Birds adjust

All birds find shelter during a rain.  But the eagle avoids rain by flying above the clouds.  Problems are common, but attitude makes the difference.

Litter bug

You can't litter negativity everywhere and then wonder why you've got a trashy life..

Do you understand

Never frown upon something just because you do not understand it.  Your viewpoint will not always be the right one...

Two kids

Two kids woke up right after Christmas morning.. one found a bike by his door with ribbon and all and he said, 'Oh I don't know how to ride.  I might fall and get hurt.' the other got nothing but a pile of manure by the front of his house. 'Hey I thing my horse is around here somewhere.' A happy life is the way you see things in life.. think positive and yu shall find the beauty.

Two things that shape your day

There are only two things that shape your day, the people around you and your attitude for the day.
Great thing is you get to choose both. Give yourself space from the people that don't fit, and choose to have a good attitued.

Erasers

An old man said: Erasers are for those who makes mistake. A youth replied: Erasers are made for those who are willing to correct their mistakes. ATTITUDE MATTERS!

It can't be done

Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can't be done.
Bo Bennett

Achieving Excellence

If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.  Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.
Colin Powell

Little Difference

There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference.  The little difference is attitude.  The big difference is wheather it is positive or nagative.
W. Clement Stone

Who do you know?

     Who do you know that is always happy?
     They walk around in a good mood every day with a big smile on their face! They are excited for each day and what it has to offer! They are the go-to person in their office or dealership.
How do they do that?  How do they wake up every day ready to roll? I am sure it frustrates some people.
     Do you want to be like that? It takes effort.
What does it take?  Think about it-how can you start your day that way?  What do you have to do?  Lets make a short list:
        1. OK, it starts the day prior-get a good night sleep.
        2. Eat right, dinner the night before, and a good breakfast.
        3. The day prior you should have a to-do list for the coming day.
       4. You have to acknowledge that you don't control everything.
       5. You may need to leave for work earlier than normal.
       6. Incorporate the 10' rule, meet new people.
Now you need to do this consistently for 30 days to create a habit.
Boy that is a big task...
Remember how you eat an Elephant, one bite at a time.
Make some small changes, stick with them and after you have had some results you can change the next and so on.
Good luck, my hope is that you work your way to happier days. If you do your attitude is sure to follow.

Valentines Day

 

Well since it is Valentine's Day let's talk about spouses. 
Ask yourself this, does my spouse help or hinder my attitude?
My guess is that before you answer that question you should ask your self if you help or hinder their attitude.
Let's face it, we do not control our spouse.  They have a mind of their own,  I know mine does.  The truth is we only control our own attitude.  A wish for each of you is that you would lift up the person in your life with some sort of positive affirmations on a regular basis.  What might that sound like? 

• It could be as easy as "have a great day"
• Or a kiss each day when you wake up!
• A nice comment about what they are wearing!
• A nice comment about their hair?

You seeing a trend, you need to say something nice.  Think back to when you first met and how easy it was to make a nice comment.  When is the last time you surprised them with a card.
Guess what, men love cards too...

Would you have a smile on your face if your day started like that? 
Have a great Attitude, I mean day!

Oh, and Rockie I love you!
(that works too, she is my best friend too)
      

Sparking your attitude

What does it take to spark your attitude?  Could it be as easy as a passing smile from a stranger? 
In the auto industry we talk about a 10 foot rule.  What that means is that you must acknowledge any person that comes within 10 feet of you.  Not a long conversation, just a pleasant "Good Morning" will work. 
Do you believe Zig Ziglar when he said it you give enough people what they want, you will get what you want?  I believe that to be true.  Would that start your day off right or turn it around?
Think about it, your walking through an office building, bank or car dealership and everyone seems so nice.  They calmly acknowledge you and are so pleasant.  Would you notice the atmosphere?  Could that change your attitude for the day?
Would you risk taking a chance and trying the 10 foot rule just to see if it makes a difference?
Well, that is my challenge to you.  Don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with a stranger at the grocery store, and talk to people you don't know.  You know how most great jobs are found?  It is by talking to people and they know somebody that knows somebody!  You get in touch with their friend and bazinga, you have a new opportunity.
Work on your attitude every day!

Is your mind right?

Often times I wonder about people, sometimes sitting in the airport just watching them stroll unassuming in their own world. You wonder what could be going through their minds. Some people are headed to Job Interviews, Funerals, Weddings, or Vacations. However you can't always tell by looking at them.
People are in their own world with many thoughts such as fear, anxiety or anxiousness, sadness, or happiness (Vegas is different depending if they are heading out or coming back and how much money they lost), lol.
How are the people that are happy always happy? Do they posess some magic pixy dust or do they "just do it"?
It is a state of mind, they determined some time ago that they would be happy. It took work and still takes work every day to posess that attitude. It is just an attitude.
Some people from my past have ask me how to look at each day, to always be positive and I tell them it is a choice every day that they make by the little things they do. Many years ago I started this journey as a depressed teenager and slowly made little decisions to change my life's direction. I knew that there was something better. It is still a work in progress. A happy person still feels life's pains and pressures just like everyone else. The difference is the attitude, they refuse to let the situation dictate their happiness.
So I tell you to day to take control of your attitude and make it a great day. What ever happens around you find the positive, and will yourself to a good day! It is all in your attitude.

Attitude-Game Changer

Did you watch the Super Bowl?  The Ravens putting the Niner's away! I am not a fan of either and had no skin in the game. But it was amazing to watch. Think about it, in the first half the Ravens were running away from the Niner's. Seems like every time they touched the ball they would march down the field and score. It was crazy easy in the first half.
Then came half time, all football fans know its about adjustments. The first couple minutes often time gives you an idea of the outcome. So the Niners were hoping to kick off and let the defense take care of business. The defense never made it to the field. When they kicked off the receiving Raven returned the Kickoff for a Touchdown.  How drained were the Niners. Then something unscripted happened. There was a power outage. And when the lights came on they were like a different team.
They looked fresh and scored Touchdowns on the next two positions.
What changed?  How did they turn on the power, and transform their energy when they should have been defeated?
It is simple, they changed their Attitude!
They believed they could do it! They remembered all the preparation, the hundreds of times they ran the plays, and they just willed it.
They turned a beat down into a classic and excited millions of people just by having the right attitude. So my question is how did they flip the switch?
Is that something you can do?
Think about your week, it's Friday and your behind and your boss just dumped more work on you with a short dead line, are you defeated.
Here is what I know to be true-if you think your defeated-you are, and if you think your not, your not. You will never win until you see yourself as a winner!
What do I do till then-"Act as if" your already there. Having the right attitude is not always easy. But by resisting, the tasks will continue to persist. We actually make them seem worse than they are in our mind.

New Years Follow Up

     OK, we are 5 weeks into the New Year, how are you doing on your resolutions you made?
     When was the last time you looked at your goals?
     Are you on track?
     It's great to have your goals posted-but if you are not reading them every day they become part of the wall.  You don't really see them.  It's like living next to a train track, in time you don't pay any attention to the trains, they quit waking you up in the middle of the night, they become ambiant.
So to get back on track you need to not only have your goals posted, you need to stop.. focus... and read each goal to yourself.
     Follow up with a positive afirmation for the morning to get that attitude right to greet the day!

Here are some afirmations for a Sales Professional:

• Selling is easy!
• I am self confident!
• I am relaxed and in control!
• I am a powerful sales professional!
• I feel fantastic!
• I can overcome resistance and close more sales!
• I can exceed my goals!
• I am happy and enjoy life!

Expectations and Attitude

     I returned a call to a family friend that had gotten into automotive sales, he had left me a message the previous day.  He is struggling to fit into a situation.  I listened for 45 minutes to his story and began to wonder to myself, what went wrong?
     I always find it amazing that we as managers hire an employee and within days or weeks we begin to wonder what in the world we were thinking.  So what happened?  How did a promising employee become someone that we were documenting on a write up sheet.  In most cases we all know what that  means.
     So where was the disconnect?  How did expectations get sideways?  A lot of managers won't like this, be we need to look at our selves most of the time.  There has been talk for years of the best way to staff a showroom with salespeople. Are we looking at the wrong issue?  At some point we need to ask what it is that we as managers are doing wrong.
     First, do we set proper expectations while interviewing?  Do we tell them it is going to be a grind.  And that the hours suck, and that the other managers may have even higher expectations and desire for results and they may not be the nicest guys/gals to work with?
     Next do we train the new hire prior to expecting them to be able to meet our expectations?
     And finally, how do we ensure that we are doing our part to coach and cultivate these employees for long term growth?
     To me, and most importantly what does it do to the Attitudes of the Dealership?
     The manager is ready to fire an employee, (never a fun task in most situations).  The employee is now scared, not knowing exactly what to do.  And the other employees are quietly walking around waiting for the shoe to drop.
     So what is the right answer?  How do you hire the right people, with the right expectations?  Do you use the trainer that comes out and does a mass hire, and since he used your facility to do the class in you get first dibs on the class?  Do we run the massive ads and hit the job fairs with the promises of grand opportunity and advancement?
     I know what most of us are doing is not working, let's see we need 5 people for the spring, so lets hire 20 and they will weed themselves out...
     What works for you?

LEAR-Listen Explore Acknowledge Respond

One tool that I have found useful in communicating with customers for the past 30 years is LEAR.
 
In order to communicate you must have a  sender and a reciever, but that in itself does not equal successful communications. So here is what Communications should look like:
 
Listen-what the customer/speaker/boss/spouse is saying.
 
Explore-simple, when you say.... what do you mean?  You want a clear picture of what they are saying.
 
Acknowledge-so when you said..., I understand it to mean..... or what I heard was........
 
Respond-Ok, so here is what I will do....
 
There are times when you will have to explore more deeply until you really understand.  If you walk away and have not confirmed the outcome of the conversation how can you take care of the issue?
 
It may sound like this example using Leasing as the topic:
Salesperson: Have you ever leased before? (listen).
Customer: No, never.
Salesperson: Why not? (Explore).
Customer: My uncle told me how bad it was!
Salesperson: what do you mean when you say it was bad? (Explore).
Customer: He had to spend a lot of money at the end.
Salesperson: Help me understand, When you say he spent a lot of money, what was it for? (Explore).
Customer: Well they said he drove too many miles, and there was some damage
Salesperson: So he drove more miles than was set up in the lease.  I understand, if I could show you the benefits to leasing would you consider it? (Respond).

Better communications helps you with a better attitude!

Understanding Communications Better

Communication is the oil that lubricates relationships, but there’s no communication without listening. How well you listen determines the health of your relationships — connections that, in turn, affect your personal and professional happiness.

Fundamental to listening well is truly wanting to understand the other person versus just going through the motions (“Uh-huh,” head nod, “Uh-huh”) or biding time until it’s your turn to speak. That sincerity in place, the below tips will help you tune in.

Know your audience
Whether listening or speaking, adapt your approach to the other’s demeanor. Are they fearful? Shy? A straight talker? A roundabout type of communicator? Do they have a short attention span? Forcing the wrong approach only complicates communication.

Avoid the tune-out
It’s especially easy for couples and for parents with children to come to the point where you tune out the other. You think you know the person so well, which makes it harder to patiently hear them out. Approach each situation as new.

Invest when children are young
As kids age, they tend to become selectively silent around the adults in their lives. Parents and grandparents who genuinely listen build valuable trust for later. Taking the time to listen well is perhaps the most important thing you can do to ensure a healthy relationship. Remember, you’re teaching them how to listen, too.

Give the speaker your best focus
No one’s going to open up if they sense they’re bothering you. Identify and remove distractions, both external (TV, smartphone, computer) and internal (worries, hunger, fatigue). Multitasking is a listening roadblock unless you’re driving, exercising or doing something similarly conducive to conversation. Make eye contact and take in the whole of the exchange. Sometimes it’s not what’s being said, but how.

Refrain from interrupting
Invariably we think that what we have to say is more important. Don’t assume that yours is the only side of the story or the more fascinating side. Consciously resist the urge to jump in when the other party pauses.

Ask questions to clarify
This opens up entirely new worlds of ideas and comprehension, whereas making assumptions does the opposite. Ask “Is this what you mean?” as you repeat back what you heard. Encourage elaboration with, “Is there anything else I’d do well to know?” Patiently avoid answering for the other person or jumping to conclusions. Strive instead for deeper understanding.

Take a breather if necessary
In angry conversations particularly, it’s easier to listen to the other person if you’re not busy stifling defensive rebuttals or crafting winning points. Open yourself up to what’s being said. Then, as necessary, buy yourself some time by saying “Can I get back to you on that? I need to think it over.” Do so when you’re more collected.

Focused listening shows respect, conveys that you care and validates the importance of what’s being said. It is a winning approach to life.

Listening and Your Attitude

   They say that of all the information an average person has,  80% is hear say, or just passed along with no proof that it is correct by way of conversation. That means only 20% of the knowledge in an average persons brain is fact. Scary to think about now isn't it?
   Since we share so much valuable information verbally, could it be important to know how to listen with the right attitude. Truth is you will not hear a thing until your ready.  And if you have a lot on your mind you may not be ready. We may tune things out. So for fun today lets explore the six negative listening patterns:

 

1. The Faker - All the outward signs are there: Nodding, making eye contact, and giving the occasional uh huh.  However, the faker isn't concentrating on the speaker. His mind is elsewhere.

 

2. The interrupter doesn't allow the speaker to finish and doesn't ask clarifying questions or see more information from the speaker. He is too anxious to speak his words and shows little concern from the speaker.

 

3. The Intellectual or Logical Listener - This person is always trying to interpret what the speaker is saying and why. He is judging the speaker's words and trying to fit them into his logic box. He rarely asks about the underlying feeling or emotion attached to a message.

4. The Happy Hooker- The happy hooker uses the speaker's words only as a way to get to his message. When the speaker says something, and frankly, it could be anything, the happy hooker steals the focus and then changes to his own point of view, opinion, story, or facts. Favorite hooker lines are, "Oh, that's nothing, here's what happened to me" ... "I remember when I was"...

5. The Rebuttal Maker - These listener only listens long enough to make a rebuttal. His point is to use the speaker" words against him. At his worst, he is argumentative and wants to prove you wrong. At the least, the person always wants to make the speaker see the other point of view.

6. The Advice Giver- Giving advice is sometimes helpful, however, at other times, this behavior interferes with good listening, because it does not allow the speaker to fully articulate his feelings or thoughts; it doesn't help the speaker solve his own problems; it prohibits venting; it could also  belittle the speaker by minimizing his concern with a quick solution.  Well-placed advice is an important function of a salesperson. However, advice given too quickly and at the wrong time is a turnoff to the speaker.

How much does Attitude count?