There is an ancient Zen story; in fact it is my favorite one. It goes something like this:
A Western reporter visits a Zen master in order to learn why he is so wise and at peace. The Zen master warmly greets his guest and invites him to sit down; he offers him tea. After saying “yes” to tea, the reporter begins to ask questions that are filled with pre-conceived notions. Without responding the Zen master begins to fill the reporter’s cup with tea. Soon the cup is overflowing and the confused reporter begins yelling: “Hey, hey, my cup is full.” Calmly the Zen master replies: “before we can talk, you must first empty your cup.”
Hmmm, so the question that might be burning in your mind right now is “why the heck is he sharing this little tea-time tale with me? The answer is as follows:
The reporter’s mind was filled with all sorts of pre-conceived notions (head trash) that were preventing him from learning and growing. Shifting gears: we work with talented, smart people every day. It’s motivating and inspiring really. However, all too often the talented people we connect with have placed boundaries on themselves. Now, in their defense they may believe that their company, or society, or time constraints, or something else has set these boundaries. More than not, however, my experience has shown that we set our own boundaries. Pogo once said: “We have met the enemy and it is us,” and you know, it’s kind of true.
To start off this glorious New Year, this is the biggest tip I can give anyone – no lie – it is the biggest is this: ’open your mind to your real potential!’ Seek to free yourself of head trash and constraints that aren’t really constrictive in the first place. Oh, and stop worrying – it just tires us out. Instead focus on being positive. Visualize your potential. Think of your potential as a possession - something priceless, yet readily attainable. Figure out a way to measure your progress as you push your envelope. Remember you can only manage what you can measure. The process then becomes a matter of implementation, which counter-intuitively is easiest part of improved results.
Bottom Line Leaders: use January as a time to help set people free from their head trash. Challenge your team to take their strengths to a higher level and to do a few key things differently in order to enhance their performance. Good luck. Now where did I set that tea pot?