I’m guilty mostly of:
#3 (spending too much time on features, not enough on benefits)
#4 (to niche or not to niche)
#5 (needed a market/customers before I launched passionately)
Which of the 10 do you struggle with the most? Why?
Author: Scott Asai
Helping people develop their leadership skills to advance in their career
Are Attending Conferences Worth Your Money?
I’ve gone to many conferences only walking away disappointed. I used to believe the main dish was the speakers, but you can only listen to so many people talk before being completely brain dead (and not remembering a thing).
What if you changed your approach? Instead, you planned who you wanted to talk to and what you will say when you converse with him/her. Consider a conference a place to “bump” into people intentionally and build your network. It’s about quality, not quantity, so plan to continue the conversation after the conference has come and gone.
What do you think?
Stop! Don’t Cut That Training Budget
Even with profit loss, the last thing you should cut is your budget. Instead invest in your current workforce by spending money on training. Your employees will feel valued and appreciated which translates to better customer service for your customers.
+ training = + engaged employee = + customer-employee transaction = $$$
Sell Your Vision
Do you like to sell? I sure don’t. Whether you’re a worker or the boss, sales is part of the job. What if instead of selling your product or service, you sold your vision? How would that change your approach?
People want to be inspired. Marketing is motivating people to act on their desires. If you can paint a picture about how life will improve with your product/service, you have a customer.
People want to know where you will take them. Would you get in a car without knowing the destination? Vision is direction. Show people where you will take them so they can decide whether to follow you.
People buy visions. Nike promises better performance. Apple sells the “cool” factor. Disneyland enhances your happiness. We buy the perceived effect a product/service will have on us.
Vision gives us hope. We want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Vision is a combination of passion and direction. Vision lies in your heart. Sell your vision and people will get on board with you.
What vision are YOU selling?
Waiting Sucks
Whether it’s traffic, long lines or following a slow foursome in front of me at the golf course, waiting sucks. In business, slow times are discouraging and makes us question what we are doing…
…suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. [Romans 5:3,4; Bible]
Think about this. When you “suffer” it can build your ability to persevere through tough times. That perseverance strengthens your character. Good character gives you hope for the future.
When I’m struggling, I find it difficult to see outside of my circumstances. When things go slower than I would like, I get frustrated. That frustration makes me feel like there’s no hope.
What if I took a different approach?
What if I looked at my “down time” as an opportunity to grow?
If I can deal with the slow times, then I become a stronger person. Simply changing my perspective gives me a new sense of hope.
I’ll probably never enjoy waiting, but I can choose to shift my view on it. Sometimes life throws tests at you now to prepare you for greater opportunities in the future.
What are YOU doing while you wait?
What’s Your Shift?
Every leader experiences a pivotal moment where everything changes. For me it was the day after Thanksgiving, November 26, 2004 . I woke up with my knee hurting and exclaimed:
“I must be fat!”
Those words motivated me to get up and go to the gym immediately.
At first, I started doing cardio and swimming. Next, I figured weights would be a good idea so I copied what people did at the gym. In addition, I adjusted my diet by eliminating: fried foods, starch, soda, sweets and beef.
Three months later I reached my goal of losing 20 pounds, but this was not temporary. It was a lifestyle change.
Two years later (2006), I decided to up the ante by becoming a certified fitness trainer. My goal was to understand how to workout correctly. The course was helpful and I use some of the same strategies to this day.
I’ve maintained my weight and benefited from increased energy and mood that I translate to my business life. Working out revealed my drive, strong will and desire to see results.
Everyone has the ability to shift to a better place. Make a choice to take action to your intentions. Start now by writing down a goal you intend to accomplish and act on it.
Your time is now…
When will YOU shift?
How’s Your WellBeing?
How well are you REALLY doing? Gallup created an assessment to measure where you thrive in life. It’s a great tool for Life Coaching.
Here’s a brief summary of the 5 areas…
Career – Do you like what you do each day?
Boost your Career Wellbeing by making sure you use your personal strengths daily.
Social – Our best moments in life happen amongst friends.
Boost your Social Wellbeing by communicating 6 hours daily (in person, social media, e-mail, phone, etc.)
Financial – We tend to define our wealth by social comparison.
Boost your Financial Wellbeing by purchasing experiences (memories last; material things fade)
Physical – Every choice we make is a net positive or net negative.
Boost your Physical Wellbeing by exercising 20 minutes daily (it can brighten your mood for up to 12 hours!)
Community – Get involved & give back.
Boost your Community Wellbeing by contributing towards others based on your personal mission (what appeals to your heart)
Improving your Wellbeing is about making short-term decisions consistent with your long-term objectives. Check out the book that includes an online assessment at: WellBeing
What are YOU doing to boost your Wellbeing TODAY?
Aim to Dominate
How has the recession altered your dreams? Do you put more focus on surviving than thriving? Are you more likely to settle vs. fight?
How would positively adjusting your target affect the outcome?
Let’s look at a couple examples…
In sports, there needs to be dominant player/team to create excitement. The favorite becomes the bulls-eye. When sports lack a premier attraction, nobody cares to watch.
In business, there’s a leader in every industry. You are either being chased or chasing the frontrunner. Competition breeds success and innovation.
Maybe during these challenging economic times you need to re-evaluate your target. Be realistic, but aim high. Never apologize for having high standards.
The more motivated you are towards being the best – the better chance you have to succeed.
It all starts with defining your target…
What are YOU aiming for?
The Entitled One
“How” LeBron James handled his free agency decision was heavily criticized. So what leadership lessons can we learn from his mistakes?
Respect the Game
You are not bigger than your career. Treat others with respect. Abide by the rules and don’t expect special treatment. Be part of something greater than yourself. Respect the game and it will respect you back.
We vs. Me
Surround yourself with strong players, but crucial times call for leaders to step up. Within your team, individual ownership must be taken. Be willing to accept responsibility for your mistakes. Take initiative, absorb the consequences and move forward.
Communicate!
When possible, choose face-to-face or a phone conversation as the way to communicate. Don’t rely solely on social media, it can dilute the quality of your communication. Misinterpretation occurs when layers such as non-verbal cues, emotions and tone are removed. Improve your interpersonal skills and you have a distinct advantage over the competition.
Entitlement means you believe you deserve special treatment. Earn the respect of your colleagues by working hard. Lead by example and let your actions speak about your values.
How do YOU deal with entitlement?
Your Choice: Respect vs. Liked
As a Leader, how do you balance being respected vs. being liked?”
Here are my thoughts:
Leadership is getting things done through people.
If respected, you may not be liked…
If liked, you may not be respected…
Which one can you live with?
Everyone wants to be liked, but sometimes you care so much you become a people pleaser. In your attempt to gain approval, you fail to take a stance. You become “dust in the wind”, blown in the direction of others’ opinions.
In order to gain respect, you make the best decision which can be the unpopular one. By choosing what is right, you may loose favor.
If you’re disliked because you don’t “go with the flow”, live with it. Life is not a popularity contest.
Most leaders make the mistake of trying to do both. The happy medium is doing what’s best for your people and living with the consequence(s) of your decision.
Value people, but honor the purpose behind your decisions more than the acceptance of them.
Today, ask yourself…
Do YOU desire to be respected or liked?
Growing Forward 