The most important part of speaking is the introduction. If you don't grab your listener's attention at once, chances are you never will.
Persuade your listeners to give you their attention first. Then communicate your message.
Today's TQ Challenge: Speak Clearly -- Listen Carefully -- Confirm Messages.
The exchange of ideas from one person to another has never been an exact science. You may never understand the other person completely. Neither can you automatically expect others to understand you, and the full background behind the ideas you are trying to communicate. Don't presume that you know what the other person is thinking. Stop the mutual mystification and get it right the first time. Assume you don't know. Ask. Listen. Clarify, Reach Mutual agreement.
"Executive ability is deciding quickly and getting somebody else to do the work." ~ John G. Pollard
Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Synergize Color.
Don't needlessly postpone making a tough decision. When you do, you multiply your problems down the road.
Once you've made a tough decision, do it... NOW!
Today's TQ Challenge: Search Beyond Acceptable -- Find the BEST Alternatives.
Your first idea may not always be the best idea. Nonetheless, it's the only one you can act on if you fail to come up with better alternatives. You minimize mistakes and create better results by carefully considering your options in advance. Explore additional possibilities before you reach a conclusion. Consider other perspectives: consult expert opinions; test your options; do a little research. Life's too short and money's too valuable to do otherwise. So, think it through, ask for help and learn to make better decisions by finding better options.
"The man who gets the most satisfactory results is not always the man with the most brilliant single mind, but rather the man who can best coordinate the brains and talents of his associates." ~ W. Alton Jones
Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Make Plans Color.
Real vision comes from real value. Where there's real value in the organization, people don't need to be inspired to work. They're inspired -- already!
People are inspired by a vision worthy of their contribution. Find a way today to tie other people's work to a worthy vision.
Today's TQ Challenge: Create Highly Compelling Dreams. Visualize. Clarify. Evaluate. Commit.
A vision is a picture of the perfect future you want to create. The more compelling and desirable the vision, the greater will be your enthusiasm and motivation for achieving it. Visions connected to core personal values generate the greatest source of power, passion and purpose. Go after all that life has to offer by creating the most valuable, ideal, desirable and admirable vision possible for each area of your life.
"If, before going to bed every night, you will tear a page from the calendar, and remark, "there goes another day of my life, never to return," you will become time conscious." ~ A. B. Zu Tavern
Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Mission Color.
The secret to life is giving. There's no greater reward than knowing you've enriched the lives of others through your contributions.
Tap into the secret of life...Enrich this day for someone.
Today's TQ Challenge: Stay Connected to Your Mission.
In the trials and chaos of modern life, you need a set of standards to help guide you through the good times and the bad. The highest and most beneficial set of rules is the one you establish for the preferred way that you want to live. Once you have a list of your most important values, commit to a personal mission statement that declares how you will live what you value. The most basic mission statement is simply this: "I will live a life of... (insert your list of values here)... every day of my life."
"A test of what is real is that it is hard and rough. Joys are found in it, not pleasure. What is pleasant belongs to dreams." ~ Simone Weil
When you learn how to accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously, you'll multiply your results and make the most of every moment in your day.
Conduct your day like a symphony -- find ways to let the oboes and violins play in harmony.
Today's TQ Challenge: Seek to Double Results -- Ask "What Else Now?"
You don't have to double your speed to double your productivity. Instead, you can increase your results by combining complimentary tasks, projects or roles. Plan ahead and look for ways to maximize your time. Before you proceed, see if there is anything else you could be doing simultaneously. When you find a way to do two things in the same block of time you achieve twice the results -- with little additional effort.
"Success is not forever and failure isn't fatal." ~ Don Shula
Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Optimize Color.
A true leader is not served, but rather serves those he leads.
Those who would lead must first learn to serve, and then to inspire those they would lead.
Today's TQ Challenge: Make it Easy for Others to Help.
It's your responsibility to make it as easy -- and as fun as possible -- for others to help you. When you do, more people will show up, and once they arrive, will provide greater assistance than if you make it difficult. First, be clear what needs to be done. Articulate your requests with the greatest detail possible. Then, identify and eliminate any barriers that may prevent others from doing their level best to help you.
"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." ~ Arthur Ashe
I made it a habit years ago to ruthlessly limit my exposure to junk, fake and useless news to just 30 minutes a day.
That is more than enough time to get a global perspective on what's going on, process what is being said, and form an opinion.
Think about this.
There are only 1,440 minutes in a day (24 hours x 60 minutes).
Read this article at ThinkTQ.com.
For the past two weeks, we have been discussing the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have done your very best.
If you do the best you can, given the circumstances in which you find yourself, what more is there?
Better.
To achieve your dreams... to maintain balance in the heat of the battle... to know that you have done the best you could given the circumstances you faced... requires you to focus on the important, and not be consumed by the urgent.
This is a major driver of success, both personally and professionally. It is not hard to focus, if you know what's important to you, and what's not.
For the next two weeks, we will be discussing the "flip side" of Will Power: Peace of Mind.
As those of you who have read The Power of TQ know, my definition of success is simply this: "The peace of mind that comes from knowing you have done your very best."
As General Patton says, if you do your best, what more is there?
This week, in light of the upcoming Thanksgiving Weekend, we will be discussing how showing thanks and appreciation, in everyday terms, enhances your ability to live what you value most.
If you are not GETTING what you want out of life, maybe you're not GIVING enough to it.
Daily Motivation, Inspiration, and Information! HERE