Welcome to the Truth@Life Blog Site by Curtis Songer


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There are 5 threads of thought in this blog site:
1. Church Stuff - things pertaining to the evangelical Christian Church of today
2. Leadership Corner - concepts on management & leadership
3. Two Becoming One - principles of marriage enrichment
4. Train Up a Child - principles of parenting
5. Personal Thoughts - my mental ramblings on how God is growing me

I highly recommend you find an entry on one of these topics that interests you and click on that label at the end of that entry. It will bring up all the entries on that particular category. And be sure to check out the great web site links in the lower right corner of this page - Enjoy!

Friday, May 30, 2014

The New Truth@Life Web Site is Up & Running!

Check out my new web site at www.truthatlife.com. The new web site for Truth@Life is up and running! It describes my coaching & consulting business and all the services we offer. Even though we serve clients all over North America via Skype and FaceTime, we have grown and expanded with coaches now on the ground in Detroit and New York City. In addition, future coaches may soon be added in Chicago, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Truth@Life is all about transformational change - both personal and professional. The one constancy is this world is constant change. Truth@Life coaches are experts in change - change that is both transformational and change that is permanent. If you are seeking change in any of the following areas, we are the coaches for you: 1. Career Planning & Transition Management; 2. Professional & Leadership Development; 3. Emotional Intelligence & Relationship Management; 4. Effective Decision Making; 5. Priority & Time Management; 6. Organizational Consulting - Business Coaching & Entrepreneurship; 7. Organizational Panning for Non-Profits. Organizations and individuals have a lot in common. They have a personality (core identity) all their own. When decisions are made that honor that identity good things happen. When they don't, the individual or organization loses its way. Both people and organizations also have unique strengths and weaknesses. It can be difficult at times to identify and optimally leverage the strengths, as well as overcome the weaknesses. They both need to focus on their strengths; they will never excel in their weaknesses. Both live in a world of constant change. The more effective they anticipate and prepare for that change, the more effective they will become. Truth@Life uses a proprietary transformation process and set of tools called ACHIEVE, to uniquely develop and implement the best possible action plan to successfully move an individual or organization to achieve its goals and make the transformation permanent. Truth@Life coaches are senior veterans of individual coaching and organizational consulting. They are skilled in defining the current core identity, recognizing the strengths and weaknesses, identifying the future possibilities, crafting the best path to successful transformation, assisting with the actual transformation, and ensuring the transformation is permanent. Is there a need for change in your life? Read more at http://www.truthatlife.com/. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. And for more info on how we can help, check out our new web site at http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Transitioning From the Corporate World to Self-Employment (Part 2)

Continued from yesterday... By 2030, there will be more self-employed people in the workforce that there will be full-time employees. Are you prepared for this new economy? Once you understand why you need a business plan, you’ve got to spend some time doing your homework by gathering the information you need to create one. Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get everything down on paper. There are seven essential sections of a business plan. Key elements of a great business plan include: 1. Business Concept; 2. Marketing & Sales Plan; 3. Organizational Plan; 4. Operating Plan; 5. Current Business Position & Outlook; 6. Major Achievements; 7. Financial Features. But a great business plan alone will not ensure business success. Much more importantly, there must be a process for Assessing where you are today, Assessing where you want to be in the future (by defining Mission/Vision/Values & aligning those with Goal Setting & Strategic Planning), then developing supporting Action Plans (the plans mentioned in #2, 3, & 4 above), and finally, implementing the processes and systems that will make the future state a reality. What’s interesting to note is that this Business Coaching process for organizations is not much different from the process for Life Coaching an organization. In fact, dynamic synergies result when you put the two processes together: Business Coaching a small to mid-sized organization with Life Coaching for the owner(s) and the management team. It turns out that, due to the organic nature of businesses, they respond much like a living organism. And when the living organisms that manage the organization are transforming along with it, amazing results are achieved. I have developed a unique, proprietary process for coaching both simultaneously. Thinking of starting your own business? Considering a transition from the corporate world to self-employment? Read more at http://www.truthatlife.com/. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Transitioning From the Corporate World to Self-Employment

By 2030, there will be more self-employed people in the workforce that there will be full-time employees. Are you prepared for this new economy? Corporations today are doing several things to make self-employment for attractive than ever. First they are flattening their organizational structure, providing fewer opportunities for getting promoted and moving up to a more senior level. Second, as they are retiring employees at a younger age. Most corporations now are targeting age 55 with severance and early retirement packages. Third, as they eliminate the jobs at the top, they only create new lower-paying positions at the entry level. Fourth, lacking faith in the economy and their sales/marketing functions, there is a conscious decision by most corporations to under-employ. That means they plan to staff a maximum of 80% of the employees they think they will need and fill in the gap with sub-contractors. This makes down-turns in the business much easier to manage. These strategic forces are combining to move our economy to one where there will be more self-employed people in the workforce than there are full-time employees by 2030. Will you be one of them? Do you have what it takes to be self-employed? The answer to this question is a function of several things: your personality and gifting, your marketable skills and abilities, your passion for autonomy, your financial situation, your energy levels, etc. These “soft side” issues are really more important than your knowledge for how to get started. But once you have assessed that you do have what it takes to be an entrepreneur, you have to get organized. That takes the form of developing a business plan. To be continued tomorrow... Thinking of starting your own business? Considering a transition from the corporate world to self-employment? Read more at http://www.truthatlife.com/. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, May 22, 2014

FREE Relationship Management & Emotional Intelligence Workshops

If you are in the Pittsburgh area, we are now conducting free information sessions over a two-week period to assist individuals with relationship management & emotional intelligence. These sessions are ideal for anyone interested in improving their skills in managing relationship either personally or professionally. The local free information sessions will be ideal for anyone you may know who may be one of the following situations: 1. Do you have difficulty communicating with your spouse, children, supervisor, and/or co-workers? 2. Do you feel underappreciated or disrespected in your relationships and ineffective at changing the situation? 3. Do people have unrealistic expectations of you? 4. Have you lost hope for a better tomorrow? 5. Do you have difficulty managing your emotions and are you sometimes shocked by what you say to someone else? 6. Are you in need of relational boundaries in your life? 7. Do you struggle with anger and resolving conflict? 8. Are you disappointed in the way the important relationships in your life are turning out? 9. Do your feelings sometimes control your actions? 10. Are you stressed to the point of being ready to quit and walk away? The sessions will be held at the following times and locations. Please help me spread the word! Panera Bread in Ross Park, 7217 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA, on 22-May, at 6pm; Panera Bread in Cranberry, 20111 Route 19, Cranberry Township, on 28-May, at 6pm; Panera Bread in Mt. Lebanon, 1500 Washington Road, Galleria Mall, on 29-May, at 6pm; Panera Bread in Monroeville, 4172 William Penn Highway, Monroeville, PA, on 2-June, at 6pm. For more information go to http://www.truthatlife.com/ or contact: Curtis Songer, Principal, Truth@Life, curtis.songer@gmail.com, 248-396-6255.

How to Change Your Job Before Your Employer Does It for You (Part 3)

Continued from yesterday... Reasons to consider why you should stay with your current employer: 1. You need to give your employer and job a chance. It can take about six months for you to go through training in a new job. If you depart after a year, you haven’t received much experience at all. If you don’t give yourself enough time at your job, you’ll never be trusted with more important projects that can help build your career. 2. It looks bad to switch jobs every year. Companies won’t invest in you if they know that you’re going to be a job hopper. They are looking for loyal employees who could become the next generation of leaders. Employers look down on resumes that depict job hopping for this very reason. ”Even in a focused search through recruiters I’m always looking to eliminate the job hopper,” says Mark Suster, a Partner at GRP Partners. “You’re probably disloyal. You don’t have staying power.” 3. It’s going to be very challenging finding a new job. Sometimes you just need to be happy with the job you have because so many people are unemployed. Many companies aren’t hiring now and the amount of time you spend job searching could be better utilized becoming a better and more valuable employee. 4. You will have to rebuild an internal network. When you work for a company for several years, you start to become well-known and highly connected there. You work with people in different departments, geographies, age brackets and positions. By formulating this network, you become more valuable and more productive. You learn about who inside your company can help you solve problems or accomplish projects. When you change employers, your network resets and you have to start investing time and energy in new relationships. If you decide it is time to change your job before your employer does it for you, you need to do some serious career planning. You may be in a situation where you are fully committed at work and but your gifting may not be the best fit. This may call for a new professional position, consistent with your skills and abilities, either inside or outside your present organization. In addition, this position may, or may not be, related to prior industries or functional areas you have worked in. What is important is that the new position be consistent with your Core DESIGN in order to guarantee long-term fulfillment and success: D = Driving Motivators E = Experiences: Life Lessons Learned from Life Experiences S = Specialized Skills & Strengths I = Interests & Passions G = Unique Gifting (talents) N = Natural Personality Are you struggling to determine whether you should stay with your present company, change to a new job, or perhaps even start your own business? Truth@Life can assist you with a simple 12-step process to navigate this journey, identify your Core DESIGN, develop and implement a career plan, and lead to a very positive outcome. Read more at http://www.truthatlife.com/ or Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

How to Change Your Job Before Your Employer Does It for You (Part 2)

The average person today changes jobs every 3 years. They go through a complete re-tooling and change careers every 10 years. Some of this is by choice. Unfortunately, some is not... Continued from yesterday… Why you should change employers: 1. You can move up faster and command a higher salary. Sometimes the best way to move up is to move out. In the Experience.com study, 54% believe that career advancement opportunities are more important than salary. The number one reason they are changing employers is because they aren’t advancing fast enough. In addition, millennials expect their average annual salary at their first job to be between $50,000 to $75,000, a sum few entry-level employees can command. It could take at least a year to get a raise because you have to wait for annual performance reviews. 2. You want to change careers altogether. If you decide that you want to go back to school to pursue an entirely different career, then it makes sense to quit your job if you’re financially able to. This is especially important if your company doesn’t have open positions in your new field because you won’t have a future there if you make the change. 3. Your relationship with your boss is toxic. If you and your manager don’t get along and you’ve tried everything possible to create a strong working relationship, then it might be time to leave. This can happen if they are untrustworthy, are taking credit for your hard work or just don’t show you any respect. Your manager has a major impact on your career success at work so if you can’t get along after an extended period of time, it’s going to hurt you. 4. Your life situation has changed. You could get married, have children, buy a house or want to start your own company. Your current salary and position at work might not support your life changes and aspirations any longer. For instance, your wife might have to move to a different state or country for work, and if you’re unable to do remote work, then you will be searching for a new job. Why you should stay with your employer... To be continued tomorrow... Are you struggling to determine whether you should stay with your present company, change to a new job, or perhaps even start your own business? Read more at http://www.truthatlife.com/. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

How to Change Your Job Before Your Employer Does It for You

The average person today changes jobs every 3 years. They go through a complete re-tooling and change careers every 10 years. Some of this is by choice. Unfortunately, some is not. For those who choose to change, the most common reasons are to get better pay, to leave a “bad boss”, to get out of a toxic environment (e.g., bad relationships with co-workers), to seek better work/life balance and less stress, and seek a more fulfilling job. For those who are forced into unemployment, the reasons given by management are economic downturns, poor performance, and the need to replace older, more costly employees with younger, cheaper employees. Some of these reasons are bogus. But whatever the case, this is becoming more common every year with layoffs at some major companies as frequent as every 3 months. Do any of these sound familiar: 1. Do you feel your talents are not well utilized and you’re not as productive as you would like to be? 2. Do you need more time in the day or do you need better work/life balance? 3. Do you lack well-documented long-term goals that you consistently achieve? 4. Is there room for improvement in your relationships with your supervisor, and/or co-workers? 5. Do you have difficulty influencing and motivating others to your way of thinking? 6. Does your life lack purpose and meaning; are you disappointed in the way it is turning out? 7. Are there rumors of cost reductions and potential layoffs at work? These are all signs that it might be time to change your job before your employer does it for you. But how do you know if you should change jobs? The following are some pros and cons to changing employers.... To be continued tomorrow... Are you struggling to determine whether you should stay with your present company, change to a new job, or perhaps even start your own business? Read more at http://www.truthatlife.com/. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Starting Out In Your Career - Doing It Right the First Time (part 2)

Continued from yesterday... The average professional starting out today will change jobs at least 12 times & do a major re-tooling of their career 4 times. Why is this? Answer: Schools are not equipped with the proper staff or tools to help guide the student to a career that will be not only the most professionally rewarding, but also personally fulfilling for a lifetime. The high school process is focused on “aptitude”, measuring a student’s skills and abilities in particular subjects. However, long-term success in a career is not nearly as highly correlated to skills and abilities as it is to matching fields of study to personality, gifting, interests, and driving motivators. The high school guidance system does little to address these greater predictors of success and fulfillment. The situation is even worse for the young person who elects not to go to college. As mentioned earlier, those that do not go to college leave home on average at age 31 and cost their parents an average of $30,000. It is further interesting to note that as parents, we tend to begin channeling our young people into focusing on one sport as early as age 8 and often have them exclusively dedicated to that single sport by the time they reach age 12. Does it really make sense that we expend so much time and effort on guiding them in their chosen field of sports, a 4-year decision (college athletics), and so little time and effort guiding them into their chosen career, a 40-year decision! To address this issue, I have developed a 5-step process to assist young people and their parents with this process: • Step 1 = Discovering their Core DESIGN (where D = Driving motivators, E = Experiences & life lessons, S = Specialized skills & education, I = Interests & passions, G = Gifting & talents, N = Natural personality) • Step 2 = Developing a Life Plan (Life Mission, Values, & Vision) • Step 3 = Vocational Fit Analysis (includes approximately 1000 possible occupations) • Step 4 = Major & College Analysis (includes assessment of majors at 3800 various colleges and universities) • Step 5 = Final Selection (an objective assessment of the short list using 40 points of decision-making criteria) In order to help prevent your kids from living in your house until age 30 & beyond, you need to help them find the guidance that will launch them forward into the world. These young people need assistance identifying their strengths and gifting in order to select a career path that will lead not only to financial success, but also long-term personal fulfillment. Are you struggling to deterrmine what the best career path in life is for you? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, May 17, 2014

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Starting Out In Your Career - Doing It Right the First Time

The average professional starting out today will change jobs at least 12 times & do a major re-tooling of their career 4 times. How do you get started? Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the average American will have about nine jobs between the ages of 18 and 32. The average professional starting out today with do a major re-tooling of their career, switching industries at least 4 times in their career. How is a young person supposed to get off to a solid start? Thirty years ago the average young person left home by age 19. Today, those that go to college leave home on average by age 23 and cost their parents a minimum of an extra $21,000. Those that do not go to college leave home on average at age 31 and cost their parents an average of $30,000. In both cases, these extra costs generally come right out of (or never go into) the parents’ retirement funds. But what is much more tragic is that these young people are getting a slower start in life in their families and careers. Also, studies show that they suffer from low self-esteem issues, social issues, and a more significant lack of fulfillment in the careers they eventually select. To illustrate my point, recent studies have shown that only 50% of graduating high school seniors enter college having already decided on their major. Of those that are decided, 60% will change their major one or more times after their first semester in college. This means that 80% of high school graduating seniors decide on their final major after they get to college. The end result is that the average student is now taking 5.5 years to get a 4-year, undergraduate degree. This equates to over $21,000 in wasted tuition for the parents, not to mention the extra 1.5 years of their young person’s life. Why is this? Answer: To Be continued tomorrow... Are you struggling to deterrmine what the best career path in life is for you? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, May 16, 2014

Supporting Another Leader's Vision (Part 3)

Continued from yesterday... There are a number of ways people respond when leaders cast their vision and attempt to enlist them. The following continues our progression from the most negative to the most positive: 5. Champion It – Take the Leader’s Vision & Make it a Reality: Vision may begin with one person, but it is accomplished only through the efforts of many people. A good leader strives to take the top leader’s vision and move it from “me” to “we”. A famous leader once said, “The prospects never looked brighter and the problems never looked tougher. Anyone who isn’t stirred by both of those statements is too tired to be of much use to us in the days ahead.” Leaders who don’t accept the vision neither champion it nor transfer it to their followers. As a result, these leaders never contribute much to the overall success of the organization. 6. Add Value to It: The most positive response to a leader’s vision is to go beyond championing it and to actually add value to it. At that point, the vision becomes something more. It has greater value to the leader, greater value to the recipients of the vision, and greater value to the person who contributed to it. Not everyone gets the opportunity to add value to the vision. There is a prerequisite to getting the opportunity to do it, and that is championing the vision as it already exists. Once you have begun to add value to the vision, then you are no longer championing someone else’s vision; you are championing a vision to which you have contributed. If you are in the middle of an organization and struggling to support and implement someone else's vision, Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Supporting Another Leader's Vision (Part 2)

Continued from yesterday... There are a number of ways people respond when leaders cast their vision and attempt to enlist them. The following represents a progression from the most negative to the most positive: 2. Ignore It – Do Your Own Thing: Some people may not attack the vision, but they don’t support it either. Instead, they pretend it doesn’t exist and they do their own thing. Leaders cannot do this and still maintain their integrity and effectiveness. One possible example: A manager has an employee who comes to work in clothing that violates company policy. The manager is asked to confront the employee. But the manager does not agree with the policy. This manager needs to confront the employee in a way that supports his leader, despite the fact that he agrees with the employee. 3. Abandon It – Leave the Organization: If the vision violates your principles or doesn’t align to what you value deep down, leaving the organization may be an appropriate action for you. Sometimes that is the best option – to leave with honor. That way, the leader in the middle is neither undermining the vision, nor is he endorsing something with which he cannot agree. However, if the leader leaves for the wrong reasons, he may find himself in a similar situation in his next organization. He should always make sure he is leaving based on his values and not for selfishness, pride, or ego. 4. Adapt to It – Find a Way to Align with the Vision: A good employee finds a way to align himself with the vision of the organization. This can often be the case when an employee is given a task that he does not feel significantly contributes to the company’s vision. Instead of sulking or complaining, he should approach his leader to talk about the issue. Together, they may discover significant ways his job function can add greater value to the organization. Perhaps it is a way to do the task in a more cost efficient manner. This will not only further the cause of the vision, but can also add greater fulfillment to the employee. When the vision of the leader in the middle of the organization doesn’t align with that of top leadership, low job satisfaction is always the result. When the two do align, the opposite is true. If you are in the middle of an organization and struggling to support and implement someone else's vision, Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Supporting Another Leader's Vision

What would you rather do: See your own vision put into action and come to fruition, or help others fulfill theirs? For people who want to lead, the answer is usually the former. Rare is the leader who is comfortable "leading from the second chair." Leaders see possibilities and they want to seize them. Most of the time they would rather work to fulfill their own vision than someone else’s – unless that other leader’s vision is really compelling and captivating. Most leaders, however, face the challenge of being a champion for a vision other than their own. In fact, the reality is that all the people in the organization other than the top leader are going to be asked to fulfill a vision that was not their own. Even though your own vision may excite you more than someone else’s, to get the opportunity to pursue your own dreams, you will almost certainly have to succeed in achieving the dreams of others. There are a number of ways people respond when leaders cast a vision and attempt to enlist the support of others. The following represents a progression from the most negative to the most positive: 1. Attack It – Criticize & Sabotage the Vision Not everyone is going to buy into the vision of an organization, even if it is compelling, and even if the leader does a fantastic job of communicating it. That’s just a fact and it isn’t always because the people are bad followers. In many cases it is because the leaders fail to communicate the vision and/or connect with the workers. The following are the most common reasons people fail to adopt a worthy vision: They didn’t help create it. They don’t understand it. They don’t agree with it. They don’t know the vision. They feel unneeded to achieve it. They aren’t ready for it. Do any of these describe your situation? Are you being asked to support and implement the vision of another leader? This blog will be continued tomorrow with the second response many people have to a vision they did not create: Ignore it. If you are in the middle of an organization and struggling to support and implement someone else's vision, Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Want to Go Places (Part 5)?

Continued from yesterday - the final blog on this topic... It has been said, “The person who keeps busy helping the one who is below him, won’t have time to envy the person who is above him.” Here are some additional ideas on how you can develop an attitude of contentment and fulfillment for where you are in the organization... 5. Put the team above your personal success: When the stakes are high, good team members put the success of the team ahead of their own personal gains. An excellent example of this can be seen from the actions of two high-profile leaders of the British government during World War II – Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. These two leaders could not have been more different. Churchill was a member of the conservative party, Attlee of the labor party. Churchill was fierce, fiery, and proud. Attlee was quiet and non-assuming. Churchill is quoted as having said of Attlee: “He is a modest man with much to be modest about.” Yet the two men served together admirably during the war for the sake of England. When Churchill was made the Prime Minister of England in 1940, he chose Attlee as a member of his war cabinet, eventually naming him deputy prime minister. In fact, Attlee was the only other person besides Churchill to serve in the war cabinet for the entire war. One of the keys to England’s winning the war was that both leaders put the country’s best interests above their own political ambitions. The depth of the two men’s differences concerning leadership and government became more obvious after the war in 1945, when the two opposed each other in the election for prime minister. Churchill was defeated by Attlee. These two leaders did what they thought was right, both during the war and after it. They put the nation ahead of their personal gain. As a result, the people of England won. That’s what leadership is really all about – it’s about helping others to win. That’s much more important than where you are on the organizational chart. As a leader, are you finding it difficult to be fulfilled where you are? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Want to Go Places (Part 4)?

Continued from yesterday... It has been said, “The person who keeps busy helping the one who is below him, won’t have time to envy the person who is above him.” Here are some additional ideas on how you can develop an attitude of contentment and fulfillment for where you are in the organization... 3. Engage in continual communication: One of the frustrations of leaders who aren’t in front or on top is that they are several steps removed from the source of the organization’s vision. And since the vision is constantly being shaped and formed, it’s important to engage in continual communication. If you’re “in” on the vision and continually keeping up-to-date, then you won’t be blindsided by changes or demoralized by being out of the loop. As a leader in the middle of the organization, being the recipient of communication is important, but equally or more important is communicating up. And that takes a great deal of effort because it does not occur naturally. It takes effort and intentionality. As you interact with your leaders, let them know how you are advancing the vision. 4. Gain experience and maturity: It has been said, “The arrogance of the young is the direct result of not having known enough consequences. The turkey that greedily approaches the farmer day after day as he tosses him grain is not wrong. It's just that no one ever told him about Thanksgiving.” Maturity doesn’t come automatically. Maturity does not come with age; it begins with the acceptance of responsibility. When you begin looking at your life and work with more experience and a longer-term view, being in front doesn’t seem as important. Focusing on the responsibilities with which you are entrusted wherever you are, and completing them with excellence, brings greater fulfillment than the position, title, or prestige one gets from being on the top. To be continued... As a leader, are you finding it difficult to be fulfilled where you are? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, May 9, 2014

Another Update from Curtis Songer - FREE Leadership & Professional Development Workshops

If you are in the Pittsburgh area, free information sessions over a two-week period to assist individuals with leadership and professional development. These will be ideal sessions for anyone interested in improving their skills professionally for career advancement and promotion opportunities. But these leadership skills also apply equally at home for being a better spouse, parent, or sibling. Sociologists tell us that we will all influence at least 10,000 people in our lifetime – so these influencing skills are critically important for everyone. The local free information sessions will be ideal for anyone you may know who may be one of the following situations: 1. Their talents are not utilized and they’re not as productive as they would like to be. 2. They are stressed & need better work/life balance. 3. Their present boss just doesn't understand them &/or they need to figure out how to get the next promotion. 4. They lack well-documented long-term goals that they consistently achieve. 5. There room for improvement in their relationships with their spouse, children, supervisor, and/or co-workers. 6. They have difficulty influencing and motivating others to their way of thinking. 7. Those who simply want to improve their leadership skills. The sessions will be held at the following times and locations. Please help me spread the word! Panera Bread, Oakland 3800 Forbes Avenue, Oakland, PA, 10-May @ 11am; Panera Bread, Ross Park 7217 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA, 12-May @ 6pm; Panera Bread, Cranberry 20111 Route 19, Cranberry Township, 14-May @ 6pm; Panera Bread, Mt. Lebanon 1500 Washington Road, Galleria Mall, 17-May @ 11am; Panera Bread, Monroeville 4172 William Penn Highway, Monroeville, PA, 19-May @ 6pm. For more information, contact: Curtis Songer Principal, Truth@Life Leadership & Professional Development 248-396-6255 curtis.songer@gmail.com

Want to Go Places (Part 3)?

It has been said, “The person who keeps busy helping the one who is below him, won’t have time to envy the person who is above him.” The right attitude is absolutely essential to contentment in the middle of an organization. Indeed, leadership is more about disposition than position. With the right attitude and the right skills, you can influence others from wherever you are in the organization. You can develop an attitude of contentment and fulfillment for where you are in the organization by doing the following five things... 1. Develop strong relationships with key people: It’s more important to get along with people than it is to get ahead of them. If you make it your goal to reach out to others and build relationships with them, you will derive fulfillment wherever you are. And whatever you do, don’t give up too easily on others if at first you don’t like them or easily connect with them. You may be surprised by how, over time, a potential adversary can become an ally. 2. Define wins in terms of teamwork: Legendary basketball coach John Wooden said, “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.” In other words, teamwork is what creates success, and we shouldn’t lose sight of that. One player may be crucial to a team but one player cannot make a team. When I think of someone who created a win using teamwork, I think of John Wooden. Anyone who values teamwork, and saw Wooden's teams play, remembers them. More ideas on developing an attitude of contentment and fulfillment for where you are in the organization tomorrow... As a leader, are you finding it difficult to be fulfilled where you are? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Want to Go Places (Part 2)?

Continued from yesterday... There are advantages to being in front or on top of an organization. Here are some additional reasons why leaders like to be “out front”... 3. Leaders in front get to determine the direction: Many believe that the leader in front controls many things within the organization. The truth is, there are many things he cannot control. For example, the only people who have total control in their lives are those that don’t lead anything. They are accountable only to themselves, not others. But this is a fallacy, because everybody leads somebody or something, including themselves. Good leaders get to control mainly two things: direction and timing. Unfortunately, if they aren’t leading well, they can’t even control those two things. 4. Leaders can set the pace: Leaders love progress. It’s one of their primary motivations. As a leader, you probably love moving forward, and the faster, the better. But that can also work against you. If you are running so far ahead that your people can’t follow, then your organization won’t succeed. Achievers (like me) often cross the finish line first, but leaders rarely do. A good leader’s success comes from bringing others across the finish line with them. Unfortunately, the journey with others is slower than the journey alone. That’s true in every area of life where you are trying to lead. A trip to the grocery store is much faster when you go alone than when you take your children. A business trip with colleagues is never as fast as one by yourself (e.g., It can take 30 minutes just to get everyone to agree on a place to eat!). As a leader, you may be able to model the behavior you desire in others, but you will not be able to go as quickly as you want. The only people who may fight for progress the way you do, and want to move quickly, will probably be other good leaders. 5. Leaders enjoy being in on the action: Because leaders like to make things happen, they always enjoy being where the action is. But many times that is not at the top or in front of an organization. Major decisions are made in those places, but usually the action really occurs in the middle of the organization. That’s where most of the exciting activity is. As a leader, are you finding it difficult to be fulfilled where you are? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Want To Go Places?

Wherever people find themselves in life, they usual possess a natural desire to move up. They typically want greater recognition. They may want to make more money. They may want to live in a better home. They probably want to improve and advance. Leaders are no different. They generally want to move up rather than stay put. They want to make a greater impact. They want to be at the front of the pack or the top of an organization, especially early in their lives and careers. But is being out in front really all that it’s cracked up to be? There are advantages to being in front or on top of an organization. But the same things that can benefit leaders can also make leadership difficult. It is almost always a double-edged sword, and anyone who sees only the positives without recognizing the negatives is either naïve or inexperienced. Here are some reasons why leaders like to be “out front”... 1. The front is the most recognized position for a leader: Everyone enjoys praise and recognition. It has been said, “If each of us were to confess his/her most secret desire, the one that inspires all his/her plans and actions, s/he would say, ‘I want to be praised.’” And since leaders, who are the most visible, often receive the credit when a job is well done, many people desire to become leaders. But recognition isn't always what it is cracked up to be. When things go wrong, the person recognized as responsible is also the leader. When a football team has a losing season, the coach gets the blame. When a baseball team keeps losing games, the manager gets fired. When the big account doesn’t sign on with the company, the person leading the effort is held responsible. Being in front can be good for your ego, but it can also cost you your job. 2. The view is better from the front: A newscaster once conducted an interview with an accomplished mountain climber. The journalist asked, “Why do you climb mountains? The mountain climber looked at the newsman and replied, “It’s obvious that you’ve never been to the top of a mountain.” The view from the top of a mountain is incredible – it’s thrilling. The perspective is uniquely amazing, especially if it can only be reached by climbing. Similarly, it’s often hard to read the “organizational scoreboard” from the middle of the pack. It’s much easier to see it when you are at the top of the organization. There is a perspective one has from the front (aka, the top) of an organization that cannot be had from anywhere else. But with that perspective comes responsibility. If you see problems that can threaten to derail the organization, harm employees, or cheat customers, you have a responsibility to try to resolve them – no matter how messy, costly, or difficult it is. Leaders at the front don’t have the freedom to neglect what their position allows them to see. As a leader, are you finding it difficult to be fulfilled where you are? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Sunday, May 4, 2014

All Leaders Have Ego (Part 2)

The fact that leaders in the middle of the organization are often hidden – and as a result they often don’t get the credit or recognition they deserve – can be a real ego buster. The challenge is to be a team player and remain content while contributing. Continued yesterday, here are some additional tips for doing that... 3. Find satisfaction in knowing the real reason for the success of a project: In his book, Good to Great, author Jim Collins writes about “level 5” leaders. These leaders usually led their organizations quietly and humbly. They were much more effective than the flashy, charismatic, high-profile leaders. One of the reasons that’s true is that these leaders understood that they didn’t really deserve all the credit for the success of their organization. The success came mainly from the people who got the work done – especially the leaders in the middle of the organization. When you do a job well, and you know the impact of the work that you did, that should give you great satisfaction and should motivate you. When you know you’re making a significant contribution, you need less external motivation. The definition of high morale is: “I make a difference.” 4. Embrace the compliments of others in the middle of the pack: There is no higher compliment than acknowledgement and appreciation from someone whose circumstances, position, or experience is similar to yours. A musician may enjoy a compliment from a fan, but praise from another accomplished musician means more. When an entrepreneur says someone is good at spotting an opportunity, you believe him/her. Likewise, when someone else who is leading from the middle of the organization tells you, “Well done,” you should take it to heart. Novelist Mark Twain once said, “One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.” Everyone enjoys kind word from the boss, and many seek them out. But the praise of a colleague who’s walked in your shoes really does mean more. 5. Understand the difference between self-promotion and selfless promotion: Sir Isaac Newton discovered the laws of gravity in the 1600s. When he introduced those laws to the scientific world, it revolutionized astronomical studies. But if it weren’t for Edmund Halley, Newton would not have been recognized as a great scientist. Halley was a sounding board for Newton’s ideas, he challenged Newton’s assumptions, he corrected Newton’s mathematical calculations, and he even drafted geometric diagrams to support Newton’s work. When Newton was hesitant to publish his ideas, Halley first convinced him to write the manuscript, then edited it and supervised its publication. Halley even financed the printing of it. The final work, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, made Newton one of the most highly regarded thinkers in history. Halley understood the difference between self-promotion and selfless promotion. It was more important to him to see Newton’s ideas shared than to receive personal recognition for helping him. He knew how important those ideas were, and he wanted to get them out into the world. That’s what people do who understand selfless promotion. Self-promotion says, “If you don’t toot your own horn, no one else will toot it for you.” Selfless promotion says, “I just want to help the team make beautiful music!” Tim Sanders, author of Love is the Killer App, talks about the abundance mind-set. This was an idea promoted by Stephen Covey over a decade earlier. It states that there are plenty of resources, credit, and opportunities to go around. In fact, it is a scarcity mind-set that is at the root of most conflict. Leaders that excel in the middle of the pack have an abundance mind-set. And if you lead well from the middle of an organization, you won’t stay there forever. Good leadership always gets noticed. Are you struggling to be fulfilled with the limited recognition you receive? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Saturday, May 3, 2014

All Leaders Have Ego

It is normal for any person to want recognition, and leaders are the same. The fact that leaders in the middle of the organization are often hidden – and as a result they often don’t get the credit or recognition they deserve – can be a real ego buster. The challenge is to be a team player and remain content while contributing. Here are some tips for doing that... 1. Concentrate more on your duties than on your dreams: Leonard Bernstein was once asked which instrument he considered to be the most difficult to play. After a moment he responded, “Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who can play second fiddle with enthusiasm – that’s a problem.” We can often become so focused on our dreams and goals that we lose sight of the responsibilities right in front of us. Effective leaders pay more attention to production than to promotion. They focus on delivering the goods. If you consistently deliver the goods, you will be noticed. And more importantly, you will be content with the job you do even at those times when others don’t recognize your efforts. 2. Appreciate the value of your position: Not everyone will understand or appreciate the work you do. So it’s important that you do. A cute anecdote illustrates this principle well: A beaver and a rabbit were once having a conversation in front of Hoover Dam. As they started up at the immense wall of the dam, the beaver said to the rabbit, “No, I didn’t actually build it myself. But it was based upon an idea of mine.” Every position has value, but all too often we don’t value that position. You make a position important by valuing it. If we despise the position we have, it may be because of “destination disease,” which some also call the ‘greener grass syndrome.’ If we focus on being some other place because we think it’s better, then we will neither enjoy where we are nor do what we must do to succeed. Are you struggling to be fulfilled with the limited recognition you receive? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Friday, May 2, 2014

Middle Managers Wear Many Hats (Part 2)

Continued from yesterday... Being in the middle of an organization is a lot like being the middle child in a family. These leaders have to learn to get along with everybody around them and survive the various family dynamics: following, leading, cajoling, appeasing, and partnering as needed. It’s not an easy task. Here are a few guidelines: 3. When you change hats, don’t change your personality: This is harder than it sounds. As stated earlier, you shouldn’t treat your spouse the same way you treat you employees. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should change your personality according to who you’re with. Your attitude and behavior should be consistent and predictable. Otherwise, you won’t be trustworthy in the eyes of those you work with. 4. Don’t neglect any hat you are responsible to wear: If you neglect the duties of any hat for a day, you will fall behind. The physical separation of different areas of responsibility may help you make the mental leap you need to keep all your responsibilities moving forward, neglecting none. Whenever possible, leave work at the office and vice versa. If you are being asked to wear many hats by people in your life, then you must be sure to not neglect any of them. 5. Remain flexible: The main key is knowing what hat to put on at any point in time and enjoying the challenge it offers. The only way to do that is to remain flexible. Because there are so many demands on leaders in the middle of an organization, they can’t afford to be rigid. They need to be able to change hats at a moment’s notice. Some people love a new challenge and thrive on the rapidly changing demands and nature of leadership in the middle of an organization. It energizes them. Others find it less appealing. But it’s something that all great leaders must learn to navigate if they want to be successful and influence others from wherever they are in the organization. Are you struggling to know which hat to wear and when? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Middle Managers Wear Many Hats (Part 1)

Being in the middle of an organization is a lot like being the middle child in a family. These leaders have to learn to get along with everybody around them and survive the various family dynamics: following, leading, cajoling, appeasing, and partnering as needed. It’s not an easy task. So what are the leaders in the middle of an organization to do when they are required to wear many hats but have only one head? Here are a few guidelines: 1. Remember that the hat sets the context when interacting with others. Every role or hat you are asked to wear has its own responsibilities and objectives. If you change hats, keep in mind that the context changes. You wouldn’t interact in the same way with your spouse, your children, your boss, and your employees, would you? The goal often determines the role and the approach to take. 2. Don’t use one hat to accomplish a task required for another hat. Consider an executive assistant. They constantly attend meetings for their boss when he is out of town. They do so that they can keep their boss up to date on strategy and important changes that are occurring. When working in that capacity, they have to be careful not to abuse their communication link to get their own way. They must be careful when to claim they are “speaking for the boss.” Their words carry great weight. Likewise, after they attend a meeting and are filling their boss in on what happened, they must be careful to represent the opinions of the people in the meeting fairly and accurately. They have to be an expert in knowing what hat to where in any given situation, and they may be required to change hats in an instant. They have a very powerful position, but they never use one hat to accomplish the tasks that may be required in another capacity. They must take the time to cultivate each working relationship on its own term, and act accordingly. It’s often a balancing act. To be continued... Are you struggling to know which hat to wear and when? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/