Right Attitudes » Ideas for Impact
» by Nagesh Belludi

Life comes from the Spirit. Even as a man casts a shadow,
so the Spirit casts the shadow of life, and, as a shadow of
former lives, a new life comes to this body.
* The Upanishads

Without haste, but without rest.
* Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This above all: to thine own self be true,
and it must follow, as the night of the day,
thou cans’t not then be false to any man.
* William Shakespeare

He who through the error of attachment loves his body,
abides wandering in darkness, sensible and suffering the
things of death, but he who realizes that the body is but
the tomb of his soul, rises to immortality.
* The Divine Pymander

This I have seen in life—those who are overcautious about themselves
fall into dangers at every step; those who are afraid of losing
honor and respect, get only disgrace; and those who are always
afraid of loss, always lose.
* Swami Vivekananda

Laughter is the greatest weapon that we humans
possess and it’s the one we use the least.
* Mark Twain

The problem is not that there are problems.
The problem is expecting otherwise and
thinking that having problems is a problem.
* Theodore Rubin

It is better to be feared than loved,
if you cannot be both.
* Niccolo Machiavelli

He whom love touches not walks in darkness.
* Plato

If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet,
you’d best teach it to dance.
* 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

Last week, Time Magazine discussed research that suggests that using curse words can help cope with physical pain. This reminds me of a 2007 research that implies that regular swearing helps employees better express their feelings in stressful circumstances and boosts team morale.

Such research is misleading in that the findings may be perceived as approving of profanity at work. As work environments have become more laid-back over the years, swearing is more commonplace than in the past, especially in blue-collar environments and certain other workplace cultures.

Harry S. Dennis III of The Executive Committee (TEC) in Wisconsin and Michigan explores two bases for the tolerance of profanity in workplaces.

• The laid-back we-are-all-in-this-together culture is almost like a fraternity environment. The use of profanity somehow communicates a symbolic unity. Employees believe that their degree of comfort with one another means it’s OK to let down their guard. It becomes a casual exchange and falsely suggests a degree of communication intimacy.
• In the hard-driving aggressive environment, employees use profanity to communicate urgency, a need for action. Most swear words are one syllable, so they carry a bullet-like impact and light a fire under the butt of the person on the receiving end so they get the job done. It is, in fact, a terrible negative motivator.

Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer at Microsoft, Bob Nardelli at Home Depot, Carol Betz at Yahoo! and other executives are reported to have cussed at work. When leaders and managers swear without restraint to express annoyance at an employee, colleague, competitor, customer or circumstance, the message they convey to their organizations is that profanity is acceptable. This is akin to potty-mouthed parents hinting that it is probably OK for their watchful kids to use curse words.

Swearing and poor language is not acceptable in any professional setting. Swearing is dysfunctional to the cohesiveness of teams. Many employees find use of expletives as discourteous and quickly lose respect for those using profane language. Managers’ abusive management style can quickly intimidate employees who may hesitate to speak out.

Bad language is unacceptable behavior. Organizations should require that employees exercise common sense and avoid using colorful language. HR must deal with issues of swearing in the workplace as they occur and institute disciplinary procedures to prevent charges of workplace bullying, abuse or discrimination. Leaders and managers should curb their own language and comply privately and publicly. Employees, even high-performing ones, who repeatedly disregard such requirements and undermine the trust and morale of workplace environments must go openly.

Recommended Reading

• What happens when a manager badmouths an employee
• Jack Welch’s four types of managers
• Forced ranking in performance management systems
• Four keys to an excellent relationship with your boss

***See other articles related to communication, work environments, managing people, human resources, workplace cultures

The first step to overcome the causes and effects of stress is to acknowledge stress and become aware of its symptoms. By identifying the following telltale signs of stress, you can take steps to manage them.

Evaluate your level of stress by taking a simple quiz that I developed recently. Rate your experience against each category of stress symptoms in the following list. Score 1 for “Rarely”, 2 for “On occasion lately”, 3 for “Often” and 4 for “A lot lately.”

• Irritability, nervous temperament, moodiness, short temper, aggressiveness
• Lack of enthusiasm, neglect of responsibilities
• Inability to relax, concentrate, focus, or remember
• Poor health, body aches, pains, indigestion, constipation, nausea, etc.
• Eating and sleeping more or less, poor hygiene, substance abuse
• Nervous habits: fidgeting, foot tapping, nail biting, giggling, etc.
• Excessive frustration, cynicism, paranoia, distrust or worry
• Feeling of loneliness, withdrawal from friends and family
• Reluctance to express opinions, feeling of being “used” by others
• Excessive sensitivity, feeling of being overwhelmed
• Indecisiveness, poor judgment, unwillingness to take risks, impatience
• Blaming self for problems, evoking past distresses or sorrow demanding attention, aggressiveness
• Feeling of lack of control and authority, pressure to yield to demands

Assess Your Level of Stress

Tally up your scores and rate yourself on the following scale. The more symptoms you observe in your everyday life, the more stressed you are.

• 18 or lesser indicates a normal level of stress. Stress is an essential part of existence.
• 19 to 25 indicates that you may be facing a brown-out. The temporary hardships you are experiencing may intensify your level of stress if you do not address their causes immediately.
• 26 to 34 indicates acute level of stress. Carefully address everything that bothers you and consider changes to your lifestyle. Seek therapy.
• 35 or greater indicates potentially serious consequences to your wellbeing. Seek medicinal or therapeutic help.

Recommended Reading

• Budget your time by your values and priorities
• Fight clutter and simplify life
• Health and fitness for the sedentary professional
• Working exercise into a busy day
• Make your weekends feel longer

I have learned to seek my happiness by
limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them.
* John Stuart Mill

Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless,
and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.
* Samuel Johnson

In everything the middle course is best:
all things in excess bring trouble to men.
* Titus Maccius Plautus

Human history becomes more and more a
race between education and catastrophe.
* H G Wells

I do not think much of a man who is
not wiser today than he was yesterday.
* Abraham Lincoln

Be more willing to be impressed than eager to impress.
* Anonymous

We each have all the time there is; our mental and
moral status is determined by what we do with it.
* Mary Blake

We are much harder on people who betray us in small ways
than on people who betray others in great ones.
* Francois Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of the pleasures;
costs nothing and conveys much. It pleases him who gives and
him who receives, and thus, like mercy, is twice blessed.
* Erastus Wiman

The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one’s
opportunities, and to make the most of one’s resources.
* Vauvenargues

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

Here are six guidelines to delegate work to an employee who does not directly report to you. These guidelines are applicable even when you delegate to one of your employees’ employees.

• When requesting a routine work from an employee, copy her boss as a courtesy. Such requests must be components of the employee’s work plan or previously agreed to by her boss.
• When delegating special or time-consuming work to an employee, first write to her boss and request for the employee’s time. Do not go around the boss.
• Provide all the necessary inputs and describe what you expect, and how and when you expect results. Be specific. Ask for timely updates.
• If you have not gotten a response to an earlier delegation email, call or visit the person. Confirm that the employee understands your expectations. Ask for a status update.
• Do not “copy up” (copy the boss or, worse, HR) as a means of coercion. Work with the employee directly to resolve problems before elevating your concerns to her boss.
• Avoid prolonged debates or arguments over email. Problems are often easier to defuse using a more personal means of interaction. If you have difficulty in saying something via email, pick up the phone or walk up to the other and talk to her.

More on Effective Delegation

• Delegate outcomes, not just tasks
• On failing to distinguish accountability from responsibility
• Four telltale signs of an unhappy employee

***See other articles related to effective delegation, managerial skills, accountability, responsibility, managing people

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand.
The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.
* Alexander Graham Bell

For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds
is come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
* Song of Solomon

Life is either a daring adventure, or it is nothing.
* Helen Keller

How does one measure time?
No, not in day, months, or years.
It is measured by the most precious of all things:
Love. Without which all beings and things
whether brave and/or beautiful would perish.
* Irish Blessing

I don’t know why we are here,
but I’m pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.
* Ludwig Wittgenstein

Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself,
but talent instantly recognizes genius.
* Arthur Conan Doyle

Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves.
But deep down below the surface of the average conscience a still,
small voice says to us, something is out of tune.
* Carl Gustav Jung

You can complain because roses have thorns,
or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.
* Tom Wilson

Let us be thankful for the fools.
But for them the rest of us could not succeed.
* Mark Twain

What you can do, or think you can, begin it.
* Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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

We eat change for breakfast!
* Harry Quadracci

Good fortune follows honesty.
Fame follows sacrifice.
Education follows practice.
Intelligence follows hard work.
* Subhashita

Fear is death, fear is sin, fear is hell,
fear is unrighteousness, fear is wrong life.
All the negative thoughts and ideas that are in
the world have proceeded from this evil spirit of fear.
* Swami Vivekananda

Hard work and light food -
this is the readily available medicine for any disease.
If you do these daily, you shall not be afraid of any ailment.
* Subhashita

If things seem under control,
you’re just not going fast enough.
* Mario Gabriele Andretti

Discover the power of praise -
it will make your world a better place.
* Unknown

People are beginning to see that the first requisite
to success in life is to be a good animal.
* Herbert Spencer

Don’t be afraid of polarizing people.
* Guy Kawasaki

Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of
splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment,
and I want to make it burn as brightly as
possible before handing it onto future generations.
* George Bernard Shaw

Everything comes if a man will only wait.
* Tancred

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