Happy New Year to each one of you! I always get excited in the early months of each new year for the opportunity it represents. An opportunity to fail more, learn more, win more, grow more, do more.

For example in two weeks I'll be facilitating my first workshop in the beautiful language of French in a remote northern community of Quebec.

A sermon I heard last week triggered this question and I'm excited to share my thoughts with you. So lets talk about Mind, Heart & Feet as they relate to my adventure in Quebec and leadership in general:

Mind

My mind has been telling me alot of things. Like:

1) You can do it. You've worked in bilingual positions at Shell and managed just fine. It will be okay.

2) What are you doing! You can't do this. This is a professional speaking gig and they will expect PERFECT French. Yours my friend, is not.

Heart

My heart has been telling me alot of things as well:

1) Fear! Its been attacked by the occasional fear of failure. What happens if they do want Perfect French and I don't deliver?

2) Excitement! Here's an opportunity to connect with a people group you really like ( i have alot of French Canadian friends) and travel to a section of Quebec you haven't visited before. Awesome!

3) Excitement! At the end of this year you will be more fully bilingual in French because of your learnings in the 4 times you go there.

Feet
You likely never knew that feet talked but they do!

In my moments of fear, they've numbed and screamed stop!
In my moments of excitement they've tingled and hesitantly started to walk.

They are however bound in some boots that are moving forward. I've signed a contract to do it and I have a plane flight booked, both which are expensive to cancel. So fear or not, in February my feet will be in Mont Joli Quebec for 2 days of workshops on Behavioral Interviewing... and I know that is a good thing because the only way to learn is to do.

Mind, Heart or Feet? Which is most Important?

My experience is this: The only way to get your Mind to focus on the positive and your heart to be calmed, content and happy is to force your feet to walk and experience the learning and growth that comes from doing. Too much focus on mind and heart can block the steps required to succeed. It would be tragic to spend a life only thinking about what's possible while never having waded in or to let the fear of failure stop you from glorious and rewarding growth & achievement. Take care of people's feet and the rest will take care of itself. Its an important lesson for leaders to apply to not only their team but themselves.

So here is are a couple challenges to you:

I challenge each one of you to make 2012 the year when your feet walk into at least one thing that stretches your comfort zones and that will also be the foundation for your future growth, success & happiness.

I challenge each one of you to similarly challenge every employee who works for you to walk into something new that will be the foundation for their future growth, success & happiness.

What will that be? Only you can decide. Whatever it is, I am excited for you! I know you and they will be glad you did.

Have a great week!

David

David Benjatschek is "Your Man with the Plan for Better Teams and Better Results" . His leadership & communication workshops across North America and abroad have won wide acclaim for inspiring and equipping emerging leaders for success. about.me/yourmanwiththeplan

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Many people come into my leadership workshops more interested in strategies for dealing with their boss and management then they are for strategies to deal with their team.

When it comes to "Dealing Up" many people shy away, not having the courage to 'risk' that conversation.
Ironically backing away is the only reason that their frustrations just continue to grow.

Great things happen when we actually deal up. You need to so that your issues get resolved. Your boss benefits from the feedback they otherwise wouldn't have gotten and couldn't have reacted to.

If you want some help, I've placed a pdf guide on my website entitled:


How to Deal with your Boss: 3 Steps to Dealing Up. Click Here to Download your Copy.

Have a great long weekend! David

David Benjatschek is "Your Man with the Plan" and is passionate about helping Emerging Leaders realize their potential. Contact David re dynamic training workshops for your company: david@marketbeamer.com

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Whiners, Lazies, Bullies, Passive Aggressives, Stubborns and the list goes on. How to Deal with Difficult People is frequently a top request in many of the workshops I do. While it may seem there are unique solutions to each type of difficult person, I've found there is an underlying general approach that will give you power in most every situation.

I've put it on my website for you to download and use.

For your copy of the "Ultimate Plan for Dealing with Difficult People" pdf click here

Have a great week!

David Benjatschek is "Your Man with the Plan". David travels North America helping emerging leaders fulfill their promise. http://about.me/yourmanwiththeplan

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Alain Lacharité and his 2006 Kenworth earned their way into the 2012 Wowtrucks® Calendar while attending the Fergus Truck Show. I had the pleasure of spending a couple hours getting to know Alain, his story and taking photos in and around the Fergus and Elora area. All the chrome he's working onthis truck from Never Enough Chrome in Belleville attracted alot of attention :O)

I want your opinion:

I've posted 6 of my favorite images on www.wowtruckscalendar.com in a gallery.

I'm old enough to I know that a great truck photo means very different things to different people. Some truckers basically say "Its my truck, don't touch it!" (with Photoshop that is). Others love the effects that Photoshop can add.

Click on the link that follows, click on the gallery of 6 images and let me know by commenting on this blog: If that was your truck..tell me which image you'd want in the calendar. Number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.

http://www.wowtruckscalendar.com.temp.livebooks.com/#mi=1&pt=2&pi=11000&p=-1&a=0&at=0&pw=Alain

I can't believe the 2012 Calendar will be the 5th Anniversary Edition of Canada's Big Rig Calendar.

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In High School, I had to read the "classic" existentialist piece by Samuel Beckett entitled: Waiting for Godot. The read was as dry as a scorcher on the Arizona Desert.

The storyline, in case you haven't read it is simple:

Two guys on a park bench waiting for someone who never shows up.

Sound familiar? While the book is not on my personal all time favorite read list, it does provide an illustration of something all too common in our corporate & personal lives.

Too many of us (myself included) have spent time on the preverbial park bench waiting for someone else to fix something, for someone else to make a situation right. We sit and we stew, we sit and we stew. They, like Godot, never seem to show up to make it right and we and we alone, continue to pay a price for our silent inaction on the bench.

The cost to corporate productivity and personal satisfaction is huge.

I've seen employees grumble through 15 years of employment with a company waiting for the company to make it right for them.

I've seen family members put their lives on hold seeking the affection of another family member, only to have it never returned and have the potential of THEIR life slip away.

Any extended period of time sitting on the bench and the only person who loses is us. Realistically, the person we have expectations of isn't acting in a positive way because either:

1) Even though we assume they must, the reality is they don't know what it is we expect so don't have a chance in Lotto 649 of giving it to us.
or
2) They can't or won't do it for a number of reasons, usually none of which are personal to us.

One principle of leadership is this: You can't change people. You can however, have extraordinary influence on the people around you by changing the only thing you can change which is: YOURSELF.

It means getting off the park bench and taking personal responsibility for the things that are important to us and realizing nobody can stop us from our goals unless we let them.

It means always trying to communicate for understanding upfront to eliminate Reason 1 as to why your not getting what you want.

It means standing up for the things that are important to us and not hanging around those who don't respect that for long periods of time.

It means recognizing that if we choose to change nothing, then very likely nothing will change.

The choice is ours and ours alone. There will be tons of people willing to help once we make it, but we need to take that first step towards our goals.

So.. the question of the day is:

What are you waiting for?

Have a great week!

David

http://about.me/yourmanwiththeplan

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A-listers is a term commonly used for those elite Hollywood stars that make over $15 million per film. While I want each one of you to be an A-lister, I don't share the Hollywood definition of what it means. I think that the Hollywood definition is dangerous to us all because it defines success by monetary income/wealth or the "Stuff" we've accumulated.

For me an A-Lister is someone who is simply happy with their life because they are meeting the goals they set for themselves no matter what they are.

I consider my mother-in-law an A-Lister. As cattle ranchers in central Alberta you don't make anywhere near the money that Hollywood's A-Listers do, but it doesn't matter. Spend a day with her on her farm and you will experience and know what true happiness and peace is. You will have spent a day with an A-lister.

I want to share a secret. Most A-listers will tell you that their success comes from being an avid, die hard B-lister. This blog is about sharing with you two B lists that can be powerful in helping you achieve success in your life.

B - List #1: Your Bucket List

Made famous by the movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman (2 thumbs up from this reviewer), the Bucket List is simply a list of 10 or so things you want to do before you die or "kick the bucket". Go ahead, take a moment and jot them down. It is amazing to me, how many people are totally dissatisfied in life because realistically they do not have any goals other than to maybe "Be Happy".

The irony of happiness, joy & fulfillment is that they only come with achievement, growth, success. Having Bucket List Goals give us something to work and grow towards. They help us define success so we know when we have achieved some. A big danger in life is that we always feel incomplete as society convinces us we don't have it all yet. When you know what your Goals are you know when you've achieved success. No one can tell you otherwise.

Bucket List goals don't have to be and shouldn't be all about "stuff","things". My mother-in-law is a great A-lister example of where they are not. They can be about relationships, faith, balance, giving etc. The existence of goals though, puts purpose back in a life that may have been missing it. We all know that purpose is key to motivation.

I don't care how young you are 3, 30 or 94.. it is never too late to experience the benefits of a Bucket List! There is power in knowing what your goals are and not letting anyone sway you from them.

B - List #2: Your Baggage List

This list hasn't had any movies made about it yet but I'll consider any offers :O).

I invented the Baggage List last week during my 'Dealing with Emotions' workshops in Calgary, Edmonton & Vancouver.

The Baggage List is 5 things that are currently weighing you down and will kill you (not necessarily literally, although I think we've all seen that) if you don't deal with them!

Baggage List items kill Bucket List items because they stop us dead in our tracks by miring our focus on our problems, struggles etc. Personal Baggage Lists kill productivity in organizations.

The Great News about our Baggage List is that we don't have to solve them to drop them and continue running towards our Bucket Goals. We just need to know their is a plan in place for resolution. At that point we can drop the worry and not have it weigh us down.

One common example of a Baggage List item may be personal finances. If you are in debt for $100000 and it has you stressed out, it doesn't take a cheque for $100000 to drop it of your List.

Sitting down with a financial planner and looking at the truth of the situation and coming up with a realistic plan for financial health can drop the worry from your mind and allow you to immediately, today, start to focus on running and doing the things that will lead to your success tommorrow.

With no plan we spend most of our days consumed by worrying. Not the life I wish for any one of us.

So here's the Plan:

Write down a Bucket List and Ditch each item on your Baggage List
with a plan around it.

Here's to seeing each other on the A-List!

Have a great week.

Some Feedback from Last Week's "Dealing With Emotions" Workshops:

"I sometimes get nervous about going to these courses, mostly because of fear of meeting new people. This was the best course I have ever attended. David did a fantastic job of engaging our group. I loved it and learned so much. Thanks!"

"At first I was taken back by your very high energy levels but soon I came to realize that this was going to be one of the best learning days ever. I came away with so much great information and I wasn't bored for a second. Thank You!"


Invite David to your Organization

Contact me to bring powerful training to your organization's teams!
For Info and Pricing contact :david@marketbeamer or (403) 874-1044

http://about.me/yourmanwiththeplan

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Authenticity. Freedom to be yourself. YOURSELF .... complete with all your glorious strengths and weaknesses.

To place yourself in your authenticity is a powerful place for both corporations and individuals. I'd like to spend a bit on why it is so important for companies and how Social Media can be an important tool in finding it.

As an example, let me brag on a favorite restaurant of mine in Calgary called Marathon. Located on 10th St NW in Calgary's trendy Kensington district it serves up awesome Ethiopian fare.

A couple fundamental distinctions of Ethiopian food & culture. First, there are no knives and forks! Ethiopian ethnic delights are served up on a common platter on top of a spongy bread called Injera which you tear and use to scoop up your food. Second, Ethiopia runs on a 13 month calendar as compared to our 12 month calendar.

As with every single corporation out there, this restaurant comes with its strengths and weaknesses.

Some Strengths: Amazing & Fresh Food, Relaxed Atmosphere and Jazzy type music, Owners whose smiles and laughter could cheer up a continent.

Some Weaknesses: Their service can be slow. Parking can be limited in the area.

Whether you are happy with this restaurant will depend on your goals for going there. If you want a quick bite before heading out to a movie or play you will almost certainly end up being extremely frustrated and disappointed if not angry. If you are there for business there will be a moment of awkwardness as you both weren't quite prepared to share a platter never mind doing so with your bare hands/fingers (you can get knives and forks if you ask but by this time it may be too late!)

However, if your goal is to spend some quality time with a person you love or want to get to know better, then this is the perfect place. You won't feel the rush to vacate your table for the next "shift". The slowness of service won't matter as you fully engage in conversation with your partner over a glass of wine and some relaxing music. The wait will seem worth it when you taste this fresh and fantastic fare with its complex flavours from spicy berbere dishes to comfort food lentil based creations all brought together perfectly by a sweet vinegar salad that refreshes your palette for every next bite. As your hands cross the platter to gather your next mouthful it brushes against your partner's hand which is reaching for something on your side. You get the picture... It can be incredible.

I think the danger for business comes when we try to be everything to everyone. Marathon's long term success will come in marketing itself simply for what it is. Unique flavors, Great People and a leisurely dining experience. I think there is a huge market in any city for that.

When we figure out our authenticity as a business, our authenticity being our strengths and the real, true experience customers will have when they engage us in our environment, great things happen.

a) We attract people looking for what we have to offer and we can just be relaxed and genuinely ourselves in serving them. A fundmental truth in managing people is to know that fundamentally people don't change. If you are constantly trying to be someone else in your life as a business, it will be a tough road.

b) We push away potential clients who would only be dissatisfied and angry with our products and services. You cut down on the huge cost of trying to service that segment of our customer base today and you don't have them walking out of your business telling 10 friends about how crappy your product/service/business is.

Here's where I believe every business needs to leverage the power of Social Media. You see in the old days that dissatisfied customer would talk to those 10 friends over the phone. You couldn't see it, hear it which meant you couldn't react to it. My experience as a Retail Manager suggests that 9 out of 10 dissatisfied customers leave your store and never come back without ever confronting you on your issue (giving you a chance to make them happy).

Today, instead of talking to 10 friends on the phone, they are talking to thousands of friends on the Web! While the viral nature of web reviews and comments seem daunting, it actually should be viewed as an opportunity.

You see in the old days you couldn't react to the complaining because you didn't hear their phone conversations. Today, whether your company has a formal presence in Social Media or not, it doesn't stop the public from talking about you in these channels.

The opportunity is to listen. Google Alerts, for example lets you have Google keep an eye out for any new entries on the Web that contain search terms which you define. One of them should be your company or product name and any shortforms of it. When new "discussions" appear on the web, Google emails you automatically and points you to it.

You may or may not like what you hear but feedback is the essence of any businesses growth and it will be powerful in helping you define your authenticity in the eyes of your customer base (which is often different then what we see it as). Your authenticity will then allow you to be targetted with the search tags and keywords you use in helping the right audience find you.

If it is on average 10 times more expensive to attract a new customer then retain an old one then you should delight in your new ability to respond to these customer concerns and potentially turn bad experiences into raving fans for your business.

I encourage you to start embracing various Social Media platforms for the opportunity it gives you to find your authenticity. My last thought: "You may be able to eak out a living outside of your authenticity, but you will find LIFE when you dare place yourself in it."

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/workshop facilitator who works with Emerging Leaders to set them up for success. http://www.about.me/yourmanwiththeplan

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My tickets to Ontariio are booked! The government is making sure I can actually take the Air Canada flight booked .. A rental car and the 401 are waiting.. All is good with this photographer:O)

Now its just taking in Fergus and Rodeo du Camion, meeting some great people, picking out some winning trucks for the Wowtrucks® Calendar and having a blast! I can't wait to meet the men/women behind the trucks that win their way into the calendar and tell their story ... that is personally, the biggest reward for doing the calendar.
The 2012 calendar will be the 5th annual Big Rig Calendar featuring some of Canada's best.

Feel free to follow Wowtrucks and get updates and photos from the shows:

twitter: www.twitter.com/wowtrucks
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Wowtrucks/98747897834Have a great summer! David

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The art of giving Effecitve Feedback is a crucial skill for success both in the workplace & at home. I

Gather your team around a speakerphone and join us May 19th @ 1 pm EST for a powerful 30 minute teleseminar entitled: S.O.T. After Feedback: Taking the Fear out of Giving Feedback to Others.

Registration is complimentary. Click Here to be taken to the Event Information and Registration Page

David Benjatschek is your Man with the Plan for Better Teams and Better Results. david@marketbeamer.com

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Supervising Friends and Teammates you used to work alongside with can be great or it can be challenging.

Click the link below to be taken to a 4 minute Youtube video where I look at one key element to successfully managing friends and former colleagues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8IpftYk8-c

David Benjatschek is "Your Man with the Plan for Better Teams and Better Results"
www.marketbeamer.com david@marketbeamer.com

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Here is a question I heard this weekend for all you Leaders, Managers & Supervisors out there:

Does your team see you as a Person or do they just see Power?

If they see you as a Person they are much more likely to trust, respect and succeed for you. If they only see Power they may reclude into an environment of fear, hiding, hesitancy and failure.

Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric once said the secret to his success was "When I get power, I give it away"

Jack, by his 40 year distinguished track record shows that he gets it.

A leader's job is to lay down clear and challenging expectations of their people and equip them for success. Great leaders, once they've done that, let go. Yes they are there for advice, counsel and equipping but they won't just take over the game from an employee when they struggle.

The power of consequences, not the power of position will help protect the interests of the company, department and team of getting things done and done right.

That's great news because as a leader it takes the pressure off. Cheer them on, equip them with expectations and tools and give them the power to decide their future. That lets you present yourself as a person who cares about their success and wants to dialogue on how to continue to make it happen.

When employees own their future .. great things happen. Most Owners try not to let a business fail.

Have a great week!

David
"Your Man with the Plan" for Better Teams and Better Results.
www.marketbeamer.com

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I've spent a lot of time over the past few years helping clients build better teams for better results. You are invited to RSVP your attendance to a powerful 45 minute Team Building teleseminar on Thursday March 3 at 1 pm EST.

I'll be sharing 3 Secrets to get Employees to play on the same team. The teleseminar is 45 minutes followed by a Q&A of up to 15 minutes.

Join Us! RSVP by Clicking Here.

David Benjatschek is "Your Man with the Plan for Better Teams & Better Results"
email: david@marketbeamer.com

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The best definition of recreation I've heard is assessing whether an activitiy "recreates" your energy. For people who have physically demanding jobs it might mean taking a break to exercise their thought with a good book or conversation. For people who sit alot during the day it definitely should look like a killer game of squash with a friend or a good workout at the gym.

When you are constantly on the road that often seems difficult. Good News: I just read a Facebook piece that announced that Travel America and Petro Travel Plazas are introducing fitness centres at various locations across the States testing to see driver response and uptake.

I think its a great idea and a big step forward in providing professional drivers with the services they need and can use while on the road.

Survey!: What specific truckstop locations come to mind for you in providing the best and most complete driver services offer in your travels across Canada and the USA?

Safe travels!

David

Have you checked out Canada's Big Rig Websites? www.wowtruckscalendar.com www.wowtrucks.com

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Listening is one of those skills you can never be too good at.

If I asked each of you to quantify the cost that miscommunications drive in your company I know I would get back some very large numbers!

You can start an effective listening revolution in your company. Follow the link below to a short clip on Youtube of me presenting in Missouri for Rockhurst University around the power of reflection in helping you listen for understanding and all the benefits that brings with it. Listening Skills are a big part of the two day Leadership Boot Camps I run for First Time Managers looking for a Great Start and/or Experienced Managers looking for a Fresh Start.

Click Here for a 3 minute training clip on Effective Listening

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/workshop facilitator in the areas of Leadership & Communication. He brings powerful training workshops to companies that set up New Managers/Supervisors for a Great Start and helps experienced Managers/Supervisors get a Fresh Start. Contact David more info: web - www.marketbeamer.com or email: david@marketbeamer.com

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This is your opportunity to make 2011 the Year of Choice.

One principle I've learnt over the years is this:

EVERYTHING in life will be managed.

If I don't manage something then there are hundreds & thousands of people/things that will manage it for me.

If I don't cut my lawn , the City of Calgary will eventually cut it for me (at the small fee of $250)

If I don't manage my budget, my bank will offer to "tide me over" with the credit card they sent me. (at 28 percent interest)

If I don't manage the use of my time, the great news is there are a multitude of people out there who will. (I'll meet their goals, not necessarily mine)



The lesson is that many of us are paying a heavy emotional & financial price for not addressing the choices we need to make in life.

The beginning of a New Year represents an awesome opportunity to starting making choices in those areas of our job/life that remain unresolved. It is our chance to manage something positively before it will be managed by someone else at a high cost.

From a leadership perspective I've narrowed it down to 5 choices we all need to make to become effective leaders. Stay tuned for much more information on my book "A Game of Choice: 5 Choices to Effective Leadership" and the workshop that follows.

Happy New Year! I wish all of you every success in 2011.

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/workshop facilitator in the areas of Leasdership & Communication. www.marketbeamer.com (403) 874-1044

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Its Election Day in the USA.

A poll yesterday suggested that today 80 percent of those Americans who plan to switch their vote from Democrat to Republican in the US Mid Term Elections don't actually believe the Republicans will do a better job. In essence they just seem intent on making SOMEONE "PAY" for the current economic status of their country.

The poll shocked me at first but points to a sad reality. Most everyday, I see people around me wasting away their chance at life with a capital "L" . They are busy blaming their circumstances on everyone and everything else instead of using that same time to make the positive choices that would turn their circumstances around.

Every once in a while I catch myself trending in that same direction. It is the road more easily travelled.

The truth is that every morning each one of us goes to the polls on the issue of what direction we'll take that day. In Canada, other than required respect for Taxes and our Criminal Code of Canada no one can make your choices for you unless you let them.

So Please. Please. Please. On each and every Election Day:

Cast a ballot for yourself.

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/trainer in the areas of Leadership & Communication. Contact David by email at david@marketbeamer.com or through his website: www.marketbeamer.com.

Continue reading "Who will you Vote for?" »

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"Next week is our launch week for a new year. There will a BBQ, fun and some pretty average preaching. So please invite your friends."

That was the ending appeal to our church service this past Sunday morning. No disrespect to the pastor who delivered it, he's a great guy and I didn't disagree with the true intent in which it was given (making sure people feel comfortable to hear an important message).

None the less I found myself strongly reacting to the word AVERAGE. It hit me like a boxer's blow to the gut.

Personally, I've come to dislike the word AVERAGE. So let me rant..

AVERAGE??? I refuse to settle for AVERAGE. I can't get excited about AVERAGE. I don't eat AVERAGE. I don't dream about AVERAGE. I've never chased AVERAGE. If I all i can look forward to is AVERAGE then I might as well just stop trying, stop dreaming, stop chasing, right now."
In the domain of leadership, both corporate & personal, aiming for average is a death sentence even if the accountant doesn't officially close your books and take down the neon OPEN sign on your business door.

A leader once said the formula to motivation is simply the existence of inspiring goals and having some tools to help us reach them. If our goals are simply average (while that sounds good on some days), how much motivation can there be? What is there to look forward to?

As humans we are motivated by achievement which can only come with challenge and growth. Our growth is fueled and enhanced by the sting of our failures along that way.

Despite the recent recession, the fact remains Canada's economy is heading for a severe labor shortage and "Please invite your friends" is going to become the Human Resource call of many companies. The question is will they come and want to stay? Will your organization or your team be an attractive place to work?!

If your leadership style settles for AVERAGE, don't count on it.

p.s.

If you are tired of average and want something better for your team & your life: Register for one of the upcoming 1st Time Managers Leadership Two Day Boot Camps.

Calgary's Workshop is just around the corner: September 14 & 15 at the Glenmore Inn and Convention Centre.

Click here to download the Fax Registration Form - or -
Register by Phone at (403) 874-1044.

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There are a thousand great books out there helping us with perspectives on leadership. A lot of them are worth our time reading. I do believe that knowledge is obviously an important component of setting up newer managers for success or in helping existing managers succeed in creating teams that are hard working, energetic, committed and that win.

I think it is a huge mistake though to think that knowledge is the only ingredient in the "Great Leader" recipe.

I've had a growing number of industry managers tell me lately that they are disappointed in the lack of performance from people they hired whose knowledge credits were stacked high and wide. (University degrees, Dale Carnegie, Post Education Certificates etc).

While knowledge is important (I'm not knocking any of the above. they are very valuable), in my experience it isn't always enough to be a successful leader.

In my experience, the often overlooked ingredient to turn people into Effective Managers & Leaders is a few cups of Courage.

That is where the upcoming 1st Time Manager's 2 Day Boot Camps in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver set themselves apart.

Over the years, my leadership classes have been filled with great people who come to realize that they know what they need to do about the situations they are in. Knowledge in reality is not the problem.

What they really need is the courage to walk through the fear of addressing issues with people, communicating both up and down the company ladder, risking conflict: All things they'll need to do to deal with the situations they have.

I understand that. Its a huge issue in today's workforce and its holding a lot of Canadians back from what life would have for them.

I don't want fear to ever stop you from achieving your best.

So, on top of laying down 2 days packed with the knowledge you'll need to be a great leader, motivate teams, manage performance, communicate for clarity, handle change etc...

We'll also deliberate on the fact that Courage is essential and comes with A.G.E., which is not what it seems. (If it was, my wife tells me I should have more than enough)

Mark these dates on your calendar and register to reserve your spots today! Click on the city most convenient for you to access a fax registration form.

Calgary: September 14-15, Glenmore Inn & Convention Centre
Edmonton: November 3-4, Holiday Inn Express Downtown
Vancouver: November 29-30, Burnaby Hilton

Click here for a more detailed Workshop Info Sheet
Special Offer (for registrations before September 10): Register 2 people and bring a 3rd for free!

If you want a new lease on life and practical tools to launch your success, sign up and we'll see you in one of those great cities.

Do you have more than 10 employees that you'd like to take this training? I can cost effectively bring this training direct to your organization. Contact me for more info. david@marketbeamer.com or (403) 874-1044.

Here's to your success!

David
www.marketbeamer.com
david@marketbeamer.com

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I don't know about you, but fear has and can stop me in my tracks. I retreat back into myself like a deer in headlights.

It is interesting to note that Fear as an acronym stands for:

False
Emotions
Appearing
Real

Consider the following scenarios:

1) Your Boss hasn't said anything about the project you just completed

Fear: They hate your work.
Truth: They are as run off their feet as you are. They love the fact they can count on you to do what needs to be done. They just haven't had the time to say it.

2) A Co-Worker keeps messing up and is impacting your ability to do your job

Fear: They are an idiot and perhaps doing it on purpose to make your life miserable.
Truth: They ARE an idi...(I knew you'd be saying that!)
Real Truth: They likely never truly understood what your expectations were (there are 1240 reasons why this may happen). Magically, once you take the time to actually clarify expectations they will very likely start meeting them.

So it points us to how we can use FEAR powerfully in our lives. FEAR is simply a call for ACTION. It is a trigger that should motivate you to clarify, communicate, act through something.

After a "How to Deal with Difficult People" seminar, a woman came up to me , thanked me for the class, and asked me if there was an advanced session because she had a really difficult person to go back and deal with.

I encouraged her that there was and that it was free! The advanced class is called experience. I challenged her to go back with the tools she did get from the workshop, walk through her fear and just talk to that person.

Experience will show her that rarely is it as bad as she feared.

Experience will show her that when things are finally said they get dealt with.

Experience will show her that when things are dealt with, people breathe easier and teams succeed.

Experience will make her better each time she encounter similar scenarios.

Experience will continually build her courage in the face of her fears.

It can do the same for you. What lies are you still telling yourself today? What fears are stopping you in your tracks? You now know what to do.

WARNING!: You'll be adding Experience to your resume... but that's always a good thing.

Looking for help with what to say and how to say it ? Don't miss the
1rst Time Managers Two Day Boot Camp in either Calgary or Edmonton. You'll learn 4 ways to successfully give feedback, even in the most stressful of situations. You'll also get an opportunity to practice it. See below or to the left for more details and links to registration.


David
Contact: (403) 874-1044 or david@marketbeamer.com

Continue reading "FEAR: Use it!" »

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Life is hard. Get over it.

My father is 85 years old and last week while attending a family wedding in Toronto suffered a mini-stroke or T.I.A. While not a major stroke it has required him to move from his "Seniors Complex" to a higher care facility. It is another blow in a storied life, that on the surface, hasn't been kind to him.

My father, born in Eastern Europe lost his mom when he was a very young boy. He wasn't treated very well by his step mother and at age 16, he got dragged into the horrors of WW2 avoiding the mass graves that claimed the bodies of so many of his friends in the Russian work camp that took 4 years of his life.. He came to Canada with nothing but his clothes and an insatiable work ethic. He lost my mom when she was only 51 and lost my step-mom to cancer 15 years ago.

Don't feel to sorry for him. He doesn't feel sorry for himself. A lot of people, given his history, would allow him that, but he's never gone there.

My father knows two things:

1) Life is Hard

and

2) Life is so Incredibly Good

His focus has always been on #2 and he has lived a life that is rich & fulfulling despite the enormous challenges he has faced.

It begs all of us to ask the same question: Do we fundamentally believe life is good or do we believe life is hard?

The truth is we will get what we focus on.

If we fundamentally believe life is hard, don't be surprised if it turns out to be. It will be hard every moment of every day.

If we fundamentally believe life is incredibly good, it doesn't eliminate/solve some of the hardships we'll face. They just don't matter as much. They won't bog us down. We'll learn from them and move on to receive the good things life has for us.

As a leader in your organization and your family, your focus will determine your destiny.

So my question is: What does YOUR future look like?

Today is a great day to start focusing on something good.

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/workshop facilitator and rock star change agent. Visit his website at www.marketbeamer.com

Continue reading "Life is Hard. Get over it." »

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I liked the fact that James took the time to get the discussion rolling on pristine fleets out there.

As per a previous blog , my speaking travels gave me the chance to spend a weekend in Winnipeg a couple weeks back. I spent 2 great days on special shoots for Mark Brandt Trucking, Rik Dhaliwal and a visit to the prestigious, mystical "Winnipeg Cabover Club".

Here's your chance to take a peek at a couple of those shoots.

For photos of the 4 Kenworth Cabovers click on the link below:

http://www.windows2thesoul.com.temp.livebooks.com/#mi=1&pt=2&pi=11000&p=-1&a=0&at=0&pw=cabover

If you have a Cabover, feel free to leave the year, make and town in which its at in the comments. Tell us your story!

Mark Brandt has one of the nicest fleets anywhere. This is a guy who takes pride in what he does. To check out the photo shoot of one of his Petes click on the link below:

http://www.windows2thesoul.com.temp.livebooks.com/#mi=1&pt=2&pi=11000&p=-1&a=0&at=0&pw=lasvegas

Full stories on Mark Brandt and the Kenworth Cabover Club will be subject of future wowtrucks.com emails. If you'd like to subscribe, send an email from the email you wish to get them at to david@wowtrucks.com with the title "subscribe". I promise I won't bombard you. Usually 1 to 2 emails are sent each month honoring cool things in Canadian Transport.

To all you "pristine" fleets out there. Keep doing what you do!

David

P.S. As Rick Mercer would say.. If you find yourself in Central Alberta this weekend... why don't you check out the Pro-Trucker Alberta Big Rig Weekend at Westerner Park in Red Deer.

Continue reading "In Praise of Pristine Fleets: Part Deux" »

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A couple weeks ago an experience taught me the value of being flexible around expectations I have.

I was flying into Winnipeg and then driving to deliver a couple workshops on Conflict Management in Sioux Lookout Ontario.

I speak in Winnipeg usually twice a month and my rental with National Rent a Car on a previous trip was this great Volvo coupe. It had it all, or so I thought: stylish, sunroof, great handling, the most ergonomic seats I'd ever ridden in.. it was just one of those cars that makes you feel good.

So with the prospect of a 5 hour drive to Sioux Lookout and then 5 hours back to Winnipeg I did something I had never done before: I phoned the Winnipeg Airport Location in advance and placed my preference for a Volvo with them. They noted it and said that if one was available it would be mine.

So the Sunday came and I arrived in Winnipeg excited about my drive. I approached the counter and introduced myself to the gentleman behind it. He gathered my file, looked up and said: "Mr Benjatschek, I see here you requested a first class car for your long trip today. We are going to deliver that for you. Unfortunately none of the specific Volvos you requested have been returned to us but I am going to place you in a Luxurious Ford Taurus."

Sorry Ford , but the first thought that came to my mind was "isn't putting Luxury and Ford Taurus in the same sentence an oxymoron?!!"

Suspiciously, I took the keys and started to walk toward the lot, all along pondering what I was going to say when I discovered a Plain Ford Taurus and went back inside to call his bluff and ask for a different car.

As you might guess, I never went back inside. All that I can say is: Ford.. You've changed!!

Getting to my car I didn't see the plain jane ride I was expecting but instead discovered a very stylish sedan with an ultra comfortable leather interior, sunroof and Satellite Radio.. a must for driving the rolling hills of Hwy 17 North. I wasn't the only one who thought it was a great car .. I stopped for a Tim's on the way out of Winnipeg and when I came back out of the store with my coffee there was a group of men standing around my rental car and quickly asking: "is this baby yours?"

The ride was smooth and I went there and back on ONE TANK of GAS. Incredible.

This was not the FORD Taurus I knew.

Sometimes when we stubbornly insist on previous expectations we miss out. Had I balked at the Taurus based on previous impressions without taking the walk to check it out I would have missed out on a great car that was perfect for my trip to Sioux Lookout and gut roll laughing to Blue Collar Comedy all the way out.

I don't know what things are stuck in "automatic" in your life. Things around which you've made up your mind, have definite opinions, people you like and people you don't like. Can I challenge you that things change and to step back from a few of them and ask "What's New?" You deserve the best. Sometimes its just a question away.

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/ workshop facilitator in the areas of Leadership & Communication. Visit his website at www.marketbeamer.com.

Continue reading "Ditch Your Expectations!" »

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I finally figured out why they call our parliament the "House of Commons". Its always seemed an ironic name to me. Watch even 20 minutes of Parliament on TV and you'll soon realize our political parties share very little in common. But I've finally figured it out...

It turns out that the Conservatives, Liberals and NDP and their followers seem to share this one thing in common: a mistrust of BIG.

Canadians on the political left tend to have a mistrust or dislike of Big Business.
Canadians on the political right tend to have a mistrust or dislike of Big Government.

So no matter where you are on the political spectrum it is a great time to remind yourself of the power of one (one being you) in your relationship with Big.

Here are 4 fundamental truths regarding your relationship with BIG:

1) As Big Wins so do you.

2) As Big Loses so do you.

1 & 2 provide compelling reasons to give our best in each area of our life. Give your best to your company, your family, pay your fair share of taxes etc. You will never lose always committing your best.

3) As You Win so does Big.

4) As You Lose so does Big.

3 & 4 speak to the inherent interest BIG has in meeting your needs to keep you growing as a productive member of their "society/company".

If you are giving your all to BIG and are unhappy about the environment they are providing, they need to know about it. You need to ask for what you need and what you want.

You'll be shocked with how many times getting changes to make it a more fulfilling place to be is simply a matter of spitting it out, saying it, asking the question! If you don't , if you keep it inside and grow an attitude of disgruntlement you are going to waste a whole bunch of your time and BIG loses as you lose the motivation to provide your best.

So.. what to do?:

1) If your government is not giving you what you need and want, be active in asking for change. Participate in democracy. If they don't after that, use the power of your vote to elect someone else. (kick the bums out, as certain members of my family would say).

2) If your company is not giving you what you need and want, be active in asking for it. If they don't after that, ask yourself a simple question:

Do I stay or Do I go?

If the issue is minor and you can honestly drop it without carrying a grudge. i.e you might say "If this is the worst thing about my job I LOVE where I work" .. then stay.

If you can't drop it and are going to be fundamentally disgruntled then the best feedback they can receive are your heels leaving the door for an environment that will meet your needs.

Ultimately BIG draws it power from the power of its people.

Just like our country: Canada. Canada is BIG.

We have many strengths:

1) An abundance of Natural Resources
2) A variety of stunning landscapes
3) More fresh water than the rest of the world combined.

But for all the inherent strengths of the land in which we live, Canada's biggest strength has been, is, and will always be its PEOPLE. That's YOU and ME. We're not BIG but we can be powerful.

My conclusion: BIG can be great, as long as each of us stands up for ourselves. After all, BIG is simply the sum total of a bunch of ones.

David Benjatschek is an award winning trainer/speaker in the areas of Leadership & Communication. Check out his website at www.marketbeamer.com or contact him by email: david@marketbeamer.com. Check out "Whats New" on the website for details of two powerful workshops hitting Canada later this summer & fall: 1) First Time Managers Two Day Boot Camp and 2) Prioritize and Organize for Success. Early bird rates for registrations by May 15th.

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Many of you have heard that Alberta is introducing a "Distracted Driver" law this fall. What "distraction" means is at the judgment call of the officer watching you. It may be for talking on your hand held cellphone. It could also be for flossing your teeth or trying to balance a Wendy's Combo Meal on your lap while also navigating the road.

This past week I would have been guilty as charged!

The culprit: My new electric shaver.

The story: A great reminder of an important leadership principle for personal and team growth.

Before you lynch me: I wasn't trying to shave as I was driving (although I have witnessed that).

I recently bought my first electric razor. While saving on the costs of a $3 disposable blade that might last 4 shaves is great, I have to confess it has taken a bit to get used to.

With the old disposable blade, one swish line around my face and the hairs in my blade's path were gone. With the electric shaver, I'm finding I'm having to take 3, 4, even up to 10 swipes at those same stubborn hairs to get the same result.

So on Thursday of this past week I was at home getting ready to deliver a Supervisors Workshop in Calgary. I spent around 5 minutes swerving my new electric shaver around my face... straight paths up, straight paths down and circular motions. After about five minutes, it looked like I had achieved the desired result: a clean-shaven face!

I was a happy camper until having left our neighbourhood, I glanced in the rear view mirror of my car. Thursday was a fantastically sunny day in Calgary and to my horror (and distraction) the brilliant light of the sun combined with the magnification of the rear view mirror exposed a few things that the dimmer lighting of my bathroom had not. Like:

Two hairs that stood out like pine treees between my upper lip and my nose.

The equivalent to a Red Wood Forest growing beautifully on the left side of my face just under the chin bone and many seedlings still emerging at various and random spots on my face.

I felt like i would have been better cast as a creature in a horror film that day than as a professional trainer of a management workshop. I had to buy a disposable blade on the way and finish what I had started with my electric razor.

The experience reinforced a great management principle to me:

Everyone on your team (including you) is coming to your workplace with their strengths (perfect shave) and weaknesses (my less than perfect shave).

Great individuals and teams are not afraid to shine the full light of the sun on both of them. As a a leader, you know that when team members can feel free to openly share their strengths and weaknesses, you can put each individual in a position to succeed and use their strengths. The strengths of one team member will cover the weakness of another and vice versa. Overall the team is put in the best position to win.

After all, it is only when we are truly comfortable looking at who we really are today that we can create a powerful vision and plan for the person or team we want to be tomorrow.

Happy Shaving! just not while driving please :O)

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/trainer and rock star change agent whose Leadership & Communication Workshops span across North America. Two new powerful public workshops will be hitting Ontario & Alberta this summer and fall. For details on the First Time Manager's Two Day Boot Camp or Prioritize and Organize for Success CLICK HERE. You can reach David by email: david@marketbeamer.com

Continue reading "The Sun and a Clean Shave: A Great Principle for Leaders and Managers." »

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I wish two things for you this year:

1) More Cargo in your Truck
2) Less Cargo in your Head

You know what cargo in your truck looks like.

So what is cargo in your head?

It is all the stuff that is weighing on your mind (maybe for years now) that you haven't sat down and dealt with. Only you know what cargo you are carrying in your 'noggin.

Cargo in your truck leads to revenues. Thats great.

Cargo in your head is costing you big time. Until you sit down and deal with the stuff that is consuming your thoughts you can't possibly focus on doing the things that will bring you success. As you aren't focused, the things you need to worry about keep piling up.. until it seems life is out of control.

What does Head cargo look like? Here's a few examples with a suggested solution:

1) Bad Finances: Solution - A Plan. Sit down with the planner and work out a plan that is feasible. One that allows you not to be constantly worried about them.

2) Bad Relationships at Work/Home: Solution - Feedback. If you aren't getting what you need from someone at work or are hurt/angry with them, they need to know. Don't attack them personally , just tell them how you feel and the specific behaviours that caused that feeling. Then you can ask them to change. When you let your feelings out.. the cargo gets a whole lot lighter, no matter how they react.

3) Uncertainty: Solution: Plan. Change is ever increasing in our lives and that isn't going to stop. When you walk into a period of uncertainty having a plan for even the worst case scenario.. you can breathe easier and just focus on making the best of the new world.

The question I always ask myself is: When am I going to be fed up enough with being fed up or angry or worried or distressed to finally do something about it?

Today is a great day to take a step towards dealing with those things that are weighing you down. Free yourself up for success.

Heres a toast to tons of extra cargo in your trucks this year and way less in your head!

Thats a great plan.

David Benjatschek is an award winning speaker/trainer/coach in the areas of Leadership & Communication. Contact him through his website www.marketbeamer.com or by email: david@marketbeamer.com The 2010 course guide is now downloadable from the website. Check out great training brought straight to your teams.

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99 percent of Canadians are either satisfied or really satisfied with the results delivered by Canadian athletes at the recent Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. While the "Own the Podium" program overarching goal of being the number 1 country with medals wasn't reached, our record breaking 14 gold medals and the other incredible stories brought out by the Games had Canadians pumping their chests like I've never seen them pump them before. I've lived in many different regions of our great country and medals were coming out of all of them.

The "Own the Podium" program is a good chance to reinforce a couple key leadership principles:

1) People achieve more under greater expectations than with less. Our previous contentment with PBs or Personal Bests was radically challenged when we said we would Own the Podium in Vancouver. The new Goal was specific, measurable and repeated over and over and over so that noone could possibly not understand it. So much so that you could see that our athletes started to believe it. That is a key foundation to success. If we don't believe we can do something .. we very likely will never achieve it. What does your team at work truly believe they can accomplish?

2) The goals were resourced. Through both increased goverment funding and private donations the level of funding of our athletes rose to unpredecented levels. Funding for the best technology. Funding to allow the athletes the ability to focus on their goal and not have to work 2 part time jobs to support it. As a leader, one of the best things we can do when we give employees is to check up front if they have the resources at their disponsible to be successful.

Two years ago I was the local Flying J here in Calgary and spotted a retro Team Canada Jersey that I thought was really cool. What was even better was that this high quality jersey was only 19.99 when all the other jerseys around it were 50 bucks! I bought it. While I've got the odd compliment here and there..they rank nothing like the 3 offers to purchase that I had as I travelled from the Calgary airport to Winnipeg just after the Games, to begin a week of speaking.

Don't back off having expectations of the people around you and then setting them up for success. Success can be a ton of fun when it brings a nation, community or company together. It also attracts more success. Funding for the Own the Podium program for future Olympics got doubled in our most recent federal budget..one otherwise known for it's goal of freezing costs.

David Benjatschek is an award winning trainer/speaker in the areas of Leadership & Communication with a 15 year track record dealing with the Canadian Transport sector. Workshops include Supervisory/Leadership, Dealing with Diffucult People, Presentation/Communication and Priority Management. Visit www.marketbeamer.com or email David: david@marketbeamer.com for more info

Continue reading "Own the Podium" »

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A couple weeks ago I laid helpless in my dentist's chair with a power drill down my throat. Rob, my dentist of several years and a towering figure launched into something he was obviously very convicted about that day.

“Dave, I really don't have any guilt charging you today. We're renovating our house and I just got the designer's invoice and wow.. he's sure not afraid to billl” No matter what I thought of his outburst, I wasn't in a position to argue.

Ironically and thankfully Rob's designer launched a curious and positive chain of events. Because the designer wasn't afraid to charge, Rob had no trouble charging me and Rob's Power Drill Manifesto affected me later that day as I went to quote a prospect I really wanted.

You see the temptation would have been for me to go in with as low a price as possible with the reward being that I might actually make some money down the road with more business. Rob's manifesto reminded me to just ask for what I was worth.

Getting what you are worth. What a concept.

For many of us it may seem like some sort of far off dream.

It is a concept that so many business people that attend my Communication & Leadership seminars struggle with.
It is a concept I have to keep myself honest with on a daily basis.
Having served the Transport Sector for close to 20 years I also recognize it as one of the primary issues that needs to be addressed in for a return to health of this vital sector in Canada's economy.

Let's face it, the consequences of not getting what you are worth are many:

Loss of Self Esteem

Anger

Frustration

Financial Struggles both on a corporate and personal level

and biggest of all: a Negative Attitude.

A negative attitude to those suppliers or clients we feel aren't treating us as well as they should be which spirals us into a negative and toxic relationship.

I have to always remember this personal and corporate truth:

I am always in control. No one can undervalue me unless I let them.

I am extremely fortunate to mingle with some positive leaders each and every year in the concept of getting what you are worth in the Transport sector. They are many of the men and women who win their way into the annual Wowtrucks® Calendar I photograph and produce. Wowtrucks® is my way of combining two personal passions, photography and people.

I take 3 trophy winners from each of the 4 major show n shines across Canada each year and together they form Canada's Big Rig Calendar. The calendar, even more importantly than showcasing really cool trucks also showcases really cool people. To me the image of the truck is simply a portrait representation of that person. Your clients/prospects get images of your truck(s)/fleet every day. What do those images say about you or your company?

Many of the Owner Operators who win their way into the calendar are not afraid to ask for what they are worth and they tend to get it. Yes, they are not completely immune to swings in the economy, but even in tougher times they are still making more than their counterparts who don't get the concept of asking for what you are worth. In tougher times, they may make more than their competitors as they may choose to do less, and not accept business that is demanding them to work for far less than they are worth.

Here's the chain of events that are common to their stories:

1) They take pride in their Rig and their fleet.

2) Customers start to associate that with pride in a job well done.

3) They deliver on their promise. Loads delivered on time, safely by drivers who are happy to be there and care about the client.

4) Long term positive relationships form and clients recognize the value of dealing with them.

5) That value translates past a $ per mile cost and they aren't under the same constant pressure to match bottom market pricing at all times that their peers are under.

6) Because they feel valued they continue to take pride in their Rig and Fleet

7) Go to Step 1

At this point I know a few of you will be thinking to yourself “Earth calling Dave! Earth calling Dave! Nice on paper buddy but my clients will never pay me what I think I'm worth and there's not a thing I can do about it. If I don't take the business at those lower rates there's another company that will in a heartbeat.” I hear you and reality says that that all to frequently you are absolutely right.

And while the answer is slightly more involved than the straight forward path I'm going to suggest: The basic solution path I would encourage you with is:

*Provide value to your clients (1000's of ways to do this aside from cost per mile)
*Ask for what you are worth.
*Potentially walk away from clients who won't pay you what you are worth.
*Let your competitors take that business at non sustainable rates and drown.
*Be happier and thrive in a very competitive industry.

The alternative is accepting less than your worth and in a nightmare scenario actually surviving. Surviving as an unhappy, underpaid, overstressed supplier of transport services complaining and blaming everyone around you for your circumstance. Even when the reality is it was a choice you made and continue to make. This isn't just transport, we've all seen this in every industry.

If you provide value to your clients and go out and ask for what you worth, the absolute worst thing that can happen is they won't recognize it and that you transfer your skills and talents to a marketplace or industry that will.

And while that type of attitude takes courage and sounds harsh: we all recognize that there are way too many in the industry today just “hanging on”. Thats not healthy neither for the sector nor for them.

I've been party to many a conversation enviously mocking another industry, perhaps a supplier, because they're not afraid to pass on costs, charge what they need to etc. Similar to the “It must be nice” manifesto I got from Rob. “It must be nice” would be the common opener to those conversations that we've all heard and likely all participated in at one time or another. We're envious of people who are not afraid to assert their value.

If that applies to you today, be encouraged that “ nice” is not a pipe dream and may not involve ditching the transport sector! It simply boils down to choices we make where we are at. I passionately believe that you and I deserve to get properly recognized for the services we provide: both financially and otherwise. If each one of us were to take that message to heart and go ask for it, it would radically change the face and health of the transport sector in Canada today.

If you need encouragement, just envision your dentist with a power drill down your throat.

David Benjatschek is a professional speaker/trainer on the topics of Leadership & Communication. Find out more by visiting his website: www.marketbeamer.com

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I know many of my friends appreciate people who get right to the point, or in other words: ”Cut to the Chase”

Cutting to the Chase is also a great thing to remember to do when dealing with conflict. Let's just say that someone bursts into your space with their voice up, body animated and is more or less really upset about something.

My advice: Cut to the Chase

Consider this: Joe (a workmate) barges into your space and starts screaming “I can't believe you're asking me to do this now! It is due tommorrow and it means I'm going to have to stay late to get it done. I'm NOT Happy.” You can add in any expletives that might normally accompany those words.

Cutting to the Chase means separating thoughts from feelings.

What are Joe's feelings? They are definitely anger and frustration. If you react to those you're in for a fight. On some days, this might seem appealing, especially if you are looking to unload some frustration as well, but we all know it won't help either of you in the long run. When you put someone's “nose out of joint” they won't see past it to hear what you are actually talking about. Arguing resolves nothing.

Effective Communicators address the thought of a statement. Always ask : What are they really asking me for?

Given Joe's comments, what he is really asking you for is to respect his time.

Cutting to the chase means your response should be something like:

“Wow Joe, my intention wasn't to frustrate you that much. How much lead time do you need in the future for these types of requests? You shouldn't have to put in overtime to get this done.“

When you cut to the chase, you actually solve issues that need resolving instead of wasting time on unproductive and unhealthy conflict that gets zilch done.

By the way, my experience has been that as you cut to the chase, Joe usually ends up coming back later that day saying something like “Sorry for blowing up like that this morning.. it just hasn't been a good day. I know you didn't mean to frustrate me.”

We've all had days when were frustrated and angry with other people. Its a natural emotion. As people approach you with those emotions, just cut to the chase to get things done.

p.s. I realize there is a line between normal, everyday anger/frustration we've all seen and abusive behaviour.
Abusive behaviour should be met with zero tolerence and does require you to cut to the chase as well but will be different in nature.

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As Donna and I await our second child which is due November 20th, I"ve begun to think back to when Mia, our three year old was born.

Past the elation and wonder at life's miracles it also hit home as I stared into her beautiful little eyes that, nestled in my arms was someone completely reliant on me. While a part of that was nice, the other realization was the increased importance of my ability to "provide".

Its funny how I tend to act in life. If the only person who is effected by my decisions and action or inaction is me: I tend to take a greater laissez-faire attitude. When someone else is relying on me .. I pay more attention. In the case of Mia, the increased urgency to provide was good. It acted as fuel by providing extra purpose to the speaking & photography businesses I'm building.

In our work lives, accountability serves the same purpose. If we work in a job where we are not accountable to anyone other than our boss, it can be a dangerous place. When work teams are set up such that members are accountable to each other on a regular basis, great things happen:

1) Team Members get regular feedback. As human beings we need feedback. We need it now, tommorrow, the day after. We constantly need feedback. Praise is great, but knowing where we need to improve is also cool. We just need to know where we stand.

While silence should mean "agreement" with a person's performance, we all know that an extended vacuum of feedback is usually filled with negative doubt and not helpful in motivating employees. I've been there. I know many of you have as well.

2) Increased Corporate Profits when misunderstandings are caught sooner than later because employees have expectations of each other that need to be met on a regular basis. Regular expectations of team members from each other, act as "check-ups" to make sure your process is on track to success. When it is not, flags can be raised and misunderstandings corrected (sooner rather than later, when it becomes harder to deal with).

3) Purpose. You've probably all heard of Rick Warren's best seller book the "Purpose Driven Life". The title hits a wish cord in many of us. We all need "purpose" to be motivated and sometimes to simply get us off our butt. I don't know if any of you would say you work better under pressure. I know that is a fact for myself. Regular accountability to each other means regular deadlines which gives me the positive pressure I need to stay focused on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. It can do the same for your team. Use it to your advantage.

Accountability is tougher when you deal with remote employees. The danger with remote employees, those you rarely see face to face is that 'out of sight' can also mean out of mind. A system of regular structured communication is doubly important. We all probably know someone who feels cut-off and unimportant in their remote office.

The Transportation sector is no exception. Long Haul Transport Drivers can be on the road for weeks at a time. If you are a transport company the question should be: What regular expectations of communication are built into their daily routine? Not just to protect the company but ironically and as importantly, to protect the driver's sanity and levels of motivation. Regular feedback can decrease your risk of driver dissatisfaction, abandoned loads etc.

Each accountability point can and should be a feedback opportunity to keep the driver focused on success, yours and theirs.

As for me.. a week or less until some increased accountability comes in to my life and I can't wait!

In the "nesting mode" that parents get into before kids arrive.. I've updated my speaking website: www.marketbeamer.com. I have met many Transport Sector friends in the Leadership & Communication seminars I facilitate. See you soon!

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Who needs Cable TV for exciting drama these days . Just head south of the border and attend a typical “Town Hall” or more appropriately “Town Brawl” on US Health Care Reform.

Shouting, screaming, name calling. It may even remind some of you of work!

Beneath the sensationalism of the news coverage of these events, I frankly don't think all the heat being raised down south is necessarily a bad thing. Lets face it: Most of us struggle with conflict. We either don't like conflict and try to avoid it. Or live for it and create it where its not necessary.. just to see what happens.

Conflict exists in every organization. It is human nature. Your personal and organizational success depends on dealing with it effectively.

Here are 2 suggested attitudes that may not seem intuitive at first but when adopted will rock your world:

LOVE conflict.
NEED conflict.

Yeah, thats right.. I think you should LOVE conflict. I've been guilty of running away from conflict in the past for the sake of just “keeping the peace”. I know that many of you reading this blog, do that as well. We need to be reminded that there is a huge cost associated with conflict avoidance.
First off: It costs us. We end up chewing on feelings of frustration and discontent for a long time because we never asked for what we wanted. We feel like we've lost. The time spent dealing with residual frustration would be much better focused on succeeding at our role. Shying away from conflict dramatically affects our relationships and productivity.

Secondly: The other person loses because they didn't get your feedback which may have helped them get better at what they do. Silence equals approval in most worlds that I live in. As they keep on doing exactly whats bothering you the most (because you've never actually asked for something different), it just exasperates your frustrations. At the very least we'll learn something new that releases our frustrations as we understand the why's of what they are doing.

Feedback needs to be a daily event in organizations for them to succeed. When you see things with which you don't agree , question or believe could be done better, you need to get it out! If you hold them in, they can grow from minor irritations, to battles, to all out war. All of that hurting everyone involved.

So go ahead and pack your boxing gloves in with your lunch box. Your company needs you to fight for what you believe in. You have to LOVE that!

I have a friend who loves to drive his BMW fast. So he'll take his car out on the country roads outside of Calgary and open 'er up for a bit. As he's leaving his house to head out, he'll usually tell anyone within earshot "See you in a bit. I feel the need for speed."

Healthy companies feel the need for conflict and actually set expectations for it to happen.

To help explain, it does help to ask the question: What is Conflict anyway?

If you looked it up in the Dictionary you might find the definition “Opposition between ideas or interests”. I'm sure each one of you have come across vigorous differences of opinions in your organization. While you may not feel like it at the time, you should thank your lucky stars you do.

Companies & Individuals win when employees feel free and are encouraged to express their ideas, especially ones in contradiction to each other. Why? Well, I don't care how open minded and diverse each one of us thinks we are, decisions made on our own are limited by the scope of our individual view of the world and limit our success and that of the company's.

At best an employee may only have a 70 degree view of the world and that is if they are really good! The fact is that companies win when decisions are made with a 360 view of the world. (I.e. all the facts are on the table) .

So it turns out: you NEED conflict in your organization. You need employees to challenge each other's ideas. It allows you to make best decisions as a company and it seeds continuous growth of your employees by honing their strengths with the strengths of those around them. Everybody wins.

So back to the US Health Care debate in the US. The debate in itself is good. It forces many alternatives to surface to the table. When facts are on the table, they can be evaluated properly to discover their pros and cons. Ultimately, it can lead to the best possible solution being found.

The trouble with the nature of the current debate down south is that most of the screaming is focused on emotional selling and not facts. Spurts like “Do you want government deciding when to kill your grandmother.” simply try to play on emotions of guilt, anger, frustration. While effective in swaying short term opinions and even winning elections, very rarely does it lead to great decisions being made. Emotional plays are usually made when someone doesn't want you to focus on the facts.

As you'll discover in my next blog, Managing Conflict well boils down to separating emotion from fact in everything your organization does. It has to be done right from goal setting to results measurement to daily feedback between employees.

David Benjatschek is passionate about people and the topics of Leadership and Communication. His Freedom House Leadership & Communication Series helps Companies & Indivuals free themselves up to effectively achieve their goals. You can contact David through his website: www.marketbeamer.com.

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Give me playoff hockey anytime, all the time! The rest: the pre-season and much of the regular season can be a long, sometimes boring warm up to the real thing. Elimination, Game 7, do or die and hoisting the Stanley Cup: the playoffs seem to bring out the best in the pros. Intensity, hard hitting, fast paced excitement that beats any other sport on the planet.. eh!

As many of us are in the middle of making New Years resolutions, its good to remind ourselves that successful work teams have a lot in common with those on the ice and clear expectation setting should play a key role in both.

As a self professed occasional procrastinator, I know that it's just fact that many of us need something on the line for our best to come out.

Whether you are an Owner Operator delivering the expectations of your customers to their doorstep or you are a CEO driving your company's strategy path forward in the marketplace: Clearly setting expectations with those around you is absolutely critical to your success. If you want to hoist your Stanley Cup in 2009, then read on...

There is a subtle but key difference between a resolution like the one you may have recently made and expectations. Resolutions are something we generally decide on by ourselves (drink less coffee, have more beer, stop smoking, this is the year I WILL organize myself!) . Expectations set that same way (in isolation or by assumption) are dangerous and can so easily waste away time, motivation and profit. Ideally expectations are set in a shared environment, between two or more people.

Sharing Expectations has a couple key benefits:

1)They can be clearly understood
2)It creates accountability (I.e. there is something on the line)

Many of you have already sat down with your boss to hash out the expectations they will have of you in 2009. It is a great time to set yourself and your boss or employee up for success by having a two way dialogue. If you can best ensure that the expectations are clearly understood by all and that they are realistic (I.e while not a cakewalk, you have a good chance of meeting them.) you are well past halfway to success. So often though these discussions are one way and result in failures to meet goals.

Why? It's amazing how many times people, with best intentions, leave a room absolutely convinced they agree on something (its an obvious assumption) when in fact they are about to head in two opposite directions. Its so easy to do.

A recent speaking engagement in Fredericton, New Brunswick reinforced that point to me loud and clear. I was in a local hotel preparing for a business seminar I was giving that day. I picked up a copy of the local paper and was browsing through it while waiting for my class to arrive. On the way to the sports section, a headline caught my eye. It read “Local Vet honored for his service”.

While I didn't immediately stop to read the article, it caught my attention. With everything in the news today centered around our brave men and women in uniform, I had absolutely no doubt in my mind that “Local Vet” stood for Local Veteran. I would have bet the house on it. So, still having some time after having read up on the scores and sports hi-lites, I returned to the article anticipating to read the story of a local war veteran honored for his or her service to Canada. I ended up laughing pretty hard at myself when I discovered that this wasn't a story about a war veteran at all, but a local veterinarian who saved the lives of many local cats, dogs and cows.

That sort of misunderstanding happens in our companies and homes on a daily basis and ends up in a ton of regret work by both parties. When one person walks out of a room thinking War Veteran and the other Veterinarian, the results are parallel to delivering a load from Toronto to Montreal through Calgary.

Spare yourself the 'ruff' times. So much time can be saved and frustration avoided if only expectation setting (I.e your 2009 performance contract) was a two way process at the very beginning with each party expressing their understanding of the expectations in their own words and working out any misunderstandings at the beginning instead of half way down the road. The process is called reflection whereby, as obvious as it may seem, both parties vocalize their understanding of a project, expectations etc.

If you don't have those type of discussions, I'd encourage you to start.

Expectations are ironically the Stanley Cup that most of us need to be motivated in our workplace. Done right they will help you create a team that will go deep into the playoffs.

Here's to your success in 2009.

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