George Bernard Shaw said “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a selfish feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy”.

There seems to be an air of entitlement with some people.  When things don’t go their way, they make excuses for their part in it.  They don’t own the behavior or lack of behavior that causes their unhappy lot in life.  Somehow they think they are “owed” something.  Do you know someone like this?

How much more productive would we all be if we simply knew that our purpose is mighty, and that there is no time for whining.  How will that feel when we get to the end of the road, sweaty and used up, having gotten every drop of life out of our living?  What if we focused on what we CAN do rather that what we can’t?

As a business leader, you can have an impact on the perspective of your people.  Though I don’t believe you can necessarily motivate someone, I do believe you can challenge them to live with greater purpose.  You can support the risks they take by rewarding them with your encouragement.  You can raise your expectations of them, and effectively communicate them.  You can be a powerful leader.

It starts with you.

Coach Charrise

When building staff, it’s critical to consider the fit of the person with the rest of your staff.  It’s not that we need to have a staff of like-minds.  It’s more helpful to look for people with diverse personalities that work synergistically together.  High energy and a positive attitude should be deal breakers in order to build a dynamic staff.

So does this mean that skill sets don’t matter?  It’s simply a matter of which qualities can be trained and which are nearly impossible to train.  We are born and raised with a certain temperament, and it’s quite rare that a person with a negative disposition will decide to alter their approach.  It’s not impossible, but somewhat unlikely.  The point is that attitude and energy are not generally training issues the way that skill sets are.

When choosing people to join your team, part of the interview process should involve a discussion about your vision, mission, and core values.  If a person does not align well with them, it’s not likely that person would be a good fit for your organization.  It makes sense to utilize this tool as a guideline; it reinforces the importance of living up to company commitments.  You’ll learn, through this discussion, the level to which your candidate embraces the path your company is taking.

Finding and maintaining the right team is magical, and can move your company forward in leaps and bounds.  Unfortunately one bad fit can be cancerous.  Intentionally choosing candidates with the correct attitude and energy level will go a long way toward building your dream team.

Coach Charrise

My blog has gone silent while I took a much appreciated rest on the Pacific shores of Ixtapa, Guerrera Mexico.  There’s nothing like a place like that to completely disconnect from the electronic distractions of a laptop and cell phone.

While I was listening to the sound of the violent surf and soaking in the hot sun, business as usual was happening around me for the hard-working, enterprising Mexican entrepreneurs.  Handcrafting anything from jewelry to trinkets to wood carvings to paintings, the Mexican people proudly display and sell their wares to the international tourists embracing a short burst of their perfect weather and scenery.

Weighed down by sometimes more than 100 pounds of goods, trudging through hot sand, these entrepreneurs create a marketplace that provides a good income for their families.  Their skin protected by long sleeves and long pants, they stand out proudly from the tourists in bathing suits and beach wear.  They work long hours under difficult conditions; not allowed to cross the barrier between the ocean and the resort boundaries carefully established by management.  They are separate; and still – defining the culture so distinctly different from that of Americans.

The business owners are grateful for the opportunity to provide tourists with products they’ve made with their own hands, in exchange for the livelihood this provides.  One woman we met was selling hand-carved onyx figures.  The bag containing the onyx weighed at least 70 pounds.  She was slight and older, and seemed very shy and weary.  She was eager to lighten her load.  Our group appreciated her efforts and happily purchased several of her products.  She took my money and made the catholic sign of the cross, adding a kiss to the bills she grasped in her hand.  She was truly grateful.  Our money made a difference in her life, and regardless how little we needed her product, we felt good about helping lighten her heavy load.

Another vendor was painting small scenery paintings using acrylic paints and just his fingers.  He used a very small brush for the intricate limbs of trees, but otherwise crafted lovely images using fingerprints to add texture.  A crowd gathered around this delightful man, whose kindness oozed out with every word he spoke.  He too, was truly grateful.

My experiences in Mexico these past 5 years have changed me dramatically.  Getting to know their culture, and the ways in which it contrasts with ours, has been profoundly measured against what I thought I knew. Most have a strong, honest work ethic.  They work long days for little pay.  They are humble, family centered people with a great deal of pride.  They often have so little in terms of material goods, but are so filled with love and happiness that they don’t seem to notice.

Under 80-105 degree skies, these people persevere.  They create a market well served by bringing products of interest to the tourists.  Supply and demand working to feed the nation.  Family helping family, supporting and protecting a culture to be admired.

Coach Charrise