The Modern Observer Group

Aug102020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

You’re Out For Yourself. That’s Okay.

In "The Maltese Falcon" Caspar Gutman tells Sam Spade, "I do like a man who tells you right out he's looking out for himself. Don't we all? I don't trust a man who says he's not." We are all out for ourselves. The difference between being out for ourselves and being selfish is how you go about your business. There is a big difference between being selfish and "enlightened self-interest." When we do out jobs well or help someone out, we gain. Iy could be a feeling of accomplishment or pride. It could simply be our salary. It is human nature to want something for themselves. What holds people back is the impression that they need to be selfless. No is completely selfless. You don't need to feel guilty about that.…

Jul152020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

Increase Your Ability To Handle Uncertainty

Attitude and Mindset, Featured, Improvement

We are all dealing with unprecedented — and seemingly endless — uncertainty right now. While you may not have as much clarity as you’d like, you can avoid feeling disoriented by developing your “uncertainty capability” and reframing your outlook on the unknown. Some common reframes include: Learning. Ask yourself what you can learn from the situation rather than automatically viewing it as a setback.Games. Remember that you win some and lose some. You can think of things as a game. During a particularly challenging period, a friend of mine and I looked at things as a boxing match. Each week was one round and we would evaluate whether we won the round by how the week went. The important thing was that we geared up for the next round.Gratitude. Recognize what you already have…

Jul82020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

What Do You Have For Breakfast?

Attitude and Mindset, Featured, Process

For most Americans, breakfast consists of eggs, cereal, toast, fruit, a muffin, a smoothie, or something similar. We tend to get locked into habits that were created long ago. Most Americans don't consider having fish, rice, beans, etc. for breakfast even though they are common in other cultures. Our breakfast habits are deeply ingrained. The same goes for our work habits. People tend to follow the same routine. doing things the same way over and over. Having a process is necessary, but you also have to examine what you are doing. Don't let following a process turn into a rut. Whether in your work or your personal life, you need to change things up. Try something new: Whether it is having something new for breakfast, trying new food or going…

Jul62020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

Put Your Own Oxygen Mask On First

Attitude and Mindset, Featured

If you have been on a plane and paid attention to the emergency instructions, you have been told in case of emergency put your own oxygen mask on first. The reasoning is simple. If something happens to you, you can't help the people around you if they need it. The same advice applies to your every day life. You can’t help family, friends, colleagues, or employees if you don’t first take care of yourself. It is important that you practice self-care on a regular basis to keep yourself in good shape. Here are some steps to take: Rest: You need to make sure you are getting enough sleep. This isn't simply a matter of being in bed, you need to make sure you are getting restful sleep. Don't drink before bed.…

Jun192020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

Small Ways To Show Appreciation And Gratitude

Attitude and Mindset, Featured

You don’t need grand gestures to show your employees you appreciate them. Sometimes, it’s the little, everyday things that matter most. Start by checking in with each of your employees regularly. Give them the space to share what they’re doing or working on. You should also give balanced feedback. Praise is meaningful, but employees also want to know where they can improve. Just don’t give both types of feedback at once — clearly separate out the positive from the developmental. Offering growth opportunities or stretch assignments is another way to show employees they’re respected and valued. So take the time to explicitly discuss their potential. Lastly, make appreciation a habit. Try to build it into your regular routines, perhaps by spending the first 15 minutes of your week writing a…

Jun152020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

Is Your Business Mask Worthy?

Attitude and Mindset, Featured, Process

In an episode of "Seinfeld" Elaine found out that her favorite contraceptive had been discontinued. Needing to stretch her supply she evaluated every man she met to see if he was "sponge worthy." In today's world, people are being required to wear masks in stores, offices, amusement parks, etc. While useful, these masks are uncomfortable and annoying to wear. If people are spending time in your business, you need to make sure the experience you create is mask worthy. If you need your customer to come to a physical location, you now have to deal with the physical distancing and masks that COVID-19 has thrust upon us. Many people would rather wait to go to businesses than wear the mask. You have to be able to create a compelling reason…

Jun82020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

The Certainty Of Uncertainty

Attitude and Mindset, Featured, Process

You have probably heard the statement many times. It's usually phrased something like, "We don't have visibility," or "the level of uncertainty makes us nervous." People are nervous because we live in uncertain times. The fact of the matter: we always live with uncertainty. There are always circumstances that you cannot predict. An accident on the freeway, a storm suddenly changes direction, a speeding car crashes into a power line shutting down your electricity. Did you see these coming? Of course not. The best of us, however, have emergency plans. A backup generator, a hurricane preparedness plan, etc., but unless you have a crystal ball, you don't know what is actually going to happen. The fact is for every situation there are two outcomes: It goes well or it goes…

Jun12020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

What Impossible Thing Will You Do?

Attitude and Mindset, Featured

On Saturday, May 30th SpaceX and NASA launched astronauts to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral. It was the first time in almost a decade that a manned launch took place on American soil and the first time a commercially owned rocket launched with a crew. It was the culmination of years of work and the accomplishment of something that was once deemed impossible. From the day Elon Musk launched SpaceX people said what he was trying was impossible. It was impossible for such a small company to accomplish its tasks. It was impossible to create a reusable rocket. It was impossible to land a rocket on a ship. It was impossible to lower the costs of space travel. SpaceX accomplished the impossible. So how many times have you…

May292020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

Feeling Happy (or Sad) Affects Your Productivity

Attitude and Mindset, Featured

Does happiness make people more productive? Yes, say researchers at the University of Warwick and IZA. In a series of experiments, randomly selected individuals who were made happier exhibited approximately 12% greater productivity, as measured by a standardized task of correctly adding combinations of numbers for 10 minutes. In one experiment, a comedy movie clip was played to a group of subjects. Their subsequent productivity was found to be substantially greater (approximately 13%) than the control group that did not see the clip. In another experiment, the researchers gave treatment subjects chocolate, fruit, and drinks. Those subjects’ productivity was higher, by approximately 15%, than the control group’s. A fourth experiment found that subjects who had recently experienced a family tragedy, such as recent bereavement, were noticeably less happy and less productive. To find…

May152020 by Modern Observer GroupNo Comments

Protect Your Non-Work Time

Attitude and Mindset, Featured

Some jobs have very clear lines between when you’re “on” and when you’re “off.” But when you work in a role where the lines are blurred — or potentially nonexistent — it’s important to protect your non-work time. If you feel like work is taking over most of your waking hours, start by clearly defining what “after hours” means for you. Take into account the number of hours you’re expected to work each week, as well as personal commitments like taking your kids to school, making a certain train, or attending an exercise class you really enjoy. When do you need to start and stop to put in the appropriate amount of work time? Then, develop mental clarity about what needs to get done and when you will do it.…