Suboptimal Organizational Culture
There are always other things to address. There is always something else to do, or some other place to be at.
Being driven by urgency, you will always be busy, but the output will not be optimal. It’s not about being busy and feeling productive, but about being smart and doing things that are optimal for the growth of the organization you’re part of. The important things.
The low urgency tasks never get done. Being aware of importance, and not just urgency will put things back into perspective.
But how important is organizational culture?
It’s hard to measure the effects of a good culture on a company’s profits. But you can measure the negative effects of turnover. And that does not even include disengagement, the lack of care and motivation, and lack of trust between people.
Once the importance of the organizational culture is realized, the next obstacle to overcome is the fact that there is no easy fix. There are no exact steps that you can follow and process that you can enforce and make everything work.
This is not a to-do list. This is a leadership test. It is hard, but avoiding it is irrational. The worst thing that can happen is that nothing will change. The best thing that can happen is that you will have a workplace where people will feel respected, valued, trusted and engaged. It doesn’t take statistics or accounting reports to figure out which one is going to be more effective.
You Don’t Have To See the Whole Staircase, Just Take the First Step
Most people find it hard to accept that they won’t see the whole staircase upfront. Having a plan is always better than not having it, but you can’t predict the future.
The overrated fear of uncertainty in combination with underestimated capabilities prevent people from taking action. It’s important to recognize that not taking any action is also a decision, one that can prevent you from getting results which would ultimately put you in a better position, and instead actually increase the uncertainty you were trying to avoid in the first place.
The Value of Coaching in the Post-Industrial Age
In this age of information overload, we are moving faster than ever, and it’s difficult to stay true to yourself and your own values. The technology makes things easy for us, however, these shortcuts sometimes deprive us of the knowledge we would’ve gained by solving the problem perhaps a little bit slower, but more thoroughly.
Constant connection with the community and the available entertainment leaves little time for us to introspect and understand ourselves and what we really want.
Coaching can help us take control of our lives and show us how to approach and solve problems that they don’t teach us at school. Coaching provides us with support and tools that can help us build a strong foundation of tools and skills, such as awareness and self confidence, which can help us make sense of and find our place in this confusing world.
Journey of an Artist
You don’t get chosen to be a leader. Or an artist. It all starts with a decision.
Good news is that you can lead and create art in anything that you do, in many different ways. There are no limits, and there are no instructions.
If you are looking for instructions, or doing things just like somebody else, then you are not a leader. Being a leader requires you to be innovative. Leading is art.
True artists are not in the game for the money. They are not driven by it and they don’t base their success on it.
What they want is to make a difference. And guess what - they always do.
Life Coaching - What, How & Why
Metrics
Metrics are just a projection of reality, not the reality itself.
100% of people who drink water die.
Understanding the big picture requires way more than just comparing the numbers or looking at a graph.
Bad Decisions
Bad decisions are not always made the way you think. The road of life doesn’t split into the right road and the wrong road.
Some decisions are made over and over. What this means is that you are incrementally giving more importance to the decision as time passes by. What initially didn’t seem like a big deal, accumulates and becomes a huge problem.
A sudden change gets our attention right away. Our fight or flight mechanism ensures that we handle the potential danger as soon as possible.
But the slow approaching danger is in the dead angle. Don’t be too busy to notice it.
If Only
If only I had more time, I would start exercising.
If only I had more money, I would stop worrying.
If only I had more energy.
If only I knew a way.
If only.
The only thing that’s standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself.
Distraction
Everybody wants something. It could be more friends, a better job (or any job), the newest gadget, a better body, wardrobe upgrade or more free time.
What you really want is the experience that thing will give you, not the thing itself.
The real question is: Once you acquire X how long will the desired experience last? Will the effect be long lasting, or are you merely distracting yourself?
Short term fixes are long term problems.
Self Honesty
Don’t be afraid to admit to yourself what it is that you really want. Many people suppress their wants by being self judgmental, which then leads to confusion. They convince themselves that’s not how they really feel, but their actions ultimately reveal the truth.
Stop being in denial. Accept yourself.
Being aware of your needs and wants is the first step towards living a happy and fulfilled life. Your homework: Find out what results you are really after, and what those would really give you.
Think about this before you get the latest smartphone, accept a job offer or buy a new car.
