teresa.glenn – Page 19 – blog.colorcode.com

Ask the Expert

Dear Jeremy,

I feel that my company has a bias in that they value Red and Blue personality types much more so than Whites and Yellows. Can you please take a moment to articulate the value that Whites and Yellows bring to the workplace that perhaps a lot of people don’t perceive on the surface?

Thanks,

Jackie

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Dear Jackie,

Unfortunately, it is fairly common for people to view Reds and Blues as valuable in a business setting and Whites and Yellows less so.

Many see the “color” of business as Red. Therefore, they believe that you need to think and act as a Red does to be successful. Even Red limitations in a business environment are often tolerated, and in some cases, desired. For example, the stereotype is that if you are the “boss,” you must be demanding, critical, and well, bossy. The rationalization is that these behaviors are okay, because they get the job done.

Blues generally receive immediate validation in a work environment because they are analytical, organized, and often serious workers. Let’s be real, though, sometimes even Blues get dismissed as being lesser-thans. For instance, Blues’ tendencies to take things personally and their desires to give people second (and third…and fourth…and, well maybe fifth, etc.) chances don’t fit the “strictly business” attitude that the stereotypical enterprise demands.

I’ve found the easiest way to shift this paradigm is to ignore the text book list of White or Yellow strengths and limitations. Instead, think of a White or Yellow that you personally know who is very successful in business, and consider the value that they bring to their respective organizations.

In a recent Trainer Certification course that I was conducting, we were talking about the value of people with White DCM’s in the workplace. Veronica (one of the new trainers) brought up the name of a White store director that everyone knew, and the light bulbs turned on for the others. Veronica reminded the class about how in stressful situations, when the other Colors tend to get reactionary and stressful, this White would stand up with a great sense of calm, and would command the attention of everyone in the room. Then, he would rationally, and clearly lay out the simplest course of action imaginable. He drew on his ability to remain calm in the midst of chaos, his inventiveness, and his logical clarity, to lead his team to success.

With Whites it is also helpful to recognize that while they have a reputation of being “wall-flowers,” when they get into their element of choice, watch out.

Now let’s consider the Yellows. Like the Whites, the limitations of Yellows are what generate bias in a work environment. After all, who would choose “irresponsible” and “disorganized” employees?

The challenge, once again, is to move beyond the “list” of Yellow strengths and limitations, and think of an individual with a Yellow DCM, who has been extremely successful in your industry. They are usually not too difficult to find, because in true Yellow fashion, they tend to make their presence known.

One of the most successful Yellows I know is Dr. Taylor Hartman, author of The Color Code. It is never hard to find the value that he brings professionally. He is charismatic, and sociable, which allows him to give feedback to people in a very direct manner, without damaging relationships because Yellows have a way of making people feel valued regardless of their current behavior. Also, people like to be around him, and it’s a well-known phenomenon that people do business with people they like. Yellows are oftentimes rainmakers. They also have the ability to maintain a sense of morale and optimism upon which you really can’t place a value.

Because Yellows are motivated by “Fun,” others assume that all they want to do is joke around and play games. Not true. What is critically necessary for Yellows, though, is that they do enjoy what they do. So, much like the Whites, when they find a career that interests them and that they enjoy, they truly can be all-star employees.

My hope, Jackie, is that this article will encourage you to help your company find some examples of Whites and Yellows who have been successful, so that everyone can begin to consider their contributions and value. In doing so, I believe, people will move away from simply looking at the black and white list of potential strengths and limitations and start considering real life examples.

Continued Success!

Jeremy Daniel

Jeremy Daniel (Core Color: Yellow) has been working with the Color Code since 1998 in various capacities from training in the field personally with Dr. Taylor Hartman to designing customized corporate solutions and new training programs for various industries. To ask about Jeremy’s training or speaking services, please email and inquiry to jeremy@colorcodetraining.com.

The Awkward Blind Date

This week we thought we’d have a little fun and make two one-minute videos about the joys of blind dating. One for the guys and one for the gals. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog or follow us on Twitter or Facebook for great dating tips and much more.

Here is the one for the gals:

And here is the one for the guys:

Enjoy!

The Family Dynamic

Families are an interesting dynamic.

In my family of four, we represent the Color Code completely. I am a Red, my husband is a Blue, my oldest son is a White, and my youngest son is a Yellow.

Before learning the Color Code, I was frustrated by the fact that everyone didn’t think and act exactly the way I did and naturally, it didn’t occur to me that they might be just as frustrated with me.

Example:

During the remodeling of home we were planning to sale, I asked my Blue husband the simple question, “Can we paint the porch handrail today?” Yes or no, right? This is the answer I received: “I have some sheetrock being delivered today and I need a way to get it in the house, although I’m not sure exactly how to get it down to the basement. I ordered ten footers, but now I wish I had ordered eight footers because of the turn at the laundry room. I just hate having to tape all those extra seams by using the eight footers. I know I can’t get them down there alone and I only paid for curb service on the delivery. Do you think you can get your brothers here to help take it down?”

In the old days, this explanation would have frustrated me to the point that I would have hurt his feelings by saying something very sarcastic like “you get that was a yes or no question, right?” My Red limitations of impatience and insensitivity were at odds with his Blue needs. Blues need time to think, collect, analyze, and process the steps required to complete a project. My question about painting the handrail set in motion a linear thought process beginning with: if the handrail has wet paint, it will compound the problems of bringing in the sheetrock (which may or may not be too long).

Not wanting to risk another long-winded explanation, I clamp my mouth shut, guessing that the answer was “no” even though the words handrail and paint weren’t mentioned. I have learned his language.

Kids

All parents should read and understand the Color Code before trying to raise children with core motives different from their own. Trust me…it makes life much easier and they will make fewer mistakes.

My oldest son has always been the epitome of a White. My youngest son, the epitome of a Yellow. I just didn’t know it. Not being familiar with the Color Code in the past, I described them like this:

My White never raised his voice, contradicted me, or got in trouble at school. On the other hand, while testing very high academically, he wasn’t motivated to attend excelerated learning programs, or for that matter, do his homework. It was scoring high on tests that got him through high school and college. I know now that my aggressive tactics and his dad’s constant lectures–meant to motivate him–only made him shut down in stubborn silence. We would have been better served to show patience and not rush him, to understand his occasional need for quiet solitude, to quietly discuss his lack of motivation and refrain from calling him lazy.

My youngest son? Well let’s just say that life with him was an emotional roller coaster (see illustration). He wasn’t motivated academically either. I have to confess that I was near tears at more than one parent-teacher conference. They all started this way: “You’re his parent? I love him. He is so well mannered and fun to be around. I love having him in my class.” Then, “I’m so sorry I had to give him that F.” When my Yellow hit high school, he used to ditch classes to work in the office (yes, the office) amidst all the buzz and activity. I punished his behavior. Rather than get angry, I should have recognized his need to be a part of the action. Yellows need breaks from monotony. They need to be praised. In retrospect, I should have gone to the school and made arrangements to reward his good behavior (going to class) with an hour in the office.

Lessons learned

In the past, I made mistakes that I wouldn’t have made today, equipped with the knowledge the Color Code has given me. It would be great to go back and have “do-overs” but, alas, it’s not to be. The best that I can hope for is that I have learned the important lesson that there are many personalities in the world and that one is not better than the other–just different–and move forward strengthening my relationships, both old and new. CC

Teresa Glenn has been working with the Color Code since 2006, where her main focus is product development. She has been in the publishing and product development field for over 20 years. Teresa is a core Red with a strong Yellow secondary.

The Selfless Leader

By: Taylor Hartman, Ph.D.

There are countless books, seminars, and formal educational programs committed to inspiring effective leadership. Why then do so few leaders ever rise above themselves to become what all the great leadership research and teachings endeavor to promote? Why do the Enrons of the world continue to produce self-absorbed, immature, and insensitive leaders?

It could well be argued that the very psychological nature of man is selfish—an inner drive to care for oneself at the expense of another. Much like the constant struggle we endure physically against the elements of nature in order to survive, so too must we constantly battle our selfish desires.

Fortunately, our history is replete with solid examples of people who have won this psychological battle and offered powerful examples of selfless leadership. They are the victors of psychological and spiritual warfare equal, if not greater than, those noble souls among us who have successfully weathered the beatings of the physical elements.

No place in humanity is the selfless leader more noticeable than in the world of business. Known for its profit orientation and insensitivity, selfless leaders rise to remind us that business is far more than merely improving the bottom line. While it is about fiscal performance, it is clearly about so much more.

We live so much of our lives at work that is behooves us to consider the quality of our existence there. Are we becoming better people at work? Are we enhancing the lives of our associates and customers through our improved lives? Most importantly, do our leaders inspire us to get over ourselves and make our business lives about something and someone more than ourselves?

There are five critical characteristics that every successful leader must demonstrate. These critical gifts include:

Integrity
The ability to communicate great things
An emotional and caring connection with those whom they lead
Humility
Vulnerability

Notice how each one requires the leader to “get over” himself or herself in order to successfully lead. Effective leaders leave legacies that endears them to their followers and enhance the lives of the children of their followers—children who will never know the leader, but whose quality of life will be seriously enhanced simply because their parents were led by such a rare individual—the selfless leader.

Ask the Expert

Dear Jeremy,

With Valentine’s day coming, I wanted to write and ask the following question: How I can get my Red husband more engaged in the holiday? When we were dating, he made the day so special with gifts and activities. Since we’ve been married, though, he isn’t one bit romantic. Help!

Sincerely,
Blue in SLC

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Dear Blue in SLC,

I have great news for you! If you are well-versed in the Color Code, it’s like having that chubby little cherub we call “Cupid” on speed dial.

So let me give you a few insights on how Reds–especially Red men–look at Valentine’s Day, as well as some tips on what to do so that you are not disappointed (again) by a box of cheap chocolates and a cheesy afterthought-of-a-greeting card that he picked up on the way home from work.

You mentioned that before you were married, your husband always made Valentine’s Day special, but now that you’ve tied the knot — his track record has been a little less than stellar.

The first piece of advice I have for you, may be the hardest to internalize, but here it goes…

Don’t take it personally.

Now, as a Blue, you might be thinking, “What?!! Obviously I’m going to take this personally, this is my HUSBAND we’re talking about! I am his WIFE, and this is nothing butPERSONAL!”

Of course, you’re right. Marriage by nature is one of the most – if not the most – personal connections an individual will have in their lifetime. What I mean, though, is that it is highly likely that his change of behavior has nothing to do with the way he feels about you and more to do with the way that he thinks in general.

Reds are logical, productivity oriented individuals who love to check things off of their “To-Do” list. For example:

Graduate at the top of my class. (Check!)
Land a great career opportunity. (Check!)
Find a beautiful, capable woman to date. (Check!)
Woo like a mad man – especially on Valentine’s Day – (sub-list needed):
- Get reservations at the city’s best restaurant. (Check!)
- Find front row tickets at her dream concert. (Check!)
- Take her to an oceanfront beach resort in Thailand. (Check!)
- Buy her the perfect engagement ring/pop the question. (Check!)
- Get married. (Check!)
Get refocused on career. (Check!)
Have the best lawn in the neighborhood. (Check!)
Work on my golf game. (Check!)
Etc., etc., etc.

Reds have a game plan, and they work it from A-Z. What typically happens is that they date like nobody else, and then once they get the girl, that item is logically “checked off this list” and they continue to move forward with other items.

Since the wooing is done and the girl has been landed, why would they now “waste” money on fancy dinner reservations, concerts, and exotic trips? They have to be investing for retirement, and saving up for a better “image car” with which to impress potential clients and other people of influence, after all.

I realize all of this might sound kind of cold, but Reds don’t see it that way, which is the most important thing to remember. It really isn’t about YOU.

Now… how do we change this?

This is also a pretty straightforward process with Red men. It’s very safe to say that they still love you and that you still have their interest – otherwise, they would have let you know by now. You always know where you stand with a Red, which can give you a lot of security in the relationship (which I know you Blues really love).

All you have to do is tell them that the wooing isn’t over, and that you’d better be put back on “the list” if they want this relationship to continue to work. Tell them what you want and what you expect, and be STRONG about it.

I don’t mean emotionally intense, by the way. Getting worked up emotionally is one of the worst things that you can do, actually, because Reds don’t know how to go to emotion very easily, – nor do they want to – and they might end up seeing you as “pathetic” and not really taking you seriously.

You do want to be logically strong, however. State your case, say what you need to say, lay out your expectations and stand your ground.

For example, don’t be afraid to tell him:

“Valentine’s Day is coming up, and I just want you to know that you were really good at making that day special and romantic when we were dating. But, for the past few years you’ve treated romance like a total non-priority, and I’m not okay with that because it makes me feel like I’m not important to you. So here’s the deal… if you want to get what you want on Valentine’s Day (ahem), you had better bring the romance. I know it’s not the 4th of July, but if you want fireworks, you’ve got to light the fuse. Are we clear?”

(Crystal).

Remember, the point is state your feelings and expectations clearly, logically, and succinctly. If Valentine’s Day works out a little better for you this year – which I’m betting it will if you try these strategies – don’t be afraid to continually remind him that you are not, – nor will you ever be – “checked off the list” and that wooing is an ongoing process that you expect from him.

I hope that helps. Thank you for asking!

Very best of living,

Jeremy Daniel

Brainstorming Success with Color Code

Brainstorming has helped teams come up with innovative ideas, products, services and solutions for centuries. Today, successful teams use it as a fun yet productive way to generate long lists of problem-solving possibilities. Brainstorming often results in realistic, creative breakthroughs.

Break your brainstorming sessions into two phases. During the first phase the goal is to create a long list of ideas by moving quickly to generate as many good ideas as possible without taking the time to discuss each idea in-depth. Brainstorming provides you with a general focus, and then you can begin to discuss solutions. The second phase is the discussion phase each idea is judged to see whether it could work when factors like time, money, relationships, skills and abilities, available materials, and marketability are considered.

When brainstorming, each personality will be prone to lead and/or participate differently. As a leader it is your job to move the process along and not get sidetracked by the strengths or limitations of any particular color. For example:

Reds are very visionary and are also very bottom-line, cut-to-the-chase people and will have some great practical ideas. They typically feel comfortable risking in a group and creating great energy in the initial idea phase of brainstorming. They may be prone to dominate the process and will want to go straight to the solutions. They may also tend to be critical of ideas suggested.

Blues will be strong in structuring the event and providing clear rules for engagement. They will provide an accurate description of others’ suggestions and pay attention to detail. They will often provide very sound, plausible suggestions in the random idea phase as well as strong focus on quality in the prioritizing phase. They may tend to be serious and want to go too deep discussing each idea in detail during the fast-moving idea creation phase and can be prone to telling stories.

Whites bring even flow and free others to present their ideas free of criticism. They invite others to shine while being comfortable in a supportive role. Their clarity and lack of judgmental regarding others’ comments will prove very helpful. They may tend to sit back and listen and take it all in and will often need encouragement to share – but they see it all and have a lot of valuable insights if encouraged.

Yellows will provide an engaging atmosphere encouraging all to participate with energy and positive invitation. Their creativity is their strong suit along with their willingness to accept different viewpoints. They may struggle with focus (which will frustrate the Reds) and driving the very important second piece of brainstorming which is the prioritizing of suggestions.

Ask the Expert

Dear Jeremy,
I manage a sales team of nearly 250 people. Our corporate headquarters sets our annual sales goals, bonus structures, and incentive programs based around increasing sales production along certain product lines, which sometimes means not focusing on others. My job is to lead a team of managers with the objective of helping the salespeople for whom I am responsible to increase their sales volume according to the goals corporate sets. Some salespeople are very driven by the bonus/incentive programs, and others simply are not. Some are indifferent to what they are asked to sell, and some are terribly ineffective if they don’t have a strong belief system for the product.
Are there certain Color Code tips or strategies that you can give me to help keep everyone motivated and focused?
Dylan

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Dear Dylan,
Yes, there are several Color Code application tips I can give you that readily tie into a sales environment. First of all, it will be important for you and other managers to always remember that each color sells differently, feels incentivized/motivated by different approaches, and will view all aspects of a sales job differently. Your job as the sales manager is to learn how to work with each style effectively in order to drive the results you are looking for.
I’ll give a brief commentary on each of the colors and their natural competencies and challenges within a sales environment. Before I do that, though, I want to state for the record that many people erroneously feel that the best kinds of salespeople to recruit are Reds and Yellows. While it’s true that Reds and Yellows are naturally more drawn to a sales environment than are Whites and Blues, it doesn’t mean that the Whites and Blues can’t excel in sales. One of Color Code’s Sales Code clients recently recognized the top four performers throughout their region. Interestingly enough, there was one of each of the four colors represented in that group.
Let’s begin with the Reds and Yellows. I want to start this way, because most sales incentive programs that I’ve seen are based around getting Reds and Yellows fired up and ready to sell. There is a lot of hype created by throwing big numbers around, playing to the sales associates’ egos through recognition programs, talking about why “we’re the best” at doing what we do, and creating opportunities to snatch up big cash bonuses, trips, and other fantastic prizes. In short, big numbers/big money types of incentives work very naturally for Reds and Yellows.
Reds are driven by the opportunities offered by these types of programs. There is a clearly defined path for both achieving financial success and earning the respect of company leadership. They also thrive on the super-charged feeling of competition created in these environments.
On the downside, Reds are notorious for pushing so hard that they leave paths of scorched earth in their wake. They can be overly aggressive with clients and disrespectful of team members and office staff who aren’t getting them what they want or are wasting their time (at least in their own estimation). Their arrogance can also become a major turn-off to all around them. Reds can become so obsessed with their goals, their awards, their bonus, etc, that they lose sight of helping the client get what they need. This usually results in a bad case of “commission breath,” which inevitably leads to fewer sales.
With Reds, you must teach them how to value people, and connect with them emotionally and socially. If they can learn to spend a little more time helping others get what they want, the Reds will usually find that they are rewarded reciprocally.
Yellows also respond very positively to these types of programs. What people often don’t realize about Yellows is that they actually crave structure in their lives, because they typically don’t know how to create it themselves. Yellows are also very enthusiastic sprinters. They love the short-term, high-energy goals that sales environments offer. They are praised and rewarded for their social skills, and can attain the instant gratification they seek.
Yellows can struggle with the job, however, if it becomes monotonous—the same sales spiel over, and over, and over again, for example. Also, they tend to be fast starters, but unreliable finishers. In other words, if the big prizes require consistently high performance over the course of an entire year, and they fall behind the second or third month, they might be inclined to easily give up and end up with mediocre results rather than muster up the required energy to catch back up.
With Yellows, one of the best things you can do for them is help them take their big, lofty goals and break them up into small, daily chunks that when accomplished, take them all the way to the finish line. You must also help them to focus on what is necessary as opposed to what is fun and exciting.
Now let’s move on to the Whites and Blues. While it’s true that they have nothing against earning big bonuses, exotic trips, etc., most incentive programs are not written in a way that inspire and motivate Whites and Blues as effectively as the Reds and Yellows.
The Whites, for instance, generally don’t have a problem with the company pursuing its goals. They realize there is probably sound reasoning behind the need to emphasize certain production levels in various areas. Where people go wrong with Whites in sales is in reading their intentions. Whites are typically not extroverted, and therefore do not jump up and down and get overly stimulated and excited when the newest sales goals and reward programs are announced. When that happens, people tend to write them off. They assume they don’t care, and don’t put the energy into coaching them through the process.
Whites are very consistent workers who are good at routine. You can count on them to be very measured and methodical in their approach. They are not going to sprint, then rest, sprint, then rest, etc. If they are in a sales environment, it’s probably because they have obtained a certain comfort level in working with others.
The key with motivating White salespeople is to get their input and continue to follow-up. Ask them what they think about the new goals, and what their plan is for achieving them. Be respectful of the way they choose to approach their work, and don’t try to impose an overly exuberant style on them.
For Blues, the incentives can’t be all about the money, the ego, and the numbers. They have to find purpose in what they do. You may have to “translate” the company goals for them by focusing on things like how many people they can help, instead of how many units they can move. If they feel it’s all about them and all the money the company will be making, they might feel like they are exploiting their customers to get what they want. This will actually have an extremely negative effect on their performance. They will feel guilty, even dirty, about what they do, and their performance will whither away.
Where Blues excel is in connecting with people. If they have a product that they truly believe in, they will want to tell everyone about it. When they see how something can make someone’s life better, their sincerity will be hard to resist. Sometimes when a Blue is struggling, what they really need is for you to sit down with them and help them see how what they are doing is truly helping others.
There are so many other things we could talk about here, Dylan. Increasing sales performance is one of the most natural applications of the Color Code. The important thing to remember is that all colors can do well in sales roles. You just have to approach them differently.
Continued success!
Jeremy Daniel

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Jeremy Daniel (Core Color: Yellow) has been working with the Color Code since 1998 in various capacities from training in the field personally with Dr. Taylor Hartman to designing customized corporate solutions and new training programs for various industries. To ask about Jeremy’s training or speaking services, please email and inquiry to jeremy@colorcodetraining.com.

Know “The Code”…Dating Smart

ATTENTION: If you’ve been on so many blind dates that you actually won a free dog, this article is for you…

Let’s face it. You “log in” because you eventually want to “log off” and actually meet someone in person, right? I mean, if Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler (Shamie) can do it, you can DEFINITELY do it. And, if you understand The Color Code, you can date more successfully than ever before.

The first thing that you need to learn about dating is this: “It’s all about you…but it ain’t only all about you”. I’ll explain…

What I’m talking about here is the fact that you are interested in dating because you are seeking to increase your own level of happiness – and there’s nothing wrong with that. All things considered, it really is all about you and your life, and you’re the only person responsible for making it happen. On the flipside however, dating and relationships involve other people (obviously), and if you always make things about yourself, you will fail miserably in creating the happiness that you seek.

Balancing Emotional Needs/Wants for Both You and Your Partner

If you have taken the Color Code Personality Test, you have seen that you are provided with some basic information about your relationship emotional needs and wants. This is key information for you to understand what is going to make you happy long-term (Hint: make sure that the person you’re dating can fulfill you in these areas, or find somebody else!).

However, it doesn’t stop there. Statistically speaking, the # 1 reason relationships fail is this: SELFISHNESS – remember “it’s not only all about you”. You should also seek to fulfill the emotional needs and wants of the person you are dating (Hint-Part-2: Do this and they will only want you even more!).

With that in mind, the next time you go out with someone, ask yourself the following questions:

Does my date work towards or against me fulfilling my relationship needs & wants?
What am I doing to get to know my date’s relationship needs & wants?
Can we fulfill each others’ needs & wants long term while still being true to who we are as individuals (compatibility)?

It never has to be that one person is fulfilled at the expense of the other. Those types of relationships cannot bring lifelong happiness for either person involved. The best part of truly fantastic relationships is that while two people can be very different individually, when they commit to the other’s happiness, they find their own—and magic is born of it.

Know “The Code”, and date smart!

100% Responsibility

Taking Ownership For Your Relationships

Taylor Hartman, Ph.D.

When was the last time you accepted full responsibility for a problem in your life? When was the last time you heard anyone say, “That’s completely my fault. I am 100% Responsible for what happened and will do whatever is necessary to make it right!”

We have created a society of victims with a cultural backdrop that actually promotes ”blame, denial and rationalization” rather than responsibility and ownership. Today, if you smoke three packs of cigarettes a day for forty years and die of lung cancer, your family blames the tobacco company. If your child misbehaves in school, you give him the label ADHD and medicate him. If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving home after too many drinks at the bar, he blames the bartender.

When something goes wrong, it is rare that someone steps forward to take ownership for creating the problem. Even more rare is the individual who takes 100% Responsibility for creating the problem AND accepts ownership for providing a solution. Those individuals and/or companies who pay their dues by exposing their vulnerability (“It was my fault!”) and accept ownership for resolving the problem (“How can I make it right with you?”) earn the privilege to become exclusive members of the 100% Responsibility Club. Trust me, this club is highly exclusive and holds its members in strict adherence to principles that far exceed the general public’s expectations.

The State of What Generally Is

Unfortunately many of us have been raised in a victim society. We have been taught by countless role models that our problems are not our own doing and that we, in fact, have been wronged. For many reasons – misunderstood, abandoned, and neglected all come to mind – we have spent more energy seeking strategies for getting off the hook rather than facing the music when we make mistakes.

Think of most partners during divorce proceedings. Think of driving while under the influence, public education, and major airlines. We have been taught, and learned our lessons, well. Most of us were very willing students. We excuse and devalue ourselves (think many sports figures, politicians, and celebrities) rather than value ourselves as would be evidenced by stepping up to our problems and finding viable solutions. Denying ownership continually weakens us until we no longer have the strength to even identify the truth, let alone face it.

We’ve become so accustomed to fear-based thinking that it now serves as our native tongue. Do these excuses sound familiar?

People get in their cars late for a meeting, jump on the freeway and call ahead on their cell phone indicating they will be late as if this excuses them for leaving late. They left their office late but somehow calling from a cell phone on the freeway excuses that!

Our current culture promotes “blame, denial and rationalization” as our native tongue. Far more people speak, understand AND ACCEPT this way of thinking than 100% Responsibility. We must wake up and face the brutal facts that we have succumbed to and accept excuse making over keeping our promises. Accepting this brutal truth can move us to take the necessary steps in overcoming it. CC