SCHEIFGAB - presented by Connor Cunneen on September 16, 2004
Eight Building Blocks to Help You Get Out Of That
Bed And SCHEIFGAB The World
- Conor Cunneen
- Structure
- Help
- Environment
- Improve Yourself
- Family
- Goals
- Attitude
- Boss
"Do it or make it happen," is Cunneen's philosophy. He developed
the term SCHEIFGAB, not because it's an Irish word, he explained in his
brogue, but "because I like it and it sounds PROFANE."
STRUCTURE
The first building block, Structure, or lack thereof, is the killer of the unemployed.
You need to get control. He cited the example of two people, with identical
"no paid employment" schedules. They both got up at 7 a.m., work on
their job search for three hours, take a 15 minute break, add an additional
hour of work before taking a 45-minute lunch break, an additional 45 minutes
of work, then time for recreation before shutting down for the day.
When the first was asked, " How was your day," the reply was, "same
old thing." The second replied, "it was actually quite good."
The difference was the second one had a set calendar, structure, and knew what
to do when. Things should be scheduled to make the day productive. Put structure
into your day and your week.
What are the most important times to structure? Your down time. The exercise,
the relaxation, otherwise you are not refreshing your batteries. Schedule it
and DON'T FEEL GUILTY. You need it.
Two questions we need to ask ourselves are
1. Is what I'm doing going to help me get a job?
2. Is what I'm doing gong to be acceptable in my next paid position? (Getting
out of bed at 10:30 a.m., shopping, etc.?)
Ask yourself these questions on a regular basis.
HELP
Help stands for helping not only yourself, but also your COMMUNITY. When you
are helping, you are actually networking by default. Many people don't like
networking. They aren't good at it, they are shy or quiet. But you need to network
with people who are employed.
You will hear "thank you" on a regular basis. It gives you a feeling
of accomplishment.
You'll be able to "dance on the mushrooms" as they say in Ireland,
and use it to get out of your environment. Use this feeling to put a big smile
on your face in your next interview. Your personal "brand" will rise.
ENVIRONMENT
Find ways to change your environment. Change your screen saver or background,
the pictures around your computer. It will help you going into the room tomorrow.
It's all in the slightest things. Don't check your emails first thing if that's
what you always do. Change your gym time. Find ways to change your day. Get
out of your comfort zone. Don't do the same thing the same way
IMPROVE Yourself
Look at your skill set. If your employer at your full time job said you will
be given two hours each day to work on improving yourself, you'd jump at it!
You need to justify to your next employer that you are a better, improved version
of the person who left your last job. Stress the skills you have improved-your
knowledge of the industry, trends. If it's not that way, make it happen. For
one, you have a better understanding of how people respond to setbacks (you're
a better people person.)
You will not improve unless you DECIDE. And it doesn't have to be job-related,
it can be physical or spiritual as well.
{As an aside, never say you are unemployed. You are in unpaid employment. Never
use unemployed. It affects your well being.}
FAMILY
How is this emotionally and psychologically affecting your friends and family?
Your spouse is upset, frustrated, angry and tense. Time spent with partner has
a lower communication level. You probably didn't know what your kids did before
in their spare time, computers, TV, etc. Now your taking up THEIR space and
time and it leads to tension. Make time to communicate. Give a chance to get
to know your family again.
GOALS
Every day should be a goal. Let's say you decide to work for an hour and your
DO work for an hour. Write it down. You've got a goal, you've met the goal and
you'll feel slightly better for having accomplished something. It's in the simple
things-make them goals, even if you were going to do them anyway.
ATTITUDE
Positive mental attitude. Victor Frankl, in "Man's Search for Meaning"
talked about his time in the Nazi concentration camps. Everything can be taken
from a man except his ability to choose his attitude. Change your attitude.
If those in the concentration camps could change their attitudes, you can as
well.
The serious question is "What do I want my attitude to be?" If you
are sad, depressed, frustrated, say no. I do not want these things for my attitude.
BOSS
Who's' the Boss? Bruce Springsteen, of course. Bruce Springsteen performs as
if his life depends upon it. You can too. It won't happen overnight. You'll
need structure, helping others, improving yourself, changing you environment,
family communication, setting of basic goals and, or course, it helps to have
a better attitude.
Think: What do I want? Then go out and SHEIFGAB the world. www.sheifgab.com
Conor Cunneen can be heard on JOBTALK, 1530 AM Thursdays from 5-6 p.m. His
first book, "Why Ireland Never Invaded America" is scheduled for release
soon.
What you can learn from Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong has probably never heard of SHEIFGAB, yet I think it is fair
to say he lives the concept. The SHEIFGAB building blocks will separate you
from the peleton. The peleton is the massed bunch of riders during a cycle race.
S - Structure
No one has been as planned and focused as Armstrong. His whole year is structured
so that he performs to his absolute ability when he has to. Structure does not
mean planning everything. It does mean though that you work not just on the
important things but the things which today are not urgent but are important.
Remember, if you do not have a clear idea of what your day, your week will consist
of it, it will be a very long day and long week.
H - Help
Lance Armstrong could not have survived without outstanding Help and support
from his team mates. The winner of the Tour de France normally recognizes his
team mates by allowing them keep all prize money. No matter how good you are,
you will need help and support, which I am sure you will appreciate. The reciprocal
is: YOU Help others. You will get appreciation for it at some stage and you
will ultimately improve your chances of success. Can you identify privately
any example since the SHEIFGAB session where you made an effort to Help one
of your colleagues / friends. If you cannot honestly identify one instance,
or do not plan to you are not optimizing your networking opportunities and in
all reality plowing too lonely a furrow
E - Environment
The point I made about Environment is to Not be doing the same thing in the
same way as you did last week, last month, last year. Lance Armstrong barely
won last year's Tour de France. He had to approach things differently this year.
Your world is a different place than this time last year or five years ago.
Do not get into a rut.
I - Improve yourself
Armstrong is a year older than last year. In one of the most brutal and exhausting
sports in the world, he has improved himself even though he is an "old
man" by cycling standards. Use some of your time to read about your competition
or customers. Read or listen to tapes on motivation, self improvement, success
etc. It is a subtle but - if you keep doing it - effective way to improve yourself.
If you cannot answer 'YES' to the following question, you are not using your
time as well as you might. The question is 'Can I genuinely say (and illustrate)
that I have improved myself in some way - professionally, physically, spiritually
since I commenced this transition process?
F - Family / Friends
Be careful that you do not get too self absorbed with your job - the job search
- to the detriment of everything. Lance Armstrong's dedication to his job was
one of the reasons his marriage failed. He is still though good friends with
his wife. Make sure you give your family and friends quality time.
G - Goals
One of the best ways to achieve your major goal is by the achievement of little
ones which will build and build towards the big one. Review the goals you have
set yourself for today and this week. If you are constantly achieving these
you have a much better chance to achieve your bigger goals
A - Attitude
You can choose your attitude. You can do this by asking "What do I want
my attitude to be?" You are not likely to say "I want to be angry,
I want to be depressed, I want to be upset." You are more likely to say,
" I do not want to be angry, I do not want to be depressed, I do not want
to be upset." You then will be on the first step to choosing your attitude.
The next time something gets you down, ask yourself "What do I want my
attitude to be?"
The next time you are stuck in a traffic jam or at an airline counter ask yourself
"What do I want my attitude to be?"
B - Boss
Bruce Springsteen - THE Boss - performs like his life depends on it every time
he goes on stage even though he does not need a cent of the money he receives.
His customers keep coming back because he performs. Work on the SHEIFGAB principles
and you will perform to your best.
Now SHEIFGAB the World!
Conor Cunneen is available to speak on Marketing, Strategy, Motivation, Leadership
to conferences, events, exhibitions etc. His first book Why Ireland Never Invaded
America - A Penetrating and Humorous Look at Corporate Strategy will be published
shortly.
Listen to the speech Conor did to win the Chicago Toastmasters Humorous Speaker
of the Year title at ww.sheifgab.com
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