Morning Minute 1/24/25:
“Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone!”
In life, the only thing guaranteed is CHANGE!
In Tom Peters’ book, “Thriving On Chaos,” he explains that no matter how smoothly things are going now, you should always prepare for change. Changes may include the loss of a key leader, a new competitor, or a new competing product. Or, they may include a power outage, an Internet crash, a fire, flood, or major storm. The important thing is to prepare for these in advance in order to minimize possible negative effects.
Preparing for change also includes planning for new opportunities. These may include the launch of a new product, how to adjust to serve a new client, or planning for a huge sales promotion. Planning in advance allows you to prepare your team to successfully take advantage of opportunities, and to minimize the negative effects of problems
Question: When is it easier to prepare for changes? Before they occur? Or, after? In the next week, schedule some time to list possible opportunities, plus possible negative events. Be sure to consult with your team leaders to get their input on how to prepare for each possibility. Then, with their help, put your plans in place to be ready when problems occur, or when opportunities present themselves.
In December, 1944, in WW2, the allies were winning their fight against the Nazi army in Northern Europe. After their successful D-Day landing, they had driven across France, liberating Paris. They were preparing for their final push into Germany, planned for 1945. The weather was frigid with subfreezing temperatures, lots of wind, and snow.
On December 16th, 200,000 German troops with 1000 tanks attacked, pushing the American lines back 75 miles. Their objective was to split the allied armies by advancing to the port of Antwerp, Belgium. The 101st Airborne Division was surrounded at Bastogne but refused to surrender. When Eisenhower, the allied commander, asked his generals who could push through to relieve the 101st, the only one to step forth was General George Patton, commander of the American 3rd Army.
While most of the Allied commanders were planning their 1945 push into Germany, Patton was anticipating an attack by the German army. He anticipated 3 different scenarios, instructing his leaders to prepare for each. Because he had planned for a possible German attack, he was able to advance behind enemy lines, relieve the 101st at Bastogne, and stop the German advance. This was only possible because Patton had asked what could go wrong, and planned in advance for possible enemy attacks.
Thus, when things are going well with your team performing properly, that is the perfect time to prepare your plans for both problems and possible opportunities. Get your team involved. They are your greatest asset. Plus, by planning ahead with your team, they will automatically respond to both problems and opportunities..
“Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone!”
That is today’s Morning Minute.
Morning Minute 1/21/25:
“Why Is Common Sense…So Uncommon?”
That is a very valid question, right?
Recently, I heard a woman state proudly that she did everything for her children as they grew up. She cooked all the meals, cleaned the house, washed the clothes, and did all the chores. She did everything for them. Now she has no idea why, as adults, they cannot cook, do laundry, clean, perform household chores, or be responsible.
We all watched over the last few years as our country tried to lead from a position of weakness. We led from behind with words instead up from with deeds. We expressed disappointment with the actions of our adversaries instead of confronting them from a position of strength. By ignoring common sense, our country is now being ignored.
For thousands of years all humanity recognized only two genders, male and female. We understood the inherent biological differences and attributes of each. Over the last decade our children were taught that there are dozens of genders. And, that they can choose, change, and be any gender they want. Now we wonder why teens and young adults are so confused and unhappy, that they need drugs and therapy to get along.
Is it possible that we are all to blame for why common sense is so uncommon?
Parents have the continuing responsibility as the first and most important teachers of their children. When adults are dishonest, disloyal, or portray bad habits, how can they expect honesty, loyalty, or good habits from their children. Nurturing, training, and supporting their children to do their best, and be their best, must be parent’s life-long responsibility. That starts by both teaching and living the kind of lives that we want for our children. Honesty, personal responsibility, and common sense must be taught and practiced by adults. That is how children learn to be responsible, productive adults.
Educators are responsible for teaching children and young adults the life skills they need to use as grown-ups. To be successful, they must partner with the parents to help children become knowledgeable, responsible, and productive adults. This requires teaching basic skills like reading, math, writing, and comprehension. Plus, occupational skills to guide them as they enter the marketplace. Rogue subjects such as “gender studies,” or “critical race theory” have no place in professional education.
Governments must be accountable for aiding and mandating the teaching of life skills that lead children to become responsible, employable adults. Those mandates must include teaching teachers how to teach, and parents how to monitor their children’s progress. Teachers’ unions, in their charters, are designed to only benefit teachers. With that conflict of interest, unions must be banned from professional education.
In summary, we must change how we teach and mentor our children. Parents, teachers, and government officials must lead with common sense and teach life skills. If we fail to do this, we will teach future generations to be untrustworthy, dependent, distrustful, and irresponsible. And, they will have no common sense!
“Why Is Common Sense…So Uncommon?”
That is today’s Morning Minute!
