Embracing Change
By Dirk Zeller
As I speak to, and coach, Agents across North America, one constant surfaces. There is apprehension about the radical changes that are constantly going on around us. We have seen more changes in the last five years in real estate than we had seen in the previous thirty-six years. We have seen massive consolidations. We have seen the strong influence of technology in our business, such as the Internet, stronger contact management software, and the advent of one-telephone-number systems that follow us anywhere. The changes have only begun. We need to embrace these changes and act upon them in the six inches between our ears. I think that RD Lairing describes this current time exceedingly well, even though he died in 1989. RD said that we live in a moment of history where change is so sped up that we begin to see the present only when it is already disappearing. Let me give you a few steps to help ease the process of change.
1. Create your future:
Some people make the future…most people wait for the future to come to them. We have to create the future. If we are waiting for the phone calls of life, they will never come. We have to break down what we need to do each and every day in order to move up the mountain of success. Then we must go do it. Too many of us are waiting for other people to participate in our success. We cannot afford to wait. The measure of a truly successful person is the ability to evaluate and to act decisively. Let me repeat that, so it sinks in – The biggest waste of time in life is the period between the moment you know a decision must be made and the moment when you finally make that decision and act on it.
Create your future by adhering to your daily disciplines of business. The daily disciplines include prospecting, lead follow-up, listing appointments, showing property, writing and negotiating contracts. If we do these activities, and are really diligent in prospecting and lead follow-up, we will always create the future we desire.
2. Enhance change:
If you’re not riding the wave of change, you’ll find yourself beneath it. Spend time daily, weekly, and monthly evaluating and analyzing the changes in your industry. We need to invest time in new technology that we can implement into our business. How effective are you with your contact manager (i.e.…Top Producer, On Line Agent, Goldmine, ACT!)? Do you have the ability to use these tools at full capacity? Do you have a website that generates activity, or is it just an electronic business card? We must spend time daily to embrace and master the technology curve.
3. Envision the future of your business and life:
Invest time in planning for your eventual success. We have to conceive what the future will hold for us. We must create the target at which to take dead aim.
Walt Disney said, “The future is not the result of choices among alternative paths offered in the present. It is a place that is created - created first in the mind and the will, created next in the activity.” Walt had the vision for Disneyland and Disney World long before they were even built. When you look out ahead for your life and real estate business, what do you see? If you see nothing . . . that’s what you will get. If you have a sharp picture of the future and where you are going, that’s what you will get. The first step is the picture. The next is to do the activities that will make the picture a reality. Change is a major part of creating that picture; embrace it, enjoy it, and attack it. Implement the mindset of change, and you will implement a grand future.
Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 250,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. He's the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, The Champion Real Estate Agent, The Champion Agent Team and over 300 articles in print.
Real Estate Champions is a premier coaching company. Training covers a wide spectrum from new agents, to seasoned, as well as those interested in real estate marketing or real estate investing.
You can get more information by visiting Real Estate Investing, Free Resources For Realtors, Realtors-Build Your Skills
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
CHANGE IS GOOD........IT'S YOUR CHOICE
Your Choice Matters!
By Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt
Several years ago I found myself totally absorbed by the reading of "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" (Doubleday and Company, 1952). This last week, my son Hansel had to read the book for his English class. We talked about the book together and my afterthoughts gave birth to this article.
Anne Frank was a German-Jewish girl who wrote profusely while hiding during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The published book was composed of extracts from her diary. Anne Frank began to keep a diary on her thirteenth birthday, June 12, 1942, three weeks before she went into hiding with her mother, father and sister and four other people in the sealed-off upper rooms of the annex of her father's office building in Amsterdam. With the assistance of a group of Otto Frank's trusted colleagues they remained hidden for two years and one month, until their betrayal in August 1944, which resulted in their deportation to Nazi concentration camps. Of the group of eight, only Otto Frank survived the war. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen shortly before its liberation in April 1945. This young 15-year-old girl wrote a statement that has remained lodged in my memory since I read it.
"The final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands."
Anne knew she faced death at the hands of a horrific evil regime. But she also KNEW that no external power could ever force her to become good or bad. She knew she had choices, including her response to the circumstances beyond her control. She died believing that CHARACTER is what matters in a person's life. That's Anne's legacy to us! What do we make of her statement?
I believe our culture has consistently, encouraged us to shift personal responsibility to entities and people outside of ourselves, which simply leaves us as mere victims of circumstances. It momentarily feels good to believe one is a victim, but the consequences at the end are massively toxic and destructive. We see the results of this tragic trend all over! Kids in our culture learn early on, that depending on how they get treated is how they will respond. Respect for respect's sake? That's "old school" in many circles! Man and women give themselves the luxury to break up a marriage and a family just because they don't get what they want. What's the role of character in the midst of troubled relationships? "The devil made me do it" or "I didn't have a choice" symbolize the attitude of many. Even God shrugs his shoulders while listening to religious people saying, "God did it. I had nothing to do with it." These are deceptive statements that contradict the human reality. The only way God can manifest Himself in any imaginable scenario is through human choice! The same applies to the forces of evil.
Whatever happened to recognizing that we have a free will to choose in spite of the worst circumstances we face in life? Whatever happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Whatever happened to our choice of words, deeds and attitudes? Any room for that? What do we do with the Helen Keller's of this world? Was she an "anomaly" by displaying such an outstanding attitude as a blind person?
Whatever happened to saying: "I am sorry, I was wrong! I will change because I choose to be a better person!" Whatever happened to our ability to create good habits and good disciplines in all areas of our life? Too much thinking? Too much effort?
Wherever I turn, I seem to find more and more victims, whiners, and wimps; all of them ready to blame someone else for their situation. Someone is responsible for their misery. What do you do with Anne Frank? Do we dismiss her as an accident from the past?
What do we do with people who blame their personal shortcomings and character deficiency on to God, their genes, the economy, bad politicians, bad parenting and all kinds of psychological maneuvers? I heard someone blaming her psychologist for accusing a father of committing incest with his daughter. When I asked her if she had talked to the "victim," she said, "No." When I asked her, "What gave you the audacity to accuse him?" her lame answer was, "My psychologist thought he fit the profile." Wow, Unbelievable! Here was an adult (supposedly) blaming a psychologist for an accusation she irresponsibly made, that could have ruined another person's reputation, wounded a child's spirit forever, and broken up a family.
The truth is this: You become whatever you choose to be! You actually choose who to be all the way to your last breath. The temptations you choose to resist or to which you surrender, are your own choice! Call it sex, money, insecurity, greediness, power, position, a competitive spirit, a vindictive or a loving attitude; you become what you choose. You can be as good or as bad as you chose to be. And please, don't accuse me of moralizing. I have no use for that! But yes, we should all be expected to assume responsibility for our own actions and behavior. We have a choice on attitude; we have a choice on how we respond to a bad person; we have a choice on how we suffer and manage a major life blow; we have a choice on how we respond to financial limitations; we have a choice on how we respond to what we call "the will of God"!
Anne Frank stands as a monumental reminder that we are all the result of our own choices regardless of the circumstances we face. If you chose to do what's wrong, or assist someone else in doing what's wrong, all we expect you to do is to accept responsibility. Don't blame someone else, and don't expect the world to feel sorry for you! And if you happen to be religious, please, don't turn to God in a hurry and pretend like nothing ever happened. We still expect you to say, "I was wrong. Would you forgive me?" God won't say it for you! This is your own life. You have only one life and this is your one chance to make your own choices. No one else can do that for you! You can make an enormous difference in the world by honestly owning your own choices. I have found out that people, who consistently and bravely take responsibility for their own choices, not only free the rest of us from unhealthy guilt but are usually the ones who believe people can change and, they themselves are a living example of that! There is no better medicine for a guilty conscience than honesty, forgiveness and change! In the end, regardless of how you explain your life journey, you are who you are by your own choice and no one else's!
Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt is co-founder of the "LIFE ZONE." Harold is a consultant, a seminar speaker and a LIFE Motivational Coach. The "LIFE ZONE" is a resource and a coaching center for personal and spiritual growth committed to providing sound strategies for dynamic living. For more information or for private coaching: harold7676@gmail.com
By Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt
Several years ago I found myself totally absorbed by the reading of "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" (Doubleday and Company, 1952). This last week, my son Hansel had to read the book for his English class. We talked about the book together and my afterthoughts gave birth to this article.
Anne Frank was a German-Jewish girl who wrote profusely while hiding during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The published book was composed of extracts from her diary. Anne Frank began to keep a diary on her thirteenth birthday, June 12, 1942, three weeks before she went into hiding with her mother, father and sister and four other people in the sealed-off upper rooms of the annex of her father's office building in Amsterdam. With the assistance of a group of Otto Frank's trusted colleagues they remained hidden for two years and one month, until their betrayal in August 1944, which resulted in their deportation to Nazi concentration camps. Of the group of eight, only Otto Frank survived the war. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen shortly before its liberation in April 1945. This young 15-year-old girl wrote a statement that has remained lodged in my memory since I read it.
"The final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands."
Anne knew she faced death at the hands of a horrific evil regime. But she also KNEW that no external power could ever force her to become good or bad. She knew she had choices, including her response to the circumstances beyond her control. She died believing that CHARACTER is what matters in a person's life. That's Anne's legacy to us! What do we make of her statement?
I believe our culture has consistently, encouraged us to shift personal responsibility to entities and people outside of ourselves, which simply leaves us as mere victims of circumstances. It momentarily feels good to believe one is a victim, but the consequences at the end are massively toxic and destructive. We see the results of this tragic trend all over! Kids in our culture learn early on, that depending on how they get treated is how they will respond. Respect for respect's sake? That's "old school" in many circles! Man and women give themselves the luxury to break up a marriage and a family just because they don't get what they want. What's the role of character in the midst of troubled relationships? "The devil made me do it" or "I didn't have a choice" symbolize the attitude of many. Even God shrugs his shoulders while listening to religious people saying, "God did it. I had nothing to do with it." These are deceptive statements that contradict the human reality. The only way God can manifest Himself in any imaginable scenario is through human choice! The same applies to the forces of evil.
Whatever happened to recognizing that we have a free will to choose in spite of the worst circumstances we face in life? Whatever happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Whatever happened to our choice of words, deeds and attitudes? Any room for that? What do we do with the Helen Keller's of this world? Was she an "anomaly" by displaying such an outstanding attitude as a blind person?
Whatever happened to saying: "I am sorry, I was wrong! I will change because I choose to be a better person!" Whatever happened to our ability to create good habits and good disciplines in all areas of our life? Too much thinking? Too much effort?
Wherever I turn, I seem to find more and more victims, whiners, and wimps; all of them ready to blame someone else for their situation. Someone is responsible for their misery. What do you do with Anne Frank? Do we dismiss her as an accident from the past?
What do we do with people who blame their personal shortcomings and character deficiency on to God, their genes, the economy, bad politicians, bad parenting and all kinds of psychological maneuvers? I heard someone blaming her psychologist for accusing a father of committing incest with his daughter. When I asked her if she had talked to the "victim," she said, "No." When I asked her, "What gave you the audacity to accuse him?" her lame answer was, "My psychologist thought he fit the profile." Wow, Unbelievable! Here was an adult (supposedly) blaming a psychologist for an accusation she irresponsibly made, that could have ruined another person's reputation, wounded a child's spirit forever, and broken up a family.
The truth is this: You become whatever you choose to be! You actually choose who to be all the way to your last breath. The temptations you choose to resist or to which you surrender, are your own choice! Call it sex, money, insecurity, greediness, power, position, a competitive spirit, a vindictive or a loving attitude; you become what you choose. You can be as good or as bad as you chose to be. And please, don't accuse me of moralizing. I have no use for that! But yes, we should all be expected to assume responsibility for our own actions and behavior. We have a choice on attitude; we have a choice on how we respond to a bad person; we have a choice on how we suffer and manage a major life blow; we have a choice on how we respond to financial limitations; we have a choice on how we respond to what we call "the will of God"!
Anne Frank stands as a monumental reminder that we are all the result of our own choices regardless of the circumstances we face. If you chose to do what's wrong, or assist someone else in doing what's wrong, all we expect you to do is to accept responsibility. Don't blame someone else, and don't expect the world to feel sorry for you! And if you happen to be religious, please, don't turn to God in a hurry and pretend like nothing ever happened. We still expect you to say, "I was wrong. Would you forgive me?" God won't say it for you! This is your own life. You have only one life and this is your one chance to make your own choices. No one else can do that for you! You can make an enormous difference in the world by honestly owning your own choices. I have found out that people, who consistently and bravely take responsibility for their own choices, not only free the rest of us from unhealthy guilt but are usually the ones who believe people can change and, they themselves are a living example of that! There is no better medicine for a guilty conscience than honesty, forgiveness and change! In the end, regardless of how you explain your life journey, you are who you are by your own choice and no one else's!
Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt is co-founder of the "LIFE ZONE." Harold is a consultant, a seminar speaker and a LIFE Motivational Coach. The "LIFE ZONE" is a resource and a coaching center for personal and spiritual growth committed to providing sound strategies for dynamic living. For more information or for private coaching: harold7676@gmail.com
Friday, August 17, 2007
CHANGE IS GOOD.......BUT SOMETIMES IT TAKES A WHILE
You're Being Groomed for Greatness
Dianna Hobbs
Going through transitional phases of any kind is not easy. Whether you're changing careers, launching your business, starting over in a relationship, confronting new and difficult circumstances, or any number of things--none of it is easy.
When you're in transition, you're in an "in-between-stage." Rather than getting frustrated and upset, you need to ask God, "Lord, please help me to be strong in the meantime, and help me to endure my in-between-time." You're just being groomed for greatness!
You have to know deep in your heart that you're indeed on your way to something new and better. However, the journey will sometimes be scary, long, and arduous. The stakes will seem higher and the tests seem harder.
I dare say, the tests ARE harder and the stakes ARE higher, and it’s all because God is taking you to a new level in your life. He’s getting you ready to operate on a much greater level. You’re going to walk into new places.
That’s why He has to teach you how to be stronger, sharper, and more skillful. Stop focusing on where you are and begin to see where you’re going. Even though you don’t understand it all now, later, you’ll look back on this and thank God. You’ll say, “If I hadn’t gone through that, I wouldn’t be ready for this.” He's smoothing out those rough edges.
He’s preparing you to walk right into your wealthy place, your place of prosperity and wholeness. So, keep in mind that this discomfort is temporary and you'll grow past it. Don't hop off the bandwagon prematurely. "This too shall pass."
I wonder; have you ever experienced the frustration of trying to "grow your hair back out" after cutting it? It goes through that weird in-between-length, right? It's not exactly short. It's not exactly long. The layers have grown out, so it doesn't really do that much.
Most of us end up cutting it off again, simply because we don't have patience to allow our hair to grow past this temporary stage. We forget all the reasons why we want to let it grow. All we can focus on is the fact that, "this stuff is getting on my nerves... I can't do anything with it." Before we know it, all of our vows to let it grow have been tossed out the window.
Similarly, when we're going through changes in our lives, we often have difficulty enduring the times of uncertainty and apprehension we feel. We get frustrated with the "meantime" and we just want the "right time" to hurry up and come.
We want everything to happen right now. We don't want to hear about "the waiting process."
Listen to me. You can never get to the place you envision for yourself, unless you first go through the process it takes to get there. Growth takes time. Victory doesn't always come overnight. It may take longer than you want it to.
But if you stay on the path God has laid out for you, you'll reach your destination. You'll get there just in time. It'll be precisely the right time, because it'll be God's time.
If you can maintain, you will obtain. Obtain what? All that God has for you!
Stay the course. Open your eyes and see the light at the end of the tunnel. It may seem to be far off in the distance; but if you keep traveling in the right direction, no doubt, you'll run right into it. And you’ll say like the older saints say, “My soul looks back and wonders how I got over!”
Until next time . . . may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Empowering Everyday Women Online Magazine, the premier online magazine for African American Christian women. This article is taken from Dianna's highly popular blog series called, Dianna Hobbs: Empowering Everyday Women. It is circulated to thousands of Christian women in search of inspiration for their ministerial and entrepreneurial efforts. To receive these exceptional articles directly, simply log onto http://www.diannahobbs.com/ and subscribe to our email updates. To read EEW Magazine log onto http://www.eewmagazine.com/
Dianna Hobbs
Going through transitional phases of any kind is not easy. Whether you're changing careers, launching your business, starting over in a relationship, confronting new and difficult circumstances, or any number of things--none of it is easy.
When you're in transition, you're in an "in-between-stage." Rather than getting frustrated and upset, you need to ask God, "Lord, please help me to be strong in the meantime, and help me to endure my in-between-time." You're just being groomed for greatness!
You have to know deep in your heart that you're indeed on your way to something new and better. However, the journey will sometimes be scary, long, and arduous. The stakes will seem higher and the tests seem harder.
I dare say, the tests ARE harder and the stakes ARE higher, and it’s all because God is taking you to a new level in your life. He’s getting you ready to operate on a much greater level. You’re going to walk into new places.
That’s why He has to teach you how to be stronger, sharper, and more skillful. Stop focusing on where you are and begin to see where you’re going. Even though you don’t understand it all now, later, you’ll look back on this and thank God. You’ll say, “If I hadn’t gone through that, I wouldn’t be ready for this.” He's smoothing out those rough edges.
He’s preparing you to walk right into your wealthy place, your place of prosperity and wholeness. So, keep in mind that this discomfort is temporary and you'll grow past it. Don't hop off the bandwagon prematurely. "This too shall pass."
I wonder; have you ever experienced the frustration of trying to "grow your hair back out" after cutting it? It goes through that weird in-between-length, right? It's not exactly short. It's not exactly long. The layers have grown out, so it doesn't really do that much.
Most of us end up cutting it off again, simply because we don't have patience to allow our hair to grow past this temporary stage. We forget all the reasons why we want to let it grow. All we can focus on is the fact that, "this stuff is getting on my nerves... I can't do anything with it." Before we know it, all of our vows to let it grow have been tossed out the window.
Similarly, when we're going through changes in our lives, we often have difficulty enduring the times of uncertainty and apprehension we feel. We get frustrated with the "meantime" and we just want the "right time" to hurry up and come.
We want everything to happen right now. We don't want to hear about "the waiting process."
Listen to me. You can never get to the place you envision for yourself, unless you first go through the process it takes to get there. Growth takes time. Victory doesn't always come overnight. It may take longer than you want it to.
But if you stay on the path God has laid out for you, you'll reach your destination. You'll get there just in time. It'll be precisely the right time, because it'll be God's time.
If you can maintain, you will obtain. Obtain what? All that God has for you!
Stay the course. Open your eyes and see the light at the end of the tunnel. It may seem to be far off in the distance; but if you keep traveling in the right direction, no doubt, you'll run right into it. And you’ll say like the older saints say, “My soul looks back and wonders how I got over!”
Until next time . . . may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Empowering Everyday Women Online Magazine, the premier online magazine for African American Christian women. This article is taken from Dianna's highly popular blog series called, Dianna Hobbs: Empowering Everyday Women. It is circulated to thousands of Christian women in search of inspiration for their ministerial and entrepreneurial efforts. To receive these exceptional articles directly, simply log onto http://www.diannahobbs.com/ and subscribe to our email updates. To read EEW Magazine log onto http://www.eewmagazine.com/
Saturday, August 11, 2007
CHANGE IS GOOD.... YOU GOTTA BELIEVE
BY DENNIS HARTING
A man owned a farm with his wife and teenage son.
Shortly before picking season, his son hurt his back playing sports, thus not being able to pick the crops.
A friend said to the man, “Isn’t it terrible that your son hurt his back and cannot pick the crops?”
“Perhaps” replied the farmer.
During picking season, the farmer had to hire someone to replace his son working the fields.
The friend said “Isn’t it terrible that you have to spend all this money to get the crops picked?”
“Perhaps”
Shortly after crop season, the farmer lost his farm and had to move into a rented house.
“Isn’t it terrible that you lost your farm and had to move?”
“Perhaps”
Then, the farmer’s wife left him for another man.
“Isn’t it terrible that your wife left you?”
“Perhaps”
Next, his son lost his hand when it got caught in the machinery at the mill where he worked.
“Isn’t it terrible that your son lost his hand?”
“Perhaps”
Lastly the man was diagnosed with a terminal illness which would certainly kill him.
“Isn’t it terrible that you have this illness and are going to die?”
“Perhaps”
Finally, the friend asked the farmer, “How come each time there is bad news, you simply respond by saying ‘perhaps’?”
The farmer got quiet for a second and replied:
“When my son hurt his back, I went and hired someone to work the fields. One day, there was a terrible accident in which the man was killed. Because of the bad news of my son’s hurt back, he is alive today.
After his family sued me, the courts took my farm since I had no insurance. We moved into town and the following spring a tornado hit the old farmhouse, killing everyone inside. Because of the bad news of losing my farm, my family is alive today.
Then, my wife left me for another man. After I got over the grieving, I met and fell in love with a younger woman. After we were married, she blessed me with a daughter. Because of the bad news of my wife leaving, I have a child I otherwise would not have had.
Then my son lost his hand at the mill. At that time, all his friends were called up to the war. Of course, my son could not serve his country, much to his disappointment. However, the bus that was carrying his friends was involved in a horrible crash, killing all on board. Because of the bad news of him losing his hand, my son is still alive today.
And now, I am faced with the bad news of having an illness that will kill me. However, all through my life, what appeared to be bad news was actually a fantastic blessing. After time, I realized that each event was actually God helping me. Because of that, I have no reason to believe that this is any different. Is the fact that I have a disease that will kill me bad news?”
“Perhaps”
Dennis Harting is the Head Coach at Your Rich Life. He is an acclaimed speaker, trainer, and best-selling author. His books include Your Easiest Million and The Ultimate Procrastination Handbook. His programs and more information can be found at http://www.yourrichlifeinc.com/
A man owned a farm with his wife and teenage son.
Shortly before picking season, his son hurt his back playing sports, thus not being able to pick the crops.
A friend said to the man, “Isn’t it terrible that your son hurt his back and cannot pick the crops?”
“Perhaps” replied the farmer.
During picking season, the farmer had to hire someone to replace his son working the fields.
The friend said “Isn’t it terrible that you have to spend all this money to get the crops picked?”
“Perhaps”
Shortly after crop season, the farmer lost his farm and had to move into a rented house.
“Isn’t it terrible that you lost your farm and had to move?”
“Perhaps”
Then, the farmer’s wife left him for another man.
“Isn’t it terrible that your wife left you?”
“Perhaps”
Next, his son lost his hand when it got caught in the machinery at the mill where he worked.
“Isn’t it terrible that your son lost his hand?”
“Perhaps”
Lastly the man was diagnosed with a terminal illness which would certainly kill him.
“Isn’t it terrible that you have this illness and are going to die?”
“Perhaps”
Finally, the friend asked the farmer, “How come each time there is bad news, you simply respond by saying ‘perhaps’?”
The farmer got quiet for a second and replied:
“When my son hurt his back, I went and hired someone to work the fields. One day, there was a terrible accident in which the man was killed. Because of the bad news of my son’s hurt back, he is alive today.
After his family sued me, the courts took my farm since I had no insurance. We moved into town and the following spring a tornado hit the old farmhouse, killing everyone inside. Because of the bad news of losing my farm, my family is alive today.
Then, my wife left me for another man. After I got over the grieving, I met and fell in love with a younger woman. After we were married, she blessed me with a daughter. Because of the bad news of my wife leaving, I have a child I otherwise would not have had.
Then my son lost his hand at the mill. At that time, all his friends were called up to the war. Of course, my son could not serve his country, much to his disappointment. However, the bus that was carrying his friends was involved in a horrible crash, killing all on board. Because of the bad news of him losing his hand, my son is still alive today.
And now, I am faced with the bad news of having an illness that will kill me. However, all through my life, what appeared to be bad news was actually a fantastic blessing. After time, I realized that each event was actually God helping me. Because of that, I have no reason to believe that this is any different. Is the fact that I have a disease that will kill me bad news?”
“Perhaps”
Dennis Harting is the Head Coach at Your Rich Life. He is an acclaimed speaker, trainer, and best-selling author. His books include Your Easiest Million and The Ultimate Procrastination Handbook. His programs and more information can be found at http://www.yourrichlifeinc.com/
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
CHANGE IS GOOD........I SURVIVED
By BARRY SARNER
Well....I did it. I made my TV debut . (See "video links" to the right and click ). Thank you very much for all the emails and phone calls. We are now in production for www.changeisgood.tv . If you have any great stories about changes you have experienced in your business or personal life, and would like to be on, please email us at friends@changeisgood.tv ........
Warm regards,
Barry
Well....I did it. I made my TV debut . (See "video links" to the right and click ). Thank you very much for all the emails and phone calls. We are now in production for www.changeisgood.tv . If you have any great stories about changes you have experienced in your business or personal life, and would like to be on, please email us at friends@changeisgood.tv ........
Warm regards,
Barry
Friday, July 27, 2007
CHANGE IS COMING......SEE IT LIVE ON TELEVISION
BY BARRY SARNER
If you are a New Jersey Resident please watch me on News12 New Jersey.......It will be on tomorow July 28 and Sunday July 29.....9:00am 11:30am and 2:30pm.The "CHANGE IS GOOD"REVOLUTION has gone public..Please join me and let's all get Rich,Famous and Happy together. Email me at change@imprintalliance.com and go to my website and push my buttons http://www.changeisgoodusa.com/
If you are a New Jersey Resident please watch me on News12 New Jersey.......It will be on tomorow July 28 and Sunday July 29.....9:00am 11:30am and 2:30pm.The "CHANGE IS GOOD"REVOLUTION has gone public..Please join me and let's all get Rich,Famous and Happy together. Email me at change@imprintalliance.com and go to my website and push my buttons http://www.changeisgoodusa.com/
Saturday, July 14, 2007
CHANGE IS GOOD......DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THESE.
DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THESE........
BY BARRY SARNER
"Change is good" is simply about attitude. It's about having the proper "tools" to cope with the CHANGE that's just minutes, hours, or days away...... and I guarantee you ......."CHANGE" is coming.
In an earlier Blog I told you about two essential "Tools" you must have to embrace change. The first is that you must have full faith and confidence that YOU will be OK in the end AND at the same time deal with your current reality no matter how harsh it may be. YOU MUST BELIEVE IN YOU.
The second "tool" is Support. Having a Posse,a group,a mastermind,best friends,family ......People who care about your well being....people who are positive and will be there for you when you need someone to be a cheerleader or to listen when you need to talk. People who will let you cry and be 8 years old again.
Another "Tool" that you need to be aware of and it may be the most critical of all tools is dealing with your emotions. You don't want to ignore feelings just because you're good at controlling them. "Change" brings extremely mixed and confusing feelings.
If those feelings start to back up you may experience panic attacks, depression and confusion. Another way to know that your feelings are backing up and that you need to release them is if you find yourself being short tempered and cranky.
When this happens go to a private place and be alone. Talk to yourself ! Ask yourself what's going on....Am I sad? Am I scared? Am I angry?Why? Whats the worst that will happen?
DIG ! DIG ! DIG! Let yourself feel....Let the tears flow. Feelings are OK. Feelings are allowed.
Deal with them ....Let them out....THEY ARE NOT THERE TO HURT YOU. They are just there.
Respect them and release them. Don't give them a home. They are visitors and not permanent roommates. Do this and you will feel more calm and in control once more.
BY BARRY SARNER
"Change is good" is simply about attitude. It's about having the proper "tools" to cope with the CHANGE that's just minutes, hours, or days away...... and I guarantee you ......."CHANGE" is coming.
In an earlier Blog I told you about two essential "Tools" you must have to embrace change. The first is that you must have full faith and confidence that YOU will be OK in the end AND at the same time deal with your current reality no matter how harsh it may be. YOU MUST BELIEVE IN YOU.
The second "tool" is Support. Having a Posse,a group,a mastermind,best friends,family ......People who care about your well being....people who are positive and will be there for you when you need someone to be a cheerleader or to listen when you need to talk. People who will let you cry and be 8 years old again.
Another "Tool" that you need to be aware of and it may be the most critical of all tools is dealing with your emotions. You don't want to ignore feelings just because you're good at controlling them. "Change" brings extremely mixed and confusing feelings.
If those feelings start to back up you may experience panic attacks, depression and confusion. Another way to know that your feelings are backing up and that you need to release them is if you find yourself being short tempered and cranky.
When this happens go to a private place and be alone. Talk to yourself ! Ask yourself what's going on....Am I sad? Am I scared? Am I angry?Why? Whats the worst that will happen?
DIG ! DIG ! DIG! Let yourself feel....Let the tears flow. Feelings are OK. Feelings are allowed.
Deal with them ....Let them out....THEY ARE NOT THERE TO HURT YOU. They are just there.
Respect them and release them. Don't give them a home. They are visitors and not permanent roommates. Do this and you will feel more calm and in control once more.
CHANGE IS COMING.......TAKING THAT FIRST STEP
What Motivates People to Change?By Arlene Harder
Are you actively working to change some aspect of your personality — and absolutely can't understand how someone else (perhaps the "significant other" in your life) doesn't have a clue that anything is wrong with him or her or seems inexplicably unwilling to do anything about it?
Why, you ask, are you so willing to change and the other person is not? I've asked myself that many times, since I'm one of those who constantly scrutinizes my problems to see how I might be contributing to the situation. That doesn't mean I've been completely successful in changing some of my more tenacious bad habits, but I do work at it (which can, paradoxically, also be a curse for those of us who are recovering perfectionists). Nevertheless, for many years I found it difficult to understand why others weren't as introspective as I.
Over the years I've learned that basically the reason some people want to be the best they can be, while others only like to complain is because the latter type of person isn't in touch with, or is able to deny the pressure of, what I call "pain, pull, or push forces." Unless people experience one of them, they are pretty well stuck right where they are.
Pain Motivated Change First of all, most people change (or at least are willing to consider changing) if they are in pain. We're all familiar with this dynamic. When there's something in our life that makes us uncomfortable, we may initially hope it will go away. If it doesn't, we start with small and relatively easy steps to change the situation. Finally, if those efforts are unsuccessful, we get to the point that we can't stand it any more. "I'm sick of this!" we scream. That emotional or physical pain gives us the courage to take other steps that may be more difficult, but are more likely to solve the problem permanently.
The point at which this happens varies widely from person to person. We all experience pain in different ways, but some of us are very good in putting on blinders and ignoring a situation that would drive someone else up the wall. Yet we all have a breaking point. Exactly where and when we reach that point varies from person to person.
For example, take the case of a weight gain of ten to fifteen pounds by a woman who has reached menopause. If she had previously been in top physical condition, has a job that requires interaction with members of the fashion industry, and enjoys looking slim and attractive in her expensive clothes, she will likely be well motivated to take off the weight and keep it off. That weight is painful for her.
On the other hand, suppose she doesn't work in a job that places emphasis on looks and has friends who are either quite a bit overweight or who have come to accept their weight as okay. There is no great pressure on her to change. So pain is not part of the change equation for this woman, even though her weight may be far from ideal.
Yes, pain is definitely an important ingredient in developing healthy habits. It provides the incentive to work toward the very behaviors that can relieve our pain. For example, it has long been recognized that an alcoholic seldom takes steps to stop drinking until he's sick and tired of being sick and tired of all the problems alcohol has caused in his life. In fact, if he goes to a therapist who works to build up his "self-esteem" (on the theory that he will then have the courage to join AA or enter into a treatment program), his newfound self-esteem can be counterproductive. Why? Because alcohol and drugs are marvelous self-medicating techniques he can use to keep from looking clearly at the mess he's made of his life. Having an "expert" tell him he's "okay" is not as effective as reminding him of the pain he's in.
However, as much as pain is a good motivation for many people, there are a few problems with focusing only on pain as an incentive to change.
Constantly reminding yourself that a given situation is painful keeps that situation at the forefront of your mind. Then, because change is seldom as rapid as we would like, we can be discouraged by the slow progress we're making and, feeling as though the pain will never go away, may talk ourselves into adapting to difficult situations.
An opposite problem occurs when change comes too quickly. It's not uncommon for clients who enter therapy to deal with a difficult problem to experience a positive change in their situation after seeing a therapist for only a few sessions. Feeling good about this reversal of their lives and assuming change is easy, they convince themselves they no longer need outside assistance. There's even a name for this phenomenon. It's called a "flight to health." So future sessions are cancelled, although there is still a lot of work to reinforce the minor changes that have been made.
Pain can actually be viewed as positive by those "martyrs" who use it as a technique to punish and control others. (You may have one of these in your own family.) They unconsciously cling to their pain because they don't see any other way of getting what they want.In these cases, a more effective motivation for change may involve an awareness of the forces that can pull us toward change.
Change Created by Being Pulled Toward New Behavior People change if they are acted upon by forces that can pull them toward modifying their behavior and shifting their perspective of the world, forces that arise in three areas.
The biological imperative to grow and enter the next phase of life Why does a baby learn to crawl and walk and run? It's not because the parents want her to. Her body is hardwired to move through these stages. And remember those hormonal changes in adolescence when we began to see classmates of the opposite sex in a different light and weren't sure what do with our new feelings? We couldn't have ignored those changes if we'd wanted to. Even the physical and emotional changes created by increasingly frequent aches and pains of aging offer their own lessons.
Life-cycle stages Courtship, marriage, birth of children, the launching of grown children and the onset of old age each create different climates that allow for the evolution of personal growth and development. For example, a quest for deeper spiritual meaning often increases in later stages of life. In fact, the more we're in touch with these naturally occurring "pulls" toward change, the easier it is to shift directions when old patterns no longer fit. As the scriptures note, "To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the sun. . . "
Response to information and inspiration Every day in school teachers struggle to instill learning and new ideas that will make a difference in their students' lives. Thousands of sermons are preached every Sunday in the hope that the words spoken from the pulpit will resonate within the hearts and souls of the congregation and encourage at least a few people to live with renewed commitment to a set of high principles. If you think back on your life, there is sure to be a time when you were inspired by words of encouragement from parents or other relatives, by a teacher, by a friend, by a story you read in the paper, etc. Even more, you have probably been an inspiration to others, even though you may be unaware of it.
Change Forced by a Push from Someone Else or by Circumstances Now we come to the form of motivation that is the least effective method for creating permanent change, but one that is used by many a spouse and boss. That is the effort to push someone into a corner in order to get them to change as well as the consequence of circumstance that force a person to consider change as the only way out of a bad situation.
Yes, I know, you'd love to demand your significant other make the changes you think would be good for him (and that would sure make your life easier). I've tried it. It's not easy and it seldom works.
When someone is being pushed by another person, the pushee will often make an initial, halfhearted attempt to change so the pusher will get off his back. The wife starts a different diet every week because her husband threatens to leave her if she doesn't "do something" about her weight. So she satisfies the requirement to "do something," but it's not permanent and doesn't get to the root of the problem, which may be the more serious matter of a demanding husband and passive-aggressive wife.
Bosses can be a bit more effective in pushing someone to change because they control the money angle, but the best supervisors know the most effective ways of applying pressure on their employees.
Although being told by someone that you have to change "or else" is seldom a strong enough incentive for permanent change, at least it can cause a person to get their body into a therapist's office. Once there, if the therapist is perceptive, he or she can discuss why that person might want to change - regardless of whether someone else wants them to change. In fact, a good therapist can often use the fact that a person was "forced" to come in to see them as a springboard for how painful it must be to find themselves in that situation.
Incidentally, if you are in the position of feeling you "have to" do what someone else tells you to do, remember that you ALWAYS have a choice. Unless you are bound and dragged into the office of a therapist or doctor, if you are there, you chose to come, albeit without great enthusiasm. You may not like the choices offered if you didn't go there, but you did - and that is the first step in acknowledging you ARE in control of your life to a much greater extent than you may want to believe or acknowledge.
When we look at the push of circumstances beyond our control, an excellent example is the change forced on people by the September 11th attacks. The lives of some of the people who were directly involved have had to change because their workplace and homes were destroyed or they have lost an important member of their family.
At the same time, there have been many people who were not directly connected with anyone in New York or Washington or on the planes who, nevertheless, realize they cannot count on the security of a terrorist-free country. The horrendous pictures of carnage on television have forced them to the conclusion that life has more meaning than Jerry Seinfeld and Sex in the City. The outlook and behavior of these people has shifted because someone else has pushed them to see the world from a new perspective. Hopefully many people will make significant changes in what they believe and how they behave. But for too many others, the changes will fade like New Year's resolutions.
Why Do YOU Want to Change? In the end, your motivation to change something about yourself may come from a variety of sources, perhaps a little because of pain, a little because you're inspired to be a better person, and a little because your spouse would like you to stop a habit that's driving both of you crazy. Becoming aware of your primary motivation to change is the best source for setting off on a new path, a new direction in life.
But it's not easy to leave the familiar. That's why I have found it helpful to have clients reinforce their motivation to change by articulating the basic reason why they want to be different than they are. As you read the following examples, notice that some contain more than one of the three basic motivating factors:
"I will stop smoking because I am tired not having enough energy and breath to walk comfortably for a distance that my friends can do easily and I will be left out of the fun activities they plan if I can't keep up."
"I am determined to become more assertive because I am sure that unless I learn how to speak up for myself, I won't get the promotion I really deserve."
"I am going to work on being less critical of my son because I don't like the physical tension that always seems to arise when we argue, and I'm afraid that if I don't back off, I won't be able see my grandchildren very often."
"I am going to see a nutritionist and learn how to manage my weight because I know it is very important to my husband and I'd like to live with him for another twenty-eight years. Besides, I want to look better in my clothes."
No matter who or what the circumstances, every person who is considering changing something about herself or himself has a reason, a motivation to change, that can reinforce and strengthen the resolve to change when change becomes difficult.
Putting These Ideas Into Practice Here are some ways you might use this article as motivation for change.
Make as accurate a statement about what it is you want to change as you can.
Be aware of what motivates you to make that change.
Write it down.
Put the paper some place you will see it often.
Arlene F. Harder, MA, MFT is Founder and Editor-in Chief of the websites Support4Change.com and ChildhoodAffirmations.com She has been a licensed psychotherapist for more than 20 years. Her specialties include healing imagery and reflective meditation techniques, and she is certified by the Academy for Guided Imagery. She is a co-founder of The Wellness Community-Foothills in Pasadena, California, and the author of the book Letting Go of Our Adult Children: When What We Do is Never Enough, and the upcoming book Questions to Ask Yourself When You Want Your Life to Change. Arlene can be contacted at arleneharder@support4change.com and can be found at her blog, support4change.squarespace.com
Are you actively working to change some aspect of your personality — and absolutely can't understand how someone else (perhaps the "significant other" in your life) doesn't have a clue that anything is wrong with him or her or seems inexplicably unwilling to do anything about it?
Why, you ask, are you so willing to change and the other person is not? I've asked myself that many times, since I'm one of those who constantly scrutinizes my problems to see how I might be contributing to the situation. That doesn't mean I've been completely successful in changing some of my more tenacious bad habits, but I do work at it (which can, paradoxically, also be a curse for those of us who are recovering perfectionists). Nevertheless, for many years I found it difficult to understand why others weren't as introspective as I.
Over the years I've learned that basically the reason some people want to be the best they can be, while others only like to complain is because the latter type of person isn't in touch with, or is able to deny the pressure of, what I call "pain, pull, or push forces." Unless people experience one of them, they are pretty well stuck right where they are.
Pain Motivated Change First of all, most people change (or at least are willing to consider changing) if they are in pain. We're all familiar with this dynamic. When there's something in our life that makes us uncomfortable, we may initially hope it will go away. If it doesn't, we start with small and relatively easy steps to change the situation. Finally, if those efforts are unsuccessful, we get to the point that we can't stand it any more. "I'm sick of this!" we scream. That emotional or physical pain gives us the courage to take other steps that may be more difficult, but are more likely to solve the problem permanently.
The point at which this happens varies widely from person to person. We all experience pain in different ways, but some of us are very good in putting on blinders and ignoring a situation that would drive someone else up the wall. Yet we all have a breaking point. Exactly where and when we reach that point varies from person to person.
For example, take the case of a weight gain of ten to fifteen pounds by a woman who has reached menopause. If she had previously been in top physical condition, has a job that requires interaction with members of the fashion industry, and enjoys looking slim and attractive in her expensive clothes, she will likely be well motivated to take off the weight and keep it off. That weight is painful for her.
On the other hand, suppose she doesn't work in a job that places emphasis on looks and has friends who are either quite a bit overweight or who have come to accept their weight as okay. There is no great pressure on her to change. So pain is not part of the change equation for this woman, even though her weight may be far from ideal.
Yes, pain is definitely an important ingredient in developing healthy habits. It provides the incentive to work toward the very behaviors that can relieve our pain. For example, it has long been recognized that an alcoholic seldom takes steps to stop drinking until he's sick and tired of being sick and tired of all the problems alcohol has caused in his life. In fact, if he goes to a therapist who works to build up his "self-esteem" (on the theory that he will then have the courage to join AA or enter into a treatment program), his newfound self-esteem can be counterproductive. Why? Because alcohol and drugs are marvelous self-medicating techniques he can use to keep from looking clearly at the mess he's made of his life. Having an "expert" tell him he's "okay" is not as effective as reminding him of the pain he's in.
However, as much as pain is a good motivation for many people, there are a few problems with focusing only on pain as an incentive to change.
Constantly reminding yourself that a given situation is painful keeps that situation at the forefront of your mind. Then, because change is seldom as rapid as we would like, we can be discouraged by the slow progress we're making and, feeling as though the pain will never go away, may talk ourselves into adapting to difficult situations.
An opposite problem occurs when change comes too quickly. It's not uncommon for clients who enter therapy to deal with a difficult problem to experience a positive change in their situation after seeing a therapist for only a few sessions. Feeling good about this reversal of their lives and assuming change is easy, they convince themselves they no longer need outside assistance. There's even a name for this phenomenon. It's called a "flight to health." So future sessions are cancelled, although there is still a lot of work to reinforce the minor changes that have been made.
Pain can actually be viewed as positive by those "martyrs" who use it as a technique to punish and control others. (You may have one of these in your own family.) They unconsciously cling to their pain because they don't see any other way of getting what they want.In these cases, a more effective motivation for change may involve an awareness of the forces that can pull us toward change.
Change Created by Being Pulled Toward New Behavior People change if they are acted upon by forces that can pull them toward modifying their behavior and shifting their perspective of the world, forces that arise in three areas.
The biological imperative to grow and enter the next phase of life Why does a baby learn to crawl and walk and run? It's not because the parents want her to. Her body is hardwired to move through these stages. And remember those hormonal changes in adolescence when we began to see classmates of the opposite sex in a different light and weren't sure what do with our new feelings? We couldn't have ignored those changes if we'd wanted to. Even the physical and emotional changes created by increasingly frequent aches and pains of aging offer their own lessons.
Life-cycle stages Courtship, marriage, birth of children, the launching of grown children and the onset of old age each create different climates that allow for the evolution of personal growth and development. For example, a quest for deeper spiritual meaning often increases in later stages of life. In fact, the more we're in touch with these naturally occurring "pulls" toward change, the easier it is to shift directions when old patterns no longer fit. As the scriptures note, "To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the sun. . . "
Response to information and inspiration Every day in school teachers struggle to instill learning and new ideas that will make a difference in their students' lives. Thousands of sermons are preached every Sunday in the hope that the words spoken from the pulpit will resonate within the hearts and souls of the congregation and encourage at least a few people to live with renewed commitment to a set of high principles. If you think back on your life, there is sure to be a time when you were inspired by words of encouragement from parents or other relatives, by a teacher, by a friend, by a story you read in the paper, etc. Even more, you have probably been an inspiration to others, even though you may be unaware of it.
Change Forced by a Push from Someone Else or by Circumstances Now we come to the form of motivation that is the least effective method for creating permanent change, but one that is used by many a spouse and boss. That is the effort to push someone into a corner in order to get them to change as well as the consequence of circumstance that force a person to consider change as the only way out of a bad situation.
Yes, I know, you'd love to demand your significant other make the changes you think would be good for him (and that would sure make your life easier). I've tried it. It's not easy and it seldom works.
When someone is being pushed by another person, the pushee will often make an initial, halfhearted attempt to change so the pusher will get off his back. The wife starts a different diet every week because her husband threatens to leave her if she doesn't "do something" about her weight. So she satisfies the requirement to "do something," but it's not permanent and doesn't get to the root of the problem, which may be the more serious matter of a demanding husband and passive-aggressive wife.
Bosses can be a bit more effective in pushing someone to change because they control the money angle, but the best supervisors know the most effective ways of applying pressure on their employees.
Although being told by someone that you have to change "or else" is seldom a strong enough incentive for permanent change, at least it can cause a person to get their body into a therapist's office. Once there, if the therapist is perceptive, he or she can discuss why that person might want to change - regardless of whether someone else wants them to change. In fact, a good therapist can often use the fact that a person was "forced" to come in to see them as a springboard for how painful it must be to find themselves in that situation.
Incidentally, if you are in the position of feeling you "have to" do what someone else tells you to do, remember that you ALWAYS have a choice. Unless you are bound and dragged into the office of a therapist or doctor, if you are there, you chose to come, albeit without great enthusiasm. You may not like the choices offered if you didn't go there, but you did - and that is the first step in acknowledging you ARE in control of your life to a much greater extent than you may want to believe or acknowledge.
When we look at the push of circumstances beyond our control, an excellent example is the change forced on people by the September 11th attacks. The lives of some of the people who were directly involved have had to change because their workplace and homes were destroyed or they have lost an important member of their family.
At the same time, there have been many people who were not directly connected with anyone in New York or Washington or on the planes who, nevertheless, realize they cannot count on the security of a terrorist-free country. The horrendous pictures of carnage on television have forced them to the conclusion that life has more meaning than Jerry Seinfeld and Sex in the City. The outlook and behavior of these people has shifted because someone else has pushed them to see the world from a new perspective. Hopefully many people will make significant changes in what they believe and how they behave. But for too many others, the changes will fade like New Year's resolutions.
Why Do YOU Want to Change? In the end, your motivation to change something about yourself may come from a variety of sources, perhaps a little because of pain, a little because you're inspired to be a better person, and a little because your spouse would like you to stop a habit that's driving both of you crazy. Becoming aware of your primary motivation to change is the best source for setting off on a new path, a new direction in life.
But it's not easy to leave the familiar. That's why I have found it helpful to have clients reinforce their motivation to change by articulating the basic reason why they want to be different than they are. As you read the following examples, notice that some contain more than one of the three basic motivating factors:
"I will stop smoking because I am tired not having enough energy and breath to walk comfortably for a distance that my friends can do easily and I will be left out of the fun activities they plan if I can't keep up."
"I am determined to become more assertive because I am sure that unless I learn how to speak up for myself, I won't get the promotion I really deserve."
"I am going to work on being less critical of my son because I don't like the physical tension that always seems to arise when we argue, and I'm afraid that if I don't back off, I won't be able see my grandchildren very often."
"I am going to see a nutritionist and learn how to manage my weight because I know it is very important to my husband and I'd like to live with him for another twenty-eight years. Besides, I want to look better in my clothes."
No matter who or what the circumstances, every person who is considering changing something about herself or himself has a reason, a motivation to change, that can reinforce and strengthen the resolve to change when change becomes difficult.
Putting These Ideas Into Practice Here are some ways you might use this article as motivation for change.
Make as accurate a statement about what it is you want to change as you can.
Be aware of what motivates you to make that change.
Write it down.
Put the paper some place you will see it often.
Arlene F. Harder, MA, MFT is Founder and Editor-in Chief of the websites Support4Change.com and ChildhoodAffirmations.com She has been a licensed psychotherapist for more than 20 years. Her specialties include healing imagery and reflective meditation techniques, and she is certified by the Academy for Guided Imagery. She is a co-founder of The Wellness Community-Foothills in Pasadena, California, and the author of the book Letting Go of Our Adult Children: When What We Do is Never Enough, and the upcoming book Questions to Ask Yourself When You Want Your Life to Change. Arlene can be contacted at arleneharder@support4change.com and can be found at her blog, support4change.squarespace.com
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
CHANGE IS COMING ....TAKE CONTROL
I Want To Be A Leader By Ken Valenzuela
If you want to do or understand something, you start by learning what it is. Leadership is no exception. After reading several books on the subject, I think that the best starting definition of leadership you can use is:
“Leadership is the ability of developing and communicating a vision to a group of people that will make that vision true.”
Who’s a Leader then?Someone who has a vision can communicate it and make it happen.
I like this definition because is concise and practical. Almost everybody understands it and can grasp the essence of leadership.
One of the key concepts behind leadership is ACTION. A leader has to develop a vision, has to communicate it and has to achieve it. Action is in the very essence of the leader’s existence.
In order to achieve the vision (or goal) the leader has to master five practices, as Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes state in “The Leadership Challenge, 3rd Edition”. The practices are:
1. Challenge the Process2. Inspire a Shared Vision3. Enable others to act4. Model the Way5. Encourage the Heart
In every single practice mentioned there are commitments that the leader has to work on. Those are:
To Challenge the Process, the leader has to search for opportunities by seeking innovative ways to change, grow and improve. He has to experiment and take risks constantly.
To Inspire a Shared Vision, the leader has to envision the future imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities. He also has to enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.
To Enable others to Act, the leader has to foster collaboration promoting cooperative goals and building trust. The leader has to strengthen others by sharing power and discretion.
To Model the Way, the leader has to clarify his personal values and set the example aligning actions and shared values.
To Encourage the Heart, the leader has to recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence. The leader has to celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community.
CredibilityAfter twenty years of research Posner & Kouzes found that people want leaders who are credible. If there’s no credibility there’s no leadership. The authors state that credibility is the foundation of Leadership. They also, state that there are four characteristics that a leader must have to be credible: honest, forward-looking, competent, and inspiring. They found that when there’s a high degree of credibility you can expect to see the following behavior:
a) People are proud to tell others they’re part of the organization.b) They Feel a strong sense of team spirit.c) They see their own personal values as consistent with those of the organization.d) Feel attached and commited to the organization.e) Have a sense of ownership of the organization.
Leadership and ChangeLeadership is most often recognized where changes take place. In changing times, is when leadership or the lack of it is evident. This opens up the question: Do we need leaders? If leadership (or lack of it) is evident in changing times, then is no surprise that more than ever we need leaders. We are living in this fast paced society, with even faster changing habits and trends, with uncertainty all around us.
Summing upTo become a leader, you have to develop a vision, be able to communicate that vision, and inspire the group you’ll work with to achieve it. You must have credibility. You have to build that credibility before you can lead. Do not compromise your honesty, be competent in whatever you do and be aware (forward-looking). Change is everywhere, everyday you must face it and be flexible enough to adapt yourself to lead.
Ken Valenzuela is an Industrial Engineer from Santiago, Chile. He’s got his title from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. He has worked on the Software Industry since 1994. He became interested in Leadership on the year 2005 and has been studying the subject since then. The year 2007 he launched BeALeader.Net a web site dedicated to propagate the knowledge about Leadership.
If you want to do or understand something, you start by learning what it is. Leadership is no exception. After reading several books on the subject, I think that the best starting definition of leadership you can use is:
“Leadership is the ability of developing and communicating a vision to a group of people that will make that vision true.”
Who’s a Leader then?Someone who has a vision can communicate it and make it happen.
I like this definition because is concise and practical. Almost everybody understands it and can grasp the essence of leadership.
One of the key concepts behind leadership is ACTION. A leader has to develop a vision, has to communicate it and has to achieve it. Action is in the very essence of the leader’s existence.
In order to achieve the vision (or goal) the leader has to master five practices, as Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes state in “The Leadership Challenge, 3rd Edition”. The practices are:
1. Challenge the Process2. Inspire a Shared Vision3. Enable others to act4. Model the Way5. Encourage the Heart
In every single practice mentioned there are commitments that the leader has to work on. Those are:
To Challenge the Process, the leader has to search for opportunities by seeking innovative ways to change, grow and improve. He has to experiment and take risks constantly.
To Inspire a Shared Vision, the leader has to envision the future imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities. He also has to enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.
To Enable others to Act, the leader has to foster collaboration promoting cooperative goals and building trust. The leader has to strengthen others by sharing power and discretion.
To Model the Way, the leader has to clarify his personal values and set the example aligning actions and shared values.
To Encourage the Heart, the leader has to recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence. The leader has to celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community.
CredibilityAfter twenty years of research Posner & Kouzes found that people want leaders who are credible. If there’s no credibility there’s no leadership. The authors state that credibility is the foundation of Leadership. They also, state that there are four characteristics that a leader must have to be credible: honest, forward-looking, competent, and inspiring. They found that when there’s a high degree of credibility you can expect to see the following behavior:
a) People are proud to tell others they’re part of the organization.b) They Feel a strong sense of team spirit.c) They see their own personal values as consistent with those of the organization.d) Feel attached and commited to the organization.e) Have a sense of ownership of the organization.
Leadership and ChangeLeadership is most often recognized where changes take place. In changing times, is when leadership or the lack of it is evident. This opens up the question: Do we need leaders? If leadership (or lack of it) is evident in changing times, then is no surprise that more than ever we need leaders. We are living in this fast paced society, with even faster changing habits and trends, with uncertainty all around us.
Summing upTo become a leader, you have to develop a vision, be able to communicate that vision, and inspire the group you’ll work with to achieve it. You must have credibility. You have to build that credibility before you can lead. Do not compromise your honesty, be competent in whatever you do and be aware (forward-looking). Change is everywhere, everyday you must face it and be flexible enough to adapt yourself to lead.
Ken Valenzuela is an Industrial Engineer from Santiago, Chile. He’s got his title from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. He has worked on the Software Industry since 1994. He became interested in Leadership on the year 2005 and has been studying the subject since then. The year 2007 he launched BeALeader.Net a web site dedicated to propagate the knowledge about Leadership.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
CHANGE IS COMING.........INTRODUCTION
Hi Everyone,
Hope all is well. This is my first time out on the open road. I hope you tell your friends about this Blog and we all come together and form the biggest mastermind group anyone has ever seen........A very special man, Rabbi Jacob Friedman, wrote" Life is filled with trials and troubles, some of which come upon us quite suddenly.One moment we are rushing along on a clear track to prosperity, success and happiness, and then suddenly, the wheel of fortune turns and we are plunged in to the dark foreboding tunnel of misfortune and hardship. WHAT HAPPENED ? CHANGE happened ! That's what happened......What do you do now? You only have two choices.....1-Embrace it OR 2-Fight it. You fight it? You lose! You get sick! We are about embracing it and learning how to roll with it. Learning how to embrace change is not as hard as you think......."CHANGE IS GOOD" is about attitude........ It's about POSITIVE EXPECTANCY and SUPPORT.......POSITIVE EXPECTANCY is about "maintaining unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end regardless of the difficulties, AND,at the same time,have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality,whatever they might be". SUPPORT is about having people around you who are positive and who will not only be there at the finish line cheering you on, but will also be there running right beside you the whole race.
It's about HUMAN CONNECTIONS. We want to hear your stories about "change" and how you pushed forward or you currently need advice on how to push forward...You would like to write a "change" article to post?You want to give advice ? Anything goes......Educational,
Motivational,Inspirational,Shocking, Or Funny........Let's all do it and help each other become RICH, FAMOUS and HAPPY........See ya soon. You can also contact me at CHANGE@IMPRINTALLIANCE.COM
WATCH FOR OUR INTERNET TV SHOW http://www.changeisgood.tv/ and OUR LINE OF
"CHANGE IS GOOD" APPAREL http://www.changeisgood.us/
Regards,
Barry
Hope all is well. This is my first time out on the open road. I hope you tell your friends about this Blog and we all come together and form the biggest mastermind group anyone has ever seen........A very special man, Rabbi Jacob Friedman, wrote" Life is filled with trials and troubles, some of which come upon us quite suddenly.One moment we are rushing along on a clear track to prosperity, success and happiness, and then suddenly, the wheel of fortune turns and we are plunged in to the dark foreboding tunnel of misfortune and hardship. WHAT HAPPENED ? CHANGE happened ! That's what happened......What do you do now? You only have two choices.....1-Embrace it OR 2-Fight it. You fight it? You lose! You get sick! We are about embracing it and learning how to roll with it. Learning how to embrace change is not as hard as you think......."CHANGE IS GOOD" is about attitude........ It's about POSITIVE EXPECTANCY and SUPPORT.......POSITIVE EXPECTANCY is about "maintaining unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end regardless of the difficulties, AND,at the same time,have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality,whatever they might be". SUPPORT is about having people around you who are positive and who will not only be there at the finish line cheering you on, but will also be there running right beside you the whole race.
It's about HUMAN CONNECTIONS. We want to hear your stories about "change" and how you pushed forward or you currently need advice on how to push forward...You would like to write a "change" article to post?You want to give advice ? Anything goes......Educational,
Motivational,Inspirational,Shocking, Or Funny........Let's all do it and help each other become RICH, FAMOUS and HAPPY........See ya soon. You can also contact me at CHANGE@IMPRINTALLIANCE.COM
WATCH FOR OUR INTERNET TV SHOW http://www.changeisgood.tv/ and OUR LINE OF
"CHANGE IS GOOD" APPAREL http://www.changeisgood.us/
Regards,
Barry
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