In response to Monday’s Letter from China, Joe Barnes writes:
Having lived through several deep recessions in the U.S. I found that there are still rewards to be obtained even when you have to redefine your traditional concept of productivity:
Spend your free time wisely. Focus on EDUCATION–learn a useful skill; learn a new language; read things that you previously ignored; reach higher than you thought possible when you were busy with the work that has now fallen by the wayside.
Be PATIENT. Think long term. This situation did not happen suddenly and it will not be cured suddenly. Focus your energies on WELLNESS. Depression and anxiety sicken and kill. Adopt a new regimen of exercise, fitness and healthy food. Grow your own; you have the time.
Focus on SPIRITUAL enrichment. Spend time being involved with and reaching out to those whose lot in life is worse than yours. All the things that abundant work denied you, due to too busy a schedule, will now be possible. REINVENT YOURSELF so that when global circumstances improve you will be ready to prosper.
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To motivate is an interesting concept and moreover an interesting word; to me, the word is fuzzy and conjures up images of a pep talk or rushing to get an order out the door because there is a prize to be had.
I say this because I have wrestled with the concept and word in the past. Ultimately I asked if it was me who needed the motivation or my team… I found that it was me who needed “Inspiration†not motivation, because without it; were doomed to wander aimlessly and thusly lead our team down the same path.
Many speakers and authors have discovered the same thing and try as they may to share it, it’s extremely difficult. I believe you can’t teach wisdom and we all must learn these things thru experience to truly own them.
Joe is right on the money with his wisdom; self spiritual enrichment tops the list by far. Focus on you; focus on positive and energizing things. Without a healthy YOU, there can be no healthy team.
I would suggest searching for a purpose or goal. Find one and get crystal clear on the goal. Get your team to focus on the one goal with laser like intensity. Create daily meetings and review the one goal every single day – have your team become interactive while they focus on the goal. Nothing beats repetition and a little physiology to embed something into your psyche. Give them purpose.
As far as the goal is concerned – it could be anything from monthly sales, to productivity, to every month in the black.
And remember to tell the cold honest truth as hard as it may be or as counter intuitive as it may seem. The economy will likely get worse before it gets better.
Good Luck.