Would You Rather Be…or Become?

A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor. ~Unknown

Look back on the waters you’ve had to navigate to get where you are.

Surely, you've enjoyed smooth sailing at times.

Chances are you’ve also had to roll up your sleeves and depend on nothing but your business acumen and courage to avoid disaster.

Be honest. Which one made you feel more alive?

After 14 years with Procter & Gamble I decided to start my own company. Moving into uncharted territory required every ounce of  my courage and conviction.

Knowing that success or failure rested solely on my shoulders was both scary and exhilarating.  It was also the best training I have ever received . The skills I learned gave me the confidence I needed to  back my courage.

For me, calm waters are fine for a breather, and after a while I’m ready to take on the next challenge.

What about you? Before you answer, don’t get caught thinking:

• calm waters = good things are happening
• rough waters = bad things are happening

It’s a trap. The difference is based on whether the waters you choose to navigate challenge you.

Figure out if you are happiest maintaining the skills you have, or honing the new skills you want.

Once you know that, you at least know which way is North…

When is the last time you really felt alive?

Give Better Feedback

Enough with the 'attaboys'.

Help others know what they are good at with specific insight into what they do well.

Let your colleagues and friends know what talents bring exceptional value worth duplicating over and over.

Many people have no idea what they are good at.

Seriously!

Think about it... it’s rare that anyone truly tells us what our strengths are.

Sure, they say, ‘Good job Barry!’, and it's nice to hear...but what do we glean from that affirmation?

It’s just not clear.

Help them see the strengths you see.  Be on the lookout for the priceless qualities in others around you. Make it a habit.

Being able uncover greatness in others is a rare quality that will not go unnoticed.

So what does it look like when it’s done well?

It changes from:

“Good job Barry!”

to

“Barry, I was so impressed with the way you were able to quickly penetrate the specific challenges your client faced and build them a financial model that made it easy for them to make good decisions on a much faster timeline with a high degree of confidence. How empowering! ”

Who can you give better feedback to today?

Sneak Peek: Tip #24 Quit Spending Time. Invest It

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”

-H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Take another sneak peek into my new book: 128 Tips to Make You a More Effective Leader. The concept of this collection is simple, straightforward and broken down in to bite-sized pieces.

Sixty seconds a day is all it takes to make changes that matter.

Set that stop watch to one minute…Go!

Tip #24: Quit Spending Time. Invest It.

One of my frustrations with our common language about time is all the talk around “spending” time.  Where exactly are you going to “spend” your time? We all get the same 24 hours/day, 365 days/year. Time is precious. Quit spending time, make a shift and focus on investing your time. “Investing” has a stronger connotation of making a difference and doing something that matters.

 Where do you want to invest your time today? Invest wisely.

I don’t know about you…but that clocked in at 27 seconds on my end.

Pretty painless right?

Wisdom doesn’t need to doled out in huge servings to leave you feeling full.

Let’s continue chewing on this concept :

It’s easy to evaluate the ROI of our finances.  Gauging the ROI of our time is a whole different story. Investing time instead of spending it is easier said than done.

We all get a fair and equal payout of 24 hours each day. No more. No less

Invest in your non-negotiables – those things that matter most .

What allotment will you give to your non-negotiables in the core departments of a well rounded life?

Health: sound sleep, good meals, enjoyable exercise

Work: increasing your level of responsibility for bigger impact, building a profitable business, partnering with people who share the same core values

Family: great conversation with dinner every night, adventurous outings, making simple and meaningful memories

Fun: golfing with friends, reading a good book, doing what brings a smile to your face

Decide where to invest your time. Sixty seconds a day is all it takes to keep you focused on the allocation that works best for you.

There are 1,440 minutes each day. Invest one in yourself.

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