Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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August 27, 2009

Is It Time to Reassess What You Think?

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 9:28 am

STOP

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In most companies, employees are asked to participate in a yearly performance appraisal. In the good situation, the employees actually take part in evaluating their own as well as hearing what their managers think. It’s a tiring, but important process. It gets us to STOP and look at where we were and where we are now — something we often forget to do unless we make it a priority.

If we don’t stop now and then, we get stuck in thinking things that aren’t necessarily true … about ourselves and about the folks we know.

Resorting and Re-evaluating

Meet Carol. Everyone at the company thought she was a pain. Seriously. If you asked her for a phone number she’d tell you to get a pencil and paper, then spend 7 minutes reciting out 7 digits. Any sane person could have walked 7 miles to talk to the person that the phone number led to. Carol loved details. No else like details of her specific brand.

Then one day I went to work, thinking that everyone had put Carol in a box. No one liked her. People often made her a topic of conversation.

It dawned on me that I’d been going along with the wisdom of the crowd on that….

One day I decide to wipe the slate clean. I pretended I’d never met Carol that I’d never heard a word about her before. What I found was both unsettling and amazing.

I actually liked her a lot and found her affinity for detail valuable to me because I don’t like details at all.

I’d let other folks put Carol in a box and I’d kept her there.

My loss.

One reassessment and now she was a friend and a resource to me. Challenging assumptions is a great strategy.

Is it time to reassess what you think?

I make connections.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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Filed under Strategy, Successful Blog | 10 Comments »




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10 Comments to “Is It Time to Reassess What You Think?”

  1. August 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
    Andi said

    I think it is an absolute must to re-evaluate and re-assess what you are doing often. Not to be obsessive but to make sure that you are innovating and evolving who you are and what you do. Success can be people’s biggest challenge, and if you stop there you might not get to you next one. I have been on both ends of the vicious cycle of “oh they’re just like this or that” syndrome, it is easy to just go along with it, it takes determination to do the right thing and make a decision for yourself!

  2. August 27th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Andi,
    I love what you have to say about constantly monitoring success. I’m so with you on that.
    It’s natural for us to put people and things into “boxes.” We need to sort in order to keep charge of the details of our lives, but … sometimes we need to check and/or change the assumptions behind the reasons we’ve sorted. If we don’t we won’t let new information in.

    Making decisions for ourselves is a lot of work. heh heh

  3. August 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
    Andi said

    I agree, I actually touched on that today on a post on my blog which was inspired by another person’s post earlier this week that talked about giving people the time of day. It was written by a talented writer in Oklahoma, I think you would like it. You can get to the post from my post today or directly at: http://www.jenx67.com/2009/08/time-of-day.html.
    As always it is how you treat the people around you that matters.

  4. August 27th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
    NEENZ said

    Since SOBCon, my approach has been different in so many ways. Life, business, blogging, etc. — It’s refreshing for me to always evaluate myself, my motives, my influences — and make sure I’m doing what’s right.

    I am part of a team that is organizing [RE]Think Hawaii http://rethinkhawaii.com which will encourage attendees to re-think their marketing, goals, way of life, etc.

    Your post is a confirmation that it’s good to [re]think :)

    **leaves virtual stickers**

  5. August 27th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Thank you, Andi, for connecting us to the writer who inspired you. Can’t wait to read it.

    You’re a great example of how the Internet works well when we hold each other with respect and build on each other’s thoughts.

    I’m delighted to know you. You’ll never be a stranger.

  6. August 27th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    NEENZ,
    Our connection is stickier than stickers. Your head, heart, and mind have captured those of my own. I’m grateful to know you. Wish I could be there to rethink Hawaii with you, but know that you’ll be doing it just fine without me.

    You go … I expect to see you way ahead of me soon. :)

  7. August 27th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
    Kurt Scholle said

    Interesting. Do I know ‘Carol’?

  8. August 27th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Kurt,
    You may have a “Carol” in your life, but this one is far removed from anyone I know now.

    :)

  9. August 28th, 2009 at 2:49 am
    Walter said

    Oftentimes we are not aware of this negative attitude. We go on flowing with the stream not realizing that it will end in a fall.

    It’s our human nature yet we need to be aware of this pitfall.
    Re-evaluation proves beneficial if we learn to practice it in our daily living. :-)

  10. August 29th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Yeah, Walter,
    I think most often, unless I check my filters, I have no idea that I’ve put people in boxes like that.
    Hidden assumptions can throw us all, and we lose access to some great information and some great people like that.

    I like that you suggest practice.

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