Your LinkedIn Profile is a way to get your “resume” in front of your superiors and peers, so that they can see what you’re capable of, and what experience you have.
Take a proactive role in understanding what is expected of you by your new boss, who will likely have different expectations, views, and priorities than your previous boss.
Don’t let disruptive behaviors negatively impact the productivity of your organization or department. Instead, utilize the 5 Power Steps to Facilitating Bad Meeting Behaviors.
One of the most important jobs of a leader is to encourage their team members. Encouragement goes a long way in maintaining motivation and is a powerful reward that all leaders have at their disposal.
Smiling Create Motivation
Scientists have proven that flexing the 26 muscles that it takes to smile, generates positive chemicals in our bodies. The resulting positive feelings may help you create greater success. Happy moods lead people to be more venturesome and more open to others. Happy people are also more highly motivated and more willing to tackle tough projects.
If you’re trying to get yourself to tackle the task that you keep putting at the bottom of your list, smiling may give you the push you need.
Smiles Motivate Others
Smiles are a free social currency. As Author Les Giblin has said, “If you’re not using your smile, you’re like a man with a million dollars in the bank and no chequebook.”
Smiling shows people that we are friendly and approachable – thus making us more desirable to do business with or work with. Smiling people are judged to be more sincere, sociable, competent, and attractive and a genuine smile shows self confidence.
Smiles also motivate others. Louise Armstrong knew that smiles are contagious: “When you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you.”
Smiles Increase Productivity
If you’re a manager trying to jumpstart productivity, a salesperson working to close a sale, a teacher trying to engage your students, or a parent coaxing your kid to finish their homework, a smile can inspire the behavior you are looking for.
To others your smile is a gift of encouragement, inspiration, acknowledgement, and caring. And to you, your smile may be the gift of success. So in this new decade, don’t forget to: Smile Your Way to Success.
We’ve all heard about repeating Positive Affirmations to help us think more positively, attain our goals, and lose weight. What you might not know is that there are techniques you can use to more deeply ingrain your Positive Affirmations so that they have an even greater impact on how you think, feel, and act.
Americans tend to live the opposite of a Zen lifestyle. We rush, multi-task, complicate, continuously move, crowd, and accumulate. We’re driven by calendars and to do lists. But even if we cannot fully embrace a Zen lifestyle, we can benefit from devoting regular time to live more like a monk. It could be a day, a week, an hour a day, a week a year, but any time you devote to the following these Zen Principles will bring you more peace and less stress.
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- Devote time to sitting. In the life of a Zen monk, sitting meditation (zazen) is one of the most important parts of his day. Meditation is practice for learning to be present. Sit silently for at least 10 minutes a day.
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- Live simply and have only what is necessary. There is little in a Zen monk’s life that isn’t necessary. He doesn’t have a closet full of shoes or the latest in trendy clothes. He doesn’t have the latest gadgets, cars, televisions, or iPhone.
O.K., well actually he does have an iPhone, as we discovered on our trip to Buhtan. But that’s all he has, I swear! He’s wearing worn leather sandals and a piece of red cloth for goodness sakes!!!! Let’s get back to the point: less is more. Give away the extra kitchen gadgets and sports equipment. They are cluttering your house and your mind.
- Live simply and have only what is necessary. There is little in a Zen monk’s life that isn’t necessary. He doesn’t have a closet full of shoes or the latest in trendy clothes. He doesn’t have the latest gadgets, cars, televisions, or iPhone.
- Do one thing at a time. When you’re eating, just eat. When you’re gardening, just garden
- Do it slowly, deliberately, and completely. Rushing takes the Zen out of the moment. Take your time. Move slowly and deliberately. Focus your mind. First cut the peppers, then cut the onions. Don’t move on to the next task until you are finished with the first one.
- Do less. If you fill your day with tasks, you will rush from one to the other. The truth is, almost every project can wait and if you did less, the world wouldn’t end.
- Put space between things. Don’t schedule appointments and tasks close together — leave room to finish and breathe in between.You’re wearing out the tread on your tires by never letting them cool down. Small changes make a big difference. So whenever you can, “Live Like a Buddhist Monk”.
Want to live more like a Buddhist Monk? My team and I can support you with Life Coaching that will help you incorporate these principles into your life. Contact me today for a Coaching Consultation.
“All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears — of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark . . . ” Dave Barry
O.k., I’m not proud of it! Those of you who’ve been following my journey to overcome my fears, will note from this picture that I took a step backwards recently.
At our dinner at The Palm in Caesar’s Palace, the waiter brought our lobster for a visit before the cook dispatched him.
In my defense, I was brave enough to touch the lobster, but every time I did, the waiter made it jump at me. Yes, I squealed like a little girl, but the thing was a bit slimy and it’s tail was fluttering.
Afterwards, I was a bit disappointed in myself, having the week before petted a Great Dane.
But then I heard my coaching voice echo in my ears: the path to being the person you want to be isn’t always a straight one. We have missteps and back steps, but in the end we move forward if we are focused and truly desire to be the best we can be. Part of the journey is self forgiveness. And part of the journey is learning to love yourself – your foibles and all. By the way, for those of you with Lobsterphobia. You may think you’re safe with frozen lobsters, but Trufresh is planning to sell lobsters frozen in a -40 degree chemical brine that allows lobster revival. The company recently showed a video at the Boston Seafood Show with two undead lobsters squirming around after being frozen stiff!!!! Woody Allen and I will not be buying these lobsters any time soon!
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but those who focus on others, instead of themselves, tend to be happier and more positive.
Recently, neuroscientists discovered that when you are compassionate, your nervous system and the emotion control center of your brain, are positively affected, resulting in happiness. In addition, compassion releases oxytocin in your body, which calms stress and boosts immunity. So helping others and showing empathy will make you happier and healthier.
And helping others doesn’t have to be an overwhelming proposition.
Recently I was having a bad day. It isn’t surprising that I would have a bad day considering I am recovering from extensive surgery on my foot, ankle, and calf.
Feeling frustrated and helpless, I was stunned at the impact of one simple question my husband asked: “What can I do to make your day tomorrow a little easier?”
Just the utterance of the words touched my soul. And the little things I asked him to do made the next day so much better: “Can you put a trashcan next to my Coaching chair and can you move my lunch to the second shelf in the Fridge so I can reach it better?” It took him just a few minutes to respond to my requests.
A little compassion. A little effort. And not only did I feel better, but my husband’s frontal lobe lit up, while calming chemicals bathed his body and reduced his stress.
Imagine how much happier you could be and what a better place the world would be if we all asked that simple question more often:
What can I do to make your day a little easier?
A recent University study found that students who were given the assignment to give or get five hugs a day were much happier than those who did not receive the assignment. We all know that hugging makes us happier, but sometimes we get so focused on surviving our daily schedules that we forget to do simple things that make us happier.
Touch has been shown to be the greatest language of compassion. You do need to be careful in the work place, but when possible, giving just a pat on the back can greatly increase both your and the receiver’s happiness.
As a coach, I am constantly looking for small actions my clients can take to increase their happiness. I find that when my clients focus on one or two happiness actions, they become much happier.
So when the situation is right: Hug it Out!