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We're continuing to offer perspective on Balance Point's Eight Elements of Personal and Organizational Effectiveness and this month its number two …..

BE HONEST with yourself and others! You'll build trust and create great relationships.

Comments and questions are welcome, quotes or web sites that you love are actively solicited.

Be extraordinary!

Robert

A Balance Point monthly eZine dedicated to assisting people in living extraordinary lives and creating extraordinary organizations.

We encourage you to forward this message to friends or colleagues who want to be more effective in working with people. They can subscribe to future issues and receive our free 23 page report “ Simple Truths and Enduring Values – The Eight Elements of Personal and Organizational Effectiveness,” at http://www.extraordinarypeople.com/ezine/subscribe.htm.

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In this issue:

• Feature: Be Honest!

• Extraordinary Wisdom Quotes of the Month

• The Balance Point Outcomes Process

• Rave Recommendations from Balance Point

• Extraordinary Living Action Steps

Visualize some dominoes placed on their edges. The one closest is simply telling the truth. When toppled (when you're less than truthful), it hits the next one which is the trust you generate from others. When trust is knocked down it hits relationships which, when diminished, lessens effectiveness.

This fluid, fast moving world we've created (yes I know you might think you didn't create it but we'll get to that in the responsibility element!) makes trust relationships more important than ever. The ultimate source of creating powerful relationships is authenticity. Can people trust you to tell the truth as you know it and in a way they can receive it?

You must tell yourself the truth first, only then can you be honest with others. I have many “areas for improvement” -- yet I've learned that one of my strengths is an ever-growing ability to develop a “selfless regard for reality.” When you were four years old, you might have gained some temporary win by fudging the truth a bit -- with yourself or others. Today, to be effective and create our futures we must learn to simply

be honest

Of course, it doesn't work to use honesty as a hammer. Feedback is much more powerful when it's honest and yet delivered with compassion. The great motivational speaker Bill Gove taught that when your beloved Aunt Sue shared with you that she had lost weight, you should not say “look back, it's still following you.” You say, with loving intent “Aunt Sue, you look marvelous”…. because she does.

The goal is to develop trust in your ability and that of others -- your family, your colleagues -- to handle the truth. The effectiveness you create with your family, your work colleagues and your community is greatly enhanced when you express yourself honestly.

The action steps below will give you some work to do that I guarantee will further your goals for 2003 and serve to deepen the quality and quantity of your relationships.

Read on!

Our theme this month is “Be Honest" so here are a few of my favorite quotes on that subject.

Hyler Bracey is one of my heroes and a dear friend. He co-founded one of our good competitors, Atlanta Consulting Group, and is co-author of a great book, “Managing from the Heart.

Hyler's “second act” is truly amazing. He's combined his hobby of collecting antique and unique ship's horns and whistles with his considerable abilities to inspire others and created “Big Toot”, a wildly attractive mobile platform for his collection. Every parade organizer in the world needs to know about Hyler ! Perhaps you saw him in the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2002. You can learn more at:

http://www.big-horn.com

The “rave recommendation” is for Hyler Bracey's new book,

“Building Trust : How to Get It! How to Keep It!

I found it to be simple, powerful and a fun read. Hyler's note to me included this statement: “…in these times of trust crises in business, church and government, I hope I can make a positive contribution to fixing the problem.”

You can order a copy at http://www.amazon.com

Be Honest!

1. Consider your experience of any relationship where you are less than open and honest. Consider the prices you and the other party are paying as a consequence of your choices.
    
2. What could you do to begin a process of “coming clean”, letting that other person know that you've been withholding some communications that are important to both of you - now ….. and into your future.
    
3. What are the risks and rewards of continuing to be less than fully honest?
    
4. What are the risks and rewards of choosing to be more open and honest?
    
5. What would be the best environment and the best communications approach to begin creating the kind of trust that builds extraordinary relationships.
    
6. When am I committed to doing it? (Now works really well!)

Wishing you an Extraordinary Life and Extraordinary Organizations,

Robert

Robert White
Balance Point

P. O. Box 40405
Denver , CO 80204
Phone: 1-425-803-0303
E-mail: Robert@BalancePointInternational.com

http://www.BalancePointInternational.com

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