Right Attitudes » Ideas for Impact
» by Nagesh Belludi

The best brought-up children are those who have seen their parents as they are. Hypocrisy is not the parent’s first duty.
* George Bernard Shaw

Titles distinguish the mediocre, embarrass the superior, and are disgraced by the inferior.
* George Bernard Shaw

Imprisonment is as irrevocable as death.
* George Bernard Shaw

Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it.
* George Bernard Shaw

To a mathematician the eleventh means only a single unit : to the bushman who cannot count further than his ten fingers it is an incalculable myriad.
* George Bernard Shaw

The difference between the shallowest routineer and the deepest thinker appears, to the latter, trifling ; to the former, infinite.
* George Bernard Shaw

A learned man is an idler who kills time with study. Beware of his false knowledge : it is more dangerous than ignorance.
* George Bernard Shaw

Moderation is never applauded for its own sake.
* George Bernard Shaw

The unconscious self is the real genius. Your breathing goes wrong the moment your conscious self meddles with it.
* George Bernard Shaw

What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.
* George Bernard Shaw

Man is the only animal which esteems itself rich in proportion to the number and voracity of its parasites.
* George Bernard Shaw

Greatness is the secular name for Divinity : both mean simply what lies beyond us.
* George Bernard Shaw

Those who understand evil pardon it : those who resent it destroy it.
* George Bernard Shaw

The man with toothache thinks everyone happy whose teeth are sound. The poverty stricken man makes the same mistake about the rich man.
* George Bernard Shaw

No man dares say so much of what he thinks as to appear to himself an extremist.
* George Bernard Shaw

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

For some moments in life there are no words.
* David Seltzer

It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.
* Albert Einstein

The door to virtue is heavy and hard to push.
* Chinese Proverb

Sooner or later you’ve heard all your best friends have to say. Then comes the tolerance of real love.
* Ned Rorem

Freedom can never be reached by the weak. Throw away all weakness. Tell your body that it is strong, tell your mind that it is strong, and have unbounded faith and hope in yourself.
* Swami Vivekananda

It is seldom indeed that one parts on good terms, because if one were on good terms one would not part.
* Marcel Proust

One’s suffering disappears when one lets oneself go, when one yields – even to sadness.
* Antoine de Saint-Exupery

No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.
* Frederick Douglass

Every experience, however bitter, has its lesson, and to focus one’s attention on the lesson helps one overcome the bitterness.
* Edward Howard Griggs

I am treating you as my friend, asking you to share my present minuses in the hope I can ask you to share my future pluses.
* Katherine Mansfield

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

Virtue is an angel, but she is a blind one, and must ask Knowledge to show her the pathway that leads to her goal.
* Horace Mann

Determined efforts are better than a miracle.
* Tonbo

It is the beautiful bird that gets caged.
* Chinese Proverb

Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. … Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.
* Barack Obama

Since we must all die sooner or later, let us enjoy life while we can.
* Otoma no Tabito

The closest to perfection a person ever comes is when he fills out a job application form.
* Stanley J. Randall

Men are not punished for their sins, but by them.
* Elbert Hubbard

Strength is Life, Weakness is Death.
Expansion is Life, Contraction is Death.
Love is Life, Hatred is Death.
* Swami Vivekananda

Courage is sustained by calling up anew the vision of the goal.
* A. G. Sertillanges

The most decisive actions of our life… are most often unconsidered actions.
* Andre Gide

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

1. Clear the clutter around you

Disorder and clutter are the primary sources of the feeling of not being on “top of things.” Messy workspaces can quickly get out of hand and drag you down. Conquer clutter by processing each paper or object at your desk by asking, “Why is this here?” Consider throwing things away; ask, “What is the worst that could happen if I dispose of this?” Organize, simplify, and setup an environment that works for you.

2. Stretch at your desk or brisk walk

Interrupt your deskbound lifestyle by practicing a few exercises right at your desk, walking up a few flights by stairs, or brisk walking around your office block. Simple workouts can revive your energy, prevent afternoon slumps, help you think more clearly, and help control anxiety.

3. Get caught-up on your email and remain caught-up

Given the pervasiveness of email in our lives, regulating email, remaining responsive and productive about email are critical soft-skills for any knowledge worker. Empty your inbox everyday by using following productivity guru Merlin Mann’s ‘Process to Zero’ and ‘Inbox Zero’ techniques. Systematize your email habits by deleting, archiving, responding or delegating every email in your inbox.

4. Embark on a “10-Minute Dash” to conquer procrastination

Not finishing what you have started can be a source of stress and anxiety. Pick a task that you have been putting off, turn on your favorite music, sip your favorite beverage, and work on that task for just ten minutes without any interruption. You will probably find that the seemingly difficult task gets easier once you start working on it. This “10-minute dash” technique can build momentum, get you into the “flow,” and motivate you to work and complete the task.

5. Write a “thank-you” note

In today’s fast-paced world, it is easy to forget to repay kindness with gratitude. Thank-you notes not only help people feel appreciated for things they do to for you, but can also motivate them to do more for you in the future (this secondary reason should not be the key motivation for your attitude of gratitude.) When writing a thank-you note, mention what the other person did for you, how it was relevant, and how much you appreciate their help.

6. Tend to your network

Tending to your professional and social network is not as time-consuming as you might expect. Invest ten minutes each day to email or ring a friend or two, perhaps even to say a quick hello. Cultivate and maintain a strong network. Remember people’s birthdays and anniversaries and reach out to them on their special days. Avoid contacting people only when you need something from them.

7. Update your résumé or your list of achievements

Most professionals tend to procrastinate on keeping their résumés updated. Do not expect to pull your résumé together when you need one and expect it to work efficiently. Spend ten minutes updating your résumé by adding details from your latest projects and assignments. Try to review each section and question yourself, “Is this section relevant? Is there anything more worthwhile that I could replace this section with?” Keeping your résumé updated can reduce the anxiety of preparing an impressive résumé at short notice.

8. Walk the floor, talk to your customers, and seek their ideas

Companies and leaders who excel at customer service talk to customers on a regular basis and follow-up scrupulously. Simply walk the floor for ten minutes or pick-up the phone and talk to a customer or two. Ask customers how your product or service has been of value to them, seek to understand their needs, run your ideas past them, and incorporate their views to design/improve your product or service. Going the extra mile to reach out to a customer can have a big impact on customer loyalty.

9. Look for easy ways to simplify your life

Differentiate between activity and achievement. Rather than finding ways to squeeze more activities into your life, find ways to leave out some things. Focus on things that actually need to be done and eliminate anything that does not fit your immediate priorities. Ask for help, delegate, and lower your standards. Plan for the next day or the week ahead and prepare to-do lists to get things off your mind.

10. Take a break and chill out

When you feel overwhelmed, take ten minutes to rest, relax, and clear your mind. Meditate, listen to music, catch up on news or sports, play with your pet, take a short map, look out of the window, or do something else that can benefit you the most. Stepping out of the moment of busyness can lower your blood pressure, slow down your breathing and heart rate, and bring about psychological changes that can reduce the harmful effects of stress and worry.

Bonus: Put your own needs first

When you are overwhelmed with the demands on your time at work and at home, try to examine if you tend to succumb instinctively to the pressure and put others needs ahead of your own. While it is virtuous to be selfless and attend to the needs of others, devoting too much of your own time to others can become an impediment to your own happiness. Consider constructing boundaries on your time and try to think of at least one activity you can stop, or one task that you cancel at once. Do not become a victim of your own generosity. Taking care of your own needs first is not about being selfish; it is rather about being fair to yourself. Exercise your right to protect your own time and interests.

Suggested Reading

• Four telltale signs of an unhappy employee
• Self-assessment quiz: How stressed are you?
• Finding work-life balance
• Health and fitness for the sedentary professional
• 7 easy ways to get more done in less time

***See other articles related to productivity, getting things done, happiness, work-life balance

Today, we celebrate the birthday of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. Born on 6 July 1935, His Holiness is the secular leader of the Tibetan people and the leader of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. He lives in exile in Dharamsala, India, ever since the Chinese occupied Tibet in 1959. As one of the most respected men of our times, the Dalai Lama is a champion of the basic human values of compassion, love, altruism, and nonviolence.

His Holiness is the 1989 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize “for his consistent resistance to the use of violence in his people’s struggle to regain their liberty” and “in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.”

Here is the Dalai Lama’s favorite prayer for your consideration. This is a verse from a translation of “Bodhicaryavatara” by Shantideva, an Indian Buddhist scholar from the 8th century.

For as long as space endures
And as long as sentient beings remain
May I too abide
To dispell the miseries of the world.

“My religion is kindness”

I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness and greed.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

All major religions, when understood properly, have the same potential for good.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

Reason well from the beginning and then there will never be any need to look back with confusion and doubt.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

Inner peace is the key: if you have inner peace, the external problems do not affect your deep sense of peace and tranquility.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

From the moment of birth every human being wants happiness and freedom and wants to avoid suffering. In this we are all the same; and the more we care for the happiness of others the greater our own sense of each other becomes.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

Because we all share this small planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. That is not just a dream, but a necessity.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer.
* The 14th Dalai Lama

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

As the current crises at Toyota and BP highlight, how you respond to a problem or crisis is the ultimate test of your leadership character. Knowing how to step up your communications efforts to the right levels during disorder can be a powerful tool in managing a crisis. Here are seven key lessons for communicating during crises.

• Be visible. Communicate and lead from the front. In a crisis, your key constituencies (your board, management, team, government, or the public) insist on hearing from the leader. Stay engaged and maintain consistency of purpose and action. Keep all the lines of communication open.
• Communicate in real-time and explain your position. If you do not communicate frequently with your key constituents, somebody else will. In the absence of information, people will develop their own perceptions of the problem and its implications. Keeping your constituencies well informed diffuses many suspicions and uncertainties.
• Be transparent and forthright right from the beginning. Face the realities of the problem and its potential consequences. Acknowledge what you know about the problem or crisis and go into detail about what steps you are taking in response. Proactive communication is reassuring and prevents perceptions of negligence and evasion from becoming realities.
• Research thoroughly the challenges you face and your options for remedial actions. Be prepared to describe everything that matters at each moment. Carefully administer your communication plan with due consideration to possible litigations and penalties.
• Be objective and calm. Avoid engaging in finger pointing and playing pass-the-parcel. Avoid criticizing and discrediting the victims or critics. Continuously verbalize empathy and responsibility, and announce plans for early resolutions and restitution.
• Remember that your attitude sets the tone for the rest of your organization. If you take a defensive position, play victim or engage in finger pointing, the rest of your organization will react the same way. Through your communications, set a positive tone to build confidence within your organization and promote constructive responses.
• As soon as the crisis dissolves, research and communicate opportunities to make fundamental changes to improve your organization. Reiterate your core values and missions. Revamp internal practices as necessary and follow through on all initiatives to rebuild your credibility. Consider organizational changes and new processes for managing future crises.

Recommended Reading

• Develop a mature sense of respect for your competition
• Blaming the competition without cause constitutes poor taste

***See other articles related to Crisis management, leadership communications, problem solving, corporate communication, public relations

Caption: Helen Keller with her teacher and companion Anne Sullivan when Helen was 20 years old.

Today is the 120th birth anniversary of American social activist Helen Keller (June 27, 1880 — June 1, 1968). On this occasion, we feature a special issue of inspirational quotations by Helen Keller.

When Helen Keller was 19 months old, an unidentified illness left her both deaf and blind. At age 7, she met her 20-year old, visually impaired teacher, Anne Sullivan. With the Anne’s tutelage, Helen learned to communicate, pursued formal education, and went on to achieve great things in her life. She was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Keller went on to become a world-famous speaker and author, political and social activist, and advocate for people with disabilities.

I encourage you to read Helen Keller’s truly inspirational autobiographical account, “The Story Of My Life” (free download,) for how she communicated with others and her experiences of discovering the beauty of nature and the ways of the world.

“Life is either a Daring Adventure, or Nothing”

Every optimist moves along with progress and hastens it, while every pessimist would keep the worlds at a standstill. Pessimism kills the instinct that urges men to struggle against poverty, ignorance and crime, and dries up all the fountains of joy in the world.
* Helen Keller

Who shall dare let his incapacity for hope or goodness cast a shadow upon the courage of those who bear their burdens as if they were privileges?
* Helen Keller

It is a mistake always to contemplate the good and ignore the evil, because by making people neglectful it lets in disaster. There is a dangerous optimism of ignorance and indifference.
* Helen Keller

To know the history of philosophy is to know that the highest thinkers of the ages, the seers of the tribes and the nations, have been optimists. The growth of philosophy is the story of man’s spiritual life.
* Helen Keller

Happiness is the final and perfect fruit of obedience to the laws of life.
* Helen Keller

I have found out that though the ways in which I can make myself useful are few, yet the work open to me is endless.
* Helen Keller

Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession.
* Helen Keller

I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace.
* Helen Keller

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.
* Helen Keller

It all comes to this: the simplest way to be happy is to do good.
* Helen Keller

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.
* Swami Vivekananda

Virtue has never been as respectable as money.
* Mark Twain

Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist: it reduces him to his fighting weight.
* Josh Billings

A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.
* Aesop

Man never knows what he wants; he aspires to penetrate mysteries and as soon as he has, he wants to reestablish them. Ignorance irritates him and knowledge cloys.
* Amiel

Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness.
* Rabbi Harold Kushner

He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave.
* William Drummond

There is no kind of peace which may be purchased on the bargain counter.
* Carey Williams

Those who are unwilling to invest in the future haven’t earned one.
* H. W. Lewis

Above all things, never be afraid. The enemy who forces you to retreat is himself afraid of you at that very moment.
* Andre Maurois

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

The greatest dreams are always unrealistic.
* Will Smith

Rule of thumb: Be skeptical of things you learned before you could read. E.g., religion.
* Ben Casnocha

You and I are not what we eat; we are what we think.
* Walter Anderson

Deliberation is a function of the many; action is the function of one.
* Charles de Gaulle

It is often hard to bear the tears that we ourselves have caused.
* Marcel Proust

In any war there are always more of the enemy than you think, and there are always allies you never knew you had.
* John M. Ford

To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it the more fit for its prime function of looking forward.
* Margaret Fairless Barber

Never dull your shine for somebody else.
* Tyra Banks

You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose.
* Lou Holtz and John Heisler

Prayer crowns God with the honor and glory due to His name, and God crowns prayer with assurance and comfort. The most praying souls are the most assured souls.
* Thomas Brooks

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

Every man is born to one possession which outvalues all his others-his last breath.
* Mark Twain

The deed is everything, the glory naught.
* Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The world is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet everyone has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the affairs, of his neighbor.
* Benjamin Franklin

He who does not shield himself from vilification receives it.
* Arabian Proverb

Freedom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err.
* Mahatma Gandhi

To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.
* Robert Muller

Most of us don’t recognize opportunity until we see it working for a competitor.
* Jay Huenfeld

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
* The Holy Bible

Satisfaction with an experience depends significantly on our expectations going into it.
* Ben Casnocha

One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present.
* Golda Meir

Visit www.Inspiration.RightAttitudes.com for my compilation of inspirational quotations by author and topic. You may also subscribe to the weekly newsletter of inspirational quotations by sending a blank email to iqml-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations