July 27, 2001

QUOTE OF THE WEEK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pessimist complains about the wind.
The optimist expects it to change.
The realist adjusts the sails.

-- William Arthur Ward

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THE TOP 10 WAYS TO CHANGE BREAKDOWNS INTO BREAKTHROUGHS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All of us experience breakdowns in our lives and work. Breakdowns are not an end in themselves. They are symptoms that something in our lives is not working; that we are not paying attention. If we view breakdowns as learning opportunities, we can shift from paralysis into action. Here's how . . .

1. Pay attention!
Sometimes breakdowns occur because our attention is diverted elsewhere. Become aware of where your attention is best placed at any given time in order to optimize your energy and results.

2. Create a blueprint and follow it.
In creating a plan, we begin to see where the weak links are. We can them prepare for those obstacles and either avoid them or minimize their impact. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

3. Focus.
Typical of our lifestyles is "multi-tasking." Too often that means doing a lot of things well but without excellence in any one thing. Get clear on your limitations around how much you can actually handle effectively. Delegate the rest or schedule appropriately.

4. Respond not react.
Taking focused time on a regular basis allows us to create successful outcomes on purpose and to foresee potential breakdowns. We can then shift from reacting to breakdowns to responding to change.

5. Communicate.
Many breakdowns are due to miscommunication between people or groups of people. Watch your language, say what you mean clearly and with integrity. Develop your listening skills. Be open to multiple communication styles. This will decrease the chances of miscommunications.

6. Balance.
When we are balanced and centered we are open to listening to our own wisdom as well as others. This allows for decision-making aligned with our personal and business integrity. When we are centered, we become the eye in the storm, less prone to emotional reactions and better able to make informed decisions.

7. Notice shifts.
Often breakdowns signal that it is time to change something. Or that we have already begun a shift or transition, but we haven't quite caught up to ourselves. Check in with yourself and your staff regularly so you are not caught by surprise.

8. Learn.
Within each breakdown is an opportunity to LEARN. Discover the positive and make sure you use that knowledge to smooth out the future.

9. Re-evaluate.
Breakdowns can illustrate that our past success strategies may no longer be working for our changing environment. Evaluate where you are or where your business is now. Re-work your strategies to reflect new goals or a new environment.

10. Get over it!
Breakdowns are a fact of life. Don't waste time pointing fingers or over-analyzing. Handle it and move on.

By Alicia M. Rodriguez, M.A., Facilitator Certification
for Technologies for Creating. Alicia can be reached at
http://www.sclmcoach.com.

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COACHING CALL TO ACTION FOR
CHANGE BREAKDOWNS INTO BREAKTHROUGHS

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* What breakdown are you in the midst of right now?
* Identify your network of support. Who can help you through this?
* What are the requests you need to make of your network?
* Identify if there are tools, technology or innovative ways to work through your breakthrough.
* State the commitments you are willing to make so this breakdown doesn't occur again.
* What have you learned from this breakdown? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find out how you can be more successful in our 45 minute free coaching session.