People who work five days per week to get two days of a weekend or who work 50 weeks out of the year to get two weeks of vacation are missing the joy and satisfaction that comes from enjoying their work.

Mark Twain said that the secret to success is making your vocation your vacation. Twain knew that enjoying your work will not only make you happier, it will make you successful. If you are in a job or business that you do not enjoy, and you are competing with people who enjoy their work, you are doomed to failure. You may have the talent and skill to succeed, but your competition who enjoys their work will always prevail in the end.

People who enjoy their work are more efficient, creative, and productive. If you find yourself in a job you do not enjoy, it doesn’t mean you have to quit today, but it should indicate that you need to start making some changes in your life that will result in you doing work that you enjoy.

If you are among the unfortunate who do not love your job, you may want to consider the following:

1. Are there parts of your work or your job that you do enjoy? Maybe you can focus more on this work and make arrangements to make it a larger part of your job description.
2. Are there jobs available within your organization that you feel would give you satisfaction, and you would enjoy doing? If so, you may want to consider a transfer, even if it is a lateral move or step down within the organization.
3. Is there a job or profession you have always wanted to pursue? If so, what educational or training steps could you take now to prepare yourself to make the move later?
4. If you don’t know what kind of work would make you happy, think of the things you enjoy in your leisure or personal time, and imagine how components of those activities could make up a job or business somewhere in your community.

As you go through your day today, realize that you can never be totally successful within your profession until you enjoy the work that you do.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

Don’t Let Work Break Your Heart
A recent study found women under heavy stress at work increase their risk of a heart attack by 90%, while another study found men who easily lose their temper at work are five times more likely to have a heart attack. In recognition of American Heart Month, take a few moments to consider your stress level and make it your goal to spend 10 minutes de-stressing each day in February. Also, keep an eye on your team’s stress levels and encourage them to find ways to relax too.

Honor Your Winning Team
Don’t put all your efforts into cheering for your Super Bowl pick. Forget about football and gather your team in a huddle to celebrate the wins you’ve already achieved in the first month of the year. If you’re still working on large projects or haven’t hit your goals yet, focus on the small things everyone is doing in order to achieve success. Sometimes it’s easy to get bogged down in all the details and lose sight of how each small task is taking you closer to the desired end results. Giving your team perspective on how the work they’ve accomplished so far is moving them closer and closer to their goals will give them the momentum to carry on and keep pushing!

Hold Leadership Accountable
Retention is a hot topic right now because so many companies are seeing the level of discontentment steadily rising in their employees. And, whether you run a business or just manage a small team within a larger corporation, the answer is probably simpler than you’d imagine. Start holding leadership accountable for turnover. Instead of mourning the loss of key employees, ask why the employees left, what could their managers have done differently, and what can be done to ensure other team members don’t follow suit.

Organize Your PC
In honor of Clean Out Your Computer Day on February 13, block out some time in your schedule to do what you’ve probably been putting off. Clean out that email inbox. File away all those documents on your desktop. Create a better folder system based on projects. Run any needed program updates if your IT team isn’t responsible for that. A clean, organized computer, just like an office, will maximize your productivity.

<3 Your Employees
Take your cue from Valentine’s Day and give your employees reasons to love their jobs. Is your team on a tight deadline? Surprise them with cupcakes or order in pizza. An employee looking discouraged? Call them in your office and tell them something you think they’ve done right this week. Have a little extra money in the budget? Give everyone a gift card to their favorite restaurant so they can go out for the holiday. Lifting employee morale doesn’t have to drain the bank, and the results could directly help your bottom line.

The first step to overcoming a challenge is to clearly identify it. So we want to know, what is the top threat to your business today?

Let us know by voting in our poll.

You may not have any control over your answers to their requests, but you can plan out your responses and make it as positive of an experience as possible.

Congratulations!
Of course, the easiest answer to deliver is “Yes!” But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a prepared response. Employees need to know why they’re receiving pay increases. Make sure you communicate whether their raises are based on performance, cost of living, or tenure, if there are still areas in need of improvement, or if any new responsibilities or expectations go along with the increase. For star performers, especially, you need to lay the groundwork of where they go from here – top talent will need a new goal to aim for if they’re going to stay motivated.

Let’s compromise.
Sometimes due to budget constraints or bureaucratic red tape, you can’t increase employees’ yearly salaries, but you do have the power to approve bonuses or incentive programs. Explain your situation to your employees, acknowledge their accomplishments, express how much you value their work, and then present your plan. Most employees will accept this honest gesture and leave feeling appreciated. However, this option will only work for so long. At some point, employees want to be paid what they’re worth, and they will walk away as soon as a better offer comes their way.

I’m going to be honest.
There are a lot of reasons you might have to decline a request for more pay. Whatever your reasoning, be honest and explain yourself. If it’s due to lack of money, tell what your reward plans are for the future and what needs to happen in order to make them happen. And, of course, express your appreciation for all their hard work. Also consider what other ways you might reward them, such as extra days off or flexibility to work from home. If the lack of a raise is because of poor performance, you owe it to your employees to explain where they were lacking and what changes you need to see. Then, give them a date you want to see improvement by and lay out what will happen if they do or don’t meet your expectations.

It is possible to alleviate some of the stress associated with discussions about pay increases. Just make sure you’ve already considered the question, decided on your response, and compiled your reasoning before you have “The Talk.” Your employees will appreciate your thoughtful reply.

With the ease of accessing a search engine and a brief period of focus, anyone can begin to convince you that they are an expert on anything.

Our grandparents would have had to travel to several libraries and universities and talk to a number of experts over several months or even years to have access to the information you and I have at our fingertips via the web.

To succeed in the 21st century, we must learn to differentiate information from knowledge, and knowledge from wisdom. Information is nothing more than random data or facts that have no specific application until they are internalized. Knowledge is the intake of that information.

A person who becomes knowledgeable has sought out a source of information, and by mastering that information, has gained knowledge, therefore becoming a source of information. Wisdom is the practical, successful application of knowledge. Wisdom is never gained solely by sitting in front of a computer screen or by occupying a seat in a classroom. It comes through hard work, generally accompanied by trial and error.

Wisdom allows us to avoid painful, frustrating, and time-wasting situations. Unfortunately, this wisdom is usually gained from going through painful, frustrating, and time-wasting experiences.

A person with knowledge may have a diploma, book, or computer program. A person with wisdom often has bruises, scars, and a bit of gray hair.

As you are trying to reveal and, therefore, avoid the articulate incompetent, it is important to realize they will want to tell you what they know while you will want to inquire about what they’ve done. An articulate incompetent may just know slightly more than you do about any subject. You can usually derail an articulate incompetent by allowing them to spout off their knowledge and then just simply ask them, “How have you applied that in the real world, and what were the results?”

We still live in a world that, when it’s all said and done, there’s a lot said and very little done. We don’t succeed based on what we know. We succeed based on what we do.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing if it is obtained on the road toward wisdom that can benefit the traveler and the whole world.

As you go through your day today, separate information and knowledge from wisdom, and avoid the articulate incompetents.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

Delegate
With learning to let things go, I’ve also had to learn to delegate, and not the kind of delegation where you let someone do the project but you stand over their shoulder critiquing their every move. No, whether it’s letting Daddy take the night shift or a colleague take on my pet project, delegating means truly letting it go and trusting someone else enough to do it right.

Push Back
Having never been what others would call aggressive or forceful, I didn’t quite believe others when they talked about the “momma bear” syndrome. But, to my shock, even before my little girl arrived, I suddenly started speaking up, raising questions, and meeting conflicts head-on. And even more shocking, no one seemed to mind, including me! Apparently becoming someone’s mother made me realize that my experience and opinion mattered.

Remember What’s Important
I’ve always been a big advocate of work/life balance, and I would never describe myself as a workaholic. But like any dedicated professional, I’ve carried work home with me many a night, even if just in the form of stress and worries. Life is too short for that, though, especially when you just have a few hours between dinner and bedtime to spend time with your baby. So, now I do what I can when I’m at the office, and then lay it aside when I’m at home.

I’m thankful for my child for many reasons, including how she’s already made me a better person. I just never knew she’d make such a positive impact so quickly in every area of my life, including my work life.

You better start swimming or sink like a stone, cause the times they are a-changing. – The Times They Are A-Changin’
Written as a commentary on the ongoing social unrest during the 1960s, this is one of Dylan’s most famous songs. And though its original message is grounded in the politics and civil rights issues of the decade, its lyrics can easily be applied as a warning to be heeded by anyone in an influential leadership position. The pace of business is only accelerating, and without a forward thinking leader who is willing to adapt to the changing trends, even a strong company risks sinking like a stone.

If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself. – Trust Yourself
From Dylan’s 23rd studio album, Trust Yourself is a song about doing just that – trusting your instincts. Great leadership requires confidence. A workforce will rally behind a leader who truly believes in the company and what it’s capable of achieving. More often than not, it’s the fickle leader who loses the faith of their employees, which can deal a devastating blow to employee engagement and productivity.

May you always be courageous, stand upright, and be strong. – Forever Young
Originally appearing on the 1974 album, Planet Waves, Forever Young was written as a blessing from parent to child. But the meaning behind its lyrics is sage advice that can be just as applicable in the workplace. In every decision, big or small, a courageous leader will always choose honesty over deceit. And nothing builds loyalty among employees better than a leader who can always be trusted to do what’s right.

When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose. – Like A Rolling Stone
In Like a Rolling Stone, Dylan sings the plight of “Mrs. Lonely,” a woman who once had it easy but is now forced to fend for herself. In the workplace, however, this scenario can be more aptly applied to a major project gone wrong. You may have started out with the best of intentions, a solid plan, and all the right people helping you along the way, but obstacles and road blocks have derailed progress and caused commitment to wane. At this point, when you’ve got nothing to lose, your best option may be an outside-the-box, “Hail Mary” strategy – and hope for the best.

I believe in you, even though I be outnumbered. – I Believe In You
Blind faith and unwavering support is the theme of this song, and as a leader, it’s often necessary to put your own reputation on the line to stand behind those you lead. Taking the path of least resistance only stifles creativity and your employees won’t waste their time with forward thinking if they don’t believe you’ll be there to support them. Some of the greatest advancements in history were put in motion by a giant leap of faith.

While the name Bob Dylan is far from synonymous with success in business, there is inspiration to be found between the lines of many of his greatest hits. As long as you’re open to receiving the message, you can find motivation in many of the things you surround yourself with every day. You just have to listen.

Personal Pain
Encourage your employees to report dangerous conditions to help protect their colleagues. When employees see each other for 40 plus hours a week, they grow close. Make it a matter of keeping teammates safe, and not a matter of reporting a mistake – this will help take the element of pride out of the equation.

Lost Wages
Even with workers’ compensation, workplace injuries can cause financial hardships in both the short- and long-term. Employees can easily sympathize with the financial stress their teammates would feel if they were injured, so point out how they’re helping save their friends and their families from a tough experience.

Missed Goals
Most workplace teams have team goals they’re trying to meet, and an injury to just one member can make it hard for the team to succeed. Encourage workers to keep an eye out for anything that could hinder their team from reaching their achievements, including potential accidents. Maybe even make identifying potential workplace hazards a team goal to keep it top of mind.

Getting employees to break the silence associated with close calls and workplace injuries isn’t easy. But, it’s up to business leaders to create a work atmosphere that fosters communication and put a personal focus on this unpopular subject.

According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, nearly one in four companies plan on hiring for executive-level positions over the next six months. One of the most vital responsibilities for any new leader is the ability to not only have a vision for where the company or their team is going, but also how to develop a plan to get there. From setting SMART goals, to analyzing the previous year’s performance, there are a wide variety of factors that go into developing a strategic plan. A new leader who has not been responsible for broad, big-picture planning in the past may have a difficult time even knowing where to start.

The second biggest challenge, according to our poll, is communicating with employees. In another recent CareerBuilder survey, 40% of employees said their direct supervisors don’t make an effort to listen to employees or address morale and 33% said they lacked transparency and open and honest communication habits – both of which are major components of effective communication.

Only 12.8% of respondents said they were completely prepared for their new leadership role. Studies have shown that companies that invest in leadership development and succession planning typically see lower turnover, increased employee engagement, and higher productivity. So, it’s in your best interest to ensure those who are trusted to lead have all the tools and training necessary to effectively manage their teams.

What are some other challenges you faced when you took on a new leadership role? Does your company have a comprehensive leader development program? Let us know in the comment section below.

“Innovation distinguishes a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs
Jobs had an illustrious career in the computer and information industry, but he is mostly recognized as the man who saved Apple, Inc. After leaving the company in 1985, he returned and became the de facto CEO in the 90s when Apple was struggling. The one thing that brought the company back from the dead was the introduction of a game-changing device: the iPod. Jobs always faced the need to innovate with being proactive as opposed to reactive. Innovation wasn’t something to remain relevant, but the way to create the new standard for relevance. As a business leader, you either create and lead or accept and follow. The importance of being on the cutting edge is the difference between a company that is prosperous and one that simply bleeds its resources. Find new ways to address old problems, and maybe it will bring your company to the cusp of trending in your field.

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” – Ernest Hemmingway
Hemmingway was one of the most notable writers of the 20th century. But before he wrote the immortal words of A Farewell to Arms or For Whom the Bell Tolls, he was stationed on the Italian front during World War I. He enlisted as an ambulance driver and found himself in the thick of nightmare-like battles. His experiences in the war would later influence some of his most famous work. Being at war, he knew what it was to trust someone. He had to trust that the person next to him wouldn’t leave him, and that person would have to trust that Hemmingway would stand by him. He actually received a medal of honor because of a selfless act of dragging a wounded warrior to safety – while he was wounded as well. In business, we aren’t having to trust our team members in the same way. But still, we need to trust our judgment in the employees we hired and trained. As a leader, the best way to train is by trusting an employee with an important task. They will in turn build confidence and work hard to earn our respect.

“I never worry about action, but only inaction.” – Winston Churchill
Wars change people. Wars change societies. But one thing is certain, wars do not change character; they reveal it. Anytime we are faced with inexplicable feats, how we act upon them shows what kind of leader we are. Churchill was one of the most colorful people of the past century. He was very brut and resolute. During the 30s and 40s, England experienced some of the harshest conditions of World War II, being bombed nearly every night by Nazi Germany. As prime minister of the country, he was faced with the issues of sustainability. What was his response? Action. Not to sit idly by while his beloved London was being targeted by the Fuhrer. In our office, we see issues arise every day. Whether from clients or employees, conflict is all around. The best way to bring resolution to these is to act upon them. This may seem simple, but one thing companies across the world are showing is their true character. We saw this with Enron and AIG. Instead of sweeping issues under the carpet, let us as leaders face them in confidence. Action is the purest form of leadership. We act and those around us will follow.

Words are the gateway from inspiration to motivation. We find the more we look into the past at great leaders’ words, we are given a broader vision of how we want our team to pursue the future. What are your favorite phrases or quotes? Share with us in the comment section.