Being on a Team Makes a Difference (WT550)

Being on a Team Makes a Difference (WT550)

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by Shirley Dalton | 8 Jan, 2021 | Blog, Leadership

WT 550 Being on a team makes a difference

Playing Finska, (a form of skittles) on New Year’s Eve, I didn’t know the rules. I didn’t know the strategies and I certainly wasn’t very good.

As I moved off the field after having my zero score turn, yet again, I heard another player refer to her team members.

“Are we playing in teams?” I asked.

“Yes. We’ve all been allocated to a team. There are 4 teams.”

“Oh”, I said. “How do I find out whose team I am on?”

“Just go and ask over there, to whoever has the score sheet.”

I found out who my team members were and immediately went and apologized for my lack of contribution to our overall score.

I was amazed at the difference to my mindset and competitive spirit once I found out I was part of a team.

Instantly I cared about supporting my team. I cared about my contribution. I didn’t want to let the team down.

Having scored three lots of zero points, I was determined to do better.

On my next turn, I thought of the team and simply threw the baton with gusto.

I scored 6.

Whilst we didn’t end up winning and I wasn’t the only player to score zero, (it’s actually a harder game to play than it appears), I did learn a very valuable lesson about the impact and influence of being on a team.

Think about the teams you’re on or not on.

What difference does it make to you and your commitment and performance, knowing that you are there to support each other towards achieving the end goal?

Being on a team really does make a difference.

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Life is Always Working for You (WT549)

Life is Always Working for You (WT549)

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by Shirley Dalton | 1 Jan, 2021 | Blog, Mindset

WT 549 David Bayer_Shirley Dalton Graduation

This time last year I was preparing to fly to the US to graduate as a Transformational Mindset Facilitator with David Bayer.

The year ahead felt full of possibility and excitement.

Two months later, in March 2020, I again headed to the US to attend David Bayer’s 3 Day Powerful Living Experience.

At the same time, another world-wide event started to make its impact on us. Of course, that was COVID-19.

As we flew back to Australia from Orlando, via Dallas, Sydney, Melbourne and Launceston, it felt like the world was shutting down behind us. Like the ending scene in the TV show Get Smart, where all the doors close behind him.

Wow! What a year.

We arrived in Launceston to a 2 week quarantine period. Thankfully we could self-isolate in our motorhome. For this I am eternally grateful, as I am to our friends who supported us by shopping for us and providing us with 2 week’s worth of groceries.

Wow! What a year.

As I write to you today on the eve of New Year’s Day 2021, I am grateful for one of the learnings from David Bayer.

“Life is ALWAYS working for you, even though at times it may not be to your preference.”

Let’s just reflect on that for a moment.

Think about the year, 2020.

How has it worked for you, even though at the times, it may not have been to your liking?

At first, I didn’t like having to self-isolate. I didn’t like having my travel plans interrupted when we all went into lock down. I didn’t like having to cancel my face to face Leading Yourself and Leading Others experience and yet, as I look back on the year, I can see that Life was working for me.

I was safe. I was in Tasmania. I found a way to run the leadership experience online. This saved the participants 50% in cost not to mention travel.

I had been saying that I wanted to have an online business. Well, the universe delivered. My business was totally online for many months.

I also discovered how important physical touch is to me as I yearned to hug my legends and be in the room with them.

Life is always working for you.

As we prepare to start 2021, how about spending a few minutes to reflect on how 2020 actually worked for you.

Spend a few minutes in gratitude and see the blessings from 2020.

You might just find a whole heap of evidence to show you that Life is Always Working for You.

I wish you everything you want and more for 2021.

P.S. I am so excited to announce that we’ll be holding our Leading Yourself and Leading Others Experience IN PERSON, FACE TO FACE in Newcastle, NSW, Australia in February 2021 – Thursdays and Fridays 11th, 12th, 25th and 26th February.

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Christmas Comes Every Year Whether You’re Organised or Not (WT548)

Christmas Comes Every Year Whether You’re Organised or Not (WT548)

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by Shirley Dalton | 25 Dec, 2020 | Blog, Mindset

WT 548 Christmas comes every year

It’s Christmas morning and I’m a little late with our Weekly Thought.

Firstly, wishing you a very happy Christmas or Holiday Season.

It’s been a big big year for all of us and with all the challenges, there are still so many things to be grateful for.

I’m grateful to be on this journey with you. What an adventure we are having.

This adventure called Life.

It’s not about the destination because we’re all headed to the same place; back to where we came from.

It’s about the adventure; it’s about the journey.

As I reflect on my journey, I am grateful for some wise words of wisdom from a group of amazing ladies that I volunteered with, in a tiny charity called Make Today Count.

Our little charity supported people and their families who were dealing with a life threatening illness.

We each had our special gifts to contribute to the organization and the people we supported.

My gift was the ability to organise things and get things done.

It was during one of our committee meetings that I was beating myself up for not having completed a task.

“Shirl, Christmas comes every year, whether you’re organized or not”, said one of the ladies.

This stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t even near Christmas but she was right.

Here it is today and I’m a little late with the weekly thought.

I was a little disorganized this week and Christmas Day arrived anyway.

My encouragement to you this week is to take the ladies’ advice. The message and the learning I took from them is not to get all hung up about what’s done and not done. Things happen, whether we’re ready or not. Things happen whether we’re organized or not.

It’s called life. You may as well enjoy it.

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Take Some Time For Yourself (WT547)

Take Some Time For Yourself (WT547)

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by Shirley Dalton | 18 Dec, 2020 | Blog, Mindset

WT 547 Take some time for yourself

Do you need permission to take time for yourself?

If so, consider your leave application approved.

I remember, years ago, I was working with an Ayurvedic Holistic Practitioner. At the end of the session she invited me to make another appointment.

“Do you have anything after hours?” I asked.

“Why?”

“Well, I work through the day and I have employees”, I answered.

“Shirley, you own the business, right?”

“Yes.”

“You work late at night, some days?”

“Yes, of course.”

“You work weekends?”

“Often.”

“Then how come you won’t schedule an appointment for yourself during work hours when you know it’s beneficial to your health?” she asked.

“Well, I have employees and I want to be a role model. I have to turn up to work.”

“Some kind of role model”, she said.

“What do you mean?”

“You work all week, you work late at night, you work on weekends, who would want to own a business?”

“Ouch. She had a point.”

“Wouldn’t you rather inspire your team know you had the freedom to work when you wanted and to be able to schedule appointments during work hours?”

Ouch again. “Yes.”

“And besides”, she added.

“I don’t want to work after hours, so how about we schedule 10:00am next Monday.”

<name>, that was the beginning of me taking time for myself. From then on, I never worried about scheduling appointments for myself during work hours. I was so grateful for the lesson.

So it’s your turn now. Take a look at your schedule. Take a look at the hours you are working. Take a look at the type of role model you are.

Take some time for yourself.

If you do, you’ll certainly be happier, healthier and a great inspiration and role model to your people.

As the festive season approaches, please Take Some Time for Yourself.

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The Greatest Gift You Can Give (WT545)

The Greatest Gift You Can Give (WT545)

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by Shirley Dalton | 4 Dec, 2020 | Blog, Leadership

WT 545 The greatest gift you can give

Do you know what the greatest gift is that you can give to someone?

For me, it’s showing them how they can get what they want.

My mission is to inspire, educate and support you to be, do, have and feel what you want.

With that in mind, sometimes the conversations I have with my legends can be perceived as confronting.

I’m okay with that because I know that my intention is to help you get what you want.

It wasn’t until I was 40 years old that I read the secret for getting promoted at work.

I wished someone would have given me the advice when I was 20 and as it happened, I had that opportunity to pass on what I knew to some of my younger colleagues.

It was a Friday afternoon. I called a meeting with half a dozen young guys and said, “Righto boys, Aunty Shirl is going to show you how the world of work actually works. You’ve been demanding pay increases. You’ve been demanding more resources. Here’s the secret: You get promoted and rewarded for what you do and the contribution you make, not on the promise of doing more.”

For the most part, the advice was ignored, except for one young guy. He took on what I shared and started coming to work earlier. He stepped up and took on more responsibility. He used his initiative and he started improving operations. He got noticed and shortly after was promoted to Manager with a hefty pay increase.

Why am I sharing this with you today? Because, as usual, the theme has emerged. Many of the businesses I have been working with have experienced their workers complaining and blaming and not taking responsibility.

I don’t mind being disliked if it means I can help you get what you want. I’m up for the tough conversation and to confront you and coach you.

How about you?

Are you in a position to help others get what they want?

If so, are you up and speaking the truth?

Are you up for telling it how it is and sharing the brutal facts?

If not, consider this week’s thought as our conversation.

The greatest gift you can give is to show someone how they can get what they want. Not having the conversation is doing them and you a disservice.

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