Expect Greatness

"Expect Greatness" has been one of my favorite mottos for a long time. In high school, while playing football, I put that on the front of my playband. Not to tell everyone else to expect that just just from me, but to tell myself that it is my job to expect greatness from my teammates, my coaches, and especially the other team. 

No good thing will ever come from underestimating yourself, your teammates/coworkers, your coaches/leaders, or your competitors/opposition (i'll let you handle the relating from here). Think about it, you can't control what others do. Sure, you can guide, motivate, and inspire, but the decision still lies with them to rise and perform to their potential. Your success will rise with the motivation that everyone else is performing at their best. Obviously you have nothing to lose, always picture others working as hard as they can, and you will see your productivity level rise. You will enjoy yourself more too!

Some of the best leaders that I have known expect greatness from their coworkers. Having that positive attitude and hope of quality in a team has motivated others in the group. Trust escalates when everyone has the expectation that all members will bring greatness to the project.

Why not expect greatness from yourself? What do you have to lose? From there, bounce out to expecting greatness from everyone you work with, and against. You will work harder, and you will see better results. 

So get out there and go to work, I expect greatness from you. Go and prove me right!

The Positive Interaction Model

How persuasive are you?

That hesitation right there means that you have room to improve. Working with people is both an art and a science. You must modify everything to the situation and the person you are talking to, but there are underlying principles to making an interaction positive. As I discussed the art of conversation, and did my own homework on them, I learned that three consecutive parts make up a positive interaction. After using myself and the staff I lead as guinea pigs, a Positive Interaction Model was born.Three easy steps to accomplish one goal:

Have Fun--> Communicate--> Appreciate-->

A positive interaction is one where you got what you wanted out of someone. They told you that you were right, they did what you asked, they gave what you wanted, they bought what you sold, they thought you were cool. Every interaction we have with another person is tailed by an expectation or a goal. Some professional and necessary, some vain and superfluous. In any case, this model works and is really more simple than one might think.

1. Have Fun

Every conversation you have must start off with a pleasant and fun beginning. Having fun can range from starting a meeting with a fun, quick game for a group, or a smile and positive attitude when you approach an individual. When you smile and have a happy demeanor, other's attitudes are also lifted. This sets the foundation with a positive attitude and that you are enjoying life, so whatever comes out of your mouth will be positive too.

2. Communicate

 Communicating effectively is all about being thorough. Everyone learns differently, and no one likes to be yelled. Feed off your initial positivity and talk to them in the easiest way for them to understand. Try "flipping the classroom" and give them the opportunity to figure out your idea without having to tell them directly. Listen as well, you can't communicate with someone you don't understand.

3. Appreciate 
Communicating takes time, and someone just spent time listening to you. That should mean the world to you. Someone stopped what they were doing to listen, thank them for that. Show your gratitude for the sacrifice they are making as they do what you asked. Thank them for hearing out your idea, and then show them that you want their feedback. Give them a pat on the back for their efforts. All of this will motivate those you communicate with to continue being on your side, and to continue to give what you expect of them.

Don't stand in your own way of getting what you want. Communicate in an energetic, thorough, grateful manner, and you will see yourself moving up as a leader.

Put yourself in their shoes, you're relying on them to give you something. Imagine what it would take for you to do it if you were in their position.

Life is All People

Life is All People.

A mentor of mine told me that, and do you know what? He is right! Think about where you are in your life at this moment, now think about where you want to be ten years from now. No matter what you're doing now, or what you want to be doing then, you are or will be surrounded by people. Every day. Whatever your goals are now, or what your creative mind might come up with in the future, your success will be undoubtedly dependent on other people. I know, I know, you are independent. You are the captain of your own destiny. But that promotion you received was given by someone, those record sales you made were received by a willing buyer. Even though you gave a great amount of effort leading up to those results, vital decisions were made by other people for you to ultimately accomplish your goal.

So what do you do?

You learn how to deal with people. You think, you prepare, you grow. As you learn more about working with people, you won't only learn how to be successful, you will see it happening automatically. Doesn't that just light a fire underneath you? Your success as a person can be magnified ten fold by learning how to deal with people.

Set yourself apart from the others and learn. Your life will be enriched, successful, and pleasant. Others will want to join you arm in arm to make great things happen, but it starts now. It starts with you learning how to deal with the people in your life.

This blog is to aid in that process.

Good Luck.

-S