Today's TLC

"Take it from me,
Don't be a victim of society,
You can't put yourself in a position to be neglected,
And disrespected,
You have to do what's not expected." 

~ TLC Lyrics from "His Song"
TLC is an American girl group whose repertoire spans R&B, hip hop, funk and "urban" soul. TLC originally comprised of lead singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (until her death in 2002) and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. The group was very successful in the 1990s and early 2000s.

(1990 - present)

    

TLC is often about Tender Loving Care, and that will not go out of style...yesterday, today or tomorrow! 

In addition to the Tender Loving Care, there is some extra TLC for each day that can, and likely will, enhance your experiences. This revised (or revisited, if you have seen me speak on this) TLC is about: Talent, Leading/Leadership, and Commitment.

Talent - You want to assess talent fairly, get the right talent in roles, surround yourself with the talents of self and others that enhance your happiness and results!

Leading/Leadership - You lead in each way, on each day, in the way your think, act, and engage with others. Leadership, and leading, starts with you, and allows others to follow. 

Commitment - This is about desire, focus and consistency. By working toward one goal, and staying committed to that for the right reasons, allows for direction and follow-through.

This enhanced TLC is not without the historic TLC of Tender Loving Care, rather, it is complementary, and allows that combination of past and present to bring you, your work, your business, and/or your relationships to yet another TLC: Top Level Communication!

The Enemy of TLC...

“Competition is easier to accept if you realize it is not an act of oppression or abrasion - I've worked with my best friends in direct competition.” - Diane Sawyer quotes (American news anchor, Reporter and Journalist, b.1945)

While all champions have rivals, and most successful companies and people have competitors, those types of opposites or contrary positions can be invigorating and drive the results...for both sides!

The same is not true for being opposed to TLC. Since we have embraced TLC as Talent, Leadership and Commitment, those three contributors often have opposition, too...only that opposition is the enemy...not something that drives and inspires, rather something that works to deplete or delete the opposite.
The enemy of talent is dishonesty, the enemy of leadership is pessimism, and the enemy of commitment is apathy. Stick with your Talent, Leadership and Commitment...it is the combination to win over dishonesty, pessimism and apathy every time.

Ensure you are staying true to your talents, and your quest for talent, to your leadership and your development of other leaders, and your commitment and the commitment of those with whom you surround yourself.

TLC for You and Me

“When you don't know that you don't know, it's a lot different than when you do know that you don't know.”

- Bill Parcells, ESPN Analyst, Former NFL Coach (b.1942)

Football season is back! It is an exciting time of year for sports fans, as hockey, baseball and football are all available for our viewing pleasure! Bill Parcells is quoted this month because his Sunday pre-game commentary reminded me of what I call TLC for You and Me. It was as though he’d heard me speak or gotten inside my brain. I don’t know, and since I don’t know where it came from, per his quotation, it is a lot different than if I did know that!! So, regardless of what the reason, thanks, Mr. Parcells for reminding me of a worthwhile tip to share this month!

TLC is often thought of as Tender Loving Care, and I appreciate that. For me, TLC is about personal and professional success, and it stands for:

Talent
Leadership
Commitment

Whether it is your family, a sports team, or your work team or business, to be confident in what you know, and get to where you are driving forward to learn what you don’t know as you strive to succeed, you must have the right people handling the things that suit their skills and interests (Talent), the direction and passion to go out and make changes where needed and keep things the same where they are working well (Leadership), and all be working toward the same goal for the same reasons with a common brand and definition of a "win" (Commitment).

As you move forward finishing out the 3rd quarter, take a look at your roster, see who is playing on your team, is the TLC apparent? Do you have the Talent, the Leadership, and the Commitment to get to your goals and make it a winning season for your household, your league, your group or your business? Tweaking the TLC, and letting everyone know all three areas, Talent, Leadership and Commitment combine to be the base that will determine your results, will surely assist you in knowing you are the champions you can be!

Reviewing Resumes: Yours & Theirs!

“Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?” - Benjamin Franklin, American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher, Printer, Writer and Inventor. (1706-1790)

Resumes are the predominant American way of stating/sharing work experience as well as someone's potential based on roles held coupled with accomplishments.

In order to ensure you are represented well, and positioned for a speaking engagement or a new opportunity (if you are looking or others are looking at you), consider updating your resume quarterly with quantifiable results. Even if you love where you are, it is a great tool for bringing up talking points during informal reviews or when you are seeking a promotion.

Likewise, as a leader, you either hired or inherited people who were hired at your company/firm. So, dig those resumes out from HR and take a look at each of your team members’ resume once a quarter as well. Every person has talents that are not being utilized, and experiences that may assist with things other than their primary role. Use the resume as a tool for bringing up talking points during informal reviews or when you are interested in learning what goals your staff member has.

Since most everyone has a resume, let’s get them updated, or at least dusted off, to ensure we are not hiding the many talents each of us has!