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Photo by author.
It’s fun to be on a winning team. It’s motivating and rewarding to be part of a group that works hard together, encourages one another, navigates through challenges, and shares the excitement of “bringing home the gold.” Not every team can win every time, but everyone needs to be a part of at least one winning team at one time or another. It’s an experience that can transform your self-perception as well as your outlook on others.
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Photo by Author
Most people I know have sunglasses. … In fact, many of you have several. They’re in the car, in your night-stand, in your briefcase or backpack, or hiding around the house “lost.” Some of you buy “cheap” sunglasses because you regularly loose, break, scratch, or misplace your sunglasses. Others, you know who you are, are sunglass snobs. People like you (and me!) buy Oakleys or Ray Bans. We’re brand conscious.
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Photo by Andreas Nilsson, Available at flickr.com
What happened to the Spaghetti! There used to be a huge billboard with juicy fat Spaghetti noodles dripping over the sides of a white plate and great mounds of tomato sauce and meatballs piled on top. It wasn’t there. Not only that but the entire layout had changed! All of my expertise had disappeared in an instant. That’s how I felt that night and that’s how many organizations feel today. In a rapidly changing world, if we don’t pay attention, we become obsolete.
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Photo by Jonathan Cohen. Available at flikr.com.
It’s important that you “fit” in your organization. How do you know whether you fit? Do you get along with the people? Do you support the general direction of the company? Can you fully engage in the decision-making processes? Are you able to use your talents? These and other questions can help you discern how well you fit in your organization. A strong fit leads to fulfillment and success. Lack of fit leads to stress and burnout.
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Photo by Author
Chase Field is home to the Arizona Diamondbacks (a team in Major League Baseball). To many fans, it remains BOB (Bank One Ballpark), its name until 2005. Yet regardless of the name, it is HOME to the Diamondbacks. It is where they play their home games. It is where they are the home team. Every professional sports team has a home, a home field, a home stadium, a home court, a home pitch. A home.
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