doug smith training

Working against each other is too much work. How many times have you been working on an important goal and discovered that someone was working against you? Whether it was intentional or not, it was inconvenient, and just plain annoying. If there is anyone who could stand in the way of your goal, start a conversation about gaining their support. Once we've agreed on the goal, the work gets easier. Resistance declines. Progress advances. Goals get achieved. -- doug smith  

You may not have found the solution yet but you're way ahead of anyone who's stopped looking. -- doug smith

Are you an optimist? Do you think that things will always work out, no matter what? Or, maybe you're a pessimist, always waiting for things to fall apart, whether or not you can fix them. What matters more is awareness. Getting the scoop. Figuring out the facts and sorting them out from emotions. Neither optimism nor pessimism is any excuse for ignorance. Figure it out. -- doug smith  

  I do not like to make assumptions. But, sometimes I do. I'll assume someone has bad intentions, when maybe they just have bad manners. I'll assume someone's goal is in conflict with mine, when it's really just a different path to the same destination. Misunderstanding someone else's goal can lead to unnecessary conflict. Clarify, clarify, clarify. Ask questions. Listen. Reach mutual understanding, even if agreement does not seem remotely possible. Understanding might get you half way there... -- doug smith

  Have you ever acted quickly in an urgent situation, because it was urgent, only to later discover there was a better choice? High performance leaders do need a sense of urgency. They also need a clear view and careful analysis before acting recklessly. Time provides perspective that urgency can not. Take a breath. Take some time. Make your best call. -- doug smith

Leaders are paid to produce results. What if the results that leaders produced included optimism? What if they included hope? What if they created great days? Leaders can do that. You can do that. Let's do that. Give people a reason to believe that this is a great day.  Because if you make it happen, it happens. -- doug smith

Possibilities are always expanding. Keep expanding, too.  -- doug smith

You don't have to trick yourself or hyper-motivate yourself to achieve your goals -- just pick goals that you really care about. It's not a great goal until you can't stop thinking about it. -- doug smith  

Make room for creativity and watch how much it grows. -- doug smith  

Whenever I ask the question "is there too much drama at work?" the answer is a resounding and nearly unanimous "yes!"  What do you think? Where does all that drama come from? Drama comes from conflict, from unmet needs, from interpersonal problems, from economic hardship, from overwork and overwhelm...drama comes from an endless supply of sources. But... Drama enters on our own invitation. You can have the problems and the drama, or you can simply deal with the problems and leave the drama where it belongs: in entertainment. Having worked for many years in entertainment I learned that drama is better left on the stage and we need better ways to meet the rage.  What do you think? -- doug smith  

Sometimes the best way to lead is to get out of the way -- but not sa far away that you aren't available. Once you know the difference -- and calibrate the distance -- it all gets easier. -- doug smith  

Are you a hands-on leader? Do you get involved in the work of the work? How much time do you spend "in the trenches" whatever your field is, working like the rest of your crew? Ideas flow. Communication improves. Morale mysteriously grows. And... Some of our best thinking is done with our hands.  If you're blessed with hands that work, keep them working. -- doug smith