doug smith training

Sometimes it's too much to muster up a big effort. Maybe that's when a little effort gets us going. Even the smallest positive effort has a positive impact. Let's start with that. -- doug smith  

  Great goals need great power. They need the power to keep going thru resistance. They need the power to innovate when the temptation is to stagnate.  Where does that power come from? You know this! The power comes from you. Hard as it may sometimes seem, you do have the power to achieve your own goals. Power for your goals comes from what you're already good at -- or plan to get good at -- and are willing to work for, Set the goal, do the work, and feel the power. -- doug smith

  Leadership is a combination of big-picture thinking and attention to detail. One without the other will leave you lacking. Big picture thinking is the inspiration, the invitation, the appeal to all of your senses for some noble cause.  Attention to detail gets it all done.  Everything will work out when you work out the details. Work out the details. -- doug smith

"It's called work for a reason." "Your motivation comes on Friday -- it's called a paycheck." "Are you going to complain about it or are you going to work hard enough to get promoted?" Does any of that sound old school to you? Do you bristle at the idea of down-playing motivation in your work? Or, maybe a better question is "how do you feel about your work?" I've never had a job that I didn't hate at first. Not because the work was bad (although honestly, sometimes it was) but because I hadn't yet connected with the job. Until I could find the joy in the work, the work was tough. There is joy in any job. While no job is perfect, every job includes our own feelings and what we bring to the work. If you can't find the joy in the job, maybe it IS time to find another job -- but don't be too surprised if that one is also disappointing. Work is work as long as you see it that way, and as a means to an end, the ends are limi

  What race are you racing? We've seen everything possible get gamified - shopping, performing, deciding, status, promotions, ticketing, seating...on and on we are all subjected to points, likes, smiles, and other ways to manipulate us into buying one thing or another, whether or not we want it that way. Let's pause. Let's think about all this gamification. Are the points adding up to significance? Are the likes making the world a better place? Are we at all better off by competing for every nugget of attention? Hmmm? Some people are already reacting. What happens when the old enticements stop enticing? What happens when people focus on what really does matter -- relationships, hope, trust, love, compassion...human interaction? We need to decide quickly, because AI surely does not care, will not differentiate, and will not forgive. The points add up, but people matter more. When the rat race rats stop racing the rat race has to change. Let's change for us, and not for t

Think of all the goals you've already achieved and know that you've got what it takes to achieve even more. All you need is to get started. -- doug smith  

The road to destiny takes the scenic path. Our job is to pay attention. -- doug smith  

Has it drifted away? Have you lost track of an important dream? Is that goal sitting idle? No matter how far you've drifted away from your dream it still is there waiting for you.  Maybe it changed. Maybe it's re-calibrated. Maybe it is something you have to learn all over again. It's still there... -- doug smith  

  One brilliant, fabulous, wonderful moment: now. -- doug smith

You are the number one specialist for your own attitude. Treat it well, love it fully, let it shine. Even when others try to disrupt or destroy your attitude, it is still within your control. How powerful is this? Sometimes it makes all the difference between misery and happiness. Why not choose happiness? -- doug smith  

How is your attitude today? I'm sure that you've already encountered someone with a healthy attitude and also someone with a less than healthy attitude -- and how has that affected you? There are more things in this life out of our control than there are things IN our control, but attitude fits right there within your own control. Not what other people express in their voice, tone, and body language, but what YOU do control in your thinking, interpretation, response, speaking, and actions. You are the number one specialist for your own attitude and it shows. Treat your attitude well, love it fully, nature it daily, and let it shine. It just might upgrade the attitude of those around you, too. -- doug smith

  What makes you happy? What goals do you want to achieve?  You get to define success on your own terms, and until you do how will you ever reach it? Once you do, then your plan is already in motion. Keep going. -- doug smith

Every decent goal comes with a reward. In addition to achieving the desired performance, you often get rewarded with recognition, with promotions, with smiles. Achieving your goals gets things done. When is the best time to achieve your goals? As soon as you can. The sooner you achieve a goal the sooner you can reward yourself for achieving your goal. What are you waiting for? -- doug smith  

Are you good at everything? Me, either. The list of people who are good at everything is short. That's OK. You don't need to master everything, but you DO need to master something. What are you working on to master these days? -- doug smith  

How hard should we work? How much does it matter? Work as though your work will make a difference and it will. To you, to others, to your organization, to the world. -- doug smith  

It's a question that is asked constantly  -- How can I motivate my team? So many ways. I can certainly provide training that will help you do a better job of motivating your team. Here's a shortcut (you should explore other ways of course, but maybe start with this...) Two key points: If your employees feel like they need to unionize to get what they want and need, you're failing as a leader. Fix that. And, When all of the rewards go to the top, the team stops caring. Fix that, too. Absolutely get to know your team members. Provide opportunities for growth. Demonstrate some emotional intelligence around them. Communicate clearly and often. Find the clarity you need to maintain your direction. Demonstrate compassion with those who need it. Think and act creatively in all that you do. And ponder those two points above.  -- doug smith

"I'm looking for my dream job." "What exactly is that?" "A job that makes me happy." "You think it's up to your job to make you happy?" "You know what I mean -- meaningful, rich, rewarding work where I can advance my career and be a success." "How does all that happen?" "That's the search." Yes, there is meaning in the search. And, yes we all want meaningful and rewarding work. Here's what I've learned about that: Find the joy in work and you'll find fewer things to complain about. Every job is a dream job when your dream is to serve willingly and with joy. It's simple, but not easy. Oh, and it is still up to you. If you want to you can find your dream job right where you are. -- doug smith 

I get a charge out of encouragement -- both when I encourage someone else and when someone else encourages me. It doesn't take much energy to provide encouragement, and the payoff is huge. A brighter day, a bigger smiler, a repeat of a task that was done correctly. Encouragement is free and the impact immense. However much you're encouraging others, what if you did it even more? -- doug smith  

Jazz it up! No, I don't mean add piano, saxophone, bass, and drums or whatever other instruments come to mind when you think of jazz -- I mean to spice it up, add some pizzazz, give it some drive. Give that goal the energy it needs by finding the real benefit to achieving the goal. What is it that you really want? What will this goal lead to? More influence? More power? More self-esteem? A better team, a better organization, a better world? Motivate that goal. A goal without motivation is a chore. A goal with motivation is...magic. -- doug smith

Inspire someone everyday. You can start with yourself. -- doug smith