By Jennifer Wohlleb
Staff Writer
KSBA Winter Symposium speaker Laurie Guest’s luncheon talk was entitled, “Life in the Espresso Lane,” and her fast-paced, humorous style was like a shot of caffeine for attendees at last month’s KSBA annual Winter Symposium.
Guest encouraged audience members to have a “pick me” attitude, one of seven behaviors she said can help people manage their accelerated lives. She did offer a caveat to being a pick-me-person. “If you are already the type of person who says, ‘Pick me, I’ll do it,’ think about balancing out your espresso lane by saying ‘no,’ once in awhile when ‘no’ is the right answer. You’ve got to balance those two things or you’ll end up too far in the espresso lane,” she said.
The other behaviors she encouraged audience members to adopt:
• Forsake the mistake: Don’t rip people up and spit them out. Make it OK to make mistakes. “Be the kind of leader others can bring their mistakes to,” she said.
• Take a double shot of IBHT: I’d Be Happy To. Better than a “yes” or “OK,” Guest said answering requests with, “I’d be happy to,” and a sincere smile can make a big difference in not only your attitude but how others perceive you.
• Have a cup of GUTSY to go: Genuine interest in others; Use a person’s name; Talk less and listen more; Smile – know your body language; (Get people saying) Yes, yes.
•Reset your LOS: Life Operating System: “Our brains are all computers and they are in need of a reboot,” she said.
• Ask for what you want: Put words to it instead of trying to make people guess what you’re thinking. “That never turns out very well,” she said.
• Life on the laugh track: Make time to laugh. “Everybody should find a way to have at least a smile, a giggle or laugh in your day,” she said.