Getting New People on the Team

Sometimes adding new people to a team is like a tug-of-war.
The team members that are  already in place want to stick to what they know, who they know and what they do.  They have difficulty giving up old systems, routines, plans, ways of working or thinking because they feel that it worked in the past.
The difficulty comes from lack of familiarity - it is important for new people to be properly introduced to a new team so that their qualifications and background are presented to help the group understand why this person was brought on.
Open-mindedness and new ways of working will evolve as the team develops in their relationship.  It will take time.  Be patient and listen to both the team and the new individual - their feedback will tell you everything you need to know about where the future will be.

Quiet Moments

While this was originally a Winter post...see snowflakes, it means a lot right now as the weather warms up and our time constraints sometimes boil over.

At this time of year, finding quiet moments can be difficult.  It is important though, to look for them, use them for what they are - a time to reflect or plan; a time to daydream or wish; a time to take a nap or enjoy the scene outside.

Quiet moments can help us quiet our minds.  Our minds are very busy all of the time...we make them work hard.  Quieting our minds is almost an exercise in itself.

Quiet moments can help us quiet our souls.  We need to find peace.  We need to live with grace.  A quiet soul works through restlessness with ease and brings us to our destination with calm.

Quiet moments can help quiet our bodies.  Give us rest.  Relax our muscles.  Move our ears and shoulders apart.  Rested bodies can give us energy to live fully and enjoy the quiet (and the noise).

Take your quiet moments.  Relish them.  Share them.  Give them to others.

Your Stage

"Life is not a dress rehearsal."

                                              John C. Maxwell

I love that saying.  Always think of everyday as a stage - you are on it.

What you say.

What you do.

How you act.

Is there for all to see.

Are you ready?

New Things

New routines and plans can cause stress on the team and for yourself.  Taking a risk to implement new things - routines, schedules, reports, creates change to the status quo.

This action now becomes about change - improvement and innovation, new ideas and following up on the suggestions/input of others.  Getting people on board with the change is where leadership is required.

Questions to consider when taking a risk:

• why am I taking this risk?  what will the results be?
• what is the difference between new and old?
• who will be impacted?
• what education and follow up is required to make the new 'thing' stick?

If you have considered this during your plan, you have mitigated some of the risk in introducing new things to your team.

Go ahead - take that risk - you will learn from it no matter what!

Finding Time

Don't you wish that sometimes you could turn back the clock?  Everything just seems to rush together.  Your energy seems to get zapped away just thinking of everything that is on your plate.  How do you find time?

Try these few time-finders:

1. create a to-do list and organize it in order of priority of NEED - then start
2. look at the daily items you do and determine why you do them.  Is it really necessary to have a perfectly made bed everyday or could you use these 5 minutes elsewhere?
3. try multi-tasking with the jobs you always put off   IE:  clean out the dishwasher while making supper - it will be ready to load after dinner
4. try giving a job away to your kids, spouse/partner or team - give good direction and then follow up with recognition and other instruction if required
5. (this one takes a little longer) make a list of what you do as a routine everyday and eliminate the items that don't make sense to do daily.  Do the same for weekly tasks, monthly tasks, seasonal tasks.  What, from the list, can you delegate to others?

See what works.  If you have other ideas, please share them here!
For more on finding time in a Time-Starved Life - Click here.

Quick Goal Setting

“Only three per cent of adults have written goals, and everyone else works for them.” -Brian Tracy



When I saw this quote on a website, I had to write it down. I have read many books on goals and what helps people grow both personally and professionally and no matter what, it always says you need goals. And according to Brian Tracy, not many people actually have goals.


So how do you set professional success goals for yourself? The formula is always the same:

• Get an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses

• Have an idea of where you would like to be at the end of a specific timeframe (this year, next year, in 5 years)

• Create a plan to get there, what steps will you take, which actions need to be completed, any research or investigation

• Set yourself milestones on the way to the end result to build in a way to monitor your progress

• Evaluate the investment in time and resources this will take and do you have the investment available

• Determine if it is realistic – can you actually do this?

• Write it down

Planning goals properly can take time, and is essential to your own success that the goal be well-thought out. Once your plan is in place, you can go back and tweak it by inserting dates for each milestone and noting the same on your agenda.
 
Remember to always spend at least 10-15 minutes per week reviewing your goals and how you are progressing. The goals are your own and only you will know about any changes that you make. In order to keep yourself accountable, you could enlist the help of a colleague, friend or coach -this will help keep you focused forward.
 
Just like the picture - have a plan to get across the water, with a backpack full of your strengths and abilities, working hard to get across each stone on the journey to success.

What If....

The maze of life is full of questions.  And our job is to find the answers that work best for us.
Imagine that you took each question or option that came your way and asked "what if?"

• What if I succeed?
• What if it works?
• What if I don't like it?
• What if it makes me uncomfortable?
• What if it makes everyone happy?
• What if I fail?
• What if I lose?
• What if I don't try?
• What if I put it in motion?

All questions we should ask ourselves in the maze of life.  And there are many more 'what ifs' out there.

And once we find the first answer we should ask 'what if?' again...it may lead us in new directions.

There is a 'What If' exercise in Solution Linx to Personal Growth.  Click here to learn more.