Motivation

“What about you? How are YOU?”

Date: October 4, 2022

Author: Michelle L. McDonald

Categories: Emotional Intelligence, Engagement, Mental health, Motivation, Wellbeing

One day, I was speaking by telephone to a group of team members based at another location, who had called to ask me a question. After I had answered, I asked if everyone was ok, which is normal for me. They answered in the affirmative. Then one of the employees said something which I didn’t quite hear. I started to say something random and then something told me to ask her to repeat. The Manager repeated what her team member had said. “She said ‘what about you. How are YOU?'” That one question left me speechless.

As an HR practitioner as well as a past Hospitality professional, I have been accustomed to putting everyone else’s needs before my own. It is second nature. I am the one usually asking colleagues how they are, checking on them to make sure everything is ok. Even when I was working 10 – 13 hours each weekday, plus several hours on the weekend (which was the case for most of the last 2 years,) I would have as my focus, the needs of the employees and whatever projects I was working on to make their employment experience better. Some days I’d gobble down lunch in a quick minute, while standing up or while simultaneously working at my desk. I’d be stuck at my computer for most of the day, sometimes even forgetting to drink water. Then I’d go home, work some more, get little sleep and dream about work matters. I felt heavy under the pressure to deliver.

After the shock wore off, I thanked them profusely, while getting a little emotional, and shared that it wasn’t often that I get asked that question. It reminded me of how Meghan Markle responded while away on tour soon after giving birth to her first check. and the journalist asked her how she was.

Do we always remember to check on other people? Or is it expected, like in the case of an HR practitioner, that they don’t have feelings, they are not suffering under the weight of work, which might be intersecting with personal issues they are grappling with?

It’s certainly something to think about. Is your colleague ok? Every once in awhile, please ask them. You never know what someone else is going through. That one question may be just what they need to keep going.

“What’s your advice for getting out of a temporary rut?” I asked Jack Canfield

Date: September 22, 2021

Author: Michelle L. McDonald

Categories: Business, Engagement, Learning & Development, Motivation

Since last year’s onset of the pandemic, there has been a proliferation of virtual events, giving people around the world (with an internet connection) the opportunity to learn and grow, even as it seems the world has been falling apart around us.

Today, I was fortunate to attend (without charge) two of the sessions in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)’s Sustainability Development Summit. The full video is at the end of this article.

The second was entitled “Leveling-up for High Performance and Breakthrough Success.” The presenter was Jack Canfield, who I had never heard of. Sure, I knew about the “Chicken Soup For the Soul” series of books, but didn’t know the author’s name or what he had accomplished.

His presentation was empowering and action-oriented and I found myself taking screenshot after screenshot. Yes, registered participants will get the recordings, but in the moment, I wanted to capture those aspects of his presentation which resonated with me, such as….

Success Principle: Decide what you want. What is your vision of success?
There are only 3 responses you have any control over. E + R = O: Thoughts, Images, Behaviour
You have to give up making excuses
Create a Breakthrough Goal.…a goal that would quantum leap your personal or professional success or the success of your organization…and that will require you to grow to achieve it.
Practise the “Rule of 5”: Do 5 things every day that will lead to the achievement of your breakthrough goal.
Set a goal that is big enough so that in the process of achieving it, you will become someone worth becoming! BHAG “Big Hairy Audacious Goal”

What I appreciated about the presentation and indeed the first one I attended, what that the speakers took questions after. Here is the host Dr Terri-Karelle Reid asking the question I posed which was “what’s your advice for getting out of a temporary rut or setback, especially if you’re normally positive and a believer?” (That’s the reflection of the ceiling light)

“Setbacks are part of the process” Canfield said. He further said that it is learning to handle those obstacles which builds your capacity, confidence, patience and courage. Part of the goal of life, he said, is to become a master, like in Karate, where you go through different belts.

Other advice he gave was:

See those ruts as opportunities to learn something new.
Surround yourself with positive people. Listen to something positive everyday.
Get your mindset changed and start doing something different.

Canfield ended by saying this:

“A rut is something where you keep digging the same hole over and over and it looks like forward progress, but you’re not going anywhere really. You’ve got to do something different, anything different at all that you think might get you out, and surround yourself with something positive.“

Do You Care About Your Career?

Date: April 5, 2015

Author: Michelle L. McDonald

Categories: Engagement, Motivation, Productivity, Training

I was going through some picture files on my phone and found one I had taken of a magazine article from a Self magazine entitled “The New Ambition”. Not sure why I kept it. Well, maybe I do. It is because I like asking participants to think about whether their careers are fulfilling and whether they feel great about it at the end of a week. I think if all is right with oneself, then being happy, creative and productive at work is less of a chore.

How I got into my original career in hotels was quite by accident. Or maybe not. A very good family friend had been appointed Director of Tourism. My father and I were watching the news when the announcement came on and he said to me “maybe that’s what you want to do.” I had been meandering through school, and was in the process of repeating Lower Sixth form. I told him “ok” and set about completing the necessary paperwork when the time came. Apparently, I used to like to cook and even wrote out menu cards which my mother – the family archivist – has kept to this day.

Do you say any of these to your employees?

Date: April 20, 2014

Author: Michelle L. McDonald

Categories: Caribbean, Customer Service, Employees, Engagement, Motivation, Training

Entrepreneur magazine published this article by Lindsay Broder which discusses 7 things you should never say to your employees. Be honest. Have you ever said any of them in the heat of an interaction with your employees? I have heard many mangers say #1 “I’m the boss. Do as I say.” Perhaps early in my managerial career, I might have been guilty of that too. However, as I focussed on my personal development, I realized that I had to find other ways to influence the employees I managed to do their assigned tasks….and willingly, so that customer service could be at the desired standard.

I recall having success where I managed a team, most of whom were much older than me, were unionized and were generally seen by others as the ‘bad eggs’ in the company. Treating each as a human and an individual, I set out to find what made them tick, what their hot buttons were and ways which made them shine. I guess I realized I was successful, mostly, when I received an award for my leadership of that team.

My feeling is that if managers have to resort to any of these 7 phrases or retorts, then they themselves have some work to do on their skills. I am not saying that all managers have to be perfect, however, they should certainly try to better tomorrow, than they were yesterday. Read more, try new things, hire professionals like us to help identify the issues and suggest solutions.

Commit to avoid saying any of these phrases to your employees. They will appreciate you for it and your customer service delivery will improve.by

Increasing Productivity, Motivation and Engagement

Date: March 6, 2014

Author: Michelle L. McDonald

Categories: Employees, Engagement, Motivation, Productivity, Training

All companies want to get the most out of their employees. That means ensuring employees want to be at work, fully committed and operating at maximum capacity. This article gives some tips from Yves Morieux’s Ted Talk. His theme is simplification, which resonates with me. Watch the original speech.