"Getting It Together ... Part 1 of 3
Greetings. This is the first in a three part series on getting it together. What does that mean? Good question. Getting it together is referring to the hectic lives we lead and the issues associated with them. As we all know, people encounter different issues along their journey. It's impossible to address them singly. The good news is, we don't have to. The concepts we will be discussing apply to any situation. I speak at many different events on a variety of topics. At some, it might be tailored towards inspirational speaking. At others, it might be a motivational talk. One might ask, how could one person talk about all the different types of categories that can fall into either of those main topics? It's quite simple. CONCEPTS. The concepts are the same, regardless of the specific topic. For example. It doesn't make a difference whether you are storing feathers, or blocks of ice. The concepts/principals of warehousing and storage are the same. The product is only the item to be stored. Their requirements may be different, but the concept is the same. Now that we have that out of the way, let's proceed.
With anything you do, you FIRST have to realize that it needs doing. The most common thing I hear when I speak is PEOPLE COMPLAIN. Why is that? Simply put, it is easier to complain about something then it is to fix it. Fixing it means you have to put some degree of effort into it. Complaining requires little to no effort. Look at it as a five step process.
1. Stop complaining,
2. Identify what needs fixing,
3. Commit to getting it together,
4. Develop your plan,
5. Stick to it and re-evaluate.
It looks simple, and it is. In this first part we will briefly discuss each. Once we do, you will understand that the process is the same regardless of the issue. The only variable is the outcome. The reason the outcome is a variable is if the issue only involves you, you can control that. However, if the issue involves more then just yourself, you cannot control others. Therefore, if your particular issue deals with another individual or individuals, they also must be part of the five step process to be able to control the outcome. You must also be prepared for the potential outcome. Let me give you an example. I owned a service related business for 17 years before I became a professional firefighter. When I was hired, I kept my business. When I was at my business, everything ran like a fine tuned piano. When I wasn't, things would not. I had to make a decision. The problem was clear. When I wasn't there, people simply did not do their jobs. When the mouse is away, the mice will play. Having a very successful business with a great reputation, I was not willing to sacrifice that. Especially since I planned on selling it in a year or two. I instituted my 5 step plan.
1. I stopped complaining about it,
2. I identified where the issues were,
3. I was committed to fixing the problem,
4. I developed my plan and met with my employees and openly discussed the problems. I asked if I was doing something wrong to cause this. After it was discussed, everyone freely admitted that were being lazy because I wasn't there to motivate them. When their friends stopped in to visit them, work stopped. Things did not get done.
5. My plan of action was simple. I developed a stricter set of responsibilities for each employee. I stuck to it and followed up to see that these tasks were completed. I spent time talking to our clients and started sending out customer satisfaction surveys. Through this and other methods, I was now able to monitor their performance. Once they saw this being done, they knew they we being monitored. The problems disappeared.
I realize that all things in life are not that simple and each situation is different. However, the concept to fix them is the same once you take the first steps. In my case, the worse possible outcome would be I would have to let one or more individuals go. I knew that if that happened, after the first on was discharged, the problem would stop. Others would not want to meet that same fate. Thankfully, I did not have to go that far. The key point being, I WAS PREPARED to follow through with that outcome. No matter what decisions you make in life, you must be aware of the possible outcome, and be prepared to accept it. If you can't, you are doomed to a life of complaining. Nothing in your life will get better. In time, they will deteriorate even more. Eventually, they will not be repairable. Think about this over the next week because when we get into Part 2, it will be important that you fully understand this principal.Some of the self-help books I have written related to these topics.
"The Soul In Our Hearts," and "Balancing The Scale, and my newly released book "Making Partnership Choices." All are available at any online book store. I have included the link if you wish to preview those books. They can be purchased through my website from the source of your choice. Preview Self Help Books
Thank you for reading this post. Please feel free to leave a comment below. By the time you have read all three parts, you will have the knowledge to tackle anything in your life and "Get It Together." You can follow me on Facebook -Caesar Rondina Author, Twitter - @caesarrondina, and Instagram caesarrondinaauthor.
(Caesar Rondina is a Best Selling Published Author)
