Working wise with the alphabet

The alphabet has been a fundamental part of our lives since the very beginning of school and without it, we would not be able to read, write or communicate our thoughts in any coherent manner. Here follows a few words to the working wise in alphabetical format:

It is one of the truths of life that to get anywhere, you need to have goals and to tenaciously work towards their completion.

Jill Hamlyn, MD, The People Business

A is for attitude. There is an old maxim that says that attitude rather than aptitude determines a person`s altitude. It may be truer to say it is a combination of both attitude and aptitude that determines the heights to which a person is able to soar. However, the way things, people and events are perceived depends on the attitude of the perceiver at that point in time. A positive attitude may not always bring about positive results, but it goes a long way towards softening negative circumstances.

B is for backbone. Not everyone has the courage to face difficulties and deal with them, or to accept their fair share of the blame when something goes wrong. It is easy to encourage signs of growth of backbone in individuals and teams, and to nurture strength in the face of danger and hardship. Backbone garners respect and gets the job done, and in this current market climate, nobody can really afford to be without some. It is important, however, not to confuse backbone with rigidity and inflexibility.

C is for change and chutzpah. There is seldom change without a dash of chutzpah to initiate it, and change is best negotiated with a sense of chutzpah by your side. Chutzpah is that irresistible combination of cheek, courage and sheer daring that powers the wings that take us to new heights.

Many people only discover their chutzpah when their backs are against the wall and they feel they have nothing to lose, but to nurture chutzpah when things are going well is to give yourself an inestimable gift that will help you negotiate change with charm.

D is for diligence and dependability. People who can be relied on and who get the job done are those who build up credibility. Diligence and dependability also inspire trust in the company, the process and the person or team.

E is for enthusiasm and effort. Karl Marx, that great critic of capitalist society, saw things purely in black and white, saying that human beings had a choice either to work or starve. Looking at the world through rose-tinted spectacles may not be such a bad thing after all, and when we do adjust our vision, we may find that work is much more than simply a means to ward the wolf from the door. When approached with enthusiasm and when we are putting in our best effort, the rewards are greater than many people are able to believe.

F is for flack and foresight. Flack is part of life and as such, it is also part of work. Learning how to deal with everyday flack gracefully, to deflect it where possible or accept it where necessary is a valuable lesson. Sometimes flack can be avoided through foresight, another sense that it is wise to encourage. Hindsight may be 20/20 vision, but nobody in real life is foolish enough to drive while only looking into the rearview mirror. Using foresight to plan ahead is the best tactic for dealing with problems before they even crop up.

G is for the principles of Gestalt as well as glue. Gestalt psychology sees the whole as being greater than the sum of its parts. Thus, a team comprises all the people that are part of it, to which may be added the dynamic created by the people who are part of that team. Glue is what holds a team together. It is sticky stuff that comes in a number of guises, from a shared purpose to familiarity and ease of working together. Its power and importance should never be underestimated. Glue is also the stuff that keeps you on your seat when there is work to be done that needs to be finished by a deadline!

H is for hard work. There is no easy path to success, no matter what anyone tells you and no matter how many advertisements promise money for nothing. It is one of the truths of life that to get anywhere, you need to have goals and to tenaciously work towards their completion. Sometimes it gets so hard that it would almost be a blessing to call it off, and from time to time, it is more prudent to walk away rather than to continue beating your head against a brick wall. Only you can make that call. Whatever you decide, know that hard work is one of the cornerstones of success and the best things in life seldom come easily.

I is for initiative. Coming from the authoritarian background that we do, we are more a nation of followers than we are of leaders. This is not necessarily a bad thing as every leader needs followers. It only becomes detrimental when initiative displayed by followers is stamped on and not allowed to flourish by those who are in power. Many valuable insights and some really good ideas are generated by those at the coalface which have the potential to be the next best thing -- if taken seriously.

J is for joy. No matter what the sceptics tell us, life and human interaction have boundless capacities for joy. Joy sometimes becomes obscured, but making a conscious choice to try and live with joy and to infuse joy into work and life -- that is close to the key that unlocks the door to the secrets of a good life.

K is for kinaesthetic. Kinaesthesia relates to movement, one of the fundamentals of working life. It is seldom possible to get anywhere by simply sitting around and wishing it to happen. It is one of life`s great tragedies that humans so often forget exactly how much potential towards greatness we have. Getting up and getting moving is a step towards realising who we are, where we are going, and how we are going to get there.

L is for love. It is the stuff of myths and dreams, songs and sighs. Love is an essential component of life. Love of the self (and we are all worthy, regardless of what that little negative voice inside our heads is saying), love of fellow beings, love of life, love of work, or simply just love of being here at this place, in this time, doing whatever it is that is being done -- now we are getting close to the core.

M is for motivation. Motivation is closely related to the concepts of hard work, movement and love. There are those who believe that there are two types of motivation in the world -- the stick and the carrot. Both may be effective for a time, but motivation with true staying power comes from within. Time that will have an impact on the rest of your life is the time that you take to work out exactly what it is that motivates you. It is a form of self-love and once you have it sussed, there will be no stopping you.

To be continued in my next column.