Have you got what it takes - Part 2

Have you got what it takes to be outstanding? - Continued

Last week we started looking at the fundamental types of behavior that outstanding people need to exhibit, and this week I'm going to give you the balance of those. We have looked at commitment, positive attitude, humility, courage, and being involved, and this week I will take a closer look at creativity, authenticity, emotional intelligence, drive, and giving.

6. Creativity

A common answer to a lot of questions these days is "it's complicated!" Although this usually refers to relational issues, a lot of the day-to-day problems that we encounter are complicated, and made up of diverse components. Without creativity, it is almost impossible to solve most of them, and developing the ability to produce practical solutions to complex situations will make you outstanding.

7. Authenticity

 Ancient wisdom tells us to "let our yes be yes, and our no be no". Outstanding people are authentic – what you see is what you get, and personal integrity is not optional. Watch any 10-minute segment of the evening news for proof of the fact that failure in this area has reached epidemic proportions, in virtually every area of life. Failure in this area, is almost impossible to recover from, no matter how good you once were!

8. Emotional Intelligence

 Outstanding people are emotionally intelligent, and manage their emotions effectively. Behavioral extremes are avoided, they are calm under pressure, and they keep the heads when everybody around them is in a flat spin. They understand that moderation in everything is wise, and that builds other trust in them.

9. Drive

It takes drive to be outstanding, but outstanding people are not driven. They understand that to be successful, they need to put all they are into everything they do, and if they can't do that, they need to do something different. If whatever you are doing every day doesn't get your pulse rate elevated, you need to be doing something different. That something doesn't need to be weird, but it does need to be something that you can totally immerse yourself in, and something you love doing.

10. Giving

If you truly want to be outstanding, you need to be a giver. Outstanding people give freely of their time, talents, and energy, particularly to help others achieve what they want. Selfless generosity always seems to reap a harvest that exceeds the seed that was planted!

So, there you have the basic behavioral elements that will make you outstanding, and help you experience a full spectrum life. As usual, comment, disagree, and share your experiences of applying these principles in your life. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you'd like me to help you be outstanding, feel free to fill in the contact form at http://version8.com.au/contact-us, and I'll set up a time for us to have a chat.

Have you got what it takes?

Have you got what it takes to be outstanding?

I've had some really good feedback on our previous blog that drew a distinction between "standing out", and  "being outstanding". Staying with the "outstanding" theme, I decided to have a closer look at the nuts and bolts of what it actually takes to be outstanding.

A great quote that speaks to this situation is "Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone" – which in simple terms means that everything in life has a price. If you really want to be outstanding, you are going to need to do everything with excellence, and without wanting to emphasise the obvious, excellence is a pretty high standard. Nobody is going to achieve excellence by pursuing it half-heartedly. So, are you up to the challenge? Are you prepared to put in what it takes to function consistently at a level of excellence? If the answer to these 2 questions is  "yes" (actually "yes" with an "!"), then you have a pretty good chance of achieving the benefits, in return for the effort.

So this week I'll give you the 1st bunch of behaviours that will help you lead a life of excellence, which is part of the "full spectrum life" that I honestly believe we were all meant to live.

1. Commitment

You have to be committed in order to become outstanding. Persistence, perseverance, and dedication are the foundations of this kind of commitment. Everything you start needs to be finished, irrespective of how long it actually takes. Ongoing effort is a trademark of people who are outstanding, and excellence develops as a result of years of effort and refining. "It usually takes years to achieve overnight success!"

2. Positive Attitude

Most of us learn at some point in our lives that we cannot always control circumstances, but we can control our attitudes, and thereby, our reaction to circumstances. Every outstanding person that I have ever interacted with has had a positive attitude, and has believed that success is possible. If you don't believe this, you won't even attempt the task, and attempting it creates the opportunity for you to achieve the striking results, that will make you outstanding.

3. Humility

Those of you that have read any of my previous blogs will know that this is one of my favorite subjects! Knowing that you are excellent doesn't mean that you need to bulldoze everybody else out of the way, or make a big deal of it. Be secure in who you are becoming, but understand that the way you treat people speaks volumes in terms of excellence. Humility breeds patience, generosity, kindness, and gentleness, and most outstanding people are respected because of these traits.

4. Courage

If you truly want to be excellent, you are going to need to define what you are scared of! Courage does not mean that you have no fear; it simply means that you recognize the fear and do what is necessary anyway. Being outstanding requires you to take chances, and yes, that means there is the possibility of failure. But failure does not mean the end of the world; it simply gives us an opportunity to fast track our learning. When we fail, we learn from the experience, dust ourselves off, and try again differently. Do this often enough, and you will be strikingly different from most of the people around you.

5. Get Involved

Most injuries on a rugby field happened on the periphery of the action. The guy who takes the ball into the bottom of the loose ruck, usually emerges smiling! Words like "that's not in my job description" seldom escape from an outstanding person's mouth, and their desire to be involved sets them apart from most people. Time management and respect for boundaries are important, but when something needs to be done, outstanding people roll up their sleeves and get it done!

To be continued…

Comment, disagree, and share your experiences of applying (or not) these principles in your life, below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you'd like me to help you be outstanding, feel free to fill in the contact form at http://version8.com.au/contact-us, and I'll set up a time for us to have a chat.

Are you exceptional, striking, clearly noticeable, or superior .... for the right reasons?

A report not in on time; incorrect figures, statistics, or calculations; constantly late for work; inappropriately dressed. It's actually quite easy to stand out, and most of these examples take very little effort to achieve.

The sales administrator who is just a little too enthusiastic, or the supervisor who has to see the branch manager EVERY day with a "fantastic new idea"- they also stand out, and they are definitely putting in the effort! But all of these are outstanding for the wrong reasons and ultimately will end up with the wrong outcome for everybody concerned.

So if we accept that there is a difference between standing out and being outstanding we need to apply a few simple principles to make sure that we are the latter and not the former.

1. Be Grateful

We all want an opportunity to shine, to show the people who count that we have what it takes to get the job done, but we need to appreciate the fact that those opportunities even exist. Most of us reading this blog fall into the richest 10% of the population of this planet, and the mere fact that we even get opportunities to make mistakes, never mind to excel at something is not something to be taken lightly.

2. Be Humble

There is a huge difference between being assertive and being proud, and confidence easily looks like arrogance if there isn't a strong dose of humility mixed in with it! Without humility, the reality that we are able to competently do something can easily be misinterpreted, and who wants an arrogant ............... on the team? And the best way for that humility to come through is for us to accept that our way is one way of doing things, but there may be other, and MAYBE even, better ways of achieving the same outcome. And if you are given a humble button in recognition of your attitude, DON"T WEAR IT!

3. Demonstrate mind-blowing initiative 

If all you do all the time is the right thing, you miss out on the opportunity of doing the BEST thing! When our daily contribution to the team or the task is just the completion of the basic to-do items, we are definitely not being outstanding. Go way past the basic instructions every opportunity you get and constantly be looking for the best way of doing everything you are responsible for. There are always opportunities to do things at an acceptable level, but we need to leverage the process to the next level and find the better way.

If you will start to work on these 3 things, instead of working on opportunities to stand out for the wrong reason, the right opportunities for you and your efforts to be recognised, will present themselves regularly. Grab each of those, and be outstanding!

If you would like help being outstanding, hop on over to www.version8.com.au and take a look at the many ways we can help you be all you were meant to be.

It’s the beginning of 2015, and you’re super excited about it. This is THE YEAR you’re going to grow like never before. Nothing will stand in your way. But before you know it, you’re back to the same day-to-day routine, and the chance of doing anything new is about as likely as the Socceroos winning ing the Cricket World Cup this year.

If this sounds like you, take heart. You’re not alone. According to a study by the University of Scranton, 60% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Nearly one-third of them won’t make it to Valentine’s Day.

So how do you keep the momentum going? Here are a few quick or easy-to-accomplish tasks that will build the foundation to help you keep that promise to yourself.

1. Clear Your Desk

This tip may sound silly, but it may be the best pieces of advice you receive all year. Get rid of all paper on your desk. File or scan what you need and throw away the rest. When you de-clutter your workspace, you automatically clear your mind, allowing you to focus on what’s important. It’s like having a fresh start every day.

2. Set Your Goals

If you haven’t yet set your goals for 2015, now is the time to do it. In fact, this is your first goal of the year. And no, being “too busy” is not an excuse. Get it done by the end of this week. For goals to work, they must be:

• Be Specific
• Be Measurable
• Be Attainable
• Be Realistic
• Be Time limited
• Be in writing

Remember, too, that goals are not all about business. You need them for every area of your life. At Version 8, we use the Wheel of Life. Each area of your life is represented by a spoke. You have to set goals in every area. The spokes include:

• Career
• Financial
• Spiritual
• Physical
• Intellectual
• Family
• Social

3. Create a Calendar

Want to keep that Wheel of Life from having a flat tire? Than you have to put absolutely everything on a calendar, or you’ll never find enough time. You need to be careful and intentional about rest, recreation, exercise, marriage time and kids time.

4. Get Out of the Office

Schedule a full day on that calendar with key leaders or team members to come up with a game plan to achieve your new goals. And don’t do it at work. Getting away keeps distractions to a minimum and allows creativity to flow. What would be even better? No phones or email allowed.

5. Plan for New People or Skills

Now that you have your goals in place and you’ve come up with a game plan, ask yourself if your staffing is adequate to turn them into a reality. If not, what training is needed and / or what strategic hires do you need to make and in what order?

The reason to start now, even though a project or goal may not begin for many, many months, is that hiring should never be a fast, take-anyone-who-walks-in-the-door process. If you want to employ employs a team full of thoroughbreds who are passionate, loyal and super talented, it takes several months with multiple interviews before a candidate joins the team. 

6. Contact Version 8

At Version 8 we have all the tools needed to keep your momentum and your success going throughout the year.

If you follow these quick tips, you’ll be munching on chocolate this February instead of eating your words.

- See more at: http://www.version8.com.au