I had just settled into my seat on a crowded Amtrak train, when I realized that the public address speaker was uncomfortably close to my head. I discovered this because it was sputtering an annoying static sound.
It seemed like a long time before a conductor appeared, and of course, for every moment that passed, the noise seemed to get louder. Eventually, someone responded to my request and took care of the problem.
Fast. Faster. Fastest. We live in a world where speed is valued highly. If you’re not going fast enough, how can you stay in the race?
I’m all for speed; in fact, if you don’t pay attention to it, you can be left behind in a heartbeat. I also know that you need to manage speed, because if you whiz along constantly at high speed without taking a breath, someone else or something else will slow you down.
Even though many schools return to the fall semester in August, traditionally, the week after Labor Day in the U.S. signifies the return to school. It’s an exciting time for students: fresh school supplies, seeing old friends, making new ones, and return to the business of learning.
It’s a little different in the workplace. Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, after which people return to business as usual. Goodbye to the more relaxed office environment and early Friday departures.
This Monday, we celebrate Labor Day in the U.S. Originally created from the labor movement, Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882.
I mention this brief history, because it seems like fewer people actually know or remember why this holiday exists and have lost connection with its roots. After all, are you consciously thinking about celebrating your social and economic achievements as a worker this weekend?
Do you often succumb to “I’ll do it myself”? Sometimes, hard-driving managers become frustrated when their staff makes mistakes, and as a result, they sing the refrain of “it’s easier to do it myself.”
This is usually a bad idea. Of course, there are exceptions, but overall, it’s better to take time to coach someone about what was done incorrectly and how to do it accurately the next time.
Our world has morphed into one where the need for speed has overtaken much of our lives. So many activities are rushed and sometimes it feels like we’ll in a whirlwind.
Unfortunately, one of the casualties of this pace is taking time to think. Thinking has been all but dropped from our rosters and has been replaced by cramming as much as we can in the shortest period.
Top performers strive for the next accomplishment, soak up new information, and embrace the opportunity to challenge the status quo. They are eager to learn and stretch their minds.
I enjoy asking what people read, because it reveals interesting insights. When I ask the question and receive several interesting selections in response, it’s a data point that suggests curiosity and openness.
Even if you don’t see yourself as detail oriented, paying attention to details can make a difference between average and outstanding communication. The expression, “it’s all in the details” takes on fresh meaning in these situations. Consider these examples:
The executive who isn’t clear in his instructions but expects his assistant to know precisely what he has in mind. The assistant books his travel and the exec yells at her because it wasn’t the exact schedule that he wanted (which he, of course, never mentioned).
Do you know people who have rigid views about just about everything? Conversations with people like this either turn into spirited debates or one-sided monosyllabic dead ends.
Even if you have a firm perspective on a given topic, when you open your mind and hear a different perspective, it can enhance and expand your thinking.
In the past few weeks, several clients shared stories of gaffes that occurred when they made important presentations. The stories had different types of audiences: one was a speech at an industry meeting, another was a board presentation, and the third was a sales presentation to a prospective client.
All these people are experienced professionals. In each case, though, too much was left to chance. Simply put, they weren’t prepared.