It’s certainly nice to be loved.   But I  have always appreciated this bit of wisdom and found that the more I think about it… the more I like it.   “It is better to be trusted than to be loved.”

I’m trying out a survey tool on FaceBook and would “love” your participation.  It’s just one question long….with a mulitple choice answer.   If you have 30 seconds please click here.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dog-Poop-Initiative/147279856204

And… as always remember to  “Make it a great day! It’s your choice.”

Kirk Out

Reading this morning from a book by Andy Andrews called “The Noticer”.   My wife brought it home last night with a bag full of other books. (Someone gave her a $100 Barnes and Noble card…talk about happiness …she loves books and book buying)  Many of you may be familiar with Andy Andrews most popular book, “The Travelers Gift”.  This book seems to be written in a similar style with a wise traveler whose name is Jones who humbly goes about offering wisdom in candid ways that help people gain great clarity around their personal accountability and the choices that they are making.(or excuses)

I just intended to flip through the book but when I started reading on page 82… I forgot about flipping and was on p 112 before I knew it.  Here are a couple highlights from those few pages.  Wish I could share the full context… (but I’ll need to read from the beginning to get that myself)

Many of life’s treasures remain hidden from us simply because we never search for them.  Often we do not ask the proper questions that might lead us to the answer to all our challenges.  We are so caught up in fear and regret, that hope seems a foolish endeavor.
Proof of hope, however is not only possible; it is an overlooked law of the universe.

… even trying during trying times, it is important to understand that such times are a normal part of life’s ebb and flow-nothing to
be too alarmed about.  After all, every one of us is always in a crisis, coming out of a crisis, or headed for a crisis.  Crisis?  That’s just a part of being on this planet.

Almost everywhere he appeared(Jones), because of his reputation for honesty and wisdom dispensed with a healthy dose of humor, a
crowd would gather to ask questions and listen closely to his answers.  Everyone seemed to emerge from those encounters with a new perspective on their situation, which allowed them to regroup, take a breath, and begin their lives again from a different point of view.  (WOW I REALLY LOVE THAT LINE… I think it’s a statement that reflects one of the most admirable traits of wise leaders and one I would suggest that we would all be wise to aspire to have and develop in ourselves)

Last bit from the book is on the importance of not dismissing the “small stuff”.

There is another character in the book who is in the habit of focusing on the big picture and letting what he considers the small stuff
take care of itself.   But the details and small stuff he is neglecting is actually what is undermining his reputation, his integrity and the very fabric of his life.  Here’s how it goes in the book.

Jones asks this character, “Have you ever heard the saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff?”

“Yes” is the response.
“Well, ” Jones said, “I’m here to tell you that you better.  See the small stuff is what makes up the larger picture of our lives.
Many people are like you, young man. But their perspective is distorted.  The ignore ‘small stuff, ‘ claiming to have an eye on the bigger
picture, never understanding that the bigger picture is composed of nothing more than - are you ready ?  — ‘small stuff.”

“Have you ever been bitten by an elephant?” Jones asked.  “How about a mosquito?”

Great book… Kirk out

I had the wonderful priviledge of being a guest on Victor Schueller’s blog radio show “Better Relationships for Work and Life”  I have provided the link below just in case you would like to hear it.  The first half of the interview is focused on the importance of Initiative and why people don’t take it.    The 2nd part of the interview is focused on communication and some of my 2012 projects …what I’m working on right now.

http://victorschueller.wordpress.com/radio/

Before you Speak… think… easier said than done…..(I meant to say that)

http://victorschueller.wordpress.com/radio-show-schedule/

Kirk Out

The Oak Tree ~ by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day.
It stole the Oak Tree’s leaves away.
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
until the Oak was tired and stark.

But still the Oak Tree held its ground
while other trees fell all around.
The weary wind gave up and spoke,
“How can you still be standing Oak?”

The Oak Tree said, I know that you
can break each branch of mine in two,
carry every leaf away,
shake my limbs and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth,
growing stronger since my birth.
You’ll never touch them, for you see
they are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn’t sure of
just how much I could endure.
But now I’ve found with thanks to you,

I’m stronger than I ever knew.

After you have taken a moment to just enjoy the poem… I’d love to hear your thoughts on these questions.

What are the winds and what are the roots?

What helps the roots go deeper?

Kirk Out

HAPPY MONDAY!  I hope you each had a most wonderful weekend.  Mine started in an urgent care unit feeling like I had been hit by a truck.  A few shots and a couple days in bed reading was just what the doctor ordered.  Lots of card games with the kids and reading made for some good memories. By Saturday I was feeling good enough to attend a special evening event with my wife and on Sunday church with the family.    I think I filled 10 pages of my leadership notebook…. it always feels great to get growing again.

A couple recent entries from my leadership notebook…

 ”It’s good to know what is true, but it’s better to be true to what we know.”  ~ Jensen

“Why we do what we do - is more important than what we do.”  ~ Fisher

My oldest daughter recently introduced me Pinterest.com where I spent far too much time while laying up.  But admittedly I enjoyed it.  And it’s where todays blog images came from.   My current image collection is at  http://pinterest.com/kirkweisler/

Finally there was a wonderful poem about an Oak Tree that the wind couldn’t blow over because of the depth of it’s roots.  I thought it was brilliant and wanted to share it with you….and will tomorrow… with a couple of questions?

In the meantime…make it a great day and when you are dealing with the rudeness of others….remember that it is coming from a place of weakness and insecurity.  Perhaps in remembering this… you can help to strengthen them.

Kirk Out

“Silent expectations are the quickest way to destroy a relationship.” Seleh Stivers

I’ve always said, “One proven method to ensure personal frustration is to expect things from people without telling them.”  (It works great on an organizational level as well.)  It’s easier to be frustrated with your kids, your family or someone at work than it is to communicate with clarity, seek mutual understanding, and obtain commitment.  That is why there is often more frustration than fruit in relationships.

Kirk out

Read a very nice blog post this morning from Michael Hyatt titled, “When you feel Overwhelmed by your work.  If you have or do, then read this piece.   http://michaelhyatt.com/when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-your-workload.html

An Apple a Day… read another piece on Apple is worth more than the nation of Greece.  It gives some interesting facts… to read it click here.   (Note)  One of the comments following the article read, “My beat up Ford Taurus is worth more than Greece because it’s paid for.”

Have you ever earned one of these cards by “butting in” ?

Let’s pretend that you had 25 of these cards and it was your job to hand one out to everyone you observed doing it.

How long would it take you to hand out all 25?

Kirk Out

This reminded me of something I was taught years ago…

“Treat everyone you meet as if they are going through a major personal crisis and at least half of the time you will be right.”

Sadly … the math seems to work. People are dealing with stuff…lots of people with lots of stuff. You know this is true because you have, you are or you know someone else who is.

Kindness… it’s a wonderful thing.

Happy Monday to you…and 2 Things I love!  First thing… this quote, the 2nd a recent interview I did for a Pink Elephant.

Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to
fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.  –V. S. Naipaul, 2001 Nobel Laureate

Next Pink Elephants…. or at least this one.  Our family was traveling and I saw this and just had to take a picture with it because of my association with a company by the same name.  Pink Elephant is the worlds oldest and largest supplier of ITIL and ITSM training and expertise.  I have been blessed to be a speaker at their annual national conference for the past 8 or 9 years.  Next month I will lead 4 sessions at their conference…and couldn’t be more excited about it.  GO PINK GO.

I tell you all of this because I recently did an interview with Guerrilla Project Management in association with this event.  The link to the interview is below.

http://www.guerrillaprojectmanagement.com/why-team-building-not-event-conversation-kirk-weisler

Let’s not be “most people” let’s increase our vision by increasing our commitment to personal and professional growth…so that we, like the elephant in the picture can see better and be better.

Kirk out

For things to change we must change however change only occurs the day we move from the desire to change to the decision to change backed by a strong internal belief system and the commitment to do what ever it takes to reach our long-term goal.  Thus the power to change tomorrow is held in the decision we make today to head down a different path and make a commitment to ourselves to stay the course.    ~ Bo Tomlyn

Stop wasting time wanting and wishing…. it’s time to decide to start doing and living.  Kirk out

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