The art of positive action also has three fundamental
requirements:
Govern your attitudes. Negative attitudes can sneak up on us
and hold us back. The good news
about attitude is that it’s ultimately within our control. We can choose to consider the positive
possibilities of a situation, or to forgive a person who may have tripped
us up. We can also take measures –
such as daily walking, jogging, or meditation – that can indirectly but
almost magically transform our attitudes. Good attitudes can lead to great outcomes.
To a large degree, I have found that developing an awareness of the direction in which my thoughts are going, has helped me avoid the slippery slope of negative thinking. That doesn' t mean ignoring negative issues or glossing over them. It does mean finding positive ways to deal with everything. One of the most difficult things to do as a manager, is firing an employee. No amount of positive thinking will make that feel good, but you can do it in a way that allows the employee to understand that even though they might not be a good fit for your practice, they have many wonderful qualities that will make them perfect for someone else. There are many opportunities to choose to turn what could be unpleasant situations into opportunities for everyone to call upon their finest selves.
Look for opportunities. The churn
of change always creates new opportunities. The most successful people actively look
for emerging opportunities in times of change, and so are among the first
to take advantage of possibilities that didn’t previously exist. In every challenging era, some people
grow and benefit. By always
searching for new opportunities, we can be among those people.
In dental offices, we are often presented with difficult situations or difficult people. If you see it as just another burden to deal with, you may get through it ok, but you won' t make a difference. If you can look at a difficult patient as a chance to find out more about why they are difficult and then find a new approach, you may just find yourself with a raving fan.
3. Take the initiative. In uncertain times, people hunker down,
hoping the storms will pass. A common
trait of high achievers is a very different tendency to take action. By being action-oriented, we can make the
most of new opportunities, which are often fleeting and must be seized
quickly. Leaders always show
initiative. In situations of rapid
change, it’s up to each of us to do so.
I find that most people want to be led when things get tough. No one wants to take a chance of making a mistake. More time is wasted waiting for someone to step up and voice an opinion or suggestion. In the meantime, time marches on. Even something as simple as decided where to eat lunch can become a monumental decision. Once a leader emerges, others will look to them for guidance. The best leader will develop other leaders and then you' ve really got a strong team.
The art of positive action also has three fundamental requirements:
To a large degree, I have found that developing an awareness of the direction in which my thoughts are going, has helped me avoid the slippery slope of negative thinking. That doesn' t mean ignoring negative issues or glossing over them. It does mean finding positive ways to deal with everything. One of the most difficult things to do as a manager, is firing an employee. No amount of positive thinking will make that feel good, but you can do it in a way that allows the employee to understand that even though they might not be a good fit for your practice, they have many wonderful qualities that will make them perfect for someone else. There are many opportunities to choose to turn what could be unpleasant situations into opportunities for everyone to call upon their finest selves.
- Look for opportunities. The churn
of change always creates new opportunities. The most successful people actively look
for emerging opportunities in times of change, and so are among the first
to take advantage of possibilities that didn’t previously exist. In every challenging era, some people
grow and benefit. By always
searching for new opportunities, we can be among those people.
In dental offices, we are often presented with difficult situations or difficult people. If you see it as just another burden to deal with, you may get through it ok, but you won' t make a difference. If you can look at a difficult patient as a chance to find out more about why they are difficult and then find a new approach, you may just find yourself with a raving fan.3. Take the initiative. In uncertain times, people hunker down, hoping the storms will pass. A common trait of high achievers is a very different tendency to take action. By being action-oriented, we can make the most of new opportunities, which are often fleeting and must be seized quickly. Leaders always show initiative. In situations of rapid change, it’s up to each of us to do so.
I find that most people want to be led when things get tough. No one wants to take a chance of making a mistake. More time is wasted waiting for someone to step up and voice an opinion or suggestion. In the meantime, time marches on. Even something as simple as decided where to eat lunch can become a monumental decision. Once a leader emerges, others will look to them for guidance. The best leader will develop other leaders and then you' ve really got a strong team.