Manufacturing Excellence - Inspire, Lead, and Succeed with HOPE!

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

~ Oscar Wilde

I have seen so many discouraged, disgruntled, and frustrated people over the past year and a half that I really started to ask myself: "What's missing the most?"

I believe it's the hope of a better tomorrow.

All of us noticed an immense lack of leadership during these difficult times. Anyone can lead when things are going well but when we stumbled into this economic downturn, many managers did not know how to deal with this new and unknown situation. For many of them it was unknown and never experienced territory.

So what does hope have to do with it?

If you are a realist or maybe a pessimist, it may be very difficult for you to grasp this concept because hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to certain events in one's life. Hope is the assured expectation that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.

Do you think it's important for a leader to be able to communicate hope or is this something that won't bring any real value in the business world? 

If the creation of hope is only a lie, what about all the visionary leaders of the past like Martin Luther King, Robert Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi and so many others, who all had the ability to encourage their followers to believe in a better tomorrow?

Can it be that many people have lost the ability of painting a better picture?

Is it because we can't or is it because we don't want to?

Is it because we can't see what's possible or is it because we have lost the ability to see what's possible?

Just imagine....

What would it be like if you and I could change the bad image manufacturing has at the moment?

What would it be like to feel pride when our kids choose to work in manufacturing?

What would it be like to have North American labels on our products?

What would it be like to work in an environment of high motivation and morale?

What would it be like to be encouraged to participate in the company's success?

What would it be like to work for the same goal and embrace our differences?

What would it be like to work in an environment of employee excellence where people strive to be their best?

Isn't it all perception? Making manufacturing fun and exciting is in our hands. We have to live the dream. 

Who is to say that we can't encourage hope and make it happen?

Does hope mean something or does it mean nothing?

I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Manufacturing Excellence - Work-Life Balance - Mission Impossible?

Work-life balance is an indicator of your overall health. Yet it seems that almost everyone has too much to do and not enough time to get things done. Many responsibilities are constantly competing for our time and energy. In order to achieve work-life balance it has to become one of your priorities! See how!

Manufacturing Excellence - Inspire, Lead, and Succeed with PHYSICAL ACTIVITY!

If it weren't for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn't get any exercise at all.  

- Joey Adams

Those of you who know me know that I am a firm believer in physical activity and for those of you who don't know me, I AM a firm believer in physical activity.

I don't think many people realize how important it is to integrate exercise into their lifestyle. It is about consistency and self-discipline. You have to do it all the time! You can't just work out once every two months and expect a change. You can't just start working out in April and expect to have the perfect body by the summer. Unfortunately that's not how it works....

If people tell me that they don't have time to exercise, it makes me smile. Excuses, excuses, excuses..... You find time for EVERYTHING in your life if it is important enough because then you will make it a priority. People have time to watch TV, to go to the coffee shop, to go out for dinner, to sit on the patio with a beer but there is no time to work out? Are you kidding me?

Don't get me wrong, these are all things I love to do as well but it is a matter of prioritizing your weekly activities and exercise has to be a part of it. If you don't make time for exercise, eventually you will have to make time for diseases. It is crucial to look after yourself. When you look in the mirror what do you see?

I want to be very clear, it is certainly not about having the perfect slim and muscular body we see all the time in these high gloss magazines. However, it is about feeling good about yourself, feeling strong and healthy. I know people who are slim but this does not mean that they are fit.... Fit means walking up the stairs without breathing heavily, fit means having good energy to get through the day, and fit means having a good immune system. 

It is my goal to encourage YOU to get moving! 

Why?

• Exercise improves brain power for problem solving if you work out 2 or 3 times a week
• Exercise creates endorphins with the side effect of happiness
• Exercise will boost your immune system
• Exercise will not only change your body but also your body image
• Exercise will increase your energy level
• Exercise will help you to conquer negativity
• Exercise will increase your creativity (jogging for the brain)
• Exercise will teach you that you can be in control of everything you do
• If you exercise, you will inspire the people around you to get started

Don't you think these are all good reasons to improve not only your personal life but also your work life?

How?

• Choose 3 days (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday) a week and work out religiously on these days - morning, lunchtime or evening, whatever fits your schedule best. 
• Make a plan and set your personal fitness goals - i.e. a 5 k run, losing 10 pounds, lowering your cholesterol level.... Whatever you choose - make it SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely)
• Find a training buddy! If you don't know anyone, join the Running Room or Running Free, a Tennis Club, an Outdoor Club for hiking, cycling, etc. - maybe it is time for you to find new friends?
• Start TODAY and not tomorrow - ready, set, go!!!

For me there is no doubt in my mind that body and mind are connected. It is important to understand how mental and physical fitness impact each other. Get serious about your workout and experience how your energy level, creativity and well-being will immediately improve.

Do it for yourself, do it for your family, and do it to inspire, lead and succeed!

Lynn Tilton - A Woman who Walks the Talk ....

The problems companies are facing in this fast paced global market are new. The playing field and rules have changed and we are doing business in a different world. Now, more than ever, it is important to create a positive and dynamic outlook for the future. Looking for inspiration all around you is important..... Let's meet Lynn Tilton!

Please take the time to watch this brief video!

Manufacturing Excellence - Inspire, Lead, and Succeed with EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE!

"Deal with the faults of others as gently as with your own." - Chinese Proverb

As you can see, there's a lot more to emotional intelligence than meets the eye. What is emotional intelligence exactly?
The most important pillars are self-awareness; self-management of behaviours, such as body language word choice, facial expressions and tone of voice; social awareness, which is the ability to perceive other people's emotions; and last but not least relationship management.

Please don't stop reading now...... I know that fun starts to fade when we have to have to think about ourselves. Isn't it true that we are all legends in our own mind? It's so much easier to tell other people what to do instead of taking a critical look in the mirror.

The term "emotional intelligence" could imply that emotional understanding is an innate ability that cannot be taught. However, most specialists agree that certain skills for working with others can be taught if..... the individual is willing to learn and has an open mind.

Stephen Covey provides great admonition in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", "seek first to understand, then to be understood".

I always say that business would be easy if there weren't any people involved.

I have learned over the past couple of years that the more I learn to understand myself, the better I understand the people around me. We are all different and.... that's a good thing! We have to embrace our differences. If we start to understand from where other people are coming from, understand how they make decisions, how they work, their motivators and their stressors, meaningful cooperation becomes so much easier.

It is always a fascinating experience for me when I see how people react completely differently when I change my behaviour and the way I deal with things.

Sometimes I am way too quick to judge the behaviours of others but then I remember to take a step back, breathe and re-evaluate. That's the time when I ask myself, "Karin, how are you doing in this very same aspect of your life?", and more often than not, I have to reluctantly admit that I can definitely improve in this area too. It has been said that when you point with your finger at someone else, three fingers point right back at you.

Studies have shown that emotional intelligence can contribute to success as much as - if not more than - intellectual aptitude.

In my workshops I can see how people start to change after only 2 hours. Learning to understand the different personality types of their co-workers is an eye opening experience for them. By increasing the awareness and holding them accountable to their behaviours, a whole new work dynamic starts to appear.

Many people don't know any better as they have never learned the impact their behaviour can have on other people and if they did, they forgot about it and never apply it in their work environment. Remember, knowing does not equal doing!

Things for you to consider to get started:

• High emotion = low intelligence: stop talking and listen with empathy
• Respect: remember "The Golden Rule" (treat others as you want to be treated)
• Sympathy: Shift your focus from "I" to "You" and start communicating this way

Be interested instead of being interesting. You will then become a more effective leader and well on your journey to excellence. 

Our Next FREE Workshop is at the Richmond Hill Central Library on May 11, 2010

We have scheduled our next workshop "Layoff During Difficult Times - The End or a New Beginning?" to give back to our community.

Did you lose your job?
Are you fearful and stuck, looking for guidance?
Are you ready to be pro-active and make a plan for your life?
Do you need help identifying and setting your goals?
Do you want a confidence boost and create more self-awareness?
Do you know someone who lost their job recently?
Do you want to move forward and find the right job for YOU?
Are you thinking about self-employment?

We can help! We provide a supportive and positive learning environment and empower people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. It is all about taking action and taking 100 % responsibility for your life and for your results!

Sometimes it's tough to stay positive considering all the fears and insecurities we have to deal with. However, we have learned from own experience that attitude is everything and it is our goal to communicate to YOU how you can turn a positive outlook in your job search into action.

Come and join us! It's time to sign up.....

Our commitment to you is to give you positive energy, a lot of new ideas and a fantastic workshop without any investment for you, except your time. If you give us your commitment to participate, please do not let anything prevent you from attending. It will be well worth your time and effort.

This attitude alone will separate you from others who are looking a job. I firmly believe, how you do anything is how you do everything!

"The only things that stand between a person and what they want in life are the will to try it, and the faith to believe it's possible."
- Rich Devos

When? May 11, 2010 from 6 pm - 8.30 pm
Where? Central Library, 1 Atkinson Street, Richmond Hill L4C 0H5 (west/south corner of Major Mackenzie and Yonge)

Manufacturing Excellence - Why do you think very few people strive for excellence in their personal and professional life?

Children smile about 400 times a day; Adults only smile 15 times a day. Ever wonder why? Children think about what they want to do every single day but somehow in the process of growing up we give up on the idea of living a conscious life. I know from my own experience that it is never too late to become who you are meant to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg6ar5HrLA0

The tagline of my business is "Manufacturing Effectiveness - Excellence is not a skill. It's an attitude." 

However, I cannot help but wonder how you would be able to create excellence in your work environment if you don't live and breathe it in your own life?

One of the universal principles is "how you do anything is how you do everything".

What are some of your unconventional insights?