Personal Experience Journal Writing

Personal Experience Journal Writing

One of the best places to find ideas for writing is in personal experiences. Things that happen to us, or things that we have learned of, can often spark an idea.

Discuss the importance of personal experience to one's writing. Explain to your students that it is likely that they have already had many experiences that could provide fine material for writing, but that they just have not uncovered them. Tell them that good ideas for writing are often hidden and tucked away in ordinary events. We have to search for them to bring them out.
A helpful plan is to take a personal inventory of their experiences. The following list of questions can help students identify possible topics for writing. Encourage students to answer the questions in their journals. They can write as much or as little about each question as they like.
What am I interested in?
What things do I especially like? What things do I dislike?
What makes me different from other people?
What do I like about myself? What do I dislike?
What would I change about myself?
What makes me feel good about myself?
What do I care about most?
What would I most like to know?
What would I like to do?
Where would I like to go?
What exciting things have I done?
Do I know any interesting people? Why are they interesting?
What could I share with others?
What would I like to change about the world?
What are some things that have made me happy?
What are some things that have made me sad?
What are some things that have made me angry?
What are some things that have made me afraid?
What advice or insight could I share with others?

Excerpted from Writing Workshop Survival Kit.

A great leader doesn't get others to do things they don't want to do, but inspires an environment where people want to do (and get fulfillment from) the things that need to be done.

- Arthur F. Carmazzi -

Cross Cultural Issues

 
Cross Cultural Issues

Cross-Cultural Differences Problems and Solutions


The good news

Multinational companies have the great advantage of working in and with different cultures to make their products and services accessible to a far wider community. The impetus for reaching beyond their own borders makes commercial sense.

The less good news

When multinationals develop into or with other countries there may be an assumption that because everyone within the company is working for the same goals and to the same values, they will automatically communicate, think and view the world in the same way. When multiple cultures begin working together, problems or difficulties arise that many people within these companies are not skilled or adept enough to deal with effectively. This can simply be because they've never had to deal with the issue before.

Language is often the least difficult barrier to breach. When we know there may be language differences, we have a greater awareness of the potential for problems. However, much more often it's a completely different way of seeing things and an inability, or unwillingness, to see what the other person is seeing that causes the difficulties.


Misunderstanding is the norm

At Impact Factory we say that 'misunderstanding is the norm'. We assume that because the other person knows our language (or we know theirs) that we speak the same language. Often we don't. Even when our 'Mother' tongue is the same, we don't speak it the same way.

When we work with other cultures, it's easy to be influenced by common stereotypes, misconceptions and prejudices about our new colleagues. Without realising it, we carry those misconceptions and stereotypes into meetings, conferences, trainings or even social gatherings that can make communication difficult and hard work.

In our own culture (where we feel at 'home'), we are all individuals with a host of differences; yet there are so many similarities that the differences can seem negligible. There appears to be more in common than may actually be so, but somehow we absorb and adjust to the differences. When we are abroad, or even in our own home territory working with others from abroad, the differences are far more apparent and it becomes much harder to see the similarities.

'Home' is that place where we feel most comfortable. The landscape looks familiar and we know the signposts that tell us where we are. When we are away from 'home' we may try to recreate that landscape: we surround ourselves with people who are like us; we join clubs where we're all similar; we may even try to get the 'aliens' to be more like us so that we feel more comfortable.

Not only that, if we start having difficulties with someone, it seems easier to focus on the differences and to start gathering 'evidence' to support our case about how difficult they are, than to look for the common ground which might lead to a resolution. We might even create a hurdle out of a hillock!


Changing you to change others

Life would certainly be a lot simpler if other people would just shape up and see things our way! As ridiculous as that statement looks when written out, that is often what we think when things aren't going well, particularly when communication starts breaking down. We wait for the other person to change so we’ll be all right ('If only he'd listen to me I'd be fine.' 'If only she'd be clearer I could get my work done more efficiently.'). All of us at some time or another have thought something similar.

The reality is: the only person you can change is you.

When you are the 'interloper' you can't afford to wait for the other person to change and see things your way. If you are in trouble and it feels as though people won't meet you halfway, unless you change and do something different, communication will continue to disintegrate.

Even if you aren't the interloper but are working at 'home' with someone from another culture, waiting for the other person to change could mean a long wait.


The really good news

The really good news is that something can be done about these difficulties that doesn't require you to change everything about you. It is far easier to make small adjustments, tweaks and fine-tunings in order to become a more effective and aware communicator when working cross-culturally.

On an Impact Factory Cross-Cultural programme delegates:

Examine how to look after themselves whilst changing the outcome of difficult or complex communications.
Practise how to be in charge of the way communication happens.
Look at some of the things that separate cultures and create unnecessary misunderstanding.
Discover how they can adapt their behaviour without being in conflict with who they are.

A Cross-Cultural Programme looks at:

Diversity of Difference
Terms of Reference and Language
Assumptions
Projection and Perception
Images (media, historical)
Beliefs and Traditions
Avoiding Avoidance
Finding Common Ground
Spheres of Influence
Blame vs. What CAN I do
Conflict Resolution and Negotiation (Creating Win/Win solutions)
Dealing with Misunderstandings
Getting what you want
Delegate's specific situations and difficulties

Companies that have asked us to include material on cross-cultural issues have been concerned that the vital work of their companies can get compromised (or at least, slowed down) if problems (or potential problems) are not brought into the open and addressed.

For instance, Nokia Communications knows that there are communication issues between Finland and Britain, because in general Finns and Brits communicate differently (sometimes very differently). People from each culture think they are making adjustments and accommodations to suit the other, but those changes are not necessarily the ones that are needed: they are often the ones that people assume are needed!

Impact Factory would be pleased to provide a complete proposal with a more detailed outline of the course content.

Naturally, a full day's training will provide a comprehensive look at the issues involved. However, Impact Factory is able to offer a Cross-Cultural Programme in a four-hour module to individuals who already communicate at a relatively high level.
Cross Cultural Skills Training and Development

Business surveys consistently show us that poor workplace communication is a major source of employee dissatisfaction.

The repercussions of this include not just low employee morale. Employee productivity suffers, along with a range of other business performance indicators.

Business Impact

Costs to your business of poor communication include:
increased employee turnover
increased absenteeism
dissatisfied customers from poor customer service
higher product defect rates
lack of focus on business objectives
stifled innovation

Employees will put in that extra "discretionary effort" when they are kept informed openly and honestly on aspects of their job and the business and they feel that they are being listened to with empathy.
Employee Communication Needs

What and how should you communicate with your employees? Communication in your organization should satisfy the three key employee needs before they can be engaged and highly productive. Each and every employee needs to:
1. Know that …

–included here are facts about your organization and their specific job – what business you are in, who your customers are, specific details about your product or service, where forms are located, who to see when there is a problem ...
2. Master that …

–included here are the practical skills required to do their job well – repairing a machine, filling out an invoice, designing a building, writing a software program ...
3. Feel that …

–included here are the interactions that give them a sense of belonging and self-worth – being listened to, respected, trusted, valued ...

Managers predominantly concentrate on the first need – know that – and pay less attention to the second need to master skills. The third need – feel that – is what makes employees distinctly human and what drives them to outstanding achievement in work and outside of work. And yet it is in this dimension that employee communications are most lacking. Our practical eBook, 2 Way Feedback, can help you develop a communication culture in your workplace.

Look closely at the communication happening in your business. Is it satisfying what employees need to be fully engaged and working productively? Download our FREE Workplace Culture Checklist to check your progress on building positive working relationships.

It is also worth looking at the four fundamental levels of communication in your organization for an answer:

1. Organization wide communication – involving all employees

2. Departmental communication – specific to one department or unit

3. Team communication – within one cohesive team or group

4. Individual communication – specific to one employee at any one time

Communications may be working effectively at higher levels, but fail dismally at the more local level. The interpersonal skills of supervisors, team leaders and local managers are especially critical at levels 3 and 4, as these are the people that frontline workers develop working relationships with most personally and closely.

Just as important is the communication between and within levels. Gone are the days when departments could stand as silos, isolated from the rest of the organization by impenetrable barriers. Intra-national and international competition is now so fierce that everyone in the organization needs to collaborate closely on solving organizational challenges and on achieving agreed strategic objectives. What are the communication barriers in your organization?

Where is your organization at in its life-cycle? Is it large or growing rapidly? As more people are added to an organization, communication needs and stresses increase exponentially. Joe, who used to do purchasing, inspection and warehousing on his own now needs to talk to three other departments as well as the people in his own growing team. What structures, systems and processes has your organization put in place to encourage and facilitate effective communication flow?

Well-designed organizational culture surveys and employee communication surveys can determine how well your communication systems and practices are contributing to your organization’s performance – or how much they are hindering performance. This information will then help you in devising an effective employee communication strategy. Whatever else you do, communication practices impact every facet of your business. Looking closely at communication in your organization is well worth your while, because even if you do not, your employees are.

The Organization Communication Assessment available below will help you evaluate your organization’s communication practices. We encourage you to investigate further.

Inspiring change: Reuters’ success factors

Are you looking for new ideas to help drive a change initiative? Reuters suggestions include putting on a special employee event to encourage the workforce to get involved and implement changes.

Motivating employees to support and sustain a significant and long-term change initiative is no easy task. Based on the achievements of its Fast Forward program, Reuters suggests the following steps to success, each focused on involving employees in driving the change:

1. Make your people a top priority
Organizational change programs regularly fail because they address only structural issues and don’t focus enough attention on engaging people in the process. To avoid this pitfall, Reuters focused one of the Fast Forward “workstreams” on reinvigorating the culture and introducing new ways of working.

Organizational change programs regularly fail because they address only structural issues and don’t focus enough attention on engaging people in the process.

2. Get leaders behind the program
Engage managers at the earliest possible stage — even before the strategy is finalized. Reuters did by creating a “Change Coalition” comprising 140 key managers selected for their position of influence and business understanding rather than just their seniority.

3. Find ways to involve employees
Reuters did this by foregoing a management conference and planning an inclusive event that would involve all employees. To plan the event, a global, multicultural and cross-functional group of employees was set up, representing a range of levels and experience within the company.

To plan the event, a global, multicultural and cross-functional group of employees was set up, representing a range of levels and experience within the company.

4. Encourage employees to identify issues and solutions
At Reuters an online database was introduced to provide everyone in the company the opportunity to register any issues. The one caveat was that for any problem raised a suggested solution also had to be put forward.

5. Capture and act on feedback
During a day of interactive workshops, managers at Reuters captured all feedback, suggestions and ideas in a special database which could be accessed by all employees. These ideas have been used to make improvements to organizational efficiency, cost effectiveness and customer service.

First published by Melcrum in 2005

Make your career plan a priority

Visualize and articulate where you want to be five, 10 and 20 years from now.

By Ayelet Baron, senior business development manager, Global Mobility, Cisco Systems Inc.

Communicators often encourage executives to articulate the company strategy in a way that employees, customers and partners understand. Why then, don't we take the time to articulate a strategic plan for our own careers?

A colleague of mine recently returned from a two-week Safari with her family, sounding totally refreshed with a new perspective on what she wants from her career. Her first goal is to spend time building a plan of where she wants to be in five years and what she needs to do to get there.

If we encourage our executives to have a strategy that charts the future of the organization, why do most of us not create a strategic plan for our own careers?

Develop personal goals
In an era when organizations tell employees they're "empowered" to drive their own development, it's up to each of us to create a plan to help us realize our full potential. One of the keys to career development is having a good understanding of your personal goals and being able to visualize and articulate where you want to be five, 10 and 20 years from now.

One of the keys to career development is being able to visualize and articulate where you want to be.

Some people may be happy changing jobs every two or three years, while others prefer staying in the same position for longer periods of time. Whatever your preference, start planning how best develop professionally.

Hone your business skills
Some communicators can pursue their development with writing classes and communication conferences. However, if you're pursuing a career as a strategic communicator and want to be part of your leadership team, you need to establish credibility as a business leader.

You need to know how to create and deliver a strategic communication plan that incorporates both informal and formal channels of communication. And you need to have a solid understanding of the business and how communication can contribute to the organization's success by implementing successful strategies through your people.

Learn on the job
My professional skills have been developed primarily by learning "on the job." I find formal training environments restrictive and similar to many managers, I learn best by doing. So, I look for opportunities where I can either learn on the job or find really smart people who I can learn from, both internally and externally. I also spend time reading business publications to make sure I'm informed about the latest business issues and best practices.

Stay energized
Based on my own experience, the best way to remain energized about your work and continue learning and developing is to:

Create new ways to do more of what you're good at by identifying opportunities within the organization.
Learn to listen more than lecture.
Set achievable goals.
Trust your gut instinct.
Share with your management what you love to do.
Create new ways to do more of what you're good at by identifying opportunities within the organization, or find a volunteer opportunity that will help you develop in a safe environment.
Develop a reputation as an expert with specific knowledge and skills that others may lack.
Ask a senior executive to mentor you. Learn everything you can about this person and the division they lead.
Identify and partner with people with similar professional aspirations.

Make use of resources such as leading business publications and communities and business school websites that provide innovative thinking. Also, look for development opportunities within your own organization.

First published by Melcrum in 2005.

Five leadership communication coaching pointers

TOP TIPS:

Eliminating business jargon from leaders' communications can re-connect and re-inspire your workforce.

by Jamie Walters, president, Ivy Sea Inc.

Here are five steps to improved leadership communications:

1. Get agreement
Effective partnerships begin with clear agreement. Don’t assume — schedule a meeting with leaders, review communication’s importance in good leadership and get agreement on your role. Then do a leadership communication assessment to gauge current perceptions and issues within the organization.

2. Link leadership communication to effectiveness
Make the business case by succinctly sharing data on where it creates an edge and where its lack creates costly problems. If you can make a good case for “why,” the “how” will become much easier. At this point, there’s no shortage of compelling research or case studies.

Do a leadership communication assessment to gauge current perceptions and issues within the organization.

3. Be mindful of language
The words a leader chooses affects the impact of the communication. Eliminate vapid business jargon, battlefield metaphors and violent, divisive language — it will turn off increasingly diverse audiences and foster cynicism and apathy. Stick with clear, responsible language and reconnect people with possibility and vision as well as facts.

4. Build on the leader’s own style
Given the low levels of trust in corporate leaders, an overly polished “stage presence” can bring cynicism, so beware of a “canned” and unauthentic style. Identify the leader’s inherent strengths. He or she will feel more comfortable when being themselves and will communicate more effectively.

Stick with clear, responsible language and reconnect people with possibility and vision as well as facts.

5. Maintain integrity
After waves of layoffs and leadership scandals, it’s crucial to maintain a sense of integrity. Ensure leaders’ words are congruent with their beliefs and actions. With leaders under greater scrutiny and audiences more sensitive to “being sold to,” mindful, honest communication and impeccable follow-through are more important than ever.

Good communication beats pay in worker happiness survey

5 March 2007

Employee satisfaction is more influenced by how people communicate than by level of earnings, study reveals.

British workers say good relations with colleagues are more important to workplace happiness than financial reward, according to a survey by HR consultancy, Chiumento.

The study found that while 73% of employees feel strong interaction with contemporaries creates a postive mood, less than 50% mention pay as a factor in their enjoyment of the workplace.

If organizations think a little more deeply about what employees really want, they could reap the rewards.

Business need to pay more attention to the value of good relationships at work, says Chiumento's chief executive, Sarah Chiumento. "They also need to look harder at issues like treating staff fairly, ensuring communication is good, and fostering a positive atmosphere," she says. "If organizations think a little more deeply about what employees really want, and what will make them happy, they could reap the rewards."

Small can be good
The Chuimento survey also revealed that small firms have better morale than larger ones, with 86% of employees in businesses with less than 100 staff saying they were happy at work compared to 78% in companies with more than a thousand people.

The finding is unsurprising, says Simon Briault of the Federation of Small Businesses. "In small businesses there's an informal, personal atmosphere that you don’t get in large organizations," he says. "People talk a lot, which means office politics tend to get ironed out early on. In the small business workplace there's a lot to be saif for face-to-face contact and working things out."

What You SAY is What You Get

 
How to Speak Your Way to Success
by Jack Canfield, America's Success Coach

In the previous issue of Success Strategies, I talked about how in order to be successful, we must first define what success means to us, and that means getting CLEAR about what you want, writing it down, and thinking BIG!

If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. You have to believe you have the right stuff, that you are able to pull it off. You have to believe in yourself. Whether you call it self-esteem, self-confidence, or self-assurance, it is a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes – the abilities, inner resources, talents, and skills to create your desired results.

Ultimately, you must learn to control your self-talk, eliminate any negative and limiting beliefs, and maintain a constant state of positive expectations.

Control Your Self-Talk
Researchers have found that the average person thinks as many as 50,000 thoughts a day. Sadly, many of those thoughts are negative — I’m not management material... I’ll never lose weight... It doesn’t matter what I do, nothing ever works out for me. This is what psychologists call victim language. Victim language actually keeps you in a victim state of mind. It is a form of self-hypnosis that lulls you into a belief that you are unlovable and incompetent.

In order to get what you want from life, you need to give up this victim language and start talking to yourself like a winner — I can do it... I know there is a solution... I am smart enough and strong enough to figure this out... Everything I eat helps me maintain my perfect body weight.

You Are Always Programming Your Subconscious Mind
Your subconscious mind is like the crew of a ship. You are it's captain. It is your job to give the crew orders. And when you do this, the crew takes everything you say literally. The crew (your subconscious) has no sense of humor. It just blindly follows orders. When you say, “Everything I eat goes straight to my hips,” the crew hears that as an order: Take everything she eats, turn it into fat and put it on her hips. On the other hand, if you say, “Everything I eat helps me maintain my perfect body weight,” the crew will begin to make that into reality by helping you make better food choices, exercise, and maintain the right metabolism rate for you body.

This power of your subconscious mind is the reason you must become very vigilant and pay careful attention to your spoken and internal statements. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize they are committing negative self-talk, which is why it is best to enlist another person — your success partner — in monitoring each other’s speaking. You can have a signal for interrupting each other when you use victim language.

Use Affirmations to Build Self-Confidence
One of the most powerful tools for building worthiness and self-confidence is the repetition of positive statements until they become a natural part of the way you think. These “affirmations” act to crowd out and replace the negative orders you have been sending your crew (your subconscious mind) all these years. I suggest that you create a list of 10 to 20 statements that affirm your belief in your worthiness and your ability to create the life of your dreams.

Of course, what to believe is up to you, but here are some examples of affirmations that have worked for others in the past:

I am worthy of love, joy and success.
I am smart and make wise choices.
I am loveable and capable.
I create anything I want.
I am able to solve any problem that comes my way.
I can handle anything that life hands me.
I have all the energy I need to do everything I want to do.
I am attracting all the right people into my life.

Believing in Yourself is an Attitude
Believing in yourself is a choice. It’s an attitude you develop over time. It’s now your responsibility to take charge of your own self-concept and your beliefs. It might help to know that the latest brain research now indicates that with enough positive self-talk and positive visualization combined with the proper training, coaching, and practice, anyone can learn to do almost anything.

You must choose to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to – anything at all – because, in fact, you can!

© 2007 Jack Canfield

If you missed previous issues of Success Strategies,