7 Habits of Highly Effective People |
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This is one of Steven Covey’s foundational books on how to be effective and productive. There are many great tips and strategies in this book. One of the most common is the 4 box grid which helps identify the important vs. urgent. In our society today it is almost unavoidable to NOT get swept up in the urgent, reacting to all the things that pop up around us and demand our time. If you do not deal with the important eventually everything becomes urgent and a crisis.
You have a choice every day. Will your day run you or will you run your day? Will you live in the urgent or important? The feelings of unproductivity, insanity and chaos occur when you constantly live in the urgent. To shift and balance urgent with important and actually RUN your day, you must have a clear handle on what is important and know how to handle the urgent things that come up so they do not derail you from accomplishing the important. Check out this book to master your skills. |
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Eat that Frog! |
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With the new year just around the corner, there are all kinds of intentions floating around. But, be it the cold weather or the less than pleasant tasks involved, procrastination quickly sets in and our resolutions are tucked away, never to become a reality. If you’re ready to take on your resolutions with intention this year, Brian Tracy’s “Eat the Frog!” is the book for you. In his powerful book on overcoming procrastination, Tracy shares 21 ways to organize, prioritize, and move ahead with any project! If this is the year that you’re serious about your resolutions, I highly recommend that you “eat your frog!” |
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A great quick-read to inspire and motivate. Based on the story of a fish market in Seattle, “FISH” offers wisdom for everyday living. The book focuses on four key concepts:
These 4 simple lessons help to teach how you can have more power over your environment and improve the working relationships you have. Whether you are looking to build a team or just have day-to-day peace, learning how to apply these easy principles will give you a life that is more enjoyable and has better results. A fun story that is short to read makes this book entertaining and educational. A classic book for your library. |
The Power of Full Engagement
In the book,
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, a new paradigm for time management is presented. The premise focuses on encouraging people to leverage their energy rather than time. We have all known for years, you cannot get more time, no matter what you do you only get 24 hours a day. Loehr says, “The ultimate measure of our lives is not how much time we spend on the planet, but rather how much energy we invest in the time we have.” Focusing on the concept of harnessing your energy to be in FULL ENGAGEMENT will help you to empty your plate and get what you need to accomplish done. A few tips the book emphasizes are:
· Manage your energy, not your time
· Downtime is key for your success
· Rituals help to maintain focus
· Purpose fuels performance
· Work in sprints (small bursts of focused energy)
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MONDAY MORNING LEADERSHIP |
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This is a great book that can be read in one sitting and then re-read over the course of 8 days or 8 weeks. Phenomenal MUST read. It includes 8 easy to digest mentoring sessions that David had sitting at the feet of a business master. Each chapter/session includes great reminders for every business person to remember and integrate into how they work personally and with others. Whether through work, volunteerism, family or elsewhere, these timeless tips are motivational and applicable for every person. One of the sessions is on time management; he talks about many things we have shared before and also some new tips. One key statement I found motivational and true was from p. 63 “I’ve never found anyone who had two or three hours a day they could save by doing one thing better. But, I have seen many people find an hour or two a day they could use better by doing a few things differently.” If you want to make better use of your time, you need to be looking for the small increments of time… a minute here, five minutes there, etc. Add them all up and you’ll create more time for you to use.” There is much more. Get the book for your library! |
Now, Discover Your Strengths
In their new book, “Now, Discover Your Strengths,” authors Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton suggest that we tend to focus on what needs to be “fixed” with ourselves. Then, they demonstrate how fluid and successful life is when we set aside our shortcomings and truly leverage our own strengths. The book illustrates how knowing your personal strengths, and recognizing the strengths of those around you, can help you build a dynamic and successful organization, network, or team.
An even bigger BONUS is that you get a personal code for an online survey that identifies YOUR “top- five inborn talents”! This benefit is worth every penny you spend on the book! Identifying your top 5 strengths will change the way you look at life. This assessment is unique from the many other assessments out there (i.e. Myers-Briggs, DISC, etc.). With the “strengths” information in hand, you will be able to apply the theories presented in the book on a day-to-day basis.
I HIGHLY recommend this book: it is a refreshing concept that moves you forward by focusing on the positive and teaching you how to maximize your full potential!
Influencer
The content of this book makes it an important read. I will say I did not find this book the easiest to read; for me it feels pretty “academic”. However, it is a good book because it is packed with examples of how to understand human behavior and how to act differently to get better results. It talks about emotional intelligence and how our brain works, building social capitol (support and people around you), motivators of people (positive motivation last longer than negative), designing environments to influence the way you want to be, habits for effectiveness, etc. It gives a high level on many areas that are important for being a positive, successful, productive person who is able to impact others and make a difference. To me it pushes the higher level of leadership that is only achieved with intention, focus and discipline. It challenges even the natural leader to consider how they operate and ways to take their leadership / influence to the next level.
Rhinoceros Success
Rhinoceros Success
Remember back in January when you laid out your plans for the New Year? How are those plans coming? Ask yourself honestly, “How am I doing? What have I been able to do and what have I been procrastinating on?” There are several great books on this topic that offer tips and thoughts to keep you in motion. One you might enjoy: Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander.1 This is a funny, short and easy-to-read book that will inspire any action-oriented person to get moving! Scott Alexander has a creative approach to get you ready to charge forward into action!
The author makes the premise that there are two kinds of people in the world, “Cows” and “Rhinos.” You get to choose which one you’d like to be.
The fact that you are reading this article suggests that you are already rhino material! Rhinos are the people who charge ahead and don’t let things get them down. They get things done and see the possibilities even in adverse circumstances. Obstacles are merely hurdles to break through, not road blocks that immobilize. Now realistically, every rhino is going to have some “cow” days; the trick is to be a cow as little as possible, because rhinos simply get more done and are more successful. Cows have a different purpose altogether and are OK with mediocre, “good enough” and settling for living in fenced-in pastures, chewing their cud. I am not going to focus on cows, because the rhino is the one who is making things happen and moving forward through the jungle of life!
Strategies for living your purpose and expanding your awareness for life, people and the opportunities of each day
Rhino Mind-set:
- Positive Self-Talk. Scott Alexander talks about reading a focus statement daily. He suggests: “I am a rhinoceros. I have a damn-the-torpedoes spirit! I am full of energy and I can’t wait to get up in the morning to start charging!” Now, write your big picture goal and get moving!
- Expect Torpedoes. These are the obstacles and negative things that inevitably discourage, distract or serve to get you off track. Expect them and commit to not letting them knock you over. Develop a tough, thick skin so you can keep charging. These are traits like confidence, endurance, discipline, focus, and determination.
Rhino Behavior:
- Action is essential. Pick the most important thing you need to get done each day and do it first, before the smaller and more seductive things (e.g., checking e-mail, cleaning, personal calls, coffee breaks). Also, write the four other key things you need to get done each day, and focus on doing those. Make it your goal to accomplish these five key items every day.
- CHARGE! Rhinos are in the business of “charging” forward. They have a target in mind (the goal) and are focused and going for it. Since you have already developed your plan, you can be confident in your charge. Go for the next step and get it done. Success happens one step at a time, whether the goal is large or small. Whatever you do, do something, stay in action and keep moving forward.
1 (Laguna Hills, CA: Rhino Press, 1980)
I am excited to share with you this e-book, Ordinary People Can Achieve Their Lofty Goals. I am honored to be personally featured with some of the greatest minds of our day. This e-book compiles articles from over 50 leaders through tips, recommendations and strategies to help you succeed. The chapter I contributed is: “Five Steps to Accomplish Your Goals.”
Experts including, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Chris Widener, Michael Angier, Tony Alessandra and 50 others from the top of the personal development field have contributed their encouragement to help you live the life you want and finally achieve your lofty goals.
Reader, Eric Garner comments, “I’ve just read ‘Ordinary People Can Achieve Their Lofty Goals’ for the 3rd time in 3 days. The first time, I only got to page 10 before I felt so inspired that I had to stop and finish off some work on some goals I’d let slip. The second time, I just couldn’t put the book down. I read and re-read the articles and learned so much. What an amazing collection. So profound and uplifting. The third time, I decided to cancel everything else and devote a couple of hours to the book and read them all through. It’s like a Masterclass in Motivation. My mood lifted so much, I felt so inspired at the end. It’s definitely going to be a book I’m going to come back to again and again. Brilliant concept, brilliant execution, brilliant results. Thanks.”
The challenge of staying organized through busy workdays and life is a trial for even the best. There are TONS of books on organization strategies out there with many tips and tricks on how to master chaos and achieve a sense of order in your environment. The challenge is many are filled with concepts to adapt and are more philosophical with prescribed action versus a handbook with steps of HOW to get organized. I found this book, Exploring Productivity… , and like it for its “idiots guide” type approach, making it easy to pick and address an issue versus reading a whole book and feeling overwhelmed with evaluating how you might transform your whole system of operation (which if it gets overwhelming, you will not take any steps to change.) This is a great book to have on the self, easy to read and excellent to reference so that you can address and overcome whatever organizational challenge you may be having THIS week.
Your environment can either support your endeavors or drain your energy. One part of your environment is all of the “stuff” that is around you and this is the book, Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui, that will help you get a handle on that “stuff!” If you are a hoarder, this book will help you determine both why you like to have clutter around and how to deal with it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to streamline their environment and free up energy for the more important aspects of life.
This book, The Anatomy of Peace, was recommended to me to explore the challenge of dealing with letting go of “identity” that is ego driven (meaning you have to cling to your identity to feel good about yourself – which is really not very healthy). It is a fascinating read…you are drawn into a “class” taught by two master teachers working with a group of parents who have just delivered their rebellious teens to a wilderness camp in hopes of life-changing behavior modification for their kids. The days the parents spend with the leaders help them realize that they are a part of the dynamics and problem. The master leaders help them to understand what is happening and how convoluted perspectives can get over time, as we feel entitled, victimized, etc. They assert that as time passes, we may become unable to face our true faults. We justify our thoughts and actions, seeking blame and scapegoating in an effort to keep ourselves ‘right.’ This cycle is an on-going mess provoking the problems we are trying to solve. It happens everywhere: home, work, relationships, etc.
This book is also written more directly for those in business under the title Leadership and Self-Deception. Either book is a ‘must read.’ And if you are thinking “I don’t have that problem,” you definitely should read it.
This book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, has been around for a while and is still a good read. Jeffers says it well and in an “everyday” way. It is excellent to read for basic psychology of things that hold us back and how you can move forward in spite of it all. Jeffers helps to understand and label the fear and see it differently so we can move past it.
As a past counselor, I know that phobias and anything that we start to avoid because of a fear or for whatever reason, are the things that start to create psychological baggage as we spend our energy avoiding things rather than working through them. Anything that you find yourself intentionally not doing that is “normal” for most of the world, stop and look at the fear and how it can be getting in your way (not talking about addictions and non-beneficial activities).
This excellent read will serve you in both your personal and professional life. We all have fears; they just show up at different levels and in different ways. Empower yourself to find your fears and move beyond them so you can perform at your peak potential!
This book, Wild Woman’s Guide to Etiquette, is written by a phenomenal author. She not only writes in a way that is easy to read and understand, but the material includes everyday tidbits everyone needs to know. It is a practical, easy and entertaining read. I would encourage every high school or college student to read it before they go into the professional work world. While I have been in the business world for over 10 years, I bought it to sharpen my business acumen and would recommend it to any business professional. In our culture today we have gotten lax on many etiquette details; this book is a great refresher for what you know and a fascinating read for things you thought you knew or “should” know, but never quite realized or applied.
Your environment can either support your endeavors or drain your energy. One part of your environment is all of the “stuff” that is around you and this is the book that will help you get a handle on that “stuff!” If you are a hoarder, this book, Time Management for the Creative Person, will help you determine both why you like to have clutter around and how to deal with it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to streamline their environment and free up energy for the more important aspects of life.
The Journey From Comfort to Possibility written by a friend of mine, who shares the same energy and passion for life, author, Stephanie Zizzo, wrote this workbook to help people move from stuck, ideas and dreams to making them a reality. Written in a manner that is easy to follow and step by step, it is filled with exercises, questions and action steps to keep you focused. This workbook is designed for those of you who are ready to discover yourself, clarify your direction in life, uncover what holds you back from living the life of your dreams and begin venturing out of your comfort zone to experience new possibilities.
The other concept that is naturally developed when you talk about process, is ROLES. This book helps to clarify and identify key roles and players on a business team, especially that of the business owner. Often a business owner is a visionary (idea person/leader) OR an integrator (implementer). This book helps to define the roles and how to make sure all tasks are covered and being addressed. A key part of addressing process and roles is uncovering areas of the business (i.e. marketing, finances, etc.) that are not being approached strategically and then redesigning and aligning them so they are proactive and effective pieces that support the direction and success of the company. While many elements in this book are well known by business owners, this book is an excellent road map to put all the pieces together and in perspective. I love this book as a tool to support business owners to understand, see and sync everyday business concepts in a way that will get your business some true TRACTION.
