052002




	Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku Overcoming Buffaloes in Our Lives WWW.KITUKU.COM 1-888 685-1621 or (208) 376-8724 ========================================================================== Informative and captivating FREE electronic newsletter that brings you timely information designed to equip you with powerful tools to achieve new heights in your professional and personal skills both on and off the job. Issue Number: Volume 1 No. 5 Publisher: Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku Date of Issue: May 2, 2002 © 2002 Overcoming Buffaloes in Our Lives. All Rights Reserved. WWW.KITUKU.COM ============================================================================= Privacy Statement: Kituku & Associates will not distribute your address to anyone in any way. Period. To unsubscribe (and Dr. Kituku is sorry to see you go) just type remove on the subject line =========================================================================== What others are saying about Dr. Kituku works: “Thank you for your acknowledgement of my request to un-subscribe. This is curious.....I just re-read your April issue and feel a conviction to continue on with it. The only reason I cancelled it is that I am feeling so overwhelmed with "things" to do and read.....I thought that one less thing coming in over e-mail would be stress relieving. But, your thoughts have reached deep inside me this day and I am feeling I will miss receiving your next one! :) So, if you don't mind, please re-subscribe me. Have a great day! Jennie Smith “Thank you very much for the call and words of encouragement. I always enjoy my interaction with you… there are only two kinds of people: People who give you energy and people who drain energy away from you. You can tell right away who you are dealing with in any situation. You are the type of person that gives energy to the people you contact.” Terry Andrew Geis ============================================================================== For your upcoming Business or Association Conference and Customized Training Programs needs CALL TODAY and book Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku. Your will not regret it! Call Vincent at (208) 376-8724, or visit Kituku & Associates website at www.KITUKU.com IN THIS ISSUE 1. Looking Back: Part Two 2. Special Thank You 3. Forget Yourself to Serve Others and Others Won’t Forget You 4. Don’t Forget 5. 9 Tips on How Adults Learn, Remember and Grow 6. ONE Leadership Lesson From Gardening 7. Happy Mother’s Day: My Mother’s “Nairobi” 8. Featured Turning Point Experience Piece =========================================================================== Looking Back: Part Two In last month’s looking back article I shared how 5 years ago, I left “a full time, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. job to be a professional speaker, trainer and author. I could no longer expect a paycheck every other week. No more employment related benefits-401K, Health and Life Insurances. No assurance of when or if I would be called to give a speech and by whom. English is not my native or even second language. My college education is not in any remote way related to what I was embarking to do.” While I had known what I wanted to be, a professional speaker, trainer and author and prepared for this change for over four years, it was still a tough decision to make. Thoughts that my family would have to do with unpredictable paychecks and maybe with no insurance coverage were nerve wrecking. But then I had to rely on God and strength gained from past triumphs over adversities. To gather enough courage and embark on the journey I had envisioned and prepared for, I reflected on past life storms, lessons learned and successes. It was through hope, hard work and a spirit of never giving up that brought successful completion of academic, professional and personal goals that could never have been predicted based on reality. Tough experiences and overcoming them made me believe that yesterday’s victory over obstacles is today’s pride and inspiration for a better tomorrow. To focus on the benefits of the future you envision, remember and reinforce past successes with confidence; focus on the next project and prepare and execute it as if it is the only thing you have to do in life; keep a mental picture of a winner; focus on your strengths, not on those of your competitors and go work like you have only one obstacle to overcome. Again, as you read this, you may be at the cross roads of life. Your tomorrows may seem to be darker than your yesterdays based on prevailing circumstances. Your crossroad may be family relationship issues, business related obstacles, the passing on of a loved on, professional matters, decisions your children are making or spiritual issues. There are three things that can propel you to your next positive experience: 1. Desire to change to a life with definite purpose that is backed by positive mental attitude, decisions, actions and burning desire. 2. Being flexible to let go that which is of less value in order to hold that which is precious. The ability to adapt to changing situation while maintaining your composure will turn you from a victim to a victor and 3. Desire to never quit when you face real and/or imagined obstacles. Special Thank You Beloved reader, April 11 2002 is a milestone in my professional path. It marked FIVE years from the day I committed myself to full time life mission-working with individuals and organizations to increase productivity and achieve optimum potential. As I reflected on many highlights, with tears of joy, I couldn’t help but think of YOU. Along my path in these FIVE years, God sent angels that have provided the wings for me to soar to new heights. YOU are one of my special angels. Without your participation, encouragement or leads to new grounds, I can’t say I know what I would have learned, tried and accomplished. You are an undeniable part of who I have come to be and what I now call my work. But frankly speaking, I have no work to do—just a great life to live. It’s strikingly amazing that ones mission, work and fun can be inseparable. Yet now I know it’s because of special people like you—with the ability to believe in others, and sometimes provide the launching deck, that someone with humble beginning can believe in himself, step out and embark on a mission that’s worthy undertaking. Please accept my simple THANK YOU since the English language lacks appropriate words that can truly express what is in my heart as I write this letter. And also there is no single gift that can portray my deep appreciation for the joy you have brought into my life. You are special. May the Almighty God richly bless you and bring peace in your life even in the presence of storms. May your path be illuminated by reflections of the light you shine in the paths of others. May your dreams become reality while your relationships and spiritual journey keep on flourishing. =========================================================================== Forget Yourself to Serve Others and Others Won’t Forget You In the last FIVE years, I been amazed by the intangible and tangible rewards you get from serving others. Dr. Albert Schweitzer, medical missionary and Nobel Peace Prize winner, said, “Even if it’s a little thing, do something for those who have a need of help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.” There is an African story about a major savanna fire in dry season. The fire, given momentum by wind, was consuming everything. Animals, large and small, birds and rodents scattered all over. But, there was one small weaver bird who flew to the nearest water source and draw water into its beak. He then flew back to the burning area and let down the drop of water and flew back for more. An elephant noticed this small bird fly back and forth several times and eventually asked him, “Why are you doing this. Do you think you can put off this huge fire with just a drop of water here and there?” “No, my friend” said the bird, “I don’t think I can put off this huge fire. But, this is all I can do, and I would rather do it than do nothing.” Just do what you can remembering that, "What we do for ourselves can get us by. What we do for others is what gets us ahead; whether in our profession, spiritual pursuits or relationship." Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku =========================================================================== Don’t Forget Thriving in the 21st Century: How to Bring Success, Balance and Customers into Your Organization— Dr. Kituku’s Popular Seminar. Learn all about at WWW.KITUKU.COM When: May 23rd-24th Where: Double Tree Riverside Hotel, Boise Idaho Note: Call 1-888 685 1621 and ask for fifth anniversary celebration discount. For more information visit WWW.KITUKU.COM or call (208) 376-8724 Rave Reviews From Satisfied Past Seminar Attendees “Appreciated so much the refresher course of life and its priorities. Your wisdom with enthusiasm was inspiring. We look forward to attending again in the future. God bless you in all your efforts! Thanks again!” --Ted Friesen “I very much liked the material presented. The inspiring and encouraging information and steps presented is applicable to all areas of business and life whether one is a CEO, a staff member, a future business owner, a parent, a friend. Inspiring! Thank you!” Anonymous “Your hand-out materials are very helpful, well-organized, and will make review of the information easy. I will use them when working with my clients and my team members in my business… Your stories were … so illustrative of your points. The frequent breaks were great!! Thank you also for the gift…!” --Barb Bunner In FIVE years, I Learned 9 Tips on How People Learn, Remember and Grow In the last FIVE years, I have presented and trained adult learning programs for Fortune 500 Companies, regional, national and international organizations. Training and speaking to adults in these businesses and organizations has been the window to: how grown ups learn, remember what they learned and use it to grow. Ø It’s not about you the teacher, presenter or trainer. They are there for their future, be it faith, health, financial, relationship, personal or professional endeavor. What you know, as the teacher, presenter or trainer is not as important as what they take home and use it to better their lives. Ø People come to learn packed with their own knowledge, experiences and wisdom. If you can use their input as your foundation, they will be included, willing to participate and ready to accept what you are transferring to them. Always remember people never challenge their own experiences and information. Ø Stories, both yours and theirs, build a bridge of trust and connection through shared obstacles, expectations and triumphs than any other form of transferring knowledge known and used by men and women in any given generation. Ø The depth of what people learn, remember and use is largely related to the amount fun they have. Ø Teaching by example is the most effective way of transferring knowledge and also for predicting your expected results. Ø Repetition of key points through out the course of learning increases memorable-ability. Ø Learning is tedious. Changing the method and flow of information does keep trainees awake and learning. Stories, quotes, startling revelations, anecdotes, rhetorical questions, and call for action keep learners’ interest. Ø Individual participants reflections and small group discussions can be the only part of the presentation that someone takes home. =========================================================================== ONE Leadership Lesson From Gardening I had my first own garden when I was 10 years old in Kangundo, Kenya. I still plant a garden every summer in Eagle, Idaho. My garden provides a spectacular site. In a 20 by 40 feet piece of ground, I grow collared greens, tomatoes, yellow and red onions, carrots, cabbages, peas, green peppers, eggs plants, cantaloupes and broccoli plus trying different crops like corn or sweet potatoes. I learned some of my best lessons on how to bring the best in people by bringing the best out of my vegetables. When vegetables don’t grow well, I don’t blame them. I want to find out why they are not growing or why their leaves are turning yellow or why are they dying. Is it because of lack of water or manure or are there worms and/or insects? Is the problem affecting all plants or just few plants of the same species? And what side of the garden is the problem? When people are not doing well, you want to know, who is it? Is it just some segments within your department or organization? Is it the lack of a two-way communication? Are off work issues affecting at-work performance? You separate problems from an individual or individuals. This shows respect, and your love for them without compromising pre-set standards. Again, it comes down to when people know how much you care, their interest in what you know and want to pass on to them soars—they become a fertile ground to grow the best crop. PLEASE NOTE: This is very useful if you are raising a teenager or teenagers. Happy Mother’s Day: My Mother’s “Nairobi” Here is another Mother’s Day. A day filled with precious memories with our mother, grandmother, or a woman who made a difference in our lives. It’s a day I devotedly think of my mother—a woman I seem to never run out of memorable experiences to write about. Her contentment with basics of life in my childhood years left a lasting impression I wish I could pass it on to my four children. She would say, “Muli ndetee kiwu na kalai ni thambe. Nienda uthi Ilovi” meaning“Muli, get me a basin with water. I want to take a bath and go to Nairobi.” This was the request of my mother after I arrived home from school. A visitor in our home might wonder, “How can she go to Nairobi at this time of the day?” My mother seemed to have the punch line ready, “I am going to my husband’s store. That is my Nairobi.” Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, had its charm, especially for rural folks who rarely had the chance of visiting the, “place of cool water.” Nairobi dwellers had different perspectives from those who lived in country sites. They had exposure to different cultures and the Western lifestyle. Their food was different from that in the villages. Cultivation, which roughened the skin of rural folks, was not practiced in Nairobi. Thus, dwellers of Nairobi had smoother skin. As I was growing up in Kangundo, it was a special event for a woman to visit her husband in Nairobi. When she returned, she brought new clothes for her family. Sometimes, she brought bread and other unusual items. If her visit lasted a month or so, her skin would affirm the comfortable lifestyle of Nairobi. It was smooth and starting to soften. When communicating with neighbors, she would use Swahili or English words here and there, which were the dominant languages of the big city. My father left the King’s African Rifles (British Colonial Army) in the early 60’s to start a business in our local shopping center, about one mile from our home, but 70 miles from Nairobi. Every evening, my mother would go to the shop to help him and close the business for the day. What was fascinating to me was her contentment. She was so proud of it she could never miss the “real Nairobi.” When my mother went to help Dad, she also bought cooking oil, meat, kerosene and other supplies the family would need. For my mother, this was her “Nairobi.” My mother’s attitude and contentment were my first encounter with the Biblical teaching, “But Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). It is the contentment that makes the heart leap with joy in the midst of material poverty; contentment of the soul that gives the mind unexpected peace to enjoy the triumphs of the day without focusing on the wants of tomorrow or languishing on past disappointments; contentment that culminates with an attitude of gratitude for the blessing of life, appreciation for divine providence of basic necessities, thankfulness for a closely-knit family and an understanding that God has the best in store for us. There is a lot to be thankful for: Being alive, having air to breath, clean drinking water, food, shelter, good health, having a family and/or friends…and maybe a job. Millions of other folks in this same world are not as privileged with these things we may take for granted. Contentment starts with an attitude of appreciation. Just count your blessings. Mine starts with having a mother who was content with her “Nairobi.” In last month’s newsletter, I promised to share what I have learned in different areas of life/business. Every month there will be a Featured Turning Point Experience piece that reflects a unique circumstance either in speaking or writing arenas. Here is this month’s piece: People Committed to Life In the business world, “P” and “L” stand for profit and loss. This perspective is a relatively new way of doing business. In this background, the well-being of individual employees is often relegated to secondary position. I admit, it wasn’t until I called some employees of St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) in Lewiston, Idaho that I contemplated on the dying perspective of putting people and their lives before profit and loss in business. In this hospital, employees kept saying that management lived up to the hospital’s philosophy…People Committed to Life. While employees in many workplaces feel disconnected to top management, it isn’t the same here. This workplace has a basic, albeit profound philosophy. Their philosophy transcends human interactions of all generations and cultures. They believe and approach their business from the viewpoint that each person has a uniqueness that is eternal and is entitled to unrestrained respect…thus each employee is treated fairly with compassion and justice. In turn, each employee’s burden is to perform his or her task responsibly as the management establishes policies that help individuals to grow personally and professionally as they treat all people with compassion, “without regard to race, creed or economic status.” I find the aspect of helping employees grow personally and professionally noteworthy, especially in these times when some companies have either cut funding for employees’ education or only make partial payment. Employee appreciation days or company picnic days and Christmas parties have become rare, depending on the dynamics of profit and loss. The loop side of this is that employees tend to become less and less loyal to the employer. They may feel unappreciated and trapped with limited chances of improving their skills, knowledge and abilities. SJRMC is different. Since 1984, they have set three days, Thursday, Friday and the following Monday, for appreciating their employees. This is practiced once every year. Employees in each department corroborate with each other in signing up so that only a third attend in one day without significantly destabilizing their unit’s workload. An invited guest speaker is brought in to share with the entire employee body different aspects of life that empower them to balance work and life, define their identity and stress reduction strategies. They learn survival skills for chaotic times. They hear attributes that help them grow personally, get some skills that they can use in their workplaces and just have fun. They are paid to attend these presentations, get free meals and a payroll deduction plan is activated in case an employee chooses to purchase any materials to enrich themselves or their loved ones. Volunteers are also given the opportunity to attend these presentations. Further, volunteers and employees are encouraged to bring guests. Guests’ meals and any workbooks for the presentations are also paid by SJRMC. One man, whose wife works at the medical center, told me he takes a day off to attend Appreciation Day because it has enriched their marriage. In addition, he has learned new things that have been helpful for his workplace. Because of the uniqueness of SJRMC, I asked more than five hundred employees to list five reasons they liked working at SJRMC. There was a tie for first reason, support from management and co-workers. They talked about how the management cared for them, how they felt appreciated as individuals and the fact that management practiced the philosophy and the mission of SJRMC. Co-workers were valued for creating a family-like environment, being there for one another, respect and fun. Two other reasons were viewed as important in making the employees like SJRMC. Opportunity to further one’s education and people enjoying what they do. The Ford Motor Company recently “wowed” the world when they announced that they were making computers available to all employees. Well, SJRMC is ahead. Employees, in addition to the funding and encouragement to improve their skills and knowledge, have the option of getting loans for computers with no interest. They have pride for where they work, feel personal fulfillment and have challenges to overcome, hence they enjoy their jobs. Benefits, flexible schedules, care for patients, clean facilities and state-of-the-art equipment to work with are also reasons why they like their employer. Employees feel their employer is not only interested in improving their professional skills, but the total quality of life. SJRMC serves as a trailblazer for other organizations to emulate their visionary business strategy and philosophy…People Committed to Life. © By Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku, Author, Motivational Speaker and Trainer. P.O Box 7152. Boise, Idaho 83707. Phone (208) 376-8724 www.Kituku.Com Stay Tuned With Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku Stay Tuned With Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku, host of “Buffaloes in Our Lives" a TWO hour weekly radio program, aired in the Northwest area on KBOI 670 AM, Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. Read Dr. Kituku’s newest articles in, Zidaho.com, Idahopress.com, Idahostatesman.com, Argusobserver.com, Times-News Magic Valley. =========================================================================== You can order Dr. Kituku’s books and tapes in any of the following methods: Call Toll Free 1-888 685 1621 or (208) 376-8724 (orders are mailed within 24 hours) (Visa, Master and Discover cards accepted) Mail order: Send check or money order to: KITUKU & ASSOCIATES, P.O Box 7152, Boise, Idaho 83707. Electronic Order: Order directly while you are here. Your information is confidential. Orders mailed within 24 hours after your information has been processed. 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