DEVELOP YOURSELF
1. Accept personal responsibility for your own growth; no one can do it for you. What you do today will determine your readiness for tomorrow.
2. Take time every day to do something for yourself.
3. Take classes to stay current in your field of expertise. The world is changing rapidly and you must learn to manage change to avoid obsolescence. The way Will Rogers put this was that "Even if you are on the right track, if you just sit there you will get run over."
4. Listen to cassette tapes on personal and professional growth topics.
5. Never look back to the past-you only can control your actions in this instant, so what should you be doing right now?
6. Learn from "other people's experience" rather then having to try everything for yourself. It shortens the time needed to learn.
7. Dealing with a problem helps you learn patience and strengthens your management skills; it is good mental exercise.
8. Analyze, in a non-judgmental way, mistakes in which you were involved. It will help you to prevent these in the future.
9. Reward yourself when you catch yourself working on the most important priorities.
10. Never say something can't or won't be done. Keep looking for ways to do it.
11. After attending a seminar, report to your boss or other people in your organization, what the most important things are that you learned from the program.
12. For all learning experiences, whether it is reading, seeing, thinking or attending, apply the R squared, A squared formula: Recognize, Relate, Assimilate, and Apply. These actions will help you grow in the direction of your goals.
13. Eliminate one time waster a week from your life.
14. Read a minimum of one chapter of a book a day.
15. Read a minimum of one book a month.
16. Be hungry for what life has to offer and go for it.
17. Decide what you really desire to do-then do it.
18. When you have the option of reading a book or listening to the cassette tape version of the program, listen to the tape. It will be more to the point and can be done while you are driving, jogging/walking, or getting other routine things done.
19. Develop a "master mind" group of four or five people with whom you can openly discuss ideas in a nonjudgmental way.
20. Develop yourself as a resource for others by networking. Find out who does what, when, and for whom. You may find excellent contacts for your future needs and for the needs of others you meet.
21. Work for balance in your life goals: family, financial, professional, social, spiritual, recreational.
22. Always keep your goals in mind as you start a new activity.
23. If you do a lot of work with the calculator, run the machine with the hand you don't use for writing.
24. Do not be afraid of failing at something. You can learn and change as a result of it.
25. The most difficult projects are opportunities for your biggest successes just as the most difficult people could become your strongest allies.
26. Put up pictures of your dreams and goals where you will see them frequently. They will remind you and aid you in focusing and visualizing your goal.
27. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Learn from those people who get more done than you do. Perhaps you can find a way to improve what you are doing.
28. Find a nonjudgmental mentor who will help you by providing feedback, suggestions, challenges and support.
29. Identify some "models" and observe their style and actions. Do not copy them but learn from their experiences.
30. Learn from the errors you see others make as well as from their successes.
31. Fill your mind with positive ideas, thoughts and inspirations and you will have no room left for the negative.
32. Trade jobs with someone so you gain additional experience.
33. Ask for and accept lateral moves in the organization so you learn more about the entire operation.
34. Do more than your "self doubts" say you can.
35. Have confidence that you can get through and learn from anything and everything you experience.
36. Reward yourself with a treat when you have completed a learning objective.
37. Keep a daily journal, recording your thoughts, ideas, feelings and personal growth progress.
38. Ask questions, listen, then ask more questions. You will learn as well as help others learn.
39. Ask yourself, "How can I manipulate my fate?"
40. Do things with someone you respect. They will be supportive of you and you will learn from interacting with them.
41. Seek new information on projects for which you have responsibility. Look for new "ah ha" ideas all the time.
42. Challenge yourself to learn something new every day.
43. Remain flexible and constantly adaptable.
44. Be open to others and sincerely interested in them. You can learn from everyone you meet.
45. Mentally rehearse a new skill. Your subconscious does not know the difference between actual practice and mental rehearsal.
46. Keep a record of what you accomplished the previous day(s)/week. If you did not accomplish as much as you wanted, it gives you extra incentive to do better in the next time period.
47. Make notes of the questions you want answered. Then as the answers come to you, jot them down next to the question.
48. Work on overcoming personal, nonproductive habits; for example: overeating, smoking, gossip.
49. Keep an "Idea File" ring binder or notebook in which you record all new ideas. At least once a week in a standing appointment with yourself, review your ideas.
MANAGE YOURSELF
1. Look at every new opportunity as an exciting and new-life experience.
2. If you catch yourself worrying about an upcoming task, go ahead and do it now so it no longer is a distraction.
3. Get into the habit of finishing what you start.
4. Give up "waiting time" forever. Have something with you at all times to work on. For example: plan your day, work on a report, or read a page from your book.
5. Be a professional who exhibits self-confidence and self-assurance in your potential to complete any task.
6. Avoid worry. The majority of the things you worry about never occur.
7. Agree with yourself in advance that you will have a good attitude toward the upcoming task.
8. Hire specialists to do those things you are not expert in.
9. Take a chance. Calculated risks pay off in entrepreneurial progress.
10. Frequently ask, "Is what I am doing right now moving me toward my goals?"
11. Plan the future, but live in the present.
12. Make a list of your accomplishments as you go through the day- they are greater than you think.
13. Keep a time log at least once every six months to determine exactly where your time is going.
14. Do it right the first time and you will not have to take time later to fix it.
15. Practice concentrating on your work, doing only one thing at a time.
16. Accept responsibility for your job successes and failures. Do not look for a scapegoat.
17. Do not view things you do as a "job." View all activities as a challenge.
18. Use your subconscious mind by telling it to do what you do want. Instead of telling yourself, "I can't do that very well," say, "I can do this very well."
19. Schedule several short vacations or long weekends - this creates positive deadlines by when you must have projects done.
20. Develop a faster operating tempo or pace. Do things with a sense of urgency. Get over thinking you must do everything yourself.
21. Take time to be quiet and reflective for a few minutes each day.
22. Live effectiveness in everything you do rather then just sporadically applying time management techniques.
23. Live in the Now. The current instant is the only time in which you have control-not the past, not the future, just now, in this instant.
24. Recognize you control only 50% of a relationship and that is your half. If you are dissatisfied with what is going on, change what you are doing and saying.
25. Give yourself points for completing tasks on your "to-do" list in priority order. When you reach 10 points, reward yourself.
26. Carry a card with your goals written on it and review your goals at least three times a day.
27. Act with enthusiasm in all that you do.
28. Take time out to thank yourself for a good job.
29. Practice your personal beliefs. It may be helpful each morning to take 15 minutes to gather your thoughts and say a prayer.
30. Operate knowing that there is good in everything. Every cloud has a silver lining-look for it.
31. Whenever you have an important thought that is not directly related to what you are working on, write it down. Then you will not forget it and you also will no longer be distracted by it.
32. Make a commitment to show someone a specific accomplishment on a certain date. The added urgency will help you feel motivated to have it done.
33. Reward yourself when you have successfully completed a high priority project.
34. Instead of thinking about what you didn't get done, recognize all you did get accomplished and reward yourself for having done the most important things.
35. Keep a list of accomplishments as well as a list of "things to-do. You will learn just how much you do get done.
36. Practice self determination, wanting to do it for yourself.
37. Nothing takes the place of persistence. Practice "stick-to-it-iveness."
38. Get into the habit of writing down a person's name- it will help you to remember it.
39. Believe that you can be what you want to he.
40. Operate on the philosophy that what we give out is what comes back to us.
41. Occasionally, sit quietly and do a self-assessment of your skills and strengths.
42. Praise yourself for your progress.
43. Recognize not all days will go as you desire. Be kind to yourself on days when your self esteem is wavering. Remind yourself that you are good and can stand up to any obstacle.
44. Never criticize yourself as having a weakness. There is no such thing. You are only talking about a present undeveloped skill or part of yourself that if you so chose, you can change. You do not have any weakness, only untapped potential.
45. Check to be sure you do not fall into the activity trap of simply doing tasks without knowing to what greater good the task is designed to contribute.
46. Be pleasant all the time-no matter what the situation.
47. Life is what you perceive it to be. Do you see it as a bore or as an adventure?
48. Recall what you were hired to do and make sure it happens.
49. To get ahead in anything, operate in the "and then some" manner. Always do what is expected "and then some," so what you give is always more than is expected by the other person.
50. When working on a project that you can't stand, do it for a few minutes at a time until you can't stand it anymore. Then do something else and come back later for a few more minutes. Keep taking these bite size pieces until it is completely done.
51. Look at what you do as an adventure. You can discover new things from this new perspective.
52. Challenge yourself to do things differently than you have in the past. It provides new ideas and keeps you interested.
53. Finish that last task you are working on before you go home; do not just leave it.
54. Plan your day as you shower and dress in the morning. Keep a pad and pencil nearby to jot down ideas.
55. Talk to yourself. Self talk using positive affirmations is something that is common among all great achievers. They convince themselves that they can accomplish their goals.
56. Practice being punctual. Others will sense your professionalism.
57. Plan, at least to a minimum, everything you undertake.
58. Think it through, then do it.
59. Think of your time as money. Are you getting a good return on the way you invest/spend it?
60. Take some time, no matter how short, every day to do something you enjoy.
61. Remember, if you think you can or you think you cannot, you are right.
62. Use the self-fulfilling prophesy on yourself. Expect yourself to succeed.
63. Doing gives you the power to do.
64. Whenever you agree to get back to someone or complete a project, commit to a specific date by when you will have it done. and write this in your calendar immediately.
65. Think in terms of long-term results.
66. Create your own "motivation board" by putting up notes of things you need to do on a bulletin board or special wall space. It is an easily visible way to see what you need to work on. When an item is done, remove the note. Also keep your goals listed and pictured on your board.
67. "Ninety percent of success in showing up."
68. Be open and ready to make adjustments as things change.
69. Focus 100% of your attention on a project.
70. Since your boss will be asking you for progress reports, from time to time, stay informed by asking your people for progress reports each day while you meet them in their office or work area.
71. Hire an assistant to run small errands and cleanup paperwork, etc. Even if you pay them from your own pocket, it is a good investment because it increases your productivity.
72. Enjoy your life and blessings. You could be worse off.
73. Recognize that even though you say you are doing something for someone else, in reality you are doing it for yourself. Since you are doing it for yourself, you can also enjoy it more.
74. Start each day with a smile.
75. Your job reflects you. Can you take pride in it being well done, error free and on time?
76. Do it right or do it wrong just do it!
77. Compete with yourself to become a little better each time you do something. Achieve your potential.
78. Streamline your daily routine to do the same thing at the same time in the same order. Periodically review for continued effectiveness and efficiently.
79. When responsible for a project, become intensively involved with it.
80. Tell someone else what you are doing to keep on schedule. It keeps you committed.
81. Make each day the best day of the week.
82. Network with others in the organization to stay informed of who is doing what, when, where, and for whom.
83. Use even small "pockets of time" to make lists, write notes and consider ideas.
84. Consciously decide what some things you are NOT going to do are.
85. Be willing to ask that a staff meeting be called to clarify a specific issue.
86. Purposely schedule something you enjoy between routine projects. It will help rejuvenate you.
87. Schedule a block of time periodically to take a big bite out of a major project.
88. Realize "energy begets energy." Act and energy will flow.
89. Time your routine activities such as telephone calls. Determine how you can "capture" some of the time and use it on other top priority activities.
90. Be a "doer" not a "sitter."
91. Sense the pride you will feel when you have completed a project.
92. "He who kills time buries opportunities."
93. Meditate according to your personal beliefs at the beginning of each day.
94. Create the right "mind set" for success by adjusting your attitude for the upcoming project.
95. Stay interested in what you are doing. Keep looking for what is interesting in your work. Change your perspective and look at it as someone outside your job would,
96. Do not get hung-up on trivial details or tangents. Stay focused and moving.
97. Always carry a pen or pencil and paper on which you can make notes.
98. Do not accept calls for the first 15 minutes of the day while you prepare your daily strategy.
99. Contemplating, meditating on, thinking about, or praying about the activities and success of the workday focuses energy toward that end result.
100. Nest activities to available waiting time. Take a bite out of your elephant-sized project.
101. Establish personal incentives and rewards to help maintain your own high enthusiasm and performance level
MANAGE PEOPLE
1. Catch people doing things right and then let them know that they are doing things right.
2. Use feedback to stay informed about what other people are doing in your area of responsibility and authority.
3. Have regular, focused meetings regarding the projects that you are responsible for.
4. Provide adequate instructions. Time is lost if things are not done correctly.
5. Train others to do jobs. You cannot do them all, nor can others do them if they have not been trained.
6. Expect others to succeed. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when you believe others are loyal, dedicated and doing a good job.
7. Help others see how they will benefit from doing a job. This is when they truly become motivated.
8. Do not avoid talking to a poor performer. It hurts them, the organization and yourself if the situation is not dealt with.
9. Do not over control others. It is frustrating for them and time consuming for you.
10. Focus on results, not on activities or personalities.
11. Reward people for the results that they produce.
12. Manage by walking around. See what people are doing and listen to what they have to say.
13. Make quality an obsession, especially on smaller items.
14. Send thank you notes and memos.
15. Provide workers with open, direct, and immediate feedback on their actual performance as compared to expected performance and they tend to correct their own deficiencies.
16. Practice naive listening. Don't talk, just let people explain why they are doing the types of things that they are doing. You will learn many things.
17. Manage by exception. When things are going well, leave them alone. When a problem occurs, then help.
18. Never seek to place blame. Always focus on the problem.
19. Never ignore a concern of one of your people. While it may seem trivial to you, to the other person it is a problem that will continue to destroy their train of thought.
20. Make it a personal rule and a challenge to respond to someone within 24 hours of hearing their request.
21. Keep memos on bulletin boards to a minimum. People will spend less time standing there reading.
22. Give employees an opportunity to speak their opinions and suggestions without fear of ridicule or reprisal.
23. When you are going to make a change that affects others, get them involved before making the actual change. This increases commitment to make the change work after it is implemented.
24. Put key ideas on small posters to hang around the office.
25. When the environment and your sincerity permit, give the person a hug or a touch.
26. Employees are the only organization resource that can, with training, appreciate in value. All other resources depreciate.
27. People want to be involved in something important. Give them a whole project or a significant piece of the project to work on.
28. Have salary tied into performance appraisal and accomplishing of objectives.
29. Consider sharing distasteful tasks to reduce resentment and hard feelings.
30. Ask, "Will you please do this for me" instead of telling someone just to do it.
31. Eliminate private secretaries in favor of shared secretaries in order to make it easier to even out the work load.
32. If you give employees a basic employee handbook, you will not be interrupted with their questions.
33. Pay attention to small details, the big ones are obvious and get taken care of.
34. Stay open in your thinking. Be open to all new ideas. Do this and you will not be setting up barriers that do not exist.
35. Avoid asking others to do trivial personal items for you.
36. Say thank you to those with whom you associate.
37. A warm smile and strong handshake break barriers.
38. Smile. It helps you feel better and is contagious. The whole organization shudders when the boss is frowning. Likewise it smiles when the boss does.
39. Keep things "light" and have fun rather than being too serious. Seriousness blocks productivity.
40. In order to fly with the eagles you must "think lightly."
41. Work with each person to create standard operating procedures for their specific job. It will eliminate repetitious questions.
42. Let people know why they are doing something. It then becomes more meaningful when they recognize their part in a greater vision.
43. Provide soft, lively background music not slow and not rock.
44. To get a disorganized coffee drinking crew started off more efficiently, begin each day with a 5 to 10 minute meeting just at starting time. They will be focused, set in the right direction and can get right to work.
45. Practice the golden rule in business: Do unto others the way you would have them do unto you. Fairness will then be in your business.
46. Practice the platinum rule in interpersonal relationships. It is "Do unto others, the way they want to be done unto." They will be more apt to stay comfortable when interacting with us when we are able to do things their preferred way.
47. Get others to commit to deadlines by asking, "When can you have that for me?"
48. Nail down commitment by asking, "Do I have your word that you will have that for me then?"
49. Set the stage for cooperation from others by:1) Introducing the idea; 2) Continual stimulation by talking about it; and 3) get others to make an investment by having them participate in the planning.
50. If you are unable to reach agreement or get a commitment from another person in a meeting, agree to disagree, but summarize your understanding in a confirming memo.
51. Giving people recognition generates energy within them. They will then direct that energy toward increased productivity.
52. Tap the potential of those working for you by giving them opportunities to think things through for themselves instead of just telling them how to do something.
53. Always give people the benefit of the doubt. They may not be the cause of a problem. The cause may be beyond their control.
54. Admit it when you do not know the answer to a question posed by a staff member. Then challenge the staff person to research and decide what the best answer is. It will help this person grow.
55. Be persistent and follow up.
56. When you were away and some of your people did an exceptional job, call them at home in the evening when you find out and personally thank them for what they did instead of waiting until the next time you see them.
57. If you know that a person will respond angrily to a particular comment, avoid bringing it up. It is nonproductive and bad for the relationship. In other words, "never kick a skunk."
58. When you appreciate what someone has done, let them know and put it in writing. This can then be added to their personnel file.
59. Have an opinion survey done to determine how people view the organization. That way you can catch any problems while they are still small.
60. Encourage periods of uninterrupted activity such as a daily quiet hour in your department or work group.
61. When asking someone to do something, let them know what is in it for them and the organization. Do not focus just on what is in it for the organization and yourself.
62. The boss is the strongest model the employees have. Be a positive model as people are watching to see how you behave. They will reflect this in their own behavior. Lead by example.
63. Be a member of the 4 F club with others. Be seen as Fair, Firm, Friendly and having Foresight.
64. Do not help others unless they need and ask for help.
65. Encourage your people to come up with new ideas and ways to do things. Give them credit and recognition for the idea.
66. If a new idea won't work, at least praise the effort of the person so they will come up with future ideas.
67. Once a month meet with each staff member to catch any problems or concerns the person may have as soon as possible before they become a crisis.
68. Be the kind of a person that others want to help out and work for.
69. Be flexible and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Remember it is results that count, not activities.
70. Generally speaking, getting something done perfectly is usually not as important as getting it done. Perfection has a high cost and it may not be worth it.
71. When giving or receiving information, don't hurry. Take the time needed to truly understand. It prevents future problems and misunderstandings.
72. Whenever you are having an important discussion with a person, before parting, set a specific follow-up date and time and write it in your calendar.
73. Never criticize an employee in front of others. Have all discussions of a corrective nature in private.
74. Hire people with specific skills and interests that match what the organization needs to have accomplished. The better the match, the better the productivity and the more motivated the person.
75. Treat people as people-not things.
76. Flaring in anger will drive others away. If not physically at least mentally,
77. Keep a "warm fuzzy" file for each person a place to keep track of the things you have already complimented them for, and want to compliment them for.
78. Have regular performance review and goal setting sessions with each of your employees at least every three months.
79. Have regular "development discussions" with each of your people in which you discuss only how the individual may grow personally and how you and the organization may be able to support them in doing this.
80. Low morale in workers may be an indication of the boss only talking about negative things or what's wrong. Be sure to balance negative comments with more frequent positive comments.
81. Let your people know you are there to help them not to harass them.
82. Telling people what you plan to do, and when, can be a catalyst for getting objections and input which you might not otherwise receive.
83. Form an action team to address people's problems right away rather than letting things drag out and perhaps get worse.
84. Instead of saying to another, "What can I do for you?" ask them "What can you do for me on this project?"
85. Do not hold back from discussing the need to improve performance with one of your people.
86. Encourage others to develop their plan of action and give you a detailed explanation.
87. Encourage individuals to compete against themselves to achieve more. Let it be a personal challenge to become better as an individual-not competing with others but self.
88. Check the ratio of positive comments to negative comments that you make to your people. Purposely make more positive comments.
89. Demand accountability.
90. Do things for others. They will be more willing to do things for you.
91. Consider using time off as a reward for getting things done ahead of time.
92. Set up an orientation training program for all new employees. It will help them learn their way around as well as teach them where things are kept and why.
93. Stay informed of subordinates' needs and interests. Projects can be more effectively designed and rotated when you are well informed.
94. If individuals needs some encouragement in taking action, ask them, "What if..." questions to help them see what choices of action are available.
95. Let people know that you know they can do it.
96. Ask questions creatively so the action to be taken is suggested by the person who is to take it.
97. Set up incentives that reward desired performance.
98. Ask others for their estimate of how long it will take to do a project. When possible, agree and hold them accountable for that goal.
99. Take on someone else's routine so they can do what you need done without interruption.
100. Just as with family members, break large chores up into small, fun activities and enjoy doing them with team members.
101. Before an employee leaves on vacation agree on a "must do" list of activities to be completed.
102. Do not be quick to judge others. Learn to listen carefully before coming to conclusions.
103. Consider sharing ideas and responsibility with others rather than just getting someone to do it for you or just doing it yourself.
104. Inspire others to new levels of achievement by using positive encouraging feedback and ideas.
105. Don't just ask someone who is busy to get things done for you; look for the busy person who is getting results. This is a doer, not simply a busy wheel spinner.
106. Believe in the good of people.
107. Do not be a "baby sitter" of others, constantly taking care of them and telling them what to do. Challenge them and help them learn to think and do things for themselves.
108. Consider an incentive plan to reward productivity gains.
109. Don't do what you can get someone else to do by simply asking.
110. Clearly communicate who you want to do what, by when and at what cost. Then identify who needs to know about it and when they are to be informed.
111. For people you relate to regularly, keep a list of things you need to talk to the person about. Then when you meet with or call them, you can review all the items that have accumulated on your list.
112. Recognize you are not the only one who can do a job right. Trust others to do things for you.
113. Organize, deputize, and supervise.
114. Meditate for one minute before starting a new subject or project.
115. Don't worry about who gets the credit for completing a project. Focus on the task to be accomplished and do it.
116. When credit is given to you for completion of a project, be sure to give it to all who were involved. This will nurture the relationships and provide motivation to support you in the future.
117. Be sincerely interested in the people working for and with you.
118. Help others recognize their own importance.
119. Keep a list of birthdays, marriage and work anniversaries and other special dates. Provide recognition to your people on each of these dates. Mark your calendar prior to the actual date so you have time to prepare for it.
