Challenge Your Perceptions

It has been quite a week. My Mom celebrated another birthday, yeah! Got new replacement windows in my house, yeah! There's a nasty little head cold going around, boo. And, Tuesday was election day, yikes. How was your week? Long, tiring, happy, fly-by???

My was mainly tiring. I got the darned cold. And...

I am frustrated by the elections. I just don't get it. I don't get how so many people see things so differently. Actually, I do understand the basis of perception, but, it still just makes me shake my head. Perception or not, facts are there to help create clarity. For some reason though, many people are more compelled to believe emotional rantings, fabrications, incomplete data, skewed data and out and out lies. So often, we simply believe what we want to believe.

We could take a few lessons from the Vulkans. Put on those pointy ears and critical thinking caps and make better choices. But, we are not Vulkans. We are emotional beings who consistently mis-interpret, misunderstand and mistake the world around us.

This does not apply only to politics. Every day provides the opportunity to get it wrong or get it right. In the end, who will know who is right or wrong? How does it all get sorted out? We must each take stock of our emotions and look for the truth. We must make sure to collect all information and discern using the power of critical thinking. Ask questions. Dig deeper. Avoid group thinking and 'sales pitches'. Find the truth!

It takes work to challenge our perceptions. It is worth it.

Change Reaction

How do you interpret the meaning of this title, Change Reaction? 

Change is always with us. Every moment creates the opportunity for change. I have always suggested that the best change is the one I create for myself. So true! This is when I get to decide what the change is in every detail. Makes is so much more doable!

Change comes at us from everywhere. When I make a small personal change it impacts others in ways I may not have considered. For example, when I decide to go to work a half hour earlier, I find myself bumping into my spouse's routine for getting ready as well. Now we are both trying to use the mirror at the same time. This can increase tension, make one of us late or cause one of us to forget something that is otherwise routine. 

Every change has an impact, a consequence. Today we are facing monumental changes from the world around us. We don't have a lot of say in these changes. We may not even understand most of the reasoning behind them. We have no (or very little) control as to how they will roll out and over us. This makes for feelings of fear on many, many levels. 

What, then, can we do? What can help us to deal with these changes and all the impacts coming our way? I see many possibilities.

First: Get educated and talk with others about what you know and don't know about the changes coming.  

My workplace change has to do with healthcare reform. We are beginning to learn a number of impacts. We will sustain some brutal budget cuts in the year ahead. The Medicare payment system will be overhauled and effective as of October 2010. There are many facts and factors revealed to us now. And there are many more that have not yet been settled. 

As we talk about the changes, we may at first react with fear or anxiousness. Then we begin to plan.  We look at how we can respond to the changes and continue to make our work effective and meaningful. We look at how we can survive as a business and begin to prepare staff and systems for those changes. With this activity comes a feeling of control. I feel more empowered to take action instead of being caught up in negative 'reaction'.

Second: Manage your self. When news comes about a change, watch your own reaction. 

Notice what thoughts come into your head. Do you tend to catastrophize? "Oh no, I'm going to lose my job and then my car and then my house." 

Do you get angry? Do you feel sad? The thoughts that come into your mind lead to feelings and emotions. Once you are in emotion, it is very difficult to think straight. 

Acknowledge your feelings and then put them aside so that you can 'hear' clearly and then 'think' clearly. 

Maintain a sound perspective that is not clouded by emotion and past experience. This will help you to make decisions that you will not regret later. This will help you weather the storm with less negative impact on body, mind and spirit.

Third: Pay Attention. Look at how others are reacting or responding. Acknowledge those who offer ideas and possibilities for taking advantage of opportunities or ways in which to save money/cut costs. Help those who are stuck in fear. Give them constructive tasks that will support managing the changes you must deal with. Acknowledge them for staying the course despite their feelings.

Fourth: Be a Change Agent. What are you solutions? Take part in discussions for managing change in a way that is productive and not negative. Look for ways to cut costs and increase revenue in the work place. Look for ways to have fun for free. Acknowledge others for their support and ingenuity. We know that when faced with challenges, most people enjoy coming out on top of them. Use that spirit to move forward in all that you do.

Change is coming. We might just as well be a part of it rather than a victim of it.

Oh that communication stuff...

Imagine a world in which every communication works just as you had planned. Wouldn't that be great? I imagine no misunderstandings, greater efficiencies, wonderful relationships all around. If only...

When I attempt to communicate with others I do so from my own understanding and perspective. We all do. I have good intentions. I try to meet people 'where they are at' if you will. We all have different preferences for how a message or idea ought to be communicated. Unfortunately, it isn't possible to please everyone and given that, all we can do is the best we can do. 

I try not to take another person's reaction personally and that can be difficult too. So, what is a girl to do?

1. plan what it is you want to communicate - what do you want to say, what are your expectations, be clear.

2. use the most personal method possible - by that I mean avoid email or texting unless absolutely necessary.

3. decide when is the best time to talk-need privacy? need time for Q&A? early in the day or late in the day?

4. check in with the other person to hear that they understand.

5. provide as much info as possible as early as possible-no one likes surprises.

I continue to try to be the best communicator possible and I know it is not easy. I must give others the benefit of the doubt that they are trying as well.

What a Difference Training Makes

Another 6 day.

Today I received training for one of the tasks I need to do at work. I have been struggling with it and a couple of people attempted to help me learn without much success. Today worked. I always do better when I understand the purpose and big picture of the task at hand. That was part of today's training, Now I know I can complete this work more effectively, efficiently and correctly.

That is a good feeling. Good and timely training is good for the work environment. I like feeling competent and supported. 

Have you ever tried to do an important work task that you did not feel confident in doing? How did you work it out for yourself?

Insist on the learning...

Linda

Good Health

I have an IPhone. My friend Suzanne and I give our IPhones their own cutzie name. I call mine Bella. I love my Bella and in particular a new app (short for application). It is simply called Lose It! Thanks for telling me about it Suzanne.

After putting in my pertinent information, it determined I ought to have 1200 calories a day to loose two pounds per week. It has a great calorie library and is really easy to use. I am sooooo excited to report that I have already lost 5 pounds. 

This is huge. Every FADulous diet I have tried (and spent way too $$$ on) has never resulted in weight loss. I am encouraged to keep up the good work. I will keep you posted. Heck, I may even start exercising again. Whoo hoo!

Make it so!

Linda

Meeting Magic: I love a meeting done well.

First...my daily Work Day Rating. Today was a 6. Not bad. I was tired at the end of the day but not stressed. Tiredness typically means I will sleep well. Stressed typically means I will continue working alllll night long (in my dreams) trying to solve every problem on earth whilst wearing a MooMoo or some other strange thing.

The best part of the day was getting a number of tasks checked off my list. Also, I was really happy with my staff today and their willingness to 'Be The Team'. Good stuff indeed!

We have a new meeting in which we get together with newly admitted patients to discuss discharge planning. I like the meeting because we get to talk with the patient and family as a team as we work toward a successful discharge. We get to know what everyone is thinking and planning. I think it is a great concept and expect to see positive results for our patients.

Because it is a new meeting, we are trying to work out the bugs. When everyone is prepared, it goes well. When we follow an agenda it goes well. When we work from 'the seat of our pants', it runs way over time.

I have always been a advocate of good meeting planning. In fact I once wrote an article, 'Kick Butt Meetings'. It is really frustrating for everyone involved to feel as though time is being wasted. We just cannot waste time in the current work environment. It damages productivity and morale.

To see the article go to www.coachmcdonald.com and look for the article list on the right side. Or go directly to Kick Butt Meetings.

Have you ever had to sit through a non-productive meeting? Of course you have...What made it unproductive? Have you ever offered suggestions to improve a meeting or asked that you and your team take a look at how to make meetings better? Depending on your position, this could feel a risky thing to do.

What ideas do you have for making meeting magic happen in your work place? I would love to hear them.

Make it a great day! Linda

Today was a 7!

Three months ago I was hired as the director of rehabilitation services. After five years of self-employment, I guessed it would be a bit challenging to make the transition. I was right! This is a challenging transition to make physically, mentally and emotionally.

Physically: I used to work seven days a week morning, day and night. Now I work Monday through Friday about 9 hours a day. I am more tired now. I used to be able to work at my own pace, take frequent breaks, work in my PJ's from home. My daily routine now is driven by others...lots of others. Some days it is difficult to take time for a comfort break (if you know what I mean). Everyone seems to need me. EVERYONE! I don't know how they got by without me before I started there. Ever the optimist, it is nice to be needed.

Mentally: I love to learn new things. I have the books, CD's and time on-line to prove it. When self-employed, the new learning was driven by customer need, but most often, by my own curiosity. THIS learning is intense and driven by daily operations. This learning is required to do the job, of course. This learning, while interesting, is not what I would have chosen 'out of curiosity'. And, much of it is learning by fire. Which brings me to the next transition challenge...

Emotionally: Yikes! Big jobs require big learning and major responsibility. While in the learning curve and 'being' the boss-lady, I have just as many moments of feeling incompetent and competent. It takes time to get grounded in a new environment and with new people. Be Patient is the new mantra.

So, three months in, I focus as much as possible on the good days. My 1 to 10 scale is... 1= "GET ME OUT OF HERE" and 10 = "THIS IS THE BEST JOB ON THE PLANET, Why, I should do it for free".

Today was a 7. I breezed through my reports, gave two performance reviews that went very well, went home at lunch to walk my dog and I got it all done in just eight hours.

I look forward to another good day tomorrow.

How would you rate your day?

Make it a great one. Linda