Going Forward

Monday, December 27, 2010.

A couple of weeks ago I attended an International Convention in Miami followed by a special recognition and reward weekend given by Dale Carnegie and Associates, Inc. to the top producing businesses in its worldwide network.  I went into the convention concerned about the industry and some of my own recent business issues.   I came out inspired, more ready to do battle.  There are times when every business-wired person needs to let in thoughts that give you a feeling that a lot more success is possible, regardless of your situation.

A businessman from Mexico gave one of the most inspirational talks I've ever heard.  He explained how members of the cartel visited him in his office demanding a monthly piece off the top or his family would be hurt.  He responded by rushing his family across the border.  Then he dressed in workers clothes and last year crossed the boarder daily to work with his clients.  Despite all that his business grew 191%.  Who among us would have the courage, fortitude and drive to keep going under these circumstances?

He went on to say that one evening, after a long, tiring day, his young daughter was trying desperately to figure out where the number 100 fit in her counting.  Over and over they practiced one through 99 but she couldn't get that '100' was next.  He became exasperated and even more tired.  Finally she got it and was very pleased.  As he put her to bed, she began to make the endless bedtime requests that children make.  During one of them, she asked "Daddy, how big is 100?"  By now, he was a bit frazzled, he spread his arms as wide as he could and said, "It's big- this big."  As he left her room his daughter yelled out, "I love you 100 Daddy." 

This stopped him in his tracks.  Everything he had been battling came into perspective.  He realized his life was about having a '100 heart' in everything he does for his family, team and customers.  He explained to his incredibly intent audience that trying wasn't good enough.  You do things or you don't.  He added that working smarter, not harder just doesn't fit.  With his '100 heart' he had to show up very hard everyday.  He called it a working machine and no smarts alone would help him win.  (Sometimes we can outsmart ourselves)  He said too many clichés are a waste of time. 

I could go on and on about his presentation.  All I can say is that I and everyone else in the large meeting room could hardly catch our breath, let alone our tears.  It made us all realize how good we have it and caused us to ask ourselves if we were even close to having a '100 heart'.  How much more could we give - work - and achieve?

Business reality in these times can make us more cautious, cynical and can result in having less vision.  We have to seek out inspiration that tugs on our core, helps us to balance our perspectives, and become refreshed so we can see and feel what is possible.  We say in our Business Next coaching that current reality without vision can just make us frustrated.  Vision without current reality attached just makes us goofy.  We need to freshen up our vision or we will be burnt from reality.

In my work over 45 years, I have learned that inspiration is the source of our aspirations and values.  Values and aspirations are the source of commitment.  Commitment is the source of action.  And, as you have heard me say many times before, action is all there is.  The biggest producers in business do the things that most non-producers know about, but don't do.  It is that simple.   No magic.

At this time of year one of the best things we can do is to pay special attention to our team, our customers, our family and friends.  Peter Handal, International CEO of Dale Carnegie and Associates, and his team threw every accolade at us at the world-class Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.  Thank you, Peter.  I left feeling special and appreciated and I know this is what you wanted to accomplish.  Peter is a great example of how to lead by showing appreciation and recognition. Kevin Crone, your Monday Morning Mentor, is on the far right of this Croquet team. 

Actions:

·  Seek out an inspirational read, or a meeting with a very inspiring leader.  Something that could lead you to feel more committed to what you want to achieve and envision in your life and business.  Maybe bring in an inspirational business speaker for your team.

· Make a quick list of customers, team members, family members and friends that you need to make special.

·E-mail, call or write them.  Whatever.  Be "Peter Handal" like.You may never know when your inspirational act could cause them to pick up their commitment and action.

The New Year is approaching.  Let's prepare to win the battle in 2011.

Have a great week - and Have a wonderful holiday,

How to Create a Merry Christmas

December 20, 2010

Christmas is a Magical Time!

It's just what we need in these challenging economic times. Too often we, businesspeople need something to wake us up about its magic, and, when we do wake up, we focus on what is really important - making family, friends and employees happy. When we are focused enough on that goal, the tiring fuss of Christmas will not get to us. The best way to create merriness is by having meaningful conversations. We may even tell our family, friends and employees how much they mean to us, as well as buy them gifts. You and I know how special a gift of appreciation is.

The Big Secret of Dealing with People

The desire to be important and appreciated is the deepest urge in human nature said Dale Carnegie. William James called it a craving.

If you want to energize your team to adapt to what's required in 2011, or if you want to watch others feel good about themselves and see greater opportunities, then give them sincere appreciation, especially at Christmas. Write a sincere appreciation message in their cards. Speak about it at the Christmas party, and watch them glow! Your words could make a big difference to them. And of course, give appreciation to your children, spouse, father, mother, in-laws and friends. Watch what happens to you and them. Sure there are a few things they are not good at, improvements they could make but it's that way for you too. Believe me, others know.
Appreciation arouses enthusiasm among your people. Better yet, call a customer, just to tell them sincerely how much you appreciate their business and add what you like about them. If you're a little nervous about doing it, that's good. That means it's very meaningful to you and your sincerity will show.
 

One of the wonderful traditions we have in our home office is a draw for gifts (called Secret Santa). Everyone brings in a modest gift, places it under our Christmas tree and after our catered, home-cooked lunch by Pam (a wonderful lady who has been cooking for us for many years), we gather around the tree (about 25 to 30 of us) to begin the "chaos". My son, Kevin Jr., begins by reading the list of rules which has been growing by the years (people try to invent ways to get around them). His speech is a hilarious beginning. Then we draw numbers. When your number comes up, you can either pick a gift from under the tree or pick someone else's gift that has already been unwrapped. You can't believe how grown men and women joust over $25.00 gifts. It's a lot of fun and a lot of laughs! We always look forward to this fun gift exchange.

What ever you do to get people laughing and enjoying the Christmas spirit says a lot about you and the team, the environment and the values of the organization. Make sure in some small funny way the Grinch doesn't live at your place.

Who will you be at Christmas?

ACTIONS:

1. Create the spirit of Christmas. Tell at least 3 employees, friends and family what you appreciate about them, why you say it and give an example. You'll be creating a Merry Christmas for you and others you care about. Better yet - make this your big secret of success in 2011. Continually apply appreciation to your customers and employees.
    
2. Create a wonderful time with your family, friends and loved ones over the next couple of weeks. It doesn't always require money to do that.
    
3. Make time to relax, recharge and laugh a lot.
    

Looking forward to talking to you in the New Year about kicking off a great 2011 by facing the challenges of building your business, your team and yourself.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2011!

Have a wonderful holiday,

How to retire at 35

Do you remember having:

• A great vision of where your business was going 
• A mission and purpose that employees could feel
• People wanting to join your company so they could be rewarded for their performance
• Employees incredibly motivated and happy to work there
• Everything happening quickly and it is exciting

Many years ago we used a group warm-up that stated, "When you are green you are growing.  When you are ripe, you are rotting."  A weird saying but let's look at it.  When you are green- - hmmm- - that means you are beginning.  Maybe you're young, sprouting new leaves, new beginnings, new ideas, new actions, you are up for something you want to achieve, and you are learning.  A bunch of you are having conversations about what you want and where you are going.   Many are rewarded financially or with other incentives such as trips or what ever turns working families on.

When you are ripe...... maybe you are older and more cynical, more aware of what can't be done, have all kinds of self- imposed limits and just holding on and getting through until Friday.  The vision and mission is old too and you are not sure it is achieveable anymore.  You are thinking, this place isn't what it used to be!  The conversations are, as if everyone has given up and are accepting that success isn't going to happen.  Few are talking of a new vision.  You don't have it in the budget to give rewards.  As a matter of fact everything is about the budget.  Times are tougher, tighter.  What people really need around this business is a kick in the butt, not rewards!

I remember an article I used to send out called "How to Retire at35."  It described how people shut down at any age.  They show up, mouth the words, but don't care like they used to and mentally retire, even at 35.   They set our economies and businesses back.  No one can afford them.  It is tough to focus on two different things at once.  You are either building or coasting. 

So, "When you are green, you are growing."  I'll bet if you are reading Monday Morning Mentors, you are still looking for ideas.  You have some unrealized goals.  You are looking to build.  If that is the case, it is important that you focus on creating a picture of what you want your business, department or role to be.  It's a  picture of how you will have an engaged, performance- rewarded team.  You are daily engaging people in conversations around your plans and you create a culture of focus and profitable action.  You get everyone doing things they didn't think they could ever do and you praise, reward and excite them about any improvement and every improvement.

That's the magic of growing.  Small miracles can happen. Enthusiasm can grow, horizons are broadened, lessons are learned on the fly, and its' exciting.  Its' fun, and you can begin to grow anytime you decide to do so.

Actions: 

 How about you? 

Are you green, ready to grow, or ripe with a little rot settling in?

What is your vision/

What are you doing to engage your team?

How are you going to reward them for performance?

Have a great week.

Eugene's Secret Could Be Yours

  Last week I kicked off a conference for The Co-Operators Insurance Company at Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood.  My topic was "To Plan or Not To Plan".  Stephanie Collins a sharp, spirited District manager wanted to add some spice to the normal business talk-planning exercise.  If you have been around any company for a while, you know every meeting can begin to sound and be alike.  It's 'suits' giving the corporate data while the field brokers are thinking, "If you only knew what we are going through."

It seems that it is impossible for most corporate/field team be totally connected and aligned but that wonderful group can get very close.  The way most companies are designed typically doesn't cause or allow connection.  It is even worse with a franchiser/franchisee structure. The franchiser owns the ball, bat, gloves, the entire game and it usually has a one- sided contract that dictates everything.

It has been our experience that handing out goals works a little bit.  Mutually setting goals is better for obvious reasons.  Ideally, you really need to get to what everyone wants out there and many times you have to draw it out of them.  What they want should tie into the life they are creating so that it all fits.  Ideally, yes.  But come on..... who do you know that plans like that??  First, most people don't even realize they are the dominant, primary creative force in their own lives, and they have not thought much about what kind of life they want to create and few managers would ever consider tying business goals to life goals.

A couple of years ago we built a custom built home in Burlington.  My builder kept saying "keep at the design, make sure you get it right."  We took his advice and didn't rush into construction and as a result we love the home we created.  How many of us really design our life that way, or even believe we can have the life we want?  We rush into life every day and get caught up in every good or bad experience as if that is all it can ever be.

Doing this presentation made me think of how important it is for all of us to take breathers every now and then and just look at our quality of life.  We need to then to project into the future how we want it to be.  What outcomes do we want for family, friends, business, health, spiritual, recreational, community, and financial?  Maybe we could write out on separate cards what we want in each of these areas..  Study them for a while.  What do you notice about your wants?  If they don't feel good or present an obvious theme, then do it again.  Once you are happy with what you want your life to be, then set some goals.  Be very specific about outcomes.  "Be healthy" doesn't cut it. Having 120/80 blood pressure does. 

Now, describe the reality for each goal.  For example, right now the blood pressure is 135/90.  By looking at your wants in comparison to your reality you will see what steps you should take to get you where you want to go.  Make sure you goals don't compete with one another and go back over the steps and prioritize them.

This methodology was taught to our team by Robert Fritz.  (robertfritz.com)  What you are really doing is creating the life you want by putting in place all that has to happen for that quality of life to be there.  You can follow this method for a business or department plan as well.

According to a report in the Toronto Star, 3.8% of Canadians own 67% of Canada's wealth.  It also stated that those 3.8% were serious planners.  They knew where they were, where they are going, they going and always adjusted their actions according to current reality.

If having money is one of your big goals, then focus on your planning.  In business stakeholders have a money goal in common.  It's how we go about the planning process that can make the difference in your business.

Actions:  - my suggestion....

Get everyone talking about what they want personally, then tie in the business goals to their whole life plan.  My good, crazy newfie buddy, Eugene Walsh a VP from Investors Group was a star at his company because he did their company planning that way.  Most managers in his organization could not figure out his secret.  Eugene's team was always the best producers, won all the awards and had incredible spirit.  It is basically asking what the wants are for life and business and tying them together.  Give it a try.  Christmas is a good time to plan and to refocus.

Have A great Week!