PROBLEMS GIVE MEANING TO LIFE

I like having problems. They occur all the time. They occur at work, at home, and in life in general. Most people don't like problems. They would gladly do anything to get away from them. This climate gives opportunity to the leader who is willing and able to either tackle others problems or train them to solve them.  Your problem solving skills will always be needed, because people always have them.

The two things you need to be a great problem solver is the right attitude and the right action plan. The best attributes you can have when solving problems is a positive attitude and enthusiasm.  Positive thinking does not always change the circumstances but it always change the person.  The best thing you can do for someone is to change their perspective on addressing their problems.

The best course of solving a problem is to first identify the problem. Many times, we look at the cause of the problem and not the problem itself.  Make sure you prioritize your problems. They should stand in single file so you face them one at a time.  Next you should define the problem. Ask the right questions, talk to the right people, and get the hard facts. Select the right people to help you in the problem solving process. It never hurts to have someone with the expertise to help you solve your problem.  Finally, collect as many solutions as you can. You can then prioritize them to select the best solution for implementation.  

Problems are good problems to have. Problems keep the creative tension in life you need to be successful. Eliminate problems and life would reduce all possibilities and powers to zero.

Colin Powell said it best. He said " The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you  stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership."

PERSPECTIVE: THE GLASS IS REALLY HALF FULL

Life is full of little interruptions. We complain about many things like traffic, slow computers, peoples habits, not enough time, and other  trivial things that get in the way of our rich life.

My mom has cancer. She has been at UCSD Medical Center off and on for the past three months. Because of her illness, she has had difficulty breathing and talking. My mom is getting better and is close to her old self. I think she now appreciates some of the simple things in life like being able to talk to people. I also got a chance to meet some other people who have much different take on life. They too miss the simple things in life and want to go back and have the life they once had.

During my mom's stay, I was having lunch in the hospital cafeteria and a woman in a wheel chair asked if she could sit with me. When she sat down she said a prayer thanking god for what he had given her. I asked her to tell me her story. She told me that she was a former drug dealer and just spent the last three years in prison. She is homeless. She was at the hospital because she needed hip replacement surgery. The doctor told her that she needed to be healthier to survive the surgery. She worries when it rains outside.

She went on to tell me that she had made a big mistake early in life with drugs. It cost her three years of her life and her health. She said she is working hard each day to get back where she needs to be to get her life back. I was impressed with her optimism. I wish her luck. 

I left the hospital thinking how great of a life we lead and how fortunate we all are. I ask all of you to take a minute and reflect on your wonderful life and be thankful for the gifts you receive. 

PERSUASION: GETTING PEOPLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.

There are basically two ways you can get others to do what you want. You can compel them to do it or you can persuade them. Compulsion is a method of slavery; Persuasion is the method of free men.

Getting people to do what you want starts with getting an understanding of what makes people tick and what motivates them, that is, a knowledge of human nature. Great leaders possess that knowledge. If you understand what motivates people, you have at your command the most powerful tool for dealing with them.

Excellent leaders create an environment for success. The best way to gain loyalty is to show interest in and care for them by your words and actions. Sam Walton said it best. "Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people can believe in themselves, its amazing what they can accomplish."

I have heard on more than one occasion that some business owners only hire "A players." My quick response to that kind of statement is that you need to provide those "A players" with "A jobs." A players want to be challenged. My very first A player I hired left after six months since I had given him a C job. Good lesson.

People will work harder, stay longer, and do better when they like what they do. Make a part of their work life a plan for personal development to help them to continue to grow and improve.

If they know you care about them, and you help them become better as a person,  they will do what you want them to do.

YOU GOTTA WANT IT

I have been given the pleasure of mentoring some of the baseball players at the University of San Diego here in town. As you might imagine, playing baseball at the college level isn't easy. Weights and conditioning start at 5:50AM, followed by classes in the morning, baseball practice in the afternoon, and then homework in the evenings. Throw in the games that start Friday and last all weekend. An ambitious schedule to say the least. They are all remarkable young men. All of them have the dream of playing professional baseball.

To achieve your dream, you gotta want it. It has to be an urge inside that can push you past the obstacles when your mind and body are telling you to stop. A great person will achieve their dream only when he is willing to "pay the price" for it.

The most valuable trait anyone can have is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it ought to be done whether you like it or not. Having self-discipline is powerful and should be learned at the earliest possible age.

Start tomorrow on developing a plan for improving your self-discipline. List five areas in your life that lack discipline. Place them in order of your priority for conquering them. Then take on the first one by spending fifteen minutes each morning getting focused in order to get control of this weak area in your life. Give yourself sixty days to work on this one area until you go to the next one.

Remember, having it all doesn't mean having it all at once. The slow accumulation of small disciplines will one day make a big difference and get you closer to the big leagues.
    

WINNING ISN'T BY ACCIDENT

I read a wonderful article on the Core Values of a Winning Team by John Maxwell. The article tells of the five C's for developing a winning team. Here is a short summary on the article.

The first is COMMITMENT. I have never seen a successful team without 100% commitment to the cause and common vision of the team. Everyone need to be pulling in the same direction. To have full commitment, a team must have a full understanding of the vision.

The second is CONTRIBUTION. In order for a team to succeed, each team member must contribute their all. They should be committed in making a meaningful contribution to the team. They must get their work in.

The third is COMPETENCE. It goes without saying that you must be the most competent in your field. Always be a student of your craft. Get your work in. Listen and ask questions to those who have high competence in your field.

The fourth is COMMUNICATION. The single most important part of leadership is communication. To achieve maximum potential, communication must be candid and direct. Be honest and open. Open communication is healthy and fosters trust. Also, do not sit on communication. Fast is the key ideal.

Finally, the fifth is COOPERATION. All your strength is in unity. Cooperation assumes a certain level of maturity and a commitment to understanding. Cooperation requires trust. Without full trust, little can be accomplished. Respect is also essential for cooperation.

John Maxwell's message in this article is that winning is on purpose, and you do it as a team. You also get ahead by helping others achieve their success. You will be far more successful if you have an others-oriented attitude than a me oriented attitude.

Is there someone who you can help achieve their success?     

RISE ABOVE THE FEAR

Its impossible to achieve greatness without embracing fear. While fear or failure may lie beyond the confines of comfort, reaching to new heights requires risk. The choice is this: subsist in mediocrity or push past fear and have the life you want.

Rising above the fear means having courage. Its having the power to let go and forge ahead into new territory. My friend Jay is in the process of purchasing his first home. I could tell this was a big decision for him and the look on his face spoke volumes. After much thought and prayer, he did it! Now he is on cloud nine and should be. This is a good move for him.

A show of courage inspires others. It makes people want to follow you. Leadership is the expression of courage that compels people to do the right thing. Fear limits a leader. Courage opens doors and its wonderful! It provides not only a good beginning but a better future.  Eleanor Roosevelt said "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."

To improve courage, do the following. Go and do something that is out of your comfort zone. Skydive, speak in front of a group, run a marathon, or some other activity. If fear lies in a relationship, talk to that person. Spend time with that person by speaking the truth with love and respect. Finally, take a giant step. Maybe its a career move, or a new relationship. Take the time to really look at it. You might want to talk to a mentor or trusted friend to help think it through.

A courageous act often brings unexpected positive results. Whats yours?

EUGENE O'KELLY

I named my blog "Chasing Daylight" after Eugene O'Kelly. Eugene O'Kelly was the Chairman and CEO of KPMG, one of the largest CPA firms in the country. In May, 2005, he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. He was given three to six months to live. He died in the fourth month. He was 53 years old. Eugene wrote a book on how he spent his last 100 days of his life titled "Chasing Daylight." I highly recommend it.

Eugene was a busy person. The CEO of a large company with over 35,000 employees, married with two young children, all the time thinking of business, thinking constantly about the future. When  he met his doctor that fateful day, he could only think about tomorrow. He spent his last days saying goodbye to all his friends and family and the book tells the story on the way he found closure.

Life is a short and busy process.  Its a flat out race. We start our careers, get married, raise a family, and before you know it, life has nearly passed us by. I have heard on more than one occasion, " Where has all the time gone?" We never know when time will become precious.

Before time becomes precious, stop and look long enough to think about the people we love and why we love them, and go and tell them explicitly how we feel. Begin to think deeply about things you should be thinking about. Closure is also important. This can mean different things to different people. It might be a special trip, a life long project, or fixing a difficult relationship by having that much needed conversation. With closure comes satisfaction, proof that something worthwhile has occurred.

Make the time for closure before time becomes precious.