February 16, 2016 • Volume 7, Issue 4 • ISSN: 2154-3240

In This Issue

♦	Feature Article: Stop Telling Me What to Do!
♦	Ask Amanda: My staff sees me as a monster, help!
♦	Practical Tips: Momentum

Stop Telling Me What to Do!

Are you one of those people who can’t stand to be told what to do—even by yourself? According to Oliver Burkeman, psychology columnist for The Guardian and author of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking, “We’re desperate for a sense of autonomy, a feeling that we’re the ones in charge. As a result, we rail against anything we feel we’ve been ordered to do—even if it’s ourselves who gave that order. And so you decide in advance to spend Wednesday morning on your business plan, or the next chapter of your novel… but when Wednesday morning comes, you rise up against the taskmaster who gave that command, and start scrolling through Snapchat instead. Congratulations, you’re a rebel—but unfortunately it’s your own goals you’re undermining.”
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	80% of worries never happen.

Practical Tips: Momentum

Even if you never took physics in school you’ve probably heard of Newton’s 1st Law of Motion: “An object in motion stays in motion.” That’s the beauty of momentum. Once you begin a project or start a new habit, it becomes easier to continue. It’s starting something that can be so hard.

Undoubtedly you’ve had the experience of coming to work primed to begin a new project, then you realize that you’d really better reorganize your files, shuffle your papers, or line your paperclips up in descending size order.
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My predecessor was loved by the staff. What they don't know is he was bad at his job and left the sales department in a really bad way. Now I'm here cleaning up his mess and being seen as a monster. It's a thankless task. Any suggestions? M.T., Baltimore, MD

While it’s clear that you’re distressed that your team is not judging you fairly, remember that being loved by the staff is not why you’re there. If you’re new, focus on doing the right thing for the business while educating the staff regarding why you’re doing what you’re doing.
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