July 21, 2008
Forward To A Friend
In This Newsletter:
Top 10 Thoughts - Article
In the News
How to Build a Positive Team
Greetings!
 The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways
to Deal with Negativity at Work, is now officially available online and at bookstores nationwide. In celebration, we have put together a special offer that includes over
$600 in bonus gifts when you buy the book today! Click Here for details.
Top 10 Thoughts
I've been in Maine with my wife and kids and the experience has inspired a number of ideas and thoughts about business, life and family travel. In last week’s newsletter I included my top 5 thoughts from the trip. Well, after more traveling, bike rides, fishing attempts, sunsets and a few family fights I have 5 more to share with you.
Click here to read 1-5 thoughts in last week’s newsletter.
Here are my next five.
6. There Will Be Ups and Downs - We biked a 6 mile path around Eagle Lake in Acadia National park. The first part of the ride was all uphill which wasn't easy for my kids, ages 8 and 10. Jade cried because her legs hurt. Cole had to stop several times because he was tired. My wife and I invoked The No Complaining Rule with them but honestly it didn't work. They kept complaining and crying but to their credit they didn't give up. We finally reached the top and took a short break before enjoying a nice 5 minute coast downhill. Laughter, smiles and joy filled cheers once again filled the air. However, when we reached the bottom we still had to navigate a series of small hills and challenging climbs before reaching the finish line. The kids were frustrated, exhausted and yet I could tell they felt good about their accomplishment. The ride, I told them, is a lot like life. It’s not going to be easy. To get to the top you have to work hard. There will be many painful moments and ups and downs. But if you are facing an uphill climb you can expect a downhill coast to be in your future. And if you are enjoying a downhill coast also expect more challenging uphill climbs. Life, like a bike ride is a series of ups and downs. The key is to stay positive during the climb, enjoy the ride downhill and always be ready to face new challenges.
7. Don’t Settle - When we arrived at our hotel in Bar Harbor we realized we had clearly chosen the wrong hotel. While on a walk that night we walked into a beautiful hotel right on the harbor. “They won’t have room,” I said. Yes, I was being negative. “Let’s just ask,” my wife responded. Turned out they not only had room, they were able to offer rooms at a lower price then the hotel where we were originally booked. www.TheHarborsidehotel.com was amazing and everyone there was filled with positive energy. I learned to not settle for less, expect more and always ask. We asked and it made all the difference.
8. Fish Where the Fish Are - After my children’s successful fishing experience in Kennebunkport (last weeks newsletter “you catch more fish being positive”) they were determined to fish again in Bar Harbor. But after many failed attempts we learned that there weren’t many fish in Bar Harbor due to the waters being over fished. So we decided to catch crabs instead. I told them you could be the best fisherman in the world and have the best fishing pole but if you are fishing in the wrong place they won’t do you any good. What a great business lesson!
9. Families Fight - Like all families my family fights. My kids fight with each other. My wife and I fight and we fight with our kids. I’ve realized it’s not about whether you fight or not but rather how you fight and whether you are a “real” family. This goes for teams at work too. Real families and real teams at work fight but they have a bond of love and trust that prevents the fighting from destroying the core. They fight, they make up and they move on. In fact, if you are a “real” family and “real” team, conflict often leads to growth. On the other hand, if you don’t have love and trust then fighting and conflict can actually destroy the family and team. Fighting exposes the deeper wounds revealing the lack of love and trust that exists. With fighting, remember that the core of love and trust must be more powerful than the issue causing the fight.
10. Enjoy More Moments - In The Energy Bus I wrote “We act like we are going to live forever, but instead we need to find forever in the timeless moment.” I heard of a study where they asked a group of 95 year olds if they could live their life all over again what they would do differently. The number one thing they said was that they would enjoy more moments. More sunrises and sunsets. Remember to enjoy the moments. It’s all we have. Here’s a moment I had the last day of our trip. Share your moments on our blog.
Stay Positive!
-Jon
Share this Newsletter with a Co-Worker or Friend.
In the News
Below are links to a few recent news articles / interviews with Jon Gordon.
 MarketWatch TV
Watch video of Jon discussing The No Complaining Rule on Market Watch, a subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Business Books:
Making the workplace a gripe-free zone
Article from Reuters, also featured on Forbes.com and a number of other business sites. 
How to Build a Positive Team
Watch Jon's video and introduce our positive message to your company, organization, school, and team.
Video Link: http://www.jongordon.com/introvideo.html
> Email this Video to a Friend <
Invite Jon to share his message with your team and discover how to develop positive leaders and teams that create positive work environments where people create more success and enjoy the ride of their life.
To submit a speaking request visit:
www.jongordon.com/speakingrequest.html
|
