No regrets!

 

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 353 Monday 17/10/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,crikey I knew it would be a busy week and I was up for it but I had no idea really!They say the human ability to cope is unparalelled but I gave that a nudge with the week that was.Apart from the key business meetings and the 2 day conference/awards evening to keep on track my car decided to have a meltdown. The turbo unit said “enough” as I was hurtling along the motorway reducing me to half speed.After managing to avoid causing a major pileup I managed to limp to the service centre.The loan car I received reeked of petrol fumes so I had to drive it with the windows open!.On my way to the conference in the toxic loan car in the rain a truckie behind me had his foot slip off the brake and ploughed into the back of the loan car!After exchanging names and insurance info whilst holding up half of Auckland he later disputed doing any damage and denied accepting responsibility!!

Ensuring business as usual and a highly successful conference was a walk in the park in comparison!

Fletcher reckons;if you want something done to the highest standard then give it to a busy efficient person like his Dad and you wont go wrong.Also trucks are cool so take it easy on the Truckie dude!

On a completely different note what about those New World mini gardens?!Whoever came up with that idea is a genius.I cant believe how simple yet successful that giveaway concept has been at 48 with us all spending time together planting and watching the seedlings grow before transferring them into bigger pots.I cant remember any other promo being as green or fun?...well done New World!

After a relaxing weekend catching up on some much needed Z’s I cant wait to rip into another Upbeat week ahead.From your positive feedback I know you are feeling the same way..…Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon anything that needs a turbo unit must be dodgy!!

 

 

“Hakuna Matata..no worries for the rest of your life”. Lion King

 

Yes I was stretched but I was in the zone and up for it.

Being an MC is hard for me because I have to accept that it is not about me!!

For someone who has always loved the sound of his own voice that can be a challenge.

I am pleased to announce that I have perfected the art of making sure I am a proficient MC without having to be the centre of attention.

I had a fabulous time last week directing traffic at the New Zealand Association of Training and Development Professionals bi-annual conference in Auckland.

This was a particularly enjoyable experience for me because I am extremely interested in the Training and Development industry so was thrilled to catch up with the latest developments.

No it didn’t go according to the script which is why I value my Toastmasters training so highly.

I was able to manage the changes and fill in the gaps as if they had been planned all along!

I was also able to inflect my own style and personality to the role and weave this into a rich and vibrant overall event tapestry that included staying on a cool David Bowie theme.

Yes I am brilliant and could bang on forever about how so but that is not my message this week.

My message is dove tailed into last weeks and that is, if you back yourself, extend yourself, and believe in yourself, then you will be successful no matter what happens.

I could easily have declined this opportunity for a million valid reasons but I would have been the loser and have no doubt I would have regretted it.

With all the stuff that went wrong outside of my control and additional to what had already been planned I would have had plenty of excuses for being mediocre or average.

My challenge to you all again is to seek or accept opportunities that extend you and to embrace them with both hands. Overcome any obstacles along the way and seize the chance to excel.

I can guarantee if you take my advice it is something you will never regret!!

 

“I have no regrets,regret only makes wrinkles”. Sophia Loren

Brass in muck and professional football!

 

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 352 Monday 10/10/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,I misplaced my phone and freaked out.I cant believe how dependant I am on that thing and how lost and cut off I was without it.Could you use a public phone if you had to?Even if I had been able to use a pay phone I didn’t know anyones number because they are all saved in my phone!Thank goodness my trusty collectors item iphone4 was located the following day before I was cut off completely from my entire work and private world!!......I need to get a life away from that thing!!

Sharing experiences with our son provides a constant opportunity to reinforce and reward honesty, courtesy and good behaviour. We recently found and handed in a couple of scooby doo soccer balls at a local tournament .Fletcher was reluctant to do so at first but eventually agreed it was the right thing to do.As a reward I surprised him a few days later with his very own new ball and first ever pair of real boots!Good things happen to good people who do the right thing!

Fletcher reckons; honesty is definitely the best policy and if he wants to sleep in his boots and hugging his new football then that’s ok.We also featured at Daycare ‘show and tell’ J (attached).

I am a self confessed ‘bin diver’ and have found countless treasures in rubbish bins.I am always looking for an opportunity to go diving but am not really supposed to in my role.So imagine when as part of my job I do get to dive in bins chasing illegally dumped waste on a big subdivision! I cant wait and yes I will be like the proverbial pig in lots of muck.It will be fun returning the illegal waste to the perpetrators as a reminder there is no free lunch yours sincerely ‘The Bin Diver’…hahaha

How can I help but have an ‘Upbeat’ and positive week ahead, hope you do too..…Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon theres brass in muck and a professional football career!

 

 

“You are you.Now isnt that pleasant”. Dr Seuss

 

Thanks for the feedback from last week, I appreciate your comments both positive and not so.

Even those with the most upbeat intentions in the world amongst us don’t get it right some of the time.I am human and make mistakes like anyone else,I reckon it is what I do after that counts!

Last week was about realizing and accepting that there were things I needed to change personally.

The only way for me to continue improving as a person is to make the effort to address the things that are holding me back……so I am one step and day at a time..life is a work in progress!

The coming week is huge for me because of my ‘never let an opportunity pass you by ‘ policy!

I have accepted the challenge of organizing a number of key meetings as well as helping a close business associate host a major national learning and development event!!

Crikey I will be stretched every which way but I know relying on my planning and preparation and the communication skills I have fine tuned and honed for over 25 years will deliver quality results!

Weeks like this are All Black test matches for me.They put all the training done to the ultimate test. They are an opportunity that demands ‘A’ game standards where the pressure to perform brings out the best individually and collectively.

Without confronting the chance to extend ourselves we will never realise our full potential or challenge the mental and physical barriers that may be holding us back.

Recent events have made me aware of my physical limits however like any athlete or performer with the right amount of preparation and conditioning anything is possible.

I don’t want to regret not having a crack at challenges I am presented with so I am determined physically and mentally to say ‘bring it on’ every chance I get.

So I say don’t cruise or be content going through the motions none of us are perfect or ever will be but we are all better than that!! Good luck……go for it every day as if it was your last!

 

“If we all did the things we are capable of we would astound ourselves”. Thomas Edison

Confession time !!

 

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 351 Monday 03/10/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,whilst I concede my enforced stay in Hospital was the best thing for me it is definitely harder to get out of that place than it was to get in there!I finally managed to persuade my medical team that I was better off out driving people nuts than I was in there doing the same so I was eventually discharged.Problem was I wasn’t quite free as I then had to negotiate with car park staff where my car had been sitting for 4 days since being admitted!I managed to convince them also that I deserved to go free of charge thank goodness(pity I don’t have the same success with speeding tickets!!).

Interestingly even though I managed to convince everyone including myself that I was fully recovered it still took the rest of the week to build back to full noise and strength. So what did I learn from this….when people who know better than you say to take it easy….they are 100% right!

Fletcher reckons; he should have been allowed to stay home from Daycare to assist with Dads recovery….yeah right!......his generous offer was respectfully declined.

It was however amazingly good to be home!!

Thanks for the feedback and kind words regarding edition 350 and my illness I appreciate it greatly.

I hope you are looking after yourselves and your families before anything else and using that commitment and security as the basis to have an ‘Upbeat’ and positive week ahead…Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon trust them to guard the house but not your sandwich! J

 

 

“If you want small changes in your life work on attitude but if you want big changes in your life work on your paradigm”. Stephen Covey

 

I had a paradigm shift in thinking last week……so its confession time.

I realized that instead of being part of the solution I was in fact part of the problem!!

You see I had become conditioned to thinking that I was a positive influence and someone capable of solving issues and leading by example yet I was wrong.

I had in fact become so used to thinking that others were the problem that I found myself immediately blaming them whilst in denial that I in any way may be connected.

I realised that my first thought when something went wrong was to look for someone to blame and more often than not I held the same people responsible everytime.

Without consciously realizing it I had developed a negative attitude towards others to the point where I had lost all confidence in their ability to provide or deliver what I wanted or needed!

It wasn’t until this was pointed out to me that I reluctantly reflected and realized that by doing this I was contributing more to the problems than anyone who ever made a mistake was.

Instead of being someone who was looked on as a leader and a strength I discovered that I had become someone that people preferred not to follow or help.

I realized that I was restricting others from doing their jobs with confidence because they were constantly in fear of being exposed by my criticism,sarcasim and mental/verbal abuse.

How had it got that bad?, why did I have no confidence in others yet see myself beyond reproach and on this imaginary pedestal?

I realized that my negativity was holding others back and in order for them to gain confidence and grow I needed to stand up and be counted.I needed to look for things going right NOT wrong!

The easy thing to do would be to deny and dismiss that my behaviour could in any way be having an adverse affect on others and pretend nothing was wrong.

My paradigm shift in thinking has allowed me to see things from a different perspective and to accept that I need to change for me to again have a positive influence on people.

The good thing is I have accepted the need for change and have the opportunity to do it NOW!

 

“Its never too late to be what you might have been”. George Eliot

Even super heros get crook!!

         

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 350 Monday 26/09/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,first things first and most importantly congratulations on being part of Edition 350!!!!!!YAY.

My sincere thanks for your honesty,frankness and unconditional support during what has been just over seven ‘Upbeat’ years keeping up with the Joneses and selling plenty of sizzle!! Cheers to us!

Secondly contrary to me thinking I was out of the woods medically last week I discovered there was more than a sting in the tail of my mystery condition.In an unprecedented move I relented and visited my GP who after a series of tests had no hesitation in referring me to Hospital!

More tests and days later the source of my unrelenting and raging fever was isolated to my right lung in the form of a nasty pnuemonia bug. So understandably hospital staff said sorry buddy you aint going anywhere and that is where I still remain with this weeks edition coming out to you from the Ward of hope. So what did we learn here? 1)If you are genuinely unwell there is a reason so get help. 2)You will never ‘work through ‘it’ or treat ‘it’ if you don’t know what ‘it’ is so refer back to point #1.Hmmmmm the importance of fitness and health just went to a new level daily for me. Speaking of gratitude I cant speak highly enough of the treatment received in Public Hospital from every department I had anything to do with, fabulous people working hard in a busy and sometimes thankless environment, lots of bad press so good to give an ‘upbeat’ thumbs up!!.

Fletcher reckons;hospitals arn’t that bad really….plenty of gadgets to play with on Dads bed…funny watching him go up and down in the air…..not sure he is that keen on blood tests though !!

Cant wait to rip into another ‘Upbeat’ week albeit a little more subdued…….Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon there may have been a valid reason for the moaning last week from the grumpy man….perhaps they were a little quick to point the bone!!??

 

 

“It is not who I am underneath but what I do that defines me”. Batman

 

WOW….what an eventful week healthwise…but wait theres more……So the story goes like this…….

Lady goes for walk in Woodhill Forest with baby and dog.

Returns to car and puts baby,dog and pram in car closes doors and car auto locks!!

Problem is the car keys are attached to the pram so now baby and dog are locked in car Mother outside freaking out.

So……Muriwai Volunteer Fire Brigade called but all at work so…

Christine calls me at home sick in bed ravaged by fever and says can I go comfort the lady, rescue the baby and dog!! Me being the ‘upbeat’ type of guy I am of course didn’t hesitate (much).

So off to the rescue armed with my trusty wire coat hangar to break into ladies car.(misspent youth)

Arrived at scene to find general chaos with some guy trying to break the window and all others saying its ok the Fire Brigade will be here soon….yeah right……(little did they realise)……

I told them I was sort of the Fire Brigade and this was as good as it gets for now(Cavalry coming).

Heaps of people standing round me trying to feed coat hanger between window and door, baby crying, dog barking, mother crying…….so I then tried to force a loose back door and only set off the car alarm so then baby and Mother crying, dog barking,and now alarm screaming!!!Then over the hill on cue came the Cavalry in the form of the Kumeu Fire Brigade with all the proper kit and had the situation solved in 10minutes………….At least I fronted and had a decent crack.

As if that wasn’t dramatic enough same day I was at the local store and noticed a car heading slowly and driverless towards the building.With another mother screaming in the background I managed to get my super hero self between the building and the car(dumb) just as the brake was applied.

Fighting pneumonia seemed easy compared to saving dittsy Muriwai Mums!!....I am a legend really!

 

“There is a right and a wrong in the Universe and the distinction is not hard to make”.

Superman

Running on Empty

 

                                                                                       Edition 349 Monday 19/09/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,I have spent a bit of time talking about things to be grateful for lately.One thing that appears high on my daily list is ‘health and fitness’.I tend to take this one a little bit for granted but was reminded this weekend how lucky I really am.I spent most of the weekend in bed trying to recover from  something but don’t know what?Hard to explain medically but try a mans version….worst feeling in the world,hit the wall, run down,out of gas,hot, cold,achey shaky and flakey amongst others!!!

I am grateful my family tolerated me back to health even if they thought I deserved an acting Oscar.

Fletcher reckons;feeling crook is no excuse for not keeping two hands on the steering wheel at all times and he regularly reminds his Father about what he sees as a key flaw in driving technique!

Our son is a good wake up call alarm in the car and certainly puts me off any temptation to drive with one hand or check emails and texts which can only be a good thing.

As it turns out it was a good weekend to spend in bed because of the stormy weather although Fletcher and Christine headed out into the elements when answering my calls for attention became too much for them…(see attached).

Go the mighty invincible ABs and the amazing ,inspiring Para-Olympians!

Cant wait to rip into another ‘Upbeat’ week ahead,hope you do too!…….Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon they never moan that much when they feel crook!!

 

 

“What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?” George Eliot

 

The Consumer Gurantee Act is a great thing but how far should it go?

Christine bought a new pair of running shoes last week and opted for a pair of off roaders.

She did this after consultation with the sales guy who asked her a lot of questions about where she normally ran etc.

We had not bought her old pair to the store with us (always a good idea to do so) so it was a bit difficult getting the fit and feel right.

She went for a walk and two runs in the new shoes which hurt her a great deal so they clearly werent right.

She called the store and talked to the guy who sold her the shoes and he offered to take them back and swap them for a better fitting model.

This time we took the old ones with us and she made sure she thoroughly cleaned the off roaders so they were in immaculate order.

The guy at the store was unbelievably nice and super appreciative of the effort Christine had made to clean the off road shoes before returning them.

He told us about aggressive customers returning shoes covered in mud and expecting him to not only replace them but to clean them as well!!

He said that their store was always willing to sort something out for its customers especially ones like her who were appreciative and responsible even with the Consumer Guarantee ACT in place.

So what did we learn here;

• Courtesy,friendliness and responsibilty are infectious
• Smiths Sports Shoes rock (Mt Eden and Albany) and we recommend them to you all!!
• Always take your old pair of shoes when buying a new pair for a fail safe solution!

 

We couldn’t speak more highly of this store or its staff,something all companies need to strive for !

 

“Our attitude towards others determines their attitude toward us”. Earl Nightingale

Snow Planet ,another Universe!!

         

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 348 Monday 12/09/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,we are in the lucky position of still having my Mum and Dad actively in our lives. They are both fit,well and thriving.We see them regularly ( never enough!)and it gives us absolute pleasure to make the effort to remember and recognise special occasions.In the modern electronic age it is easier to stay in touch remotely however also easy to lose the art and the importance of the face to face communication.My message…face to face takes more time and effort but is worth it x infinity!!

Fletcher reckons;as a four year old it’s a bit rich rolling out the whole ‘Santa only visits good kids’ thing this far out from Christmas!! Cmon folks youll have to do better than that haha J.

Speaking of Fletcher, Christine took a third mortgage on the house and booked him in for a snowboard lesson at ‘Snow Planet’.Sadly our son was a natural and wants to go back as soon as possible!(see attached).As someone who dislikes the cold and anything to do with alpine sports and the people it tends to attract I have to say I am less than enthused.I am secretly hoping he grows out of it before I have to take a secondary job to fund his future Winter Olympic campaigns! Arrrrggh!

Speaking of elite sport what about those All Blacks?another legendary performance in the Tron and more to come against the Springboks next week in Christchurch!Beuden Barratt for Mayor or PM??

 I am certainly in the mood to have an ‘Upbeat’week ahead, hope you are too…….Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon they might like to have a crack at snow boarding!!

 

 

“Thank your customers for complaining and mean it. Most will never bother to complain they will just walk away”. I like Marilyn Suttle, she makes sense!

 

As a sales person I try to tell anyone who will listen that without a sale you havent got a business.

Then if they are still listening I tell them after the sale WE all have a new customer to nurture.

Then if by some miracle they are still listening I tell them that without customers we don’t have a business and without a business none of us have a job!

It never ceases to amaze me how many people don’t get it when they are told one or all three things.

In the last week I have run into a number of people in a number of businesses (our own included) who seem intent on blaming their/our customers for their own personal flaws or problems.

Some say…..;Rule #1 The customer is always right AND,If the customer is wrong refer to rule #1.

Others say customers are obnoxious and demanding so how could this saying ever be right?

The reality is customers are demanding and not always pleasant however if we react the same way to them then they are not going to be our customers for long!

The secret is to not let issues with customers wear us down or make us react badly.That in turn will allow us to show customers empathy and get them to also see our side of the story.

Too often staff react badly to customers because they see them as the cause for all their issues and frustrations instead of seeing the customer as the reason they have a job and a life.

Customer service is a two way street and needs to be seen by staff as a partnership with customers where they also accept we have obligations we both must fulfill in order for the relationship to work.

Thing is there are ways to communicate this and they don’t include demands for payment and understanding without some TLC ,gratitude and courtesy coming back the other way.

The key message to staff and anyone who has anything to do with a customer either verbal, written or face to face is if we don’t communicate effectively with them then someone else will!!

Customer service is not an antonym it is an attitude you need to live and breathe daily…..do it NOW!

 

“When you depersonalise abrasive behaviour and see it is as a call for help you become a catalyst for the best kind of change”.

“Your customers are responsible for your companies reason for existing”.

“Compassion is the shortcut to connection”. I like Marilyn Suttle (x3)

R.A.O.K it UP !!!

 

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 347 Monday 05/09/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,day off work for birthday Friday,actual birthday Saturday and Fathers Day Sunday,all spent with family ,life doesn’t get any better.This time of year for me is a time for reflection and gratitude not for the presents received but for the many precious gifts I already have in my life.

That said in order to reflect properly I highly recommend the day off work annually to ensure the maximum benefit is achieved from the process……after all it is YOUR day and it is SPECIAL!!

Fletcher reckons; he has almost perfected the art of lighting and blowing out birthday cake candles quick enough to be able to still lick the icing from them wax free.September is a BIG birthday month for the Joneses and he is looking forward to getting more practice in at Nana and Poppas birthdays coming up soon!!

Wow September means Spring and daylight saving with Summer just around the corner.Time to get those indoor projects sorted so you can start on the outdoor list…..Clinton!

Speaking of projects and Summer we are excited to have a set of front wheels for the trolley and look forward to getting it on the road (much to Christines consternation!).I think Dad is more excited than son about the prospect….watch this space folks…..its bound to end in tears (probably mine!!).

I hope you are equally as enthusiastic about the change of season and looking forward with great expectation to the opportunity of having a totally ‘Upbeat’ week ahead…..Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon the trolley will be 1x Dad power NOT 3x Dog power!

 

 

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention”. Oscar Wilde

 

Last week featured ‘random act of kindness (raok) day’.

A day where each of us was encouraged to do something kind for someone else without being asked or expected to do so.

It is sort of sad that we have to be reminded to do this when everyday should feature a raok or two!

How do you measure up in the raok stakes?....is it something you do naturally or need a prod to do?

Personally I find through my sales and customer service background that wanting to please customers and help other people comes naturally to me.

I think it is something we all need to strive to be better at because I reckon giving is always better than receiving.

The really interesting thing about that last statement is that if you get into the habit of giving first without thinking then you will always receive more than you ever anticipated(good karma).

Good things come back to those who are willing to make the scarifice without thought for what and how it will benefit them before doing so.

If on the other hand you only give with the thought of what you could receive or benefit , then your act of so called kindness will be shallow and insincere (bad karma).

A raok can be a simple courtesy like a please or thankyou thing or it can be a gift of time or product.

In fact it can be anything in your personal or business world that someone gets a surprise or benefit from given or orchestrated by you personally.

I guess the question we have to ask ourselves is do we have to ask ourselves or do raok’s come naturally to us?....so how can we make sure they do?

I have found that ‘Upbeat’ and grateful people are good raok givers…how so?

My advice is to start every day by thinking of a couple of things you are grateful for,this will create an ‘attitude of gratitude’.This will unlock the secret to an unconditional raok daily….so give it a crack!!!

 

“One kind word can warm three Winter months”. Japenese Proverb