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We are a nation ever seeking greater productivity. You will rarely pick up a leadership publication that does not speak to the topic. Unfortunately, though many bemoan the low productivity few offer you help for increasing your own productivity.

Here are a few mental nudges that you may incorporate to improve your own personal productivity. 

1. Procedure Streamlining: Procedures (you may be more familiar with the term Standard Operating Procedure, or SOP) tend to evolve without focus on efficiency or effectiveness. Bottlenecks develop that interrupt work pace and slow down work turn out, thus increasing costs. Procedure Streamlining reduces lost time costs, improves efficiency and optimizes quality.

2. Focus Workshops: Few of us enjoy workshops but if we provide ourselves and staff members with the proper training productivity will improve. Focus workshops and success coaching help us to reach and maintain goals. Such programs are also known as in-service training or continuing education programs. They are especially prevalent in professional fields.

Focus trainings also provide:

- Quality control measures

- Uniformity of procedure implementation

- A comfort reference source to rely on

3. Productivity Quotas: Quotas need not be evil or arbitrary. In fact creating realistic productivity quotas involves measuring work time requirement and using those times to project completion rates.

- improves the sense of ownership on your program

- creates a “bar” for measurable improvement

- provides an opportunity to calculate productivity for other functions

4. Operation Productivity Report: This report is based on the collecting data from each component within the process. This provides  data for effectively planning personal productivity goals.

This data is usually, presented by:

-Time of day

-Location

-Equipment

-Specific task

Embracing and implementing these four nudges will improve your productivity and free time for other pursuits.

flickr home office

The tools on your workspace should contribute to how well you do you tasks and not the the clutter. Finding the right balance between what consitutes a tool and what qualifies as clutter is a razor edge issue. Here are some tips for creating a productively organized work area.

As more and more of us are spending at least a portion of our time working from home several work from home related problems have arisen. One of the most prevalent of those is stress from feeling overwhelmed.

However, the overwhelm experienced at home isn’t quite the same as that experienced at the office. At the office the sense or overwhelm seems to come from ever increasing demands for productivity, growth and out put. The overwhelm at the home office seems to be more connected with the physical environment. At the home office the biggest issue seems to be that things are literally, piling up on you.

Frustration begins because we don’t know how to even start getting organized. A desk drawer becomes a junk drawer. A garage becomes a salvage yard.

But, Sanada McHehee owner of Organizing by Sanada has develop an excellent system called O.R.G.A.N.I.Z.E. that purports to streamlined and strack in eight simple steps. Sanada looks to be a great coach. Here is her plan.

1. Overview.
Identify the reasons for the clutter. Are you continuing the pack rat pattern of your parents? Are you holding on to long past memory artifacts? Do you buy too much? Are you simply existing in quarters that are too small?

2. Remove.
Start with one drawer and eliminate every thing in it you don’t absolutely have to have.

3. Group.
Sort similar items together. Summer clothes go together. Outside items go together.

4. Arrange.
Place each group of like items in an appropriate storage container. Remember under the bed and stackable bin resources.

5. Name.
Label and DATE everything. If you haven’t used it in 6-8 months, get rid of it.

6. Innovate.
Calendar all your important dates. Build a to do list for the next day each night. Keep it simple.

7. Zone.
Create work zones for the areas of your home where you do the most work. A file cabinet next to your computer. A book shelf in your office closet. A cork board on your wall.

8. Enjoy!
Enjoy your new streamlining. You work hard so, you should reward yourself for finding ways to work smarter.

Elemental Value Added Truth: The first step to overcoming frustration is to take action; any action.

If you do a Google search on “how to argue” you will get about 45,000,000 search engine results on the topic. They span the gambit for pieces of satire about the futility of argument to long think pieces written by the legal community about building a preponderance of evidence.

But, what most of us are interested in is a much more simple concept of how to present our beliefs intelligently and how to assess the argument of others fairly.

The temperament experts at arguing are the Phlegmatic Melancholy persons. They have the keen analytical insight to explore any argument for fundamental flaws. Socrates was most likely a Phlegmatic Melancholy.

Because I have always been a fan of intuitive logic and one of the greatest intuitive thinkers of all time was Socrates, I studied the Socratic Filter for a way to adapt it to the assessment of argument. After some time I came up with something that I think works fairly well.

It basically boils down to the following two questions, that I like to call “The Phlegmatic Melancholy Filter.”

1. Why do you say that?

2. So, what?

If your argument, or anyone else’s can pass this assessment then it is a valid argument. If it can’t then it is just so much air, or ink, or pixelation. If I can’t come up with an argument that matches these two criteria legitimately, then I won’t make the argument. Likewise, I assess the argument of others the same way. If they can’t make a case with those two items then they are working from a prejudicial point of view, and debate is pointless because they will never admit defeat.

Here is an example. Two colleagues are debating the acceptability of “Casual Friday.” Neither is particularly vested but they polar feelings about the issue.

Person 1: “Casual Friday’s is good for staff moral.”
Person 2: “Why do you say that?”

Person 1: “It’s obvious! When people come to work on Friday in casual clothes they are smiling.”
Person 2: “So, what? They could be smiling because they are looking forward to the weekend, or Starbucks actually got their order right this morning.”

Person 1: “Yes, but people will tell you they are happier in jeans.”
Person 2: “So, what? People will tell you many things. Can you prove their demeanor changes?”

As you can see, any argument not firmly founded fails the The Phlegmatic Melancholy Filter test.

Try it out.
Elemental Value Added Truth: A man convinced against his will, is unconvinced.

Em Shui © Reg Adkins

It will not come as a surprise to you that temperament counseling which relies understanding the underlying needs for each person and Feng Shui which relies on a understanding of the underlying impact of the arrangement of the physical elements or your life are very complimentary concepts. They both concentrate on concepts of control, inclusion and affection (emotional energy). Here are some points that might help your arrange your most conducive environment.

You most powerful work area is probably on a North West slope with the strength of a fence or better yet, a mountain at your back and your dog at your side. Since this ideal is not easily achieved in our culture, here are a few nudges that will enhance the essential feeling of your office or work space.

Choose the corner that is furthest from your entrance for your desk. You will then be in a position to control your work which enhances your confidence.

Adjust the placement of your seat so that it doesn’t directly face the door. It is always preferable to introduce energies from a slightly oblique angle to allow you time to absorb and process. Placement directly in front of the door is like leaving a forest and abruptly encountering a rock face.

In fact, you should soften any abrupt structural intrusions into your space by adding a muting natural decoration. Consider a hanging plant or an artifact of Native American art.

Place your back to a wall so that you may bolster your own strength with the support it provides. Corner seating allows you to tap the strength of two walls.

If you must choose to sit with your back to a window make sure there is a substantial and tall structure (think mountain) there.

Face in the general direction of the door when conducting business. This symbolism will help you remain open to possibilities.

Make certain to arrange your workspace so that you are not facing exits, stairwells, or closets. These will subconsciously call your mind to leaving and unused resources.

Facing the softer natural light in the North and West will boost your creativity. Facing the more harsh brightness of the South and East will sharpen your mind for figures and logistical concerns.

Be certain to vary the accouterments of your space to display the best of both light and dark colors, soft and hard surfaces and smooth and rough textures. These subtle incorporation’s will nudge your mind away from restlessness and distraction.

Mirrors create distraction and anxiety. They leach away your control of the environment. Keep them away from your work area.

Your documents represent hours of your work and as such much of what you value is contained within them. Keep them orderly and well maintained like your mind.

Clutter on your desk makes you feel confined and restricts the flow of your mind. The tools on your desk should enhance your ability to work and not overpower your workspace. The same holds true for the arrangement of your entire office.

Elemental Value Added Truth:In a 1984 issue of Science, Roger S. Ulrich, PhD, of Texas A&M University reported results from a pivotal study on health care design. He found that patients whose windows looked onto a green landscape had shorter postoperative stays, took fewer pain medications, and received fewer negative medical evaluations…

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Everyday I encounter people who feel they could be “doing better” if they only knew someone who would give them a leg up. I am the first to admit that having friends in high places is a definite advantage. But, not in the way many people believe it to be.

In most situations “who you know” will definitely open doors for you. But, mastery of you underlying temperament and “what you know” determines whether you will be able to take up residence in the new region beyond that opened door.

In fact I would have to give two elements of advantage an approximate equal value. A college diploma. An established friend in a desirable place of employment. Either one will get you the proverbial foot in the door, which is to say, an interview. Skill at tasks and the ability to capitalize on your temperament are what get and keep you in a job.

In fact, the SCANS (Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) published in 1991 (finalized 1992) indicated their are ten competencies and skills that make you a desirable and employable person.

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Performing mathematical operations
4. Listening
5. Speaking
6. Thinking
7. Interpersonal Skills
8. Information Management
9. Understanding of Systems
10. Technological Literacy

• My bonus addition would be Typing or Keyboarding.

The other option would be knowing the “right people.” If that is the true course what are the steps to follow it?

Coleen Watson has these suggestions.

1. First build a personal network inventory.
2. Ask those on your inventory to introduce you to those on their inventory.
3. Ask you boss who you should try to meet in the industry.
4. Call some of the people you wish to add to your inventory and introduce yourself.
5. Recommend your peers when opportunities they could fulfill arise and recommend them.
6. Be nice. People who aren’t nice to the waiter, to the dog and to children aren’t nice. Dont’ be one of those people.
7. Become a hub. Help as many other people make connections as you can.

The question remains, which of these skill sets is truly requisite and therefor “the” key to success?

What are your thoughts gentle readers?

A lot of what I write is specific to each of the underlying temperaments but there are some things that span the temperaments. This is especially true if you are in the service industry or have a product to sell.

These guidelines will get you the broadest appeal.

1. Marketing and Budgeting
Businesses requires a marketing plan and a budget. There are ways to get the word out (marketing) about your site for free or fee. In any case, you need to advertise. One excellent technique is targeted commenting on high traffic sites. You may also purchase links on high-traffic sites that are related to your products. Expensive ads are not always the best. Less expensive, targeted ads can be an effective way to increase sales. Plan your marketing budget, implement it, and watch your results, and adjust as necessary.

2. Quality Images/Descriptions
Customers like to see items to help when making decisions to buy. Provide quality pictures and detailed descriptions. Ted Demopolous emphasizes this feature as being particularly important when marketing ebooks and other electronic media. Ted feels a quality “picture” makes the product more tangible to the buyer, and increases sales volume.

You should consider going to the community college to take a class in market photography. It will pay off in the long run. If not, hire a professional. But, developing the skill yourself will best long term solution.

3. Customer Service
Neck and neck in the race for repeat business are customer service and a quality product. Answer customer inquiries quickly, within hours if possible. Make certain you have a return policy in place and that it is easy for customers to access. When shipping an item, include promotional information with the package. Create a “FAQ” (frequently asked questions) page on your site containing questions that seem to get asked over and over. Make your site as user friendly and convenient as you can. Contracting a site design specialist might be a worthwhile investment at this time.

4. Online Ordering
It is nearly impossible to compete in today’s market without online ordering capabilities. Customers desire the convenience, ease and speed of online purchasing. Not only this, but with online purchasing as an option the merchant has the opportunity to capitalize on the opportunity of the “impulse buy.”

Here a few of the options available:

www.charge.com
www.merchantexpress.com
www.merchantseek.com
www.monstermerchantaccount.com
www.eaglemerchantservices.com

Additionally, you will need an automated way to track the customers desired purchase and provide them total costs at check out. There are several shopping cart programs that can provide this service for you.

As there are many providers that are specific to certain markets, I recommend you research you niche for the most advantageous provider for you.

We’ve taken quite a bit of time to explore the causes of infidelity, now let’s take a little time to explore the reasons most men don’t cheat on their mate.

In no specific order:

• The opportunity hasn’t presented itself. I know that sound horrible, and it sort of is. But, when asked why they chose never to cheat many men reported they simply hadn’t the time or energy it would require.
• The ego is fine in the first place. Often men decide to cheat to prove to themselves they still have the ability to attract and woo a woman. Confident men, those truly comfortable in their own skin, simply don’t feel the need to seek out someone else to stroke their ego.
• They maintain common interests with their spouse. Those who work together on a daily basis continue to connect and keep their relationships strong.
• They don’t argue a lot with their spouse. Those who devote their interests to maintaining harmonious communication don’t feel the need to seek out someone else to value their opinions.
• They understand long term relationships have their ups and downs and don’t seek instant gratification scenarios elsewhere.
• They have a good sex life. Both they and their mate understand the essence of intimacy is to bring pleasure to the other person.
• Their spouse has never been unfaithful to them and thus they have no revenge to seek out.
• Both partners take the time to make sure they relationship continues to grow and does not become stale or routine.
• They are not adrenaline junkies and have matured beyond the level of juveniles in which risks are taken on merely for the rush.
• They know they would not get away with it and that if they were discovered their spouse would cast them aside and seek out a man of true honor.

Of course their are more reasons men don’t cheat, love, honor, family and respect to name a few, but these are some of the more common quantifiable reasons.

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

Previously know as Social Phobia, this is a fairly common psychological phenomenon that is so persistent that it impairs or impedes the life of individuals with the disorder. It is characterised by the consistent and persistent fear that something unpleasant may occur in social situations. It typically presents itself in middle adolescence between the ages of 14 and 16 and can be quite traumatic. In sufferers social situations create extreme anxiety and traumatic dread.

Because of the nature of this topic, today I will be opening a little more of my soul for your inspection.

Although it may seem odd considering I have chosen a profession as a professional development training and speaker, this is an issue I have struggled with all my life. In fact, the intense anxiety I experienced began to develop at a much younger age than the indicated 14 to 16 years. Even as a very young elementary school students I remember suffering tremendous fear and anxiety at the mere prospect of possible humiliation as a result of interacting socially with others.

However, an analysis of my underlying temperament uncovered the fact the true source of my anxiety was a fear of a loss of control which manifested itself as S.A.D. It seems my anxiety was  an obsession with imposing order in all facets of my life rather than just in social situations.

My peculiar solution was to undertake roles which allowed me to orchestrate much of the interactions that took place in social situations. By planning events, conducting trainings, seminars and speaking I could impact the way social groups interacted and thus meet my need for control while simultaneously overcoming my anxiety.

Upon further study, it appears that the source of my anxiety might not be so rare after all. In fact, it may be that many sufferers of Social Anxiety Disorder may find the source of their anxiety in that very same need for the security of control.

Some of the signs and symptoms include:

1. An extreme fear of meeting new people or being critiqued by others
2. Fear induced avoidance of most social interactions
3. Physical symptoms: blushing, sweating, shaking, trembling, tense muscles, shaky voice, dry mouth and pounding heart

Nearly all of us experience some anxiety of this type at one time or another. But, if it has come to such a degree that it is interfering with your ability to function, the disorder may be present.

Suggestions for working through anxiety begin with a series of small desensitizing steps (modified from the Mayo Clinic).

1. Eat in a public place with a close friend or relative
2. Be the first to say hello, make eye contact and exchange greetings with others
3. Read the newspaper in order to be prepared to engage in casual conversations
4. Give someone a compliment
5. Focus on your positive personal characteristics
6. Ask others about their children, grandchildren, hobbies, travels, or homes
7. Ask a clerk to help you find a store item
8. Ask directions from a stranger

What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you have other solutions for this issue?

*Bonus Question: Would you happen to have a nice graphic to go with this article?

When I train and counsel those (parents or professionals) who must deal with conflict situations on a regular basis, I notice three  areas in their techniques which are better served with a replacement skill.

The three target areas:

1. Issuing ultimatums. Rarely will making threats create the desired result on a long term basis.
    
2. Punishing rather than coaching. Set limits with predictable, logical, natural consequences.
    
3. Talking rather than listening. Taking the time to listen provides valuable insight into conduct.

After examining each persons situation and temperament , I work with them to develop a successful replacement skill set for setting limits.

Each persons situation is quite unique. However, it is rare that the following 5 techniques are not part of the successful skill set.

Five-Step Limit Setting

1. Be “what” specific. Explain to the individual why a particular incident of conduct or behavior is not acceptable. Saying, “knock it off!” or a disapproving look is not enough. The person may not know it is the volume rather than the language that is meeting disapproval.
2. Be “why” specific. Again, don’t assume your staff member knows turning his back on a customer or colleague during a conversion is considered offensive.
3. Provide logical consequences. Instead of issuing an ultimatum, offer the person choices and explain what the consequences of each choice are. For example, “I understand you aren’t happy with your purchase. You may return it for a store credit, or you may have cash back. If you return it for a store credit I’ll add 10% to the value for your next purchase. If your take the cash back, it will have to be for the current sale price which is 25% less than your purchase price.”
4. Be Patient. It takes a few moments for most of us to process the pros and cons of a choice. This is doubly true when emotions are running high.
5. Enforce your consequences. Setting the limits is pointless if you don’t consistently enforce your consequences. This is why it is so important in step three to provide logical consequences that you can live with.

I invite you to share your views on this topic.

I hope you will be always able to conduct business and life in such a manner that you will never be called on to use intervention techniques designed for de-escalating volatile persons, but occasionally such techniques become necessary.

Here are 7 tips that will serve you well. If you maintain a cognizance of these elements you will be well served in an escalating verbal conflict.

1. Paraverbals
Paraverbal communication (tone, cadence, volume, and rate of speech) can cause your meaning to be just the opposite of the actual words you speak. Avoid double messages by monitoring your paraverbals.

2. Reflexive Questioning
Rephrase the volatile persons statements in your own words. This will assure you have an understanding of their meaning which may have become garbled due to heightened emotion.

3. Silent Treatment
One of the most effective verbal intervention techniques is silence. This allows the volatile person additional think time and removes you as a possible opponent for their argument.

4. Calm as a Lake
Even thought you may be churning beneath the surface it is important to communicate a sense of calm to the upset person. This makes them much more receptive to communication which may lead to acceptable resolution.

5. Keep it Simple
Be clear, calm and direct with your communication. This leaves no chance you will be misunderstood and decreases the stress of complex communications.

6. Body Language
Like paraverbals, body language can communicate mixed messages. Make sure your body language is sending the same message as the words you are speaking. Be aware of you proximity and the speed of your movements. Standing too close or moving too rapidly can be perceived as threatening.

7. Divide and Conquer
Often escorting the upset person to a quiet place without an audience will do wonders for calming a person. The lack of audience eliminates the potential for a public loss of face for all parties involved.