Definition: Personal Success

You may hear stuff about better communication being the cure for the rumor mill contagion. Though that is possibly true, beware. Listen in and draw your own conclusions.

• "Our problem around here is communication. No one knows what's going on." -- But didn't you get the message?
• "What message?" -- It was in an e mail sent out last week. You should have gotten one in your mailbox.
• "I do not have time to keep checking my box every five minutes. No one reads those stupid e mails anyway. Someone should have told me." -- I see what you mean. Communication is a big problem they have. They'll have to get it straightened out if they expect us to get anything done.

Who are "They" who have to get it straightened out? THEY embraces everyone or at least everyone who aspires to personal success.

Another important business principle comes into play when a project crashes, a solid relationship fails, an experienced employee screws up, or something else goes sour. You cannot anticipate everything and no one is perfect. That is life, sure enough. Yet, is it really?

The truth is that, short of an act of God, there were people who were not observant enough, clever enough, persistent enough, people who did not have enough hindsight, insight, and foresight to prevent what happened. Certainly they are only human; and just as certainly, a better outcome was their responsibility. Knowing when and why it was your fault and stepping up to accept responsibility is one way others know that you are serious about your success.

Being serious about your success is much more than just accepting responsibility, though. It also means that you take the heat when that is what you have to do.

For example, do you sometimes have to step up and make decisions without the clear authority to make them, knowing people will not like it? Do you sometimes have to do something that is going to get people upset? Well, you have to do what you have to do.

The dilemma is knowing how to deal with it when you are asked, "Just who do you think you are? Who put you in charge?" You can say, "I, me, a committee of one. It is a collaborative thing." Give Red Skelton credit for the I, me, committee of one, since he said it first but then do not hesitate. Sometimes you have no choice but to take a deep breath, plunge in, and do what has to be done.

Taking care of business is definitely everyone's business and you have to hold up your end of the deal. At the same time, though, everyone was not created equally. Even if they were, they certainly do not act like it. Some are a pleasure while others…. Well, there is no need to go into that. You only need to see how the exceptional few do it.

They exemplify appropriate demeanor and behavior, high personal standards and ethics, professional development and quality performance. What you additionally need to know is that their real secret is that they ask people to help solve their problems instead of trying to get them to accept their solutions. You need to be a master at getting others to help you, if you are to be a model for others to follow.

Even as you get better and better at getting others to help, there are other areas of taking care of business that are themselves a tricky business. For example:
• "I thought you were the boss." -- I can't make this decision.
• "What can you decide?" -- I decide whether you are doing your work or not.
• "I see. The time clock tells on me if I do not show up and you rat on me if I screw up." -- You've got it so get back to work.

If you get fed up with this circular approach to getting the job done, and you likely will, be sure your new boss can independently make the decisions you need to do your job. If you are the boss, well, you know what you need to do. Trusting people enough to let them make the decisions they need to do their jobs is called business as usual in the world of serious success.