What I learned I need to improve on most from the relationship rules in session one, is following the 101% principle. The 101% principle means that you find the 1% you agree on and give it 100% of your effort. This is used to get along with people you otherwise would not get along with. The kind of person you have nothing in common with. You find something you both agree on or are interested in, and whenever you are together you only focus on that 1% you agree on.
I chose this rule because there are people I don’t naturally get along with, and this is a way to get along with them long enough to effectively work together. When I do not easily get along with someone, I will normally just do my best to avoid them. Thankfully I usually get along with everyone I meet. But for those I don’t get along with, I will use the 101% principle to get along with them. To start applying this to my everyday, I will first stop avoiding those I don’t get along with. Then I will find something we agree on or are interested in by talking to them about their interests. Then over time using the 101% principle, I will find other opinions and interests we share, and focus my energy on all our similarities. This is all because relationships are the most important characteristic of a successful person.
The most prevalent principal I learned through session two is the law of significance. The law of significance states that one is too small a number to achieve greatness. This means that you can not have success without collaboration and teamwork. A quote I found that goes well with this is “The belief that one person can do something great is a myth.” John C. Maxwell. John C. Maxwell created these sessions that I am reflecting on, and while the way he said it may be a bit dramatic, he has a point. Teams of collaborative people are far more effective than a lone wolf doing everything by themselves.
This is relevant because I normally work independently, instead of with a team. And although I can work with a team, I normally do not. I also only seek out help if I absolutely need it. To be successful, however, you need to have help from others. So, to apply this to my work, I will start seeking out help from others, instead of only accepting it when it is offered. I will also start working in with a team, instead of just doing it myself because a team is more effective and the best way to achieve success.
The most important lesson I learned in session three is that our attitude is a choice. It seems like such an obvious fact now that I have completed the lessons, but before this I had never realized it. Our attitude is a choice. There is a quote that explains this very well “A happy person is not a person with a certain set of circumstances, but a person with a certain set of attitudes.” -Hugh Downs. This means that to be happy you don’t need to be richest or the best looking, but instead you need to be a person who knows what they are grateful for and has chosen to have a positive attitude.
This is important lesson to me because someone armed with this information can change any problem or challenge into something positive. Now that I truly realize the potential of this lesson, I will be able to use it to always keep my head up, even when things are not going well. With this you can put a positive spin on things and even when you lose, you will not lose. To practice this skill, I will look for small things that might otherwise make me unhappy and find a way to put a positive spin on them. An example of this would be failing a test, a positive way to look at this is you now know what you need to improve on and can improve more than you otherwise would. After all, attitude is a choice that can turn our problems into blessings.
The lesson in session four that I think I can improve on is the law of the process. The law of the process states that leaders develop daily, not in a day. To me this means to you can not become a good leader in a day, no matter what. The way you become a better leader is by improving and practicing everyday. Whether that be by reviewing areas you could improve in, reading books, going to seminars, or by talking to a better leader than yourself. This means setting aside time every week to improve on your leadership skills.
The law of process is the most relevant lesson I learned in this session because it taught me that I will never become a better leader unless I start treating it like a skill you learn instead of something you have or lack. Until this session, I treated leadership like a switch that is either on or off. Treating it like a skill that all can master instead is better because it means I still have much more to learn and improve on. The only way I will make those improvements to my leadership is by spending time every week to learning how to be a more effective leader. To start using this I will spend time every week while I am doing work to research leadership. With that research, I will evaluate myself and find ways I can improve on my leadership.