Archive for the ‘Change Management’ Category
We often think that people around us are difficult to manage.
Our boss does not understands us and our sub-ordinates are not willing to work if not monitored on a daily basis. Is this really true?
(You may read an earlier blog post on: People don’t understand me, what should I do from: http://wp.me/pHUHq-a3)
I recently read an interesting article in which Nic Peeling has defined a golden rule for the front line managers . However, I was thinking that this golden rule can also be applied in our personal lives too. In our family set up, in our community set up, in our offices, in our businesses – every where. The golden rule for the managers for the people management is: Read the rest of this entry »
I recently made a speech on the attitude required to resolve any conflict. After my speech, one of my friends came to me asking to share the stories which I quoted during my speech. Here is one of the stories which bring out the attitude which is required for effective conflict resolution:
There was a father who left 17 camels as an asset for his three sons. When the father passed away, his sons opened up the will.
Will of the father stated that the eldest son should get half of 17 camels while the middle son should be given 1/3rd (one-third). The youngest son should be given 1/9th (one-ninth) of the 17 camels.
As it is not possible to divide 17 into half or 17 by 3 or 17 by 9, three sons started to fight with each other. How can they divide their father’s inheritance?
Do you have any thoughts about how to divide 17 camels among three sons as prescribed in their father’s will?
You may take your time to think before reading further….. Read the rest of this entry »
Do you become angry at times?
We all become angry when things don’t go our way. Why do we become angry?
Is it good to be angry?
At times, may be the answer is ‘yes, it is good to be angry’.
One of my friend provided me with a very good technique to reduce anger. He told me Read the rest of this entry »
Who can change you?
Posted on: May 6, 2010
Mary Kay Ash, who created the Mary Kay Cosmetics empire, once said, “You can eat an elephant……………………… Read the rest of this entry »
We try to clean our rooms and our personal space around us. What about cleanliness of our biggest asset – our mind?
Believe it or not, our mind is working twenty four hours, either consciously or sub-consciously. ‘Self-talk’ is going on whether we are speaking or we are silent. The process of cleaning oneself is termed as ‘Ho’ ponopono’. Do you remember about the doctor who cured his patients without visiting them? (You may wish to visit http://wp.me/pHUHq-9B to read about it). What is Ho’ oponopono? The doctor who cured his patients without visiting them states in the book as follows:
“Ho’oponopono is really very simple. For the ancient Hawaiians, all problems begin as thought.
Self Discipline in 10 days!!
Posted on: April 3, 2010
“SELF DISCIPLINE in ten days – how to go from thinking to doing” by Theodore Bryant is an interesting, small-sized practical guide-book for all of us who wish to try to get ourselves little ‘disciplined’. In 160 pages, the book is divided into four parts: preliminary information, a ten-day self-development program, subconscious belief and five power tools and lastly; putting it altogether.
The Author has mentioned that every one of us has got a side which believes that if we get ourselves ‘disciplined’, we may lose our freedom and we will have to share more responsibilities. One part within all of us is not willing at all to be self-disciplined. However, a person, when develops his or her own discipline guidelines, becomes ones own boss.
Five factors in everyone which generally stop us to achieve the goal of becoming self disciplined include: cynicism, negativism, defeatism, escapism and delayism (Wow! So many ‘isms’!!!!).
To put it short, we don’t want to adopt discipline because there are negative thoughts stopping us to do so. That negative part in each one of us is termed as ‘Hyde’ by the author (the negative character in the novel on Dr. Jekyll and Hyde)
The Cure to the five negative factors:
Accomplishment-oriented, present-tense, concrete self-talk is the first line of defense against negative thoughts which keep a person tied to old ways of thinking. Believe that our attitude has everything to do with our success, regardless of the task at hand. Believe that there is just as much good stuff in the world as there is bad stuff. WE can choose our own attitude. Will our attitude work for us or against us? The choice is ours. Believe it. Believe that life, for the most part, is based on the cause-and effect principle. In our life, our actions are the cause; the results of our actions are the effects.
We need to replace negative self talk with positive self talk as the first step.
SELF TALK
Self-talk is a conversation we have with ourself. Often, this occurs subconsciously. Self-talk always goes on, even when we don’t consciously hear it. WE constantly receive messages from ourselves, they never stop. Every second of our day you make choices based on these messages. Whether we are deciding what to eat, what to wear, or what to do, a process of choice is taking place. The choices that determine our actions are based on self-talk. This inner conversation is comparable to the background music that plays while a person shops in a supermarket. The music plays but people don’t really hear it unless people consciously and purposely focus their attention on it. But even though people aren’t consciously aware of it, this background music has an effect on people’s behavior.
Research has shown time and time again that background music influences our buying patterns. The stores wouldn’t do it if it didn’t increase sales.
And here is an interesting point from the book:
Did you hear about the fellow who returned a shirt to the clothing store and told the salesman, “After I got home, I realized that I don’t like this shirt. I just liked the song that was playing in the store when I bought it.!!!
The author states: “Action-oriented self-talk overrules self-defeating self-talk by being Positive, Specific, and Present Tense. Why? our subconscious mind believes whatever we tell it. It looks to you for reality. If you tell it that, “I am now working on my report,” then your subconscious mind will turn all its attention to your report, no matter what you actually are doing when you say it”.
Your thoughts on the above?
More from the book in coming days.
Am I a hostage of circumstances?
Posted on: March 9, 2010
“The highest performers see possibilities, not limitations”
Those who emerge from tough times are winners who make no excuses. They refuse to be seen as victims.
Consider the following everyday situations in which people allow themselves to be taken hostage.
• While you are in your car on your way to work, another driver cuts you off. Immediately you feel angry and hostile toward the “jerk” in the other vehicle. This feeling can linger, keeping you in a negative frame of mind for a good part of the day.
• Your boss criticizes you, and in response, you defend yourself or even attack her, causing the situation to escalate. The conflict stays in your mind, resulting in a feeling of distrust
between the two of you.
• You are going on a business trip and, because you are leaving, your child cries. You then rush out the door feeling guilty and telling yourself that you are a terrible parent. For the remainder of the trip, you feel down and even depressed.
• You say hello to a colleague as you walk by, but he does not respond. You begin complaining to others about your colleague, your work, and the company. Soon you start thinking,
“Nobody cares about people around here.”
People enraged by another person, a traffic jam, missing luggage, a lost job, a delayed flight, or even the weather—any set of external circumstances beyond their control—are allowing themselves to be taken hostage. Without realizing it, how many of us let an external event control our lives? Have you ever been upset because your holiday was ruined by bad weather? Have you ever been put into a bad mood by someone else’s negative attitude? Have you ever said to someone, “You make me so upset!”
If so, you have allowed yourself to be taken hostage.
The book: “Hostage at the table” identifies ‘hostage’ behaviour and provides some practical solutions.
Many people cover themselves with facts, figures, and details at the expense of the emotions, feelings, and motivations of their coworkers. Even the terms hard facts and the soft stuff used in business imply that data are somehow real and strong while emotions are weak and less important. I have seen examples of overdomineering leaders inflicting untold pain and misery on employees through their need to control both people and situations.
HOW NOT BE BECOME HOSTAGE?
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour (Excerpt from Auguries of Innocence,
William Blake)
A FEW POINTS TO REMEMBER:
1. A hostage mind-set involves feeling trapped, helpless, powerless, disconnected, and unable to influence and persuade.
2. The brain is hardwired to survive by looking for danger and pain. We can override this instinctual aspect of the brain to look for the positive and for ways to act with personal power.
3. Learned helplessness and lack of control of our mind-set causes people to be powerless. Recovering our power to choose a reaction to the events in our lives is possible for anyone who has become a hostage.
4. Know what you want and maintain a mind-set of “everything is possible.” If you do not get what you want, find the positive in not getting what you want. Either way you win and will never feel like a hostage.
We will see more ideas from this interesting book by George Kohlrieser in coming days. You can listen to one of the interviews of the author at Malaysia from here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPpdjxyB51E
Would you like to share your thoughts on the above?
Would you like to share your experience on becoming hostage ‘mentally’ and your tip to avoid such ‘attack’ of circumstances?
How to stop worrying?
Posted on: February 28, 2010
“Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday”
“Would you sell both your eyes for a billion dollars?”
“We seldom think of what we have but always think of what we don’t have”
Above are a few quotations from an international best seller – “How to stop worrying and start living” by Dale Carnegie.
First lesson from the book: Live in ‘day-tight’ compartmentments.
What does that mean?
Five hundred years before Christ was born, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus told his students that “everything changes except the law of change”. He said: “You cannot step in the same river twice.” The river changes every second; and so does the man who stepped in it. Life is a ceaseless change. The only certainty is today. Why mar the beauty of living today by trying to solve the problems of a future that is shrouded in ceaseless change and uncertainty – a future that no one can possibly foretell?
The old Romans had a word for it. In fact, they had two words for it. Carpe diem. “Enjoy the day. ” Or, “Seize the day.”
The first thing you should know about worry is this: if you want to keep it out of your life, do what Sir William Osier did:
Shut the iron doors on the past and the future.
Live in Day-tight Compartments.
Why not ask yourself these questions, and write down the answers?
1. Do I tend to put off living in the present in order to worry about the future, or to yearn for some “magical rose garden over the horizon”?
2. Do I sometimes embitter the present by regretting things that happened in the past that are over and done with?
3. Do I get up in the morning determined to “Seize the day”-to get the utmost out of these twenty-four hours?
4. Can I get more out of life by “living in day-tight compartments” ?
5. When shall I start to do this? Next week? .. Tomorrow? … Today?
EVERY DAY IS A NEW LIFE TO A WISE PERSON
His name was Sir William Osier. Here are the twenty-one words that he read in the spring of 1871-twenty-one words from Thomas Carlyle that helped him lead a life free
from worry: “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.”
Here is a very nice video on analyzing worrying and problem resolution:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K4Sa6M_b9E
Your thoughts on ‘how to stop worrying’ are welcome! – Share your experiences…..
How to avoid anger?
Posted on: February 25, 2010
Ideas from the book: How to create your own future by Brian Tracy: (www.briantracy.com)
The more you think about your problems, the more negative you will become.
How can a person avoid negative thoughts? What is the solution?
How can you not think about problems?
Solution is:
Think about solutions!!! (Interesting isn’t it?)
Ihzrat Khan, the Sufi Master, once wrote, “Life is a continuous succession of problems.”
Everyone’s life is probably filled with problems of all kinds, large and small. If a person does not watch out, those problems fill thoughts and preoccupy a person’s mind.
Whenever you have a problem of any kind, discipline yourself to think about the solution instead.
Stop reviewing the problem in your mind, thinking about who was to blame, and wondering what you could have or should have done differently. Instead, think about the solution and what you are going to do next.
The instant that you start thinking about what you can do, your mind calms and clears. You become positive and constructive. You are back in control.
How not to be angry?
• Whenever something happens that makes you angry, neutralize the negative thought by thinking about your goals, especially your biggest and most exciting goal.
• Repeat your goal in the form of a personal, present tense affirmation.
• Talk to yourself about what you want, and use that to keep your mind off of the things that you don’t want.
• The key: Try to neutralize you anger by focusing on long term solution.
• Don’t think about past, think about future. Think about where you are going rather than where you have been.
• Think about your ideal life and the wonderful possibilities that lie ahead of you Your future dreams and visions are naturally positive and uplifting. While you are thinking about them, you can’t simultaneously think about something that holds you back or drags you down.
You can use the Law of Substitution by getting so busy working on goals and tasks that are important to you that you don’t have any time to think about anything else.
Almost all negativity requires your remembering and rehashing a past event or circumstance. Positive thinking comes from your thinking about your goals and the specific things that you could be doing right now to achieve them faster. The only real antidote to worry is sustained, continuous action. When you “lose yourself in action,” your worries disappear.
Your thoughts?
One of my friends introduced me to Jim Rohn saying: “If you really want to change your life, read Jim Rohn”. I am thankful to my friend for introducing me to Jim Rohn.
When I tried to find a few books by Jim Rohn, I came across this really interesting book: The Five Major Pieces to the Life puzzle.
Jim Rohn has been termed as America’s foremost business philosopher. By age 25 (according to his accounts), he was an ordinary, average middle class person like any middle-class family and was in debt, unable to see a way that would lead to his personal ambitions.
Around this time, he was introduced to John Earl Shoaff, an entrepreneur who impressed Rohn with his wealth, business accomplishments, charisma and life philosophy. Rohn joined Shoaff’s direct sales organization, and began a process of personal development that culminated in his becoming a millionaire by age 31.
Jim Rohn says: Change comes from one of two sources:
1. Desperation or
2. Inspiration
We change ourselves when our circumstances go out of our control. Its the sense of deprivation which drives us to look for new solutions.
Alternatively, we change when we are inspired: A song can inspire us, a quote can inspire us or reading something can inspire us. The story of some one who has succeeded in life or has become millionaire out of nothing may inspire us.
Jim Rohn suggests that every one cannot master every aspect of life but there are few basics – there are only a few things in life that really make some difference. if some person masters those ‘basics’, he or she can live happy and successful life.
What are those five missing pieces of life puzzle? We will go through those in days to come.
Here is a really interesting, inspirational and motivating video from Jim Rohn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfA-qNWLBHo
Here are a few quotable quotes from Jim Rohn – Courtesy Wikipedia:
“Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don’t go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won’t laugh at you.”
“Don’t just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.”
“Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.”
“The most important question to ask in a job is not what am I getting but what am I becoming.”
Happy reading.
Wisdom From Books 
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