What's the point of it all?

"The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat"  Lily Tomlin

If you are doing work that you believe adds no value to yourself or others, it is easy to become frustrated or demotivated.

Take a moment and think about your goals and values.  Then consider how what you do in your day supports (or not) those values.

For example:

• If you value good health, making the time to exercise is a good connection.
• If you value kindness, making time to listen to customers and colleagues is a good fit.

Make a list of your top 5-10 values.  Think about those as you go through your day.

Seeing the big picture can make it easier to put up with the little irritations. 

One man's trash is another man's treasure

This is true on the job as well.  Everyone has different interests and preferences. 

Here's an idea.  Take time to ask team members what they enjoy.  Make a list of these interests and then get creative, play Match.com with your tasks. If you are lucky, what one person finds engaging is something that another person finds tiresome.

• Do you have someone who likes to teach?  They could be your internal trainer.
• How about someone who enjoys a sense of completion?   They could take on some reorganization projects. 
• Maybe you have a social convener in the mix, they could plan the next staff outing or meeting.

The more you tap into people's personal interests, the greater the team's overall success.  

What's your favorite part of your job?

Practice, practice, practice

Ever wonder how those Olympians prepare for such an important moment in their life? 

They practice a lot (that's an huge understatement) and they practice in environments that simulate the real event. 

Getty Images

If you are trying to improve performance on your team, don’t just talk about how to handle a tough interaction or presentation, practice in an environment as close to reality as possible. 

• For customer service interactions, role-play in an escalated tone.
• For presentations, practice in the boardroom, not your office.
• For conference calls, practice over the phone.

Help your team go for Gold.