Self Help Tips For Professionals

1. There Is No Such Thing As Common Sense.
Don't rely on common sense as part of your training program. If you haven't taught your people how you want it done, how are they ever supposed to know?

2. You Can't Motivate People.
You can't motivate people to do anything they don't want to do. However, what you can do is create an environment in which they will want to motivate themselves. Then, and only then, will they be motivated enough to succeed in whatever it is they set out to do.

3. We Ruin Good People By Promoting Them.
Just because people are good at what they do doesn't mean they will be good at teaching someone else. Not everyone has what it takes to manage. Managers must be teachers first, technically competent second.

4. You Don't Have To Know Everything.
It's O.K. for managers to let their people know that they don't have all the answers. What is important is that they know where to go and look it up. If people can't trust your word, they won't trust you, period.

5. You're Not The Most Important Person In The Converstation.
Communication is everything. If the receiver doesn't receive the message the way it was intended, then whatever you said means absolutely nothing.

6. Park Your Ego At The Door; It's Not About Being Right.
You and I know that there are 1,000 different ways to get the same results. The more managers let their people get involved in the process, the more likely it is their staff will be interested in the results.

7. You Can't Control Everything All Of The Time.
Your job as a manager is to teach someone else what you know. You can't do that if you're not sharing your responsibilities with the people around you. If you don't delegate, you are robbing your people of their opportunity to grow.

8. You Can't Demand Respect; Respect Is Reciprocal.
You've got to give it to get it. Gaining respect is a process. You must first build rapport, then develop relationships before you get respect. Remember: People won't trust anyone they don't respect first.

9. People Hear What They See, Not What You Say.
You must be prepared to lead by example. 93% of what you say is non-verbal. It's not what you say that is important. It's how you go about doing it that matters most. You know the saying: "Actions speak louder than words." Lead by example.

10. There Are No Negatives; Everything In Life Is A Positive.
Attitude is everthing. It's the one thing that you have 100%-control over. Only you can decide how to act and react to any given situation. A positive attitude is infectious. Are you upbeat?