Event+Response=Outcome(E+R=O)–Powerful Tips to Create Best Results

Event + Response = Outcome (E+R=O) – Powerful Tips to Create Best Results

To Escape Criticism: Do Nothing Say Nothing Be Nothing

Just this morning, I was scolded by my boss. My friend made a phone call but when I decided to stand out from my desk just to continue our discussion, my boss called me in his loudest voice from the corner of our office. So, I told my friend that my boss is calling me and we have to stop our discussion. I went to his room and he asked me if the call was important. I told him my friend called me but I didn’t answer if it was an important call. He started scolding me on top of his lungs so that other colleagues can hear him as well about the policy. When I went out of his office to get back to my desk, he went out of his room and continued to point out about the policy on personal calls. This has been his habit to humiliate his staff especially myself as he did this on different occasions when I came late for work. I really felt that he was singling me out, otherwise I might be assuming incorrectly. When I was reprimanded for being late, I witnessed how other colleagues came late even more than 30 minutes on several occasions even when he was present in the office. Later this morning, I witnessed how my colleague accommodated her incoming call from a friend and still managed to talk for quite sometime while my boss was present. Our office is not that big for less than 20 persons that you can hear anyone speaking. Well, we can say that he had shown unfair behavior towards me and reminded me of my previous post about how full is Your Bucket? He was definitely dipping from bucket.

What I would like to share with you how I responded to this event. I want to share with you a very powerful formula E+R=O or Event + Response = Outcome. I first heard about this concept from John C. Maxwell, a leadership expert, author and speaker. He learned the concept from W. Clement Stone, a very successful businessman, author and philanthropist. Lately, I learned this concept further from Jack Canfield, an inspirational self help author and success coach. He started his career with his mentor W. Clement Stone.

The basic idea is that every outcome you experience in life (whether it is success or failure, wealth or poverty, health or illness, joy or frustration) is a result of how you have responded to an earlier event/s in life. If you don’t like the outcome you are currently receiving, there are two basic choices you can take.

1. You can blame the event (E) for your lack of results (O).

In other words, you can blame the economy, the weather, your lack of education, your parents, the lack of money, your wife or husband, your boss attitude, the lack of support, the lack of systems, the government and so on. If you’re a basketball player, you’ve probably even blamed your coach, the referee or your shoes. Yes, these can be considered factors, but if they were the deciding factor, nobody would ever succeed.

2.  You can change your responses (R) to the events (E) – the way things are – until you get the outcomes (O) you want.

You can change your thinking, change your communication, change the pictures in your thoughts (your images of yourself and the world) – and you can change your behavior – the things you do. Unfortunately, most of us are so run by our habits that we never change our behavior. We get stuck in our conditioned responses – to our spouses and our children, to our colleagues at work, to our customers and clients and to the world at large. You have to regain control of your thoughts, your images, your dreams and your behavior. Everything you think, say, and do need to become intentional and aligned with your purpose, your values and your goals.

In my case, I have to stop blaming the event (my boss) but instead decide carefully about my response. I am a very emotional person but I don’t want to let my emotions control my response. I chose to develop my character instead and will take action steps to work harder on myself. I shared this sentiment in my facebook profile.

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Jerome Faustorilla Castaneda is now more determined than ever to work harder on myself. That’s how I responded after an incident with boss.

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If you add prayers and guidance from God to your response, the universe will conspire in your favor.

Lastly, please listen to John C. Maxwell’s leadership seminar using this principle.

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PS

Jack Canfield managed to explain this powerful principle in his Breakthrough To Success Seminar through Jhet Torcelino-van Ruyven of Tale of Juliet. Please watch the video.

Also, please read related story Is Your Boss a Source of Inspiration or a Source of Stress?