What Happened to January?

Ok, what happened to January?

Heck, what happened to 2008?

If you know much about me, you know I don't like to ask, or be asked, "why" and "when" questions (whywhen...whyen..whine...get it?). Instead, I ask "what" and "where." What and where is productive and stops the blame game while acting as a tool to bring the point to accountability.

John G. Miller, author of "QBQ" and "Flipping the Switch" states don't blame anyone, including yourself.

So, what happened to January? What did I learn in January that helps me in February and throughout the year? What could I have done different in January, and the months prior to January, to have been better prepared for these times?

In reflecting on January I can honestly say much of it was spent on being responsive and working hard not to react; the discipline of "respond-don't-react-expect-the-best-seek-clarity."

Alethes is changing and much of it is being forced upon us by industry changes, constrictions, and mandates. But, we weren't near as prepared as we should have been. Thus, many of the changes are therefore products of our making...err...mistakes.

One thing that hasn't changed is our core ideology. Our Mission and Values Statements. While in hindsight, I can clearly see where mistakes have been made in these areas, I can also tell where some disciplines connected to our Mission and Values have been used very well as our changes have come about.

These disciplines come out of books many of us have read and studied over the past few years such as The Bible, Good-to-Great, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, QBQ, Joy at Work, E-Myth, Developing the Leader Within You, Hand Me Another Brick, Life at Work, Execution, If Aristotle Ran General Motors, The Five Most Important Questions...., Time Traps, and The Speed of Trust.

Very importantly, I look back on January, and 2008, and ask myself questions out of Behavior #8 in The Speed of Trust (page 183)....

What, or how, am I getting better?

What is one thing I'm now doing that I think I should continue doing?

What is one thing I'm now doing that I think I should stop doing?

What is one thing I'm not now doing that I think I should start doing?

What people do I have around me that I can trust to help me with these questions?

Now I can see January and last year with more clarity.

God Bless,

Danny




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