Well, what you do is determined by what you feel about what you know! If you're like me, you'll hit the brakes immediately, slowing to the point that you feel you can stop within the visible distance, but not so slow that someone might hit you in the rear. At the same time, you likely increase your focused attention, reduce or eliminate distractions and look for clues that the situation is temporary. This intensely heightened awareness is energy-draining and you hope it won't last too long.

Some people live their lives in a fog. They can't see too far ahead, so they slow right down. They worry that someone might 'rear-end' them, so they concentrate on the rearview mirror of life. They anticipate that obstacles will suddenly appear, so they're tense and nervous much of the time. They are not excited, have no energy and relaxation for them is a luxury.

When the fog lifts on the highway, we resume speed and continue our journey with renewed purpose. The only thing that has changed though is that we are able to see some distance ahead. Our confidence and energy rises as our vision improves. When we experience fog on the highway, we're reasonably sure it won't go on forever. In life though it could do just that!

My car is fitted with fog lights. They project yellow light beams from a low mounting which cut through the fog and increase my vision in the fog. Head lights don't seem to work anywhere near as well. In life, we have an equivalent - our personal Mission statement.

This vital idea tells us what our life is all about - what we're here to do, for whom and how we intend to make it a reality. It might be very succinct and even an imperative, like "Make a difference!" It could be more complex and insightful, for example, "Identify and nurture the divine connection within myself and others." It could even be an extended, elaborate explanation which summarizes your major roles and governing values, describing how you intend to pursue them. Whatever, it must be yours, not what others might expect of you.

In the Old Testament it is stated, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 28:18). Think back to the foggy highway for a moment!

Developing a personal vision and mission requires time and effort. However, it's well worth it and it's certainly better than living life in a fog.

In today's world, where the pressures of competition and fast changing realities clamour for attention both inside and outside the organization, there is less time, yet an even greater need, for individuals (and organizations) to be resilient - to "be their best" consistently and continuously.

Martin Seligman, author of "Learned Optimism" proposes that "Experiences that induce positive emotion cause negative emotion to dissipate rapidly. Strengths and virtues function to buffer against misfortune, and may even be the key to building resiliency."

Following a recent teleconference David led on positive psychology in business; positive emotions, traits and institutions…we received the following feedback.

"Many thanks for the very enlightening call today. I've been most intrigued lately with reports of increased investing in the stocks of socially responsible businesses. If the trend continues, business will have to examine the way it does business and, to my mind, that opens a door for positive psychology." JH "What a wonderful presentation today! I particularly appreciated the acknowledgement that many people roll their eyes at the idea of "happiness" (in business)..and the insight into how you work around that obstacle. It was so energizing to hear about practical applications of PP..and especially nice to experience your wise and witty perspective again. Thank you so much." MM. New York.

I am very interested in applying PP to leadership effectiveness. (It seems to be the place to make the difference) RT Coincidentally, the following item "The Impact of Positive Leadership: How seemingly small interactions in the workplace can dramatically boost your team's productivity" (a paragraph of which appears below) appeared in Gallup's Management Journal.

"The magic ratio"

Over the past decade, scientists have explored the impact of positive-to-negative interaction ratios in our work and personal life. And they have found that this ratio can be used to predict -- with remarkable accuracy -- everything from workplace performance to divorce. This work began with noted psychologist John Gottman's exploration of positive-to-negative ratios in marriages. Using a 5:1 ratio, which Gottman dubbed "the magic ratio," he and his colleagues predicted whether 700 newlywed couples would stay together or divorce by scoring their positive and negative interactions in one 15-minute conversation between each husband and wife. Ten years later, the follow-up revealed that they had predicted divorce with 94% accuracy.

So what is the optimal positive-to-negative ratio (PNR) in organizations?

A recent study by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson and mathematician Marcel Losada found that work teams with a PNR greater than 3:1 were significantly more productive than workgroups that did not reach this ratio. Positive emotions, however, need to be grounded in reality: Their research also uncovered an upper limit for positive-to-negative ratios of 13:1. When workgroups exceed that PNR, things are likely to worsen; completely blind optimism can be counterproductive -- and downright annoying -- in some cases.

But managers shouldn't worry about breaking the upper limit. The levels of positive emotions in most organizations are woefully inadequate and leave substantial room for improvement.

by Tom Rath

As Tom says (see below), when we know such an approach can be so successful, I remain somewhat perplexed as to why we do not take a similar approach in our personal and business lives?
For more: http://gmj.gallup.com/content/default.asp?ci=11458

The great tragedy here, of course, is that if we do not invest in ourselves then others will not invest in us. Expecting tangible support from external sources is reasonable only when we are demonstrably committed to growth and development ourselves.

Consider, if you will, the following points as starters:

This section is a Guest Column.
Those with different and interesting viewpoints are invited to state a case on a related topic.
Articles are welcome – up to 250 words, please. Let’s hear from you!

On Winning and Losing

This topic has been at the forefront of my existence for the past little while, given the NHL playoffs, my own hockey team's participation in the Ontario Hockey Federation Championship Tournament and our recent company merger.

What makes a winner? In hockey, many opinions will be thrown about as to why some teams compete and win better than others - heart/desire, toughness, better defence, superior goaltending, special teams, game preparation or even great coaching. There are many other "theories" which can be put forward as the reason for winning but is this really the reason or merely the result of well defined goals and a well executed plan to achieve the desired goals?

In hockey you cannot win without the aforementioned team attributes but clearly you need something more to really win. How can some teams finish at or near the top of their division yet fail miserably in the playoffs? They win yet they lose. How perplexing! Have they achieved or have they failed? For instance, clearly you can be tough but if you are not focused on your toughness you can also be stupid and take untimely penalties costing your team dearly when it matters most.

With the hockey team I coach we always start the year by establishing our set of goals. Primarily our team goals are winning the championship, finishing first in our league and winning/finals of every tournament we enter. These goals have never changed in the years I have coached this team and they are the highest possible goals we can set.

I clearly remember the first year I coached this team and told the parents of our goals at the beginning of the year. Most thought them admirable yet out of reach. I explained to the parents that if they did not believe how could we expect their children to believe.

If we all set our goals low enough to guarantee success, then what have we really accomplished? Would it not be better to set the highest attainable goal and maybe fall a little short rather than accept lower expectations and accomplish that which should always be achieved? I include the last paragraph of the set of goals for our hockey team to show the approach we take with our players: "No one is better than or ahead of anyone else on our team. We all have different and important skills and character to bring to this team. In the end I dream of our team walking/skating side by side - no one in front or behind - to receive the OMHA Championship. We will earn it and we will deserve it. It is our destiny."

I have the distinct privilege of coaching some of the finest young hockey players, certainly within Ontario, yet their natural talent will not make them winners in the hockey sense despite what many people think. Only by recognizing the power and influence of their own minds and their teammates' and opponents' minds can they understand what constitutes a winner.

We spend a disproportionate amount of time through the season on non-hockey issues in our hockey group. The players are only ten years old but we will often discuss and try to improve current situations such as school issues, current events, behaviour (good and bad), and sibling issues because they also need to learn how to think differently in order to be successful. It still amazes me what great ideas and conclusions the players will develop when "gently" guided.

The question often asked of me as coach is "why would a guy with six very active kids and owner of a very demanding business coach a Triple A Hockey Team that takes at least 20-30 hours per week for at least nine months of the year for no pay?" The truth is, sometimes I'm not sure, because it can be a very hectic thankless "island" job, but in the very long time I've coached I've never been late for or missed a practice or game - great time management skills, right David and Amanda?

I truly love working with the players, watching them develop and grow into fine young people. It's a great kick and living experience. But even better is to witness the evolution of players, who looked up with blank stares at the beginning of the year when we discussed our goals and how we were going to achieve them and even whispered behind my back as we wrote the goals down, into young men full of proud emotion as I read our "sheet" at the end of the OMHA Championships after winning the gold medal.

We had accomplished every single goal and delivered on every requirement to achieve these goals because first we wrote it down, second we believed and third we were all committed to doing whatever it takes to accomplish what we set out to do. What a proud moment!

However, I remain somewhat perplexed as to why, when I know such an approach can be so successful in sports, do I not take a similar approach with my personal and business life?

The words of my uncle leave me with a glimmer of hope: "even an idiot learns through repetition."

Tom Ferguson

PS. Here is what we developed with the players at the beginning of the year.

A recent example grabbed my attention particularly, and I'd like to share it with you. If you like the style, why not sign up for a subscription yourself? Like all the best things in life - it's free. It's also a very effective and efficient way to focus your thinking for the day.

"The Top 10 Traits of Strategic Thinkers" - http://www.topten.org/public/AG/AG573.html

Firstly, some negative attributes of teamwork:

• In the traditional approach, all too often the rigid structure of a constructed team can interfere with, and over-shadow the process and objectives. The team may survive yet the outcomes are not cost/time effective.
• Survival of the team, when the dominant issue, requires that structure and process become the focal issues. The inevitable result is entropy - a gradual diminishment of productivity both quality and quantity.
• Due to political considerations teams are frequently subject to incomplete or hidden agenda. Since the product of team effort is dependent on synergies, such maneuvers lead to distortions and inefficiencies.
• Appointments to, and retention of team membership are often politically motivated rather than driven by the team objectives and needs. Teams are treated as learning forums too, which is not inappropriate, but which leads to unequal contributions.
• Since teams rarely are provided with a clear mandate and reasonable resources, and the assigned tasks are vague and poorly defined, the level of individual commitment can be unpredictable between members and over time.

Secondly, the positive attributes of teamwork:

• One aspect which is particularly advantageous when dealing with complex and extensive tasks is that of sharing the associated ownership and work load. Both physical (time, effort, focus, etc.) and psychological (accountability, commitment, stresses and strains, etc.) are best spread throughout the team's membership.
• Different perspectives, interpretations and approaches can be a distinct advantage when the team is in a divergent thinking mode. Receptivity of challenging ideas is heightened by familiarity with the source and mutual ownership of outcomes.
• Focused discussions and dialogues contribute to the broadening of individual horizons and experiences, and informed risk taking is easier and more comfortable when encountered with others subject to the same exposures.
• Team membership stimulates the creation of affiliations and alliances outside the team mandate, leading to spontaneous collaborations and supports in other areas. Team bonding is a powerful and pervasive influence on other group activities.
• A sound team approach will gather momentum, acquire allegiances, form focuses and harness priorities more effectively and efficiently than any amalgam of individual efforts (as the military has long recognized). Thus teams are far more resilient and enduring than any other confluence of independent efforts.

The 'watchword' in teamwork is 'resilience'. Rigidity will cause the death of any team, given sufficient time and exposure. Only by adapting structure and processes to the demands of the moment, allowing roles and relationships to change and develop over time, and constantly reviewing and renewing the team mandate, can productivity be assured. Teams need constant attention, and time-out for self reinforcement, if they are to remain effective.

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