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Category: Personal Development

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Growth Leadership Personal Development

When You Have NO MORE to Give as a Leader

As an executive leader, you are pulled in 50-million directions, you are wearing 10 different hats, and you are just trying to meet your deadlines each week. I’m here to introduce you to a concept that sounds foreign, sounds maybe a bit crazy, and probably isn’t what you want to hear.

First, let me introduce you to the Southern Louisiana term “Lagniappe.” If you’re not quite sure what this term means, “Lagniappe” is a term that actually has Spanish and French roots. (Remember, Louisiana has been under both Spanish and French rule, so many of our terms are derivatives of those languages.) “Lagniappe” refers to a little something extra that a friendly shopkeeper might add to a customer’s purchase.

Today it is used to mean an extra gift or benefit – a bonus. Folks in other parts of the country might use the term ‘baker’s dozen’ to mean the same thing. Literally translated, it means “to give more.”

To give more. If only we could each adopt this as our personal philosophy and practice! In customer service and sales the application of this term is pretty clear – to give more than is expected. I’m asking you to give more. Yup, I’m going to go there. I know what you are thinking. There is no possible way you have any room to give more.

We all know the bottom line is, the more you give the more you receive.  When you have NO MORE to give, not an ounce, give just a bit more. If you don’t do it now, you can run your whole life as an executive leader claiming to be “too busy.” Now, while you may need a team retreat or personal retreat, or to better delegate tasks, or to hire a new assistant to address that work-life balance, in the meantime, I’m talking about giving in small but impactful ways that don’t cost anything. Your clients, your team members remember that extra inch you gave and it will come back to benefit you and your business over and over.

Take this for example:

I have made it a practice to under-promise and over-deliver – with the emphasis on over-delivery. For my family’s Nicaragua vacation, we enlisted the help of a travel agent who booked hotels, advised us about driving distances, and recommended sites to see. He was compensated for his efforts, but, as “a little lagniappe,” I’m putting together a Cajun gift basket to send to him. Little thank you’s like this take moments, but will be remembered for years.

As an executive leader, where can you give more?

Try these quick, costless, simple opportunities to give a little lagniappe to your team members, colleagues, and clients.

Empathy for another’s circumstances and struggles. Take your focus off of yourself and really tune in to the other person. Empathy is the ultimate virtual reality. Put yourself in their shoes.

Feedback to team members. Your team would rather receive negative feedback than no feedback at all. Please tell them how they’re doing!

Time to mentor and teach. Share your wisdom, knowledge, and experience to help an intern grow and learn.

Respect for others. Acknowledge that differences in behavior, style, and approach are, as Martha Stewart would say “a good thing.” Appreciate that we each have strengths that add value to the team.

Thanks for a job well-done. Gratitude can go a long way toward re-energizing employees to give their best.

Attention to what people are saying. Listen more and talk less. Hear what’s being said as well as what’s not being said. (Yeah, so you might have to peel your eyes away from the i-phone for a few minutes.)

Consistency in your actions and behavior. Your team members need to know what to expect from you – day in and day out.

Trust in your team members. This is perhaps one of the toughest things to give as a boss, but probably one of the most empowering things you can do for your team members. Mentor, teach, guide, give feedback, and then trust them to get the job done their way.

Giving, and lagniappe is a way of life in South Louisiana – embedded in our culture. As a leader, you can make it part of your organization’s culture. I believe that the more you model the practice of giving a little lagniappe, the more positive results you will see from your team… and the more positive results for your customers, and ultimately, your bottom line.

What will you:

  • start doing,
  • stop doing, or
  • continue doing

to give a little more – to offer a little lagniappe for your team? Use the comment box below to share your action plan with us!

To receive solutions to your people problems in your inbox every month, and to receive our report: “7 of Your Biggest People Problems…Solved,” click here.

More articles by Jennifer:

Leadership Team Accelerated Results Program

6 Leadership Lessons to Learn from Cajuns

Take 6 New Angles to Find Team Opportunities

Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication.  In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.

Photo

 

Categories
Culture Growth Management Personal Development

A Leadership Assumption That Can Kill Employee Engagement

If you think you can, you probably will. You’ll find a way if you have the motivation.  If you think you can’t you likely won’t. When it comes to solving problems, attitude is everything and how we think about a problem is the first step to having a positive attitude. We all know these truths.   If a leader wants to have optimum employee engagement in their organization, they must evaluate their assumptions about people and problems and decide if those assumptions will support engagement or kill it. A leader’s assumptions can be either a powerful negative force or a powerful positive force for engagement.

No long ago I watched Jason Day, the Australian professional golfer, win the Well Fargo Open golf tournament.  He has a very useful and obvious habit. He closes his eyes just before each shot. Supposedly, he visualizes exactly what he hopes to do with the shot. He clearly understands that how one thinks about a situation will influence the behavior and that behavior will influence the result.

I have created a leadership development process called THINK-BEHAVE-IMPROVE. How a leader thinks will influence their behaviors and the behaviors of employees.  Similarly, how a leader behaves will influence an organization’s ability to improve.

At a recent client visit, the senior team was looking for ways to elevate the customer experience.  We were discussing issues identified during an employee focus group.  According to this focus group, the highest priority to improve customer experience was improving the ability of employees to handle customer calls.  Calls were being transferred multiple times and calls were being lost. It is widely accepted that optimum employee engagement is required to achieve optimum customer experience. (Adamsky, 2016)  The senior team was compelled to address these telephone issues.

During the discussion, the General Manager piped up in a frustrated tone “We have told the employees multiple times how to handle these calls. They just need to do it.”  A leader’s statements reveal their assumptions.  I asked this leader, “So, you think they are purposely not following your instructions and process?”  he said, “No, no, no.  That is not what I am saying. I just think they don’t get it.”  I asked, “So are they incapable or incompetent?”

One of the most damaging, and common, assumption is to think an employee’s behavior is a root cause of a problem. Employee behavior is rarely a root cause.  It is usually a symptom. In my example above, the General Manager assumes that the employees “don’t get it” because there is something wrong with those employees.  This assumption is not only damaging to employee engagement, it also prevents a recognition of the real root causes of the problem.  Instead of thinking there is something wrong with the employees, a leader must ask a series of process questions to uncover why the employees, “…don’t get it.” 

Instead of assuming a flaw in the employees, it is much more useful and healthy to assume there are flaws in the processes and methods used to provide instructions. Most often people who avoid embracing a change will have very good reason why. (Lahey, 2001)  It is a leader’s job to uncover those reasons.  They can do it by asking great questions.

Here are some process questions that can help us identify root causes:

  • What can we learn from this?
  • What process was used for training? Do we need to improve our process?
  • What are all the other factors which affect the employees’ ability to “get it?” and who is responsible for those factors? How can we improve those factors?
  • Did the employee not understand the instructions? What else do they need to understand?
  • Who is responsible for explaining the instructions? Did we communicate clearly and frequently enough?
  • What are the benefits employees will enjoy by not making the changes? How can we create other benefits more compelling to employees?
  • Do the employees understand why the change is so important and have we explained those reasons correctly and frequently?
  • What would the employees recommend for improvement?

An assumption that “they don’t get it” will lead to behaviors and/or communication which kills engagement. After all, who wants to be thought of as incapable, incompetent or purposely sabotaging a process?  When employees pick up on that assumption, engagement is dead and innovation to identify and remove the root causes is missing.  It’s tragic. The death of engagement and destruction of innovation with one assumption!

Check out the interview on C-Suite Best Seller TV to learn more about how to stop leadership malpractice and replace the typical performance review: https://www.c-suitetv.com/video/best-seller-tv-wally-hauck-stop-the-leadership-malpractice/

Wally Hauck, PhD has a cure for the “deadly disease” known as the typical performance appraisal.  Wally holds a doctorate in organizational leadership from Warren National University, a Master of Business Administration in finance from Iona College, and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania.   Wally is a Certified Speaking Professional or CSP.  Wally has a passion for helping leaders let go of the old and embrace new thinking to improve leadership skills, employee engagement, and performance.

For more, read on: https://c-suitenetwork.com/advisors/advisor/wally-hauck/

Bibliography:

Adamsky, H. (2016). From Employee Engagement to Employee Advocacy: A Natural Progression. Aberdeen.

Lahey, R. K. (2001). The Real Reason People Won’t Change. Harvard Business Review.

Categories
Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

The Danger In The ‘Us Versus Them’ Dilemma

“When it comes to an ‘us versus them’ mentality, potential danger looms in the inability to understand ‘them’.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

“If we stick together, we can overcome them.” Those were the words of a devoted follower of his group. That is, he was a follower until he realized that he did not want to follow the group in the direction it was going.

There’s danger in the ‘us versus them’ mindset; it’s a dilemma people don’t realize when they’re in it. So, what is that danger and why should you be mindful of its pitfalls?

Psychologically, everyone needs to belong to an entity that’s larger than themselves. That’s not the dangerous part of the dilemma; the danger lies in the degree that you’re willing to follow the group, based on your own beliefs, and the confliction that might be caused as the result of those two being out of sync with one another. It also highlights what can occur, per how you view what the group terms as enemies of its norms. You hear that in the intonation of, “they’re not like us.” Therefore, something must be wrong with them.

If one adopts the latter mindset, their mind becomes clouded by the prominent thought that someone that doesn’t share the same norms as the group that they belong to, must be ‘missing the boat’ (i.e. not seeing something right). Once such a mindset is adopted, you’ll seek confirmation in the actions of those that are unlike your group, to confirm why you can’t treat them like you treat members of your group. In essence, your mind will have been jaded to receiving positive thoughts and ideas that might otherwise allow you to see ‘the others’ in a positive light.

If you want to be more open-minded, do so by believing, and allowing your thoughts to be moved by, the thinking that people may have different opinions and perspectives about something, but because they do, that doesn’t make them wrong or a bad person.

When it comes to ‘us versus them’, keep an open mind with the intent to discover something new about the perspective being discussed. Doing so will allow you to gain more insight into anything that you weigh. That will make you a more informed individual … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations? 

In a negotiation, you should always be mindful as to how you’re being influenced by the biases you have, towards the person making the proposal or offer. Even if you don’t like the initial offer, don’t let your initial emotions alter its appearance. There may be more than meets the eye, if you keep an open mind and consider any hidden benefits the offer might contain.

Good negotiators are aware that they can control a negotiation better, by controlling themselves. When it comes to, ‘us versus them’ in a negotiation, such a demeanor will only serve as a blight on an otherwise more successful negotiation outcome.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

What are your thoughts? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free 5-minute video on reading body language or to sign up for the “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Danger #Dilemma #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #Psychology #Perception #ControlLife #Control #leadership #HowToImproveYourself #Achievement

Categories
Growth Leadership Operations Personal Development

Four Ways to Provide Exceptional Customer Service

What if your customers said they would be willing to pay you twice what you normally charge? All they want in return is an amazing customer service experience.

Really? That’s it? That’s all they want? We already give great customer service. This will be a piece of cake! (Or, will it?)

If someone is willing to spend more, they will surely expect to get more value, and that value should be in the form of a better customer experience. A recent study by Aspect found that 52% of consumers said that they would pay more for “good” customer service while 66% will pay more for “great” customer service. And, an astounding 75% will pay more for what they consider to be “exceptional.”

The point is that great customer service makes price less relevant. Three out of four people are willing to pay more for “exceptional” customer service. How much more are they willing to pay? And what defines “exceptional” customer service? Maybe customers wouldn’t pay double the normal price, but what if they would? What would you do differently? Here are a few ideas to consider:

Return your customers’ emails

Can you believe that 62% of companies don’t?! That’s according to a recent Super Office study. And, not only would you return them, you would do so quickly. And, by quickly I mean minutes, not hours or days. And, the same goes for your customers’ phone calls.

Contact your customers more often

A salesperson could check in with their customers to see how they are doing or to notify them of a promotion, sale, or special event. A customer service rep could follow-up to make sure everything was working. There are plenty of reasons to stay in touch.

Be as convenient for your customers as possible

You might be open longer hours or drive to a customer rather than make them come to you. There are many ways to make yourself more convenient.

Send a Thank You note

I know that sounds so basic, but you can’t believe how few people send thank you notes. And, given how we are in an age that’s moving away from paper, I’ll accept an email or text message – as long as it’s personalized. Be sure to say something that truly connects with the customer. That said, the “snail mail” note has more impact than an email or text. After all, they are spending twice as much to do business with you!

So, maybe the customer isn’t spending twice as much. Maybe they are paying you the same thing they would pay a competitor. Do any of the four customer service tactics seem so far-fetched that you couldn’t or wouldn’t do them regardless of what the customer paid? I don’t think so.

Do you want to stand out from your competition? Do you want to make price less relevant? Sit down with your team and discuss what “exceptional” customer service looks like to your customer. Then do it!

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling business author. For information, contact 314-692-2200 or www.hyken.com. For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs, go to www.thecustomerfocus.com. Follow on Twitter: @Hyken

Categories
Best Practices Body Language Entrepreneurship Human Resources Investing Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

How Do You Know When To Trust The Truth?

“The truth is the opposite of a lie that’s believable. Watch what you believe!” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

“You don’t know what the truth looks like, even though I’ve recited it numerous times to you through my ever-changing story.”

What does the truth feel like, sound like, look like, when you feel it, hear it, see it? How do you determine to what degree the truth has been told? The truth can be fluid. That means, we know what the truth is today, based on what we’ve known to be truthful in the past. Then, as greater insight, discoveries, and other machinations are introduced into our environment, a new truth can emerge.

It’s important to understand how you discern what you perceive to be the truth because others can manipulate you, based on what they know of your ability to distinguish between fact from fiction.

To become more cognizant as to when someone might be engaging in the truth, versus having no relationship with it at all, take note of the following insights.

Demeanor – Yours and Theirs:

Always note the demeanor of someone when they engage with you. In particular, note to what degree they feel at ease, uptight, or normal (whatever that is as it relates to their demeanor); you can observe this by noting how they act/respond in un-stressful environments. The non-stressful environment will become the basis from which to make and compare future assessments. You should also be mindful of how you feel as the result of being with the person that’s speaking to you. Your demeanor will put you into a particular mindset that sets your perception and expectations about that person’s ability to tell the truth.

Intuitiveness:

When it comes to truthfulness versus deception, you know more than you think you do. When was the last time you had a ‘feeling’ about whether someone was telling you the truth? What did you experience? Was it something they said, the way they said it, or maybe the way they looked when they said/did it. When you had that sensation, your intuitiveness had kicked in; something triggered it. If you were aware through which senses you perceived such signals, you can use the same sense(s) to heighten your awareness in the future. Never discount a gut feeling. That’s your subconscious mind beckoning your attention.

Story In Order:

When people lie, they tend to fill their story with detail and they’ll attempt to tell their story in a chronological order. To catch such a perpetrator, take one aspect of his story and slightly change it as you recite it back to him; don’t let on that you’re doing so to see if he corrects you, or agrees to your version of his story. If he doesn’t correct you, do the same with another section of his story to see what he does. If he lets that one go too, feign forgetfulness and ask him to repeat the story. Note to what degree the story changes from the original version. To the degree that it does, you’ll know where the lie lies.

Body Language:

When someone is being truthful, their body language is aligned with their words (i.e. hand and eye movements are synched with words). If you note subtle changes in their demeanor, as they profess to tell you the truth, note the question you posed that caused such a reaction. The question you posed, and their reaction to it, will be a guidepost that indicates the degree that you may be uncovering their lack of truthfulness.

There are many reasons why someone may wish to avoid being 100% truthful with you. If you set the ‘right’ environment, observe the storyteller’s body language, and you’re mindful of this person’s demeanor you’ll create the space in which more of the truth can reside … and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free 5-minute video on reading body language or to sign up for the “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Trust #Truth #Negotiation #HandlingObjections #Negotiator #detectingLies  #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #psychology #CombatDisinformation #HowToHandleObjections

Categories
Best Practices Culture Growth Health and Wellness Leadership Technology

Stop Playing a Game of Relationships Roulette

Attention is about connection. Attention is critical for cultivating healthy relationships – personally and professionally. Studies have shown us that when people fail to get the attention they need from a relationship, they will begin to seek it elsewhere.

Giving attention to someone is our way of prioritizing the relationship and showing them they are important to us.

When we give our attention to our spouse or partner, our relationship deepens.

When we give attention to our friends and family, our relationships become stronger.

As leaders, when we give attention to our employees, we retain their talent and create a sense of loyalty in the partnership.

My latest book Attention Pays, recently released and I’ve been ah-mazed at the number of people who have reached out to me about their experience reading it. Many of them have admitted they finally recognized the fact they were neglecting their more important relationships. Some even felt compelled to put the book down to give their focus to those they love in that very moment.  That makes me so happy. I am a work in progress, just like you. I need these reminders too.

I believe attention is our new currency. The more undivided attention we give to those that matter most, the more value they see in the relationship.

Here are a few strategies to help you focus your undivided attention on those in your life:

1. Device-free meals. Choose to keep the table a device-free zone. No matter the meal, no matter the company, choose to put it away. If you’re having a team luncheon, challenge others to do the same. Having dinner with friends? Make a deal with them that the first person to engage on their phone will have to pay the bill. Instead, use the time at the table to focus on those in your presence. Honor them and their importance in your life by engaging and gifting them with your undivided attention.

2. Purposefully plan. Be mindful and intentional about when you will spend time with those who matter most. Schedule time in the office to meet with employees to check in on their well-being. Set aside time each day to ask your children about their day. Consider planning a vacation with your friends or family that you can look forward to. Plan a date with your partner, child or friends. By planning ahead, you are letting others know how much you value the relationship.

3. Little things matter. Have you ever been surprised by someone who bought you a coffee on their way to work one morning? Maybe you’ve come home to find a small, unexpected package in the mail from a friend. Little things matter. They are one way to give attention to those who matter in your life. They let others know you care. Consider grabbing your partner’s favorite dessert on the way home as a special surprise. Or, pop an unexpected hand-written note in the mail to a friend or loved one. Reward an employee with a coffee or sweet treat for a hard day’s work.

What ideas do you have? Feel free to share in the comments below. Relationships are critical to our happiness and are important to our personal and professional well-being. Invest yourself in relationships and show those in your life they matter most.

Categories
Entrepreneurship Management Marketing Personal Development

The Sudden Death of Products and Services

Texas Sunset

Your customer has spoken: products and services are dead.

Consumed by new marketing strategies, all products and services have been replaced.

The next next thing in marketing and branding?

“Experiences”.

Marketing and Branding with Chris WestfallCalling something a product or service just doesn’t make any sense in the new economy. The description is out of date. Those words don’t apply to today’s consumers or companies.

Marketing professionals and sales people need to understand:
Products and services are dead.

Every leader has to understand: every company, everywhere, is selling experiences.

 

Think about it: The things that we buy and consume, either as individuals or as a corporate entity, are not products. These things are not services.

We buy, acquire, endure and enjoy experiences.

Related: Four Ways to Overcome Your Blind Spot on Entrepreneur.com

Today, commerce trades on the experience you have, and the experience you provide.

Consider these experiential products:

  • A vacation in Hawai’i
  • Purchasing a new Porsche Panamera
  • Transitioning your organization to SAP CRM
  • Changing vendors for your outsourced call center

Which of these are products, and which are services? Answer: None, and all. The old words don’t work anymore; we need to choose new ones if we want to tell a story that’s authentic and complete. And all customers – all consumers – crave authenticity.

Marketing Products and Services in a VaccuumYou see, no product exists in a vaccuum.

Even a vaccuum cleaner.

No service stands alone without products. These things are really events, or experiences, made up of a series of products, services and interactions.

And so many things are outside the scope of either products or services. For example: what if you donate to a non-profit? What about that last iPhone app, or a new piece of software – what is it exactly, product or service?

What we want, what we pay for and what we get can all be summed up in one way: experiences.

Today’s customer (whether a corporation or a person, and by the way they are NOT the same) wants an experience. Perhaps an experience that is fantastic (like visiting the most beautiful place on the planet, Hawai’i) or excruciating (transitioning to SAP CRM, for example, because your CFO chose the low-bidder on the job).

Even a traditional product purchase, like buying a new car, requires a series of events that create an experience that circumvents the “product” (whatever the hell that is, anyway). For example, when you buy a car, unless you have $108,433.00 cash (that’s a nice car! welcome to the C-Suite), you are going to need financing.

Maybe you will lease the vehicle. Maybe you will talk to the finance manager, or the sales manager, about your options. You go through a series of events and choices; this is all part of the experience of ownership. The most traditional “product” in America (the automobile) gives you an experience. The experience of the purchase, the experience of the service, and the experience of the brand. How does your car make you feel about yourself? Are you comfortable, and do you feel powerful behind the wheel? Those feelings are as real as the tires and the spark plugs – a very real experience, indeed.

Marketing Matters

“Product” and “service” are incomplete definitions. Consider the experience you want to have, as a consumer or a corporation. And, if you want to reach new customers in new ways, think long and hard about the total customer experience. Services and products alone just aren’t cutting it anymore.

 

Bullet Proof Branding by Chris WestfallMore Information and Additional Resources: 

Check out Bullet Proof Branding.  Find out how Cisco, Cargill, the Huffington Post and other organizations are creating impact in the digital age.

With a foreword by Ted Rubin, this book takes a look at how the conversation is changing for companies and individuals, in the age of social media.

About the Author: Chris Westfall is the publisher of seven books, including BulletProof Branding. His latest book is called Leadership Language, coming from Wiley in the fall of 2018. A business coach to entrepreneurial leaders on four continents, Chris Westfall has reshaped brands around the globe – creating multi-million dollar results in the process. His clients have appeared on Shark Tank, Dragons’ Den in Canada and Shark Tank – Australia. Find out more on his website and follow him on twitter.

Photo credits: Texas Sunset by the author. Girl with laptop and vacuum cleaner: creative commons via flickr.

Categories
Growth Leadership Personal Development

We Need New Skills At Work

The way we work isn’t working.

Pushing harder to do more is our automatic “fail-safe” behavior for achieving the results we want. At least we think so. It has worked in the past, we see it all around us and we tend to believe, that if we are not successful in reaching our goals, it is because we have not tried hard enough, spent enough time or we might even think we are not capable.  Sounds familiar?

I hear it all the time from people I coach on their human performance and leadership, “I just need to …” as if we can flick a switch and all of a sudden we will do what it is we have not been doing. Well if it were that easy, how come we have not been doing it? Because it is not that simple after all, is it?

We don’t wake up motivated.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? Do you think of what is ahead and what you need to do? Maybe even what you did not get done yesterday and it is still hanging out on your “to-do list”. You might even wake up already stressed, rather than motivated to get started on all the projects ahead. The thing about stress, it blocks us from seeing the options around and ahead of us.

I think a lot of people believe that they “should” be waking up motivated and that being a leader means you are always motivated. It would be nice for sure, but that is not how motivation works, because fear and doubt kills motivation and creativity, -and we all have it.

And that is ok.

There is nothing wrong with us for having fear and doubt. Actually I would consider it abnormal and maybe even ignorant if you did not have any. Fear and doubt helps us pay attention to the possible dangers ahead. The key however is to NOT believe the stories we might tell ourselves about “what happens if…” and instead use the fear and doubt to be sign-posts and tell-tales for where we might need to learn more and pay extra attention.

Fear and doubt can be our aware and mindful helper rather than our inner critic and constant “spirit-robber”. Fear has helped us survive for centuries exactly because it has made us mindful of dangers. The switch is to recognize when the story takes us away from the present moment, which is when we lose our power to do something about it and instead go on automatic “fix-it-mode”.

Be here now.

When we go to work with the mindset of “what problems might happen today” we look for trouble. When we go to work with the mindset “how can I do my best work today” we look for solutions to those problems. When we go to work empty, without fuel and care, we are already running on survival mode. When we go to work fueled and nourished, we are ready for the task ahead. Being ready for the day ahead does not mean to honker down, bite down and put on our warrior outfit. Ready is to be centered, ready and able to be present to engage with the people and the projects that are ahead.

Performance is not about more, it is about better.

To be able to pay attention, be discerning and focus on what is important we need to take care of our basic survival needs first. Water, food and rest. They are the foundation for us being busy, better, because it is how we can un-stress and give our bodies what we need, to be at our best.

When we are working on survival mode, we do what we have always done, because we focus on what is urgent and we are driven by instinct. When we go to work nourished, we are on performance mode. We can focus on what is important and we are driven by inspiration.

What if…

What if you started each day pausing instead of rushing. Listening instead of telling. Wondering instead of doubting. Looking for the best way forward instead of being concerned or stressed by what is ahead.

What if you started each day by asking yourself; “how am I feeling and what do I need so I can do my best work today?”

If you were wondering what you need, so you are supported in doing all the things required of you, what do you think would change in your relationship with yourself?

Here is the thing.

When you start being that way with yourself, you start being that way with others. You start asking your team, what do you need so you can get this done? If you start listening to your team and ask them questions about how they would solve a problem, instead of telling them what to do, which takes away their motivation and keeps the burden of responsibility on you?

If you care.

If you care, things change instead of you having to change them, because you un-stress and start observing and noticing what needs your attention rather than trying to keep your mind on everything (and nothing). If you care about people, they start caring about themselves and about their job too. And they can wake up wondering what they need, to do their best work today too.

We need soft-skills.

Bring your your humanity, your self-care and your soft-skills to work and see how your work, your leadership, your performance and your potential is transformed. It is how we build a culture of care at work, because without care, we don’t have culture.

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Health and Wellness Management Women In Business

Interview with Aaron Young, Renowned Entrepreneur

Aaron Young is a renowned entrepreneur with more than 30 years experience and several multi-million dollar companies under his belt. Join us for an intimate interview where Aaron shares how his resilient and creative mindset successfully took him through many trials and tribulations.

Watch my interview with Aaron here!

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Leadership Personal Development

The 4 Core Proficiencies of the Barefoot Startup

If you’ve survived the entrepreneurial process from idea generation to capital generation and you were asked to sum it up into core principles, what would you say? Where would you start? We were met with this exact challenge. Clients, business associates, and our employees insisted that we should break our journey into its fundamental parts and elaborate on those parts. We tossed ideas around for a year, thinking about how to get these principles across to startups.

Thinking about why so many startups fail seemed to be a good starting point. What did they have in common? In what areas were most of the “failures” incompetent? To our surprise, each of them was incompetent in at least one of the 4 key areas. That led us to focus on and prioritize them in The Barefoot Startup’s GPS (Guiding Principles for Success). Here’s a brief synopsis:

1. Cash Flow Management. Here, your goal is to reduce the need for capital. Do you know how to distinguish and utilize your “hidden” assets? Ideally, your buyers might pay you before you have to pay for overhead and supplies. This is possible, but for most of us, juggling is necessary! And, before we pay ourselves, we must spend every cent on the bills. This is why minimizing overhead, outsourcing, and pay-as-you-go are crucial. This is why frugality and revenue are necessary. No matter the amount, revenue must be established before you ask for investors’ money. Do you know how to create strategic partnerships with your buyers and suppliers, to decrease your need for capital?

2. Monetization Strategy. It might sound crazy, but many startups never ask the all-important question, “Why are we doing this anyway?” Is it a legacy? Is it a lifestyle? Or is it to make money on brand equity? If you’re looking at an eventual merger, public offering, or acquisition, the first steps of your journey are key to your survival. They will determine plans for expansion and how your brand equity is maximized. This means your goods or services must be accessible, and that your business can operate without you. It means your files mirror your acquirer’s due diligence. It also means that you understand and create the milestones and metrics necessary to become an acquisition target, or, as we like to say, “Get your peanut in front of the elephant!”

3. Personnel Management. Here, your goal is to reduce turnover, the top hidden cost of business, and to empower and inspire your employees. Finding good people and building great people are covered in our video mentioned above. In our opinion, it’s necessary to overdo it during orientation from the first day to show where the money comes from, including all the jumps and hurdles it must pass over and through to get to them. Paying for performance inspires better performance. Paying employees hourly encourages more time spent at work, not necessarily leading to productivity. Publicly appreciating a job well done, encouraging innovation and creativity, and nurturing a culture of permission are undeniably crucial to a supportive and productive team. Share challenges with the whole staff on a know-the-need basis, rather than a need-to-know basis. This helps on-the-fly problem solving by unlocking your personnel assets!

4. Distribution management. Do you know how to get your product on the market? More importantly, do you know how to keep it there? Distribution encompasses everything from supply chain management to sales. And, sales is not just to your end consumer, but also to your people, then your B2B customer, then their B2C customer, and finally to your (and their) end-user. Knowing, understanding, and delivering what everyone in the chain needs can be the difference between market access and being shut out. A failure to understand the true cost of sales is the principal reason why so many startups fail. Start small. Make small mistakes. Learn from them, and get yourself together before you go large. Don’t move fast to lose fast! 

Interested? These 4 core principals, so often disregarded, are so critical that we spend a whole hour on each of them in our video course, The Barefoot Startup’s GPS (Guiding Principles for Success). Check it out and see for yourself!

For more, read on: http://c-suitenetworkadvisors.com/advisor/michael-houlihan-and-bonnie-harvey/