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Bridges Newsletter: January/February 2006
In This Issue:
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Quote:
"Rather would I die in a second of passionate activity,
rather flame for a second and die in the next, than live
a sterile, barren, unsexed life, to die slowly in bed at
an old age headed through safely treading an uninspired road."
Jack London, Author and Adventurer
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Featured Topic:
Are You M.A.D.—Making A Differenceat
the Individual Level?
As our daughters ventured off into the world as young adults
we, like other parents, wanted them to be successful. It
was easy to say that we wanted them to have every advantage
so they could have a chance for happiness and success. We
wanted them to go to college so they could find a good job,
afford to buy a house, raise a family and have some of the
finer things in life. There’s nothing wrong with
that picture, but there’s one more thing that we wanted
for them—to be able to make a difference as
they live their lives. This requires them to be more
than a passive observer in life.
Being able to make a difference is a hopeful way
to live; it’s a way to live with conviction in difficult
times. The author, Paul Rogat Loeb, of “Soul
of the Citizen,” wrote how most Americans are thoughtful,
caring and generous in the personal realm with family and
friends, but where we falter is in the public realm, “We’ve
all but forgotten public participation…and how much
it can enrich our lives.”
The workplace is one of the most visible and demanding public
sources of participation. However, authentically participating
at work, like any challenging path oftentimes offers no instant
rewards. Nonetheless, your workplace is like any other
community in that it is a reflection of individual contributions. When
you contribute and care about the whole, your community is
healthier and more vibrant.
As you participate in your life in the workplace—are
you making a difference?
As organizations become flatter, faster and more complex,
they must have your willing involvement and the very best
from you. Your organization needs every person to contribute
in an authentic way.
What’s your contribution?
This question gives you the opportunity take a personal accounting. Are
you actively engaged or are you a disengaged observer of
events that shape your workplace? There are any number
of reasons justifying your non-engagement or marginal participation,
but if those reasons rule your actions, then you are giving
up control over your own life to those external events.
Participating fully means bringing all your humanity to
work and believing that what you do adds value to the whole—when
that happens you can make a difference. However,
some people believe that nothing they do will make a difference,
unfortunately, that creates a Self-fulfilling Prophesy. While
your attitude may be influenced by the people and
the events that surround you, ultimately it is your responsibility
to manage it. It belongs to you. You are responsible
for creating it, and you are responsible for the care and
feeding of it.
Your attitude is the control center of your life; an attitude
of confidence and positive expectations will help you overcome
any obstacles you encounter. A positive attitude is
something that needs to be nurtured and practiced, in good
times and bad. The true test of a positive attitude
is how you react to adverse circumstances. It’s
worth remembering the following things:
- Recognize that what you think about, is what you lean
towards. This means learning to focus your thoughts and actions
towards what you want.
- A positive attitude can be developed by consciously thinking
about your life with gratitude and appreciation. As
a natural consequence, your confidence and credibility
develop exponentially.
- Your attitude shapes your ability to envision possibilities
about yourself and your situation. An attitude
of confidence and positive expectations will help you overcome
the obstacles you encounter.
“If you develop a sense of your
own power to change your life, you
will have a gift that can never be taken away
from you. You will
always have hope for a better outcome, and you will
never remain
stuck in being a victim of circumstances.” Greg
Barrett
In today’s fast-paced, high-stress, multitasking environment,
it is reassuring to note that the ability to enjoy your life
and get the best from whatever you do—lies within you. You
are the architect of your own life.
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Book Review: “The Right
Questions” By Debbie
Ford
“There are years that ask questions,
and years that answer.” Zora Neale Hurston
Debbie Ford writes, "It’s easy to forget
that the circumstances of our day-to-day lives are a result
of decisions we made yesterday, last month and last year.” She
talks about how relationships do not disintegrate because
of one argument, feeling tired and stressed out all the
time is not because you slept poorly last night, or having
a miserable work life is not the result of a tough day
at work. Ford discusses how the decisions we make
every day, affect how you live, love and work.
This book is deceptively simple, Ford poses 10 questions
that help you look at the conscious and unconscious choices
that you make every day, to discover your true motivations
and the self-awareness of why you do what you do. Ford’s
questions focus on the “here-and-now” and the
result is energizing, because it helps you achieve your goals
through the choices you make every day. For those of
us who set goals but fail to get any closer to them, she
advises you to examine your daily choices to determine the real goals
they serve.
In brief, easy to read chapters, Ford offers clear guidance
for exploring the decisions that support your true needs,
instead of running on automatic pilot, and unintentionally
sabotaging the direction you truly want to go. While
there is nothing ground-breaking in this book, it's style
and approach leads to deep self-discovery. More importantly,
it helps you regain control of your destiny and provides
the tools to manage your day-to-day world, and the freedom
to make a difference in your life and the lives of
others.
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Featured Service: Consulting Services
Business is a uniquely human endeavor;
it is conducted by people, between people and for people.
 Today,
more than ever before business success is defined by the
collaborative response. As companies become flatter
and more open, your organization must have the strategic
involvement and dedication of every person, witheach
person acting as a steward of the organizations integrity,
reputation, and results.
Imagine the power of a fully engaged workforce:
- Witness a more satisfied, flexible and productive workforce.
- Realize lower turnover rates and absenteeism.
- Observe an increase in individual motivation and commitment.
- Watch as a sense of renewal and commitment takes hold.
- Observe an increase in personal accountability and shared
responsibility.
At Meridian, we are committed to helping you make this a
reality. Call us today to find out how we can helpyour
organization and the people in it, move from what is, to
what it could be through authentic participation and
sustained collaboration.
Tel: (925) 258-0304
Email: r.cronen@meridianconsultinginc.com
Visit us on the web at: www.meridianconsultinginc.com
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The Small Print: Copyright © Meridian
Consulting, Inc., 2006. All Rights reserved. Please feel free to print
this eZine, we only ask that you give Meridian credit for the content when
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If at any time, you would like your name removed from our monthly eZine,
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person.
Contact us to receive a FREE Goal Writing
Worksheet.
This tool helps you craft your goals into actionable plans. We will
also include a list of
power-words to give your goals emotional traction.
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