News From LBD

January 2014 Volume 6 Issue 1

Making 2014 a Great Year

IT'S ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE

A great year can actually be created.

In Neil Eskelin's book, "Yes Yes Living In A No No World," he tells about attending an awards banquet of the Chase National Life Insurance Company. The speaker was the famed author of "Think and Grow Rich," Napoleon Hill.

When Hill was introduced, it was obvious his age had caught up with him. Everyone wondered if the octogenarian would be physically able to give the speech. (He passed away not long after this event.)

As Hill slowly walked to the podium, placing both of his hands on the sides of it, he looked out at the audience and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have given this speech hundreds and hundreds of times in my life. But tonight I am going to deliver it the best it has ever been given. This is going to be the best speech of my life!"

Wow! It was like a bolt of lightning. 300 adults moved to the edge of their chairs to absorb every word that was about to be spoken. When done, everyone agreed, it was perhaps his best speech ever.

Was it really "the best speech of his life" or was it just the audience's perception that it was his best speech? And, does it really make a difference? Hill actually set a course of action that did not allow for failure. It was all about attitude, Hill's attitude to have it be the best, and the attitude of the audience that it was going to be the best.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE!

What Leaders are Reading

Yes Yes, Living In A No No World by Neil Eskelin

You are about to enter a new level of living. Somewhere in the pages of this book, it will suddenly happen to you. "Yes Yes Living" will become more than a phrase. It will become a never-ending source of personal energy, motivation and love. Discover it for yourself as you begin to apply "Yes Yes Living" to every area of your life.

Executive EQ by Robert Cooper and Ayman Sawaf

Studies have shown that the most intelligent people are often not that successful in their personal lives. As Cooper (The Performance Edge, Houghton, 1991) and entrepreneur Sawaf demonstrate, that principle applies in business as well. The authors argue that business success depends on "emotional intelligence" ... a quality that "enables you to be authentic and true to your best self; to be clear and get along ... and to sense opportunities and create the future." Filled with examples from major businesses, their book includes an "EQ map" that lets readers measure their own relative strengths and weaknesses across many emotional intelligence characteristics.

Leadership Tip of the Month

How is your attitude?

Your attitudes determine your success. They will either advance or hinder your creativity, your productivity, and your ability to relate to others.

Your attitudes walk several feet in front of you. When you enter a room, they shout so loudly about who you are they often drown out what you say, and people will sense it.

Your attitudes also affect the way you see others. To a certain degree, your attitudes create the world that you see. If you have a pessimistic attitude, you will see the glass half empty instead of half full. You tend to look for the worst instead of the best, and you overlook opportunities that others will spot because you are not looking for them.

To make 2014 a Great year we don't need to change others; we need to change ourselves. Positive attitudes backed by action produce positive results.

To make 2014 a Great year, it's all about attitude!

To learn how, contact LBD.

John Branstad

Quote of the Month

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."

Henry Ford

John Branstad
www.leadershipbydesign.org
763-213-5267