How to be brilliant

Tom Watson, the IBM boss was asked "How long does it take to become excellent?" The answer came "A minute, think"

Speed will be our huge legacy of our age, and we have to be careful that speed does not detract from our thinking ability. If you don't put some time aside for thinking, you will never find time for it.

Two things to do

1. Subscribe to

Effective Teams

The Courage Institute said that effective teams exhibit 5 strengths

1. Candor - speaking and hearing the truth
2. Purpose - pursue lofty and audacious goals
3. Will - Inspire hope, spirit and optimism
4. Rigor - Invent new knowledge and make it work
5. Risk - empower, commit, invest in relationships

5 thoughts for you to think about and how your team rate against these criteria

How to bring values alive

Values are important to any work environment. I give A4 page with each value listed down the left hand side, a column saying how my direct report should be showing those values, a column with any development and then a column to show progress.

At each fortnightly meeting we have a quick review and they discuss how they have illustrated those values.

It shows my commitment and it also keeps the values at the forefront of the teams minds.

At the team meeting we then celebrate any great ideas or accomplishments.

Focus - the key to shorter working hours

Sam Ewing said "It's not the hours you put into your work, it is the work that you put into the hours"

Successful people have the ability to focus. They know what their objectives are, how to achieve them and then get on it with it!

If you find that you are not achieving what you want to despite the long hours then take 5 minutes and look at what you have been working upon during the day. Long hours lead to a lack of focus, and tiredness. Tiredness leads you then to not be able to work to your optimum, you take more breaks - a quick gossip, a few more coffees, longer meetings etc

Focus is key so proudly on your table put your personal objectives.....then each day look at your commitments and ensure that they are achieving your objectives.

Your legacy

Last week I talked about creating a 8 word legacy....one thing to think about is each day how can you bring a little sunshine to the world.

1. Do I smile, do I smile inside so that it comes through in my voice?
2. Have I caused someone else to smile today?
3. If I am not smiling, am I doing the right job for me and my needs?
4. Am I present with people, do I give them respect by giving my 100% attention?

Trust is the Key to Relationships

Trust is a key part of life - think of how important it is in your relationship, and how difficult it is to rebuild if ever doubted.

If you went to your Doctor with a sore throat and he made a mistake on the prescription giving you laxatives would you trust that Doctor in the future? You may, but more likely you would try and see another Doctor.

That is similar to work. As a manager you promise things, promise to take action to remove roadblocks, deliver development, develop talent, communicate well etc If you don't deliver or you don't explain why.....then trust disappears. People will feel that you are not the manager that they want to work for....

So build trust..under promise and over deliver!

Perfect - see it as a warning!

If you ever feel that there is a great atmosphere, that you have reached peak performance, that there are no real issues, that morale is great...beware!!

Is it real or are you just not close enough to your customers or your employees?

Sometimes people tell us what they THINK we want to hear....when things are going well, stay on top of the issues, stay close, walk around, listen, talk, dig below issues, ask "We have made many improvements, how can we continue to drive forward?"

Be the change you want to see in the world!

The heading of this post is a quote for Ghandi and is so true!

Social change starts with individuals - so if you want to reform your team, reform your culture, reform how people interact etc then start by reforming yourself. The change will impact others around you and even if others do not change then you have helped changed the world...by changing one person!

8 Word Legacy

Over at our sister blog -The Engaging Brand - they run a podcast called The Engaging Brand which looks at motivating and inspiring people at work and they have a lovely question at the end of the interview...what do you want your 8 word legacy to be?

This is a great thought...try writing one it is difficult, but it helps to give you focus to your life.

What is yours....feel free to share one

Aim high

A quote from Somerset Maughan that I love:

Its a funny thing about life - if you refuse to accept anything but the best you very often get it

Now how true is that! We are often demotivated because we settle for things that do not give us pleasure. Settle is an awful state at work and at home. Your own self motivation needs you to dream, it needs you to set yourself a target. That target will be one very personal to you - but then live that dream by working towards it. At work if we are going to succeed then we need to aim high, don't settle for mediocre become a magnet for the extraordinary. You will achieve alot more by having high standards then settling for just OK.