IGNITE Coaching & Development

"It's not WHAT you say. It's HOW you say it", isn't always true. Sometimes, we focus too much on How things are being said to us ... and we miss What is being said. Let's face it, it's rare that the other person is going to say things and do things exactly How you'd like it. Chances are they were raised by different parents, in a different environment, affected by different social, religious, cultural, and financial experiences. Then, add any emotional triggers that come with a heated discussion. That's when things escalate to a counter-productive argument.
So, this week, try not to be swayed by How they're talking to you. That is only a symptom of a deeper source. Avoid that filter. Try to look and listen for the source of what they're trying to express to you. Do your best to understand the message (the WHAT) that, often times, gets lost in the HOW.

Like having 20/20 vision, this year (2020) will be about clarity, vision, and seeing things with a positive lens. Rid yourself of anything and anyone who is toxic. Those are the things that only cloud and blur your way to success.

Don't ever teach someone something, then ask, "Does that make sense?" Your syntax is wrong and you will have just undermined your credibility and placed a question mark in your student's mind as to whether you are sure about what you're saying. That phrase erodes their trust and confidence in you. It's saying, "I just taught you something, but I'm not sure if it makes sense or not!" Why would you teach someone something that you're not sure makes sense or not? Rather, say "Does that make sense to you?" I think that is what people truly mean to be asking their student.

It's, nearly, impossible to listen to what someone is saying ... while you, yourself, are talking. Listening and talking is like inhaling and exhaling. Try to do both at the same time! Near impossible, right?

If we're going to have an intelligent discussion, you'll need to listen to me ... as I have listened to you.

The best way to predict your future ... is to CREATE it!

Put the spotlight on your employees. If they look good, you look good.

"It's not the BITE of the snake that kills you. It's the VENOM that slowly courses through your bloodstream!"

Companies that don't have a structured training program will, usually, begin seeing high employee turnover, low employee morale, an increasing amount of customer complaints, and an erosion of revenue. These are warning signs, like a rattle-snake shaking its tail. Eventually, if the company doesn't heed these warnings, the snake will strike. Like venom penetrating the body, the problem becomes systemic. The company will have a very difficult time recovering.

Training is like vitamins and exercise. It's preventive maintenance. You invest in it to keep yourself healthy and to avoid problems down the road.

"Don't confuse EFFORTS ... with RESULTS"
Sometimes, employees run around looking busy like a hamster on a treadmill. But, at the end of the day ... they don't accomplish much. Although there are points given for effort, remember ... you judge an employee's performance based on their results; not how hard they work (or how hard they look like they're working). Bottom line: Are they getting the job done effectively and in a timely manner?

Just because a person doesn't agree with you ... doesn't mean they're not listening to you.

Three Steps to Reducing Stress:
1) Identify your stressors.
2) Determine which stressors are REALLY worth stressing about.
3) Work towards reducing or eliminating them.

Don't be in such a rush to run, if you've never run before. The results could be disastrous! Remember, before you can run, you have to know how to walk ... and before you can walk, you have to know how to crawl.