Who's In Your Space?

Jim Rohn said, "You are the combined average of the 5 people you spend the most time with."
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Answer True or False

All 5 people you spend the most time with:*

1. are ahead of me

2. continually challenge me

3. support my forward focus

4. create an affirming atmosphere

5. get me out of my comfort zone

6. wake up excited

7. know that failure is not the enemy

8. are always growing

9. Love change

10.Growth is modeled and expected.

*** If you answered false to more than five of the statements, your current environment (the 5 people) may be hampering your growth.

* excerpt from The 15 Invaluable Ways of Growth

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Who's on Your Team?

Team dynamics fundamentally never change.
Yesterday I was reading an article about team dynamics, first published in the 1940s. Though the experts, yesterday and even today, don't agree on exactly how many roles there are and how to name them, 10 general personality types are consistently identified:

1. Task Leader. May or may not be the designated leader; a nuts and bolts, roll-up-the-sleeves-and-get-busy-type.
2. Social-emotional leader. Concerned with emotional heartbeat of the group; good at solving interpersonal problems.
3. Tension-releaser. "Breaks the ice" with appropriate humor at the right moment.
4. Information provider. Has research skills that stand out above all others. Could end up doing unfair amount of work.
5. Central negative. Always plays the devil's advocate role in discussions but in a non-threatening manner.
6. Questioner. Constantly seeks clarification and more information.
7. Silent observer. Speaks little, observing and taking in all information. When he or she speaks up, people listen.
8. Active listener. Listens attentively, sums up others' points of view. Good for keeping discussion on track.
9. Recorder. Has good recording skills and little interest in participating in group discussion.
10. Self-centered follower. Constantly questions opinions is a non-supportive way. Unlike the central-negative person, the self-centered follower is concerned only about personal interests.

So...which one are you?, or are you several?

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* Teamwork notes
“Copyright (9-23-12) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
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Don't Just Sit There, Say Something...or Not.

Disagreement within a business team can be healthy, but should you always reveal your conflicting opinion?
Here a some guidelines:*

Do express your view when:

• You have the facts to back up your opinion.
• You don't believe the team has fully examined all possibilities.
• You feel strongly about your opinion, even though it may not be popular.

Don't express your opinion when:

• You really are not sure of yourself.
• The timing is poor or the climate is wrong.
• You catch yourself disagreeing only for the sake of disagreement - with no strong feeling about the subject.

"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress" - Mahatma Gandhi.

*Teamwork  notes

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The $50 Dryer

*** Top Rated Post***

A client of mine recently shared a story with me. 

  Back in 1980, her family was struggling financially. One day their clothes dryer died and they had very little money to purchase a new one. So she visited the local garbage dump that sold used appliances.  She found a medium size unknown brand dryer for $50. The owner of the dump said he could not guarantee that it would work, however he did state that the people who dropped it off said it was still in fine working condition.

She took their word for it.

That dryer served her family for the next five years. In 1985 the family moved and had to leave the dryer behind. The new family that purchased her home offered $100 for the used dryer; my client denied and took only $50. That same dryer served the new family for the next three years. In 1988 the new family was expanding with three new children and decided they needed a bigger dryer. So they took the used dryer back to the same junk yard. When the owner of the junkyard saw the dryer he said, “I remember that dryer, does it still work?” The new family said “Yes, it works fine.” The junk yard owner gave them $50.

When I first heard this story, several words went through my mind.  “trust” “honesty”  “ appreciation” , even “serendipity”.

When I read it through a couple more times, I had an “aha moment”. The common thread here is actually “leadership”. You do the same…read it through a few more times and you will also have an “aha moment”.
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Goals vs. Systems

What's the difference between goals and systems?

• If you're an upwardly mobile employee, your goal is to get promoted. Your system is the performance appraisal process of your company.

• If you're a writer, your goal is to write a book. Your system is the writing schedule that you follow each week.

• If you're a runner, your goal is to run a marathon. Your system is your training schedule for the month.

• If you're an entrepreneur, your goal is to build a million dollar business. Your system is your sales and marketing process.

Now think on this...

If you completely ignored your goals and focused only on your system, would you get results?

Yes you would! The problem is, without goals you will never know if you effectively implemented and worked the system.
However, setting goals without implementing mechanisms to achieve goals (system) is like wanting to bake a pie without knowing the recipe.

Systems are better because you have the ingredients and the recipe and as long as you at least work the process you will complete the task.
Even though your target is unknown, you've done the work and can now set realistic goals based on your experience with the system.
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The Right Leadership Stuff!

***Top Rated Post***

Leaders need to have the right attitude, or the leadership will fall short.
Leadership is giving...inspire vs. require...work done "with" people vs. work done "by" people.

1. Give up on perfection, make it better.
2. Believe you have more in you.
3. Falling is not failing.
4. Never make excuses.
5. Compare up.
6. Train people "who" to be,  before telling them "what" to do.
7. Train on skills;  you can't teach personalities.
8. Do what your best self longs to do.
9. Surround yourself with people who acknowledge your progress and challenge you to do better.
10. Let go of the past, strive to improve the future.

"When looking at four ounces of water in an eight ounce glass, the pessimist will say its half empty, the optimistic says its half full...the leader says-----who needs a drink?"

www.bobgambone.com

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Maripat Abbott - Guest Blogger

Yoga is a Leadership Summit For Your Body

Let's pretend your physical body is a corporation. Going through daily life, the mind leads your company by making decisions and taking action based on thoughts. The problem is, the mind doesn't embody good leadership qualities. It's a narcissist; it's always right, and doesn't wish to collaborate since it has all the answers already.

Many times, I begin a yoga class by suggesting that the students leave their mind outside-fire it for a while, so to speak. What happens as a result is a beautiful thing. For the first time in days, months or sometimes years, the body's coworkers- the muscles, joints, breath, even the heartbeat - listen deeply to each other. The calm in the room is palpable. Everyone feels it.

I've seen firsthand what's possible when the body is given a leadership role.- even if only for an hour. Students often arrive to class with their company in a state of chaos. It's evident by their contracted posture, hurried pace, tense facial muscles, and rapid speech. But once the mind has been laid off for a while, the demeanor of the body changes dramatically.

A yoga class can be one of the best leadership summits ever held, because the leaders are invited to step out of their minds and into the hearts for a while. This is a place leaders forget to go.

Maripatt Abbott
Certified Yoga Instructor
Certified Life Coach
http://manifestingpossibilities.com/holistic-relocation.html