Tag Archives: commitment

human capital..?

So much is written about companies investing in their staff.  They pay huge (sometimes well earned) recruitment fees to find the right employees.  Then pay for them to move countries often, settle their families and then – it’s a case of sink or swim.  People, that’s all of us. People are assets.  People are what companies invest in. But to what degree?  How much practical help is given to non native English Speaking International Employees?  How quickly are they able to integrate, engage and actively contribute and belong?  Language competency in a language that is not your own is only one part of the equation, having the confidence to use it is another, making a real connection is where the magic happens. Only when a person feels comfortable will they begin to fully integrate. Only when they fully integrate can they engage.  Only when they can engage will they contribute fully to their team and their company.

If this post resonates with you, either as an HR Professional, or an international employee,I’d love to hear your views.  You can also contact me directly to hear more about how Much More than Words can help. 

 

Basic Human Needs

Leave a reply

Warmth, Daylight, Love

Some years back I’ house and cat sat’ for friends.  As my cottage was due to be renovated at the time and let us say, conditions were fairly primitive, I leapt at the opportunity.  Having to light a stove to heat one room in my cottage simply to keep warm and have hot water is not something I wish on anyone for a prolonged period of time.

water and warmth !

water and warmth !

However, I digress.  One morning during this house sitting gig, I awoke to a winter wonderland and stood in front of the window, basking in the natural daylight which flooded the room and and warmed me to the core.  After an incredibly restorative night’s sleep, when for once I didn’t wake up with either water coming through the roof, or because of the freezing cold wind howling through my cottage, I made my way to the kitchen, luxuriating as I felt the warmth of the house underfoot,  no need to huddle and shiver here as I made my first coffee of the day.  The cats, rubbing gently around my legs, talking as if they too, were welcoming the new day. They’re great company, these cats, they never bother you for food, they’re good natured and love company.  They just like to know you’re there and they remind me that I am not alone.

What’s my point? Gratitude, for this short burst of comfort. Gratitude, for the trust that is bestowed on me.  Gratitude, for I know that even though my cottage is primitive now, it will, before too much longer, be a haven for me.  Gratitude, for the experience of hardship and all this long process of waiting for my home to take shape has taught me.   Gratitude too, for all the good that the hardship seems to have brought me. Gratitude, for the friendships housesitting has given me. Gratitude, for the opportunities for learning experiencing hardships I won’t go into here have taught me.  Gratitude, for the experience of humiliation of business failure and relaunching myself to do what I now do, something I believe I was always meant to do. Gratitude, for life itself.

challenging myself…every day

Leave a reply

On top of the usual daily challenges, there’s one in particular that I dread and simulteously relish.  A quick dip in the Irish Sea.  Yes, absolute madness and really no big ordeal really.  At the very moment my body hits the water, I can think of nothing else.  Any worries or concerns I have are gone.  In this beautiful moment, I experience the joy of utter clarity for I can think of nothing else. I know I am truly alive and thankful for being so.  My kiwi friends on the beautiful island of Waiheke think I’m crackers and swear I can only do it thanks to my ‘Irish wet-suit’ and they are right.  A few years ago I used to think exactly the same.  With changing circumstances, I knew there were going to be many things I would have to push myself to do and thought if I could get into the Irish Sea even in wintertime, then anything is possible.  And so it is and most days I’ll zip down to the Forty Foot in Sandycove for a quick dip.  Mind over matter, yes it is!

If you’ve challenges to meet, sometimes you’ve just got to tackle them head on and push through those seemingly impossible barriers.  The real question is do you really want something enough to make that commitment to change?

A Quick Dip in the Irish Sea by Heather McKay

A Quick Dip in the Irish Sea by Heather McKay

Click for details of the 2013/14  “Communicate with Greater Confidence” Workshops and to talk to Janie.

25 women, 21 countries

Leave a reply

I recently read on-line about a recent Citizenship ceromony in New Zealand, where 25 women from 21 different countires were awarded their citizenship by NZ Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae. [quote align=”left” color=”#999999″]Before today, New Zealand was your home, but now it is your country[/quote]
This had me thinking about the question of belonging.  Where we are from, where we live and where we feel our loyalties lie.  And if, should the need ever arise, what lengths would we go to defend our country. I am an Irish Citizen. Whenever I travel, I take great pride in talking of the country that has been my home for some 20 years now. There are many other facets that form part of my identity.  The issue of belonging raises the real question of who I really am and how different we all are…

[quote align=”left” color=”#999999″]There are no difficult people, just people who are different, with whom we have yet to learn how best to communicate[/quote]
 221-121aClick to contact Janie for more on the 221:121 Workshops

 

don’t copy, be inspired

Leave a reply

there’s so much stuff that you can sign up to and learn from for FREE.  So much that we’re in danger of not being able to think for ourselves.  Does it matter if you take an idea from somewhere else? There are some bloggers out there who inspire and write for people to take the germ of an idea and run with it.  There are others who want to frighten the pants off you, so you don’t take a single word from what they say.  It all comes down to choice.  You can control what you think, what you write, what ultimately bothers you. Everything in life is kickstarted by something someone else has done, or something that already exists. It may be in nature, it may be something that is there but doesn’t provide the solution sought and so inspires a new product or service.  Does it matter?   Take the learning and do not copy or imitate.  Make something better and then be proud of your work. Even if it is simply being inspired to do something that already exists and making it far better, go for it. Just do the right thing and don’t forget to respect, really respect the work of others. Edward de Bono says that thinking is a skill that ought to be developed, so let your imagination be fired and challenge yourself through thinking. You’ll amaze yourself!

 janie-says be inspired by what strikes a chord, follow your intuition and always, do the right thing.

why don’t I take my own advice?

Leave a reply

the other day I was using a friends’ amazing computer and it made me realize how I’ve been putting off the inevitable….. buying the best I can that suits my needs. Right now.  All the time, I’m saying to my clients, buy the best you can afford, dress in a style that suits you, invest in good quality clothes that make you feel comfortable and good.  The same with books, with training, with the quality of food you eat.  Use the best accountant, marketing consultant, web designer.. you get the picture. Fast-tracking personally and professionally makes sense, so why don’t we do it more?

every single day, every hour, every minute, we have the power to make better choices.  To do the best we can, with what we have available (or can get legally and ethically!). And to do what we’ve promised to do, even after the desire to do so has long gone. That’s commitment.  Talking to a friend on Skype in Sydney yesterday, reminded me of the tremendous power that choice gives  and the endless possibilities when we share our knowledge, without  looking for something in return.

As for that new computer, sorted.yes. this very morning. janie-says I deserve the best and so do you.

Make the most of the day, while you have the power to choose!

 

A not so simple question…

Leave a reply

If you had no constraints, what is the one thing that if you achieved it would make the most positive impact on your life?

What do you really want

When Steve Jobs addressed students in 2005 at their graduatation ceromony, he said he asked himself every day if he was happy with what he was to be doing that day. If the answer was no for quite a few days, then he knew he had to change things. He told graduates to live every day as if it were to be your last.  Do what makes you happy. 

So now you’ve identified what you really want, list up to 10 things that you need to do to achieve this with put the most important 3 at the top.

Now go for it and do something on that list every day. If you don’t, then you’ll see you’re just interested…. not committed….. to achieving your real goals. 

janie-saysFACT: People with written goals achieve far more.

Research shows that goal setters tend to achieve more than those who do not.   Once we have a clear goal, a purpose, doing something we love,  we achieve far more and are far happier in our lives.

bubble2Make the most of your day!