April 26, 2005

WORKPLACE WISDOM NEWSLETTER

Your Paradigm Believes Things Will Last

As some of you know, my dad died suddenly of a massive heart attack

when I was a young adult.

Shock!

He was only 56 - and we didn't see it coming. He was a fantastic father, and my

mother was the love of his life. I was their only child. In my "Happy Days World",

we lived much like the famous television family. But it didn't last...one day, we

realized we'd never see or talk to him on this earth again. Our time together

ended on that very ordinary, unsuspecting warm fall day 25 years ago.

Nothing stays the same. There's an end to things that are good in our lives...and

an end to things that are bad.

This is a bittersweet truth - APPLICABLE TO YOU IN THE WORKPLACE

TODAY.

If things are not going well in your career right now, remember this tough

situation won't last.

* Petty people who find fault with you won't be associated with you forever.

* Friends who disappoint you gain competence - or go away.

* Grinding, impossible assignments end - successfully or otherwise.

And there are other things that end....

• Too much travel? One day it will end. You'll find yourself at a desk, traveling

by air....or retired!

• Impossible assigments! In the early 90's, I was responsible for my Fortune

500 company's annual million-dollar incentive event honoring outstanding

performers. I worked with set design agencies in New York; signature

caterers; DMC's in far-away cities; GM's at 5-star hotels, and famous

entertainers. It was exciting, but my stress level grew higher and higher

with each passing year! Yet, one day, that job ended, and I moved on to

less stressful, equally enjoyable work. What was I left with? Wonderful

memories and invaluable experiences.

April 26, 2005

• Impossible people move on. Last week, a manager told me,"My Director is

absolutely impossible to please"! I responded, "Be patient! Your director will

eventually move on...or you will." An individual will not be a stress factor for you

forever.

• Your favorite people move on, too. I often ask managers to describe one of

THEIR favorite managers. As they reminisce of wonderful qualities, I see smiles

and hear warm tones in their voices. It's obviously a pleasant memory, but

eventually one or the other of them moved on. The relationship, as it had existed,

ended.

SO, THE LESSON IS...adjust your paradigm to thinking..."This situation

TODAY won't last. Ask yourself, "How can I grow through this?" Answering this

question will give you the courage to keep on, to do what you have to do, in order

to get bigger and better results.

If it is a good time at work right now, ENJOY IT...speak of your appreciation, your

admiration, your enjoyment...be aware and recognize you're in a good place!

If it is a challenging time or a tough place right now, say to yourself, "THIS WILL

NOT LAST. I will be persistent. I will make this as enjoyable as possible in order

to look back on the "best of the bad times".

This is life and - for the most part - it IS what you make of it.

Both Good AND Bad events inevitably make you wiser!

And being a wiser individual makes you a more valuable one.

You simply interact with deeper UNDERSTANDING and WISDOM!