Today’s blogger is Amy Teske, NPAworldwide Membership Engagement Manager. Amy joined the NPAworldwide staff in June 2015. We’re happy she’s here, and happy for the extra blogging horsepower as well!
How are you engaged and inspired? Have you ever associated your engagement and inspiration with a message from a motivational poster? Probably not…but sometimes as corny and outdated as it seems, the message can be a thought starter and a way to reflect on certain situations we face in our careers.
Imagine sitting in a meeting, and noticing the classic gold-framed inspirational poster; courage, challenge, opportunity, progress. But, what do those words really mean to us as business professionals?
Sometimes I will read something classified as “inspiration” but it provokes no thoughts or no inspiration. However, when it applies to a situation I’m dealing with all of a sudden it moves me and that message has a whole new meaning!
For example, I attended a leadership training several years ago. Everyone was in the room for the same reason- to increase their knowledge, skills and leadership acumen. Attending a training like this allows everyone to take something different from it—just like those motivational posters.
One of the facilitators was addressing the group on a topic and said, “How are we supposed to move forward, when your foot is on the brake?” I really got thinking about that in connection to a project I was working on. We really weren’t making the progress I wanted to see. Then it dawned on me: one of my team members was pumping the brake. I realized it needed to be my objective to find a way to motivate her to hit the gas pedal instead! She wasn’t engaged or inspired on the project in the same way I was. The motivation to complete the project didn’t have the same effect on her.
There are many good motivational quotes that can be applied to the daily routine:
“We cannot direct the wind, we can only adjust the sails.” We don’t always have control around us. But we need to try to control the things we can.
“You can’t have a one-person army!” We rely on our business associates, friends, co-workers, and corporate partners to help lead us to success every day. Without our business allies in our lives, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
“Teamwork makes the dream work.” I have laughed at this statement, but also agreed with it and embraced it in my career. It is saying without our supporters and partners around us working together in the same direction, we wouldn’t get as far and meet our goals.
Here is what you should ask yourself and your team. Are you moving forward directing the sails, hitting the gas and working as a team? Or are your putting your foot on the brake?
