent answer to the challenge of upskilling the millions of "obsolete" workers both here and abroad.   If the US is to compete successfully on the world stage, it can not afford to have a large population of displaced workers, especially while thousands of mission-critical jobs remain unfilled.   For more about HCA or its programs, visit HERE or call Scott Boyce at 888-701-8598 x10. _______________________   Be an Eagle, Not a Duck Winning doesn't always mean being first, winning means you're doing better than you've done before!   No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice.   Years ago, my friend, Harvey Mackay, told me a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point. He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey.   He handed my friend a laminated card and said: "I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement."   Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew Harvey away.   Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, "Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf."   My friend said jokingly, "No, I'd prefer a soft drink." Wally smiled and said, "No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice."   Almost stuttering, Harvey said, "I'll take a Diet Coke." Handing him his drink, Wally said, "If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today." As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card. "These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio."   And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.   "Tell me, Wally," my amazed friend asked the driver, "have you always served customers like this?"   Wally smiled into the rearview mirror. "No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It.   Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, `Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition.'   Don't be a duck. Be an eagle.   "Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'" "That hit me right between the eyes," said Wally.   "Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy.   So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more." "I take it that has paid off for you," Harvey said. "It sure has," Wally replied.   "My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action."   Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting. Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. They decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.    _____________________ Announcing New BreedingTrust Membership Subscription Values: Later this Summer, I'm moving my bi-weekly (every two weeks) newsletter to weekly Monday mornings for Member Subscribers, PLUS making Exclusive MEMBERSHIP Packages in Three Options: I. Silver:  US$2.50/month:  You get access to over 70 back-issues of MondayAM Motivation, a ten page, 3,000 word e-book The Big Three: Focus, Execution & Me in downloadable .pdf classic "how-to" resource for personal development and organizational excellence, AND access to MondayAM Motivation newsletter each week (valued at $49), plus free access to the following articles: - Get Naked & Breed Trust article - Ten Best Book, Must-Read Recommendations - Career Control article - Inspiration & Trust: Common Beliefs - Listening & Leadership - Trust:  How to Get It & How to Keep It II. Gold:  US$5.00/month:  you get all of the above plus the book, Power Tools: Top Executive Coaches Put You on the Fast Track to Success valued at $14.95 shipped to your door - AND you'll receive a free copy of the book, Wake Up & Live with Passion with Mark Victor Hansen (author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series), myself in a chapter and other authors - due out in late-2008 (retail: $14.95), all of the above items plus - Ethical Guidelines for Leaders article - The Leadership Imperative article - Secrets of What to Do When You Lose your Job III. Platinum: US$9.99/month:  You get all of the above plus the 39-page ebook, "Making Time" effectiveness home study course (valued at $40), first access to all new audio and video products discounted at 90%, thirty minutes of coaching via Skype, telephone call or virtual meeting format (webcam) once/quarter plus - Persuasion Power via Questioning & Listening article - How to Achieve Breakthrough Performance Improvement - The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Success Watch for more information in future newsletters!  :-)    ~ For Inspirational Catholic Audio CDs, see Lighthouse Catholic Media at www.breedingtrust.com/LCM-CDs.htm ~ Quick Links... Our Website Our Products Our Services More About Breeding Trust The PEP Coach www.breedingsuccessblog.com Visit Our Sponsor Christian Market Leaders NetworkingOPEN: On Principle Entreprenuers Network Visitor , Good Monday morning, Welcome to this issue of MondayAM Motivation:    If you look for it, several miracles occurred last week. In this issue, you'll find - Rusted Trust - Serendipity & Coincidence - Two Great Videos - Must SEE! - Funny, True Story about Billy Graham - What is a Real Man? - Slow Down People! - New Leader?  What do do first... - Be an Eagle, not a Duck ______________ Falling Up by Shel Silverstein All the Woulda, Coulda, Shouldas are layin' in the sun, Talkin' 'bout the things They woulda, shoulda, coulda done... But those Woulda, Coulda, Shouldas All ran away and hid From one little did. ____________  .. And two, see HERE for an idea, and the motivational & inspirational message in The Last Word at the bottom! Two Great Videos - Must See! If you're American about to vote in five months for the next President, or care about Presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama, you will be interested in this video!! Contributed by Betsy, Belews Creek, NC     If you've never heard of Appalachian State University, it's about an hour from me in Boone, North Carolina.  Their football team (Div. 2) has one THREE consecutive National Championships.  How?  Their Head Coach who credits God and Faith for success. Watch this video! Contributed by Ed Thompson, Jamestown, NC http://www.singlepurposeministries.net/ _______________ PLUS... here's one of the best sites that I've found for all kinds of great software products by Digital River - from audio, games, multimedia design, business & finance, to home & education. Like ridding your computers of porn HERE Another recommendation is Tattle Internet Monitor for Kids ~ FREE 30-day trial:  For a great gift idea, here's a Baby Diary!    Rusted Trust: One Person's Viewpoint When new subscribers come to this newsletter, they are asked what are their opinions of the reasons for declining trust in the world today.  I received this from a Human Resource Executive for a city in Virginia last week: What do you attribute the top 3 reasons for the decline of trust in the world today? Her answer:   - Deterioration of the family as an institutional unit within our society - Focus on self - Fewer opportunities for interpersonal interaction (greater social isolation) because of advancements in technology, living a faster paced lifestyle, etc.     What two things could people start doing today that would improve the trust among us all?   1. Focus on commonality rather than differences (look for common interests, needs, etc.) 2. Make the effort to know truly people as individuals Sounds like good advice to me.... see the Last Word at the bottom for how this really HITS organizations and individuals alike..in a TAX, or Dividend. Serendipity & Coincidence   Have you had an experience lately that other outside-observers or friends might call a "coincidence" or "luck?"   Did it seem that when you took an action, that sometimes the "stars themselves seem to align" to provide you MORE than you expected, more than you needed? Most people do not understand the prominent role in "serendipity," coincidence or luck in getting the results they desire.  Serendipity can be defined several ways: - Good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries - The art of finding something by looking for something else; the faculty of finding valuable or agreeable things - Serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely I seem to have coincidental or serendipitious experiences all the time, and it makes me wonder why:  I think that when you're heart is right, you will come upon situations and people that the eye doesn't sometimes see or perceive, but if you're looking to serve others, "LUCK" comes served to you on a silver platter. A passage of the novel by Antoine de Saint-Exupery entitled the "Little Prince" and I quote," - and here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye".    When virtue is present, you find more serendipity and coincidence, in my opinion. Coincidence, on the other hand, comes from the root word, coincide which matematically means "perfect fit" angles that exactly "coincide."  So, there's no such thing as an accident.  One of my mentors, Dr. Wayne Dyer (www.waynedyer.com) says this, and to a great degree, he's precisely correct.  You make your own luck; you are responsible for each thing and everything that happens to you.  And yes, bad things happen to good people, yet the question is NOT "what happens TO you" but in what you DO with "What happens to you."  Do you get up and fight again, or not?  Do you perservere in what will become and is your destiny and purpose, staying persistent and consistent?    Here's one poem on Serendipity that I like: A fortunate meeting defined by fate and revealed by destiny an enchanting moment beyond the realm of reason cunningly disguised in direst circumstances whose touch is visible only to poetic soulsIt chooses its own time and place evermore pretentious of purpose, Crossing its hollowed path is futile even frustrating to willing victims 'cause it doesn't bend its will to ones' desire Teasing a consoled mind to go astray that's always a part of the plan; Yet it likewise reassures us to hold - to believe in destiny and to let fate guide us on our journey We are all willing victims to its wicked ploy battling confusion, doubt, love and pain with a fragile sword 'tis we hang on to a flicker of hope, 'cause we believe in destiny and so it is, that I find this to be the best explanation why I believe in you. And finally, by Paul Davis: Sweet serendipity Continue to shine on me Open my eyes to see Make me all you want me to be Cause me to trip over my treasure Discover my destiny Live authentically Practice spontaneity Get rid of hesitancy Live boldly Engage the day exhuberantly Manifest my full potential passionately Never being limited by my current reality But living from within victoriously Via my faith and inner reality Sweet serendipity When my efforts are done And the distance I've fully run Let it be said of me In love and life I won Take me from tragedy To triumph From a mess To a deliverable message From stumbling block To stepping stone From seeming setbacks To immeasurable successes From pain Into power From anxiety Into creativity From hurt Into healing From offense Into feeling From disaster Into dynamic recovery Countless destiny discoveries Dream fulfilment Causing all in the world To hear it Sweet serendipity shine on me Make my life What it ought to be! _______________   What is a Real Man? A Real Man -- Puts his Faith in God, not in himself Knows he is a child of God Understands his purpose in life Is obedient to God's will. A Real Man -- Respects himself and other people Has strength of character as well as body Behaves with dignity Accepts responsibility for his actions Thinks before he acts Takes pride in his work. A Real Man -- Is unselfish and generous Is honest and trustworthy Is honorable and dependable Is giving and forgiving Is thoughtful and sensitive Is tender and romantic Is unafraid to be himself. A Real Man -- Practices self discipline Controls his temper and passions Controls his thoughts and desires Knows right from wrong Walks away from temptation Has a strong value system Stands up for his beliefs. A Real Man -- Is willing to love sacrificially Seeks the good of others first Makes a commitment and keeps it Protects his wife and family Knows his body is a temple of the Holy Spirit Never uses another person. A Real Man -- Loves God above all things Trusts God and obeys Him Leads his family in prayer Is happy and at peace. A Real Man - Is a living witness to God's love. ~ from Catholic Diocese of Memphis, TN-NFP (Natural Family Planning) Center, Used with Permission The Last Word Slow Down, People~ Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine. I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back.  From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible. How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed?  Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you? How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television? I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?'  She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't.  I have clothes on the line.  My hair is dirty.  I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain'  And my personal favorite:  'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together. Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches..  We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect! We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet trained.  We'll entertain when we replace the living room carpet.  We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college. Life has a way of accelerating as we get older .  The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer.  One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.' When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips.  She keeps an open mind on new ideas.  Her enthusiasm for life is contagious.  You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of  Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord. My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years.  I love ice cream.  It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process.  The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker.  If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy. Now...go on and have a nice day.  Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list.  If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say?   And why are you waiting? - from a subscriber. You're invited to send your best stories to info@breedingtrust.com The Last, Last Word: Trust Me? In 2005, only 54% of consumers in the USA trusted businesses to do the right thing and only 39% trusted government to do the right thing. In Europe, just 39% trusted businesses and 31% trusted government to do the right thing. On the organizational level, trust within companies has also declined. In the U.S., only 51% of employees have trust and confidence in senior management. In work with organizations, we ask our clients to describe a low-trust, low-performance organization. They typically say they see cultural behaviors like the following: · People manipulate or distort facts · People withhold and hoard information · People spin the truth to their advantage · Getting the credit is very important · New ideas are openly resisted and stifled · Mistakes are covered up or covered over · Most people are involved in a blame game, badmouthing others · There is an abundance of "water cooler" talk · There are numerous "meetings after the meetings" · There are many "undiscussables" · People tend to over-promise and under-deliver · There are a lot of violated expectations for which people make many excuses · People pretend bad things aren't happening or are in denial · The energy level is low · People often feel unproductive tension-sometimes even fear A 2002 study by Watson Wyatt shows : total return to shareholders in high trust organizations is almost three times higher than the return in low trust organizations. That's a difference of nearly 300%!  An education study by Stanford Professor Tony Bryk reports that schools with high trust have more than a three times higher chance of improving test scores than schools with low trust. What's the message?   We all have to work on trust .... and you can start today by going HERE   My first points on a big word - serendipity - and concidence/luck are hand-in-glove with trust, with faith.     Start trusting yourself, your gut or intuition, that little voice that speaks to you often, IF you're listening.  Here's my test:  when BAD things happen, did you see any sign, indicator or pretense LEADING UP to the event?  If you're heart's antennae are up high, you can see bad things coming well ahead of the actual bad event, then learn from the lesson.    Expect the best, prepare for the worst.  Think about it ....and make it a good week! Charlie Save 25% on "Making Time" E-Book   I've developed a new Time Mgt. home-study course that you can read HERE.   You can save 50% on "Making Time: Managing Priorities & Achieving More" by taking advantage of this offer. Effective May 26th, the price goes to $40 but you can receive it for $20 ---   Go here to see the three offers.   Offer Expires: May 26th, 2008

Forward email This email was sent to gr8playboy@gmail.com, by info@breedingtrust.com Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by Performance Improvement Institute | 340 Lake Point Lane | Belews Creek | NC | 27009