Click here to contact us today!Manners and etiquette – a load of old-fashioned nonsense?… Or two crucial parts of your life?Manners and etiquette are both critical to functioning in society. Both of these are about how we behave, but they are slightly different, and involve different skills. They are also culturally dictated, so what we consider good manners or appropriate etiquette may not be considered so in other cultures. |
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A BNI member recently asked me to define a legitimate referral. It’s been a long time since I wrote about this, so I thought I’d share it with everyone in this month’s column.
What is a referral? It’s not as simple as it’s sometimes made out to be. We leave college and go into business knowing little about referrals, because referral marketing is rarely part of the curriculum. We know what a great thing it is to get a referral, because it generally means lucrative business with a reliable client.
We understand that referrals are the best kind of business. What we don’t fully understand is how to make them happen.
In the BNI Member Success Program training we state that a referral is the opportunity to do business with someone who is in the market to buy your product or service. It’s not a guaranteed sale, but an open door to discuss your business.
The whole process of giving referrals can be somewhat subjective. Our goal is to make a “subjective” process as “objective” as possible. Here are six points to generally follow when giving a referral***:
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Listen for a need from someone you’ve met. A good networker has two ears and one mouth and uses them proportionately.
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Tell the individual that you know someone who can provide that service.
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If you’ve done business with the member, share your experience.
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Give out the business card of the person you are referring and ask for the individual’s card.
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Ask if it’s okay to have the member call.
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If the answer is yes, fill out a referral slip and give it to the chapter member at the next meeting.
So, a referral is a referral right? Once a referral source has given you the name of a person to call, it’s up to you to do the rest. A referral is better than a cold call, because you have the name of the prospect. And if you’re fortunate, you can use the name of the referral source to open the door. What more could you hope for?
Grade-A Referrals
Actually, there’s quite a bit more you can expect from referrals that have been properly developed by their sources.
Referrals come in many different grades. On one end of the spectrum they may go from simply a name and number of someone who’s expecting your call all the way to an in-person introduction that follows a serious commitment of time and energy from your referral partner.
Both may be legitimate referrals. However, the latter is much more likely to lead to closed business. The further along the referral spectrum that you can follow in your referral giving – the more likely you are giving truly high quality referrals to your networking partners.
*** Please note – some professions have different ethical guidelines about referrals (for example medical practitioners, counselors, and attorneys). Formal professional standards for any profession supersede the information outlined above.
Called the “father of modern networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization and the Sr. Partner for the Referral Institute. His newest book, Networking Like a Pro, can be viewed at www.IvanMisner.com.
What Successful People Do With The First Hour Of Their Work Day
How much does the first hour of every day matter? As it turns out, a lot. It can be the hour you see everything clearly, get one real thing done, and focus on the human side of work rather than your task list.
Remember when you used to have a period at the beginning of every day to think about your schedule, catch up with friends, maybe knock out a few tasks? It was called home room, and it went away after high school. But many successful people schedule themselves a kind of grown-up home room every day. You should too.
The first hour of the workday goes a bit differently for Craig Newmark of Craigslist, David Karp of Tumblr, motivational speaker Tony Robbins, career writer (and Fast Company blogger) Brian Tracy, and others, and they’ll tell you it makes a big difference. Here are the first items on their daily to-do list.
Don’t Check Your Email for the First Hour. Seriously. Stop That.
Tumblr founder David Karp will “try hard” not to check his email until 9:30 or 10 a.m., according to an Inc. profile of him. “Reading e-mails at home never feels good or productive,” Karp said. “If something urgently needs my attention, someone will call or text me.”
Not all of us can roll into the office whenever our Vespa happens to get us there, but most of us with jobs that don’t require constant on-call awareness can trade e-mail for organization and single-focus work. It’s an idea that serves as the title of Julie Morgenstern’s work management book Never Check Email In The Morning, and it’s a fine strategy for leaving the office with the feeling that, even on the most over-booked days, you got at least one real thing done.
If you need to make sure the most important messages from select people come through instantly, AwayFind can monitor your inbox and get your attention when something notable arrives. Otherwise, it’s a gradual but rewarding process of training interruptors and coworkers not to expect instantaneous morning response to anything they send in your off-hours.
Gain Awareness, Be Grateful
One smart, simple question on curated Q & A site Quora asked “How do the most successful people start their day?”. The most popular response came from a devotee of Tony Robbins, the self-help guru who pitched the power of mindful first-hour rituals long before we all had little computers next to our beds.
Robbins suggests setting up an “Hour of Power,” “30 Minutes to Thrive,” or at least “Fifteen Minutes to Fulfillment.” Part of it involves light exercise, part of it involves motivational incantations, but the most accessible piece involves 10 minutes of thinking of everything you’re grateful for: in yourself, among your family and friends, in your career, and the like. After that, visualize “everything you want in your life as if you had it today.”
Robbins offers the “Hour of Power” segment of his Ultimate Edge series as a free audio stream (here’s the direct MP3 download). Blogger Mike McGrath also wrote a concise summary of the Hour of Power). You can be sure that at least some of the more driven people you’ve met in your career are working on Robbins’ plan.
Do the Big, Shoulder-Sagging Stuff First
Brian Tracy’s classic time-management book Eat That Frog gets its title from a Mark Twain saying that, if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you’ve got it behind you for the rest of the day, and nothing else looks so bad. Gina Trapani explained it well in a video for her Work Smart series). Combine that with the concept of getting one thing done before you wade into email, and you’ve got a day-to-day system in place. Here’s how to force yourself to stick to it:
Choose Your Frog
“Choose your frog, and write it down on a piece of paper that you’ll see when you arrive back at your desk in the morning, Tripani advises.“If you can, gather together the material you’ll need to get it done and have that out, too.”
One benefit to tackling that terrible, weighty thing you don’t want to do first thing in the morning is that you get some space from the other people involved in that thing–the people who often make the thing more complicated and frustrating. Without their literal or figurative eyes over your shoulder, the terrible thing often feels less complex, and you can get more done.
Ask Yourself If You’re Doing What You Want to Do
Feeling unfulfilled at work shouldn’t be something you realize months too late, or even years. Consider making an earnest attempt every morning at what the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs told a graduating class at Stanford to do:
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
“Customer Service” (or Your Own Equivalent)
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark answered the first hour question succinctly: “Customer service.” He went on to explain (or expand) that he also worked on current projects, services for military families and veterans, and protecting voting rights. But customer service is what Newmark does every single day at Craigslist, responding to user complaints and smiting scammers and spammers. He almost certainly has bigger fish he could pitch in on every day, but Newmark says customers service “anchors me to reality.”
Your own version of customer service might be keeping in touch with contacts from year-ago projects, checking in with coworkers you don’t regularly interact with, asking questions of mentors, and just generally handling the human side of work that quickly gets lost between task list items. But do your customer service on the regular, and you’ll have a more reliable roster of helpers when the time comes.
12 Simple Ways Marketers Can Humanize Their Brand
Comments
Companies are not people.
Boom. How’s that for a controversial opening line?
For the sake of harmony (and the point of this blog post), let’s try to remove the political implications from that statement, and consider what it means for us as marketers.
How would most people describe their relationship with your company? Is it purely transactional, making you just a place they go to get something they need? Or do you elicit more personal feelings from your leads and customers? In an inbound marketing age where businesses are expected to get to know their target audience, develop personas, maintain an active social media presence, and be genuinely helpful to their leads and customers, it seems like there’s room to develop a relationship between companies and consumers beyond just the transactional.
The fact is, people do business with people they like and trust, and it’s really, really hard to trust a company. But you know when it’s way easier to trust a company? When your audience is reminded there are real life humans working behind the scenes … and maybe they can even get to know them a bit. So if your company comes off as cold, corporate, or faceless, it might be time to find a way to humanize your brand a little more. Here’s how.
1) Write an ‘About Us’ page that’s actually good.
The ‘About Us’ page is one of the most frequently flubbed up pages on the internet. Which is a bummer, really, because what better way to humanize your brand than a page dedicated to telling people about who you are?
So, who do you want to be? A faceless corporation? Or do you want to tell people about what you do, who you are, and why you think it might be interesting to them? I went looking for an example to show off here that’s an extraordinary example of someone humanizing their company through their ‘About Us’ page, and thanks to Blog Tyrant, I found two examples for you.
First, I recommend you check out SEOmoz. Their page includes several sections that explain what they do and why they’re valuable, as well as a timeline that explains how their company came to be — written in a light-hearted yet professional way. Giving the backstory of how the company was founded gives readers insight into the founders’ motivations, and also presents it in a way that shows the reader what value SEOmoz brings to the table for their customers.
The other example of a killer ‘About Us’ Page I highly recommend is Andrew Reifman of Andrew Reifman Graphic Design. This page is notable because of its simplicity. Who he is, what he does, and the value he brings is all clear in just a few words. Plus you actually feel like you know the guy when you’re done reading it! That makes it far easier for leads to determine whether he’s someone they want to do business with, and you can bet the ones with whom this page resonates are going to be extremely eager leads.
2) Kill the business babble.
Just. Speak. Clearly. Business and industry-specific jargon is just another way of talking over people’s heads, and although you think you sound super smart and important, you’re really just coming off as inaccessible. Is that how you’d talk to someone in real life? No way. Unless you don’t want any friends. Speak like a human being, and your brand will feel more relatable, too.
Hint: ‘About Us’ pages are often one of the biggest business babble offenders!
3) Inject a sense of humor into your content.
It’s easy for B2C companies to create hilarious content — and you certainly should! Everyone loves a laugh. This tip, however, is geared more strongly towards B2B companies; particularly those in kind of “boring” industries.
Look, you can get your point across really well with clear, concise, straightforward copy. That’s fine. But you can get your point across and humanize your brand — even delight readers — if you can infuse a sense of humor into your content once in a while. Frankly, nobody expects it from you. And if you’re one of the few brands doing it, it makes you look just awesome. Go ahead. Try to make someone crack a smile. What’s more human than unbridled laughter?
4) Publish photos of your team being themselves.
Let your fans and followers get to know your employees a bit better by posting photos of them doing things “out in the wild.” We did this on our own Facebook page with the aptly named album “HubSpotters in the Wild,” but I’m a fan of how Deloitte did this on its Facebook cover photo, too. Take a look:
That’s the Deloitte China Dragon Boat team. Who knew Deloitte had such cool employees? Well, we all do now! Deloitte (or any company for that matter) could take this one step further by venturing to replace its social media avatars with pictures of real people, as opposed to its logo, too.
You don’t need to limit yourself to just social media, either. You could find other places to introduce your employees to the world. At HubSpot, we’ve leveraged the space on our login screen (check it out!) so that when you sign in to your account, you’re greeted with a random HubSpotter’s smiling face, name, and role in the organization!
5) Introduce your community manager.
If you have a dedicated community manager running your social channels — Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, even forums — let people know who that person is. Take Uber, for example. They have an entire photo album on Facebook that introduces each city’s dedicated community manager:
When you click into each photo, you get to learn more about the person that’s representing the company. Take a look at Boston’s community manager, Nick:
Uber has been so effective at humanizing ita that when my co-worker had a question about Uber this morning, I actually told her to tweet at Nick. Not Uber. Nick. Because when I use social media to get Uber customer support, I’ve always talked to a person — Nick, specifically, — as opposed to who-on-earth-knows at most other companies.
6) Sign your social updates.
If you don’t have just one dedicated community manager, it may seem unwieldy to introduce the entire team — this is a common problem faced by enterprise organizations. Consider signing your social media updates if you’re one of many posting to a social account, particularly if you’re using it for customer support. Take a look at how Verizon support does it on their Twitter account:
This helps remind people that even though they can’t hear your voice, there’s one real, live, breathing person that’s dedicated to helping them.
7) Have conversations with fans, followers, and commenters.
But make sure they aren’t all just about your company or industry — although those are important, too. When you venture outside of your usual topics once in a while, it makes people feel comfortable being themselves … because you’re being yourself, too! You can also add more structure to these conversations if you like and periodically host Twitter chats, conversations about a particular topic at a specific date and time, held together by a pre-designated hashtag.
8) Encourage employees to be social on behalf of your company.
When employees post social media updates about or on behalf of their company, it does a few things:
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It lets people know that person gives a hoot about the company they work for.
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It lets people get to know the names, faces, and personalities behind a company.
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It gives the company’s content way, way, way more reach.
While some companies, due to the nature of their industry, may need to keep a tighter lid on their social media networks, most businesses could really benefit from encouraging employees to use their social media accounts to share company content. And yes, they should even be able to do that during work hours! The times, they are a-changin’.
9) Admit your mistakes.
Everyone screws up. It’s human. I’m not saying you should seek out mistakes to humanize your brand, but no one expects you to be perfect. Just like your mama told you, it’s how you respond to your mistakes that matters! If you’ve suffered a public faux pas, just own up to it and apologize. Be genuine, and don’t place blame elsewhere — accept it on your own. People will move on quicker than you expect, and you’ll emerge looking like a company that truly cares about what their audience thinks.
10) Poke fun at yourself.
Eventually, some of those mistakes you made will actually be funny — “some” being the operative word. Take our blog post from a couple months ago, “Marketing Hall of Shame: HubSpot’s Worst Marketing Mistakes, Revisited,” for example. A lot of those mistakes weren’t very funny at the time, but we took our public shaming and enough time had elapsed that we could poke a little fun at ourselves. If you don’t take yourself too seriously, even make fun of yourself from time to time in a manner that isn’t too self-deprecating, you remind your audience that you’re just like them.
11) Sign your emails with your name. Like, your name.
Not your company name. A company can’t send an email. A person at your company, however, can. For instance, what does your signature look like in your email marketing? Consider including a real person’s name in your email signature, along with their role at your company, and maybe even a small headshot to make the message more personal.
You could also experiment with a more personal “From” field, including the email sender’s real name alongside your company’s name. Your results may vary, so we recommend conducting your own test, but when we A/B tested the inclusion of an employee’s name alongside our company name, the results were fantastic!
12) Take off your marketer hat once in a while.
Ultimately, you’re doing all this to get more traffic, leads, and customers. We know that. But it can be helpful to approach your efforts with a little less of a methodical marketer mindset, and more of a … human one. For example, not every single tweet needs to be to a landing page. It’s okay to throw in something you think your audience would just plain enjoy sometimes — no link to your blog, lead-capture form, or transaction on the other end. The more you get to know your buyer persones as you interact with them every day, the more naturally you’ll be able to do this; the content will practically roll off your tongue! Once you’ve established this natural rapport with your community, your relationship will be more akin to two friends hanging out — and that makes for customers with higher lifetime value (aaaand the marketer hat is back on).
How else can brands make themselves seem less corporate, and more relatable to the world?
Image credit: twm1340
Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33525/12-Simple-Ways-Marketers-Can-Humanize-Their-Brand.aspx#ixzz24Tmdko39
Leadership
The 7 Success Principles of Steve Jobs
As we kick off the New Year, leaders, entrepreneurs and business owners are looking for new and innovative ways to grow their brands.
Who better to turn to than one of the most innovative leaders of our time—Apple CEO Steve Jobs?
Through first-person interviews with Apple employees, experts, and analysts, as well as Steve Jobs’ own words over the past thirty years, I discovered that there are 7 principles largely responsible for Jobs’ breakthrough success.
These are described in my new book, The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs, and they are principles that I will discuss in blog posts over the coming weeks.
Briefly, here are the principles that anyone can use to “think differently” about their service, product or brand.
Principle One:
Do what you love. Steve Jobs once told a group of employees, “People with passion can change the world for the better.”
Jobs has followed his heart his entire life and that passion, he says, has made all the difference.
It’s very difficult to come up with new, creative, and novel ideas unless you are passionate about moving society forward.
Principle Two:
Put a dent in the universe. Passion fuels the rocket, but vision directs the rocket to its ultimate destination.
In 1976, when Jobs and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple, Jobs’ vision was to put a computer in the hands of everyday people.
In 1979, Jobs saw an early and crude graphical user interface being demonstrated at the Xerox research facility in Palo Alto, California.
He knew immediately that the technology would make computers appealing to “everyday people.”
That technology eventually became The Macintosh, which changed everything about the way we interact with computers. Xerox scientists didn’t realize its potential because their “vision” was limited to making new copiers.
Two people can see the exactly the same thing, but perceive it differently based on their vision.
Principle Three:
Kick start your brain. Steve Jobs once said “Creativity is connecting things.”
Connecting things means seeking inspiration from other industries.
At various times, Jobs has found inspiration in a phone book, Zen meditation, visiting India, a food processor at Macy’s, or The Four Seasons hotel chain.
Jobs doesn’t “steal” ideas as much as he uses ideas from other industries to inspire his own creativity.
Principle Four:
Sell dreams, not products. To Steve Jobs, people who buy Apple products are not “consumers.”
They are people with hopes, dreams and ambitions.
He builds products to help people achieve their dreams.
He once said, “some people think you’ve got to be crazy to buy a Mac, but in that craziness we see genius.”
How do you see your customers? Help them unleash their inner genius and you’ll win over their hearts and minds.
Principle Five:
Say no to 1,000 things. Steve Jobs once said, “I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.”
He is committed to building products with simple, uncluttered design.
And that commitment extends beyond products.
From the design of the iPod to the iPad, from the packaging of Apple’s products, to the functionality of the Web site, in Apple’s world, innovation means eliminating the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.
Principle Six:
Create insanely great experiences. The Apple store has become the world’s best retailer by introducing simple innovations any business can adopt to create deeper, more emotional connections with their customers.
For example, there are no cashiers in an Apple store.
There are experts, consultants, even geniuses, but no cashiers.
Why? Because Apple is not in the business of moving boxes; they are in the business of enriching lives.
Big difference.
Principle Seven:
Master the message.
Steve Jobs is the world’s greatest corporate storyteller, turning product launches into an art form.
You can have the most innovative idea in the world, but if you can’t get people excited about it, it doesn’t matter.
Simply put, innovation is a new way of doing things that results in positive change.
Innovation is attainable by anyone at any organization, regardless of title or position.
Make innovation a part of your brands’ DNA by thinking differently about your business challenges.
Carmine Gallo is the communications coach for the world’s most admired brands.
He is a popular keynote speaker and author of several books including the bestsellers, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs and The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs. Follow him on Twitter: @Carminegallo
How to Repair a Bad Reputation
Damaged reputation?
It’s not easy to recover or repair (which is why it’s so important to protect your reputation).
Sometimes, the loss of your reputation is through no fault of yours, but because of lies and scuttlebutt.
Sometimes it’s your own mistakes. Getting your good name back is not always easy — but it can be done, with patience, determination, and perseverance.
Steps
Know your true friends. Don’t defend yourself against lies, especially to your real friends.
Simply say that those things are not true.
Remember that your true friends won’t believe lies about you – and those who don’t know you may believe those untruths at first, but if you are patient and willing to demonstrate your good qualities, even those who don’t know you well will doubt those lies.
Don’t defend against gossip, and don’t participate in gossiping about others.
If someone has told lies about you, unless it is a situation where you simply have to justify your action, say nothing, or very little.
If you start explaining, more people will get drawn in and take sides, and in the end you realise it’s all been made worse.
Gossip is best left to die on its own – and if it’s based on lies, it will almost always do so.
Own up to your mistakes and make them right.
If you’ve actually done something unwise and now wish you hadn’t (because your reputation is in pieces as a result), think about ways of making good.
Can you, first and foremost, do the right thing: go admit what you’ve done and apologize?
It’s hard to do, but necessary. Be humble and sincere. Afterwards, try to do nice things for people, help out somewhere, be a thoughtful friend or companion – repair your reputation by covering over the unwise thing with lots of good deeds.
That way, more people will hear good about you than bad.
Seek help. If you’ve got yourself into serious trouble, tell someone who can help.
It can be parents, a religious adviser (as long as they are not going to give you a big deal about morals and make things worse), a trusted teacher, or even a complete stranger on a helpline.
Most of the time, however bad the trouble, there IS a way out of it in time.
Know that everyone makes mistakes.
Remember that within a few weeks or months at the very most, no one will remember your misdeeds because they’ll be too busy coping with their own.
Nobody’s perfect – we all live and learn from our mistakes, and we try to do better as we learn.
Don’t beat yourself up too much, but also, don’t forget what happened, and how hard it has been to restore yourself to a good opinion in the eyes of all those people you care about.
Give yourself enough time to make amends.
Too often, we make a mistake and then want it to be immediately erased.
Unfortunately, things don’t work that way – that’s why it’s smart to protect your reputation carefully by being a person of good character.
Once you’ve restored your reputation somewhat, protect it.
Don’t allow people to spread lies about you – but rather than just telling whoever told you about hearing an untrue thing about you, go and find the person who told that person.
Root it out until you find the source of the untruths. Confront that person – usually it’s most effective to simply ask why.
“What have I done to earn your hate?
Why are you saying this about me?”
Once you know where it’s coming from, you have a chance to put a stop to it entirely.
Remember that it’s very hard to “prove a negative.”
When someone says you did something, it’s hard for you to prove that you didn’t do it, unless someone knows for certain (they were with you at the time you were supposed to have done this thing).
Rather than trying to “prove or disprove” this incident, simply state your innocence and leave it at that.
In the future, be very careful to demonstrate your good character, so that when people hear that you failed to do something, the first thing they think is, “That doesn’t sound like Jay.
Something must have come up, or there must be a good reason, if that’s true.”
Warnings
You can’t make some things right.
No apology will satisfy certain types of people – instead, they enjoy playing the victim and painting you as a villain. In those cases, it’s best to move on.
Richard Branson on How to Network. Hint: Early and Often
Mark Royce
When I started networking on behalf of Virgin Music –- meeting with agents, persuading musicians to sign with us, finding distributors -– it often involved swapping phone numbers scrawled on napkins.
It was the ’70s, after all!
These days it’s much easier to connect with people who can help you launch and grow your business. Just think: LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and Twitter all provide opportunities for you to meet and interact with fellow entrepreneurs, experts in the field and innovative newcomers.
However you go about making connections, from the very first moment you begin to realize that your idea is worth pursuing, the first step on the road to success is building a network.
To get started, attend industry events and meet key players; join regional business associations and start learning about local market conditions.
Also remember that you can meet potential mentors at schools, clubs and business groups. Someday, when you get stuck or when something goes wrong, these contacts will be the people you’ll turn to for help.
(Finding investors is a step that follows: People buy from people, so if you’re limited in terms of who you can access, talk to and sell to, well, you probably won’t get very far.)
Related: Richard Branson on Branding
Launching a startup is tough and scary, so it is important that as you build your network, you look for smart, supportive partners and employees who understand and share your goals for the business.
When I started Student magazine as a teenager, I worked with a small group of other students.
Their tireless support and our camaraderie was invaluable as we got the magazine going.
Some of us continued to work together for decades, and I count these people among my closest friends.
My parents were also very important to that project (Yes, your family is part of your network too — don’t underestimate their ability to help you), and without their backing we probably would not have succeeded.
Finally, you’re also going to need a network of peers, so don’t be wary of making friends with your competition.
When you see other people achieving similar goals, you will be reminded that your own plans and dreams are possible.
And if you are feeling daunted by a task, there’s no better encouragement than learning that somebody else has already achieved something similar.
In my experience, moments like those have been the tipping point for many a new business venture, and there’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition!
Related: 6 Steps to Better Networking for Young Entrepreneurs
Almost 50 years after the launch of Student, the team at Virgin Media started up the Pioneers program with the goal of helping young entrepreneurs to create their own networks.
As operators of and investors in many businesses, our group also wanted to understand how the digital generation would go about it -– whether or not tech-savvy young entrepreneurs could use social networks to unlock valuable business connections.
So Virgin Media decided to partner with them to create a fun social platform showcasing their ideas.
Virgin Media Pioneers started with 100 people in March 2010.
We gave each of them a laptop, a flip camera, a broadband connection and some space on our website to use as they wished.
Without our prompting, the Pioneers started connecting, sharing their ideas about their businesses and making them happen in ways they probably would have never considered before.
Jammin Designs started up when Pioneers Dowa Ojarikre and Nathaniel Peat met at one of our events and decided to combine their talents, working together on designing smartphone and iPad cases celebrating the Jamaican Olympic team.
They managed to get their wares stocked in outlets near London’s Olympic Park and also in Jamaica House, the center of all activity for those cheering on the Jamaican team during this summer’s Olympic Games.
The Pioneers community has now grown to more than 3,000 people and it is attracting many more who want to connect and discover new ways of doing business. We are using the site to help entrepreneurs, no matter what stage they’re at.
For those who are kicking around ideas or who dream about opening a business someday, we’re providing inspiration; for those trying to expand their businesses, we provide information and resources to help them get ahead.
Last year, Virgin Media also invited some Pioneers to pitch their ideas as part of our Innovation Challenge, a number of which are now being considered for development.
Related: Richard Branson on Thinking Big
Once you’re a successful business leader, it’s time to start championing undiscovered talent yourself.
I get a real sense of pleasure from seeing talented people realize their ambitions and grow professionally and personally.
As I’ve learned, in the process you can gain new insights and discover fresh approaches to doing business by simply discussing how things work.
After all, continuing to network means continuing to grow.
Read more stories about: Networking, Richard Branson, Growing a business
How to Start Conversations That Make Instant Connections
For entrepreneurs, knowing how to communicate clearly and effectively is critical in leading a company — and selling your business ideas.
But the words you speak and hear are only a small part of getting your message across to your employees, customers and investors.
It is the way you speak and listen that makes all the difference in the world.
Consider these 12 steps for starting conversations that click and, ultimately, lead to more productive relationships:
Step 1: Relax. Stress generates irritability, which leads to anger, and anger shuts down communication. Studies have shown that a one-minute relaxation exercise will increase activity in the brain that is essential for communication and decision making.
So before you enter any conversation, do this:
First notice which parts of your body are tense based on a scale of one to 10 (1 = completely relaxed; 10 = extremely tense).
Write it down. For 30 seconds, breathe in slowly to the count of five, and then exhale slowly to the count of five.
Repeat this three times.
Now, yawn a few times and notice if it relaxes you. Assign it a number between one and 10 and write it down.
Now stretch your body, beginning with the muscles of your face, scrunching them up, then stretching them out.
Then gently move your head from side to side and front to back.
Scrunch your shoulders up and then push them down. Next tighten your arms and legs for a count of 10; then relax and shake it out.
Take a few more deep breaths.
Once more assign a number to your state of relaxation and write it down, noticing any improvement.
Related: The Biggest Mistake Small Businesses Make in Brainstorming
Step 2: Stay present.
When you focus on your breathing and relaxation, your attention is pulled into the present moment and inner speech stops, at least momentarily.
If we bring this “presentness” into a conversation, we hear the subtle tones of voice that give emotional meaning to the speaker’s words.
Being in the present moment will allow you to quickly recognize when a conversation begins to go astray.
Step 3: Get quiet.
Developing the skill to remain silent helps you give full attention to what other people say.
To hone that skill, try an exercise with this online bell. Push the button to “strike” it then focus on the sound.
As it fades, listen more closely. Ring the bell several more times, and listen more closely.
This is the attentiveness you need when listening to someone.
Related: How to Sell Your Startup’s Long-Term Vision
Step 4: Be positive.
Take a mental inventory of your mood.
Are you tired or alert, anxious or calm?
Then, ask yourself: do I feel optimistic about this conversation?
If there’s any doubt, anxiety, or frustration—postpone it.
If you can’t, then at least mentally rehearse the conversation first, which will help you spot statements you might make that would undermine your goal.
Step 5: Confirm values.
To make a conversation balanced and fair, everyone has to be clear and up front, about values, intentions, and goals.
If your values are not aligned with those of the person you’re trying to do business with, trouble is unavoidable.
So learn about the person’s values as soon as you can.
But beware: some people will mask the nonverbal cues of deceit and just tell you exactly what you hope to hear.
Related: Four Rules for Innovative Leadership
Step 6: Evoke memories.
Enter the conversation with an expression that conveys kindness, compassion, and interest.
But it cannot be faked.
So if you’re not feeling it, tap into a pleasant memory of people you love and respect.
It will soften the muscles around your eyes and evoke a gentle half smile on your face, which stimulates a feeling of trust in the other person’s brain.
Step 7: Watch nonverbal cues.
Keep your eyes on the person you’re speaking with, but don’t stare.
And stay focused, making sure you aren’t distracted by inner thoughts.
If a person wants to conceal a feeling— out of embarrassment or the desire to deceive— it might only appear for a quarter of second.
But remember that micro-expressions can only tell you that a true emotion is hidden, it won’t tell you why or whether the person is purposefully concealing it.
Step 8: Be appreciative.
The first words you speak set the tone for the conversation, so begin with a compliment and end it with another compliment that expresses appreciation.
Of course they must be genuine.
Ask yourself: what do I really value about this person?
Then, ask yourself which of those attributes you respect most.
Remember this as you talk, too, and listen for an opportunity to share it.
Related: A Secret to Creative Problem Solving
Step 9: Speak warmly.
If you drop the pitch of your voice and talk more slowly, the listener will respond with greater trust.
When we are angry, excited, or frightened, we raise the pitch and intensity of our voices, and it varies a lot in speed and tone.
On the other hand, a warm supportive voice is the sign of leadership and will generate more satisfaction, commitment, and cooperation between members of your team.
Step 10: Slow down.
Slowing down your speech actually helps people understand what you are saying and deepens their respect for you.
It’s not as intuitive as it may seem, and as children we automatically speak fast.
But you can teach a child to slow down by speaking slowly yourself because they’ll match you.
A slow voice has a calming effect on a person who is feeling anxious, whereas a loud, fast voice stimulates excitement, anger, or fear.
Related Video: The Esquire Guy’s Rules for Small Talk
Step 11: Be brief.
Limit your speaking to 30 seconds or less. Our conscious minds retain only a tiny bit of information.
If you need to communicate something essential, share it in even smaller segments— a sentence or two— then wait for the person to acknowledge they’ve understood.
If the person remains silent, say another sentence or two, and then pause again.
It also helps to write down major points before the conversation.
Step 12: Listen deeply.
Stay focused on the person who is speaking: their words, tone, gestures, facial cues— everything.
When they pause, you’ll need to respond to what they just said.
If they go and on, then just study them and watch how your own inner speech reacts, without worrying about what you may remember or forget.
You’ll actually be practicing a form of meditation that is neurologically enhancing and emotionally relaxing— a far cry from what we usually feel when we are bored by someone speaking.
Adapted excerpt from Words Can Change Your Brain by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman (Hudson Street Press, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2012).
Read more stories about: Leadership, Networking, Communication strategies
Things to Say in a Thank-You Letter for Business
Receiving a thank-you letter will brighten just about anyone’s day.
Sending thank-you letters is not only a good way to make people feel appreciated for their deeds, it also makes the sender look good.
Whether you are a business owner composing a thank-you letter to your biggest customer, a company marketing director composing a form thank-you letter for new clients, or you want to thank a business for its work, include the newspaper-writing fundamentals of who, what and why to make the thank-you letter effective.
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Thank You
The letter should start by including a sentence structured around “thank you.”
This sentence should come after the salutation but before the explanation of why you are thanking that person.
For example, if you are composing a thank-you letter that will be sent to the first buyer for your new boutique coffee-roasting business, you might start it out by writing, “To the staff of the Green Limpet Coffee House, I am writing to say thank you.” Alternately, you could write, “Thank you for” or “We deeply appreciate.”
Specific Reason
It’s important to spell out the specific reason you are writing the thank-you letter in the first place.
Without a reason or with a vague reason like, “We appreciate your business,” the letter will lack emotional impact.
Instead, write, “Thank you for allowing us to serve you for 10 years,” or “Thank you for sticking with us through last month’s supply-chain issues due to hurricane disruption.”
If you are writing a letter to thank a business, you might write, “Thank you for reducing my phone bill from when my daughter was hospitalized overseas.”
Benefit
Name the major benefit or impact of the reason for which you are writing the thank-you letter.
For example, you could write, “Knowing that you were waiving the international calling fees allowed me to concentrate on helping my daughter recover instead of worrying about the expense of calling South Korea every day.”
Or, for a letter from a nonprofit organization to a business donor, you could write, “Your support last year allowed us to launch a mentoring program for underprivileged kids.
Your generosity will help our community thrive.”
Alternately, if enclosing a gift card or other gift, describe what enjoyment you hope the receiver will get out of it.
Hope for the Future
Inspiring, thought-provoking notes in thank-you letters include a thought or hope for the future — related to the benefit you spelled out.
Tie this hope into the letter recipient’s current endeavors.
For example, you might write, “I hope that we may continue to serve your computer maintenance needs as you open your new facility in San Antonio.”
Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart, to give yourself to it
Buddha
Discover the Work you love to do
We all know that work we enjoy brings satisfaction, self-respect and meaning to our lives.
Did you know that finding work that is meaningful to you is one of your responsibilities?
To find what your meaningful work is, ask yourself the following questions this week?
1. What do I love to do?
2. What am I good at
3. What do I want to become the best at?
4. What gets me charged up?
5. What am I passionate about?
Finding work, you love will fill your life with excitement and reward. Lose yourself in your work!
Happiness and success willl mkraculously follow.
This Week – Give Your Heart To Your Work
Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do.
It comes from not finishing what you start
If you start something . Finish it!
Unfinished tasks weigh us down. without us even realizing it.
If you have undone tasks you wish were don, you might try the following pland
List all of your unfinished tasks-just pour them all out of your head onto paper or your computer.
classify and transfer these tasks unto various Project lists
Limit the project to 4-6 so you’re not overwhelmed
Decide when you want do your projects by putting them on your daily or Weekly List and commit to doing them.
Envision the project completed and feel how wonderful it will feel to have the project finished.
Before you know if you’ll have a clear life and calm mind!
Make it your Motto to “Finish What You Start”
What’s the perfect friend?
Do you have one?
I sometimes wonder about that?
A one-sided friendship will leave you feeling used and unloved.
In order for a friendship to last there must be give and take from both sides.
Friendship is defined as a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
Friendship is a wonderful thing and a true friend is invaluable.
A true friend is someone you can depend on, that you know will be there for you when you really need them.
They are someone you trust with your inner most feelings and thoughts.
A friend is someone you can be vulnerable with, without feeling afraid that they will betray you. Without friends life would be very lonely.
Usually, you have “good” friends and “bad” friends.
Bad friends are those that do not put the same value on your relationship that you do.
When there is this imbalance it makes the relationship one-sided.
If you are completely dedicated to the friendship and willing to put in the time and effort to build the friendship, but the other person is not, you will only be so close to them.
You will only know them to the level that they allow you to.
Often these one-sided relationships result in the person that is more dedicated to the friendship being or feeling used.
If you are constantly giving but do not feel that equal effort is being given over time this results in a build up of resentment and bitter feelings.
Some people have a longer tolerance for one-sided friendships than others and can go on for months or even years before they are fed up with the relationship, but eventually all one-sided friendships come to a point where the giver has had enough.
It is hard to give constantly and not get anything back. If you are sharing your most vulnerable feelings and thoughts, or you are always rushing to the aid of a friend when they call, but you don’t get the same from them over time you stop wanting to give.
These friendships are not ones worth pouring a ton of time and energy into.
This does not mean that you need to cut this person out of your life but just be aware of the limitations there are in this friendship.
If you have a firendship that is one-sided realizing and accepting that can help you determine how much you are willing to give.
It does not mean you never speak to them again but maybe you don’t put as much effort in to building the friendship.
You don’t respond to their every request and you don’t share everything with them.
Put your time and energy into those friends that are giving back to you.
There will be times in every relationship where one person is giving more – it is hard to keep an equal balance forever – but with a true friend it should shift back and forth so that you are not always the one giving.
Sometimes you will be in the place
where you are giving more at other times your friend will.
A real friendship, one that is worth investing in, will be a give and take relationship.
A real friend does not take you for granted or only expect to be given to.
Friendships that are one-sided are limited and can cause bad feelings, limit your time and effort with these people so you don’t end up feeling used and growing bitter.
We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about..i feel, think &act enthusiastic about
Enthusiasm! Yes!! Doesn’t it feel good when you’re feeling enthusiastic about something?
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It is nice to know that enthusiasm is a wonderful and natural part of us.
NOTICE HOW CHILDREN SPARKLE WITH EXCITEMENT-PLAYING SHOUTING, BOUNCING, GIGGLING, LAUGHING, LIVING WITH JOY & ALIVENESS.
As adults we often subdue the enthusiasm within ourselves unnecessarily.
But it is always within us and can be uncovered.
When we allow enthusiasm to live within us, we become alive with joy.
We are more creative, f to be with and more productive.
Think of a time when you were really, really enthusiastic about something.
Replay this in your mind often and picture yourself enthusiastically through your day greeting others enthusiastically with a smile,
Effective Networking for Busy People
Think you don’t have time to network, Think aghain
With all the demands on our time made by our business, professional and personal lives, it is tempting to assign a lower priority to networking as an activity designed to meet new people.
After all, we have so many commitments at the office and at home — to colleagues, family and friends – that it is difficult to set aside extra time to bring even more people into our lives.
This thinking would be wrong, however, on two levels.
For one, we are constantly being introduced to new people anyway, every day, with no disruption to our schedules.
Secondly, by not consistently widening our circles of acquaintances and contacts, we may be severely curtailing our chances for advancement and success.
It is estimated that the average person knows about 250 people.
And each of those people knows, in turn, another 250 or so people.
This means that for each new person you meet, you gain access to a potential pool of 62,500 people separated from you by just two degrees!
Imagine the odds, then, that out of so many people, you would NOT find one person who would be a source of information about a better job, additional clients or customers, a speaking engagement or writing assignment, an investment opportunity, where to shop for better value, and much more. In all likelihood, you would find many more than one.
Do these numbers sound staggering?
At the end of this article, I will prove the multiplier effect to you!
Networking, therefore, is one of the most profitable activities in which one can engage.
Fortunately, like any endeavor, one can get more proficient at it with practice. Moreover, it takes very little time or effort to get it right.
It takes only a moment’s conscious decision to become a networker, with no interference to one’s daily routine.
All it requires is a slight shift in attitude, and adopting one simple trifurcated rule:
Greet each new acquaintance with an openness to learn more about that person, a willingness to help, and an offer to stay in touch.
This approach is equally applicable to every form of networking, whether in business or social contexts, and whether the encounter takes place in person or, as frequently happens today, online.
It pays to network in person, not only to meet new people, but also to keep your vital communications skills sharp.
Practice making friendly conversation; even if no relationship develops with that person, he or she will likely remember you as a “nice guy/lady” if asked about you at some point in the future.
If you feel you are too busy to go to networking events, attend only those vital to your professional or business standing.
Make the best of chance and casual meetings that occur during the course of your normal workday.
Also, take more business cards than you give out.
That way, you are more in control of the tempo of developing relationships.
If you’d like to network from the comfort of your home or office, or during down time on weekends, join an online business networking community.
Many of them have sub-networks focused on topics of particular interest to you.
In addition, you can look at others’ profiles and prioritize accordingly.
The power of online networking is in the viral effect so unique to the Internet.
I belong to an online networking community that has tens of thousands of members.
As members invite friends to join, this network’s rate of exponential growth is now up to an average of more than 2,750 new members a week.
As an individual member, over eight months, I have linked directly and mutually to 208 online “friends.”
Amazingly, this translates into 8,138 “friends of friends!”
These are all people I can access with a few clicks of a mouse, and without disturbing my first circle of friends at all.
It is mind-boggling to imagine the number of “friends of friends of friends” I have – and this figure grows every hour, with no more effort on my part.
It is worth noting that all this is free – and for just a small upgrade fee, I can search the entire network for individuals who work in a specific industry or company, live in a city I plan to visit, are experts in a field in which I am seeking advice, etc. And there is a very good chance they would respond to me, since we are members of the same community of networkers.
Lack of time is no longer an excuse for failing to “reach out and find someone” who can possibly be on your side in the business of life
Kelley Robertson, President of Robertson Training Group, a sales and business skills training firm
Business Networking Tips
Sales are frequently developed through the relationships we have created with other people.
Networking functions provide the opportunity to expand our contact list, particularly when we create and nurture quality relationships.
It is not enough to visit a networking group, talk to dozens of people and gather as many business cards possible.
However, every networking function has tremendous potential for new business leads.
Here are five strategies to make networking profitable:
1. Choose the right networking group or event.
The best results come from attending the appropriate networking events for your particular industry.
This should include trade shows, conferences, and associations dedicated to your type of business.
For example, if your target market is a Fortune 500 company, it does not make sense to join a group whose primary membership consists of individual business owners.
You can also participate in groups where your potential clients meet.
A friend of mine helps people negotiate leases with their landlords.
He joined the local franchise association because most franchisors lease their properties.
2. Focus on quality contacts versus quantity.
Most people have experienced the person who, while talking to you, keeps his eyes roving around the room, seeking his next victim.
This individual is more interested in passing out and collecting business cards than establishing a relationship.
My approach is to make between two and five new contacts at each networking meeting I attend.
Focus on the quality of the connection and people will become much more trusting of you.
3. Make a positive first impression.
You have EXACTLY one opportunity to make a great first impression.
Factors that influence this initial impact are your handshake, facial expressions, eye contact, interest in the other person and your overall attentiveness.
Develop a great handshake, approach people with a natural, genuine smile and make good eye contact.
Notice the colour of the other person’s eyes as you introduce yourself.
Listen carefully to their name.
If you don’t hear them or understand exactly what they say, ask them to repeat it.
Many people do not speak clearly or loudly enough and others are very nervous at networking events.
Make a powerful impression by asking them what they do before talking about yourself or your business.
As Stephen Covey states, “Seek first to understand and then to be understood.”
Comment on their business, ask them to elaborate, or have them explain something in more detail.
As they continue, make sure you listen intently to what they tell you.
Once you have demonstrated interest in someone else, they will – in most cases – become more interested in you.
When that occurs, follow the step outline in the next point.
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Elsewhere on the Web
A Pocket Full of Business Cards
Timely and consistent follow-up is the key to successful marketing
From Scott Allen, former About.com Guide
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Meeting new people in person is still one of the best ways to market your services.
If you do a good job at this, you will quickly end up with a desk drawer filled with business cards.
But then what do you do with them?
Timely and consistent follow-up is the key to successful marketing.
Meeting someone once is rarely enough to bring you business — repeated contacts are what do the trick.
You always want to follow up with prospective customers, of course, but you should also follow up with potential referral sources.
A good referral source is someone who interacts with your desired customers on a regular basis.
For example, as a business coach who works with many start-ups, I look for referrals from accountants, attorneys, career counselors, and people who teach small business classes.
There are three avenues you might choose to follow up with people you have met: by phone, by mail, or in person. Let’s look at the uses of each one.
Phone
With prospective customers, you can phone them to see how interested they are in what you do and try to set up a meeting.
The meeting might be in person or by phone, depending on the nature of your business.
You can mail them a marketing letter, or a brochure with a personal note.
You could also call or write to refer them to your web site or invite them to your next presentation.
The most effective way to contact prospects is usually call-mail-call.
Call first to develop interest, and if you can’t reach them to set up a meeting on the first try, send them something by mail or e-mail.
Then call again to see if they are ready to take the next step.
If someone is a potential referral source rather than a prospect, your best approach is to establish a reciprocal relationship.
You might call to begin getting acquainted, exchange information about yourselves by mail, or arrange to meet in person to find out more about each other’s work.
It is completely appropriate to call another business person you have met and say, “I think we might be serving the same type of customers; could we get to know each other better so maybe we could exchange referrals?”
Another easy and friendly way to follow up with anyone you meet is to send a handwritten “nice to meet you” note with only your card enclosed.
E-mail/Fax
Be careful when making contact by fax or e-mail.
Many people are offended by faxes or e-mail messages that are essentially generic marketing letters.
It’s more advisable to use these media as tools to communicate more personally with people you have already opened a dialogue with.
If you choose to fax or e-mail someone who isn’t expecting to hear from you, be sure to personalize what you write for each prospect.
After your initial contact, think of ways to keep in touch on a regular basis.
Call to see how people are doing, or to tell them what’s new with you.
Send a note with a clipping or cartoon, or e-mail a link to an interesting web site
. Don’t forward jokes or inspirational stories, though, unless you know for sure the recipient will appreciate them.
In person
To follow up in person, schedule lunch or coffee, or invite your contacts to an upcoming event you plan to attend.
Once you have a large follow-up list, consider a regular newsletter, ezine, or postcard mailing.
To manage your follow-up activities, you need a contact management system.
When your list is short, you can use a notebook or 3 x 5 cards.
You will quickly outgrow a manual system, however. By the time you reach 200 contacts or so, you’ll be ready to graduate to a computerized system designed for contact management, such as Microsoft Outlook or ACT!
However you choose to keep track of your contacts, the important thing is to stay organized.
Always have one central place where you record who you meet, what contact you have had so far, and when it will be time to follow up next.
If a business card you have collected doesn’t belong to a prospective customer or referral source, throw it away.
There’s no point in keeping the card of someone you don’t plan to follow up with.
__________________________________
C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients Now! Thousands of business owners and salespeople have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income.
Get a free copy of “Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You’ll Ever Need” at GetClientsNow.com.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING MEMORABLE IN YOUR NETWORKING
Have you ever attended a networking event, collected a bunch of business cards, and when you go through them the next day, you can’t remember who many of them are?
Or try to think of someone you met and had a conversation with, but you can’t remember their name or their business to look them up?
Well, you certainly don’t want to be one of those that other people can’t remember, do you?
It’s all well and good to pass out business cards, but if people don’t remember you well, they probably won’t be calling you to follow up, and they certainly won’t keep you in mind for their future needs or possible referrals.
Here are five tips on how to make yourself memorable (in a good way) when meeting other people face-to-face:
1. Be distinctive.
A brightly-colored, hand-painted tie, an unusual necklace or other jewelry, a good (but not overpowering) cologne, even just impeccable grooming can all help you stand out in a good way
.It’s not that you want to be remembered and identified for that, but anything that helps people separate you from the crowd helps them remember the rest of you.
You don’t have to be outlandish — although some people work that quite well — just don’t blend in completely with the crowd.
2. Be fully present.
Be fully engaged and fully aware of the people you interact with.
You can break this down into smaller, somewhat mechanical pieces — listen well, respond promptly, maintain eye contact, etc. — but if you are truly present in the moment, those things will happen naturally.
Many people only seem to be “half there”, so being fully engaged helps you stand out
3. Ask thought-provoking questions.
Networking expert Bob Burg has some good suggested questions in his book Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts into Sales, such as “How did you get started?” or “What do you enjoy most about what you do?” But the very best questions can’t be communicated in a book because they’re specific to the person you’re interacting with and will arise in response to your initial conversation.
Do #2 and this will flow naturally. As Dale Carnegie suggested, you must “take a genuine interest in other people”
.4. Reinforce your keywords.
People aren’t going to remember long descriptions of what you do, or likely even that 15-second intro that many experts teach you to make.People will at best remember a few key things about you:
-
Your name
-
Your company name
-
Your business/industry (in three words or less)
-
Your product
-
Your location
What you want to do is find ways to unobtrusively increase the occurrence of these things in your conversation.
For example, is there some kind of story behind your name?
Have it ready to use if there’s an opportunity.Does your business have an unusual name?
What’s the story behind it – what does it mean?Refer to your place of business when telling an incident that occurred (“I was driving down 17th Street leaving my store, when…”).Anything you say that reinforces one of the five items above helps make you more memorable.And if they can remember just three of them — “Joe the barber from Soho” or “Maria the translator who wrote ‘Spanish in Six Weeks'” — you’re doing great.
5. Contribute to the group conversation.
Don’t hog it, and don’t say just anything in order to say something publicly, but saying one really smart thing at your table or in front of the whole group will make you much more memorable than half an hour of semi-conscious small talk.
Create value for others and you create value for yourself.When we look at brand strategy in marketing, one of the most important concepts is that a brand is not just a memorable name or logo — it’s an experience.
A great brand communicates values and emotions that get called to mind whenever someone thinks of the name or logo.
Here we’re talking about your personal brand. Remember that you are your business.
The impression that you make on people is the impression they will have of your business, so make it good and make it memorable.
10 Habits of Remarkably Charismatic People
Charisma isn’t something you have. It’s something you earn. Here’s how.
Some people instantly make us feel important. Some people instantly make us feel special.
Some people light up a room just by walking in.
We can’t always define it, but some people have it: They’re naturally charismatic.
Unfortunately, natural charisma quickly loses its impact. Familiarity breeds, well, familiarity.
But some people are remarkably charismatic:
They build and maintain great relationships, consistently influence (in a good way) the people around them, consistently make people feel better about themselves–they’re the kind of people everyone wants to be around…and wants to be.
Fortunately we can, because being remarkably charismatic isn’t about our level of success or our presentation skills or how we dress or the image we project–it’s about what we do.
Here are the 10 habits of remarkably charismatic people:
1. They listen way more than they talk.
Ask questions. Maintain eye contact. Smile. Frown. Nod. Respond–not so much verbally, but nonverbally.
That’s all it takes to show the other person they’re important.
Then when you do speak, don’t offer advice unless you’re asked.
Listening shows you care a lot more than offering advice, because when you offer advice in most cases you make the conversation about you, not them.
Don’t believe me? Who is “Here’s what I would do…” about: you or the other person?
Only speak when you have something important to say–and always define important as what matters to the other person, not to you.
2. They don’t practice selective hearing.
Some people–I guarantee you know people like this–are incapable of hearing anything said by the people they feel are somehow beneath them.
Sure, you speak to them, but that particular falling tree doesn’t make a sound in the forest, because there’s no one actually listening.
Remarkably charismatic people listen closely to everyone, and they make all of us, regardless of our position or social status or “level,” feel like we have something in common with them.
Because we do: We’re all people.
3. They put their stuff away.
Don’t check your phone. Don’t glance at your monitor. Don’t focus on anything else, even for a moment.
You can never connect with others if you’re busy connecting with your stuff, too.
Give the gift of your full attention. That’s a gift few people give. That gift alone will make others want to be around you and remember you.
4. They give before they receive–and often they never receive.
Never think about what you can get. Focus on what you can provide. Giving is the only way to establish a real connection and relationship.
Focus, even in part and even for a moment, on what you can get out of the other person, and you show that the only person who really matters is you.
5. They don’t act self-important…
The only people who are impressed by your stuffy, pretentious, self-important self are other stuffy, pretentious, self-important people.
The rest of us aren’t impressed. We’re irritated, put off, and uncomfortable.
And we hate when you walk in the room.
6. …Because they realize other people are more important.
You already know what you know. You know your opinions. You know your perspectives and points of view.
That stuff isn’t important, because it’s already yours. You can’t learn anything from yourself.
But you don’t know what other people know, and everyone, no matter who they are, knows things you don’t know.
That makes them a lot more important than you–because they’re people you can learn from.
7. They shine the spotlight on others.
No one receives enough praise. No one. Tell people what they did well.
Wait, you say you don’t know what they did well?
Shame on you–it’s your job to know. It’s your job to find out ahead of time.
Not only will people appreciate your praise, they’ll appreciate the fact you care enough to pay attention to what they’re doing.
Then they’ll feel a little more accomplished and a lot more important.
8. They choose their words.
The words you use impact the attitude of others.
For example, you don’t have to go to a meeting; you get to go meet with other people.
You don’t have to create a presentation for a new client; you get to share cool stuff with other people.
You don’t have to go to the gym; you get to work out and improve your health and fitness.
You don’t have to interview job candidates; you get to select a great person to join your team.
We all want to associate with happy, enthusiastic, fulfilled people.
The words you choose can help other people feel better about themselves–and make you feel better about yourself, too.
9. They don’t discuss the failings of others…
Granted, we all like hearing a little gossip. We all like hearing a little dirt.
The problem is, we don’t necessarily like–and we definitely don’t respect–the people who dish that dirt.Don’t laugh at other people.
When you do, the people around you wonder if you sometimes laugh at them.
10. …But they readily admit their failings.
Incredibly successful people are often assumed to have charisma simply because they’re successful.
Their success seems to create a halo effect, almost like a glow.
Keyword is seem.
You don’t have to be incredibly successful to be remarkably charismatic. Scratch the shiny surface, and many successful people have all the charisma of a rock.
But you do have to be incredibly genuine to be remarkably charismatic.
Be humble. Share your screwups. Admit your mistakes. Be the cautionary tale. And laugh at yourself.
While you should never laugh at other people, you should always laugh at yourself.
People won’t laugh at you. People will laugh laugh with you.
They’ll like you better for it–
How to Craft a Killer Elevator Pitch That Will Land You Big Business
What is an Elevator Pitch?
This is the 30-60 second business description of what you do and why someone should work with you. It’s called an “Elevator Pitch” because it describes the challenge: “How would you explain your business and make a sale if fate placed you in an elevator with your dream prospect and you only had the time it takes to get from the top of the building to the bottom?”
This article will explain the elements of a powerful elevator pitch and then walk you through how to craft yours.
Why Is Having an Elevator Pitch So Important?
You only have 30-60 seconds to make a powerful first impression. The attention span of the average person is just 30 seconds before their mind starts wandering. The other reason is people have less time today. You need to grab them quickly or lose them forever.
Essential Elements of a Powerful Elevator Pitch
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Concise. Your pitch should take no longer than 30-60 seconds.
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Clear. Use language that everyone understands. Don’t use fancy words thinking it will make you sound smarter. Your listener won’t understand you and you’ll have lost your opportunity to hook them.
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Powerful. Use words that are powerful and strong. Deliver the “Sis-Boom-Bang” to grab their attention!
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Visual. Use words that create a visual image in your listeners mind. This will make your message memorable.
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Tell a Story. A short story, that is. A good story is essentially this: someone with a problem either finds a solution or faces tragedy. Either type of story can be used to illuminate what you do.
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Targeted. A great elevator pitch is aimed for a specific audience. If you have target audiences that are vastly different, you might want to have a unique pitch for each.
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Goal Oriented. A kick-ass elevator pitch is designed with a specific outcome in mind. What is your desired outcome? You may have different pitches depending on different objectives. For instance do you want to: make a sale, gain a prospect, enlist support for an idea, or earn a referral.
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Has a Hook. This is the element that literally snags your listener’s interest and makes them want to know more. This is the phrase or words that strike a chord in your listener.
How to Craft Your Killer Elevator Pitch
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Write down what you do. Write it several different ways. Try writing it at least 10-20 different ways. Don’t edit yourself at all. You will edit later. This first step is for generating ideas. Don’t hold back. Ideas can be goofy, serious, wild, funny, or conservative. It doesn’t matter. The goal is to get at many ideas as possible down on paper.
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Write a very short story that illustrates what you do for people. If necessary, the story can be long. You will boil it down later. Paint a picture with words.
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Write down your objective or goal. Do you want to make a sale, gain a prospect, enlist support for an idea, earn a referral, or something else?
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Write 10-20 action statements. This is a statement or question designed to spur the action associated with your goal.
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Record yourself. You can use Jott if you don’t have a recording device. Jott is a free phone based service that translates your messages into text as well as providing an online link to the original audio.
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Let it sit. Come back to what you’ve written with fresh eyes and ears the next day or later on in the same day.
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Highlight the good stuff. Listen and read through what you’ve recorded and written. Then either highlight or circle the phrases that hook you with clear, powerful, and visual words. Obviously not all the words will fall into these categories. You still need connector words, but you want them to be as few as possible.
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Put the best pieces together. Again you’ll want to write down several versions of this much tighter pitch. Tell us what you do and why people should want to do business with you. Include elements from your story if you can fit it in.
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Record these new ones.
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Do a final edit cutting as many unnecessary words as possible. Rearrange words and phrases until it sounds just right. Again, the goal is 30-60 seconds maximum.
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Dress Rehearsal. Run it by as many people as you can get to listen to you. Get feedback from colleagues, clients you trust, friends and family.
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Done for now. Take your final elevator pitch and write it down. Memorize and practice it until it just slides off your tongue naturally.
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Continue to improve. Over time, always be on the listen for phrases that you think could make your elevator pitch more clear and impactful. And then test it out. Every once in a while you will probably benefit by starting from scratch because things always change: you, your business, your goals, and your clients’ needs.
What’s your elevator pitch? Share it with us in the comments!
Effective Networking Skills to take the Awkwardness of out Business mixing and mingling
Kristin Marquet
Before I started working in the fashion and public relations’ industries, I felt uncomfortable in social situations, was petrified of meeting and talking to new people, and hated public speaking for many reasons but shyness topped the list. Yet, once I learned effective networking skills, my network of fashion and media contacts exploded.
Networking can be scary especially if you feel uncomfortable in social situations. However, effective networking skills are essential to meeting other individuals, generating good contacts, and building solid and relationships.
When you have a solid network you can rely on, connecting with potential clients, partners, and employees becomes much easier because you don’t have to wait for an awkward introduction. Additionally, the more individuals that view you and your business positively, the more leverage you will have.
Follow these tips to build a strong network:
1. Sincerity is a must. Most business people can smell phoniness from a mile away.
2. Determine your goals and objectives. Before attending any networking event – conference, luncheon, holiday party or any other business or social event, make sure it is for the right reason. Some events are for making contacts, while others are for learning a certain trade or industry. If you are a make up artist, I don’t think you would attend the American Bar Association Mid Winter Conference for Surety and Fidelity.
3. Join as many associations and groups to expand your professional circle. Many groups allow prospective members to preview how groups are organized by sitting in a seminar or attending an event.
4. Offer to volunteer in different organizations and events.
5. While networking, ask questions – who, what, where, when and how as opposed to questions that can answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”
6. By joining different groups and associations, your brand becomes transparent and you become a resource to others. It will also help you become an expert within your industry.
7. If you have a certain person that would like to speak to, make sure you have a clear approach. You don’t want to sound like you have no idea what you are talking about when you open the conversation.
8. Have a clear mission of how you can help networking professionals.
9. Respond quickly and efficiently to referrals. Don’t make others look bad by not delivering results that you promised.
10. Don’t try to sell yourself. Networking is about gaining leverage by building relationships with other professionals within your industry.
11. Dress appropriately for the occasion. Most networking events require business attire. Remember, first impressions are the only impressions that count.
In this day and age, networking is a must. It doesn’t matter whether you are looking to expand your business network or looking for a job, networking is critical to a healthy career. The more resources you have, the more leverage and opportunities will be readily available.
Image of people
It’s a busy life.
You’re working hard at building your career, balancing your family obligations, staying in shape, pursuing hobbies and finding time to walk the dog.
Is it really worth trying to find an extra few hours each week to volunteer for an organization in your community?
Yes! There are many benefits to volunteering, not the least of which is that those volunteer hours can contribute to job satisfaction and can open new horizons in your career.
In the past, volunteering was seen to be a pastime for people who were retired or had lots of time on their hands.
This is no longer the case.
Not-for-profit organizations recognize that today’s volunteers are busy people who are looking for volunteer opportunities which not only allow them to make a contribution to their community, but also provide them with personal growth and make good use of their time and talents
. You can organize or supervise events, fundraise, teach, educate, mentor or sit on committees or boards.
Employers are increasingly recognizing the value of encouraging employees to volunteer in the community.
Volunteering has many benefits which are reflected in the workplace in the form of increased interpersonal, communication and organizational skills.
Volunteering can contribute to your career development in many ways:
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Grow Your Network. Many volunteer opportunities provide the chance to build relationships with people from a wide range of fields and professions. Make new connections and increase your contact base!
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Learn New Skills and Explore New Possibilities.Want to try something new or wondering if a particular career direction is right for you? Volunteering gives you a chance to test new waters or gain skills in areas which aren’t part of your regular workday.
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Use Your Skills in New Ways. Expand your reach, stretch yourself. Maybe you can put together a great presentation at work, but you’d really like to try your hand at writing a newsletter….
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Get to know your community. Especially if you’re new to the area, but even if you’ve lived here all your life, volunteering can give you new insight into neighbourhoods, demographics and the heartbeat of your community.
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Refresh, renew, recharge your passion. Spending a little time each week pursuing a passion, making a difference and creating positive change can go a long way towards refueling your energy and enthusiasm for your job. Come back to your desk feeling revitalized, optimistic and ready to face the challenges of your workday.
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Build your resume. Does your resume reflect a person who lives a balanced life, takes an interest in the world beyond their job and is always looking for ways to grow? A good volunteer history adds depth and breadth to your resume and demonstrates that you are an employee
Although previous generations of volunteers donated services for a pat on the back, today’s bleak job market forces volunteers to be more opportunistic than altruistic.
The newest trend is to use volunteer work as a means to “try on” a new career, get free on-the-job training and look for job leads and industry contacts.
Volunteer Work Helps You While Helping Others
The fact that volunteers are helping themselves while helping others doesn’t really matter in the larger scheme of things. Regardless of their reasons for getting involved in volunteer work, they are still providing a valuable service to the company, offering their skills free of charge to those who need them
Getting the Most From Trade Shows
Don’t show up empty-handed. Make sure you’re fully prepared to maximize your time at this annual event.
Trade shows can be a tremendously powerful marketing tool or a tremendous drain on your time and resources.
There are many excellent reasons to exhibit at trade shows. They’re great way to connect with customers and prospects, launch new products and catch up on the industry buzz.
But never attend a trade show “because we go every year,” or just because you think it’s expected. Always have a specific goal in mind and prepare a strategy for achieving it.
After all, exhibiting at a trade show represents a large investment for a small business. It entails all kind of expenses, from preparing and shipping your booth and materials to travel and entertainment costs, not to mention your lost work time.
To get something out of a trade show, put something into it. Plan your trade show activities from start to finish, before, during and after the event.
Before the Show
Before you even register, identify your trade show goals. This makes all your future decision-making easier; all the choices you make afterward should be geared toward achieving your objective. In addition:
Promote your attendance at the show through e-mails, newsletters and on your website. Encourage customers to visit your booth through a contest or promotion.
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If your goal is meeting with clients, don’t leave it to chance. Set up those appointments well in advance, including time and meeting place.
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Don’t wait until the last minute to check out your booth. If you need to spiff it up, you’ll need time to do it right. A shoddy, outdated booth is a real liability.
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Ditto your marketing materials. Are they current? Do you have enough? If you need a particular marketing piece, now’s the time to do it. Be sure to give yourself enough time to do a good job.
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Between the event ad book and expanded trade pub circulation, trade shows offer unique, once-a-year advertising opportunities. Determine if advertising will help achieve your goal, and if so, have a compelling ad ready before that deadline sneaks up on you.
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Devise a strategy for collecting contact information at the show. For example, a prize drawing–with a trendy, sought-after prize–motivates prospects to part with their business cards.
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It’s Showtime
If you’ve done your planning, you’ll be well positioned to make the most of the event. Keep your goal in mind throughout the show. For example, while it’s tempting to socialize with your pals, don’t be sidetracked from connecting with new prospects.
Because you’re talking to so many people, it’s easy to forget parts of conversations. After meeting with each contact, take a moment to jot down some quick notes. At the end of each day, review and expand your notes. It’s important to do it while everything’s fresh in your mind. If you’re a scribbler, transcribe them onto your laptop. That way, once you get back to your office, you won’t be scratching your head and wondering what you were trying to tell yourself.
After the Show
Plan in advance to spend your first days back fulfilling all the commitments you made. Do it first, before you get drawn back into your day-to-day activities.
Follow up with prospects or clients who asked for information. If you do it while the subject’s still in their heads, it’s more meaningful–plus you get points for follow-through.
Hopefully, you collected some business cards during the show. Follow up on them right away, too. A smart way to do this is to create an e-mail template or follow-up packet before you go, and all you need to do is personalize it upon your return.
It’s essential that you do some Monday morning quarterbacking and review your trade show performance as objectively as possible.
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Did your booth do its job? Are improvements required?
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Were your materials effective? Does something need to be changed or added?
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Was your advertising worth the investment?
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Were your meetings effective, or is there something you should do differently next time? Did you miss anyone?
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Most importantly, did you achieve your goal?
This isn’t a rhetorical exercise. Think deeply about each question and commit your notes to paper. Start a “trade show” file. This way, you’ll have a place to begin when the next show rolls around and you start the process all
It’s Not Who YOU Know, It’s “Who Knows YOU!”
by Jermaine
Most large companies start out as small companies — even Walmart started as a thought in the mind of Sam Walton.
Getting from here to there requires time, effort, planning and a little luck. Some business leaders focus their planning on how to grow the company, without planning for how essential networking (internally and externally) is to their success.
It’s Not Who YOU Know, It’s “Who Knows YOU!”
One of my favorite co-workers says this phrase at least twice every week.
I didn’t fully appreciate it’s power until I got into my current role in August.
Get rid of the guilt
Through my entire professional working career I have tried to build strong relationships with my bosses, co-workers, and clients.
Yet, I never really tried to leverage these relationships to birth new opportunities. I always felt that it may backfire and hurt my existing relationship(s).
I also felt kind of guilty asking for help from people.
It wasn’t until I reached out to an old friend in hopes of helping a person I had just met that I saw the TRUE power of networking.
What are the benefits of Networking?
Networking with purpose can save you tons of time, make you lots of friends, and open countless doors.
I won’t even attempt to give a comprehensive list of all the things that can birth out of networking.
I’ll just say that a co-worker of mine just got back from Philadelphia because he had box seats to a Colts/Eagles game that he received from someone his wife met through networking!
They couldn’t go themselves and wanted to give them to someone who would use them.
Think, those tickets could have been offered to you if you were in the same network, lol.
How to Network
On an average day I come in contact with at least four or five people that I didn’t know before. Many of these chance encounters are coupled with conversations…
How many times have you sparked a conversation with a person but never wrote down their name or got their business card?
Even worse, you didn’t even give them your business card. Probably too many times to count. Each of these meetings were missed opportunities to build your network.
If you are aggresively networking your goal should be to add at least two people to your network each and every day.
Who’s in your network?
Of course you start with immediate family, extended family and then friends. From there you build out to old classmates, previous co-workers, current co-workers, bosses, etc.
If you are drawing a blank, stop and take some time to write down every job you’ve ever had.
After creating this list, start to fill in the names of as many people as you can remember. If you stumble upon someone that you really had great rapport with in the past then it is time to set up a lunch, grab a cup of coffee, or make a phone call.
Don’t ask for anything. Just get the lines of communication reestablished and catch up.
Sam Walton built his network by building his employee base. Sam believed that “individuals don’t win, teams do.”
Thus he made all his employee stock holders in his success (by making them stockholders in his dream, Walmart).
How many people have you invited to be stockholders in your personal and professional success? Who have you asked for advice?
What wise person(s) have you told about your dreams?
If there is someone, have you taken the time to show proper gratitude?
Have you recently told your most influential uncle, “I appreciate your help?” If not, it is time to make that happen. Stockholdersalways receive dividends.
Never leave loose ends.
If you are serious about strategic growth then you need to get serious about relationship building. People who know you, have invested in your dreams, and are willing to support you will continue to hold you up even if more traditional planning fails.
For further reading on this topic click the link below.
Strategic Growth
COMMUNICATING WITH DIPLOMACY
AND TACT ASSESSMENT By Dale Carnagie
How Tactful & Diplomatic Are You?
Mastering communication skills can improve your professional image and expand your authority. Your ability to navigate through difficult situations, build consensus, and manage change can create powerful results for your organization.
Knowing your strengths and weakness can help establish more effective communication with your co-workers and colleagues.
Take the quick 10 question assessment below and fi nd out you have the skills to effectively communicate with your co-workers and colleagues.
Please answer the questions the way you personally would react.
Not the ‘ideal’ way to react.”
1 A colleague of yours, in a fun way, gives your boss
the impression that you spend too much time on
personal business.
1. You say nothing to your colleague.
2. You tell your colleague that you know he was only
kidding but you would appreciate it if he would not do
this again.
3. You make a point to tell the boss that this colleague
left early on Tuesday to play golf.
2 A customer tells you how disappointed she is that
you did not return the message she left with your
assistant. You realize you never got the message.
1. You apologize to the customer and say nothing to your
assistant.
2. You let your assistant save face by telling him you
spoke to the client. You understand how the message
might have fallen through the cracks given how busy
he is.
3. You tell your assistant that this is unacceptable and it
better not happen again.
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3 Your manager/supervisor/boss gives you a less
than average review that surprises you.
1. You go home and vent to family and friends.
2. You calmly discuss the review and ask for clarification.
You come up with an action plan and incremental
review times so you are not caught off-guard again.
3. You storm out of the office and tell your colleague how
unfair your boss is.
4 One of your team members comes to work
inappropriately dressed.
1. You don’t say anything except behind his back.
2. You hold a private conversation with this person and
explain the office dress policy for the future, assuring
him that you know he did not intend to make a bad
impression.
3. You tell this person, in front of everyone, that his
appearance is unacceptable.
5 You are berated in a meeting for being late. The
reason you are late is that your carpool ride did not
show up on time.
1. You take the blame.
2. You apologize for the disruption, briefly explain the
carpool situation, and commit to re-evaluating whether
this is a good idea, particularly on days of important
meetings.
3. You insist this is not your fault and explain that you are
just trying to save gas.
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6 Your department of 10 people decides to order
pizza for lunch and you give the person getting it
more than enough money. He does not give you any
change.
1. You assume it was very expensive pizza and there was
no change, or he thought you were treating.
2. You ask if he had enough money and if there was any
change.
3. You accuse this person of trying to rip you off.
7 The company has announced that bonuses will be
given out today, and later that day a colleague asks
you how much yours was.
1. You tell her even though you know you should not.
2. You tell her you are uncomfortable sharing this because
it is supposed to be kept confidential.
3. You tell her that asking this question is very
unprofessional.
8 You catch a typographical error on a letter that
your assistant has prepared for you.
1. You ignore it—it’s just a little one and the customer
probably won’t notice.
2. You bring the mistake to your assistant’s attention and
ask her to redo it.
3. You tell the assistant that there is no excuse for these
types of mistakes.
9 A vital member of your team has called in sick on
the last day of the week for the past three weeks.
1. You don’t say anything and continue to cover for him.
2. You hold a private meeting with him, show concern for
his pattern, and ask for input on a solution.
3. You tell him that thi
s looks very suspicious and he
better not do it again.
10 A person in your offce tells an inappropriate joke
in the lunch room.
1. You walk away.
2. You pull this person aside and tell her that you know
she didn’t mean to offend anyone, but she should be
more sensitive and professional in such a diverse
environment.
3. You tell this person, in front of everyone, that this was
completely inappropriate.
If you scored below 15 on the assessment it indicates that you tend to interact timidly or passively with
others.
You run little risk of offending anyone, but you tend to have difficulty being honest and conveying
your message.
You tend to hold things in and complain about situations to non-involved parties.
This often builds your sense of frustration which may exhibit itself in less than professional
behavior at the wrong times.
To improve in this area, consider participating in training to help you build your self-confidence
and help you disagree in an agreeable manner.
Appreciate that standing up for yourself, when done with good human relations, does not offend others; rather it strengthens your professional relationship with them and allows each of you to achieve positive results.
If you scored over 22 on the assessment it indicates that you might have a tendency
to be aggressive or combative in your communications with others.
You are at high risk of offending others.
You may have a tendency to lash out at others and place blame on others
quickly when things don’t go as you desire.
This may be viewed as demeaning by colleagues and cause unnecessary conflict.
Appreciate that other people may make unintentional mistakes which can be easily
corrected with positive coaching, training, and reinforcement.
Rather than becoming argumentative, consider approaching others with calmness
and a belief that they can improve.
If you scored between 16 and 22 on the assessment it indicates that you generally
have a confident and assertive interpersonal style.
You possess the ability to be flexible in difficult situations and balance your
approach with those who tend to be more timid and those who tend to be more aggressive.
Continue demonstrating an open and understanding attitude toward other.
This “benef t of the doubt” mentality
is often reciprocated and allows others to step in to help when things are not going well
Today’s Special!Winning With Influence! |
Hey Everybody!I read an old story the other day. It is one that almost everyone is familiar with, and as I read it, I realized that it is filled with a strategy for successfully defeating giants. Yes, giants. We all have them in our lives: Self-doubt, bad habits, financial difficulty, bad relationships etc, can all be giants in our lives. Slaying Your Own Giants!The story? David and Goliath. Take a journey back in time with me and see if there isn’t a great deal of truth in this story that we can apply to our own lives today. Here are the timeless principles I see in this story of the little guy beating the giant: Expect giants to block the way to the Promised Land. Too many times we go for our dreams expecting that it will be like a cakewalk at the county fair. Not true! If you want to get to something as great as the promise land you imagine for your life, realize that the world isn’t just going to roll over and die. No, competitors will do anything they can to keep you out. Naysayers will stand before you and tell you it can’t be done. Giants will appear and you will have to go through them to get where you want to go. Don’t go into your journey with your eyes closed. Expect to battle a giant or two! |
Article by Peter Murphy
Staying enthusiastic while going for your dreams can be difficult at times. The
events of life, at times, have a way of interfering with our goals and can discourage us.
However, if you are to achieve your goals, remaining enthusiastic and motivated is vitally important, especially in moments of discouragement.
If you lack enthusiasm, you will give up, and your dreams will come to nothing.
Enthusiasm originates from the Greek word ‘enthousiasmos’, which basically means to be inspired. Enthusiasm is inspiration and is a powerful way to create momentum and motivation.
Enthusiasm can generate the energy and willpower to help us accomplish those things in life we have set out to do.
Enthusiasm also can create within us a feeling of well-being and happiness.
Throughout our lives we are constantly bombarded with messages of fear, tragedy, and pessimism, especially from the media.
Newspapers and periodicals abound with bad news. Moreover, the negative people around us discourage us even further.
With so much of it around us we have a tendency to adapt that input into our own ways of thinking, allowing this negativity to taint our own thoughts and behaviors.
Enthusiasm is a skill that is learned like any other skill. Enthusiasm is seldom a natural development, but rather a result of conscious effort.
Enthusiasm takes practice and with continual exercise you can stay excited and motivated to accomplish your goals, even when unfortunate circumstances do arise.
But how do we create enthusiasm within ourselves?
First and foremost you must become passionate about your life and your goals.
Most people can become temporarily excited about practically anything, but to maintain a sustained enthusiasm can only be achieved by becoming passionate about something.
When we talk about passion we are taking about having a deep care for something.
If you are not interested and don’t care about something you will not be able to create enthusiasm for it.
All successful people are passionate about something and they spend minimal amounts of time on things they have no passion for.
Don’t waste your valuable time pursuing things you are not passionate about.
You will feel little satisfaction from those endeavors and then you will wonder why your motivation is diminishing.
It’s because your energy is being applied in the wrong direction.
Passion is the fuel of enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm and energy are very closely related. If you come home tired from a hard day’s work you are likely not be too enthused or excited.
Maintaining a high energy level will help you be more enthused.
And the more enthusiasm you have the more energy you are likely to have.
Both enthusiasm and energy work hand in hand.
You can’t have one without having the other.
Proper diet and the right amount of rest can help you maintain a higher energy level, which of course will increase your enthusiasm.
Maintaining enthusiasm also requires you to build motivation.
Motivation is intrinsically related to energy.
Energy is required to move and motivation generates movement.
This means taking action, moving, and doing something toward accomplishing your goals, even when you might not be so enthused.
By tapping into motivation you will become enthused.
If you just sit around and wait for life to come to you, you will eventually lose energy and then motivation becomes nothing more than something you talk about.
Moreover, when you lose motivation you also run the risk of losing passion.
You can create enthusiasm just by acting enthused.
You don’t necessarily have to have an external stimulus to create enthusiasm within yourself.
In fact, enthusiasm is something that comes from within and can be encouraged to develop just by the practice of acting enthused and doing something positive toward your goals.
About the Author
Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/blog
Build Trust – Keep Your Commitments
Dr. Stephen Covey, a well-known and compelling speaker and mentor on leadership, ethics, trust and enhanced performance, has spoken to viewers and audiences all over the globe.
Dr. Covey is also a best-selling author of many books, including The SPEED of Trust (if you have not read this, you need to!).
Dr. Covey shared the #1 behavior to build trust in a video on iLearningGlobal.
Do you know what #1 behavior is? Read on…
Dr. Covey was asked out of the 13 behaviors, if you could only pick one behavior to work on, what is the most important to build trust?
All 13 are important, but according to Dr. Covey, keeping commitments builds trust faster in a new relationship and creates long-lasting relationships.
Making commitments, keeping commitments, and repeating this cycle will increase trust and do it quickly. You need to do what you say you are going to do.
However, this can also be a dangerous behavior if you over-compromise and do not deliver.
If you do this repeatedly, you may not have a second or third chance to regain the trust of your customers, prospects, colleagues, family members, or friends. And, you will lose all credibility and this can attract a lot of attention.
Now, do not let this scare you… You can not be afraid to make commitments as this is not the nature of our crazy world today.
Commitments are part of everyday life and business. Making commitments builds hope; keeping commitments builds trust.
So, how do you earn new business and trust with a new prospect?
Make and keep commitments and the trust level will increase and it will increase fast. Find commitments that create and add value for your prospects.
And, tell your prospects what to look for (signal your behavior).
Dr. Covey talked about a friend of his who is a CEO of a company and this CEO has a philosophy and strategy when starting any new relationship.
The CEO states to his new prospect that any good relationship is based on trust.
When he makes a commitment, you can count on that and he will deliver.
He is signaling his behavior and when he delivers on his commitments, the relationship develops and grows quickly.
So, if you say you are going to do something, then DO IT! Keeping commitments is a great behavior to build trust and build it fast.
Remember, this is not just about business…
You can do this with your family members, friends, co-workers, networking groups, prospects, and customers.
Making and keeping commitments is THE fastest way to build trust and when you do this over time, you will build a reputation of “wow… he/she does what he/she said she was going to do” and guess what?
This kind of reputation is money in the marketplace!
To your success and dreams,
Andrea
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Why It Pays To Advertise
“You can have the most wonderful product in the world, but if people don’t know about it, it’s not going to be worth much.
There are singers in the world with voices as good as Frank Sinatra’s, but they’re singing in their garages because no one has ever heard of them. You need to generate interest, and you need to create excitement.”
Donald Trump, American real-estate tycoon
Advertising doesn’t cost, it pays! And good advertising can pay you well. Bad advertising, or no advertising at all, invites disaster.
You have to advertise if people are to be made aware of your business and the benefits it offers them.
Without advertising you rely on word of mouth recommendation or press editorial, both extremely effective, but slow and generally unpredictable.
Advertising takes many different forms, from painting your name on the side of a van to delivering leaflets door-to-door or posting printed cards in shop and post office windows.
More often the term applies to classified and display promotions in appropriate media, usually newspapers and magazines, and it is with this definition we concern ourselves here.
Advertising by itself does not sell. It will not sell a bad product (customers will ask for refunds) and it won’t open up new markets.
It is not a miracle cure that can generate sales for a dying product. Conversely, advertising will not sell your must successful products to people who simply don’t want them.
Main Points About Effective Advertising
* It reduces the entire population to your target audience and reaches as many of those people as possible at least available cost.
* It must always have an objective. This means having a clear idea about what you want to accomplish in your advertisement. Reasons for advertising include:
* To invite orders or enquiries
* To launch new products
* To publicise price changes.
* The message must attract your target audience, it must interest them, create a desire for your product and prompt people to act (order or ask for further information). This acronym AIDA is one you will encounter many times in advertising.
* It must be truthful and straightforward. The nearer your advertisement is to reality, the more effective it is.
* Sufficient resources must be allocated to accomplish your advertising objectives.
* Testing is crucial to effective advertising, allowing good promotions to be repeated and bad ones to be eliminated.
* Every aspect of your advertisement must be prepared from the customer’s point of view. That person wants to know how you and your product can benefit him. The most important feature of any advertisement is the benefits it contains.
* It must be placed in the appropriate media.
Newcomers to business tend to confuse the real benefits of advertising, frequently considering it a necessary, and expensive, evil, not the long-term investment it really is. In short, effective advertising is the lifeblood of your business. Without it you will surely fail!
Deciding When and How
Advertising can be a major headache for many firms, not just new businesses or those without specialist advertising departments.
But it isn’t always costs that are to blame as much as making that vital choice between classified or generally more costly display advertising.
Returning to basics, all advertisements must follow the general AIDA principle. They must attract attention, generate and retain interest, create desire, and stimulate action.
But what will best achieve this objective: classified or display?
The answer depends on a number of things, not least of all an understanding of what these two methods involve, how they differ and what similarities, even overlap, might exist.
Classified advertising, sometimes called ‘lineage’, generally employs just words, without embellishment, other than perhaps a few words emboldened, and sometimes impact lines or boxes around the advertisement.
Where these minor forms of decoration are included, the format is frequently referred to as ‘semi-display’.
Display advertisements, on the other hand, are designed to stand out from the crowd, using a variety of techniques including: occupying a set position on the page, taking up a specified amount of space, including graphics and illustrations, adopting a variety of fonts, and so on.
The argument is that display advertisements are more noticeable, more profitable than their counterparts buried amongst countless others in the classified columns. Hence the far higher cost of display advertising.
The following main points will help you decide:
* Classified ads are usually cheap and are excellent for generating enquiries.
Many successful classified advertisers use the two-stage enquiry method, allowing the customer to obtain further information before placing an order.
A major benefit for dealers is the chance to build a useful mailing list for future offers.
* Display advertising is best for selling straight from the page.
Readers are more likely to trust their money to someone who has paid for a larger advertisement than someone whose advertisement occupies a tiny space among so many competing entries. Classified advertising is rarely effective for selling off-the-page except for very low cost items, commonly £10 or less.
* Classified advertising can be used to test interest in your product before venturing into more costly display advertising.
* Classifieds can be used to test and compare advertising sources.
* Classified advertising is generally unsuitable for anything that requires a lot of ‘telling’ to accomplish the task of selling.
Too much grey matters in classifieds is boring and readers can easily lose interest halfway. If it can’t be said in a few words, try display advertising.
* For classified advertisements, the words themselves must do the job of selling. Sometimes a maximum wordcount is set and every word must pay its way.
Conversely, display advertising allows a variety of other techniques to be used to attract and retain reader interest. Based on what they say about a picture being worth ten thousand words, it follows that, if the design, style or appearance of your product is important to the potential customer, display advertising is usually best.
If the product markets well ‘sight unseen’, classified ads might be appropriate.
* Classified ads usually focus on a single offer. Display advertisements can include several products, or an invitation to send for further information, obtain a catalogue, send for samples, and so on.
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Who of us doesn’t admire that business person who can deliver a punchline like it’s nobody’s business?
Or the person who can defuse a tense situation with a quick, witty comment?
Early in my career, I worked with a person whose stories always drew a circle of fans around her.
She was hilarious.
We felt good listening to her tell her tales of familiar human dilemmas and absurdities.
Her humour was confident, bold, unabashed, some might say slightly reckless.
But we all, from the mail kid to the senior partners, ENJOYED it.
She made us laugh and we loved her for it.
She created a playful cushion between us and our work deadlines and stresses.
Her humor made us feel a bit lighter, more cohesive, and perhaps better able to cope with the everyday pressures of our office.
Did her sense of humor help her career?
Well, it didn’t hurt…she eventually worked her way up to become Chief Financial Officer of the firm.
Research shows that laughter and humor induce the natural release of endorphins into the body.
Endorphins are the same powerful chemical that’s released from strenuous exercise and exhilarates the body,
giving it positive energy.
And we all know that positive energy can stimulate your work performance.
Humor can also be a great connector of people which leads to more effective social communication.
Good communication is necessary to maximize performance between employers and employees, salespeople and their customers, engineers and marketing.
Sharing a laugh in the workplace can bring us closer, allowing us to get to know each other just that much more.
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101 Ways To Live Your Life To The Full
“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs (101 Most Inspiring Quotes of All Time)
How do you feel about your life today? Are you living every day in exuberance? Do you love what you’re doing? Are you excited every single moment? Are you looking forward to what’s coming up next? Are you living your best life?
If your answer to any of the above is a no, maybe or not sure, that means you’re not living your life to the fullest. Which really shouldn’t be the case, because your life experience is up to you to create. Why settle for anything less than what you can get? You deserve nothing but the best. In the past years of my life, especially since after I pursued my passion in ’08, I’ve been living every day to the fullest, filled with joy, passion and rigor. It’s an amazing experience that I want you to experience that too.
This is a list of 101 timeless principles I use to live my best life, and I hope they’ll help you to do so too. As you live in alignment with them, you’ll find yourself becoming more conscious, more alive, and more importantly, experiencing life on a whole new level. Be sure to bookmark or even print out this page and refer to it daily to guide you to your best life. 
Here are 101 ways to live your life to the fullest:
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Live every day on a fresh new start. Don’t be held back by what happened yesterday, the day before, the week before, the year before, and so on.
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Be true to who you are. Stop trying to please other people or be someone else. It’s better to be an original version of yourself than an exact duplicate of someone else.
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Quit complaining. Don’t be like the howling dog, always howling and never doing anything. Stop complaining about your problems and work on them instead.
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Be proactive. Stop waiting for others around you to do something and take action yourself instead.
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Rather than think “what if”, think “next time”. Don’t think about things you can’t change (namely what has happened and thoughts of other people) or unhappy things because these are disempowering.Instead focus on the things you can action upon. That’s the most constructive thing you can do in any situation.
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Focus on WHAT vs. How. Focus on WHAT you want first, before you think about HOW to do it. Anything is possible, as long as you set your mind, heart and soul to it.
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Create your own opportunities. You can wait for opportunities to drop in life. Or, you can go out there and create your own opportunities. The latter is definite and much more empowering.
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Live more consciously each day. Stop sleepwalking through life. Your life is something to be experienced, not coasted through.
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Be committed to your growth. In the Map of Consciousness, there are 17 levels of consciousness – from Shame to Enlightenment. The higher level of consciousness you are in, the richer your life experience. Achieving higher consciousness comes from your commitment to growth.
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Know your inner self. This means knowing who you are and what you represent. Be clear of your personal identity.
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Discover your life purpose. Set the mission statement for your life; one that will drive you to life your life to the fullest.
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Live in alignment with your purpose. What can you start doing immediately that will let you live 100% in alignment with your purpose? How can you live true to your purpose within every context/situation/environment you are in, every second of the day?
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Set your life commandments. Define your personal commandments to live your best life. What adages and principles do you want to follow in your life?
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Discover your values. Values are the essence of what makes you, you. Read article #11: Discover Your Values in Personal Excellence Book (Volume 1) on the importance of values, my values and how you can create your own.
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Hold yourself to the highest conduct. Every one of us have our own set of ethics, principles and moral codes. Live true to them every day. Also, live in full alignment with your purpose (#11), commandments (#13) and values (#14).
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Design your ideal life. What is your ideal life? Design it. First, assess your life at the moment via the life wheel. Then, ask yourself what it takes to live a 10/10 life (in all 10 areas – career, health, love, social, etc…). What is the life that will make you the best person you can ever be? Set your BHAGs – big, hairy and audacious goals! There are no limits in life – only those you set for yourself!
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Stop putting life on hold. Are you putting any parts of your life on hold? What is one area of your life you have been putting off/avoiding/denying? Uncover it and start working on it.
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Create your life handbook. Your life handbook is your life-long personal manual to live your best life – from your mission statement, your values, your long-term goals, short-term goals, personal strengths, blind spots to address, plans, among others. Create your book first then build on from there.
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Set your goals. After you design your ideal life, set your 5-year, 3-year and 1-year goals. The more specific your goals, the better! Read the 10 principles on how to get winning goals.
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Take action on your goals and dreams. Create an action plan with your strategy, plan and immediate next steps. ESPER: 7-part Goal Achievement series is a great tool to get you started.
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Create your bucket list, i.e. things to do before you die. Then, get out to achieve them.
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Don’t do things for the sake of doing them. Always evaluate what you’re doing and only do it if there is meaning behind them. Don’t be afraid to quit the things that don’t serve your path.
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Do the things you love, because life is too precious to spend it doing anything else. If you don’t enjoy something, then don’t do it. Spend your time and energy on things that bring you fulfillment and happiness.
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Discover your passion in life. What sets you on fire? Go out there (and explore inward) to know what you love to do.
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Make your passion a full-fledged career. Then, start pursuing it. Stop working in a job you are passionless toward. Quit your job when you are ready to do it full-time.
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Turn your passion into a huge success. Turn your passion into a multi-million dollar business. Better yet, make it a multi-billion dollar one.
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Learn from criticism. Be open to criticism but don’t be affected by it. Criticism is meant to help you be a better person. Learn from it.
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Be positive. Is the glass half empty or half full? How about neither? It’s actually all-full – the bottom half is water, the top half is air. It’s all a matter of perception. Take on empowering perceptions, not those that bind you. If you can see the positive sides of every thing, you’ll be able to live a much richer life than others. Purge unnecessary negativity from your life.
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Don’t badmouth other people. If there’s anything you don’t like about someone, say it to him/her in the face – otherwise, don’t say it at all. It’s not nice to do that.
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Be empathetic. If everyone only see life from his/her own perspective, we’ll forever be close-minded and insular. See things from others’ shoes.
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Be a compassionate person. Show compassion and kindness to everyone around you
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Develop 100% self-belief. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Remove your limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones (In Days 26-27 of Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program, you identify your limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones). If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you?
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Let go of unhappy past. This means past grievances, heartbreaks, sadness, disappointments, etc.
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Forgive those who may have done you wrong in the past. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realize it was you.” – Lewis B. Smedes
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Let go of attachments. Don’t fixate yourself with a certain status, fame, wealth or material possessions. These are impermanent and will ultimately disappear one day when you die. Focus on growing and living life to the fullest instead.
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Let go of relationships that do not serve you. That means negative people, dishonest people, people who don’t respect you, people are overly critical and relationships that prevent you from growing.
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Spend more time with people who enable you. Hang out with people who you compatible with, like-minded people, people who are positive, successful, strong achievers and positive for your growth. You are after all the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.
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Build genuine, authentic connections with people around you – strangers, friends, family, colleagues, business partners, customers/clients, etc. Spend more time to know them better and foster stronger connections.
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Connect with an old friend. There is no end to the number of friends you can have. Reach out to people from the past.
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Do a kind deed a day. What is something you can do today that will make the world a better place? Go and do it.
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Help other people who are in need. Voluntarism is one outlet. You can also start with your friends and family.
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Help people when they least expect it, without reason. You don’t need any reason to help others. Do it because you want to. Share the love with everyone.
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Go dating (if you’re single).
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Fall in love ♥
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Review your life. Set a weekly review session to assess how you are doing for your goals and your life. Review your purpose once every 3-6 months too so you know you’re on the right path.
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Overcome procrastination. Procrastination is a huge waste of your time (and your life). Get rid of it once and for all.
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30 minutes a day. Set aside at least 30 minutes every day to work on a quadrant 2 goal that, when you achieve it, will bring about the biggest source of fulfillment and happiness in your life
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Get out there and make new friends – whether in your workplace, online, friends’ friends, social groups, etc. Read: 10 Tips To Make New Friends
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Make deeper connections. Beyond making new friends, aim to make deeper connections out of them. Read: How To Have More Best Friends in Life
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Be your advisor (from the future). Imagine you’re the future you, 5 years later. How would you advise yourself? Write it down. Now, apply them. Check out Future Prediction Exercise article in Personal Excellence Book (Volume 1), which teaches you to predict your future, then learn from it.
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Write a letter to your future self. Actually, write 3 letters – for yourself in 1, 3 and 5 years. The longer the letters, the better. Envision how you’ll be like in the future. Make each letter a minimum 2 pages long. Now, seal them and put them in a safe place. Set it in your calendar so you’ll know to open them when it’s time. This will inspire you to work your hardest and achieve your maximum results in the time period.
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Declutter. Start from your computer, then your table, your room, your bag/wallet, and your home. The more you throw the unwanted and old stuff away, the more room you’re creating for new things to enter.
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Keep learning. There is something to learn from everything you see, hear and experience. This includes your mistakes and past misshaps (if any). Learn to interpret each event objectively. Focus on what you can learn from it so you can apply them moving forward.
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Keep developing yourself. Equip yourself with a huge breadth of knowledge. Learn different skills, pick up different hobbies, study different fields.
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Keep upgrading yourself. Equip yourself with a huge depth of knowledge. While you can usually only level up to 99 in video games, in real life you can level up to infinity. Go for further studies if need be. Develop your skills. Level up. Build your >10,000 hours in each skill.
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Try new things. What’s something you’d normally not do? Get out of your comfort zone try something different. It can be something simple like taking a new bus route, trying a new food item, picking up a new hobby, or something bigger like studying a different field, picking a new skill, traveling to a country you’ll never visit, etc. You set your own limits.
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Get yourself out there. This applies for everything. (a) Get out there geographically. Go out, travel and explore the world. Set sail into the sea. Go backpacking by yourself and visit as many countries as possible. Get on a road trip and visit the different places that come out. (B) Get out there situationally. Stop sticking to routines and comfort zones. Try something different. (c) Get out there in life. Stop watching TV and living vicariously through the TV characters. Go and live the life of your dreams.
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Be the absolute best in what you do. Go for the #1 position in what you do. If you want to spend your time doing something, you might as well be the best in it. Strive for the best – you don’t deserve anything lesser than that.
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Don’t settle. In the same lines as #58, don’t settle for less. Don’t settle for someone you don’t like as your partner. Don’t settle for a job you don’t like #25). Don’t settle for friends who make you feel like a lesser person (#37). Don’t settle for a weight you are unhappy with. Go for what you really want.
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Stretch yourself. What are you doing now? How can you achieve more? Set bigger goals. Explore your limits and break them.
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Embrace new ideas. Don’t mentally limit yourself; Let your mind be a breeding ground for new ideas. Read: 25 Brainstorming Techniques.
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Create your inspirational haven. Turn your room into a place you love. Do the same for your work desk. Get rid of things that make you unproductive. Surround it with things that inspire you and trigger you to action. Read more: How To Create An Inspiring Room
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Behave as your ideal self will. All of us have an ideal vision of who we want to be. How is your ideal self like? How can you start to be that ideal self now?
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Set your role models in life. With role models, you become much better than you can be by yourself. I personally am inspired by Tyra Banks (for her passion for helping women build their self-esteem and changing notions of beauty), Ivanka Trump (for her success, intellect and beauty), Donald Trump (for his success and drive in life), Oprah (for being who she is), Lady Gaga (for her talent and not being afraid to be different), and many more. Seeing them and what they do reminds me of what I can be and what I can do, so they drive me on to greater heights.
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Get mentors and/or coaches. There’s no faster way to improve than to have someone work with you on your goals. Not only will they drive you to achieve more for yourself, they’ll also share with you important advice which you can use to create even more success for yourself. Many of my clients approach me to coach them and the net result: they achieve significantly more progress and results in their life than if they had worked alone.
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Uncover your blind spots. The more you uncover, the more you grow, the better you become.
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Increase your consciousness. The more conscious you are, the more evolved you become.
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Ask for feedback. As much as we try to uncover our blind spots(#66), there will be areas we cannot identify. Asking for feedback gives us an additional perspective. Some people to approach will be friends, family, colleagues, boss, or even acquaintances, since they will have no preset bias and can give their feedback objectively. Day 19 of Be a Better Me in 30 Days Program: Get Feedback From Others is about getting feedback from others so as to uncover our blind spots.
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Generate passive income. Create passive income streams so your income is not tied to the time you spend on your work. Of course you’ll still continue to work, but only because you want to and not because you have to.
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Help others live their best lives. There is no better way to grow than to help others grow. Ultimately, the world is one. We are all in this together.
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Get married / Start your family / Have kids!
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Improve the world. There are many things in the world that need your attention and help. Poverty. Disaster recovery. Illiteracy. Children in need. Depleting rainforests. Animal rescue. Endangered species. How can you do your part?
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Spearhead a humanitarian cause/organization you are passionate about.
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Give more value than you receive. There is so much unspeakable joy that comes from giving. And when you keep giving, you’ll find that you actually receive a lot more in return, in spades.
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Be big picture focus. You can either set your eyes on the big things or get hung up by the nitty gritty details. The former will help you get a lot more out of life than the latter. Focus on the big rocks in life and put first things first (Quadrant 2 tasks). Practice the 80/20 rule – focus on the 20% things that give you the 80% fulfillment in life.
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Be clear of your end objective. What is the end goal you seek? Is what you’re doing bringing you there? If not, put it aside. As long as you keep taking on things that meet your end goal, you’ll eventually reach there.
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Go the 80/20 route. For every goal you have, there are different paths to achieve it. Pick out the 80/20 path, i.e. the most effective path that brings you there the fastest with least amount of effort.
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Prioritize (80/20 actions). As you embark on the 80/20 path for your goals, focus on the important tasks and cut out the less important ones. That means do the 20% actions that give you the 80% results.
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Live in the moment. Are your thoughts wandering around all the time? Calm your mind down. Be present. The only time you’re ever living is in this moment. Meditation helps to remove mental clutter.
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Relish in the little moments. Snuggling under warm covers on a rainy day. Ice cream on a hot day. A kiss with your loved one. Being with your best friend. A walk by the park. The breeze on your face. Quiet, alone time. Watching the sun rise/set. Soak in all these little moments of life. They are what make up your life.
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Take a break. Being the best also requires you to take breaks when needed. Make sure you rest when needed. Doing so lets you walk the longer mile ahead.
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Stop wanting things a certain way. I wrote a 3-part series before on the downsides of perfectionism and how to overcome them. Be firm on your end goals (your objective goals) and your ideals, but let go of the fixation that things have to be a certain way. You’ll realize it’s by doing that that you achieve what you want.
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Focus on creation. Think about what you can bring to the world, and create that.
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Don’t criticize or judge others. Respect others for who they are.
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The only person you can change is yourself. Stop expecting others to behave in a certain way. Rather than demand that others around you change, focus on changing yourself. You’ll be happier and live a more fulfilling life this way.
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Embrace gratitude. Be grateful for everything you have today, and everything you will get in the future.
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Express gratitude. Let the people who’ve touched you know of your gratitude toward them. You’ll be surprised what a little act like this can do. If you don’t tell them, they’ll never know.
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Let loose and have fun. Sing at the top of your lungs. Dance in the rain.
Run barefoot and feel the ground underneath your feet. Release of your self-imposed shackles and be free :D. -
Get into nature. Many of us live in concrete jungles. Soak in the beauty of nature.
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You have a choice. Recognize you always have a choice in how to live your life.
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Laugh more.
Are you reading this with a straight face? Smile and have fun :D. -
Embrace change. The only thing that’s constant is change. Change means growth. Rather than resist change, learn to versatile such that you can make the best out of the changes that come. In fact, become an agent of change.
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Be more risk-inclined. Don’t be afraid to take risks. The bigger your risks, the bigger your return.
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Embrace mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the faster you learn. Make sure to draw lessons so you can build on them. (#53)
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Embrace disappointments. Many people try to avoid feeling disappointed. They develop a resistant relationship with disappointment. However, disappointment is part and parcel of being human – it reflects your real passions. Don’t resist it – instead, embrace it. Understand it, then channel into it to create more in life. Read: How To Overcome Disappointment (4-part series)
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Challenge your fears. All of us have fears. Fear of uncertainty, fear of public speaking, fear of risk… All our fears keep us in the same position and prevent us from growing. Rather than avoid your fears, recognize they are the compass for growth. Address and overcome them. Read: How To Overcome Fear (3-Part Series).
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Maximize your mind, body, heart and soul. Living your best life requires you to maximize yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. If you’re highly successful, very materially abundant, have a big circle of friends, very spiritually aware but you neglect your physical health, that’s not living your life to the fullest. The same for other scenarios where a part of you is blocked off. Maximize all 4 aspects of you.
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Be your best self. Essentially all the articles here at Personal Excellence are about being your best self and achieving your highest potential. It’s only through being the best we can be that we live our life to the fullest. This is why the motto of the site is “Be your best self, Live your best life“.
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Love yourself. You are the person you have to live with for the rest with your life. Treasure and love yourself.
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Love others. Be grateful for all the people around you because they help you to grow. They enrich your life experience. Without them, your life would not have been the same.
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Last but not least: Love life. I always find living to be a fascinating experience. How we’re all on earth, with millions of species, 30,000 different life forms, over 7 billion people, and all thriving in its own way, existing, co-existing and in co-creation mode. There’s so much we don’t know out there, so much
Winning On Purpose.
“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”
– Inspirational quote by Robert Byrne –
– Inspirational quote by Robert Byrne –
“Each of us has a fire in our heart for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it.”
We do indeed hold a special something inside us all – a special something that is unique to each of us. That special something gives our lives a sense of meaning and direction. That special something inspires us, excites us and makes us feel alive. That special something is capable of taking us anywhere we have ever dreamed of going and making our lives the exciting adventures they should be.
“Where your talents and the needs of the world cross lies your calling.”
– Quotation about purpose by Aristotle –
What is this “special something” we are talking about here? It is your purpose in life – the thing or things you were born to do.
“Every calling is great when greatly pursued.”
– Inspirational quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes
Every one of us possess a variety of talents, interests and gifts that are decidedly unique in nature. The most successful people in the world have always been those individuals that discovered their purpose in life – then pursued that purpose like their very lives depended on it. These self made champions took those things they loved to do, those activities that they loved so much that they would gladly do them for free, and then fashioned a lifetime of achievement around them. These winners learned how to win “on purpose” and so must we if we’re going to start making our dreams come true.
“The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.”
– Inspirational quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes –
What about you? Have you too tapped into your purpose? Are you living the life you’ve always imagined, filled with happiness, excitement and fulfillment? You can still unleash the immense potential stored inside of you and ignite a spark that can take your life to unimagined heights, when you start living your life with purpose — passionately pursuing those special things that turn you on and turn you loose. By simply following your heart, you can easily identify your purpose in life.
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
It is never too late or too early to discover your distinctive purpose in life. Finding your true purpose or calling is a simple process, yet we are often so busy doing what we have to do that we leave precious little time to do those things we love to do. Instead of living the lives we love and loving the lives we live, we all too often needlessly put our hopes, dreams and aspirations on the back burner as we wage life’s daily battles.
“Each of our acts makes a statement as to our purpose
In order to live the life you were destined to live, you must find your unique niche in life – and then fill it. Simply put, you need to identify what you love to do and then find a way to make it your life’s work.
“There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.”
Regardless of whether you know it or not, you have already uncovered your purpose in life. Yes, you have! After all, deep down inside you hold a special something that brings a smile to your face, a skip to your step and a song to your heart, don’t you? Come on, isn’t there one or two things that turbo-charge you with emotion and make you feel happy and fulfilled? Absolutely! This is your purpose calling out to you, begging for the chance to make your life the exciting adventure it can be.
“Success demands singleness of purpose.”
Your life’s adventure, where your fondest dreams can come true, begins the moment you take that bold first step and fulfill your purpose. You have a beautiful song inside of yourself that desperately needs to be sung. It’s your turn – and your time – to live the life you have longed to live every day since your birth. You have now arrived and your future awaits. Mother Theresa advised us, “Life is a promise. Fulfill it.” Indeed we must.
Og Mandini, once said “I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.”
When you decide once and for all to boldly step up and forcefully rededicate yourself to a lifetime of winning, you will reawaken and unleash that powerful purpose inside of you. You can turn your life around. You can start living life on your terms. You can have anything and everything you have ever dreamed of having. Yes, you can – when you start winning on purpose. Your new life, a positively charged life where there are no longer any limits on how far you can go and how high you can fly, begins right here and right now.
Cheryl Young SIDNEY MEETUP WOMENS NETWORKING www.sidneymeetup.com
Workplace Gossip
Discover how high performance leaders can stop workplace gossip in its tracks.
Have you ever tried going seven days without talking about another person, period? Try it, but don’t be surprised if you can’t get past the first hour without finding yourself talking about someone who isn’t a part of the conversation!
Most of us intuitively realize that people who are gossips, do not have an inner world that is healthy and rich. Do you get, that if someone is a workplace gossip, it is because they feel insecure/inadequate and/or have a low sense of self-worth and are desperate to find some way of feeling better about themselves. Contrast this with a person why shys away from gossip … these people are too busy focusing being the best they can, on making their personal dent in the universe.
Think of someone you know who seems to stay away from workplace gossip.
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Would you say that that person is fairly secure within their own self?
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Is this a person who seems to have a good sense of their own self?
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Is this person quite successful?
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Do others look upon him or her with high regard and is s/he well liked?
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Is this a happy person?
Contrast that with a person who is a known workplace gossip.
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Does this person seem to constantly try to find fault with others to make him or herself look better?
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Is this person well liked and trusted?
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Is the vibe around this person pleasant or unpleasant?
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Do you think this is a happy person?
Workplace Gossip Causes Lack of Trust in a Relationship
Gossipmongers aren’t trusted. I bet you’ve caught yourself wondering, as you walk away from a gossiper: “I wonder what s/he says about me when I’m not around?”
Every great relationship is built upon a foundation of trust, reliability, honour and integrity.
As a leader you are responsible for developing healthy relationships, both with your direct reports, your colleagues and your senior leaders. Involving yourself in workplace gossip is a surefire way to undermine your credibility as a person and as a leader.
So as tempting as it is to talk about others … STOP IT! It doesn’t serve you or them.
Gossip Stops Performance Improvement
A big problem, when you take part in workplace gossip, is that you are telling the wrong person. Invariably you are telling a person who can’t improve the performance.
Gossiping may make you feel good in the moment, (you got some frustration off your chest) but it doesn’t really make the issue go away, does it? Nor does it build powerful performance!
If your workplace is filled with gossip, you can almost guarantee that it is under-performing.
Gossip is one of the greatest causes of distrust and consequently under-performance in any business.
What sets high performance leaders apart from others is that they:
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Accept responsibility for developing healthy relationships.
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Always goes directly to the person with whom they have an issue and discusses it.
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Is focused on getting the relationship and the performance back on track fast.
High Performance Leaders Teach Others How To Resolve Issues In A Safe Way
As a leader, it is not your role to be a sounding board for complaining and gossip in the workplace … nor to solve people’s issues for them. Rather, it is your role to coach and guide people to resolve their issues with others quickly and successfully.
Allowing People To Complain To You Encourages Under-Performance.
Here is an example of one of the skills you will learn in the “Influence Your Way To Success ebook. (Purchase Influence Your Way to Success or get it free as a member of the Align-Lead-Inspire Club)
Imagine Mary is complaining to you about something Jim has done.
A High Performance Leader would ask a question such as: “Are you telling me this so I can coach you in how to work through this problem with Jim, or shall we find him so we can all discuss it together?”
Do this in a supportive way: your intent being to develop the skills within your team so that issues are resolved quickly – not to punish, nor to let issues bubble and fester until they turn into volcanic proportions.
If the person’s response is, “No I just want to vent”, then your response could be something along the lines of “Look, that doesn’t serve you, me or Jim, I’m happy to work with you to find some solutions you could take to Jim and discuss, but I don’t want to get caught up in venting sessions”.
When you do this consistently, your people will know that they can trust you. That you won’t talk about them unless they are present. It will be one of the greatest acts of leadership that you can do – also one of the most unusual!
There are two things you want to be aware of when listening to workplace gossip:
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You are hearing the other person’s rule book, (for members only … join today) their interpretations, prejudices, biases and fears etc. You don’t know what other events have passed between Jim and Mary that may have caused Mary to be complaining to you about Jim.
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Once you have listened to Mary’s gossip, you may now have been contaminated about Jim – even if you didn’t want to be. Some part of you may believe the gossip – and you may very well start to look for those negative traits in Jim and find them!
What Type Of Leader and Person Are You?
You will be able to find a lot of well-justified reasons for gossiping (or whatever name you want to call it), however if you are truly dedicated to High-Performance, then ask yourself:
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“Is this gossip bringing out the best in me, the best in the person I am gossiping to and the best in the person we are gossiping about?”
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“How much more powerful will I be if I speak only with integrity?”
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“How much stronger will I lead when I choose to not listen to gossip?”
In the Moment Of Choice (members only … join today) you need to decide who am I? Am I a Message or a Warning? (members only … join today)
What To Do When You Find Yourself Involved in Workplace Gossip
Should you find yourself talking negatively about someone else, forgive yourself your humanity – none of us are perfect. However, be mindful to own your part of the story. Maybe you could say something like:
“I know this is unhealthy and I am gossiping, I am stepping out of my integrity but I just need to vent. Can you listen to me and then offer me an alternative viewpoint or help me to develop a strategy so I can raise my concerns with the other person in a more constructive way.”
Truthfully though, the best advice is: keep your mouth closed until you can find a way to speak about the other person, no matter what they have done, in a way that honors both yourself and the other person.
The question I constantly ask myself when I find I’m fuming about someone is “If I am being the best possible version of myself, what positive things would I look for in this person and what would I do in this moment?”
Admittedly at times that can be very, challenging, particularly if someone has done something that is hurtful or very annoying. However, the definition of unconditional love is to “look through the eyes of your higher source and find the good”. It’s always there – just sometimes buried underneath the gunk that is life and which causes us to sometimes behave in ways that isn’t us being at our best.
And asking a question like this doesn’t meant that you give in/give up. It simply starts to put you in a mindset where you can set the tone and vibe of any conversation/interaction you might have with this person, that will lead to positive result …. rather than an escalation of the problems.
Gossip in the Workplace Awareness Activity
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How do you justify in your own mind the reason you are discussing someone’s behaviour with another person?
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How do you respond when someone starts gossiping to you?
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What is your intent in gossiping? To bring someone else down, (consequently making you feel superior/better) or to resolve the situation?
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How does workplace gossip affect your relationships with others?
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What do you think of people who gossip to you? Do you trust them?
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As you gossip about another person ask yourself, what poison am I spreading? What will this person now think of the person I am gossiping about?
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How do you feel after you have gossiped about someone?
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List the reasons why it feels good to gossip about others. Are these reasons like chocolate or chips – feel good but not the healthiest of choices?
SIDNEY MEET UP BUSINESS NETWORK 