I had a wonderful morning. I got the opportunity to meet and network with another professional speaker/consultant. It was refreshing to learn that our two worlds are very similar and that many of our challenges are the same. I enjoy learning how others have achieved success in their lives and about the turns and bumps they've had along the way.
This particular person is exceptionally upbeat and I enjoyed drawing energy from his demeanor and outlook on our profession and his passion to help others achieve success.
During the discussion I learned of some new opportunities for the delivery of programs to audiences from his circles and he learned of similar opportunities from audiences in my circles.
It was truly a win-win networking session. We never know what opportunities are just around the corner or who we may meet that can open doors and windows for us. I am thankful for having made this new connection, with a new association, and maybe even a new friendship. A couple hours in a coffee shop well spent.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attitude. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
On Dependability
To be dependable means you can be relied on to perform your duties properly and timely. It also means you can be trusted by others to get the job done. To be dependable, one must support the rules of hte organization and follow the chain of command when addressing issues and concerns.
A dependable person gives every assignment their best effort toward the achievement of high standards of performance. To be dependable a leader must set the example of dependable performance.
I have had the pleasure to work with some very dependable firefighters and fire officers. And, sadly, I have also had the misfortune of working with people who talk a good game but deliver very little. They make hollow promises and try to fool others that they are an A-player. You can imagine which of the two were most enjoyable to work with. Be dependable.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
A dependable person gives every assignment their best effort toward the achievement of high standards of performance. To be dependable a leader must set the example of dependable performance.
I have had the pleasure to work with some very dependable firefighters and fire officers. And, sadly, I have also had the misfortune of working with people who talk a good game but deliver very little. They make hollow promises and try to fool others that they are an A-player. You can imagine which of the two were most enjoyable to work with. Be dependable.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
www.RichGasaway.com
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Hee Haw Logic
When I was a kid there was a comedy-variety show on television called Hee Haw. It was a show that was essentially senseless humor and the kind of program you could watch if you didn’t need much mental stimulation but just wanted to enjoy a laugh. One recurring segment of the show was in a barber shop where the barber would have a person in the chair giving them a shave and would tell them a story about something that happened in the town. The barber would say something that was bad news and the customer would say “That’s bad.” Then the barber would say “No, that’s good” and proceed to explain why that which the customer perceived to be bad, was actually good. And then when the barber was done explaining the good news, the customer would say “That’s good.” Then the barber would say “No, that’s bad” and proceed to explain why hat which the customer perceived to be good was actually bad.
So it goes in life. Everything good that happens to us has some element of bad and everything bad that happens to us has an element of good. It’s all in the matter of your perspective. Some people can, so effortlessly, find the bad news in anything that’s good. Take, for example, the conversation I had with someone yesterday about the weather here in Minnesota. It’s mid-November and our typical temperatures would be somewhere between Brrrr and Oh-My-God cold. While I’m teaching a class we take a break and I walk outside. The weather is amazing! It’s brilliantly sunny and the temperatures are in the 50’s (very unusual for Minnesota in mid-November). I made a comment about how beautiful the day is and someone says “Ya, if it just wasn’t so windy.” This comment made me think about how some people can find fault as if they get a reward for it.
This day was, indeed, a blessing and someone was still able to find a way to complain about it. Was it a “perfect” day. No. But is it reasonable (or necessary) to expect perfection? Isn’t “good enough” sometimes good enough? This day should have exceeded everyone’s expectations for warmth and sunshine. Yet, for this one person… still not good enough.
People who go through life with a disposition like this person’s miss some of the greatest treasures that are laid at their feet because they’re too busy looking for the bad things in life. One thing’s for sure, if you go around looking for bad news and faults in people, you’re going to find them. Likewise, if you go around looking for good news and gifts in people, you’re going to find that as well. And YOU… are one of those people. Look for the bad qualities in yourself, and you will focus on them. Look for the good qualities and you will focus on those.
When something good happens to you and you say you were “just lucky” you are discounting all your good qualities and giving credit to happenstance. Acknowledge that the good things that happen are because of your preparation and hard work. When something bad happens to you, don’t dwell on it. Find the good in it (and there always is something good about everything bad that happens) and focus on how to use that good to your advantage.
In the spirit of Hee Haw, here’s an example of a recent day in my life that demonstrates the banter from Floyd the barber.
- I was driving to a meeting today and amazingly there was hardly any traffic on the road.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I got a flat tire and there was no one around to help me.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because the first car that came by stopped to help me.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because the guy was taking his kids to school and didn’t have time to stop and help me out.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because he offered to give me a ride to a service station at the next exit.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I had to sit next to one of his kids who spilled chocolate milk all over my new suit coat.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because I took off my suit coat and tie and when I went to my meeting later that morning the client (who I was trying to impress with my new suit) commented on how at ease he was with my casual attire and that helped me secure a very large client.
Life is ten percent of what happens to you… and ninety percent of how you react to what happens to you. In every good, there is bad. In every bad, there is good. Keep you mind occupied by the good and it will propel you in the direction of success.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
Gasaway Consuting Group
www.RichGasaway.com
[Note: This article was also published on the Kitchen Table blog.]
So it goes in life. Everything good that happens to us has some element of bad and everything bad that happens to us has an element of good. It’s all in the matter of your perspective. Some people can, so effortlessly, find the bad news in anything that’s good. Take, for example, the conversation I had with someone yesterday about the weather here in Minnesota. It’s mid-November and our typical temperatures would be somewhere between Brrrr and Oh-My-God cold. While I’m teaching a class we take a break and I walk outside. The weather is amazing! It’s brilliantly sunny and the temperatures are in the 50’s (very unusual for Minnesota in mid-November). I made a comment about how beautiful the day is and someone says “Ya, if it just wasn’t so windy.” This comment made me think about how some people can find fault as if they get a reward for it.
This day was, indeed, a blessing and someone was still able to find a way to complain about it. Was it a “perfect” day. No. But is it reasonable (or necessary) to expect perfection? Isn’t “good enough” sometimes good enough? This day should have exceeded everyone’s expectations for warmth and sunshine. Yet, for this one person… still not good enough.
People who go through life with a disposition like this person’s miss some of the greatest treasures that are laid at their feet because they’re too busy looking for the bad things in life. One thing’s for sure, if you go around looking for bad news and faults in people, you’re going to find them. Likewise, if you go around looking for good news and gifts in people, you’re going to find that as well. And YOU… are one of those people. Look for the bad qualities in yourself, and you will focus on them. Look for the good qualities and you will focus on those.
When something good happens to you and you say you were “just lucky” you are discounting all your good qualities and giving credit to happenstance. Acknowledge that the good things that happen are because of your preparation and hard work. When something bad happens to you, don’t dwell on it. Find the good in it (and there always is something good about everything bad that happens) and focus on how to use that good to your advantage.
In the spirit of Hee Haw, here’s an example of a recent day in my life that demonstrates the banter from Floyd the barber.
- I was driving to a meeting today and amazingly there was hardly any traffic on the road.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I got a flat tire and there was no one around to help me.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because the first car that came by stopped to help me.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because the guy was taking his kids to school and didn’t have time to stop and help me out.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because he offered to give me a ride to a service station at the next exit.
- That’s good.
- No, that’s bad because I had to sit next to one of his kids who spilled chocolate milk all over my new suit coat.
- That’s bad.
- No, that’s good because I took off my suit coat and tie and when I went to my meeting later that morning the client (who I was trying to impress with my new suit) commented on how at ease he was with my casual attire and that helped me secure a very large client.
Life is ten percent of what happens to you… and ninety percent of how you react to what happens to you. In every good, there is bad. In every bad, there is good. Keep you mind occupied by the good and it will propel you in the direction of success.
Fire Chief (ret.) Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO, MICP
Gasaway Consuting Group
www.RichGasaway.com
[Note: This article was also published on the Kitchen Table blog.]
Monday, July 20, 2009
It's all about your attitude
I've heard it time and time again. Ten percent of your success is determined by what happens to you and 90% by how you react to what happens to you. True... so true. If you are dealt some bad cards, you can get angry... become depressed... throw up your arms in despair... or you can choose to get energized from the situation... seeing it as a challenge to be overcome.
In everyone's life there is stress. There is good stress and bad stress. The good stress is called eustress... sometimes called positive stress. A stress that can compel change. The bad stress is called distress. Distress is a damaging stress... a form of suffering. Doctors will tell you that stress can kill you. When they say that, they are referring to distress, not eustress.
You are completely in control of your attitude. You may not be in control of the some of the things that happen to you, but you are totally in control of how you react to what happens to you. I'm sure you've been around people who are all fraught with drama. Anytime anything happens... it's a crisis. They bring on their own distress and, in turn, cause distress in others. You have probably also observed others who seem to be unphased by the bad things that happen or, better yet, are compelled to action by the adversities of life.
Everyone is going to have bad things happen. It's how you react to the bad things that is a display of how well you are in control of your attitude. You can moan and complain... or you can see that in all adversity there is a call to action... a call to change. Your choice... complain or embrace change.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
In everyone's life there is stress. There is good stress and bad stress. The good stress is called eustress... sometimes called positive stress. A stress that can compel change. The bad stress is called distress. Distress is a damaging stress... a form of suffering. Doctors will tell you that stress can kill you. When they say that, they are referring to distress, not eustress.
You are completely in control of your attitude. You may not be in control of the some of the things that happen to you, but you are totally in control of how you react to what happens to you. I'm sure you've been around people who are all fraught with drama. Anytime anything happens... it's a crisis. They bring on their own distress and, in turn, cause distress in others. You have probably also observed others who seem to be unphased by the bad things that happen or, better yet, are compelled to action by the adversities of life.
Everyone is going to have bad things happen. It's how you react to the bad things that is a display of how well you are in control of your attitude. You can moan and complain... or you can see that in all adversity there is a call to action... a call to change. Your choice... complain or embrace change.
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, EFO, CFO
http://www.richgasaway.com/
http://www.woppyjawed.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)