I'm a big fan of affirmation--those indicators that keep reinforcing that you're doing, being, thinking correctly--and a firm believer in synchronicity. Once something comes to your attention, you see it everywhere. Right up there with karma, God's plan or coincidence (is it?).
I've been reading a lof of Jeffrey Gitomer's books and articles for the past year, and it's had a profound impact on the way I do business and lead my life. Yeah, he writes a lot about selling, but here are the two truths that are the core of EVERYTHING:
1. Build relationships.
2. Give value first.
If you do those two things, everything else falls into place. The rest of what you do is frosting.
So where does affirmation come into this? I also read Guy Kawasaki, who admittedly is far above my level. He gives presentations, attends conferences and networks with the movers and shakers of the high tech world. I do laundry, clean rooms and work in the yard. My networking is fairly frequent but it's confined to Albuquerque most of the time and New Mexico occasionally. I digress.
In Guy's most recent post, he reproduces an interview with Penelope Trunk, "The Nine Biggest Myths of the Workplace." (I've heard every one of these at one time or another.) Myth number 4 says:
Office Politics is about backstabbing.
The people who are most effective at office politics are people who are genuinely nice. Office politics is about helping people to get what they want. This means you have to take the time to figure out what someone cares about, and then think about how you can help him or her to get it. You need to always have your ears open for when you can help. If you do this, you don’t have to strong arm people or manipulate them. Your authentic caring will inspire people to help you when you need it.
Neat, huh? Like dominoes, everything falls right into place.
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