The Boston Tragedy...What We Can Learn From it.

While contemplating this week's post, I thought about a number of different things on which to focus.  As with most people this week, the Boston Bombing was heavy on my mind, as I thought about all the innocent people who lost their lives along with those whose lives were forever changed with the injuries they suffered.  From this, I thought about how we often forget how amazingly lucky we all are to be able to see another day and have all of our faculties and bodily functions for our use.  I know I am guilty of sometimes feeling sorry for myself because everything doesn't go as perfectly as I had planned or hoped.  While there is really nothing good that could come from such a tragedy, one of the great side effects of it is that it reminds us all how precious every day is and that tomorrow is never promised.  From this, I thought of several small things that we should always do to not forget this truth and daily keep the right perspective on life.

Tell your loved ones you love them as much as possible.

My sister and my mother are by far the most important women in my life.  We talk fairly often during the course of the week/month and sometimes may tend to bump heads about certain things.  The one thing that we always try to do, however, (regardless of how we may feel about a conversation that may not have pleased either of us) is to end the call with an "I love you." Always telling those you care you about that you love them at every opportunity will make the other person feel good and ensure that they know how special they are to you.  We have all heard of the tragic story of someone saying something completely hurtful to someone in anger haphazardly, thinking they will have the chance to apologize later, only to never get the chance as some tragedy occurs that takes this person from them.  Don't be one of those stories.

Look at the glass as half full

I shared a post earlier this week about how they way we view a situation can have an tremendous impact on how we approach it and the overall outcome.  By accepting a glass half full approach, we give ourselves a much better chance of improving a situation rather than if we approach it negatively.  However, a great by-product of such a view is that it allows us to truly appreciate the good things that we currently have in life as opposed to harping on the negative things that may occur from time to time.  By thinking about how much more difficult others have it, we will be able to face the day with happiness and encouragement that we are still blessed in light of imperfect situations.

Help others

During the Boston bombing, one of the images that was so readily seared into my mind was the number of people who responded to the incident with absolute courage, with no regard for themselves to do everything they could to help those who were injured. Not knowing if there was a third bomb that was waiting to be detonated, these people raced back to the site of the explosion to aid others in need.  This was also the scene during 9/11 when so many of the firefighters and policeman lost their lives running into the building to help others out.  This is one of the things in life that will make our lives so much richer when it is all said and done.  We can try to be selfish and focus only on ourselves, but to truly live a life that has a purpose, we have to consistently help others less fortunate to make sure that we are making a lasting impression on the world while remembering our great blessings at the same time.  This always pays off in the long run because you never know when you may be the one on the other end needing the help...

Ken Middleton is an Account Executive at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.

You can follow his daily quotes of inspiration and motivation on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN

Communication - The Great Differentiator

It has been said that studies show that more people are afraid of public speaking than they are of death.  This seems strange to me because I guarantee if you gave anyone a choice of speaking in front of a 100 people for five minutes or taking a bullet to the head, I'm sure what any sane person would pick. At any rate, this study does bring to the forefront the fear that so many individuals have of speaking in front of a crowd.  I'm sure many of us have experienced that intense pressure the comes in our chest as we anticipate having to give a speech or respond to a question in front of a large group.  It is for this reason that many individuals never speak up in class even though they have the right answer or share their opinions at work in meetings even though they came up with the answer internally well before the group pieced it together.  The importance of good communication skills is paramount on so many levels that one will give himself or herself a great competitive advantage by working to improve this as much as possible.  So where do you start?  There are only a few small steps that will help you be well on your way to becoming an eloquent communicator to take your life and career to the next level.

READ
This seems counterintiutive since we are discussing how to become a better communicator.  Many would ask what does reading have to do with being able to speak well.  And this is the reason that many people cannot do it.  Reading is one of the best ways to get a sense of the numerous ways in which something can be communicated.  Having a well-rounded vocabulary is one of the characterstics of good communicators, as they will have the correct turn of phrase that wiil exactly convey the message or point they were trying to share.  By reading consistently, you will be able to more quickly process the different ways to create a message and will, therefore, be better on your feet at responding to things in a more succinct and clear manner.  By reading how others share their ideas in a well-structured format, you will have a better sense of how to do so as well when asked a question that requires you to state your views in a manner that is easily digestable by others...which is what many of us look for in a well-written book.

FIGHT FEAR
This is probably the biggest thing that holds back so many people.  What you will find is that someone will sit in a company meeting for 20 minutes debating to say something and then kick themselves when it is said by a senior colleage who gets credit for a GREAT idea.  The only way to get good at doing something is to do it.  It sounds simple but it is rarely followed. Even though the first couple of times might be somewhat painful, the only way to get better at speaking on your feet and being a competent, clear communicator is to fight the natural fear that we all may have at doing this and speak up at EVERY REASONABLE chance you get.  This doesn't mean "over"-communicate every idea that flies through your head, but it does mean to not allow a good idea to go unsaid. If you have a good thought and have given it a quick brain filter test for relevence, pragmatism, and overall potential effectiveness, share it with the group.  The first few times your words may not come out as eloquent as you may like, but you will only get better by seizing these opportunites to speak up to share your views.  The only way to conquer fear is to face it.  Don't ever let it hold you back.

PRACTICE
In contrast to the opinion of Allen Iverson, practice is actually the most important thing you can do to be successful in many things in life, and your ability to communicate is no different.  The only way to be able to have the correct tone, volume, timing, etc. when speaking in front of others is to practice this consistently when no one or few people are around.  Many times, we may hear someone give a great speech and think how "naturally" good they are in front of others.  What we don't see are the numerous hours that this indivdual has spent practing and practicing that speech to make sure that it's flawless when they deliver it.  By joining organization such as Toastmasters, one has the ability to consistently work on his/her craft to be more comfortable in almost any situation in life that requires impromptu or prepared communication ability.

In today's society, good communication skills are not only for someone who desires to be a public speaker, but also for anyone who desires to gain a competitive advantage in life.  If you have a job in which you have to speak to anybody for any reason, having the ability to effectively communicate will separate you from the masses who fear it dramatically.  I'm not 100 percent sure, but I'm guessing it's a little easier than dying.

Ken Middleton is an Account Executive at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.

You can follow his daily quotes of inspiration and motivation on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN