by Nancy J. Lewis, MS, SHRM-CP, PHR, RCC Today more than ever before we have to determine life as an exclamation point and not a period and making the most of everyday. This begins with understanding the triple "P" effect.
The first "P" begins with having a Passion for life and for things that bring you joy. Passion causes you to wake up in the morning excited about the day ahead as you have an expectancy about what God will do in your life. Passion is the fuel that leads to the second "P" which is your Purpose. Purpose is the thing you do that you are willing to do for free. Do not misunderstand that I stated you are willing to do it for free; but, you must use wisdom about when and how often you do it for free. Purpose allows you to go forward regardless of what you might face. Purpose creates the pathway for you to walk in your destiny. Purpose is getting up excited everyday because you are fulfilling your calling in life. The last "P" is about Positioning. When your passion and purpose connect; it provides the gateway for you to position yourself for success because you have all the necessary elements to propel you to greatness.
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by Nancy J. Lewis, MS, SHRM-CP, PHR, RCC Intentional networking is critical to your business and career success. You may feel you are a great networker, but do you really connect with those you meet at events? Whether you meet one or ten individuals; ask yourself, how many people did you really connect with and will have conversations beyond the event? Consider the following three strategies when you go out to your next networking event.
1. Have a plan before you go to your networking event. That means doing your homework before you show up. Why are you going? What goals have you set for yourself when you get there? Is this your targeted group you want to make connections with? Is someone there you know who can make key introductions for you? Is this the best use of your time? Evaluate and answer these questions for intentional networking and watch your connections increase. 2. Get used to not giving out cards to everyone you meet. Everyone you talk to is not a connection. Business card exchanges should not just be something you do out of habit but with purposeful thought. Often times, you may exchange cards because you want to be a conduit for putting the person you just met with someone in your network. The business card exchange may not be for you personally and that is okay. The real issue we have to address is simply giving out cards because we feel it is expected. How many times have you exchanged cards with someone you talked to for a minute or two? Did you follow up with them? Did the card even make it to your credenza in your office? Be willing to have great conversations with others; and, if there is not a reason to exchange cards be intentional, polite and keep it moving. The next person you meet might be the connection you have been waiting for. That is the power of intentional networking. 3. Get used to rejection. Develop thick skin and don't internalize every conversation that didn't go the way you thought it should. Be willing to smile and realize that when you practice intentional networking, everyone is not in the same place you are. Learn how to graciously move from those situations and remember every no is getting you closer to a yes. Rejection helps develop your character and confidence as you continue to grow your business and career. Determine that your next event you attend you will practice intentional networking. Nancy J. Lewis, MS, SHRM-CP, PHR, RCC Today more than ever before, it is important to make sure you keep some
basic principles in mind whether you are a business owner or corporately attached. The world is getting smaller and smaller and it is vital that you strive to make sure you are a principle centered business professional. Following are three core principles I feel are essential for building sound relationships that can help you in your career and business. 1. Honoring and keeping promises. It is critical that before you make a commitment or promise you plan to keep it. So often we say I will call you back or get back with you in the next day and it does not happen. Now we all know that life happens and if an emergency situation occurs, you may not be able to fulfill the commitment. But because we live in a digital age, a text or email informing others of what happened would be helpful. To simply not respond is impacting your reputation and integrity level. The world is very, very small and it is important to ask yourself the following questions before you commit: 1) Why do I need to attend this event? 2) How will this help me in my strategic business and career goals? 3) What is the demographics of the persons in attendance? 4) Would my time be better utilized working on marketing and follow up with clients? Based on your response, you might want to say no. Remember it is better to under promise and over deliver. Integrity is a lot easier to maintain than regain.(A Nancyism) 2. Take responsibility for your actions. When you make an error or miss a deadline, instead of making excuses take ownership of what you did and get busy with action steps to fix it. Remember you either win or learn. When mistakes occur where you fall short, simply step back from the situation and analyze what happened and accept your part in the dilemma. It allows you the ability to spend time looking for ways to resolve the situation as opposed to trying to blame others for what you didn't do. The true mark of a leader is being accountable and responsible for his/her actions. 3. Keep a positive attitude. Choose to embrace each day with an attitude of gratitude. It doesn't always mean everything is going great in your life, but is shows how you have determined you will handle it. It is having the courage to not whine and instead, choose to win. It is choosing to make your obstacles your steppingstones to greatness and letting your trials develop in you the resolve to triumph and walk in victory. by Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, SHRM-CP, RCC In the world of work today, it is essential that managers learn the art of leadership skills. You may have the title of manager, but that does not make you a leader. Leadership is about people following you whether you have a title or not and a key factor for this is how you make people feel.
The following leadership essentials can help you navigate in the changing and diverse world of work. 1) Spend time getting to know the people that support you. It is important to walk around and talk to them on a regular basis, not just when you are assigning them a task or going over their performance development plan. It is important to recognize that for employees to be more engaged in the workplace that you value them and get to know them as a person who has a life beyond the workplace. I am not asking that you get to know everything about them or vice versa, but find a happy medium where you know some general things about the people who support you. Remember people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. 2) Communicate with those who support you. In an age where we have so many forms of communication, it is vital to know which method is most effective with your work group and use that when you can. Nothing replaces human interaction where you communicate face-to-face. The important thing is to leverage the different ways we communicate and make sure we keep our employees in the loop of organizational and departmental changes. 3) Address behaviors and attitudes that don't line up with your organizational culture immediately. It does not serve you well to ignore dysfunctional behavior or attitudes that you think will go away. They will not and will grow and create more challenges for you with your team and lead to a toxic environment. It is vital that you approach these concerns with tact and diplomacy sharing specific actions where you have observed these behaviors taking place. Be willing to take the necessary actions required in addressing these concerns. These are three practical strategies that can help you as you move forward in leading your employees. Happy Leading!! By Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC Photo Above: Smartphone apps like Footsteps can help you maintain a healthy fitness routine. As we continue to face the challenges of life, it is critical we develop strategies for healthy living. What are you doing to live a healthier life? What changes will you have to make to do this? Healthy living is about making better choices. Consider some of the following strategies for living a healthier life.
1. Start an exercise program that works for you and fits into your schedule. This can be as simple as a 30 minute walk in your neighborhood or local park. You take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. You park farther away when going to the store or mall. The key is to begin even if you start out doing just 15 minutes a day, just do it. Whether you have a health club membership or not, allow your creative mind to explore ways to incorporate exercise in your daily routine. 2. Start using your kitchen and eat at home more. We are working longer hours, running errands for the family, and eating out frequently. It is time to go back to basics and plan dinner meals for at least 2-3 days a week. We need to revisit what our parents and grandparents did years ago and cook multiple meals on the weekend. Challenge yourself to eat more baked and grilled foods, fresh fruits, vegetables, and add more fiber to your diet. Reduce your intake of fried and processed foods and commit to cooking healthier meals for your family. 3. Start your day with inspiration. This could be reading your Bible, motivational books, or whatever provides you with peace and purpose. The key is you must continue to nourish and feed your mind with positive information in order to grow and be the best you can be. Spend time with children and seniors as they both provide inspirational lessons to help you on this journey called life. By Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC Positioning yourself for success is necessary in a competitive world where change is the only constant. Being in position is about being open to the importance of reinventing and retooling your skills to improve your marketability in your career and business. It is about knowing what your strengths are and how to leverage them in helping you achieve success. What position are preparing for as you move forward? What do you need to do to make sure you are ready for the position you desire? Consider the following strategies for positioning yourself for success.
1. Plan for success. This requires sitting down and deciding what you want to achieve in your career and business. It is about setting specific goals with milestones along the way to make sure you are on track to have the success you desire. It is about speaking words that are creating the success you desire. It requires doing a data dump of old scripts and information from your past and downloading new software in your mind that is filled with unlimited possibilities that are available to you with your new plan of action. 2. Create a circle of eagle thinkers. Positioning yourself for success requires evaluating your inner circle of people you spend time with. It is important to create a group of eagle thinkers that might also be called your mastermind group. These are individuals who will challenge you, encourage you, and inspire and ignite you to tap into your hidden potential. These are individuals who are positive thinkers and possibility thinkers who recognize and celebrate the greatness inside of you. 3. Learn the art of connecting in building relationships. More than ever before, business and career opportunities happen because of relationships. It is vital that you become a savvy networker that knows the art of connecting and cultivating meaningful relationships. When meeting people at events spend time learning about them and what they do and establish a connection so there will be dialogue beyond that conversation. As you make the connection and follow up, that contact over time can lead to a contract. Take your time and find ways to add value as you nurture the relationship and watch it grow. 4. Ask for help. You don't have to do everything yourself. So many times we feel as women, we can do it all. We have the superwoman complex. If that is you, stop and exhale and do something special just for you this month. You don't have to be all things to all people all the time. Balance things out and get your family and friends involved to help you out. Learn the art of how to say NO graciously and be willing to ask for help. It is amazing when we learn to do this, the load we carry becomes lighter and our stress level decreases. It gives us the freedom and momentum to soar. 5. Have a strong spiritual foundation to keep you anchored. It is essential to have a strong spiritual foundation to navigate through the constant and rapid change in our lives, careers, and businesses. You must know with all certainty that God is your source, strength and shield and that as you walk with Him all things are possible. Stay anchored in your faith walk, stay true to your purpose, and position yourself to be ready for the great things God has in store for you. A strong spiritual foundation equips and empowers you to win! By Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC Living an intentional life is about being purposeful, deliberate and focused with what you desire to achieve. It means you stop making excuses and start taking steps to achieve the things that matter most to you. It requires you deciding that failure is not final but merely a detour of learning on your journey to success.
This year my personal commitment is to live an intentional life. I have been doing daily intentional quotes on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter to keep me on track and to help others. Living intentional has caused me to be swift to hear and slow to speak and making sure the words I say are positive and creating the world I desire. Living an intentional life requires saying no to the things that are not moving you closer to your spiritual, personal and professional goals. It is okay to say no and not feel guilty when you really are determined to live intentionally. A few keys for living an intentional life:
I challenge you to make 2015 a year of living an intentional life. by Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC Christmas is a time of love, joy, peace, and happiness. It brings to mind memories of family and friends from past days we have shared time with over eggnog and cookies. This year I challenge you to give the gift of yourself in creative ways. It is important not to stress out because you can’t give the gifts you desire to give. Give the gift of yourself because that’s the gift that means the most. Enjoy the eggnog, cookies, family gatherings, and the love that you feel from loved ones and friends, but don’t get consumed with feeling you have to buy something to make Christmas meaningful. The following tips are things you can do this Christmas season to bring a smile to the faces of family and friends.
By Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC In our complex world of constant change and turbulence, it is important to find the M & M’s of life. The current climate of the day is downsizing, outsizing, resizing in so many organizations that we are unsure what the next day will bring. By the time you read this article, we may be at war where many families are now separated because men and women have gone to serve our country. The world is full of chaos and challenge, but you must determine within yourself to find the M & M’s of life.
The M & M’s of life are Motivation and Momentum. We must commit to being motivated to achieve the goals and dreams that life has to offer. We must be willing to allow the motivation we have to propel us forward and keep the momentum going. As you reflect on the M & M’s of life consider some of the following points to help you in your quest of maintaining your personal motivation. M- mindset It is so important to consider the mindset we hold each day. What is your mindset when you get up in the morning? What do you do to maintain a positive mindset for the day? What do you feed your mind early in the morning? What works for me is beginning my day with prayer and positive thoughts and reading inspirational material. There will be plenty of time throughout the day to find out what is happening in the world. Starting my day with positive thoughts allows me to stay centered and at peace. It is important that each person finds what works for him or her to maintain a positive mindset. O- overcomer People must see themselves as an overcomer when faced with the difficulties of the day. Trials and tests will come, but when you are focused on the positive things of life and have the momentum going, you can have victory in your present situation. Maintain the perspective that this challenge is an opportunity for you to be an overcomer. It will cause you to look within and find strengths and abilities you had forgotten were there. Then watch the growth you will have and soar! T- totally committed It is vital that you are totally committed to accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself. Don’t allow the roadblocks of life to keep you from achieving all that life has in store for you. It is imperative that you are sold out for doing the hard work that will be required to make your dreams come true. What are you willing to do to get what you want is a question you must keep in front of you. When you are totally committed it is not about how you feel that keeps you going; it is your commitment level to finish the task or assignment. I- integrity Integrity is essential in living a purpose driven life. Do you keep promises and commitments? Do you do what you say you will do? Do you walk the talk? Integrity is about being real and true to your core values. It may require you saying things that are not popular. A true test of integrity is what you do when no one is watching and also what your friends and family say about you in your absence. Integrity is about making sure your words and deeds line up. Consider a scale of one to ten, where one is low and ten is high. Where would your integrity-rating fall? V- victorious It is necessary to believe in your heart that you can have the victory in whatever your situation is. You may feel like you are all alone and walking in the valley. It is at this time you must resolve within yourself that though you are in the valley at this time, you have the momentum and are climbing your way back to the mountaintop. Find your spiritual grounding and get anchored in knowing that our conditions in life don’t remain the same. We may be in a storm in for a season, but remember the seasons change as will our circumstance. A- attitude It’s been said life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you respond to it. What is the attitude you embrace each day? What factors influence your attitude? Attitude is how you respond to what life sends your way. If it rains outside does that alter your attitude or do you carry your weather within? Be careful of the people you associate with because some people have bad attitudes that spill out on you. These people are often called toxic because they will do whatever they can to change your positive attitude to one that is negative. Your attitude determines whether people want to be around you. Who do you know that gravitates and longs to be around negative people? I rest my case. Look for ways you can maintain an attitude that is positive and worth catching. Smile more, do random acts of kindness, be polite and courteous to others, read positive literature are just a few of the things you can do to keep the momentum going and your attitude positive. T- time-management mastery Find ways to effectively manage your time. Don’t allow procrastination, laziness, or other peoples’ agendas to keep you from accomplishing what you want out of life. Remember if you don’t master your time someone else will. We only get 24 hours a day. Are you making the most out of the time you have? Learn the importance of prioritizing the tasks you have to complete and then begin to chisel away at them until they are done. Mastery of your time is essential if you are to keep the momentum going and moving forward in a positive productive way. I- innovative So often we get stuck in the way things have always been done. That is when creativity and innovation are vital to getting us out of that rut. We need to open our mind to new ways of doing things and entertain out of the box thinking, sometimes called green light thinking. It is through some of these innovative times, that some of the greatest ideas have evolved. O- optimistic Do you see the glass half empty or half full? What is your perspective on life? Maintaining an optimistic viewpoint is helpful in journeying through this maze of life with all its twists and turns. Realize that some days you will be tested on keeping an optimistic outlook. You have to remember that this is not a practice game. It is the real deal. It is important to remember that where you are today is not where you will end up tomorrow. Keeping focused and optimistic is a way to maintain your momentum in life. N- nurturer In order for your garden to grow, you must cultivate and nurture that garden. This means watering it, fertilizing it, loving it, and whatever else is necessary to have a good harvest. The same is true with our minds. We must cultivate and nourish our minds as well. Failure to do that allows weeds to grow and choke the life out. You must evaluate your life and determine how you can nurture those things that are most important to you. Then just do it! When you do, watch the great harvest you will have in your life. Revisit and review these practical points on Motivation throughout the year. When you apply them to your life you can maintain your Momentum and go to higher heights. Commit to the M & M’s and enhance the quality of your life. Nancy J. Lewis is the president of Progressive Techniques, Inc. where the theme of her company is “Developing a Better YOU! Nancy can be reached at (770) 964-5533, e-mail: nancy@progressivetechniquesinc.com and website: www.progressivetechniquesinc.com By Nancy J. Lewis, MS, PHR, RCC In this fast paced, ever changing world where we must learn to do more with less, we must be grounded in who we are. To cope with the changing world of work, diverse customers and employees, the generational divide, rightsizing, downsizing, whatever the term used, we must have a strong sense of self. Developing a better you requires recognizing that everything begins from within. We must remind ourselves of the unique gifts we possess that make us special. Too often, we focus on our failures and forget the successes we have had in life. Our failures help us grow because they challenge us to find a way to persevere until the victory is won. Our successes propel us forward to continue to run the race before us because we have what it takes to succeed. 1. Believe in yourself. You must know that you are unique and decide to validate yourself. You must have positive self-talk and recognize that failure is not final, merely a steppingstone to greatness. Commit to measuring yourself with yourself and not someone else. I once read you can be a first rate you or a second rate somebody else. Affirm today, I am confident, courageous, and capable. 2. Surround yourself with positive people. People with negative attitudes are energy draining and when your energy is zapped, you have to go and get recharged. Is it always easy to have positive people around? Absolutely not! We must continue to help others by suggesting sources of inspiration such as self-help books, motivational tapes, and spiritual literature. Then we must challenge individuals to be willing to take charge of their life and the things they can change. Often, you will find yourself spending less time with persons because you can see they really do not want to change. These negative people are often dream busters and if you let them, they will chatter your dreams. Be careful who you share your dreams with and do what you must do for yourself to remain focused and positive. Each you must decide to embrace life with an attitude of gratitude. Affirm today, I will focus on the positive things in life. 3. Visualize success. In order to visualize success, you must see your dreams and goals with clarity and have a plan. Steven Covey states you must begin with the end in mind. The Bible states where there is no vision the people perish. Is it so important to have a blueprint to guide and direct your path as you work towards achieving your dreams and goals in life. Commit to developing a plan for the dreams and goals you have set for yourself in your personal and professional life. Affirm today, I will take one positive action that will lead me one step closer to reaching my goals. 4. Welcome and embrace change. How many of you love change? Most of us resist change because of uncertainty and the risks it brings. The only constant in life is that things will change. Our ability to cope with change will help us reduce the stress change often brings. Many of us our currently facing some form of change in our lives, empty nesters, taking care of aging parents, family crisis, jobs being downsized or eliminated, mergers and acquisitions and the list goes on and on. It is vital we find ways to embrace and welcome changes that will take place on our personal and professional lives. Change allows us the opportunity to expand our boundaries and grow. Affirm today, I will welcome and embrace change. 5. Celebrate successes everyday in your life. When you achieve a major milestone in your life, how do you reward yourself? Start a happy file, smile file, or success journal today. When someone sends you a note, an e-mail message, or a letter that lets you know they appreciate you, put it in that file. Start to focus on the nice things people say and do for you and help them begin their happy file by sharing with them in written form, a note of appreciation. When you start recognizing the successes and strengths of others, it is amazing how much more people start to recognize yours. What you send out to others returns to you. Begin the habit of rewarding yourself for the milestones that move you closer to your goals. These milestones may be big or small. It really doesn’t matter the size only that you recognize them. The important thing is to celebrate because small successes lead to big successes. Affirm today, I will start my happy file. 6. Love Yourself. What kind of self-talk goes on in your head? What do you say about yourself to others? Learn how to look in the mirror and declare that you love the reflection you see. There is no one else like you in the universe. You are special and always remember that. Love you for the wonderful person you are. Affirm today, I value and love myself. 7. Maintain a winning attitude about life. Life may not always deal you the hand you want, but learn how to play the hand you are dealt with a winning disposition. Maintaining a winning attitude means that when challenges come, you recognize there is a miracle in your struggle. When you are able to maintain a winning attitude about life, you draw people and circumstances that will be a blessing to you. In life nothing happens by chance, everything is divinely orchestrated. So go forward and keep your winning attitude about life and watch your garden of greatness grow. Affirm today, I will maintain a winning attitude about life. Nancy J. Lewis is the president of Progressive Techniques, Inc. based in Fayetteville, Georgia where the theme of her company is “Developing a Better YOU." Nancy can be reached at (770) 964-5533 or email: nancy@progressivetechniquesinc.com or website: www.progressivetechniquesinc.com. ============================ Your Comments Are Welcome. |
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