Joy and Ease: Approach to Travel and Life--Brody

Dylan Brody had a good radio essay on KPCC from Pasadena about approaching travel with a positive view.

"When we travel, we strive to project a sense of joy and ease so that we do not add to the general level of stressed negativity in the world around us."

Joy and ease are good watch words for approach stressful situations:  travel, traffic, work challenges, family tension.

A link to the story can be found here:  http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/2013/03/28/31090/dylan-brody-fight-the-malaise-and-turn-your-life-a/

Be the Top in Your Field

Often when someone starts to stagnant in a particular field or business, he starts to consider moving to another field.  Harvard Business Review recently had an article discussing this misperception.

In the article entitled "The Grass Isn't Greener", Evan Hirsh and Kastui Rangan state:

Your chance of getting superior returns is far better if you stay in your own industry and improve your performance than if you move into a new one.  It's a bit like having faith, when darkness falls, that the sun will return tomorrow.  You can pretty much count on it.

There are numerous situations where the initial tendency is to look externally, when the best approach is to look internally.  Focus within your organization and make improvements.  Focus within yourself and make improvements. 

Article:  Evan Hirsh and Kasturi Rangan, "The Grass Isn't Green," Harvard Business Review , volume 91, issue 1/2 (January-February 2013), pp 21-24. 

Good Quotes 2013

"As Sun Tzu said, 'Every battle is won before it's ever fought.'  It starts in the mind."
Jon Gordon in Training Camp

"Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership."
Colin Powell

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."
Muhammad Ali

"The world is not in your books and maps. It's out there."
Gandalf in The Hobbit.

"There did not seem to be brains enough in the entire group to bait a fishhook with."
Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

"A King may move a man, a father may claim a son, but remember that even when those who move you be Kings, or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God, you cannot say, "But I was told by others to do thus." Or that, "Virtue was not convenient at the time." This will not suffice. Remember that."
From the movie "Kingdom of Heaven (2005) by Ridley Scott (IMDB link:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0320661/)

Changing Culture

One of the biggest challenges leaders have is changing culture. All organizations have inertia. Change is always needed, but there is natural resistance.

 A recent post on LeadershipFreak lists some ways leaders can help implement cultural change in an organization. Two steps in particular stand out..

• Concentrate on the success of others.
• Tell people what needs to be done not what to do.

These are two simple mindsets, but they can make a big difference.  Many organizations have superstars who are always on the top of the list.  Often we stop recognizing these top performers.  "They are on the list, again."  Recognition is important to everyone.

The is much discussion on empowering.  Remembering to give the goals and let people is one simple step in empowerment.  This also help people embrace the change more.

The LeadershipFreak blog post can be found here: http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/how-to-become-a-culture-building-leader/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=linkedin&goback=%2Egde_39683_member_220107464

Building Relationships as a Leaders--Maxwell

In a recently blog post, John Maxwell listed a few reminders on important steps for leaders in building relationships.

• Walk slowly through the crowd
• Remember people's names
• Smile at everyone
• Be quick to offer help

He quotes Helen Keller, "Life is an exciting business and most exciting when lived for others."

Often in the day to day scramble, it is hard to set aside the time needed to invest in relationships.  For a leader, these are often the most important times of the day.

Maxwell's  blog post can be found at this link:  http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/2013/02/19/managing-the-disciplines-of-relationship-building/