PowerStep  Small steps for today that power big change

The next time you are faced with an unexpected negative result, don't think about blame- start with yourself, and discover what you could have done differently. Then learn from the negative experience.

Lynn was in charge of a small advertising firm. As part of a Grand Opening initiative, Lynn's client wanted flyers distributed to every home within a 5-mile radius. Concerned about the store's image, Lynn emphasized to the contractor that the flyers must be hung neatly and uniformly at every home, and never placed in mailboxes.

Imagine her shock when she drove through the neighborhood and found the flyers neatly displayed at every home, hanging from the garbage cans that had been placed at the curb for pickup!

The easy reaction is to blame the contractor for the terrible execution, fire him and think "lesson learned - bad contractor." The PowerStep reaction is to think "lesson learned - my instructions were bad. They focused on what NOT to do, instead of what TO do. Next time, I'll tell the contractor to hang the flyers on the mailboxes, neatly and uniformly".