Positive Thinking

Positive Thinking
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill
"Positive anything is better than negative nothing." -Elbert Hubbard
"Once you replace negative words with positive words, you'll start having positive results." -Willie Nelson
"There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge." -Napoleon Hill
"Train your mind to think in terms of 'possible' and 'can be done'." –Unknown
Our lives have been influenced by these words and more but here are a few things I picked up along the way of my life experiences.
1. A very wise teacher told me, "Be where you are." She meant it in terms of yoga training (push your own limits and don’t spend time looking at the people way ahead of you or behind you), but I’ve found it’s an important piece of life wisdom to stay positive.
when we worry and fret and immediately start planning for the worst-case scenario; when we set too high standards for ourselves and get upset that we did not reach them "Be where you are" addresses it.
2. “Wear a smile”: have you ever had to go out socialize or simply be at a job where no matter how upset you are feeling deep inside you have to ‘smile’? While you are wearing the ‘smile’ you realize that the ‘smile’ becomes you. Changing our physiological state can also influence our emotions. That’s why it may sometimes be better to go out wear a smile and have some fun when you are feeling low,.
3. “Do good”: doing something for someone else at a moment of extreme low. Sounds impossible, how can I do for others when I myself need help? Just give it a shot. At a time when I was facing complete turmoil within I was given a research project with the kids at a remand home. Just doing for others; volunteering to assist in areas that drew on one of my strongest skills; amassing the positive vibes from the kids and the other volunteers has been an amazing mood lifter for life in general.
The list could go on and on and I am sure you have many more life’s learning’s to share with me well just a few more points as I stop penning my thoughts:
1. Quit getting upset on situations beyond your control
2. Change your internal dialogue when dealing with fear
3. Change your vocabulary as a daily habit
4. Get out of the habit of criticizing yourself
5. Avoid criticizing others
Simply put just be HAPPY and make others HAPPY.
Live and let live.
CHEERS

communication

A young girl and her father were on a pilgrimage. When they reached the temple of Shiva, her father said, “Lets collect bilva leaves and dhatura flowers and offer them to Shiva to show our devotion.” This is what the father and daughter did. Then, they reached a Vishnu temple, and her father said, “Lets collect tulsi leaves and offer it to Vishnu to show our devotion.” This is what the father and daughter did. Then they reached a Ganesha temple. On the father’s advice, the daughter offered blades of grass. At the temple of the Kali, the daughter was told to offer neem leaves and lemons. At the temple of Hanuman, she offered sesame oil.

The daughter was confused, “You say all gods are actually one.” “Yes,” the father confirmed. “Then why different offerings to different gods?” “Because,” said the father, “Each form is different and different forms need to be told the same thing in different ways. Each time we have expressed our devotion but the vehicle of communication has changed depending on the preferences of the recipient. That is why: the wild bilva and poisonous dhatura for the hermit Shiva, the fragrant tulsi for the romantic Vishnu, the rapidly regenerating grass for Ganesha who was resurrected with an elephant head, the sour lemon and bitter neem for Kali who consumes all things, negativity included, and sesame for Hanuman, the mighty wrestler, feared even by death.”

Often we want to communicate an idea to our customers. But we do not pay adequate attention to the method of communication. The method chosen should be the function of the customer. Different customers need different methods. But most corporations find the idea of customizing methods of communication rather inefficient. So they try to come up with an efficient standard method of communication, often at the cost of effectiveness.

How to improve employee loyalty

Apart from the newly emerging culture of job hopping, where it is considered necessary for career advancement. Indians are naturally loyal. However since they are emotional too, a negative environment, relationship problems etc can make them want to leave. Dissatisfaction at work is the prime reason of course, but usually this does not only stem from money. What we could do to improve the satisfaction level:

Specify your expectations:Changing expectations keep people on edge and create unhealthy stress. They rob the employee of internal security and make the employee feel unsuccessful. I’m not advocating unchanging jobs just the need for a specific framework within which people clearly know what is expected from them.

The quality of the supervision an employee receives is critical to employee retention. People leave managers and supervisors more often than they leave companies or jobs. It is not enough that the supervisor is well-liked or a nice person, starting with clear expectations of the employee, the supervisor has a critical role to play in retention. Anything the supervisor does to make an employee feel unvalued will contribute to turnover. Frequent employee complaints center on these areas.

--lack of clarity about expectations,
--lack of clarity about earning potential,
--lack of feedback about performance,
--failure to hold scheduled meetings, and
--failure to provide a framework within which the employee perceives he can succeed.

The ability of the employee to speak his or her mind freely within the organization is another key factor in employee retention.

Talent and skill utilization is something your key employees seek in your workplace. They want to be able to contribute beyond the call of duty, it energizes people to be able to use their skills and abilities but when thwarted and restrained it leads to further dissatisfaction.

The perception of fairness and equitable treatment. Reward good performers but recognize the impact it will have on others. There can be no favorites in an organization. There just has to be a policy for rewards, recognitions and promotions. While u maybe encouraging someone another person may also be getting discouraged, recognize that and be fair.

Most importantly:

Your staff members must feel rewarded, recognized and appreciated. Frequently saying thank you goes a long way. Monetary rewards, bonuses and gifts make the thank you even more appreciated. Understandable raises, tied to accomplishments and achievement, help retain staff. Commissions and bonuses that are easily calculated on a daily basis, and easily understood, raise motivation and help retain staff.

Yes as a bottom line money does matter too, that's why the person came to work in the first place.How the money made him feel is what we neglect to work on.

Why are you looking for a job change? and the best answer would be?

If someone is asked such a question in the interview I feel he should be honest enough to put forward the real reason for his search- people see through a lie and they know when the person is using a glib reply just to impress the interviewer. Now the question remains what if there is a totally unacceptable answer (can't get along with people, politics in the company etc) I think at such a time the person needs to rethink his decision -- if all else is OK in the company and just ppl skills that is damaging your longevity U need to introspect more and really find out if there maybe any other reason for leaving, if u find one. YES go ahead and leave ...... else ppl will be ppl and they will be in the new place too ... watch it!!!!

I have had this experience ... when I left my previous organization (outwardly) it seemed it was because of the politics: believe me I stepped out of the environment (took leave) just to introspect and really understand why I wanted to leave and the answer was not PEOPLE but the fact that considering the type of personality I am --- I need challenges and opportunities to explore my potential and take more initiatives "which was being fulfilled in my old job" till things changed and I started looking too capable to the top management - then my NEED stopped being fulfilled. I got thwarted from self discovery and further challenges. That was the day I got my BEST ANSWER ..

Chazing Dreams

                  Value what is yours!

The owner of a small business, a friend of the poet Olavo Bilac, met him on the street and asked him

“Mr. Bilac, i need to sell my small farm
The one you know so well. Could you please write an announcement for me for the paper?”

Bilac wrote:
“For sale, a beautiful property, where birds sing at dawn in extensive woodland, bisected by the brilliant and sparkling waters of a large stream.
The house is bathed by the rising sun.
It offers tranquil shade in the evenings on the veranda.”

Some time later, the poet met his friend and asked whether he had sold the property ?

To which he replied: I’ve changed my mind. When I read what you had written,
I realized the treasure that was mine.

AQumen Training Services: Eighty Floors

AQumen Training Services: Eighty Floors: "There were once 2 brothers who lived on the 80th floor of a tall building. On coming home one day, they realized to their dismay that t..."

Eighty Floors

There were once 2 brothers who lived on the 80th floor of a tall
building. On coming home one day, they realized to their dismay that the lifts were not working and that they have to climb the stairs home. After struggling to the 20th level, panting and tired, they decided to abandon their bags and come back for them the next day.
They left their bags then and climbed on............

When they have struggled to the 40th level by this time they had gone sufficiently mad and irritated. The younger brother started to grumble and both of them began to quarrel. They continued to climb the flights of steps, quarreling all the way to the 60th floor.

They then realized that they have only 20 levels more to climb and decided to stop quarreling and continue climbing in peace. They silently climbed on and reached their home at long last. Each stood calmly before the door and waited for the other to open the door. And they realized that the key was in their bags which were left on the 20th floor.........

This story is a reflection on our life and times. All of us climb the
tall building called life........... some till all the 80 floors and some less. Many of us climb under the expectations of our companion.

Time to time these are our friends and parents till the 20th floor,
then our spouse and our dear ones till the next level of the building.
We seldom get to do the things that we really like and love and are under so much pressure and stress so that by the age of 20, we get tired and decided to dump this load. Being free of the stress and pressure, we work enthusiastically and dream ambitious wishes.

By the time we reach 40 years old, we start to lose our vision and dreams. We began to feel unsatisfied and start to complain and criticize. We live life as a misery as we are never satisfied.

Reaching 60, we realize that we have little left for complaining
anymore, and we began to walk the final episode in peace and calmness.
We think that there is nothing left to disappoint us, only to realize that we could not rest in peace because we have an unfulfilled dream..........a dream we abandon 60 years ago.

So what's your dream.....?

LIFE-

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE! Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon tennis player was dying of AIDS which Was due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which Reads :o "Why does GOD have to select you for such a Deadly disease"? Arthur Ashe replied: " world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to The semi final, 2 to the finals, And when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'. And today When in Deep pain I should not ask GOD 'Why me?' " Happiness keeps you Sweet, Trials keep you Strong, Sorrow keeps you Human, Failure keeps you humble and Success keeps you glowing, but only Faith Keeps you going..

The 5 Cs for Campus to Corporate Transition

Found this as very apt thought of sharing

Five Cs Dr. R. Karthikeyan, Founder, Gemba School of HR, Chennai conveyed it very aptly when he said, “Knowledge gets you in the race, Skills make you progress, and it’s your Attitude that helps you win the race”. While inculcating the right attitude for success, particularly while making the transition from Campus to Corporate, he suggests that every young aspirant must focus on the 5Cs which are both attitude-related as well as skill-based. Attitudinal

1. Compassion – care and consideration for fellow human beings
2. Commitment – dedication to a cause, an assurance to fulfill
3. Courage – nerve and daring to stand up for values; and conviction

These attributes will have to be nurtured and made a part of one’s DNA. Skill based

1. Communication – convey to get things done
2. Commitment – dedication to a cause, an assurance to fulfill
3. Creativity – break-out from the routine; unconventional approaches

These skill-based attributes can be enhanced through training and practice over time. A sixth ‘C’ can be added – ‘Celebration’. For this sixth ‘C’, you need to develop the eighth habit or recognizing yourself, and often celebrating the occasion or event. There cannot be a better motivation than self-motivation. We have to pat ourselves on the back for a good job done. Celebration can also imply enjoyment or following a pursuit that gives sheer joy and or relaxation. You must balance your work and interests. You must pursue what your passion is. As Vijay Talwar suggests – “Getting a title or a promotion is not enough for an individual. Include in your goals other objectives like social causes. Have a balance and a realistic set of goals – include family, spiritual, pleasure and health-related goals as well. Pursue your interests with passion. Follow your passion/heart and aim for a good quality of life. Reach out beyond materialistic goals”. With these six ‘Cs’ as a bridge, one can hope to cross the six seas between the Campus and the Corporate !