Wish List for 2013

‘Tis the season for making lists and checking them twice, and I’m betting that one of those lists that you’ll be spending time on has to do with work and your wishes for making meaningful improvements. Am I right? Don’t we all want to make a fresh and improved start in January? Well, if you’re like me you’ll be setting goals for improving workplace productivity, relationships, and fun. Here are five tips on how to narrow down those wishes to the most important ones that will have the greatest positive impact.

1. Identify what is no longer going to be something that you do. I think this is critical. Don’t keep spending time and energy on tasks, people, customers, reports, problems, or whatever it may be, that don’t make you happy or support getting your organization to its goals. Take the time to be clear about what you should be doing, as well as what you shouldn’t, before you go any further with your list making.
2. Make this the year of the elephant. So often I see organizations tip-toe around issues, personalities, and/or problems that are obvious to everyone. No one wants to "rock the boat." But at the same time, isn’t that elephant sitting in on and disrupting every meeting, taking advantage of privileges, leading managers around by the nose, or stirring up one conflict after another? Isn’t the result of appeasing the elephant weighing down your organization’s morale, energy, leadership confidence and overall productivity? Utilizing a planned and focused organization development methodology to address and eliminate the elephant can be just the spark your organization needs to set 2013 on fire.
3. Don’t take it all so seriously. I’m not advocating you relax the quality of your work or the commitment you have to your organization. What I am suggesting is that you wish for and find a way to balance personal time with time dedicated to hard work, 24/7 expectations, and an economy that appears it will remain anemic for the next 12 months or so. Somewhere in among all the things you’re doing you need to have fun. That can be a collective fun with workplace potlucks or planning time for personal breaks, or whatever you enjoy that can recharge you. If you’re looking for a fabulous book on the importance of play and creativity don’t miss reading Play, by Dr. Stuart Brown.
4. Make learning a priority. Professional development is one of the key areas that has been cut during this recession. The sad thing about that is that we all need continuous improvement. It doesn’t matter if it’s people skills, leadership techniques, certifications, or staying up to speed on the latest technology impacting the way we work. In this global environment where the only thing we can count on is change, learning is important for sustaining a competitive advantage. In 2013, do what you can to open your organization up again to investing in the minds and spirits of your employees. You may find executive coaching is a great way to invest in development while having the least amount of disruption on productivity.
5. Play the role of reporter. So much of our focus these days is on "ME." Take 2013 to move that focus to make it all about your colleagues, co-workers, customers, family and new acquaintances. Have an inquiring mind that wants to hear their stories, ideas, opinions and experiences. Learn to use your ears more than your mouth. Value the input and feedback from others and reinforce their value and contributions to the organization. Improving communication and collaboration in the workplace is important for creating and sustaining trust, as well as motivating risk-taking and innovation.

Creating your wish list based on these ideas will go a long way toward introducing and sustaining positive change in your organization, leading to success in 2013.

Dr. Stuart Brown

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about transforming human performance through the evolution of workplace culture. Contact EMI for more information about how we can assist your organization: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032

Thanksgiving, A Special Holiday

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday connected with memories, traditions and schedules.

Did you know that Thanksgiving has historical roots that go all the way back to 1621, when a good harvest was celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth Massachusetts? They wanted to "give thanks" not only for the bountiful crops that would carry them through the winter, but also for the assistance Squanto and the Native Americans gave them in learning how to survive in their new world.

With that beginning, Thanksgiving has continued to offer us a time to stop and give thanks in whatever way is meaningful. Thanksgiving has links to religious teachings, as well as a secular opportunity for renewal of the spirit through the act of being grateful.

Cultivate a New Habit

The MayoClinic recommends that we cultivate a focus on gratitude to not only reduce our stress levels, but to also bring about more personal happiness. It’s not difficult, but it takes a commitment to make the time. Here’s all you need to do: take the time to start and end each day by thinking and speaking thoughts of gratefulness. The Clinic staff reminds us that embracing gratitude is more than saying thank you. The conscious act needs to encompass the wonder and appreciation for someone or something with the thankfulness of having had the experience.

I’m fortunate- I grew up in a household where writing thank you notes was a must after every occasion, and I’m so glad that I learned that expression of sharing my gratitude. Not only does it make me feel good to be grateful for the kindness of friends and family, but I hope it also helps them appreciate the connection and thankfulness we have with each other. But being grateful goes far beyond the birthday and holiday gifts and hospitality we enjoy. It’s also appreciating the not-so-obvious gifts we receive every day through encounters with kind strangers, or the beautiful seasons that Mother Nature orchestrates, from the buds of spring to the unbelievable colors of fall. When’s the last time you took the time to enjoy the seasons or to be amazed by nature?

Every day we’re given the opportunity to start fresh. Why not use this week to start a new habit - expand the Thanksgiving routine of embracing gratitude into your daily routine and see what changes it brings to your life. According to Ellie Peterson, author of Meditative Movements, taking time to focus on being grateful about what is good in your life will increase positive thoughts and feelings and eliminate negative and depressing feelings of self-pity and resentment.

So What’s Next?
On Thursday, I’ll gather with friends and family, like so many of you, and we’ll share a glimpse of what we are grateful for. Hearing and being in the moment of what each person chooses to offer is such a gift.

Learning to be grateful for things in our personal life can wrap into being happy and grateful in our professional lives as well. There’s a lot to be said for the culture of collaboration and trust that can be influenced by personal commitments to being grateful for what we have, rather than resentful for what hasn’t come our way yet.

Even when the universe presents some tough challenges, we still have so many things to be thankful for, if we just look at the positive side of life rather than the negative. And, although it’s just as easy to look at the glass half full, we often get caught up in a first reaction of "I didn’t win." Dr. John DeMartini, author, doctor and philosopher offered this quote on the topic of gratitude, "Whatever we think about and thank about, we bring about."

I’m grateful for this opportunity to plant the seeds of daily gratitude in the garden of your mind. Together we can all make a difference by appreciating the many opportunities we have each day to give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Okanokumo

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about transforming human performance through the evolution of workplace culture. Contact EMI for more information about how we can assist your organization: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032