Articles By Anne Warfield, Certified Speaking Professional
Which are you, the Ant or the Grasshopper?
Do you live with the Pain of Regret or the Pain of Discipline?
As I work with people around the world I find that their execution is driven by two key factors- their communication style and whether they are more comfortable living with the pain of regret or the pain of discipline.
Do you remember that old story about the ant and the grasshopper? The ant works all year gathering food (pain of discipline) while the grasshopper mocks him and plays instead. When winter comes and the grasshopper is starved he comes to the ant for help (pain of regret). The ant chose to be disciplined while the grasshopper preferred to live in the here and now and worry about tomorrow when tomorrow came.
In a corporation this causes great problems with how people lead, present, and negotiate. Yet most companies have no idea of how to “motivate” their employees from one side to the next.
If you have read Thomas Friedman’s book The World is Flat you can see how many countries such as China and India are promoting the pain of discipline and are moving ahead in the game. As the world gets flatter the pain of discipline becomes a crucial element in corporations.
So how do you know which side you are on? There is one simple acid test that will tell you which world you dwell in.
If you are surprised by problems that crop up or you give excuses when problems crop up, you prefer to live with the pain of regret.
If you plan for contingencies, execute those plans, AND put consequences for those that don’t follow the plan, than you prefer to live with the pain of discipline.
To be an effective leader you HAVE to live with the pain of discipline. You need to be the one that moves your troops and force them to prepare and plan for things they don’t even know exist right now. In this way, just like the ant you are never surprised by a hard cold winter of slow sales or changing economy.
Which are you the ant or the grasshopper?
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As the leading Outcome Strategist, Anne Warfield shows people how to present their ideas, products and services so people WANT to listen to you. Her communication formula is easy to apply and produces proven results. Fortune 500 companies around the world have utilized her expertise and her work is published around the world. She has been published in Business Week, Good Housekeeping, Forbes publications and has been featured on ABC, NBC and CBS. Anne speaks around the world about Outcome Focus™ Communication. To book Anne, contact her at 888-imp-9421 or check out her web site at www.ImpressionManagement.com. Check out her website to take the communication quiz for yourself! Books can be purchased from Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. You can also email us at contact@impressionmanagement.com.
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I used to have 300 sales people giving 300 different sales presentation messages. I now have 300 people delivering a consistent message in their own authentic style.
-Brad Boyer,
American Woodmark
If you had ever told me a group could transform so much after just two-days I never would have believed it. The power of sustaining it afterwards with your long-term coaching/HOT sessions has caused everyone to constantly apply this way of thinking. Our discussions, meetings, and trust have gone to such a higher level. As a Vice President that makes my job so much easier. We no longer avoid the elephant in the room!
-Tricia Dege,
HealthPartners
