Appreciation

Reflection: This Friday, the 4^th of March, is Employee Appreciation Day. Of course, exchanging appreciation ought to be an everyday experience. Still, a focused reminder can’t hurt and it might even help.

I recently came across an organization where all who work there are referred to as co-workers – neither bosses nor employees. That title, co-worker, reinforces the idea that we share responsibility for our everyday work experience.

When it comes to appreciation, we are all in it together. I’ve often heard employees say they wish the boss would recognize their efforts. In fact, a recent Harris poll reported that the top complaint of 63% of employees surveyed was that leaders don’t recognize employee achievements.

Not to let leaders off the hook, but all of us, as co-workers, can share that responsibility. Encouragement isn’t limited by rank or status.

And, what if we universally extend this concept of co-workers beyond the walls of our organizations? (more…)

This month marks my 30^th year in business – as a speaker, writer and artist. When I stepped away from a regular salary and hung out my shingle in 1986, I took a leap of faith. I had no idea if my business would survive and I certainly didn’t expect it to last this long.

It’s been a great adventure to captain my own ship. And, I could not have done it without the trust of clients, a network of colleagues, and the support of family and friends.

To mark this milestone, I’m sharing my gratitude through these three give aways (one for each decade):

• A bundle of 30 copies of Take A Bow (for you to share with those who support you most)
• An original ink and watercolor sketch (inspired by your photo of a place that matters to you)
• A hundred dollar donation to a charity of your choice

To enter the draw, just send an email to pat@patkatz.com. Use the phrase, Pick Me, in the subject line, and write a few lines about something you’re grateful for in your life over the last 30 years.

Deadline for entries is February 28. I’ll be making all three draws on February 29^th in honor of all who find the courage to take a leap!

My Thoughts: 

I don’t normally use family photos in my Pause messages, but today I’m making an exception. Pictured here (with his and his parents’ permission) is my grandson, Leon, who is closing in on three years of age.

This boy LOVES machines of all kinds – from juicers and coffee grinders to garbage trucks, diggers, and front-end loaders.

As he recently helped his Mom turn fruits and veggies into juice, the goofy grin on his face never wavered. He gave voice to his glee proclaiming, “I’m so happy my face hurts!”

How amazing to be so present to the thrill of the moment, and to find the words to express that joy!

Your Thoughts:

This could be the season to practice those skills!

What makes you so happy that your face hurts?

And, how can you make sure you are present for those simple moments of delight? (more…)

Reflection: Sometimes it seems to me that the more we ‘know’, the tougher life gets. Our certainty about situations can lead to a hardening of the ‘heart-eries’, and ultimately more stress and frustration.

Certainty says: This is good and that is bad, or I am right and you are wrong.

Certainty can lead us to repeat the same actions with greater force and speed, exhausting ourselves as we create ever more disappointing results.

If you’ve ever been stuck in a snowbank and continued to step on the gas, certain that just a few more spins of the tires will be sure to get you out, you know what I mean. It doesn’t work. You simply dig yourself a deeper hole. Things get worse, not better.

A more helpful way of ‘c’-ing can be to substitute curiosity for certainty.

Curiosity leads us to look more closely at what’s happening or not happening and invites us to experiment in new ways with the potential for better – or at least different – outcomes.

Action: The next time you find yourself rooted in certainty, try being more curious about other ideas and ways of being. (more…)

Reflection: When you interact with others, are you more likely to play the role of predator, partner or prey? They all have consequences – some more desirable than others.

I was lucky enough to hear communications consultant, Amy Carroll, share this model of communication (developed by Pat Kirkland) with a group of appreciative business mentors and protégés. If you struggle to effectively connect with the odd person in your world, you might find my recap of her main ideas helpful.

First off…P, P or P…what’s the diff? A predator speaks forcefully from a looming stance intending to dominate the conversation and win the day. A prey speaks hesitantly from a submissive stance intending to smooth rough spots and maintain harmony at all costs. A partner speaks respectfully from a poised stance intending to connect with confidence.

As you might guess, the partner approach (an equal share of confidence and competence) offers the best chance to build a respectful relationship and generate positive results.

There is both an outer and an inner element to each of these ways of interacting with others: the way we outwardly present ourselves, and the inner mindset we bring to the party.

Amy suggests that we work on both the inner and outer parts in low-stress situations, so that we build the physical and mental muscles to keep partnering even when we find ourselves under stress and pressure.

Action: To behave more like a partner, in the face of predator or prey behavior from others, try practising these actions: (more…)

I’m feeling the spirit of the season, and delighted to pass that good will – and savings – your way with the Take A Bow Seasonal Bundle.

To celebrate the booklet’s success and its third printing – and to help you celebrate this season of light – I have packaged up 12 bundles that each contain the following:

• 100 copies of Take A Bow
• One bonus copy of each of my other four publications: Take A Break, Press Pause…Press On, Press Pause…Think Again, and Sketches of Saskatoon
• Plus a bonus original PKatz watercolor painting surface mounted on a 6×8” mat ready for framing

Take A Bow is the perfect gift of encouragement for colleagues, employees, clients, friends and family. It offers simple, doable ways for people to feel better about who they are and what they do.

Take A Bow retails at 6.95 for a single copy. However, in the TAB Seasonal Bundle, it will be priced at 2.65/copy – its lowest price ever. Cheaper than a greeting card – with much more value and staying power. The bonus items (books and painting) are included at no extra cost for you to enjoy yourself or share with others. All told, it’s an $850 value.

The Take A Bow Seasonal Bundle is priced $294 (includes shipping and tax). The fine print?

• Only 12 bundles on offer.
• Only available in Canada.
• Order before December 24/2015.

Order your bundle today and delight others tomorrow!

This link takes you to the Seasonal Bundle order form. If you’d like to take a peek into all the publications, this link will take you to that info.

My Thoughts: I’m all for optimism and uplifting thoughts, but sometimes they don’t come easy, and sometimes simply choosing happy may not serve us well in the long run.

As we’ve seen with the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and so many other places in the world, frightening and unexpected events drop into people’s lives with no warning and dire consequences.

Those experiences fuel reactions and feelings that aren’t easily sidelined by substituting light and uplifting thoughts. Nor should we expect that to be the case.

A wise friend recently reminded me that sometimes we need to pause in the shadows to touch a fear that is all too real and oh so present. It matters that we take the time to be with those tougher emotions and not just speed through them or try to avoid them on our way to a lighter, brighter place.

A deeper understanding of what matters most to us springs from being present to both the dark and the light. (more…)

My Thoughts:

A recent weekend was chuck full of responsibilities, errands, duties, tasks, tidying, scrubbing, chores, jobs and more jobs. You name it, we did it! With a full life of your own, I’m sure you know what I mean.

It would have been easy to spend those hours in a state of irritation. I’ve done that in the past.

However, this time around, I decided to switch it up. I held this idea in mind instead: I’m grateful that I have a home to clean, a garden to maintain, and the strength to do both.

Same number of hours – totally different experience! (more…)

Reflection: What role are Teflon and Velcro playing in YOUR life?

Rick Hanson suggests that we add unnecessary stress to our lives by coating ourselves with Teflon for positive experiences and comments. We let the good stuff slide right off and disappear.

At the same time, we cover ourselves with Velcro for negative experiences and comments. We let the negatives sink their hooks into us. That makes it tough to shake them off.

According to Ruth Baczynski you can tell that Velcro is governing your life when you are quick to take offence, feel hurt and withdraw, or get angry and pick a battle.

In her view, we need to be less hyper-reactive – to jump less often to conclusions, to manufacture fewer crises from minor incidents, and stop letting ourselves be hooked by imagined slights.

Action: Pay close attention to your tendency to get hooked. Talk yourself down from those ledges of your own invention. (more…)

My Thoughts: “It only takes a spark to get a fire going; and soon all those around will warm up to its glowing.” That’s the opening line of a tune by Kurt Kaiser that may be familiar to many.

Once upon a time, in a life long ago, I adapted those lyrics in the form of a friendship song for a summer camp that I directed. From time to time, that tune still shows up as an earworm in my brain. I don’t mind. The words still ring as true today as they did back then.

When you are excited about something in your world, when you have a light in your eyes and even a most modest fire in your belly, the impact (on you and others around you) is both positive and contagious.

Your Thoughts: What’s lighting up your life these days? And if things are feeling just a tad dark and chilly, where and how might you find a way to strike a spark? (more…)