....wipe that smile off your face!

Be honest...are you positive or negative? I had a boss that thought he was "keeping everyone upbeat"...when in reality...he was the problem! So ask yourself....
what am I doing to make my life better....for me?

Positive thinking in the workplace is extremely important. Positive thinking is a mental attitude. What we think affects how we behave. It is therefore important for us to begin with our thoughts.

It is a mental attitude that expects good and constructive results. However, it does not deny the existence of negative results or things beyond one’s control. It is a way of looking at things from a different perspective. For instance, one that concentrates on solutions rather than problems.

When our thinking is positive, our attitude is positive and we transfer a feeling of success to our colleagues and clients. In other words – we transfer energy and enthusiasm to those around us. People feel good towards us and are more willing to help us.

Positive thinkers know that when things go bad or unexpected result occurs, it is only momentary. That positive result is achievable. If you are new to applying positive thinking, here are 3 simple steps I suggest:

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #1

One cannot pay lip service to positive thinking. You need to practice and make positive thinking your prevailing attitude towards life. This will transfer towards positive thinking in the workplace. So, how do you make it a prevailing attitude? Entertain positive thoughts. It takes as much effort to think about the negative as it is for the positive. Concentrate on the positive and expect a positive result. Associate with colleagues with a positive attitude. Read inspiring quotes. These are simple ways to create a habit of positive thinking in the workplace.

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #2

Positive thinking in the workplace is solutions thinking. For example, when a project goes poorly and not in the desired direction…a positive thinking person concentrates on solutions instead of the problem. Ever noticed some colleagues have a natural tendency to point fingers when things do not go right? They tend to whine and complain instead of starting to work on a solution immediately? We have ALL had to suffer with idiots like that! And….what if your boss is super negative? Positive thinkers live up to the challenge of the problem and commit themselves to seeking a solution to the problem. They do not dwell in unproductive activities.

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #3

How many times have you thought – “Oh no, I am never ever able to do this.” When that happens, you end up dwelling on it and wasting precious time. Positive thinking in the work place involves thinking in these words – “I can”….”I will”…….."I am able”…….. "I am ready." It also involves taking the initiative to seek answers and solutions. And to be proactive in learning about the information needed to complete the assignment at hand. A positive thinker in the workplace concentrates on the assignment and is not distracted by negative thoughts.

Is positive thinking in the workplace easy? Well, it is as easy as you want it to be. It is also as difficult as you expect it to be. There will be times when you cannot help but feel negative. When such feelings arise, remind yourself it is as easy to look for a positive angle to things as it is for a negative angle.

Or do what I did…..turn your keys in.... and find another job! It helps to be around other "positive" people.

...my...my...how time flys....

I did the unthinkable one year ago this upcoming week.

Some people seem to think that if you’re not too busy, you’re not really crucial to the organization. These people revel in having full schedules, long working hours and too much work.

Repeat after me: Work does not give you stress. Feeling bad about work gives you stress.


This means that changing your work hours, your responsibilities, your priorities or your work environment is meaningless, unless it also changes the way you feel at work.

Those stress management courses will not do the trick either, unless they can achieve just that. If you’re stressed, you must take charge and make whatever changes are necessary to go from feeling anxious, inadequate or drained at work to feeling appreciated, proud and energetic.

In the midst of this economic turbulence we're facing, I decided to leave my job as a vice president of a company to pursue some long-neglected passions of mine: building a positive atmosphere and teamwork, not listening to someone “drone-on about his financial situation”, helping companies with commercial interiors, and something so self-indulgent I can hardly bear to utter it (getting paid).

What I'm leaving behind is admittedly a middling (but respectable) career in upper management, but one, from the point of view of the working class people, you just wouldn't throw away a big title. My parents didn't go to college, and to them "pissing away" a position as a vice president is about as stupid a move as you can make....but they won't say anything of course.

My grandmother (God rest her soul), for whom was in her teens and early twenties during the Great Depression. Those are the days of waiting in line for blocks of government-issued cheese. I wouldn’t have told my grandma what I’m doing…..leaving a job during very difficult times. She wouldn't get it.

If you're sensible, and lived through such tough times, right now you're thinking about "How to Protect Your Job in a Recession," this is the title of a recent Harvard Business Review article. And here I am throwing mine to the wind! (It was the wind that woke me up one night after announcing to my wife that I was quitting -- is it the word "quit" or the memory of the rattling window that now sends a chill down my spine?) I've always been prone to digress from the straight path, and now I suppose I'm putting my money where my mouth is.

Speaking of money, I do have some savings, but most businesspeople reading this would probably gasp at my foolishness if I told them how much. A few months ago I almost told it to someone I know when I bumped into him at a restaurant while having lunch - he'd apparently been laid off from the banking industry. We briefly commiserated about the uncertain economy and our places in it, but I got the sense he had a pretty thick financial cushion. The tip-off was when he mentioned he had just returned from a trip to the Far East...to "clear his head about it." I thought to myself...here this guy is out of a job and he goes to Asia for several weeks. I had General Tso’s chicken last month…does that count?

Face it…job dissatisfaction is rampant and the work environment may consist of anything from bad bosses, demanding clients, unrealistic expectations. Do not discard it as a minor annoyance as it can make you despondent, cynical and negative. So don't wrap 'happiness' in a gift box and throw it in a dustbin but rather carry it on your face as wide as possible. This is the factor that is going to build your personality and your character....and set you free from bosses that are 'full of themselves.'

Wake up! Face it, even though you dislike it…..your workplace may be filled with people who wait for a chance to hurt you or pull you down or lock you in a dark cave. But equally there will be someone who cheers you up every time you fall. So find coworkers you like and enjoy working with them. Spend your maximum time with them. You can choose to be happy at work with your choices of work companions.

It’s a relatively small step from "liking your job" to loving it. It doesn’t take much and the things we need to do are relatively easy and available to all of us. But the difference in outcome is humongous. As long as you like your job, you’re only a pale reflection of what you could be if you loved it. You’re realizing only a small fraction of your full potential. You’re not having nearly as much fun as you could have.

Millions of people settle for jobs they like. The problem is that when you like your job there isn’t much pressure on you to change. Liking your job isn’t bad for you. It’s certainly much, much better than hating your job – which can make you sick or even kill you.

But when you love your job you are in a completely different league.

So I’m saying that we shouldn’t settle for any less anymore. Let’s make happiness at work the norm rather than the exception. It may take some work, but each and every one of us can get there.

First make that decision for yourself – decide that from now on, you will be happy at work. Then find out what you can do to get to love your job or what you can do to get a job you love. Then do it.

I did.

Opening weekend: backyard barbecue!

Opening weekend: backyard barbecue. Get out the steel wool. Scrub down the grill rack, the barbecue tools. Strike up the charcoal. Add hot dogs, burgers. Bring on a big bowl of classic potato salad. Cover the table with a checkered cloth, stack up the paper napkins. It’s the first cookout of the season! Keep it simple, pure, traditional.

The key to delicious results is building the bold flavor before, during, and after barbecuing. For example, if you want your rib eye steak to have a blackened exterior and a rare interior, you need a good rub on your steak, a hot fire in proximity to your meat, and a short cooking time.

Ahhhh....Memorial Day Weekend is upon us! For many, it's three days of fun in the sun and welcoming summer. It's great to enjoy yourselves, but keep in mind that Memorial Day is also about remembering soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Memorial Day is a holiday set aside to remember soldiers who have lost their lives, although many people also take the opportunity to remember all loved ones who have passed away. The holiday began after the American Civil War. During the war, about 500,000 soldiers were killed on both sides of the battle, and women began decorating graves of these lost soldiers.

Although many cities created local holidays to memorialize the dead between 1864 and 1866, the first widespread celebration of the holiday was on May 30, 1868. A general ordered that flowers and decorations be placed at the graves of fallen soldiers. Special services and tributes were also created to honor the dead. The general asked the press to support the effort.

Originally, Memorial Day was called Decoration Day, and most cities passed their own resolutions making it an official holiday, usually on May 30 or 31. In 1938, congress made Memorial Day a national holiday on May 30. The date was adjusted by congress in 1968 so that it would fall on the last Monday in May.

After World War I, many women began selling poppies in honor of Memorial Day, to raise money for families affected by the war. The poppies were inspired by Canadian Colonel John McCrae's poem, "In Flanders Fields." Today, honoring soldiers on Memorial Day often takes the form of special ceremonies, speeches, and laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

John McCrae was a Canadian physician. He fought at the Western Front in 1914, but was later moved to the medical corps and assigned to a hospital in France. He died of pneumonia while on active duty in 1918. His "In Flanders Fields" is probably the single best-known and popular poem from the war, published in his volume of poetry, In Flanders Fields and Other Poems, 1919.

In Flanders Fields


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)


As I enjoy this time set-aside for remembrance, I want to say thank you to all the men and women that have given me the 'right' to enjoy this weekend. Thank you for your sacrifices...PLEASE OBAMA...bring our troops home soon!!

a simple breakfast!....

With the winter that we had this year...it is now time to celebrate the 'true meaning' of spring. This morning I had breakfast with a visionary in my industry that gave me hope that 'I am on the right path' in my thinking about customer service. He and his wife were open, honest, and easy to talk to.

I am again excited about the future which (at times) depending on who or what you listen to....is as though the 'sky is ALWAYS falling.' This team provided 'just enough' information to keep me wanting to know more about them and I look forward to our dialogue again someday. Sometimes it makes sense to 'bounce' ideas off another person...just to make sure you are on the right track....and you know what? I am!

I am extremely good at what I do and now....after all these years...I am finally beginning to believe it myself. No matter what business you are in....every business is a "people business." Whether you are dealing with internal or external customers...being able to deal with people is the key! I tell everyone that they're in the people business, and passion makes the biggest difference. If you're going to have an impact on somebody's life, you have to be excited about what you do.

Try this…before your next shift; ask yourself how passionate you are about your work. Does it show? Get honest assessments about your level of desire from coworkers or your spouse. Many employees let life and its circumstances get them off track. If this has happened to you, think back to when you started. Remember the lives you touched, the people who will never forget you, and try to recapture your passion.

You should also associate with people who have a passion for people. It sounds corny, but birds of a feather really do flock together. If you've lost some of your fire, get around people who haven't, because passion is contagious.

The second thing you must do is control your attitude. Attitude is more important than education, appearance, skill or talent. It can make or break personal relationships, business organizations, and teams of all sorts. The good news is that you have a choice every day regarding the attitude you wear. You may not have control over things around you, but you can control how you respond to them. Focus on the way you interact with people and attend to their needs. You must consciously decide to not let external factors affect your attitude, because doing so impedes your ability to give your customers your best.

And....positively interacting with people and building successful relationships requires effective communication. This goes far beyond the verbal. You have to interpret mental states and discern true meanings behind words. You must learn to communicate at the emotional level. This involves eye contact, tone of voice, body language and facial expressions listening with your eyes as well as your ears.

The final way to improve the quality of life of those you interact with is sharing your sense of humor. Of course making jokes during emergency situations is improper. But in many instances, when appropriate, a moment of laughter can give any stressed-out person a change of perspective. It can break the ice and put you on the fast track to building a relationship.

And I certainly hope that I built a relationship with the two I had breakfast with this morning...sometimes...a simple breakfast meeting can put you on the right path to your personal success!

How work invades your personal life

There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to nine-hour days (not to mention the time preparing for work …and the commute). The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Here's why:

Global economy: As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs. Eight- to nine-hour days easily become ten....and your boss "loves it." This economy has actually shown the "weakness" in the American leadership....especially in little 'family-owned' companies....most employers think they have you by the balls (where will they go in this poor economy?)

Advanced communication technology: Many people now have the ability to work anywhere — from their home, from their car and even on vacation. And some managers expect this. This is why "instant email" is so popular....when can you actually get away?

Longer hours: Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they're scheduled. Often, overtime is mandatory. If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations. This is especially true since so many employees “pick-up the additional work” from the employees recently laid-off.

Changes in family roles: Today's married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.

Balance doesn't mean doing everything. Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore harmony to your lifestyle. I did! Get your hands dirty.

Happiness is. . .

What does it take to be happy? Is it your performance at work? Honestly, I don't think so. If work "defines" who and what you are, what happens if work isn't going so well?

I think that too many people go through life "thinking" they are happy, but don't really know the meaning. Let me give you an example. Yesterday, I saw a grown man (seemingly very irate) behind the wheel of an enormous diesel truck...no not the 53' semi-truck...one of those: "I want to be as big and noisy as an 18 wheeler...but can't afford it...trucks."

Why in hell would you need a very, very noisy "giant" pickup truck? I thought to myself, maybe he pulls horses or travel trailers....or small houses...but no hitch. Maybe he hauls bricks or wood....or sheep....but the bed of his truck (with no tailgate) showed no signs of wear...not a scratch. Ok, maybe he likes the size..."that's it!!" He likes to intimidate other drivers by screaming-up behind them....slamming on his brakes...."banging his hands onto the steering wheel"....and actually getting pissed off that someone stopped at a traffic signal.

I watched in amazement as he weaved from lane to lane....honked at a few drivers....only to end-up at the same location as the rest of the traffic. What a way to live your life. Unhappy at everything!

Maybe if he knew that happiness is not having to listen to your boss talk about how "bad things are" all the time....happiness is the ability to "earn" your pay (not be pigeoned into what the company 'thinks' you are worth)....happiness is spending time with your family.

Happiness is "what you make it." You wake up each day with an opportunity to be in a bad mood...or be happy (insert sh*t eating grin here).

So, are you afraid of the dark?

Are you afraid of the dark? What about concern over your company's stability?

Most of those who have been in the workforce during the last two decades have firsthand experience of the peaks and valleys of the business climate. There is no longer any guarantee that companies will remain consistently secure and that layoffs and pay cuts won't occur. The last two years have seen what seems like a deluge of small, medium, and large corporations downsizing or closing. Certainly, you need to pay attention to your employer's economic performance and future. If the outlook is bleak, you may want to move into a more-stable industry or company before you are involuntarily pushed into a job search.

How do you really know whether you are just going through a rough patch that will improve over time or whether it's time to let go and move on? Most people understand the mechanics of finding a job, from how to write a good resume to how to negotiate salary and compensation, but who has the skills to leave a job at the right time and for the right reasons?

Some people find it harder to deal with change than others. For the faint of heart, the prospect of switching jobs creates a sense of unease so overwhelming that they will remain in an unhappy work situation rather than face the unknown.

At some point in a career, people may realize that they are no longer happy or challenged or could be ‘constantly’ reminded by their boss of ‘bad times.’ They further realize that another job of the same kind isn't going to solve the problem. Shifting the focus of what we really want to be "when we grow up" is an exciting, yet sometimes scary proposition. Yet, this is a pivotal point in life when finding a job that draws upon your strengths and interests can bring a new sense of personal and professional fulfillment.

Go for it!

It's Spring..."a time for change"

This has been a very, very long winter for me! I was snowed-in for almost a week...and after that...it seems to rain almost every day.

As soon as the sun peeks-out, everyone seems to run to the window like they have never seen sunlight before...pathetic. And besides that....the idiots that drive with studs on all 4 tires...in the rain....don't get me started.

Thank God it is spring! It's time for a new beginning...and time for me to find a new job. My 8 years are up!

Leaving a job isn't a crime. But many workers feel incredibly guilty about it and will even put off telling their boss, which actually makes it worse if it means your boss has less notice than he or she would otherwise have. The big thing to know is that you don't owe anyone an excuse or an apology for leaving. People leave jobs all the time -- it's normal. Any boss who isn't crazy knows its part of doing business. Simply be straightforward and professional about it, and you'll likely be surprised at how smoothly it will go....more to come.

WITH TODAY'S sluggish economy, most people who are employed can't help but breathe a little sigh of relief that they have a job--even if they don't really like it. Human nature is to retreat to the trenches in times of uncertainty, and those who would like to make a job change are left wondering whether it is safe to poke their heads out and take a look around.

The good news is that, despite the economic slowdown, it's still an "employees' market" in much of the U.S., with a significant labor shortage in many parts of the country. For example, a survey by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and Andersen Consulting found that 75% of small and midsize businesses that responded are having trouble filling vacancies because of the shortage of qualified workers.

More to come....