Can you imagine that conflict can be good for your business? It can actually be good for any organization, family or community where people gather; as long as it’s a healthy environment. Fostering a healthy environment that supports conflict can be tough, however. It’s not an easy thing to do because people tend to fear conflict. We all want everyone to be happy – don’t rock the boat.

To be clear, the type of conflict that we’re talking about here is healthy and passionate debate about the different issues and ideas facing a business.

Here’s an example. Remember the good old days of American politics? You know, the days when a Democrat and a Republican would sit across the aisle from each other, debate passionately, and then, afterward, go for a cocktail each other. Well, that is what we have in mind – conflict over ideas, not personal conflict. (and you thought I mean the cocktail! Well, yes, that too.)

So, why is conflict good? Because a powerful team is composed of committed individuals. And, commitment to the team can only come when people share their ideas and are allowed to take ownership of the process of the team. It is important to note that even if a person’s ideas aren’t ultimately accepted by the group, that person still has created commitment to the group decision because he/she was able to contribute their thoughts.

We ran a workshop for a large leadership team and facilitated them through a three-hour conversation around a single, critical idea. Three hours! And, in the end, all nine people in the room came to consensus about the topic we were discussing. Everyone felt good about the decision they came to and committed to support the idea. Each person was heard and acknowledged. Everyone felt like their opinion mattered. That is how teamwork works and how good teamwork can get / keep a company on the right track.

If you’re really serious about the success of your business, we encourage you to determine how to incorporate healthy teamwork into your culture. Just remember that healthy teamwork works best when you also incorporate an ethic of healthy conflict. Your investment of time and risk will be well worth it.

(Many of the ideas expressed here have been drawn from the work of Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.)

Be BOLD, Embrace Conflict and improve your business from the inside out. The Business Bootcamp by Bold Vision Consulting. February 20. Visit our website at www.BoldVisionConsulting.com for more information on the BOLD Business Bootcamp or to find the registration form.

The next Ocular Forum begins in March. The application deadline is February 21 so go to www.OcularForum.com for more information and for an application.

Even if you’re in a successful career or a successful relationship, sometimes your biggest goals can elude you. The first question to ask yourself is, “Are you really interested in achieving that goal? Or are you committed?” Being interested and being committed are two very different things. You can read more about this in the article, Interested –versus- Committed in the January issue of the BOLD Bulletin here.

Alright, so you ARE committed to achieving success. Keeping a positive focus is one of the most simple and fastest ways you can improve your chances. Yea, yea, I know. I’m not talking about kidding yourself or trying to trick yourself. To stay more positive, and without getting into the mindfulness, observe-the-observer discussion (both practices of which, btw, I am a strong proponent) my first suggestion is for you to quit using one of the most negative words there is – B-U-T. Get “BUT” out of your vocabulary – forever.

Now, you say, “But, I……” See! “Yea, but they didn’t – wouldn’t – shouldn’t have ….” There you go again. Just stop it! Right here - Right now. There’s nothing positive in the word ‘but’. Instead, try this: You’ve got a dream, a goal. You’re committed to achieving it – not just interested. You’ve considered options and you have a plan of action. Do your visioning – See yourself in the present, already having achieved your goal, enjoying the rewards, accolades, fruits of your efforts. Feel the emotion, the satisfaction; be there in your mind.

Now, whatever you think and say from this point forward must be centered on “and”, regardless of the communication. For example:

The last step didn’t work as well as I hoped and I’m doing this next.
They said they would take care of it and I’m going to take over now.

Compare those statements to:

The last step didn’t work as well as I had hoped but I’m doing this next.
They said they would take care of it but I'm going to take over now.

Are they saying the same things? Factually, yes. Yet, they are different, aren’t they. The communicator of the ‘and’ statements retain power. The communicator of the ‘but’ statements gives up power and takes on the air of victim. Replace your “buts” with “and” and you won’t give up your power.

Stay in charge. Be BOLD, Be Positive.

Are you just interested ...or are you committed to achieving success? Be BOLD, Be Committed and take a holistic approach to planning your success. The Business Bootcamp by Bold Vision Consulting. February 7. Visit our website for more information on the BOLD Business Bootcamp or to find the registration form. Feel free to call 207-221-3492 with any questions.

It’s amazing how so many of us are looking for “the answer”. We look around and see so many successful people in the world. We want their “formula” to success. We want to their secret so we can improve our position and bring our vision to reality. Even more amazing is how many of us actually believe we will find “the answer”, discover “the formula” looking only to the outside.

But, guess what. The formula to our success is on the inside, not outside.

Ask yourself what specifically, are you trying to accomplish. Let’s take, for example, increasing your sales 20% this year over last. What’s the first thing most of us would do? We’d get a sales book or take a sales course (outside)? Improving your skills is always good, but there comes a time when you have to do something to absorb these new skills. They have to become part of you.

It’s your behavior (inside) that must change; what you do – how you sell, who you sell to, what you sell – you must change.

The Pareto Principal will likely apply to most changes you want to make in your business or your life; 20% planning, strategizing, learning; and 80% implementing & taking action. Go to that seminar, read that book and take that course – but it’s critical to invest quality time to take that new knowledge and implement it; use it until it is you. Otherwise it’s the same thing as joining the gym but not using it…

Do you want to see some changes this year? If so, my challenge to you is this; for every book you read, seminar, workshop, class you attend, pledge to invest some quality time implementing the new skill(s). And yes, be BOLD (and get to the gym).

Happy New Year! Start the New Year right by subscribing to the BOLD Bulletin, our free monthly e-zine. Click here to see a sample of a December's issue.

I’m convinced that a big reason it can be difficult to reach a goal is because much of what is required of you is counter intuitive; a paradox. 

You know the saying “less is more”? I think that can be a good rule of thumb when it comes to success whether business or in life (not to mention fashion).

If you want to get control over your time spend less time on urgent, crisis management and more time on important, non-urgent tasks.   I’m not talking about avoiding the fire drills, but about taking control of your time.

To do this it’s important that you take some time every day to focus on an important task or project that is not in a crisis mode. This should be a practice you have regardless of what else in going on.

Yes, it takes discipline letting the already late project get to be an hour later – or letting the phone roll into voice mail.  It might feel like you can’t afford to do this with so many deadlines, messages, overdue projects.  But, I submit that you can’t afford to NOT adopt this routine. Running around in a defensive, reactive mode; spending your day reacting to what’s “on fire” is what is keeping you in a crisis cycle. Unless you take the time to focus on the important and non-urgent tasks they will become the urgent “fire drills’ of tomorrow.

A late report, a client’s phone message, an empty refrigerator, a dirty bathroom – all of these things need to be taken care of. But ask yourself if it really matters whether you handle the report, the call, the bathroom, etc. right that second or will the world survive if you took care of it one hour from then.  Most of the time, it probably would not matter one bit.

Set aside a minimum of one hour every day to work on a task or a project that is important but not yet “on fire”. You owe it to yourself to take the time to be successful.  All it takes is a vision – a dose of BOLDness and one hour a day.

Happy New Year! Start the New Year right by subscribing to the BOLD Bulletin, our free monthly e-zine. Click here to see a sample of a December's issue.