ELEPHANT ALERT!

The biggest wrestling match ever thrown is about to take place in the United States.

Soon, the Thanksgiving holiday will be here. For hundreds of years this has been the moment at which gratitude is expressed for the abundance experienced throughout the year. Given the financial meltdown and increasing despair, will Thanksgiving 2008 be cancelled?

Here’s the elephant in the office: On November 27th the people who only celebrate and give gratitude once a year for the abundance in their life will find themselves cage wrestling the largest turkey known to man. It’s gratitude vs. gloom – hope vs. despair – abundance vs. scarcity – selfishness vs. selflessness. It’s joy vs. misery.

This is no ordinary turkey. The “bad news” you face each day is big and strong and can gobble you up.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

There are, of course, plenty of people who won’t be wrestling turkeys. These people aren’t isolated from the rotten eggs being laid by the market; but they do make themselves inaccessible to the sort of thinking that destroys what’s important to them.

Kevin P. is one of those people. His 401K smells like everyone else’s, yet he’s able to lead himself. “People are starting to focus on core family values more than ever, and not just because it’s Thanksgiving,” he said. “In this moment we have to demonstrate our ability to focus on what we do have. Otherwise, someone could lose their mind if they only focused on what they’re losing.”

Ensure your family doesn’t wrestle the phantom turkey this year by asking:

1. How can we express gratitude more consistently throughout the year?
2. What do we have that we can give to others? 
3. What do we possess that ensures we’ll thrive?

Wall Street and Thanksgiving are not synonymous. Celebrate the abundance that is real.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

 

ELEPHANT ALERT!

With the current economic crisis, and subsequent scramble in the marketplace, uncertainty reigns. Will you respond accordingly? What are you willing to do? What can you do?

With the seismic shifts in consumer buying patterns, one thing is clear: If you continue to do things the way you did them before, you’ll lose. The call to “change” has never been this strong.

Here’s the elephant in the office: Even with the logic that we must function differently, there are masses of people dragging their feet. They want to do the same work, the same way they did it before, and get paid the same amount for getting the job done. And, with their free time, they choose to discuss everything that’s not working, who’s to blame, and how bad things are.

This belligerent behavior borders insubordination. Not necessarily a defiance of senior leadership, but a noncompliance with personal integrity.

It’s time to show what we are made of.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

One of our world-class facilitators, Steve Drury, shared that his grandpa was fond of saying, “If you’ll do the things others will not, you will achieve things they cannot.” Never has Steve’s grandpa been more correct.

Despite the stagnant market, there are ample opportunities out there. Some of these opportunities require you to do the things others will not.

However, consider that Steve’s grandpa wasn’t just talking about labor. In this time of difficulty the vast majority of people will move away from their optimism, their hope, and their belief that they can change outcomes.

If you are willing to step up today and tell others “I know we can do this,” and if you’re able to express your belief in and of others, you will certainly achieve things others cannot.

The reward is in there.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Where are you getting your gas? What makes you go? It’s long been said that information is power. But what happens if you have bad information? If so, be aware of the power outage.

Upon hearing that a colleague was communicating incorrect information, a friend stated, “He’s been getting gas at the wrong station again.” That’s a power outage. This person was losing their power by communicating rumors.

Here’s the elephant in the office: With the tightening marketplace, companies are making decisions so fast that sometimes the only information shared are the rumors that spread like wildfire in advance. As a result, these companies have to deal with a tough economy – and a loss of power due to the spread of gossip. The workforce is rendered powerless by the distractions.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Economies around the world are getting serious about using alternative fuels. What about you? Are your conversations giving you energy? It may be time for a new source of power.

Time spent addressing information that isn’t accurate or verified is like dreaming up ‘negative fantasies.’ Such jibber-jabber drains energy – energy that is in demand as creative solutions are a must for survival.

If you find yourself at a gas pump that is giving bad gas, such as a conversation where gossip is being spread, excuse yourself and find an alternative fuel source. Commit to these steps:

1. Deal with facts. What are the things we can control?
2. Practice creativity. How will we make the most with what we have?
3. Be an alternative fuel source for others. Build a solutions-focus environment.

Correct information is power. Make sure you fill up with the correct gas.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Grab some antacids.

According to USA Today, Harvard recently released its National Leadership Index. It should have come with the label: “Warning: contents likely to cause heartburn.”

In the U.S., 80% of the public sees the country in a leadership crisis. That’s an increase of 3% over last year, and a whopping 15% from 2005. And worldwide it’s not much better. Globally, confidence in business leaders is the lowest in a decade (Development Dimensions International).

Who’s at fault? Fingers are often pointed at those in leadership positions. After all, they’re getting the bad grades, right?

Many people miss the accomplice.

Here’s the elephant in the office: Most organizations perpetuate a culture where everyone stands around waiting for those in leadership to lead, to make decisions, to motivate, to hold people accountable…to get things done. And when things don’t get done, these same people become “victims.”

Results never lie. One of the primary reasons there is a leadership crisis is because of the approach that so many bring to leadership. Instead of empowering the many, the majority acquiesce to the few. Not much work gets done this way.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

The strongest performing organizations have cultures that separate themselves from their competitors. They perpetuate the understanding that everyone is a leader – and therefore, everyone is response-able. A lot more gets done in these organizations.

You can take a greater leadership role today just through your actions, by making the shift from:

• Demanding others are held accountable…to developing an accountability mindset around you.
• Blaming others for errors…to modeling what you want to see.
• Telling others what to do…to asking questions that create thinkers around you.

We are not helpless. The choice to lead is ours.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Stop – and ask yourself: How am I doing? Is it just another day of average results? Of uninspired routines? Of thinking about what I hope to achieve someday?

Do you ever think, “If I don’t start taking steps toward my goals, I’ll never get there.”

Here’s the elephant in the office: Too many people are living with the “woulda-shoulda-coulda’s.” You know these people; they’re walking around in a bubble, as if they’re on life-support. The air they breathe is tainted with the bitter odor of “there’s no point in even trying.”

But there is a point in trying – and it can all turn around in 60 seconds.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Would you spare one minute for someone in need of help? Give yourself the gift of one minute to elevate the results you’re getting in life.

We’re serious – and here’s how it works: Right now take 10 seconds to determine the healthy focus you want today that will help you move things forward. Write this focus down and put it in your pocket. Then, tonight, forward this blog to yourself. Before you hit the send button, take 50 seconds to type your answers to these questions:

• Where did my focus serve me?
• Why is this focus important?
• Where will I apply greater focus tomorrow?

That’s a total of 60 seconds. Then, tomorrow, assess at the end of the day, and take 60 seconds again to forward yourself your email, along with your plan of focus.

Forward this document to yourself for 60 days and observe what happens to your results.

Could establishing a discipline with focus change your life? It’s time to find out.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Things are bad. Retirement savings have been slashed. Unemployment is up. The value of houses is down. No one is buying what’s being sold. The future is bleak. What’s a person to do?

Here’s the elephant in the office: People are quitting everywhere. They’re showing up for work paralyzed. They’re talking about their fears, all the things they disagree with, who’s to blame, and how they feel hopeless. It’s ugly – and little work is being done.

There are options. We recommend you tell them to quit.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Do you know someone who is stressed and miserable? Encourage them to quit.

Tell them to,

• “Quit feeling sorry for yourself. Quit giving up your emotional control to a bunch of numbers generated by Wall Street. Quit trying to figure out who to blame. Quit perpetuating you fears by re-exploring them each time you see your friends. Quit thinking you’re the only one who is right. Quit thinking you’re always wrong. Quit replaying old, worn-out tapes of the would’ves, should’ves and could’ves. Quit pretending you’re somebody you’re not. Quit getting angry at others who reveal who you are. Quit putting everyone you disagree with in a box. Quit discriminating against things you don’t understand. Quit bringing the poison of your day home for your family to taste. Quit looking at the flaws in the details that make up your life.
• “(Most of all, quit quitting.)
• “And if you’re serious about quitting, stop focusing on what you intend to quit – and spend your time thinking about what you want.”

Today, stop and consider: What do you want? What’s important to you? Why is it important? And how will you take a step in that direction – beginning now?

Quitting is easy…when you know what you want.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?

ELEPHANT ALERT!

Today, millions of people will vote. Ultimately, their vote will decide our future. “Change” has been the theme this year. The debate has centered on who will most effectively deliver transformation.

But the “know-it-alls” have it wrong. We’ll tell you who you should vote for. And if you want, you can steal the election right now.

Here’s the elephant in the office: It’s stunning how many companies beat their employees down, to the point where people have lost confidence in the one person – the only person – who can create change: themself. “Why even try?” and “I’m not very good at…” and “You don’t expect me to do the job, do you?” fill conversations in countless offices.

If that’s what people are saying aloud, imagine the destructive messages in their “self talk.” It’s like being a candidate in the most important race of your life…and voting against yourself.

STOMP THE ELEPHANT

Today, vote for yourself. You are the only person who can create the change you want to see in your career, relationships and life. If this sounds like a cliché, it’s because it is. And the reason it is: It’s true.

Take this challenge: Step into your own voting booth and determine the top three things you are most passionate about. Next, draw the curtain and take three steps. If you execute them you will deliver more change than you can imagine.

1. Commit to focusing on where you’ve successfully delivered in the past.
2. Generate innovative ideas to raise the bar.
3. Daily tap into your motivations on why this change is important to you.

You can’t win if you don’t vote for yourself. So start voting for the only person who can create change today.

Where will you lead – where will you stomp elephants – today?