LEARN A LITTLE:
Thoughts Borrowed from Stephen Covey
We as people all bring our own “musical” notes to work every day. We all have a tune in our heads and some are better than others.
The word harmony comes from the Greek and means joint, concordance, fitting together. We all know what it means in a musical context. Notes come together and result in a pleasing sound, and as usual, the experience varies in different cultures and musical traditions.
In an organizational context, we think of harmony being present when everyone is getting along. There is accord, there is an orderliness to the work being performed, and members of the organization are in agreement with its direction.
Disharmony, on the other hand, is evident when people don’t get along, don’t know what is expected of them. The absence of trust in the workplace will ensure disharmony as will the presence of hyper-gripers.
A harmonious organization just doesn’t happen nor does it maintain itself without conscious effort and attention.
It is my belief that harmonious organizations are those in which philosophy, principles, and practices are positively aligned and the importance of relationships is never forgotten.
LAUGH A LITTLE:
REFLECT A LITTLE:
Proverbs 18:12 (Common English Bible)
Pride comes before a disaster,
but humility comes before respect.
READ A LITTLE
What If…?
Dare To Do More, Be More, and Reach Farther Than You Ever Thought Possible
Mike Rayburn 2010
I re-found this book in my library a few weeks ago—hadn’t read it in about ten years. Given its brief length at 46 pages, I sat down with it and read it before bedtime and was glad I did.
Mike Rayburn is an outstanding musician, standout comedian, and along the way has become an expert in self-improvement. The book is an easy read filled with humor and homilies. Here’s an example – Rayburn quoting Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys: “Beware of the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever.”
Throughout the book, Rayburn deals with such issues as the importance of the questions we ask ourselves, what to do about time poverty, how we view problems, set goals, and motivate ourselves.
It’s an easy, funny read, replete with insights you can share with staff or raise in staff meetings. One place to start is to ask yourself—Am I driving with the brakes on?
