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Day: January 25, 2018

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Entrepreneurship Health and Wellness Human Resources Management Marketing Skills Women In Business

What I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Bought My First Smartphone

Have you ever been so excited about buying something new that you fail to stop long enough to consider how it might impact you in the long run? Let’s face it; rarely do we ever consider the long-term consequences of our purchases and impulsive needs, especially when it comes to technology.

I can still remember my first smartphone purchase – the answer to my productivity needs. The ability to map my destinations, create travel itineraries on a whim, respond to emails in a more timely fashion, take photos and more. I’ve never been one that is a cutting-edge ‘early adopter’ where technology is concerned, but the smartphone was truly that – smart. It was the answer to my overwhelmed, overly committed life.

Never one time did I stop to consider the long term impacts the smartphone would have on my life, let alone on society. Have you ever stopped to contemplate how your life has changed since introducing this device into it? If you knew then what you know now, would you still have made that very first purchase? Or perhaps, would you have introduced it to your life differently?

The following aspects are those I wish I would have – could have – considered before that first smartphone purchase:

Dinner Disruptions:

I wish I would have known that I would rarely see families and friends engaged in a conversation around the dinner table without the distraction of a device. I can’t even recall the last time I sat in a restaurant and witnessed everyone engaged in a non-device disrupting conversation and meal. Far too often I see adults tuned out reading online while kids mindlessly play games and avoid interaction. I watch as young couples engage more on social media than with each other. I wait as servers and staff turn their attention to patrons in need of photos, causing other patrons to sit in wait.

Traveling Challenges:

I wish I would have known that every airport would become a land mine of adults sitting on floors and against walls, hovering near any available power outlet or charging station, handcuffed to their device in a desperate hope it will charge before boarding the flight. Before smartphones, I can’t recall a time it was commonplace to see grown adults holding a small device as if it were their very life support.

Distracted Driving:

I wish I would have known the rate people would crash, or even die, due to distracted drivers. Let’s face it, there are few things more annoying, distracting and dangerous than a smartphone alert going off when you’re behind the wheel of a car. No matter where you keep the phone – your purse, console, glove box or back seat – there is something about the sound of an alert that pulls your focus from the road. Never would I have imagined how many people I would share the road with that would be texting while driving, reading the news, posting online or even live streaming their thoughts in transit. Even when thought I have disciplined myself not to look at the phone while driving, the very thought of what awaits for me competes for my attention more than I would have ever imagined.

Home Life Hindrances:

I wish I would have known how much I would ask my friends and family to pause their thoughts as I answered a self-inflicted obligation to respond to emails after hours. I can remember when I first linked my email to my smartphone and thought how amazing it was to respond to emails after the work day was over. I considered this a productivity win as my response times were cut in half. I had faith that others recognized my diligence and would be appreciative of my timely response. What I didn’t realize is that in time, my enthusiasm for answering after hour emails would turn into a habit and that habit would turn into obligation. Little by little, I had trained those in my circle to expect an immediate response from me. Before I knew it, my 9 to 5 turned into a 24×7 workday. My loved ones became the ones in wait as I took time and attention from them to respond to messages that could have easily waited until morning.

Need for Instant Information:  

I wish I would have known my need for instant information would become a crutch. I’m not sure if you’re like me, and have lost track of the number of times you’ve stopped mid conversation to research facts and figures to prove a point. While having information at our fingertips is amazing, it can also hinder our ability to be free thinkers and engage in healthy debates and judgement without the need to immediately prove who is right.

Social Media Influence:

I wish I would have known how toxic social media would become. If only I could have seen the day I would wish for photos of a friend’s meal to be the topic of social media fodder. Instead, the smartphone has allowed all of us to think, and post, without self-censorship. We’ve entered into a world where what we feel is immediately available for others to read. I would have never guessed the draining effect it would have on my in my daily life, feelings and productivity. Not only has the smartphone increased my accessibility to read social media, it’s made it addictive to the point that a concerted effort has to be made just to tune it out or avoid it all together.

Productivity Nemesis:

I wish I would have known that the very tool I was purchasing to help me become more productive would be the very thing that would challenge my ability to do so. With constant alerts, messages and updates, it’s hard to remain focused on anything of importance. Trying to focus on a task becomes challenging when I know someone has messaged me and is awaiting an immediate response. Now, I have to make a conscious effort to download apps and schedule times of days they work to keep alerts and messages at bay. Never the less, the impulsive need to check my screen for notifications is often more than I can bear. Despite my need for focused thinking, I find my attention challenged in ways I would have never previously imagined.

Talking to Foreheads:

I wish I would have known that the introduction of the smartphone meant learning to carry on conversations with people’s foreheads. If only I had the ability to grab someone by their face and say what my 5 year old friend, Donovan, taught me – “Listen with your eyes.” Put the phone down and pay attention to what is right in front of you, not what can wait. If only I would have known how preconditioned I would become – we would become – to accepting interruptions and someone’s half attention as the norm.

Is there anything you wish you would have known before buying your first smartphone? While technology has helped us in many ways, it challenges our focus and competes for our attention for what is truly important. While I don’t regret having this amazing technology, hind sight is always 20/20. Now that we know the challenges, can we change our habits, or are we doomed to distraction?

I believe attention is our new currency. Attention to what matters most is where we will profit, boost productivity and increase accountability. Paying attention to what is important is a skill we must learn – if not relearn – to help us achieve balance in our lives with technology.

What are your thoughts? I would love to read them. Are you committed to changing your habits and learning how to use the smartphone as a tool and break the dependency you’ve created? If so, subscribe to my ezine to learn tips, techniques and strategies to help you pay attention to what matters most.

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Best Practices Human Resources Management Marketing Skills Women In Business

When You Should – And Should NOT – Memorize a Speech

I coach people on how to be persuasive and compelling in a variety of contexts, one of which is in preparation for giving a formal speech or presentation. This fall I’ve coached three TED talks, helped CFOs prepare for board meetings, directed dozens of entrepreneurs through their investor pitches, and prepared executives to deliver webinars to their global teams. But in all of these scenarios, one question always comes up: “Should I memorize the script?”

The simple answer is: it depends.

Disclaimer: I am a linguist, not an actor, so it never feels natural to recite scripted lines, even if I can deliver them naturally. However, there is a time and a place for it. Let’s look at how to make this decision, and then you can decide how to approach your next presentation.

Time Limits

There are time limits to most engagements, and the shorter your window, the more memorization can help ensure that you hit your key points before you run out of time.

When you have an extremely tight window, e.g. a two-minute elevator pitch, you can’t afford to fumble around searching for the right words. Even if you don’t memorize your whole spiel, if you plan to share an anecdote or explain a process, those can be good segments to rehearse and hone so you can recite them verbatim when the time comes.

Managing Audience Interaction

On the other hand, if you know that the audience can interrupt at any time with questions and comments, you’ll get completely derailed if you are relying exclusively on memorized lines. Once you can resume, there’s a good chance you’ve either forgotten where you left off or you remember, but it no longer flows naturally from the conversation.

Plus, if you have to respond extemporaneously to the comment, your speech style will probably sound different than during your memorized portion. This is a dead giveaway that you’re speaking from a script rather than from the heart.

Again, as I mentioned above, it can be useful to memorize certain excerpts, but be able to stray from the script as needed or desirable in the moment.

Visual Aids

Notice that this resource is called “visual aids,” not “visual crutches.” A well-designed slide serves three basic purposes: It adds visual interest, makes the content easier for the audience to process, and serves as a prompt to remind the speaker what to discuss next.

The worst slides are the ones that are shortened versions of the speaker’s script, which the speaker then reads aloud off the screen in front of everyone. I have just one suggestion here: DON’T.

If you can read a lot of your script off your slide, so can your audience, at which point they don’t need you anymore. Keep the slides simple and textually sparse; put the full sentences and paragraphs in your talking points instead. The audience should be able to glance at a slide for a brief moment, understand the main point, and then turn their attention back to you as the source of more information.

Overall, scripts are not inherently evil; as I’ve explained above, they can be a great tool, and sometimes they’re even required. I have clients whose legal department needs to vet the language of any presentation intended for shareholders. (Note: If you ever want help writing engaging dialogue, do NOT ask the legal department!) But there are definitely some that are well written and effective, and those that are not.

Whether or not you script out your whole talk, speech or presentation, the goal is to ensure that it enables you to projects your true authority, confidence and leadership.

***

Do you struggle with public speaking or know someone who does? Contact me at laura@vocalimpactproductions.com or click here to set up a 20-minute focus call to discuss it with me personally.

Categories
Best Practices Entrepreneurship Management Marketing Skills Technology

BEing Seen and BEing Heard as a Thought Leader

When thinking about my first post, I thought that a link to my TED talk was a great way to start.

It covers several thoughts and ideas for your business. When I re-watched it this weekend, I wrote down twenty different ideas that stood out. Here are seven:

  • As a thought leader, are you sharing a message of service?
  • Trust comes from vulnerability, integrity & authenticity!
  • Are you being vulnerable & authentic?
  • Are you creating opportunities to be known, liked and trusted?
  • Are you screaming “Buy, Buy, Buy” on social media? If won’t work!
  • The microphone that everyone has with social media is really a headset, where you must listen more than talk.
  • Are you “truly” listening to your prospects and clients and changing your products and services as a result?

What do you think? What idea stood out for you when watching this talk?

—

Mitchell Levy is a people publisher that empowers thought leaders to share their genius. After a 2-hr interview to extract your genius, his team will write and publish your book in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, PDF, and AHAbook formats. To explore what this means for you, sign up for a 30-minute strategy session http://aha.pub/focused

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Best Practices Growth Management Personal Development

Leadership and Golf

Now that it’s winter time and temperatures have plummeted, I can’t help thinking back to last spring and summer when I had the opportunity to spend some time improving my skills at something I’m highly passionate about: the game of golf.

Even if you’re not a golfer, bear with me and please keep reading.

It occurred to me that working with a golf coach to improve my game is analogous to what I do for business owners and managers.

Proficiency at golf and great business leadership are similar in the sense that they are both highly developed skills that require extensive training and preparation before the practitioner can excel.

With both skill sets, the golfer’s and business leader’s abilities must be continuously examined, evaluated and improved – those capabilities are not innate and are ultimately developed through training and careful refinement. While natural athletic ability certainly helps an individual with their golf swing when they first start to play the game, to master it requires practice and dedication.

Business leadership is much the same way. As leaders, our personality, charisma and background contribute to our ability to engage and inspire others. We must also have focus and dedication to improving our leadership skills if we’re going to be highly effective.

Just like golfers who spend hours working on their swing, great business leaders have to carefully refine their ability to work with others and, ultimately, inspire and empower employees to implement business strategies and achieve enterprise objectives.

Both skill sets have a variety of tools for the job.

The rules of golf state that a golfer may have as many as 14 golf clubs in his or her bag. Violation of this rule results in a 2-stroke penalty for each hole played, up to a maximum of 4 penalty strokes.

Those 14 clubs usually include a driver, woods, irons, wedges and a putter. Each club has its distinct use and purpose, mostly dictated by the distance to the target. A skilled golfer can employ different clubs for the greatest effect in any situation – for instance, curving a shot around an obstacle such as a tree.

A business leader also has various tools that must be employed to efficiently achieve the desired outcome. For example, leaders need to possess the ability to delegate tasks. Understanding which tasks to delegate to which people is a skill that is learned and improved on over time.

A leader’s ability to work with staff, influence their behavior – and when necessary, even discipline them – comes through experience and informed, insightful mentorship. Awareness of all the tools available, and when to employ them, is vital because using the wrong tool at the wrong time is just as bad as using the wrong tool at the right time.

No golfer attempts to hit the ball 150 yards with a putter. The wrong club at the wrong time will never produce the desired result.

One thing I learned from my golf coach is that the ‘setup’ is 90% of proper execution. After selecting a club and approaching the ball, the ‘setup’ is how you position yourself for a successful outcome. Gripping the club, positioning the legs, aligning the shoulders with the line of the shot are all essential pieces that need to be in sync before swinging the club at the ball.

When all the setup preparation and forethought is complete, the result is usually a smooth and natural swing that achieves the most significant effect with the least amount of effort. Leadership is very similar: how we approach situations, and our mindsets in dealing with them, will be reflected in whether or not we succeed.

After the setup, the execution of both the golf swing and leadership opportunity should be fluid and decisive. One thing my coach consistently reminded me was not to try to ‘force’ the ball. With a proper setup, the natural mechanics of your body – called ‘muscle memory’ – take over and should produce the desired result.

Something as seemingly insignificant as a poor grip, slight shift in the wrist or shoulder misalignment will ruin a shot every time. That’s one of the frustrations about the game because the negative result is guaranteed every time.

Business leaders who are overly authoritarian or too cautious and guarded fulfilling their roles will not be optimally effective because they’re not approaching each situation with true open-mindedness and creativity in seeking positive results. Truly effective leaders are keenly aware of their abilities and options when dealing with challenges and opportunities. Those are essential elements to successfully reach strategic objectives.

There’s a fine line and delicate balance that highly effective leaders tread and maintain. Being overly dictatorial or disciplinary is usually a certain recipe for failure. Conversely, being non-committal and reticent will lead to the same negative result.

It’s crucial for business leaders to stay authentic, genuine and confident in their abilities. Those characteristics go a long way toward motivating colleagues to strive for their own personal best performance.

In many ways, authentic, genuine and confident leadership is usually a ‘deal maker’ or a ‘deal breaker’. In their absence, staff will be hesitant to buy into and fully support action plans. Team cohesion suffers, and the probability of success diminishes.

It’s often been said about the game of golf that there are a million variables involved in every shot that can go wrong. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but some days it seems that way!

Leading people is similar in that there are countless variables that combine to produce results. How leaders evaluate, analyze and work with people differs from one situation to the next.

Leaders must be able to plan and clearly articulate the course of action necessary. By maintaining an open mind to various response options, assessing probable outcomes, and selecting, articulating and implementing the optimal response, leaders are far more likely to ultimately succeed.

Of course, it is impossible for a leader to control the outcome of every situation and ensure 100% success – even the most accomplished professional golfers hit terrible shots into the rough, bunkers, and other challenging hazards. Interestingly, great leaders and accomplished professional golfers share an ability to make a smooth and almost effortless recovery to daunting challenges.

Great leaders and accomplished golfers also recognize that not every situation or shot is ideal: but they rapidly assess the situation and its implications and then formulate a strategy or plan that leads to a successful outcome.

Ultimately, what we have to keep in mind is that leadership skills, like golfing proficiency, must be continuously refined and developed. Where a professional golfer can spend hours on a practice range working on his or her swing, business leadership must be demonstrated ‘on the job’, with no ‘Mulligans’ or ‘retries’ available if the first effort fails.

That’s why great leaders have great mentors: trusted advisors who listen to new ideas, make insightful suggestions and help minimize disruptions created by stressful business developments. Don’t ignore one of the age-old cardinal sins of leadership – testing out new ideas on staff without first vetting these ideas with objective input from outside counsel.

I had an incredible journey last spring and summer working with my coach and many others to learn and refine my golf game. I’m still not perfect (that will never happen, I know), but I’m proud to say that my game has improved significantly, and so has my enjoyment of it.

Leaders face similar challenges building and developing their acumen in their leadership abilities. Doing so, however hard it may be, results in both professional and personal satisfaction for themselves and their teams.

 

Contact us today at https://www.bluecordmgmt.com to schedule a no-charge, no-obligation consultation to meet and talk about your company’s challenges and BCM’s services and solutions. Then, we can schedule a follow-up session with your management team and staff that focuses on Business Evolution through employee engagement that leads to personal growth, job satisfaction and organizational success. 

Thinking about how to succeed is important. Doing something to achieve it is essential.

Categories
Growth Management Personal Development

One of the Most Celebrated CEOs Shares the Importance of Connections

As part of my nationally syndicated radio show, Take the Lead, I interview top leaders and successful individuals who share their success stories.  I recently had the chance to interview Doug Conant, former Campbell’s Soup CEO and author of Touchpoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections. Doug has been listed as one the Top 100 Most Influential Authors in the World. His work at Campbell’s is one of the top case studies that demonstrates the importance of engagement.

To hear the interview, you can go to: http://www.podcastgarden.com/episode/doug-conant_121742.

The following are highlights of what he discussed in our interview:

  • His background at Campbells, Nabisco, and Avon
  • Handwriting 30,000 notes to employees
  • How to improve engagement
  • ConantLeadership boot camps
  • Touchpoints
  • Being fired from General Mills
  • Being an introvert and Susan Cain’s work
  • Curiosity and its impact
Categories
Growth Management Operations Personal Development

Your Customers Are Unique! Treat Them That Way

Have you ever rented a car at an airport car rental agency? If you have, you would know that before you drive away in the car, a few things are done. Someone checks your paperwork, looks over the car to check for any pre-existing scratches or dings, and will usually ask if you would like the fuel option. This allows you to avoid worrying about filling the car up before returning it.

I have a friend who recently rented a car at the airport. While he was there, he was offered an upgrade to a Tesla. Since he had never driven one and had always wanted to, he eagerly took the opportunity to upgrade. When he went to exit, all of the typical questions were asked, including, “Would you like the fuel option?”

He thought about the question for a moment and then began to laugh. For those who may not know, a Tesla runs on electricity. No fuel is needed. It’s an incredible piece of technology. At first, the attendant didn’t realize why my friend was laughing. When he did finally figure it out, he was rather embarrassed.

Something like this happened to me not so long ago at McDonald’s. I don’t go there often, but when I do it’s always because I’m craving those amazing fries! On that particular day, I ordered a chicken sandwich. And fries, of course. As if it were a written memorized script, the woman behind the counter said, “Would you like fries to go along with that?”

My response was, “Do you mean another order of fries, or did you mean to ask me if I’d like a hot apple pie with that chicken sandwich and fries?” I smiled at her. At first, she blushed with embarrassment and then laughed.  And, just so you know, I added the apple pie to my order, which I love almost as much as the fries.

This brings me to my point. Both of these employees, the McDonald’s worker and the gate attendant weren’t thinking about what it was they were saying. They simply asked the questions they so regularly asked. But in both situations, the question being asked was the wrong one. It was not only wrong, it simply didn’t apply.

These workers were simply going through the motions. Now, at times this can be understood. It has been a long day, or the worker is simply tired. But, the best people will always be alert and focused. They will know when to ask the right questions, and when not to ask the wrong ones. The best people understand that each customer is different and special, that each one deserves a unique experience.

Going through the motions is easy, but it’s not what your customers deserve. To avoid this, find a way to customize your interactions with your customers. If you notice a customer wearing a basketball jersey, say something about the team. This breaks the ice and makes the customer feel like you actually care. It allows them to feel special, because they are.

Every interaction you have counts. Every interaction you have should be slightly different. Never make a customer feel as if they are anything less than special and unique.

Categories
Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Skills

Mastering Our Craft

In a recent statement from Tom Petty’s family revealing that his death last October was the result of an accidental overdose of pain medication, Petty’s daughter AnnaKim has reached out to fans to stress that, in her eyes, her father was not addicted to opioids. The statement goes on to say that “Petty wasn’t using his meds recreationally – he was simply doing his best to cope with a crippling injury that was only getting worse, ALL IN ORDER TO LIVE UP TO HIS TOURING COMMITMENTS.  He suffered a hip fracture during his 40TH ANNIVERSARY tour with the Heartbreakers. Let me repeat – he was doing his 40th anniversary tour. Tom Petty loved and mastered his craft. He daughter also said “I love my dad and feel he is an immortal badass.

In 2006 Shawn Askinosie left a successful career as a criminal defense attorney to start Askinosie Chocolate. Shawn Askinosie had perfected his craft as a criminal defense attorney – he NEVER lost a criminal jury trial. He has now mastered a new craft – yes making chocolates, but as the title of his book Meaningful WORK: A QUEST To Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul clearly indicates, Shawn Askinosie is on a new journey. developing mastery in a new craft, one that Jack Stack, founder and CEO SRC Holdings; author of The Great Game of Business describes as “I have witnessed the evolution of Askinosie Chocolate. It has been a courageous journey which had to be guided by a higher authority.”

Chuck Collins grew up in the 1 percent as the great-grandson of meatpacker Oscar Mayer, but at age 26 he gave away his inheritance. He has been working to reduce inequality and strengthen communities since 1982 and in the process, has cofounded numerous initiatives that support his mission. His CRAFT is working tirelessly to reduce inequality in the U.S. and the world.

I did not know Tom Petty, I recently read Shawn Askinosie’s book and interviewed him for my Business Builders Show on C-Suite Radio, I have been blessed to have interviewed Chuck Collins more than once and I have delivered dozens of his books, Born on Third Base, to those who I felt would benefit from reading his work.

Tom Petty, Shawn Askinosie and Chuck Collins were and are masters of their craft. Are we on the path of mastering our craft? Even if it takes 40 years, or giving up a lucrative career as a criminal defense attorney, or giving up a significant inheritance?

BTW – If you ever have the opportunity to say something about me after I leave this earth – I can’t think of any better compliment than to say “he was a real badass.”