Monthly Archives: March 2012

Mar 19
0

Tips to develop success traits

By | Managing Strengths, Motivation, Productivity | No Comments

success-aheadLast time, I wrote about the characteristics of successful people; but how can you develop your own success traits?

Read on!

Tips to develop success traits
  • Having an optimistic view on life and focusing on the positives is hugely helpful. Do you view everything as an opportunity?
  • High levels of confidence and self belief are essential. What situations do you feel confident in and how can you find more of these?
  • Keeping a diary of successes each day or success tracking is a helpful habit. By the end of a week and then a fortnight and after a month imagine how many small things you will have achieved that all contribute towards the end goal.
  • Persevere when it’s tough and remind yourself of the benefits.
  • Passion, use it to propel you forward. Would you do this even if you were not paid?
  • Play to your strengths: know what they are and use them. What talents are you known for?
  • Ask for help: be it financial, time, support, a pair of hands, or feedback – whatever it takes.
  • Take calculated risks and avoid rash emotional reactions. Make time to think logically, be creative about the options available to you and then listen to your gut instinct.
  • Learn from mistakes, don’t dwell on them as you cannot turn back the clock.
  • Find role models to speak to and learn from. Buy them a coffee and listen to their experience.
  • Go public on your goal and action plan if that will motivate you not to lose face.
  • Look after yourself. A workaholic, knackered and out of shape is no good to anyone.
  • Have a balance between enjoying the present and planning for the future.
  • Plan in breaks, treats and rewards at intervals to look forward to.

Is there anything else you could do to be more successful?  If you want help with reading the signs, get in touch!   

Mar 05
0

The traits and habits of successful people

By | Managing Strengths, Motivation, Productivity | One Comment

success/failure signpostThis time I  focus on the traits and habits of successful people. So how is that relevant to you? Well there may be some areas where you want to sharpen up your act and here are some ideas of what to do! The material for this comes from working with a number of clients over the years and seeing what really works. Books are useful to find out what the gurus say but what really works in practice is what is talked about here.

What is success?

“People do not wander about and find themselves at the top of Mount Everest.”  Zig Ziglar

Firstly, determine what it is you really want. What is your vision of success? Next list all the benefits. Leave your ideas and come back to them after some reflection. Use your intuition. Ask yourself “what is important to me at work and in life?” Other than materialistic goals research shows that most people want to be valued and have their efforts recognised. Really think hard about what the cost of this success will be for you. The effort, time, money, energy-are they worth it? What is the price of success or failure? Does the thought of failure even stop you dreaming of what you would like?

Does motivation matter?

Motivation is a key tool to achieve what you desire – so be in charge of your motivation and tap into it rather than letting it be in control of you. Motivation takes us to the pinnacle of success but can take us to a low point – the enemy within. Be realistic about what you can achieve in what time frame. Think about your key drivers or values as these are the core source of your fulfilment and satisfaction. Ask yourself what will happen if I don’t achieve this? Are the consequences serious if you don’t make this happen?

Success strategy into action

Having focused on what you want (your vision) and written it down, plan in detail how to achieve it. Think of this as the architect’s drawing and the builder’s plans. Be aware of goal conflict when you have two goals in direct competition. For example, “I want to go to the gym after work and get fit” versus “I have had a long and tiring day at work and want to comfort myself by going straight home, raiding the larder and watching junk TV.” Prepare for the easier temptation by taking a healthy snack and only watching targeted TV later! Each day start with your to do list and focus on the important not just the urgent. Consider what is time well spent? Prepare ahead for obstacles and things going wrong and build in a plan b. Concentrate on one task at a time and complete it, allowing for the fact that there are distractions and interruptions.

To sum up; success doesn’t just happen, it needs a plan and action but not at any cost.

If you need help with planning your success, get in touch.

Mar 01
0

How can Emotional Intelligence Help You?

By | Career, Leadership | No Comments

EQ and IQ as an icebergI have written before about identifying how Emotional Intelligence (EI) can help in your current role.

It also applies to other aspects of your professional life including career management, team work, working with customers/suppliers and leadership roles.

EI & leadership

“The fundamental task of leaders is to prime good feeling in those they lead” says Goleman. Great leadership works through emotions not just strategy, vision and powerful ideas. Success depends on ‘how’ they do it. In my experience this is certainly true for managing change.

EI and personal success

How does this EI approach apply outside of work? What relationships might you have outside of work where this could apply?

Family, parent, daughter, son, partner, friend, neighbour, community, schools, clubs, societies, church etc. Are these worth investing some thinking time and action to improve and develop?

The 4 minute rule story

I want to finish off by telling you a great story I heard on the radio.

Steve McDermott, a motivational speaker, asks how do people regard you? Do they want to see you or see the back of you? He suggests the following way of looking at yourself: 10 minutes before you are about to arrive at work or at home ask yourself:

  • How would the best Salesman/Manager/etc act when they arrive at the office?
  • How would the best Mum/Dad in the world act when s/he arrives home?

You only have to act this out for 4 minutes before the people you are mixing with will react to you positively, which fuels you to continue and so on without having to try. Tap into your emotion, use your energy, think of some things to say and do, and listen for just 4 minutes and make someone’s day.

I rather like this way of summing up what EI is all about: “All the knowledge and skills in the world are no use without the right attitudes and good habits.”

How can you use EI to be more successful?