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Letter From The Editor

Dear Friends,

The holidays are upon us, and this year, more than ever, the excitement of the holiday for many is being tempered by the strain and worry about what is going on in and around our lives. So for those of you out there wondering how you are going to pull off a “picture perfect” holiday with beautifully wrapped gifts and the perfect meal, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to!

Creating a perfect holiday is about being present to and mindful of the gifts you have in all areas of your life. Health… family… love… contentment… happiness… laughter… hugs… the warmth of the sun on an otherwise bitterly cold day!

The holiday season has never been about the perfectly roasted turkey or an exquisitely wrapped gift. It is about the gifts we are to one another and the simplicity of the gifts that surround us each and every day.

So this holiday season, be present to the gifts you have in your life and then acknowledge them, as well as those responsible for those gifts being in your life. And with the spirit of graciousness and gratitude, watch how your outlook on life transforms and the home fires burn brighter!

My best to you and yours for a wonderful holiday season!

Warm Regards,

Clay S. Nelson

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Acknowledging Your Team

When it comes to acknowledging a team of employees, we almost automatically think about how we can add to their compensation either through a raise or a year end bonus. However, when credit is tight we have to get creative in how we go about motivating and acknowledging our team members!

Yes, when you are able, monetary compensation for a job well done is nice to give, but remember: a paycheck can’t hug your employees… a paycheck can’t stand-up and acknowledge the phenomenal work they do. Only you can, and as human-beings with feelings and emotions, your employees need to feel your appreciation just as much as their wallets do, and sometimes even more!

When you give your team monetary acknowledgements, motivation may be instilled for a week or two, but eventually the monetary incentive just becomes an expectation – the employee forgets why they have more money in their weekly paycheck or that their bonus helped pay for a Caribbean Cruise! So if you really want to motivate someone to continue with exemplary performance, you do it by acknowledging their performance not just once but each time they are greater than their job description requires them to be!

Now, I am not saying that pay raises and bonuses shouldn’t be given when they are warranted and your financial situation allows. What I am saying is that acknowledgement in many cases is all that is necessary. And when a pay raise or bonus is warranted or promised, be sure that an acknowledgement goes along with it!

When Everything is Changing

Wow! A new year is upon us and a new president is about to be sworn in; we’ve got new commitments and new expectations for the upcoming year. It seems like everything is changing, and it’s doing it all at once. In the midst of all this change, which can be overwhelming, it is important to remember that you always have power and a say in how your life turns out. That power is your power of choice. You can choose to be a master of change or a victim of it.

Change is frightening or at least disturbing to most people. We like to be comfortable in what we “know” even if it is not an ideal situation. After all, our minds are designed to keep us safe; your mind does not want you stepping out of the nice, neat box it has built around you. When we are faced with changes or even deciding on our own to make a change, our minds, if allowed, can stop us cold by pushing our fears to the forefront: fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of making a mistake, and even fear of being successful! Naming your fear—you know, the one that shows up for you when the need for change shows up—is the first step to mastering it.

Sometimes changes are sudden and drastic. In times of drastic change, people must adapt to the fact that what the world looked like yesterday is gone, and an entirely new one now faces them. For instance, consider the people recently affected by the fires in Southern California. Their fears could easily be overwhelming and devastating. Yet, if you were to talk with one of them for any amount of time you would see that what they choose is to master this massive, sudden, and drastic change in their lives. They refuse to be victims!

Sometimes you have the luxury and opportunity to plan needed changes and implement them on your own time schedule. Being present to your own fears of change can help you assist others with their readiness for change. Your team, for example, needs to be included in changes that are happening at work. Being a part of the plan for change can eliminate a lot of the fear. Change happens through people, and giving your team power to implement the changes will strengthen your team. It will let them understand and feel that change is not just about fear, but that it can also create excitement and new opportunities for them.

Whatever the type of fear that stops you from mastering change, it’s time to give it up right now. Recognize fear when it arises, and let it be a cue for you to tune into your purpose—the reason you are on this planet—even in the face of change.

Look around. Change is happening everywhere, for everyone! So where is your life changing? How are you handling it? What choices are you making—master or victim?

 

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