The Cost and the Benefits of Avoidance

"A typical vice...is not saying anything real on real issues."
Theodore Roosevelt

Avoidance is defined by The Free Dictionary by Farlex as"the act of keeping away from or preventing from happening."

When one chooses an avoiding position, decisions are delayed if made at all. Small problems - the infamous "molehill" because the proverbial "mountain." Whatever the motive, unaddressed symptoms are so overwhelming that the real "disease" is never found.

In the avoidance, if this mode directly impacts areas of life or work that we have direct responsibility then collaboration is sacrificed and success is rarely achieved. A simple strategy to determine whether to use avoiding behavior or not is called a "cost-benefit" analysis.


Situation A:
An individual sees waste and inefficiencies everywhere and avoids getting involved:


Costs:
Loss of market share
Loss of salary increases
Loss of job

Benefits:
Lighter work load
Less clutter
More time for TV and sleep

Situation B:
An individual works with an individual who encroaches on time, money and resources without any regard for how it impacts others and decides to remove themselves from lunches, breaks and other opportunities for gripping, complaining and manipulating:


Costs:
Feeling uncomfortable in the other person's presence
Need to learn a new method of interaction and communication

Benefits:
Increased feeling of assertiveness and personal control in life
Increased productivity and professionalism
More time for self

Reminders:

• If the cost is your effectiveness, your sense of self, your very soul and peace of mind, than seek assistance to overcome avoiding behaviors.
  
• If on the other hand, there is very little cost and the benefit to not addressing the issue is greater or it truly is not an issue that you have any control over, by all means - leave the situation alone and work on what you can control
  

If avoidance is intentionally causing one to stay in the background and fly under the radar, than this behavior serves very little purpose and often actually takes away any hope for successful relationships, business and life. On the other hand, if staying out of a situation appears to be avoidance, than so be it - the benefits far outweigh the cost.

The Influential Leader

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists,
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will say: We did it ourselves."

Lao-Tzu

The most lasting and sustainable type of leadership comes from a position of influence. The Free Dictionary by Farlex defines influences as "A power affecting a person, thing or course of events, especially one that operates without any direction or apparent effort."

You aren't the leader because you're the President, CEO, Captain of the team. You may hold the title because you inherited it or one day you were promoted into it. You are the true leader because you have earned it and people will follow you no matter what challenges or obstacles may crop up.

The influential leaders is the one, that from their very core, believes and acts as if it more important to take the right course of action and always make the "politically correct" choice. This leader puts their own self interest and position aside because they are aware of their teams talents, strengths and interests. They give their team the power to make decision and mistakes, to take the risks and experience success and failure. Always accountable, this leader will take the blame, but not the credit.

As an influential leaders, being willing to walk the talk, do the right thing, listen to our heart and the hearts of the team leads to extraordinary results. To know that lifting people up is more important than tearing them down. That with courage, conviction and belief in others we can step aside and let the best do their best.

When lead by influence, rather than control, the company or team will make the profits, hit the targets, win the games and create new paths. Everyone gains as talents and assets are optimized. And, in the end, enjoys the moments when the team says, "We did it ourselves."

Don't Just Treat the "D's" - Get to the Root of the Problem

Problems show up all the time. For a person, long term problems show up as disease. For a family, problems show up as dysfunction. For a community, they show up as destruction. For companies, problems show up as distrust. Disease, dysfunction, destruction and distrust are just four of the many "D's" that are displayed.

When the four "D's" show up, we only reach out for help when the pain and discomfort becomes to difficult to bear. The immediate interventions occur to alleviate the obvious symptoms, tests are conducted and more long term treatment is prescribed. We go home, back to our lives, our communities and our work- cured - for the time being. Feeling better, we decide not to follow up with the experts, time passes, the symptoms become a memory. Then one day one or all of these four "D's" show up and we not just repeat the past, we actually are worse off than before.

Here's my recommendation for overcoming those four "D's" - Create a Root Cause Analysis Process

Step 1: Identify the problem. Ask yourself and others, "What has happened?" The immediate, on the surface answer may seem apparent. Be careful not to want to go for the quick fix. Be sure this is not a pattern and not part of a bigger problem.

______________________________

Step 2: Identify ALL the symptoms. Ask yourself and others, "What symptoms are your seeing, feeling, thinking are really present?" Now, really dig down and investigate to be sure this is not a pattern and not part of a bigger problem. Make this as extensive a list as you can

Step 3: Identify the potential causes of the problem. Ask yourself and others, "Why did this particular symptom occur?" For every individual symptom, identify specific causes.

Step 4: Identify the root cause. "What are the patterns?" Common themes and issues will show up. This is where we need to start to work.

Step 5: Map out a long term solution. Ask yourself and others, "How can I actually overcome this problem?" Include resources, support and ideas that will lead to a cure, not just a short term fix.

Consider these five steps when you want to overcome and not just treat all those "D's" in your life.

Both Can and Will are Necessary

Thank you to Leanne Hoagland-Smith for yesterday's comment. It served as reminder that we need both "Can" and "Will" in our "choices."

More thought and research led me to this wonderful quote by Robert Frost ...

"The world is full of willing people;
some willing to work, the rest willing to let them."

The concept that we "can do" what it takes to achieve our dreams, our goals, our passions comes from what we identify to be important. And, what we consider comes from our beliefs. Often times, we, and others, limit our level of involvement which actually limits what we can do. It may appear to the outside world that we do not have the will to do the work, when in reality, we do not have the belief in our own ability.

Back to the definition of can - "possession of power." Identifying that we own our potential, leads us to tremendous opportunities. It is always interesting to observe that people allow others to do the work because they believe the other person is more qualified, more interested, more suited, more whatever. As a result, committing to greater engagement and action becomes a challenge.

Know that you CAN be more when you ...

Capture what you possess - talents, strengths, ideas, lessons learned.
Adopt an attitude that your abilities have helped you in the past and will continue to do so.
Nudge your will into action.

then you WILL:

Work with passion and purpose
Open doors and overcome obstacles
Reveal new energy and ideas
Know you are successful because you can


Both Can and Will are necessary.

Change "I Can" to "I Will"

"It's not enough to have a dream unless I am willing to pursue it."

Anonymous

What we say, think and write can make all the difference in the getting what we really, really want out of life. Two very small words come to mind that are have great influence on our success in work and life.

The Free Online Dictionary by Farlex states:

Can is "used to indicate possession of a specific power, right or privilege."

Will is "the mental faculty by which one deliberately chooses or decides upon a course of action."

Two very small words with two very big differences. When we say "We can" do something, we are indicating that we have the ability or the potential to get the job done. When we say "We will" we are making an active choice to do the job.

When we think, write or say, "I can," we are thinking about making a decision. When we think, write or say, "I will," we have made the decision. A subtle yet powerful distinction changing "I Can" to "I Will."

Do you think this might affect your success? I know it does for me.

Stay Focused

“Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”
Qui-Gon to Anakin,
Star Wars Episode I

How do we hit our targets, achieve our goals and live our dreams? This question comes up all the time. And even though the answer is really simple - stay focused - it just isn't easy.

As we travel along this road called life, we get sidetracked, sideswiped and blindsided by so many things - people. events, situations, and circumstances. Because these detractors take us on some interesting trips, these diversions also take us so far off course that we fail to come close to the results that we originally set out to accomplish.


Here are five "D"s to help you stay focused:

1. Describe clearly your trying to accomplish or gain. Do you want to land a certain position or job? Are you artistic and want to write, paint or create a great work of art? Are you entrepreneurial and have a great business idea? Interested in being another Edison and inventor? Are you adventurous and want to explore the world and beyond?
2. Draw and write down a clear vision of what you want. If you are not artistic, take pictures of what you envision your dream or goal to look like. Make it colorful. Describe every aspect in specific and really inspirational detail.
   
3. Design a process that will help you get there. Now you have the opportunity to engineer a successful strategy. Mapping a course of action is worth the investment of time. You are the captain of fate.
   
4. Define specific vision and dream related goals. These are the goals that motivate you to move out of your comfort zone. They cause you to stretch, lose sleep, and at the same time build a sense of anticipation and excitement.
   
5. Discipline yourself and track your progress. Appreciating that diversions will always so up to derail you, keep your vision and goals ever present. Measuring and monitoring goals are essential. In my experience, I find it to establish a tracking system for these goals by the week, the month, the quarter, semiannually and annually. This helps me prioritize and modify as needed.
   

If you keep your process simple, your focus becomes reality.

Tapping into the Center of Influence Method

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we are all in some form of marketing or sales, regardless of the situation. That being the case, I would like to suggest a powerful method that can help advance your business, your career, your life and your relationships. That method is called Center of Influence.

According to American Management Association (AMA)'s website, www.marketingpower.com, a center of influence method is defined as:

A prospecting method used by salespeople in which the salesperson
cultivates well-known, influential people who are
willing to provide sales leads.

Let's take this to the next level and use this method to cultivate relationships with well-known influencial people that are willing to provide leads that will connect us with success in any aspect of work and life.

For example, you stay in touch with one of your well-known, popular college professors. You take her to coffee or lunch to "pick her brain" about certain opportunities and ideas. You attend functions and lectures where she is featured. A rapport is being established and she is soon offering to introduce you another of her colleagues or executives that she knows would also be interested in sharing their expertise with you. She opens the door to an person or opportunity that can help you gain personally and professionally.

Here are advantages of tapping into the Center of Influence (COI) Method:

• Saves time
• Expands our network and our networth
• Gives us additional support
• Shows how to "pay it forward"

What are some other advantages that you can see from the Center of Influence (COI) Method?

Next question - Who can you identify as a potential Center of Influence (COI)?

Start making a list of potential Centers of Influence today.

Establish Your Brand

One of the key elements in marketing and sales is branding. Establishing a powerful brand statement can really set you apart. A brand is not just a look, a widget, an idea. Branding is conveying a strong message that expresses all we represent.

Some strong same branding statements:

• Canada's Helios Design and Communications uses "Hard-hitting design, done right the first time."
• H&B catalog of Jazz CDs claims to be "A mail order service for people who know jazz."
• Copywriter Luther Brock, who calls himself "The Letter Doctor," uses the phrase "High-response sales letters for firms on a limited budget."
• Chicago's Smart Studios promotes itself with the BIS "Great sounds. Cool people. Killer studio."

Another statements are not as specific but certainly are memorable -

• Nike's "Just Do it."

3 tips for branding:

• Focus on a clear, concise, interesting message
• Understand the power of language and your audience. Run it by others, although it sounds good to you, it may not convey what is significant about you, your product or your service to others.
  
• Novelty - be different, create you voice and don't sound like everyone else.

Have some FUN and create your brand:

There's Value in Marketing and Sales

One of my favorite questions is to ask people this question, "How many of your are in marketing and sales?"

If I am not working with a group of sales individuals, I often see few to no hands. Then I follow up with some other questions such as, "How many have ever asked for a raise, a promotion, interviewed for a job, sought a relationship, or, or, or...

Interestingly, hands start shooting up and eventually most of the hands in the room are raised. Then, I re-ask my original question, "How many of your are in marketing and sales?" Now 100 percent of the hands are up.

Acknowledging that we are all in some type of sales and/or marketing, can you appreciate how important it might be to increase your knowledge and skills in this arena?

Well, I for one know first hand the value of marketing. One of colleagues and a dear friend, kept pushing me to be more proactive in internet marketing and start a blog. She also gave me another valuable tip, please measure whether or not it is effective.

I started this blog back in May of this year. Before I started, I created a baseline for tracking how much traffic that I receive to my website. In tracking, I found that I was WAY down on the list(more later about how to find tracking sites to manage this information). The goal is to strive for Number 1. Google, for example is 16 today (only 15 sites receive more traffic). When I started blogging, my blog and website was more than 15,000,000 (that's more than 14,999,000 from number one. Today, I broke a million - the number for this blog - 993,463.

I hope I've helped increase your interest in the value of marketing and sales. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

Go for the impossible!

"Leadership is the art of accomplishing
more than the science of management
says is possible."
General Colin Powell
A Leadership Primer

Merriam Webster defines art is defined as the conscious use of skill and creative imagination and science as a system or method of knowledge covering general truths or general laws that have been tested through a specific method. Neither is more important than the other or should I say both are equally important.

In my experience, people generally start with the knowledge that they know or have immediate access to; libraries, internet, professors and teacher, experts in a specific field. There is a great deal of value in tried and tested skills and knowledge, and yet, all too often that system can become very limiting.

Benjamin Franklin one of the greatest scientists and inventors of all times once wrote:

"The definition of insanity
is doing the same thing over and over
again and expecting different results."

Using a scientific approach is essential basis for management. However, taking that system and adding different skills and creative imagination, that is overcoming insanity and achieving the impossible.

Be a Champion

"You are all champions in your own way.
That doesn't mean you have to be number one
or be the best.
Just do your best.
If aren't first, than make those people ahead of you
break records by pushing them with your personal best.
Consider for a moment what we achieve from athletes
-the sheer fun of competing -
the building of healthy and alert mind and body
-stamina, courage, perseverance, dedication, commitment,
selflessness and most importantly,
the will to excel."
Anonymous
From the Olympics

Examples of Champions:

Rosa Parks sat down. Refusing to remain standing, Ms. Parks chose to sit down, thus becoming know as "the first lady of civil rights."

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. Four years after his release he became the first South African president to be elected in a fully democratic election.

Liz Murray was homeless at 15 and minimal education. By age 18, Liz was on her way to Harvard.

Alfred Nobel was an armaments manufacturer. Later in life, his focus shifted to promoting peace, today we know the name associated with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Lois Knaub was a dean of nursing. Moved from education to nursing and pioneered the first respiratory intensive care in a coal mining region of Pennsylvania.

Whatever the challenge, these people are just every day people like you and I. They just decided to sit down, stand up, speak out, take action, make a difference.

Today - Let''s be a champion

Overcome Desperation - Build Resilience

Housing crisis reaches full boil in East Point; 62 injured

Headline from Atlanta News
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/housing-crisis-reaches-full-589653.html

In the last few days, over 30,000 people waited in Atlanta, Georgia for over 3 days in stifling heat in an attempt to gain some relief to their housing issues. In desperation and anger, people were and a city were horribly injuried. This headline is not necessarily unusual today, in fact it is becoming quite common place.

What is one way to overcome this increasing sense of desperation?

Build resilience.

Merriam Webster defines resilience as:

a: capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture b : tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change

“We find that people's beliefs about their efficacy
affect the sorts of choices they make in very significant ways.
In particular, it affects their levels of motivation
and perseverance in the face of obstacles.
Most success requires persistent effort,
so low self-efficacy becomes a self-limiting process.
In order to succeed, people need a sense of self-efficacy,
strung together with resilience to meet the inevitable obstacles
and inequities of life.”
Albert Bandura
Canadian Psychologist

ABC's to build resilience:

Assess your current assets and capabilities.

Believe these assets and and capabilities are talents that will help you overcome any obstacle

Create a support system that gives you valuable and productive feedback.

This is just a start, but it's better than sitting there in quiet or public desperation. Wouldn't you agree?

Discipline Starts with Performance Management

Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates.

There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s

going to forward, backwards or sideways.

H. Jackson Brown

The Challenge

Business owners and companies are challenged with addressing how to deal with those employee behaviors that may be less than optimal for the achieving business success. It becomes imperative then for organizations to determine where they will place their time, energy and dollars on performance or discipline.

One of the biggest mistakes managers and business owners make is not defining the job expectations and consequences if those expectations are not met. Upon hire, the worker then must be trained to fully understand their role and responsibilities. Creating a systematic performance management system is one method to minimize expensive, extensive disciplinary action.

A 5-Step Performance Management Model

The federal government has put together a simple, but elegant process that engages employees, as individuals and team members to enhance overall organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

Planning - identifying the performance standards and job requirements to set the stage for a successful employer/employee relationship. Creating a framework for why they are doing the job and what is important to the organization (mission, vision and values) will help set the stage for success.

Monitoring - establishing and communicating metrics up front. Areas to measure and monitorcan be customer service, quality, safety, and other specific work related competencies . Consistent follow up needs to be established. Rather than ’”catching someone in the act” of good or bad behavior, at least annual reviews need to be put in place. The best feedback occurs monthly and quarterly, both formally and informally.

Developing - identifying all employees’ strengths and opportunities for growth as it relates to their job performance. Sitting down with employees takes time initially, but can save valuable time and resources. Employees can learn appreciate that their role in the company is an asset if they are encouraged to create their own goals and plans for career and life success.

Rating - establishing methods to summarize performances. This scoring should always be consistent, objective and fair. The rating system should also allow the individual to identify where they are successful and when they have the opportunity to grow.

Rewarding - offering incentives also need to be consistent and meaningful. That does not mean they have to have big price tags. However, salary increases should be consistent and equitable, with the shrinking competent workforce. Employers are being more and more challenged to retain as well as attract the most desirous workforce.

Discipline Made Easy

Finally, discipline now is much more proactive rather than reactive. The employee that understands the company vision and goals, is clear about their role and performance standards is less likely to require disciplinary action.

Employers that reviewing business metrics consistently can easily identify when and where employees might be falling down in performance. Establishing for every employee a simple developmental plan (from learning a basic computer skill to using a more sophisticated technology) will ensure that the employees are given the tools to do their jobs.

Finally, discipline is made easier by managing performance through recognizing, rating and rewarding.

Anyway

When the going gets tough the wonderful poem - Anyway - comes to mind. Anyway was found on hanging in Mother Teresa's room and for many years the author was anonymous. The original author however was Dr. Kent M. Keith and I found his book purely by chance. The following words have inspired, uplifted and helped me often keep going.

The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith
website: http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/index.html


People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

Prepare and FLEX

Being flexible is almost becoming a lost art. And yet, today, more than ever before, flexibility is imperative for personal and professional success. Here are some suggestions to enhance your capacity to be flexible.

"Prepare yourself for the world,
as the athlete used to do for their exercise;
oil your mind and your manners,
to give the necessary suppleness and flexibility;
strength alone will not do."
Lord Chesterfield,
British Statesman, Diplomat and Wit


F.L.E.X.

1. Focus End Results. Define and describe your end results specifically. Draw pictures, write a description, record the message.
2. Look out side the box. Be willing to connect with ideas, people and tools that can and will help you to achieve your end results.
3. Experience change. Bench mark where you started. Are your too susceptible to influence or persuasion? Or, are you responsive to change; adaptable.
4. eXcel. Whatever the level of success you achieve, know that you have grown.
   

Circumstances

A nineteenth century author and philosopher, James Allen wrote this fabulous quote:

"Circumstances don't make the man,
they reveal him."

I notice all too often that we move into the mode of conversation that reveals how effective we are handling life and work.

What do these following situations and comments reveal?

An important meeting suddenly scheduled at the end of the day...

"It's been a really long day and I am tired and hungry I hope this meeting doesn't take long."

versus

"I looking forward to this meeting, I know we have an important agenda."

Meeting with your boss in a planning meeting...

"I'm not sure what is expected of me, just tell me what you want me to do."

versus

"I've done some research about the issues and am prepared to offer some pertinent information."

You've been emailing someone with whom you have a strained relationship and are not getting a response. (the person's office is down the hall)

This has been going on for several weeks and you tell someone else...
"I don't know what's wrong with that person, they are not responding to my emails."

versus

After an appropriate time, you walk into the person's office and say...
"Just wanted to check in with you on the issues that I emailed you about earlier this week. I'd really appreciate you thoughts and suggestions."

Getting the idea. These are day to day events, what happens when we are faced with really challenging situations? I really am becoming aware of how these ordinary situations reveal us. How will you be revealed in the truly significant events and situations in life?

Opportunities

What is an opportunity? (Encarta)
•An advantageous circumstance
•A chance for progress, advancement or improvement

Why seek opportunities?
We often spend a great deal of a time drifting along, oblivious prospects to have a happier life, a healthier life, yes even a wealthier life. We spend our much of our time worrying about being sick, unemployed, bored or unsuccessful in love and life rather than investing our time to identify the opportunities that surround us.

How can we identify Opportunities?
Create a process! First, consider the possibility that opportunities are available everywhere, so, be open! Secondly, use the opportunity seeking to help you solve a problem that you have. Not enough money, too much weight, too little time, no relationship. Third, set a goal for your self to look for the right person, the right tool, the right event to help you solve your problem. Finally, create a mini action plan so that you start focusing on being aware when an opportunity presents itself.

When we take advantage of situations, networking events, family outings, social networks, clubs or professional organizations that can provide us with an idea, a solution, support, a new contact, you name it opportunities abound. The chances are virtually limitless. Or you can find opportunities to “worry.” It’s up to you.

What opportunities can you identify for yourself today?

__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________


When you take action on follow up on these opportunities?
Write a date! ___________

Expectations

Do we have clear expectations for what we want from life? Expectations can be defined as the anticipation of something happening: a confident belief or strong hope.

When we define our expectations we actually help to define ourselves and our success in life. We expect to earn a salary increase, get a promotion, win an award, or we believe can earn more money, we aren’t deserving of being in charge or… and the list goes on. Either way, as an old saying goes, “if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re probably right.”

The difficulties arise for most people because we have unclear appreciation and understanding of what we are trying to accomplish. The more we gain insight and appreciation for our capabilities, talents, wants and desires, the more we can live a rich, fulfilling life.

Recently when traveling, I overheard a conversation, where one man said to another, “It sounds to me like you are struggling. Can you identify exactly what you expect from your life and commit for the next 7 days to working on just that?” He went on to discuss with his colleague, “Focus on what you want to achieve, keep it simple and then work as if you are already achieving the results. The results can be another client, more money, a better product or service, a better relationship, but for 7 days, be definite in your expectations and let me know at the end of 7 days your results.” I don’t know the outcome for that man, but I do know that he and I received marvelous advice and decided to take action using this recommended approach.

Breaking the 7 day concept is really appealing to me. I have found that I can build a pretty strong habit in 7 days, especially if I create a process that I can replicate later. Sitting down with a blank page in my journal on day one, I clearly outlined what I thought were great expectations for the next full week. Treating this as a brainstorming event, I tended to come up with a very long and overwhelming list. Next, I prioritized the list using a life/work balance approach, addressing family, social, financial/career, physical, mental and spiritual concepts that are important to me. Finally, I wrote out my expectations for the next 7 days in the following manner:

I expect to have a loving/supportive experience daily with my family for 7 days.

I expect to meet two new potential clients this week.

I expect to work daily delivering and refining tools that enhance my service to and with my clients.

I expect to read a new book and discuss with a colleague and friend this week.

I expect to meditate daily for 20 minutes this week.

I expect to engage in physical activities daily for 7 days (walking, kick boxing, etc).

This was a transformational experience for me and the results were astounding. Family and business couldn’t be better. I feel great, excited, motivated, challenged and much more prepared for the curve balls life sometimes sends. I wake up each day expecting to see a “rainbow” and each day one shows up!

I encourage you to have great expectations and please let me know what shows up for you!

Decisions Require Courage

"The acorn becomes an oak by means of automatic growth; no commitment is necessary. The kitten similarly becomes a cat on the basis of instinct. Nature and being are identical in creatures like them. But a man or woman becomes fully human only by his or her choices and his or her commitment to them. People attain worth and dignity by the multitude of decisions they make from day by day. These decisions require courage."

Rollo May, 20th Century Existential Psychologist

Time Strategies - A Waste or An Investment

I have found that one of our most valuable resources is time. Below, are some examples of wasting and investing time.

Time Wasters:

• Sitting in a meeting and failing to contribute - pen clicking, eyes rolling...
  
• Failing to be decisive
  
• Going to meetings without clear agendas
  
• Writing activities and not action steps
  
• Taking phone calls whenever the phone rings.
• Checking emails and surfing the internet randomly.
• Avoiding addressing personal and professional conflicts
  

Investments in Time:

• Setting aside specific time for reflection and planning
• Identifying problems and making decisions to overcome them
  
• Taking time at the beginning of the day to review goals and set specific action plans
  
• Measuring goals at the end of the day, the month the quarter
  
• Conducting research via library or internet
  
• Networking and interviewing consistently
  
• Being assertive and honest with family and colleagues.

These are just a few examples that I thought worth sharing. When this day is done, consider whether you have wasted or invested your time. Time, like any other valuable resource, is a terrible thing to waste.What about you? How will you invest your time today?