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Tip #111: F.E.A.R. spells T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

I came across an interesting acronym for F.E.A.R. that may help to keep things in perspective when venturing into the murky waters of the unknown (*cue dramatic music);

F-alse, E-vidence, A-ppearing, R-eal.

This may be useful to consider in contexts where our thoughts take a situation and exaggerate it to the point of worry and discomfort (e.g., “What if I don’t get the job?”).

If you are in a different situation however, such as being face to face with a different threat (eg., a mountain lion) here is another acronym for F.E.A.R. I found that supports a different message:

F-orget, E-verything, A-nd, R-un.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the second one.

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Tip #115: Establish Trust on Your Team

In Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, he discusses five areas that undermine a team’s success and productivity:

• An Absence of Trust which contributes to a…
• Fear of Conflict with leads to a…
• Lack of Committment which creates an…
• Avoidance of Accountability that leads to an…
• Inattention to Results

Whether it is at work with colleagues, at home with your family, or playing recreational sports, trust is the first and most important aspect to be established on a team of any size. To establish trust, we must display a willingness to be vulnerable. But in order for a team member to be vulnerable, two things need to happen. First, one person must have the courage to share their vulnerabilities, and two, the other team members must support this by listening and then doing the same.

Work with your team to first establish ground rules for sharing such as confidentiality, respectful dialog and a safe environment. Then, take the lead, summon your courage, and allow yourself to be vulnerable.

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Tip #278: With the Internet, More is Not Necessarily Better

How often do you check your e-mail, Facebook, Twitter feed or any other social media platforms? With technology advancing every day, not only are there endless things to do on the Internet, there are more ways to access it.
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Aside from a laptop or desktop computer, we can access the Internet via our phones, video gaming consoles, some MP3 players, tablets and e-readers, even our TVs. With this much convenience and ease of use, the possibility of developing unhealthy dependencies, compulsive behaviours, and even Internet addictions increase. Rather than this, take proactive measures in order to maintain necessary balance.
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To give yourself a technology “detox”, challenge yourself and your family by having one half or full day either once a week or biweekly, technology free – meaning no cell phones, e-mail, gaming, TV, or Internet use. This may be easy enough to do for some, but not for others. Either way, consider it an investment in your personal and spiritual health that you cannot afford to pass up.

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA