Here’s a tip for companies:  give every official position term limits.  Just like people can only be President of the U.S. for four years, renewable for another four years maximum, or Governor or Mayor of many states or towns for a limited amount of time, give the CEO, the President, and the department Directors of your company, term limits.

Here are some of the benefits:

Every person brings different skills, strengths, vision, weaknesses and needs to the position.  Different skills, strengths and vision will bring new life to official leadership of the company or department, as needed from time to time.

It’s hard for most officials to keep growing in the same position over many years, or to admit when they want to move on.

Passing along the job means officials need to train others about what they do, and pass along specific skills, relationships and knowledge needed to do their job well.

The group of people who choose the new official — ideally this is the people whom the official will be the official for — the people who work in that department or company, will choose the new person.  This means:

 - coworkers learn about what you do in your job — you become more appreciated.

 - coworkers choose the new person — they feel responsible for who they work with.

“Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell the future; practice these acts. As to diseases, make a habit of two things — to help, or at least to do no harm.”

-Hippocrates

[As so many of the quotes on this blog, this from Michael Neill, a tip called “The Helper’s Dilemma.”]

If I’m home, You’re always welcome.

If you’re hungry, help yourself to anything.

If you break something, it’s alright.

If you need anything, I’ll buy it for you.

If you make a mess, help me clean it up.

When you leave, give lots of hugs & kisses.

* * *

“Grandma’s Rules” is a sign on the wall in Mom’s Country Deli in Houston.  It’s my new favorite restaurant because of the atmosphere, signs like these, the food, and the people who work there.  Mom’s son and daughter chose the signs, and Mom really works there.

I’ve started applying these rules to my business.  I’ve also started to expect others to live these rules.  Some are harder for me to live than others. 

And to anyone reading this who thinks they can take advantage of someone who lives by these rules, please, use common sense.  One easy way to corrupt these rules is to ask people to be enablers of bad habits or dependency.  Just as you shouldn’t buy an alcoholic the drinks they ask for but you should provide an intervention, if you know someone who keeps getting what they ask for and using it to block their bigger goals in life, get them not what they say they want, but what they seem to be indicating they need.

Perhaps another sign, this one above the cornbread in Mom’s Country Deli, sums it up:

PLATE LUNCH CUSTOMERS

HELP YOURSELF TO HOME MADE BREAD

PLEASE TAKE ONLY WHAT YOU CAN EAT

LET’S NOT WASTE

     Love, Mom

* NO TO GOES PLEASE *

* * * 

Also, I think this whether coworkers live up to this sign is a good measure of how well people work together over time:

  Don’t Fuss

  Call Us

Michael Neill’s Tip of the Day today is called “How to Win Games and Influence Dolphins.”  Michael writes about positive reinforcement, drawing on dolphin trainer Karen Pryor’s book “Don’t Shoot the Dog.”

‘What makes human beings jump through hoops and exhibit entirely new behaviors never before seen in the species is the experience of “winning” - of succeeding at what it is we are setting out to do.’

‘”Winning” in the sense I am using it here is unique to the individual - it is anything that feels like success, be that the signature on an order form or the smile of approval of a loved one, boss, or friend.

You can increase your skill at recognizing wins by first identifying what games you (or the person you are trying to motivate) are playing. You can then work out what would constitute a win in each game.

For example if the game you are playing is selling a product or service, some possible wins include getting a hot lead, enrolling a new client, or making a sale. If you’re playing the weight loss game, those wins can include saying “no” to a piece of chocolate cake, knocking a few numbers off the scale, or fitting in to a new (or old!) item of clothing.’ -Michael Neill

This is why I think it’s so important to have a shared life dream in a personal relationship or at work.  First identify what game you’re playing.  Then decide how you’ll know when you ‘win’ or end up where you want.  Agreeing with your partner means you’re playing the same game.