» 2008 » September » Right Attitudes

Inspirational Quotations #240

September 28th, 2008 at 4:40 pm (Inspirational Quotations)

A single kind word keeps one warm for three winters.
* Chinese Proverb

The delight we inspire in others,
has this enchanting peculiarity.
That, unlike any other reflection,
returns to us more radiant than ever.
* Victor Hugo

Love is always bestowed as a gift – freely, willingly and
without expectation. We don’t love to be loved; we love to love.
* Leo Buscaglia

The dream is the small hidden door in the deepest and
most intimate sanctum of the soul, which opens to that
primeval cosmic night that was soul long before there was conscious ego
and will be soul far beyond what a conscious ego could ever reach.
* Carl Gustav Jung

Intelligence is not to make any mistakes,
but quickly to see how to make them good.
* Bertrand Russell

When we are chafed and fretted by small cares,
a look at the stars will show us the littleness of our own interests.
* Maria Mitchell

We didn’t lose the game; we just ran out of time.
* Vincent T. Lombardi

The time which we have at our disposal every day is elastic;
the passions that we feel expand it,
those that we inspire contract it;
and habit fills up what remains.
* Marcel Proust

Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
* Henry Ford

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
* Plato

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

Comments

[Managing Your Boss #3] Seeking Proactive Feedback from Your Manager

September 26th, 2008 at 4:40 pm (Career Development, Managing People)

Seeking Proactive Feedback from Your Manager

Feedback is a critical component of our work. We need to understand whether our performance is in line with what is expected of us. We need to learn what we are doing well, what we need to change and how we could improve. We need help to discover opportunities to advance our careers.

One of the common grievances of professionals is that their managers rarely give them adequate feedback. Such feelings are not totally unfounded. Managers tend to be busy and choose to deliver feedback only during cursory performance reviews. And, instinctively, managers fear confrontation: they assume that their employees may respond to even the slightest of criticisms with anger, defensiveness and alienation. Employees, for their part, resent feedback because they hate being criticized.

This article suggests what you can do to become effective at getting feedback from your manager. I have shared this process with several professionals who have successfully adopted it to develop effective relationships with their managers.

Soliciting Feedback

Setup regular meetings with your manager to seek feedback. Do not wait for the quarterly or annual performance reviews to solicit feedback.
Prepare and send an agenda to your manager at least one day prior to your meeting. Use the questions in the following section to guide your discussions and agenda. Tailor the questions to suit your unique projects and goals. Cover all the important topics on a regular basis.
Assure your manager that her opinions and suggestions matter and that you will listen and act on them. You need not necessarily agree to every assessment. Be open; do not become defensive or get angry. If you must disagree, do so politely. Offer your opinions using phrases such as “Could it be because …,” “how about …,” or “perhaps, another way to look at this is ….”
Ask for specific examples. Take down notes. Conclude the meeting by thanking your manager. Affirm that you will develop and share with her a plan of action.
Review your notes from the meeting. Look for patterns in her comments and suggestions. In a day or two, develop and send her a plan of action.

Ten Topics to Ask to Solicit Feedback from Your Manager

Ten Topics to Solicit Feedback On

“How am I doing on project or goal X? What can I do differently to be more effective?
“My most important projects or goals are X, Y and Z. Do you think I have the priorities right?
“Do I meet your expectations in keeping you updated on the progress on project X? How can I organise information better to help you understand my projects and our achievements?
“What goals do you see for me on project X (or over the next N months?) How will you measure me against these goals?
“What strengths do I bring into your team? What personal skills will enable me to grow and contribute better?
“How do you see my career developing in this organisation or function over the long-term? What suggestions do you have for me to prepare for such opportunities?
“What steps do you suggest for me to broaden my exposure to our functional area and build my skills? What specific steps can I take to broaden my perspective in our functional area? What key challenges will I face meeting my goals?
“What can I do to expand my role? May I assume any additional responsibilities?
“What are your goals for the immediate future? What are the most important projects and initiatives for your team? What opportunities do you see for me to support your goals?
“How do you think our organization and customers will change in the future? What opportunities do you see? What challenges will we face? How will our roles change? How can we prepare? What is our management’s perspective on the future?”

Concluding Thoughts

This article suggests an informal and effective process to solicit feedback from your manager. By taking the initiative, asking the right questions and proactively soliciting feedback, you can recognize and adapt to your manager’s and the organisation’s expectations of you and discover prospects for larger responsibilities and promotions.

Your manager will appreciate your eagerness to openly communicate, improve, adapt, and contribute further. She will be more forthcoming to share her assessment of your work and offer suggestions for improvement.

By understanding your manager’s expectations and priorities, you can secure the support and resources you need to achieve your goals. Keeping your manager informed helps foster dependability and build a stronger, mutually-beneficial working relationship that benefits you, your manager and the organization.

Inspirational Quotations #239

September 21st, 2008 at 4:40 pm (Inspirational Quotations)

The tree may be cut back, but it grows again.
The moon may wane, but it shines anew.
Good men go on despite calamities.
* Hindu proverb

A human thought is an actual existence,
and a force and power, capable of acting upon
and controlling matter as well as mind.
* Albert Pike

I do not deny that many appear to have succeeded in a material way by
cutting corners and by manipulating associates,
both in their professional and in their personal lives.
But material success is possible in this world
and far more satisfying when it comes without exploiting others.
* Alan Greenspan

We can chart our future clearly and wisely only when
we know the path which has led to the present.
* Adlai Stevenson

I can accept failure,
but I can’t accept not trying.
* Michael Jordan

Love does not consist in gazing at each other,
but in looking together in the same direction.
* Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Whatever you are from nature, keep to it;
never desert your own line of talent.
Be what nature intended you for, and you will succeed;
be anything else, and you will be ten thousand times worse than nothing.
* Sydney Smith

We are more than what we do…
much more than what we accomplish…
far more than what we possess.
* William Arthur Ward

No man will make a great leader who wants to do it
all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.
* Andrew Carnegie

As you grow older, you stand for more and fall for less.
* Anonymous

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

Comments

Inspirational Quotations #238

September 14th, 2008 at 4:40 pm (Inspirational Quotations)

It is a good rule to face difficulties at the time they arise
and not allow them to increase unacknowledged.
* Edward W. Zeigler

Don’t accept that just because a thing has been done
a certain way, that it will always have to be that way.
* Mark McCormack

Nothing in the world is single;
All things by law divine In one spirit
mix and mingle. Why not I with thine?
* Percy Bysshe Shelley

You must learn to translate wisdom and strong feelings into labor.
* Jim Rohn

The power of accurate observation is frequently
called cynicism by those who don’t have it.
* George Bernard Shaw

I now appreciate all that I have.
I am grateful for the smallest things today.
I can always find something in my life for which to be grateful.
I give thanks for everything that is now coming into my life.
I rejoice in the wonders of life.
* Unknown

Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.
* H.L. Mencken

Do little things now; so shall big things
come to thee by and by asking to be done.
* Persian Proverb

Live in each season as it passes;
breath the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit,
and resign yourself to the influences of each.
* Henry David Thoreau

The greatest difficulties lie where we are not looking for them.
* Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

*Keyword(s): Inspiration, Quotations

Comments

[Ideas for Impact #36] Respecting People for Who They Are

September 13th, 2008 at 5:21 am (Ideas for Impact, Managing People)

'Respect People for Who They Are, Not for What Their Titles are' -- Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines

“Respect People for Who They Are, Not for What Their Titles are”

In “The Best Advice I Ever Got” article in Fortune magazine, Herb Kelleher, founder and recently-retired Chairman of Southwest Airlines, discussed the importance of respecting and trusting people.

“One piece of [my mother's] advice that always stuck in my mind is that people should be respected and trusted as people, not because of their position or title. Frequently, position or title did not reflect the true merits of a person.”

“Thanks to her advice, in the business world I try not to judge anyone by superficial standards. I try to approach them with an open mind. I’m very interested in their ideas. … You ought to be open to listening to people. Show that you care about them as individuals, not just as workers. You know how some people are always looking over your shoulder to see if there’s somebody more important behind you? Well, one of the things that I’ve tried to do–if I’m talking to a person, that person is the only person in the world while we’re talking. They’re owed that.”

[Note: Image of Herb Kelleher with mechanics courtesy of Southwest Airlines]

Call for Action

Our personal and professional lives are not solo acts. Every endeavour includes an active involvement and support of the people in our lives: parents, spouses, children, friends, bosses, employees and peers. Respect and trust are the foundation of connecting with people and building relationships. As managers and leaders, respect for people is fundamental to engaging them and getting things done. Yet, we live in a world obsessed with judging the significance of individuals based on the superficialities of appearance and social order.

Have an open mind. Accept people for who they are and respect their individuality.
Develop your listening skills. When listening to another person, think that he or she is the only person in the world.
Be compassionate and kind. Never treat people as a means to an end.