The Art of Improving Your Strengths Presented By: GeorgeBaker Presented By: GeorgeBaker.

The Art of Improving Your Strengths

The Art of Improving Your Strengths

Presented By:

GeorgeBaker

Presented By:

GeorgeBaker

Developing Your Circle of OneOnly the mediocre are always at their best. When you compare yourself to others, you

areeither conceited or defeated. Set your own standards. If you don’t impose change on yourself, you will impose obsolescence.

Visualize & Dream Craft a vision that is worthy of your pursuit. Read motivational books. Network with the best. Attend training conferences. Set aside time each week to dream and plan. Make Friday I-day. Helen Keller was asked, “What would be worse than being born blind?” She replied, “To have sight without vision.”

Energize & Plan Reflect on your values and write out your own Personal Mission Statement. Formulate a Personal Development Plan in 4 dimensions. Post these in a prominent place. Set evolutionary and revolutionary goals with deadlines. A wish is a desire with no action. A goal is a dream with a deadline. A leader changes himself before he asks his followers to change.

Organize & Think Determine the most efficient use of your time. Develop a routine that can be replicated. Have your leadership team do a 360° evaluation on you to reveal your blind spots and blank spots. Practice positive self talk.

Exercise & Do Get to work. Start where you are. My motto: “No action; no satisfaction.” Set monumental goals. Don’t be overwhelmed or frustrated by the distance of the destination. Stay on track by setting short-term incremental goals to measure progress. Engage in Perpetual Performance Improvement Management – Not doing 1 thing 100% better, but doing 100 things 1% better, and 1% better. .

Determinize & Do Over Overcome obstacles with determination, tenacity, and perseverance. Never give up. Expect obstacles and list possible problems before you begin work. Team up with warriors not worriers. Henry Ford said, “Failure is nothing more than the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.” Always expect setbacks. Never accept failure!

Personal Mission StatementPERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT

It is my desire to always strive for improvement in everything I do, while finding contentment

in every state I find myself.

It is my belief that I am more a product of my decisions than my conditions. It is my commitment to take

the full credit and the full responsibility for the outcomes of my life, after thanking God.

It is my choice to always make things happen and to never make excuses. I believe in

visibility through productivity.

It is my pleasure to serve, help, or encourage someone as I go about my daily life.

Personal Development PlanPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN GOALS

HEART (Relationships) Empathic Listening:

Focused, undistracted listening to spouse, everyday. Develop habit of listening more than talking. Solicit feedback from work team members. Understand a team member before sharing my idea. Laugh with people as much or more than being serious.

Developing Trust: Make more deposits than withdrawals. Compliment more than I criticize. Correct behavior or problems without attacking

character. Invest time in people. Don’t rush relationships. Make a customers’ day. Avoid volatile confrontations by delaying your

response. MIND Capacity: Continuously read books or articles (at least 1 book

per quarter). Attend educational classes, seminars, training. Actively engage in networking with and meeting new

people. Learn by doing and teaching someone else. Increase self-awareness by keeping a journal. Increase self-awareness by soliciting constructive

feedback. Creativity:

Practice the technique of incubation – Using your sub-conscious mind to solve problems or generate ideas. Look for connections – taking 2 unrelated concepts and relating them to your idea. Set aside time each week for creative thinking. Try doing new things outside of your comfort level. Practice the mental exercise of neurobics – Engaging multiple senses while performing a task. Example:

While writing down your business plan ideas, listen to music (auditory sense), light a candle (olfactory sense), look at a painting (visual sense), hold some play dough (sense of touch), eat some fruit (sense of taste). I know neurobics may sound far-fetched, but by using multiple senses your left and right brain is at a heightened state of consciousness. Try it.

BODY Health:

Drink lots of water – Your weight divided by 2 equals the number of ounces you should drink per day. Drink more water than coffee, soft drinks or alcohol. Eat a balanced diet and reduce sweets. Eat 1 portion and wait 5 to 10 minutes before getting seconds. Schedule regular PM’s – go to the doctor for an annual physical. Attend the annual county health fair.

Conditioning: Exercise 3 to 5 times a week. Engage in

cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility exercises. Change up your routine to exercise different muscle groups. Make it fun by turning it into a hobby like bike riding, walking, tennis, kayaking.

SPIRIT Self-image: Know your highest values and be true to them. Have a sense of belonging by helping and

contributing to the lives of others. Know your gifts and talents and utilize them at work. Have a passion for what you do. Seek counsel from those you deeply trust. Personal peace:

Spend time in reflection to determine where you are and where you want to go in your journey. Live now the way you want to be remembered later. Spend time in meditation or prayer. Read to feed the spirit – The bible, literature, philosophy, poetry.

Developing Your Inner CircleManagement is the beginning of competence. Leadership is the end of excellence. I have

nodesire to manage a work force. I want to lead a team!

Be on the lookout for leaders. A true leader is great not because of personal power, but because of the ability to empower others.

Carefully select trusted employees to form your organizational Leadership Team. They don’t have to be in your image. A complementary team is one where people’s strengths are made productive and their weaknesses are made irrelevant by the strengths of others.

Share your vision with the Leadership Team and ask for their perspective. Be prepared to make a vision correction. One person’s tunnel vision can never equal the panorama of a team’s vision. The most dangerous idea is having only one.

Ask your Leadership Team to develop their own Personal Mission Statements and Personal Development Plans. Discuss them and include them in future performance evaluations.

Model and teach empathic listening. Empathic listening is listening within the other person’s frame of reference. Stop talking long enough to understand. Ask yourself: Is what I have to say an improvement on the silence? Stop your half-hearted listening. Listen with your whole body. .

Formulate a Leadership Development Plan. Have team members complete leadership styles and conflict resolution exercises. Develop a Leadership team data base to identify member similarity, diversity, strengths and weaknesses. Assign books for team to read, discuss and pragmatize.

Have Leadership Team read “Strengths Finder 2.0” book and complete internet self-evaluation. Formulate a Key Strengths matrix chart for the team. Select super-ordinate goals (those that can only be synergistically accomplished) from your business plan. For each S.O. goal, list strength traits that are needed to accomplish the goal. Select L.T. members from the matrix chart that possess each strength and form a self-directed work team. Empower them and turn them loose.

Key Strengths Matrix

Employees George B Michele George C Hon Glenn Jim Brian Ted Robert

Achiever Activator Adaptability Analytical Arranger Belief Command Communication Completion Connectedness Consistency Context Deliberative Developer Discipline Empathy Focus Futuristic Harmony Ideation Includer Individualization Input Intellection Learner Maximizer Positivity Relator Responsibility Restorative Self-Assurance Significance Strategic WOO

*Red box indicates the person's predominant strength*Blue font indicates team strength voids

STRENGTHS FINDER THEME MATRIX

Strength Themes

Developing Your Outer CircleA leader has a vision of the future and the courage to pursue it. Napoleon

Bonaparte said,“No man can lead others except by showing them a future. A leader is a merchant

of hope.”We are either a catalyst, showing our team a vision and moving them into the

future, or weare a cataract, obstructing their vision and holding them in the past.

Be a person of influence not a person of infuriation. It’s impossible to influence someone and to antagonize them at the same time. You must be in control of your emotions. Being led through life by your emotions is like a prize fighter leading with his nose. Control devices: Don’t defend. Don’t speak. Let them vent. Busy yourself by writing notes. Imagine the combatant as an animal (Rhino).

Deal with chicken little problem children – Pitiful people who persistently proclaim problems. A tool you can use on these dreary people is Napoleonic completed staff work. The next time someone brings you a problem, ask them to bring back 3 possible solutions. This will transform them from problem squawkers into problem solvers.

Develop a Training Master Plan to insure that every employee receives at least one training opportunity per year. Increase budgets incrementally until you reach the necessary funding level. A wise woman once told me that, “Training is not an expense; it is an investment.”

Develop a Leadership Succession Plan. There is no success without a successor. Develop a Core Task Cross-training Matrix. “Information is not power. The dissemination

of information is power.” Share information. Share the workload. Develop people. Strengthen the organization.

Training Master PlanADMINISTRATIVE TEAM: Clerical/Admin. training Accounts payable Kronos payroll training P.C. software Personnel HR classes Empathic listening Visa P-card Customer service Core task matrix cross-training Synergy Leadership/Vision books Faster software Celebration picnic Annual operating budget State licensing & titles Financial system Fuel Master cross-training AUTO PARTS TEAM: Vendor training Parts A.S.E. modules Clerical/Admin. training Accounts payable P.C. software Personnel HR classes Supervisory/H.R. Empathic listening Visa P-card Customer service Core task matrix cross training Synergy Leadership/Vision books Faster software Celebration picnic Annual operating budget Financial system Fuel Master cross training Site visits Three-year business plan Leadership Succession Planning Disaster response TECHNICIAN TEAM: Technical training modules Technician A.S.E. modules Technician E.V.T. modules Technician A.R.F. modules All Data web-based manuals Ford web-based training Caterpillar web-based manuals Ring Power training modules Vendor training classes One Mech. Concept training Parts empathy training Safety topics MSDS training C.D.L. license Hazardous tanker license Visa P-card Disaster response New employee orientation Faster software Celebration picnic Annual budget input Mobile tech. work station Mobile fuel truck computer *Items in blue font indicate new training initiatives.

FLEET MANAGEMENT TRAINING/MOTIVATION MASTER PLAN

FM Team Groups:

Technicians Auto Parts Staff Administrative Staff Leadership Team

Training Genre:

Technical modules A.S.E. E.V.T. A.R.F.

Clerical/Admin. All Data web Ford web Caterpillar web

Ring Pwr. modules Vendor classes New equip. Accts. Payable

Motivation classes Personnel HR Supervisory P.C. software

Empathic listening FLAGFA NAFA web Fuel Master

Faster conference A.P.W.A. Safety topics MSDS

NAFA conference Alt. fuels C.D.L. Visa P-card

Customer Service Synergy CT task matrix Disaster response

Vision/Leadership New empl. OJ T Books to read Faster software

Succession Plng. Innovation Networking Site visits

Celebration picnic O.M. concept Business plan Budget

Training by Team:

FM LEADERSHIP TEAM: Three-year business plan Motivational seminars Annual operating budget Supervisory/ H.R. Personal mission statement Leadership/Vision books Personal development plan goals Empathic listening Leadership Succession Planning A.P.W.A. training Core task matrix cross-training Faster Conference Napoleonic completed staff work NAFA Conference Fuel Master Conference Leadership styles exercises Conflict resolution exercises Life Learning Institute Leadership Team retreat CDL Third Party Tester FLAGFA conferences Alternate fuels Customer service Disaster response Networking Site visits Innovation/Creative thinking

Leadership Succession PlanPosition Successor Selection

1. Have HCC identify core competency gaps of each LSC. 2. Have HCC create LSC Individual Development Plan

(IDP) to bridge core competency gaps and stimulate personal development.

3. Have HCC create LSC assessment and selection criteria. 4. Have HCC make final selection of Leadership Successors

from LSC pool. Leadership Successor Training (To become a part of FM Training Master Plan)

1. Implement coaching and mentoring programs. 2. Develop an evaluation plan for each Leadership Successor (LS). 3. Evaluate each LS IDP progress. 4. Have LS engage in shadowing assignments of supervisors 1 and 2

levels above him/her. 5. Books can be checked out of FM learning library. 6. Each LS will attend C.A.M.P. training class. 7. Each LS will attend Supervisor 101 class. 8. Each LS will attend Leadership 101 class. 9. Each LS will perform Napoleonic completed staff work problem

solving exercises. 10. Fishbone approach to problem solving will be taught to each LS. 11. Stretch assignments will be performed by each LS. 12. Copy of FM business plan will be provided and discussed with

each LS. 13. Set super-ordinate goals linking individual performance to

division performance. 14. Recognition program for Leadership Successors will be

developed.

FLEET MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION PLAN

(Second Draft)

Position Vacancy Forecasting

1. Identify all projected position vacancies for the next 5 years (make chart).

2. Prioritize forecasted vacancy list by projected severance date.

3. Prioritize forecasted vacancy list by critical positions. 4. Budget estimated severance pay amounts for each

appropriate year. Position Successor Planning

1. Determine if vacancy can be deleted or managed for a period of time.

2. Determine if vacancy should be under-filled or equivalently filled.

3. Have Leadership Team determine present and future core competencies of each vacated position.

4. Have Leadership Team list desired leadership traits for each vacated position.

5. Form a Human Capital Council (HCC) to identify possible Leadership Successor Candidates (LSC).

6. Have HCC create a LSC pool.

Core Task Cross-training Matrix

*Items in red are Priority # 1 Employees George B Doug Michele George CHon Glenn Sue Susan Nicki Wanda Jim Inv C. S. (4) Brian Mechanics (6) Body (2) Lube Ted HS Mechanics () Robert L/F Mechanics () Field Fueling

1. Perform all prev. maint.and repairs on cty fleet of 2,130 veh.2. Debrief customers and perform diagnosis of veh.3. Test drive vehicles4. Maintain Job order data base5. Work with Auto Parts div to obtain parts. Richard/Harold6. Handle Customer Complaints Bob/Ken/Jim Richard/Harold7. Track ASE certifications8. Prioritize mechanical repairs and assign duties Darren Bob/Gaylon Ray O9. Perform Quality control checks Darren/John Bob/Ken/Gaylon Richard/Harold/RayO/Billy 10. Coordinate prevenative maintenance programs Gus11. Maintain warranty information on fleet Darren12. Open job order to capture labor,parts,and commercial charges Darren13. Review job orders for accurate info Darren Bob/Jim14. Review charge discrepencies with customers (and issue credit). Fuel Darren15. Consult with other dept. uses of fleet system.16. Maintain the wash bay 17. Open Work Orders18. Maintain Indian Lake complex gates and fences19. Inspect all new vehicles for spec. compatibility20. Provide weekend on-call mechanic/parts. Darren21. Make new vehicles ready for service. Darren All except Willy22. Pickup and deliver vehicles to sublet vendors. Darren23. Change work order status to parts, vendors, finished.24. Maintain the fuel sites25. Perform field service calls to repair vehicles (Fire, Beach, R&B). Darren All except Willy26. Diagnose and outsource vehicle repairs to vendors. Darren Bob/Jim Harold/Ray O27. Send vehicle components to vendors for repair/rebuild. Darren Bob/Jim All except Willy28. Dispatch tire or wrecker service vendors when needed. Darren Bob/Jim All except Willy29. Answer phones Darren30. Auction (Decommission surplus vehicles/remove equipment)31. Field Service Fueling vehicles/equipment32. CDL Third Party Testing33. Generator PM and Load Bank Testing34. Coordinate Dielectric Testing of Aerial Bucket Trucks35.Fuel Pool vehicles36. Supervise Inmates Wes/Darren Wes37. Make new vehicles ready for service, i.e, lic. Plate, decals, lights, equip. Russ/Wes Russ/Wes

Service Analysis

Garage Division

Circulating in New CirclesTo move from casual acquaintances to become trusted friends, you

must move beyondconversation and into inspiration. You’ve heard of a venture capitalist.

You need to be aventure enthusiast. You need to invest in people’s emotions; to

stimulate their intellect; toignite their passions.

Inspire others by:

Taking the initiative to make a good first impression. Making eye contact with your whole body (like a giant Cyclops). Restating their name and engaging them with probing questions. Listening first. Speaking last. Not interrupting. Focusing on what they are saying not on your next response. Showing an interest in what they are saying. Restating what they said and reflecting their feelings. Never giving advice (unless they put you in a headlock and demand it). Asking open-ended questions to keep the ball in their court. Waiting for them to stop talking or to ask you a question.

Drawing Others Into Your CirclesTo make new friends use the Iceberg Approach:

I nitiative for follow up contacts. Create a relationship data base with personal facts for reference.C asual conversation leading into subjects of substance. Look for ways to help them. Add value to them to become a valuable friend.E mpathic listening focused on learning the other person’s perspective. Never share your perspective first.B e Quiet. Wait for them to ask you a question.E ngage them with probing questions. Don’t be thinking about what to say. Think about the next question to ask.R espond only to their questions or to their silence. Don’t unload your entire life history. Play the Mystery Game.G ratitude – Expressing gratitude always breaks the ice & breaks down relationship barriers.

If you don’t listen empathically, focus on others, and express gratitude, the relationship will never deepen

past the tip of the iceberg.

Drawing Others Into Your Inner CircleTo develop deep relationships from friendships, use the Camp Fire Approach:

C onfidence – Keep sensitive or personal information in confidence.A ttitude – It is you attitude and not your aptitude that determines your altitude in life. Many people suffer from psycho sclerosis; the hardening of the attitude. M ake more emotional deposits than withdrawals. Give more than you get.P lan – for birthdays, celebrations, special events. Create a personal data base to jog your memory.

F riend – Henry Ford: “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” I ntegrity – Socrates: “The key to greatness is to be in reality what we appear to be.” Integrity is having no credibility gap between our words and actions. If people understand me, I’ll get their attention. If they trust me, I’ll get their action. R ecognize – Be sensitive to attitude changes. Ask if every thing is O.K. or if you can help. One of the tests of leadership is to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.E ncourage – Write thank you notes. Listen to and help with problems. Make hospital visits. Ask the difficult questions. Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul.