doug smith training

Have you ever pushed a car in order to get it started? Back in the day, that was a regular occurrence, especially when I drove old beater-type cars.  I had a volkswagen van once that I had to park on a hill so that it would be easy enough to start in the morning -- giving it a push downhill is so much easier. It's always harder to put a standing object in motion. Even as leaders we can get stuck and find it hard to start. Push. Give yourself a boost. Make that push to get started and momentum will be your friend. Once you're moving the rest is much, much easier. -- doug smith  

Conflict is not always bad. Sometimes it is necessary. We do get to choose how we approach it. Do we treat the opposition respectfully? Do we include dignity and opportunity as we negotiate? Even when we are uncomfortable with conflict (which is most of the time for many of us) it is only thru conflict that we can resolve issues of inequity. Peace is an excellent first choice, but not always available. Completely avoiding conflict could lead to complete surrender. Don't surrender. Negotiate. -- doug smith 

  Find the story and you can find the meaning. Find the meaning and the work gets easier. What's your story? -- doug smith

  Do you have any promises with yourself? Maybe a promise about a goal?  Sometimes I have let go of a promise and then picked it up again much later. If it ever appealed to me, there's probably still some energy there. How about you? Keep the promises alive by making progress every day. I'm working on it. How about you? -- doug smith

An outlandish, moon-shot goal means the most when it leads to dozens of small achievable goals. -- doug smith  

  A proper goal prevents wasted time. We don't have time to pursue meaningless goals. What matters most needs most of our time. Take a look at your list of goals. Prioritize the top three. The rest will matter most when the top three are done. -- doug smith

What we are grateful for stays, what we take for granted goes away. What are you grateful for today? If the list is long, there's something also to be grateful for. If the list is short, consider it more. Gratitude blesses our blessings and keeps them flowing. -- doug smith  

Ever have any days of low self-esteem? Times when your opinion of yourself was less than positive? I sure have. I don't mean a healthy amount of skeptical inquiry or proof seeking thoughts -- I mean low self-esteem that can ruin a day. Let's get out of that business! Instead, let's lift our days forward with optimism. We can be positive without being Pollyanna.  You matter! You belong! You rock! You wouldn't be you without you. Do you see how important you are? -- doug smith  

It is a question of baseline or the place that you begin. From your baseline you can decide and even balance what you think next which leads to what you do next. We all begin with some baseline. Where is your baseline? Do you begin by thinking positive, negative, or neutral when you encounter something or someone new? When the choice of interpretation is up to me, I pick positive. It's a personally positive prerogative, and enhances my chances of enjoying the ride. It's up to you? Where do you want to go? -- doug smith  

How much do you practice the skill that is most important to your success? We do best what we do most. Practice. It's the best way (maybe the only way) to get better. You name the skill -- communication, leadership, problem solving, managing conflict, playing music, running, swimming, singing, dancing, acting...practice is the key. -- doug smith 

Can you tell a hard truth and still be polite? Absolutely! We can disagree with respect. We can remain civil. We can demonstrate professionalism even under pressure. Nothing should ever prevent a true professional from being polite. -- doug smith