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November 2009 Are you too much talk and too little action?
Welcome to this edition of the be the best you can be newsletter. This month, I want to challenge you about whether you’re really doing the things you talk about, whether you are living out the values you espouse. But, before that, I want to share with you below the amazing feedback I received after my last newsletter: Who Did You Include Today?
What it Means to be Included
Last month I asked you who you were going to include, who you were going to make feel special - on your work team or in your family. I want to thank you for your letters, so many of which talked about how important it was to be included, especially way back when you played junior sport. I was overjoyed to hear stories about coaches who included rather than excluded young people, coaches who understood that winning is not just about the scoreboard in junior sport – it’s about kids having a crack and being acknowledged and maybe even rewarded for doing so. The reward can be as simple as a Freddo Frog or a pat on the back. The "winning" is based on continual improvement and should indeed be celebrated whether or not the scoreboard says otherwise. Kids develop at their own rate. How dare we decide that a kid is ‘good’ or ‘not good’ at sport when the child is age seven or eight?!! When kids are excluded because of a judgment about their ability at such a young age, they’re often lost to the sport for life. Self esteem and confidence are integral to taking action and to on-going improvement. To quit just because somebody else thinks you are not up to scratch is not a message we want a young person to take into the rest of their lives. While I know this is a story about kid’s sport, surely this applies in the corporate world too. We spend so much time judging other people and very often get it wrong. Constant positive reinforcement is a powerful tool. Let people know how valued they are. I always find it interesting that people who are truly engaged and made to feel important invariably are more productive too. In our sporting clubs, in our companies and in our families, it’s beholden on us to create environments where people are encouraged to shine. We’ve got to create environments where people are made to feel special and where they can focus on the goal of continual improvement. That has to be one of our values. And we have to live it.
Living Your ValuesDo you live out the values you espouse? In my travels, I often hear people and companies talk a lot about family values. Yet, when they have their company conferences, families are very rarely considered. But if those same companies were to walk their talk about family values, the benefits would be incredible. I know that from experience. Let me give you three recent examples of when companies I know brought to life the values they espoused. By including (there’s that word again!) their team members’ families at conferences, they created 'wow' experiences for them – and the benefits were amazing
Invest in Making People Feel SpecialI was at a conference in Far North Queensland recently where a company had allowed partners to attend. They were included in the lifestyle events, and the bonding between partners was just fantastic. The CEO, Trevor, was apprehensive at first about including partners. It was easy for him to do or not do, but he made a choice that I applaud him for! And now he is reaping the rewards: his company is just growing and growing. Then I was at another company’s 10th anniversary celebration at the Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast. It was the second time I’d presented for this company and I was also to be the MC at their black tie function. This particular company prided itself on being a “family business”. And I am delighted to tell you that I was absolutely treated as part of the family. But not only was I made to feel like a family member but so too was my wife, Sharon. They found out it would be my birthday on the night I was to MC so Sharon was invited to the dinner and to spend a couple of nights at the Versace too. Wow, what a great thing to do! It really showed to me that they cared. They made an investment in making people feel special and I want to thank Martin, the Managing Director, for that. Lastly, I was invited to be the keynote speaker at another conference at a resort up in sunny Queensland. This particular company certainly talked about the importance of family and then backed it up in spades. Both partners and children were included. And so that the partners could relax and attend the conference sessions, babysitters were supplied for the little kids and organised activities were provided for the teenagers. I can tell you that everybody had a ‘wow’ experience and the feedback the company received was extraordinary. Thank you to the CEO Janine and her wonderful team of people. For all these companies, the extra money they spent was an investment in their ongoing success. They showed a real commitment to their values, not just interest!
One Step in the Right DirectionThe question I am asking is how serious are you? Do you bring to life the concepts and values you talk about? We all talk about a lot of good stuff, but is it really happening in our organisations, our companies, our families? None of this has to be complicated. Sometimes our big picture goals can frighten us away from doing the simple things that make a difference! So I want to ask you: What is one thing you can do today that will move you in the direction you say you want to go and bring your values to life? It might be as simple as that family photo next to one of your team member’s desk. You see it every day – so go and ask him or her what are your kids’ names? You’ve got the choice of whether you engage or not. And if you choose to engage, the impact will be huge. We can’t think to ourselves, That's a great idea. I must do that some time. Now’s the time to do it! It’s now that people want their contributions acknowledged – and it’s now that they want to see you living out your values. Be specific, set a time frame and go for it. The great thing is that, when you live out your values, you’ll feel a whole lot better about yourself too.
Your StoriesI’d love to hear your stories of how you’ve put this stuff into action. When you’ve lived out your values, when you’ve taken that one step. Tell me what happened! I can’t wait to find out the impact that your choice to do this has had on your life and the lives of those around you.
FeedbackHi Peter, "A huge thanks Luisa, for organizing Peter Thurin to speak to us this morning. He was such an inspirational speaker for us this morning. To Luisa and the entire Roche Team, thank you. You are an extraordinary group of people who do amazing work and it was my great good fortune to have been invited to be a part of your conference. Your feedback is never taken for granted and is always greatly appreciated. Thank you so much. Please feel free to email me at comments@blackbeltinexcellence.com.au Thanks for joining me again this month. Keep well. And keep going.
As you know, part of the proceeds of every copy of my book "be the best you can be" go to the wonderful people at ACCYO (The Australian Council for Children and Youth Organisations) which is helping to make Australia a safer place for our children. www.accyo.org.au And if you'd like to book blackbelt in excellence for your next conference, workshop, seminar or success training, just click here. I'd be happy to talk to you about awe-inspiring ways I can lead you personally and your company forward into the future with confidence, energy and commitment. And remember, I'm always happy to work one-on-one with you too. blackbelt in excellence specialises in:
To your success. Be the best you can be. Best wishes, Peter Thurin 61 407 568 416 www.blackbeltinexcellence.com.au P.S. Don't forget to visit my new blog "be the best you can be" |
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