Leading by Example

Happy Thursday All,

It's that time again....your weekly reminder to think a little differently.  Have you ever told anyone?, "do as I say, not as I do."  Have you told your 16 year old kid to drive the speed limit, to only have her point out that you are driving 72 in a 55?  How about telling the players not to argue with the umpire, only to get kicked out of the game arguing a bad call (I've never done that). 

This weeks real question...do you lead by example? Are you setting the example for your team?  Does your team see you as the model?  If you are trying to grow leaders, are you leading correctly?  If you are expecting your team to be open minded to your ideas, are you open minded to their ideas?  If you want your team to keep their work place neat and organized....well?

Think about it from your teams perspective.  They are looking for a model leader to follow.  They want advice from you.  They want you to lead them.  Shouldn't you be doing the right things?  You don't look for weight loss advice from a fat doctor.  You don't ask Alex for the latest fashion trends....or hair stylist. 

What can you set an example in....not everyone can have a mind for figuring numbers as well as TJ does, but everyone can be an approachable leader.  Not everyone can schmooze as great as Kelly Long, but everyone can be polite and treat others as they want to be treated.  We can all have the dedication, the desire to learn, and whether or not you want it, the influence on others.

Go set a great example!!!

Chris

Goal Setting for the New Year

Happy Thursday All,

We have either started a new year (PAi fiscal year) or we are getting ready to start a new year (2016 calendar year).  Either way you look at it, I'm sure you have some idea of what you want to accomplish this upcoming year. You have some goals in mind.  You have great intentions...but are you good at accomplishing them each year?  Do you write them down? Have you even set your goals yet?   

Here's some questions about your goals, whether they are sales goals, cost goals, relationship goals, fitness goals,  or personal growth goals.

First, where are you right now?  This should be an easy one.  If your goal is to lose weight or become more fit, get on the scale, look at your belly, or try to run a certain distance. If you have a sales goal...fiscal year just started, you are at $0.  Make this simple.

Second, where do you want to be?  You might have a yearly goal or 2-5 year goal but a 90 day goal is extremely important.  It's far enough out that you have time to make progress, yet close enough that you can't procrastinate much.

Third, why do you want to accomplish this goal?  This might be the most important part.  Sometimes it can be out of fear...If I don't accomplish this goal, TJ is going to fire me..(don't get to excited on that one Alex).  Better, would be the positive side....I see the good of accomplishing this goal because of the increased business it will bring us helping us add secure and higher paying jobs to our team.

Fourth, how are you going to accomplish it?  Just as in the July TTT message asking why five times....ask how at least three times to get clarity.  For example, if the problem is we need more clarity...how #1 communicate more. How #2 hold each other accountable. How #3 have weekly staff meetings. How #4 show everyone how to put reminders on their calendar so everyone remembers.

How clear can you make your goals?  Do you have clear priority goals?  If you have 20 priorities, do you have a priority?

Let's all work together to make 2016 our greatest year ever.  Know where you want to be and let's move us all to the next level.

Have a great Thursday!!!

Chris

Giving Thanks for Things In Your Life

Happy Thanksgiving All,

On this wonderful day, I want you to take some time to stop and think about what you are thankful for.  I want you to think about how you would crave for these things if they weren't yours currently.  

Let me tell you one thing I am extremely thankful for in my personal life.  My wonderful wife Deanne, daughter Kori, and son Blake.  What really puts things in perspective is to think what it would be like if they were not in my life....wow, now that makes me feel even more thankful for them being in my life.

How about being thankful for things at PAi such as the fact that we are busy and growing, as opposed to slow and on a decline...layoffs, cutbacks, etc.

How about being thankful for things at PAi such as knowing we work in a culture that allows us all to voice our ideas, make changes, and help implement improvement projects.

How about being thankful for things at PAi such as feeling you work with some absolutely wonderful people.  Think about your favorite 5 people you work with....what would it be like if they all left?    

Many times people are thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.  They don't give near enough thought about the positive things in their lives currently such as family, friends, job, country, company, mentors, leaders, and health.

Take a little extra time and think differently about being thankful for the wonderful things in your lives.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving,

Chris

If You Know Your WHY, You Can Do Any How!

Happy Thursday All,

"If you know your WHY, you can do any how."  What would it be like to come to work every day and every person you come in contact with is energetic and inspired about their job?  If everyone had a mission they were on?  If everyone was working towards a common WHY?

Do you know your why?  Can you define your why?  People lose their way when they lose their why.  People are less inspired when they don't understand their why.  Knowing your purpose, knowing what you are committed to, what your vision is, these are things that get crystal clear when you know your why.

I want to work with people who's why is bigger than their why not.  I would venture to guess you feel the same.  As with all other TTT messages,  turn this around and focus on yourself...do you know your why so well that you are the energetic and inspired person?  If not, figure it out.  Believe me, knowing your why makes your job (mission) a lot more enjoyable, along with making your co-workers job much more pleasant.

"If you know your WHY, you can do any how."

Chris

What You Practice Is Who You Are

Hello Team,

What you practice is who you are.  We have all heard the term, "Practice makes perfect."  Or, "Practice makes permanent."  I was researching being a success and found a book titled, "How To Be A Success At Anything."  It had only a single page inside and was just one word long, 'practice'.? 

What is practice?  If you are getting ready to play a round of golf, you practice.  If you are going hunting, hopefully you have practiced.  What you practice, you improve.  Practice is defined as performing regularly in order to improve or maintain one's efficiency.

What is it that you are practicing?  Are you practicing making good choices?  Are you practicing your communication skills?  Are you practicing being a leader?  Are you practicing caring for other people?  Are you practicing the right things, such as your values?  Or are you practicing the wrong things, such as being lazy?

Your challenge for this week...Go out and practice your strengths.  Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong.

Have a great Thursday,

Chris

Choices Shape Your Destiny

It's Thursday, time to stop a few minutes and think about choices.

It's just one little choice....but If that little choice becomes a pattern of choices; and that pattern of choices becomes a habit; and that habit becomes a lifestyle....well then, that becomes your destiny.

What kind of choices are you making?  

Are you choosing to spend your time wisely?  You have 168 hours per week...the same as every other person in this world...why are they more productive or why are you less productive?

Are you choosing to work on intellectual growth?  What are you choosing to read?  What are you choosing to listen to?  What are you choosing to watch?  Who are you choosing to hang out with?

Are you making healthy choices?  Do you have enough energy?  Are you choosing to sleep enough?  Are you choosing to eat correctly?  Are you choosing to exercise?

This is just some things you are making choices about.  Keep in mind, we are our choices.  You are free to make whatever choice you want, but you are not free from the consequences of the choice.  Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you have made.  If you want a different result, make a different choice.

Remember, you choices shape your destiny, choose wisely.

Enjoy your Thursday,

Chris

To see past Thursday Think Tank thoughts, and this one... go to paithursdaythinktank.blogspot.com

Lean Thinking - DOWNTIME

Are you thinking lean?  You do realize thinking lean just means thinking about eliminating waste, don't you?  Can you recite the DOWNTIME acronym?  Because that will help.

Lean is about removing things that bug you.  Do Defects bug you?  How do we remove defects from our lives?

Lean is about producing only what you need, not too much.  Do you see Overproduction that we can eliminate?  Making too much food for dinner and having leftovers that won't be eaten, that is Overproduction waste.

Lean is about being efficient.  When the operation is Waiting on you to complete your job before they can do their job, that is Waiting waste.

Lean is about using our people correctly.  Do you have Non-utilized talent on your team?

Lean is about limiting Transportation.  Can we transport information or product less? 

Lean is having small amounts of Inventory.  Do you see Inventory we could eliminate?  Could be Inventory of product, supplies, equipment.....

Lean is about not having Motion wasted in a process.  Using "Point of Use" tools can really help eliminate Motion waste.

Lean is about not having Excess processing.  Can you combine a process you are doing so you don't have Excess processing?

Lean is ELIMINATING WASTE.  DOWNTIME....Defects, Overproduction, Waiting, Non-Utilized Talent, Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Excess-Processing.

Have a great Thursday,

Chris