Archive for Building your business
How Does Your Self-Esteem Influence your career?
Posted by: | CommentsWhat did you want to be when you grew up? Did you want to be a doctor, lawyer, businessperson, mother, or father? Did you want to be a lifetime student? Did you want to be a teacher? Did you want to be a person with intact Self-Esteem?
People with intact Self-Esteem accept responsibility for everything they think, say, do, and feel. People who have intact Self-Esteem like themselves regardless of the rejection, indifference, or criticism they receive from others. People with intact Self-Esteem ask questions to show their interest in others. People with intact Self-Esteem listen to others and give them their undivided attention. People with intact Self-Esteem have great energy. People with intact Self-Esteem are team players. They help others succeed. People with intact Self-Esteem accept others totally and unconditionally. People with intact Self-Esteem are committed to a cause bigger than life. People with intact Self-Esteem share their wisdom and skills with others. People with intact Self-Esteem are at peace with themselves. People with intact Self-Esteem can see the humorous side of life. People with intact Self-Esteem help others feel important.
Do you meet many people who have intact Self-Esteem? One way you can tell about a person’s Self-Esteem is the way they focus on people. They create an atmosphere that is safe, secure, and comfortable.
What about the management where you work? Do they have intact Self-Esteem? You can tell by how easy it is to talk with them. Do they create an atmosphere of acceptance? Can you speak freely about your pay, working conditions, learning opportunities, skills, benefits, etc.? Are you encouraged to be congruent (your words, feelings, and behavior are in agreement) without fearing the loss of your job or career advancement? Just because a person is financially successful or holds a respected position does not necessarily mean that they have intact Self-Esteem. Their behavior will always let you know if a person’s Self-Esteem is intact.
Is your present pathway moving you toward your ultimate ideal career? Would you say your work/career makes a difference? Are you fulfilled with what you are doing? How do you feel about having your child follow in your footsteps? Have you ever taken the time to write your own work/career plan? Are you on purpose ? Are you on purpose with your work/career or are you following someone else’s vision?
Take some time to review and write down your career history. Begin with any job you had where you earned money. This includes paper routes, baby-sitting, cutting grass, cleaning house, taking out the trash, etc. Write what you liked best and least about each job. What were your greatest qualities as a worker? How did you acquire these skills? Were there any skills you wanted to refine or develop? Who were your favorite bosses? What was it about their behavior that caused you to like working with them?
Based on where you are today, what are your five top skills? What areas do you want to refine? If you were someone else, would you want to be your employee or employer? Are there any characteristics you would like to acquire to be an excellent employee, employer or entrepreneur?
Prepare a plan to obtain better career results and then, watch what happens!
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“I now evaluate my career history and plan new strategies for career success.” |
Do You Negotiate Or Strike?
Posted by: | CommentsHave you ever heard people talk about going on strike? Have you seen headlines about strikes? Do you know someone who will be affected by a strike? Do you believe that many people fear strikes: employees, management, families, other businesses and communities? Did you ever wonder what creates a strike?
I believe that strikes are caused by employees and managements’ lack of skills and/or their unintact Self-Esteem to negotiate and compromise. It seems that we, as a society, have learned very little from history. After every war, there is negotiating and compromising.
A strike is an indication that both management and employees need to communicate their needs, wants, and concerns, on an ongoing basis. They need to be continually establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.
All events in our lives go through a process called gradualism. A child grows into an adult by the body, mind and spirit changing through the years. It is a process and it varies for each individual.
Business and organizations develop in similar fashion. There is birth, infancy, childhood, the teen years, young adulthood, adulthood, maturity and the vintage years. It does not happen overnight. It is a process. Along the way there is always a moment when employees and management become aware of their needs, wants, and values. If there is a conflict concerning how these are to be met and fulfilled, then resolution needs to take place. When people are deprived of a need at the point of its highest intensity they will have it met at some other time, in some other way. This could include: sabotage, slowdowns, sickness, quitting or strikes.
With intact Self-Esteem, there is never a desire to strike because people will communicate at a level where both parties talk about their needs, wants, and values. They will initiate negotiating and compromising appropriately to establish mutually beneficial results. Employees and management will listen to everyone’s point of view and be able to create a viewing point that is mutually beneficial.
What is the real fear that causes a strike? I believe it is the fear of losing control. Employees want to maintain or achieve a dignified lifestyle. Management wants to stay in business and make a profit. Either or both may perceive that their wants will be infringed upon or ignored.
Strikes would not occur if both groups had intact Self-Eteem and were willing to negotiate and compromise. In the end, both parties will do it anyway. Does it make sense to negotiate and compromise up front? I believe so. Before there is even any sign of discomfort or miscommunication, continuing dialogue is necessary.
Do you ever go on “strike” with your friends, your family, your company, your own business or your associates? All strikes could end when: people are sensitive to the needs, wants and values of each other; they invest time in cultivating harmonious relationships; they initiate describing their uncomfortable feelings with each other; they upgrade their people knowledge and skills; and they keep their Self-Esteem intact.
So the next time you hear about a strike, remember the words: sensitivity, time, relationships, initiate, knowledge, Self-Esteem and activate them and then, watch what happens!
Affirm:
“I decide to avoid all strikes by negotiating and compromising now.”
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What Is The “And Then Some” Principle?
Posted by: | CommentsHave you ever heard of the “and then some principle”? Are there people who work with or for you whose attitude is: “Don’t do too much. Just do what you get paid for and no more”?
When I was in college, I worked part-time at a leather bag manufacturing company. Since all the employees knew I was a short term worker, I was frequently told not to work too hard. They knew they would still be there after I left and did not want a new standard set.
Would you agree many workers need and want more money to satisfy a comfortable lifestyle? Do you know people who want a promotion? What can be done to help people acquire the money and promotions they say they want?
The “and then some principle” says that you do what you are paid to do “and then some”.
The next time you call your favorite store, notice the tone of voice of the person who answers the phone. Observe how long it takes you to get a solution to your challenge.
Hear the words the person uses to communicate with you. Listen for courtesy, concern, and enthusiasm – that’s the “and then some principle”. Then focus on your telephone skills. If someone were evaluating your telephone competence, would they recommend that you be given a raise or a promotion?
Your voice has the power to turn people on or off. Would your voice cause others to want what you have to offer? There are three basic voice tones you can choose when conversing. You can use a soft voice, your normal voice, or a command voice. Each is acceptable. The skill is knowing what voice is appropriate for the situation. For example; if a person was about to run in front of a car, you would use your command voice to save their life.
When you listen to a speaker, watch television, or go to a movie, notice the power the voice has in creating an impact on you. Listen to hear the “and then some principle”.
Recall the voices from your past. Whose voices do you remember? How did you feel when you listened to them: comfortable or uncomfortable?
Decide now to develop your voice to create a climate of acceptance. Refuse to yell or scream at anyone. Soften your voice whenever another person is upset or angry.
For the next week invest in improving your voice and the, watch what happens!
“I now believe in the “and then some principle” by doing more!”
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