In traveling around the country as I speak, I’m often asked about my philosophy of life. My answer is always the same in that “I live every day like I’m going to die tomorrow, but learn every day like I’m going to live forever.”

When you stop learning, you stop growing and you lose the edge. I know we’ve all met people who think they know it all. They sit in corner offices with their feet propped up on the desk or ride around in big cars turning their noses up at others. Guess what? They are in deep “doo-doo”!

Once you think you’re great, you are no longer great. You see, what you did yesterday is soon forgotten. What you do today and tomorrow will determine your greatness and future success.

Know Yourself

Nobody knows you better than you know yourself. We all know our strengths and weaknesses, although at times we have trouble ’fessing up to where we need help. Work on those things that need improvement and make it a goal to “raise the bar” a little bit every day.

A few years ago, a major bank had the slogan ‘being the best is a lifetime job.’ Truer words were never spoken. The key is to trust in yourself and your abilities. They will carry you as far as you let them. Know that the only limitations you have are those that you place upon yourself.

Know Your Job

Isn’t it nice to work with someone who’s a pro at what they do. In my mind the word PRO is an acronym for Professional, Responsive, and Organized. When you are, others sense it right away. They look up to you and know that you stand head and shoulders above the crowd. Most of all, they know they can count on you to always follow through. What a great feeling that is.

Know Your People

The greatest leaders I’ve met are those that get to know the people they interact with. You don’t need a title to be a leader. All you need do is treat others with dignity and respect, let them know they make a difference, and give them the freedom to express themselves. Remember that the best communicators are not the best talkers; they are the best listeners. Make it a goal to see the organization through the eyes of your teammates. Walk in their shoes and get a sense of what they experience on a daily basis. In doing this, you’ll get a great feel for their job and the highs and lows they experience.

KNOW or NO? When you’re in the know, your mind is open to explore new challenges and opportunities, but when you say NO, you’ve closed the door and there is no way you can accomplish what you set out to do.

NO, NO, NO is not being in the KNOW.

To MD NEWS and OM web for posting 1/9/08