Getting Serious About CHANGE

The higher the Altitude the better your perspective.

  In my writings I like to take to the different view rather than follow the same-ole-same-ole. Be it for the challenge of your mind to think in different quantum's? I suppose so! Otherwise, wouldn't it be hum-drum to read the same story with a different title? SO, let's do the twist!

  Whether you can agree with me or not, don't you like a challenge of thought processes now and again? Just as Sphere-Logic Business Thinking drove some up the wall a few years back, but now everyone has jumped my
bandwagon of destroying the "BOX" mentality! Unfortunately, for some, the box has held them captive to this date and time. The box was fine back in the day; thinking outside it was the next move; BUT it's time to roll on!

  Getting rid of the box was/is great, but now they're outside the box wandering around scratching their heads, "Now what?". [There are a few companies out here getting on the "Sphere" thinking mentality. Check out a couple my earlier writings on the subject.]

  Everyone talks about change, they'll tell you change is good and they would like to; but no one does anything to change what it is to make that change in the first place.

  You first have to have a change in mind. Without a new mind-set, it's not going to happen. You need a vision (dream) along with motivation, inspiration, and even perspiration if need be.

  Before we go any farther, let's ask "WHY" do we want change? WHAT is it we want to change, others, things, circumstances?  Right off the bat, good luck trying to change others; inanimates will be more easy to change, and self will take on much more of a discipline; but that's exactly where we need to go. "SELF"

  Attitude is center on the sphere of things to change -- to change that mindset. Your attitude will reflect your persona for the day or your general personality for life.  Know the cliche', "misery loves company", well, you will find it if it doesn't knock you over first.

  I always say, "Good Attitude is High Altitude!" I won't explain that thought, I want you to think on it. The moment your feet touch the floor in the morning your first thoughts should be that of a positive nature.
Thankful for a new day, a new beginning, the shot at making this one better than the last.

                CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE - CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

  If you're waking up thinking 'here we go again', or 'in 9 more hours it'll all be over', you're starting your day defeated before you even start. Some of you might like
1. only your job,
2. only your coworkers, or
3. may not like your boss,
4. your direct reports or subordinates,
5. a few may not like anything but the paycheck at weeks end.


 Real Life sample: 

  Coaching a production manager just a few short months ago, she had an altitude problem. She couldn't see the whole picture, she only saw what she wanted. Her personal agenda, self preservation, and a slight ego got in the way. I was hired by the president by the company to help bring her along before the inevitable would take place. (So you see, I wasn't on her team so to speak, and her team was that of ONE.)
  It took a couple months to raise her altitude in order to correct attitude.  Direct reports had ideas, if she liked them she made them hers and if she didn't she would blast them out the door. As far as associates on the production floor, not even the time of day. She had a mission, to get to the top no matter who gets hurt. Unfortunately, she didn't realize she was heading for the door without knowing it.  That is, until the day of our first meeting.
  The President  thought she was a great production manager; the work got done with aggravated effort, but she needed much refining in the team-working -social arena. Some times it takes a little more work to correct the path we're on.

  Which of these above areas are you in ? I may be talking to Exec's as well. Life may have gotten out of control  a degree or two. You have got to change your attitude in order to change your life! In the case of our PM above, she's coming along.

   We don't have to agree all the time on everything, but we should all still get along and respect each others thoughts and perspectives.

  There are times you have to let go of something in order to hold onto something else. That takes change, an attitude adjustment, to let go of the old and grasp the new. Are you ready for change in this new year? You can start today, tell yourself one thing you want to change out loud. Come on, you can do it, you talk to everyone else, you mumble to self (negatively). It's time to speak aloud the changes you want/need to make, and follow thru one step at a time.

Arnold Group has been
"Building dreams, teams, and friends for life, not just clients!"
since 2002

Why Strive to Survive when you can Thrive

                                                           I've coached good leaders, and 'not-so-good'  leaders;
                                                    we're talking about teachable vs. unteachable persons here.

  The 'not -so-good' leader was basically thrown to the wolf (coach) versus personal  all sound  reason. They thought they were doing a well enough job without a coach. Basically I was their inheritance, the gift they didn't want from hierarchy.

   They would through the motions dealt by the coaching staff; and after it was all said and done, they received a lot of information and decided not to use what was given them. Some of those employees were replaced by these companies, and my staff resumed coaching. Some of these companies are still surviving... just SURVIVING! The question contemplated now...


          Why survive when you can thrive?

  Those who chose to be coached, not only grew in the company, but grew in themselves, to the point that some have moved upward in other positions and/or companies.

  Pro ball players hire coaches and personal trainers to help improve their game; politicians hire coaches to prepare speeches and help them learn to speak in front of large audiences and stand out from the crowd.

  It's been almost 5 months while coaching a major league retail store Mgr. He's made life so easy, eager to learn, not afraid to tweak his ego in any area we may enter into. I'm not his drill sergeant, but keep him pushing in the right direction.  He' has also made plans to bring on some staff.

 This isn't the case for everyone. Meaning, they may all want what this client has (the motivation), but it takes others a little longer to achieve.

                                                  How bad do you want it!            

  There's a bond, a mutual awareness and respect for our positions in this client/friend relationship. The reason? Everybody has a closet that needs to be opened, but we don't want to clear it out right away. Some of us hang on to things in our life along the way and don't want to let go. These things are called...  

                                                                    HABITS!

  Some are good and some are not. Non the less certain habits can cause our careers to sour. It takes some coaxing and coaching to get our habits aligned. Your coach (personal trainer) should help you rid of the bad habits and work on strengthening and growing good habits. Keeping your strengths strong and your strengthen your weaker areas.

   If you're not growing, moving forward in your client/coach relationship, you may need another coach; if you are a coach, you may need to drop the client if the relationship isn't moving. An important piece of information is feedback, without it you're building a chasm between you and the client. It's like your personal report card, keeping you on track.  

                                         Bridging the gap with good communication
                                                

                                                          between client and coach.      
                                                          
  Coaches aren't for everyone, they are for anyone who wants to grow in their field. Your coach and you, or you and your client should be a better than good fit. 


  Respect, Honesty, and Equality should be keep words to grow a great bond. Listening and understanding your (plural) plans as you move forward toward your goal is essential. This is how good habits will be formed, molded, and personified.

  Companies today, along with company presidents, CEO's, plant managers, etc. are stepping up their game. They are bringing career coaches (CC) onto their team to dream into existence a more vibrant cohesive team for tomorrow and leave the survival mentality behind. Isn't it time you grow your future?


Our motto: "BUILDING DREAMS, TEAMS, AND FRIENDS FOR LIFE, NOT JUST CLIENTS!" It's our vision and missions statement.

Composing A Self-Confidence No Matter.

   Whether you're a writer, auto mechanic, salesperson, or homemaker, self confidence is something we all need to make the most of our day. Confidence doesn't just happen at the moment or even over night; it will grow and brood in our being over time.

   Hopefully you had the type of up-bringing that had parents to nurture that self-confidence in you from the start. But for those of us who didn't have that luxury ( or maybe some of it due to two working parents or whatever the case), it's not too late.

   It can grow rapidly (many weeks/months) or leisurely (years) depending on how much you want it. So, if you are of the second, you may want to rethink your thoughts on the matter, or just stop right here. But! If you are of the first (rapid), let's keep moving forward as we journey toward growth within ourselves.

   There are a few thoughts that come to mind, over brooding myself over the past several weeks, as to what I wanted to convey in this blog. No matter what career path you have taken, you can be better at it and for it with these few steps.


1. You need to have a strong and unresolved DESIRE.

No one can give it to you, it has to be sprung forth from the inside-out, embedded in your heart and mind. Your passion for it grows with every breath, every thought, and waking moment. Others can see that twinkle in your eye when the subject arises, you start to glow, as if you're ready to burst.

Confidence will not come if you just take a nonchalant attitude. There's no love, no desire, no passion; therefore the dream of being a winner in life will never come to fruition.


2. As said above, it's the PASSION.  Remember...          Your first kiss!

How about your first love, the one your parents told you would break your heart when it ended. That love at first sight, the one nothing was able to steer you away from. That's the passion everyone sees consuming you; it is on your mind day and night.


 3. You need IMAGINATION.

Innovators, dreamers, artists have great imaginations. Now, not everyone is an artist per-se or an inventor, but everyone likes to dream. Picture yourself at the top of your game, not grudging thru. Try seeing yourself at the top of your class, not just passing.


 4. You must take ACTION to bring your confidence to life.

Taking a step or leap of faith to see yourself as you want to be seen, not the way others see you. David looked at Goliath and didn't see a giant, he saw another man in front of him because of his confidence. David saw a defeated foe.

     Desire comes from within, Passion is what's seen by others, Imagination is seeing      yourself the victor, not the victim; and Action is what you do to make it all happen. You need these ingredients in order to bring home the trophy. They are the building blocks on which one wins the prize.

The thoughts can go on and on about this subject. What counts is that you build your dreams by turning them into action on a daily basis. Confidence is something that is NOT given to you, you have to grow it, nurture it it has to become a part of you. Look in the mirror every morning and see the person you want to be. Say with confidence, "I'm a winner, I can do this!"

written by William (Bill) Gibbs,MC and Jack Arnold, CC @ Arnold Group

Over-coming the Fears of Chaos

          Some say, “Plan for the unexpected, and hope for the best”…

                                                        CHAOS!

  Yes, there are several types of chaos. Usually we only see chaos as a totally negative word, and that’s usually because that’s the way we see it. The meaning alone tells us what to expect: disorder, disarray, void of content...need I say more?

  There are three main types of chaos, expected chaos, orchestrated chaos, and that which is totally out of your hands.

  Expected chaos isn’t so bad (for the most part). You know its coming, you don’t know how, but you plan several ways to deal with it when it hits. Call it your escape plan, Plan-B, etc.

  Orchestrated chaos when its deliberate in its doing. When you have to undo something in order to correct the situation.

  An easy look at this is when you ask your teen to clean their room, and they tell you its clean enough.

  So you take initiative to mess it up more than it already is. You laugh, they get angry (of coarse). They start clearing out the room by reordering the mess and making it better than the original. This is also known as intentional chaos.

  Last, and the most dangerous is totally out of your hands. It’s not expected, orchestrated in any way. Like the lay-off instead of that promotion, the Griswold's’ cousin Eddie coming for the holidays unexpected (Christmas Vacation). Leaving  devastation out of the equation. You can see where I’m going.

  I wasn’t sure what to call this article at first, just Chaos, Coping with Chaos, or even Conquering Chaos. Chaos, well that was just not enough to say the least. Coping with Chaos is like saying coping with an elephant on your chest. And Conquering Chaos, well, that won’t happen in this life. So I decided on…

                Over-coming the Fears of Chaos

  Let’s face it, you can never in this life get rid of chaos, but you can deal with the fear it brings. How do we deal with it? Wow, glad you asked!

   First of all, realize it’s not just you! It happens to everyone that lives and

breaths on this planet. Some just happen to handle it better than others.

   Second, never try and do it alone. Always get opinions from every source available, I’m not saying go to one person and end there. Get a variety of options, trusted friends, family, Google a search, trusted colleagues on Linked-In and such.

   Third is to never rush an antidote. Unless it’s life and death, there’s no reason what-so-ever to give an un-thought out answer.

   Fourthly, without chaos there would be no creativity, innovation, inspiration, no will to succeed. Chaos will at times give that nudge, that push, sometimes a shove to drive us forward to our victory.

  If there is chaos (of some sort) in your life take the stand to change it. If you have no chaos at all check your pulse.

Reflextions and Promises

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     As we reflect on the past year and anticipate the coming New Year, we make promises  to fix what we didn't

do, to try and make amends in the up and coming.


  For some, we'll make new resolutions, only to break them a month into it. Some will last longer, and only a very few will endure to victory.


  Can we save ourselves from ourselves? AH! The question at hand. The answer is a definite YES.

  Don't let diffidence hold you back, grow your confidence, believe in yourself. Say, "I can do this!" boldly.


  I don't want to sound too lectury about this, after all, almost everybody and their Mother is writing a piece just like this. (Sorry Mom) Here we go again!


           Too many try and bite more than they can chew!


 The idea is to put what you can do in front of you do it, then add on one thing that's a bit harder for you to control and stick to it. Which is easier to do, put a fry in your mouth, or a big potato? 
When it comes to doing a makeover or a big lifestyle change, it would suffice to start with smaller bites.

            Small beginnings lead to large victories. 


Know what you can handle and start there. Having a victory or two under your belt builds momentum and gives you that inner drive to move forward.


  Never ever threaten or swear to yourself when you fail or break under pressure. 

Hey! Life happens, just make and keep your promise to get it right and do better tomorrow; that only leads to dismay and quitting all together.

  So, with this in mind, let's look for a bright New Year.

   

Where Did These Ideas Come From?

Where Did These Ideas Come From?

Integrity, Truth, Skills, Loyalty, Integration, Team-work; these are the scope of the business world which are actually taken from Biblical principles, and the list goes on.

Proverbs 26:10 says, “Like an archer who wounds everyone, so is he who hires a fool (rebel) or who hires those who pass by.” If you’re in the position of hiring, that sentence is saying, don’t just hire anyone.

 Skills: They should have the skills for the job, not that they’re a friend or you need to fill a vacancy. Also the prospective applicant should do his/her schooling to do the task at hand. Esau, Jacob’s brother was a ‘skilled’ hunter. Moses picked skilled laborers such as brick-layers, goldsmiths, craftsmen of different sorts to do a particular job. The Apostle Paul was a skilled tent maker, Luke was a doctor, and a few were fishermen. Training employees and giving them the tools needed not only make them better skilled employees, but make your company easier to run.

Loyalty: Good workers (associates) work when the boss is present real well, and maybe just OK when he’s/she’s not. Great (loyal) workers do the job whether or not the boss is in the house. They watch the bosses back and so on. King David had very loyal people all around him even to the point that they would die for his safety. I don’t think you’ll have to go that far on the job. Hmmm! Seriously, the loyalty you want you must first give, it’s a two way street.

Integration: Bringing thoughts and ideas from all aspects of each employee, no matter what department or rank in the company. Sometimes the janitor sees way more than you would ever expect (even what shouldn’t). Jesus picked his disciples from various walks of like to get the job done. In this case He made such a profound impact on their lives, they changed to His way of thinking. They turned the world up-side-down. How would you like for that to happen in your company?

Team-work: Each person has an integral part in the process. No one is a total loner. Surely you may work alone from time to time on certain projects, BUT, it still gets passed on to there and from there. A fella named Ezra was rebuilding the temple wall; he had internal problems and external. He called his team together and chased out the internal problems (negativity, slothfulness, nay-sayers) so he only had to fight the battle on one front. He put teams together to get the job done.

Managers and employees alike should say every day, “WE ARE TEAM!”

PUSH comes to SHOVE!

   I love to do acronyms, and haven't done them in a while. So, I have a double dose for your appetite today. It came to me a couple weeks ago while in on a meeting. The President of the company was using an acronym for his speech that day. He kept using the phrase, "You have to push yourself!" along with it.

  Along with the rest of the weeks' meetings a formation was taking place for those who want to succeed. Succeed in their home, career, life in general. The acronym PUSH was birthed into my thoughts as I contemplated the weeks' thoughts.

P- Pursue. You don't get anything unless you hunt it like a lion for his meal. Thinking will not get you where you want to be; you need to pursue and chase down your dream.

U- Utilize your time, friends, colleagues, your accessibility to your PC (phone, email, etc.). Don't waste anything to get to where you want to be. Do not ever abuse, and expect to repay.

S- Sustain your ground! Always move forward, never backward. Wait patiently where you are if needed to gain your perspective and composure. Under no circumstance back down from your vision, your dream.

                                      H- Stay Humble at all costs. When you start getting haughty, that's when you'll lose ground, friends, jobs, and even family. Remember where you came from and where you're going. Remember pride goes before the fall.

Then after more pondering on these, another word came into play. Sometimes you have to PUSH your way to success. BUT that's not the end of it. there are time when PUSH comes to SHOVE!

S- You want to Salient, flourish, achieve what you thought was unattainable! It links you back to Sustaining.

H- Keep Humility in front of you at all times as you climb your ladder. No matter how high you climb, there's always those above you as well as those behind.

O- Obsessive! Eat, drink dream your dream into existence. We're talking about a healthy obsession. While  you're bringing your vision into being, help someone else bring theirs into fruition too. Remember the law of reciprocity, give then receive. Believe me it works! In today's lingo, 'what goes around, comes around'.

V- Never lose the Vision. It keeps clarity, perception. It will bring you to your Victory. Let no one take it, talk you out of it, or pull you down. Stick to your guns, your dream. It wasn't theirs to begin with.

E- Always, always give it the best you've got. Heart, body, and soul! Be nothing short of Excellence. There will always be the opportunity looking for you, and not you looking for opportunity. It makes you stand out in the crowd. It makes you Exquisite, first-class among your peers.

Hope this little acronym was not only fun, but helps you with your way to succeed on your journey. For more inquiries about us go to:
www.agrpllc.com or email: info@agrpllc.com