April 2008
Welcome to INTENTIONS, a free monthly newsletter dedicated to personal and professional success for Leader, People, Free Spirit and Task Type Personalities. If you do not wish to continue to receive this newsletter, please click the unsubscribe link at the end of this newsletter. For more information on the PeoplemapTM System, or to refresh your memory, go to www.peoplemap.org. |
In this Issue:
- Feature Article: What's Going On?
- Intentions: for Leader, People, Free Spirit & Task Type Personalities
What's Going On?
I recently had a conversation with a woman who has worked for many years in a successful and well known company which manufactures a very popular product. She shared with me her experiences over many years with a manager who was emotionally abusive and demeaning, who yelled and screamed to get his way, interrupted her rudely in team meetings, and withheld resources essential for success, forcing this employee to put in sixty to seventy hours a week to complete required tasks.
The company has all kinds of employee centered value statements, such as honesty, respect, open communication, “people are our most important asset,” blah, blah, blah. You know what I’m talking about. We’ve all seen it before. The problem is that none of it is happening because the one in charge is not capable, or not willing, to enforce the company values. Not only is he not supporting company values, he is essentially stealing productivity and profits from his employer.
“What, you say, stealing? Isn’t that a bit strong? It sounds to me like he is just an authoritarian type person, or someone who demands results. That employee should stop whining and do her job! Perhaps then he would get off her back.”
Unfortunately it is more complicated than that. An important emerging issue in the workplace, regardless of whether the organization is private or public, profit or non-profit, large or small, is workplace bullying. The process is very specific, and very different than a “strict” boss, or a disciplined team leader. A bully is a workplace abuser. He or she focuses the bullying behavior of one or more people, usually the competent and productive ones, and systematically impedes their progress, sabotages their work, humiliates and demeans, until the employee is incapable of achieving their potential. The employer and the employee lose. Unfortunately, the bully usually wins. Don’t confuse someone like this with a disciplined and productive team leader. They could not be further apart.
In order to help prevent this type of destructive behavior in your workplace, check out the details on www.bullyinginstitute.org so that you can identify a dangerous bully. They also have the results of a 2007 Zogby report with statistics regarding this growing and insidious epidemic. If you are in a decision making capacity, be sure your managers are well trained in civil workplace behaviors, interpersonal respect, emotional intelligence, and other skills necessary for running a cohesive team. If you have any doubts, management 360’s do a great job in weeding out the workplace bullies. Some bullies can be trained, some, unfortunately, refuse to change, and are better off working for a competitor.
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Personal Intentions for the month of April
LEADER INTENTION
I am independent and I need to be in charge of my own life. I feel most comfortable when I take control at home and at work.
Sometimes I attempt to take control when, perhaps, I should let go.
Now I realize that some people rebel when they feel controlled. I also realize that my need to control may thwart initiative in others.
Today I intend to let go of control. I will delegate more at work. I will allow family members more initiative at home. I will not micromanage or criticize, if others follow different avenues than those I would follow. Not everyone needs to be like me.
PEOPLE INTENTION
I want to do things right so that other people like and respect me. I don’t like it when someone criticizes me.
Sometimes, when I feel criticized, I take it personally. I feel hurt. I may even brood for a time. Then, sometimes, I think that nothing I do is good enough.
Now I realize that I may benefit from some corrective criticism. It’s not necessarily personal or all about me. I do many things well, but no one is perfect. People may give me input and opinions that will help me grow and become better personally or professionally.
Today I intend to respond to well-meaning, corrective input, objectively. I will consider whether it fits, and make needed changes. I will look at mistakes as “water over the dam,” and as learning situations, not as personal failure. I intend to embrace positive and constructive input.
FREE SPIRIT INTENTION
I like to be in the moment. I like to go with the flow. I do not see any reason to plan every little thing out so that I feel I have no space for last minute change. I prefer to be spontaneous.
Sometimes, this lack of planning can get me in trouble. If I don’t plan in areas such as finances, retirement, or future medical needs, for instance, I will never get where I want to be. If I don’t develop a plan of action to achieve certain goals, I will not achieve them.
Now I realize that planning ahead and developing a plan of action is imperative if I want to be successful.
Today I intend to develop a plan of action for important areas of my life. I will list my goals for my future, and develop a realistic, step by step plan to achieve those goals.
TASK INTENTION
I prefer to plan ahead and have a specific itinerary for my day, or my trip. I am not particularly spontaneous. I feel uncomfortable with not knowing what is ahead of me.
Sometimes an opportunity to do something spontaneous comes up and a family member or colleague tries to enlist me to be part of it. I usually back out with some excuse. It just isn’t part of my plan, and it usually seems frivolous anyway. This interferes with developing new relationships, and strengthening old ones.
Now I know that my discomfort is part of my personality, and I will continue to resist spontaneous activities unless I consciously make different choices.
I intend to learn to be more spontaneous. I intend to say “yes” more often when I am invited to join an activity that is not necessarily in my plan. I may even learn to enjoy new experiences.
SUCCESS. . .
The personality trait or Achilles Heel that most interferes with my success is: ___________________________________________________
This trait impacts my work performance by: ______________________
This trait impacts my personal success by: _______________________
This trait particularly interferes with: _____________________________
When I overcome this Achilles heel I will be able to: _________________
This will improve my health and well being by: ____________________
This will improve my performance at work by: _____________________
The person most impacted by this change will be: _________________
The learned strength that will replace and help me overcome this Achilles heel is: _______________________________________________________
For the next seven days I will focus on developing this learned strength. Every day, I intend to practice one of the following:
1. ____________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________
Get a year's worth of Intentions, in full color, with attractive pictures and workbook, hard copy or CD, at www.patswan.com.
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