Post 308 - "Even when I went to the playground, I never picked the best players. I picked guys with less talent, but who were willing to work hard, who had the desire to be great." - Magic Johnson
Undoubtedly the most important quality that all champions share is an unwavering belief that they'll succeed. Champions always look for the good in every situation. No matter what obstacles they encounter, they always continue to think positively. Without confidence, faith in your abilities, and a positive mental attitude, you've defeated yourself before you start. Your success depends more on your mindset than on market conditions. Here are some tips on how to stay up when life threatens to bring you down:
• Be proactive.
Set key priorities everyday and set minimum goals everyday. Stay in control of what needs to be done and stay on top of your daily tasks. Focus and concentrate on the things you can control. List your goals on 3 x 5 index cards. Carry these index cards with you and take them out at least daily and review them. Then, ask yourself what you’re doing or planning to do to move closer to each goal. Always be proactive rather than reactive. I’ve found that inspiration comes from within ourselves when we’re motivated to action. Thomas Edison was the epitome of persistence: He conducted 10,000 experiments before finally finding a filament that would burn in the electric light bulb. Champions approach their vocation with the same diligence of an Edison. They know that if they persist long enough, eventually they must succeed.
• Be creative.
If what you're doing is no longer working – just stop – and try something new. Engage in possibility thinking. Brainstorm with others for different ways to achieve your goals. Think of every crisis as an opportunity to grow, to extend beyond your normal limits. When asked how it felt to fail 10,000 times, Thomas Edison replied, "I didn't fail, I learned 9,999 ways that wouldn't work."
• Commit to keep on going, no matter what.
Never give up. Keep trying and stay in motion. Remember The Karate Kid (1984), a movie that captured my imagination because he simply wouldn't quit. It made me realize that you win whenever you get up from a fall. Remember, it takes way more energy to be mad at the world than to roll with the punches. "We're made to persist. That's how we find out who we are." - Tobias Wolff
• Avoid negative people.
If you are having a difficult time and you're trying to get yourself and your business back on track, you don’t need to spend time with negative people. Negative people may mean well, but when they talk to you, they come from a pessimistic place. They constantly point out what's wrong and complain and blame others for their circumstances. If you hear this all of the time, it will have a very negative impact on your performance. Don't think or say, "I hate..." or "I can't." Learn to block out inflexible, rigid statements that only build emotional roadblocks. And turn off the TV. You don’t need to be bombarded with negativity and hype when you're trying to mentally concentrate on improving yourself. Arnold Schwarzenegger put it this way (I guess this was before he became governor of California!): "I have nothing to do with negative relationships. I stay away from negative influences. I have no time for negative thinkers and pessimists. Such people will suck you dry until you have become as pessimistic as they are. Then you'll have not just one but two losers."
• Expect to be successful.
What you focus on will multiply. Always look for the things that you did right as well as learning from the things you did wrong. Whatever you don't want to do or are afraid you can't do, post signs everywhere saying, "I love to ..." Write it 25-times a day and learn to think it. Remember what Marilyn Monroe said, "Everyone's a star and deserves the right to twinkle."
• Enjoy your life.
" Life is about chasing after the things you think are truly worth it, even if they don't happen, I'd rather have nothing but know I didn't settle for something I didn't want!" - Selma Hayek. No matter what's going on with your business, you need to have joy in your everyday life. Work is anything you're doing when you'd rather be doing something else. Champions are doing what they love, so to them it's not work at all, its fun!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Champions know the power of persistence.
Post 307. OK, so you’re now clear about the specific goal you want to achieve and you’ve visioned what it will be like when you get there. The key factor linking these two is persistence. Without this discipline, bad things tend to happen to good people.
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” - Calvin Coolidge
Persistence is the ability to maintain action regardless of your feelings. You press on even when you feel like quitting. Champions do what needs to be done whether they feel like doing it or not. Persistence of action doesn’t come from stubbornly clinging to the past. Rather it comes from a vision of the future that’s so compelling you would give almost anything to make it real.
Would-be writers, like myself, have to continually grapple with the challenge of persistence. I sit here in my office with no boss breathing down my neck and no paycheck waiting at the end of my week. The same person responsible for accomplishing my goals is the exact same person most likely to renege. In the beginning, writing is a lovely dream, a fantasy where every article effortlessly jumps onto the page. However, once I sit down in front of the monitor, I’m forced to enter the real world and discover not just how exhilarating the action can be but also how tempting it is to procrastinate or to take a day off and go to the beach. The secret is realizing that there’s success at the end of the road as long as I keep my fingers moving steadily forward.
For one of the most dramatic examples in the history of perseverance in the face of repeated defeat, read this biography:
His brother was born and died in 1812. He was saved from drowning by a playmate in 1816. He was kicked in the head by a horse and for a brief time was thought dead in 1818. His mother died of milk poisoning in 1818. His sister died in childbirth in 1828. In 1832, he served in the Black Hawk War as a Captain, but ended up after 3-months as a private. He lost his job in 1832. He also was defeated for State Legislator in 1832. He failed in business in 1833. He was elected to the Legislator in 1834. His former business partner died leaving him deeper in debt in 1835. His sweetheart died in 1835. He suffered a nervous breakdown in 1836. He proposed marriage and was turned down, ending the courtship in 1837. He was defeated for speaker of the State Legislator in 1838. He broke off his engagement after 6 months in 1841. He had episodes of depression in 1841. He was defeated for nomination for Congress in 1843. He was elected for Congress in 1846. He lost his re-nomination for Congress in 1848. He was rejected for the position of Land Officer in 1849. His son died in 1850. His father died in 1851. He was defeated for the Senate in 1854. He was defeated for the nomination of Vice President of the United States in 1856. He was defeated again for the Senate in 1858. And finally Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States in 1860.
Lincoln said, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other … There are no impossible situations, only people who think so. This is the most well known piece of advice that I or anyone else can give to you. Those who succeed, those who have made their millions, one thing that they will all say, is that you have to persist.”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” - Calvin Coolidge
Persistence is the ability to maintain action regardless of your feelings. You press on even when you feel like quitting. Champions do what needs to be done whether they feel like doing it or not. Persistence of action doesn’t come from stubbornly clinging to the past. Rather it comes from a vision of the future that’s so compelling you would give almost anything to make it real.
Would-be writers, like myself, have to continually grapple with the challenge of persistence. I sit here in my office with no boss breathing down my neck and no paycheck waiting at the end of my week. The same person responsible for accomplishing my goals is the exact same person most likely to renege. In the beginning, writing is a lovely dream, a fantasy where every article effortlessly jumps onto the page. However, once I sit down in front of the monitor, I’m forced to enter the real world and discover not just how exhilarating the action can be but also how tempting it is to procrastinate or to take a day off and go to the beach. The secret is realizing that there’s success at the end of the road as long as I keep my fingers moving steadily forward.
For one of the most dramatic examples in the history of perseverance in the face of repeated defeat, read this biography:
His brother was born and died in 1812. He was saved from drowning by a playmate in 1816. He was kicked in the head by a horse and for a brief time was thought dead in 1818. His mother died of milk poisoning in 1818. His sister died in childbirth in 1828. In 1832, he served in the Black Hawk War as a Captain, but ended up after 3-months as a private. He lost his job in 1832. He also was defeated for State Legislator in 1832. He failed in business in 1833. He was elected to the Legislator in 1834. His former business partner died leaving him deeper in debt in 1835. His sweetheart died in 1835. He suffered a nervous breakdown in 1836. He proposed marriage and was turned down, ending the courtship in 1837. He was defeated for speaker of the State Legislator in 1838. He broke off his engagement after 6 months in 1841. He had episodes of depression in 1841. He was defeated for nomination for Congress in 1843. He was elected for Congress in 1846. He lost his re-nomination for Congress in 1848. He was rejected for the position of Land Officer in 1849. His son died in 1850. His father died in 1851. He was defeated for the Senate in 1854. He was defeated for the nomination of Vice President of the United States in 1856. He was defeated again for the Senate in 1858. And finally Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States in 1860.
Lincoln said, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other … There are no impossible situations, only people who think so. This is the most well known piece of advice that I or anyone else can give to you. Those who succeed, those who have made their millions, one thing that they will all say, is that you have to persist.”
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Champions set clear goals.
Post 306 will focus on setting goals like a champion.
"A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder." -- Denis Waitley
Powerful Goals Provide A Specific Target.
“Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people.” - Nido Qubein
A goal is a target to shoot at, a result toward which effort is directed, an outcome to be achieved. A powerful goal describes what you’ll be doing when you achieve it. Goals focus your efforts. They tell you where to shoot and which way to go.
Suppose, for example, you want to practice archery but have no target. So you shoot at nothing in particular. Without the target, your learning is likely to be slow and your progress poor. Besides showing you where to shoot, goals provide immediate feedback so you can learn. Suppose while practicing archery, you shoot at the target but can’t see where the arrow hits. Suppose six-months after you shoot, you're told that the arrow hit the second ring. This delayed feedback won’t be of much use in helping to improve your shot.
Powerful goals give immediate feedback. The sooner the feedback, the better, because the information about your miss can be used to correct your next attempt.
Powerful Goals Create A Picture.
"If you want to reach a goal, you must 'see the reaching' in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal." -- Zig Ziglar
Vaguely defined goals such as "improving communications," or "earning more money" make them difficult to achieve because they don't provide a clear picture of exactly what you're aiming for. What does "improved communications" look like? How do you know when you've achieved it? Communications with whom? If you talk about world affairs with your partner over breakfast, have you succeeded in improving communications?
Without a clear picture of the target, it’s easy to miss it. Do this a few times and you’ll feel frustrated, that you’re constantly falling short in your life. To be powerful, the target must be clear enough that you can see yourself achieving the goal.
The clearer the picture, the more magnetic its draw. The more you’re able to see yourself achieving the goal, the greater its power. "Having more fun" can be translated into a specific image, such as laughing with friends while playing volleyball at the beach. Picture yourself in such a scene and try it on, so you can begin to imagine what being there feels like.
Powerful Goals Say When
"When it's obvious that a goal can’t be reached, don't adjust the goal -- adjust the action steps." - Chinese Proverb
Timelines help to bring the pieces together. Goals with no specific completion date make it impossible to set a timeline for planning and completing action steps. Such open-ended goals weaken motivation and encourage procrastination. Timelines must be realistic if the goal is to be powerful. Unrealistically short deadlines can trigger panic, provoking a "Why bother?" attitude, and generally generating a negative perspective. However, a deadline that’s too short is usually better than no deadline at all. Unrealistic deadlines are usually easy to spot thus giving you an opportunity to readjust them to a more realistic time frame.
Victor Borge tells a story about the man who invented a new soft drink. He started with a drink called '1Up' but after meeting with no success he went on to invent '2Up', then '3Up', each time without success. He continued on all the way to '6Up' finally dying in despair, a broken failure. "But", shouts Borge, "He don't know how close he got!"
Brian Tracy cautions that when you first set a new, big goal and begin moving towards it, your progress will often be quite slow. You may be frustrated and think of giving up. The bigger your goal, the further away it will seem. You may have to work on it for a long time before you see any progress at all. But this is all part of the process of achieving your goal. Be guided by the 20/80 rule. . . . For the first 80% of the time that you’re working toward your goal, you’ll only cover about 20% of the distance. However, if you persist and refuse to give up, you’ll accomplish the final 80% of your goal in the last 20% of the time that you spend working on it.
So, set your mind on achieving a definite outcome and see how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass. “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” according to Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder." -- Denis Waitley
Powerful Goals Provide A Specific Target.
“Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people.” - Nido Qubein
A goal is a target to shoot at, a result toward which effort is directed, an outcome to be achieved. A powerful goal describes what you’ll be doing when you achieve it. Goals focus your efforts. They tell you where to shoot and which way to go.
Suppose, for example, you want to practice archery but have no target. So you shoot at nothing in particular. Without the target, your learning is likely to be slow and your progress poor. Besides showing you where to shoot, goals provide immediate feedback so you can learn. Suppose while practicing archery, you shoot at the target but can’t see where the arrow hits. Suppose six-months after you shoot, you're told that the arrow hit the second ring. This delayed feedback won’t be of much use in helping to improve your shot.
Powerful goals give immediate feedback. The sooner the feedback, the better, because the information about your miss can be used to correct your next attempt.
Powerful Goals Create A Picture.
"If you want to reach a goal, you must 'see the reaching' in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal." -- Zig Ziglar
Vaguely defined goals such as "improving communications," or "earning more money" make them difficult to achieve because they don't provide a clear picture of exactly what you're aiming for. What does "improved communications" look like? How do you know when you've achieved it? Communications with whom? If you talk about world affairs with your partner over breakfast, have you succeeded in improving communications?
Without a clear picture of the target, it’s easy to miss it. Do this a few times and you’ll feel frustrated, that you’re constantly falling short in your life. To be powerful, the target must be clear enough that you can see yourself achieving the goal.
The clearer the picture, the more magnetic its draw. The more you’re able to see yourself achieving the goal, the greater its power. "Having more fun" can be translated into a specific image, such as laughing with friends while playing volleyball at the beach. Picture yourself in such a scene and try it on, so you can begin to imagine what being there feels like.
Powerful Goals Say When
"When it's obvious that a goal can’t be reached, don't adjust the goal -- adjust the action steps." - Chinese Proverb
Timelines help to bring the pieces together. Goals with no specific completion date make it impossible to set a timeline for planning and completing action steps. Such open-ended goals weaken motivation and encourage procrastination. Timelines must be realistic if the goal is to be powerful. Unrealistically short deadlines can trigger panic, provoking a "Why bother?" attitude, and generally generating a negative perspective. However, a deadline that’s too short is usually better than no deadline at all. Unrealistic deadlines are usually easy to spot thus giving you an opportunity to readjust them to a more realistic time frame.
Victor Borge tells a story about the man who invented a new soft drink. He started with a drink called '1Up' but after meeting with no success he went on to invent '2Up', then '3Up', each time without success. He continued on all the way to '6Up' finally dying in despair, a broken failure. "But", shouts Borge, "He don't know how close he got!"
Brian Tracy cautions that when you first set a new, big goal and begin moving towards it, your progress will often be quite slow. You may be frustrated and think of giving up. The bigger your goal, the further away it will seem. You may have to work on it for a long time before you see any progress at all. But this is all part of the process of achieving your goal. Be guided by the 20/80 rule. . . . For the first 80% of the time that you’re working toward your goal, you’ll only cover about 20% of the distance. However, if you persist and refuse to give up, you’ll accomplish the final 80% of your goal in the last 20% of the time that you spend working on it.
So, set your mind on achieving a definite outcome and see how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass. “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” according to Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Monday, August 17, 2009
How to think like a champion.
Here we go with post #305 on this blog. Time to think about championship thinking.
“Serena looks deep inside and is just determined not to lose,” said her mother and coach, Oracene Price. “She really hates to lose; it’s just in her, and I think she’s really taking advantage of the situation right now, because you just have so much time in a sports career, so you want to get the best out of it.” Adrift, injured and ranked in the 100s three seasons ago, Williams has regained her former place in the game, and has now won consecutive Grand Slam singles titles for the first time since she won the 2002 United States Open and 2003 Australian Open. “I don’t sense distractions,” Price said. “Not anymore.”
Champions like Serena Williams exhibit a number of impressive psychological characteristics that can assist all of us in improving what we do. Some of the more important ones are highlighted below:
High Motivation and Commitment.
As you might expect, champions are highly motivated, committed and determined. They want to reach their goals and aren’t going to let anything stand in their way. They’re always striving to be better. Champions not only set goals, but they’re good at finding pathways for achieving their goals as well.
Optimistic and Positive.
A striking characteristic of champions is their optimistic and positive nature. Their optimistic personalities cause them to look at the glass as "half-full versus half-empty." They stay positive when faced with difficulties and rebound more quickly when they fail.
Postive Perfectionists.
Psychologists distinguish between adaptive perfectionism and maladaptive perfectionism. Adaptive perfectionism is associated with achievement and success, while maladaptive perfectionism relates negatively to mental health. Adaptive perfectionists set high standards and like to be organized. They’re also not very concerned about mistakes and seldom have doubts about their abilities. Maladaptive perfectionists also hold high standards and like to be organized; however, they’re overly concerned with mistakes, have frequent doubts about their actions and are preoccupied with criticism.
Uncanny Ability to Focus.
The ability to focus and concentrate is one of the defining characteristics of champions. They’re good at concentrating on key performance-related factors while at the same time blocking out distractions. They have the ability to dial in and quiet the mind so that time appears to stand still. “Kobe Bryant is so good because his ability to remain relaxed and focused in the midst of chaos is unsurpassed,” according to the LA Laker's coach, Phil Jackson.
Able to Handle Stress and Cope With Adversity.
This ability to handle stress and cope with adversity gives champions the capacity to deal with the routine setbacks without anxiety. They’re not threatened by evaluations and competition with others and have a high level of emotional control. They’re also able to peak under pressure.
Mentally Tough.
Mental toughness is another important characteristic of outstanding performers. Some of its more common components are resilience and perseverance.
Confidence.
Confidence plays an important part in how champions succeed. If you’re not confident in your abilities or your preparation, you’re likely to have problems with your performance. To be the best at what you want to be, you must believe that you’re the best! To be a champion, you must train like a champion, work like a champion, act as a champion, and think like a champion. When you believe in your ability, you can use this belief to fuel your self-confidence.
Using Affirmations.
How do you develop and keep this best-in-the-world attitude? Many elite performers today use a program of “affirmations.” These are positive self-statements that combat the destructive self-beliefs and negative self-talk that they encounter in everyday life.
Affirmations are statements that build self-confidence and allow you to believe in yourself. Below is a list of general affirmation statements. Read them, select the ones you’d like to use, make up some of your own, then incorporated them into your everyday life. It may take some time to get used to saying the affirmations, but you can train yourself to believe by repeating the statements over and over again. These “I am” statements are nothing more than simply reminders of what you can do.
I am focused on the task at hand.
I work harder that anyone else.
I am ready.
I am in control.
I have a great strategy.
I am mentally tough.
I am prepared.
I am going to win.
I feel better than ever.
I am confident.
I am unbeatable.
I am determined.
I believe in myself.
I feel good.
No one can stop me.
I am totally ready.
My skills are sharp.
I know what to do.
I think clearly.
Write down some of these affirmations and others that specifically relate to you, your job and your life. Read them aloud each day! You can also use them to identify areas that you need to work on. As you read your affirmations to yourself, mark the ones you feel aren’t true. Decide if they need to be true for you to be successful. If they need to be true, then look for ways to improve in that area.
King Solomon writes: "For as a man thinks within himself, so he is." (Proverbs 23:7) This is why our affirmations are so important. What we say, what we think, has a direct bearing on who we are!
“Serena looks deep inside and is just determined not to lose,” said her mother and coach, Oracene Price. “She really hates to lose; it’s just in her, and I think she’s really taking advantage of the situation right now, because you just have so much time in a sports career, so you want to get the best out of it.” Adrift, injured and ranked in the 100s three seasons ago, Williams has regained her former place in the game, and has now won consecutive Grand Slam singles titles for the first time since she won the 2002 United States Open and 2003 Australian Open. “I don’t sense distractions,” Price said. “Not anymore.”
Champions like Serena Williams exhibit a number of impressive psychological characteristics that can assist all of us in improving what we do. Some of the more important ones are highlighted below:
High Motivation and Commitment.
As you might expect, champions are highly motivated, committed and determined. They want to reach their goals and aren’t going to let anything stand in their way. They’re always striving to be better. Champions not only set goals, but they’re good at finding pathways for achieving their goals as well.
Optimistic and Positive.
A striking characteristic of champions is their optimistic and positive nature. Their optimistic personalities cause them to look at the glass as "half-full versus half-empty." They stay positive when faced with difficulties and rebound more quickly when they fail.
Postive Perfectionists.
Psychologists distinguish between adaptive perfectionism and maladaptive perfectionism. Adaptive perfectionism is associated with achievement and success, while maladaptive perfectionism relates negatively to mental health. Adaptive perfectionists set high standards and like to be organized. They’re also not very concerned about mistakes and seldom have doubts about their abilities. Maladaptive perfectionists also hold high standards and like to be organized; however, they’re overly concerned with mistakes, have frequent doubts about their actions and are preoccupied with criticism.
Uncanny Ability to Focus.
The ability to focus and concentrate is one of the defining characteristics of champions. They’re good at concentrating on key performance-related factors while at the same time blocking out distractions. They have the ability to dial in and quiet the mind so that time appears to stand still. “Kobe Bryant is so good because his ability to remain relaxed and focused in the midst of chaos is unsurpassed,” according to the LA Laker's coach, Phil Jackson.
Able to Handle Stress and Cope With Adversity.
This ability to handle stress and cope with adversity gives champions the capacity to deal with the routine setbacks without anxiety. They’re not threatened by evaluations and competition with others and have a high level of emotional control. They’re also able to peak under pressure.
Mentally Tough.
Mental toughness is another important characteristic of outstanding performers. Some of its more common components are resilience and perseverance.
Confidence.
Confidence plays an important part in how champions succeed. If you’re not confident in your abilities or your preparation, you’re likely to have problems with your performance. To be the best at what you want to be, you must believe that you’re the best! To be a champion, you must train like a champion, work like a champion, act as a champion, and think like a champion. When you believe in your ability, you can use this belief to fuel your self-confidence.
Using Affirmations.
How do you develop and keep this best-in-the-world attitude? Many elite performers today use a program of “affirmations.” These are positive self-statements that combat the destructive self-beliefs and negative self-talk that they encounter in everyday life.
Affirmations are statements that build self-confidence and allow you to believe in yourself. Below is a list of general affirmation statements. Read them, select the ones you’d like to use, make up some of your own, then incorporated them into your everyday life. It may take some time to get used to saying the affirmations, but you can train yourself to believe by repeating the statements over and over again. These “I am” statements are nothing more than simply reminders of what you can do.
I am focused on the task at hand.
I work harder that anyone else.
I am ready.
I am in control.
I have a great strategy.
I am mentally tough.
I am prepared.
I am going to win.
I feel better than ever.
I am confident.
I am unbeatable.
I am determined.
I believe in myself.
I feel good.
No one can stop me.
I am totally ready.
My skills are sharp.
I know what to do.
I think clearly.
Write down some of these affirmations and others that specifically relate to you, your job and your life. Read them aloud each day! You can also use them to identify areas that you need to work on. As you read your affirmations to yourself, mark the ones you feel aren’t true. Decide if they need to be true for you to be successful. If they need to be true, then look for ways to improve in that area.
King Solomon writes: "For as a man thinks within himself, so he is." (Proverbs 23:7) This is why our affirmations are so important. What we say, what we think, has a direct bearing on who we are!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Sea Fever, a poem by John Masefield.
John Masefield was born in Ledbury, Herefordshire, in 1878. His mother Caroline died giving birth to his sister when Masefield was only 6 and he then went to live with his aunt. His father George died soon after. Masefield spent the years 1891 to 1895 at sea and worked in a carpet factory after he came ashore. His first poetry collection, Salt Water Ballads, was published in 1902 when he was 24. In 1912, he was awarded the annual Edmund de Polignac prize for poetry. In 1930, a new Poet Laureate was needed and many felt that Rudyard Kipling was a likely choice. However, upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister, King George V appointed Masefield, who remained in office until his death in 1967. The only person to remain in the office for a longer period was Alfred Lord Tennyson. After his appointment, Masefield received many honors, including the Order of Merit. He was also the recipient of many honorary degrees from Universities throughout the United Kingdom, and in 1937 he was elected President of the Society of Authors. He believed that, “Poetry is a mixture of common sense, which not all have, with an uncommon sense, which very few have.”
Sea Fever by John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
Sea Fever by John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Economic benefits that flow from CSR.
The most recent and comprehensive review of the relationship between financial performance and socially responsible business practices in large companies is by Margolis, Elfenbein, and Walsh (2007). In a meta-analysis of the results from 167 studies, they found that 27% of the analyses show a positive relationship, 58% show a non-significant relationship, and 2% show a negative relationship. They argue that the evidence indicates that CSR, in general, has little effect on profitability, but note that there is stronger evidence to suggest that some causality does operate in the opposite direction: companies that are profitable are more likely to engage in more CSR activities.
Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, believes "there’s an enormous amount of business potential in green technologies, including fuel cells, advanced battery technology and biotechnology. Hopefully, CSR will soon loosen its association to the notion that doing so involves economic sacrifice. A focus on CSR can reduce costs as well as waste. So, it's not just about doing the right thing. It also offers direct business benefits."
Reducing waste and emissions doesn't just help the environment - it saves money too by cutting utility bills and waste disposal costs, thus bringing immediate cash benefits. However, consider these other benefits as well:
* Building a reputation as a responsible business sets a company apart.
* Many consumers prefer to buy from ethical businesses.
* Some customers don't just prefer to deal with responsible companies, but insist on it. For example, sales of 'environmentally friendly' products continues to grow - and these products often sell at a premium price.
* Companies often favor suppliers who demonstrate responsible policies as this helps them to minimize the risk of any damage to their own reputations.
* A good reputation makes it easier to recruit employees.
* Employees stay longer, reducing the costs and disruption of recruitment and retraining.
* Employees are more involved and motivated and, as a result, they're more productive.
* CSR helps ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
* Involvement with the local community creates ideal opportunities to generate positive press coverage.
* Good relationships with local authorities make doing business easier.
* Understanding the wider impact of a business can help in thinking up profitable new products and services.
* CSR can make firms more competitive and reduces the risk of sudden damage to their reputation and sales. Investors are more willing to provide financial resources to such firms as a result.
"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, believes "there’s an enormous amount of business potential in green technologies, including fuel cells, advanced battery technology and biotechnology. Hopefully, CSR will soon loosen its association to the notion that doing so involves economic sacrifice. A focus on CSR can reduce costs as well as waste. So, it's not just about doing the right thing. It also offers direct business benefits."
Reducing waste and emissions doesn't just help the environment - it saves money too by cutting utility bills and waste disposal costs, thus bringing immediate cash benefits. However, consider these other benefits as well:
* Building a reputation as a responsible business sets a company apart.
* Many consumers prefer to buy from ethical businesses.
* Some customers don't just prefer to deal with responsible companies, but insist on it. For example, sales of 'environmentally friendly' products continues to grow - and these products often sell at a premium price.
* Companies often favor suppliers who demonstrate responsible policies as this helps them to minimize the risk of any damage to their own reputations.
* A good reputation makes it easier to recruit employees.
* Employees stay longer, reducing the costs and disruption of recruitment and retraining.
* Employees are more involved and motivated and, as a result, they're more productive.
* CSR helps ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
* Involvement with the local community creates ideal opportunities to generate positive press coverage.
* Good relationships with local authorities make doing business easier.
* Understanding the wider impact of a business can help in thinking up profitable new products and services.
* CSR can make firms more competitive and reduces the risk of sudden damage to their reputation and sales. Investors are more willing to provide financial resources to such firms as a result.
"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
How to use "Green Committees" to kick-start CSR activities.
Introducing green CSR initiatives has paid financial dividends and has often helped bridge the generation gap at many professional firms. As more firms start to incorporate environmentally friendly practices in the workplace, many have shown noticeable results in terms of reduced expenses and overhead, and younger employees have often been the primary drivers of those greening strategies.
Take Campbell, California-based Mohler, Nixon & Williams. Bill Kelleher, the firm's CEO, was asked repeatedly by entry-level staff members as well as new recruits, about the firm's green initiatives. Though the firm was successful at implementing some eco-friendly strategies, he admitted that they could be doing more. Then the firm hired Vicky Gardner, a young tax accountant, who asked about policies regarding recycling and paper use. "Vicky challenged some of the things we were doing," Kelleher said. "Our entry-level people were asking some really good questions."
In this regard, Steven Ladd, chief executive of Copanion Inc., a tax automation company in Andover, Mass., provides the following statistics:
* The IRS reported that 66 million individual tax returns were filed on paper in 2007, equivalent to 400,000 trees' worth of paper (www.conservatree.com).
* The total energy used to produce one ream of paper is equivalent to two gallons of fuel (www.theneed.org).
* Using an energy-sipping scanner instead of a wasteful photocopier over the course of tax season could save as much as 280 pounds in greenhouse gases (www.epa.gov).
* A single new toner cartridge consumes approximately three quarts of oil, and the plastics in it take at least 1,000 years to decompose (www.stopwaste.org).
As a result of its increased awareness, Mohler, Nixon & Williams created a "Mean Green Accounting Machine," a green committee made up of employees from all levels in the firm. It applied for certification as a Bay Area Green Business, handed out recyclable tote bags, distributed a monthly newsletter with eco-friendly tips, added more glassware to the kitchen in lieu of paper cups, installed four energy-efficient dishwashers, and hosted e-waste days so staff could get rid of electronic junk.
DiCicco, Gulman & Co. LLP in Woburn, Mass, also formed a green committee to capture and help implement employee ideas, according to Kathy Charles, the firm's scheduling manager and chair of the green committee. The majority of the group's members are under 35. "People coming to look for employment here weren't just asking, 'Is this a good place to work?'" she said. "They wanted to know what we did for the community. How were we trying to fit in better with the environment? These initiatives have been a big selling point with a lot of candidates." One of the first projects the team tackled was finding a more environmentally friendly coffee vendor service. All conference rooms have reminders to turn off lights when not in use and motion detector lights have been installed in common areas that don't have constant traffic.
At other companies, committees have started greening initiatives via simple things such as adjusting printer settings to double-sided, turning off computers at the end of the day, or pulling up blinds when entering meeting rooms instead of switching on lights. Many are also working to create a more paperless environment. For example, Lawhorn & Associates, an 18-person firm in Knoxville, Tenn., has decreased its paper use by 75% through the use of a document management system. In 2001, the firm was spending $12,000 a year on paper. Today, that's down to $3,000. The firm’s Green Action Team has also helped oversee purchasing energy-efficient appliances for a new break room, and acquiring more energy-efficient computers to replace older models.
Big Four accounting firm Deloitte & Touche lists its green programs under the broad category of Corporate Social Responsibility. In early 2008, a green tool kit was put together that included a series of projects that managing partners were charged with implementing across their respective offices. The kits focused on accessing and lowering energy, paper and daily product consumption. This program is monitored through a "Greening the Dot" Web site, which charts the number of tool kit projects that have been completed, thus driving competition between different office locations.
Take Campbell, California-based Mohler, Nixon & Williams. Bill Kelleher, the firm's CEO, was asked repeatedly by entry-level staff members as well as new recruits, about the firm's green initiatives. Though the firm was successful at implementing some eco-friendly strategies, he admitted that they could be doing more. Then the firm hired Vicky Gardner, a young tax accountant, who asked about policies regarding recycling and paper use. "Vicky challenged some of the things we were doing," Kelleher said. "Our entry-level people were asking some really good questions."
In this regard, Steven Ladd, chief executive of Copanion Inc., a tax automation company in Andover, Mass., provides the following statistics:
* The IRS reported that 66 million individual tax returns were filed on paper in 2007, equivalent to 400,000 trees' worth of paper (www.conservatree.com).
* The total energy used to produce one ream of paper is equivalent to two gallons of fuel (www.theneed.org).
* Using an energy-sipping scanner instead of a wasteful photocopier over the course of tax season could save as much as 280 pounds in greenhouse gases (www.epa.gov).
* A single new toner cartridge consumes approximately three quarts of oil, and the plastics in it take at least 1,000 years to decompose (www.stopwaste.org).
As a result of its increased awareness, Mohler, Nixon & Williams created a "Mean Green Accounting Machine," a green committee made up of employees from all levels in the firm. It applied for certification as a Bay Area Green Business, handed out recyclable tote bags, distributed a monthly newsletter with eco-friendly tips, added more glassware to the kitchen in lieu of paper cups, installed four energy-efficient dishwashers, and hosted e-waste days so staff could get rid of electronic junk.
DiCicco, Gulman & Co. LLP in Woburn, Mass, also formed a green committee to capture and help implement employee ideas, according to Kathy Charles, the firm's scheduling manager and chair of the green committee. The majority of the group's members are under 35. "People coming to look for employment here weren't just asking, 'Is this a good place to work?'" she said. "They wanted to know what we did for the community. How were we trying to fit in better with the environment? These initiatives have been a big selling point with a lot of candidates." One of the first projects the team tackled was finding a more environmentally friendly coffee vendor service. All conference rooms have reminders to turn off lights when not in use and motion detector lights have been installed in common areas that don't have constant traffic.
At other companies, committees have started greening initiatives via simple things such as adjusting printer settings to double-sided, turning off computers at the end of the day, or pulling up blinds when entering meeting rooms instead of switching on lights. Many are also working to create a more paperless environment. For example, Lawhorn & Associates, an 18-person firm in Knoxville, Tenn., has decreased its paper use by 75% through the use of a document management system. In 2001, the firm was spending $12,000 a year on paper. Today, that's down to $3,000. The firm’s Green Action Team has also helped oversee purchasing energy-efficient appliances for a new break room, and acquiring more energy-efficient computers to replace older models.
Big Four accounting firm Deloitte & Touche lists its green programs under the broad category of Corporate Social Responsibility. In early 2008, a green tool kit was put together that included a series of projects that managing partners were charged with implementing across their respective offices. The kits focused on accessing and lowering energy, paper and daily product consumption. This program is monitored through a "Greening the Dot" Web site, which charts the number of tool kit projects that have been completed, thus driving competition between different office locations.
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