e Tip# 657 Why I Look Forward to Mondays

Why I Look Forward to Mondays

July 31, 2017

By Bob Dickson

Facebo

You know that dreaded ache that pounces into your soul at 8:59 pm Sunday night when you realize that your weekend is officially over. Tomorrow is Monday. And Monday means the start of the awful routine which you have now been programmed to believe is your life. I on the other hand, love Mondays. Instead of aches, a gleeful sensation of excitement fills me up on Sunday evening. Why you ask? Because Mondays are motivational. But I didn’t always feel this way? Here’s 5 tips you can use to change your view of Monday.

Tip 1: Preparation

Preparation is the key to a successful Monday. Knowing what to expect and getting ready to meet those expectations eliminates half the mental anguish that usually ends up overwhelming us on Monday. Like the great Benjamin Franklin says, “Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail.”

Tip 2: Adopt a Positive Monday Mood

This one tip can transcend through every aspect of your life. Having a positive attitude can make all the difference between a great day and bad day. On Sundays, I like to destress by writing down affirmations and mantras that make me feel empowered. I also set time to reflect on the past week and to tie up any loose ends so I feel complete and ready for new challenges. I make an effort to learn from whatever may have went wrong the previous week and find ways to improve so that those same mishaps don’t happen again.

Tip 3: Be a team player

Hopefully, you’ve had enough “me” time during your weekend. Start to look at Mondays as the start of being selfless and becoming a team player. Mondays are the start of the work week for everyone so get into the helping others frame of mind. Just as you need members of your team, expect that you will need to be available for others as well.

Tip 4: Dress to impress

This is my favorite tip of them all. Start by waking up thirty minutes earlier than usual and put a little extra love and care into your appearance. If you have a favorite blazer, Monday is the perfect occasion for it. It’s also the best time to break in those new shoes. You’d be surprised how much your appearance can liven up your mood.

Tip 5: Learn something new

It’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. I remember reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and it literally changed my life. The book helped shape my networking skills and taught me how to be a more approachable person so that I can nurture powerful professional relationships. Going back into the learning mindset we once had in school is so humbling. It gave me something to look forward to all week long.

What tips have you used to pull the best out of Monday?

www.westernct.dalecarnegie.com

eTip #656 4 Golden Rules For Getting Things Done

4 Golden Rules for Getting Things Done

July 24, 2017

By Bob Dickson

FacebooTwitteGoogle+Share

The tendency to start more tasks than you finish is all too common. Fear of failing to meet expectations from ourselves and others is one of the primary reasons we start things and just don’t finish. To coddle ourselves, we might say that we are “perfectionists” and that’s why things are just never quite ready to go. Alternatively, some people just can’t seem to hone in on small tasks. These are the people that get so wrapped up in the big picture that narrowing in on the steps to get there feels impossible.

If checking everything off your to-do list feels unachievable, congratulations, you’re normal. Getting it all done in one day has never been a practical goal, but getting the most out of your day should always be. The solution to this common problem starts with your outlook. Once you begin to view your year, as a collection of months, days, and then hours, you can begin to effectively manage every moment of your time.

Luckily, the habit of starting and not finishing is a habit that can be unlearned with some effort. Dale Carnegie was keenly aware of the damaging effects having a “serial starter” mindset can have on our productivity. He outlined 4 work habits to combat this in his Golden Rules. To learn how to actively apply these steps to your everyday life, register for the Dale Carnegie Training Courses.

1)    Clear your desk

Before beginning any project, clear your desk of all papers and close any windows on your desktop unrelated to the immediate task at hand. This is a practical way to curb your tendency to become sidetracked by outside sources. Although your other tasks may be important, realize that there is really no such thing as multitasking. Becoming present in that moment will help you fully execute your goal. In 2017, it may be a good idea to switch your phone to Do Not Disturb mode for the time being too.

2)    Do things in order of their importance

Prioritize like it’s your full-time job. Prioritization is an instrumental part of end-to-end execution. Remove any preferences you have may about tasks, and objectively prioritize them based on importance and urgency. Ask yourself: What needs to get done in order for XYZ to happen? This will help you develop a habit of creating timelines built on actionable steps and not just ideas on a never-ending to-do list!

3)    Solve problems in the moment

When executing any project, issues will undoubtedly arise on your way to the finish line. Instead of sweeping those issues under the rug, face them in the moment. If you are unable to correct that problem in the moment, at the very least, plan your solution. When you choose to ignore upsets in your project, they will hold you back in the long-run. After all, project management is about managing.

4)    Learn to organize, deputize, and supervise.

Getting organized on tasks is a given, but assigning responsibility is just as important. Spell out the chain of command on projects and balance the workload of all participants for maximum productivity. When problems arise that you are not able to mitigate, assign it to someone who can. You cannot multi-task on your own, but when a great team is on board, checking multiple tasks off of your to-do list at the same time becomes a realistic goal.

For more information, please visit our website! 
www.westernct.dalecarnegie.com

e Tip# 655 Mastering the Moment with Dale Carnegie’s Golden Rules

Mastering the Moment with Dale Carnegie’s Golden Rules

July 17, 2017

By Bob Dickson

FacebookTwitterGoogle+Share

Distractions come in more forms than loud noises and Facebook notifications. Getting wrapped up in the past and future is a top contender when it comes to blocking our success too.

Dale Carnegie warns us to break the worry habit before it breaks us, and living in the moment is an integral part of that process. He mentions this tip in his famous Golden Rules. Being present is often credited as a major key to success by acclaimed entrepreneurs like Ric Rubin and Marc Benioff. Carnegie, Rubin, and Benioff have learned that being mindful and centered unlocks success across the board.

Dwelling on the past and obsessing over the future can rob you of all the present moments you’ve built. When we are not fully engaged in the present, our performance is detrimentally impacted in work and our personal relationships. Conversely, when we focus our energy on “the here and now” we set ourselves, and the people around us, up for a better future.

This all sounds good in theory but realistically, being present isn’t always easy.

Dale Carnegie knew this was a challenge for many people. That’s why this skill is something our 8 million graduates have taken away from the Dale Carnegie Training Course.

Mastering this skill starts with accepting your past! There is no “undo button” when it comes to our history. Making peace with the moments that are gone is an instrumental part of our growth.

We have all made mistakes, lost opportunities and people, but these unchangeable moments only shape us in the long-run. Learning to view the past as merely a point of reference from which we learn from will reveal appreciation for the present. You’ll find that the only real value in looking at our past is to appreciate how far we’ve come.

Once you’ve made peace with your past, the next step is releasing your worries about the future. It is certainly necessary to envision your future to effectively plan for what’s ahead. But concentrating on the future becomes problematic when you neglect the present. Success-minded people realize that worry serves no real purpose in our journey.

These principles are often easier said than done. Our 8-week Dale Carnegie Training Course offers participants the tools needed to apply these principles to everyday circumstances. Professionals nationwide are using these fundamental skills to be mindful at every moment. The results are less stress, peace of mind and amplified productivity!

For more information, please visit our website! 
www.westernct.dalecarnegie.com

e Tip # 654 The Dress Code of the New Workforce

The Dress Code of the New Workforce

July 10, 2017

By Bob Dickson 

A sales professional who began his career in the 1980s may be shocked to walk into the headquarters of Google in 2017 and find the Senior Vice President wearing jeans on a Monday. As new age professionals embrace a more casual corporate culture, things like stuffy e-mails and the 9 to 5 work schedule are slowly fading away. The suit and tie lifestyle seemed to be the first to go.

Half of senior managers surveyed by OfficeTeam said they wear less formal attire to work than they did even five years ago. Office dress codes are getting more relaxed and the surge of millennials joining the workforce may be part of the reason why. A casual dress code appeals to new professionals in today’s competitive job market. Balance is a huge perk for today’s workforce and having the freedom to wear what makes you comfortable reinforces the value of balance full-circle.

Nearly 60% of professionals say they’d rather work at a place that is business casual or doesn’t have a dress code at all. A mere 18% of professionals still prefer strict dress codes. Companies are following suit by scaling back on the rules and tooting laxed dress codes as a perk right up there with medical benefits and high salaries.

This new outlook doesn’t stop at in-office practices. Even client-facing roles are becoming a bit more casual. The same OfficeTeam survey found that clients have even reported feeling slightly uncomfortable when a third-party company shows up in a suit and tie. Consider how your team might feel if your contractor shows up in a three-piece suit with a briefcase in hand. Depending on your industry, that kind of energy may give off corporate auditor vibes.

Even with this distinct shift in corporate culture, there’s still a fine line between business casual and just down right too comfortable. Close to half of senior managers surveyed felt that sometimes things got a little too casual! Things like flip flops, showing too much skin, and visible tattoos are still deemed inappropriate by 47% of professionals.

Most professionals agree that you have to dress for your audience. Fashion PR firms in the Garment District of NYC may have a much different protocol than the accounting firms on Wall Street. Wearing open-toed sandals to a board meeting may be a hit or miss depending on the crowd. With personal discretion beginning to play a major role in what is viewed appropriate for work, the lines are often blurred. Research has proven that ultimately upper management continues to set the tone for what’s flies and what doesn’t in the office through leading by example.

What did you wear to work today? Is it different from what you would have worn just five years ago? Tell us in the comment section.

For more information, please visit our website! 
www.westernct.dalecarnegie.com

e Tip # 653 How Healthy Offices are Celebrating Summer Holidays

How Healthy Offices are Celebrating Summer Holidays

July 3, 2017

By Bob Dickson

FacebooTwitterGoogleShare

In our youth, summertime means BBQ’s, road trips, picnics and days laid out on the beach! When the reality of adulthood kicks in however, summers start to look a lot more like 8-hour days stuck in a windowless office with colleagues. For so many professionals, summer days spent at work feel like a daily countdown to 5 o’ clock. To them, freedom begins the moment they clock out.

A RedBalloon/AltusQ report discovered that companies with high employee engagement levels were up to 10 times more likely to see an increase in profits. It’s no secret that happy employees tend to be more productive. That’s why healthy organizations approach summer with a slightly different mindset. Instead of racing to 5 o’clock, they bring summer fun into the office with company activities and outings.

For a jaded employee that dreads spending more than the already mandatory 40 hours per week with his co-workers, company outings may seem like another chore. That’s why having these activities in the middle of the work day is encouraged. Studies have proven that these bonding corporate experiences create a sense of community between everyone from the bottom up. Before you write off the idea of a company picnic as an unnecessary expense or a distraction, consider these benefits.

Breaks Down Company Silos

All companies battle with silos at some point. The idea that we should work vertically rather than horizontally in the chain of command is what many professionals are taught. Breaking these barriers may be as simple as firing up the grill this Friday and putting your marketing department in same room as your PR team for a good time. Disrupting well-established silos in your business can take time, but it is always worth the effort.

Allows Everyone to Recharge

We all need a moment to recharge and company excursions give us permission to do just that. Regardless of what deadlines are around the corner, a little R&R is only going to give your team the energy to perform better!

Improves Brand Identity

In addition to establishing personal bonds between colleagues, company outings give corporate culture a chance to truly develop. Without communication and engagement between team members, the culture of your company defaults to hollow, made up values. We spoke about how company values are developed in this blog. When those meaningful connections begin to manifest, your team has the chance to curate a company culture they can all believe in.  This sets a healthy foundation for your organization’s customer-facing brand identity.

Teams Feels Appreciated

Never underestimate the power of “thank you.”  A display of gratitude takes this notion even further. Holding a company picnic smack-dab in the middle of the work day can be a treat for everyone.  It shakes up the day, and allows employees to feel appreciated by upper management. Showing sincere appreciation for those around us is part of Dale Carnegie’s Golden Rules for this reason. You can pick up this skill and many others from our Dale Carnegie Training Courses.

For more information, please visit our website! 
www.westernct.dalecarnegie.com