1. Strategy–A company can spend money on our service rather than taking the risk itself on such things as Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment. The company can spend it’s money on our service for short periods of time rather than hiring someone on to their payroll when they have limited amounts of work to be done. The company may not be sure that their own economic recovery is solid enough to have a full blown hiring campaign, or they may not be sure if they want to invest in benefits and other expenses associated with bringing on new hires. Lastly, a company may not have the networks or know where to go to get highly skilled or executive level employees. Ultimately we offer options and resources that our clients wouldn’t otherwise have.
2. Time–It is no secret that Human Resources Professionals are bogged down with all the work associated with their department these days–no matter how big or small the company. It’s a good problem to have because it means that business is picking up. The downside is that hiring is NOT the only job HR pros are charged with. There just are not enough hours in a day for HR execs to create effective ads, look through 50-100 resumes that came in via email in response to an online opening, interview 5 people each day to locate the best candidate and coordinate responses to all applicants. Companies choose our service to save time and money (remember, every man hour and advertising can be very expensive!) even if they do their own hiring.
3. Expertise–When you want something done right you go to an expert. You don’t want to work with a company that is guessing or using you as a guinea pig. There are a lot of self-proclaimed “EXPERTS” out there. So why do our clients choose us? We know the numbers, how to create effective advertising to attract the right candidates and how to work with the changing hiring trends in our local communities. It’s our business to keep a pulse on those things–so we do. Champion has served over 7,000 client companies since 1964. We only serve Northeast Ohio and we make it a point to stay on top of what is going on in the national economy, but more importantly what is happening in your own backyard. We have four local offices that work as a team. We have a safety director on staff to guide our clients…at no additional charge. Day in and day out, we are hiring and studying what the most current, effective hiring practices are HERE. It’s all we do. Our CEO spent over 3,000 hours reading books, studying white papers and interviewing over 300 local entrepreneurs to find out what those practices are. He has personally spent over 30 years working in Human Resources himself. Champion’s CEO doesn’t keep what he has learned through the years a secret either…he has spent countless hours educating our staff in what is going to “work”. Our expert staff has learned through that training and over 200 years of combined experience how to perfect our system to get the best results for our clients. Let’s face it, hiring has changed and people have changed and experience is what you want working for you as you are trying to positively impact your workforce productivity.  Our clients know, that we know, what they need to know…and how to put it all together RIGHT.
4. Trust–No company stays in business  for nearly 48 years if their clients don’t trust them. Our clients know that we put their needs first and we tailor our service with honesty, integrity and a straightforward tell-it-like-it-is approach. They know they can count on us to deliver the best candidates available as well as the consultative/educational information that they can put in to action in their companies. They know we will alleviate their headaches and give them the solutions they seek to implement the best practices for hiring, safety and workforce development in their workplace…with their best interest at heart. They know they can trust our advice and have seen the results and benefits of collaborating with a Champion.

Champion Personnel System’s team has dedicated itself to leading the way as we all work out of this last recession. It will be more important than ever to make decisions that are motivated with “Intelligent Self Interest” and operate our companies by being “Intelligently Profitable”. It doesn’t make sense for us here at Champion to sit quietly and run the risk of being lumped into the mix with all those other services out there when we have so much to offer. It really makes no sense to sit quietly and not get the details about what outsourcing your hiring needs might do for your company.

We aren’t about high pressure sales here at Champion. We are about offering solutions to companies who want to collaboratively and positively achieve their workforce productivity goals and increase their profitability. We only want to work with those companies who truly want to do it the right way…so if you want to know more details and you are done with the old, cold, non-effective ways of the past…no need to put it off or struggle another day. We are here and ready to help you create the NEXT GREAT WORKPLACE!

He had heard of wealth that would allow him to do more than he could have ever dreamed of living in Poland. His children would grow up with so much more and opportunities for themselves. He would do anything to see that happen…and he did.

He worked long twelve hour days, in a hot, dirty shop, with no breaks and just long enough to eat the meal he prepared and carried in his lunch pail. He had to walk to work no matter the weather. The company he worked for had a zero tolerance absentee policy, so he knew he had to be there no matter what. If he was able to walk, he was there. His worst fear was losing his “opportunity” to give his family more.

While he was working, there was no standing around, or waiting to be told to do something. The reason he was there and living a lonely existence, 1,000’s of miles away from his home was too big. It was too important.

Whatever he could do or get done, whether it was his job or not, he did. He took initiative knowing that if he was caught standing around the company might feel that there was no need for him, and get rid of him.

Once my grandfather saved enough money to purchase a house on the South side of Cleveland and pay for the passage to the US, he sent for my great-grandmother and the children.

The first part of his goal had been reached and finally, after two years, he would be able to be with his family again. Staying committed and dedicated to his work meant even more, because now they would all be here. Again, the reason became bigger. There were no more ties to the homeland. He had to do his best each day to now give his family what he had promised them; what he had asked his wife to risk as they waited patiently for him.

My great grandfather did succeed and though it wasn’t the life of Rockefeller, he felt like a King. He had lived the dream.

I wish more people would take that approach to their work. I wish that the REASON they were working was that IMPORTANT to them.

When I speak to clients these days, can you guess what is the most important quality to their organization? YES, PEOPLE WITH A TRUE WORK ETHIC. Skills and education are very important, but it doesn’t matter what skills an individual has if they have a terrible work ethic. Companies are realizing that if someone is willing to work hard, learn and be reliable, skills can be honed!

If you think that you are entitled to NOT work as hard because your skills are so good…THINK AGAIN! Companies are looking for people who “get” why they are there. People who appreciate that work is an opportunity to do more in their lives while trading their time and skill for a fair wage to help a company reach it’s goals and meet their customer’s needs. People who take jobs are not doing companies a favor…and those who take the entitlement approach will be gotten rid of. They are too high of maintenance!

Employee’s owe it to the company to do their best, spend their time (that they are being paid for) focused on doing whatever it takes to get the customer’s needs met and help the company achieve their goals and increase profitability. Companies don’t hire people as an act of philanthropy to just give money away. They want every bit of what they are paying for. A job means that there are expectations and those expectations should lead to accomplishments for the company. You get the paycheck every two weeks in return for the time you’ve spent and skill you’ve brought to the company. If you only gave half an effort, you may get paid anyway, but NOT FOR LONG!

Sometimes it will be hot, dirty, long hours, more work than seems possible, deadlines that seem impossible. But if you “get” how every thing you do to contribute to helping the company achieve their goals by making a difference anyway you can in each working day the rewards can be endless!

A strong work ethic is appreciated and valued. Employers and Managers will bend over backwards to assist and work with YOU if you show that you have that “GREAT WORK ETHIC”. Those with the work ethic…LIVE THE DREAM…and yes, IT IS HARD WORK!!

A flexible staffing service is one that is capable of handling “temporary” placements, but also is equipped and capable to provide consultation and services that will meet not only immediate hiring needs, but also help in creating a strategy for their clients as they plan for their next hiring wave.  That being said let me share with you just one service we offer here at Champion that separates us from the rest of the “services” out there.  It’s called Managed Response.

Indulge me with a quick scenario…Two years ago, ABC Company had a Human Resource Department that was staffed with 4 HR Professionals.  The downturn in the economy forced some tough decisions and the company laid off two of those individuals.  The two remaining professionals took on the duties of the individuals who were let go.  Naturally their duties expanded and they found themselves not only doing the work they did before, but the additional duties no longer being covered.

Everyone adjusted and for a while it was busy, but hey, they had jobs and they were managing.  Then business started picking up, there were increased orders and word had come down from the top that the company was again going to be hiring!  GREAT NEWS!  The company opened up 3 positions and the Human Resource Department went to work.  They did what they always did and created ads and used some of the latest computer techniques.  The resumes started coming in.  Boy, did they ever start coming in!!  100 resumes for just one position…in one day!  Can you relate?

Now with 100 resumes, the already very busy HR pros found themselves completely overwhelmed.  They started saying to themselves, “If I could only had some extra help!”  Well, NOW THERE IS HELP!

Champion Personnel offers a service that we call Managed Response.  This system handles the front end of the hiring process.  After collaborating with our new client, our expert recruiters will create appropriate ads that will attract the right individuals.  Then, our recruiters will go through the resumes received with their experienced eyes to identify the top candidates.  Once we have gone through the resumes, we will forward only the qualified candidates over to the companies HR Department to continue with their regular interviewing process.  How nice would it be to NOT have to go through 100 resumes and simply evaluate the best 3, 5 or 10?  I like to say that Managed Response enhances what HR Executives are already doing well and can very well be the aspirin to their headache!

This is not a full all out recruiting effort as we don’t go after particular individuals.  We work with the resumes received.  But, don’t forget, if you do need an Executive level search we do that too!

Well, let this be a learning lesson for all of us that we can apply.

I checked a few sources and found that the average person will change jobs or employers between 7 and 10 times in their lifetime.  Some will make complete career changes, some will do the same job, like play basketball, just for different employers.  Many will be faced with the same decisions Lebron was faced with.

We all can relate to the position Lebron was in if the statistics that I’ve sighted above are true.  We have a career.  We are presented with or choose to go looking for a better deal.  It happens.

Rarely are we bound to contracts like athletes. In fact, realistically speaking we are ALL in Free Agency at any time. It’s a free country and we switch jobs when we want for whatever reason.  But, how we move from opportunity to opportunity through the course of our lifetime is what is important.  Here are a few tips that we could have helped Lebron with, but since we weren’t consulted, hopefully they will spare you some of the grief Lebron brought upon himself.  For future reference, consult us…we have been Champions for 47 years!!

#1—If you are unhappy, don’t quit on the rest of your team.  When Lebron quit playing in game 5 of the playoffs, he might not have cared anymore…which seems strange coming from someone who wants to win a Championship so bad…but anyway…he took that opportunity away from the rest of his team too by not contributing.  His selfish ways reminded me of a child who pouts when things aren’t going their way.  Ultimately because he was unhappy, he hurt everyone around him and made their jobs all the harder!  What an impression to leave with your co-workers…in the future, if you choose to take this type of action, don’t ask for a reference from any of your past teammates.

#2—If you are unhappy go to your superiors and discuss your dissatisfaction to see if things can be improved.  I don’t think any of us are going to feel that Dan Gilbert wasn’t willing to do anything Lebron wanted. The facility in Independence, the charge of the GM to find talented team support for LBJ, seeking the best coaches, etc.  But, in the course of these past 7 years, I wonder if they really ever collaborated to come up with a way for everyone to WIN? Why did they avoid talking about the inevitable date of July1, 2010 way before we ever got here?

#3—If you decide to leave a position give your employer the courtesy of at least a phone call before you tell everyone else…on National TV!  OK, maybe none of us are at that level, but certainly don’t just NOT show up and let someone else break the news!  I can’t believe one of Lebron’s Team called Mr. Gilbert…5 minutes before airtime…and not Lebron personally.    I’ve always been told that you should NEVER BURN BRIDGES.  In fact, leave with gratitude, say thank you, be gracious!  At some point later on down the road, those are the people who may make you or break you as you try to progress.

#4—Realize your employer has given you the chance to gain training and experience.  They gave you a shot first, believed in your talent before anyone else did and you grew because of the environment you were in. You may need to change, and those’s ok, but if you decide to switch teams, give your employer the opportunity to put in place what is best for the company before your departure.  If Mr. Gilbert had known this was going to be Lebron’s decision do you think Mike Brown would still be here?  Danny Ferry?  Would we have made some trades earlier to prepare?

#5—Don’t hurt your customers with your departure.  If you must go, the show will go on, but don’t leave them in the lurch! Make sure your business is taken care of, orders are filled and there are others in place to continue to meet their needs. Give the fans something to watch!  Oh, above all, finish what you have started.  If you promised a championship, then stay until it’s done.  If you’ve taken an order or promised a service, then get ‘er done before you go. Maybe you made a young man’s foolish promise, but a promise is a promise, right?

If all of these simple rules would have been understood by Lebron’s Team, and someone had told him how this is going to effect his reputation going forward,do you think we would all be feeling the way we have?

I wonder if the other teams in the league are going to be so willing the next time Lebron is shopping for a home to wine him, dine him and pay big bucks to try and sway him.  Cleveland isn’t the only city mad at him for how he treated them!  Could you imagine missing out on a career down the road because of how you behaved in the past with a previous company?  It can happen!

I wonder how Miami is going to feel if Lebron uses the same methodology for his departure in 5 years…remember, “If you did it with me, you’ll do it to me!”  If you demonstrate to a new company that you have treated your former company poorly, know they will be watching you.  It will speak volumes about your character.  And for those who say it’s just business…you are right!  BAD business!

I remember thinking when I was younger, that a salespersons job was the best ever because they could sit and talk to people all day long and GET PAID FOR IT! Ok, well, I don’t know about the sitting part, but yes, we do get compensation for talking to others, for sharing ideas with others, collaborating with others, working on solutions with and for others.

To the chagrin of many sales gurus out there, I’ve bucked the traditional aggressive, dollar driven, “get the sale now” tactics…they just don’t work for me.  I appreciate them when they happen effortlessly, but over time the big rewards come from the relationships and networks I have built. What I sell or represent may not be right for someone right now, but, by building the relationship and truly caring about the people I talk to, I may be the person they turn to later, or give a referral to.

I’ve always approached sales by just focusing on being myself, opening myself up, being authentic to others, and LISTENING.  Because I initiate the call, I KNOW THAT IT’S UP TO ME TO SET THE TONE for the other person to be able to receive what I am going to offer.

Actually setting the tone starts before I even pick the phone up.  In my mind, I am expecting positive interactions because I BELIEVE I am sharing something with them that may bring value and solutions to make their lives better. I believe in what I am doing and the purpose it comes from.  The way I look at it…would you run away from someone who is throwing money at you or offering to make your work easier?  And really means it?  Sometimes it takes a few conversations, brochures or success stories shared for people to see that, but that’s just human nature.  OK, sometimes A LOT of conversations, brochures and success stories.  It’s ok though, I know that what I do works against human nature.

We were all taught from a very young age to not trust or talk to strangers. Salespeople have to be willing to work GENUINELY at changing how other people think, feel and act about THEM, THEIR service and THEIR company. Most of the people I call have no clue who I am, but whether or not they want to get to know me more, and continue to build a relationship starts by me LEADING…SETTING THE TONE.

I was at my daughter’s softball game the other night and I observed an interaction between 2 team mates that literally sat me back in my seat and made me think of the quote above.

The home team was down by 1 run in the 5^th inning with 2 outs.  The other team had scored 4 runs this inning, which had given them the lead.  A ground ball was hit to the shortstop, she confidently picked up the ball and tossed it to her teammate that was covering second base.  The second baseman, who is not as skilled as some of her other teammates bobbled the ball and ended up dropping it…the runners were safe at FIRST AND SECOND.  The runner that was on third, had tagged up on seeing the drop and effortlessly crossed the plate as the ball was being recovered and thrown back to the pitcher. Another run had scored.

The shortstop, turned to the second baseman, shot her a dirty look and let out a frustrated sigh as she walked back to her position.  When she reached her place on the field, she folded her arms across her chest and shook her head with obvious displeasure with the second baseman.  Immediately we all watched with compassion as the second baseman’s  head and shoulders dropped down. She flatly moved toward her spot between 1^st and 2^nd base, visibly aware of the shortstops feelings.

The game continued and the next batter was up.  Now there were runners on 1^st and 2nd.   The next pitch was sent over the plate, the batter swung and it was like déjà vu .  This time, the second baseman shot with determination over to second base and it was obvious that she was intent on making the play.  She used all the fundamentals she was taught.  She kept her eye on the shortstop; she made sure her toe was on the bag, she lifted her mitt and right hand ready to receive the toss.  To her surprise, and everyone else’s, the shortstop did not toss the ball.

She held on to it herself and tagged the bag.  She looked the second baseman straight in the eye, and then turned, dropped the ball and took off running from the field. The second baseman just stared at her in the most deflated way I’d ever seen, dropped her mitted hand and started at a snails pace for the dug out.

The second baseman, is one of those wonderful kids who is frail in frame, more academic than athletic, not as confident or comfortable with herself as some of her peers, and not the most popular in her class.  She has a shy smile, quiet and nice to everyone.  She is the kind of kid who plays rec softball to be able to hang out with other kids her age. She truly wants to learn the game, get better, and gives her best each game.  She is sensitive and gets frustrated when intention doesn’t match up with skill and gets easily embarrassed.

The shortstop on the other hand is naturally gifted with sports, is confident with herself and is a nice kid in her own right.  She is highly competitive by nature and wants to WIN!  She gets good grades, hangs with the popular crowd and forgets many times that not everyone can naturally do what she is able to do.

Now some may say that these are kids.  Kids are less thoughtful or are more inconsiderate of other’s feelings.  I disagree.  I have seen many adults, in all kinds of situations, through their own SELFISHNESS simply make others feel BAD—and they feel justified and entitled to do so.

It’s about being so egotistically focused on the “I, ME, MINE”, that they only consider their own feelings, their time, and what they want to get out of a particular situation.  There is not thoughtfulness or sensitivity in the delivery to the other party because they are so focused on what they believe is keeping them from GETTING WHAT THEY WANT or WINNING.

In my opinion, anytime one person makes another person feel bad, INTENTIONALLY, it’s ABUSE.  I don’t really understand how one would think that treating others badly is going to make them more respected, or have people jumping for joy at the opportunity to work with them.  Abusiveness is more about insecurity—that’s noted in Psych 101, it’s characterized by degrading, demeaning, disrespectful and unacceptable treatment of others. It’s such a backwards way of thinking.

It’s a fact that one who treats others with dignity, compassion and kindness will get listened to more, a more collaborative effort, a genuine “like and respect” from others; all which increase the odds of getting the result you really want. Who do you feel more compelled to work with…someone who is mean to you or someone who is respectfully trying to assist you?  Someone who is making you feel bad or someone who inspires you to get better?

The shortstop had a choice…she could have said, “We missed it that time, but good try, and we’ll get it next time.”  She could have said, “Good effort, I’ll work with you so we can get that play down.”  But she chose the option that had the second baseman feeling bad about herself AND about the shortstop.

There was a lost leadership opportunity that would have led to a completely different outcome.

I wonder how that approach not only affected that girl, but also the rest of the team. I wonder how the rest of the team will feel about the shortstop because of her choice.  I wonder how it will affect the shortstops reputation in other group situations in the future.  Hmmm….

People may forget what you say, but they will NEVER forget how you made them feel.

I hate the term “time management”.  In my opinion, there is no such thing because TIME in and of itself, can not be “managed”.

We all know that there are 24 hours in a day. We can’t negotiate 70 minutes in an hour because we know that the universal measurement of time is a set standard of 60 minutes per hour.  Just as we all know that if we want to measure a “cup” of sugar, that “cup” will consist of 8 ounces.  If we put in less, it’s no longer a cup.  If we put in more, it’s no longer a cup.

By the laws of nature we know there are variables in any measure of time, i.e., the varying hours of sunlight or darkness. No matter how great our “time management” skills, we cannot make the sun rise earlier or set later.  What we CAN manage is the QUALITY of our SKILLS and the ACTIVITIES we choose to perform in a given period of time.

Each day we set many goals for ourselves, personal and professional.  Some related to family and friendship, some related to our careers.  Some related to health, some related to wealth.   Some related to just ourselves, some involving our children, spouses, or companies we work for.

Whether we are successful in achieving our goals, or not, depends on knowing our skill/experience levels, the actual volume of the amount of work, play or rest we need to get done in a specific amount of time, and HOW MOTIVATED WE ARE TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE the tasks.

When the ACTIVITIES are done, then we must evaluate the RESULTS.  In the end, we all should completely understand the only thing that matters are the RESULTS…because the RESULTS are the direct product of the QUALITY of the activities, skill, attitudes and time devoted to the goal.  You can’t make excuses for the results, because what you put in is what you will get out.

I can’t stress the value of keeping statistics enough.  It’s the only documented, true measure of activity we have for seeing how either our EXPECTATIONS or our ACTIVITIES must change in order to achieve a goal.

CAUTION:  BE VERY CAREFUL IN CHANGING THE EXPECTATIONS at any time during the pursuit of a goal based on statistics!  It’s usually the EFFECTIVENESS IN PERFORMING THE ACTIVITIES, OUR ATTITUDE or OUR SKILLS that have to change if we are HONEST with ourselves and the GOAL is realistic. Lowering the expectation may delay the achievement of the goal or completely kill it unnecessarily!

After we have examined our stats and completed our evaluation we can tweak the plan or in other words improve the QUALITY of our activities, our skills, attitudes in the allotted time frame to show what works or to know what to do better next time.  We can examine how fulfilling the process was.  Was it all done with ease or was it an absolute frustration?  Did the goal really mean enough to us to be motivated to achieve the goal?  This is what has become known as successful “TIME MANAGEMENT”…but really, shouldn’t it be called creating “QUALITY TIME”?

Memorial Day…Coming Together

by Pamela Glowski

Memorial Day…what comes to mind when you think of this day?  Is it Barbeques?  An extra day off from work?  What do you FEEL when you think of Memorial Day?  Is it just another day?  Or do you get an overwhelming feeling of gratitude?

For me, Memorial Day has been a long standing tradition.  Mostly because of the town I grew up in and the fact that I had 5 uncles who served in the Army. Fortunately, all of them came back home to us.  I never lost a family member to any war, but have always had, through our family experience, a realized appreciation for how much our servicemen and women risk while they serve.

From 1971 through the mid 80’s, while I lived in my home town, we attended the city planned activities each year.  Everyone came together for a parade and to attend services at the cemeteries.  It was WHY we were off from school and work that day…and we realized the importance of our participation.  It wasn’t a day off for the sake of having a day off.  Everyone took the time out with conscious reverence for the sole purpose of honoring  those who had given their life in service to their country.

It seems to me, more and more these days, the magnitude of the day means less and less. That totally baffles me.  When my town had events, it was more about what had happened in our countries history; the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam.  We were young and none of our friends had yet to go to war.  We heard the stories of Vietnam and Korea from our fathers and uncles, but we hadn’t lived in a declared time of war.  I might be able to understand why people from my generation and younger would participate less in Memorial Day if our country had never gone to war again.  Some of that is based on simple human nature.  Most people can not completely relate to situations they themselves have never experienced.

At the onset of the Persian Gulf War (August2, 1990 – February 28, 1991) I remember the fear I felt, the speculation about what would happen to our country and pondering if there would be a draft again.  Then the news of the first deaths of our servicemen started hitting the television news. I remember thinking that NOW, I could relate to generations past. The following Memorial Days meant even more from that day forward. It wasn’t just stories that were shared from our older family members anymore.  We were now living it.

For a while, there was a renewed sense of patriotism that I had never seen in my generation.  A new sense of service to our country was felt, a new surge of enlistments, a new sense of honor for those who stepped up to serve.  But then, sadly, the “war time” became common place.  People returned to the day to day activities they had created in their lives.

With our country being at war since the Persian Gulf War, let alone the conflicts in Somalia, Grenada and Beirut, and then the war in Iraq, it is ironic to me that we have “forgotten”.  We have taken for granted what goes on day after day on foreign soil because we don’t see it.  Our men and women are still there.  They are putting their lives on the line TODAY.

With that in mind, this year let’s come together all those who have died in all our history’s wars. For one day, let’s forget all the differences like political views, which we are free to express because of those who have served and died.  Let’s take the time that we have off at the barbeque to really stop and reflect on ALL those who have given their lives for our freedom.  Let’s get out to those parades this Monday, attend the cemetery services in your community and take time to call those veterans that you know, who came back home to you, to say “Thank You”.

At the very least, as a special sign of remembrance, at 3pm your local time, take a moment to stop all that you are doing and have a moment of silence for all of our fallen.  After ALL, they gave ALL…including their lives.

If you would like to know more about the history of Memorial Day visit www.usmemorialday.org

The Secret is in the Plan!

By Pamela Glowski

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”

As a mother of 4, wife, full time account manager, a daughter, and a friend, I am often asked,

“How do you do it? How do you get so much done?”

Well the quote above says it all.

It’s no accident…and it’s not always easy.  But, it is worth it!

I have all the things to do that everyone else does.  I have laundry to do, 40 hour work weeks, kids to get to events and doctor’s appointments, deadlines to meet, family events to contribute to.  I’m not an heiress living in a gated mansion somewhere with servants to tend to my every need. It’s about as real as it gets!

So, ok, how do I do it?  To begin with I get a grip on what needs to get done and by when.  Then the planning can begin.

It does take a lot of information gathering, awareness and good communication to get the details to put into a plan…an intelligent plan…and sometimes the plan is where the true effort is required.  Saving money on groceries for example.  It takes time to clip coupons, go through the advertisement to choose the sale items, and plan the menu for the week.  But, hey, it’s worth it!  I save money, dinners are planned for a week and I don’t have to run to the store ten times because I forgot an ingredient.

There are three key sentiments that I keep at the forefront of my mind as I plan in order to THRIVE through my days.

#1—I want to be the best.  No, I mean it…THE BEST…not good…STELLAR!  It means something to me to be the best mother, account manager, wife, friend, daughter that I can be.  I also want the best for all those around me.  I really do care if others are happy.  If my effort means it brings a bit more joy or comfort to someone else’s life, then I am on the right track.  Too many times these days I see people too focused on THEIR OWN COMFORT and WHO CAN DO MORE FOR ME.  It doesn’t work that way.  I make the effort first, no matter what I may or may get out of it.

#2—My family, friends and my employer deserve my commitment to excellence.  I chose to accept my job, I chose whom to create my life with and those I share my time with.  Why would I ask them to accept anything less than my best and be happy with that?  Yes, it benefits me.  But that is not my main motive for doing what I do.  I find the old principle of “you get what you give” to be true more often than not.   It does make me feel good and look good, if those around me look good and feel good and get what they want…and I receive the benefits that go along with that…including their willingness to help to accomplish mutual goals, to accomplish tasks with ease, and of course enjoy our time together.  It’s WIN/WIN!!

#3—With a good plan, I can take off and run with it, knowing that I mapped the course out.  Knowing that with a good plan I am going to make less errors, use my time more wisely and get more accomplished—that puts me at ease!

The effort part then turns to that great motto, “JUST DO IT”.  The greatest plans aren’t worth a hill of beans if ACTION is not taken.  I have seen more people shoot themselves in the foot and accomplish absolutely nothing…not because they didn’t have a good plan…they didn’t ACT on the plan.  They are distracted or procrastinate and if one finds they are choosing to avoid the plan…get to the bottom of it quickly.  You know how bad it feels when you don’t get your “TO-DO LIST” all checked off or the laundry continues to pile up.  It becomes that much harder to get going.

Of course, another key to how I personally get so much done…I’m not afraid to ask for HELP.  If one asks for help, it doesn’t mean they “can’t handle it” or that they are “weak”, it means they are resourceful and SMART! Why make it harder than it has to be?  Why waste time?  I delegate where I can, sometimes pay to get work done—including buying cookies instead of making them myself, and I ask for assistance with things I don’t know how to do.

My family, friends, and co-workers have come through for me so many times—willingly…because they know where my heart is and they see my focus.  I don’t know what I’d do without them!

In conclusion…with a focus on being the best you can be, realizing that we have an obligation to give others are best, and taking ACTION…anyone can make REAL LIFE look effortless and way more enjoyable!!

Mentoring

In many of the career choices I have made in the past, I learned early on that having a MENTOR that I connect with is the key to success.  If anyone believes that earning a degree or professional certificate qualifies him or her to be an expert in any field…hold up!  Becoming an expert, or simply the BEST in a chosen field, takes book learning coupled with EXPERIENCE.

EXPERIENCES begin developing every single day once one begins their career.  Unfortunately, there is no way to record every professionals experiences to be shared in a lecture hall/skilled training class, though now with the internet, we can be privy to more than ever before.  But papers and videos on “How To” alone aren’t going to cut it either.

In my professional experience there is no substitute for a real, live person that has proven themselves and is willing to coach, train, discuss, counsel, facilitate, while sharing their stories of what not only HAS worked, but also what has NOT worked.

If one truly wants to “knock it out of the park” in their chosen field, then find the “Babe Ruth” of the game and do everything he tells you to do.  Not what you want to do….WHAT HE TELLS YOU TO DO!  Model everything he does, from how he prepares for a work day, to how he approaches his contacts, his attitudes, how he continues to learn himself.

According to The Free Management Library, a mentor must have the following qualities:

1.) Desire to help

2.) Positive Experience

3.) Good Reputation for developing others

4.) Time and Energy

5.) Up to Date Knowledge

6.) Learning Attitude

7.) Demonstrated Effective Managerial Skills

As much as that is true, remember that there is a SHARED responsibility for learning.  If your mentor is willing to share all their experience and knowledge with you, YOU MUST DO YOUR PART!  Model, repeat, study and DO what your guide has told you to do.  No ifs, ands or buts about it.

If you feel uncomfortable…too bad!  Step out of the comfort zone.  If you THINK their approach is stupid…or not.  Either way, you are not qualified to think at this stage because you are the “grasshopper” so to speak.  If you insist on questioning your mentor, then they have the right to end their efforts with you.

Remember they are working with you for YOUR benefit, they have proven themselves and have earned their “expertise” status already. That’s why you want to work with them! You still have “Similac behind your ears” in your field and that is very important to embrace at this stage.  All egos get checked in the office parking lot NOW!

If you know that you are working with the best, it will all be worth it.  You, in time, will continue your mentors legacy and become the best as well.  These days, “Second Best Is Never Good Enough”, so find a great mentor and tap into their ‘greatness” so you can develop yours!