3stepstocreatingaProductive andFulfillingWorking Environment

by ArthurFCarmazzi

Whydowework betterwithone groupofpeople thanwithanother? Whydowereactto somepeopleina waythatwewould neverreactto others? Whydowe sometimes accomplishso muchinashort time,whileother timesweseemto havewastedan entiredaywith littletoshowforit? Howcanwe harnessthepower ofenvironment, howcanwetake allthatwehave learnedandfocusit oncreatinga fulfillingand productiveworking environment?

TheRecipeforharnessingtheforceofhumanexcellencestartswiththewayweinteractwith ourEnvironment.Emotionsandperceptionsfrominteractingwithothersaffectthewayweact andREACTandultimatelyaffectthequalityofourworkandourlife. Ourenvironmentismadeupofdifferentgroups.Thesegroupsaretoyourenvironment,ascells aretoyourbodytheymaybereplacedbynewcellsbutwillstillhavethesamefunctionand theyallworktogethertoformawhole.Whenwespendtimewithourfriends,ourcolleagues, ourfamily,orourlovedones,weexperiencedifferentpartsofourenvironment.Their impressions,beliefsandthewaytheyactandreactwillimpactourbeliefsandactions. Whenwetakecontrolofthemanyenvironmentswework,liveandplayin,ourworldchanges andweattractmoresuccess,betterrelationships,greaterhealthandamorefulfilledlife.We becometheforceofinfluenceandnotonlycreatemoreforourselves,butmoreforthose aroundus. Thereare3keystepstotakecontrol

1.CreatingaMotivationMap
Awarenessofwhatdriveseachenvironmentisessentialbeforeanychangecanhappen. Each areaofourworkcangiveusmotivationortakeitaway.Everyworkenvironmentinteractswith theothersandinfluencesourworkingroutine. Imaginethemotivationmapofourworldofworkismadeof5differentareas:

MeetingLand Inthenorthofmeetingland,allthepositiveemotionsandthemotivationwegetduring meetingsdrivesustoexcel.Butinthesouthofmeetingland,standthecliffsofdeath werewewouldratherjumpoffthanattendanothermeeting.Thisiswheremeetings takeawayfromouremotionalneeds. TheSoloCaves Solocaveswherewegetthemostoutofworkingalone,yetbelowthatisthe bottomlesspit,whereworkingaloneasitsdownfall. TeamMountain Wherewefindthebestinourselvesthroughtheteamsweworkin,tothefareast however,wefindtheMountainofFire,whereworkingwithteams,burnsupour motivation. TheDirectiveInteractionForest Wherewefindincentiveingivingand/orgettingdirectionbutbelowthatlyethe swampsofdarkness,wheregivingand/orgettingdirectionislikefallingintoquicksand andthemoreyoumove,thefurtherdownyougetpulled.

Thesocialjungle Wheresocializingwithcolleaguesmeetourneedsanddriveustobebetteratworkyet besidethelushjunglesleysthedessertofdespairwheresocial/politicalaspectsofour workenvironmentdryupanymotivationwemayhavetoexcel Byknowingwhereandwhyyouremotionalneedsaremostfulfilledandwheretheyare not,youcanmoreconfidentlyconfronttheobstaclesthatpreventyoufromventuring intothoseareasthatseemtosuckdryanydesiretoexcel. Forexample: Ifyoureallyenjoytheinteractionandcomingupwithcreativeideaswithinateam,but atthesametime,youalsofeelthatthesameteammemberstaketoomuchcontroland theystiflethesuggestions,withoutlisteningtothemcompletely.Thusyourentireteam interactionmaybecomejaded.Youmayhavemixedfeelingsaboutyourteam experience.Itdependsonwhichoneisstronger,thefulfillmentyougetfrominteraction &innovationorthedissatisfactionfrompeopleputtingyoudown.Youwilllikelyseethe entireexperienceasthereflectionofthestrongerforce.Bymappingyourmotivation youareactuallyabletoseparatethoseareas.ByMapping,weseebeyondthesituation andunderstandtheelementsofthesituation,theemotionswearegettingornot getting. Perhapstheemotionsyougetfromtheinteractionandthecreativitymaybeasenseof connectionwithyourteammates,asenseofachievementforcomingupwiththeideas, andevenfeelingsofimportance&contributionbecauseofyourinputtotheteam.So whatyouareactuallygettingfrominteractionandthecreativityarethesespecific emotionsandthatswhyyouremotivated. Whenpeopledontlistentoyourideasorputthemdown,theoppositehappens,it literallytakesthefeelingsofachievement,connection,importanceandcontribution awayyouandthatwhyyouareunmotivated. Soitsnotabouttheinteractionandinnovationorthewaypeopleputyoudown,but abouttheemotionsyougetorgettakenaway. Whenyoulookatyouroverallmap,youractions,motivations,andhowandwhyyouact andreacttoothersbecomesveryclear.Youwillbeconstantlyremindedofwhereyou areandwhatmakesyouproductive.Youwillbemoreabletodealwiththepeopleand situationsthatdemotivateyou.Yourawarenessthatitsnotwhatothersdothat matters,butwhatemotionalneedsyouloosethatcausesdissatisfaction,givesyouthe powertoinspireanewperspective,thepowertochangethesituationsthatinfluence you.

Butthekeyistoshareyourmapwithyourcolleaguesandgetthemtosharetheirswith you.Thiswillsetthefoundationtoinfluenceyourenvironmentandhelptokeepeach othergetgreaterfulfillmentandproductivityatwork.

(ForaFREEWorldofWorkmotivationmap,pleasesendyourrequestto info@directivecommunication.com)

2.CreateaLargerCircleofTolerance
STOPactinglikealizard!Thereptilianbrainorthereactivecenter,dealswithour primalneedtosurvive.Itisthepartofusthatrepeatspatternsofbehaviorthatwe oftendonotlike,patternsthatoftenpreventusfromtakingactiononopportunitiesor keepusprocrastinating,patternsoffearandsometimesstupidity.Itreactstoemotional triggersthatareoutsidetheboundariesofourCircleofTolerance.Thisprimitivepart ofourbrainbreedslizardlikereactionstooursurroundings,andImightaddthatlizards arenotveryintelligent.Itspurposeisselfpreservation(sometimesatthecostof intelligence).Thinkofthelasttimeyouwereinaconversationwithsomeoneyouwere tryingtomakeapointtoandtheydidnotagree.Youfinallyleft,perhapswithout resolvingthepointandfeltabitfrustrated.20minuteslaterthough,youthoughtto yourselfOH!#@&!IshouldhavesaidThisisbecauseduringtheencounteryou begantoReacttothesituationthususingyourreactivebraininsteadofyour reasoningbrain,andforallpracticalpurposes,youbecamealizard.Itthentookyou20 minutestogetbacktobeingahumanbeingwhereyoucouldReasonagain.Whenyou areinthereactivecenterofthebrainyouhaveLizardlikeIntelligence. Toelevateourselvestothegreaterlevelofbeingahumanbeingandsidestepourprimal reptilianinstincts,weneedtorespond,notreact.Weneedtoreason,notjustthink.To start,thisrequiresincreasingourCircleofTolerance. Nomapwillmakeadifferenceinyourlifeifyoureacttoyourenvironmentwithoutthe abilitytothinkintelligentlyandactonwhatyouhavelearned.Thisactionwillrequireus toLetGoofmanyoftheruleswehavecreatedaboutthewaythatThingsShouldBe. Thegreaterthenumberofrules,thesmallerthecircle,lettinggoincreasesourcircle andhelpsustobemoreintelligent. Realm of Lizardom
Things that generate reactions or negative feelings

Circle of Tolerance
Things we can deal with without reactions or negative feelings

Created by Rules

TheMotivationalMapisatooltohelpusexpandourCircleofTolerance.Itgivesus insightstotherootsofourandourcoworkersbehaviors,allowingustoseebeyondthe actionsandgrasptherealreasonsbehindtheemotionalneedsthatdriveus.Awareness ispowerbecauseyoutapyourbrainscapacityforgreateracceptanceofsituationsand surroundings.WhenyouareabletoseebehaviorsforwhattheyareandNOTforwhat theytakeawayfromyou,thereislittlereactionandyouproduceintelligentresults.It allowsyoutocombinetheknowledgeofyourmapwiththeintelligentpartofyourbrain intoapowerfulanddirectiveinfluenceformakingpositiveprogressinyourworkand life.

3.HaveaTechnologythatworks
Strongandcapableleadersareoftenabletocreateaworkingtechnology.This technologycantaketheformofpolicies,codeofconduct,routine,andpredictable behaviors.Whentheseareinplacedandproperlyimplemented,individualswithinwork environmentfeelsecure,capable,important,haveasenseofpersonaldevelopment, aregenerallyhighlymotivated,andgetresults.Butletsfaceit,notallofusworkfora strongandcapableleader.Soifweregoingtodevelopafulfillingworkenvironment,we musttaketheleadandcultivateourownroutine&behaviorstogetherwithothersthat alsowanttoimprovetheirworkenvironment. Whenpeoplecometogetherandagreeonawaytotreateachother,onawaytoactin certainsituations,onawaytocooperate,thesebecomesaworkingtechnology. Theobstaclesare,thatwereoftensobusydoingourworkthatweneglecttofind betterwaystodoit;thisiswhereourbehaviorsandourcodeofconductneedtobe synchronized.OneCodeofConductcouldbeSelfGuidingActions SelfGuidingActions Ifyouwanttobeacertainway,youmustconsciouslydecidetoactthatway.Theeasiest wayIfoundwastocreatealistoftheexperiencesyouwouldbecommittedtoacting on,onadailybasis.Mylistlookssomethinglikethis:
Cheerful Grateful Giving Productive Kind Organized Loving Intelligent Powerful Energetic

EverydayIamthislist.EvenifIdontfeellikebeingcheerful,Imakeaconsciouseffort todoso.IfIfeelIdonthavethetimetobeorganized,Itakeanextra10minutesto organizeatleastonepartofmyefforts.Those10minutesgivesmeagreatsenseof accomplishmentinthatIambeingconsistentwiththeenvironmentIamcreatingand, itscontagioustothosearoundyou!Itisthatreinforcementthatstrengthensyour commitmenttoconsistentlyfollowingthroughwithcreatingyourgreaterworking environment. WithagreaterCircleofTolerance,sharingMotivationalMaps,andconstantlyapplyinga synchronizedTechnology,weinfluenceourselvesandthosearoundustowardafar greaterunderstandingofhowtobringoutthebestineachother.Thisfoundation establishesanenvironmentthatweexcelin,anenvironmentthatmakesusmore productiveandmorefulfilled,anenvironmentthatgivesgreatermeaningtoourwork andevenourlife. Livewell!
SomehumanperformancetechnologysuchasNeuroLinguisticProgramming(NLP)andDirective Communication(DC)useapsychologicalbasetoimproveperformanceandfulfillmentwithinindividuals. Thesetechnologies,specificallyDC,havebuiltinenvironmentalimprovementactions.Formore informationonNLP,visitwww.nlp.comandforDirectiveCommunication,visit www.directivecommunication.com

ArthurF.CarmazziisthePrincipalFounderoftheDirectiveCommunicationMethodology andVotedasoneoftheworld'stop10LeadershipProfessionalsbyGlobalGurus International.Heisabestsellingauthorandspecializesinpsychologicalapproachesto LeadershipandCorporateCultureTransformation. www.directivecommunication.comandwww.carmazzi.net