I stopped doing weight loss motivation work several years ago. It was fun and I really enjoyed the people I met but it was time to move on to something more meaningful………helping organizations get the most from their people. Workplaces are hurting. Morale is in the toilet. Employees are showing up to work but not IN their work.

But years later I still get emails or calls from people begging me to return to the world of weight loss. While flattered; it’s not what I want to do any longer. What I will usually do for that person is email them the workbook below as a free gift for making my day – making me feel loved, missed and wanted.

Well I don’t do that any longer either. I believe that we all have to give a little.

Some of you know I started a nonprofit a few months ago to help feed the hungry. I now tell people to buy the eworkbook above for $3 (normally $12.95) and I’ll give all the proceeds to the nonprofit, One Less Meal Inc.

If your weight is on your mind………..Today I am asking you to help yourself, help a friend struggling  with weight, and help the hungry by purchasing the ebook. It’s the most impactful $3 you might ever spend.

Click on the picture above and let the good feelings begin. And please tell a friend how they can make a difference in their lives and the lives of a hungry person. I’m hoping to find 1,000 people by June 30, 2010. That should be easy since 60% of the US is obese or overweight. Let’s do a good thing together.

Think about this……………..

Employees are Tweeting, Facebooking, LinkingIn and YouTubing while on the company dime. I know it. I see it as I monitor my Social Media accounts during the day.

I guess the good thing is that employers clearly aren’t upset about this. The terrible thing is they’re not asking/suggesting their employees to occasionally talk/mention about where they work and the products/services they offer. Or perhaps worse…..the employee might be embarrassed of the products and services their employer offers.

There’s the IT guy who never mentions his company or what they do. The big electric conglomerate gal who never tells me about the latest and greatest appliances. There’s the hotel guy who never reminds me what chain he works for. And the transportation trio who never remind me to take the bus. I know for a fact that all these people are sharing all kinds of personal things online with me; which I like. Now I am not dissing these people; you’re my friends. Just making an observation.

So it seems that Corporate America is okay with employees being on Social Media sites during the workday (or they haven’t cracked down yet); but they clearly have missed an opportunity to get their people engaged with potential new customers.

Must I point out everything?

I’m not a fan of golf; have no interest in it; the only iron I care about is the one in the hotel closet to get the wrinkles out of the purple shirt I’m about to wear before I present. But the other night, while visiting family, I found myself watching the end of a golf tournament. Now the whole time I was sitting there (maybe 25 minutes) all I could think was when this was going to be over. I’d rather be sitting in the movie theater watching Sex and the City which I narrowly escaped taking my mother to see.

Anyway, Tiger Woods lost.

After he lost Tiger was asked a brief question by the sports commentator out on the course. I don’t remember the exact words but basically he was asked if anything good would be taken away with this loss. In other words……Did he learn anything?

Tiger’s response was “NOTHING.” He talked about three mistakes and if he had not made them he would have won.

Hey Tiger, you lost! You made three mistakes. How about telling us what the three mistakes were. How about telling us what you/we can learn from those mistakes. Although in the grand scheme of things he’s probably got bigger mistakes he’s trying to learn things from these days.

I’m absolutely fascinated and amazed by people who become the supposed “best” at something and then they think they cannot learn anything or take anything good away from an upset, defeat or loss. Or worse yet, when they cannot see the teaching opportunity available to their fans when they screw up.

Now on the flip side at least he admitted that there were mistakes made. He didn’t blame the wind or the sun or birds or someone heckling him in the crowd. He made mistakes. People do that. I don’t know about you but when people who are the supposed best in their field; on top of their game; make a mistake, I want to know what they did. There is clearly something we can all learn from it. I’ll even go as far as to say as “the best” owe it to people.

So here are my two thoughts for you today:

1. When you are the supposed best (or even just really good) at something you have an obligation to teach others. The day you can’t turn an unpleasant experience into a teachable point is a very sorry day; even if you’re Tiger Woods. And if you’re not the best at something here are some things for you to ponder as well:
   • What are you doing to become better? Even if it is something you’re good at. How are you educating yourself? Or better yet….how are you changing the world in which you play?
     • When I designed The Meeting Playce Mat it came as a result of people telling me that they were on meeting overload. They were telling me that they had too many meetings; they weren’t paying attention, or they just were bored. The felt trapped into endless meetings that were just no fun. So I came up with something that engages people in the meeting and makes it fun. That is why people turn to me; to add some fun to their meetings and events while providing a learning experience or learning tool. Sometimes I get to do it in person, other times via a product. But in the end I looked at the opportunity I could provide others; an opportunity to take what was a perceived unpleasant experience and change it; make it into something else. That’s all. When you hear phrases like “that meeting sucked” or “what a total waste of my time” or “did we all really need to be there” I see an opportunity to make that experience better; to force people to look at the role they played in the meeting – or in most cases, didn’t play – even when the meeting sucks. What product, service or idea can you offer the people in your life who are whining about things?      
2. Don’t be a Yes Man (or Woman)! When you’re asked a question how about answering it. I don’t know, yes, no, and nothing are not answers. As I watched the commentator interview the other “losers” at the end of the tournament they all spoke for a few moments; Tiger…..about 15 seconds; if that. When I am asked a question I take the stance that my opinions matter and that the person is asking me either as the expert or as a trusted source of an answer. Give people what they are expecting from you. Make a commitment right now that one, two and three word answers are no longer a part of your life.

So I guess that 25 minutes wasn’t a total waste of time after all. Probably like some of those meetings a lot of you complain about.

DIY!

DIY!

DIY!

Now unless you’re under a rock you know that DIY means do it yourself. Here’s the issue with DIY………….

Most people don’t know when to DIY or LSEDI (let someone else do it).

Here’s an example:

The glider part of the zipper came off the window of my convertible last week. I figured how hard could it be to put back on. So one night last week, along with a friend, I spent an hour trying to get the stupid glider back on. As darkness was approaching we stopped.

This past Friday afternoon I attempted to fix it again. This time I broke the glider (see picture). So after about 45 minutes I drove to the fabric store to buy a glider replacement. They didn’t have one. I went home. At this point I’m about 2 1/2 hours into this project.

Saturday morning I called the place that put the top on the car when I had to replace it a few years ago. They referred me to an upholstery shop.

I left my house at 10:00 this morning. At 10:20 the zipper was fixed. Cost: $5

DIY is not for everyone and not for all projects. What problem/project are you working on right now, spinning your wheels, trying to prove to someone or yourself that you can DO IT YOURSELF.

Stop already. Learn from my stupidity. That’s why I’m here.

Or better yet, who in your organization probably has the expertise to help you, but you’ve not considered seeking their help because “that’s not the job they were hired to do?”

Dear Universe,

Thank you for Fridays; the last day of the work week (for most).

Thank you for Fridays; the day when people in the office seem to be more jovial; as in contrast to Monday when the mood is not always the greatest.

Thank you for Fridays; when we really see how productive people can be as they diligently work to get things completed so they can head out the door for the weekend.

Thank you for Fridays; which often times include bagels, donuts and a shortened day for summer hours.

Thank you for Fridays; tomorrow I can be glued to my Blackberry all day long to answer emails – but at least I don’t have to get dressed and show up at the office.

Thank you for Fridays; tomorrow I will be yelled at by my spouse/kids/significant other etc for being glued to my Blackberry all day long.

Thank you for Fridays; Happy Hour!

Thank you for Fridays; it’s my time to recharge, rejuvenate and reignite myself for Mondays at no cost to my employer.

I guess Mondays were your cruel joke.

Take a break today from the customary activities of engagement!

Visit Recess At Work Day website for last minute ideas!

So tomorrow is Recess At Work Day and I know that some of you are still trying to figure out how to convince the boss to allow you to take a Recess. Perhaps this will help………………

We’ve all been there……………someone gave you feedback. You didn’t like it. Perhaps it was questioning your work? Your thought process? But even worse, they gave you no solutions.

That’s whining in my book. If you’re going to tell me I need to be better I need you to tell me why. I need to know what I can improve; what I did wrong (in your eyes); and how I can do it better the next time.

Otherwise you’re just a whiner. 

And that my friends is feedback and advice you might want to pass along to others in your professional and personal world!

So you’ve slashed your training budget. You’ve done away with some benefits. You’ve cut your workforce. You’re asking people to do more with nothing, not less. Well guess what…………

Below are just some of the books that your people are reading.

And guess what………….they’re probably not reading them with thoughts of how they can help your business. They’re probably reading them with thoughts on leaving you. Yes……..QUITTING.

I’ve read all five of these books. Some more than once. There’s always more to grasp. The great thing about each one of these books is that they can be applied to your business; to keep your people engaged and happy while working for you.

If I were you I’d read a few of these. Today. This summer. Not during the 4th quarter when intense job searches go into play knowing January brings new budgets.

Or you never know……………one of these might get you inspired for change.

If you love ice cream you know that feeling when all of a sudden your hand is getting sticky. The bottom of your cone has sprung a leak. Now personally I think you just eat ice cream way too slowly; but it happens.

So now you’re sucking the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone while trying to stop the top of the cone from dripping down the sides. Quite the dilemma.

So then someone comes along with a solution and puts a little cone wrapper/condom around the bottom. Except now the leak sticks to the bottom of the cone wrapper and I can’t get that last piece of the cone which really pisses me off. After all that last crunchy piece is the best part of the cone, right?

So while it’s a solution it is not my optimal solution.

Now the folks at Nestle came up with the optimal solution with the Drumsticks. 

They put a hard chocolate shell inside the cone at the bottom. No more leaks. AND more chocolate!!! Life is good.

I guess they saw the solution “Inside the Cone” and not outside the box. Thank you for getting me out of a sticky situation and reminding me that often times the solutions to problems are the exact opposite of what most people are doing or thinking.