No. 1: Be Proactive: Be a 'Trim-Tab'
To be proactive means more than taking the initiative. It means that we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions.
I am a big fan of Buckminster Fuller, who said he always wanted to be a "trim-tab," the small rudder that turns the big rudder that turns the entire ship. I believe there are numerous potential trim-tabbers in all walks of life who can lead and spread their influence no matter what position they hold.
Taking initiative is a form of self-empowerment. More important, we should empower people to solve problems without them having to go ask permission from their boss to do so.
No. 2: Sharpen the Saw
First of all, decide what is truly important and distinguish it from that which is urgent but not important. Half the time people spend is on things that are urgent but not important, like a ringing phone, something that is pressing, something that is proximate or popular, but it may not be important at all. You must learn to say no to the unimportant so you can say yes to the important. Most of the meetings people deem important don't need to be held. You need to have screening devices on all the new technologies so that when something really important comes through you can learn to say no to the other things. It may upset a few people because they want you to do the popular thing, but you'll accomplish so much more.
No. 3: Seek to Understand Before Seeking to be Understood
It's human nature for us to want to be understood. When both parties are trying to be understood, neither party is really listening. I call this interaction, "the dialogue of the deaf." But to understand is an important key to interpersonal relationships and can magically transform the course of discussions. By making the investment of time and effort required to understand the other party, we change the dynamics of the interchange.
No. 4: Begin with End in Mind
The most fundamental application of "begin with the end in mind" is to begin today with the image or picture of the end of your life as your frame of reference by which everything else is examined. Each part of your life can be examined in the context of what really matters most to you. It also means start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so the steps you take are always in the right direction.
It's very easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busy-ness of life, to work harder at climbing the ladder of success only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall. It is possible to be busy—very busy—without being very effective.
How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important for us and, keeping that picture in our minds, we manage ourselves each day to be and to do what really matters most.
No. 5: Develop a Vision Mission Statement
The reason so many give up on their goals is because they don't have an overall sense of mission or purpose. In other words, What if you are the father or the mother of a family? How important is it that you are an example to your children? How important is it that you are the one who contributes to society and achieves a feeling of giving back, rather than just taking and always asking what's in it for me? Once you get a deep sense of your mission, your purpose in life and your value system that you want to live by based upon universal and timeless principles, then it's the time to set goals and set up a system of accountability, not only for yourself, but for your loved ones, so that you have some follow-through system that keeps you on track.
No. 6: Think Win-Win
Win-win is based on the paradigm that there is plenty for everybody, that one person's success is not achieved at the expense or exclusion of the success of others. The more you practice this habit, the more committed you will become as you find solutions that truly do benefit both parties, when originally it looked as if no such agreement might be reached.
Thought for the Day:
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden