North Again

WOW, it’s that time of year again. July 2^nd Ken and I are headed north to Alaska for our annual planning retreat.

Remember my favorite Alaskan song:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSt0NEESrUA

Don’t worry. I’m back on July 20^th and will be ready for another year of phenomenal growth - October 1^st will be here quickly and we all know there are big changes in store for the residential real estate industry.

An annual break has taught me a lot. I am proactively able to formulate business ideas and develop innovative plans and goals to reach our objectives. I simply think smarter and dream bigger. Taking a leadership break enables me to really look at our accomplishments and where we want to go/grow next.

Time has taught me to always follow a method and here’s one tool I use straight out of the Stephen Covey book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

http://www.franklincovey.ca/FCCAWeb/mmedia/pdf/library/7_Habits_Profile.pdf

I spend time DREAMING big - where will we as a staff be over the next 6-12-24-36 months. What will five years from now look like?  What is the legacy I am leaving?

What are the BIG ROCKS?  Milestones, how are they measured?  Did last year work?  Who needs to grow, in what ways, what do we need to do in order to get there?

Who is going to hold me accountable?

Yes, this is an annual adventure for me.  It is relaxing, it’s challenging, it’s rewarding but most of all IT IS FUN!

So once again, it’s north to Alaska. 

We have a special treat this year. Our granddaughter, Kaylee and Josh are getting married.  There will be a new roof to install on the Palmer home (not sure any of you knew I can drive nails) and of course there will be fishing for Ken.  Ken thinks I can learn to fly fish. 

Ok, here’s what I already know. Our giving traditions at Park Plaza and Stapley will continue. There will be Thanksgiving Lunch in November and the adopt a family in December.  August is my annual Leadership Conference (if you’d like to attend, let me know - the cost is nominal and the experience is a once in a life time)

Are YOU ready? The staff is going to enjoy my time away, you need to enjoy it as well ‘cause when I get back we’re all going and growing again!

And Happy Fourth of July!

When I plan ... I will accomplish

I have carried a Franklin Covey Planner for years and probably will until the day I die. 

Sometimes I’m faithful in following Stephen Covey’s time-tested system - sitting down on Saturday morning, reviewing what took place last week and projecting forward for the next week - often not so much.

There are months when life comes together and it is easy. Then there are months regardless of how hard I try it simply does not. 

Over the years people have said, “Carolyn, I don’t know how you do it, I just don’t have that kind of time!”

Let me tell you - it’s hard, not easy.  That being said, however, experience has taught me when I plan, I accomplish what is on my list. 

Here’s My Health Priorities straight out of my Life Statement:

My Health

I understand my body is a gift from God.  I am disciplined and balanced in my spiritual, emotional and physical body. 

• 4  times a week I work with a Personal Trainer
• Weekly I plan our menu for healthy eating  (reach and maintain 155 pounds)

Originally my Life Statement was developed after a year long coaching program.  Annually I review it and modify it to meet my goals for the next year.  This is done in August while in Alaska.

Saturday I realized just how far I’ve come in this last year. 

For you see:

Last Saturday, Ken and I spent 5 hours in our yard simply trimming trees, cutting grass.  I can tell you that a year ago I couldn’t do this! 

I did this last weekend simply because I implemented a health plan, changed my eating habits and held myself accountable.

As we were ending our morning adventure in the yard Ken said, “Hey, don’t tell me how heavy the door is - you’re the one who has been working out!”

When he said that I realized I am in better physical condition at 62 than I was at 42.  My prayer is that at 82 I will be in even better shape.  Who knows? Maybe at 92 I’ll run a marathon.

We have to plan our life and work our plan.  When this happens life doesn’t push us around. We reach goals.  Yes, experience has taught me, unless I purposefully plan, stay on track, and hold myself accountable, nothing changes.

92 year old Harriette Thompson

Do You Use Lists?

When our children were growing up, Saturday mornings were a family affair.  After a biscuit and gravy breakfast (to this day a family favorite) the five of us would sit around the kitchen table and develop a list of family chores.  (Yes, we were lucky everyone was home Saturday morning.)

Collectively we considered all the weekly household needs: dusting, vacuuming, laundry, cleaning the kitchen, bathroom (we only had one) and yard work.

Everyone participated, regardless of age. Everyone worked at our house.

Our 3 kids knew this was our family habit, therefore do not ask to go anywhere until the house was clean and the chores were done.  It was a wonderful yet often stressful morning.

To this day I believe our Saturday morning ritual facilitated family growth, for both the individual and the collective.  It taught us to work together in order to achieve common goals, while enabling us to understand the diversity of the individual. 

Over time, Cory’s project became the bathroom, where he would spend an hour cleaning.  I have never known anyone else who could clean a bathroom like Cory.  Karen generally dusted, and I believe I purchased a can of Pledge a week, just to keep her supplied.  Kevin, our eldest son, elected to vacuum  and I could count on a spotless carpet every weekend.  It is so much fun to be the first one to step on a freshly vacuumed  floor.   I was responsible for the kitchen and Ken the yard.

When you finished your chore, you helped someone else finish their chore until the entire project was complete.

Parents often ask Ken and I where we learned this.  Ken is an “ole farm boy”. We thought  it simply made sense.  A phrase we often used , “You eat don’t you!”  We all lived in the house; so we were all responsible for how it looked .

Years later I would learn about Stephen Covey and his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.  Business leaders, authors and teachers have spun off his historical work.  His principals work.

Unlike the game Jenga where you start with a stack of ordered blocks then attempt to see how haphazardly you can stack them so the blocks fall on your opponent before they fall on you, Mr. Covey teaches systemically approaching life.

This is what we taught our children.

By building a list of  the what needs to be accomplished, who is personally responsible, by when, and what’s the reward, we are able to influence generations of lives.

While writing this I recalled a phone conversation our grandson, Tyler and I had several years ago.   I asked, “So, Tyler what are you doing?”  His response, “I’m putting soda in the refrigerator, it’s my job.”  WOW 6 years old and he had a job!

Lists help us to accomplish tasks, tasks teach responsibility, and responsibility  will help  to develop pride in the  job.

To this day, Ken and I use lists.  Saturday morning after breakfast, we consider the weekend needs.  We’ve  learned that consideration of the other person adds to our love and respect for one another.  In fact the idea for today’s post came from Ken.  Oh how I love my husband.

Think about life - do you use lists?  Lists  help accomplish tasks, hold you accountable, responsible and help individuals,  families, a work team, your  community, or even the whole world grow.