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By Steve Gilliland
The way in which organizations work is drastically changing, and it can get challenging to keep up. Change is inevitable and widespread; employees are tasked with a high workload while having low control over the environment. This can result in frequent burnout, stress, and a high turnover rate. As a leader, work to the best of your abilities to ensure employees are motivated and comfortable. Here are some tips to help you make a difference in the workplace: 1. BE TRANSPARENT A great leader is honest and vulnerable. Employees gel better with a leader who is accountable for their mistakes and their team. When things don’t go your way, remain transparent with your team and give them accurate details about the current situation. This can prevent miscommunication and help ensure that everyone works collaboratively toward one common goal. 2. ASSIST A NEW EMPLOYEE Remember how challenging your first few weeks at work were? Along with learning your job, you also had to understand the office environment and meet new colleagues. Being a leader doesn’t only mean you’re responsible for decision making. Ensuring all employees are comfortable is also the work of a good leader. Make a new employee’s day by helping them find their way around and feel welcome. 3. REMEMBER: YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE YOUR STRENGTH Although client satisfaction is important, your employees are the backbone of your business. They are the ones who can truly help your company flourish. Ensure that they receive constant help and support whenever needed. Sometimes work can get overwhelming; talk to them to ensure they’re not in burnout mode and are maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Focus on setting a better retention strategy and improve the work environment overall. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success!
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By Steve Gilliland
Let’s face it: as employees, managers, or even business leaders, we all fear change. It can be scary, overwhelming, and even daunting at times. One of the main reasons why is because it removes you from your comfort zone, one that seems too good to leave just yet. But, change is an inevitable part of life and the workplace. Here are some tips to help you embrace changes that come your way: 1. PREPARE FOR MULTIPLE OUTCOMES The future is a mystery; you don’t know which direction you’ll head in and which destination you’ll stop at. The very nature of change is daunting only because you have zero control of what happens. But, having said that, you can prepare for the worst while still expecting the best. Learn to be ready for different outcomes so you know exactly how to react when the situation is real. This helps you avoid being caught in scenarios where you’re unprepared or unable to function. 2. BECOME PART OF THE CHANGE If you can’t go against it, be a part of it. Look at change as an opportunity to learn from your past mistakes and grow to your full potential. Life is an unpredictable ride that includes bumps along the way. Be positive through it all. If there are certain changes occurring in the workplace, get involved and work as a team. Being a driver of change will make you feel less fearful and more empowered. 3. COMMUNICATE Communication is important when you face change. If the company isn’t communicating change effectively, take the initiative to learn more about what this change involves. Talk to your team leader, co-workers, and others involved to understand their opinions. Avoid making these talks negative; instead, ask constructive questions to find resourceful information to better adapt. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
Imagine this: You’re planning a trip to your dream destination. You begin ticket-booking months in advance, find some of the most visited hotels and make a list of the attractions you want to visit. You constantly revise the itinerary and work day and night to ensure that you don’t miss anything. You feel excited, a little nervous, thrilled and several other emotions. Fast-forward to the day of departure. You take a flight, there are butterflies in your stomach, and you’re impatient to touch down in your dream destination. However, when you finally do, there’s this odd disappointment. This, my friend, is what we call the “Destination Disease,” and here’s everything you need to know about it: WHAT IS DESTINATION DISEASE? People who have Destination Disease tend to be dissatisfied when they reach any goal in life. This destination doesn’t necessarily have to be a place but can also be accomplishments, such as promotions or a long-awaited graduation. Although they might experience initial excitement toward the end of their journey, disappointment always shows up. This is a common condition experienced by people across the globe and can affect their outlook on life. IS THERE ANY CURE FOR THIS? The first thing to do is understand that there’s beauty in the journey. Instead of focusing on the destination as the prize, enjoy the road and all the thrills and excitement that come your way. If you focus too much on the endpoint, you’ll miss what’s happening along the way. Take your time to soak up every emotion you experience. Whatever your goal might be, focus on enjoying the journey as much as the destination. Next, be open to change. Life may not always go as planned; this is why it’s important to avoid stressing about your chosen destination. Learn to accept where life takes you because there’s always a reason behind it. Try to be positive and find good in change. Lastly, try to be as present as possible. Very often, when we arrive at a destination or goal, our mind wanders off to the next milestone. Take a moment to stop, breathe and be fully present in the here and now. Appreciate yourself for reaching this particular destination and don’t think about the future just yet. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
It was a funny scene at my local health club yesterday. Two acquaintances got on adjoining treadmills, programmed the machines, but then started talking. One of the women pulled out the ubiquitous cell phone and scrolled through pictures. I couldn’t quite tell from a distance, but the banter seemed to be about a baby. Then another image, then another. After standing still for fifteen minutes while they talked, they stepped off their treadmills and walked away. I am all for family and baby pictures, but it was clear they were so distracted with conversation and sharing photos that they neglected their exercise. Procrastination Recently, I have become fascinated with the topic of distraction. My take is a little different, but distraction is robbing many of us of our happiness. The women on the treadmill are lovely people, I am sure, but they weren’t sharing late-breaking news or vital information, but pictures that were taken days or weeks before. In doing so, they both abandoned their original intention, their focus, which was to get a little exercise. Distraction, of course, is one aspect of procrastination, postponing what we need to do to get to a goal to have momentary pleasure. The problem is getting worse, not better. Author N. Agnihorti recently wrote a book on the subject entitled Procrasdemon – The Artist’s Guide to Liberation From Procrastination. The word he coined is defined as “Procrasdemon is fighting hard to feed off of distractions and pleasures.” It is a demon. Of course, the fight to feed off of every distraction and “pleasure” is hardly limited to painters, writers or any other type of artist. It affects everyone who has a goal in mind and the happiness that reaching that goal can bring. Whether a person is striving to complete a college degree, polishing up and then sending off resumes, or finishing the building of that shed, becoming distracted over and then over again will block any happiness that comes from completing a task. The silliest part is that we won’t remember the distraction, but we will not forget the goal we didn’t reach. Detrimental Whether we want to define distraction as an interruption in our day or a demon that constantly takes us away from starting, let alone finishing, the goal we set out to accomplish, it is hardly harmless. The problem with allowing our lives to get distracted by one thing or another is that it becomes the usual way — so many great people with noble ambitions fall by the wayside. It is easier now, more than ever, to get distracted. How many of us get distracted by our cell phones while people are trying to tell us something important? How often do we check our email rather than focusing on work? There is an additional skirmish within the battle to keep from being distracted. Of course, many of our devices have been designed to side-track us and often to sell us stuff or to track us or even to gain information on us. We can get endlessly distracted with enticing advertising, sensational headlines and a gazillion videos that have often been recycled a thousand times before. It’s A Mindset I go back to the two nice women on the treadmills. Would the world have come to an end had one of them said, “I would love seeing the baby pictures. Let me work out for twenty minutes first.” It sets a boundary and also establishes a friendly acknowledgment that a goal is in mind. Many years ago, I heard a story from Japan about a famous professor and his pupil. For weeks, the teacher had been waiting for a letter from his son and his wife (this was in the age of snail mail!). They were coming for a visit from America with his new grandbaby, and he and his wife were very excited about the prospect. The professor and his student had finished the lesson and were sharing light conversation. The postman knocked on his door with a special delivery letter from America. The professor took the letter, lovingly placed it on his desk, and continued his conversation. He did not open the letter until he had seen two more students that day and went home and shared its contents with his wife. The professor did not allow himself to become distracted, preferring to defer that pleasure until he had completed his goals of giving his students the undivided attention they deserved and his wife the respect of sharing the good news. There is an elegance and a beauty in completing a task despite the conflict and pressures of distraction. To be sure, many great works have been accomplished by those with a committed mindset. Still, I sadly wonder about the never-fulfilled journeys due to unnecessary side trips and silly distractions long forgotten. Your results are the product of either personal focus or personal distractions. The choice is yours. Feed your focus. Starve your distractions. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
Employees are one of the most important assets of an organization. You depend on them to accomplish complex tasks and put in their time and effort to help your business grow. Employee motivation is a crucial part of a successful business. A motivated and content employee can help improve an organization’s performance and efficiency. Good and qualified employees are hard to find these days, and, as an employer, it’s your job to increase employee retention and keep the attrition rate to a minimum. How do you achieve this? Keep reading this blog to learn about some tried and tested ways to keep your employees motivated... Work on the Ambiance Would you want to spend time in a boring, dingy and dull office for hours? It’s not just you; no one wants to spend hours sitting in a cubicle or office that’s basic and dreary. Such spaces dampen the mood and aren’t conducive to creative thinking. Make your workspaces more pleasant, aesthetically pleasing and functional to get employees excited to work there. You don’t need to spend tons of money to spruce up the place. Find some practical, quality furniture at flea markets and other low-cost, unconventional sources. Add some paintings and decorative items by local artists. Keep your office neat. All of this can do wonders to motivate your employees. Be Supportive Encouragement and support from managers can go a long way toward improving employee performance and efficiency. Respect, clear communication, support and honesty will instill a sense of loyalty in your employees, and they’ll be more motivated to stay with your organization for a long time. Acknowledge Achievements It’s common to think that monetary benefits are the most important to keep employees motivated. However, that’s not the case. According to a study about motivational elements, money and benefits constitute only 4 percent. Acknowledging and appreciating employee achievements can compel them to work harder and enjoy the work they do. However, if they feel their hard work isn’t recognized, it’ll put a damper on their work spirit. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
How are the moments of your precious life? Each one is beautiful, you know. And, while some are admittedly better than others, to squander away those moments is a crime we commit against ourselves. The past year did not help us regarding the issue of time. Experts who study time have seen some disturbing patterns. Some experimental psychologists specialize in time, and among the best is Dr. Ruth Ogden. In 2020, Neuroscience News published a survey Dr. Ogden conducted of more than 600 adults. It was her finding that more than 80 percent “felt their sense of time was distorted, with half of them feeling like time had slowed down, and the other half like it had sped up.” When she drilled down a bit, the results were a combination of good news and troubling news: The days seemed to pass more quickly for people who were more socially satisfied, busier, and had less stress, which were primarily younger people. The days seemed to pass more slowly for those experiencing more stress and who had fewer tasks, which in this survey were mostly older people. Five Minutes The theory Dr. Ogden has advanced is one that even those of us who do not have advanced degrees in psychology can well imagine: “When we are bored and socially dissatisfied, we have lots of spare cognitive (reasoning) capacity; we then use some of that capacity to increase our monitoring of time.” In other words, when we allow ourselves to get bored with life, we have plenty of time to sit, think and feel sorry for ourselves. Time passes slowly. In fact, during the worst of the lockdown, Dr. Ogden concluded that “the negative emotions associated with isolation, boredom, sadness, and stress may have contributed to a slowing of time.” Here’s the problem, of course, and anyone who has ever made a five-minute poached egg will readily understand this: whether you are a 60-year-old with an incredibly packed schedule or a 60-year-old who is isolated and bored, the five-minute poached egg takes…well, five minutes. The Hourglass Every life is lovely and valuable, especially yours. In that regard, we are all alike. However, none of us knows how many hours we have. We are the only beings on the planet (insofar as we know) that fundamentally understand that the moments of our lives are limited. Whether you are a movie star or Olympian, a neurosurgeon, a nurse, or a carpenter, you must appreciate that one day the sand in the hourglass will dwindle. In the quote from Carl Sandburg’s classic poem, one of the interpretations is that he is talking about time, relationships, love – and, if you’d like, our very reason, our purpose for being on this Earth. What will we do with those precious moments from this very second from now on? We could, as Sandburg suggests, “spill and spend.” It has never been easier to do that. The Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology recommends limiting the use of social media to 30 minutes a day. It leads to better mental health outcomes. What is the average amount of time we use social media? About two hours a day! The average American spends five to six hours a day on their cell phones. About 90 percent of younger Americans sleep with their cell phone nearby, while about 50 percent of adults who are 60 sleep with cell phones at hand. Why is credit card debt so high? More precisely, due to social pressure, online promotions, media influence, and wealth. Psychologist I. Durmonski wrote for Psychology that the chief reason we buy so much unnecessary “stuff” is that we’re bored and want to feel good. When we add it up, many of us are spilling and spending our precious moments by flipping, clicking, and spending. Add Value Let us now turn to those who search and save. Here are three facts about the value of your moments:
We have a clear choice. No matter our age, we can positively influence lives with our moments or selfishly hold onto them and be bored in them. Meaningful memories are made by precious moments. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
This holiday season, words like discouraged, doubtful, and uncertain have replaced convinced, confident, and faith. Now, more than ever, we need to believe. For many of us, this year has challenged our confidence and left us disoriented and startled. Yet, with the whole world of new possibilities in front of us, we find it challenging to take a step forward. Sometimes we’re tested - not to show our limitations, but to discover our strengths. Now more than ever, we need to believe. What You Believe, You Receive Believe in moments and make them. Life isn’t perfect, but it has perfect moments. Believe that time heals. Time won’t make you forget, but it will make you grow and understand things. Believe that laughter is worth finding. In the darkest of times, laughter helps transform our perspective. Believe in gratitude because it produces abundance. Abundance is the result of appreciation, not accumulation. Believe that tears can cleanse. People don’t cry because they’re weak. People cry because they’ve been strong for too long. Believe that what you get is a result of what you give. Giving is not about donating. It’s about making a difference. Believe in someone you love. This season, be the reason, someone believes. Believe that living with less brings you more of what matters. Look for the good in every day, even if somedays you have to look harder. I Believe The song I Believe includes some of my favorite lyrics. I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows. I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows. I believe for everyone who goes astray, someone will come to show the way. I believe above the storm; the smallest prayer will still be heard. I believe that someone in the great somewhere hears every word. Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf, or see the sky, then I know why I believe. Be The Reason This holiday season, whenever you have someone else’s attention, remember that your actions can convince them that the world is a cold, frightening place or that it’s full of love and joy. Believe that you have the power to make someone feel seen. Believe that every candle lit is an opportunity to make a wish. Behind you, all your memories. Before you, all your dreams. Around you, all who love you. Within you, all you need. Believe! Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
When I was a young child, a woman lived in our peaceful, somewhat traditional town who decided to change her hair color. She and her husband owned a small variety store. They had two children who never got into trouble, did well in school, and considered college. The husband unexpectedly passed. Coping with grief takes many different attitudes and comes in numerous ways. Still, the woman, whom everyone liked, and who liked everyone, and helped everyone she met, one morning awakened and changed her hair color. She went from a brunette to platinum blond. Within days, she became the talk of the town. There were things said about her, behind her back, that were exceptionally mean. She lost customers, her oldest boy got into fights, and in-laws were convinced that she had always been a gold-digger. The truth? Her husband thought she was beautiful and called her Jayne after Jayne Mansfield (though she looked nothing like the model and actress). To honor his memory, she dyed her hair. That’s it. The woman could choose to keep her hair color and be a little unique or go back to sensible brown. She kept her hair color. It took several months, but most of her customers returned. She lost a few “friends,” to be sure, but they were negative gossip-mongers and not those who appreciated her soul. Conformity Why are we afraid to be unique? Why is the uncommon so difficult for some of us to accept? I’ve been thinking about those questions a great deal as of late. Hair color is no big deal now (there’s no limit to colors), nor are tattoos, for those who want them, nor plastic surgery, nor eccentric clothes. However, the surface stuff has given way to something else. Magazines such as Psychology Today spend a lot of time on such topics as uniqueness versus conformity. Psychologists tell us conformity denotes a wide-ranging phenomenon in which people shift their behavior or beliefs to fit in with a larger group. Groupthink refers to the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility. There is a friction between conformity and uniqueness that is a continual source of resentment. We see examples of this daily. I am not talking about mild disagreements either, like Cubs versus White Sox or Mets versus Yankees, but strong opinions regarding politics, vaccinations, bigotry, and religion. Why has this happened, and why, when all of us so desperately need to come together on so many issues? I think it goes back to the wonderful woman with platinum hair. The shame of that incident from so many years ago was not hers, but when people learned the story of why she did it, they were ashamed. The key is information. So many people are afraid to think for themselves and rely too much on inconsistent information, things misheard, things misquoted, half-truths, statistics stated as research, distorted facts, and far-flung opinions. It is why the internet and news overload from one point of view or source is so dangerous. John F. Kennedy said, “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” Now more than ever, it’s time to think for yourself, be yourself, and return to what is real. Don’t dare to be different. Dare to be yourself. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
The phrase “No Risk, No Reward” means many different things to many other people, but for me, it talks about the ties that bind us, strengthen us, and nurture us, especially in these days of uncertainty. Today, let us not think about risk in terms of money or power, but the spirit of love. As we think about this post, I would encourage us to think about what we should always risk. We Should Always Risk:
And, with that, dear friends and valuable friends, let me say how much I love and appreciate all of you. My goodness, it has been a challenging year, but with blessings, hope, and determination, we have made it through the storm. However, it always has been, and always will be, worth taking the risk! Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
Sometimes, when I see a quote that I have loved, it is much like a visit from an old friend who stops by only briefly and yet warms your heart. As with most beloved quotes, my friend came at a most opportune time. The Wise The biblical scholar Hillel is credited with the following quote: “If I am not for myself, who is for me? And being for my own self, what am ‘I’?” The quotation speaks to one of my favorite topics: Responsibility. True, we are responsible for ourselves and our own actions. Interestingly, type “responsibility” into a search engine and ask a question such as “Why aren’t people responsible anymore?” You are liable to find several articles on the topic of parents being responsible for their children and children being aware of their rights (presumably so they can become uninhibited). It is all so troublesome to me. In fact, the whole topic of responsibility has had me thinking a lot these past months, if not the last couple of years. Hillel’s quote is divided into two equal parts. One cannot stand without the other. When he wrote this quote back in ancient Babylonia, he stood on the mountain top of wisdom. While he could not see 2020, he could see those around him. Much has not changed. Part one is about ourselves; part two is about others. Ourselves Being for ourselves does not mean we are just responsible for ourselves. The responsibility is about how we “walk around” in this world. Of course, we must be our own best friend, take care of our families, and of course, we must do the right thing and be ethical souls, but I think it goes beyond that. If I make a mistake, I had better own up to it. If I hurt someone I need to apologize, whether to my child or to the mail carrier. I have taught my children to “own up” as well. When you make an oversight, own it! My responsibility to life should allow me to understand how precious are my days and weeks; they add up to years, and we don’t have enough of them. I must explore the beauty of this earth, and take in art and music and even the hobbies that are unique to me. In short, I must do all I can to enjoy my life and to enjoy this ride that is life. My responsibility to my life tells me to shut down the computer and the digital devices, turn off Netflix, and enjoy a conversation with my family and friends. My responsibility to myself tells me to be more content with what I have and to be thankful for a multitude of blessings regardless of my circumstances. I’m not talking about material things, but things that make my heart soar: the smiles of my grandchildren, hearing the words “I love you” when they are spoken genuinely; to appreciate my freedoms and my health; to understand that everything I have can be fleeting and that health, wealth, and security are illusory. Being for myself means never forgetting the audiences, both virtual and in-person, who have appreciated my message. Being responsible for myself in all of these ways motivates me to start each day reading my Bible and end with a prayer. For indeed, I have known hardship and sorrow in 2020, and I will never forget how it refocused me and how far I have come. Others Now we come to the “what am I?” portion of the famous quotation. Many times, over the year, I have written about people who are negative, and whether intentional or unplanned, surround us with their negative energy. The majority of negative people are the tortured souls who care only for themselves, and I will never be one of those. Nor should you. For I believe that negative people, who are only for themselves, have lost genuine compassion and understanding. Negative parents raise children who only see pessimism; negative teachers and mentors develop unconstructive students, and melodramatic people see bleak outcomes and socialize in drama. You have to take responsibility for your actions. You only look like a fool when you try to blame other people or circumstances for your behavior. I believe we are put on this earth to help, support, empower, and create peace. Negative and self-regarding people can’t do it, and won’t do it. In terms of our families and friends, we must be responsible enough to open our hearts to the hardships of others. If I, personally, can raise up someone who is fallen, I will try. If I can make a difference using my skills and passion, and energy, I will. I know that I have a responsibility to life itself. I know that I am nothing as a person if I only view the world through the lens of “me” and not “us.” I suppose that at the end of the day, I’d like to be known as a man who was responsible. Responsible to myself surely, but a man who saw his responsibility in terms of what he could do to lift-up those around him. If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! |
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