Today while reading for MGT 500 I read through Habit 1 of Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  Habit 1 deals with a lot of different things but one thing that really stood out to me was the language that we use.  Covey talks about being proactive not reactive, meaning be positive not negative.  He talks about how we make choices to let others hurt us and change our perception of ourselves.  This hit home with me.  I thought about the day and what language I used today when talking with people.  I used a lot of phrases that had the words "I can't" and "I have to" all of these phrases put me in a negative state of mind.  I was telling my self all the things that I thought I was not able to do or had to do.  Yes there are things that I cannot physically do and there are things that have to be done, but it is how I go about telling myself about those things.  I know if I don't do certain things at work like turn in my payroll calendar I will not get paid, but I am making a choice to turn in my payroll calendar so I do get paid.  So I don't have to turn it in, but I choose to turn it in.

I think this new thought process will help me in my management style.  I feel that if I can be a more proactive positive person that staff will see that and they will be more proactive as well.  Covey tells a story about how one person changed the entire structure of an organization simply by being proactive, to the point where no one would make any decisions without consulting with him first.  I want to be the positive proactive person in my workplace that people gravitate to because of their outlook, not just so they have someone to complain to.