Never Give Up Hope -- The Importance of Communities.
By Linda McFarland
The recent situation in Japan is heavy on our minds. We have colleagues and loved ones in harm’s way. We are burdened with thoughts of how we can reach out to those in need. We also reflect on our own lives and realize our fears and concerns about our future and the unknown.
With all the devastation of Japan's disaster, there are some positive things that happened. Their beloved emperor dramatically buoyed the spirits of his disaster-stricken citizens. With a nation grappling with the aftermath of an epic earthquake and a devastating tsunami and growing fears of a nuclear catastrophe, he did something he hasn’t done since war times – he delivered a message to the nation. I couldn’t help but notice his focus. He said, "I hope from the bottom of my heart that the people will, hand in hand, treat each other with compassion and overcome these difficult times."
Although I don’t think you can ever be truly prepared for such a devastating event, I do believe that there are simple yet important things we can do every day that can help us prepare ourselves to become better citizens and communities. It starts with you.
As an administrative community, I’d like to offer some ideas that we all can strive to embrace so that when the real disaster hits, we have already internalized and practiced characteristics and habits that will help us cope and assist us in reaching out to others who haven’t honed those skills:
BE COLLABORATIVE. Make an effort to work together to accomplish impossible tasks. Identify your own talents and skills and remember you are unique. Don’t compare yourself to others.
BE COMPASSIONATE. Have empathy and respect for others in life and career settings. People have the right to be treated with courtesy, dignity and respect. Plus, people with compassion stand out. Dale Carnegie once said, “Three-fourths of the people you will meet tomorrow are hungering and thirsting for sympathy. Give it to them and they will love you.”
CONNECT WITH OTHERS. It doesn’t take much time to connect with people; however, it does take some effort. Being connected with other people will really help you when you find your world unraveling. When meeting others, think about a few things you can share about yourself to create a connection.
KEEP YOUR COMPOSURE. Don’t take your anger out on others. It’s no fun to apologize. If you let anger get the best of you, soon you will find yourself unapproachable. Commit to both a team attitude and positive attitude.
Just incorporating these few tips into your life will create growth opportunities and build a healthy corporate culture and community.
One last thing the emperor shared with the nation. He told the victims to never give up hope, to take care of themselves, and live strong for tomorrow. Let’s take this simple advice and put it into practice.
Linda McFarland, CEO Assistant, Livescribe, PlanetAdmin™ Co-Founder & Sr. Trainer, Author, Coach, Speaker
Linda McFarland’s background spans more than 25 years as an Executive Assistant. She is a true activitist for professional administrators, as former master instructor and advisory board member at UCSC Extension in Silicon. Linda is a founding member of the Silicon Valley Catalysts Association (SVCA) which is a group of CEO Assistants in Silicon Valley. In addition, she is co-founder of PlanetAdmin® (www.planetadmin.net) which provides coaching, consulting and training for administrative professionals. In November 2009, Linda, along with Joanne Linden, published Sitting on a File Cabinet, Naked, With a Gun: True Stories of Silicon Valley CEO Assistants. Linda is CEO Assistant at Livescribe located in Oakland, California.