Michael Hyatt's Blog, page 191
July 28, 2012
The Value of Naps from a Scientific Perspective [Video]
If you can’t see this video in your RSS reader or email, then click here.
One of the most popular posts I have ever written was, “5 Reasons Why You Should Take a Nap Every Day.” This very helpful video provides the scientific reasons why naps are so beneficial and why you shouldn’t sleep longer than 30 minutes. (Thanks to Joey Espinosa for the link.)
July 27, 2012
The 3 Lenses of Visionary Leaders
This is a guest post by Tor Constantino. He is a former journalist, has an MBA, and works in public relations where he has directly reported to several CEOs in his career. He lives near Washington, D.C. with his wife and two daughters. You can read his blog and follow him on Twitter. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.
Good leaders create a vision, passionately articulate the vision, and relentlessly drive the vision to completion.”
– Jack Welch
Every leader needs a clear vision. However, much like common sense, vision is anything but common and rarely clear. When it’s fuzzy or cloudy, it needs a lens to make things more clear.
Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/RichVintage
Before we look at organizational vision, consider the literal example of vision and the human eye. Very few people have perfect 20/20 vision. According to the National Eye Institute (of America):
More than 12 million Americans can only see things clearly at a distance (farsighted);
More than 32 million can only see clearly those things or people who are close by (nearsighted);
While a full third have blurry vision due to a less than perfectly round eye surface (astigmatism).
More than 150 million Americans use corrective eyewear to improve their sight.
There are corrective lenses for each of these conditions, enabling people to improve their sight. This principle has application to visionary leaders as well.
Here are three lenses you need to apply to your organization in order to create, articulate, and drive your vision forward. Think of these metaphoric lenses as perspectives or filters if it helps.
Diagnostic Lens. Before a vision can be created, you need to clearly understand what’s worked and what hasn’t. It’s also critical to recognize the current position of your organization and use that as a starting point.
Additionally, you also need to identify existing obstacles, procedures, and personalities that may undermine your vision at various stages. These may be difficult for you to see, especially if you’ve been with the organization a while.
Why? You may have developed an institutional “blind spot.” (Eventually, this happens to every leader.) If so, this may require you to solicit input from a “fresh pair” of eyes—an unbiased insider or an external consultant.
Once you have completed your diagnostics and you have a clear view of the organization and its needs, you need to incorporate your findings into the overall vision.
Innovation Lens. Innovation is often “hiding in plain site.” It requires you to cultivate a specific perspective in order to enable it to jump into view.
For example, consider the challenges of trying to innovate the following commoditized products: paint, glass, and duct tape – pretty dull and boring at first glance with little opportunity. For decades, industry leaders did not see anyway to innovate on those products and increase their revenue. Yet:
Sherwin-Williams developed a square, stackable, pourable paint container that revolutionized the industry.
Corning innovated away from cookware, to fiber optic cables, flat-screen TVs, and biotech lab tools.
Duck Brand duct tape breathed new life and profitability into the category with fashion-focused line extensions in a rainbow of patterns and colors.
In each case, the opportunity for innovation was always there. But it took visionary leaders to create an environment where others within the organization could see the opportunity that was right in front of their eyes, articulate it, and bring it forward.
Unseen Lens Ultimately, as a visionary, you are going to have to lead your organization down a path it’s never been before. This requires the use of the “unseen” lens which will set the course for the desired future state.
Christopher Columbus had to apply this lens when he set off to find the new world, at a time when everyone thought the world was flat.
President Kennedy had to apply this lens when he pledged to put an American on the moon in the 1960s.
Steve Jobs did it time and again when he challenged Apple to launch the iPod, MacBook , iTunes, and iPhone.
As a visionary leader, you need to be your organization’s eyes into the future, driving it’s performance down a pioneering path.
In order to be a positive, transformational leader you need a clear vision if your organization is going to survive and thrive. But you and the vision are indistinguishable. Without a clear vision, you won’t last. And without a visionary leader, neither will the vision.
Question: What do you think is required to be a visionary leader? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
July 26, 2012
How I Unplugged and Lived to Tell About It
Earlier this month, my wife Gail and I took a much-needed vacation. We rented a house on a lake in the mountains near Monteagle, Tennessee. We were there for two weeks.
After my book launch and our daughter’s wedding, we were both feeling the need to get away. We wanted a place where we could rest, reconnect, and refill our spiritual and emotional tanks.
As a prerequisite to this time away, I decided to completely unplug from e-mail and social media. I wanted to experience a complete “digital detox.”
The evening before I left:
I deleted all the social media applications from my iPhone. This included HootSuite, Google+, and Facebook. I planned to simply reinstall them after my vacation.
I disabled all my e-mail accounts except for one. I set up a special “urgent” account that my colleagues could use in an emergency. If there was something I needed to see, I instructed them to text me, then send a message to this account.
I made an announcement on my blog. I told my readers that I would be offline in order to set their expectations.
I set my out-of-office messages. I did this on my e-mail accounts and also in my Twitter bio. I let people know that I was on vacation and offline. I gave them instructions about what to do if there was an emergency.
I closed my social media pages in my web browser. This took discipline, because I still wanted to have access to the Internet for reading and research. Thankfully, this didn’t prove to be a problem.
I gave authority to my team to act in my absence. I gave them the perimeters and told them I would support any decisions they made while I was away.
Being unplugged went surprisingly well.
During the first twenty-four hours, I found myself compulsively starting to check my e-mail and social media accounts. I often do this when I am waiting for anything—stopped at a red light (I know, I know), standing in line, or in between projects. But I caught myself, didn’t check, and eventually stopped checking.
Almost immediately, I saw my attention span increase. Gail and I spent every morning being quiet, reflecting, and journaling. We did a lot of reading. I didn’t feel the usual hurry-up and-finish pressure I experience in my normal life.
Gail and I had several incredible conversations. Without the distraction of e-mail and social media, we were able to focus and dive deeper in our discussions. We were really able to reconnect. We just enjoyed being with one another. (We also celebrated our thirty-fourth anniversary!)
Overall, I felt a huge sense of relief—kind of like when you are in a noisy restaurant and then step outside to a quiet night. I didn’t realize how noisy my environment had become. As the first few days passed, I felt the stress drain from my body and my psyche.
I did have one situation that required me to get back online for about twenty-four hours. As you may have read, HarperCollins closed its acquisition of Thomas Nelson. This required a board meeting and some follow-up calls. But it was soon resolved, and I went back offline.
My biggest take-away from these two weeks is that I need more margin in my life. This is something I’ve known for a while. I’ve even written about it. But I am determined to be more intentional about it.
Since being home, I have continued to journal every morning. I am also saying No to additional commitments, so I can make sure I have time for those priorities that matter most. I feel like my tank is full again.
If you haven’t ever deliberately unplugged for a specific period of time, I encourage you to do so. Even if you can only manage forty-eight hours, it’s worth it. Trust me, you need it more than you think. We all do.
Question: When was the last time you unplugged? What were the results? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
July 25, 2012
#019: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (And What We Can Do About It) [Podcast]
In this episode, I talk about what the Internet is doing to our brains. I summarize and then respond to an article in the July 2012 issue of Newsweek called “Tweets, Texts, E-mail and Posts: Is the Onslaught Making Us Crazy?”
I read the Newsweek article on my vacation while I was offline. I found it very disturbing. Here are some of the highlights:
Click to Listen
[image error]
Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play in browser | Download
Episode Outline
A few years ago, people were ridiculed for suggesting that the Internet was having a negative impact on our minds. But now the proof is starting to stack up.
“The first good, peer-reviewed research is emerging, and the picture is much gloomier than the trumpet blasts of Web utopians have allowed. The current incarnation of the Internet—portable, social, accelerated, and all-pervasive—may be making us not just dumber or lonelier but more depressed and anxious, prone to obsessive-compulsive and attention-deficit disorders, even outright psychotic. Our digitized minds can scan like those of drug addicts, and normal people are breaking down in sad and seemingly new ways.”
The problem is that we are continuously connected. Thanks to smart phones and other technologies, we have almost become cyborgs—creatures that are half human, half machine.
Here are some interesting facts from the article:
On average, American stare at some type of computer screen for eight hours a day.
When President Obama ran for office last time, the iPhone had yet to be launched.
Now smart phones outnumber regular ones. More than a third of users get online BEFORE they even get out of bed.
The average person, regardless of age, sends or receives about 400 text messages a month—four times the 2007 number.
The average teen processes an astounding 3,700 texts a month, double the 2007 figure.
Again, quoting from the article,
“Altogether the digital shifts of the last five years call to mind a horse that has sprinted out from underneath its rider, dragging the person who once held the reins. No one is arguing for some kind of Amish future. But the research is now making it clear that the Internet is not ‘just’ another delivery system. It is creating a whole new mental environment, a digital state of nature where the human mind becomes a spinning instrument panel, and few people will survive unscathed.”
New brain scan technology shows that our brains are being rewired. Heavy web users have fundamentally altered prefrontal cortexes. The brains of Internet addicts, it turns out, look like the brains of drug and alcohol addicts. Even worse, Chinese researchers have shown that our grey matter—the part of the brain responsible for processing of speech, memory, motor control, emotion, sensory, and other information—is shrinking or atrophying.
Numerous studies show that the more a person hangs out online the worse they are likely to feel. Web use often displaces sleep, exercise, and face-to-face exchanges, all of which can lead to loneliness, a sense of isolation, and depression.
So, as I said, I found this article very disturbing. I think you can see why. Gail and I had several long conversations about this and how we might respond. There are three possible responses:
Withdrawal. You just “Go Amish,” delete your social media accounts, and swear off the Internet.
Immersion. You shrug your shoulders, give up, and keep marching with the lemmings right over the cliff.
Moderation. You become intentional about your Internet usage, understanding that it’s a double-edged sword.
I don’t think focusing on what you are NOT going to do works very well. On my vacation, I read a very helpful book called, Living into Focus by Arthur Boers, which basically builds on the work of Albert Borgmann, a scholar at the University of Montana who has written extensively on the role of technology in our lives.
Both of these men talk about cultivating specific focal practices. I have written on similar practices under the rubric of disciplines of the heart.
Having reflected on it for a few weeks, I believe you can enjoy the benefits of the Internet while avoiding many of the dangers by practicing five positive disciplines:
The discipline of rest.
The discipline of reflection.
The discipline of reading.
The discipline of relationships.
The discipline of recreation.
I don’t think we need to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we do need to be intentional. We need to build these five practices into our daily routine.
Listener Questions
Aaron McHugh asked, “Can you speak to the traps and pitfalls of social media as it relates to seeking personal validation?”
Andrew Mason asked, “Where’s the line? How much Internet engagement is too much?”
KC asked, “How can we help our kids navigate social media as they grow up?”
Paul McGuire asked, “How can we meet our tribe members expectation of near-instant engagement and still maintain a healthy level of social media usage?”
Special Announcements
If you want to take your speaking to the next level, make plans now to attend the SCORRE Conference, October 17–20, 2012 in Vail, Colorado. If you register before the end of the day on July 31, 2012, you can take $200.00 of your registration price by entering the discount code H
YATT.
Also, I have signed an exclusive speaking representation agreement with Premiere Speakers Bureau in Nashville. I am only accepting 50 speaking engagements a year, but I have a few open dates left this fall. If you are interested in discussing the possibility of having me speak to your company, conference, or special event, please visit my Speaking page.
Finally, if you are ready to get serious about building your platform and taking your blogging to the next level, you can’t do better than launching a self-hosted WordPress blog. I have just produced a free screencast called “How to Setup a Self-Hosted WordPress Blog in 20 Minutes or Less.” This short video will take you through the process step-by-step. Trust me, anyone can do this. In the last ten days, I’ve had over 100 people use this video to launch their blog.
Episode Resources
In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:
Book: Living into Focus: Choosing What Matters in an Age of Distractions by Arthur Boers
The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life by Martha Beck
Post: The Four Disciplines of the Heart
Software: Day One Journal
Show Transcript
You can download a transcript of this episode here.
Subscription Links
If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe:
iTunes
Zune
RSS
Your Feedback
If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, e-mail me.
Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out! Thanks.
Question: What suggestions do you have for better managing your time on the Internet?? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
#19: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (And What We Can Do About It) [Podcast]
In this episode, I talk about what the Internet is doing to our brains. I summarize and then respond to an article in the July 2012 issue of Newsweek called “Tweets, Texts, E-mail and Posts: Is the Onslaught Making Us Crazy?”
I read the Newsweek article on my vacation while I was offline. I found it very disturbing. Here are some of the highlights:
Click to Listen
[image error]
Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play in browser | Download
Episode Outline
A few years ago, people were ridiculed for suggesting that the Internet was having a negative impact on our minds. But now the proof is starting to stack up.
“The first good, peer-reviewed research is emerging, and the picture is much gloomier than the trumpet blasts of Web utopians have allowed. The current incarnation of the Internet—portable, social, accelerated, and all-pervasive—may be making us not just dumber or lonelier but more depressed and anxious, prone to obsessive-compulsive and attention-deficit disorders, even outright psychotic. Our digitized minds can scan like those of drug addicts, and normal people are breaking down in sad and seemingly new ways.”
The problem is that we are continuously connected. Thanks to smart phones and other technologies, we have almost become cyborgs—creatures that are half human, half machine.
Here are some interesting facts from the article:
On average, American stare at some type of computer screen for eight hours a day.
When President Obama ran for office last time, the iPhone had yet to be launched.
Now smart phones outnumber regular ones. More than a third of users get online BEFORE they even get out of bed.
The average person, regardless of age, sends or receives about 400 text messages a month—four times the 2007 number.
The average teen processes an astounding 3,700 texts a month, double the 2007 figure.
Again, quoting from the article,
“Altogether the digital shifts of the last five years call to mind a horse that has sprinted out from underneath its rider, dragging the person who once held the reins. No one is arguing for some kind of Amish future. But the research is now making it clear that the Internet is not ‘just’ another delivery system. It is creating a whole new mental environment, a digital state of nature where the human mind becomes a spinning instrument panel, and few people will survive unscathed.”
New brain scan technology shows that our brains are being rewired. Heavy web users have fundamentally altered prefrontal cortexes. The brains of Internet addicts, it turns out, look like the brains of drug and alcohol addicts. Even worse, Chinese researchers have shown that our grey matter—the part of the brain responsible for processing of speech, memory, motor control, emotion, sensory, and other information—is shrinking or atrophying.
Numerous studies show that the more a person hangs out online the worse they are likely to feel. Web use often displaces sleep, exercise, and face-to-face exchanges, all of which can lead to loneliness, a sense of isolation, and depression.
So, as I said, I found this article very disturbing. I think you can see why. Gail and I had several long conversations about this and how we might respond. There are three possible responses:
Withdrawal. You just “Go Amish,” delete your social media accounts, and swear off the Internet.
Immersion. You shrug your shoulders, give up, and keep marching with the lemmings right over the cliff.
Moderation. You become intentional about your Internet usage, understanding that it’s a double-edged sword.
I don’t think focusing on what you are NOT going to do works very well. On my vacation, I read a very helpful book called, Living into Focus by Arthur Boers, which basically builds on the work of Albert Borgmann, a scholar at the University of Montana who has written extensively on the role of technology in our lives.
Both of these men talk about cultivating specific focal practices. I have written on similar practices under the rubric of disciplines of the heart.
Having reflected on it for a few weeks, I believe you can enjoy the benefits of the Internet while avoiding many of the dangers by practicing five positive disciplines:
The discipline of rest.
The discipline of reflection.
The discipline of reading.
The discipline of relationships.
The discipline of recreation.
I don’t think we need to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we do need to be intentional. We need to build these five practices into our daily routine.
Listener Questions
Aaron McHugh asked, “Can you speak to the traps and pitfalls of social media as it relates to seeking personal validation?”
Andrew Mason asked, “Where’s the line? How much Internet engagement is too much?”
KC asked, “How can we help our kids navigate social media as they grow up?”
Paul McGuire asked, “How can we meet our tribe members expectation of near-instant engagement and still maintain a healthy level of social media usage?”
Special Announcements
If you want to take your speaking to the next level, make plans now to attend the SCORRE Conference, October 17–20, 2012 in Vail, Colorado. If you register before the end of the day on July 31, 2012, you can take $200.00 of your registration price by entering the discount code H
YATT.
Also, I have signed an exclusive speaking representation agreement with Premiere Speakers Bureau in Nashville. I am only accepting 50 speaking engagements a year, but I have a few open dates left this fall. If you are interested in discussing the possibility of having me speak to your company, conference, or special event, please visit my Speaking page.
Finally, if you are ready to get serious about building your platform and taking your blogging to the next level, you can’t do better than launching a self-hosted WordPress blog. I have just produced a free screencast called “How to Setup a Self-Hosted WordPress Blog in 20 Minutes or Less.” This short video will take you through the process step-by-step. Trust me, anyone can do this. In the last ten days, I’ve had over 100 people use this video to launch their blog.
Episode Resources
In this episode I mentioned several resources, including:
Book: Living into Focus: Choosing What Matters in an Age of Distractions by Arthur Boers
The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life by Martha Beck
Post: The Four Disciplines of the Heart
Software: Day One Journal
Show Transcript
The transcript for this episode is not yet ready. However, I will update this post when it is with a link to the PDF file.
Subscription Links
If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe:
iTunes
Zune
RSS
Your Feedback
If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode, e-mail me.
Also, if you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out! Thanks.
Question: What suggestions do you have for better managing your time on the Internet?? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
July 24, 2012
Depositing Good Things [Podcast]
“Depositing Good Things”
by Joel Osteen
Listen to this podcast on my website…
Joel Osteen Audio Podcast
July 15, 2012
In this podcast, Joel talks about the importance of encouraging others and the difference we can make with the smallest actions. Well worth the listen!
How to Read the Bible and Enjoy It
I remember the first time I tried to read the Bible for myself. I found my grandfather’s copy on a shelf in his living room. I was nine years old.
Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/ArtisticCaptures
I sat down on the floor, cross-legged, with the Bible on my lap. I opened it slowly … reverently … and began to read.
I was fascinated by God’s creation of the heavens, earth, and man in Genesis 1–2.
I was swept into the drama of man’s temptation and fall in Genesis 3.
I was saddened by Cain’s murder of Abel in Genesis 4.
I felt like I had discovered a lost book—the key to the universe! I was captivated.
Then I hit the “begats” in Genesis 5.
Oh boy.
My eyes glazed over.
I closed the Bible, stood up, and slipped it back on the shelf. I didn’t pick it up again for another ten years.
So many people have told me they’ve had similar experiences. They know they should read the Bible; they just don’t know how to begin.
Even if you are not a Christian—or don’t consider yourself a spiritually-inclined person—the Bible is worth reading. Without question, it has had a greater impact on Western civilization than any other book published.
You can’t understand great literature, common metaphors, or cultural allusions without a basic knowledge of these ancient texts. (I use the plural because the Bible is actually a collection of books.)
But how do you start? The Bible is, after all, a big book! I have read it through several times. In fact, my goal is to read it through every year, though it some times takes a little longer.
This has served me well in so many ways. I find myself referring to the stories and sayings again and again. The best part is they have become the foundation and raw material for everything I do.
In this post, I thought I’d share how I read the bible. It’s not the only way to do it, of course. But I thought this might be helpful to you if you want to read it all the way through and partake of its treasures on a regular basis.
Read at a set time each day. As I learned a long time ago, what gets scheduled gets done. I read the Bible first thing each morning, so I don’t get side-tracked by something else.
Distinguish between reading and study. When I am reading, I don’t try to do word studies, read commentaries, or chase cross-references. While this can be valuable, I consider it Bible study—something I reserve for other times. The goal for my reading is breadth not depth.
Use a balanced, Bible reading plan. This is key. I read from four passages each day: Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. This way, if I hit a dry patch in one section, I can usually get something out of another. Innumerable plans are available. This year I am using the One Year Bible .
Read in an easy-to-understand translation. Some may disagree, but a paraphrase is fine for Bible reading (not study). The key is to use a translation that helps you to understand what you are reading. I usually read in a different translation each year, just so the text doesn’t become so familiar I stop paying attention.
Highlight or underline as you read. Maybe the thought of marking in a Bible scandalizes you. I hope not. It helps me focus my attention and get back to those passages that I find particularly meaningful. I read on a Kindle, so I also have access to those highlights in the cloud and in Evernote.
Identify at least one key take away. Personally, my goal in Bible reading is not merely to increase my knowledge; I want to change my life (see James 1: 22–25). This begins by paying attention to what I am reading and marking those passages that seem particularly relevant to my current circumstances. When I am finished reading, I go back over my highlights and pick one to record in my journal, along with my response to it.
Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. This is difficult for me. I am a recovering achiever and a perfectionist. But it is essential if you are going to make progress. The truth is you are going to miss some days. It’s okay. It’s not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Just pick up the next day and keep moving.
The key, I think, is to keep the process simple. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Don’t get hung up on what you don’t understand.
Like Mark Twain once said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
Questions: If you aren’t a Bible reader, what’s keeping you from it? If you are, what advice would you offer others? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
July 23, 2012
New Speaking Representation [Announcement]
New Speaking Representation
I am pleased to announce that I have just entered into an exclusive speaker representation agreement with Premiere Speakers Bureau in Nashville, Tennessee. They are one of the top bureaus in the country, representing speakers such as Andy Andrews, Patrick Lencioni, Elizabeth Smart, Neal Cavuto, and Gov. Mike Huckabee.
I have been friends with Duane Ward, the founder and CEO of Premiere for more than two decades. Working with him and his outstanding team has been a dream of mine for years. I am thrilled it is now a reality.
I am limiting myself to fifty engagements a year. I speak on a variety of topics related to platform-building, leadership, and productivity. You can find out more by visiting my Speaking page.
The Value of Working for a Bad Boss
I’ve had more than twenty bosses in my career. I worked well with nearly all of them. But surprisingly, I learned the most from the worst ones.
Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/mediaphotos
The truth is that most of my supervisors were average. Sadly, I really can’t remember much about them.
One was exceptional and became a role model. He took responsibility when things went badly. He gave others credit when things went well. He exuded integrity and became a close friend.
One boss was just plain incompetent. He was a nice guy but burned up and checked out. He couldn’t seem to do anything right. I think he retired mentally two years before the company let his body go. I was embarrassed to tell anyone I worked for him.
Two others were downright sinister if not evil. These were the bad bosses.
They could be kind and charming one minute and then—an hour later—mean, paranoid, and vindictive. Though I tried hard to stay out of the line-of-fire, they both skewered me on a few occasions.
Though I hated working for them at the time, I wouldn’t trade what I learned for anything.
Reality is that you don’t usually get to chose your boss. Sure, you can quit. But most bosses aren’t so bad that you would actually leave the company over them.
They are more like a low-grade headache. You learn to live with them. Besides, if you quit, you’ll miss some important lessons that will help you become a better leader.
Here are twenty random lessons I learned from bad bosses.
Everyone on the team matters. No one deserves to be treated poorly.
Bosses create an emotional climate with their attitudes and behaviors.
The higher up you are, the more people “read into” everything you say and do. Stuff gets amplified as it moves downstream.
A word of encouragement can literally make someone’s week. Conversely, a harsh word can ruin it.
Hire the right people then trust them to do their job.
Don’t ever intentionally embarrass people in front of their boss, their peers, or their direct reports.
Don’t attack people personally. Instead, focus on their performance.
Get both sides of the story before you take action.
Tell the truth; then you don’t have to remember what you said.
Give people room to fail and don’t rub their noses in it when they do.
Be quick to forgive and give the benefit of the doubt.
Measure twice, cut once.
Don’t ever ask your people to do something you are unwilling to do yourself.
Respect other people’s time, especially those under you.
Don’t believe all the nice things people say about you.
Follow-through on your commitments, even when it is inconvenient or expensive.
Don’t be ambitious to get promoted. Instead, focus on serving and doing a great job.
Be responsive to everyone at every level. You never know who may be your next boss.
Keep confidences. Make no exceptions.
Do not complain about your boss to anyone. If you have to complain, then have the integrity to quit.
You can learn from anyone. If you don’t work for a great leader, don’t despair. Some of the lessons that impact you the most will come from the leaders who impressed you the least.
Question: What lessons have you learned from a bad boss or leader? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
July 21, 2012
Disentangling Thoughts [Quote]
Thoughts disentangle themselves passing over the lips and through pencil tips.”
Anonymous
