Don’t you just cringe when you ask a question about an internet business and they say, “just sign up, we’ll tell you what to do later.” Some are almost that bad. There are websites on the internet today which do not tell you what kind of business it is or anything about it.
Caution about getting involved with a business which will not provide any information.
As a potential business purchaser, you have a right to know:
1. The name of the parent company
2. The main product – not all of the details, but the type of product. Is it a juice, telephone card, financial education, marketing education, cosmetics etc.
3. The type of business – franchise, MLM, Network marketing, affiliate program . . .
4. Do you earn from your first sale or have to pass up sales
5. How long has the company been in business
These are basic pieces of information to which you have a right before you invest your hard earned money.
Most people are concerned about:
1. Can I do it?
2. Will you be there after the sale?
3. Is it real? Is it legitimate?
After you filled out your information on the web site, did you receive a telephone call? If they called, where they high pressure sales or genuinely interested in you and your needs? If you did not receive a phone call, was there a number where you could contact them and speak to a live person? In the old days, ten or twenty years ago, you may have been sent to a pre-recorded message on an 800 line and asked to leave your contact information. That technique is rarely used now. Quite frequently now, you may receive a pre-recorded message sent directly to your telephone without your request for the call. That is regarded as a form of telephone spam rather than internet spam email.
How much personal attention do you desire? If you are the type of person who enjoys speaking with a real live human, then you can either call or respond to those who telephone you. Providing a telephone number on the web site is an indication that the owner of the web site is open to speaking with you and providing information to you.
The next step after the initial contact will probably be an email directing you to either a conference call or a web site for more information. This may be a personal email or an auto responder email. How much real information is provided in the email? Once again, have you been provided with contact information to speak directly with the sender?
When you attend the conference call or web site, how much information do you receive in addition to the enthusiasm and sales pitch? If it is all rah rah and no specific product or company information, be careful. The company name should be given for your reference.
Look up the company to determine if it has an excessive number of complaints. Any company which has been in business for 5 or more years will probably have a few grumblers. It is impossible for any person or any company to make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time.
Attorney general complaints are more significant than blogs or whiner chat rooms. Look at the source of the information in the complaint. Better Business Bureau is not a real government bureau; it is a “for profit” company. Much like the Federal Reserve is not actually federal; it is a private profit corporation.
There are a tremendous number of honest, ethical companies available for starting your own business. Being an entrepreneur is a wonderful, exciting and extremely beneficial venture. The important factors are to select the best business for you; select a business which fits your interests, your passion, your goals, your investment and your future income. Ethics and integrity must be present.
The more open and informative the business, the greater the opportunity for you to make a solid decision about what is best for you.
If you would like assistance in sorting through the information and guidance on selecting the best business for you, send me a note in the “contact Elaine” section of www.Elaine4Success.com.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
When the Wheels Come Off
What do you do when the wheels come off of your world?
A friend of mine lost a fifty thousand dollar contract recently. When you consider that is more money than most people throughout the world, including the United States, earn in a year, the significance is enormous. He had been working on this major project for over ten months and he was eager to deliver the finished product and collect his fee. Imagine his excitement when he called the company declaring that the work was completed a few weeks ahead of schedule and he was ready to present what he believed was an exceptional product. Bringing a major project in early as well as above and beyond the scope of the contract, feels exhilarating. He was prepared to coordinate schedules with all of the major executives with his schedule. Imagine his shock when he learned that the company was bankrupt and he would not only not be presenting the project but would not be paid.
A flood of emotions flow through your body like electric shock waves. Anger, shock, grief, confusion, and hurt rise and fall like tidal waves until your energy is depleted and you sit stunned and exhausted. A year’s income, a year’s work all evaporated before your eyes.
What do you do? You can scream, cry, pout or even throw things; however none of those do any good. You can go drink but that is never a solution either. Give yourself a few minutes to regain your composure and figure out what happens next. If the company truly is bankrupt and closing its doors, you are probably not the only broken contract and not the only impending lawsuit. Suing in this case would probably be pointless; the only one who usually wins in these situations is the attorney.
An attorney in Steamboat Springs had the picture of a cow on his wall. One person was pulling the head of the cow by the halter, the other pulling the tail of the cow and the attorney sitting there milking the cow. Both ends of the lawsuit lose and the attorney mils the situation. Alternative dispute resolution frequently benefits both parties in the lawsuit more than litigation. A lawsuit would not be recommended in this case.
Look at the work and determine what good could result from it. Could he write a book, teach a seminar, or sell it to another company. A full year’s work must be worth something to someone. Put your thinking cap on and go for it.
Life occasionally hands us a brutal slap in the financial face. Maybe yours was a job loss.
If you are like most people, you have been employed in more than one job throughout your life. Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the center from the top of the paper to the bottom. Start making a list on the left side of the paper of everything you ever liked about any job you ever had. Start making a list on the right side of the paper of everything you ever disliked about any job you ever had. Take a fresh new sheet of paper and list everything which would be ideal for you in a new career. Note that I did not say new job; many people find this is the perfect time to start a business of their own.
After all, you can not possibly be terminated from a company you own without your consent. In a perfect world with zero limitations, what would you enjoy doing for a career? No, do not analyze or go negative, just think and write possibilities.
This technique is a variation of the Ben Franklin problem solving method.
This is exactly the advice given to my friend who lost the fifty thousand dollar contract fee. Look for all of the positives, the known negatives and the potential desirable outcomes. From this method will emerge a pattern; from the pattern will emerge a solution.
We always have a solution just around the corner; our responsibility is to look for it, find it and implement it.
If you lost you job, then determine all of the positives, negatives and desirable outcomes. Now when you go forward to seek a new career you have more experience in selecting the ideal position for you. That is a tremendous advantage to having a few years experience. We have the knowledge to know what we like and what we don’t like. As a professor of mine once said, you can have ten years experience or one year’s experience ten times. You have the benefit of ten years experience. Next time you will make an even better choice.
Maybe this is the perfect time to launch your own business and create the future you desire. Fulfill everything on your ideal career list. Work in your area of strength and passion. Creating your ideal future is far more fun than creating the future of someone else’s dreams.
If you would like assistance in determining your passion, your ideal future career, write me a note in the ‘contact Elaine’ section of www.Elaine4Success.com.
A friend of mine lost a fifty thousand dollar contract recently. When you consider that is more money than most people throughout the world, including the United States, earn in a year, the significance is enormous. He had been working on this major project for over ten months and he was eager to deliver the finished product and collect his fee. Imagine his excitement when he called the company declaring that the work was completed a few weeks ahead of schedule and he was ready to present what he believed was an exceptional product. Bringing a major project in early as well as above and beyond the scope of the contract, feels exhilarating. He was prepared to coordinate schedules with all of the major executives with his schedule. Imagine his shock when he learned that the company was bankrupt and he would not only not be presenting the project but would not be paid.
A flood of emotions flow through your body like electric shock waves. Anger, shock, grief, confusion, and hurt rise and fall like tidal waves until your energy is depleted and you sit stunned and exhausted. A year’s income, a year’s work all evaporated before your eyes.
What do you do? You can scream, cry, pout or even throw things; however none of those do any good. You can go drink but that is never a solution either. Give yourself a few minutes to regain your composure and figure out what happens next. If the company truly is bankrupt and closing its doors, you are probably not the only broken contract and not the only impending lawsuit. Suing in this case would probably be pointless; the only one who usually wins in these situations is the attorney.
An attorney in Steamboat Springs had the picture of a cow on his wall. One person was pulling the head of the cow by the halter, the other pulling the tail of the cow and the attorney sitting there milking the cow. Both ends of the lawsuit lose and the attorney mils the situation. Alternative dispute resolution frequently benefits both parties in the lawsuit more than litigation. A lawsuit would not be recommended in this case.
Look at the work and determine what good could result from it. Could he write a book, teach a seminar, or sell it to another company. A full year’s work must be worth something to someone. Put your thinking cap on and go for it.
Life occasionally hands us a brutal slap in the financial face. Maybe yours was a job loss.
If you are like most people, you have been employed in more than one job throughout your life. Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the center from the top of the paper to the bottom. Start making a list on the left side of the paper of everything you ever liked about any job you ever had. Start making a list on the right side of the paper of everything you ever disliked about any job you ever had. Take a fresh new sheet of paper and list everything which would be ideal for you in a new career. Note that I did not say new job; many people find this is the perfect time to start a business of their own.
After all, you can not possibly be terminated from a company you own without your consent. In a perfect world with zero limitations, what would you enjoy doing for a career? No, do not analyze or go negative, just think and write possibilities.
This technique is a variation of the Ben Franklin problem solving method.
This is exactly the advice given to my friend who lost the fifty thousand dollar contract fee. Look for all of the positives, the known negatives and the potential desirable outcomes. From this method will emerge a pattern; from the pattern will emerge a solution.
We always have a solution just around the corner; our responsibility is to look for it, find it and implement it.
If you lost you job, then determine all of the positives, negatives and desirable outcomes. Now when you go forward to seek a new career you have more experience in selecting the ideal position for you. That is a tremendous advantage to having a few years experience. We have the knowledge to know what we like and what we don’t like. As a professor of mine once said, you can have ten years experience or one year’s experience ten times. You have the benefit of ten years experience. Next time you will make an even better choice.
Maybe this is the perfect time to launch your own business and create the future you desire. Fulfill everything on your ideal career list. Work in your area of strength and passion. Creating your ideal future is far more fun than creating the future of someone else’s dreams.
If you would like assistance in determining your passion, your ideal future career, write me a note in the ‘contact Elaine’ section of www.Elaine4Success.com.
Friday, February 5, 2010
3 Solutions For Success
A fresh approach changes the direction of your results. “Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought,” Henri Louis Bergson.
Everyone reaches a point in life where they feel stuck. The creativity does not flow and the spirit is restless. Wayne Dyer, world renowned author, lecturer and philosopher, once said that it is impossible to be depressed and active at the same time. The greatest cure for being stuck, restless or depressed is always action. Go do something. Write, read, walk, bake cookies or clean the garage. Go do something.
Better yet, when you are restless and discontent with your current situation, go do something wonderful for someone else. Doing something good for someone else not only makes them feel better but it also improves your attitude.
When your results are not progressing the way you desire, the 3 areas to investigate are:
Attitude
Philosophy
Activity
Your attitude reflects your perspective toward a situation. It is how you feel about the events in your life. A positive attitude will always help you do more than a negative attitude.
"A 'positive attitude' is definitely one of the keys to success. My definition of a positive attitude is a simple one: Looking for the good in all circumstances. Catherine Pulsifer
Your attitude reflects in everything you do whether you realize it or not. Your attitude about yourself, your work and your life in general projects into everything you say and do. When things are not going your way, look inside rather than outside.
Your philosophy is your pursuit of knowledge through study and self discipline. Jim Rohn was 25 when he realized that the problem with his finances was not the economy, the government, the taxes or any external force but his philosophy of life. He changed his philosophy and began disciplining himself to study successful people. He read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill and “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George Clason. He adopted their philosophy of handling money, business and forward thinking mindset. This subtle change in philosophy created a major shift in his earnings and the way he managed his money.
Philosophy quotes can be very obtuse and vague. Oscar Wilde said it best, “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I m saying.” One of my favorites of Oscar Wilde is “I can stand brute force, but brute reason is quite unbearable. There is something unfair about its use. It is hitting below the intellect.”
Break philosophy down into simple terms. Change your perspective about a situation; study and develop a new view of life. According to Wayne Dyer, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change. This is philosophy 101.
Once you change your attitude to reflect more of the positive approach and change your philosophy to study and gain new perspective, your activity will automatically change.
Get in the habit every night of making a list of five things to move your business. Let your subconscious work on the solutions while you sleep. Be absolutely certain to complete your five major action steps every day. Every activity must move you closer to your goal.
Decide with pin point accuracy your exact goals. Know precisely what you consider as success: personal, professional, and financial. Focus every activity each day with laser beam accuracy toward the achievement of those goals.
With a crystal clear philosophy, a positive attitude and laser focused accuracy in all of your activities, it would be impossible to miss your goals.
When your life stalls out or misses its target, reassess your attitude, philosophy and accuracy. Changing one or a combination of those three factors will turn your life upward.
If you would like assistance with attitude, philosophy, or activity, write a comment in “contact Elaine” in www.Elaine4Success.com. Your future is guaranteed.
Everyone reaches a point in life where they feel stuck. The creativity does not flow and the spirit is restless. Wayne Dyer, world renowned author, lecturer and philosopher, once said that it is impossible to be depressed and active at the same time. The greatest cure for being stuck, restless or depressed is always action. Go do something. Write, read, walk, bake cookies or clean the garage. Go do something.
Better yet, when you are restless and discontent with your current situation, go do something wonderful for someone else. Doing something good for someone else not only makes them feel better but it also improves your attitude.
When your results are not progressing the way you desire, the 3 areas to investigate are:
Attitude
Philosophy
Activity
Your attitude reflects your perspective toward a situation. It is how you feel about the events in your life. A positive attitude will always help you do more than a negative attitude.
"A 'positive attitude' is definitely one of the keys to success. My definition of a positive attitude is a simple one: Looking for the good in all circumstances. Catherine Pulsifer
Your attitude reflects in everything you do whether you realize it or not. Your attitude about yourself, your work and your life in general projects into everything you say and do. When things are not going your way, look inside rather than outside.
Your philosophy is your pursuit of knowledge through study and self discipline. Jim Rohn was 25 when he realized that the problem with his finances was not the economy, the government, the taxes or any external force but his philosophy of life. He changed his philosophy and began disciplining himself to study successful people. He read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill and “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George Clason. He adopted their philosophy of handling money, business and forward thinking mindset. This subtle change in philosophy created a major shift in his earnings and the way he managed his money.
Philosophy quotes can be very obtuse and vague. Oscar Wilde said it best, “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I m saying.” One of my favorites of Oscar Wilde is “I can stand brute force, but brute reason is quite unbearable. There is something unfair about its use. It is hitting below the intellect.”
Break philosophy down into simple terms. Change your perspective about a situation; study and develop a new view of life. According to Wayne Dyer, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change. This is philosophy 101.
Once you change your attitude to reflect more of the positive approach and change your philosophy to study and gain new perspective, your activity will automatically change.
Get in the habit every night of making a list of five things to move your business. Let your subconscious work on the solutions while you sleep. Be absolutely certain to complete your five major action steps every day. Every activity must move you closer to your goal.
Decide with pin point accuracy your exact goals. Know precisely what you consider as success: personal, professional, and financial. Focus every activity each day with laser beam accuracy toward the achievement of those goals.
With a crystal clear philosophy, a positive attitude and laser focused accuracy in all of your activities, it would be impossible to miss your goals.
When your life stalls out or misses its target, reassess your attitude, philosophy and accuracy. Changing one or a combination of those three factors will turn your life upward.
If you would like assistance with attitude, philosophy, or activity, write a comment in “contact Elaine” in www.Elaine4Success.com. Your future is guaranteed.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Psychology of Colors Marketing
From across a crowded room your eye catches a flash of hot pink. A smile eases its way across your face and you carefully weave your way through the crowd. Something about that flash of color beckoned you with an irresistible magnetism. You were compelled to learn more about its origin. The irresistible mystery of that flash or color inspired you to investigate.
Colors speak to us on a subliminal level as well as overt appeal. What do your colors say about you? Your marketing colors speak volumes about your quality, your product and your personality. Colors, logo and succinct well chosen words in your web site banner or marketing brochure either immediately catch the eye or bye bye potential customer. You have mere seconds to catch the eye or the lightening quick back button or delete button is pushed.
Colors, logo and headline either speak “come here, there is something important here” or you lost your chance just as certainly as not following your instinct to investigate that flash of hot pink. Create a positive eye catching magnetic pull. Instill a subconscious desire to learn more. The best web page content in the world is worthless unless you attract your ideal customer to click the link and stay on your page long enough to actually read the words. The mind thinks in pictures and colors. Never underestimate your initial impression.
What colors and image represent your company, products and culture? Study your psychology of colors marketing image. Examine some industry leaders.
IBM was known as big blue. Blue represents the expanse of sky and sea indicating wide spread market share. Blue is linked to consciousness and intellect and suggests precision when promoting high-tech products. Further note the prominence in blue for men’s shirts in corporate America; blue projects more of a masculine image. The origin of the term “Big Blue” could have come from the color of their 1960s mainframe computer, the loyal true blue customer or the company dress code. The name fit and it remained intact.
IBM’s logo is simple, clear and representative of International Business Machines. Currently the logo is the simple white letters with thin black lines on a solid black background. Simple crisp and clean.
General Mills chose a simple cursive G in green. Green represents nature and freshness with a strong emotional correspondence to safety. Freshness, assurance of health and safety are all excellent qualities for food products. Notice that green frequently also represents the safety of drugs and medical products. Shades of green are also very significant. Darker green us associated with greed or jealousy; yellow-green tends toward sickness or discord; olive green is traditionally the color of peace. Note that General Mills chose a leaf green, the color of a healthy young leaf.
The cursive G of the logo is warm, welcoming, and friendly. Note the difference in the Green Bay Packers bold print G showing strength and masculinity.
Colors and logo form a strong image of the company and products.
McDonalds golden arches flash the image of joy, happiness and energy. Yellow arches beckon children with their cheerfulness; yellow is a very lighthearted childish color. Ronald McDonald the clown follows through the image with happiness, play and pied piper welcome. Absolutely nothing strong and masculine about a clown’s image; yellow would never be recommended for a strong male image.
The golden arches logo is once again clean, crisp and simple. They are easy to identify from a distance and convey a “come on inside” image.
These are only three examples of the color and logo conveying the perfect image for the company and products. Consider the psychology of colors in your advertising materials.
What image do your colors and logo project about you? Colors absolutely have a specific psychological impact. Are your marketing colors and logo conveying the psychology you intend?
For a specific analysis of your current marketing colors or to design the appropriate colors to depict your intended image, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.
Colors speak to us on a subliminal level as well as overt appeal. What do your colors say about you? Your marketing colors speak volumes about your quality, your product and your personality. Colors, logo and succinct well chosen words in your web site banner or marketing brochure either immediately catch the eye or bye bye potential customer. You have mere seconds to catch the eye or the lightening quick back button or delete button is pushed.
Colors, logo and headline either speak “come here, there is something important here” or you lost your chance just as certainly as not following your instinct to investigate that flash of hot pink. Create a positive eye catching magnetic pull. Instill a subconscious desire to learn more. The best web page content in the world is worthless unless you attract your ideal customer to click the link and stay on your page long enough to actually read the words. The mind thinks in pictures and colors. Never underestimate your initial impression.
What colors and image represent your company, products and culture? Study your psychology of colors marketing image. Examine some industry leaders.
IBM was known as big blue. Blue represents the expanse of sky and sea indicating wide spread market share. Blue is linked to consciousness and intellect and suggests precision when promoting high-tech products. Further note the prominence in blue for men’s shirts in corporate America; blue projects more of a masculine image. The origin of the term “Big Blue” could have come from the color of their 1960s mainframe computer, the loyal true blue customer or the company dress code. The name fit and it remained intact.
IBM’s logo is simple, clear and representative of International Business Machines. Currently the logo is the simple white letters with thin black lines on a solid black background. Simple crisp and clean.
General Mills chose a simple cursive G in green. Green represents nature and freshness with a strong emotional correspondence to safety. Freshness, assurance of health and safety are all excellent qualities for food products. Notice that green frequently also represents the safety of drugs and medical products. Shades of green are also very significant. Darker green us associated with greed or jealousy; yellow-green tends toward sickness or discord; olive green is traditionally the color of peace. Note that General Mills chose a leaf green, the color of a healthy young leaf.
The cursive G of the logo is warm, welcoming, and friendly. Note the difference in the Green Bay Packers bold print G showing strength and masculinity.
Colors and logo form a strong image of the company and products.
McDonalds golden arches flash the image of joy, happiness and energy. Yellow arches beckon children with their cheerfulness; yellow is a very lighthearted childish color. Ronald McDonald the clown follows through the image with happiness, play and pied piper welcome. Absolutely nothing strong and masculine about a clown’s image; yellow would never be recommended for a strong male image.
The golden arches logo is once again clean, crisp and simple. They are easy to identify from a distance and convey a “come on inside” image.
These are only three examples of the color and logo conveying the perfect image for the company and products. Consider the psychology of colors in your advertising materials.
What image do your colors and logo project about you? Colors absolutely have a specific psychological impact. Are your marketing colors and logo conveying the psychology you intend?
For a specific analysis of your current marketing colors or to design the appropriate colors to depict your intended image, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
3 Keys To Success
Surveys of major corporative executives and business icons revealed three major keys to business success.
Ever known anyone who was absolutely brilliant but spoke in technical terms so far above most of the audience that they might as well have been speaking Greek? Speaking in insider acronyms or industry specific jargon is only effective with a very select audience. Everyone else mentally checks out within the first five minutes. The easy assumption seems to be that because the speaker knows the terminology, everyone should.
Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Jobs of Apple are both incredibly bright men and very technology savvy; however, their presentation style varies radically. One of the things Toastmasters teaches and every successful presenter knows is the importance of connecting with your audience. Effective communication is not optional. You may have the best book, the best web site, the best scientific proof; however, if you can not communicate it to audience in a language they understand and relate to, you have nothing more than a pretty document. Information only becomes valuable when it reaches out beyond the originator. Society receives no benefit from a closet report.
The first key to success is valuable information communicated effectively.
Problems exist everywhere. Personal problems, business problems, and social problems permeate our lives. Having the ability to solve problems is a tremendous asset. Solving problems in a cost effective manner is an even bigger asset. Add on solving problems while increasing morale and reducing employee turnover and you qualify for the executive washroom benefits package. Major executives must possess the ability to solve problems. The more “buy in” they receive from employees at all levels coupled with increases to the bottom line, the higher the bonus check.
If the company profits are to soar, you not only need the best pilot at the controls but also the right people in the right seats on the plane. Planes only fly effectively with the best people in the control tower and the right people on the ground crew. No major corporation ever soars effectively without a team effort. Problems will occur. It may be a lightening storm such as the economy tanking or ice on the wings such as a change in consumer demand for the products or an earthquake destroying the landing strip such as a union strike. Problems occur. The more effectively and swiftly these problems are solved, the more valuable the problem solver.
The second key to success is swiftly and effectively solving problems.
Ever see an employee evaluation which stated “does not work and play well with others.” Actually that phrase may have appeared on a kindergarten report card. Some never managed to acquire that attribute. In the problem solving section we described the importance of team work. Team work is not only the responsibility of the team leader, but also every member of the team. A wonderful team can easily come apart at the seams with one itchy, nit picky red ant. Working and playing well with others means everyone, just a few or when convenient. That attribute is extremely important for the team leader. The old expression about herding cats or organizing butterflies to fly in formation has direct impact on the team leader. A disorganized, dictatorial or micro manager team leader will not inspire his group to cooperate and play well together. Michael Jordan is a world acclaimed basketball player but Michael alone would not make an effective team. He frequently passed the ball to other players; he knew how to work and play well with others.
The third key to success is working and playing well with others.
Master the art and skill of effective communication, problem solving and team work and you will absolutely prosper in business and in life.
For specific tips and techniques for effective communication, problem solving and team coordination, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.
Ever known anyone who was absolutely brilliant but spoke in technical terms so far above most of the audience that they might as well have been speaking Greek? Speaking in insider acronyms or industry specific jargon is only effective with a very select audience. Everyone else mentally checks out within the first five minutes. The easy assumption seems to be that because the speaker knows the terminology, everyone should.
Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Jobs of Apple are both incredibly bright men and very technology savvy; however, their presentation style varies radically. One of the things Toastmasters teaches and every successful presenter knows is the importance of connecting with your audience. Effective communication is not optional. You may have the best book, the best web site, the best scientific proof; however, if you can not communicate it to audience in a language they understand and relate to, you have nothing more than a pretty document. Information only becomes valuable when it reaches out beyond the originator. Society receives no benefit from a closet report.
The first key to success is valuable information communicated effectively.
Problems exist everywhere. Personal problems, business problems, and social problems permeate our lives. Having the ability to solve problems is a tremendous asset. Solving problems in a cost effective manner is an even bigger asset. Add on solving problems while increasing morale and reducing employee turnover and you qualify for the executive washroom benefits package. Major executives must possess the ability to solve problems. The more “buy in” they receive from employees at all levels coupled with increases to the bottom line, the higher the bonus check.
If the company profits are to soar, you not only need the best pilot at the controls but also the right people in the right seats on the plane. Planes only fly effectively with the best people in the control tower and the right people on the ground crew. No major corporation ever soars effectively without a team effort. Problems will occur. It may be a lightening storm such as the economy tanking or ice on the wings such as a change in consumer demand for the products or an earthquake destroying the landing strip such as a union strike. Problems occur. The more effectively and swiftly these problems are solved, the more valuable the problem solver.
The second key to success is swiftly and effectively solving problems.
Ever see an employee evaluation which stated “does not work and play well with others.” Actually that phrase may have appeared on a kindergarten report card. Some never managed to acquire that attribute. In the problem solving section we described the importance of team work. Team work is not only the responsibility of the team leader, but also every member of the team. A wonderful team can easily come apart at the seams with one itchy, nit picky red ant. Working and playing well with others means everyone, just a few or when convenient. That attribute is extremely important for the team leader. The old expression about herding cats or organizing butterflies to fly in formation has direct impact on the team leader. A disorganized, dictatorial or micro manager team leader will not inspire his group to cooperate and play well together. Michael Jordan is a world acclaimed basketball player but Michael alone would not make an effective team. He frequently passed the ball to other players; he knew how to work and play well with others.
The third key to success is working and playing well with others.
Master the art and skill of effective communication, problem solving and team work and you will absolutely prosper in business and in life.
For specific tips and techniques for effective communication, problem solving and team coordination, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Push Emotional Buttons
It is just one of those days. Murphy’s Law declares that what could go wrong, will go wrong. Parkinson’s law states that Murphy was an optimist. When one of those situations slaps your face and kicks your emotional equilibrium out of the park, sit back, take a deep breath and use a tension release system.
Abraham Lincoln perfected a system of expounding on his thoughts without regard to what anyone might think about his language. Political politeness never entered the consideration. He wrote a letter with full open expression of his thoughts. Frequently these letters were addressed to various Union officers who made tactical battlefield errors resulting in tremendous loss of life. Each letter was written in detail, folded, placed in an envelope and deposited in the steamer trunk mailbox. None of these letters ever reached the recipient or the US Postal system. The Lincoln “letter to the steamer trunk” system provided an effective venting system without harming anyone.
Ed Tate, professional speaker and coach, introduced the “scream at a chair” system. Imagine the object of your displeasure seated in the chair; rant and rave to your heart’s content. This method is best used out of earshot of your neighbors or any household members. This is particularly unsuitable in the vicinity of small children or animals. This method is far less expensive and less messy than throwing china against a wall.
My personal favorite emotional release technique is physical. No, not throwing china. Go for a run, go for a long walk, take a bike ride or go to the gym and lift weights. Physical activity releases negative pent up energy in a positive way. Physical exercise burns calories as opposed to eating a pound of chocolates or a gallon of ice cream which adds calories.
Rent a funny movie, listen to your favorite comedians’ CD or watch their DVD. Laugh. Laughing is another way of releasing tension. If you plan on hysterical laughter, once again you may choose to be out of hearing distance of your neighbors. Though they will not call the gentlemen with the pristine white straight jackets to come get you for laughing too much, doing this too frequently may raise eyebrows.
None of these tension relievers will cause the nice officers with the flashing lights atop their vehicles to give you a breathalyzer or take you to a cozy enclosure with a roommate named Bubba.
Everyone experiences having their emotional buttons pushed. Sometimes our family, friends and co-workers perfect the technique of knowing exactly where to insert the emotional electric shock barb.
Science has not discovered the exact location of a filter between the thoughts and the outward sound of the knife sharp words. In fact, the possibility exists that some people may have a faulty installation of that filter. Not everyone came equipped with a “think before you speak” mechanism. Some people seem completely oblivious of the necessity for such a filter. Some people are simply oblivious to the feelings of others; they either do not care or are unconscious of verbal impacts.
Remember, it is not about you, it is their issue. Unfortunately you are left to deal with the wounded ego.
It is not a matter of IF your emotional buttons will be pushed, but when. Reacting openly and with hostility to the perpetrator of the verbal zinger only extends your pain. The more public attention you draw to the insult, the more impact it has on everyone. Let it go and use the Lincoln letter, scream at a chair, physical exercise or laugh system to relieve your tension and restore your sanity.
Once you are in a calmer mindset, you will be better equipped to handle the situation in a manner that you will not regret later. Fortunately you received the filter from thoughts to words as original installation.
In case your filter has a faulty installation, contact me at www.Elaine4Success.com for a filter implementation or repair.
Abraham Lincoln perfected a system of expounding on his thoughts without regard to what anyone might think about his language. Political politeness never entered the consideration. He wrote a letter with full open expression of his thoughts. Frequently these letters were addressed to various Union officers who made tactical battlefield errors resulting in tremendous loss of life. Each letter was written in detail, folded, placed in an envelope and deposited in the steamer trunk mailbox. None of these letters ever reached the recipient or the US Postal system. The Lincoln “letter to the steamer trunk” system provided an effective venting system without harming anyone.
Ed Tate, professional speaker and coach, introduced the “scream at a chair” system. Imagine the object of your displeasure seated in the chair; rant and rave to your heart’s content. This method is best used out of earshot of your neighbors or any household members. This is particularly unsuitable in the vicinity of small children or animals. This method is far less expensive and less messy than throwing china against a wall.
My personal favorite emotional release technique is physical. No, not throwing china. Go for a run, go for a long walk, take a bike ride or go to the gym and lift weights. Physical activity releases negative pent up energy in a positive way. Physical exercise burns calories as opposed to eating a pound of chocolates or a gallon of ice cream which adds calories.
Rent a funny movie, listen to your favorite comedians’ CD or watch their DVD. Laugh. Laughing is another way of releasing tension. If you plan on hysterical laughter, once again you may choose to be out of hearing distance of your neighbors. Though they will not call the gentlemen with the pristine white straight jackets to come get you for laughing too much, doing this too frequently may raise eyebrows.
None of these tension relievers will cause the nice officers with the flashing lights atop their vehicles to give you a breathalyzer or take you to a cozy enclosure with a roommate named Bubba.
Everyone experiences having their emotional buttons pushed. Sometimes our family, friends and co-workers perfect the technique of knowing exactly where to insert the emotional electric shock barb.
Science has not discovered the exact location of a filter between the thoughts and the outward sound of the knife sharp words. In fact, the possibility exists that some people may have a faulty installation of that filter. Not everyone came equipped with a “think before you speak” mechanism. Some people seem completely oblivious of the necessity for such a filter. Some people are simply oblivious to the feelings of others; they either do not care or are unconscious of verbal impacts.
Remember, it is not about you, it is their issue. Unfortunately you are left to deal with the wounded ego.
It is not a matter of IF your emotional buttons will be pushed, but when. Reacting openly and with hostility to the perpetrator of the verbal zinger only extends your pain. The more public attention you draw to the insult, the more impact it has on everyone. Let it go and use the Lincoln letter, scream at a chair, physical exercise or laugh system to relieve your tension and restore your sanity.
Once you are in a calmer mindset, you will be better equipped to handle the situation in a manner that you will not regret later. Fortunately you received the filter from thoughts to words as original installation.
In case your filter has a faulty installation, contact me at www.Elaine4Success.com for a filter implementation or repair.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Survive, Strive, Thrive
Life comes in phases – baby to young adult to senior citizen. Business displays the same phases.
Survivors are people whose attitude of minimum effort allows them to just survive; they choose to do as little as possible to get through life. You will find these people on the welfare roles. An upscale version of this appears in the cute kid who expects life to hand them everything they want with zero effort on their part. You know the female who seeks a sugar daddy or plays the “I’m cute so give to me” attitude. Guys are not exempt either even though there are less in the “I am handsome and full of muscles so give me’ category. America has unfortunately encouraged an entitlement society.
Survivors take from society rather than contributing to its growth.
Our ancestors were hard working industrious people. They were strivers. Prospectors who mined for gold endured extreme weather, shortages of food, and rudimentary shelter. Early settlers in the West endured dust storms, insect devastation of crops, Indian attacks, as well as the most basic of living conditions. Our ancestors who crossed the ocean in steerage compartments were directed past the machinery, down deep stairways into the enclosed cramped quarters of the lower decks; they lived or died in the absolute minimal accommodations. Today these pioneers are the single mothers who scrape by to care for their children by working two jobs. The strivers are the people, young and middle age, who attend night school or study at the library to advance their knowledge and value in the workplace. The strivers are the ones who sacrifice the weekend party to learn and grow and provide a better future for themselves and their families.
The strivers are the ambitious determined citizens who will not settle for just getting through life; they are committed to improving themselves. Strivers contribute to society. Our nation was founded by strivers. If we are to emerge from our current economic dilemma, it will be due to the strivers. Entrepreneurs are strivers. Entrepreneurs contribute to the improvement of conditions for the entire society.
As an entrepreneur’s mentor, there is a responsibility to encourage strivers. Entrepreneurs work closely with coaches and their entrepreneur’s mentors to constantly tweak and improve their performance. Entrepreneurs constantly strive for improvement. Our nation was founded by and for entrepreneurs. Our forefathers did not risk their lives and all of their worldly possessions to beget a nation of survivors and folks who expected a hand out.
The quarrel is not with those who genuinely need and deserve assistance; the verbal “kick in the pants” is directed at the capable but lazy. Entitlement mentality people frequently have the ability but not the motivation to get off the couch and earn their way forward.
America doffs its hat in respect to the strivers, the entrepreneurs. Being an entrepreneur’s mentor becomes an honor and a valuable use of time in extending wisdom to assist others in moving forward.
Thrivers have arrived. Thrivers epitomize the result of striving and accomplishing. Thrivers earned their success through concentrated focused goal oriented efforts. Look throughout history at the successful leaders in every aspect of society. Every one of them endured challenges, setbacks, and adversity; each one of them persevered through the speed bumps of life. The thrivers are the strivers who remained steadfast to their goals until they arrived.
Thrivers earned their reward. Most thrivers were entrepreneurs. Whether they chose a career in business, one of the performing arts, education or science, they dedicated themselves to their future.
Question yourself if you have chosen to be a survivor and draw from society rather than contribute to it.
Be proud of yourself for being an entrepreneur and a striver. Celebrate your success as a thriver. America grew to be the greatest nation through the efforts of the strivers, the entrepreneurs. Be proud to be a striver and a thriver.
For more inspiration and guidance on how you can be a striver and thriver, an entrepreneur, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.
Survivors are people whose attitude of minimum effort allows them to just survive; they choose to do as little as possible to get through life. You will find these people on the welfare roles. An upscale version of this appears in the cute kid who expects life to hand them everything they want with zero effort on their part. You know the female who seeks a sugar daddy or plays the “I’m cute so give to me” attitude. Guys are not exempt either even though there are less in the “I am handsome and full of muscles so give me’ category. America has unfortunately encouraged an entitlement society.
Survivors take from society rather than contributing to its growth.
Our ancestors were hard working industrious people. They were strivers. Prospectors who mined for gold endured extreme weather, shortages of food, and rudimentary shelter. Early settlers in the West endured dust storms, insect devastation of crops, Indian attacks, as well as the most basic of living conditions. Our ancestors who crossed the ocean in steerage compartments were directed past the machinery, down deep stairways into the enclosed cramped quarters of the lower decks; they lived or died in the absolute minimal accommodations. Today these pioneers are the single mothers who scrape by to care for their children by working two jobs. The strivers are the people, young and middle age, who attend night school or study at the library to advance their knowledge and value in the workplace. The strivers are the ones who sacrifice the weekend party to learn and grow and provide a better future for themselves and their families.
The strivers are the ambitious determined citizens who will not settle for just getting through life; they are committed to improving themselves. Strivers contribute to society. Our nation was founded by strivers. If we are to emerge from our current economic dilemma, it will be due to the strivers. Entrepreneurs are strivers. Entrepreneurs contribute to the improvement of conditions for the entire society.
As an entrepreneur’s mentor, there is a responsibility to encourage strivers. Entrepreneurs work closely with coaches and their entrepreneur’s mentors to constantly tweak and improve their performance. Entrepreneurs constantly strive for improvement. Our nation was founded by and for entrepreneurs. Our forefathers did not risk their lives and all of their worldly possessions to beget a nation of survivors and folks who expected a hand out.
The quarrel is not with those who genuinely need and deserve assistance; the verbal “kick in the pants” is directed at the capable but lazy. Entitlement mentality people frequently have the ability but not the motivation to get off the couch and earn their way forward.
America doffs its hat in respect to the strivers, the entrepreneurs. Being an entrepreneur’s mentor becomes an honor and a valuable use of time in extending wisdom to assist others in moving forward.
Thrivers have arrived. Thrivers epitomize the result of striving and accomplishing. Thrivers earned their success through concentrated focused goal oriented efforts. Look throughout history at the successful leaders in every aspect of society. Every one of them endured challenges, setbacks, and adversity; each one of them persevered through the speed bumps of life. The thrivers are the strivers who remained steadfast to their goals until they arrived.
Thrivers earned their reward. Most thrivers were entrepreneurs. Whether they chose a career in business, one of the performing arts, education or science, they dedicated themselves to their future.
Question yourself if you have chosen to be a survivor and draw from society rather than contribute to it.
Be proud of yourself for being an entrepreneur and a striver. Celebrate your success as a thriver. America grew to be the greatest nation through the efforts of the strivers, the entrepreneurs. Be proud to be a striver and a thriver.
For more inspiration and guidance on how you can be a striver and thriver, an entrepreneur, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.
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