RELATIONSHIPS: In the Workplace II

"RELATIONSHIPS: In the Workplace II"

Before I get going on today's entry let me clarify that when I talk about your "boss" I am referring to that person that tells you what you need to do at your workplace each day. It may be a "manager" or "supervisor" but, regardless, they are YOUR boss.

How many of you LIKE your boss?

How many of you DISLIKE your boss?

Of those of you that DISLIKE your boss, how many of you would also say - honestly - that you don't put 100% into your efforts on the job BECAUSE OF your dislike for your boss? You know what I mean, right? It's the kind of attitude that says, "Why should I do that for you? I'm not going to do anything more than I absolutely have to!"

Now, an even more important question that you need to address: "How is that attitude helping you in ANY way whatsoever?"

Does it make you feel better? I can answer that for you - "NO!" Oh, you may THINK it makes you feel better but I can promise you that this "relationship" (as it stands) eats at you each and every day.

Is it IMPROVING your positive mindset? Again, an easy answer - "NO!"

So...what's the point?

What if I could tell you a way that will not only change the way you approach each work day BUT may very well lead to a promotion and/or better job for yourself?

Here it is: Do EVERYTHING you can to make your BOSS look as good as possible!

O.k. after you pick yourself up off of the floor I'll continue. Are you back with me now?

Doesn't that just go against everything that seems to make sense in the workplace?

But really take a close look at this idea. Again, how is the other approach working out for you?

When you decide that you are going to approach each day with the idea of doing the BEST job possible (hey, listen, don't roll your eyes - it really is an important step to take!) then you begin to LOOK FORWARD TO the day as opposed to DREADING the day.

When you begin to focus on making your boss look good, guess what? YOU will begin to be noticed and YOU will "look good" as well. Your boss (even if he/she IS a jerk) will begin to realize how invaluable you are to them and they will do all they can to keep you working for them.

THEN, other department managers will begin to notice what you are doing and then THEY will want to get you to work with/for them!

My wife is currently working a part time job that is nothing special. It's just a basic part time job that a lot of people fuss and gripe about. But, guess what? As she usually does, she has approached each day as a chance to make people smile and to just simply do the best she can. She has only been working at this job for two weeks and she has already had one manager tell her that "word" about her has already spread around the store and that all the managers are wanting her to work in their department.

IN JUST TWO WEEKS!

Now, you tell me, how can that be anything BUT good?

Now, even though YOUR immediate manager may want to keep you where you are so that you can continue to make them look good, THEIR manager will notice what you are doing and realize that it would be silly to keep you at that level and will likely want to promote you to a higher level in order to take better advantage of your work habit and attitude.

YES, THIS CAN BE REAL AND IT CAN HAPPEN FOR YOU!

But, first and foremost, you MUST change your attitude on all of this.

And then, quite honestly, the sky is the limit for you.

Hey, why not try it? Honestly, what do you have to lose?

BE YOUR BEST and see if THE BEST doesn't start happening to and for you!

Until next time...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

http://www.michaelspillman.com/

Beware Mediocrity!

"Beware Mediocrity!"

How many of us would line up to go to the restaurant that would advertise a "mediocre sandwich"? Perhaps they believe in the "truth in advertising" rule! (Don't you wish more restaurants were as open and honest as the "mocked up" sign above?)

Here is the definition of "mediocre" as given by dictionary.com . . .

MEDIOCRE: adjective
1. of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate.
2. rather poor or inferior.

Now, YOU tell ME - would you seek out a restaurant, a business, a car dealership, a doctor, a dentist, a school, a realtor (and on and on we could go) that promoted themselves using EITHER of these definitions?

Can you even imagine an advertisement coming across your television screen or the radio airwaves with the voice saying, "Our customers say we're neither good or bad! Heck no! As a matter of fact, they say we're 'barely adequate'!"

Now, let's get down to the point - how many of us have settled for these to be definitions of our own lives? OUCH!

Yes, we are continuing our discussion of the choice we have to either FOLLOW our dreams or SETTLE for less!

This is one of my greatest concerns about our young people. Yes, there are examples of young people that are doing some incredible things with their lives. But, my guess - and that's all it is - would be that for every one of THOSE teens there are likely ten others that have already settled into a lifestyle of accepting mediocrity for their lives.

The struggle for us all in trying to correct this problem (with our young people - we'll get to you and me next) is in trying to help our young people understand that, indeed, the WORLD lies open and waiting for them! That, at their young age, they can accomplish SO much! That, at their age, they have the time to mess up several times and still recover! That, IN this age that we live in there is likely more opportunity available for them than ever before in the history of our world.

But, what kind of example are WE (yeah, this is the "me and you" part I just talked about) setting for them in this area? Let's look at the things I just mentioned that our young people need to understand and notice that WE, too, need to understand the same things:

1. The WORLD lies open and waiting for YOU! Regardless of your age, this fact is true. Remember, stop making excuses (disguised as "reasons") and look around.

2. At YOUR age, you can accomplish SO much! This is NOT true only for young people. Age really doesn't have a lot to do with it IF you understand and realize point 1: The world lies open and waiting for YOU.

3. At YOUR age, you have the time to mess up several times and still recover! Now, granted, the younger you are the better this is for you. But let me ask you this question: How old are you now and how many times have you really messed up already? Oh, and let me ask you this one, too: Are you still here? Remember, "As long as there is breath there is hope!"

4. IN this age that we live in there is likely more opportunity available for YOU than ever before in the history of our world. You see, this one fact removes the age barrier for the most part. This one fact removes the geographical barrier BIG TIME! As I have mentioned lately on my podcast, if you have the ability to listen to my podcast and/or to be reading this blog, then you have access to some of the greatest tools that can open up GREAT AREAS OF SUCCESS in your life. Regardless of who you are, where you are and how old or young you are.

One of the quotes I use in today's podcast is from Ayn Rand and it is the following: "The quickest way to kill the human spirit is to ask someone to do mediocre work."

Now, along with that, I'd like to include another quote because I think they go "hand-in-hand" with one another. This one is from Scott Alexander which says, "All good is hard. All evil is easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and mediocrity is easy. Stay away from easy."

Too many of us have sought out the EASY in our lives and, because of this, have allowed and settled for mediocrity in our lives! WAKE UP!

Chances are that if you feel empty, lifeless and in a dead-end situation that you have allowed and settled for mediocrity in your life.

Yes, some people actually seek out the easiest, least demanding job that they can find. It doesn't matter to them that it is also the least PAYING job and that they can be replaced by just about ANY "Joe Mamma" on the street - it's easy and that is exactly what they seek.

Many companies use these mind-numbing (and often "butt-numbing"!) tasks to weed people out. Yes, these tasks are likely necessary and must be done. But, again, ANYONE can do them and many times companies will start workers off to see who will rise above and who will settle. Kind of like the example given last week about a glass of water with impurities. And it's like the proverbial example of the "cream rising to the top"...SEPARATION!

We are going to be continuing this discussion for the rest of this week and I encourage you to take an inventory - an HONEST one - of your mindset and your attitude as you consider these thoughts. Could it be that YOU have settled for less and, by doing so, settled for mediocrity?

YOU ARE BETTER THAN THAT and don't you ever forget it!

Desire to "rise above" and, as you do so...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike