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Reaction vs. Response

Suddenly, a cockroach flew from somewhere and sat on her. I wondered if this was the cockroach’s response to all the glory that had been spoken about it! She started screaming out of fear. With panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach. Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group got cranky to what was happening. The lady finally managed to push the cockroach to another lady in the group. Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter. The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough,he grabbed and threw it out with his fingers.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behaviour? If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos. It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.

I realized even in my case then, it is not the shouting of my boss or manager that disturbs me, but its my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.

It’s not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.

More than the problem, it’s my reaction to the problem that hurts me.

Lessons learnt from the story:

I understood, I should not react in life. I should always respond.

The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.

Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always intellectual…

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Setting Clear Goals

A goal is the driving purpose of life. It is something we live for and in the absence of which our life is meaningless. A goal can be as simple as getting the dream job, or the promotion, or winning a competition and as difficult, as it sounds, to lose weight or to start up a company.

In order to set a goal in the first place, you need to know where you stand. You need to start with setting the benchmarks and slowly move towards the highest goals you have set in your life. One should not worry about the feasibility of a goal but at the same time be practical about it. By setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals, and you’ll see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind. You will also raise yourself-confidence , as you recognize your own ability and competence in achieving the goals that you’ve set.. If you think, you achieve.

“A farmer had a dog that used to sit by the roadside waiting for vehicles to come around. As soon as one came he would run down the road, barking and trying to overtake it. One day a neighbor asked the farmer “Do you think your dog is ever going to catch a car?” The farmer replied, “That is not what bothers me. What bothers me is what he would do if he ever caught one.” Many people in life behave like that dog who is pursuing meaningless goals.”

Life is hard by the yard,  but by the inch,  it’s a cinch.

Visit Chasing meaningless goals for more efficiency insights.

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Conflict Resolution

“Every conflict we face in life is rich with positive and negative potential. It can be a source of inspiration, enlightenment, learning, transformation, and growth-or rage, fear, shame, entrapment, and resistance. The choice is not up to our opponents, but to us, and our willingness to face and work through them.” Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith

Differences are inevitable among-st any group of people with different experiences, attitudes and expectations.

However, some degree of conflict can be necessary to support organisational goals and too little conflict may lead to apathy, lack of creativity, indecision and missed-out deadlines.

But managing conflict in a productive and positive way can be challenging. How do we make the transition from opponents to problem solving teammates?

Learn more on conflict in the office.

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Importance of Team Building

Team building in an office helps to foster better and open communication between the employees themselves, as well as between the employees and management. It goes a long way in improving professional relations, understanding and co-operation, and this is very much reflected in the quality of work being done.

Team building in the workplace significantly contributes towards employee motivation and building trust among the employees, thereby ensuring better productivity.

Team leadership and team building go hand in hand. Successful team building in the workplace often translates into success for everyone. It is not difficult and does not require you to go out of your way or do anything extraordinary as a common man. As the popular saying goes, “Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

Climb High For more information on our team building services and training sessions. 

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Ways to Listen Better Today

Hearing is easy! For most of us, our body does the work by interpreting the sounds that we hear into words. Listening, however, is far more difficult. Listening is the process of looking at the words and the other factors around the words (such as our non-verbal communication), and then interpreting the entire message.

Below are six examples that you could practise to become a better listener;

  1. When you are listening, listen. Don’t talk on the phone, text message, clean your desk or do anything else.
  2. Avoid interruptions. If you think of something that needs to be done, make a mental or written note of it and forget about it until the conversation is over.
  3. Aim to spend at least 90% of your time listening and less than 10% of your time talking.
  4. When you do talk, make sure it is related to what the other person is saying. Ask questions to clarify, expand and probe for more information.
  5. Do not offer advice unless the other person asks you for it. If you are not sure what they want, ask.
  6. Make sure the physical environment is conducive to listening. Try to reduce noise and distractions. If possible, be seated comfortably. Be close enough to the person so that you can hear them, but not too close to make them uncomfortable.

Active Listening is a good way of improving your communication skills.

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What is Time Management?

Time management refers to the way that you organise and plan how long you spend on specific activities.

It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time management, instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are enormous:

  • Greater productivity and efficiency.
  • A better professional reputation.
  • Less stress.
  • Increased opportunities for advancement.
  • Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.

Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences:

  • Missed deadlines.
  • Inefficient work flow.
  • Poor work quality.
  • A poor professional reputation and a stalled career.
  • Higher stress levels.

Spending a little time learning about time-management techniques will have huge benefits now – and throughout your career.

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Thank You Notes

Thank you notes are a sign that you are interested in building a long-term relationship with a client. They show clients that you value their business and that your interest in them did not end when you closed the sale. We often hear in this day and age of lack of politeness and many decry the cursory way that transactions are carried out. Although almost all companies make a greater play of offering “excellent customer service” there is a world of difference saying that you offer something and offering it every time.

The effect of a thank you note is to make a customer feel that they have been more than just a number. They will read the thank you note and feel positive about their purchase. Taking time out to write a thank you note that shows you remember the customer may well be what it takes to encourage them to come back to you when they need something else, and pass your details onto anyone they know who is planning to buy in the same niche. Pitching a note on the right level is important.

To learn more about effective selling tips, click here Sales Fundamentals.

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Do Not Exist, Live!

Dare to be … When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.

When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.

When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it.

When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.

When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.

When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.

When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.

When times are tough, dare to be tougher.

When love hurts you, dare to love again.

When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.

When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.

When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.

When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.

When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.

When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.

Dare to be the best you can – At all times, Dare to be!”

For more information on personal development and psychometrics, visit us on Delivery Skills

 

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Staying Energised

We all experience low points during the course of the day, and if you are speaking to customers, this could have a negative effect. There are ways however to boost your energy when it is lagging:

  • Take a walk, even if it’s just to the bathroom.
  • Drink a glass of cold water.
  • Be sure to eat a good breakfast and lunch.
  • Plug into others- being with energized people, keeps you energized!
  • Listen to up-beat music.
  • Try to stay humorous.

The typical structure of a staff timetable is 8 hours of working, with some short breaks in between times. We all know that it can be difficult to maintain a positive demeanour for eight hours straight! It is essential therefore that anyone in a customer-facing job approaches their day in sensible, structured fashion which allows them to get the most out of themselves. Staying energized is often difficult, but as long as you develop a good routine, you find a way to deal with even the dreariest day.

It is essential to find something that allows you break out of the “lows” that anyone will experience during a working day. These lows are common to all of us and we all have different ways of dealing with them. One of the most commonly used methods of shaking out this kind of torpor is a “change of scenery”. Something as simple as going to get a drink or get some fresh air is beneficial.

Making the effort to have breakfast in the morning – even if you feel as though eating is the last you want to do – can be of huge benefit, allowing you to maintain energy throughout the morning. It may be a cliché, but making sure that you don’t skip breakfast can go a very long way to keeping you energised through the day.

We believe that every working day should be enjoyable so help your team by visiting us on; www.summit-training-africa.com or call 0702 369224 to learn more.

 

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Which personalities make up your team?

MBTI is a personality preference tool that helps you understand you. It involves you taking a questionnaire which asks you a series of questions about the things you do and the way you like to think about things.

MBTI was developed by a mother and daughter: Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers back in the 1940s. Since then it has captured the world and is used across many diverse sectors, in over 70 countries and has been translated in over 20 different languages. It is now available in Kenya!

As a result of completing the MBTI profile you receive four letters. It’s these four letters that capture the essence of who you are. For example, are you someone who is highly organised or goes with the flow? Do you like to make decisions based upon logic? Are you an intuitive or do you need lots of information?

As certified trainers of MBTI in Kenya, we offer individual and full team building programmes and can make a real difference to your business. For further information call 0702369224 or email info@summit-training-africa.com