Lillian Hayes Martin - The Business Devotional: 365 Inspirational Thoughts on Management, Leadership & Motivation

THE
BUSINESS
DEVOTIONAL

LILLIAN HAYES MARTIN

STERLING, the distinctive Sterling logo, STERLING INNOVATION, and the Sterling Innovation logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

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Published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
2009 by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Design by Barbara Balch

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Sterling ISBN 978-1-4027-5642-9

Sterling eBook ISBN: 978-1-4549-0312-3

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CONTENTS

T HIS BOOK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE without the help of many people. Id like to thank Erin Clermont, Cheryl Kimball, and Pamela Liflander for their invaluable assistance. These women helped me make this book a reality. I would also like to thank Carlo DeVito at Sterling Publishing Company for fostering such a great project and for his infinite patience. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my husband, Adam, for supporting me throughout the project, and beyond.

T HE BUSINESS DEVOTIONAL OFFERS A UNIQUE VIEW OF the world within your office, whether you work for a large company or from a small room in your basement. In this volume Ive collected 365 quotations that apply to the business world. Each entry is meant to be read either at the start of your day or as you unwind later, offering you simple advice or words of encouragement to help you improve your profits, manage your team, or motivate you to reach new heights of excellence.

You will meet some of the most outstanding business leaders from the past and present. You will learn from them, and you will laugh with them, too. You will understand what motivated them to excellence and see how their ideas connect directly to your work. Whether you are an entrylevel employee or a seasoned business professional, reading this book will help you improve your skills and become more productive. If you are a team leader or a managing professional, youll discover better techniques to deal with your peers and your employees. And for entrepreneurs, youll learn a few tricks from some of the master inventors and marketers known throughout the world.

Youll receive advice from likely suspects, including Tom Peters, Peter Drucker, Harvey Mackay, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Ken Blanchard, as well as nuggets of wisdom from sports heroes, literary figures, historical leaders, hysterical comedians, and some of todays most celebrated business gurus. There are also plenty of surprises that will make reading this daily devotional an enlightening practice instead of a deliberate chore.

Each day of the week highlights a unique aspect of business life:

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

TEAM-BUILDING TUESDAYS

CAREER WEDNESDAYS

SALES THURSDAYS

LEADERSHIP FRIDAYS

ENTREPRENEUR SATURDAYS

MANAGING PEOPLE SUNDAYS

Enjoy. Now get back to work!

MOTIVATION | MONDAY

Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Zig Ziglar

I N ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, REPORT CARDS SHOWED A LIST of virtues that were important for succeeding in school. Chief among them was attitude. Even if you were getting decent grades, if the teacher felt you were not working up to your potential, your attitude could pull down your report card. And when your parents read, If Johnny would only apply himself, he could be doing so much better in science, theyd get on your case to study harder.

So, its not surprising that even though our school days are long gone, were still getting graded on attitude. If someone thinks youre not delivering as well as you should, or the customer isnt buying what youre selling, youve got an attitude problem. It doesnt matter if youve got the aptitude and you know you can do the job; if the attitude isnt right, your boss isnt happy.

Zig Ziglar points out that attitude in business is all about enthusiasm. Getting excited about your work and maintaining that excitement shows others that you believe in whatever it is you do. If you dont believe in yourself or your company, or you show even the slightest discouragement or disinterest, its going to creep into your attitude. Nothing great is ever achieved with a bad attitude. Your level of enthusiasm will determine how high youre going to fly.

WEEK 1

TEAM-BUILDING | TUESDAY

Never commit your team unless you are confident your team will support your decision. Christopher Avery, Ph.D.

T EAMWORK GURU CHRISTOPHER AVERY KNOWS THAT people dont like a decision being made for them, especially when they dont agree with the consensus.

Avoid this situation whenever you can. Always involve the team from the beginning. Youll improve team morale when you work on commitments that they support. More important, your team leadership status will increase if your staff knows you wont put them in an awkward position. Then, on the rare occasion when you have no choice in the decision making, your team will still support you, even if they do not agree with the decision made for them.

When you inform your team that they are going to work on a project that they dont believe in and/or have no control over, it is your job to help the team take ownership of the decision. You can start by acknowledging that this particular case is not the best scenario for the team. Let them air their grievances. Keep the conversation from getting nasty, but dont make excuses for every complaint. Sometimes being allowed to vent is enough. Then, turn the tables to see if the team can come up with any positive aspects to the project. Maybe they can test a new idea, or perhaps the department can get some new software theyve wanted to complete the task. If you show them how to identify the upside, it will help them come to your side.

WEEK 1

CAREER | WEDNESDAY

Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves. James Allen

M ANY PEOPLE DESIRE TO MAKE MORE OF THEIR BUSINESS life, whether its getting a promotion, finding a better job, or simply having the opportunity to take time off for a once-in-a-lifetime extended vacation. But we often miss these chances because we unintentionally hold ourselves back from success. For example, if you are stuck in a dead-end job, youve got to find a way to get out of it. If you stay in that position, you will never move up to the next level professionally, and youll miss out on longer vacation time, more money, and even more job flexibility.

Over one hundred years ago, British writer James Allen aptly remarked in his essay, From Poverty to Power, To know that justice, harmony, and love are supreme in the universe is likewise to know that all adverse and painful conditions are the result of our own disobedience. Positive, lasting change starts by knowing who we are and taking ownership for the dissatisfying aspects of our lives. We cant rely on others, to improve our station. We must learn to act now.

Change in your career can require looking deep within yourself to find out how you can best succeed. Spend some time each day reflecting on where you want your career or your business to head. You will find that your dreams and goals will begin to take shape. Its not going to happen overnight, and its not going to be easy, but it will work.

WEEK 1

SALES | THURSDAY

Only knowledge put to use can create capital. Mikel Harry and Richard Schroeder

S IX SIGMA WAS DEVELOPED BY MIKEL HARRY AND Richard Schroeder when they were working at the Motorola Company in 1986. It is a dynamic management process designed to streamline operations and maximize profits. Its fame derives from an innovation in quality control. The Six Sigma system teaches managers how to quantitatively hone in on specific information to find out whats working and whats not. These measurements and analyses of the business processes provide statistics, which give you the knowledge you need to make your business more profitable. Knowing this information enables a business to recreate its operation and eliminate defects entirely.