In this month’s blog, I will connect to something old and something new to me, something borrowed and something sure to chase the blues away. While may sound something like that bride-to-be cliché–and, admittedly, I am on a family wedding road trip as I write–the topic is not about tying the knot. We’re going to explore being better—a better you, a better me, better for and better with everybody.

So, let’s get to it.

What’s new to me, and maybe to you, too, is that every year September is Self-Improvement Month.

What’s old, borrowed, and something common to my communications is the term “Opportunity for Improvement” (OFI, pronounced o-fee). I’ve written of and referenced OFIs on LaurelComms before.

And when you connect Self-Improvement Month and OFIs, the result can be an unblue, better you.

Not A Lot of History

Research into Self-Improvement Month’s origin–its who, what, when, where, and why–did not surface a substantial history. One site noted that self-help is an $11B industry. Wow! But the site featured a curious three-item timeline:

• The October 1936 publication of “How To Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie;
• The August 1958 debut of Dr. Joyce Brothers’ TV show; and
• The February 1960 birth of Tony Robbins.

Couldn’t think of any more remarkable self-help breakthroughs or personalities, huh?

Another site briefly traced Self-Improvement Month’s history as follows: “In the 1980s, organizations began promoting Self-Improvement Month with seminars, books, and informational pamphlets. By 1988, the observance coalesced into a nationwide event every year in September.” Quite the comprehensive and detailed overview, wouldn’t you agree?

A Simple Self-Improvement Process

That same site put the focus on learning as the method to self-improvement outcomes. I have no doubt that there are important connections between learning and self-improvement. And, those connections apply to self-helping our professional or personal selves, as well as to the physical, mental, emotional, or social aspects of our lives. Yet, I suggest there’s more to the process. Let’s look at four steps:

• Consider and Assess
• Embrace and Prioritize
• Commit to OFI(s)
• Learn, Grow, and Improve

Consider and Assess: At this stage, we wonder, look around, explore possibilities, and think about the “as is” and “to be” of who we are and, perhaps, who we want or need to be. Perhaps we create a mental or written short assessment, or inventory, options and paths to self-improvement.

Embrace and Prioritize: As we grow positive about the possibilities, we embrace what self-improvement, and an improved self, may look like, feel like, be like. As the interest and energy grows, it is prudent to prioritize, especially the “what” and “how” of a self-improvement path.

Commit to Opportunities for Improvement: Taking the positive path forward, based on individual priorities or a singular focal point, we pursue that “just do it” moment and make that self-improvement commitment.

Learn, Grow, and Improve: Taking all the time you need, even to making self-improvement a continuous practice, this “step” is all about the efforts and actions that effect change and make a difference in you and for you.

Rather than cite the myriad resources of the multi-billion-dollar self-help industry, let me offer just a few more suggestions for the journey:

• Goals can be good and helpful
• Written commitments can make things real and clear
• Track progress
• Shared experiences can make the journey more enjoyable
• Reward yourself along the way.

Fall for Self-Improvement

So, are you spurred on to self-improvement this September and in days, months, and years ahead? Go for it!

Those who know me know I’ve always been about the OFIs, from the day I first learned about the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award process concept. I’ve used quality management terminology and applied quality practices, even embraced improving myself as a quality practitioner, during and since serving on the American Society for Quality staff leadership. That was a few career steps ago.

And now, this month, as I take a career step forward in new editor role, in a new organization, I plan to continue to improve my #CommunicationContentConnection skills as well as offer business and process improvement ideas to my new-employer colleagues and community.

#SelfImprovementMonth
#CommunicationsContentConnections
#Communications