GarthBox

I haven’t been able to put my finger on it, but someone knows when you are asking them for something vs when you are involving them in a decision.

Asking a team member “what do you think of X” sounds like it’s involving them, but it’s unlikely you are; even if you’re trying to, it won’t be perceived that way.

Involvement requires a few variables:

• They’ve gotta be part of the ideation phase of the original/big idea; the thinking stage before any action is taken. Ideation of a piece of the core idea is not involvement.
• They’ve gotta be engaged with, conversed with, collaborated with in the middle of a project. They need tasks and to-dos; not just being asked what they think of a decision or what they’d recommend.
• They’ve gotta be recognized as a key player in the completion of the project. This is the one that is easiest to evaluate throughout and helps the us nail the first two bullet points. Envision you’re at the end of the project tomorrow and you’re giving a speech: are you complimenting your team member to start? If not, you’re likely not involving them.

It’s not a perfect structure but it’s directionally accurate and will help you become the leader people both need and want.

Stay Positive & Involvement Is Key To Retention, Connection, Meaningful Execution…

There’s only 24 hours in a day. At some point, people make more money not because they can do more, but because of what they do.

The first factor that gets weighed, then, is how well you do what you do. This is results driven. KPIs. OKRs. Sales goals. Or it could be impact you have on a team and how well you lead a project.

The secondary factor that is often overlooked is almost back to square one: what you do.

Do you have the really tough, unpleasant conversations? Do you carry the weight of ownership of bigger goals? Are you the one that has to make massive decisions, fast and in the moment?

If the answer is yes to those, you get paid more than someone who answers no.

On the path to financial progress, there’s no faking it until you make it… Do the things you do well so you check that box. Then do the things people simply get paid more for doing.

Don’t wait for the responsibility. Give it to yourself.

Stay Positive & Now Your Raise Is Incoming

Ever notice how sports players with wild hair often get a little extra air time?

Or when you open a meeting with a quirky fact or self-depriving joke, the tough conversations are a bit easier?

It’s not just rocket science. These emotional triggers are what we gravitate to and what makes something a bit more memorable than not.

We’re attracted to the weird. Mesmerized by it, even.

The real question remains: when was the last time you infused some of that into your work? Your relationship? Your kids?

Stay Positive & We’re All Weird (That’s Why It Resonates)

Before you hit send on the email, think about if you were them. Should you make some edits?

Before you spend $5,000 on a print ad, think about if you were the reader. Is it worth it?

Before you say what you’re feeling, think about if it’s in the communication style of the recipient. Will it resonate?

Before you wait until the last second, wouldn’t it be better to do that thinking sooner?

Stay Positive & Start With The End Target In Mind

You can self-gamify any one of your goals. Ever recall putting fruit snacks in chapters of a book that you got to eat once you got to that chapter? Perk of gamifying tasks for ourselves is we know exactly what we like. Maybe it’s not a fruit snack, it’s a beer or a motorcycle ride or…

You can self-motivate yourself every morning. You’ve likely heard a quote or a speech that moved you. Maybe even a motivational video on youtube. (This was mine.) I’ve yet to hear anyone say reading a motivational prompt in the mirror has hurt more than helped them. Perk of self-motivation? You know exactly what will motivate you. Maybe the quote is about your legacy or your family or beating the competition or…

Are you picking up the trend on all the good things that move us forward?

Stay Positive & It’s On Us, Always Has Been

An artist makes it look easy to others.

At dinner the other night with friends and our daughters, someone said how great they are while eating out. I couldn’t help but laugh. We made it look easy. They didn’t see the conversations we had about timing of dinner, the analysis of the toys we brought, the food schedule we applied, the seating placement we considered, the expectation-setting we had in the car leading up to it, the amount of steps we put in to tire them before dinner….I could list another dozen decisions we made to ensure a smooth dinner.

That’s the work of an artist who knows what they want, though.

A friend of mine is an actual artist (the kind of artist you thought when you read the post title). He’s been quoted in the local newspaper about how easy he makes spray painting look. But I’ve seen behind the scenes. I’ve been someone he’s vented to about how much work he’s put into just being able to afford better cans of paint so his work looks better. …Again, I could give a laundry list.

That’s the work of an artist who knows what they want, though.

It merely begs one question: are you an artist that knows what you want?

Stay Positive & Keep Makin’ It Look Easy

Even the word upfront makes us feel uncomfortable.

But that’s what we’ve gotta be if we’re going to make progress.

Upfront about what we want. Upfront about what’s holding us back. Upfront about why we want it.

The magic of vulnerability is that once it’s present, it can’t be ignored.

And 9.9/10 times, someone is will to listen, to assist, and to respectfully challenge.

Stay Positive & Have You Been Upfront Today?