Believing Matters

Someone recently asked me: “What is the single biggest thing that makes a difference between those that achieve the success that they desire when compared to those who do not?”

Two significant thoughts immediately came to my mind. One is persistence; most do not obtain the level of success that they seek easily. It takes great effort and the ability to endure hardship while also overcoming adverse conditions.

The other is belief. Belief that you belong and that you are worthy and deserving of the level of success you desire.

Are you prepared to be persistent? Do you believe?

- DEG

Your Frame – Your Future

We frame pictures. This limits and draws our attention to focus on what is inside that frame. Logically this makes sense, it is what we are trying to achieve. Framing our future is critical for our focus and ultimately for our success. The bad news is that if the frame that we place around our future is too small, we will never discover or accomplish the highest level of success.

Here is the good news – we control the size of our frame. Successful people in business, top performing athletes, and even rock stars never allow their frame to be too narrow. When their current picture is nearing capacity of the frame, they reach for more, they expand the frame. Many top performers develop the attitude that they are most comfortable when they are expanding the frame and feel discomfort when they are operating in the status quo.

Is the size of your frame fluid? Does it flow and expand, or do you get delayed (achieve less) with finding comfort in the status quo? 

When Wishing Isn’t Enough

People sometimes wish, spiritual people sometimes pray, but successful people will find their path regardless of the obstacle. There is nothing wrong with extending a good wish, nothing wrong with prayer, but at the same time there are often forces that are both unknown and uncontrollable that leads you to a different outcome.

Most likely you will not find success in the status quo. There are no secret formulas and no magic potions. When the path develops into something unexpected successful people may wish, and they may pray, but they will definitely face the obstacles head on, take risks, and make the best possible choices.

When your path takes an unexpected turn – what will you do?

 

- DEG

Discipline Delivers

Achieving success requires discipline. People often start off great, they are dedicated, enthusiastic and goal oriented. Along the way things sometimes start to change, they get off track, accomplishments fail to reach expectations, they become discouraged and even the smallest success starts to wane and ultimately they give up.

Here is the good news, you can discover more discipline and persevere through five simple steps:

1. Recognize and accept the gap between where you are now and where you want to be
2. Assess the steps required to close the gap
3. Visualize accomplishing each step
4. Evaluate progress by measuring accomplishments not short comings
5. Be flexible in your approach – make changes as necessary to keep moving forward

Desire to achieve the goal is critical for discipline. If you want something you have to reach for it, often pushing beyond your comfort zone in order to achieve it.

Success is knocking at your door, it arrives via delivery, the driver is discipline.

 

- DEG

Stay Focused

Unexpected things happen. Circumstances and situations may sometimes anger us. Staying focused is the key to achieving your success.

When we replay thoughts from past negative experiences or are preoccupied with finding evidence to support negativity we tend to find what we are looking for – negativity. In this scenario our view shifts from seeking the positive to discovering reinforcement for new negative experiences.

The good news is that you can control what you see through your lens. If you stay focused by looking for positive situations and outcomes you can find them. You can resist anger and irritation and replace any negative thoughts with positive thoughts that support forward motion on your path to achieving your goals.

Take control of your state of mind – stay focused. 

What do you see?

 

- DEG

Growing from Stress

So much has already been written on the subject of how to reduce stress, have you considered what are the positive benefits (if any) of working through very stressful situations. I argue that there is a positive benefit, and the positive benefit is that you learn and grow from extreme stress.

 

Extreme stress allows you to discover what you are capable of, what really makes you tick, and how to better manage stress in the future. Here are a few examples of situations that may push you to achieve new growth:

1. College students, especially those maintaining both jobs and academic studies
2. Goal or quota expectations that are a stretch, but you find a way to make it happen
3. Unexpected change and adverse conditions that temporarily set you back
4. Managing work, life, and raising children, especially in single parent situations
5. Combinations of any of the items (1 - 4) listed above

Rather than being overcome by extreme stress, discover ways to push through it, learn from it and grow. Short term you may be out of balance with work and life commitments, but recognize that your decisions and choices can and will make a difference in the future.

Learn something about who you are, don’t eat crow – make a plan and GROW!

 

- DEG

Unrealized Customer Expectations

Manager: This will save us money.

Employee: I don’t think that is what the customer wants.

Manager: I think they will be fine with this.

Nearly every day I witness first hand, or hear about bad business decisions. When the quality or value of product or service offerings decrease so does customer satisfaction.

Sometimes good employees make bad decisions. They hear about economic woes and being engaged and committed to the organization (not to mention empowered) they make decisions that affect the customer. Many of these choices seem insignificant at the time, but become deal breakers later. Unrealized customer expectations are a leading cause of customer dissatisfaction and loss.

When the customer, or economic buyer, of a good or service also faces tough times, they too will make changes. Where do they start? If they are smart, they eliminate vendors or strategic partners who provide the least value. Price is important, but value is what should be the basis of the decision. Value represents itself in various ways, it may be quality, reputation, experience, value add (niceties), and even the feeling (emotions) of the transaction.

Don’t forget that nearly every organization has both internal and external customers. The same “rules” apply.

Do you know what your customers need? Do you know what they expect? If yes, how do you know? (Guesses or “I think” may not be good enough.)

- DEG

Victim or Champion

There are those who are always blaming someone else when their decisions turn out bad. Often referring to themselves as the victim they tend to view outcomes of their life as fate or some predetermined destiny.

If we believe in fate, then we must also believe in the concept that fate presents us with choices. Those choices and their associated outcomes are not predetermined, but provide us with opportunity. While it may be true that we can be the victim of a crime, we have an opportunity to create our own destiny.

Successful people persevere, they take risks, confront fears, and they assume responsibility for their future. They are not the victims of their own life, they are the champions.

Are you creating your destiny? Are you a champion?

- DEG

Hope – Strength or Weakness

Many people dream of success, they dream of a specific job, a career, or sometimes for financial freedom. Hope keeps people moving along, it can motivate, and it can make us persistent in our pursuit.

Hope can be a strength making us tough, resistant, persistent, and courageous.

Hope can be a weakness, making us too trusting, blindly conforming, wasteful (time and effort), and vulnerable.

Hope is great, use it in moderation, capitalize on the strengths and be aware of the weaknesses. Always remember that you are in charge of your own destiny. Do not hope it will happen, make it happen!

- DEG

Worth It

“I ordered the buffet at the restaurant yesterday and it was worth it.”

“I stayed at the more expensive hotel and it was worth it.”

“I went to the gym and worked out even though I didn’t feel like it and it was worth it.”


Do you see a pattern to this way of thinking? I do – and I would like to make the suggestion that everyone in every circumstance has value, they have worth.

If you are pursuing a pay raise or a job promotion, don’t settle for less because you are worth it. If you are facing challenging decisions in your personal life, don’t settle for less because you are worth it. If are working on your dream job, or your dream career, don’t change your game plan or make poor choices, because you are worth it.

Make your life a success story. YOU - are worth it!

- DEG

6 Steps to Effective Delegation (Part 2 of 6)

2. Have you clearly defined the expectations?

During delegation efforts do you clearly define the expectations? Employees may be unable to be successful and typically are not as motivated if they are unclear of the expectations for carrying out job tasks or duties.

Supervisors and managers may sometimes feel great disappointment and confusion about why delegated tasks fail to get completed in a timely, accurate, or otherwise appropriate manner. In some cases management is not delegating effectively. Effective delegation includes a clear and concise definition of the expectations. This problem can be amplified if the supervisor believes that they have been clear and concise but the employee who has received the assignment is still unclear. Perhaps worse yet if they believe they are clear but have interpreted the communication differently the results could be very unfavorable. Of course, we sometimes we call this – miscommunication.

Effective delegation must include clearly defined expectations. To help solidify the transfer of job tasks or duties consider these helpful hints:

   - Ask questions to ensure understanding
   - Ask for reflection back about the objectives of the project or task
   - Use effective listening approaches
   - Watch or monitor the work as the employee begins

Delegation represents one of the keys to leadership success. Leaders should always be sure to share and clarify the big picture.