What if you came into work one day and discovered that overnight your company lost its ability to pay you. The entire company bank account had – poof! – disappeared, a victim of outside financial fraud. Would you chip in and see what you could do, or would your last day of pay, be your last day?
Bob Gutermuth, President of Dialog, found out on February 19, 2009 that all of his company—and personal—assets were frozen. The company funds had been held in the Stanford Financial Bank—which was discovered, on that fateful day in February, to be the second largest Ponzi scheme after Madoff. This subject, of course, is near and dear to my heart since I too was hit with the same financially catastrophic news. What I learned is that we all react differently to adversity—some fall victim to it, while others use it to come out stronger. It’s a fascinating subject that inspired my next book called, The Whammy. But I digress…
With every dime frozen indefinitely and faced with having to close its doors, Dialog was in serious trouble. Bob called everyone together and outlined the situation—in detail. For an undetermined period of time, Dialog couldn’t pay its lease, its vendors or its employees. In the spirit of democracy, he opened the books and invited communication. And everyone chipped in to help. Some employees went weeks without pay, while others decided to take time off. The crisis took months to resolve, but Dialog was able to make it through. It’s a great testimony of an organization of people who openly chose to endure financial hardship by rallying together. And it worked.
So the question for today is this… How many of us work for a company that would inspire us to make a choice to go weeks, or months, without pay? How many leaders would dare to be so straightforward and open? And how many employees would choose to be so loyal? What is the difference between a company like Dialog and a company like… (well, I’ll let you fill in the blank!).
I often write about leadership best practices and am pleased to add this example of how democracy in the workplace—along with open communication and open books—saved a company from imminent financial ruin. Not only did this marketing consulting company come back, but it came back stronger. Congratulations Dialog!
To see a related video about Dialog and its democratic practices, click here.
I’ve been thrilled to receive so many positive reactions to my first book, Professional Destiny. One of the comments I hear most often is that the subject matter is incredibly timely since so many people are rethinking their careers or dealing with change that’s been thrust upon them.
When I wrote Professional Destiny my goal was to inspire and motivate others to rediscover their natural talents and choose satisfying and meaningful work. My hope is that more people might find the confidence they need to launch themselves into “the career they were born for” — and find out more about the joys, fears, obstacles and tests they can expect along the way. To that end I’m pleased to offer this special:
Buy Two and Get a Signed Copy Free!
This is how it works: Buy two copies of Professional Destiny at Amazon.com or bn.com (Barnes and Noble) by December 20th and I’ll send you a third copy–signed and personalized–for free. You’ll even qualify for free shipping at both sites! All you have to do is forward a copy of your Amazon or Barnes & Noble email receipt to: info@professionaldestiny.com. Be sure to include the name and address to whom you’d like me to send the book along with special instructions (if any) of how you’d like the book personally inscribed. I will send it via ground delivery upon receipt, so it will arrive in time for the holiday. (Remember, it’s only possible for me to sign the third book that I send, not the first two copies shipped directly from Amazon or B&N.) Remember, the sooner you purchase the books and forward the receipts, the sooner your friend or family will receive the signed book. All receipts must be received by December 20th at the latest, to ensure Christmas delivery.
I deeply I appreciate your wonderful, ongoing support for Professional Destiny, and I wish you and your families a joyous holiday season.
Last night as I was pondering what to write in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I picked up a book that my friend, Perch Ducote—one of the wisest men of all—suggested I read. It’s called, The First 30 Days, by Ariane de Bonvoisin and she’s a fellow Stanford grad.
As I thumbed through the pages, I landed upon a section called “Comparison Sickness.” It caught my attention. After all, how many of us get caught in the comparison trap? I found myself in it earlier just that same day.
If we honestly look at our thoughts, I’d wager a bet that many of us have a mind that points out each and every one of our shortcomings. I’ve written about this very topic at length in Professional Destiny. There I call it the “little voice.” Our little voice says things like this:
“Look at her success. Why do things seem easy for her? She’s got it together—I don’t.”
“Why is he making so much money and I’m not. Will I wallow here forever? Everything he touches seems to turn to gold, but for me—it’s a constant struggle.”
“She’s more fit and more engaging than I am. Her clothes are nicer too. I should just fade into the wall paper whenever she’s around.”
Then I read this story about comparisons and complaints in Ariane’s book. It went like this:
“One day, God was listening to all the comparisons people were making to others, and he asked each person to put all their problems in a transparent bag and place it in a separate room. Then he asked everyone to line up and, one by one, go into this room and pick a bag, any bag. Since the bags were transparent, everyone could see what others were going through—all the changes in their lives, the decisions they had to make, their complaints and their struggles with others. The first person looked around and finally decided to leave with his own bag. The next person did the same thing; she left with the bag she dropped off. In the end, everyone picked up his or her own bag. Why? Because we are meant to work through our problems, changes and crises. Even though it may not feel like it at the moment, you have not been given anything you cannot handle. In fact you’re an expert in dealing with your unique set of challenges.”
This story contains such a relevant message for us during the week of giving thanks. Sure we have our share of problems and complaints—and our bag might seem worse than anyone else’s. But when it all comes down to it, we’re perfectly equipped to handle what we’ve got. And it we compare the other way, we can always find someone with a bigger and heavier bag to carry than ours.
It’s a wonderful reminder to be grateful for what we have. Happy Thanksgiving!
Finding your purpose and practicing it in your profession is an immensely gratifying and productive experience. Your Professional Destiny is Work (with a capital “W”) that reflects a deep desire with you. It’s Work that inspires you and ignites your creativity. But, how do you know if you are in it? Here are nine indicators, excerpted from my book, that will tell you:
You are engaged.When you’re doing what you love, you become passionate about your work and lose track of time. You feel alive, energetic and creative. There is simply not enough time in the day to do what you can’t wait to do.
You feel on track.Things come naturally. Work seems easy, though it may not for others—because you’re exercising your gift. Your level of satisfaction is your true guidance system.
You feel honest.You’re being yourself. You’re pursuing a path that is in line with your values and interests, and you’re living in true authenticity with yourself.
You become lighter.Being true to your values allows you to shed a huge burden—the burden of maintaining a facade. You instantly experience a sense of relief as the weight is lifted.
You are committed.You clearly set your vision and do what you say you will. You may not know how you are going to get there or when, but you know that you will.
You operate with compassion.Your sense of individual freedom gives you a new sense of community. Your interactions become genuinely rewarding and you create true connections with others.
You make a contribution.What you are doing is meaningful and, while you may be well compensated, your driving force is contribution above money.
You are fulfilled.When you fully express your gifts, talents and creativity, you feel a deep-seated sense of satisfaction. Being on the path to reaching your full potential just feels great.
You make a difference.Your work positively impacts others in a most meaningful way. You’re confident that you’re leaving a legacy, and you’re gratified by that knowledge.
Ultimately, your Professional Destiny is a soul-level urge to fully express yourself and try something deeply interesting to you. It’s a dream that you carry inside—maybe it’s time to let it out.
When pursuing your Professional Destiny, the difference between knowing where you want to go and actually getting there is discipline. In my book, I talk about the four types of discipline—of the mind, body, soul and actions—that are essential for maintaining focus and staying on course. In an earlier post, I’ve written about discipline of the mind. Yet to accomplish anything great, you must also make sure both your mind—and body—are fit for the task. Here is an excerpt from Professional Destiny about how to achieve discipline of the body:
Hone yourself for your best performance.Like a true professional, you need to practice your gift every day. To do this you must be fit, rested and have your physical and mental capacities about you. Avoid substances that numb your mind and distract you from your goals. Focus on being alert and clear.
Get energized. To pursue your passion, you must have energy and be strong enough to be in the places you need to be. Your body is what gets you there so it is important to take care of it. Healthy food is like high-performance fuel. Your engine will work better with it. You need energy to go the extra mile and accomplish your goals.
Get active.Physical activity and exercise gets you revved up. During any physical training you develop good habits that serve you in life such as developing mental toughness to get through pain, becoming laser-focused and forcing yourself to continue even when you feel like quitting.
Do not see yourself as trapped inside a limited body. Your greatest driver is your will—your will to succeed. With a strong will you can accomplish almost anything.
Be physically and mentally prepared for a race of learning and doing.Prioritize your action items and plot your course. Meet your appointments. Jump over any hurdles that threaten to hold you back so you can put them behind you. And then go full speed.
Lose the weight. This refers not so much to your physical weight, as your energetic weight. Streamline your relationships and your possessions and take only the essentials that you need. This means pulling the plug on draining or unhealthy relationships and breaking the bonds to unnecessary material possessions that keep you anchored.
In a sense, making significant change is like preparing for a marathon. It takes commitment, stamina and a huge dose of physical and mental discipline. Now the question is… are you ready for the run?
Professional Destiny® is about finding the career you were born for. I've created this site to help you in your pursuit. Here, you'll find excerpts from my book, as well as new ideas and stories to help you make the most of your natural gifts. We're a community, so please join the conversation!
