Consider the following, and ask yourself how many of these dysfunctional ways of thinking you engage in:
1. Surround yourself with people who think like you. Then no one will criticize you.
2. Don’t question your relationships. You then can avoid dealing with problems within them.
3. If critiqued by a friend or lover, look sad and dejected and say, “I thought you were my friend!” or “I thought you loved me!”
4. When you do something unreasonable, always be ready with an excuse. h en you won’t have to take responsibility. If you can’t think of an excuse, look sorry and say, “I can’t help how I am!”
5. Focus on the negative side of life. h en you can make yourself miserable and blame it on others.
6. Blame others for your mistakes. h en you won’t have to feel responsible for your mistakes. Nor will you have to do anything about them.
7. Verbally attack those who criticize you. h en you don’t have to bother listening to what they say.
8. Go along with the groups you are in. h en you won’t have to figure out anything for yourself.
9. Act out when you don’t get what you want. If questioned, look indignant and say, “I’m just an emotional person. At least I don’t keep my feelings bottled up!”
10. Focus on getting what you want. If questioned, say, “If I don’t look out for number one, who will?”

As you can see, this list would be almost laughable if these irrational ways of thinking didn’t lead to problems in life. But they do. And often. Only when you are faced with the absurdity of dysfunctional or even pathological thinking and can see it at work in your life do you have a chance to alter it.

When you manage salaried knowledge workers, you should almost never have rigid clock-in/clock-out times unless there is a coverage issue in relation to serving customers (e.g., maintaining adequate help desk coverage during call hours). Instead, set clear goals that you know should take your employees about 40 hours/week to accomplish. Require that they show up on time for important meetings and are available during the team’s general working hours. Provide them with the tools to access their work remotely, when needed. Then let them manage their own time. This sends the message that you trust your employees. If you’ve got people you don’t trust, that’s another issue. Manage them up until you do trust them or manage them out to their next opportunity.

#2: Align people with the stuff they are good at

Make sure you have the right people in the right seats. This is especially true if you take over the management of a team that is already in place. Take stock of all the talents you have on the team and reshuffle the deck if it means that your team has a better chance of success. Don’t keep someone in a job role just because they’ve been doing it for long time if you truly think their talents are better suited and could make a bigger contribution in another role. Employees might be reluctant to move in a case like this, so you may need to work hard to convince them that the change is in their best interest, as well as the best interest of the company.

#3: Align people with the projects they are passionate about

Another part of getting people in the right seats is finding what your employees are genuinely passionate about and seeing if they are ways to align them with job roles that let them channel some of that passion. Occasionally, that can mean putting someone in an area where they don’t have much experience. But if their previous work history makes you think they can succeed in that role, it’s usually worth it because their passion will fuel a strong desire to learn and grow. Once they’re up to speed, that passion can become a strong driver of innovation and growth.

#4: Put your best performers on your biggest opportunities

When you have a big opportunity that could propel your organization forward, you need to step back and think about who is the best person to lead the charge. In addition to finding someone who has the talent for the work involved or who has a passion for the subject matter, you need to look at who has a track record of success. Big opportunities come around only once in a while, and they can be lost. So even if it means taking someone off something important, you should always put your best performers on your biggest opportunities.

#5: Find the balance between aggressive and realistic goals

Create a culture of performance by setting aggressive goals and holding your employees accountable for regularly reporting on their progress. However, the goals can’t be so aggressive that your employees quickly fall behind and feel like they can never realistically achieve them. Otherwise, they will quit stretching to reach the goals. That means that you have to regularly re-evaluate the goals (at least on a quarterly basis) to decide whether they need to be scaled down or scaled up.

#6: Trust your people — and let them know it

Knowledge workers typically have jobs that require creative solutions and decision-making. They need to stay sharp mentally to achieve top performance. The onus is on management to create an atmosphere that fosters and encourages that kind of creativity. One of the best things you can do is to let your employees know that you trust them and that you have faith in their ability to do the job, solve the problem, and/or meet the deadline. If you don’t trust them, again, you need to manage them up or manage them out.

#7: Avoid blame (a.k.a. throwing people under the bus)

In any business (or organizational enterprise), there are going to be times when you fail, and there will be things that simply don’t pan out the way you had hoped. Do a post-mortem (even if it’s informal) to figure out what went wrong and learn from it. If there were egregious errors made by individuals, deal with them privately. If necessary, let the person know your expectations for how this should be handled in the future. Don’t publicly blame individuals — either directly or indirectly — in meetings or team e-mails. If you do, you risk creating an atmosphere in which people are so afraid to make mistakes that they don’t spend enough time doing the proactive and creative work necessary to avoid future problems — or more important, to drive new innovations.

#8: Foster innovation by killing projects the right way

Another important part of fostering innovation is knowing how to kill projects effectively and gracefully. There are times when failed initiatives will expose the weaknesses of certain employees, but there are plenty of times when you have good employees working on projects that simply don’t pan out. Figuring out the difference between those two scenarios is part of becoming a good manager. If it’s a good person on a bad project, the person who was running the project isn’t any less talented because the project didn’t materialize. So make sure you use the project as a learning experience and reassign the person to something new without excessive hand-wringing. Otherwise, you will make your employees overly risk-averse, and they will be reluctant to jump into the next big project or to make bold moves when managing the project. That type of atmosphere can quickly stifle progress.

#9: Don’t provide all the answers — make your employees think

You are the manager. You are the leader. That does not mean that you have a monopoly on all of the good ideas. If your employees are hesitant to make decisions without asking your opinion first, you haven’t properly empowered them. If your employees aren’t making enough of their own decisions, you should change your tactics. When they present you with information and ask what to do about a situation, push the ball back into their court and ask them, “What do you think?” They might be surprised at first, but after you do that several times, they’ll start thinking it through before they come to you so that they’re fully prepared to discuss the matter and make a recommendation. That’s a good thing, because they’re usually closer to the customer and more familiar with the details of the work. You need their opinions. And you need them to make some of their own decisions.

#10: Build consensus by letting people know “why”

One of your key responsibilities in management is communicating about new initiatives and strategy changes. The worst thing you can do is surprise your staff members with a fully formed idea about a new way to do something that will drastically alter their day-to-day work. When you spring it on them, people will naturally be defensive and skeptical. Whenever possible, give people an informal heads-up that a change is coming and let them know some of the reasoning involved. They will be glad you kept them in the loop. If they don’t agree with the reasoning, they can express their dissent. They might even bring up a caveat or a gotcha that should be considered before the final plan is solidified. An even better course of action is to have a brainstorming session with your team when you are still formulating a new idea or strategy change, so you can gather their ideas and feedback. You may sometimes have to spring something on your team, but make sure that you limit those occasions. Even then, take the time to let them know the reasoning behind the decision.

Resource: Techrepublic.com

Play this on and see what level you reach.

Enjoy!!! & All the Best

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In simple words, before starting anything, you must being with the end in mind – developing a clear picture of where you want to go in life and drawing up a map to get there.

Often we set goals when we are in mood, but later realise that we do not have the strength to achieve them. This is because we don’t count the cost associated with it. Here’s a simple example: Every year, you plan to get better marks in the coming exams. But before setting the goal, you need to consider what this will entail. Perhaps you will have to spend more time studying, waking up early and staying up late, watching less TV etc.

Once you’ve counted the costs, you may consider the benefits: What could good marks bring to you? A feeling of accomplishment? Entry into a good college? High self esteem? Praise?

Now ask yourself, “Am I willing to make the sacrifice?” if not, then don’t do it. Don’t make commitments you know you will break. A better way is to make the goal bite-sized. Instead of setting a goal for getting better marks in all subjects, you might want to get good marks in just two. In next semester, focus on the other two subjects.

Here is another exercise: On a sheet of paper, write down how much you would like to score in your exams. Then think about the percentage you got in your last exam, and compare that to how much you would like to score in you coming exams as well as the one after that and so on, till the final goal is reached. Now look at the your first sub goal and next to it, make two columns: In the first column, note the cost you have to bear to reach that goal. Then think about the potential benefits you may enjoy on reaching that goal. Now, truthfully answer the question, “Do I want to achieve this goal?” Write it down!

The difference between a goal and a dream is the written word. A goal not written is only a wish. A written goal carries ten times the power. We all want to achieve certain things in life and even work hard for it. But once you actually write it down in black and white, you know exactly what to do and how. Writing forces you to be specific.

Once we are fully committed to doing a task or reaching a goal, our power to reach it increases. It seems to dig up goldmines of willpower, skill and reactivity, which we didn’t even know we possessed. Of course this commitment must come with within and shouldn’t be imposed by others.

Try to encircle the cat, without letting it get out! Start by clicking on the image then on the light green dots to try to trap it with dark green dots. Not easy, it’s a smart cat.

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Of course, being wrong is a risk. People worry about suggesting stupid ideas because of what others will think. You will have been in meetings where new thinking has been called for, at your original suggestion.

Instead of saying, ‘That’s the kind of suggestion that leads us to a novel solution’, the room goes quiet, they look up to the ceiling, roll their eyes and return to the discussion.

Risks are a measure of people. People who won’t take them are trying to preserve what they have. People who do take them often end up by having more. Some risks have a future, and some people call them wrong. But being right may be like walking backwards proving where you’ve been. Being wrong isn’t in the future, or in the past. Being wrong isn’t anywhere but being here. Best place to be, eh?

* Learn to paint a picture with words. Speak it, write it, draw it, touch it. Whatever methods you can use to create a picture, do it. As they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
* Ask each of the other managers in your company to tell you, in their own words, about the vision of the company. How close is it to what you thought they understood? Is your team on the same page as you?
* As you work, your company’s vision should be in your mind every day, and you should reevaluate it occasionally so that it stays current with the changing times in which we live. And remember, your staff needs to be just as involved as you in keeping it up to date if you truly want them to buy in on the vision. Be sure to keep your key players involved.

Key Trait #2: You must have passion. Your employees want passion; in fact, they’ll go to the ends of earth because of it, live and die for it. Think of the sailors who traveled with Christopher Columbus or Leif Ericsson to explore uncharted territory. Their leaders’ passion inspired them to take on new and very dangerous challenges.

To build an extraordinary management team, you’ve got to light the “fire in their bellies,” to get them to feel passion about the company and connect to the leader’s vision. Passion is such a key part of being a great leader that if you don’t have it, you simply can’t be a great leader. Think of all the great leaders throughout the ages and try to name one that did not have passion.

And passion is infectious: When you talk about your vision for the company, let your passion for your vision shine through. Others will feel it and want to get on board with you. If you don’t have passion for your vision, you need to recreate your vision or reframe your description of your vision so it’s connected to your passion.

Key Trait #3: You must learn to be a great decision maker. How are major decisions made in your company? What is your process for making them? For instance, do you talk to your management team and create a list of pros and cons to help you make the best decision? Maybe you conduct a cost analysis. Or do you create a timeline for the implementation strategy, process and timing?

Some leaders have a set process, and others fly by the seat of their pants. But you don’t want to be one of those leaders who consults no one before making a decision, announces the change the next day and then gets frustrated when no one follows it. If you’re one of those, I urge you to implement a set process.

In fact, here’s a system you can use to become a better decision maker. It’s called the Q-CAT:

* Q = Quick. Be quick but not hasty.
* C = Committed. Be committed to your decision but not rigid.
* A = Analytical. Be analytical, but don’t over-analyze (Too much analysis can cause paralysis.)
* T = Thoughtful. Be thoughtful about all concerned, but don’t be obsessive.

When you use the Q-CAT, it’ll help you to decide when to bring others into the process and what steps need to be taken to help you make better decisions.

Key Trait #4: You must be a team builder. To become a great leader, you must develop a great team or, one might say, a well-oiled machine. But how do you do that? You can start by handing off responsibility to your team and letting your team to run with it. Don’t breathe down their necks and don’t micromanage, but make yourself available if questions or problems come up. Teach your team to use the Q-CAT decision-making system and give them the freedom to work through their own decisions.

When projects aren’t on track or your team is falling behind on deadline, it serves no one if you start pointing fingers. This is when you need to rise to the occasion and inspire confidence in your employees, to let them know you support them and ready to help. Be ready to alter plans and make new ones. Don’t forget to use humor to keep your team’s spirits up during a crisis. When an emergency hits, your team will look to you to be a tower of strength and endurance.

Key Trait #5: You must have character. Without character, all the other “keys” are for naught. That’s because your innate character strengths and limitations play a critical role in your leadership style. The real question is, are you aware of just what role they play? All great leaders have taken steps to learn about their individual personality and what part it plays in their leadership style.

So what’s your leadership style? If you don’t know, there are many leadership style assessments available on the market. Two popular ones that have been around for many years are the Myers-Briggs assessmentand the “360-Degree Feedback” model. There are dozens of other to choose from–the important part is that you “Just do it,” as the Nike ad would say, and see how you rate. It’s a good way to do a “character check” on yourself and your leadership skills.

Then, once you’ve done the assessment, the question to ask yourself is, do you feel your character matches what the assessments are pointing out to you?

If you feel the traits don’t match who you think you are, then look a little deeper and be honest with yourself. Sometimes our first response is defensive. You might want to assess yourself with a different type of profile and then compare the results. Within the 360 Degree Feedback model, there’s an opportunity to see how your employees and peers view you, too. In learning to be a great leader, the first step is to be open to feedback about yourself as a leader and separate it from you the person.

So are you a great leader? Or do you have the desire to become one? Remember, a great leader is someone who has a clear vision and can turn that vision into a vivid picture that others can see. When you speak about your vision, it should be with a passion you feel in your heart, a passion that creates so much enthusiasm that your team will want to jump on board. When major decisions need to be made, you should encourage everyone to use the Q-CAT system and be responsible for his or her own actions. And you should be continually assessing your own character and never stop growing, personally or professionally.

If you can apply the five keys to great leadership, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a great leader surrounded by great employees!

But not everybody is fortunate enough to be able to work for the outfit that is currently flavoured. So, given that not everyone in your company is an idiot, what are you personally going to do to make it company of the year?

Start by taking it up. Begin thinking and behaving like a winner. It will stop the rot. It will temporarily halt negative thinking and a defeatist attitude. If you find people talking it down, take issue with them, tell others about them. If it persists, get them fired or, fight somebody for talking disparagingly about the company you work for. People will soon get the idea.

Don’t expect top management to lead the way. They are too busy running the company. Decide you are going to make the company great; at least decide you are going to make the difference. Observe that the organization’s reputation is usually built on one or two key accounts. Then pick the ground on which to make your assault.

Realize that companies’ reputations are also built on one or two people. Aim to be that person or one of them. You are halfway there. You have made the decision to do it. Now all you have is your wits, your talent, and your guts.

You are on your own. Just do it. Better.

Set up numbered paper plates in the following pattern on the floor or take a printout of this pattern and pass it to each team.

The rules of this exercise are:

1. The exercise is completed when all plates are touched in numerical order.
2. If any plate is touched out of order, then the participants must begin again at one.
3. Only one plate can be touched at a time.
4. Coaching from the team is encouraged.
5. The exercise will be timed.

Solutions:

1. Pattern: After a few times through the exercise, this pattern will begin to develop.

9	41	33	29	1		10	42	34	30	2
49	17	13	21	53		50	18	14	22	54
5	25	37	45	57		6	26	38	46	58
12	44	36	32	4		11	43	35	31	3
52	20	16	24	56		51	19	15	23	55
8	28	40	48	60		7	27	39	47	59

2. Rearrange Plates: Creative teams may decide to rearrange the plate into an easier order. As the facilitator, you must tell them to restart the exercise every time they touch a plate out of order. Teams really thinking outside the box will ignore this distraction and continue putting plates in an easier order.

3. Other solutions your team may invent.

With respect to your workplace, ‘risk’ can be defined as a threat of getting into an unsuitable job, lack of job satisfaction, delayed growth or sometimes unwarranted diversion from reaching goals set in your career.

No Risk No Gain

Without taking risks one cannot ascend the corporate ladder. If you want to grow and excel in your career, you have to take risk, and there is simply no other way. Remember that once you get into the comfort zone, it is definite that you will stop growing.

When to take risk?

With some risks, the “smartness factor” is inherent and obvious. But for all those other risks, from the tiny ‘risking a new way to respond to the colleagues snide comments’ to the major ‘changing careers,’ knowing whether or not the risk is good one can be confusing. Knowing how to take a calculated risk to get ahead is a skill we all need to have and it starts, to our utter surprise, with knowing what we want. If we know that, half our battle is won. Smart risk taking means accepting that you might fall, but at the same time knowing that there is a fair chance for you to succeed too. It is also important to know why you are taking the risk and what your end goal is. “Risks are rally worth taking if they are likely to have a significant and major impact on your business.”

Calculated risks

If you intend to be a path-breaker, do your homework and make sure you have mastered the required skills. Prepare as much as possible for your chosen career avenue, discuss with those you think can guide you. Don’t burden yourself with financial liabilities without ensuring that your venture has market acceptance. There is no fear if you are the best.

Backup plan

Risk should be calculated and there should always be a backup plan ready in case the first one fails. Detail what negatives could result fromt he risk. If any of those should happen, what would you do? Do not put all your eggs in one basket. What separates achievers from ordinary people is their willingness to take optional as well as necessary risks.

Expert speak

Risk taking is not for everyone and it depends on the personality of the person. Often creative people who think out of the box are the one who take risks.

Successful Risk Taking

• Be positive and self confident in your outlook.
• Do your homework well; know your abilities and strengths.
• Weigh your pros and cons when taking risk.
• Do not put all the eggs in one basket.
• Keep a backup plan.
• Challenge yourself to be all you can be, more so than you’re ever been.