While everyone is losing their heads......

“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, you'll be a Man, my son!”

Rudyard Kipling’s famous quote is quite a statement at this time of economic pandemonium and one that is suitable.

With all the panic in today’s markets and the gloom and doom press, it’s easy to become disillusioned with the world, place oneself under stress and therefore potentially make poor decisions.

While the Australian economy is having some challenges (what economy doesn’t), there are still opportunities that arise every day. This demands flexibility and adaptability to changing one’s situation and/or surroundings and at the same time sticking to fundamentals such as living within ones means.

Also, these uncertain times are wonderful for revisiting, revising and reconfirming personal, professional and financial goals to make sure you are on track, should stay on the track or need to move sideways to achieve the end goal.

The reason for this is, the sort of opportunities that may be thrown up are far greater in size and scale in bad times than in good times. You need to be able to assess whether the opportunity being presented will still in some way lead to your end goal even if the track changes. Your path to the goal needs to be adaptable and flexible enough to cope with the opportunity should it turn out to be right for you.

The Phils-osophy

Keep your head while everyone is losing theirs and be ready for the opportunities and offers that come your way. Some will be right for you and some won’t. But only a clear head can make that decision. We may not see anything like it again in our life time

To your success
Phil
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/

No pain no gain – how to “out learn” and “outwork” your competition in an economic recession.

In recent training sessions I have been conducting, it has been interesting to observe the differing backgrounds of participants attending and the impact of the current local and global economic uncertainty on them.

There are those who have consistently attended, done the work required and have learnt something.  Their assessments are high quality, supported by a great deal of research.

Then there are those who stopped attending after 1 or 2 sessions. Either the sessions were not meant for them or they knew it already or “I’ve heard all this before.”

This brings me to how to “outlearn” and “outwork” your competition in an economic recession.

In the 21st century and beyond, the only skill that will NEVER become obsolete is the ability to learn.

The rate of knowledge is doubling every 18 months to 2 years. This can drastically improve your earning potential.

Learning is a lot like exercising; it's an activity that must be done often to attain maximum results. Your brain, just like the other muscles in your body, needs to be challenged and remain active.

Why “outlearn” and “outwork” the competition? Two reasons

1.    If you do not, some else will jump in front of the queue, outlearn and outwork you and you will fall behind.

2.    More opportunities appear in economic downturns because problems come to the surface more readily!

The Phils-osophy

Tough times can bring out the worst or the best in people. Don’t leave it to chance.

Outlearn and outwork – because the rewards, even when its tough are amazing!

To your success

Phil

http://www.philipwagner.com.au/

ANZAC Day - a perspective

I attended the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at our local RSL last week. ANZAC Day has grown considerably in the Australian psyche in the last 10 years.


Amidst the heavy downpour, many people still attended the Box Hill Dawn Service. In typical RSL fashion, the organisers decided to continue the service despite the rain.


The local Cadet Unit provided the guard. It was wonderful to see these teenagers of the Cadet Unit maintain their poise and dignity in atrocious conditions with a resilience that was appreciated by all.


The numbers and variety of people that attended staggered me. The appalling weather was not a deterrent. After the service, over the traditional “gunfire” breakfast, I observed the warmth of conversation and feeling among the crowd.


This is in total contrast to when I first joined the Army in 1983. We were spat upon and abused on ANZAC Day by the various protest groups. It was the sign of the times; the cold war, a real fear around nuclear weapons, USA vs USSR. Fear was the norm.


In 2012, there seems to be a real effort by many to understand what makes up the ANZAC tradition. Is it courage, initiative, teamwork or that uniquely Australian quality of mateship? It seems to me that that quality “mateship” is gradually making a comeback; that sense of providing unconditional support and not leaving anyone behind and helping a mate when they fall behind.


The Phil's-osophy


For all its faults and failings, Australia is and continues to be an amazing country. Let us continue to contribute to make this nation what it is – a safe and great country with a “mateship” philosophy that embraces all.

To your continuing success,
Phil.
www.philipwagner.com.au

The Forgotten Art of Handwriting – Relevant in the 21stCentury?

An article about handwriting or what was once called “penmanship” appeared in the Fairfax press yesterday (26 March 2012). To quote:

“ONCE penmanship was an art and handwriting a skill developed through endless practice. Now, teachers say, cursive handwriting is disappearing from secondary schools, leaving many senior students unable to write quickly or fluently. The finger is being pointed at technology.”

“By the time students arrive in high school many dump the cursive style they have been taught in primary school and take on childlike printing — with boys in particular often using block capital letters to write sentences”

There appears to be two schools of thought on this; one that says effectively to move with the times, who writes anymore anyway and another that laments at the decline in fundamental skills.

I was once told by a teacher, when querying about the lack of school and parent focus on handwriting, “don’t worry, they have spellchecker in Microsoft Word“. And who can argue with that logic. We don’t handwrite reports; we use Microsoft Word or the like. We don’t handwrite letters; we email. We don’t handwrite notes; we SMS or use one of the many smartphone or tablet apps.

All of the above also applies to me. I use technology extensively – this newsletter for example. Written in Word and sent to you as an email.

But I still believe the ability to write legibly is up there with the ability to spell (without the use of spellchecker), read, do basic math and comprehend.

The current research indicates that handwriting improves brain development, helping children to write in full sentences and increases cognitive capacity …fundamental stuff!

What has this got to do with 21^st Century professional and personal growth? A great deal.
Writing, along with reading and maths are foundational skills; without these, one builds a proverbial “house on the sand”.

Without the basics, more complex skills become harder to attain and maintain. This could lead to a life on the economic 'scrapheap' as those with the basics move faster and further away from where you are and the jobs you have the skills for slowly disappear.

The Phil’s-osophy

Write by hand when you can. Keep writing by hand. Never ever lose this skill. Keep on revising your reading, writing and mathematic skills. These three form the foundations.

Because should the lights go out, the fundamental skills are the key to getting back into the sunlight.

To your success,
Phil.
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/

Empty Bank Accounts Don't Feed Hungry Mouths

In challenging economic times the art of “rich bashing” becomes a profession. It never ceases to amaze me, why those people who invest time and money in themselves to grow and support themselves and their families and communities, are bashed in media commentary as “rich ba<expletive>ds” and so on.


I attended a seminar recently run by my Thought Leader colleague and friend Dale Beaumont. Dale made the key point:
“Empty bank accounts don’t feed hungry mouths”.


It’s a bit like socialism; great idea until the money runs out.


Bank accounts are like reservoir dams. When times are good, and rains are regular, the dam keeps filling with constant rain and the water is used, both wisely and in the majority, unwisely.


The same happens with bank accounts. A healthy bank account, with savings, constantly replenished, is considered a very basic and fundamental indicator of your financial health.


Why have a full bank account? Because you can make a difference with your financial health and your contributions.

Prevention: a full bank account means you do not have to rely on someone else (read Centrelink & taxpayer) for support.


Contribution: You choose to whom, when, how and how much, you make your financial contribution.


The Phil’s-osophy


Make sure your bank account continues to fill constantly and when emptied, do so wisely.


It does wonders to your feeling of abundance!


To your success,
Phil
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/  

Everyone gets a Fair Go - It's what you do with it that counts.

The Australian tradition of mateship and a “fair go” has been around for a long time. Recent political and public commentary has taken a “fair go” from one extreme to another; from the original intent of an even chance for everyone and the implicit intention that everyone decides what to do with their even chance, to the idea it is an entitlement.

The danger I see is the growing victim mentality (“what about me” and “why aren’t I getting a fair go”) among those believing they are missing out on the rewards or ‘entitlements’.

Leading the charge in this debate are the tabloid newspapers of Australia, with statements like “Greedy banks”, “Rich people leading luxury life while battlers struggle”, “Energy costs slug consumer.”…You get my drift. Bad news sells and so does news portraying some getting more than others.

This got me to thinking and doing some research and it became very clear to me that everyone already gets a “fair go”. The difference was what people decided to do with that “fair go”.

An example is higher education; it is now available in a way like never before; online or offline, part-time or full-time or evenings, and through various delivery modes so that individuals can learn in their own time and in their own way.

Another example is job searching; available in print or online, on your home computer or using the local library.

The Phil’s-osophy

Everyone gets a “fair go” – it’s what they do with that “fair go” that counts! Don’t listen to the media portents of doom telling you you’re missing out – because you’re not. Take responsibility and make sure you use your “fair go” to its fullest extent.

Because everything counts.

To your success
Phil
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/

To Be Serious or Not!

Last time, I wrote about the “will” or “will not”. This week – the “serious” or “serious not”.

I’m writing this newsletter while waiting for a student to turn up to a training session on project management. Our arranged start time is 09:00 AM on a Wednesday. He has sent me an SMS advising he will not be attending until 10:00 AM.

This is now the third week in a row that he has arrived later than our agreed time.

I asked him why he wants to learn Project Management. As with many international students, he wants to stay longer in Australia and doing this course provides the reason for his student visa to be extended.

While he may say he is serious about staying in Australia, his actions are totally contrary to that of staying in Australia. His priorities may lie somewhere else.

If you are not serious about you and your goals and doing something (even small steps) that may be a bit tough to achieve, over time, the lack of seriousness will be transferred to many other areas of life.

This shows the problem for many people; their words are not supported by their actions because really they are not serious about themselves. They have not had that conversation with themselves about what they are prepared to do to achieve it.

The Phil’s-osophy

Those who are serious about themselves, will always reach their goal.

They understand that there is a price to pay for success and they are willing to pay it.

The seriousness creates the drive, the energy and the get up and go. You are either serious about something or you are not! There is no half-measure.

To your success,

Phil.

www.philipwagner.com.au

Will or Will Not - The REAL Truth to Success

This one is a short sharp hit,

We are seeing changes in the global environment at a pace that is staggering. Many people are not coping, not keeping up and they are scared.

They are scared because they do not “have” the skills to transition because the “will” has not been there. Now it is being been forced upon them. In some cases they are being dragged into a new paradigm that they don’t understand simply because their fear stopped them from keeping up willingly.

Life is not about “the have and the have nots”; it’s about “the will and will nots”.

Those who “will”, will “have”. There is absolutely no mistake about this. Everyone is “able” to have; but not many are “willing” to have.

In the 21^stCentury, the competition in India, South East Asia and China have worked this out already.   And they are coming fast. Their rate of adapting to change is nothing short of amazing. In India, the average education is a Masters degree. In Australia it is less than Year 9.

Don’t believe me?  Look at the Herald Sun and The Age newspapers; same city – different skills and abilities to read and comprehend. In order to “will have”, we need to keep on working on our existing skills.

The Phil’s-osophy
·         Develop new skills that allow us to transition
·         Keep on improving the skills you already have!

Become one of the “will’s” as opposed to “will nots” so you can be one of the “have’s” instead of the “have nots”.

Because if you don’t, someone else “will”.

To Your Success,
Phil
www.philipwagner.com.au

Another Life Lesson... and My Son the Teacher

This extremely valuable lesson comes from my son. It was learnt by him one sunny inconspicuous Sunday. It was such a revelation to him , that he could not wait to share it with me.

This was the event as related to me by him on the way home from work. My son works at a local cafe as one of the waiting staff, serving coffee and food. The cafe shop has a serving capacity of about 50-60 people. On this particular day, a fellow worker did not call in that day – that is to say did not call in and did not show up. This meant the venue operated at one person short, putting strain on the team for the whole day.

Without any reason for not showing up or calling, the owner really had no choice but to let the staff member go.

Lesson: I asked my son what was the lesson he had learnt? He responded simply, “Tell your employer if you are not coming into work, whatever the reason.”

The other night I went to a client site for our first appointment. I knew I was not going to be on time so I phoned them so they knew I was going to be late.

Lesson: a verbal conversation over the telephone has much more impact than text or email – your use of the telephone has a direct proportion to the results you get. The person at the other end believes they have enough value to you that you would actually make voice contact rather than a text.

Recently I was asked for a telephone number from some one reasonably close. The request came via text. I sent the number back by text, mirroring the request. I did wonder though, why a text message and not a phone call. The reason for many of the texts is so that we avoid having to  hear a human being on the other end…and all that that entails.

Lesson: Fundamental communication includes the ability to have a conversation with people over all mediums, especially those close to you.

The above lessons could be described as the “bleeding obvious”, but clearly they are not.

It means a great deal more. What is occurring is:

The Phil’s-osophy

We are losing our understanding for the concept of respect. Having enough respect for another person to let them know you will not be where you were supposed to be.

We have forgotten how to use a telephone. In fact we have become scared of using the telephone because we have to actually speak to the person at the other end, relying on texting, email and Facebook.

So amazed was I by this that I wrote a course on this aspect of communication, which will be available soon.

It comes back to RESPECT; Respect for your fellow colleagues, family members people you pass in the street.  What you put out comes back three-fold.

Use the telephone to communicate; the voice has more magic than a text! You’ll probably be part of a minority but you’ll become far more connected to others.

Abide by these simple rules and you’ll be regarded more highly by all.

To your success,
Phil.
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/

Life Lessons Learnt at the Supermarket

Every now and then, we find some really simple life lessons in all the things we do in our life. Even the humble grocery shopping has something to teach us.


First of all you have to find a parking space. Some days there spaces are everywhere and sometimes you have to search for them. Then there are the people who’ll drive around the carpark several times looking for just the right spot – you know the one that leaves enough space on either side of the car, is not too far from the front door and is close to the trolley bay.


Then you get inside the supermarket and start your shopping. Through the maze of shopping carts in the aisle I go, like weaving in and out of traffic on the freeway. You have your slower drivers who need to check the scenery as they travel. Then you have your faster drivers. They know the direction they are going and the exit they need to get off at and get annoyed by the slower drivers travelling in the fast lanes.


You need to watch out for those weekly specials. The supermarkets will do whatever they can to make them enticing. Woolworths, Coles, etc? We shop at Aldi for our staples each week and their weekly specials are amazing; everything from BBQs to school shoes – rice cookers to chainsaws. And then there are the food specials. But it’s their job to sell you these items – even if you don’t need them. You wander through thinking; ‘oh that might come in handy’, only to put it away in a cupboard never to use it.


Of those fast moving supermarket commuters, most will have a list of the items they need. They won’t be tempted by the specials unless they need them for their already pre-planned weekly menu. They are happily unaware of what is happening around them and so they often don’t realise when they are in someone else’s way or when someone else is about to crash into them.


The last person you’ll usually encounter at the supermarket is the checkout attendant. So many times I see customers just get through the checkout barely acknowledging the attendant. I’ve seen people talking on their mobile all the way through the checkout. Guys; a smile, a kind word, a ‘how’s your day going?’ and a ‘thankyou’ doesn’t cost a thing. Gives you a good feeling inside to acknowledge another person and helps them feel like they are visible.


The Phil’s-osophy

1. Get out of your way – you don’t need perfection to get started. You just need to get started.
2. Be focussed on what you want to achieve. When faced with a decision on what to do next, go for the action that is in keeping with what you want to achieve.
3. Keep the focus. There will always be those little distractions. If you do get sidelined, acknowledge it, get back into focus and move forward.
4. A good way to maintain focus is planning. Keep it super simple. The daily “to do” list is a simple and effective way to start. Collate a list of all the things to be done and pick the most important three. Once these are done, the next three and so on.
5. Be courteous. A kind word or a helping hand goes a long way. It’s good for the person you’re helping and it’s good for your soul. You never know who it is you are helping and they may surprise you.

Lessons are everywhere you go – open yourself up and absorb them.
To your success,
Phil.
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/

2012 – The Year of Building CONFIDENCE – DO….BE….Have

If you listen or read the media lately, you would be forgiven for assuming that 2012 will be a challenging year. Personally, I’m not so sure.

One thing that’s becoming increasingly obvious to me is that a feeling of CONFIDENCE is needed to get where you want to go.

The traditional Be-Do-Have formula of developing confidence is basically:

•  BE the person you want to be
• DO the things that will lead to that person
• Then you shall HAVE what you want to have

I believe this formula misses the point. CONFIDENCE is only generated by DOING. And the more DOING you do and the more often you DO it, the greater the CONFIDENCE level. I believe the formula should be:

DO ->BE -> HAVE

There are added benefits too.

·         You’ll develop a resilience to get over the ‘NOs’ ..and these will happen.

·         This resilience will give you greater control over your emotions

·         The emotional control will help you develop clarity of purpose

·         With this clarity, you’ll develop improved task and goal setting

·         Better task and goal setting gets you where you want to BE to HAVE what you want to have.

The Phil’s-osophy

Make 2012 your year of CONFIDENCE. DO the things that will lead to you being the person you want to BE in order for you to Have the things you want. 

More DOING will lead to more CONFIDENCE will lead to more CLARITY will lead to more SUCCESS.

Just a little each day and watch it grow.

To your success,
Phil.
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/

The Dangers of “Change Fatigue” ….and what to do about it!

A major danger that started to emerge late 2011 for individuals, businesses and organisations, is what I call “change fatigue.”

Change fatigue happens when there is an unprecedented weight of change and volatility. Combine this with the uncertainty over the implications of that change and one would be sympathetic to those who say “Ok that’s enough.”

Basically this is occurring because of what could be described as the overwhelming rate of change across the board – global, technological and societal. Ie the rise of China and India and the increase in outsourcing in both small businesses and large; the use of the internet and smart phones; networking like Facebook and LinkedIn.

It is also a result of anticipation of the not yet realised changes; for example carbon pricing that will start on 1 July 2012, and its impact on prices.

Some of the hype over change is real; much of it is media driven. Whatever the drivers of the change, there is a distinct feeling of frustration coming through from people saying “enough!!!!”

I have heard some self help experts say they don’t read the papers or follow television so they are not influenced by the negativity of the change and the like. This would be akin to denial; the classic “ostrich” stick the head in the sand approach and in my view, is just plain dumb. Switching off does not solve any problems; what it does is actually put you behind the pack.

But be wary. What we hear reported is they don’t read the newspapers because it is simplistic. The reality is they most often get their news from differing sources than the most Australians. Generally their news and information comes from media sources that don’t need to sell newspapers and therefore can afford a more balanced outlook.

The Phil’s-osophy

How should we deal with change fatigue?

Well to start with:

1. Accept change is here to stay! The human race can not progress if it does not change.


2. Daily exercise - you’ve read me going on about this and I can’t stress this enough. Even going for a brisk walk for 30 minutes clears the head and helps any anxiety you may be feeling, to subside.


3. Ongoing personal and professional development /skill improvement. Refer point 1. Sometimes you’ll need to factor in a radical change to your skillset but most often a simple upgrade is all that is required.


4. Connecting with people – networking, conversations, coffees etc. This connection is particularly critical in 2012 especially for career and business growth.

So before believing the worst, how about taking a deep breath, taking a step back and asking “what are the implications for me?”. Once you are able to rationally identify those implications, you will be able to determine the course of action to take advantage of them. And if you need help, a career coach, who has a purely objective view, can help get you over the hurdle.

To your success in 2012

Phil

www.philipwagner.com.au

Take Responsibility, Take Control

I read in last Sunday Age, the story of Roger Brown and his proposed class action against the banks. His action alleges the banks have breached the Competition and Consumer Act and the National Consumer Credit Code by lending money to people they knew had no capacity to pay it back.

Having at one point in my life worked for a large bank, I can tell you, in Australia at least, they are pretty risk adverse. The banks are better off with 25 years of interest payments than trying to get what they can by selling your home.

This is why you need to provide proof of salary, proof you have insurance etc. So the idea they have knowingly loaned money to people without the capacity to pay it back is hard to imagine.

According to the article, Roger Brown has been quoted as saying “many Australians are facing financial hardship through no fault of their own because they shouldn’t have been given a home loan in the first place.”

Interesting term; “through no fault of their own”.

We as the customer have a responsibility to know full well what our financial position is. And if we don’t, going for a home loan at any bank will enlighten you. You will be asked to account for every dollar you earn in an attempt for the bank to determine whether you will have the capacity to pay back the loan.

Now, don’t get me wrong – life happens. People lose their jobs or family members become sick etc. I know – I’ve been through it!

Most banks have actions the customer can take in these situations well before it comes to foreclosure. But one has to ask for that help.

“Ask and ye shall receive”

Outside of these life-taking-over events, I question “through not fault of their own”.

It seems increasingly, society is looking for someone else to blame rather than stand up and take responsibility for its own actions.

Larry Winget, the “Pitbull of Personal Development” puts it like this :

"You’re broke because you want to be."

The Phils-osophy

Please be responsible and be in control of your life. While there are life-taking-over events, there are also taking-control-of-my-life solutions.

One of my favourites is income protection insurance. It has been around for many years and there are many varying policy inclusions and exclusions. There are of course other insurances or products that you can avail yourself of. Talk to a financial advisor or insurance advisor on what is best for you and your situation. And before first home owners pipe up with this is just another salary impost that stops them being able to afford their first home – imagine how it would feel to lose your first home because something happened, you had no insurance and no way to repay the loan.

I’m for people succeeding and taking responsibility for yourself and taking control of your life is the fast track to success.

To your success,
Phil.
http://www.philipwagner.com.au/