So yesterday I mentioned that our company's management creed states "In all things behaviors drive results." But my personal opinion is that the heart drives behaviors. So what do I mean by that? Well If you look at one's behaviors and you're looking for the right behaviors, I believe you need to look at one's heart and what drives them to produce the right behaviors. What is it from their past? What is/was their relationship with their father or mother? What is their story that will impact getting the right behaviors? If you understand another person's story and why they are the way they are, you can help guide and coach them in a way that's customized to that person's heart. Knowing why they are the way they are can impact and encourage them to produce the right behaviors that will lead to the best results. As a leader I lead from the heart first and behaviors second, and this method for me is producing very good results. Think about why as a leader or an employee you see certain behaviors. If you can understand one's heart and get to know their story, you can impact their behaviors because it is a deeper, more detailed look at the why they are the way they are. Looking at one's heart for me is just one more way to lead by example and model the way.
As part of our management creed, it states, "In all things, behaviors drive results." If you watch and work on behaviors, the results will happen. If you only focus on results you will miss the best practices and behaviors needed to win. What are the top three or four behaviors or best practices needed for you to be successful and win in your current job? Knowing and executing on these at a high level can mean the difference of winning versus losing. Whenever you move into a new position or take a new job, do the job that you were hired for or asked to do. Perform at a high-level with what you've been given and you will be given more. Don't ask for more until you know and can prove to your manager or leaders in the organization that you can do what they've already asked you to do. Companies and managers today are looking for employees to come into their organization or into their new role and perform at high-level when given the opportunity. It's great to ask for more responsibility and more to do, but it's better to prove you can excel through your actions in the new role or in the new company. It may be premature to ask for more until you can show them that you can do what they've asked you to do. In relationships and even work, actions and behaviors speak louder than words. Let your actions show your abilities and your behaviors lead to excellent results, so you manager can come to you and say "well done" and give you greater responsibility and an opportunity to earn more. It's one more way to model the way by doing versus speaking. In English, instead of Latin the phrase is "Repetition is the mother of al learning." I occasionally hear people say they can't remember or recall something, or that they are struggling with a new concept. You can learn something new and remember more through repetition. Research at Cambridge University has recently demonstrated that all you need to do is see a word or group of words 160 times in 14 minutes. And even more exciting is that the scientists compared the memory traces of familiar words to the memory traces of the new words repeated 160 times in 4 minutes, and they were almost identical. So don't tell yourself that you can't, when science have proven that you can. What new thing will you learn or master this week? "Are you getting old?" my daughter asked me over dinner this past week. And I replied, "Yes I'm getting old, and so are you and your brother." Then she asked me, "Are you going to be with Jesus soon?" And I replied, "Whenever he wants to take me, but hopefully it's not for a very very very very very long time." And then she said, "I want you to stay for all days." We all get older, and like me want to stay for earthly reasons, like family. But I told my daughter that if we believe in Jesus, have and keep Jesus as our friend, then our family can be together in heaven for "all days." Decide now where you want to spend "all days" and have the discussion with your family so your entire family can spend eternity or "all days" with Jesus. It's the best step in the right direction to Model the Way for "all days." This past week I was reading the Psalms, and this verse stood out during a challenging week for me. Psalms 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." This verse speaks to my heart, head, and mouth and this looks like this is going to be my new life verse as I strive for peace within, speaking with calm assertive words, and ultimately to rely on Jesus as my Rock and my Redeemer. I was once told the words you say shows others a glimpse of your heart. I know throughout my life this has been mostly true. If my words reflect my heart, then I must die to self to rely solely on Jesus. Meditate on Jesus, not on things of this world, and watch your heart and your words reflect more like Jesus than of man/woman. Holy Bible, New International Version(R) NIV(R) Copyright (C) 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblical, Inc(R) Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Let your "Yes" be yes and your "No," no. Be a person known for keeping their word...always, no matter what. I regularly ask the sales reps on my team, "What is your backup plan?" Because sometimes they have plans of what they think will happen today and how much money they will sell, but that doesn't always happen. Even for a couple of sales reps, I ask them what their backup plan is to their backup plan. In sales, in life, and even emergencies, having a backup plan can make all the difference. In sales if you commit to sell today, let's say $1,000 and the customer you thought was going to buy the thousand dollars doesn't buy the thousand dollars. But remember, you told your manager and "committed" that you would sell a thousand dollars today, what are you going to do? Having a backup plan of where you will get the thousand dollars for example, can help you live up to your commitment to actually sell the thousand dollars. In regards to your family, if there was a fire in your house in the middle of the night would you or your family know what to do? If you live in a two-story house do you have an emergency rope ladder to get you and your family out if the fire is in the basement on the first floor? Plan today, and in some cases plan every day, to have a backup plan to make sure you can follow through on your commitments to provide a certain amount of money sales today or on the commitment to keep your family safe. Having a backup plan is one more way to model the way, follow through on your commitments, and be the brave protector for your family. Take care of your health now or pay later. Yesterday I heard about a man that one of the guys I work with knows who banked a couple of million dollars in his fast-paced high stressed job where he never spent much time focused on his health. Only to later in life have to spend a million dollars on his health to stay alive. Pay now or pay later. It's important to stop now and take care of yourself and your health and model the way for those you love. So this morning over breakfast I was joking with my daughter about her going to work today and me going to school and playing on the playground. Then my son said, "Daddy you're too old to play on the playground." And I said I am not and he said, "Yes you are." So how old is too old plan playground? I don't know. I may be too old to play in the playground, but I'm not too old to spend time and play with my kids and enjoy God's beauty all around us. Take time to enjoy the world around you and play with your kids and spend time with them, no matter how old you are. It's a great way to model the way for your kids, so they will pass on that family value to their kids. |
"Modeling the Way" BlogMark A. Watkins is a Region Sales Manager in the Midwest with Rollins, Inc. and strives to Model the Way as a Sales Leader, Teacher, Visionary, Innovator, Problem Solver, Coach and Mentor. Archives
August 2018
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