KEYS TO UNLIMITED POSITIVE MOTIVATION

Procrastination is simply avoiding something we don’t want 
to do. Rationally, of course, I may want the benefits an 
action could bring, but if I also have a sense of fear or 
discomfort about doing it, I'll likely procrastinate. 
Procrastination is how we cope with situations where we want 
a desired outcome, but also expect some discomfort with 
doing it, so I view it as a form of negative motivation. 
There are many forms of negative motivation. Fear of failure 
or punishment can motivate people for brief periods, but 
it’s not efficient in the long run. (It may work in the 
military, but who wants to live their life that way?) Other 
forms of negative motivation include artificial deadlines, 
contests, and motivational seminars. These are adrenaline-
based ways to temporarily boost performance, and they all 
work to a limited degree.
But they are not a firm foundation upon which to build a 
life. Negative motivation works in an emergency, but not for 
a lifetime.
Positive motivation, on the other hand, is value-driven and 
far more efficient. When I’m motivated by a sense of destiny 
or desire, my attitudes and my behavior are aligned in the 
same direction. And that is the key to success!
When there is consistency between our values (love of 
family) and our stated goals (being a good parent), AND we 
have a clear path to achieve the goal (books or classes, 
good models from our own parents, etc), taking action is not 
difficult. It may even be fun--sometimes we call it "play!"
When our values, our goals and our strategies (all three) 
are aligned, human beings are incredibly productive! Want 
examples? Ask any kid learning to walk, or wanting to stay 
up past her bed-time. Ask a teenager who wants to make the 
team, or date someone her parents don’t like. Ask any 
Olympian about training on a cold, rainy day. When our 
values, our goals, and our strategies are aligned, we 
perform!
It’s only when these things are out of alignment that we 
struggle. When one of my key values (to spend more time as a 
family) conflicts with my goals (to get that promotion), or 
when I don’t have a viable strategy, I get in trouble. 
Without an effective strategy, why try?
To achieve more, begin by checking your core values. Many 
people get in trouble at this point. We say we value 
ambition, but we actually value vacations or relaxation even 
more. Or, here’s a common example--most people say they 
value a comfortable retirement, but what they actually value 
are the short-term satisfactions of a new car, a new gadget, 
or eating out. 
To increase motivation, start with a rigorous examination of 
your core values. What is most IMPORTANT to you?
Second, make sure your daily actions and the "small" goals 
of daily life actually reflect your values. Ask most adults 
to list their five- or ten-year goals and they’ll sound 
pretty good. But ask them to list their daily projects or 
their plans for the weekend, and you may see a conflict. 
Make sure your value of financial security is reflected on 
your monthly bank statement.
Third, always work with tried-and-true strategies, and 
remember that "hope is not a strategy." Have a plan, and 
work your plan. Make an action list or create a "road map." 
(I like the metaphor of a "recipe for success.") And here’s 
a hint: Most ambitious people know they should have written 
goals, but few take the time to develop a great strategy. 
Have a solid, workable plan!
To reach more of your most important goals, make sure your 
core values, your short-term daily activities, and your key 
strategies are aligned. Make sure you can say, "day by day, 
I’m getting better and better." When your daily actions 
accurately reflect your core values and you have a solid 
strategy, you’ll over-come procrastination and win big every 
time. 

"NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY" - YOU MAY BE AN UNDER EARNER

Recently, I was working with a very successful young professional wanting to take her business up a notch. I asked her to elaborate on the plan she had for her business and she resisted assigning an actual dollar figure to her vision. When I questioned her about this, she said she was "not in it for the money." I have heard this repeated by women more times than I can even count. This mindset is often the first indication that you might be an under earner. Answer this question. "Would you keep doing your job if you were not getting paid?" For most of you the answer will be "no". That being said, it is time to acknowledge the fact that you are, at least in part, "in it for the money."

Barbara Stanny defines an under earner as someone who earns less than her potential despite her need or desire to do otherwise. Making a conscience choice to simplify your life and live on less in order to create a saner and happier life is not being an under earner. Someone who enjoys her work because it feeds her soul while providing adequate income is the result of a deliberate decision. This is a mindful decision, not under earning.

Under earning is not a conscious choice; it is a habit we fall into based, in large part, on our history with money and how we view the world of abundance. Every under earner has a high tolerance for low pay, partly because they are "not in it for the money."

Other traits of under earners are not so pervasive, some of these you will recognize and others will be foreign to you.

1. You talk as if you are trapped.
You truly believe you have no control over your life. You justify every situation with excuses that blind you to your options.

2. You give your power away.
You often blame outside forces for your problems and hope for someone (Prince Charming) or something (winning the lottery) to come and save you.

3. You underestimate your worth.
You give away your time and skills for free or at a bargain. You offer your services at a price reflective of how little you think you are worth.

4. You crave comfort.
Change is uncomfortable. You will often unwittingly sabotage your success rather than deal with discomfort. To change attitudes and habits means going outside your comfort zone.

5. You are a self-saboteur.
You procrastinate, take on too much become distracted from your goals. Overspending and debting are examples of self-sabotage.

6. You are codependent.
You tend to put the needs of everyone else before your own. You are so afraid of being "selfish" that you fail to take care of yourself.

7. You live in financial chaos.
You live from paycheck to paycheck...never sure you will have enough to pay the bills, going from one financial crisis to another with no end in sight. You live in a state of denial and delusion...always hoping that tomorrow things will magically be all better.

8. You are vague about money and success.
You have no clue as to how much you really earn, how much you owe or how much you need. Wishful thinking and the "philosophy of hope" keep you stuck in the same unproductive habits, believing that someone or something is going to come along and make it better.

9. You are anti-wealth.
You can be ambivalent and even negative about money and/or the people who have it. You take pride in living on a shoestring and believe that being poor is a virtue.

10. You are controlled by fear.
You are afraid of success, failure, rejection, being judged, etc. You are afraid of many of life's challenges and the fear often paralyzes you into non-action.

If you recognize even a few of these traits you may be an under earner and the question then becomes, "What are you willing to do about it?" Making a difference in your financial life is about a change in attitude. Your attitude toward abundance will be stuck in the past and rooted in your early history with money unless and until you take the steps necessary to change your expectations and transform your relationship with money. The results will be life changing.

7 POWERFUL WAYS TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE LAST

Marriage is supposed to last "forever," isn't it? When we decide to get married, we truly believe that forever will happen. Sometimes that's easier said than done, because most of us don't have realistic guidelines or tools to know how to make a marriage last. When we fall in love, we usually think that's all we'll need to be happy. However, when "reality" sets in and a couple has their first real argument, they both realize that their partner isn't perfect.

In the beginning of a relationship, we do our best to give our partner the benefit of the doubt, expressing our love and goodwill, even when we're upset. However, as time goes on, it can get harder and harder to resolve arguments and, therefore, harder and harder to feel loving and forgiving towards our partner. It's at these times that we start to ask ourselves, is there a secret to making a marriage last? Is it really possible to live happily ever after? Can I make my marriage divorce-proof? The answer to all of these questions is YES! However, the hardest question to answer is: How do we do it? How do I have a lasting, happy marriage that doesn't end in divorce court?

The first thing to remember is that keeping a marriage healthy and happy is hard work and will not happen on its own; just like a flower won't grow if it isn't watered and fed. Marriages need nurturing, tending to, time, and energy! We often forget that a marriage contains two human beings who both need to be appreciated, heard, valued, and respected. With this in mind, here are seven ways to make your marriage last:

1. Keep the lines of communication open. If you don't know how to express your feelings and/or have poor listening skills, learn to get better at both. You can read a book, take a class, get into counseling. Good communication requires both the ability to express and listen.

2. Don't sweep your fights under the rug and think they'll magically resolve themselves. Do your best to resolve your first argument as soon as it arises so you won't have the same argument for the next fifty years, in different forms.

3. Remember that you love your partner; therefore, you want the best for her/him. Give her/him the benefit of the doubt when you feel angry, hurt, or disappointed. Talk to your partner; don't make assumptions.

4. Tell your partner EVERY DAY something you appreciate about her/him and how grateful you are to have her/him in your life.

5. Your partner should NEVER feel like your enemy. If he/she does, something is wrong, so again, remember that you fell in love with this person. If there's so much anger that you feel like you are enemies, get help somewhere as quickly as possible. Again, this could be through a book, a class, or counseling.

6. Notice and don't ignore the warning signs if you're not talking, sex has diminished, you're fighting all the time, and you're not happy. The sooner you acknowledge you're having problems, the sooner you can begin to solve them.

7. Always remember that you have the power to change behaviors in your marriage through different tools of self-discovery. You do not have to stay stuck in unhealthy ruts.

Good, lasting marriages are made up of two conscious individuals that have the desire to work on themselves, with the determination to stay focused on the importance of their marriage. They do not take their partner for granted. They have their partner's best interest at heart and, therefore, build trust with their partner. When arguments come up, they don't ignore them. They address the issues and try to resolve them. When they see warning signs that their marriage could be in trouble, they act immediately and look for new ways to relate to each other. This can be accomplished by anyone who is willing to take the time and energy to make their marriage a priority in their life. Nurture your marriage as it as it so richly deserves! You CAN live happily ever after; not with magic, but with hard work, awareness, and knowledge of yourself and your partner.

CREATE YOUR FUTURE

Recently I saw the familiar quote, "The best way to predict 
the future is to create it." We've all seen it and I'm 
pretty sure credit goes to Brian Tracy.
Whoever said it first, it happens to be true! But the question
they never address is, HOW? How do we create the future we want? 
What are the steps? Does it take special talent, or perhaps a
crystal ball?
This week, a friend and I talked about the future and the 
world we expect to live in a few years from now. Our focus 
happened to be the economy, so we talked about the potential 
for inflation, the future of the Euro, the slow-down in 
China's economy and the impact on our investments. We 
speculated about this fall's election and what it will mean 
for business. It was great fun and our conversation wondered 
all over the topics of the day.
The key is that I think conversations like that are the 
first step to creating your own future.
We often hear that our present circumstances are the sum 
total of our beliefs and actions in the past. What we have 
today is a reflection of all the choices we've made in the 
past. For better or worse, we've built the life we have 
today.
I happen to believe outside influences also play a (small) 
role, but for the most part, how we use our time, invest or 
spend our money, and what we focus on, inevitably creates 
the life we live. Seldom does any one decision have a huge 
impact, but the cumulative effect is undeniable. Day by day, 
we create our own lives.
So to create the future we want, I think we begin by 
imagining it. It's vital to know exactly, precisely what you 
want the future to look like!
There's nothing mysterious or surprising about this. Sir 
Isaac Newton observed that, "A life in motion tends to 
stay in motion." (I may be paraphrasing a bit, to make a 
point.) 
Let's be very clear. 
New technology changes everything, every single day. The 
financial markets fluctuate more rapidly and with more 
impact than ever before. The political choices people make--
all over the world--impact our lives. The recent elections 
in Egypt will impact our lives, in one way or another. The 
slow-down in China's economy will affect interest rates, 
consumer prices, and more. Closer to home, the new health-
care law will impact every business and every person who 
sees a doctor. And I understand we have an election coming 
in the fall.
Here's the nugget. Most people are so focused on their own 
lives and their immediate concerns that they pay little 
attention to these "macro" or world-changing events. There's 
just no time! They're too busy, too stressed, too focused on 
surviving to think about the news or ponder the impact of 
global trends. It's just "too much!"
But these things matter! 
To create your own future, it's vital to think about a world 
with Mitt Romney as President, or where Barak Obama 
implements his policies for a second term. In creating the 
life you want, it matters what interest rates do, especially 
if you hope to buy a home or expand your business. In many 
parts of America, it makes economic sense to learn Spanish--
not to mention the cultural enrichment it might bring you! 
Conversations like the one my friend and I had this week 
expand awareness and bring things into focus. Talk about the 
future you imagine. Play "what if" and "let's pretend" to 
see how things work out. What will inflation do to your 
retirement plans? How will oil prices impact your travel 
plans? What if China stopped producing iPhones and 
televisions--or raised prices dramatically? 
The winners in life have "unusual awareness." They read and 
listen to the news. They think about trends and look for 
opportunities. They prepare for change and adapt with grace 
and elegance. They imagine the life they truly want and keep 
a watchful eye for anything that might threaten their dreams 
or facilitate their plans. 
Too many people "sleep-walk" through life. They go through 
the motions. They work hard and hope for the best. But not 
you! Successful people stay awake. They plan. They prepare. 
They are always thinking and they adapt. They ride the winds 
of change and use them to your advantage.

5 TIPS TO ELEVATE YOUR PURPOSE AND MAKE YOUR ORGANISATION SUCCEED

I recently read two different posts that caused me to think about how people are treated in the workplace. The first was a series written by Chad Balthrop about the trap of transactional leadership. It seems that sometimes, many times, actually, we view our personal interactions as transactions and our language expresses that belief. The second was a post by Tristan Bishop focusing on how purpose improves productivity.

What is the purpose of a business?

Contrary to popular opinion, the noblest purpose of a business isn't to make a profit. The noblest purpose of a business is to make its people profitable. I believe that the highest call of a middle manager is to understand the intricacies of the relationship between your team and your organization and make sure both parties win. Win-Win is the only sustainable business model. When we make our people profitable, our organization wins. Any organization that wins at the expense of its people will eventually lose. Any people who win at the expense of their organization also eventually lose.

The noblest purpose of an organization is the success of its people.

Therefore, the purpose of an organization is to create an environment where its people thrive. The organization must avoid the idea that people are an asset. People are the reason, profit is an asset. The highest call of a leader is to help people work together to create a profit that in-turn is used to reward those same people. Leaders must hold employees, vendors, AND customers accountable for their part of the formula. Leaders fight for the relationship that ultimately rewards the very people who create the value.
The people involved also have a responsibility. Each employee or associate must perform their job well enough for the organization to achieve profitability. Employee engagement is a current buzzword but it must spring from the employee's side of the relationship. In "Linchpin," Seth Godin called it emotional labor They must bring their mind, their energy, and their ideas. They must be willing to go above and beyond the call for the good of the organization; but, that seldom happens when the organization simply consumes all of the gain. People must remember that their effort rewards the group and when they slack, it hurts the group.

5 Steps to Elevate (even rescue) Your Purpose

I'm sure that yours is a win-win company! But, just in case you know some others with turnover problems, disengaged employees, or other symptoms of a win-lose company, you can pass these 5 steps along.

1. Decide today to be a win-win organization for your people. Make a written declaration. Get on record.

2. Ask how your people win. Find ways to make your employees winners. Reward people according to the value they create and enable them to create as much value as possible. They give their life to your organization -- honor their service. Even for those with difficult jobs, you can help improve the value your people derive by helping them with their personal dreams. Check out "The Dream Manager" by Matthew Kelly for some great ideas.

3. Re-align jobs and responsibilities to enable the most people to win. Create career paths that energize people for creating additional value. Instead of rewarding longevity, reward applied experience: offer rewards for training, documentation, excellent performance, or zero defects.

4. Change anything possible to make difficult jobs rewarding. Put them on a better career path. Clearly define success. Set a specific end date for the job so the person doing it has something to look forward to. Make them part of a team and rotate the bad jobs with the more rewarding jobs.

5. Stop rewarding under-performers. Set clear, distinct, and measurable goals for your people and reward people according to the value they create. People who consistently under-perform must be corrected or asked to leave. If you provide a safe haven for under-performers, after a while, that is all you will have.

People are the reason for a profitable business -- nothing else. Make others' lives better and elevate your purpose.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CORE VALUES CONFLICT

Conflict is never a welcome thing when it involves other people in our lives, but it can be insightful and constructive too. It can help us see what are deepest, most core values really are. Like not realizing how much the truth matters to you until you've been lied to, conflict wakes us up to parts of ourselves we may not see otherwise. It's a learning opportunity to honor - not something to be shamefully avoided.

Each of us has multiple core values that shape our overall contentment and sense of fulfillment. In fact most of us can easily name ten or fifteen values we feel are very important. Chances are good that at least a couple of those core values will be at odds with each other - even within ourselves.

You will probably notice this clash when it comes time to make an important life decision. Part of you may want one thing while the other wants the opposite. What can you do? There's a few ways you can resolve this conflict.

The Balancing Act

Everything in life is a balancing act. You have to make time for both rest and work, to care for other people as well as your Self. Your core values all contribute to your wellbeing in their own special way; without any one, your life would no longer be balanced.

Although each core value has its place, not all are equal. Try to narrow down your list to just a handful of those you consider the most essential. Then reflect on the ways you are acting and speaking right now in order to uphold those values. You just may find that one value is receiving more time and attention than others and that you need to strike a better balance.

Do Our Values Change?

The only thing constant is change. Obviously your life changes as you grow and mature so shouldn't your core values change, too?

One way that most of us change is that we move out of our parents' home to start our own family. All of a sudden core values you once held dear, such as Independence or Serenity or Adventure, might need to take a back seat to other, more necessary types of traits. That doesn't mean your values themselves will change, only that your definition of those values needs to be modified.

For instance, when you have children, you will need to do a lot more planning in order to take that adventurous scuba trip -- but there's nothing wrong with that. You still have the ability to make a choice that honors all your core values without giving up something you truly want to do.

Ranking Order

It can be difficult to determine which of our core values are more vital to our wellbeing than others but it's a task you must undertake in order to achieve proper balance.

Try this exercise: write down all your personal core values and assign each one of them a number that corresponds to its importance. For instance, if you have Nature and Excitement listed as two of your values, think about which one has more of an impact on your life. If you simply can't stand the thought of living in a big city, than Nature is the core value that should rank higher.

Once you know how each of your core values rates, it becomes easier to make major decisions. Maybe you've received an employment offer in New York City that sounds like an exciting job with an excellent salary -- but knowing how important Nature is to you, it might become obvious that this is not the best choice. Sure this means that not all of your core values agree with this decision but that's okay. The higher ranking value wins this time but Excitement will get its day, too.

We will all experience core value conflict at some point in our lifetimes but that doesn't mean it must be a negative experience. Deal with the conflict by thoroughly reviewing the status of your values and you will find it easier to make decisions that are good for you.

YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE YOUR WORK

A long time ago, I heard Jim Rohn talk about the necessity 
to "love your work, every single day." I’ve never forgotten 
that.
Jim was wise enough to make the distinction about liking 
your work every day. Very few of us are fortunate enough to 
enjoy every moment of every day on the job. Things go wrong. 
People get cranky. Sometimes, stress and tension and anxiety 
are life's way of telling us we are in the wrong line of 
work, or it’s time to make some changes.
But those daily ups and downs are not the same thing as 
loving your work.  
I recently got an email from a friend who noted that his 13-
year old son can be "a handful, but we don’t love him 
because it’s easy, we love him because we do." Your 
relationship with your career should be something like that.
Ultimately, your financial success is the result of loving 
your work--nurturing it over time, going the extra mile, 
doing it right whether anyone is watching or not. Love means 
taking care of the details. Loving your work means investing 
in your customers, investing in tools and skills and 
resources. Ultimately, loving your work means investing in 
your own future.
Whatever your job, profession, or business, love and sustain 
it. Care for it and give it every chance to grow. There is 
no other path to ultimate, long-term success.

HOW TO KEEP COMPETITION OUT OF YOUR KEY ACCOUNTS

Competitors are constantly approaching your top customers and their C-level executive staffs with offers of better, easier, and cheaper. If you're nothing special to the high ranking staff you're vulnerable to replacement. If any of the staff had missed expectations, you'll be talked about negatively and again vulnerable. If you haven't stayed in touch reinforcing your ability to assist with opportunities or mitigate threats in their business or job functions, you're not top of mind when competition promotes how they can be of better service. So if any of the above are in play, then so is your competition.

Maybe after a sale you do a "Thank You" thing, i.e. send a note, invite some of the staff to a dinner or a round of golf, and you feel the relationships are solid professionally. Sales people tend to treat professional relationships the same as social relationships. They assume two people are close and one would not betray the other.

Well you're only tight professionally if each of these customer's people sees the benefits professionally working with you. That is, they see solutions with you, and/or their expectations are being met, and/or you're top of mind when opportunities or threats emerge. If you're tight socially, you'll be top of mind when it comes to socializing, but not necessarily when it comes to buying or seeking advice.

The belief that social relationship will thwart or keep competition from penetrating is the biggest mistake sales people make. However, providing professional benefits as outlined above is guaranteed to stop competition at the front door. The ugliest scenario is when your request for meetings are ignored while your invitations for social events are accepted.

So here are some questions to get you thinking about the status of your professional relationships.
1. Do you follow-up with all decision makers and their staff to make sure all expectations are being met, and to solidify that you are something special? Or are you assuming you do a good job, and they feel the same way?

2. Do you have information share meetings with your customers' profit center leaders and their staff to share new technologies and case studies with the intent to inform rather than sell?

3. Do your meetings and relationships at high levels fade after the sales or the projects end?

4. Do you monitor successes of old sales and projects and query senior managers to see if their expectations are still being met?

5. Have you ever replaced a competitor even if they have good relationships? How did you do it?

Prepare Yourself
1. Suppose your best customer said he really likes your competition. What would you do to get the profit center leader and his staff back on-board with you?
Now before it happens, set the dates to enact those actions. A preemptive strike is more useful than a defensive plea. The defense may hold (or not), but the relationship will take a serious blow.
2. How would you penetrate a competitor's customer strongholds?
Now based on these actions, what defenses would you put in play to prevent competitors penetrating your customers?

Tak'n It to the Streets
1. For your biggest customer, what are the interests and issues of each executive? It's got to come from the horses' mouths. So start interviewing each on a 30-90 day rotation. Realize issues/expectations are different change – some slowly and some often.
2. Subscribe to "News Release" a service on the Internet. It's free and will keep you abreast of what's going on with your customers' companies.
3. Find experts to bring to the next meetings who will provide information your customer's senior staff will appreciate. Be sure to investigate what will be appreciated.
4. Pick professional venues that will be interesting.

Keep these questions and ideas in mind to trump the competition and ensure that your customers remain satisfied.

WHAT'S YOUR LEAD GENERATION MISSING?

I review a lot of marketing copy, ads, web sites, and sales letters for people who want to attract more clients and most of them have the same problem. They’re missing at least one of the three core elements essential to lead generation and helping prospects become customers and clients.

Whether you are marketing yourself as a real estate broker, accountant, business coach or you sell advertising in Anchorage, Alaska, your marketing should be structured around these three elements:

1. Problem
This is what your prospects are thinking about and what prompts them to open the yellow pages, use Google to search the web or call you. They’re asking themselves questions like:

How can I get more clients? Where can I get an iPod? How can I keep more of what I make? How can I keep my figure? How can I avoid losing everything if my house burns down? How can I avoid wasting m0ney? How can I eliminate back pain? How can I eliminate stress?

When you know what your prospects want, you have the key to getting their attention. Lead with a quick sentence or question about your prospects’ primary concerns; what it is that they want to Get, Keep, Avoid or Eliminate.

2. Solutions
Once prospects have learned that you understand their concerns, they want to know if you can help them Get, Keep, Avoid or Eliminate what they want. Tell them about the solution you provide to their problem and the benefits it provides. Using their list of concerns and wants, explain how your product or service can help them.

Credentials and technical features may matter to some, but it’s the results your product or service provides that will convince a prospect to buy. Write a list of five to ten results your product or service provides and use these in your marketing copy.

3. Call to Action
Is this the point in the process when you tell your prospects to buy? Yes, you do want to give prospects the option to make an immediate purchase, but in most cases, they won’t. Remember that 80% of people scan and research their options for weeks, if not months, before making a purchase.

Prompt your prospects to buy but make sure to also give them a reason to contact you so you can build a relationship with them. Tell them which actions to take and why.

SUCCESS MEANS LEADERSHIP

Sometimes I work with professionals or entrepreneurs who
want coaching to make more sales, or to work more
efficiently, but they aren't interested in the principles of
effective leadership.
What they don't realize is that success in any area requires
the cooperation, participation and support of other people.
Small businesses need customers. Network organizations
require teamwork, training and motivation. Professionals
depend on the trust and confidence of their clients.
Success is always about leadership!
John Maxwell has written extensively about the techniques of
effective leadership. Three key points he emphasizes are:
1. Competence. Successful leaders know their jobs and they
are very, very skilled. Professionals are often insulted to
be told they must get better at what they do but the truth
is that unless you have all the clients you can handle, are
earning all you want, and working only as much as you
desire, there are additional skills to master. Leadership is
about competence.
2. Credibility. Successful leaders earn our trust. Every
business decision is, in some measure, about trust. It's
obvious that we must trust our doctors, our lawyers and the
people who teach our children. But we also trust (or don't
trust) the people we do business with every day.
3. Congruence. Leaders "walk their talk", there is a
consistency to who they are, what they do, and how they
treat people. They don't hide behind a professional mask, or
have one set of values at work, and another in their
personal lives. Leaders are consistent and transparent.
To grow your business, think about your leadership skills.
If you lead, your customers, suppliers, employees and
colleagues will follow!

SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL TEAMS

To be a success is not always to be a success individually. In fact, most of the time we achieve our successes as part of a team. That is why I want to devote this issue to the secrets of successful team.
We are all part of teams. Our family is a team. Our place of work is a team. The community groups we belong to are teams. Sometimes we are the team leader or "coach," while other times we fulfill the role of follower, or "player." It is so important then for us to understand teams and how they work, especially those who achieve success - the achievement of their desired goal.

In my life I have been on some successful teams, and some not so successful teams. This includes both athletically as well as professionally. When I was growing up, I worked for seven years with the Seattle Supersonics, our former local National Basketball Association team. They were at times unsuccessful, and, in 1979, my second year working there, the most successful team in the league, winning the World Championship. I have been able to see firsthand what makes the difference between the unsuccessful teams and the successful ones.

Here are some principles that I know, when implemented on a regular basis, can turn any lackluster team into an outstanding one! These principles can be applied to your family, your business, your organization, and yes, your sports team. Enjoy.

Communication Leader

The leader needs to communicate the vision. If they are setting the pace, they need to let people know where they are going so that the team can follow. The coach always does a pre-game talk, laying out the vision.

The leader communicates the vision frequently, so as to always be updating the team as to where they are at and what changes need to be made. The coach doesn't relegate the direction he gives to the pre-game, he coaches and communicates all the way through the game.

Team

Watch a good basketball team. They are talking to each other all of the time. Helping one another out, encouraging one another, praising one another, and telling each other how they can make changes so the same mistakes aren't made again. The same is true of successful teams in the professional world and in life in general.

Excellence

The truly great teams are teams that are committed to excellence. In everything they do, their goal is to achieve at the highest level. And this commitment is held throughout the team and at every level. A successful team cannot have members who are not committed to excellence because in the end they will become the weak link.

Followership

If you want a fascinating read, pick up The Power of Followership, by Robert Kelley. The author basically makes the point that the secret to getting things done lies not only in great leadership, but in how well the rest of the people, 99% of the team, follows the leadership. Good teams are filled with people who are committed to following and getting the job done.

Understanding Roles

Pardon the Chicago Bulls analogy, but it is so clear. When the game was on the line, with only one shot left, everyone, the coaches, the players, the 20,000 people watching in the stadium, and millions watching on TV, knew who would shoot the last shot. That was Michael Jordan's role.

Every team works best when the members of the team have clearly defined and understood roles. Some do one thing, others do another. One isn't better or more important than the other, just different. When teams operate out of their strengths and their roles, they win.

Strengths and Weaknesses

This brings me to strengths and weaknesses. Every team member has strengths and weaknesses. The successful teams are those who on a regular and consistent basis enable the members to operate out of their strengths and not out of their weaknesses. And what is one person's strengths will cover another's weakness. This is teamwork, enabling all of the bases to be covered.

Fun

The team that plays together stays together. Is your team all work and no play? If you're smart, that will change. Get your team out of the office once a month and go have some fun. Enjoy one another. Enjoy life. It will bring a sense of bonding that can't be made even in "winning."

Common Goals and Vision

I have found that these need to have three aspects. Short, simple and clear.

Can you say it in less than 30 seconds? Is it simple? Can you and others understand it? Does the team all know what they are working together for?
Appreciation

All through the "game," successful teams appreciate one another and show it in a variety of ways. The coach shows it to the players, the players show it to the coach, and the players show it to one another.

Here is a "Successful Teams" Checklist for you to evaluate with.
Is there communication between coach and players and from player to player?

Is your team committed to excellence?

Do those on the team know what it means to follow?

Does everyone on my team know their specific role?

Do the individuals on our team regularly operate out of their strengths as opposed to their weaknesses?

Does our team take a break from time to time to just have fun together?

Do we understand our common goals and vision? Can we all state it (them)?

Is there a sense of and communication of genuine appreciation among my team?

SELF-ESTEEM KEY TO SALES SUCCESS

High self-esteem and self-acceptance are the critical elements in sales success. Think about it. Is your value of yourself hindering your success in sales?

The Reactor Core of Your Personality

Your self-esteem is the most important part of your character. This is the emotional part of your self-concept. It is the "reactor core" of your inner power. It is the emotional component of your life. It is the most important single element determining your attitude and your personality. It is the key to your success in life.

The Definition of Self-Esteem

Your self-esteem is best defined as how much you like yourself. The more you like yourself, accept yourself and respect yourself as a valuable and worthwhile person, the higher your self-esteem is. The more that you feel that you are an excellent human being, the more positive and happy you are.

The Source of Self-Motivation

Your self-esteem determines your level of energy, enthusiasm and self-motivation. Your level of self-esteem is the control valve on your performance and effectiveness. Your self-esteem is like the fuel in the first and second stages of a rocket blasting off from Cape Canaveral. People with high self-esteem do well at everything they attempt.

Who Do You Want to Be?

Your self-ideal can be defined as the person you want most to be, sometime in the future. Your self-ideal determines the direction of your life, of your growth and evolution as a person. Your self-image, on the other hand, determines the way you perform in the present. You self-image is the way you are now, today, this moment. Your self-esteem is largely determined by the relationship between your self-image, how you are performing in your day-to-day activities, and your self-ideal, the way you would perform if you were the very best person you could be.

Strive For Congruency and Alignment

The more that your day-to-day activities are consistent with the person you want to become, the higher is your self-esteem. If your ideal is to be well-organized, calm, positive and working progressively toward the achievement of your goals, and in reality, you are behaving in a well-organized, calm, positive manner, working step-by-step toward your objectives, you will have a high, healthy level of self-esteem. You will like and respect yourself. You will feel calm and confident. You will feel happy, healthy and optimistic. You will be a high-performance personality.

Develop the Keys to Sales Success

Self-esteem is the foundation of a positive self-concept. High self-esteem and self-acceptance are the critical elements in sales success. The more you like and respect yourself, the better you perform at everything you do. Developing and maintaining high levels of self-esteem is the most important thing you can do, every day, in building yourself to the point where you are capable of achieving all your goals.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, repeat to yourself the words, “I like myself! I like myself!” again and again throughout the day. These powerful words make you feel happier and perform better.

Second, think continually about your successes, your high points and your “wins.” The more you think about your best moments and experiences, the more you like and respect yourself and the better you do.

PROSPECTING, PRODUCTION AND PROFITS

Most small businesses reflect the personality of their
owner, and that is both their strength and, too often, their
weakness. Specifically, some entrepreneurs love to sell more
than they care about details of production, while others
focus so much on perfecting their products, they starve for
customers.
The key is balance.
If you are not prospecting every day, your business will
eventually stall. Yes, repeat sales and word of mouth are
vital, but in the end, business grows because new customers
hear about you, check you out, and decide to buy. As Mary
Kay Ash said, "nothing happens until somebody sells
something," and you can't sell without prospecting.
Marketing, promotion and publicity are essential, and some
business owners relish this part. It comes naturally and
they love it. They naturally go "where the action is."
Networking comes easily to them, and selling is "the name of
the game." Good for them!
Except when they neglect the details of delivery. In the
end, what you sell has to be produced, packaged and
delivered on time, on budget and in excellent condition.
Some sales people forget that, and it comes back to haunt
them.
Other business owners get caught up in the operational
details, forgetting that if the phone doesn't ring, no one
is going to buy their magnificent goods and services.
The key is balance.
You need prospects in order to sell, and you need superior
production in order to deliver. When the two are balanced,
profits soar.