"Quit!"

One of the most effective and simple activities I conduct during a Retrospective Activity with my Team is the “Start. Stop. Continue.” I ask my leaders to write in post-its what are the top 2 things they want to start, stop and continue from the previous year into the next year. After 5 minutes, they would post it in 3 sections across the room. I would ask each to briefly discuss their inputs and then call the next leader. After everyone has shared their insights, we will do the 3-dot voting to identify our top 3 priorities to start, stop and continue as a Team. Each leader has 3 dots they can use to vote. They also have the option to put all their 3 dots in one post-it if they want to.

On December 7, 2012, I arrived one hour late for a family dinner because my Retrospective Activity in the office started late which caused me to get stuck in the rush hour traffic. My kids asked me “What is a Retrospective Activity and what do you do there?” They got interested in the Start Stop Continue activity so I told them, let’s try it.

#quitsmoking #retrospective #startstopcontinue #3dotvoting

#ONETeam #SNAPS #SageandNotableAdvisesfromPatrickSalazar

My 4 awesome kids wrote the following themes on their post-its:

🟢 Start: Exercise, Diet

🔴 Stop: Smoking

✅ Continue: Love in the family, travel

During the 3-dot activity, there were 12 dots all on 1 post-it… “Quit Smoking”

Almost immediately, I stoped smoking.

Im celebrating 10 years smoke-free this 2022. Thanks to my 4 awesome kids, I have a better chance to live longer to enjoy more quality time with the family - to witness all my kids graduate, get married, be with my grand children and conduct more Start Stop Continue activities during our monthly Family Meetings.

*About the photo

I was an amateur disc jockey and part of a “lights & sounds mobile crew” (What’s Next Mobile) from the time I was in 6th grade until 2nd year college. I started smoking before I entered college. I’m grateful I no longer.

Friends… let’s enjoy this beautiful life we have with the people who mean the world to us. If you are smoking or vaping, I encourage that you… “Quit!”

Thank you.