365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitement # 37 - Develop Your Successor

Develop Your Successor.

The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.

– Harvey S. Firestone

The higher up you go in your career, the more you need the help and support of people. You should graduate from doing to getting things done by others.  For this, you should know how to develop people. The difference between supervising and managing lies in the number of people, for whom you take the responsibility. That is why there are supervisors and managers in an organisation.

Today, take a person who could be your subordinate, your son or daughter, whom you want to develop. You should have a plan of action to develop them, taking them through the following stages:

1. Look into this problem and give me all the details and I will decide.
2. Think and discuss with me the alternatives for me to decide.
3. Think of alternatives and recommend the course of action.
4. Check with me and keep acting until I say ‘no’.
5. Keep me informed.
6. Tell me only when your actions do not produce results.

7.      Take over from me.

Take the ‘people development portfolio’ seriously! Your people will grow and ofcourse, you will also grow to the next higher level.

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitement # 32 : Build a Healthy Personality

Build a Healthy Personality

Clothes and manners do not make the man; but, when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.

– Henry Ward Beecher

Have you thought about your external personality as seen by others?     We are being observed by others and we create an image about ourselves. Image is an important parameter for success. Recently, image and impression consulting has become a lucrative profession. They advise you how you should behave, what and how you should dress, what and how to talk to others etc., which go a long way in projecting your image.

Think about the following parameters with respect to your personality:

·         Your dress – do you dress to the occasion? Is it neat and clean, without stains? Are they wrinkled?

·         Your teeth – are there stains?

·         Your shoes – when did you last polish?

·         Your nails – are they neatly cut?

·         Do you have bad breath? Others may feel embarrassed to tell this to you!

·         Your hairstyle? Do you look haggard?

·         When eating, do you burp? While sipping a tea or coffee, do you make a sound?

·         When you speak, are you too loud or too low?

From today, notice these aspects of your external personality!

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live : Excitement # 36 : Choose A VVIP Project.

Choose A VVIP Project.

Circumstances may cause interruptions, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge by adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.

– Mario Andretti

A normal day is a day full of interruptions. But certain tasks deserve our undivided total attention.

When a very important person is visiting your house, will you not take all the efforts to give him total undivided attention? You will plan your day in such a way that you allocate all the time for that person. Similarly choose a very important task, which will make a huge difference in your life and give it a ‘VVIP Status’.

Suppose you are writing a book, which you know will be a big hit. Reserve the whole day only for this task. Lock yourself in a room and write. Don’t watch television, switch off the mobile phone, don’t lift the landline. Do whatever. Let everyone know that you are just not available.  You should not speak anything else except in connection with the book. Whenever you are interrupted, say to yourself ‘back to work, back to work’ and get back to the task.

Try this out this week and see your own improvement! You will be amazed!

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live)

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live : Excitement # 35: Shift Your Focus to Task from Activity

Shift Your Focus to Task from Activity

Never mistake activity for achievement.

– John Wooden

There is a difference between task and activity. Walking, jogging, reading, running etc. are examples of activities. Time is like a container and the content is the activity. For example, you fill up your time with running, writing, reading etc.

Effective people think not in terms of activities, but in terms of tasks. A task is a result you want to achieve by doing an activity. For example, jogging is an activity. But why do you jog? To reduce your weight? Then don’t say that you are jogging, but say that ‘in the next three months, I will reduce my weight by three kilo grams’.

By shifting your focus from activity to task or result, the activity will become more meaningful. Perhaps you will be able come out with alternatives. For example, if you want to reduce weight, instead of jogging, you can do yoga or use a treadmill etc.

From today, keep asking yourself the question: Why am I doing what I am doing and what is that I want to achieve by doing this? Is there an alternative?

Try this from today!
(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan
www.thetimefoundation.com
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365 Exciting Ways to Live - Excitement # 34 - Be Generous in Appreciating Others

Be Generous in Appreciating Others

Every ear is tickled with the sweet music of applause.

– Isaac Barrow

Do you appreciate and praise others?   It is an important quality, which builds good relationship. We wish to be appreciated and we like people, who appreciate us. When you appreciate someone, both you and the other person feel happy. Great people are happy to notice and appreciate good things in others. They don’t feel jealous about others’ achievement and good work.

From today, notice good things in others. You can appreciate simple things such as a neat dress, a smile in the face, something very special and unique in others.

Make a list of people whom you know. Against each person, list one thing you like most. It could be even their handwriting. Some may have some special skill such as a sense of humour. After making this list, wait for the first opportunity and appreciate them. You may send a card or a sms or an e-mail. This will develop a healthy interpersonal relationship.

Do it tactfully. Be careful to do it naturally and without flattering! 

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live - Excitement # 33 - Delegate without Abdicating

Delegate without Abdicating

Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere.

– Ronald Reagan

Do you complain that you don’t have time? If you do, you are bluffing! All of us have equal amount of time, irrespective of any social, racial or economic differences. Successful people find time for the most important things, which will make a big difference in their life by practicing the art of effective delegation, which is a very important managerial skill.

You cannot do everything by yourself. Today, list all the activities you normally do on a typical day and analyse them with respect to the following categories:

1.       Things which you have to do and should not be delegated.

2.      Things you should do with the help of some one.

3.      Things which others should do with your help and guidance.

4.      Things which others should do and you should not interfere.

5.      Things which need not be done at all.

After making this distinction, stick to the same for a month and notice a steep jump in your productivity!

When you delegate, you should still take responsibility for the work, or it will be abdication and not delegation!

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live : Excitement # 31 : Challenge Your Comfort Zone

Challenge Your Comfort Zone

We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.

– Max DePree

We evaluate our abilities based on our achievements. But achievers stretch themselves to new heights. We wish to operate from our ‘comfort zone’. Great achievers challenge their comfort zone and test their ability to withstand very high tension and pressure.

You have to come out of your comfort zone and set what is called ‘stretch goals’. Stretch goals are targets, which are little more than you can achieve with ease. For example, if you are reading about one hundred pages in four hours, you should stretch to read the same in less than three hours. If you walk about seven kilometres per day in your morning walk, try if you can do nine kilometres.

Today, we live in a world of opportunities and we have to produce more with less resource in order to survive the competition.  Otherwise, we will be eliminated.

Over this weekend, take three tasks which you are handling currently and see if you can stretch yourself by fixing higher targets. This approach will push you out of your comfort zone and make you to organise yourself even better.

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitement # 30 - Mind Your Facial Expression

Mind Your Facial Expression

God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.

– William Shakespeare

Face is the index of your mind. How do you present yourself to others? How is your facial expression? What feelings does it reflect? Only the human beings have the rare gift of conveying something through their mere facial expression!

I have come across people who convey happiness, excitement, enthusiasm, energy etc. in their face. These people electrify others by their very presence. I have also come across people who carry a depressed, sad, unhappy, irritated and timid face. They destroy the enthusiasm of others around them. The third category is expressionless faces!   When you speak to them, you will not know if they are listening to you at all!

Have you ever thought where you belong to in the above three types?   We are not alone in this world.  We are surrounded by people.  How we present ourselves to others will decide the quality of our interpersonal relationship.  Your facial expression conveys something very important about your internal personality. In fact your facial expression conveys how you feel inside.

From today, resolve to carry a pleasant and enthusiastic facial expression. Initially you may find it difficult. Anything is possible if you understand why you need it. 

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitement # 29: Reduce Your Irritation Quotient

Reduce Your Irritation Quotient

You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.

– Jerry West

How often do you feel irritated inside? Sometimes, often or always?   Some people tell me that they experience a feeling of irritation very often. They always feel irritated and angry with someone or something.

Irritation is an important emotion and we should use it constructively as positive energy. But, if we are going to feel irritated most of the time, it will destroy our personality. Such a state of mind will make us feel restless and disturbed. With this state of mind, we will do or say something, which will destroy interpersonal relationship. This internal state of mind will come out in the form of our words and actions, which will in turn irritate others. We have to stop this vicious circle.

You should know your irritation quotient! One way is to become conscious, whenever you get irritated and keep a count. You can also seek the help of your friends to observe this trait in you. Reflect the consequences of this trait on your attitude and emotional wellness.

Try this self-monitoring from today!

(From my book: '365 Exciting Ways to Live'

NC Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live : Excitement # 28

Practise Active Listening

The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention.

– Thich Nhat Hanh

How do you listen when someone talks to you? What is the quality of your listening? Do you feel restless and butt in, when others speak to you? If you do all these, stop!   The quality of listening is very important in the process of communication.

The difference between listening and hearing lies in the quality. There are two types of listening: active listening and passive listening. Active listening encourages the communicator, whereas passive listening discourages him. Active listening is also called ‘whole-body listening’, where the listener also participates in the communication process. For active listening, the following parameters are important:

• Your body language.
• Your eye contact with the communicator.
• Asking relevant questions and clarifications.
• Paraphrasing what the communicator says.
• Facial expression.

From today, be conscious and look for the above in you,   when you listen to someone. Ask your close friends to give feedback on the quality of your listening and actively listen when they give the feedback!

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

N C Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitement # 27 - Make Every Day a Thanks Giving Day

Make Every Day a Thanks Giving Day

Nothing is more honourable than a grateful heart.

– Seneca

Have you heard of ‘Thanks Giving Day’?   Why not make every day a Thanks Giving Day?   We need the help of others to achieve in life. We need the cooperation and support of many. In fact we also need lack of cooperation and inaction of others! If everyone cooperates and provides an ideal environment, we will not mature in life! Isn’t true?

We should remember people's help and thank them. While thanking, both the person thanking and the person receiving feel happy. People yearn for recognition and reciprocation, as much as we yearn for help and support. When we recognise and reciprocate, we build healthy relationship and emotional wellness.

Try this today. Make a list all those who helped you in some way or other – small or big. Every day, send a ‘thank you’ card to one person and don’t go to sleep unless you’ve done this! In this electronic era, it is very easy to do this. You can either send a sms or an e-mail or you can use your mobile, etc.

Do this regularly and notice what happens to your emotional bank account!

(From My Book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

NC Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitement # 26 - Know How You Irritate Others!

Know How You Irritate Others

Prepare yourself for the world, as the athletes used to do for their exercise; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary suppleness and flexibility; strength alone will not do.

– Lord Chesterfield

Do you irritate others? If so, do you know how? We may not know how we irritate others. It may be some mannerism or traits such as interrupting,  when someone talks; speaking with a loud voice; wounding someone’s emotions or feelings with words; talking too much; boasting; snoring; slurping; making unconnected or inappropriate comments; seeking undue favours. The list can be endless!

Many may not tell you, but you need to be aware.

There is a whole range of a subject called ‘Etiquette’, the social skills, which we need to know compulsorily. It changes from culture to culture. Especially when you move with a heterogeneous body of people drawn from various cultures, you need to know what is not acceptable in each culture.

Today why don’t you do an exercise? Talk to some of your very close friends and ask them to give you some feedback on how you irritate others? Encourage them to be frank. Work out an action plan to get rid of the same!

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live'

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitement # 25: Take Inventory of Your Bad Habits!

Take Inventory of Your Bad Habits

Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.

 Benjamin Franklin

In any organisation, once in every year a complete inventory is taken to take stock of the assets and the liabilities so that the balance sheet can be drawn. The health of an organisation can be seen not merely looking at the profit and loss account, but also at the balance sheet. The investors will be keen to know the liability part of the balance sheet. As individuals, we should also know our assets, which are our good habits as well as our liabilities, which are our bad habits.

Today, make an inventory of your bad habits! Sit calmly and list at least ten bad habits, which you want to get rid of. Against each bad habit, honestly write down how the same has affected your life. Just visualise how your life would be now and in future without these bad habits.

The law of nature is very clear: what is noticed alone will grow. The same applies to removing something bad. Unless you notice a bad habit, you cannot remove it. It’s like garbage removal. Unless you notice, you will not remove it!

Make today an inventory taking day!

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live')

NC Sridharan

www.thetimefoundation.com

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365 Exciting Ways to Live: Excitment # 24 : Learn from Criticisms!

Learn from Criticisms!

Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost how it feels about dogs.

– Christopher Hampton

Are you comfortable to take criticism and feedback constructively?   We need to develop this important quality. Many of us do not encourage others to criticise us.  Think of the consequence of complete absence of any feedback and criticism about you. The more you dislike feedback and criticisms, the less others will be free to offer the same. We may be thinking that what we do is right, but it may not be true.

Do you want to know where you have to improve? Choose five people whom you trust most. Ask them to write down three things which they don’t like in you! Do this exercise sincerely and honestly.

Of the various things pointed out, choose five most important issues and draw an action plan for self-improvement. Focus on one issue per week and try to eliminate the same from you.

This may look odd, but do it.   Stand in front of a mirror and openly criticise yourself! Suggest changes to the person in front of you and notice what happens to your own personality over a period of time!

Try this out!

(From my book '365 Exciting Ways to Live)

www.thetimefoundation.com

NC Sridharan

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