Friday, January 30, 2009

Instantly Improve Your Business or Personal Life

During a professional coaching session recently a Client had described to me how a colleague had failed to fulfill on his end of an assignment. My participant was frustrated and after the description was complete asked me if it was OK to be upset. I said sure you can feel any emotion you choose but the fact is you are 100% accountable for solving the issue.

WHAT???

Needless to say that wasn't initially well received. How could my coaching participant be 100% accountable for someone else's failure? Of course my participant had done "everything" possible to ensure that the colleague had what he needed.

Everything? Really?

Ownership. We all have to take ownership for the results we want in business and in life. If you can own an issue, you can take control and drive the solution. As our discussion continued I asked questions about what could my participant have done better to change the outcome. Could one more follow up call have been placed? Maybe the colleague responds better to e-mail or text - could the deliverables been put in writing so everyone was clear about the results. Could a connection to a resource been made that would add synergy to the team? Who does my participant have a relationship with that the colleague does not?

You see, we can always do one more thing to add value and change the course of any project. And rarely, if ever, do we do "everything" possible to ensure success. If we choose to take ownership we can set ourselves up to win.

When you have ownership you can set the rules and establish the benchmarks. If you don't take ownership someone else will, or worse, life will. Save yourself the frustration, hurt, anger and time lost that comes from blaming others. When you're blaming you're losing.Don't let someone else or circumstances get in the way of your success. Take ownership and take control!



TAKE ACTION NOW!


  • Where is your focus? On the problem? Or on the solution? Focus is Power!

  • Think of a situation where you are not realizing the results you want. What additional value can YOU provide to move the issue forward? Take ownership and Take Initiative!

  • Who or what have you been blaming for lack of results? Others? Events? Yourself? Blame is ineffective

  • Step back from your challenging situations. Ask yourself how you can better communicate with your teammates or networl. Then confirm that this method of communication will be effective for all parties involved

  • Need coaching, feedback or just want to share? Contact us! See top right hand side of page for contact information or leave a comment to this post below.

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