Speaking death to business can be as natural as breathing, to some business professionals.
Clearly, no one intentionally speaks death to their business. They may do it habitually, without thinking!
THINK about it! Next time you are in a meeting, take careful note of what people around you say. More importantly, take note of what YOU speak. You may be surprised how often we all say negative things. No LIFE in that!
Some very successful business professionals express negative thoughts more than they would ever admit. In fact, those same individuals would say, “What the blankety-blank does it matter, so long as I’m doing my work and our business is making money?” This, while their business is up to its nose in chaos; not considering those around them who have to hear their “stinking thinking”!
A wise, ancient king once stated, “Life and death are in the tongue.” Furthermore, he said, “Those speaking either life or death WILL EAT OF THE FRUIT it produces.”
Examples of SPEAKING DEATH to business and life:
- I hate Monday’s!
[Be thankful, you lived to see another one!]
- Bob, our production manager, never seems to remember anything!
[Given the right systems, Bob and other workers can remember the smallest details]
- I’m just too tired today!
[Is this a physical thing? Or a stayed-up-all-night-playing-Warcraft thing? There’s a fix for either!]
- I’m sick of the blankety-blank things going on around here!
[Wonder how you might help to fix that!]
- Cold calling is not my cup of tea!
[Thinking your job in SALES is not your cup of tea either. NEXT!]
- I’m not the managerial type!
[We all manage something. Don’t limit yourself to things without some challenge!]
- I can’t stand to be around “so & so”!
[Try applying the “Golden Rule” that others can stand being around YOU!]
- Sales always slow down around this time!
[That doesn’t mean YOU have to slow down. Times change, if YOU will!]
- I can’t hire anyone that will do things the WAY I would do it!
[A good Operations Manual, with all your expected “ways” written down, is KEY!]
- Everyone in my family, including me, is over-weight; it’s just the way it is!
[Food intake can be a family habit, but new and improved habits can lead to a new and improved YOU!]
- There is just not enough time to do my job right!
[We all have 168 hours each week; some write great novels, build bridges, and grow businesses; some just lollygag and gripe!]
- My kids drive me crazy!
[What are you taking time to teach them? If you pay attention, they might teach YOU something!]
- Nothing we do around here seems to go right!
[Maybe, try a RIGHT strategy, or give those around you the right tools!]
- I’m sorry you don’t like it, that’s just the way I was raised!
[“You are the problem; you’ve always been the problem; and you will always be the problem, until YOU change!” …Michael Gerber]
If believing these habitually-made statements seem inconsequential, then they ARE—to YOU!
To be honest, over many years as a business leader, I’ve often caught myself speaking death to business. However, when realizing, or worse being reminded of my negative utterances, I set a course to gain control and tame my speech.
Moreover, when catching myself expressing pessimistic thoughts, I’ve learned to stop and rephrase that “DEATH speak” into constructive “LIFE speak.”
You can, too. Then move on!
Okay, so what does this have to do with Systemic Success? EVERYTHING!
Like Total Quality Management, which is the continual improvement of a business, we must search for the root cause of speaking death to business, and STOP IT. Speaking negativity, even unintentionally, is akin to someone making excuses for habitual, UN-intentional mistakes in their work.
Speak LIFE!
Did I mention? Great systems work, intentionally!
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