Changing behaviour is not something we like to do. Generally, being human means we lack the willingness to change even when we have the knowledge and the capability to do so. In fact, we lack the willingness to change even when we know doing so serves our own best interest in the most critical personal, familial, and professional relationships.
You see, our brain has evolved to focus on the negative – to keep us alive and safe from man-eating tigers. What’s more, when our brain senses change – of any kind, no matter how small – it automatically goes into the ‘fight, flight, freeze’ response, unless of course, we have consciously trained it not to.
In a moment of self- reflection, ask yourself the following question, “Are my current habits and behaviours getting me to where I want to go?” If the answer is “No” you need to consider making some changes, even it is just a matter of setting aside a few minutes each day for self-reflection on where you want to be and how you are going to get there. Remember though, that the first step in making any change is to first overcome your natural propensity against change itself – and the easiest way to do this is to learn the skill of Positive Presence.
Far too many people are unaware of how they are perceived by family, friends, and professional colleagues. We all know and it is easy for us to recognize, other people with bad habits, and disturbing, and disruptive behaviours. The harder thing is recognizing those same bad habits and behaviours in our self. While it may be true that what we think about our behaviour is personal and intimate, our behaviour itself is never private. Remember this – behaviour lapses are obvious to everyone except the person who commits them.
At the organizational level, there are all kinds of behaviours that damage and destroy relationships and professional careers. Sadly, many of these behaviours most likely exist and are prevalent in your own organizational culture. Gone are the days of tolerance for the “good old boy” jokes and sexual innuendos. Sexual harassment, discrimination, unethical, illegal and other toxic behaviours have always been destructive to relationships and organizational performance and remain so today. The question is not whether such behaviours are affecting employee engagement, energy and creativity, but to what degree are such behaviours impacting your performance results, at what emotional cost to your employees, and at what financial cost to you?
Catherine is the President and CEO of CORPORATE HARMONY, providing virtual solutions for leadership development and organizational culture change. Her leadership and coaching experience as a Project Manager in an ever-changing, fast moving technological organization with unrelenting demands drove her to the realization that a positive mindset and strength-building behaviors are essential for today’s complex and chaotic organizational systems. CORPORATE HARMONY’s virtual platform of programs, coaching and performance measurement, is an innovative online technology of tested proprietary content. The world-class content of CORPORATE HARMONY’s Positive Presence Program develops the skill of ‘Positive Presence’ and the necessary ‘Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies’ for maintaining a positive and energized mindset and increased performance in today’s complex work environment, and leading to a culture of collaboration and connection. Catherine’s vision for Corporate Harmony is to bring the skill of “Positive Presence” to the corporate world as it becomes more complex, ambiguous and chaotic. Catherine is uniquely positioned to impact organizations’ productivity and long term success, with her powerful vision of eliminating bad stress from every workplace around the globe, bringing purpose into the people equation to promote healthy, productive and meaningful work cultures and turn the tide on the neglect of mental health on a global scale. Catherine is author of the book: “CORPORATE HARMONY – The Performance Link for Today’s Modern Organization” Catherine can be reached at: Catherine.Osborne@corporateharmony.ca or go to ‘contact us’ on our website www.corporateharmony.ca. Catherine is available for consultation, and can be reached by 519-695-3407.