Have you ever been in a situation where you wished something was a little different and you thought to yourself "someone should fix that?" Well, as you probably realized, that that someone isn't coming. So, since no one is coming, what if that someone is you?
Here at Bottom Line Publications, we have created a corporate culture of speaking up and pitching in thanks to our continuous improvement program called I-Power. I was describing the culture to a reporter in a news interview last week, explaining how everyone in the company is supposed to come up with at least two suggestions a week on how to do his/her job better... how to help others do their jobs better... how others can help them work more effectively... what the company can do to be more effective, etc. One of the most valuable aspects of this program is that giving and receiving suggestions has become part of our corporate culture. Everyone is regularly passing along suggestions, and everyone is open to hearing suggestions from others.
So, bring this back to your life. Imagine how it would be if instead of complaining about the way things are, you spoke up and suggested an alternative? Perhaps you could help things flow faster on the take-out line at your local coffee shop if they relocated the sugar and milk station... or protect Internet privacy by alerting a friend who just sent around a mass e-mailing that it would be safer to put the distribution list in the "bcc" section so that recipients are not receiving everyone else's e-mail addresses (I won't tell you the celebrity e-mail addresses that I've seen this way!)... or seek input from your children to create more harmony in your home instead of conflict. When I listen to the many complaints people make on a day-to-day basis about their lives, it is clear that there is great room for improvement all around us. What if it's you who makes the world a better place?
Jan 20, 2010 at 2:40 AM My suggestion is to just just do it! Put aside any fears you might have about what others are going to think of you. Chances are you will either get a pat on the back or someone will say "good job" and they think more highly of you for wanting to make things better for everyone. What else do you have to lose but a little time!
Jan 21, 2010 at 4:08 AM i find that people are very resistant,have to find out "how to" for themselves. over the years,i found out, if i leave other people's situations alone, they work out. if i interfere, they become stubborn and intractible towards me. i read, "remember this, most people have very low IQ & are over-trained for their intelligence" and i read this,"they who anger you, control you".
Jan 21, 2010 at 5:39 AM Absolutely...life is about the creative process. Part of human nature is to grow, change, refigure, refactor and redefine the way we do things. Choosing self-responsibility and innovative ways to constructively problem solve is innate in each one of us, the challenge is to make it a habit to live this way...as Ron Adams says: "Just do it."
Jan 27, 2010 at 8:36 AM Definitely.... I learned from Mike Murdock, a writer about WISDOM, "If it bothers you enough to take any action, YOU are the called to fix it!" As simple as that. But it helps to know that you are able and "want" to make a difference. And it has to be in your mind long enough to come out with strength and determination. You have to believe in yourself. You have to have courage. You have to care for people to contribute to have a better world, and to show how to get things done using easier and better approaches.
LET'S GO! LET US HELP ONE ANOTHER!
Feb 4, 2010 at 1:30 PM In my experience, if advice is offered on a one to one basis, it is often viewed as a criticism of one's capabilities and rejected. But, if it is on a blog, it is perceived as non-threatening and non-judgmental by the viewer who may actually be looking for the information and happy to have found it.