Four years ago, I saw The Secret. I watched the first half with eyes rolling and arms folded but the second half taking notes. I thought the production values were bad and the theory far-fetched. But it was one of those moments where I decided to take the leap of faith.I did not read the book. The film is a bit cheesy but if you've seen it you know it's about quantum physics. If you think positive thoughts, make positive changes and move in a positive direction, positive stuff will happen. The opposite is true and seems to happen twice as fast. But, it’s easier said than done to just think good thoughts and turn your life around. It is why most think it's a bunch of crap and give up proving the point.
Conviction and Perspective
If you’re in a bad place, it’s tough to sit on your living room floor, smile and imagine your life in a better place. The human mind has a glitch where negative seems to flow easier than positive. But something crucial is missing from simply having good thoughts and that would be something called action.
I was embarking on a new business four years ago and was pumped after reading more material about quantum physics but I allowed momentum to slow down. Happy thoughts can be extinguished by self-doubt which morphs into inaction. It is completely self-inflicted and time wasting. If you've been there, it can feel like you're walking through wet sand. Colleagues and friends can say nice things but you can't seem to shake it.
There is no Time
During the work day, there is little or no time to examine our feelings, find significant think time or measure how closer we are to our goals and dreams. We create distractions and wrap them up in badges of honor called 'busy'.
Running a business is hectic work and a keen eye must remain fixated on revenue. To many, realizing personal potential becomes secondary to making the quarter. We spend more waking hours at work than at home. But we don't seem to spend much time, if any, finding how those relationships can positively affect the experience.
Schedule the Time
Perhaps to start, you find an hour a week where you and your team get together and have an open and honest talk about each other rather than a client emergency or project deadline. Skip one of those agonizing status meetings where you dissect every current project to the point of nausea and spend it on each other's development. Perhaps it’s too touchy feely for some people at work but this is not to suggest tears and hugs are requisite. But it can unearth monumental ideas for growth.
Waste of Time
The antiquated notion of the annual review is a complete waste of time. We need to work in real-time. We need to listen to each other. We need to pay closer attention to that desire in our gut and share it with others. If they don't want to hear it, perhaps they aren't suited to be our teammates.
Many owners and managers will think it is lunacy. There's work to be done. There is no time for feelings and bonding. You and I have interacted with companies that have horrible internal customer service and ones where the people actually like being there. And we know which ones will get our return business.
Digital channels have proven we have the desire to connect and share with people all over the world. Are we doing the same within our organizations?
knealemann | how can I help?
image credit: gdargaud
