Archive for the 'Changeologists Reflections' Category

Changeology of Leadership…our greatest fear

Published
by
gay
on July 17, 2008
in Changeologists Quotes, Changeologists Reflections, Changeology for Organizational Performance and Changeology of leadership
. 2 Comments

In our lives we come across things that change our life forever… this quote from Maryann Williamson is one of those such items I found many years ago in a magazine.

As soon as I read it, I cut it out and posted it in my Planner, so that each day as I planned my future both in hours and minutes, it reminded me of my greatest purpose.

If this is your first time exposed to this quote and its concept, may it become ingrained in you so that every choice, action, and decision you make is supported by the belief that you are powerful beyond belief. (As a note, the original magazine article is still posted on my bulletin board in my office right in easy view and anytime I move offices, this piece of paper is the first thing I pack).

Changeology of Leadership first starts with you… it is impossible to empower others to fly if you have not yet empowered yourself…. Here is to your own transformation!!

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others. – Maryann Williamson

A Cup of Coffee with Frank Lloyd Wright

Published
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gay
on May 6, 2008
in Changeologist, Changeologists from the Past and Changeologists Reflections
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http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/339197.html

The above link is an article in the Buffalo News, May 5, 2008 on the  June opening of the The Davidson House, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s creations. However, this one is different. Guests can actually stay overnight and have occupancy of the entire house. If you can image, sitting in the living room, drinking your morning coffee while pondering the genius of this man.

It allows one to stop and see the brillance of Mr. Wright. During museum tours, we don’t  have the opportunity of living in the space long enough to feel it, not just see. Experience is the essence of life. In this house, you have the ability to feel but to also appreciate the man, not just the inventor/architect.

Now, how do you like your coffee?  In a bustling coffee house or surrounded in the quietness of inspiration?

Frank Lloyd Wright Fans… it’s “Wright for the Night”

Published
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gay
on May 1, 2008
in Changeologist, Changeologists from the Past and Changeologists Reflections
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 http://www.thedavidsonhouse.com/

A respected colleague has created an opportunity of a lifetime. If you are a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, as I am,  you now have the opportunity to experience an overnight adventure ( at least two) at Wright’s  Davidson House in Buffalo, New York.

Wright’s work was not only that of an architect but of an inventor and artist. In today’s lanuage you would say he was about “being green” as he attempted to bring into his design the organic environment. This house displays Wright’s concept perfectly.

I keep thinking “what a great place to seclude oneself to write , reflect, or just hang out for a while”

It is the perfect excuse to visit Buffalo and the surrounding areas such as Niagra Falls, in addition to touring many of Wright’s historical venues in town. There are not many opportunities like this… just maybe if you stay long enough, some of Wright’s creative genuis will rub off.

There is a direct link on the blog roll to see more details, or just click WWW.http://www.thedavidsonhouse.com/info.html

Enjoy…

 

Hospice being threatened with rate changes

Published
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gay
on April 23, 2008
in Changeologists Reflections and Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare
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The hospice Medicare benefit pays for the hospice care of terminally ill individuals and their families. The Medicare rates are being threatened. Even though healthcare has seen many reductions in reimbursement, the hospice medicare benefit is an all inclusive daily rate for everything that relates to the terminal illness. The medicare rates to date for hospice care have not kept up with inflation and cost of living over the past 25 years.  A reduction in the Medicare benefit will hurt the hospice industry tremendously.

All hospices will be affected, but especially the Non-Profit community hospices (which are the majority of hospice programs to date in the country) will find it even more difficult to keep their doors open. The philanthropic dollar, at the same time, is diminishing for many reasons. Many of the community programs rely on this philanthropic donation to cover what the medicare benefit may not. So, if Medicare reduces its funds to hospice programs, it is a double whammy for hospice revenue generation.

The future of hospice is in the hands of the legislators and what they choose to do. Those who are dying have the right to die with dignity and peace of mind. 

The Medicare benefit has also saved the national healthcare system millions of dollars, if it is reduced, healthcare costs run the risk of increasing since most hospices will not be able to provide as much care as they once did. 

Please take time to contact your legislator.  The care of the dying may be up to you.

Read more below:

To: NHPCO Membership
From: Public Policy Team
Date: April 23, 2008

Earlier this year, as part of its annual budget proposal, the Administration gave notice of a proposed rule making that would cut hospice reimbursement rates by altering the wage index adjustment (phasing out the budget neutrality factor). If implemented, such a reduction would cut hospice reimbursement by more than $2.29 billion. Hospice programs rely on Medicare for a disproportionate share of their revenues, totaling 80-85%, and given the patient population that hospice serves, this reliance on Medicare is unavoidable. Cutting rates by billions of dollars would reduce the resources available to continue providing this necessary care. Congress needs to act to block this action; otherwise, CMS can proceed without appropriate oversight and regard to the effect that such an action might have.

NHPCO has already let Congress know that acting on the Administration’s proposal would have a devastating impact on hospice care, but now we need YOU to keep the momentum going by contacting your local representatives today through the quick and easy-to-use NHPCO Legislative Action Center.

Through customizable email messages that will go directly to congressional offices, we are simply asking representatives to add their names to a letter being circulated from Congress to the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, asking him to keep the current hospice rate structure in Medicare. This is the necessary first step to preserving the hospice benefit as we know it.  Your elected representatives need to hear from you that hospice is important to your local community and that you expect them to sign on to the letter to the Secretary. We are asking you to act quickly, as CMS is expected to begin the process to change the rate structure perhaps as early as next week. 

Please take a couple of minutes out of your busy day to customize your message to your elected officials by going to the NHPCO Legislative Action Center,http://capwiz.com/nhpco/home/, and taking action today. 

Also, please forward this message to others in the hospice community who are committed to preserving hospice.  We need a ground swell!

Please contact NHPCO’s Director of Public Policy Angie Montes,amontes@nhpco.org, with any questions – and welcome Angie to the NHPCO team!

Workforce Blogs – The Business of Management

Published
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gay
on April 6, 2008
in Changeologists Reflections, Changeology for Organizational Performance and Changeology of leadership
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Workforce Blogs – The Business of Management

This blog from Workforce Magazine discusses a PR strategy of a megasize pharmaceutical company. You will read my comments, but I would like to hear from you?  When reading the blog from John Hollon, Editor of Workforce Magazine, what were your initial reactions?

 Posted 4 6 08:

Schering Plough used the term “Productivity Transformation Program” to describe a downsizing and budget reductions. The editor of Workforce Magazine provided great insight as to the insulting nature of this type ofcorporate “phraseology” to hide reality or to soften the message. But, it doesn’t work.

To me, the term “productivity transformation program” does everything management or key leadership theories are against. We preach meaning -making, we state we are transparent and authentic leaders, we pride ourselves in open communication channels. This PR strategy is not any of that.

So how does Schering Plough believe this PR strategy will enhance their image? 

Layoffs, downsizing, reducing budgets are indeed difficult on companies and the workforce in them, both those left and those leaving.  However, a straight-forward, honest, “look you in the eye” approach would be much more acceptable to the workforce and the general public this company states to serve.

It is my assumption the Community, Wall Street, Future investors, and the existing employee base will now have diminished  trust for Schering Plough’s future communication.

Strategies in times like this are not easy to state it mildly, but requires much thought and deliberation. It requires the leaders of an organization to take a courageous attempt to show their transparency and willingness to admit when a  plan’s actual outcomes are not optimal.  Instead, strategies like this, one that trys to cover up or state it as something new and innovative, is an insult to the  public by hiding behind meaningless and dishonest vernacular.

Is it possible Schering Plough does not have the culture of open disclosure and this strategy did not fall far from the vine?   They can repair this, if they choose to…however, will they believe it is important for them to do it?  I guess time will tell.

gay

A True Story: Living an Inspired Dream

Published
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gay
on March 26, 2008
in Changeologists Presents!! and Changeologists Reflections
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The True Story of the Awakening for One Person, (the love, the inspiration, the fear and the determination of one woman giving up everything she has for everything she believes in).

Janet was a flight attendant for a major airline and loved her career and all the exciting people and places it exposed her to. Through the 35 years of her career she balanced being a single mom to her beautiful daughter. Balancing work and motherhood was always a challenging art. Wanting to be home with her daughter and yet having to pack and leave for work.

Five years ago while on a trip, Janet spotted a cute shinning necklace that caught her attention and so she bought it. A week later Janet had a San Francisco layover, while in her room, she received an Inspired message. The voice she heard was clear and strong.

She believed in listening for the “still small voice inside” but this time is was different, no longer the small voice but one of power. This time she couldn’t help but sit up and pay attention.

The Voice said “use the necklace as a tool for “THE AWAKENING!” Wow, what was that suppose to mean? Then Janet was given a VISION… a young barefoot and shirtless Africian boy in the background as CNN’s camera were focused in the foreground interviewing. He was walking down the street, alone, with his small protruding belly, thin and undernourished. The camera man just happened to catch him in the frame of his camera…. Alone and yet he had the biggest smile on his face. He was wearing the necklace!! The light that, couldn’t stay hidden. This necklace of light around his neck was a radiant blue hue. It radiated this young boy’s own inner light, his true self…not the physical self the camera was portraying.

Janet remembers feeling overwhelmed and excited, scared and determined. She knew she had just received her purpose and knew in her heart she was blessed to be given this gift. After all, many never hear their purpose so clearly as she just had.

She called her best friend, Will, and told him of the situation which just happened. He was very responsive and supportive. He knew, knowing Janet’s spiritual heart, that she was on a mission.

After arriving home from her San Francisco trip, she found Will had done some research on the necklace however finding the people who made the necklace were not interested in wholesaling it to them at a reasonable price. Now what?

Here is where the Love Story begins. Will decided to make the necklace and find a manufacturer. Will or Janet knew NOTHING of this type of venture. So he studied, researched, made hundreds of phone calls… he was also determined because he believed in not just the Divine purpose…but also in Janet.

Will and Janet were best friends and opposites in many ways yet saw admirable qualities within each other; a yin and yang of sorts. They had many long discussions to decide how they would accomplish this chosen mission. They decided to form a corporation and the Trinity of the Infinite was formed. However, One small sticking point, one partner wanted on a platonic relationship” and the other partner was already committed in one -sided love relationship with now his business partner.

Two very different perspectives. With time, commitment, communication, respect, honesty, trust and a belief in the Divine mission ahead the old cliché “it takes two” was the choice. And so began their own Awakening, set on their mission of love and service to contribute to the enlightenment of the planet.

Will had a very profitable company. But in order for him to devote his full focus and energy he sold his company to give Azure Circles his full commitment. Not only did he give his time, but invested much of his revenue from the sale of his company to start producing the necklace.

Janet was the sole breadwinner for herself and her daughter and continued to work as a flight attendant. As time passed, patents, trademarks and eventually contracts were reviewed by their lawyer, costs started to mount. The costs were mounting while both Will and Janet tried to learn the manufacturing business.

Money was needed but neither of them had deep pockets. But, Janet had good credit and fully dedicated to her life’s purpose, she chose to refinance her home. As the years continued she took credit card loans in order to continue the research and development for a perfected product to fulfill her INSPIRED VISION. There were times and still are, when fear tried to overtake the Vision. Her debt kept mounting. In lieu of it all, through fear she continued to persevere because she believed the path would be cleared for her, and monies would come.

So with more credit card debt and more time passing, the company had plenty of outgoing funds but no income coming in. Friends, family and even the accountant were concerned. It was hard on the two of them. Through this time however they had become a couple instead of two partners not in balance with each other. Their dates were not lavish, but in spite of the lack of funds they had fun, they laughed, they cried, they argued and discussed the good and the bad, they got to know and love the core of each other with no false pretenses; a personal awakening for each of them.

Individually and as a couple, despite everything the two still trusted in each other’s integrity, love, honesty, commitment and believed in the divine guidance of Source to continue on their mission.

This story started in 2003 and by 2005 they had their first run prototype finished. Now more money was needed for all of those things you need to launch a new product.

As they were getting the necklace out onto the market, a friend of Will’s recommended that they show these necklaces to his very “connected” global marketing friend. A meeting was arranged in New York and it was a hit!

The new patrons loved the necklace and wanted to license and market it to WalMart and many other larger vendors. At last, Janet and Will’s first break in almost 3 years. They were very excited and began negotiating a contract for the licensing of the necklace. Of course once again, more money for lawyers was needed.

As the events unfolded, Will was sent to China to oversee the manufacturing of the necklace. A lot of time passed and still nothing was really happening. Wheels were spinning but no product and no dollars. After 5 months the contract that had been negotiated expired. This was a dark time for them, both financially as well as their hopes in what they thought was going to be the answer to all of their concerns
.
In Spring of 2006 Janet and Will took a trip Disney World with her family. As they all watched the evening parade of Lights, Janet heard Jimminy Cricket telling Pinnochico that if he believed, “the magic was within”. Wow!!! She felt another lightening bolt to her heart. Immediately she turned to Will and said “Our necklace belongs here in Disney!”

So they called their lawyer the following Monday and checked to see if Magic Within was trademarked. It was not, great news… but now more money was needed to trademark another name.

With their new idea, they called the patrons who were going to bring their earlier necklace to Wal Mart and told them of their idea. The necklace in Disney. They thought it was a fantastic idea and so another round of negotiations with lawyers about licensing the illuminated necklace to Disney began again. Exciting yes, while even more money was going out.

As exciting as the Disney opportunity was, it had nothing to do with the INSPIRED MESSAGE, (except it may have funded the true purpose). Will and Janet recognized they had been waiting on this possible venture to move THE AWAKENING forward. But, not any more.

With focused vision and shear determination a new clasp was designed. It was revolutionary in shape and after 5 years of research and development on many levels the Necklace representing THE AWAKENING was created.

Today, the necklace is ready as a vehicle to experience THE AWAKENING. Divine order has brought them to this place in time and it is the time for the debut of THE AWAKENING: NECKLACE OF LIGHT!

Will, with unselfish devotion and love for his woman has dedicated 5 years of his life to create a necklace of light for Janet, the love of his life. It is as beautiful a love story as was the Emperor Shah Jahar of India who built the Taj Mahal for the love of his life.

Will is an example of a remarkable man, who believed in a woman and her life’s purpose. He has helped orchestrate the mission to get her this far. It is now up to Janet to take her inspired mission to the awakening world of consciousness and into the universe’s vibrational harmonies .

The necklace has been created with great love, and great debt including all of Janet’s retirement fund and credit… she is broke. But she is also rich, as she describes her purpose.

Her first stop, Taking herself to the Oprah show on the April 29th taping . Why? She knows and has seen Oprah open up the consciousness of the world over the past several years. What better way to open up the newest vehicle to THE AWAKENING than to be in a space of harmony and acceptance.

Her respect and admiration and deep love for Will abounds in peace and joy as this adventure with limitless abundance and prosperity together. They are Blessed and so it is.

Verbal Abuse: the latest management strategy

Published
by
gay
on March 12, 2008
in Changeologists Recommends, Changeologists Reflections, Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare, Changeology for Organizational Performance, Changeology of business Culture, Changeology of leadership and Changeology of Organizational Learning
. 0 Comments

Blog for Workforce Management 3 12 08:  This blog was in response to Workforce Magazine’s Editor’s Blog Site:  http://www.workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/about/March 7th, 2008

Verbal Abuse as a Workforce Strategy

I’ve worked few a few screamers in my career—and for some over-the-top, intimidating bullies, too. The worst one was this short, stocky guy who used to love to stand and glare, clenched fists at his side as if he was ready to punch you. He didn’t scream much, but when he did, it was a full-on string of your typical obscenities delivered in a full-throated roar.

As a bad manager, he was the complete and total package.

All of this came back to mind as I was reading a story in the Rocky Mountain News about a former assistant for Dish Network who was dismissed from the company after six years of work and is suing “because of alleged gender discrimination and retaliation. Her claims of a hostile work environment and breach of contract were dismissed this week.” The jury trial is continuing on the remaining causes of action before a U.S. District Court in Denver.

According to the newspaper account, a “Dish Network executive screamed at his assistant Sharon Baker numerous times and in one instance called her a ‘f—— stupid b—-,’ jurors were told in the closing arguments of a federal discrimination case.

The satellite TV company failed to act on Baker’s complaints and ignored its own policies prohibiting crude behavior among managers, Thomas Arckey, one of Baker’s attorneys, told jurors. Instead, top executives routinely engaged in screaming, swearing and sexual jokes, he said. Arckey described the company’s ‘trademark’ policy as ‘hear no evil, see no evil, investigate no evil, correct no evil.’ ”

As stunning as all of that is, what’s even more amazing is the response from Dish Network. It essentially comes down to this: Yes, we were verbally abusive to her, but we didn’t discriminate because we’re verbally abusive to everyone.

 “In the company’s closing arguments, Dish Network attorney Meghan Martinez attacked Baker’s credibility, maintained there was no evidence of gender discrimination and told the jury that the case simply ‘doesn’t belong here, and you know that,’ ” according to the Rocky Mountain News story. “Martinez acknowledged that Dish Network executives, including Baker’s boss, Executive Vice President Michael Kelly, yelled and swore at times. But she said the screaming equally was ‘male to male, executive on executive,’ and that Kelly denied ever using the word ‘b—-.’ Martinez also said witness testimony showed Baker ‘uses profanity and is comfortable with it.’ ”

There you have it: verbal abuse as an accepted part of a company’s workforce management strategy. In other words, Dish Network embraces a corporate culture where it is OK to swear and verbally abuse people in the workplace, and it’s not discriminatory to do it since everyone there does it all the time.

I’ve written a lot about boorish behavior from the top boss and a workplace where sexual harassment was tolerated and ignored, but I’ve never seen one where out-and-out verbal abuse was condoned and defended at the highest levels.

I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I predict that Dish Network won’t have much legal success in defending verbal abuse as an acceptable workforce practice. It will be interesting to see how the nearly all-female Denver jury will see it.

Posted by John Hollon on March 7th, 2008 at 9:45am in Legal Issues, Motivating Employees, Corporate Culture, Management Skills | | Comments (21) | TrackBack

Workforce Blog Entry: 3.12.08 by gay, changeologists, inc.

Workplace Abuse: How does this inpact “Respectful Interaction: of trust, trustworthiness, and self-respect” and Radical Change?

 

The question I have is:  How long has “verbal abuse” been the accepted culture at Dish Network?

During the hiring process, are prospective employees made aware of the “accepted culture?” If they are, does this mean they have made a contractual agreement of accepting employment knowing they will be subjected to “workplace verbal abuse?”

Turning the page on these questions, my first thoughts are of course with the formal leadership of the organization.

How is this culture affecting productivity, systems improvement, financial performance, the ability to hire and retain good people, the ongoing engagement and commitment of employees to the vision and goals of Dish Network?

Leaders or those we place into formal leadership positions, are responsible for facilitating understanding in the organization. Karl Weick (1979) speaks of this as Sensemaking.

Formal leaders’ influencing role in Sensemaking is: 

  1.  To set the social relations that are encouraged and discouraged
  2.  To set the identities that are valued or derogated within the organization (Weick,2008). 

So, what is it saying for these Leaders, if they have encouraged the social relations of “verbal abuse?”Is the Dish Network Identity one of “little respect for the value of human interaction?”Another concept of Sensemaking for Leaders is to facilitate “Respectful Interaction: trust, trustworthiness, and self-respect” In other words, the Leadership of Dish Network and those who accept to stay in this environment may not possess self-respect. If they don’t possess it, how can they give it to others?Living within this type of environment is toxic to our humanity, both within and without the business environment.How will Dish Network’s organizational culture change even if the Leadership doesn’t intend to change it?  The article in Rocky Mountain News has possibly started a RADICAL CHANGE EVENT from an external source moving within and into the organization.

Radical events can be one large scale action through an external event or an internal event OR a series of small events occurring in rapid succession creating radical change (Plowman et al. 2008)

If Dish Network were going to change its culture, despite the formal Leadership, it will be done through employee action, one at time in a continuous process that would allow for a Radical Impact for change to occur.

So, Let’s believe on the integrity of a few folks  to encourage”Respectful Interaction” within Dish Network.

gay 

  

   

Laughter & Business : a compatible couple

Published
by
gay
on March 5, 2008
in Changeologists Presents!!, Changeologists Recommends, Changeologists Reflections, Changeology : Hospice/Healthcare, Changeology of leadership and Changeology of Organizational Learning
. 0 Comments

When we deliberately inject humor into the workplace, organizational dynamics begin to shift, cooperation is more prevelant,  innovation occurs, and there is less defensiveness and tension.

  

This article by the Director of Everything at FUNsulting provides us with great suggestions on how to intentionally add humor into our workplaces … try it,  you may like it!

Prescription for Humor10 Tips for Adding a Bolt of “Lighten”ing to the Healthcare Workplace  

  1.       Use HUMOR in communicating information through emails, memos and presentations, discharge instructions, etc.
  2.      Start all staff meetings, team meetings, nurse’s reports and case presentations with a bit of HUMOR to create a relaxed atmosphere.
  3.     Create a FUN committee to help plan parties, celebrations and recognition events for staff.
  4.     Create a HUMOR Bulletin Board in the nurse’s station or staff area where you can put funny cartoons, jokes and pictures to share with other staff.
  5. Hold a LAUGH Lunch once each month where, over lunch, staff have a chance to share jokes, stories, embarrassing patient care moments and other funny things.
  6.    Collect HUMOROUS books, tapes, and magazines to be made available to patients and their families to relieve stress.
  7.  Create a FUN Stress Relief Area for staff that includes stress balls, candy, Koosh Balls, etc.
  8. Cut out a famous person’s picture from the newspaper and put it over the photo on your name badge.
  9.  Give a FUN prize each week to the staff person who had to deal with the most difficult patient, family or colleague.
  10.   Keep a copy of LIGHTENing Bolts at your nurse’s station or staff area (See below).    

  Ron Culberson, Director of Everything! at FUNsulting, etc., is a former hospice social worker, middle manager and senior manager whose mission is to help healthcare staff and leaders achieve a new level of excellence through humor.  As a speaker, humorist, columnist and author, he shows people how to have more fun while maintaining the integrity of the work they do.  You can find out more information about Ron’s programs and services in addition to subscribing to his free printed newsletter HUMORoids by visiting www.FUNsulting.com.  

How will you use today?

Published
by
gay
on February 29, 2008
in Changeologists Reflections
. 0 Comments

It is February 29th, 2008. Every four years we are given a gift of an entire 24 hours. How will you spend today’s gift of time?    In today’s complex world, time is the most precious commodity.

I don’t know about you, but there are so many moments I waste on either trival, non important actions or spending much time on trying to control what I have no control over, instead of knowing I have done my best and the outcome is not up to me.  This is true in business as well as our personal life.

How many times at the end of the day do we reflect on how we spent our time and think,   “If only I could take back some of that time and use it differently.” Well today is that day to do what is important because we only get February 29th every four years. Here are some thoughts about what might be a good use for the gift of today:

Your work:

For today:  Come to grips with the thought “We must be the change we want in the world” (Gandi)

For today: Accept… What we say we believe is only real when others see it in action

For today… Look and acknowledge colleagues for their contributions in your office

For today… Write a note(s) saying thank you to key customers, colleagues and professional friends who make a difference in your world.

For today… Reflect on who you are in the workplace. Are you an inspiration or do you cause others perspiration?

For today… Make this the day to give thanks for your own abilities, talents and your contributions to your organization. Sometimes we forget to thank ourselves for all of our efforts… and yes, sometimes that means just showing up.

Your Personal Life:

For today… Look up! Observe what you are seeing and be grateful… for whatever it is

For today… Give a compliment to a perfect stranger

For today… Reflect on what is truly important to you and why. If you don’t know…maybe its because your not on purpose yet with your own life.

For today… Just laugh,  because life is an adventure; that also means during the times you feel there is nothing to laugh about… however, findng joy in even the smallest of things allows you to feel the light within the darkness

 Today is February 29th, 2008…  May this day be your best day yet!!