Ondřej Filip » Blog

LIFE-FORCE POWER OF THE UNIVERSE…

Ondřej Filip — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 19:54:18 +0000

https://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight?language=cs#t-1034339

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LESS STRESS? WHY NOT?

Ondřej Filip — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 04:32:06 +0000

M. Benioff (Salesforce), O. Winfrey, B. Clinton, R. Murdoch, 50Cent, Google, Ford, Goldman Sachs and others. What do all of these companies, their CEO’S and influential business leaders have in common? They all practice Mindfulness and the Art of Meditation to be more efficient, more effective and happier.
In February I wrote about busyness and how busy we are nowadays and few tips how to get from the never-ending circle of our busyness. Unfortunately (or maybe, fortunately) in order to better manage our time, tasks, duties and activities we need to go much deeper. Our busyness is only a symptom of a deeper problem, which can not be solved by “technical advice” like always start with the most important issue, make a to-do list etc. That might help us to be more organized, but it doesn’t lead us to the core. And the core of being busy (and of procrastination) lies very often in our self-esteem.

Useful and essential tool to understand and feel what is going on inside of our mind when we are busy is mindfulness.

What exactly is mindfulness?

Mindfulness has more than 2600-year-old roots and its indisputable benefits have been demonstrated by hundreds of studies & research at a scientific level.

Mindfulness or focused attention is our ability to be a neutral observer of our emotions, thoughts and body sensations without our identifying, evaluating or trying to affect them. This leads to the development of a stable, strong and receptive mind, which gives us peace of mind and the ability to think clearly. Simply put, focused attention is about knowing what is happening in our mind.

The best way to learn focused attention is meditation — powerful mental training. Just as you go to the gym or practice running to be stronger or faster, you can just as easily train your mind to be calm, stable and responsive.

In today’s highly competitive and rapidly changing business environment, Mindfulness is not just something that is nice to have, but a necessity. Skills such as focus and concentration, creativity, effective decision-making and emotional intelligence are necessary for the performance and satisfaction of your people, and thus the profits of your company.

PERSONAL BENEFITS BUSINESS BENEFITS

✔︎Significant reduction of stress ✔︎ Increased productivity and satisfaction
✔︎Better time management ✔︎ Cultivation of EQ & relationships
✔︎ Development of positive thinking ✔︎ Improved decision-making skills

✔︎ Better sleeping and eating habits ✔︎ Development of creativity

✔︎ Strengthening the immune system ✔︎ Improved concentration

✔︎Slowing down the aging process ✔︎ Lower levels of absenteeism
✔︎Physical well-being and health ✔︎ Higher natural loyalty
✔︎Increased feeling of happiness ✔︎ Higher profits and a more financially stable company

The development of focused attention helps to increase overall productivity in companies of any size in any sector or any level. It helps employees at all levels to effectively cope with stress, to focus on their personal and business goals and communicate clearly with colleagues, enhancing employee productivity and the business itself.

You can find more about particular Mindfulness Programs on www.ondrejfilip.com
If you find the article valuable I would appreciate its sharing with your peers, colleagues and team.
Life’s great!
Ondřej

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THEY ARE EVERYWHERE AROUND US…

Ondřej Filip — Tue, 02 May 2017 07:00:29 +0000

They are everywhere around us, often being overlooked and underestimated, but still with a great power and the potential to develop our lives. Their potential to create is as strong as their potential to destroy. We hardly ever pay them the attention they deserve, even if they influence our lives more than we like to consciously admit. If we succumb to them, they turn our lives to hell and we become no more than puppets. We don’t want to see them, hear them or smell them. The more we neglect them, the bigger influence they have on us, without us even noticing. Still no clue? Well, please, meet …Emotions.

Emotions (at least the negative ones) are not ‘in’. The positive emotions could sometimes be ‘in’ a bit too much but can do the same damage as the negative ones. We don’t like emotions very much. They are unpleasant, they bother us and that is why we tend to overlook them, displace them and don’t really want to have anything in common with them. Just make sure you don’t show aggression, fear, anxiety or unhappiness. That is definitely not ‘in’ at work.
However, there is nothing more destructive than unprocessed emotions.On one hand we suppress our emotions, try not to show them at all, because we don’t want to make anybody angry (our boss, colleagues, subordinates, clients, etc.) and on the other hand we express them and are proud of ourselves for being tough, fighting for our project, etc. In both cases, we leave nothing but havoc behind us and that is very irresponsible and short-sighted. In the first case, we wear masks trying to please people but not being authentic, which reduces out team’s potential. In the second case, we are destroying our relationships and trust and reducing the team’s potential too. Or would you want to work with somebody who shouts at you and who makes you nervous?

Who is responsible for your emotions?

Emotions are a great source of information not only about other people but mainly about ourselves. There is a certain similarity to waking up after a party. What you did that night you only find out from the other people. Maybe you would rather cover your ears and not listen to any of that. And in the same way, emotions speak to you. They ‘say’ exactly what you don’t want to hear about yourself. They don’t ‘say’ it for you to feel bad, but they are giving you a clue about what is going on inside you; they encourage you to grow. They are here to show you ‘the real you’ and they are your best companion in life at the same time. They are sharp, persistent and always alert. If you acknowledge them and are wise enough to listen to them, you won’t need any coach, mentor, therapist, consultant or guru to grow.

To process your emotions does not mean you are going against your nature. It is actually the opposite: emotional intelligence allows you to react naturally and for your own sake. V. Frankl says: “Between stimulus and response there is always space.” In that space is our power and freedom to choose our response and it depends only on us how big space we create.

What is your choice? Would you rather be a puppet which only responds to each stimulus, or do you want to be in control and decide what is best for you?

By the way, did you know that to live a happy and satisfying life, what matters is not your IQ or your education, but the level of your emotional intelligence?

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WHY IS SELF-ESTEEM SO IMPORTANT (NOT ONLY) IN BUSINESS?

Ondřej Filip — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 17:08:25 +0000

I can imagine how this caption might evoke a number of negative comments about the fact that something like self-confidence doesn’t belong in business. It belongs there more than we think. For most of you, the core of your business lies somewhere else and you don’t have the time to observe how everything affects the outcome of your organization or team, and to what extent. Self-esteem has an absolutely fundamental impact on how we function and can radically change business and relationships yet at the same time, not much is openly said about it in business. Why? Because it is a topic which makes us very vulnerable when we bring it up. And at the same time a topic which, if we don’t bring it up, causes tremendous damage without us realizing it.

In my coaching work, I meet a wide range of managers, leaders, and entrepreneurs. Over the last couple of months, I have noticed that the subject of self-esteem has appeared more and more often in different forms among leaders. Most of them do work which they enjoy, they have results and yet still feel some inner anxiety and discontent, etc. Why is this? This is because standard managerial approaches to leading people fail and are inadequate to the degree of intricacy and complexity of the problems we face. It is absolutely essential to go much deeper under the surface of professional and managerial skills and focus on the very essence of our being.

Outward self-esteem is self-confidence. Self-confidence doesn’t reflect how we mistakenly think we manage the actions and situations we know. Then we don’t need self-confidence. Self-confidence, on the contrary, is reflected in how we behave and act outside of our comfort zone. Only with the unknown or the not understood do we recognize how self-confident we really are or how high our self-esteem is.

Another manifestation of self-esteem is self-evaluation, which is reflected mainly in how we think, how we speak and to what extent we need the recognition and consent of others. Do you speak to yourself negatively? Can you see no silver lining to anything around you? Or conversely, are you trying to persuade yourself (and everybody else) that things around you are better than they really are? Healthy self-evaluation means seeing ourselves as we really are and not judging our value by comparing ourselves with others or according to whether things are going well or not.

Loving someone (including ourselves) doesn’t mean that anything goes. If we love ourselves, we don’t allow ourselves to behave in a way which is destructive for our mind, body or soul. And that includes procrastination, talking about ourselves negatively, overeating, workaholism and so on. At the same time, we don’t allow others to act in a way that we don’t like and doesn’t suit us. We know what we like, what we need, what we want and we act accordingly.

Self-esteem is anything but arrogance and selfishness. Self-esteem, on the contrary, can be expressed by being assertive and promoting your own interests while respecting your surroundings. We don’t need to fight anyone but even so, we defend our interests. We do not need to please everyone. Above all, we don’t need anybody’s approval about what we do.

The expression of self-esteem is relaxation, playfulness and the courage to get out of the rut you are in. Self-esteem means always doing what’s right for you in all circumstances and not just what’s right. Self-esteem helps you to discover who you really are and what you really want to reveal. In other words, it helps us to put aside the masks we unknowingly wear and let us be free to be authentic and natural, and therefore charismatic.

The subject of self-esteem implies tremendous courage, because the basic premise is that we look at what we really are. And not only look at it but accept our dark and secret sides. We need to accept that our real self is usually very different from the one we present to others. Our ‘pretentious’ self, which doesn’t allow imperfections, must die.

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WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF IN 28 DAYS?

Ondřej Filip — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 14:21:14 +0000

Thanks to the inspiration of the social network Linkedin, I decided, that during February I write and publish a short summary of each day. I wanted to try how it’s to write every day a short reflection on what happened, why to actually do it and whether I managed to keep writing all days.

I had no idea how much useful yet simple tool I started to use for my personal growth. Earlier I used to write my diary, however, rather randomly. These short “text messages” for myself were focused more on experience rather than on the description of activities and it was always pleasure closing of each day. It always tooked just 10-15 minutes and 50-70 words (sometimes only 1 or 2 words) for a brief summary of what was important for me on given day.

And what all this experience has brought me?

1) Positive closing of each day – although a day was not always according to my expectations, short evening stop always gave me peace, inspiration, release and strengthen faith in myself.

2) Discipline – sometimes to make an effort was needed to withstand write every day but eventually, it became a habit, which I will continue, and in fact, I already do not need any effort at all.

3) Deeper insight – into my inner world. Important experiences that otherwise would have been forgotten and lost were anchored through feelings while writing the summary.

4) Courage – I did not address how much personal summary of the day is. I just wanted to share and I shared regardless of the fact that I have often said myself that it is stupid and that no one cares about it

5) Changing perspective – experience that I have perceived negatively month ago, I started to look at from a different perspective. So naturally, I gained much kinder and more positive view of myself and what was happening to me.

6) Expressing – summed up in a few words the most important thing that happened during the day is sometimes difficult. Still far it is not perfect, but I know that if I continue, my ability to stop, formulate and express ideas with a few words will radically improve. And it may come in handy.

7) New communication – on the other hand, I found that the observations of some things sometimes can’t be expressed by words. Simply communication takes place on many levels, not only verbal but especially energetical, at which you accept and get the most information. I started to call it “holistic communication” for myself.

8) Better perception – I started to feel much better my feelings and emotions and feeling and emotions of people around me. My emotional intelligence has risen up, mainly my emotional stability.

9) Greater confidence – a better perception by the self-awareness naturally leads to greater self-confidence. I am much more aware of my weaknesses, without diminishing my own value. At the same time, I see how I grow and develop my strengths.

February 1: My choice

How I feel and how I experience my life, is entirely my choice. Sometimes it’s easier, sometimes harder, but it is always my choice. Likewise, everything that is happening to me in my life, is entirely my choice. Sometimes I forget it and I need to constantly remind this to myself. In case I forget better than fighting is the full acceptance – of the situation and especially of myself.

February 2: I don’t know

“I don’t know..” Today I have said it several times to myself. Doesn’t matter if you say it out loudly, or “only” in your mind. In any case, by saying this you release yourself, you give space to others you and fully listen to them. You stop to strive and to persuade. Allow yourself to don’t know, it’s liberating.

February 3: Decision making and intuition

Yesterday I finished reading a book of the same name. I was observing the whole day my own decision-making processes and was fascinating and entertaining game. The most interesting was how often, even after unimportant decisions, I was examining whether it would be better to decide otherwise. And it takes a lot of energy.

February 4: Simply relax

February 5: Fear of failure

Do you postpone activities, actions or anything else yet, you know that it’s important for you? I do, sometimes as well and today I have realized that in 90% behind this, is my fear of failure (and judgment). It’s very inconspicuous, while deep and not nice at all. The only way to overcome this fear is to accept its existence and act even with the knowledge that I might fail.

February 6: Emotions & Power of silence

Again, I realized how important is to feel, consciously manage and awaken emotions. My own emotions and emotions of others. I put off a mask of serious Ondřej. Sometimes I wear it subconsciously because it gives me the feeling that I have things under the control. But in fact, I don’t have many things under the control. Unfortunately, thereby I am impoverishing myself of a gift of spontaneity. Another observation today – art and power of silence and listening are very valuable gifts. Thanks for that.

February 7: Light head

I have a light head. Light and empty. A feeling of absolute contentment. Simple state of being when I have NO thoughts and emotions. I am just being, nothing more, nothing less. I experience a feeling of happiness that is inside and does not require any external doping. How plain and simple.

February 8: Keep walking

I used to like Johnnie Walker whiskey. Today, I much prefer their motto: “Keep walking.” No matter how big a step I’m doing, but I keep walking. I do not want to stop and I am moving along. It’s the same as when running a marathon or walking in the mountains. Step by step, meter by meter. Perseverance is needed, but it’s worth it.

February 9: Unwavering faith

Faith, unwavering faith and humble trust in myself is the foundation of my actions. This faith can not be replaced by anything, nor blind optimism or encouragement from others. Only faith gives me strength to be fully aware and see the obstacles in my way and the energy and desire to overcome them.

February 10: 40

One of my favorite days of the year because it’s my birthday. This time, 40th. In addition to gifts from my loved ones, I received another two unexpected extra gifts. The first – an amazing enrichment, during one of my coaching session. And the second – my favorite movie KID. B. Willis plays a successful man celebrating his 40th birthday. The powerful story about our children’s dreams, which we, unfortunately, forget during the life. We forget that we wanted to fly the red plane in childhood.

February 11: Doing nothing

No plans, nothing specific to do and total shutdown.

February 12: Lost day

It’s a strange feeling to have nothing to write. What to write when I have nothing to write? I recall a lot of today’s activities, what I did and said, but nothing left inside me anchored. No feeling, no emotion. It’s like the today haven’t happened at all. Lost and wasted a day of my life. And that’s just because I was not here and now. I had been in my head, and it is definitely not a place for living and experiencing a beauty of life.

February 13: Constant growth

It’s amazing how everyday written reflection supports my growth. I used to write a long diary with a list of activities. Now I write just a couple of sentences and focus on what was the most important that day and make it conscious. The individual shifts are subtle, but with each other, are more and more visible, connected and strengthen. And as a bonus, I am learning to formulate ideas into few sentences.

February 14: Blind trust & soil

How to let go of what I am trying to control and don’t have under the control at all? How to let life flow? I need to have a clear and humble intent. I need to have blind faith in yourself and your inner compass. I need to redirect my attention elsewhere, through doing and through the soil, wood, and stone.

February 15: Positive Fear

Yesterday I experienced a rare great moment when understood the power of free-flowing fear. I always perceived the fear as a negative, blocking and paralyzing energy and emotion. I tried to remove him, defend him, question him, discredit him, not to see him. For a brief moment, I was able to feel what it is to accept the fear and not to put in his way. Fear is not necessarily prescriptive and paralyzing, but also liberating and giving energy.

February 16: Angriness

I was angry because I didn’t stand up for myself! This simple sentence is true and it came to my mind today when I was coaching a client. How simple. Earlier, when I get angry, I blamed everything and everyone around me. Angriness is always and in all circumstances only natural guardians of my boundaries. They appear whenever I lost my own direction and whenever I do not listen to what I really want and need. THANK YOU TOMÁŠ

February 17: Change of pace

After a long time, I have fasted today and endured. I strengthened my persistence when I overcame a weak moment. I have adapted to a slower rhythm of the day and I did not fight with greater fatigue and sleepiness. I left my body to have found its pace.

February 18: Wholeness

February 19: Following my impulses

Today I examine my inner world differently. I am shutting down my head and follow impulses to conduct acting, speaking and experiencing emotions. I do not defend, I do not analyze, just follow very fine impulses of my soul. It’s very relieving, soothing and easy to follow my inner voice without evaluation and comments.

February 20: Ordinary day

There are days when it seems that almost nothing happens. Ordinary day. That was exactly my day today. Unless I don’t pay attention to small details and ignore minor trifles showing signs on my way. Moreover, they are a pleasant change and the recovery of an otherwise ordinary day.

February 21: Meaningfulness

Yesterday I again strongly feel that what I do makes sense. Despite the fact, I constantly hear that everyone is now coach and the coach does not need to know anything. I’m grateful that I can do what fulfills me, gives me a sense of joy and inspiration. I feel gratitude. I feel gratitude, humility, and responsibility for being allowed to peek into the inner world of the people around me and be there when they are changing lives.

February 22: Emotions again

Realize experience, accept and explore my emotions. The hardest work and at the same time liberating work that I have experienced. I need to be constantly here and now. This process requires my full attention, commitment, concentration and perseverance. Each day shows me how much I had underestimated emotion in the past, or vice versa overestimated. I haven’t seen how important information emotions bring to me.

February 23: Power of sharing

Sharing and real, deep listening is for me the best way of learning about myself and about the people around me. When I genuinely care about others, don’t judge them and listen to what they say, I also gain a better understanding of myself.

February 24: Balanced decision making

I like and it strengthens me when I reflect the principle of balance and proportionality in my decision making. The adequacy of the speed of decision making, where I don’t make decisions impetuously or vice versa without hesitation. A balance of intuition and reason, when reason with its excessive zeal, doesn’t disturb delicate voice of intuition. Balance and reasonableness lead to actions that match my intentions and are conducted in a natural rhythm.

February 25: Breath as a symbol

Observing the breath is my favorite form of meditation. How we breathe symbolically reflects how we behave in everyday life. Again, I was surprised that I discovered on my breath something new and interesting. In this case, the way how I breathe in. Breath in symbolizes, the way how I usually start something new in my life.

February 26: Manifestation

The last few days the word manifest has been coming to my mind. I like the way it looks and sounds. It has the courage, strength, joy and enthusiasm. The dictionary is usually a manifestation of sentiments, beliefs, feelings. How I manifest my intentions, my beliefs and myself? Honestly, I have to say that there is definitely certain room for improvement …

February 27: Kairos or Chronos

We have several generations of time management, a lot of planning tools, applications, and instructions. And yet people who do not have the time around me does not diminish, on the contrary. WHY? How is it possible? These planning tools do not address the cause, but a consequence. Our perception of time is within ourselves. We forgot the adoption of radical responsibility for time management. We forgot to distinguish when is the “right” time or Kairos, as it was called by the ancient Greeks. We do not see that we live in captivity of linear time Chronos.

February 28:

The last day of February for me was the sign of coincidences and changes. Yet I would not consider that yesterday was neither chaotic nor hectic day. The truth is that the whole day was despite the changes, in the natural, smooth and successful mode. I did not try to twist it and resist what is coming or get upset that things do not go according to plan. I simply was.

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What to acknowledge before leaving company

Admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 20:28:55 +0000

Recently I have read the article about five main reasons why employees leave company. They were as follows from no. 5 to no.1.

No recognition & reward
Meaningless work
Bureaucracy & politics
No career path
Their manager

It’s absolutely fine to leave the company because one of the mentionned or any other reasons. It’s natural to make changes in our lives. However before you make a step out from “your” company, you have to be sure that you have taken a lesson. Deep understanding and acceptance of what is going on in your current workplace is crucial for your next career steps.

If change of the company is only an escape, you will be most probably facing similar situation in your new career as well. I had a client who wanted to leave her job to be more satisfied. After working together, she found out, that new company wouldn’t make her more satisfied and she had to find out satisfaction inside of herself. Usually outer change will not bring you benefits if you don´t go through inner change. Then your leaving will be peaceful like quiet lake, without rancour and sense of injustice.

Let’s imagine you work for a great company. You like company´s vision, you share same values, you like your colleagues and product or service “your” company provides. Simply, You don’t want to leave the company, but…

Often we don’t receive recognition & reward when we are not able to give it even to ourselves. People around us are like a mirror showing us what we don’t want to see. How often do you give recognition to yourself? When was it last time and for what? How difficult is it for you and what makes it difficult? How often do you give recognition to your peers, your wife or husband, children, friends, your boss and even people you don’t know? During my workshops and seminars I see how difficult it is for people to give true recognition. Usually it’s a bit easier to appreciate others but when it comes to ourselves… Just try to observe (only observe not judge) how often you give recognition especially to yourself and how do you feel.

Meaningless work. This seems to be a fair reason to leave the company. But on the other hand, it could very good reason to stop and think what does meaningful work means to you. How do you find out that the job is meaningless for you? What does it mean for you? What attributes company and job must have in order to be meaningful for you? Which values do you miss? There is always something to learn. What you can learn from having meaningless work? How could you find purpose in what you do? Answering these questions at least helps you to find your dream job, otherwise leaving the company it´s just wasting of your time and energy. If there was no other option for meaningful work, how would you find purpose in current one?

Bureaucracy & politics. From my experience, both of them are very difficult to change, because they have roots in company´s culture. If you can’t change something, you need to leave it or accept it.

Before leaving, ask yourself few questions. How is it for you in general to accept what annoys and disturbs me? How could I change my point of view and not loose my energy anymore? How does it help me to fight with bureaucracy and politics? How can I find at least small area where the system can help and support me? What would be the very best way how to handle politics?

Unless there is only you and your boss in the company, there is always career
path. If others are being promoted, there is definitely potential for your grow as well. In general, we don’t use our maximal potential at work and the key question is how you can maximalize it? What are areas for your improvement? Do you consiously and regularly work on your personal and professional development? How do you communicate in “your ” company the direction of your career grow? How are you open for different opportunities, in different fields, in different locations? How you could create your path within “your” company? How would you rate your mobility?

Your manager, boss, chief, however you wish to call him. On one hand, he is the main reason for leaving the company for majority of employees. On the other hand, he is one of the greatest learning opportunities. More than in any other working relationship, he is your great mirror due to the hierarchy aspect of organisational set up. You simply have to find the way how to handle your relationship with him. Do you consider your manager as incompetent? What about your competency? Is he open enough ? What about your openness towards him/her? Does he have any capabilities you like (maybe you would like to be similar) and at the same time they irritate you? Find what irritates you the most on him or her and have a deep look inside of you. What did you find interesting or important for your personal grow?

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FEEDBACK 2.0

Ondřej Filip — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 13:22:30 +0000

Clients who has been coming to me last few months and 5 workshops on giving (and receiving) feedback which I led on job fair HR days in Prague show me how, this important capability is underestimated and difficult, despite the fact, many people from majority of organizations attend regularly many trainings on giving feedback. I have made few interesting observations, during conversation with my clients and during workshops, which might help you to be better, not only at giving feedback but actually at receiving it as well.

Fortunately there is no universal manual for giving feedback which works for everyone and at any time. Each of us need to create our own manual which reflects and respects our personality and grey zones when giving and receiving feedback. Most of manuals which people get at training sessions, ended up in desk drawer, people don’t remember them and don’t open them anymore after the training. We don’t need to writte it down because we keep our own manual in our heads. Simply it is there, inside of us.

What is my intention? Very important question which leads us through a process of giving feedback. Having “right” and true intention, help us to be really authentic to other person and to be aware of our own goals. Sometimes people give feedback to get more significance and importance, rather than help others to move forward. If our intention is selfish, probably our ego takes over the lead and we might not give other people enough freedom to deal with our feedback as they wish.

People don’t see people in front of them while giving feedback. They see roles and positions only or people who needs to be fixed. By seeing others as human beings and not roles helps other side to accept our feedback, not feel criticized and attacked, therefore they accept feedback better. People are perfect and have their value as they are and don’t need to be fixed. At least we should try different approach and be more kind rather then though when giving feedback.

Giving feedback is common managerial and communication tool. Having this mindset, makes us giving feedback much more easier. There is nothing special about that, it is only tool. At all positions, through whole organization, we must give feedback in an appropriate way. By giving feedback we express our needs, our opinions and our expectation. If we don’t do this we are not authentic and we kill our potential for organization. We create hidden barriers, obstacles and conflicts in communication and relationships.

Last but not least. The main reason why we find giving feedback difficult lies mostly in our emotions. Emotions are most important aspect of giving feedback. People don’t know how to say it, they don’t feel well and they don’t want (or they want) hurt and humiliate others. We need to find out ways how to feel comfortable and calm. We can only find these ways inside of ourselves, not outside on internet. We are responsible for our own emotions as well others are responsible for their emotions.

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YOU, YOUR TEAM AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Ondřej Filip — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 18:06:53 +0000

“Every decision made by headquarters takes responsibility away from people in other parts of the organisation and reduces the number of people who feel that they are effectively helping and contributing to the functioning of the organization” Dennis Blake

Responsibility – one of the many topics that companies and teams imagine is not problematic for them but the opposite is true. And yet the question of accepting responsibility, like most important things, is basically very simple. Responsibility begins at the moment when we decide that we will accept it. Therefore it is only a question of OUR CHOICE.

Why is responsibility so important? Accepting responsibility has a considerable influence on satisfaction in our personal and professional lives, and thus the performance of the teams. Accepting responsibility actually gives us the feeling in our lives that we are in the driving seat rather than the passenger seat. Developing maximum team responsibility is therefore in the interest not only of each team leader, but also its members.
Refusing responsibility is very dangerous and actually toxic for us. Whenever we get rid of responsibility and give it to someone (or something) else, along with our responsibility we surrender OUR POWER at the same time – to our partners, bosses, clients, companies, friends and so on…
Whenever we get rid of responsibility and give it to someone (or something) else, along with our responsibility we are giving away OUR POWER at the same time
Read that sentence a few times, until you truly understand its meaning. Surrendering strength is actually the price, the tax or the fee that you pay so that you can give up your responsibility. Such behaviour will, of course, not pay off for you in the long run.

How does getting rid of responsibility manifest itself in the team?

1) Members of the team work because they have to, rather than because they want to – low levels of inner motivation and commitment
2) Outside as well as within the team its members are (so called) covering each others backs – typically by using too much unnecessary email communication and sending emails to too many colleagues
3) A decreased ability to make decisions – decisions are slow, the team does not trust the decisions and does not stand by them
4) By being unable to guard their personal or team boundaries

5) By using a directive management style and over-controlling
6) Time and stress related problems – however they may seem to be attacking from outside, are in fact problems coming from within as results of denying one’s feelings and the lack of self-stress management
7) By blaming others (the boss, the company, the customer, the partner, God or fate) for their work situation, their lives, all the problems, and so on
8) By victimising themselves – there is nothing to be done The client refused me, the boss didn’t approve of something, and so on. You cannot do anything about it, so you don’t even try and just keep complaining
9) By rationalising – nothing is happening, it doesn’t matter, he/she didn’t mean it by not undertaking responsibility for their own feelings and emotions and for suppressing those which results in just “thinking” but not admitting any responsibility for finding solutions and fulfilling them
10) By trying to save everybody and everything around them; all their colleagues, the boss, deadlines, projects, etc. You are refusing responsibility for the amount of time spent at work and the time-management
What is the level of admitting responsibility of all the people in your team?

How would the team STRENGTH change if you focus on undertaking responsibility?
Within the next 7 days, try to focus on undertaking the responsibility Do not judge, just watch, observe and notice what is happening deep inside you as well as around you, when you fully admit the responsibility for your behaviour, your negotiations and all your thoughts

LIFE’s GREAT!

Ondřej

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ARE YOU BUSY? THEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM…

Ondřej Filip — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 14:16:03 +0000

Do we live in the world of ‘busyness’ or the world of ‘business’?

Doesn’t it seem strange to you that the words ‘busyness’ and ‘business’ are similar?

Whenever I ask someone how they are, the reply is almost always a variation of ‘I’m busy’. A more or less unhappy face is quickly changing to mock happiness, which should persuade me as well as the person themself that everything is just fine. To be busy has become normal.

At the same time we have given up our responsibility for our own time-management. We all have the same amount of time, each day – 24 hours, 1 440 minutes, 86 400 seconds. What is YOUR CHOICE going to be?

There will always be plenty to do. But being busy doesn’t mean being effective. We have given up on the fact that it could be done differently. We came to believe that it is how it should be. We say we cannot change it. If you cannot, you cannot – it is your choice.

It is the same with everything. The answer is to be found inside of ourselves your head. But sometimes you have to dig deep. You cannot stop the waves but you can learn how to surf. Imagine that you can choose between being busy or working effectively and in your own rhythm. What is YOUR CHOICE going to be?

So, why do we actually like “being busy”?

It gives us a sense of importance which we cannot give ourselves. We expect that people around us will look up to us and our value will increase but it will not. Our personal value and importance come from within, not from people around us. Other people feel it the same way and that is why we all play the game of who is the busiest and who is the most important.
Euphoria and satisfaction. Being busy is like a drug, like a shot of adrenalin. Being busy is considered cool… Something is happening and that could be exciting. We are flooded with endorphins but afterward, we have to pay with extreme tiredness and exhaustion. So, we go back for another dose, tomorrow … or maybe even later today?
It allows us not to focus on what is really important. And all this is something happening inside us. Busyness is one of the best strategies for avoiding paying attention to our needs and overlooking what is really important. Most of the time this could be hard work, unpleasant or even painful, so it much better to hide behind being busy.

And what have YOU been avoiding?

1) Choice and responsibility

It really is only YOUR CHOICE to feel relaxed and comfortable. Every time you are ‘busy” admit (without judging yourself) that it is your choice and it is not your boss, colleagues, family, traffic jam or company, (etc.), that caused your busyness. The least you would gain is control.

2) Change your way of thinking and speaking.

Try to figure out when you keep saying ‘I am busy’ what the reasons for it are and why you cannot change it. What emotions can you feel? Choose new programs with positive emotions.

3) Start to play at your inner field.

How you can recognize the beginnings of ‘being busy’. It could start with an increased speed-walking, panicking, doing things without thinking, skipping lunch, feeling edgy whenever somebody disturbs you, not being able to concentrate or with an increased level of stress and blood pressure, making more mistakes, etc. The key is to uncover your own indicators of falling into the stage of busyness. Take your time, just observe with no judgement.

4) Use STOP technic

As soon as you start feeling busy and losing control, slow down and stop yourself. Try to step back, think, organize your thoughts and then carry on. Ask yourself: “What is the most important right now? (and everything’ is not the correct answer).

5) Use the three magic questions

What am I controlling right now?

What am I trying to control at the moment?

What am I not controlling now and I could be?

6) Close your day

Stop before the end of your work day and consciously close your working process. Switch off your mobile phone, close your inbox and recap what you have achieved. Realise the amount of work you have done and praise yourself. Most probably all the jobs you haven’t done will start bubbling up too. Plan ahead. Set the three most important jobs for the next day and also confirm the deadline for your unfinished jobs from today. I recommend finding a partner with whom you can talk about it. Being able to verbalize it – especially at the beginning before it becomes a habit – is very important.

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