Chris Mower» Self Improvement

How to Recognize if You’re a Bottleneck, and How to Change It.

Chris Mower — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:22:14 +0000

Among the many things that keep businesses and ideas from succeeded, one of the most obnoxious and frustrating ones are bottlenecks.

The bottleneck in your organization might be a person. It might be a process. It might be your equipment. It might even be a condition in which you work. I’ll be focusing on the aspect of people acting as bottlenecks.

Bottlenecks are good for regulating information—slowing it down. If it weren’t for bottlenecks on our drinks, we’d be forced to guzzle it at a pace we couldn’t handle. Or would we? Wait a second, that’s what cups are for.

It’s amazing that when given a cup, we have the ability to regulate how much liquid we consume at any given time. Every once in a while, the cup spilleth over and you get a juice stain on your nice white shirt, but it doesn’t happen often.

Bottlenecks seem like a good idea, after all nobody likes a juice stain on their shirt. They’re crossing every t and dotting every i. They’re making sure the next guy who receives the information is not going to be drinking from the fire hose. Often, they’re also intent on making sure the product is of top notch quality. It sounds good, doesn’t it? That’s why it’s so easy to become one without knowing.

» Finish reading How to Recognize if You’re a Bottleneck, and How to Change It. at ChrisMower.com. »

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Post tags: How To, Leadership, Self Improvement

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Greater than ‘Me’

Chris Mower — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:15:23 +0000

It’s lunch time at work and a gazillion thoughts are crowding my brain. I figured I’d share some with you, although they’re incomplete and a little chaotic.

What’s my motivation?

Is it money — ?

– so I can buy that big house… and that super cool sports car… and then wine and dine with the rich and famous?
– so I can give to charity and help others… and support my family and help other families… and provide opportunities and support for children all over the world… and provide scholarships and education to people who can’t afford it?

Is it love — ?

– so everyone will love and worship me… and I will be famous with adoring fans… and then I can talk about how great I am to others?
– so others can be loved… find love… and know love?

Is it success — ?

– so I can hang my accomplishments on the wall… and have my name and picture on TIME magazine… and be in the history books?
– so I can teach other people… and lift them up… and strengthen my community, my country, my world?

It’s not wrong to want nice things. And it’s not wrong to own or pursue nice things.
But It’s not right to have the power to help and deny it.
…And it’s not right to sit idly and do nothing.
…And pride. Unbridled pride is damaging and wrong.

And in the end, there’s always a greater cause than ‘me.’ It’s what I can do to help others.

So how can I learn to be motivated not by love, money, or success, but what I can create with them?

And now I’m clicking the button to post this… even though my brain is telling me not to… 3… 2… 1…

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Post tags: Philanthropy, Self Improvement, Thoughts

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Begin Taking Personal Responsibility

Chris Mower — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:00:17 +0000

Taking personal responsibility is a subject with which I passionately identify. There’s a difference between taking personal responsibility and blaming yourself. Blaming yourself is letting yourself down and telling yourself that you really stunk it up. It’s pessimistic, degrading, demoralizing, and derogatory. It makes you feel like mud on a rock. Taking responsibility is just the opposite. It’s optimistic and positive. It’s motivating, uplifting, satisfying, and empowering. It allows you to think of and create a path ahead. Take personal responsibility and move forward.

Taking personal responsibility shows maturity.

People who take personal responsibility are a more mature and less selfish than finger pointing blamers. Living up to your own actions and not point the scathing finger of blame at others is a sign of mental maturity. This is one thing that separates us from children.

Each time you take personal responsibility, your roots mature and you’re not blown about by the winds of change as easily. You’re able to make decisions and live with the consequences because you’re stable and ready. You’re mentally prepared for the winds. This can take a lot of courage especially when you’re taking responsibility for something over which you don’t have complete control, such as group or outsourced projects. And because it’s easier to be selfish and point fingers, most people will.

» Finish reading Begin Taking Personal Responsibility at ChrisMower.com. »

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Post tags: At Work, How To, Self Improvement

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The Greenie Principle

Chris Mower — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:18:58 +0000

Greenie is slang for noob, rookie, greenhorn.

Life is filled with greenie moments. They often happen after you’ve become comfortable where you are. Greenie moments invite progress; they provide opportunity to stretch ourselves and extend past our comfort zones.

If you haven’t had a greenie moment in a while, it’s time to find one. Dormancy is the enemy.

Learn something new, raise your job to the next level, find the next challenge.

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A Need for Ethics

Chris Mower — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:36:51 +0000

More than ever before there’s a need for ethics and basic human decency at work, at home, and in our communites.

In a world of declining morality and kindness we find increased businesses, employers, employees, husbands, and wives looking for self satisfaction and glory. Selfishness is on the rise, and it hurts everyone.

I’m inspired by good men and women who honor and respect each other and themselves. They don’t cheat. They don’t steal. They treat others with respect. They value strong morals and honesty. They concern themselves with others more than their wallet and fame.

We need more of these people today. We need them leading our communities, companies, and government. We need people who dare make respectable, good decisions in the face of opposition. We need people who can lead with integrity and honesty.

Be one of those people.

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Post tags: At Work, Relationships, Self Improvement

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Be Proactive: Return and Report

Chris Mower — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:54:57 +0000

If you’re looking for another attribute to separate you from the masses, returning and reporting is the answer.

Returning and reporting is a simple communication principle that increases productivity by leaps and bounds. It’s unfortunate that most people don’t follow it because this simple behavior would increase their indispensability.

Fortunately for you though, you’re going to start today, right?

In most businesses or organizations the leaders give out instructions and don’t hear back from their team until they ask for a report. Is this a problem? No, not really, it seems to work just fine for most businesses, but it slows down productivity for everyone on the team. And you might be okay with that, and your boss might be okay with that too. In fact, based on personal observation I’d guess 90% of today’s employees and bosses are okay with that.

And that is why you shouldn’t be.

To return and report shows that you are a responsible person, capable of handling tasks and challenges. It’s a display of foresight and willingness to contribute. Your manager perceives it as going the extra mile, working hard, and being proactive. It also lightens your manager’s load by relieving the burden of small management tasks which drain valuable time.

Find a balance as you implement returning and reporting into your work habits; you don’t want to return and report every 10 minutes or half an hour. Start with milestones and completions and experiment from there.

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