Marty's Minute

In today’s competitive world, you must invest in yourself if you want to get ahead, if you want to get a better job, or a promotion.

I constantly see people struggle because they know where they want to go, what they want their new software to do, or new processes they would like implemented, but they don’t know how to get there. Wouldn’t it be great if we just put in all our coordinates and a road map came out? Yes, it would. But unlike GPS, there is just so much more to life that needs to be taken into account.

While fear can be real, we typically use it as a defense mechanism to protect us from failure. Fear can never go away, but we can learn to dance with it.

What would a younger you say to an older you? What would 22- year-old Marty say to a 57-year-old Marty?

So many people are afraid to make mistakes, to try something new and give it a shot! But doing this adds to your story. It makes you more interesting.

Without answering the "so what" an idea is just that, an idea without a purpose.

See if this is a leader you want to follow: Leadership is patient, leadership is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Leadership does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Leadership never fails.

Everything we do, everything we make, involves people.

When you start to write, you will find that new ideas will emerge. These ideas will surprise you and uncover feelings and thoughts you did not know existed. Writing can bring clarity to a situation and lets you make sense of what is happening around you.

Have you ever heard someone say, “If I was in control I would do it this way”? Well I hate to break the bad news to you, but unless you are a dictator or a supreme overlord you will never have total control. The good news is that leadership is not about control, and it’s not about having authority.

To be a great leader, you have to lead your people and inspire them, but the bigger challenge we face as leaders is to Lead Up!

The Excellence Reflex is exactly what it sounds like: a reflex to do the right thing without thinking about it.

"...in our lives, there are some moments we will remember for decades, and others that expire almost as quickly as they occur. Moments are not created equal."

I was visiting a friend in the hospital and as we sat around talking, we took advantage of the snack closet. We grabbed some saltines and graham crackers to settle our hunger pains. You can image that after hours of eating these crumbly snacks we made quite a mess. When the cleaning lady came in to clean the room, we were embarrassed by the mess and apologized profusely for the untidy state of the floor around us. I will never forget her reply. “No problem. It’s my job and if you didn’t need me, I wouldn’t have this job that I love.”

I was talking to a young adult about how she was doing and how her job was going. She said she loved the work she was doing and the people she worked with were great. But I could tell there was something wrong. She did not have that twinkle in her eye or that excitement in her voice as she talked about her situation.

This past year I have spent a lot of time traveling to New York to work with the MTA on their journey to a more reliable operation. Like most New Yorkers, I ride the train to get to work when I am there. The other day as I was looking out the window of the train I was reminded of a poem I read back in college that I would like to share with you. Let me know what you think.

I laughed with my wife the other day as we discussed gift giving. I was giving her a hard time because she is the best gift giver, but the worst gift receiver. I’m sure you know people like this. I think this gift analogy applies to life. Every day is a gift that contains something special if we are willing to accept it.

The other day I was talking to a client about their current EAM project. During that conversation the client said, “I really hope our project goes well.” Now I’m sure you have said something like that before. But when you think about the word hope, it sounds like the outcome is out of your control and you have no say in the matter.

029 | If You Don't Have A Plan, Stay In The Car by Marty Osborn

We tend to think that more options present more possibility. We think that having more options seems like the smart thing to do, but more options can really keep you from getting started. In many cases, having more options paralyzes your team over the fear of walking away from a potentially better choice.