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When Good Becomes Bad

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“Good is the enemy of Great.” – Jim Collins
There’s nothing inherently wrong with “good” except when it’s used for measurement. For example…
Lack of honest feedback. When you ask for an evaluation and the only response you get is “it was good,” then someone’s lying. “Good” is a vague, non-descriptive answer. If you really want to be helpful, be truthful and specific. Don’t just compliment to be nice. If their performance was bad, call them on it. If it was great, tell them why. I’ve been around too many groups who only want to hear positive feedback and reject any constructive criticism because their egos are too sensitive. Last time I checked, you can learn more from areas you can improve upon, than always being showered with praise. 
Low standards. What does “good” really mean? Better than average? When you and I live in the “land of good” everything is the same. The bar is lowered because it slowly disappears. “Good” is a lazy response that we can’t learn anything from. It doesn’t tell us anything. It’s neither hot nor cold. It’s in between.
“Good” saps your motivation. It’s a generic label. Be bold enough to ask for clarification the next time someone mentions the word “good.” Why settle for good, when you can strive to be great?

What Separates the Good from Great Speakers

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“The two words ‘information’ and ‘communication’ are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.”  
– Sydney J. Harris
Communication is one of the most powerful tools we have. You hear tons of messages daily, but what actually sticks? I believe one factor separates the good speakers from the great speakers: FOCUS.
Good speakers focus on themselves. Great speakers focus on their audience. 
Good speakers are more interested in hearing their own information and in the process they create a divide between themselves and the crowd. Outwardly, good speakers communicate, “I’m smart, you’re dumb, listen to me.“
Great speakers cater their message to who’s listening. They study the characteristics and values of who they are communicating to and speak to their hearts and minds. Outwardly, great speakers make it feel like they are talking directly to you in a conversation.
Preparation to speak should be based on the 70/30 rule. Spend 70% on the presentation, 30% on the content. As a speaker, when you try to “teach” too much information, people end up leaving with nothing. The biggest mistake as a communicator you can make is speaking too long. Engage the audience with stories, visuals and conversation. Remember, when speaking it’s NOT about YOU, it’s about the audience. Spend more time on “how” to say it, than “what” to say.

Good and great speakers also differ when it comes to response.
Good speakers stick to their notes regardless if the audience is bored, confused or distant.
Great speakers have a Plan A, but are willing to improvise to Plan B if needed. 
As a speaker, where is your focus? Is it about YOU or your audience?

Speaking is personal branding. It’s not what you think of yourself, but what others think of you. Speakers make the transition from good to great based on their focus. God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Great speakers listen to the pulse of the audience, so they can prepare and perform a message that inspires action. What will be your focus the next time you speak? Don’t settle for just giving out information, communicate to get through to your audience!

How to Develop Talent

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Talent is defined as a special natural ability or aptitude. Sometimes talent is labeled as potential, yet if undeveloped it becomes wasted. Once talent is identified, it’s vital to develop it into a strength.
Let’s use the show X-Factor as an example:

Coach/Mentor – Find someone more successful than you and ask them to mentor you. Since they are where you want to be, ask them to help you refine your talent. Talent needs to be invested in and nurtured. A coach can help you see your “blind spots” and keep you humble. All the top athletes hire coaches to perform at their highest level, why not you?
 
Measure it Against the Best – Talent never gets tested without stress and competition. Surround yourself with others as good or better than you. You’ll never know how good you are in isolation. If you want to be the best you need to compete with the best. Strength and accountability rise in numbers.
Challenge Yourself – Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. There’s nothing worse than underachievement. Even with additional help and perspective, it still comes down to how much effort you put forth. No one can force, motivate or push you harder than you can. Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to develop your talent into a strength.

Malcolm Gladwell argues in his book Outliers that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become successful (that’s 2 hours a day for 10 years!). If that’s the case what are you waiting for? Make sure you find a coach, compete against the best and push yourself to greatness. Practice may not make perfect, but it definitely makes better. If you don’t do the hard work, there’s always someone hungrier ready to take your place.

Mind + Body Connection

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Performance in sports is about 80% – 90% mental. Is work performance any different?
Athletes spend more time training and resting before they perform, what if you did the same?
Strong Mind + Strong Body = Strong Performance
As “Corporate Athletes”, you and I need to train our mind and body if we want to perform at our highest level. Here’s an easy way to remember how:
Visualize. Imagine your ideal outcome. What is your goal? What are you going towards? Positive thinking has a huge effect on our energy. What we choose to focus on usually happens. Add in routine breaks while you work so you can muster up short bursts of high quality productivity. Visualizing means reprogramming your mind towards the desired outcome.
Initiate. Your ability to manage (cope) your emotions will either drive or drain your energy. How will you respond to situations and circumstances that come your way? Ever see athletes listening to music before a big game? Music can be a “pre-routine” to calm yourself. Emotions exude in your body language; the way you carry yourself. Surround yourself with a support system of friends. To initiate means preparing yourself for the stress and unexpected ahead.
Perform. A combination of exercise, eating and sleeping habits (all physical). Did you know that working out in the morning actually boosts your mood for the next 12 hours? What you eat and when you eat adds to or takes away from your daily source of energy. Lastly, studies show you need 7 – 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. That may seem impossible (especially if you have kids), but it’s something to shoot for. Performance is the sum total of your preparation. (Remember to give your mind and body a break after 90 – 120 minutes of sustained activity or your productivity declines.)

Performance is all about managing your energy. V.I.P. (visualize, initiate, perform). How you prepare determines how you will perform. So start thinking and training like an athlete today!   

Are You Socially Fit?

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We hear the term “physically fit” a lot, but have you ever thought of being socially fit? I’m not talking about social media, but instead, face-to-face conversations. As a coach, interpersonal skills are crucial to building trust and eventually a connection.
For example, success in the workplace has a lot to do with how you manage the relationships around you. A star performer can only go so far with limited relationships in the organization. Some people refer to it as politics, but the truth is the workplace is a political game that you have to participate in. Like it or not, much of upward mobility lies with who you know.
Knowing how important communication skills are, here are three ways to improve your social capital:
Public Speaking – Historically, speaking in front of people is the #1 fear of most. In this case, practice makes perfect (or at least better). Few are naturally great at public speaking. Those who are spend hours practicing to refine their skills. Many employers will offer the opportunity to present in front of the company as a test to evaluate your ability to communicate publicly. Pass this test and your reputation skyrockets.
One on One Conversations – Turn off your laptop, smartphone and internet for a second. How well can you carry a conversation? Initiate conversations with a diverse group of individuals and try to build connections. The goal of networking is to build trusted connections that lead to business opportunities. We like to do business with people we like. You build rapport one conversation at a time. You can only improve your social skills if you practice with real people, in person.
Ask for Feedback – Most people say they want feedback, but they really want praise. Sometimes the truth hurts, but what hurts only makes us stronger, right? The next time you ask for honest feedback, prepare yourself to hear where you can make improvements. Only fools turn a deaf ear to criticism. That doesn’t mean take everything to heart, but listen to what’s being said and filter it objectively. Observe how you respond, both physically and emotionally. You may feel a bit defensive, but thank the person for sharing their thoughts (especially if you asked them for feedback). How you carry yourself while experiencing some “tough love” reveals your maturity.

Being socially fit means having conversations, face-to-face. Don’t hide behind technology, instead take advantage of every opportunity you can to connect with others in person. Your ability to communicate with others is one of your greatest assets. Think about referrals. We tend to refer people that we’ve had positive interactions with. Don’t you think it’s time to get socially fit?
 

Knowing When & How to Fold

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Life is about how you respond. The average person will have 13 careers in their lifetime, at least one will be as an employee. Just like in poker, how do you know when it’s time to step away from a position (fold)?
I believe it comes down to “fit.” Character and competence are important, but you need to find a role that suits your individual strengths and fits within the team structure. You may be on the right bus (company), but ask yourself, “Am I on the right seat (role) on the bus?” Put your pride aside when it tells you “I can make this work.” Your job should be challenging, but know your strengths and limitations. Be true to yourself and to your employer about how effectively you are contributing. If you’re not producing at a high level because it’s outside of your skill set (and you won’t get trained properly with a generous learning curve), do the right thing and step down.
How do you exit properly?
Be gracious and honest. Don’t burn bridges you might cross in the future. Think of your career as a sub-category of your personal network. Last week I addressed the concept of work-life balance, where the lines of your career and personal relationships merge together.  Just like posting information on social media, what you say and do after leaving a job leaves a permanent imprint on the future of your career. Approach your supervisor and share with him/her why you don’t think your current position is a good fit. At that point, you have done your part (regardless of their response) so let the cards fall as they may. Your results are a reflection of your competence. The way you handle yourself is a reflection of your character.
This post hits home for me because in the past 6 months I’ve stepped away from two opportunities. I went in with an open mindset, but after a short amount of time, it was clear that I wasn’t a good fit for the position(s). In both situations, I had honest conversations with owners I have a great amount of respect for. Even though I would have liked it to work out differently; it was about doing the right thing. During our conversations, what mattered to me the most was respecting the person across from me and maintaining our relationship. There were points where I felt weak and vulnerable, because my ego wanted to make it work, but in the end we came to an agreement that what was best for the organization(s) was that we went our separate ways for the project(s). 

These experiences have taught me a lot about business and life. I hope my experiences will help shape and equip you to face the same types of scenarios in the future. 

How Powerful is Group Accountability?

Scott Asai2 Comments

Very powerful. Like Barry Bonds on steroids powerful…

Group accountability provides the added incentive to do what you say. It’s easy to let yourself down, but it’s much harder to let a group down. (Picture LeBron James here) Use positive tension to push you to be your best. Accountability is extra motivation to finish what you started.
Where else will you receive objective feedback? Tough love is not what you want to hear, it’s what you need to hear. Sure, you may think your idea is great, but ask others what they think. Collaboration is also key to refining your ideas and revealing your “blind spot(s).” Listen to different perspectives and be open to critiques. Think, a group of peer mentors.

Results are what matters. Group accountability helps you accomplish your goals faster and more consistently. You are not short of ideas, but it’s challenging to implement them. Sure, you need time to imagine, analyze and ponder, but don’t let opportunity slip through the cracks by waiting too long. Those who procrastinate…(you can finish the sentence yourself). I’m just saying… 

So how do you find group accountability? Well, you can gather a bunch of friends together or you can join a Synergy Group (a form of a mastermind group). Group accountability is about commitment. Commitment is found with like-minded individuals. Don’t wait! Your window of opportunity is closing…

Find out more information by attending Career Synergy or contacting Scott.

Yelp: The Food Superhero

Scott Asai2 Comments
Whenever I am searching for a new place to eat, I always turn to Yelp. I prefer Yelp over sites like CitySearch, Zagat’s, etc. because it resonates with me. I’m not interested in what a food critic thinks because we have different values.
Yelp has a lot of applications that transfer over well to business (as well as the ability to rate businesses). 
Real customer feedback. How can you get better if you don’t know what’s wrong? Feedback can uncover blind spots. Your customers determine whether you thrive or shut down. Listen to what is being said, even if you don’t agree. Serve your customers well and they will repay you with loyalty.
The ability to respond to negative feedback. It’s great to receive compliments, but your response (or lack there of) to complaints can make or break you. I’ve left a negative comment on Yelp about a restaurant before and on a few occasions the owner has gotten back to me. I may have had a bad experience, but the owners willingness to make things better made me want to give them a second chance. In my experience it’s not about perfection. Sometimes initial skeptics can become your biggest fans.
Brand awareness. It’s not what you think, but what your customers think your brand is that’s important. That means when sifting through customer comments, look for patterns. If you’re focusing on a particular aspect of your business, see if it is reflected in the feedback. We can be deliberate about strategy, but we only know if it works based on customer sales. Make your biggest fans your marketing department. Even with technology, word of mouth referrals are king.

Customer feedback shouldn’t be taken lightly. How you respond influences the customer experience. Yelp is a great example of the power of reviews. Listen to your customers. They are giving you the answers to your problems…