4 minute read
Letters On Integrity: Helping Professionals Face Conflicts
DISCOMFORT: A POWERFUL TEACHER
BY RUSS WILLIAMS
“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”
— M. Scott Peck
I am confident you know Tom Hopkins, world renowned motivational speaker and salesman extraordinaire. I once attended a seminar when Tom told the story of a career low point, failing to meet a monthly sales quota. His boss came into his office saying, “Let me take you out for a drive…freshen things up a bit.”
Two miles out from the office, his boss pulled his car over to the shoulder of the road. He said to Tommy, “Get out. As you walk back to the office, make cold calls on ten new companies that are on your path.” Stunned, but up to the challenge, Tommy did just that! Late that afternoon he returned to the office energized with new business possibilities.
There is a life skills principle that can be applied to our professional world when we must manage the discomfort of perceived or real failure. The principle is: Use troublesome, negative feelings to move you to positive, constructive action. Discomfort is a powerful teacher. It comes to us first as emotion. But the purpose of discomfort’s unsettling emotion is that it can be used to elevate thought processes and decision-making to take on positive, productive action.
Handling conflicting emotions for positive outcomes is difficult, individually and in a group. But there is a simple prescription: Take each and every sour lemon event as an opportunity to turn it into sweet lemonade moment by transforming negative feelings into ethical actions that create results showing that transparent, ethical values were in play to influence for good.
Mission Integrity Action
Discouragement arrives as a useful teacher this week. When I find myself or an associate facing the conflict of perceived or real failure, I use the lesson of discouragement to reveal that clarity of action can be practiced. I will not use discouragement to bring pain or ill-will to others. My ethical clarity guides me to make lemonade out of lemons as I use discouragement to guide me and others to pursue the Better Way.
Journeying with you...inspiring ethical excellence!
Russ Williams
“Russ works with and understands the Journey Cal Broker subscriber's travel. His focus is to inspire ethical excellence! His inspiration to help our subscribers comes from his father. Russ’ father was a highly successful licensed life and health insurance professional with many satisfied clients.” states David Ethington.
If you are looking for a fresh approach to improve your business and client relationships in 2024, reach out to learn more about how The Clarity Conversation can help you. Russ Williams has worked with hundreds of professionals to discover ways to find new solutions and move your dealings with people to mutually greater significance. If you are up to explore and refine your approach to people and tough career situations, Russ can help. He has numerous satisfied professionals who have experienced the benefit of The Clarity Conversation in their personal and professional life. Here’s the information you need—
Russ Williams contributes articles on professional growth for readers of California Broker Magazine. He serves as a mentor advisor and offers oneon-one professional consultations based on The Clarity Conversation, a 9-Session Self Renewal Consultation focused on overcoming nagging personal-professional challenges to re-claim personal-professional clarity renewing your influence for good at home, at work, and in the community.
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