The Business Golfer….Chapter Ten.
This is another in a continuing series of articles relating the similarities of being a good golfer to those of a being a good businessman. The author is Jim Masters, a FocalPoint Business Coach and Area Developer in Omaha Nebraska.
Today’s Installment: The Act of Giving Back
Recently, my wife and I attended a funeral for Steve Hogan, founder of “Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes”. Steve created the organization back in 1990. (You can learn more about the organization and what it does for kids at “www.thefirstteeomaha.org”.) The funeral was a touching tribute to a man who had devoted much of his life to helping at-risk inner city kids find a better path.
To understand why Steve founded Hogan’s Junior Golf Heroes, it’s important to understand his background. Steve grew up in Omaha’s inner city and took up golf at an early age. As a young African-American, growing up in a rough area, Steve realized he faced a lot of tough moral decisions. Interestingly, he always found that the game of golf and its focus on respect, integrity, honesty and attitude helped give him a solid moral compass from which to weigh his actions and consequences.
He so embraced the game of golf that he decided to make a career out of it, becoming the first Nebraska African-American PGA professional. He returned back to his old neighborhood and its inner city course to become its pro. He realized things had not gotten better in the area….if anything, the conditions and temptations were even worse. It was then that he reflected on how fortunate he had been and he owed much of his success to the game of golf and what it had taught him about life.
Steve Hogan then made a decision….a decision which would change his life and the lives of so many at-risk inner city kids. If golf had been such a good life teacher to him, why wouldn’t it work just as well on these kids? So, Steve decided golf would be his “hook” to work with kids and teach them there are so many opportunities to pursue with their lives. Enlisting the help of city and business leaders, Steve turned his dream into a reality…the program now reaches out to more than 650 youth annually.
An important fundamental of the program is the “warm-up” drill taught to all the participants enrolled in the program. It is called the “Divine Swing”, and goes like this:
1. Feet Together... (Have a firm foundation which is Jesus Christ)
2. Shoulder width apart… (Stand tall and be responsible)
3. Bend your knees... (Pray Always)
4. Bend Your Waist… (Bow to no man but bend to respect and help every man)
5. Hold the ball… (Hold on to God and your dreams)
6. Bring it Back… (Remember where you are but never forget where you came from)
7. Toss.. (Take a swing at your dreams)
8. One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three… (Wait on the Lord and stay on course)
9. Watch the ball fly… (And one day you will fly)
Steve is an example of a professional golfer who chose to “give back”. There are countless others. Consider this: The PGA leads all professional sports in terms of charitable contributions. In 2007, alone, the PGA gave $123 million to charity and has raised more than $1 billion raised since 1938. Many golfers support specific charities or even establish their own. Since its inception in 1996, the Tiger Woods foundation has raised and dispersed more than $30 million toward communities nationwide through grants, scholarships and the Tiger Woods Learning Center. More than 10 million young people have been touched by the Tiger Woods Foundation
During this Holiday season, as business people and/or golfers, it is important to reflect on our good fortune and ask the question, “What am I doing to give back”. Some equate giving back with giving money. While so many could indeed use financial help, giving of your time, energy and talents in service to others, may make an even greater impact. So, just like Steve Hogan, you too can be a “hero” to others….just make a commitment to give back…starting today!
ABOUT THE COACH AND AREA DEVELOPER
Jim brings a wealth of sales, service, operations, associate development, team-building and leadership experience to his role as business coach and area developer. In his career, he has worked for and with all types of businesses, from large international corporations, to locally owned entrepreneurship's. He has been a consultant, served as an executive for a company with revenues in excess of $1 billion and was elected President of a non-profit enterprise with a budget of more than $3 million. Throughout he has learned the key factors to success in any sized businesses and is dedicated to creating time and money for his clients. Contact information:
Jim Masters
FocalPoint Business Coaching
402-331-7000
jmasters AT focalpointcoaching DOT com
Monday, December 15, 2008
Business Coach Dan Creed on Business during the Holidays
Happy holidays to all!
I hope that you’re keeping warm wherever you are? Heating up your business activity is a good way to keep busy. I personally subscribe to over 30 newsletters and blogs from some of the top business development; motivational experts; retailing experts and business coaches in the world. Last week there seemed to be a theme that I was preaching as well.
Right now, today and for the next month or more is the greatest time in history for aggressive salespeople and businesspeople, hard working salespeople/businesspeople to be selling something, anything, successfully. Why, because your wimpy competition is in hiding. Everyone is sticking their head in the sand and many salespeople/businesspeople are:
Crying and moaning and agreeing with the gloom and doom pundits about how bad they perceive the economy to be, or;
Using the economy woes and everyone’s fears as an excuse to go play more golf or sit around the office.
While your competition is “cocooning” you need to be attacking. The field is wide open. Now is your time to be a positive light (maybe the only positive light) for all of your prospects and customers. Give them options, be creative, help them think positive and be positive. Ask them for their business or ask them for more business. Be sure to have a strong “Call to Action” in all of your advertising and marketing and be sure to answer the WII-FM questions, “WHAT’s IN IT FOR ME?” questions.
This is a great time to steal market share from your competition and build tons of good will that will last far beyond the difficult times and into the good times.
I’ve also added a very nice piece below that I want to share with you. It’s called “The Eight Essential Clarity Questions in a Challenging Economy”…..These are questions that you really need to ask yourself about your business an yourself as you plan your goals and business strategy for 2009. And remember, if you might need some help with goals; time management; strategic planning; business plans and more, give me a call or drop me a line. Business Coaching is one of the best gifts you can give you and your business for 2009.
"8 ESSENTIAL CORE QUESTIONS IN A CHALLENGING ECONOMY"
1. What are your core competencies? What do you do very well? It’s essential to know this. Be honest with yourself. You can’t do everything but you can do some things very well! So, Identify them and do more of them.
2. What are your core activities? Guerilla marketing experts now say that 10% of your activities will produce 90% of your profits! Identify them and focus on them, NOW.
3. What are your core products and services? What products and/or services produce the most sales or highest profit? (Pareto’s Law)This used to be the 80/20 rule, but today the 90/10 rule seems to be the standard! 90% of your profit will come from 10% of your products. Identify your winners and focus your efforts on them.
4. What/Who are your core customers? In most businesses 20% of your customers produce 80% of all sales, who are these people? Focus on them, care for them more, ask them for more business and ask them for referrals!
5. Who are the core people in your company? Identify your keepers! If you have problem team members or slackers, now is not the time to have anyone that isn’t a major contributor! Deal with it!
6. What are your core sales and marketing methods? Millions of advertising dollars are being wasted today because “That’s the way we’ve always marketed!” Marketing effectiveness has changed and your consumers have changed. If you’re not getting results stop it now and build a new strategy that works featuring low cost and high impact.
7. What can I do NOW to protect my core business from the worse thing that could possibly happen? A key component of surviving and thriving is preparedness. It’s tough but you must ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen to your business? Be aware and then plan ahead to prevent it from happening or at least how you would deal with it.
8. What are the core strengths that I have as a person? Leaders know…
a. What they’re good at
b. What they’re bad at
c. What they like to do
d. What they don’t like to do
9. What are your core opportunities? Open up your eyes and understand what opportunities are staring you in the face. Be aware of them and don’t miss them, act on them now. Time is your worst enemy!
Good Luck All!
Happy Holidays
Dan Creed,
FocalPointCoaching
www.focalpointcoaching.com
I hope that you’re keeping warm wherever you are? Heating up your business activity is a good way to keep busy. I personally subscribe to over 30 newsletters and blogs from some of the top business development; motivational experts; retailing experts and business coaches in the world. Last week there seemed to be a theme that I was preaching as well.
Right now, today and for the next month or more is the greatest time in history for aggressive salespeople and businesspeople, hard working salespeople/businesspeople to be selling something, anything, successfully. Why, because your wimpy competition is in hiding. Everyone is sticking their head in the sand and many salespeople/businesspeople are:
Crying and moaning and agreeing with the gloom and doom pundits about how bad they perceive the economy to be, or;
Using the economy woes and everyone’s fears as an excuse to go play more golf or sit around the office.
While your competition is “cocooning” you need to be attacking. The field is wide open. Now is your time to be a positive light (maybe the only positive light) for all of your prospects and customers. Give them options, be creative, help them think positive and be positive. Ask them for their business or ask them for more business. Be sure to have a strong “Call to Action” in all of your advertising and marketing and be sure to answer the WII-FM questions, “WHAT’s IN IT FOR ME?” questions.
This is a great time to steal market share from your competition and build tons of good will that will last far beyond the difficult times and into the good times.
I’ve also added a very nice piece below that I want to share with you. It’s called “The Eight Essential Clarity Questions in a Challenging Economy”…..These are questions that you really need to ask yourself about your business an yourself as you plan your goals and business strategy for 2009. And remember, if you might need some help with goals; time management; strategic planning; business plans and more, give me a call or drop me a line. Business Coaching is one of the best gifts you can give you and your business for 2009.
"8 ESSENTIAL CORE QUESTIONS IN A CHALLENGING ECONOMY"
1. What are your core competencies? What do you do very well? It’s essential to know this. Be honest with yourself. You can’t do everything but you can do some things very well! So, Identify them and do more of them.
2. What are your core activities? Guerilla marketing experts now say that 10% of your activities will produce 90% of your profits! Identify them and focus on them, NOW.
3. What are your core products and services? What products and/or services produce the most sales or highest profit? (Pareto’s Law)This used to be the 80/20 rule, but today the 90/10 rule seems to be the standard! 90% of your profit will come from 10% of your products. Identify your winners and focus your efforts on them.
4. What/Who are your core customers? In most businesses 20% of your customers produce 80% of all sales, who are these people? Focus on them, care for them more, ask them for more business and ask them for referrals!
5. Who are the core people in your company? Identify your keepers! If you have problem team members or slackers, now is not the time to have anyone that isn’t a major contributor! Deal with it!
6. What are your core sales and marketing methods? Millions of advertising dollars are being wasted today because “That’s the way we’ve always marketed!” Marketing effectiveness has changed and your consumers have changed. If you’re not getting results stop it now and build a new strategy that works featuring low cost and high impact.
7. What can I do NOW to protect my core business from the worse thing that could possibly happen? A key component of surviving and thriving is preparedness. It’s tough but you must ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen to your business? Be aware and then plan ahead to prevent it from happening or at least how you would deal with it.
8. What are the core strengths that I have as a person? Leaders know…
a. What they’re good at
b. What they’re bad at
c. What they like to do
d. What they don’t like to do
9. What are your core opportunities? Open up your eyes and understand what opportunities are staring you in the face. Be aware of them and don’t miss them, act on them now. Time is your worst enemy!
Good Luck All!
Happy Holidays
Dan Creed,
FocalPointCoaching
www.focalpointcoaching.com
Thursday, November 6, 2008
FocalPoint Coaching Cheers Record Turnout for Election
This is Democracy!
What a great voter turnout for the Presidential Election yesterday. 79% is outstanding.
At the next football game you go to , look around. 8 out of 10 people there stood up for what they believed in.
This news was reported widely, but it hit me while watching the live coverage and then reading this article....
That fantastic, and a great show of how we value our strong democracy.
Regardless of who won, we stood up and voted, and that's great. The Election was followed by 2 strong candidate speeches.
John McCains speech is here, and is a wonderful example of classy statemanship.
President-Elect Barack Obama's is here. It is also a great example of leadership.
Onwards, America!
Steve Thompson,
President
FocalPoint Business Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
What a great voter turnout for the Presidential Election yesterday. 79% is outstanding.
At the next football game you go to , look around. 8 out of 10 people there stood up for what they believed in.
This news was reported widely, but it hit me while watching the live coverage and then reading this article....
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
November 6, 2008
County voters may have a set a new benchmark for casting ballots. About 1.19 million voters took part in Tuesday's election, the most in at least the past two decades. It's likely the most ever, but county officials couldn't confirm that.
The turnout of registered voters was 79 percent, topping the 2004 general election but falling just shy of the percentage record. The modern turnout record is 81 percent, set in 1976 when Democrat Jimmy Carter defeated Republican Gerald Ford for president.
That fantastic, and a great show of how we value our strong democracy.
Regardless of who won, we stood up and voted, and that's great. The Election was followed by 2 strong candidate speeches.
John McCains speech is here, and is a wonderful example of classy statemanship.
President-Elect Barack Obama's is here. It is also a great example of leadership.
Onwards, America!
Steve Thompson,
President
FocalPoint Business Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
FocalPoint Business Coaching and Golf - Any Challenges?
Have you read some of Jim's posts on the G.O.L.F.E.R. Series?
Here's another one!
Chapter Nine.
Today’s Installment: Finding a Way…Respond to Adversity Like a Winner!
I began writing this installment on Halloween, and if one reads the news, studies their investment portfolio, listens to the politicos, or watches the economy….it’s a scary and frightful time indeed! Yet, if we look at all this objectively, it is merely another opportunity for us to face the situation and deal with the adversity it presents.
You notice I use the term “us”….each of “us” must deal with adversity as it currently exists and find their own solution. I did not, as so many seem to, use the term, “wait for someone else”, like the government, etc. to deliver a nice, tidy, gift-wrapped, solution for all our problems! Individual action and accountability are keys to responding to any adverse situation we face.
Brian Tracy, world renowned author, speaker and business coach looks at adversity this way. “You learn what you’re really made of only when things go wrong and you are tumbled, end over end, by some adversity or setback that hits you like a Mack truck coming out of an alley.” “Let’s make one thing clear at the beginning. Life is a continuous succession of both small and large problems. They never end. No sooner do you get control of one situation when you are hit by another.”
As a business coach, I believe, like every successful person, that overcoming adversity is within our individual control and capabilities. Brian Tracy illustrates this point when he states, “Remember, too, that you are never sent a difficulty that is too big for you to handle. Whatever problems or adversities you face, you have within you the resources to deal with them. You have the creative ability to find a solution to your problem. You have within you, right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.”
As you know, I am always able to find a correlation between successful business people and successful golfers. Perhaps because of its individual nature, adversity impacts the golfer in a manner unique to all sporting competitions. Not only does the golfer compete against the field, he competes against the course, the playing conditions and even himself. Successful golfers must face adversity head on, find ways to respond to it, and overcome it…by taking self-initiated action!
When I look for examples of a golfer responding to adversity, I am drawn to this year’s US Open won by Tiger Woods. Going into the tournament, Tiger had suffered torn ligaments in his knee and a double stress fracture in his leg. Everyone can recall visions of a limping Tiger, perspiring, (even in the cool conditions) wincing in pain and grimacing after every swing, He even needed help getting in and out of bunkers.
Yet he willed himself to win….surviving a grueling 18 hole playoff with Rocco Mediate. Recently, he was asked by a sports reporter if there was a point in the week when he (Tiger) said to himself, “That’s it. I can’t go on. I have to withdraw.” Tiger shot a serious and measured look at the reporter and said “Uh, uh.” Then he flashed that famous smile and added, “I’ll find a way!”
“Finding a way” is how any successful person deals with adversity. The process of finding a way is what separates success from failure. Dale Carnegie detailed a four step process more than 50 years ago, and it’s still just as applicable in 2008 as it was then.
Step 1: Define the problem clearly.
Step 2: Determine the worst possible thing that could happen as a result of the problem.
Step 3: Resolve to accept the worst, should it occur.
Step 4: Focus all of your energy on making sure that the very worst doesn’t happen.
At this point, you probably are thinking, “Gee, there’s not much to this….just these four steps???” While the four steps seem simple enough, it is surprisingly difficult to think clearly when one is right in the middle of the emotion, the confusion, and the “fear” of the moment. Analyzing the situation with clarity and objectivity allows you to then work through each of the components contained within the four steps. Only then can positive action be initiated.
Maintaining objectivity, however, can be difficult. If you doubt your abilities to be objective, do not hesitate to seek the counsel of someone who can look at the situation in a way you cannot. Often, the most valuable skill a business coach brings to the table is the ability to be brutally honest and objective.
Action Steps: Resolve immediately, to accept the fact that you will constantly face adversity. Because you are a winner, you are responsible for your own success. You won’t wait for a solution; you will respond to the challenge with positive action. You are the kind of person who “finds a way!”
This is another in a continuing series of articles relating the similarities of being a good golfer to those of a being a good businessman. The author is Jim Masters, a FocalPoint Business Coach and Area Developer in Omaha Nebraska.
About FocalPoint
FocalPoint International, Inc., the world’s premiere business coaching and development franchise company, has formed a ground-breaking strategic alliance with Brian Tracy International, Inc., that will provide organizations and individuals with proven concepts, methodologies and skills developed in the most effective manner, long-term one-on-one coaching.
Coaching Information
Are you on track to double or even triple your business in the next 3 to 5 years? Masters Business Performance Coaching combines Jim Masters 30 years of business and leadership experience with the powerful results based content and expertise of one of the world's best known business coaches, Brian Tracy. We will work with you to create an actionable personal strategic plan, quickly taking you and your business as far as you want to go!
ABOUT THE COACH AND AREA DEVELOPER
Jim brings a wealth of sales, service, operations, associate development, team-building and leadership experience to his role as business coach and area developer. In his career, he has worked for and with all types of businesses, from large international corporations, to locally owned entrepreneurship's. He has been a consultant, served as an executive for a company with revenues in excess of $1 billion and was elected President of a non-profit enterprise with a budget of more than $3 million. Throughout he has learned the key factors to success in any sized businesses and is dedicated to creating time and money for his clients. Contact information:
Jim Masters
FocalPoint Business Coaching
402-331-7000
jmasters@focalpointcoaching.com
Here's another one!
Chapter Nine.
Today’s Installment: Finding a Way…Respond to Adversity Like a Winner!
I began writing this installment on Halloween, and if one reads the news, studies their investment portfolio, listens to the politicos, or watches the economy….it’s a scary and frightful time indeed! Yet, if we look at all this objectively, it is merely another opportunity for us to face the situation and deal with the adversity it presents.
You notice I use the term “us”….each of “us” must deal with adversity as it currently exists and find their own solution. I did not, as so many seem to, use the term, “wait for someone else”, like the government, etc. to deliver a nice, tidy, gift-wrapped, solution for all our problems! Individual action and accountability are keys to responding to any adverse situation we face.
Brian Tracy, world renowned author, speaker and business coach looks at adversity this way. “You learn what you’re really made of only when things go wrong and you are tumbled, end over end, by some adversity or setback that hits you like a Mack truck coming out of an alley.” “Let’s make one thing clear at the beginning. Life is a continuous succession of both small and large problems. They never end. No sooner do you get control of one situation when you are hit by another.”
As a business coach, I believe, like every successful person, that overcoming adversity is within our individual control and capabilities. Brian Tracy illustrates this point when he states, “Remember, too, that you are never sent a difficulty that is too big for you to handle. Whatever problems or adversities you face, you have within you the resources to deal with them. You have the creative ability to find a solution to your problem. You have within you, right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.”
As you know, I am always able to find a correlation between successful business people and successful golfers. Perhaps because of its individual nature, adversity impacts the golfer in a manner unique to all sporting competitions. Not only does the golfer compete against the field, he competes against the course, the playing conditions and even himself. Successful golfers must face adversity head on, find ways to respond to it, and overcome it…by taking self-initiated action!
When I look for examples of a golfer responding to adversity, I am drawn to this year’s US Open won by Tiger Woods. Going into the tournament, Tiger had suffered torn ligaments in his knee and a double stress fracture in his leg. Everyone can recall visions of a limping Tiger, perspiring, (even in the cool conditions) wincing in pain and grimacing after every swing, He even needed help getting in and out of bunkers.
Yet he willed himself to win….surviving a grueling 18 hole playoff with Rocco Mediate. Recently, he was asked by a sports reporter if there was a point in the week when he (Tiger) said to himself, “That’s it. I can’t go on. I have to withdraw.” Tiger shot a serious and measured look at the reporter and said “Uh, uh.” Then he flashed that famous smile and added, “I’ll find a way!”
“Finding a way” is how any successful person deals with adversity. The process of finding a way is what separates success from failure. Dale Carnegie detailed a four step process more than 50 years ago, and it’s still just as applicable in 2008 as it was then.
Step 1: Define the problem clearly.
Step 2: Determine the worst possible thing that could happen as a result of the problem.
Step 3: Resolve to accept the worst, should it occur.
Step 4: Focus all of your energy on making sure that the very worst doesn’t happen.
At this point, you probably are thinking, “Gee, there’s not much to this….just these four steps???” While the four steps seem simple enough, it is surprisingly difficult to think clearly when one is right in the middle of the emotion, the confusion, and the “fear” of the moment. Analyzing the situation with clarity and objectivity allows you to then work through each of the components contained within the four steps. Only then can positive action be initiated.
Maintaining objectivity, however, can be difficult. If you doubt your abilities to be objective, do not hesitate to seek the counsel of someone who can look at the situation in a way you cannot. Often, the most valuable skill a business coach brings to the table is the ability to be brutally honest and objective.
Action Steps: Resolve immediately, to accept the fact that you will constantly face adversity. Because you are a winner, you are responsible for your own success. You won’t wait for a solution; you will respond to the challenge with positive action. You are the kind of person who “finds a way!”
This is another in a continuing series of articles relating the similarities of being a good golfer to those of a being a good businessman. The author is Jim Masters, a FocalPoint Business Coach and Area Developer in Omaha Nebraska.
About FocalPoint
FocalPoint International, Inc., the world’s premiere business coaching and development franchise company, has formed a ground-breaking strategic alliance with Brian Tracy International, Inc., that will provide organizations and individuals with proven concepts, methodologies and skills developed in the most effective manner, long-term one-on-one coaching.
Coaching Information
Are you on track to double or even triple your business in the next 3 to 5 years? Masters Business Performance Coaching combines Jim Masters 30 years of business and leadership experience with the powerful results based content and expertise of one of the world's best known business coaches, Brian Tracy. We will work with you to create an actionable personal strategic plan, quickly taking you and your business as far as you want to go!
ABOUT THE COACH AND AREA DEVELOPER
Jim brings a wealth of sales, service, operations, associate development, team-building and leadership experience to his role as business coach and area developer. In his career, he has worked for and with all types of businesses, from large international corporations, to locally owned entrepreneurship's. He has been a consultant, served as an executive for a company with revenues in excess of $1 billion and was elected President of a non-profit enterprise with a budget of more than $3 million. Throughout he has learned the key factors to success in any sized businesses and is dedicated to creating time and money for his clients. Contact information:
Jim Masters
FocalPoint Business Coaching
402-331-7000
jmasters@focalpointcoaching.com
Practice and Preparation: A Secret from FocalPoint Business Coaching
Hi, I thought this little insight into the mind of a business coach might be useful.
In reading a book last night, I had a BFO ( Blinding Flash of the Obvious) or an AHA ( Aha! I get it!) that would benefit many business owners and entrepreneurs. Thanks to one of the NFL's highest regarded coaches and leaders Vince Lombardi.
What came to me reading the book about one of the most successful coaches in the world of pro football was this… We need to practice! Practice! Practice! Ok nothing new with that.
What is new is that everyday we’re to go out and apply our trade in the game of life expecting to win every day. Imagine if a football team got together on game day and the only practice they had was a hardcopy of the play book which the reviewed every day in preparation for the weekend game.
How successful would that team be, how long would it be before they had a victory , or were able to if at all win the league championship.
What if there was way to increase the practice time during the week integrated in such a way that business owners who wanted to accelerate their success were able to do just that while running their businesses. I believe there is a way to do just that!
It has been proven many times over that there isn't enough time in a lifetime to learn everything you need to know to live your most successful lives, but if you leverage the knowledge and experience of others then you too can achieve greater results.
One of the quickest ways to learn from others is to work with your own business coach, they will be accountable to you, working with you to make sure that you reach or exceed your goals and objectives. In this way you are able to practice more before you hit the field.
Thanks for Checking in.
Phil Gilkes
FocalPoint Business Coach
Calgary, Alberta
pgilkes@focalpointcoaching.com
In reading a book last night, I had a BFO ( Blinding Flash of the Obvious) or an AHA ( Aha! I get it!) that would benefit many business owners and entrepreneurs. Thanks to one of the NFL's highest regarded coaches and leaders Vince Lombardi.
What came to me reading the book about one of the most successful coaches in the world of pro football was this… We need to practice! Practice! Practice! Ok nothing new with that.
What is new is that everyday we’re to go out and apply our trade in the game of life expecting to win every day. Imagine if a football team got together on game day and the only practice they had was a hardcopy of the play book which the reviewed every day in preparation for the weekend game.
How successful would that team be, how long would it be before they had a victory , or were able to if at all win the league championship.
What if there was way to increase the practice time during the week integrated in such a way that business owners who wanted to accelerate their success were able to do just that while running their businesses. I believe there is a way to do just that!
It has been proven many times over that there isn't enough time in a lifetime to learn everything you need to know to live your most successful lives, but if you leverage the knowledge and experience of others then you too can achieve greater results.
One of the quickest ways to learn from others is to work with your own business coach, they will be accountable to you, working with you to make sure that you reach or exceed your goals and objectives. In this way you are able to practice more before you hit the field.
Thanks for Checking in.
Phil Gilkes
FocalPoint Business Coach
Calgary, Alberta
pgilkes@focalpointcoaching.com
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
A Business Coach stops to take a closer look
Stopping to Take a Closer Look
Since my last post, you may have been wondering what, exactly, a business coach does that you can’t do for yourself. Let me answer that by asking YOU a question—How are you at looking at everything you have to do, and starting with (and completing) priority #1?
Unfortunately, for most of us in the business world, the things we tend to stop doing are those that give us the best quality of life. (How are your work–out, family time and time-to-recharge-your-batteries habits?) We think that if, in the short term, we give up time with our families/friends/fitness programs we'll eventually earn enough money to take time off to enjoy those same things!
And hang on a sec - I’m as guilty as anyone, but I do have someone who holds me accountable and I’m better than I was…..
Think for a minute about what Brian Tracy, author of Focal Point, has to say about how we spend our time, “Most people are trapped in an old paradigm where they believe that the only way that they can increase their incomes is by either increasing the amount of work they do or by increasing the number of hours that they work, or both.”
This is the “work harder” way of doing things
If it raises your blood pressure just thinking of the things you’ve sacrificed to earn more money, maybe it’s time to talk to a business coach. They’re going to ask insightful questions to help evaluate your time, such as “"Knowing what you now know, would you do the same things, the same way? That’s what Brian Tracy calls “Zero Based Thinking.”
Taking a focused look at your days with the help of a business coaching professional can change every aspect of your life. The Focal Point system actually contains a ‘Double Double’ promise—that if you’ll apply the program’s principles to your life, you’ll double your income and double your time off.
If you don’t think that’s possible, you may still be trapped in the Industrial Age notion of “hours equal income” rather than “working smart pays off.” And that’s a whole different world to step into.
If you can look forward and imagine that there really is a way for you to change your thinking and change your life , the next part is knowing what to do when to make it happen. That’s where a professional, certified business coach may come in.
This is the “work smarter” way of doing things.
In the meantime, look at your days, measure your satisfaction level, and in our next blog post, I think we’ll talk about how to take responsibility for changing your life.
Steve Thompson
President,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
Think you might want to become a business coach? Here’s a great website with information about Brian Tracy s FocalPoint Business Coaching.( just click here) It’s his very own top-notch business coach training program!
Since my last post, you may have been wondering what, exactly, a business coach does that you can’t do for yourself. Let me answer that by asking YOU a question—How are you at looking at everything you have to do, and starting with (and completing) priority #1?
Unfortunately, for most of us in the business world, the things we tend to stop doing are those that give us the best quality of life. (How are your work–out, family time and time-to-recharge-your-batteries habits?) We think that if, in the short term, we give up time with our families/friends/fitness programs we'll eventually earn enough money to take time off to enjoy those same things!
And hang on a sec - I’m as guilty as anyone, but I do have someone who holds me accountable and I’m better than I was…..
Think for a minute about what Brian Tracy, author of Focal Point, has to say about how we spend our time, “Most people are trapped in an old paradigm where they believe that the only way that they can increase their incomes is by either increasing the amount of work they do or by increasing the number of hours that they work, or both.”
This is the “work harder” way of doing things
If it raises your blood pressure just thinking of the things you’ve sacrificed to earn more money, maybe it’s time to talk to a business coach. They’re going to ask insightful questions to help evaluate your time, such as “"Knowing what you now know, would you do the same things, the same way? That’s what Brian Tracy calls “Zero Based Thinking.”
Taking a focused look at your days with the help of a business coaching professional can change every aspect of your life. The Focal Point system actually contains a ‘Double Double’ promise—that if you’ll apply the program’s principles to your life, you’ll double your income and double your time off.
If you don’t think that’s possible, you may still be trapped in the Industrial Age notion of “hours equal income” rather than “working smart pays off.” And that’s a whole different world to step into.
If you can look forward and imagine that there really is a way for you to change your thinking and change your life , the next part is knowing what to do when to make it happen. That’s where a professional, certified business coach may come in.
This is the “work smarter” way of doing things.
In the meantime, look at your days, measure your satisfaction level, and in our next blog post, I think we’ll talk about how to take responsibility for changing your life.
Steve Thompson
President,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
Think you might want to become a business coach? Here’s a great website with information about Brian Tracy s FocalPoint Business Coaching.( just click here) It’s his very own top-notch business coach training program!
Chasing Elusive Goals
Have you ever wondered what you could accomplish if you were more in control of your business? Is there a goal that sits out on your horizon, such as better profitability or more sales, but never seems to get any closer? I’d like to hear from you about the things you think you should have accomplished by this point.
There’s one particular theme that seems to haunt our blog readers and clients, that the technology they’ve brought on board to lighten the load isn’t doing its job.( how far away from you is your Blackberry right now?) In fact, they now feel as though the office never shuts down! To make matters worse, their personal and professional lives have blended into a long, never-ending road.
Brian Tracy, author of Focal Point, one of the best guides ever written on achieving your goals, puts it this way, “You may be working harder today than ever before and yet you are getting less and less satisfaction and enjoyment from what you do.”
Did you know that the business coaching industry emerged in response to that very frustration? Sorting out the boundaries between what’s important in your career and what simply robs your time is one of the things a business coach can help do. Think of it this way, you know that you have what it takes to be successful, but you just need an outside perspective from a professional to help you refocus on your goals.
Here’s another quote from Brian Tracy’s Focal Point that may resonate with you:
“You may be earning more money and doing better than you have ever done before. But at the same time, you often feel overwhelmed with the demands of your job and your personal life.”
We hear all the time from our clients and readers that, because they feel they can’t ‘step off the treadmill’, their families and other social connections get what’s left of their energy and passion. What does that say about the way we do business?
It should encourage you that professionals all over the world, from heads of multi-national companies to district sales representatives, are admitting they’re trapped in their lives and seeking the services of a coaching professional. Frankly, very few people in today’s workplace can consistently keep their eyes on multiple goals without an objective advisor.
Here’s another way to think about it—heads of state and political leaders have always surrounded themselves with tactical and strategic advisors. And head football coaches would be lost without their special teams coaches! They know they need more than one viewpoint to achieve their goals.
So, I’m going to be talking a lot in future blog posts about why coaching works, and what a business coach does, but for now, perhaps I’ve offered you a ray of hope. Renewing your focus is a smart business strategy; continuing to spin in an annoying circle is a waste of your time. Keep coming back to find ways to move forward, and while you’re waiting, start taking a serious look at business coaching. Our goal is get you headed in the right direction.
Steve Thompson
President,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
If you’re working but not achieving, and want to know more about business coaching services, here’s someplace you’ll want to visit: FocalPoint Business Coaching. And if the thought of coaching others to success is appealing, why not check in on one of the premier business coach training systems?
There’s one particular theme that seems to haunt our blog readers and clients, that the technology they’ve brought on board to lighten the load isn’t doing its job.( how far away from you is your Blackberry right now?) In fact, they now feel as though the office never shuts down! To make matters worse, their personal and professional lives have blended into a long, never-ending road.
Brian Tracy, author of Focal Point, one of the best guides ever written on achieving your goals, puts it this way, “You may be working harder today than ever before and yet you are getting less and less satisfaction and enjoyment from what you do.”
Did you know that the business coaching industry emerged in response to that very frustration? Sorting out the boundaries between what’s important in your career and what simply robs your time is one of the things a business coach can help do. Think of it this way, you know that you have what it takes to be successful, but you just need an outside perspective from a professional to help you refocus on your goals.
Here’s another quote from Brian Tracy’s Focal Point that may resonate with you:
“You may be earning more money and doing better than you have ever done before. But at the same time, you often feel overwhelmed with the demands of your job and your personal life.”
We hear all the time from our clients and readers that, because they feel they can’t ‘step off the treadmill’, their families and other social connections get what’s left of their energy and passion. What does that say about the way we do business?
It should encourage you that professionals all over the world, from heads of multi-national companies to district sales representatives, are admitting they’re trapped in their lives and seeking the services of a coaching professional. Frankly, very few people in today’s workplace can consistently keep their eyes on multiple goals without an objective advisor.
Here’s another way to think about it—heads of state and political leaders have always surrounded themselves with tactical and strategic advisors. And head football coaches would be lost without their special teams coaches! They know they need more than one viewpoint to achieve their goals.
So, I’m going to be talking a lot in future blog posts about why coaching works, and what a business coach does, but for now, perhaps I’ve offered you a ray of hope. Renewing your focus is a smart business strategy; continuing to spin in an annoying circle is a waste of your time. Keep coming back to find ways to move forward, and while you’re waiting, start taking a serious look at business coaching. Our goal is get you headed in the right direction.
Steve Thompson
President,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
If you’re working but not achieving, and want to know more about business coaching services, here’s someplace you’ll want to visit: FocalPoint Business Coaching. And if the thought of coaching others to success is appealing, why not check in on one of the premier business coach training systems?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
BEWARE OF THE ‘IMPOSTER PHENOMENON’
BEWARE OF THE ‘IMPOSTER PHENOMENON’
By Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D.
What is the Imposter Phenomenon? One very successful female corporate executive recently described this hidden barrier to her own success:
"The main barrier I had to face before successfully achieving the position I am in today has been my personal inner voice that kept warning me I would soon “be found out”, that I was “playing” professional and that the someone would soon call my bluff. The barrier has definitely been more emotional than factual, inside my head.”
Once thought to be the foible of women only, this false sense of inferiority was first described as the “Imposter Phenomenon” in 1978 by Pauline Rose Clance & Suzanne Imes. In their studies, Clance and Imes, stated that success for women in business was simply not expected and that lack of expectations was internalized by women; as result they felt they were “fooling other people”:
“Thus, unlike men, who tend to own success as attributable to a quality inherent in themselves, women are more likely either to project the cause of success outward to an external cause (luck) or to a temporary internal quality (effort) that they do not equate with inherent ability.”
Depending on their background, could the same be true for some men? The tendencies noted in the Clance And Imes study may actually be more prevalent in men than their early studies indicated. For example, when I published an article on the Imposter Phenomena on my blog, I received a dozen responses from men questioning the implications of the phenomena for their gender. I would like to hear from others who have experienced this Phenomenon. If you have a story to share, please respond to this blog or send a note to me at: lmaddalena@focalpointcoaching.com.
What causes successful women in 2008 America to exhibit the same false sense of inadequacy that plagued women in an era when Goldy Hawn was painted with graffiti dancing to disco on the TV show , “Laugh-in”? Why are successful male entrepreneurs still inclined to dismiss their success as “blind luck”? How does our own erroneous self-perception limit our future?
It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of the Imposter Phenomenon and learn how to avoid this barrier to personal success.
The first step to test your self-concept is through introspection. Challenge yourself and seek to recognize if you hold any secret misperceptions of your value and standing. Take a few minutes to answer these questions to get a quick read of your self-concept:
(1) Do you find that you are not experiencing an internal sense of success --despite earned degrees, scholastic honors, high achievement on standardized tests, praise and professional recognition from colleagues and respected authorities?
(2) Do you secretly feel you are not intelligent and believe that you are fooling others?
(3) Do you feel others may have over-evaluated your abilities, skill and talent?
(4) Do you find yourself acting anxious, lacking self-confidence, or have feelings of depression and frustration over a perceived inability to meet self-imposed standards of performance?
(5) Do you often attribute an unexpected performance outcome to a temporary cause or an expected performance outcome to a stable cause?
If you answered ‘yes’ to all or a majority of these questions, you may have uncovered the “Imposter Phenomenon” in yourself. You are not alone.
The female executive first quoted here who recognized her personal barrier to success was fortunate to find a woman within her company able to serve as mentor and coach:
“ A female mentor, reporting to several skilled female managers and reading about female leadership has helped me understand the underlying reason or this reluctance to accept my own skills, allowing me to succeed in my profession.”
The best thing any man or woman in a highly visible leadership post can do – whether you are part of a corporate structure or own your own business -- is to develop your own support network. The process of having others to talk to and work through difficult issues is valuable. Find those you trust and allow yourself to expose any concerns. Seek out others who have achieved their goals, who have a broader view of the world and who have experiences you need to share. Once an issue becomes public, it loses its power.
Studies show that a significant number of successful business leaders today have realized the benefits of working with a coach. Executive Coaches are often assigned by firms on the cutting-edge of talent management to reward the success of employees who show potential leadership abilities. For entrepreneurs and business leaders, qualified Business Coaches certified by Focal Point are specifically trained to focus on time, team, money and relationships.
If you’re not enjoying the rewards of your career, now is the time to focus on achieving your dreams.
BIOGRAPHY
Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D. is a certified FocalPoint Business Coach with twenty years experience as an Executive Coach and Management Consultant providing management skill training, team building, meeting facilitation, conflict resolution processes, and group coaching programs. More than 6,000 managers have successfully completed her popular TRANSITIONS TO MANAGEMENT seminars. You can see Dr. Maddalena's recently published articles on her website or blogs: www.mtmanagement.net or call her directly at FocalPoint Coaching at (732) 529-5029.
By Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D.
What is the Imposter Phenomenon? One very successful female corporate executive recently described this hidden barrier to her own success:
"The main barrier I had to face before successfully achieving the position I am in today has been my personal inner voice that kept warning me I would soon “be found out”, that I was “playing” professional and that the someone would soon call my bluff. The barrier has definitely been more emotional than factual, inside my head.”
Once thought to be the foible of women only, this false sense of inferiority was first described as the “Imposter Phenomenon” in 1978 by Pauline Rose Clance & Suzanne Imes. In their studies, Clance and Imes, stated that success for women in business was simply not expected and that lack of expectations was internalized by women; as result they felt they were “fooling other people”:
“Thus, unlike men, who tend to own success as attributable to a quality inherent in themselves, women are more likely either to project the cause of success outward to an external cause (luck) or to a temporary internal quality (effort) that they do not equate with inherent ability.”
Depending on their background, could the same be true for some men? The tendencies noted in the Clance And Imes study may actually be more prevalent in men than their early studies indicated. For example, when I published an article on the Imposter Phenomena on my blog, I received a dozen responses from men questioning the implications of the phenomena for their gender. I would like to hear from others who have experienced this Phenomenon. If you have a story to share, please respond to this blog or send a note to me at: lmaddalena@focalpointcoaching.com.
What causes successful women in 2008 America to exhibit the same false sense of inadequacy that plagued women in an era when Goldy Hawn was painted with graffiti dancing to disco on the TV show , “Laugh-in”? Why are successful male entrepreneurs still inclined to dismiss their success as “blind luck”? How does our own erroneous self-perception limit our future?
It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of the Imposter Phenomenon and learn how to avoid this barrier to personal success.
The first step to test your self-concept is through introspection. Challenge yourself and seek to recognize if you hold any secret misperceptions of your value and standing. Take a few minutes to answer these questions to get a quick read of your self-concept:
(1) Do you find that you are not experiencing an internal sense of success --despite earned degrees, scholastic honors, high achievement on standardized tests, praise and professional recognition from colleagues and respected authorities?
(2) Do you secretly feel you are not intelligent and believe that you are fooling others?
(3) Do you feel others may have over-evaluated your abilities, skill and talent?
(4) Do you find yourself acting anxious, lacking self-confidence, or have feelings of depression and frustration over a perceived inability to meet self-imposed standards of performance?
(5) Do you often attribute an unexpected performance outcome to a temporary cause or an expected performance outcome to a stable cause?
If you answered ‘yes’ to all or a majority of these questions, you may have uncovered the “Imposter Phenomenon” in yourself. You are not alone.
The female executive first quoted here who recognized her personal barrier to success was fortunate to find a woman within her company able to serve as mentor and coach:
“ A female mentor, reporting to several skilled female managers and reading about female leadership has helped me understand the underlying reason or this reluctance to accept my own skills, allowing me to succeed in my profession.”
The best thing any man or woman in a highly visible leadership post can do – whether you are part of a corporate structure or own your own business -- is to develop your own support network. The process of having others to talk to and work through difficult issues is valuable. Find those you trust and allow yourself to expose any concerns. Seek out others who have achieved their goals, who have a broader view of the world and who have experiences you need to share. Once an issue becomes public, it loses its power.
Studies show that a significant number of successful business leaders today have realized the benefits of working with a coach. Executive Coaches are often assigned by firms on the cutting-edge of talent management to reward the success of employees who show potential leadership abilities. For entrepreneurs and business leaders, qualified Business Coaches certified by Focal Point are specifically trained to focus on time, team, money and relationships.
If you’re not enjoying the rewards of your career, now is the time to focus on achieving your dreams.
BIOGRAPHY
Lucille Maddalena, Ed.D. is a certified FocalPoint Business Coach with twenty years experience as an Executive Coach and Management Consultant providing management skill training, team building, meeting facilitation, conflict resolution processes, and group coaching programs. More than 6,000 managers have successfully completed her popular TRANSITIONS TO MANAGEMENT seminars. You can see Dr. Maddalena's recently published articles on her website or blogs: www.mtmanagement.net or call her directly at FocalPoint Coaching at (732) 529-5029.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A Business Coach and Golfer speaks out
The Business Golfer….
This is another in a continuing series of articles relating the similarities of being a good golfer to those of a being a good businessman. The author is Jim Masters, a FocalPoint Business Coach and Area Developer in Omaha ,Nebraska.
Imagine your image!
Recently, I attended a networking event. A woman I had only met briefly was telling a group how she had been in line for a promotion to a new position at her previous workplace. During the interview process, a corporate outsider interviewed for the same position. According to the woman, he got the job because the owner was shallow enough to think that an outsider would bring in more expertise. Six months later, she was “let go”. She was quick to point out that this was purely political and she and almost everyone at the place she worked thought a terrible error in judgment had occurred.
Now, after several months of looking, she was pleased that she found a position with a new firm and “she” had been selected to make a significant presentation at an upcoming meeting. As she talked, it was apparent she was still extremely bitter at the first employer. Further, her speaking style was painfully rapid and every sentence began with and included several “uh’s”. (I counted 12 in a 30 second time period.)
As a veteran member of Toastmasters, I am very aware of the image I project when speaking. Good speakers measure their pace carefully and are focused on avoiding “audible pauses.” Knowing, this presentation will certainly be an important event in how she will be perceived by the new organization, I invited her to come to a Toastmasters meeting and practice her address. She looked at me incredulously and dismissed the offer by saying, “Oh, I speak fine, I don’t need that”!
As the reader of this article, my question to you is this….”What kind of image do you think she is presenting to those around her?” Right, wrong, or indifferent, every thing we do or say creates an impression in those around us. The woman’s previous employer may very well have made a mistake, but does it enhance her image to keep bringing it up? In actuality, the more she talked, the more I found myself thinking the previous employer may have had a point!
Also, as we go further up in an organization, the ability to present and communicate well becomes more critical. When one does not “recognize” a potential career limiting flaw, what kind of message does that send to others…especially those in higher positions? Lastly, we often encounter opportunities where others offer their assistance, what kind of perception do we create when we slap such offers aside? What is the likelihood that someone offers advice or assistance in the future?
Brian Tracy, world renowned author and business coach often mentions that image can be a “success accelerator.” In his book, “Million Dollar Habits” Tracy says this about image: “One of the most important million-dollar habits you can develop, which can have an inordinate effect on how fast you move onward and upward, has to do with your personal appearance and image. One of the rules for success is that “everything counts!” Everything helps or hurts. In the image that you project, everything counts as well.”
Many of you are probably now asking, “So, Jim,….how does this image thing have anything to do with golf and how successful golfers are similar to successful business people”? It’s really quite simple. Golfers are unique to athletics, in how far they go to present a well-crafted “image” to the public, to the media and to their fellow competitors. Compare any football, baseball or basketball player being interviewed to a golfer. Have you ever heard a golfer say “Ya know,” in an interview? Golfers cultivate an image of being well-spoken and under control. Naturally there are some exceptions, but by and large, and this has been confirmed in studies, professional golfers come across as more educated, refined and trustworthy than other athletes. It doesn’t hurt that golfers act as their own “referees” and police themselves on rules!
Another important factor that cannot be overlooked is the impact that image has on reputation. Image and reputation go hand in hand One of my career mentors put it this way: “We are all born with a good reputation. The actions that we take in life, however, add or take away from this reputation….and once you lose it, you can almost never get it back.” There is a fellow I know at our golf club who has the “reputation” of being a sandbagger (someone who can routinely play better than their handicap) and from conversation with others, he has a very negative image and this perception has also transferred over into his business activities. “If he cheats at golf, why would I want to do business with him?” People choose friends, the people with whom they do business and the people they trust…..image is a key ingredient in the selection process.
And while we are on the topic of image, do not underestimate the impact of personal appearance. Brian Tracy has often stated that we form our first impressions of people within the first four seconds of meeting them and finalize our conclusion about that person within the first thirty. What kind of “image” are you projecting with your grooming habits and your clothes? Professional golfers, just like successful business have a reputation for being well dressed. Harvey Penick, in his “Little Red Book” admired the way Ben Hogan dressed. He even tells a story about Hogan: “Hogan used to start off a merchandising speech wearing rumpled clothes. Halfway through the talk, he’d leave the stage, only to reappear in elegantly conservative attire. “Who’d you rather buy from-that first guy or me?” Ben would ask. Think about this “image”(rumpled vs. well-dressed) the next time you are preparing to meet a client or make an important presentation.
Here are my suggested “action steps: As you are watching a sporting event, think about the image the athletes are projecting. Next, watch a golfing event and compare the golf professional’s mannerisms, actions and verbal skills. Who would you rather emulate? Finally, take time to really perform a critical inventory of the type of image you project. Imagine your image….do you exude confidence and professionalism? Are you articulate? Can you present your ideas effectively? How do you think others perceive you? Have you asked others you respect for their opinions? If you find you have some image deficiencies, take action to improve it. Upgrade your wardrobe, go to Toastmasters, enhance your vocabulary, further your job-skills, ask for and welcome constructive criticism ….the list is virtually endless. Just imagine the image you want!
Thanks for reading our Blog. We're here to help in any way we can.
www.focalpointcoaching.com
http://www.fbr50.com/profile/FocalPoint-Coaching
http://www.briantracy.com/coaching/
http://askabusinesscoach.blogspot.com/
And, if you'd like to know more about Jim......
ABOUT THE COACH AND AREA DEVELOPER
Jim brings a wealth of sales, service, operations, associate development, team-building and leadership experience to his role as business coach and area developer. In his career, he has worked for and with all types of businesses, from large international corporations, to locally owned entrepreneurship's. He has been a consultant, served as an executive for a company with revenues in excess of $1 billion and was elected President of a non-profit enterprise with a budget of more than $3 million. Throughout he has learned the key factors to success in any sized businesses and is dedicated to creating time and money for his clients. Contact information:
Jim Masters
FocalPoint Business Coaching
402-331-7000
jmasters@focalpointcoaching.com
This is another in a continuing series of articles relating the similarities of being a good golfer to those of a being a good businessman. The author is Jim Masters, a FocalPoint Business Coach and Area Developer in Omaha ,Nebraska.
Imagine your image!
Recently, I attended a networking event. A woman I had only met briefly was telling a group how she had been in line for a promotion to a new position at her previous workplace. During the interview process, a corporate outsider interviewed for the same position. According to the woman, he got the job because the owner was shallow enough to think that an outsider would bring in more expertise. Six months later, she was “let go”. She was quick to point out that this was purely political and she and almost everyone at the place she worked thought a terrible error in judgment had occurred.
Now, after several months of looking, she was pleased that she found a position with a new firm and “she” had been selected to make a significant presentation at an upcoming meeting. As she talked, it was apparent she was still extremely bitter at the first employer. Further, her speaking style was painfully rapid and every sentence began with and included several “uh’s”. (I counted 12 in a 30 second time period.)
As a veteran member of Toastmasters, I am very aware of the image I project when speaking. Good speakers measure their pace carefully and are focused on avoiding “audible pauses.” Knowing, this presentation will certainly be an important event in how she will be perceived by the new organization, I invited her to come to a Toastmasters meeting and practice her address. She looked at me incredulously and dismissed the offer by saying, “Oh, I speak fine, I don’t need that”!
As the reader of this article, my question to you is this….”What kind of image do you think she is presenting to those around her?” Right, wrong, or indifferent, every thing we do or say creates an impression in those around us. The woman’s previous employer may very well have made a mistake, but does it enhance her image to keep bringing it up? In actuality, the more she talked, the more I found myself thinking the previous employer may have had a point!
Also, as we go further up in an organization, the ability to present and communicate well becomes more critical. When one does not “recognize” a potential career limiting flaw, what kind of message does that send to others…especially those in higher positions? Lastly, we often encounter opportunities where others offer their assistance, what kind of perception do we create when we slap such offers aside? What is the likelihood that someone offers advice or assistance in the future?
Brian Tracy, world renowned author and business coach often mentions that image can be a “success accelerator.” In his book, “Million Dollar Habits” Tracy says this about image: “One of the most important million-dollar habits you can develop, which can have an inordinate effect on how fast you move onward and upward, has to do with your personal appearance and image. One of the rules for success is that “everything counts!” Everything helps or hurts. In the image that you project, everything counts as well.”
Many of you are probably now asking, “So, Jim,….how does this image thing have anything to do with golf and how successful golfers are similar to successful business people”? It’s really quite simple. Golfers are unique to athletics, in how far they go to present a well-crafted “image” to the public, to the media and to their fellow competitors. Compare any football, baseball or basketball player being interviewed to a golfer. Have you ever heard a golfer say “Ya know,” in an interview? Golfers cultivate an image of being well-spoken and under control. Naturally there are some exceptions, but by and large, and this has been confirmed in studies, professional golfers come across as more educated, refined and trustworthy than other athletes. It doesn’t hurt that golfers act as their own “referees” and police themselves on rules!
Another important factor that cannot be overlooked is the impact that image has on reputation. Image and reputation go hand in hand One of my career mentors put it this way: “We are all born with a good reputation. The actions that we take in life, however, add or take away from this reputation….and once you lose it, you can almost never get it back.” There is a fellow I know at our golf club who has the “reputation” of being a sandbagger (someone who can routinely play better than their handicap) and from conversation with others, he has a very negative image and this perception has also transferred over into his business activities. “If he cheats at golf, why would I want to do business with him?” People choose friends, the people with whom they do business and the people they trust…..image is a key ingredient in the selection process.
And while we are on the topic of image, do not underestimate the impact of personal appearance. Brian Tracy has often stated that we form our first impressions of people within the first four seconds of meeting them and finalize our conclusion about that person within the first thirty. What kind of “image” are you projecting with your grooming habits and your clothes? Professional golfers, just like successful business have a reputation for being well dressed. Harvey Penick, in his “Little Red Book” admired the way Ben Hogan dressed. He even tells a story about Hogan: “Hogan used to start off a merchandising speech wearing rumpled clothes. Halfway through the talk, he’d leave the stage, only to reappear in elegantly conservative attire. “Who’d you rather buy from-that first guy or me?” Ben would ask. Think about this “image”(rumpled vs. well-dressed) the next time you are preparing to meet a client or make an important presentation.
Here are my suggested “action steps: As you are watching a sporting event, think about the image the athletes are projecting. Next, watch a golfing event and compare the golf professional’s mannerisms, actions and verbal skills. Who would you rather emulate? Finally, take time to really perform a critical inventory of the type of image you project. Imagine your image….do you exude confidence and professionalism? Are you articulate? Can you present your ideas effectively? How do you think others perceive you? Have you asked others you respect for their opinions? If you find you have some image deficiencies, take action to improve it. Upgrade your wardrobe, go to Toastmasters, enhance your vocabulary, further your job-skills, ask for and welcome constructive criticism ….the list is virtually endless. Just imagine the image you want!
Thanks for reading our Blog. We're here to help in any way we can.
www.focalpointcoaching.com
http://www.fbr50.com/profile/FocalPoint-Coaching
http://www.briantracy.com/coaching/
http://askabusinesscoach.blogspot.com/
And, if you'd like to know more about Jim......
ABOUT THE COACH AND AREA DEVELOPER
Jim brings a wealth of sales, service, operations, associate development, team-building and leadership experience to his role as business coach and area developer. In his career, he has worked for and with all types of businesses, from large international corporations, to locally owned entrepreneurship's. He has been a consultant, served as an executive for a company with revenues in excess of $1 billion and was elected President of a non-profit enterprise with a budget of more than $3 million. Throughout he has learned the key factors to success in any sized businesses and is dedicated to creating time and money for his clients. Contact information:
Jim Masters
FocalPoint Business Coaching
402-331-7000
jmasters@focalpointcoaching.com
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Recession Marketing - A Business Coaches opinion
The "recession" is hooey!
How's that for a starter? Brian Tracy, the backbone of our coaching group, has a great quote..." the media has accurately predicted 18 of the last 2 recessions". Hmmm...
Tough times are here, but some good ones are here as well.
Look, the only people talking about the recession are reporters that work for some other guy. That "guy" runs a business that sells advertising. I'd listen to him.
Sure, some industries will be affected. Credit based industries or people may be affected. Employees are pawns in that game. Banks and Lenders are still doing business, but now, they're not as loosey goosey with their products. They quickly let go of the people in light of the credit issues we've read about. So, yes, finding money may be tougher.
But not impossible. Why not look at alternate sources of capital?
Factoring
Systems for How to Improve your Accounts receivable
Shorten your sales cycle
Business Process
But who is going to benefit in the next 2 ,3 10 years?
Here's our list. These businesses, as long as they are wise and take advantage of the opportunity, will prosper:
•Oil ,Energy Sectors and Suppliers.
•Efficiency “anything”
•Power
•Furniture Manufacturers
•Outsourced HR or Technology-over- people solutions
•Electric Bikes
•Trades! Renovators vs. Builders
•Engineers, Inspectors, Suppliers
•Seniors Industry
•Home Care Health care
• RV’s &/ or Holiday land
•Seniors Recreation
•Pharmacy, med, Psuedo med. ( eyes, ears, senses, vanity)
•Mobility supplies ( Scooter Store, etc)
•Consumer Credit ( yes, we said that!)
•Restaurants for seniors, adults, value pricing
•Consumer Credit
•Vanity Marketing Companies, products and services. If any gap in have or have not appears, people want to look like they are in the "have " group. Sell to them!
•Watch for these phrases in mktg…
•Now that you have equity in your home, use it for this…..
•Now that the kids are gone…
•Web sites – Tech vs. Entrepreneur
•Youth marketing
•Education facilities
•Sylvan, Huntington, etc
Thanks for checking in!
Steve Thompson
President,
FocalPoint Business Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
http://www.focalpointcoaching.com/
www.askabusinesscoach.blogspot.com
http://www.stevethompsonfocalpointcoaching.blogspot.com/
How's that for a starter? Brian Tracy, the backbone of our coaching group, has a great quote..." the media has accurately predicted 18 of the last 2 recessions". Hmmm...
Tough times are here, but some good ones are here as well.
Look, the only people talking about the recession are reporters that work for some other guy. That "guy" runs a business that sells advertising. I'd listen to him.
Sure, some industries will be affected. Credit based industries or people may be affected. Employees are pawns in that game. Banks and Lenders are still doing business, but now, they're not as loosey goosey with their products. They quickly let go of the people in light of the credit issues we've read about. So, yes, finding money may be tougher.
But not impossible. Why not look at alternate sources of capital?
Factoring
Systems for How to Improve your Accounts receivable
Shorten your sales cycle
Business Process
But who is going to benefit in the next 2 ,3 10 years?
Here's our list. These businesses, as long as they are wise and take advantage of the opportunity, will prosper:
•Oil ,Energy Sectors and Suppliers.
•Efficiency “anything”
•Power
•Furniture Manufacturers
•Outsourced HR or Technology-over- people solutions
•Electric Bikes
•Trades! Renovators vs. Builders
•Engineers, Inspectors, Suppliers
•Seniors Industry
•Home Care Health care
• RV’s &/ or Holiday land
•Seniors Recreation
•Pharmacy, med, Psuedo med. ( eyes, ears, senses, vanity)
•Mobility supplies ( Scooter Store, etc)
•Consumer Credit ( yes, we said that!)
•Restaurants for seniors, adults, value pricing
•Consumer Credit
•Vanity Marketing Companies, products and services. If any gap in have or have not appears, people want to look like they are in the "have " group. Sell to them!
•Watch for these phrases in mktg…
•Now that you have equity in your home, use it for this…..
•Now that the kids are gone…
•Web sites – Tech vs. Entrepreneur
•Youth marketing
•Education facilities
•Sylvan, Huntington, etc
Thanks for checking in!
Steve Thompson
President,
FocalPoint Business Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
http://www.focalpointcoaching.com/
www.askabusinesscoach.blogspot.com
http://www.stevethompsonfocalpointcoaching.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
I've just bought a Business, what would a FocalPoint Business Coach do for me?
Hi, welcome back.
I'd like to keep answering Dave's question about his construction company.
Continuing with the above and below the line theme, what makes a Winner a Winner?
Well a "Winner" acts and reacts a certain way. Working with a Business Coach to make changes in your business, you would learn about another acronym to describe a Winner. As you may or may not know, Brian Tracy is the power behind
At one of our now famous San Diego Summit’s, Brian Tracy, Cam Fraser, Steve Thompson and myself discussed business people and team members who are either above and below the line. Steve and I put forth an acronym that was created by one of our International Coach Trainers, Ian Hayman. Ian’s trick for remembering the personal traits of a winner are found in the acronym P.R.O.V.E
A winner proves that things can get done. They are
- Proactive
- Responsible
- They take Ownership
- They have Vision ( of some sort, in that they embrace change and the future)
- Strive for Excellence
In our next posting I’ll discuss the traits of someone who is Below The Line of Problems. Until then!
Thanks,
Executive Vice President,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
www.stevethompsonfocalpointcoaching.blogspot.com
http://www.fbr50.com/profile/FocalPoint-Coaching
http://www.briantracy.com/coaching/coachingprograms.aspx
Building a Business with the wrong kind of people.
Welcome back! In this post, I'll be filling out our conversation on people who live below the line. These are people who you may have on your team, OR, that you may be inviting on your team. Either way - these are NOT the kind of people you can build a business on.
I hope you’re enjoying my mini-lesson on the 2 kinds of people in the world, Winners and Whiners, Victors and Victims. Of course, in order to even qualify to become a certified, professional Business Coach, it isn’t enough to just talk about these things, you must live them as well.
Did you know that only 1.5% of the people who approach us about becoming a coach ever qualify to join us? I don’t mind saying that we are an elite group. It is what it is.
The certified, professional Business Coaches on our team are masters at not only talking the talk, but walking the walk. So we’re aware of what below the line behavior looks like.
We see it with our clients, we see it with the people on their team – hey we may even see it in ourselves from time to time. As long as we/you / anyone doesn't stay there!
Let me start and end that thought with the reminder that its OK to fall below the line from time to time – as long as you’re just visiting! Life is finer above the line as a winner!
We've brought out some acronyms already ( see previous posts re P.R.O.B.L.E.M. and P.R.O.V.E.) Of course people that are a "Whiner" have an acronym too. B.E.N.D. Of course, “bends” is a word that helps you as an owner, or us as Business Coaches identify people. You’ll see why in a second.
B is for Blame. It’s never their fault. Quick to point a finger , they are just as shocked as anyone that X, Y, or Z didn't happen again!
E I for Excuses. The dog ate my blog, etc
N is Negative. Heck, they may not even know what positive IS
D is Denial. It’s not them, its everyone else.
A Business Coach will suggest that an owner or executive listen for statements like this to find anyone below the line on their team.
“Gee, that construction on the 215 makes me so mad. They’ve been working on that for a year now and it makes me late every day!”
Yikes. Blame, Denial, Excuses – all wrapped in one! A winner would have figured out that they just need to leave the house earlier!
I’ve noticed that Unions tend to be rife with below the line attitudes. Of course,- they’ll just deny it. Kind of makes my point doesn't it?
You can't build a team with people like this. Working with a Business Coach, we'll show you the tricks of the trade on changing this type of team. It takes work, but smart work. Brian Tracy has taught us some of his best strategies and techniques for quickly identifying, solving and removing this problem in the future. Once Dave has a team of the right people doing the right things ( Winners - people above the line of PROBLEMS), he can start making changes and making money.
If you have questions about your business, like Dave did, please ask them here. We'll share what we can with you - so you can make the changes needed.
Have a great day!
Chief Executive Officer,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
www.stevethompsonfocalpointcoaching.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 15, 2008
What will a Business Coach do for my business?
We already have a question!
It's amazing, really, how critical the world of Business Coaching has become. A FocalPoint Business Coach is a certified, trained professional who has years or experience backing them up.
We just started this blog , and the world has responded. " I just purchased a ( construction)company. What would a Business Coach do for me? "
Great question.
Many of our Coaches have left corporate America, where they ran mega-companies. ( AmeriTrade, Chiquita, SAP, Liz Claiborne, US Army, Various Major and Regional Banks, etc) Some ran smaller companies, either as owner, or C-level and above. Either way the value they bring to the table for a business owner or executive is made to be impactful.
Let me begin to answer your question with an answer you wouldn't expect.
"I don't know....."
Now, before you get angry, what I mean is, I don't know enough. So, "Dave" if you give me a bit more detail, I'm happy to go deeper on that answer.
If I had to take a stab in the dark, I'd assume you were talking about a situation we see often- where a new owner ( or executive ) comes in , and there is resistance from the old team.
They feel threatened, maybe a little scared, and generally worried.
You, on the other hand, have big plans, a vision for change and a timeline to get it done in! ....and they know that.
Before you can get them to help you with the changes, it might be time to set out some rules for "Dave's Construction company" ( you didn't leave a company name, Dave) , or, at least the rules for how you want things to go.
Imagine you're the new coach of a college football team. You head out onto the field on first day of practice and survey your new team as you begin the walk across the field. As you walk up to them, you take a mental inventory.
".... Hmm.....
These guys seem like a fit and healthy looking bunch.
They look like they're goofing off, waiting for me to show up.
They seem dressed for running practice- maybe they think we're doing time splits today.
Hey, how come no one has pads?
There's not many guys out ,either...
Hmm, I don't see anyone that looks like D-Line or even O-Line material. Not one of these guys breaks 195!...."
Finally, you're standing in front of them...your new team. Yup, you're the coach. The Football Coach - of a soccer team.
See, what if your construction company is like this? For you to teach them how you want this business run ( game played) - they're going to need new rules before anything can happen.
Business Coaching is a lot like coaching in professional sport. The high performing individual in our case is the business owner and their team, not the athlete. The output isn't the Superbowl, it's winning at business.
So, working with a FocalPoint Business Coach, here's one of the base rules we'll teach you more about. Brian Tracy talks about this concept of Personal Responsibility. We've also seen it referred to as Victor /Victim , or the Winner/Whiner Concept, or having an Internal and External Locus of Control. ( Jay Abraham, Tony Robbins, Verne Harnish)
It goes like this, and it can be applied to any team you are working with.
There are only 2 kinds of people in the world. That’s it.
If you’re trying to drive a change in culture in your business, or with a Business Coaching client, this is an indispensable tool.
And these 2 kinds of people are easy to spot, if you know what you’re looking for.
The 2 kinds of people are defined by how they act react to a P.R.O.B.L.E.M. This is a business coach tool that smart business owners grab onto and learn as much as they can about.
Acronyms and other learning tools will be an important part of keeping your message real and remembered. The acronym we use for P.R.O.B.L.E.M. is People Reacting Oddly Because Life Expects More .
To define this concept, take a blank page and draw a line across it like this, dividing it in half ( top from bottom)
It's amazing, really, how critical the world of Business Coaching has become. A FocalPoint Business Coach is a certified, trained professional who has years or experience backing them up.
We just started this blog , and the world has responded. " I just purchased a ( construction)company. What would a Business Coach do for me? "
Great question.
Many of our Coaches have left corporate America, where they ran mega-companies. ( AmeriTrade, Chiquita, SAP, Liz Claiborne, US Army, Various Major and Regional Banks, etc) Some ran smaller companies, either as owner, or C-level and above. Either way the value they bring to the table for a business owner or executive is made to be impactful.
Let me begin to answer your question with an answer you wouldn't expect.
"I don't know....."
Now, before you get angry, what I mean is, I don't know enough. So, "Dave" if you give me a bit more detail, I'm happy to go deeper on that answer.
If I had to take a stab in the dark, I'd assume you were talking about a situation we see often- where a new owner ( or executive ) comes in , and there is resistance from the old team.
They feel threatened, maybe a little scared, and generally worried.
You, on the other hand, have big plans, a vision for change and a timeline to get it done in! ....and they know that.
Before you can get them to help you with the changes, it might be time to set out some rules for "Dave's Construction company" ( you didn't leave a company name, Dave) , or, at least the rules for how you want things to go.
Imagine you're the new coach of a college football team. You head out onto the field on first day of practice and survey your new team as you begin the walk across the field. As you walk up to them, you take a mental inventory.
".... Hmm.....
These guys seem like a fit and healthy looking bunch.
They look like they're goofing off, waiting for me to show up.
They seem dressed for running practice- maybe they think we're doing time splits today.
Hey, how come no one has pads?
There's not many guys out ,either...
Hmm, I don't see anyone that looks like D-Line or even O-Line material. Not one of these guys breaks 195!...."
Finally, you're standing in front of them...your new team. Yup, you're the coach. The Football Coach - of a soccer team.
See, what if your construction company is like this? For you to teach them how you want this business run ( game played) - they're going to need new rules before anything can happen.
Business Coaching is a lot like coaching in professional sport. The high performing individual in our case is the business owner and their team, not the athlete. The output isn't the Superbowl, it's winning at business.
So, working with a FocalPoint Business Coach, here's one of the base rules we'll teach you more about. Brian Tracy talks about this concept of Personal Responsibility. We've also seen it referred to as Victor /Victim , or the Winner/Whiner Concept, or having an Internal and External Locus of Control. ( Jay Abraham, Tony Robbins, Verne Harnish)
It goes like this, and it can be applied to any team you are working with.
There are only 2 kinds of people in the world. That’s it.
If you’re trying to drive a change in culture in your business, or with a Business Coaching client, this is an indispensable tool.
And these 2 kinds of people are easy to spot, if you know what you’re looking for.
The 2 kinds of people are defined by how they act react to a P.R.O.B.L.E.M. This is a business coach tool that smart business owners grab onto and learn as much as they can about.
Acronyms and other learning tools will be an important part of keeping your message real and remembered. The acronym we use for P.R.O.B.L.E.M. is People Reacting Oddly Because Life Expects More .
To define this concept, take a blank page and draw a line across it like this, dividing it in half ( top from bottom)
"----------------------------------------------------------"
That line represents Problems in the world. How we, as business people and humans act and react to those PROBLEMS plays a big part in how well your team will change.
Then on top of that line would be the Winners of the world. Winners are people that other people want to be around, right? Well, under that line would be the opposite of Winner….. “Whiner”
Please don’t use the word “loser”. Defining people with a such a negative word is destructive and will alienate you from your client and your team. Look – the definition remains the same, but its far better to say WHINER.
Over the next few days, I’ll tell you a bit more about the things that make a person above or below that line.
Then on top of that line would be the Winners of the world. Winners are people that other people want to be around, right? Well, under that line would be the opposite of Winner….. “Whiner”
Please don’t use the word “loser”. Defining people with a such a negative word is destructive and will alienate you from your client and your team. Look – the definition remains the same, but its far better to say WHINER.
Over the next few days, I’ll tell you a bit more about the things that make a person above or below that line.
Dave, drop me a line if I'm not answering the exact question you had - and thanks for reaching out!
Dominic Rubino,
Executive Vice President,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
www.focalpointcoaching.com
www.stevethompsonfocalpointcoaching.blogspot.com
http://www.fbr50.com/profile/FocalPoint-Coaching
http://www.briantracy.com/coaching/coachingprograms.aspx
Executive Vice President,
FocalPoint Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy
www.focalpointcoaching.com
www.stevethompsonfocalpointcoaching.blogspot.com
http://www.fbr50.com/profile/FocalPoint-Coaching
http://www.briantracy.com/coaching/coachingprograms.aspx
Monday, June 9, 2008
What would I talk to a Business Coach about?
Here's a common question we get as Business Coaches; and you might be asking it too.
What does a Business Coach do?
This is a valid question every time it is asked.
The best answer is a simple one. Professional, Certified, Business Coaches work based on 4 main themes.
What does a Business Coach do?
This is a valid question every time it is asked.
The best answer is a simple one. Professional, Certified, Business Coaches work based on 4 main themes.
We work with Business Owners who want more Time in their Business - whether it's time for themselves, or time in terms of reducing it for production or distribution.
"Team". Every business is different. Some need to find more people, better people, different people. Some need to lose people. Smaller companies might be thinking about hiring their first person. Whatever it is, a Business Coach can show you the systems and tools for building a great team.
"Money". Ah yes, Money...this is the one that most people ask about. Yes,we show you how to make more money. As Brian Tracy says- everything in business should have an ROI. When you start using a Business Coach, there will be a fee, and you should target your ROI at 5 to 10 x your investment. So, for qualified businesses owners, business coaching is free plus a profit.
"Exit Strategy". At some point, you'll be thinking about selling your business, or maybe you already are. We don't sell your business, like a broker, what we do is help you get your business ready to sell. Any new owner is going to want to buy a business that is churning out profits.
And as you can see from the graphic above, we also reduce frustration and stress.
That, in a nutshell is what a Business Coach does.
Thanks for reading our blog, we're happy you came.
Dominic Rubino
Business Coach, FocalPoint Coaching
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Let's Get this Blog Started !
Hello World!
Well, this is the first posting to our new Blog.
The purpose of our BLOG "Ask A Business Coach", and of our webste "www.FocalPointCoaching.com " and really, our purpose in everything we do is to add massive value to the world.
We'd like you to refer to this blog if you have a business question that you want answered by a Certified, Professional Business Coach. Your questions, your thoughts are important to us,a nd we'll get back to you right away.
Did you know that FocalPoint Coaching is "Powered by Brian Tracy" ? What does this mean? It means that our coaches use the proven and globally respected content and methodology of Brian Tracy when we work with Business Owners.
The answers you get here won't be cowboy, gunslinger, off the cuff answers, based on "well, I think that will work".
No.
The answers you'll get here are based on the proven methods, steps, strategies, checklists, testimonials, case studies and success stories of our clients worldwide.
At the end of the day, Business Coaching is a tool to help you make more money in your business. We 've learned somethign in all the years we've been coaching. "Provide value and people will seek you out." That's our goal here.
Ask us a question! Post a comment! We'll answer you with realistic, usable info, not fluff and theory.
Thanks for checking in. We look forward to your questions.
Dominic Rubino
Executive Vice President, FocalPoint Coaching
Well, this is the first posting to our new Blog.
The purpose of our BLOG "Ask A Business Coach", and of our webste "www.FocalPointCoaching.com " and really, our purpose in everything we do is to add massive value to the world.
We'd like you to refer to this blog if you have a business question that you want answered by a Certified, Professional Business Coach. Your questions, your thoughts are important to us,a nd we'll get back to you right away.
Did you know that FocalPoint Coaching is "Powered by Brian Tracy" ? What does this mean? It means that our coaches use the proven and globally respected content and methodology of Brian Tracy when we work with Business Owners.
The answers you get here won't be cowboy, gunslinger, off the cuff answers, based on "well, I think that will work".
No.
The answers you'll get here are based on the proven methods, steps, strategies, checklists, testimonials, case studies and success stories of our clients worldwide.
At the end of the day, Business Coaching is a tool to help you make more money in your business. We 've learned somethign in all the years we've been coaching. "Provide value and people will seek you out." That's our goal here.
Ask us a question! Post a comment! We'll answer you with realistic, usable info, not fluff and theory.
Thanks for checking in. We look forward to your questions.
Dominic Rubino
Executive Vice President, FocalPoint Coaching
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