2. Connect: The key to connecting is listening
deeply with your eyes and ears. Listen to what your customers say and observe their emotions.
There are things they are passionate about. Look for common ground here. When you truly connect
with someone, you take rapport to the next level. You begin to move from a business relationship
to a friendship. Connecting tears down walls that tend to get in the way of real communication
and understanding. When people feel connected with you they feel more comfortable telling you
their real problems. With this information in hand, you have the opportunity to solve problems
that really matter. This ability provides real value and engenders true loyalty. Strong
connections are hard to break and are the foundation of truly prosperous, long-term
business relationships.

3. Solve Problems: One of the immutable laws of the universe is that when you give to others,
you are rewarded ten-fold. Problem solvers are the champions of the business world. However,
it is impossible to solve problems you do not know about, which is why connecting is so
critical. The essence of business is one person solving another person’s problem. A solved
problem is the value that buyers pay for. It is the most important lever in the People Buy
You philosophy. The most successful business people take problem solving to the next level.
These individuals are constantly on the look-out for problems they can solve-even if it
has no direct impact on their business. They live by the motto, “By helping others get
what they want, I will get what I want.”

4. Build Trust:Trust is the glue that holds
relationships together and the foundation on which all long-term relationships rest. Trust
is developed with tangible evidence that you do what you say you will do, that you keep
promises, and that you maintain a consistent commitment to excellence. It means going the
extra mile in everything you do. In a world in which most people are doing just enough
to get by, those business professionals who consistently do more than they have to, will
stand out. Buyers appreciate and reward this commitment to excellence with repeat business,
referrals, and ultimately with trust.

5. Create Positive Emotional Experiences:
Learn to make dealing with you fun, relaxing, and rewarding. You always want to leave your
customers and prospects thinking about you and remembering you positively so it is
imperative that you find ways to create positive emotional experiences for your
customers. The key is to focus on the little things. Remember birthdays, send handwritten
notes, do the unexpected. Just as an anchor is used to hold a ship in place against
currents, wind, tide, and storm,; positive emotional experiences anchor your relationships.
They leave people wanting more of you.

There is a quote from Abraham Lincoln that aptly sums up why rapport as a strategy fails. Lincoln said, “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” Rapport is designed not to develop trusting relationships, but rather to influence behavior. Rapport in its purest form is manipulative. People who feel manipulated will be distrustful of your motivations, no matter how pure, and will never feel connected to you. Connecting, on the other hand, is designed to win others over through a focus on their needs. The most effective strategy for winning others over (convincing them that you are their friend) is to start and end by helping them get what they want.

The most insatiable human desire, our deepest craving, is the desire to feel valued, appreciated, and important. The key to connecting and winning others over is, therefore, extremely simple: make them feel important. The real secret to making others feel important is something you have at your disposal right now. It’s listening. Listening is powerful. Quite simply, the more you listen, the more connected others will feel to you. When you listen, you make people feel important, respected, and heard.

Unfortunately, no one is really listening. I realize that is a harsh and general indictment of virtually everyone, but it is true. Why? Because we would rather think about and talk about ourselves, our wants and needs, our accomplishments, and our problems. This is easy to observe. Just go to a networking event, business meeting, or sales call. If people aren’t talking over each other in their eagerness to express their own self-important point of view, they are waiting impatiently for the other person to stop talking so they can start. The vast majority of people, especially salespeople, never make the effort to sincerely listen to others. People don’t like to listen because listening doesn’t make them feel important. Much of the time when they are not talking they are thinking about what they are going to say next, feeling, as most of us do, superior to those around them. Trust me, you are your own favorite person. It is not your fault; it is part of being human, but it is a fact and it is a roadblock to building connections with others—especially in business.

There is real power in understanding this concept and using it to your advantage to build connections. The desire to feel important, valued, and appreciated is more insatiable than any other human craving. Just like you, when people talk about themselves and someone listens, it makes them feel important. Although truly listening to another person requires self-discipline, selflessness, practice and patience, it is not complicated or complex. That is the beauty of connecting. Unlike the complexity of rapport, connecting requires only that you listen to your prospect, customer, client, boss, or peer.

A wise teacher was taking a stroll through the forest with a young pupil and stopped before a tiny tree.

“Pull up that sapling,” the teacher instructed his pupil, pointing to a sprout just coming up from the earth. The youngster pulled it up easily with his fingers. “Now, pull up that one,” said the teacher, indicating a more established sapling that had grown to about knee high to the boy. With little effort, the lad yanked and the tree came up, roots and all. “And now this one,” said the teacher, nodding toward a more well-developed evergreen that was as tall as the young pupil. With great effort, throwing all his weight and strength into the task, using sticks and stone he found to pry up the stubborn roots, the boy finally got the tree loose.

“Now,” the wise one said, “I’d like you to pull this one up.” The young boy followed the teacher’s gaze, which fell upon a mighty oak so tall the boy could scarcely see the top. Knowing the great struggle he’d just had pulling up the much smaller tree, he simply told his teacher, “I am sorry, but I can’t.”

“My son, you have just demonstrated the power that habits will have over your life!” the teacher exclaimed. “The older they are, the bigger they get, the deeper the roots grow, and the harder they are to uproot. Some get so big, with roots so deep, you might hesitate to even try.”

Creatures of Habit
 Aristotle wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do.” Merriam-Webster defines habit this way: “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary.”

There’s a story about a man riding a horse, galloping quickly. It appears that he’s going somewhere very important. A man standing along the roadside shouts, “Where are you going?” The rider replies, “I don’t know. Ask the horse!” This is the story of most people’s lives; they’re riding the horse of their habits, with no idea where they’re headed. It’s time to take control of the reins and move your life in the direction of where you really want to go.

If you’ve been living on autopilot and allowing your habits to run you, I want you to understand why. And I want you to let yourself off the hook. After all, you’re in good company. Psychological studies reveal that 95 percent of everything we feel, think, do and achieve is a result of a learned habit! We’re born with instincts, of course, but no habits at all. We develop them over time. Beginning in childhood, we learned a series of conditioned responses that led us to react automatically (as in, without thinking) to most situations.

In your day-to-day life, living “automatically” has its definite positives. If you had to consciously think about every step of each ordinary task—making breakfast, driving the kids to school, getting to work, and so on—your life would grind to a halt. You probably brush your teeth twice a day on autopilot. There’s no big philosophical debate; you just do it. You strap on your seatbelt the minute your butt hits the seat. No second thoughts. Our habits and routines allow us to use minimal conscious energy for everyday tasks. They help keep us sane and enable us to handle most situations reasonably well. And because we don’t have to think about the mundane, we can focus our mental energy on more creative and enriching thoughts. Habits can be helpful—as long as they’re good habits, that is.

If you eat healthfully, you’ve likely built healthy habits around the food you buy and what you order at restaurants. If you’re fit, it’s probably because you work out regularly. If you’re successful in a sales job, it’s probably because your habits of mental preparation and positive self-talk enable you to stay optimistic in the face of rejection.

I’ve met and worked with many great achievers, CEOs and “superstars,” and I can tell you they all share one common trait: They all have good habits. That’s not to say they don’t have bad habits—they do. But not many. A daily routine built on good habits is the difference that separates the most successful amongst us from everyone else. And doesn’t that make sense? From what we’ve already discussed, you know successful people aren’t necessarily more intelligent or more talented than anyone else. But their habits take them in the direction of becoming more informed, more knowledgeable, more competent, better-skilled and better-prepared.

My dad used Larry Bird as an example to teach me about habits when I was a kid. “Larry Legend” is known as one of the greatest professional basketball players, but he wasn’t known for being the most athletically talented player. Nobody would have described Larry as “graceful” on the basketball court. Yet, despite his limited natural athletic ability, he led the Boston Celtics to three world championships and remains one of the best players of all time. How did he do it?

It was Larry’s habits—his relentless dedication to practice and to improve his game. Bird was one of the most consistent free-throw shooters in the history of the NBA. Growing up, his habit was to practice five hundred free-throw shots every morning before school. With that kind of discipline, Larry made the most of his God-given talents and kicked the butts of some of the most “gifted” players on the court.

Like Larry Bird, you can condition your automatic and unconscious response to be those of a developed champion. This chapter is about choosing to make up for what you lack in innate ability with discipline, hard work and good habits. It’s about becoming a creature of champion habits.

With enough practice and repetition, any behavior, good or bad, becomes automatic over time. That means that even though we developed most of our habits unconsciously (by modeling our parents, responding to environmental or cultural associations, or creating coping mechanisms), we can consciously decide to change them. It stands to reason that since you learned every habit you have, you can also unlearn the ones that aren’t serving you well. ]]> http://www.strategicconcepts-ca.com/news/articles/habits-by-darren-hardy/feed/ 0 http://www.strategicconcepts-ca.com/news/articles/3-ways-to-be-a-positive-leader/ http://www.strategicconcepts-ca.com/news/articles/3-ways-to-be-a-positive-leader/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:18:37 +0000 info http://www.strategicconcepts-ca.com/news/?p=1284 In a world filled with busyness and stress I find that too often leaders can act like hard-charging, fast-driving bus drivers that have a vision and goal within their sights and they’ll run over anyone–even their own employees–to reach their destination. I know this well because early in my business career I was that kind of leader and I have had to work hard to change my approach.

I realized that any hard-charging leader can create success in the short term, but it would take a positive leader with a people and process-driven approach to build a successful organization for the long term. As John Maxwell said, “If you are all alone at the top, you are not a leader. You are a hiker.”

No one creates success alone. To win in business, you must win with people. Running over people will only get you so far. To create true and lasting success you must nurture and invest in your people. Here are three essential ways to do this.

 1. Care about them – The main question every employee in every organization is asking is, “Do you care about me; can I trust you?” Employees want to know if you care about them. If you do, they will be more likely to stay on the bus and work with you. Employees are more engaged at work and will work at their highest potential when their manager cares about them.

 2. Develop a relationship with them – Author Andy Stanley once said, “Rules without relationship lead to rebellion.” Far too many managers and leaders share rules with their people, but they don’t have a relationship with them. So what happens? The people rebel, and they disengage from their jobs and the mission of the team. I’ve had many managers approach me and tell me that my books helped them realize they needed to focus less on rules and invest more in their work relationships. The result was a dramatic increase in team performance and productivity. To develop a relationship with your employees, you need to build trust, listen to them, make time for them, recognize them and mentor them.

 3. Appreciate them – The main reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated. For example, Doug Conant, the CEO of Campbell Soup, has written more than 16,000 thank-you notes to employees in the past seven years and created a very positive business in the process. It’s as easy as saying (or writing) “Thank you.”

It’s a simple truth: When you care about your employees and the people you work with, they are more likely to stay on the bus and work harder, with more loyalty and greater positive energy. In turn, they are more likely to share their positive energy with your customers, thus enhancing service and the bottom line. The greatest customer service strategy has nothing to do with customer service, but it has everything to do with how you treat your employees. If you model great service, they will provide great service.

Remember, leadership is not just about what you do, but what you can inspire, encourage and empower others to do. Instead of running over the people in your team/organization, invite them on the bus with you and engage them to help you create an amazing and successful ride.

When we give without intention of a pay back, the natural progression of things brings positive results. We feel that we have contributed to others which provides a warmth in our hearts and is a great way to get others to join in. If we volunteer, donate or offer our time to others we will meet people that add to our own lives and businesses. Many networks based on philanthropic interests build strong alliances they are bussiness owners that serve the community and take interest in it.

Take conventional business wisdom and stir with collaborators from complementary industries that have an equal interest. Target others who have the same charitable goal that do not compete with your own. Maximize the fusion between social networks and search  engines with well known high quality rewards and incentives to motivate donors.  Learn how to use branding and marketing software to retain and build momentum.

Some ideas to to increase donations:

• Upscale attractive and create brown bag lunch auction
• Mentor hours offered to help other entrepreneur
• Weekend cruises
• Virtual shopping mall offering their choice of incentive
• Fundraising competition between industries for free advertising
• Host a chocolate party with prizes
• Free office rent
• Mini golf fundraiser interesting all participants

Particularly in this economy, people feel more inclined to give back.  People are grateful for what they have and want to help others.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

ll as extravagant prizes like cars and cruise vacations–which have sold for as much as $250,000. Other auctions have included education internships, gourmet dinners with top chefs and vineyard vacations

Charitybuzz auctions upscale merchandise as we

ll as extravagant prizes like cars and cruise vacations–which have sold for as much as $250,000. Other auctions have included education internships, gourmet dinners with top chefs and vineyard vacations

How do you strategically plan for a promotion and added opportunities without loosing my own identity? You ask others to evaluate your performance, your delivery and your presence. It may be tough but you will learn that there is more to the image you see in the mirror. Ask your family to be brutally honest because they will provide you the balance you need between co-workers, superiors and how others that have known you for years may see you.  You may have changed more positively or need to change to keep up with the times. Ask yourself when the last time was that you attended a class, read an industry article and participated in a company team building event.  Mash all together and stir with your own identity.

People are always asking themselves “what have you done for me lately”, where is my incentive to a mentor or promote this person?  Being a giver will place you in the forefront of their minds when opportunities present themselves. Always be asking for more information creating learning opportunities for yourself.  In doing so, you will also hear about business developments and changes within the organization sometimes before others do. Why because most people like being a resource, givers.  While they are giving be sure to return the favor with helpful information that you have learned and ideas to help them succeed.

• Create your plan. Make an effort every week to connect with someone outside of your business unit. 
• Be the one to invite others to lunch or coffee. Be the one to start conversations because those who do the invitating are complimenting the other. You are demonstrating that you are interested in them and you will be remembered for it. 
• Invite others within your business unit to coffee or to lunch. Nuture your relationships just like you would your house plant. Feed and water often!
• Don’t be shy. Share your success and give credit to all that helped you achieve it.
• Remember if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Ask for opportunities to attended classes or participate in presentations that are given by other business units.
• Dress to impress. We have all heard that if you want the corner office job,  you need to dress like you already have it. Keep up with style trends. Keep your shoes clean and in good shape. 
• Exercise and sleep well so that you can be at your very best.  Being sharp and responsive will not only make you look like you are an active participant it will make you stay young.
• Love thy self and value what you have to offer. Value your life and be grateful for all that you have. If you value yourself, others will too.

Your incentive is the reward of achievement. 

Your incentive is the reward of achievement.  Love thy self and value what you have to offer. Value your life and be grateful for all that you have. If you value yourself, others will too!

Businessmen and women are looking for leaders who demonstrate an enthusiastic and genuine belief in others and who strengthen their will to succeed. Look at the two definitions above and think about which of those people is going to get the results needed in business today. Coaching is all about focusing on the talent of the person, and not so much about the production of the job description given when hired. Yes, businesses hire a manager to control the output of sales in order to control the outcome or production of business. However, if the focus is on enhancing the talents of hired staff, I believe the outcome will be greatly improved. Coaches focus on supplying the means to achieve, not on the fear of employees losing their jobs. It is the title of “coach” that helps to express optimism for the future with a firm walk in life.

A coach must keep hope alive from within the person. They must always strengthen their players’ belief that life’s struggles will produce a more promising future. This evolves into an intimate and supportive relationship, a relationship based not on pure authority, but on mutual participation that results in an inner renewal. The coach sees the good in you, and it is his or her job to bring the good out and place you in a position where your talent matches the task so success is almost a given. It is when you put people in positions of your needs that you are thinking like a manager, not a coach. Your job isn’t to put people in a position of your need; it is to put them in a position where they will succeed.

All great coaches find ways to change up the game plan in order to get tried and true results. Different competitions, changing up strategies, having employee input ideas from the field – all these things help to get your team engaged in the company’s goals and have some friendly competition to bolster energy for production. A manager without a coaching strategy might simply post the goals of the company for the quarter and give no input as to how to achieve those goals. This kind of manager is relying on the talents of the sales staff, but not enhancing or improving upon past performance. Yes, the coaching up manager is going to have to be creative.

Business owners should be looking for that quality in a coach for their team. Coaches, study your competition. There are strategies out there that are proven in the marketplace and should be followed, just like the skills to make a three point jumper shot at the buzzer. Perfect practice makes perfect. Follow your team on the road to help them to continue following proven principles your company has set. But by all means, have some fun with some friendly competition.

During these uncertain and changing times, those who take the title of Coach lead with a positive, confident, can-do approach to life and business, something that is so needed with the people I see each week. The feedback I receive from investing hundreds of hours each year with people is that they want a leader with a coaching focus, not a managing agenda. These people want to believe that we all are part of a journey, and this is not just a job or a task.
They seem to gravitate toward people with a can–do attitude, not those who always seem to have a reason why something can’t be done. It is when the pressure is on that the title Coach becomes so important. A manager thinks one way and a coach thinks another. A coach says, “I asked you to be on this team because I believe in who you are as a person, not just as a player.”  The good coach sees what is good on the inside and brings it out. A manager sees what is on the outside and pushes it in. I hope this month’s e-Zine will find you coaching up for success.

If we look back to September 11th, one of the most dramatic events in our recent history, we will discovered companies that continued to invest in themselves reaped the rewards of increased business.  They stayed in front of their customers and demonstrated their true belief in our country and in their business.  Their investment softened the long term effects of the economic downturn and created success.

Recently, some business owners got spoiled with rapid growth and high dollar receipts. They did not spend time training employees on cross selling, customer service or enhancing their technical skills.  Educated and happy employee are less stressed, more effective and motivated to support their companies.

Look to your Customer Service Department. Your customer service staff receives and delivers valuable information to your customers every single day. Why not teach them to sell and keep them motivated to act as sale representatives. Incoming calls are much easier to convert into a sale than a cold call. Invite your customer service representives to marketing and sales meetings to develop their sales skills. When the phones are not ringing, discuss call trends. What are your customers saying? Are they suggesting new products or services. When customers have a complaint what are customer services representatives doing to change the customers mind about your company? What seems to motivate your customers to call in? What incentive do you offer your customers to continue to do business with you?

Cutting back on your marketing budget and overallimage will not only get tongues wagging,  it will not provide you withcontinued exposure. If you move to a cheaper location you will be less visible and the your existing customers will get the impression that you may be edging closer to going out of business.  Your employees must believe that you firmly believe in your business and are striving for success. The more positive your customer’s and employee’s experience is withyour company,  the more word of mouth marketing you will receive.  As our economy begins to become more positive you will find yourself ahead of the competition.

Lipstick Tips:

• What is new in your industry?
• What seems to be working for your competitors and those in complementary industries?
• Who can you collaborate with to create a non-competitive canpaign?
• Do you have an interesting story?
• Is your website easy and fun to use?
• Do your employees survey their customers?
• Do your employees really know about your products and services?
• When was your last positive all hands meeting?
• Do you have a customer and employee incentive program?
• Have you considered moving to a better location taking advantage of lower rent?
• Have you taken advantage of a marketing interns?
• Do you reach out to your community? Do you host open houses and fun events?
• Do you post interesting and informative blogs each week?
• Do you research current and effective keywords?

Put some lipstick on your business and go out there and make them take notice!

Your incentive to enhance your charisma is not about having more friends it is about making the right connections, drawing opportunities  easily towards you and increasing your marketability. Those with charisma find themselves working less and receiving more.

1)   Exude confidence and a great attitude when you walk into the room.  Walk confidently and smile, keep your eyes moving across the room when you walk into it. Move throughout the the room and introduce yourself. Many admire people who have the confidence to break the ice first. 

2)   Before you attend a networking mixer, find out what kind of companies will be represented. Do your homework so that you can speak about  light and interesting topics about their business. Your reward, will be you will learn a lot and meet great people.

3)   When you meet people listen more than you speak. Take interest in the other person by asking questions to learn more about them.

4 )  Be aware of body language. Is the person you are speaking with becoming bored? What is your body language coinciding with your verbal communication?

5 )  Be truly passionate. When you are excited you exude it, when you are angry others know it and when you are happy you are contagious!

6)   Be genuine, people don’t like those they don’t get a feeling for or can’t seem to know where you might stand.

7)  Be polite and pleasant. Treat everyone with respect.

8)  Empower people by helping them feel important and more confident.

9)  Laugh and have fun.

10)  After meeting someone shake hands and look them in the eyes to say it was nice meeting them.  

Stand out from the crowd using the head/heart connection. Tap into yourself and others physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually.  The reward is an enrich business and personal life.

It’s amazing how far a positive attitude can take you in the world of sales. Attitude is a huge part of what makes up your reputation, and often one of the first things people will notice when meeting you for the first time. It’s easy to have a positive attitude when things are going well; the difficulty comes in remaining positive when things don’t go the way you’d hoped.

Because attitude is a mind-set that reveals itself in behaviors, often acting positive even when you don’t feel positive will change the way you feel over time, which means you can change your attitude if you so desire.

Finally, to put a positive spin on the sometimes negative or losing circumstances that occur in sales, just think to yourself, “Yeah, losing stinks, but if it didn’t happen every once in a while, I wouldn’t appreciate winning!” or, as Jimmy Dean once said, “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sales to always reach my destination.” OK, OK, his quote used the word sails, not sales, but you get the point.