Posts Tagged ‘Happy at Work’

Show Appreciation This Thanksgiving Week

Thursday, November 17th, 2016

It’s Thanksgiving week—a week where we show appreciation. And it’s a good time to remember that the people we work with are not perfect.

Our bosses? Not perfect. Our companies? Not perfect.

But, what an opportunity to appreciate the perfection within them, the wonderful things they do, and the caring they give.

Let me ask you this—if you were to sit down and ask yourself every morning, “What are three things I’m really appreciative of?” I suspect that you’ll find—if you force yourself to say something new every day—that the list would be UNLIMITED.

So today, go around to the people you appreciate, thank them for what they do. Thank your boss for the fact that you have a job. Thank your company for making sure you get a pay check every week. And be in that gracious spirit because the spirit of Thanksgiving is alive and well.

Motivation is a racket

Sunday, August 3rd, 2014

Motivation is a racket! Let me tell you what I mean by that. We say, “I’m not feeling motivated right now” because of this or that outside circumstance.

If motivation is something that relies on the circumstances around you, it’s not worth a nickel. You become a slave to things you can’t control, a puppet of your environment. If all you want is an excuse, you’ll be all set.

But if you want a happier, more productive life, you need a better way of meeting the world.

What you need is not motivation but inspiration. If I choose to make things happen, regardless of circumstances, that’s when transformative results begin to happen.

I saw this in action a few weeks ago when I was going through airport security. There were two guys from TSA working next to each other. One was like a surly robot. He was completely unmotivated, entirely in the control of his circumstances, counting the hours and minutes until the end of his shift, and making sure that everyone around him suffered right along with him.

But the other guy, wow! Same circumstances, same number of hours until the end of the shift, and he was blowing me away with his decision to be extraordinary. He greeted each person like a long-lost friend, joked, laughed, and still got his job done. But in the process, he managed to make airport security the best part of my day.

At some point this man had decided, “I’m gonna have a hoot every day, and at the end of every day I’ll know I made a huge difference in people’s lives.”

So forget motivation. Find the inspiration to make that difference, every day.

Show Appreciation This Thanksgiving Week

Monday, November 25th, 2013

It’s Thanksgiving week—a week where we show appreciation. And it’s a good time to remember that the people we work with are not perfect.

Our bosses? Not perfect. Our companies? Not perfect.

But, what an opportunity to appreciate the perfection within them, the wonderful things they do, and the caring they give.

Let me ask you this—if you were to sit down and ask yourself every morning, “What are three things I’m really appreciative of?” I suspect that you’ll find—if you force yourself to say something new every day—that the list would be UNLIMITED.

So today, go around to the people you appreciate, thank them for what they do. Thank your boss for the fact that you have a job. Thank your company for making sure you get a pay check every week. And be in that gracious spirit because the spirit of Thanksgiving is alive and well.

Beyond Win-Lose

Monday, November 11th, 2013

Did you know that a 2008 study by CPP found that U.S. employees spend 2.8 hours a week dealing with conflict? And did you know the cost of the conflict is $359 billion in paid hours or 385 million working days per year?

We can’t just wish conflict away. It’s a guaranteed part of human life and work. And conflict actually has many advantages when handled constructively. The key is that it can be managed, and it MUST be managed.

The worst approaches perpetuate the conflict. Nothing does this as surely as a win-lose approach. If you set someone up to lose in a conflict situation, they WILL find a way to “win,” even if it means sabotaging the other person or the process. I’m sure you’ve seen this happen. So avoid creating win-lose situations at all costs. That comes from the intention you set before you start. If you set out to create a win-win, chances are you will have a far better result.

Focus on a good outcome for everyone concerned. The first goal should be building relationships—showing others that you respect them and their opinions and want to hear diverse opinions. The key is to be open-minded to other opinions and provide factual and insightful arguments for your cause.

Handled badly, conflict can sink the ship. Handled well, it can increase trust and productivity. The bottom line is to attack the problem, not the human.

Choose workplace heaven over workplace hell

Monday, October 21st, 2013

Think of the employee from heaven. You know the one. It’s the person you love to see in the morning, the one you love to work with. If everyone was like that, you just know that everyone would get raises and promotions. The place would simply hum with happy and productive life.

Thinking back through my own career, I can name a dozen of these workplace angels. Just seeing them each morning made me feel that the day was going to be a great one.

Now think of the employee from hell—the one who makes you makes your teeth clench in the morning, the one you can’t trust. The chaos creator. Again, you know the one. And again, I can immediately conjure the names and faces of these demons from my own past.

But here’s the thing: Not all of these people were always angels or demons, always spreading joy or always spreading pain. Every moment of every day, we each make a decision to be one or the other. Sure, some days you may have a perfectly good excuse to be a demon. We all have those days. But even when life isn’t perfect, being the employee from hell has a terrible effect on those around you.

Venting your anger or frustration on someone else might relieve a little pressure in your own head in that moment, but the imprint it leaves on the other person can be long lasting. It’s just not worth it.

You have the power over how you respond to your circumstances. It’s a daily choice. Choose well!