What Can We Learn From Animals?

What can we learn from animals?

There are a few things that I have learned from watching animals that we can use in business;

1. The smallest does not necessarily mean the weakest - often the smallest animals have the largest heart, so too can it be in business.

2. The runt of the litter need not remain that way - just because we have been rejected and isolated need not mean that we have to stay that way, and if you fight hard enough you can become stronger than the rest.

3. There is strength in numbers - if you have a small business, collaborate with others when needed to become stronger.

4. Natural enemies can become friends - if you reach out to your competitors you may be able to work together using each of your strengths.

5. Bigger is not necessarily better - Smaller businesses are more flexible, can adapt quickly to the ever-changing environment, and offer value for money.

6. Rats don't desert a sinking ship - they leave when the time is right to find a better place to survive. Sometimes we may have to change what we do and how we do it.

7. A turtle on its back will keep trying - no matter how bad things get; it is important to keep going.

8. Weak species survive with numbers - surround yourself with good people; those who care about you, support you, and want you to succeed.

9. Animals are loyal - be loyal to your business, your values, and mostly, yourself.

10. Animals will fight to the death for their family – ‘familia omnia’, family is all. Fight for your family because that is the most important thing in most of our lives.

10 Things I Learned as a Crisis Negotiator.

10 things I learned in my time as a crisis negotiator

1. Never make a promise that you cannot keep - When we break a promise, not only does the person we made it to feel bad but we also feel the same way. Under-promise and over-deliver is a great guide.

2. Be honest - honesty is the most important thing that you can do for yourself and for others.

3. Be the first to give - Always give something first and never ask for anything in return. Why, because generally, the other person will always reciprocate if they have the opportunity to.

4. Listen - We have two ears and one mouth to do twice as much listening as talking.

5. Only speak if you have something to say - as above, silence is the key to listening. Less is more.

6. Make it about them - Focus on the other person's needs, then your own.

7. Be humble - If we take the lower ground, we gain respect. It is so easy to become aggressive if we need to but difficult to retract what we said in anger.

8. Keep an open mind - A closed mind causes friction and is a barrier to understanding.

9. Never leave anything unsaid - just like on a sports field we give everything, the same rule applies in conversations. Say all that you have to say, in particular if expressing emotions. Men often find this one difficult to do.

10. Always finish with an agreement - never leave a conversation on a negative note, always finish on a positive or with an agreement.

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Sticking To Your Goals.

Sometimes we struggle after having decided to make a change in our life, and oftentimes we give up without really knowing that we have given up until we realise that we are back into our old patterns of behaviour.

Often when we're trying to make a change in our life, or perhaps to achieve a goal, we become frustrated that things aren't happening fast enough.

Research is overwhelming, and I don't think we needed research to confirm this, life is getting faster and faster. As the rest of our life is moving faster through technological advances, we expect the same fast result when it comes to our personal endeavours.

Science is now able to tell us a lot more about how our brains process information, how we can influence our behaviour though our thoughts, and how we can make improvements in our lives.

We know that it takes longer than 21 days to change a habit. It is actually 60 to 80 days depending on how ingrained the habit is that you want to change. We also know that when it comes to achieving goals, we shouldn't write down more than five. One is more than enough to make a real impact on our life.

Here's a quick guide on changing habits and setting goals, both of which go together. If you want to achieve a goal you have to change something that you are currently doing. Most often, you are needing to change a lifetime habit;

Identify the one thing you want to change that will make the biggest impact on your life.

Look at all of the factors that are currently contributing to that area of your life you want to change.

Now choose just two of those factors that will give you the fastest improvement with the least amount of effort. Choosing more than two and you will soon find yourself being overwhelmed and giving up.

Identify the way in which you can introduce those two factors into your life with the greatest of ease and without causing frustration.

Mark the date that you start on a calendar, then count out 80 days and place another mark. That is the day that you no longer have to concentrate on introducing the two factors, they will be ingrained into your brain.

You can then repeat the process for the next change in your life. And then again, and then again, and then again.

By taking smaller steps we can achieve larger goals - it is about embedding patterns of behaviour.

If you find yourself falling back into old habits, don't beat yourself up about it, know that that is just part of the process. 50% of who we are is hereditary, it comes from our parents, it's in our DNA if you like. The other 50% is you and what you have done in your life. Therefore, you are able to change at least half of your behaviour because it's yours, it's you.

There is no quick fix when it comes to breaking habits or making changes in our life. Don't get frustrated, get determined, you got this.

Let's talk!

Say No!

Thanks, but I'll have to pass on that.
I'm going to need to say no, but thanks!
I can't make it work this time, sorry.
Not today.
No.
I'm not up for that right now, but I appreciate the invite.
I'm going to have to sit this one out, but thanks for thinking of me
No, thank you.
I'd love to, but I'm swamped right now.
I've got a lot on my plate, so I'll have to decline.
Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to have to pass.

Often we don't want to disappoint, so we tend to say "yes' when asked to do something. Unfortunately, this desire to help, or rather not to disappoint, might be detrimental to our well-being - especially at a time of year when many of our plates (and calendars) are full.

Saying "yes" may be important to you, so keep doing so if you can continue without it impacting on you. Remember that you need downtime to do things to relax. Saying "no" can be difficult, especially if you have got into the habit of saying "yes".

Know that saying "no" can also be exhilarating, and your brain will eventually thank you for it.

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Thank You To Those Who Work In Customer Service

It's that time of the year that most of us enjoy, the holiday season .

A time when we prepare to get together with family and friends to celebrate and to relax. A time when we are so busy that we sometimes forget about others.

Things don't always go the way that they should in the lead-up to holiday times and oftentimes we are in a rush to get things done so that we can relax. In this busy time when things don't go the way that we hoped that they would, we get anxious and may say things that we wouldn't ordinarily say.

The bearer of our immediate response is at times the person who can help us the most, the customer service assistant (CSA).

Those who work in the customer service industry - banks, call centres, shops, restaurants, etc. - do so because they enjoy what they do. They are drawn to their vocation because they want to help others.

It is in these busy times that they work harder than ever with no additional reward. Their reward is simply to help as many people as possible.

Know that the person in front of you or who is on the phone is trying their very best to help you with your issue. They don't want things to go wrong for you, they don't want you to be in distress, they didn't set out to make your life hard, and they may just be as overwhelmed as you are.

When things go wrong in these busy times, spare a thought for those who work in the customer service industry.

Let's talk!