January 1, 2003
A free Ezine sent to you twice
a month by Glen Rediehs, Ph.D.: Personal
Coach, Corporate Coach, Organization Development Consultant
Web site: www.SolutionLeader.com
E-mail: Glen@SolutionLeader.com
Solution Leader Ezine will
give you solutions for your personal life
and the people side of your business. Every issue is filled with practical strategies plus a little
humor.
Please forward this Ezine to anyone you think might enjoy it! It’s free!
If you received this Solution
Leader Ezine from someone else and would like your own free subscription, click on www.SolutionLeader.com/freenewsletter.html. Subscribe -- it’s free! Try it!
In This Issue:
NEW FREE TELECLASS: “How to Make Your 2003 New Year’s Resolution Stick!”
How Good Is Your Life? Part One of a Six-part Series
A Little Humor
Thought for the Day
How to Get the Best From Your
Employees
In the Next Issue
|
NEW FREE TELECLASS 12:00 – 12:45 PM (EST) OR 9:00 – 9:45 PM (EST) Note: Each day’s noon and evening sessions will
be the same. If possible, please try to stay with one or the other over
the four days. ach of the four days will focus on sequential steps in making
your NewYear’s resolution stick! Don’t miss any of them!
You will learn: • How to develop a resolution that is
workable and will make a difference in your life. • Effective techniques to get off to a good
start. • Great ideas to keep yourself on track. • Skills that will help you overcome
barriers to success. Ready for success? Committed to making your
2003 New Year’s resolution stick? ·
“New Year’s
Resolution Teleclass -- Noon” in the subject line OR ·
“New Year’s
Resolution Teleclass – Evening” in the subject line, AND ·
the e-mail address
you want me to use in the message section. I will confirm your registration right away.
A day or two before the first session, I will send the telephone bridge
number you will need to call for the sessions along with some class
materials. For practical reasons, I will have to limit the
number of participants. So, register now! If this is your first teleclass, here’s how it
works: ·
Call the telephone
bridge number at the start time. (The class is free. the phone charges from your long distance carrier
for this US call, usually $2 - $4 per session, are your only cost.)
·
All participants
will automatically be joined on a conference call. ·
The leader will
conduct an information-rich discussion of the topic. ·
At the end of each
session, just hang up – and put what you have learned to work! “See” you in teleclass!! |
How Good Is Your Life? (Part
One of a Six-Part Series)
How good is your life? If you’re like most people, life goes up and
down. Some great days. Lots of average days. A few not so good days. Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn and
throws you off balance for a while.
Some areas of your life might be in much better shape than others.
How about today? Pick a number between 0 and 10. 0 = “the pits” and 10 = “sensational”. Go ahead.
Pick a number. So, how good is
life today? Are things sensational,
doing just fine – leave me alone, please!
In that case, just skip down to the next article.
On the other hand, are you OK,
but know that your life could be a little better? Or, a whole lot better?
Perhaps some areas of your life are 10’s and other areas pull you
down. Possibly, you feel as if you have
reached a “plateau” in life and yearn to start moving up again.
What’s it like for you?
More importantly, how do you
want it to be? Close your eyes for a
minute. Imagine yourself at your future
best. In your mind’s eye, run a
videotape of how great it’s going to be for you. Imagine more than you ever dared to imagine before. Nobody’s watching. Go ahead. Unless you’re
driving or operating dangerous machinery, just close your eyes and do it. …
How did that feel? Pretty good,
I’ll bet!
Well … are you ready for your
dreams to come true?
Future articles in the
Solution Leader Newsletter will describe how to go about creating a sensational
life for yourself. But, don’t
wait. Get started today!
Take a piece of paper. Jot down a list of the important areas in
your life. The list might include: family, friends, finances, fun, health,
career, spirituality, etc. – whatever makes sense for you and your life. Scale where you are from 0 to 10 (0 = “the
pits” and 10 = “sensational”) on each one.
What will it take to make the
great parts of your life even better?
What do you want to change? Write
down some preliminary goals. Don’t just
think about them. Actually write them
down. Then, watch for the next issue of
the Solution Leader Newsletter. We’ll
work with your list and your goals.
Dreams can come true!!
WANT A LITTLE HELP?
Need a little help thinking about the future you want – and getting
it?
It’s been my life’s work and my passion to help individuals and
organizations create their own best futures.
Let’s work on it. You can make
it happen!
PLEASE CALL ME at 704-788-9184 or Email me at Glen@SolutionLeader.com.
A Little Humor
A physician tells this story
about her four-year-old daughter. On
the way to preschool, the doctor had left her stethoscope on the car seat, and
her little girl picked it up and began playing with it. Be still my heart, thought the
physician. My daughter wants to follow
in my footsteps! Then the child spoke
into the instrument: “Welcome to
McDonald’s. May I take your order?”
A customer was signing the receipt
for a credit card purchase when the clerk noticed that he had never signed his
name on the back of the credit card.
The clerk informed the customer that she could not complete the
transaction unless the card was signed.
When the customer asked why, she explained that it was necessary to
compare the signature on the credit card with the signature he had just signed
on the receipt. So the customer signed
the credit card in front of her. She
carefully compared that signature to the signature on the receipt. As luck would have it, they matched!
A little girl, when asked her
name, would reply, “I’m Mr. Thompson’s daughter.” Her mother told her this was wrong. She must say, “I’m Jane Thompson.” The Vicar spoke to her in Sunday School and said, “Aren’t you Mr.
Thompson’s daughter?” She replied, “I
thought I was, but mother says I’m not.”
Thought for the Day
Keep Your Goals In Sight
When she looked
ahead, Florence Chadwick saw nothing but a solid wall of fog. Her body was numb. She had been swimming for nearly sixteen hours. Already she was the first woman to swim the
English Channel in both directions.
Now, at age 34, her goal was to become the first woman to swim from
Catalina Island to the California coast.
On that Fourth of
July morning, the sea was like an ice bath and the fog was so dense she
could hardly see her support boats.
Sharks cruised toward her lone figure, only to be driven away by
rifle shots. Against the frigid grip of
the sea, she struggled on - hour after hour - while millions watched on
national television.
Alongside Florence
in one of the boats, her mother and her trainer offered
encouragement. They told her it wasn't
much farther. But all she could
see was fog. They urged her not to quit.
She never had . . . until then.
With only a half mile to go, she asked to be pulled out.
Still thawing her
chilled body several hours later, she told a reporter, "Look, I'm not
excusing myself, but if I could have seen land I might have made
it." It was not fatigue or even
the cold water that defeated her.
It was the fog. She was unable
to see her goal.
Two months later,
she tried again. This time, despite the
same dense fog, she swam with her faith intact and her goal
clearly pictured in her mind. She
knew that somewhere behind that fog was land and this time she made
it! Florence Chadwick became the
first
woman to swim the
Catalina Channel, eclipsing the men's record by two hours!
How to Get the Best From Your
Employees
The economy is
struggling. Sales are down. Costs are up. Customers expect more than
ever before. It’s a tight squeeze. You have economized and improved efficiency
every way that you know how. What else
can you do to improve the bottom line?
What else can you do? Focus on your people. Your employees’ attitude, level of
commitment, job satisfaction, etc. are no less important than inventory
control, cash flow, and other vital factors.
In a recent national survey,
the Gallup organization found that:
26% of US workers are engaged in their jobs
55% are not engaged
19% are actively disengaged
It is estimated that
disengaged employees cost the US economy approximately $300
billion annually. What’s your share of that loss?
On the other hand, Gallup also
found that work groups with high levels of employee
engagement had above average:
Employee retention (44% higher)
Customer loyalty (56% higher)
Safety records (50% higher)
Productivity (50% higher)
Profitability (33% higher)
How engaged is your work
force? How can you improve this key
factor in your business
success?
Think back to a time when you
felt energized, fulfilled and excited about a project or job.
What was special about it that
fired you up? I’m going to guess that
such things as
challenge, teamwork,
achievement or recognition were more important than the money –
right?
Now think about your
employees. What do you suppose will get
them energized, fulfilled and
excited about work? Several studies show that pay and job
security are less important than:
• appreciation,
• interesting work
• a sense of accomplishment
Just below money and security
come factors such as:
• a sense of belonging
• growth opportunities
• challenge and achievement
Most experts have concluded
that employees feel “entitled” to competitive compensation
and good working
conditions. Those factors will get an
employee recruited and started.
Getting more than that depends
on creating a workplace where your people can experience the appreciation,
interesting work, accomplishment, sense of belonging, challenge, etc. that are
important to them. Here are some things
that have helped many businesses engage their people:
• Get the right people in the right jobs. Make sure they have the tools they need. Only then is there a chance that your
employees can enjoy doing what they do best.
• Have one-on-one meetings with each employee. Listen.
Get to know them. Let them know
that you care about them.
• Make sure your employees know exactly what is expected of them, how
performance will be evaluated and how compensation is calculated. Maintain high standards. Deal with poor performance promptly.
• Increase opportunities for your people to make their own
decisions and take job ownership. Ask
them for suggestions. Involve them in
major decisions when possible. Delegate
when it’s appropriate.
• Prepare them for increased responsibility and leadership through
training, mentoring, etc.
• Engage them in the development of a clear and compelling company
vision so they can see how their job contributes to the important mission of
the organization.
• Offer earned recognition regularly and publicly. Follow the 5:1 rule: five appreciative comments for every
constructive criticism. Celebrate
achievements. Give credit. Redirect in private.
• Every employee will become engaged in different ways. Discover what that is (recognition,
achievement, compensation, growth in skills, etc.) for each person . You will only find out by asking:
“What was it that attracted you to this company?”
“What keeps you here?”
“What do you like best about your job?”
“What are your career objectives?”
“How can we support you in your work and goals?”
Etc.
How engaged is your work
force? What can you do to improve this
important factor in
your business success?
Where have you seen employees
who were fully involved in their work?
How did the leaders in that organization create such an engaged work
force?” Send your stories, quotes, thoughts. As space permits, I will try to publish
them. Send them to Glen@SolutionLeader.com.
NEED A
LITTLE HELP?
It’s been my life’s work and my passion to help individuals and
organizations create their own best futures.
Let’s work on it. You can do it!
PLEASE CALL ME at 704-788-9184 or Email me at Glen@SolutionLeader.com.
|
NEW FREE TELECLASS 12:00 – 12:45 PM (EST) OR 9:00 – 9:45 PM (EST) Note: Each day’s noon and evening sessions
will be the same. If possible, please try to stay with one or the other
over the four days. ach of the four days will focus on sequential steps in
making your NewYear’s resolution stick! Don’t miss any of them!
You will learn: • How to develop a resolution that is
workable and will make a difference in your life. • Effective techniques to get off to a good
start. • Great ideas to keep yourself on track. • Skills that will help you overcome
barriers to success. Ready for success? Committed to making your
2003 New Year’s resolution stick? ·
“New Year’s Resolution
Teleclass -- Noon” in the subject line OR ·
“New Year’s
Resolution Teleclass – Evening” in the subject line, AND ·
the e-mail address
you want me to use in the message section. I will confirm your registration right away.
A day or two before the first session, I will send the telephone bridge
number you will need to call for the sessions along with some class
materials. For practical reasons, I will have to limit the
number of participants. So, register now! If this is your first teleclass, here’s how it
works: ·
Call the telephone
bridge number at the start time. (The class is free. the phone charges from your long distance carrier
for this US call, usually $2 - $4 per session, are your only cost.)
·
All participants will
automatically be joined on a conference call. ·
The leader will
conduct an information-rich discussion of the topic. ·
At the end of each
session, just hang up – and put what you have learned to work! “See” you in teleclass!! |
In the Next Issue:
How to Set Goals That Will
Work – Part Two of a Six-Part Series
A Little Humor
Thought for the Day
How’s Your I.Q. – Your
Innovation Quotient?
In the Next Issue
Please forward this Ezine to
anyone you think might enjoy it! It’s
free!
If you received this Solution
Leader Ezine from someone else and would like your own free subscription, click
on www.SolutionLeader.com/freenewsletter.html.
Subscribe -- it’s free! Try it!
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at any time, just click here.
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2003 © Glen Rediehs. All rights reserved.