You know, Buckminster Fuller, a great philosopher, says that we've all been born with a genius mind and we spend our whole lives learning how to be un-geniuses. And it's all because of our filtering system. We don't just accept the evidence of what we're capable of doing. We filter out the things that we're capable of doing or not capable of doing. And that's how we limit ourselves sometimes.
Let me show you how it works. Right where you're sitting right now, I'd like you to fold your arms on your chest, very comfortably. Now, look down and notice which arm is on top.
Next, unfold your arms, let them hang down at your side. If you've got money in your pocket, go ahead and jiggle that money, or slap your pockets, or just kind of shake your hands-do something.
Now I'm going to ask you to do something differently. What I'd like for you to do is to fold your arms-Wait a minute! Some of you are already starting to fold your arms before I tell you how to do it differently. (I've done this with people a lot of times and it never fails.)
Here's what I want you to do. I want you to fold your arms differently. No matter which arm you put on top last time, put the other arm on top this time.
What does it feel like right now? A little awkward? A little strange? Uncomfortable? What would you like to do right now more than anything else? Go back to the old way of folding your arms? Go ahead and do that.
Now, let's talk a little bit about this process, because this is a key on your journey to greatness - a real big key.
When I asked you to fold your arms, you knew automatically how to do it. You didn't even have to think about that, you just folded your arms. That was on the unconscious level of your thought processes. That was way down in the memory. Automatically, when you pushed that key for arm-folding, it said, "Fold your arms like this."
Next, I asked you to unfold your arms, put them down by your side, and kind of distracted you a little bit. Then I asked you to fold your arms differently. When I asked you to fold your arms differently, what was the first thing you had to do? You had to think about it. You had to override your unconscious, automatic arm-folding function and make a conscious decision.
One of the brilliant aspects of our mind is its ability to make things automatic. What if you had to stop and think about it every time you made a move? You're at lunch, having a burger and you have to tell yourself, "OK, now, pick up the burger. Move it toward your mouth... now open your mouth and bite down.... Now chew, chew, chew!" In five minutes, you'd be exhausted. And you wouldn't be able to think about anything else in the meantime. So the automatic function of our brains works for us, non-stop all day long. It keeps our bodies going-keeps us breathing, keeps our hearts beating, our blood pumping-but it also handles our habits for us. It keeps us doing things we always do without our having to think about it.
It's kind of like driving to work. When you drive to work, you automatically know how to do that. You're listening to music, driving along, making all the right turns without even consciously thinking about it. Have you ever had the experience of arriving at work, but not even really remembering the drive to get there? It's because your conscious mind was on other things, while you unconsciously drove to work. It's a habit. So there's no need for intervention. You don't have to think about it, unless something unusual comes up.
What happens when you come across an accident? Now, this demands your attention! You're going to be late for work. You see that you'll be stuck here for quite awhile, unless you can figure something out. So you get involved. You start thinking of different ways to drive to work.
It's kind of like folding your arms. When you fold your arms and you fold them the way you normally do it, it happens automatically. It's a habit. But when I asked you to fold them differently, you had to think about it.
What are you getting used to? What do you need to do differently?
Learn about author and top motivational keynote speaker, Jim Jackson!
Do you have a dream, a vision, a goal that you've always wanted to accomplish? Are you unhappy with where you are right now? Is there something you want to change-maybe your weight, your home, your income or your career?
I have good news for you: You can change. You always have a choice.
The power of choice is a wonderful gift we have all been blessed with. You can choose to change or not to change. Either way, the choice is up to you.
Sometimes people say, "I've tried to diet and I can't lose weight," or "No matter what I do, I can't get ahead." They complain that they can't get out of a job or a relationship or a bad habit. They feel stuck. But they're not stuck. None of us are.
No one else is choosing for you. No one else is running your show. You create your own life every day with the choices you make.
A lot of people don't realize it, but with each statement we make about who we are, where we are, and what we want to do, we're making a choice. Whether it's about success or lack of success, wealth or lack of wealth, a home or lack of a home, we make statements that reinforce our choices and bring them into our lives.
Think of it this way. If every time you try to open a new jar, you say to yourself, "I can never open these new jars!" then you're right. You never will be able to open a new jar. But if you say, "One of these days, I'm going to be able to open a new jar!" you'll be right about that too.
It's the same way with the bigger things in your life. If there are things you'd like to change, that's great.
Life is designed to challenge you to take charge of the choices you make. It may seem hard to imagine right at this moment, but you can change your life. It's entirely up to you. You can get rid of old habits, eliminate stuck places, change unwanted situations and give yourself permission to achieve great things in your life.
Where do you want to be in your life? How do you want to feel about yourself when you look in the mirror? Would you rather be in a job you love? Would you rather be making more money? Would you rather be healthy, happy and fit? You can be. No one's stopping you! The choice is yours.
You are right where you have chosen to be right now. Let me repeat that. You are right where you have chosen to be right now. What was your choice? Now that you see how it turned out, is it what you want? Or do you want to change it?
You've been blessed with a wonderful gift: the power of choice. There is a book titled "Power to Change" that will help you recognize how the choices you make every day are continually creating the life you have right now. It will show you how to change your self-talk to create changes in your life. And once you have mastered these principles, once you've proven to yourself that you really do have a choice, you'll know that you don't have to settle for mediocre any more. You can dare to dream.
Are you choosing to be average or are you choosing to be spectacular? Are you choosing to be good or are you choosing to be great? You always have a choice.
As many of you know, my wife Mary had open-heart surgery this past January. She is recovering very well and, after only 60 days, is back to her full self, minus a little weight and muscle. The cardiologist has cleared Mary to go back to her normal life. A full recovery in 60 days - she was (and is) blessed. Praise the lord.
This article is not about Mary's operation, but about the extraordinary experience we had at the Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. Our week in Palo Alto has become the Stanford Experience - an experience I am excited to share with you.
Imagine a place where people truly feel it is an honor to serve you and to serve each of their co-workers at all levels. Stanford Medical Center is such a place. Our experience that week was so refreshing and rewarding that I wanted it (and maybe even expected it) in every aspect of my life. Well, it wasn't at the grocery store or the gas station; I didn't find it at the bank or the post office; and it certainly wasn't at the DMV. In just a matter of days I found out that the Stanford Experience is apparently rare, and my expectations were quickly diminished. But, let me tell you about our experience and see if you don't agree with me that the benefits of the Stanford Experience are exciting and huge.
From the moment we entered the hospital we sensed something was different. We were greeted with an almost happy and uplifting atmosphere. Ok, so the receptionist was friendly, helpful and cheerful - that's her job description and she's just one out of several hundred people working in a stressful, sometimes life and death environment. The real truth will show itself when we check in at pre-op. I expected professional, caring people; but, their professionalism would keep them rushed, distant, and impersonal. If you haven't had a personal experience in a hospital, you've certainly seen enough on television. Doctors are snooty, nurses harried and brisk, and everyone else just wants to put in their time and then get home. When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong. Boy, was I wrong.
The experiences just got better and better with each step from check-in to pre-op to surgery to post-op through recovery. At each phase we were amazed. Every nurse, orderly, doctor and hundreds of volunteer's worker knew our names and why we were there. Every single person working in that hospital made a favorable and lasting impression on us. I swear to you I almost enjoyed being in a hospital! Granted, I wasn't the one having my chest cut open, but the fright and anxiety of standing by and waiting while your loved one is operated on can be tormenting.
The day of surgery began in the wee hours of the morning. A nurse was assigned to me to keep me informed throughout the surgery. It seemed her only purpose that day was to inform me, to explain things to me, and to sometimes comfort me. That nurse probably had many other patients and duties that day, but you'll never convince me that her sole purpose that day was anything other than taking care of me. When Mary was transferred to the cardiology thoracic intensive care unit after her surgery, the quality of care and attention did not let up, it got better.
One nurse is assigned to two patients for 12 hours. Each nurse arrives 30 minutes before his or her shift to learn about those two patients. The nurse completing her shift gives a report of the last 12 hours to the next nurse. All of the patient's improvements are noted and the course reviewed to allow for progressive healing. This review and reporting is done in the patient's room in front of the patient and the patient's family. In other words, these nurses are outlining Mary's path thus far and expected development - for their own working benefit and for the patient's healing benefit. They were practicing the "Pygmalion" dynamics - better known as positive reinforcement of a specific idea: the healing of Mary (and me). The nurses were honored with their responsibility and honored to see that responsibility through. This happens every day at every shift change.
So, was our experience in the Stanford Medical Center unique? Was it a situation we see all too often in the business world not as normal but rather an exception to the rule? Mary was in the hospital for six days, so I had plenty of time to witness most of the staff. On days when I could see Mary for only an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening, I made it a point to wander around the entire medical facility and quietly observe. It's an amazing place. I could go on for pages with numerous examples of extraordinary customer service; but, what I want to give you today is an overview of what we now call the Stanford Experience and show you how you can implement it where you work and live.
Here's what I witnessed:
- The entire hospital works as a team.
- Being a part of this team is much, much more than just a job.
- Each team member has a clear vision of what customer service means and it is implemented at its highest form.
- Each team member from housekeeping to the doctors believes it is an honor to be there. It is an honor to serve. It is an honor to be a part of something that people will talk about for a long time.
- Each team member is responsible to meet, if not exceed, the expectations of every visitor (whether a patient or not) even if it is not that team member's department or job.
- The culture is uplifting and clear about the role of the Medical Center in the life of the patient and his or her family. Each and every visitor to the medical center (whether a patient or not) is treated with respect.
- The culture is one that everyone wants to work for and be a part of. It has a definite energy and is the very definition of teamwork.
- They care for their teammates and are honored to serve them.
How do you create the Stanford Experience? First you cannot force those who work for you to be honorable in all their actions. The desire to be a person of honor can only come from within. Honor and respect are earned and nurtured. How you serve your team members and how your team members serve a customer is a direct reflection of the respect and honor you have for yourself and for each other. As a leader, you set the bar.
The most common remark I hear from leadership is that staff should be grateful just to have a job. If that is your mind-set then you have already declared your view of honor and respect to your team. You have, by example, communicated to your team members to treat customers like they are lucky to get waited on at all and they should just be grateful for that. Not at all what you wanted. You are an example to your team by your behavior - that behavior is exactly how they are treating your most valuable customers. And then you wonder why you can't find good help! The very way you treat your staff is the key to the Stanford Experience.
Mind-set number one: Truly believe it is your honor to lead your people. I have worked for and with a variety of people through the years. Not all people are destined to be a leader or a good boss. The ones who are good leaders and good boss are the ones who truly care. They care for the right reasons - not for their own personal gain, but because their workers deserve honesty and respect. Your spirit of intent has to be one of honor to get honor. The other day I held a door open for some people to enter a building and not one person said thank you. Secretly I yelled at them, but my wife recognized the look on my face. Mary asked me a gut-wrenching question: Did you open the door to get a thank you or to be a nice, honorable guy? How are you leading?
Mind-set number two: Create a culture of praise and respect. If the President of the United States walked into your business today what would you say, how would you act, and how would you treat him? Think about this even if you don't particularly care for the President. You would respect the person or at least the position and show honor. You could say the same thing about the Pope or any other distinguished person. You would (or should) honor them, thereby giving you a sense of pride that you had the opportunity to wait on them. What would it look like if you felt that same way about each of your employees? How do you think they in turn would treat your customers? The same way.
Mind-set number three: You do it first. The challenge is we want everyone else to treat us honorably first. I can remember back at the Stanford Medical Center the emotions I felt with my wife going through open-heart surgery (indeed, I will never forget it). Even through my concern and focus was about Mary, I was feeling so much care and honor from the staff it caused me to act. I went out of my way to talk to strangers and show them where to find what they were looking for in the hospital. I gave 20 of my books away and felt each one was a gift that the receiver felt honored to get. I don't know if I made an impact on them or if they read the book, but that is not what was important. What was important was that it was truly my honor to give firs
By Jim JacksonWe all have discipline, but it may not be focusing on what it is we want. You may say, "Well, I'm not very disciplined." Yes, you are. You just haven't learned how to focus it toward a specific goal to do what you want to do. Discipline means doing something that is going to move you closer to your goal.
You know, here's an interesting thing about discipline. I was watching the golf channel the other night and Gary Player was on. If you don't already know, Gary Player's an older golfer, but one of the greatest golfers of all time. He was talking about the thought process of discipline.
And one of the things he said was that he hit a great shot one time in a tournament and one of his fans told him, "Boy, I wish I could hit a shot like that!" Player turned to that fan and said, "No, you don't. Because if you did, you would do what I do: Hit ten thousand golf balls a day."
See, it's easy for us to say, I want to be something. But the discipline makes the difference in wanting it and doing it. Here's what I ask people: "Do your habits, your attitudes, your beliefs and your expectations move you closer to your goal or away from your goal?"
Let me give you something to think about. It's a great lesson that I have learned in my life. We don't always get what we want, but we always get what we expect. If you expect to be mediocre, you're going to be mediocre. If you expect to be great, you're going to be great. If you expect things to be safe, they're going to be safe.
But if you want your life to truly be extraordinary, you've got to take a risk.
When Tiger Woods first came on the golf circuit, he told people, "I believe I'm going to win all the time." And right away, the media had a field day with this. The old players said, "Well, wait until his wheels come off." When Tiger Woods went out and played an extraordinary game in a tournament and won, they held a microphone in front of his face and said, "Are you surprised you won?" He said, "No, I expected to win. Every time I come out here, I believe I'm going to win."
Two weeks later, he won another tournament. They held the microphone in front of his face again and said, "Are you surprised you won?" If you go back and look at the tape, you can see that, this time, he was a little irritated when he said, "I expect to win. I didn't come out here to be second or third or in the top ten. I came out here to win. I play to win. I expect to win." And the old guys said, "Oh, he can never keep that up. There's no way he can do that."
About a month goes by and Tiger Wood's playing at the masters. He wins the masters by twelve strokes. He kills the field. Unbelievable. And they hold a microphone in front of his face again and say, "Are you surprised you won?" So he tells them again, "I expect to win. I believe I'm going to win in everything I do."
Two weeks later, he missed the cut. Didn't even make the tournament. That was bigger news than the guy who won the tournament. I don't even know who won the tournament.
Tiger Woods said, "Don't worry about it. This happens. Sometimes things don't go the way you want them to. Sometimes it doesn't work. But I came out here expecting to win. I'll win next week." The next tournament he played was in Las Vegas and he won.
Do you know what the old guys were saying? "You can't win a tournament when Tiger Woods is playing in it." Now they expect him to win! They had to change their expectations.
If you live your life expecting to win, you can accomplish great things. If you expect to be just average, to be mediocre or to just survive, then you are being disciplined at being mediocre. But to be great, you've got to think great. You've got to do the things that move you closer to your goals.
You don't always get what you want, but you get what you expect.