July/August 2000

Believe In Your Genius

History books are filled with stories of people who were told “it can’t be done.” Henry Ford, the Wright Brothers, Madame Curie, Christopher Columbus, and Thomas Edison are just a few who were told to forget it, to be realistic, to give it up. But they didn’t—and thank goodness. They all had enough courage and self-belief to carry on with their work. In fact, it may well have been their positive outlook and belief in themselves—not their intelligence or ability—that enabled them to do such remarkable things.

How many times has somebody else’s advice or opinion made you alter your own goals or plans? Getting input from others certainly has its place, but when it stifles your creativity or fosters self-doubt, that advice isn’t necessarily good. Old Manco Duck ® knows a thing or two, and I can tell you that each of us has a genius inside just waiting to get out. We all have tremendous potential to do great things. So how do you unleash this inner genius? Believe in it. Keep a positive attitude. Carry on with the work that you believe in. Smile a lot. And laugh every chance you get.

Keep on the Sunny Side
Enthusiastic people stand out in the crowd. They radiate warmth, confidence, and happiness, and they draw others into their circle. What’s more, people with a zest for life work better, are successful at motivating and inspiring others, and are superb at selling ideas and boosting profits. Luckily, enthusiasm can be cultivated, even for those feeling a bit under the weather. One business manager contends, “You can influence your feelings by your behavior. If you smile at yourself 10 times in the mirror each morning, you will actually feel better, happier.” Here are some more ideas for boosting enthusiasm.

Refrain from “barking orders” at others, warns business guru Tom Peters. This old-fashioned managerial style only dampens enthusiasm. Peters believes the most successful companies in the future will be propelled forward by the passion and enthusiasm of their employees.

Encourage competition within your organization. Individual or team competition can spur enthusiasm and creativity. Recognize those who perform quality work and reward them for it.

Keep a “suggestions box” and hold meetings regularly to discuss new ideas. Don’t always invite staff and managers to the same meetings though; either group may inhibit the other from communicating openly.

Each day do something special for someone. That might mean treating a co-worker to lunch or writing a thank-you note to a supplier. But don’t save the good deeds for work alone. Pass your goodwill on to strangers and loved ones alike. Their resulting pleasure will only increase your enthusiasm.

Bottom Line Attitudes
We all know that a positive attitude gives people a certain spring in their step (or as we waterfowl say, a wiggle in their waddle). But, according to a study by the Gallup Organization, it also puts some strut in the bottom line. And managers lead the way, playing a significant role in fostering the attitudes in their organization.

Positive attitudes are contagious and have far-reaching effects. The Gallup study, for example, found that positive employee attitudes are likely to create 50 percent more customer loyalty to a company and are 44 percent more likely to result in above average productivity. They also have a significant impact on profits and turnover. The study revealed that within even a single organization, assumptions about the entire company, its employees, and its culture can be incorrect because many subgroups and subcultures exist. Traditional research regarding overall satisfaction and definitions of a “good” workplace fail to address these subgroups.

The Gallup consultants say that by using more specific and reliable employee attitude data that addresses these groups, managers and supervisors can have a more direct impact on enhancing business outcomes. By working on the attitudes that need to be improved, front-line managers can first foster positive attitudes among employees, and second, create a more profitable workplace.


A Winning Attitude
Managers searching for a winning game plan may want to try former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz’s “attitude is everything” philosophy. Outlined in his bestseller, Winning Everyday, are six basic tenets Holtz used with his players and coaches. Holtz says he used these fundamentals not only to run his team, but also to run his life:

Yes, it is attitude. “Your talent determines what you can do and your motivation determines what you are willing to do, but your attitude determines how well you will do it,” says Holtz.
Be happy to make sacrifices. Those who lament about what they have to do in order to win will always remain on the sidelines, watching the winners get the glory. Winners, says Holtz, are proud to take the extra steps they know will make them successful.
Have a passion for winning. Holtz never asked his players if they wanted to win. He asked them if they could live with failure or mediocrity. If you’re willing to accept failure, says Holtz, you don’t have the passion you need to win.
Understand your purpose. Look beyond your products and deeper into your customers’ needs and the market.
Set goals. A leader, says Holtz, is responsible for setting goals and showing employees how to accomplish them.
Build a foundation of trust. Those who work with you or for you should always feel that your partnership with them is based entirely on your integrity and concern for them.

Don’t Duck Adversity
When Thomas Edison’s laboratory burned down in 1914, it didn’t ruffle his feathers. Instead of throwing his hands up in despair or blaming those around him, he walked quietly among the ruins and said, “All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.” Edison was an optimist. He saw good where others only saw bad. Consequently, he was a happy, satisfied man, who delighted in whatever life threw his way. Lucky for us, anyone can learn to adopt Edison’s outlook. One of the great traits of human beings is our ability to consciously change our attitude and behavior. We can start by considering these tips:

(1) Expect setbacks. Optimists view setbacks as inevitable. Therefore, they don’t get angry when something doesn’t turn out the way they expected. Instead, they stand back, study the situation, and devise a creative solution—often better than the original. Setbacks, they know, are only temporary disruptions, not permanent problems.

(2) Take control of the situation. Optimists understand that certain external factors are beyond their control. But they also realize that they can control their reactions to those factors. International pop star Julio Iglesias was a professional soccer player in Madrid until a car accident paralyzed him. While he couldn’t change his paralysis, he could control his reaction to it. He learned to play guitar in the hospital and the rest, as they say, is history.

A Working Philospohy
When a successful business executive was asked how he fared so well, his answer was simple: “and then some.” No complicated theories or methodology, nothing that required an advanced degree or years of training—just a simple philosophy which he says separates the mere doers from the high achievers.

He applied this philosophy to every aspect of his life, from dealing with customers to volunteering his personal time. Consider what a difference these three words could make in your life: When asked to do what’s expected of you, do it…and then some. When a fellow employee has trouble with a task, help him out…and then some. When another organization asks you for some of your advice and time, give it…and then some.

When the going gets tough, and others fall out of the game, step in, help out…and then some. When someone just needs a good listener, listen with all your heart…and then some. When others turn to you as a neighbor or a friend, be one…and then some.

Against All Odds
Some days may seem more difficult than others, but eventually they get better—even for poor old Sparky. When he was a boy, Sparky thought his losing streak would never end. He failed at everything he tried. In the eighth grade, for instance, he flunked every subject; once he reached high school, he failed physics, Latin, algebra, and English. Sparky’s athletic skills were no better. While he did manage to make the school’s golf team, he lost the season’s only important match. There was a consolation match, but he lost that too.

Socially, Sparky felt awkward and was never noticed by other students. He had no friends, so he whiled away his time drawing. Naturally, no one appreciated his art. The high school yearbook refused to print his cartoons, but Sparky stuck with his drawing anyway because he enjoyed his work—it was the one thing that gave him pride.

If he could make a living doing anything, Sparky thought, it would be drawing, so he sent samples of his work to Walt Disney Studios. Again, rejection. Sparky could have easily called it quits then, but he didn’t. He decided to model a cartoon character after himself and try to sell it again. He spent weeks perfecting his idea.

In a short time, Sparky became a true winner. More commonly known as Charles Schulz, Sparky created Charlie Brown, recognized worldwide as the boy who could never kick a football or fly a kite. You’re a good man, Charlie Brown!

Sincerely, Your Friend
Manco T. Duck