Publications

Human Performance Essentials

Republished for GDG May 2008

By Dianne Irene

Leadership

Leadership is reflected in the ability to think independently, recognize the personal growth objective from power to empowerment, and the ability to see the big picture. It does not mean that one has obtained power over individuals, but rather that one accepts responsibility to transform other’s efforts into a common goal. Also, leaders pursue a balance of communication, acknowledgement, and resolution strategies. In order to best utilize leadership qualities, it is best to continually seek out a balance and deeper understanding of motivations, perspectives, self-protection weaknesses, and unbalanced emotional expressions.

Business Communication

Communication is the basis for all personal and professional interaction within the human race. Without communication, organized efforts would never be achieved nor would personal reflection be possible. Many failed relationships are due to an inherent lack of appropriate communication. Realizing the purpose and effectiveness of communication lends a positive move of forces towards a common goal.

Clear documentation and communication are essential in keeping the records, examples, and ideas organized. There would be a lot of wasted energy and time if one member of the team was handed off a project with no documentation and was thus left to start from scratch. This would also create a pool of sorts for future projects and serve as a referral bank to make things run more smoothly. Maintain ability is another factor in communication. Compatibility or what I call "common sensors" should be maintained.

Empowerment Strategies

Empowerment is the most evolved form of power. Empowerment establishes a perspective to view what is important and why. Awareness of the power in empowerment is in how you react to those choices and in recognizing a responsibility in choosing them. A transformation in growth can be achieved by making a conscious assessment of the perspectives that are reflective of the strengths and weaknesses of more than one perspective.

Beyond self-protection are recognition and the ability to give recognition to others. Feeling secure enough to allow a focus on the other party and their situation with a greater understanding is a key step in reaching empowerment. Channeling what may be seen as aggressive attacks from another party as a response of frustration and self-preservation allows room for better communication. Moving from a negative approach to a more enlightened awareness of what the other party may actually be contributes to peace. Establishing a balance of our identity is the key to where we embrace and adapt to the needs of others and ourselves. Sometimes not reacting can be a powerful response allowing another force to have the room to seek balance. Compassion can even lead to a positive resolution. Resolutions will not always be reached, but the process can be beneficial with understanding being achieved. Empowerment lends itself to the place where we can obtain the ability to better handle conflicts and reach personal growth.

Motivation

Motivation is a strong force behind actions. Recognizing intrinsically or extrinsically rooted motivation enables one to obtain a more consistent performance. Behind every action is a purpose and behind every purpose is a motive for action. Motivational Psychology is one of the most sought out philosophies of managerial training. Without the understanding of motivation, empowerment is stifled, communication is weakened, and efforts can be wasted.

Realizing the motivational drive behind a work force has led successful businesses to longevity of excellence. Those companies who have neglected worker motivation eventually become catalysts to a mundane working machine where the mechanics of a work force resemble a factory rather than a growing working entity with common motives. Understanding why one does rather than if one did is a much bigger return on worker productivity.

Personal Development & Motivation

There have been those in history who have achieved a form of mastery. We celebrate those individuals as legends, geniuses, spiritual beings, and philosophers. However, many of them have been prosecuted, killed, and considered crazy, yet their contribution has been essential to truth, spirit, and thought. When we have embraced this, then understanding our purpose is realized.

Our schools should be filled with opportunity to think about history critically and not memorize a perspective given by somone on a different journey. We can stop poverty, we can cure cancer, we can save the environment, we can end war, we can feel other's pain, and we can be kind. Each master has realized that they can take responsibility for their own choices, attitudes, and perspectives. We should be careful not to judge other's beliefs. It serves a purpose in their life. Their journey is created for them and we should be concerned with our own journey, our own responsibilities, and our own desires.

There is a shift happening. Can you feel it? This shift is at a crossroads of existence. Now is the time for us to choose the very direction of our universe. We need to break out of our superstitions, our fears, and our selfishness. Everything begins with thought. That is why educating yourself is so important. All the things we create here in our physical realm have started with a thought. When enough people start to wake up then action will follow.

We have the power to create a better world. We have the power to create a better self. Now is the time. Our environment in dire need, our people are starving. Yes, our people, because we belong to each other. Nothing we do in life is solely for us. It all has a ripple effect that affects the universe. Think about how a smile can change a person's day. Think about how paying attention outside what everyone else is doing and saying could mean for humanity.

Conflict Resolution

A new sensibility about conflict reflects the ability to channel energy into a positive outcome where resolution is the goal rather than ascertaining a victory of political, personal, or egocentric origin. The power is in how one reacts to situations in life and not always, what is happening. It is rather a comfort to see the higher functioning of individuals in social groups. However, with moral issues the resolution is not always achieved. In observing historical development of conflict, personal interests were a non-issue and cooperation was seen as the expected behavior. The irony of this approach is that the conflict would continue to arise regardless of how much cooperation was achieved. Focus of an individual’s perspective has a great impact on the use of energy. Choosing what to concern ourselves with can affect our performance. Thomas Crum points out that distress can greatly influence our well-being and if not handled properly can lead to chronic disease. Stress should then be culminated as an ally where we learn a balance between what is and what we want and accept it.

Having a clear vision of our purpose is imperative to our state of being. If anything is viewed as insincere or over the top then a negative response would be likely. However, when this appreciative approach is used with sincerity then a positive outcome is that of growth and energy. Consider a person that seemed to draw other people in by their magnetism. It was their positive energy that was contagious and warm like the summer sun. Those who wish to negate a philosophy of “positivism” may be neglecting a source of energy for all human beings. If a moment it taken to see how young children respond to a positive and supportive person then no sophisticated scientific method would be needed to prove that there are benefits to the appreciative approach. It is much like a computer where what is put into a situation becomes the resources for which they become used. If negative attitudes, argumentative approaches, and harsh language are part of the arena, then those are the standards from which we have to work with.

International Management – Diversity

While there are basic standards of a functioning business for every country, it is imperative to understand the diversity in expressed outcomes in relation to culture. Simple rules of etiquette, the perceived pace of time, acceptable behaviors, and language use are important tools to obtaining and maintaining a successful international presence. International representatives recognize the ability to ask questions, observe body language, respond to visual cues, understand tonality, and maintain the human factor of communications. Awareness of culturally effected growth trends, specific interests of the area, levels of education, technology, and recognized priorities directly lend to the functioning success.

Sales Arena

The basic concept of exchanging goods or services began while we were an infant. We would cry and receive food; we would laugh and receive interaction. Exchanges have then prospered our interactions between others on all levels of human interaction. The idea that even those who do not directly handle money are not interacting in some sort of exchange would be an obstacle to any organization. Having a clear effective message about a product or service is key to success. Many great services or products have gone by the way side because of the lack of effective message marketing. Also, effective delivery of that message along with effective distribution of that message is imperative.