Even the bad weeks can be a blast

I've just had one of those weeks where every mistake that could have occurred, did.  Its tough for you and the team during these times to stay positive.

What you must do however is understand what was driving those mistakes and treat them as a opportunity to improve.  Picture what it would be like in a week, month or years time when that mistake is a thing of the past.  There will be new challenges by then but not that one again.

Its amazing how positive that belief can be for your own motivation (effectively balancing out the negative reactions to the initial problem).  And just remember how much effect your attitude has on the team around you.

So stay positive, even the bad weeks can be a blast.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Get up 30 minutes early?

I picked up on this article a couple of weeks ago on 5 things to do every day for success (here). Its not the only time I've seen the first recommendation of such an article to be "get up 30 minutes early" as a way to get ahead on the day's events.

In principle I agree with this but have you actually tried it?  Very few people are sure will be able to sustain such a change. But that's because they are missing the obvious. They expect to take that extra 30 minutes without giving something in return to restore the balance.

Here's the trick, balance it out by going to bed 30 minutes early. That's the first thing to do.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

The power of an 'equal terms' relationship

This one may well seem off on a tangent but bear with me.

I've been using eBay on and off now for several years both as a buyer and a seller. It's ultimately just a hugely accessible marketplace, one where, in the past buyers and sellers could meet together on equal terms to come to a transactional arrangement. This was largely reinforced by their rating system for both buyer and seller.  It was a win win situation.

A little while ago, eBay changed the rules so that the buyer was the only one who could leave feedback. Rightly or wrongly, it was no longer equal terms. The buyer has the power to 'punish' the buyer through negative feedback scores. In my capacity as a buyer I don't feel it benefits me much to have this potential 'hold' over the seller. As a seller however it brings constant frustration with less than genuine bidders who can hide behind these new rules without detriment. Now this certainly isn't every buyer, but more than expected.

eBay (the Company) is a business seeking shareholder wealth. It wants to protect the buyer to generate more individual sales and therefore revenue.  However it is no longer facilitating a marketplace but a transactional service which largely works one way, the buyer's way.

So does this generate cooperation and value created by two equals? Does it inspire any kind of (tenuous as it might be) teamwork?  Of course not. It breeds suspicion and worry. It promotes individual gain over others.

Equal standing and respect is essential for every healthy relationship (knowing even when a power balance is present, it will never be used). It is something that is fundamental to the way you can work with others.

As for me, I'm quitting eBay for a little while. I might give a few things away to charity, a win win for everyone.

Getting More Focussed - Pick Four

Regular readers will know I try and adopt the GTD system in the way I organise myself and my work.  The hardest part I have always found is prioritising (the part that GTD won't do for you).

I recently picked up on a concept publicised here by Seth Godin and based on Zig Zigler's Performance Planner Methodology called Pick Four.  Its all about accepting that you can't deliver everything and instead to focus on those critical few that give the greatest personal benefit.

By committing entirely to these four goals daily over 12 weeks, it gives a turbo boost to these particular commitments (providing you actually do the work).  But you cannot just forget about your other commitments.  This is how it fits into my workflow/thinking.

Might this method of focusing on the vital few give you some big success over the near future.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

Balance and Rest

Seems a simple thing to say (and even write) but for all of your drive and successes, you must also remember to balance this with rest and recuperation.

Ignoring this fact (and it is a fact, everyone needs rest) will ultimately lead to poor performance and likely mistakes.  But you'll need to figure out what your 'rest' looks like.

If you're an introvert, this may be calm activities, possibly in isolation and some quiet.  For an extrovert, it may be out and about amongst it all soaking up the atmosphere.

It doesn't matter what helps you to rest and recuperate, what matters is that you make the time to do whatever is right for you.  Now do it.

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

(Photo by seabamirum via flickr used under a creative Commons Licence)