Driving Success. Balancing Life.

Clarity on Steroids

2011-06-01T11:16:00.001-05:00

Getting from where you are today to where you want to be in the future demands clarity of thought.

"I started to work on my SWOT analysis for our business. About 5 questions into it I began to realize that I was operating my business on hunches and feelings. It's no wonder I don't have a clear picture of what is really going on or what I need to do to move forward."

Clarity of thought is not a psychic or metaphysical experience.

"How do I know? I don't know how I know. Maybe I don't know what I think I know."

Imagine an engineer trying to build a bridge across the river. It's simple, right? All he has to do is rivet together some steel and connect one bank to the other.

"I figure about 80% of my business comes from people making purchases of $50 or less. I spend about 60 hours a week pursuing more of this kind of customer. Why do you ask?"

A powerful key to earning more and working less is learning how to optimize what you do. Clarity brings to the forefront your strongest skills and talents and leverages them for optimum earning potential.

"We have been doing business this way for 8 years. I couldn't tell you what my P&L says. All I know is I pay my bills. And there never seems to be enough!"

Remember asking your math teacher if you would ever need to know "this stuff"? The answer is Yes.

Clarity is indispensable for moving your life, your profession or your business from where it is today to an increasingly better tomorrow.

To put your clarity on steroids you need one key ingredient.

Data. Cold hard facts.

What are you doing to benchmark your business?

*****
How's your clarity? Take this simple assessment and give yourself a grade.

These three components are vital if you want to gain clarity.

3 Essential Components for Gaining Clarity

2011-06-01T10:49:00.004-05:00

If you have driven your car in a thick fog then you know the fear or uneasiness that comes with not being sure of what is hidden from your sight. Your senses are on edge trying to discern what is coming your way. A deer in the road? An unexpected turn? A stopped vehicle? An icy patch?

Unlike a foggy day, mental fog results from being overworked, un-prioritized activity or subjection to the tyranny of the urgent. We are able to have control over mental fog. These three components are indispensable for gaining clarity and they are in your immediate control:

Intentionality. Clarity does not just happen. You have to make up your mind that you are going to get clarity and do what needs to be done to make it happen.
Distraction-free Thinking Space. When phones ring, people interrupt, text messages ping, to-do lists grow, urgencies clamor for your attention or other demands jump on the front burner you cannot gain the overall clarity you need. (You may find momentary clarity for each little thing that arises, but don't mistake crisis control for life control.) To gain clarity you must break away for a mental retreat.
A Proven Process to Guide Your Thinking. "You don't know what you don't know." A process is nothing more than a step-by-step method of getting you to your desired outcome. Your desired outcome is clarity; do you know step by step what you need to do to get there?

These three components are absolutely essential for gaining clarity for your life, your profession or your business. Eliminate just one of these three components and try to imagine the outcome. Today has enough challenges of its own without creating an underperforming method to gaining clarity.

This one added element is like putting your clarity on steroids.

Clarity? How do you know if you have clarity or not?

Clarity Assessment

2011-06-01T10:11:00.002-05:00

"At the beginning of this week I was uncertain about what I was doing in my profession. Today at the end of the week it is very clear to me what I was doing wrong, what I need to do to change course, and exactly how to go about it."

Clarity in any profession results in less complexity and greater effectiveness. How do you know when you have clarity?

When strategies are understood . . .
When definitive action plans can be implemented . . .
When results do not require an advanced degree to validate . . .
When you know who you are, where you are going and how you are going to get there . . .

Many people / professionals / business owners have found this simple assessment tool invaluable for getting a snapshot of their own clarity. A few minutes of your time and a dose of gut-level honesty will help you begin to see your life, your job, or your business more clearly. Use the scores below to answer each question.

5 - Strongly Agree 4 - Agree 3 - Neither Agree nor Disagree 2 - Disagree 1 - Strongly Disagree

I have a comprehensive understanding of my talents and skills.
I maximize my talents and skills for optimum earnings.
I have an articulated list of values that drive how I live and work.
I have a written vision for the future of my life / profession / business.
I have an easy-to-understand mission with achievable goals.
My values, vision and mission are in harmony with each other.
I have realistic strategies written out with target dates assigned to them.
I rely on actual data to assess my progress.
I regularly reassess my current status for strategic planning.
I know who I am, where I am going, and how I am going to get there.

Total your score.

40 to 50: Perhaps you should consider how to mentor someone to achieve their optimum life!

30 to 40: There is room for improvement. Find time for an objective reality check.

20 to 30: Dense fog. Watch out for the unforeseen event waiting for you.

10 to 20: Lost, dazed or confused. Is this what life is supposed to be like?

0 to 10: Crisis. If lack of clarity were a disease, you'd be in the E.R. in critical condition.

Do you use these three essential components for blowing away the fog and gaining clarity for your life, profession or business?

This one thing will take your clarity to a whole new level of strategic planning.

How to Stifle Creativity and What to Do About It

2011-04-13T13:57:00.003-05:00

Teresa Amabile writes in the Harvard Business Review that "creativity is a function of three components: expertise, creative thinking skills, and motivation." I think she's right. Expertise is all about knowledge however it is acquired. Creative thinking skills has so much to do with ability to wonder, ask questions and consider the "other" possibility. Motivation drills down to desire.

I am a creative person. In fact, owning a creative agency was my first business venture. I thoroughly enjoyed starting my day with a blank sheet of paper. Dreaming of possibilities and asking "Why not?" brought me more business than I knew what to do with for a young guy with no official art training.

It is true that creativity can be shut down by managers or people who do not understand the creative process. All you have to do is develop a "No" mindset and you can kill creativity faster than the first 3 minutes of an NCIS show can kill it's next victim. Consider these creativity murderers:

No challenge
No freedom
No resources
No work-group features
No supervisory encouragement
No organizational support

Creativity: D.O.A.

To foster creativity in your company you only need to turn the Nos into Yeses.

But in the small business environment it is often the business owner who has to be creative. Resources are frequently not available to employ someone who can dedicate themselves to being creative . . . and if they are available, creativity is strictly defined to technical tasks: design an ad, get the website up, come up with a slogan, write a brochure.

The creativity that a business owner requires is the creativity of vision and leadership. This is the kind of possibility thinking that walks out in front of the organization and takes it to new frontiers.

This is the creativity that all too often suffers in the small business because of one key factor.

Time.

If the business owner can learn time management, priority management and get out of the technical trenches of the day-to-day duties, then the owner can leverage the power of creativity to lead the business to new heights of success.

These Five Power Words Are Like Gourmet Aroma to the Discerning Customer

2011-04-13T13:17:00.005-05:00

My friend, Jeff, has a nose for gourmet foods. He will walk past all the olfactory noise of a hundred competitors and isolate a single aroma that turns his head and makes him want to find out more. To watch him take a bite of gourmet chocolate is like watching the most beautiful story ever told. You want in on the experience and soon you are captivated by stories of jungles and cocoa and organic farmers.

Curiosity has been described by Edmund Burke as "the first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind." Those individuals and businesses that have harnessed the power of creating curiosity are the ones who lead us and make us thirsty for more.

What is their secret? What words do they leverage in crafting their message to awaken need and want inside of us? Are you effectively utilizing these power words in your marketing messages?

Power Word #1: How

How is that word that appeals to our need to learn, to do and to excel. It creates the desire to get me from where I am at to where I want to be in a practical manner. The promise and the allure of How boldly promises the message of exclusive knowledge, experience and membership. Consider how these messages create the desire to know How . . .

How a bald barber saved my hair . . .
How the XYZ Company grew by 150% in just six months . . .
How can one word in your headline can drive traffic to your website?

Power Word #2: Why

The power of Why is the power of understanding. Human nature recognizes that the person who understands is the person in control. The promise of understanding framed by the power word Why is the promise of controlling one's life and situation. Create want and need using the power of Why as seen in these examples . . .

Why social media will shape your business in the next two years . . .
Why long term care insurance will let you spend more weekends at the cabin . . .
Do you want to know why eating more meat is better for your golf game?

Power Word #3: These

Specificity is the intrinsic power of These. By isolating what needs to be in place and what needs to go you shake off the dead weight and tune up what is being neglected. Crafting a message using the power word These attracts a progressive and decision-making audience. Take a look at these messages . . .

These 3 keys will make your business king at every networking event . . .
These businesses thrived in the recession because of this one maxim . . .
These people are better rested and more alert because of one common secret . . .

Power Word #4: Which

Choice is the power of Which! A menu of options, a buffet of choices, a variety to choose from! People feel better about themselves when they have the power to choose. Leveraging the power of Which in your headlines empowers the reader to choose. Which of these statements is strongest in your opinion?

Which of these $10 best sellers do you want for only $1?
Which businesses will still be in business next year . . . and which ones won't . . .
Which healthcare plan will provide your family with the greatest peace of mind?

Power Word #5: What

Don't you want to know what's behind curtain number 2? Aren't you curious about what is the best bait for catching the largest walleye? Wouldn't you click on the link that promises to tell you what never to eat when flying? What business owner's wife wouldn't know what 3 things she had to do to be able to enjoy vacations with her husband?

*****

Creativity is one of the most desired qualities in leaders and top performers. Yet this one thing does more the stifle creativity than any other factor . . .

How Leading Businesses Create Their Market

2011-04-13T12:14:00.003-05:00

Who hasn't felt the effects of the past few years? The results have been leading-edge businesses becoming more focused, strategic and creative.

Relying on your uniqueness or the greatness of your product or service is no longer enough to edge out your competition. The small business has to creatively consider how to raise their market's awareness of needs and wants BEFORE providing the solution of the advantage of their product or service.

One powerful way to influence your prospects' needs and wants is by creating curiosity. By creating curiosity you grab the reins of the prospect's attention, amass an audience and warm them up to hear your message.

What is your company doing to create curiosity in the marketplace? Consider these three curiously powerful ways to cause people to want more . . .

Future Talk!

The future is everyone's concern. Provide data or anecdotes that say "Warning! Change ahead!" When we think about the yet-to-come future our concern becomes "how will this affect me?"

One key to future talk is not to give an immediate solution but to let the market's imagination develop. As their perception of needs and wants surface, you position your company to be one of the solutions for the unforeseen tomorrow.

What information is your company privy to that would cause your market to be concerned about their future?

Party Time!

Good news is coming! Who doesn't like a party? Big, splashy, fun, . . . Invite your friends and get in on the action. When your company plans the party you create curiosity by leaking just enough information to let them know that good news is coming.

The party planning approach appeals to our desire to be part of a clan or tribe. Those who show up are the first ones to experience. They are the ones on the cutting edge of awareness, the first to enjoy the benefits, they become the people "in the know" and they become the go-to people for those who didn't get there first.

How could your company leverage the party appeal to it's marketing strategy?

Pssssst!

Water coolers may have been replaced by more technologically advanced ways to communicate, but the basic appeal of being privy to "secret" information is alive and well. Do you want to create curiosity and gather a crowd? Just lower your voice, speak in hushed tones, and give just enough information to tickle the ears. Before you know it your company will be being discussed . . . and you have the power to introduce the subject!

What would turn your market's ears in your direction and make them curious to learn more?

These three proven methods for creating curiosity position you to speak to the wants and needs of your market. When you have created your audience, make sure your solution is credible!

And make sure you utilize these five power words that create curiosity . . .

Strategic Educational Leader

2011-03-14T12:30:00.000-05:00

Whether you feel overwhelmed from time to time in your current position, want to better handle the challenges you face, or simply would like more fulfillment in your life and career . . . this program is for you!

This four-workshop course designed by and for professional educators will help you improve the quality of your life.

Strategic Educational Leader is a comprehensive coaching and accountability course in learning how to:

Face Reality - and achieve a better work life / home life balance. Uncover what is and what is not working and discover how to improve.

Leverage Your Strengths - and spend less time on what you do not enjoy or do well. Leverage your strengths for greater productivity and fulfillment.

Improve Relationships - because leaders are only as effective as the people and relationships around them. To get where you want to be - professionally and personally - these relationships have to be managed and nurtured.

Focus & Prioritize - and stop feeling like a puppet for students, colleagues or administrators. While there may be a million items on your "to do" list, you need to focus on your next step. You cannot be all things to all people.

Refine Your Vision & Goals - about your career and life. How does your time fit into the bigger picture of what you want your school/district and life to look like . . . and . . . how is that vision recieved by people in the significant relationships around you?

Workshop Information

Quarter 1	Intro to Coaching & Strategic Educational Leadership
Quarter 2	Strategic Thinking, Influence & Persuasion
Quarter 3	Leadership Leverage & Relational Management
Quarter 4	Strategic Planning, Focus & Action

Audience: Anyone working in a career in educational organizations and institutions.

"Strategic Educational Leader" is a series of four full-day workshops, one per quarter. At each workshop you will prepare a 90-day planner - a road map to help you focus on what you need to do in your school / district / life. Successful completion of the course can earn you up to 6 graduate credits from Viterbo University's Servant Leadership Program.

For more information or to register, contact The Growth Coach.

What's Your Dream?

2011-03-08T19:25:00.001-06:00

Cheryl — not her real name, but she told me I could relate our conversation — was talking to me because her friend strongly recommended she do so. It can be very difficult to find a qualified individual to discuss your business with and know that you can get the answers you want. Referrals come because you have earned someone's trust.

"So what's going on?" I asked and that's all it took for Cheryl to start talking. Her story is familiar.

"I started this business because I was good at what I did and I really enjoy doing it. But I'm working 60 hours a week or more."
"I seem to have hit a plateau about 2 years ago and I just can't seem to get beyond it. I'm so frustrated."
"Vacation? I think I took two days off last year . . . I don't know. It feels like forever since I could get away from it. If I'm not there, it would all go to pieces."
"I'm afraid of anyone finding out what's really going on or they'll stop doing business with me. And I need to stay in business or I can't pay my bills."
"I'm so tired."
"I think I need to do more marketing. But that means more business and I'm not sure I can handle that. It feels like a Catch 22."

The sound of the coffee makers, the aroma of an exotic light roast from a distant land, and the casual conversations around us seemed surreal. Cheryl's voice hushed and her eyes watered up. "Would you like to buy my business?" She gave a weak smile. If someone came along and offered her the right amount, she'd snatch it up quick. But who would want to buy a job that offered stagnated growth and 60-plus hours a week?

The conversation paused and she waited.

"Cheryl," I interjected, "When was the last time you gave yourself permission to dream?"

*****

Dream. Remember the day you walked out on the skinny limb armed with nothing but a great idea, lots of energy, a simple plan and the support of friends and family? You didn't know everything but you knew you could do it. The world was an empty canvas and you were ready to make a splash.

Then one day the alarm went off. You woke up and discovered that the stuff you didn't know was following you very closely and all of a sudden overtook you.

How do you separate yourself from your business? Can you? Should you?
How do you hire the right people? The ones who share your vision, values and passion? The people who are skilled and committed . . . and actually come to work to work?
How do you develop a realistic plan with measurable results?
How do you sift through the trends and big ideas and find the stuff that will guarantee results?
How do you make lots of money, keep your happiness running in fifth gear, and leave the world a better place?

What if you could break away long enough to dream again? And in the process get a better grip on what's really going on in your business and life?

*****

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.
Dr. Dale E. Turner

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.
Ben Stein

*****

It is my privilege to help business owners in the Minneapolis / St Paul metro area to dream again and take their businesses to a better level.

Zip Line

2011-02-17T16:58:00.001-06:00

The open bed truck hauling a dozen tourists and half a dozen "Tico" guides lurched and bounced along the rocky mountain road. Dust from the road settled on the tropical vegetation on the driver's side and hung in open space on the other side like a cartoon character waiting for the inevitable fall. The passenger side boasted the cliche drop off into a deep jungle ravine.

I was told that there are only two tropical dry forests in the world. I have not been able to verify that information; but I can say that this was certainly tropical and dry.

The truck rumbled under the shade of a tree occupied with howling monkeys.

Grinding to a stop at the top of a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the lean Tico guides leapt to the ground offering their assistance to the anxious tourists. Cameras snapped pictures. My wife asked about the holes in the ground. Tarantula holes. She backed away.

We hiked several hundred yards to a higher point. Rocks slipped under our feet and the sun reminded us to be thankful that we were not shoveling snow in Minnesota. VERY thankful.

At the top an 800 foot cable stretched across a deep ravine swallowed up by trees in the distance. One of the tourists said, "I'm not going. No way." Another said, "So cool." Another was just silent. Cameras snapped, monkeys howled, spiders hid, tourists pondered falling and the guides strapped harnesses onto our dust covered bodies.

Brief instructions were given with enough hints of danger to make the adrenalin do warm up exercises. A guide hooked himself onto the cable and pushed off into the vast expanse calling out to the vultures flying BELOW him.

One by one we were launched. The show-offs, the nervous Nellies, the screamer, the coolies, the President of the Argentinian Safe Company, . . . until it was my turn.

Strapped in and hooked up I looked at a makeshift sign nailed to a tree: "No turning back now." Guess not. A strong Tico hand gave me a push and the next thing I knew I was airborne soaring hundreds of feet over forest tree tops.

Nice.

We zipped sixteen sections of cable for a total of over 5 miles. By the time we were attached to the fifth cable the Screamer was no longer screaming; instead she was bragging about keeping her eyes open and flapping her arms like a bird. A new found level of comfort.

The Argentinian Safe Company president was "double zipping" with his wife.

The show-off got stuck in the middle and had to be rescued. LOL.

Everyone was laughing, comparing "Did you see?" moments, trying new techniques . . . having fun.

Boy, it feels good to laugh. All the stress and concerns and to-dos had fallen off into the jungle somewhere below us. We made new friends. The wind blew off the dust. We shed our clothes to jump into a jungle river. We swapped zip line stories like we had all gone on separate trips. A guide jumped out from a hiding place wearing a gorilla mask. We screamed and laughed and punched each other.

That evening sitting on the balcony listening to the sounds of creatures without faces I sipped a Costa Rican iced tea and thanked the Maker of Jungles that life is a whole lot more than making the next sale, organizing the next file, and answering the next call.

I mean, did you go into business to get trapped by it and ruin your fun? Probably not. So who's in charge? You or your business?

If it's been awhile since you took a leap just for fun, what's holding you back?

Get refreshed. Get recharged. The office can wait.

Drifting Away from Success

2011-01-18T17:51:00.001-06:00

I was snorkeling about 100 yards off shore in the Caribbean. Having dived before I made a note of where I was in relation to my spot on the beach.

The water was warm, the sun was shining, the ocean was calm and the scenery was remarkable. Taking in the beauty of underwater scenery is a great way to spend a day. My snorkeling buddy was nearby and together we pointed out the cool stuff.

After what seemed like a short time we popped our heads above water and talked about heading back to shore and getting a bite to eat. That's when we noticed that our spot on the beach was gone! We were so "into" what was going on underwater that we failed to keep an eye out for where we really were. We had drifted several hundred yards from our original spot.

*****
Recently I sat down for a one-on-one coaching session with a gentleman who had hired me to help him become more strategic in his career. Those first sessions were very engrossing as we discussed crucial concerns that he had never really focused on previously.

We had a little hiatus over the holidays and then met again after the things settled down a little. He was all excited because someone had given him a motivational book to read for Christmas. He was encouraged to identify ten things he wanted and then to read them aloud every day for several weeks. In this way, he was told, he would keep his goals in front of mind and would get the things he wanted.

Something had changed since we had met last. Just a few months previous he had identified goals and desires that were not materialistic in the slightest. Now his list of pursuits included things like a bigger home, new cars, exotic vacations, and similar luxurious things. The contrast was striking. So I asked him about his previous list of pursuits that did not include any of these new things. "What happened?"

The response was equally striking — a classic deer caught in the headlights moment. It was like he had popped up out of the water and took a look around and realized that he had drifted. He needed to get back to where he wanted to be.

*****
The Growth Coach process emphasizes a 90-day refocusing because we all drift. When the minutae of daily "to-dos" and the tyranny of the urgent take the reins of our business and personal life, the current carries us away from where we really want to be.

The answer is not to let the current decide where we go. The answer is to take charge and make strategic choices. The answer is to take a periodic retreat. Pop your head up out of the water and reassess where you are at and where you want to be. To work ON your business and life instead of getting caught up IN the pull of the current.

It seems so simple that we are tempted to think we can do it on our own. The reality is that we all need someone who can keep us accountable and ask the right questions. Knowing that someone objective is going to be asking you the questions that get pushed aside incentivizes us to pay attention and give ourselves to doing the important things.

When you engage in this kind of coaching process, the results are truly awe-inspiring!

Life in the Fast Lane

2011-01-04T15:04:00.000-06:00

Doug moves fast.

In the past year he has been promoted three times. With each move there is more responsibility and new challenges. A lot can change in 12 months!

Now he goes into work before breakfast with coffee in hand and comes home well after dinner.
Lunch breaks are fast and furious. If he takes one at all.
Calls to family are "while on the run," stuck in traffic, or walking to and from a destination.
Calls about work can occur any time of the day interrupting any activity.
The paperwork on his desk gets deeper.

He is being promoted again to oversee a dozen systems. He only knows three of them. Doug will be hiring a team to work under him.

That's when I got the phone call.

I anticipated a discussion about time management or priority management. But that was not the question. Wish I had his energy and drive! Doug's question was about how to get ready for this promotion and how to go about learning nine new systems. To top it off, he called while driving to a quick lunch with his wife — I could hear the wind and the open car door "ringing" in the phone.

In the space between the words I could hear Doug's gears turning and trying to grind out a solution. He wanted to take on the responsibility of his entire team and master the 12 systems himself.

The underlying question was about what it means to lead.

*******

No one can play all the positions in a team. Each player must play his position well.

No business leader should do everyone's job.

Leadership is not being the jack-of-all-trades or the hands-on micromanager.

Identify what needs to be done.

Define what each player is to do.

Find the players with the right skill set to play each part.

Back off and let them do their work.

Lead by casting the vision.

Lead by defining the boundaries, obligations and responsibilities.

Lead by empowering employee choices.

Hold employees accountable for performance.

*******

Text message at 8:21 a.m. "Thanks for your help yesterday. You sparked a lot of ideas for me. I know what I need to do now. You have helped me look at life a lot differently."

Maybe we'll get around to time management and priority management next week. Time permitting.

What new responsibilities have you taken on in the past year?

Strategic Marketing Referral Ladder

2011-01-01T13:39:00.004-06:00

Who does not like referrals?

Our approach to getting more referrals needs to have a clearly understood objective. This diagram helps to give clarity to a strategic marketing referral approach.

The Five-Fold Objective of a Strategic Marketing Strategy are:
1. Turn Prospects into First Time Buyers.
2. Turn First Time Buyers into Repeat Buyers.
3. Turn Repeat Buyers into Members of our unique community.
4. Turn Members into Advocates for our products or services.
5. Turn Advocates into Raving Fans who can't stop talking about our products or services.

Your Raving Fans are those businesses or individuals that generate referrals for your business. Develop a plan that accomplishes the following for your Raving Fans:
1. Decide to contact them on a regular basis (once a month, once every 6 weeks)
2. Add value to your relationship
3. Affirm your relationship
4. Educate them on how to spot a good referral.
5. Decide how to treat all referrals with excellence
6. Show appreciation to your Raving Fan!

Your Advocates are one step away from becoming Raving Fans. Take time to think about what will move them into that new level of professional relationship. The key is two fold: 1. continue to exceed their expectations and 2. make them conscious of ways they can help you (for example, a testimonial, a review, a referral).

Members are loyal to you but are not motivated to advocate for your goods or services. What should your strategy for Members include? Show how you value their loyalty with the following strategies:
1. Listen to their feedback
2. Meet their expectations
3. Take one step beyond their expectations.

These top three rungs of the Strategic Marketing Referral Ladder are the most important and where you should be focusing your energy. Take a few minutes right now and identify who is on each rung. Make some action steps to start an upward movement on your Referral Ladder.
*****
Perhaps you need to schedule some time to break away and give some focused attention to your Referral Ladder. To help expedite your strategic thinking process, contact your Twin Cities Growth Coach serving Minneapolis, St. Paul and surrounding metro communities.

Beginning with the End in Mind

2010-12-31T11:18:00.003-06:00

Today is the last day of 2010. By now you have looked forward and looked backward for the purpose of making significant decisions either professionally or personally.

I bet that on your list of goals some of these Top Ten Resolutions appear:

Spend More Time with Friends and Family
Lose Weight (or Get Fit)
Enjoy Life More
Quit Smoking (or quit some other substance abuse/overuse)
Get Out of Debt
Learn Something New
Help Others
Get Organized
Do Something You Love to Do

It's like we have all been attending the same school and listening to the same professors. Our collective mantra somehow says, "Yesterday was good; Tomorrow will be better yet!"

And all the people said, "Amen!"

**********

My career path has had me interact with the elderly. What I learn from those who have gone before me is like looking at a dirty GPS screen: I know the future is coming but it is not all that clear to me yet.

For example, I have heard many times how wonderful it is to be a grandparent. This year I get to find out for the first time for myself. It will not be someone else's story; I will own it. The GPS screen will get a little clearer.

We are all heading somewhere. As years fade away the playing field will level out dramatically regardless of money in the bank, letters behind the name, titles before the name, achievements and awards, and the number of pages in our experience journal.

Here are some of the things that I have gleaned from listening to those who have gone before . . . lessons that will be left standing when other things fade away in importance:

Loving and caring relationships will always be important
Contentment is great gain
"Do as you would be done by" is still a curriculum to master
Showing gratitude opens doors
"No matter how much things change, some things never change." Happy are the people who know what things never change and respect them
Pity is reserved for those who let faith die
The right word at the right time by the right person can accomplish so much
Accumulated money rots without generosity of heart

Steven Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, talks about the importance to "begin with the end in mind." "To begin with the end in mind is to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction. It's incredibly easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busy-ness of life, to work harder and harder at climbing the ladder of success only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall."

*******

We are all heading into the future ready or not!

Here is a prediction for 2011: The goals on your list that most closely align with your true values will be accomplished.

Happy New Year!

Benton Clyde Clark

2010-12-13T20:34:00.001-06:00

The innate desire to be somehow noteworthy, memorable or at least noticed has motivated people to do . . . well, noteworthy, memorable or noticeable things.

Consider what it must be like to be one of ten children. How do you get noticed when so many are living under the same roof? My neighbor has multiple children who I cannot name. They range in ages from toddler to college grad. Large families cause me to imagine all kinds of things. When my mother got upset she would run down the list of her kids' names — first and middle names — until she got to the one she was after. Me. So it sounded something like this: Jeffrey Laurence Paul Frederick Alan Jack. What must that be like in a family with ten children?

I can only imagine.

Benton, however, did not have to imagine what it would be like. He had nine siblings. Growing up on the Mississippi farm meant they all had plenty to do. I suppose if a chore did not get done on the farm, it was not long before someone noticed. Stuff piles up pretty quickly on a farm.

All the chores could not keep Benton from eventually wondering if there was something more for him than farm life. It was an inner calling to do something noteworthy. At the tender adult age of 18 he left the farm to go work for his older brother at his jewelry store in Texas. Under his brother's professional care, Benton learned about jewelry and watch repair.

The desire to strike out and pave his own destiny kept Benton looking and listening. Stories of fortunes being made up north in Indian Territory intrigued him. His dreams of money and adventure propelled him to leave his brother's store and hop a train towards Chickasa in the Indian Territory with fifty dollars in his pocket.

Pulling to a stop in Purcell, Benton went to purchase a ticket for the remainder of the trip to Chickasa only to discover that his wallet was gone! Penniless and in a town where he knew no one, Benton was nowhere near noteworthy, memorable or even noticeable. A man of weaker resolve might have begged his way back home with his ego bruised to live a life unnoticed in the shadows of the familiar. The 23 year old son of a Mississippi farmer decided that going back was not an option.

Some might call it fate and others might call it Providence when Benton met up with a familiar face from Texas. A gentleman from down South had opened a racket store (a forerunner to the five and dime store) in Purcell and permitted Benton to set up a corner where he could fix watches. It was an opportunity.

Benton hung up a shingle proudly announcing his service.

The town of Purcell was a regular stop for trains from the North Division and the South Division. Railroads required all company watches to be inspected every fifteen days! Benton the watch repairman became a noteworthy stop for railroad employees and a business that moved out of the five and dime into a store of his own.

Within a few years a watch engraved with his name had the reputation of fine quality sought after by railroad employees.

Benton weathered severe economic times by diversifying what he offered in his store. He sold phonographs, player pianos, the first General Electric refrigerators and even cars. Even though jewelry and watch repair remained his core business, it became known that this father of six was resourceful and determined. It was his good business sense in responding to the needs of his market and his creative solutions that kept his business growing while many others shuttered their doors.

Benton's commitment to customer service, superior quality, resourceful and entrepreneurial spirit engraved his name in the territory we now call Oklahoma. A memorable and noteworthy business. A true American success story. Most people do not know this old family story when they pass by one of three jewelry stores that bear Benton's name in Oklahoma City today. Most shoppers are unaware that the fine store was the idea of a Mississippi farm boy.

Ask anyone on the streets of Oklahoma City about Benton Clyde Clark the jeweler and you might get a puzzled look in return. "You mean B. C. Clark?" followed by a warm smile.

B. C. Clark, the business that is known for it's Christmas jingle. A jingle so familiar and so endearing to Oklahoma that Christmas would not be Christmas without it. A jingle that has been sung every year since 1956.

I bet you'd like to hear it for yourself . . . the jingle that is so noteworthy, so memorable, so noticed that young and old alike sing it with a smile on their faces . . .

The familiar jingle

Made famous on Jay Leno

Noteworthy. Memorable. Noticed.

fritzed

2010-11-29T15:30:00.001-06:00

Fritzed is the word of choice in my family to describe what it's like when life and responsibilities get overwhelming. This past weekend I have heard it a lot.

Dictionary.com says that "fritz" is of obscure origin — possibly coming from the theater. Drama. That sounds about right. Maybe the stage show on that particular day when the phrase was coined headlined an actor named Fritz. He had too many lines to memorize, too many directives being thrown at him by too many people, too many things going on at home, too many critics scrutinizing his every move, . . . and then it happened. He collapsed on the stage. The audience gasped. The corners of the critics mouths curled up fiendishly.

On the front page of the paper the next day a journalist coined the phrase "fritzed out."

Sounds about right. Well, that's my take on it since the origin of the word is "obscure." (Maybe I will post that in wikipedia. After I get my other things done.)

When work and life get dramatic and you feel like you are fritzing out, what do you do?

I mean apart from letting someone be the recipient of some choice words. Or heading out to your favorite watering hole. How do you un-fritz?

Step back. It is part of my daily discipline to step back. This is my perspective time of the day when I warm up my motor, assess the lay of the land, and make sure I'm ready for whatever snowballs are going to be hurled at me. But when the unexpected assault begins, I have to mentally make the choice to "step back" and get perspective before I do something that I will regret.
(Re)assess. Here's one image of what it means to reassess: I am standing in the middle of my workroom facing all my tools and jars of nails and bottles of glue. Envisioning what I am trying to build, I gather together the tools I need to make it happen. Do I need to call on the glue of my people skills? Is it time to take out the hammer of persuasion? What would happen if I used the screwdriver? One huge help in assessing is being able to implement an objective ear to help me see things clearly before proceeding.
(Re)engage. As much as I would like to retreat to an island in the Bahamas for a looooonnnnngggg time, I do have to engage with the matters at hand. The good news is that having stepped back and reassessed the situation, I can engage from a position of strength and control.

I don't know if Fritz had the opportunity to step back, reassess and re-engage during an intermission or scene change. But maybe if he had, "fritzed out" might have an entirely different meaning.

Too Busy

2010-11-15T10:33:00.000-06:00

Always rushing. Too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Something is always screaming for attention. Not enough time to do those things that are most important. Stressed out. Out of control. What can be done?

Start by knowing that you are not alone. Many small business owners feel like their business has grabbed the reins of their lives and is calling all the shots. No one intends to have this happen. (Imagine someone's business plan stating the intent to have their business take over their life!) The solution, however, must be intentional. You have to make up your mind that something can be done, identify what needs to be done and then do it.

Here's an abbreviated list to help jump start your thought process:

1. Just say "No." If it's unimportant, just say no. If someone else can do it, let them. If it doesn't generate revenue, how important is it? If it's urgent, decide who is in control.

2. Prioritize. Some people mistake time management for priority management. Not everything that demands your time is a priority. That's how many people get caught. Identify your priorities based on your vision, your talents, your values, and your revenue generating strengths. Let everything else fall to the bottom of your list where it can be delegated or deep-sixed.

3. Manage your money. When was the last time you heard yourself say, "I'd do it if I had the money." This often feels like a catch-22. Make up your mind that you are in control of spending, earning, and managing.

4. Focus. How important is getting clarity to you? When you know where you are going and how you intend to get there, the journey is more like hopping on the interstate instead of taking all the dirt roads. Gaining clarity can have immediate positive effects on your business.

5. "To thine own self be true." Look inside the treasure chest of your talents, skills, limitations, and strengths. Chances are there is not a suit made of lycra with a bold S emblazoned on the chest. Give yourself to your strengths and let go of those areas where someone else can be more effective.

An essential key to being more effective and successful starts here.

*****
Making an investment in a coaching process can be the first definitive step in turning things around in your business and life. Take charge and start working "on"your business and life!

Of Leaves and Roots

2010-10-24T17:45:00.002-05:00

The dynamics of change is curious. I think most people are content with status quo. Change takes effort and for most people life is pretty much o.k. without change.

This is why there will always be Get Rich Quick and Fix It Fast scams - the promise and allure of a quick fix is so enticing. Real change takes effort. Real change costs you something. Real World 101.

Individuals that can engage in real effective change rise to leadership. They are the exception.

*****

An organization began to question why their numbers were dropping. Their product was good but fewer were buying. To grow they knew they had to increase their revenue. The decision was made to formulate a survey and see if they could learn what they were missing.

The survey results seemed to identify some key areas requiring attention; things like packaging and value to the end-user and availability. Surveys can mislead and so can the interpretation of the data collected. The axiom about listening (we have two ears and one mouth) never goes away. Even after we get the survey results.

The key players met to discuss the findings and what should be done about them. Without engaging their clients and potential clients in further discussion (one mouth, one ear with a weak battery in the hearing aid), they began to make decisions.

Decisions about packaging. Change the font. Instead of square, let's do rectangle. Can't the container be clear? If we package it this way it will look like the customer is getting more. (If we can't change the real value, then we can change the perceived value.)
Decisions about value. They chose to define value in monetary terms (cost per unit) instead of in terms of benefit to the customer.
Decisions about availability. We will put our product in these new venues.

None of the decisions they made were necessarily wrong. All of the decisions increased work load. None of the decisions increased revenue that validated the changes. In other words, they could have done nothing at all and their bottom line would remain basically the same.

It appeared that they were trying to change their harvest by playing with the leaves and ignoring the roots. Leaves are easier to access. You can trim them, rake them into a pile and jump in them, sit back and admire them. But roots are beneath the surface and not so easy to see. They are not as easy to change.

Turns out the company's product itself just did not taste as good as their competition. Changing packaging, pricing or availability did not address the real problem.

*****
Change - effective change - is the arena of Leaders. For effective change to occur Leaders focus their concern on the roots. That's where the real action is.

Active listening (like radars that never turn off) helps the Leader to hear "through" the answers to its questions.
Vision casting helps the Leader to take his people from where they are at to where they need to be.
Priority management helps the Leader stay out of the galley and in the cockpit.
Reality checks help a Leader to stay fresh and relevant.
Smart goals and accountability help a Leader to keep moving forward.
Identifying the root issues and addressing them decisively causes beneficial change.

*****
Put the rake away. Pick up the shovel.

Compelled

2010-10-24T11:31:00.001-05:00

A powerful or irresistible effect; influence.

Now there's something I'd like to have in my back pocket. A compelling message-product-service that would cause people to line up and drop money into my checking account!

*****

I remember a story from my Sunday School days of a man who walked through a field and discovered a treasure. Until he found the treasure the plot of land was just some undeveloped real estate - a field of dirt, rocks, worthless trees and bugs.

When I lived in Spain I used to drive away from the city and park my car and go walking out in the Castillian landscape filled with rocks, dirt, scrub trees . . . and sheep droppings. Worthless for most people but for me that barren landscape held value because that's where I could go to retreat from the noise of the "to-dos" and take time to focus. I did a lot of conversating out there with my own thoughts and the Maker of barren fields. But I never hopped back in my car to return home without having made some kind of decision. It might have been a decision about someone I had to talk to, something I had to purchase, a move I had to make, or a course of action that had to be implemented.

Fields have value according to the user.

So the guy from the Sunday School story might have been wandering in the field for similar reasons. Why else would you go out kicking around the dirt and rocks? Apparently he already owned enough stuff to make a life and take some time off. I think he was probably basically happy. After his morning cup of tea he announced to his wife, "I'm going for a walk. See you when I get home."

Out walking in the sun, enjoying the horizon, poking around with a stick until he was interrupted by a hidden something. Brushing away the dirt revealed something he did not already have and once he saw it, he realized he was missing something.

That's when he made a decision that altered his future. Returning home he set about selling everything he owned and approached the owner of the field. "I'd like to buy your field."

The old landowner probably had an interesting conversation. All the intricacies and nuances of bartering and negotiation with his mouth saying, "What field?" and his head thinking, "Oh? How come?" Long story short, he sells. "You want that plot of land, it will cost you." The wanderer walks away and the former land owner with a twinkle in his eye relishes in the deal he just sealed.

But it was the wanderer who found the greater value that the field held and the power it had to alter his life.

****

In a recent coaching workshop the question turned to Our Greatest Talents and how those Talents turned into money in the checking account. These astute professionals seized the moment and turned the tables on me. They asked me about My Talent. What was it? What do people say about their coach?

I tried to change the subject and move on. Nuthin' doin'. They insisted that I say something. *sigh*

"When I have the opportunity to sit down with professionals and business owners I do a lot of listening and a little talking. You all know that. But one thing I invariably hear from everyone is 'That's a good question.' And then I can see their gears turning and their thoughts processing. I know a decision is about to be born."

Around the room a chorus of "Yes, that's what you do" affirmed what we all already knew.

Coaching sessions are like a field. Useless for a lot of people who choose not to go there. But for those who make the choice to break away and focus, the treasure the coach brings is the power of the Question. The Question combined with the owner's desire to see good change in their business and life is powerful. The results are empowering decisions that alter the future.

For those who experience it, it is compelling.

****

What is it that makes your product-service-message compelling to your audience?

Look at your calendar: When is your next scheduled breakaway for "treasure hunting"?

7 Good Tips for Developing a Good Vision

2010-09-21T19:59:00.001-05:00

Vision is the stuff of leaders. Vision inspires and gives a reason to get up in the morning. Vision is the impetus for change.

How does a "regular Joe" identify a vision? Here are some good considerations to keep in mind.

1. Get a good grip on what's really going on around you.
While vision makes the incredible reality, vision is not fantasy. Edward Nino Hernandez may conjure up a vision for becoming the world's greatest basketball player . . . but that is pure fantasy. Edward is the world's shortest man. Coca Cola embraces the vision to refresh the world . . . and I was reminded of this as I sat in a Saharan tent hundreds of miles from modern western city life.

2. Take a good look in the mirror.
Understanding yourself - talents and abilities, character strengths and shortcomings, beliefs and values, and all those things that contribute to making you who you are - is key to developing a vision. If you can guarantee that one person is going to take this trip to the future, you can guarantee that it's you. The better you understand yourself, the better you can make #3 a reality.

3. Surround yourself with good people.
Even the Lone Ranger had an inseparable #2. Commanding leadership relies on people to lead. Surround yourself with good people that share your values, embrace integrity, and pursue excellence. They are invaluable in making your vision a reality.

4. Good values are rich soil for growing good vision.
A good vision benefits other people. At the core of any good vision you will find good values. Good values are timeless. They inspire the human spirit to pursue noble character. Good values attract loyalty, sacrifice, and selflessness. A vision which is self serving will not last.

5. Ask good questions.
Good questions do not accept the cliche. They challenge the soul without defeating it. An apt question will provide insight, clarity and understanding. King Solomon once said, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; it is the glory of kings to search a matter out."

6. Feel good about it.
If you cannot embrace your vision and feel good about it, get rid of it.

7. Good vision needs a good chance to be developed.
If you have identified a good vision, start making choices today that are in line with it. If for some reason you should make a choice that deviates from your good vision, push the reset button and get back on track. Every athelete trains to win the prize. Every farmer plants seed and patiently waits for the harvest. Every soldier submits himself to the purpose he has enlisted for enduring each skirmish for the sake of winning the war. Stay true to your vision and choose forward.

Passion ... Fruit

2010-09-01T20:55:00.000-05:00

"Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." (Christian Hebbel, German poet and dramatist 1813-1863)

I was once told that no one cares what dead European poets said. That might be true. I have never read a Gallup poll on that topic. But I think Mr. Hebbel nailed it on the head and so maybe I was misinformed about dead poets. Passion and greatness are a great Jerry-McGuiresque couple as in "You complete me."

My wife and I went shopping tonight to feed my addiction: bagels. Don't ask. Just trust me. I get ornery if there are no bagels in the house. If there are bagels in the cupboard then all is well. Bagels aren't a passion of mine. They are just one of my addictions.

But we got sidetracked at the store like I did just now writing about passion. On my way to the bagel shelf we stopped to get bananas. Bananas are one of my wife's unpublicized quirks. She buys them all the time and oftentimes will never get around to eating them. Then they turn spotted and then brown and then black. I am not sure what comes after black except maybe a darker shade of black. If I try to throw them away with the promise that I will buy her some more, she will tell me rather assertively, "Don't throw those away! I'm going to eat them!" I have to sneak black bananas out to the garbage can.

So we are standing at the expansive banana table and I hold up a bunch and say, "How about these?"

"Not those; those are gray." They looked yellow to me but I kept my mouth shut.

We compared bananas. Then I asked the guy who was loading up the table with fresh bananas which ones he would buy if it were up to him.

That's when we had a serendipitous meeting with passion.

This young guy's eyes actually sparkled as he talked about bananas. He explained that all bananas are gassed and that is why they are green. If they did not gas them then the bananas would come even darker green - three times darker - and would be hard like a piece of wood. Once in a while they had to send a case of bananas back because they had not been gassed.

"Do you know which bananas are more nutritious and better tasting?" he asked with the tease of someone who had captured a magical nymph in the backyard.

I did not even have a chance to venture that it depended on what country of origin when he answered his own question. "You look at the stem. The longer the stem, the less nutritious and the less flavor the banana has. Look at this short fat stem," he taught us holding up two different bunches for contrast, "This bunch is full of nutrition and flavor. This bunch with the long slender stems will taste bland like tallow. Look at them. It just makes sense."

Tallow? My taste bud memory program kicked in and I mentally compared the tasteless fat from a rendered cow to some bananas that I had eaten. I understood. I wanted to know more. To avoid that bland tallowy experience I just had to by short stumpy stemmed bananas. Teach me, oh great produce guy; I yearn for more!

"Hey, aren't you the guy who was talking to us about cantelopes a couple of weeks ago?"

"Oh, probably."

I am an unashamed 52 and I still ask my wife how she knows if a watermelon is good or not. Thump it. If I ask ladies nearby thumping on watermelons what they are listening for I get a answer that sounds like they are quoting Farmers Almanac. But after an invigorating conversation with this produce guy, I now know exactly how to pick an excellent melon. I suppose I could have learned it with a Google search, but the internet is not nearly as interesting as a passionate produce guy.

With laughter in his eyes and a smile as wide as the produce table he talked about his passion for produce. Produce! I know, right? This is 2010 suburbia. My wife and I walked away to hunt down my bagels and we laughed and talked about the produce guy. It dawned on me that we did not even know his name. We went back to ask. A new agenda item was to mention our experience to the store manager.

Lawton. The passionate produce guy. You will know him if you ever meet him. He does not just know facts and data about produce; he knows produce.

We paged the store manager. As he approached the counter you could see in his eyes the look of someone getting ready for a Chuck Norris Roundhouse Kick from the Irate Customer.

"We just wanted you to know what a great guy you have working for you in the produce department. Lawton."

The manager's eyes lost their edge and the corners of his mouth turned up. "Oh, you met Lawton. We hear that all the time."

**********

A passionate person is blessed with the power of attraction. Passionate people are like magnets. You want to be near them.

A passionate person is blessed with the power to make a difference. Passionate people are like strong acting baker's yeast. They cause positive things to happen in others wherever they happen to be.

A passionate person is blessed with richness of life. Passionate people are like the zest in a key lime pie from Key West. They take the pedestrian and elevate it to a whole new level.

Just imagine what can happen if you add passion to leadership. Wow. Short-stemmed banana leadership.

Swimming Against the Trend to Sell Soon

2010-08-17T10:25:00.000-05:00

Twin Cities Small Business Owners Swim Against the Trend to Sell Out Soon

The Growth Coach Finds Exit Strategies Being Postponed

Anoka County, Minnesota – As the economy remains uncertain, baby-boomer small business owners ages 46 to 64 in Anoka and Hennepin Counties are delaying the process of selling their business, despite national statistics showing otherwise.

A recent study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers reported that one out of two small to large businesses will change hands between 2006 and 2016. However, according to a survey conducted by The Growth Coach franchise system in which Alan Furst, local owner of The Growth Coach participated in, the recession has caused many small business owners in the Twin City metro area, claiming sales revenue under $5 million and less than 100 employees, to push back their selling plans and delay retirement. This is due to the negative impact degraded business performance will have on the near-term selling price of their business.

Based on survey responses, less than 10 percent of baby boomer small business owners in the metro area are planning to sell their business in the next five years. That indicates the vast majority of small business owners are planning to delay an exit strategy until beyond 2015.

“We coach dozens of baby boomer small business owners annually in the area, which helps us analyze various small business trends in the market,” said Furst, owner of The Growth Coach of Ham Lake. “This latest Business Barometer survey indicates that despite what national statistics report, the uncertain economy is forcing small business owners to re-think and delay a potential business sale until bottom-line results improve and are sustained for several years.”

The Growth Coach survey also indicated that of those baby boomer small business owners in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area thinking about selling their business:

25 percent of their business coaches report that the primary reason for wanting to sell their business is to cash out and collect the equity.
23 percent simply desire to retire.
28 percent agree that small business owners are setting aside at least two years to properly prepare their business for the selling process.
28 percent are looking to sell to third-party buyers that are not competitors
14 percent are looking to sell to family members.

The baby boomer generation has been one of the most entrepreneurial generations in U.S. history. During the last 30 years, more than five million businesses with annual revenues ranging from $1 million to $75 million were founded. The majority of these business owners are now 50-years-old or older.

The Growth Coach specializes in providing affordable group coaching workshops to business owners and executives utilizing its proprietary Strategic Mindset^®process. In addition, they provide face-to-face coaching, Coaching Club (tele-coaching), as well as coach entire sales teams and management teams to be more effective with a strategic-focusing process. All initial coaching services come with a 100 percent money-back guarantee. The coaching process helps clients gain clarity about where they want to go, develop continuous action plans to get there, and receive on-going accountability to stay on track.

Bob

2010-07-19T12:14:00.006-05:00

Once upon a time . . .

Bob worked in the corporate world until Pink Slip Day interrupted his routine. He packed up the contents of his desk into a little cardboard box and was escorted by a friendly security officer to the front door.

Standing on the sidewalk with his little Cardboard Box he wondered what he would do. He grabbed hold of his Bootstraps and marched himself back home where he dropped his Cardboard Box on the kitchen table next to the Honey Do List.

"Well, I might as well get started on this list while I figure out what's next." He fixed the squeak in the front door. He fixed the squeak in the bathroom door. He fixed the squeak in the bedroom door.

At the end of the day he was smiling and said, "What a good day. I like fixing squeaks." His neighbor heard him through the open window and called out. "Hey, Bob! My door squeaks. Can you help?"

"Sure!" he called back. "I like fixing squeaks."

Word spread and the next thing Bob knew his phone was ringing. People wanted their doors fixed all over town.

He printed up business cards. "If you know someone with a squeaky door, tell them Bob can help."

He had a sign painted on his car. "Squeak No More Doors, LLC. Call today for a FREE estimate."

He had his daughter make a website. "SqueakNoMore.com"

He asked his wife to help with bookkeeping.

Life was good again.

"I like being my own boss. I like fixing squeaks."

Until the Rainy Day came.

Bob bent over to pull on his Bootstraps like he had for the past few years. Only he couldn't get back up. "I'm stuck."

Bob wondered how he could conduct business if he was stuck. Who would take care of the squeaks in his Business? If squeaks are ignored, they just squeak louder and louder. He was the Master Squeak Fixer. But lately there were more and more squeaks and less time to focus on them.

He grew tired of trying to pull on his Bootstraps. "If I could just let go of my Bootstraps. But how?"

Friends and neighbors thought Bob looked Kind of Funny fixing the squeaks in their doors while bending over trying to pull on his Bootstraps. People noticed that it was not as much fun doing business with Bob. His daughter said, "Whatever." His wife said, "We need more." His customers called in more often demanding to speak with Bob because their doors were still squeaking.

Bob did not like the Phone.

Bob got a headache. "This isn't what I thought it would be. I wanted more freedom but I work more than ever. I wanted to earn more money but my sales are suffering. I wanted to have fun doing what I enjoy but fixing squeaks isn't fun any more."

Then he realized that he did not own his Business. His Business owned him. And it wasn't letting go.

*******

Many talented individuals have caught the entrepreneurial bug and bought, inherited or started a business related to their technical skills. That very expertise, unfortunately, has a strong tendency to suck you into the nooks and crannies of the business. The technical day-to-day guts of the business are addictive and tough to escape. Sadly, a technician’s mindset and mode of operation are insufficient for running a business. These technical assets can be real liabilities and traps for an owner.

Business ownership is all about strategic leadership, not technical doer-ship. It is all too easy to mistake a technician’s orientation for that of an entrepreneur’s.

They mistake busy-being-busy activity for accomplishment.
They confuse hard work for intelligent work.
They have a technician’s addiction to detail work.
They work and think like employees instead of owners.
They do the wrong type of work.
They fail to grasp that running a business is strategic, entrepreneurial, visionary, and requires strong leadership.

******

For business to change, the first thing that has to change is how you think about owning a business.

Join my network on LinkedIn

Objectivity and Earbuds

2010-07-01T09:16:00.001-05:00

The car window was down and I was enjoying four things at once: sunshine, a gentle summer breeze, a cup of joe and the daily news. In the middle of an article about new efforts to solve a 25 year old crime the voice of someone shouting interrupted my solitude.

"What's that?" I wondered and folded down the paper to see where the shouting originated. To the left was an oil change guy waving a placard at passersby. To the right was an empty parking lot, the oil change place with some cars waiting, and, of course, the Golden Arches where I had purchased my McCafe. The voice sounded far away but I did not see anything noteworthy.

Back to my article.

The shouting started up again and I tried to ignore it.

The voice sounded more urgent. Something's going on right outside my car window somewhere. It was not a conversation - there was only one voice. Someone was yelling to get attention. I re-examined what was in front of me.

To the left was Mr. Placard Waving Guy dancing to himself with his iPod and bouncing the $10 special for all to see. Pan over to the right and the Oil Change Place had about 6 cars lined up for service. Advertising works if you can find the right way to advertise. I momentarily wondered if I could get some guy to stand on the street and wave a placard at passersby, "The Growth Coach offers FREE Consult!" Nah, probably not.

Standing on the edge of an overgrown field of weeds stood another Oil Change Guy. He was yelling.

Ohhhhh. Now it makes sense. He was yelling to Mr. Placard Waving Guy with the earbuds. He was needed back at the shop to help handle the increase in customers. Got it. But Mr. Placard Waving Guy could not hear because he was too busy dancing in his own little world while doing his job of advertising.

Time to go. I folded up my paper, drank the last bit of coffee, started my car and backed up. Very slowly I drove up to Mr. Placard Waving Guy and stopped. "Hey, they're trying to get your attention!" He leaned down, took the earbuds out and said, "What?"

"They're calling for you!"

Turning to look, he heard the shop calling. "Oh."

*******
Not too long ago I was listening to a business owner tell me about his current situation. It became clear as he talked that he was like Mr. Placard Waving Guy. He was so engrossed in doing what he thought he should be doing that he completely could not hear a screaming need in another area of his business.

My trusty pen sketched on the paper in front of him what I was hearing. "It seems to me like you've got a situation over here that needs your attention."

"Oh," he said, "You're right. I better take care of that."

*******
The benefit of objectivity can help a business owner see the bigger picture and address the most important issues. Cut through the clutter and get out of the same old ineffective routines! Start by taking out the earbuds piping in the mental music you are accustomed to and listen to what's really going on in your business.

By the way, the Growth Coach offers a free consult to objectively listen and help you assess what is trying to get your attention.

The Lost Art of Listening

2010-06-21T13:45:00.001-05:00

In a scene from M. Night Shyamalan's movie "Signs," young Morgan played by Rory Culkin takes a baby monitor and stands on top of the family car with his arm stretched high in the sky. From the monitor's little speaker come the sounds of clicks and static. Twisting his hand just a little and the static fades and the clicks become clearer.

Here is a transcript of the conversation that takes place:

It's just static, Morgan, all right.

Turn it up.

See. It's a code.
Can I see that, please?

It's noise.

It's broken, Morgan.

It's just gonna keep doing this.

Maybe some new batteries...

We might lose the signal.

This is exactly what the nerds want.

I'm getting out now.

Nobody move.

Voices. Did you hear that?

Not English, though.

You heard the voices, right, Uncle Merrill?

I heard them, Morgan. Probably picking up another baby monitor.

That's right.

Let me see it.

Stop! See, this is why we're not watching TV. People get obsessed.

I'm letting go now.

No, Dad! Don't do it! You'll lose the signal.

Don't let go. It gets clearer the higher you hold it.

I got it.

Bo, honey, I don't want you climbing on the car.

Come here.

Stop! There's two of them talking.

*******
It takes effort to listen. It takes even more effort to understand.

The Growth Coach promotes the READ model when interacting with people in a sales process. The acronym identifies the first part of the sales process as Relate and Establish the Need. In other words, it's about listening. Asking the right questions in the right way and listening to the answers. Simple.

Why is it so hard? That's one question for the philosophers and therapists to answer.

Michael Maslansky, in his book "The Language of Trust: Selling Ideas in a World of Skeptics," offers 3 Rules of Engagement that guide a person to improve listening / understanding:

Rule #1: Understand Their Truth
Make sure you have a clear picture of your audience. Make the effort to think from their perspective. Accept their worldview and then use your understanding to engage in a dialogue.

Rule #2: Find Common Ground
"You must get people to listen to what you're saying before you can have a dialogue. Otherwise, you'll have two monologues," Maslansky says astutely. Raise your hand if you have been to a networking event that illustrates his point. Before we can move to messages that persuade, sell or change attitudes we must seek common ground.

Rule #3: Ask and You Shall Receive

It used to be true to say, "The more you tell, the more you sell." The new rule appears to be, "The more you ask, the more you engage." The questions to ask to engage in a dialogue are:

The questions you don't know the answers to
The questions that allow you to hear what the individual wants (as opposed to what he will buy)
The questions that permit the individual to set the agenda
The questions that are open-ended

******
Someone once said, "A stranger is just a friend I haven't met yet." Engaging people as "friends you haven't met yet" starts to build those essential long-term relationships that we want for attaining new levels of success.

Alan Furst
The Growth Coach
A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

Four Questions You Must Answer

2010-05-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

Author Brian Tracy in his book The Psychology of Selling says, "Businesspeople ask themselves four questions that you must answer clearly and distinctly to gain the sale. The questions are:

How much do I pay?
How much do I get back?
How soon do I get results?
How sure can I be that I will get the results you promise?"

Price-conscious customers zero in on the cost quickly. While this is a question that has to be addressed, it is imperative that you lead the conversation to identify the prospective client's needs. In a service-based business climate this upperhand can be easily gained simply by saying something like this, "We have a variety of scenarios that can meet your budget concerns, but before we talk price, why don't you tell me what it is you are looking for?" This engages the prospective client to describe to you her wants, needs and desires.

A common tendency of zealous business owners is to put out a laundry list of goods or services they sell. Much more important to the consumer are the benefits of what you are selling. This is the core of question number 2. The customer is evaluating if the exchange of money for your product/service is in his favor. Does he come out ahead? It's a question of ROI. I'd like to suggest that you consider the ROI from the customer's point of view, not yours. You may think sliced bread is the best thing ever: it saves time at breakfast, it makes sandwich making a more pleasurable experience, and jelly spreads so much more easily. But your customer wants to make a bread bowl salad and sliced bread doesn't cut it.

Question #3 points out the urgency of the need and/or the lasting impact of the benefits you offer. How you sell financial services to a young person is not the same as how you approach someone about to retire. Identify a prospective client's sense of urgency and tailor your solution honestly highlighting the benefits of what you offer.

Consumer advocacy groups, buyer beware alerts, and customer burn notices have taught us to be cautious when making purchases. It all comes down to the risk the prospective client is taking when purchasing what you offer. Your objective is to build trust, reduce risk and provide reassurance.

Take the time to carefully consider these four essential questions every buyer asks in one way or another. Address them clearly (value, cost, time, risk) in a way that aligns their needs/wants with your solutions. Result: increased sales.

The Trial Close

2010-05-25T09:32:00.001-05:00

Making sales is a process. Depending on what it is you are selling, the process may have different points of emphasis. But the sales process always has a path it follows. I engage business owners in discussion about these essential aspects of the sales process to help keep them on track to grow their businesses.

When a business owner stays true to the process, increased sales are guaranteed.

The Trial Close is a very important diagnostic tool that can help you determine where a prospective client stands. Due to the nature of the Trial Close, it can be used at almost any point in the sales process. It will guage the level of interest and commitment, identify issues that need to be addressed or concerns that a person may have, provide needed information, or it can produce an agreement that moves to the final step - closing the deal.

A key distinction between the Trial Close and the actual Close is the distinction between asking for a prospective client's opinion and asking for their decision.

Some examples of questions used in a Trial Close include . . .

Is this what you had in mind?
Based on what we have discussed so far, does it make sense for us to move to the next step?
Considering the different options we have discussed so far, which one best satisfies your needs?
We have identified what you are looking for, I have showed you how our company can meet that need; is there something more you need to know before moving forward?
What is most important to you about our service?
Tell me what you think about our guarantee.

Garnering a prospective client's opinions helps you to address the right issues and put forth a solution that genuinely meets their needs.

The purpose of the Trial Close is to help you determine when to close the deal. We all like those times when the signals are so strong that we go right to making the sale. But if you are not utilizing the Trial Close you may be alienating a prospective client and never close the deal. Alternatively you may close too late and risk "boring your prospect to tears" and overstay your welcome.

Are you wanting to close more deals? Using the Trial Close will help you to identify your prospective client's wants, needs and desires so that you can offer tailored solutions.

Splitting Hairs

2010-05-25T09:01:00.000-05:00

Every business I have ever owned (four to date) has always been service oriented. In my first business I provided creative services, in the second I provided homecare services, in the third (current) a marketing enhancement service and in the fourth (also current) business coaching services.

With the exception of the first business I found myself considering the question of how to refer to the people or entities that used the services I provided. I know, I know; it sounds like I had too much time on my hands to give it serious thought. The question was particularly poignant when I owned the homecare agency. The elderly people that we provided services for were too valuable in my mind to be reduced to common terminology like "customer," "consumer," or "client." Professionally we referred to these wonderful people as clients. But in my heart they were always much more.

Maybe that's because I am passionate about what I do. I'm not a "job" owner. I am a business owner and my businesses reflect who I am and what I am about in life.

I digress. Back to splitting hairs ...

The dictionary makes a subtle difference between the words customer, consumer and client. In some ways they all blur together. But it seems to me that a customer is transaction based. A person may go through the check out but never consume a product because she is just a "customer." The consumer is pretty obviously a user through and through. A consumer may or may not be the one who is actually paying for services; hence not a literal customer. Then the client is that individual or entity that uses the advice or services of a professional. There is the sense of ongoing reliance on a service.

It's all up for debate and the differences certainly are not a hill to die on as one of my colleagues would say.

The important underlying point goes to your understanding of who is purchasing what you offer. How you perceive them affects how you approach them . . . and ultimately how the money goes from their wallet into yours.

If you are in a service-based business then it is imperative to evaluate carefully the importance of relationship and how it strengthens your business objectives.

If your business is based on a deliverable product, then the transaction becomes the pinnacle of the relationship. You are obliged to make the transaction process a positive experience.

No matter which way your business bends, when was the last time you gave it serious thought and intentionality? When was the last time you really cared?

The Power of a Story

2010-05-17T10:04:00.001-05:00

I like a good story. And I really enjoy a good storyteller.

If an author is a good storyteller, I will not put down his book until I finish it.

If the screen writer weaves a good tale, I will be living the parts portrayed by the actors.

If a speaker has some good yarns up his sleeve, he's got me wanting more when he's done.

Just a few weeks ago I was packing up my trade show booth after a Business Expo. My feet were tired from standing for hours and I was hungry. I wanted to get home, sit in front of the television and decompress.

I was putting my brochures into a box when an elderly gentleman walked up to me balancing a plate of food and brochures. "Young man, would you mind if I sat in one of your chairs?" he asked nodding with his head toward the chairs behind my table.

"No problem. I'd be glad to help." I reached and unstacked a chair thinking to myself that home just got a few more minutes away. I should not complain about the opportunity to show kindness -- it's a lost grace -- so I sucked it up, smiled, and set a chair down for my guest.

"Thank you." he said and parked himself down with a genuine smile.

"So, what brings you to the expo?" It did surprise me that this octogenarian would be roaming among the booths of businesses who were targeting young, vibrant, growing businesses.

He glanced up at my table and said, "The Growth Coach. What's that all about?"

"I work with small business owners helping them to stay focused and achieve success and balance in life." It rolled off my tongue like Homer Simpson falling down a mountainside. "But you look like you've got quite a story to tell. I'd like to hear it." I pulled up a chair prepared to listen. It felt good to get off my feet.

For the next 45 minutes I sat in the presence of greatness. This gentleman had started his own business "in the garage" and built it to multi-millions. He told how he had sold it to an international company. He spoke of his inventions. He told me how he was one of the first ever to employ commission-only salespeople. He wove into his biography the names of successful business people, some of who I also knew from previous business ventures. He told me about his family.

I had to know more and so I asked, "What do you do now?"

His eyebrows lifted up high and his steel gray eyes penetrated mine as if to determine if I really truly wanted to know. I did. With a passion coming from deep within he told me how excited he gets when he is surrounded by young people who want to do business. He meets with students in college and forms think tanks. They brainstorm ideas and business plans and then in some cases he funds them. "I want to give back and this is how I do it."

By this time all the other vendors had packed up and left. The hotel staff was taking down curtains and railings, stacking up chairs and vacuuming. I hadn't noticed till now and said, "It looks like they want us out of here."

"I guess so. No one has time to listen any more. But you did. I never got the chance to learn about the Growth Coach."

"The pleasure was truly mine. Thank you for telling me your story. Maybe we will meet again." He reached out his hand and shook mine. There was a moment there that I felt like I was touching a generation of business greatness. I did not want to lose it. I wished my heart could snap a picture of this conversation.

Turns out, I did get a photo of a different kind.

Annette Simmons is the author of The Story Factor. She believes that telling a story is the best way to persuade and motivate people. One of her contentions is that we are so bombarded with data and statistics that we no longer trust them. "People want to believe what a leader has to say, to have faith. It is faith that moves mountains, not facts." Simmons defends that it is the well told story that connects in such a way so as to inspire and influence.

What is your story?

FOCUS x 6

2010-05-06T11:05:00.001-05:00

It is all too easy for people to lose track of what is most important to their business. The tyranny of the urgent -- email, voicemail, cell phones, PDAs, . . . and the stack of papers!, etc. – keeps a strategic individual from being focused on the crucial concerns. Consider these six areas where focus is essential to success . . .

FOCUS on Customer Satisfaction
Your company’s primary focus should be squarely on exceeding the expectations of your customers. One business owner said, “I want my sales team to fall in love with our customers, their needs and wants. That’s the best way to switch their thinking from selling our products to being the solution-finders for our customers.” The real value of your business is tied directly to the future, predictable cash flow from your highly satisfied and loyal customers. Without customers, you do not have a business.
Value your customers, serve them well, and sniff out any customer problems or complaints. Keep your customers delighted and coming back for more! Create an environment in which the customer is your enterprise’s primary focus.

FOCUS on Getting Results
Activity is not necessarily accomplishment. Establish the company culture where:

Thinking and planning are admired
Actual results are valued more than busyness
Effectiveness (doing the right things) is rewarded more than efficiency (doing things right)
Intelligent, meaningful action is prized over procrastination (paralysis-by-analysis) and excuses.

FOCUS on Continual Improvement
If your company is not improving, it is declining. If you aren’t getting better, your competitors may well be.

You can easily stifle continuous improvement by creating a culture where the fear of failure and making mistakes keeps employees afraid to try or offer ideas. Do not let your employees fear failure or making mistakes. Just eliminate repeated mistakes. Failure is not fatal, but failing to change might be.
“If your company is not failing occasionally, either your goals are too low or your rate of innovation is too slow.”
Insist that your employees continually improve what they do and how they do it. Focus on thinking about how to improve their roles, responsibilities, and contribution. Improve systems and processes.
Try new things. If something works better, keep it. If it doesn’t, lose it. Admit mistakes and let go of failed ideas fast. Keep your ego in check. In my creative agency during the 90s I used to say that 95% of my ideas ended up in the trash can. But the 5% that survived made us a great value to our customers.

FOCUS on Profits
Focus on both top line and bottom line growth. Focusing only on revenue growth is often ego-driven. Cash flow and profits are your lifeblood. Keep your gross margins strong.
Avoid over-emphasizing the slashing of costs. Stay on the offensive, not the defensive. Revenue growth is nearly endless while cost cutting is limited – you can only cut so much before you do real damage. Some costs are really strategic investments in the future of your business (new equipment, advertising, training & development, etc.)

FOCUS on the Long-Term
Business is a marathon, not a sprint. Do what is right, always. Maintain the highest integrity and ethics. Your reputation is everything. Business is about sustaining lifelong relationships with customers, employees, investors, suppliers, advisers, etc. Repeat business is absolutely critical to the very life force of your company. Do not take shortcuts.
Calculate the Lifetime Value of your customers. For example, if a typical customer buys from you several times a year, yielding you a total annual profit of $1,000, and you generally retain such a customer for 5 years, the Lifetime Value for a typical customer is $5,000. Stated another way, every time you attract a new customer and serve them well, odds are that customer will be worth $5,000 to your business over time.
Once you know this number, it validates spending money to attract new customers and helps you to determine how much should be spent in the process. Invest a little to make a lot! That’s leverage.

FOCUS on Having Fun
Make business fun. Celebrate worthwhile progress toward your goals. Celebrate your company’s successes often and reward your employees for superior performance. Come up with excuses to praise your team and recognize success. Share the joy. Make coming to work a meaningful and fulfilling event.
Never forget that good employees want to learn and grow, be challenged and rewarded, and fulfill their cravings to be social beings. Make your culture an enjoyable place to work.

Check out upcoming Strategic Mindset Workshops!

True confessions . . .

2010-04-14T09:15:00.001-05:00

Real world business owner sound bites . . . Can you identify with any of them?

[ ] I'm frustrated with my sales people's attitudes.
[ ] It seems like I just keep working longer hours.
[ ] "Aruba, Bahamas, Jamaica, Cozumel . . ." I wish I could get away.
[ ] Customers are taking longer and longer to pay. Don't they know I have bills to pay, too?
[ ] Life used to be so carefree. What happened?
[ ] I'm really blessed. I just don't know what to do now.
[ ] Business seems to have plateaued and I'm not sure what to do.
[ ] My favorite day of the work week is Friday. My least favorite day is Monday.
[ ] I like my job. I just can't say that I'm excited about it.
[ ] Why do consultants always think there's something to be fixed? Maybe I'm o.k. with the way things are.
[ ] My anxiety always increases at the end of the month.
[ ] If I just hang on a little longer the economy will turn around and I'll be o.k.
[ ] I just spent thousands of dollars on an "expert's advice." Look what I have to show for it!
[ ] Vision? Who has time for vision?
[ ] "Show me the money!"
[ ] I've thought about selling everything and running away to sell t-shirts on the beach.
[ ] Business is great. We're growing so fast I can't keep up. (But it does make me a little nervous.)
[ ] I don't have anyone to talk to about these things.
[ ] I feel like I am always having to mop up other people's messes.
[ ] Work ethic? Why can't people come to work and do their job without me having to hold their hand?
[ ] Why should I trust anyone?
[ ] I have lots of good achievements I'd like to talk about.
[ ] I've got everything I need. In fact, I'd rather be at the office making money than at home.
[ ] I've got all the motivational-sales-management books and CDs. They all say the same things. Just between you and me, I think I'm still missing something.
[ ] My friends tell me I need to relax.
[ ] I've seriously thought about doing something different. I just don't know what.
[ ] You wouldn't believe how much money I've lost over the past two years. It's really caused me to ask myself some serious questions about the future.

Perhaps you would like to take advantage of one hour of encouragement. Through then end of May 2010 I am offering a no-cost no-obligation hour of listening and encouragement. No strings attached.

Call 763-205-1527 and let me put some wind in your sails.
A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

Time for a Check Up

2010-04-05T15:27:00.006-05:00

Having been a small business owner since 1990, I have had to face a lot of different dynamics in business. Perhaps the hardest things to face were those that were closest to my own pride and achievement. I much prefer to project the image of self-sufficiency, success, achievement, and “I’ve got it all together.” Very rarely did I find myself able to speak with someone honestly about what others could not see but that I could.

In business it is imperative to face reality. Identifying and owning up to a problem goes a long way towards solving it. It is not always an easy thing to do and requires serious reflection. Here are some suggested questions to spark dialogue:

When was the last time I thought, “Why do I have to do every thing myself”?
Why do I seem to be working so much and making so little?
Describe the difference between working “in” my business and working “on” my business. Which is more important to me?
Explain why business ownership is truly worth the time, effort, headaches, hassles, and sacrifices.
Do I feel trapped on a treadmill, moving faster and faster, but going nowhere?
How often do I face interruptions and repetitive questions from my staff?
How often do I go home feeling mentally and physically drained?
What is the difference between busyness and accomplishment?
Do I dread the drudgery of facing and solving the same issues and problems each and every day – the burden of re-creating the wheel time and time again?
When I daydream about regaining my sense of freedom, joy, passion, and peace-of-mind, what do I daydream about?
Do I have anxiety about drowning in projects, problems, deadlines, crises, meetings, employee issues, unanswered voicemails/emails, customer complaints, administrative trivia, and on and on?
Do I feel like a master juggler with too many balls up in the air and dreading they will soon begin hitting the floor?
When was the last time I expressed being glued to a phone, computer, email, or pager?
Am I tired of having customers rely on me personally for services, solutions and satisfaction?
Am I fed up with missing family time, family events, and making other personal sacrifices on a semi-regular basis?
What would I do if I had more free time to do the things that matter most to me?

Who do you talk with about these concerns?

Someone once said, "It's lonely at the top." Finding a confidante and an objective ear is no easy task. Trust is huge. Confidentiality is a concern. Letting down your guard long enough to be able to think clearly and develop effective solutions is not as easy as it sounds.

The fact that we remember that someone said, "It's lonely at the top" means that there are lots of business owners who know what that feels like. Why in the world should you as the owner have to touch every transaction, be involved with every decision, help solve every problem, or handle everybody’s job in some fashion? It does not make sense.

Consider how your stress is negatively impacting your employees, customers, vendors/suppliers, friends and if applicable, your spouse and kids. Maybe it is time to expand your view of new possibilities for managing your business and life. The better your business functions, the better your life will function.

Learn to enjoy the journey of developing and running a business and not defer your personal life and happiness until you retire or sell. Live life now! Do not get so caught up in making a living that you forget to make a life.

Learn more. Options are available. Check around by asking your colleagues or networking circles. Do a search on the internet (try googling "business coach, [your city]).

Business ownership can be deeply satisfying and rewarding.

Alan Furst
The Growth Coach
A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

Together we can make business better.

15 Axioms for Sales Success

2010-03-26T09:23:00.001-05:00

What it takes to make it happen . . .

Yes I can! Attitude is everything. Be positive. (When was the last time someone sincerely told you that they believe in you?)
Connect with the right people. Learn how to identify them; get close to them.
Learn. If you already know everything, log out of this blog. You won't learn anything here.
Prepare to succeed today. Every phone call, every handshake, every encounter could lead to the next big thing.
Be Valuable. Be known as a resource, not a salesperson.
Solve Problems. People want answers to THEIR problems.
Keep your eyes peeled for opportunity. Have you learned how to spot it?
Seize opportunities. Opportunity is often missed because it involves change, adaptation and a measure of discomfort. Get uncomfortable.
I am responsible. Blame chips away at success; responsibility strengthens success.
Act on it. Goals, plans and strategies are useless without action.
Don't fear mistakes. Failure is not final. Mistakes breed self-determination if seen as a learning opportunity. Review numbers 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Take a risk. No risk, no reward.
Keep your eyes on the prize. Success is not a lottery ticket.
Balance yourself. You are a complete person, not just a job.
Never, never, never give up. Your journey to success stops when you do.

How are you doing? Let me know by emailing A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com or calling 763-205-1527.

Are You a Strategic or Tactical Business Owner?

2010-03-19T10:53:00.000-05:00

Too many owners/managers are gifted technicians but not necessarily effective as strategic leaders. If you are not leading in your business, then who is? If you are not being strategic, then who is? If you are not proactive, who is?

Here is a set of questions that can help you self-assess whether you are strong strategic business owner or not. Ask yourself . . .

Do I see the big picture and have a long-term view?
Do I think more like a CEO or more like an employee?
Do I create a yearly business plan?
Is my leadership purposeful, proactive, and planning-based?
Do I constantly think about the direction and objective of the business?
Do I focus on the entire business and not just the technical work of the business?
Have I created plans, procedures and policies to help operate my company?
Have I developed and documented all our key business processes?
Do I utilize the leverage of marketing to grow my business?
Do I spend more time on important matters rather than trivial/urgent matters?
Have I created a systems-dependent business instead of an owner-dependent business?
Do I conduct one-on-one monthly coaching sessions with my managers and/or key employees?
Do I avoid getting buried in the day-to-day details and headaches of the business?
Have I shaped my business more by design than by default?

Take a look at the questions that you answered affirmatively. These are points to be proud of. What are you doing to strengthen these points to become even better in these areas?

Take a look at the questions that you answered negatively. These are areas that need to be addressed to move your organization to greater heights of success.

Assessing your business is an essential step in finding a solution. You can greatly benefit from becoming a Strategic Business Owner (SBO). An SBO gets the highest and best return possible for his/her time, money and effort. She focuses on working smarter, not harder.

If you are interested in transforming your mindset and ramping your behaviors up for greater success and effectiveness, call me to discuss how a coach can help.

Alan Furst
763 205 1527
A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

Fewer than 1 in 5 Expect to Retire?

2010-02-26T22:05:00.001-06:00

A 2005 Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey shows that fewer than one in five small-business owners plan to stop working and retire over the long term.

WHAT!?

O.K. Maybe more than 80% of small business owners like to be kept busy. Maybe working in their business is how they foresee they will be kept busy until they just can't get out of bed in the morning.

That's not exactly what I had in mind when I became a small business owner myself. I have other things on my bucket list besides being my own employee until I am so incapable that I can no longer work. Ugh. That sounds like slavery. I want to be the guy who starts a business, grows a business and sells a business and can hold the check in his hand with a big smile!

It was before year five in my first business that I began seriously asking the question, "If I were to sell my business today, what would it be worth and who would buy it?" It was one of those questions that filled my mind every day. What would happen to my wife and children if I were to be unable to work? Would my business be worth enough (anything) to take care of them? That question sent me on a journey.

Here's what I learned:

Lesson One: Owning a Business is Not Just about Earning a Living.

If I want to earn a living I can get a job. But owning a business (listen to that word "owning") is an investment. A financial investment. And who wants to invest in something that doesn't have a good return?

Lesson Two: To Sell a Business It Has to Have Worth Apart from the Owner.

This was a hard lesson to learn. My pride in my achievements got in the way of my being able to see what was really going on in my company. I had a long hard talk with a successful business executive one day. After telling him my situation he said, "Your company only has worth as long as you are working there. Who would buy it knowing that you have no intention of working there after you sell it?" My heart sank. In other words, five years into the business and it was, for all practical purposes, worthless. (Don't misunderstand me - I made a very handsome salary. It was not about what I was earning. It was about what the company itself was worth.)

Lesson Three: If Not Me, Then What?

This was the crucial question that really got down to the nuts and bolts. I imagined taking a big eraser and starting to erase me. What was the first thing I could erase that would leave my company functioning and functioning well? That's where I had to start. This took a little brain power to identify everything that was going on. Maybe this was why I was so tired from working such long hours; I was involved in almost everything. Enough of that.

Lesson Four: Make a Plan and Do It

Weaning myself from my business was like raising my kids to be independent and self-sufficient. It required a whole new way of thinking. An intentional way of thinking. I had to find the right people to fill my many boxes, pass on the necessary knowledge to fulfill their duties, mentor them in their roles, then set them free and walk away.

I have oversimplified what I learned. Please do not think that I learned it quick and easy. . . It took me a while to catch on to what I needed to do. I look back and wonder what it would have been like to know a few short cuts. What took me thirteen years to learn in my first business I applied and achieved in only three years in my second business.

It's time for me to start working on that bucket list of mine. One of the items on that list has to do with giving more than getting. I have a plan to be more involved in the lives of other people; in particular business people. To pass on through a professional relationship the truths that I have learned about what it means to be the owner of a business.

Retirement? You betcha. My bucket list has a lot of things on it and no job is going to keep from it.

Fine tuning one advertising approach . . .

2010-02-20T11:01:00.001-06:00

I believe that relationships in business are one of the pillars for ongoing growing success.

So I listen and read and watch and learn from others especially when it comes to the topic of "how I got to where I am at today." Success stories.

Have you ever noticed in these stories how often it is the smallest of gestures that make a world of difference? A handshake using both hands instead of just one. A hand-written note. An actual friendly phone call. A real deal smile. Looking someone in the eye. Making sure your shoes are clean.

*******
Here is a little story that may help you in some way. But before I tell you I have to let you in on a secret: I do not take kindly to salespeople who call my office and ask to speak with the owner/manager/person in charge of whatever. I do not like to be interrupted by the guy who walks past the No Solicitors sign on the door to sell me steaks/art/office supplies/phone services/etc. I admittedly am a hard guy to sell unless you know me and know what causes me to listen to you.

You also need to know that the shortest distance in my world is the distance between the direct mail advertising piece in my hand and the trash can. Save your money.

I suspect I am not the only guy who thinks like this. Someone did have the idea of the No Solicitor sign and sold it to untold businesses. Someone did have the idea of the No Call List and millions have put their name and number on the list. There is a reason receptionists are known as gatekeepers.

So what's a small business guy to do to get the word out in an effective relationship-building way? This question is always percolating in the back of my mind. Now I will tell you my story.

I wanted to get the word out to a particular industry about my business coaching services. I stared at the letter in front of me and imagined being the recipient. What would make ME short circuit the shortest distance to the trash can, open the letter and actually read it?

With my eyes closed I imagined it must be like speed dating. Sitting across the table from a total stranger in a room filled with other people trying to accomplish the same thing and initiating a conversation that could lead to a relationship and do it all in the first few seconds.

Epiphany Number 1: I always look twice at a hand addressed letter. I always look at it, turn it over, examine the return address . . . and ALWAYS open it.

Action plan: I will not use labels on this mailing. It's going to take a little more time and more effort (you should see my handwriting). But I will hand address these letters. (Ever get one of those direct mail pieces with the computerized hand writing? Does someone out there really think I don't notice that?)

Epiphany Number 2: If my name is misspelled on the letter, I automatically suspect the intentions.

Action plan: I will have to verify the correct spelling of the recipient's name. It's going to take a little more time and effort but I will find out if I have the correct spelling. Thank you internet!

Epiphany Number 3: If I open the envelope and discover a form letter I will look at what the greeting line and the signature. If the greeting line is wrong and the signature is imprinted the sender just found my express lane to the trash can.

Action plan: I will have the proper greeting* and personally sign each letter with a blue ball point pen.

Epiphany Number 4: The proper greeting! (Rabbit trail: Since I already admitted to being a tough sell I have a pet peeve about servers in a restaurant who call me by my first name only at the end of the meal after they have gotten my credit card. "Oh, do I know you? Where do you get off calling me by my first name without a proper introduction?" My wife thinks I should audition for a part in Even Grumpier Old Men.)

I did some research to learn the proper greeting line for a letter. I promptly learned all the ways a greeting should NOT be written. And discovered that there is really only ONE way to begin a letter. Just one proper way! Curiously enough it is exactly how I would want to be addressed by a total stranger who wants to win the right to tell me about his company. Brilliant!

The only proper way to begin a letter to someone you do not know yet is . . . Title Surname. No first names. No mispelled names. No "To Whom It May Concern." No Sir or Ma'am (Madam? Really?). No first names at all. No abbreviations or just initials. Mr. Furst to you if we haven't met yet and you want to win the right to have me listen to you.

Action plan: I will research and find out the person this letter should go to and begin my letter to this individual with "Dear Mr. Smith," "Dear Mrs. White," "Dear Miss Jones," and only "Dear Ms. Era" if I learn that is her preference. Until I know the proper title, I will not send the letter.

*****
I believe that relationships in business are one of the pillars for ongoing growing success. In a relationship the first few seconds can determine whether or not there are subsequent seconds, minutes, hours, or a lifelong business relationship that is mutually beneficial.
_____________
ROI might make you think the time and effort to discover a proper greeting is inefficient for a mass mailing. What is the true value of relationship vs. ROI in your business?

Overheard at a Trade Meeting

2010-02-17T15:03:00.005-06:00

If you are in marketing or sales, this might be of interest to you . . .

A saleperson who I will say represents an advertising specialty company wanted to develop leads within a targeted industry. So she joined that particular industry's trade group noting that none of her competitors were members. (Sometimes it is easier to shine when you are not competing with other spotlights. She asked me not to reveal her industry or the association she joined at this time.)

After attending her first meeting she couldn't wait to get on the phone to tell me what happened.

The meeting broke up into roundtable discussion groups. Each group addressed questions regarding their industry. The first table that she sat at was comprised of 12 representatives from her targeted industry and herself, the only vendor. The question they addressed was, "How do you select which vendors to do business with?"

The lively discussion began with one person stating, "I delete 200 emails a day from people wanting my business. I don't even read 'em." Heads nodded around the table.

"That's probably true in most industries." I said. "What did they have to say after that?"

"It was really interesting and verified what you and I have been talking about over the past several weeks. I wrote down the key comments to discuss with you. This is what these people said they want from vendors:

"I don't want to buy from someone I don't know." (Ok, we know that. Relationships take time and creativity. Curiously this is the same individual who said that she deleted hundreds of emails daily. Apparently emails are not the way to initiate a relationship!)
"I know a vendor has taken the time to get to know me and my business when they add a personal touch. I have collected the hand-written notes I've received from vendors over the past 15 years. I have 10. But look! I've saved them! These are the people I do business with." (A hand-written note: still brilliant in the year 2010.)
"I appreciate it when a vendor asks me what I expect from them." (No one wants to be sold. Everyone likes to buy.)
"If I am going to develop a professional relationship with someone I need to know what's in it for me in the long haul. Don't waste my time. I'm busy." (Get beyond the features. Strike hard on benefits.)
"The vendors that I repeatedly go back to are the ones who go the extra mile. They help me out in a pinch, they pull strings, they are resourceful . . . In my book they make my job easier." (Service is all about service.)

My client with 10 years experience in sales reiterated how affirming it was to hear this right from the people that she wants to sell to. "I know this isn't cutting edge news. I am just flabberghasted that my competitors are not doing this!"

"I guess that gives you something to leverage. Let's pull out that Strategic Planner again and revisit your goals and strategies. Are you on target? Is there something that needs a little more tweaking?"

A business coach does not take over your business. A good coach comes alongside to address the crucial concerns with you and helps you to develop an effective strategy to ensure success.
____________________
How much time do you spend behind a computer monitor? How does this time compare with the relationships you are developing in your business?
Take time to write a hand-written note or make a phone call to people you normally send an email to.

Work = Fun?

2010-02-17T09:06:00.004-06:00

Remember the day you decided to go to work "for yourself"? We need to sit down for a cup of jo'.

In the early 90s I was considerably down the road of self-employment. Here are some of the funny [insert emoticon here] statements I had made about being self-employed:

Someone would say, "Wow, it must be nice to be your own boss." I answered, "Yeah. Now instead of reporting to one guy, I have to report to 500."
Someone bragged about getting three weeks paid vacation. "How much vacation time do you get?" I would smile and say, "All the vacation time I can afford." Of course only I knew that while money was not an issue, I was so entrenched in my business that I could never leave it for an extended vacation.
Someone would ask me with wonder in their voice, "I wish I had the courage to start my own business." I would answer, "Let me give you the number of my therapist."
Someone commented on the marketing strategy their company implemented. "You're successful. How do you market a creative service like yours?" "Dumb luck," I responded laughing. If they only knew.
This one I still laugh at: One day a salesperson walked in my office -- the office door that had a prominent sign on it stating, "No Solicitors." She was trying to sell business coaching services. I hadn't a clue what she was talking about. After her elevator speech she showed me a list of services that started at several thousands of dollars. Inside I was thinking the entire time, "Honey, you have got to be kidding. I don't have time for this nonsense." Then my mouth -- not my smartest piece of equipment -- opened up and I said, "You've got to be kidding. I don't have time for this nonsense." And I added, "Didn't you read the sign on the door?" I did need her services; I just didn't know it. Today, several years later, I am a business coach working alongside business owners to address crucial concerns so they can achieve greater success and find balance in life. Now that is a twist of fate.

As the proud recipient of a BS Degree from the time honored S of HK, I do have some battle scars. Here's one of the lessons every business owner needs to pass: Business should be fun. And as my sister in the backseat would say on our family trip to visit the relatives, "Are we having fun yet?"

The School of Hard Knocks has a curriculum that is based on "dumb luck" and "the scenic route to success." Think of all the benefits of learning the shortcuts to get to the desired destination of outrageous success and balance in life!

Yes, I am a business coach working alongside business owners to address crucial concerns so they can achieve greater success and find balance in life.

We need to sit down for a cup of jo'.
_________________
Why did you go into business for yourself?
What are the crucial concerns in your business today?
How will you address these concerns efficiently and effectively?
When do you have time for a cup of jo'?

Workshops scheduled: www.strategicmindsetworkshop.blogspot.com
Email: A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

Which is Better, 1 or 2?

2010-02-05T16:33:00.005-06:00

If it wasn't for somebody insisting that I go I never would have gone to the eye doctor the first time. But my grades were suffering and the people around me noticed that I could not see certain things.

It all starts with the eye chart on the wall. Read the first line and go as far as you can. When I struggled through a line I thought to myself, "Who could read something that small anyhow?"

Then came the exam chair. The doctor started flipping different lenses with my forehead pressed up against the metal and my chin resting on the pad. "Which is better, A or B? Better or Worse? 1 or 2? This or that?" Lenses were flipping so fast and the chart was twisting and getting sharper until finally he asked if I would read the small line.

Well, surprise me! I really didn't think anyone could see that.

See for yourself! A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

The Old Red Shirt

2010-01-28T14:10:00.007-06:00

It's red. It's a pullover. It never needs ironing. I can throw it on and do what needs to be done. I use it for lounging around watching television or for reading a book in my favorite chair. It doesn't matter if I spill on it cause it's already stained. I can do yard work in it or indoor projects. It's great for raking leaves or trimming branches or sawing wood. I've even dared painting while wearing it. (There's a eggshell white stain on the back of the left arm for proof.) It may be cliche, but it's still true. That's how cliches become cliche.

After going to my closet for years (y-e-a-r-s) to find my favorite red microfiber waiting for me as a default fashion item, I couldn't find it. Carefully I moved every hanger thinking that perhaps I had overlooked it. I emptied out the laundry hamper. I looked in every drawer. This particular day required my comfortable red shirt. There was too much to do that had to be done and this shirt reassured me that I could get it all done. Why doesn't Google have a solution for this?

My wife is my GPS for things I can't find. But I could not find her. Someone needs to invent a GPS to find GPS devices. A mild panic started to seize me but before giving in I hurried to the laundry room. The red shirt was not in the washing machine. It wasn't in the dryer.

OK, I was out of options. The clock was ticking and I had to get my chores done. Not finding my shirt was not helping me.

Don't lecture me that it's just a shirt and that I have other perfectly good stained worn shirts to wear. This is psychological. It ventures into an area of my mind where reason is suspended. That same area of the brain that I rely on when deciding whether to go for the next slice of pizza or not.

Change is not comfortable.
Change is not comfortable especially when it comes to changing the way we've always done things around here. We've always done sales like this. We've always handled customers this way. We've always marketed to these people. We've been at this for y-e-a-r-s so don't think we don't know what we're doing.

Top performers in any area of life know the value of change. They are comfortable with change. They are comfortable with being uncomfortable. And as a result these top performers are always willing to take another look at being more effective, more efficient, more productive, more profitable and more strategic. Change is about optimization.

Just back away from the red shirt.
In order to leave behind the way-we've-always-done-it mindset and embrace change for a better tomorrow, you need to frequently ask yourself questions like these:

What is the best use of my time, talent, and treasure?
What resources am I not utilizing to its fullest potential?
How can I maximize output (returns) and minimize input?
What strategies will give me supersized results?
What processes are underperforming?
What relationships can I better leverage?
What other business can provide me with best practices that I can implement?
What opportunities am I missing?
What customer feedback should I be addressing first?

"That shirt is gone."
My wife got tired of seeing it and gave it to Good Will. She won't tell me which one. I now have a blue and gray plaid button down with a fleece lining. It fits better. She says I look better. That in itself is a big improvement. Maybe change is not the monster I thought it was.

"Now let's go take a second look at your closet."

Somehow I know that there is a lesson in here for my business.

______________________

Which one of your employees has an idea of how a process can be improved? How will you find out?

What no-cost solution can you implement to increase customer retention?

Who do you know that can keep you focused on key questions that result in business improvement?

Send me an email: A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

The Magic Bullet

2010-01-22T19:23:00.009-06:00

Growing up on the east coast I never missed the New York State Fair. One of the highlights for me were the "Billy Mays" (R.I.P.) in the consumer building. These professionals had a way of making the ordinary sound extraordinary. "It's not just a rag to clean up spills; it's Miracle Rag!" "This is no ordinary knife. You never sharpen this knife. It cuts through concrete and can still slice a tomato."

I loved listening to these professionals. I was not alone either. People bought stuff all day long and crowds just kept stepping in a little closer to make more room. These professionals were the forerunners of today's infomercials and even the multi-billion dollar advertising machine The Shopping Network.

Learn How to Make Millions!

You've seen the full page ads in the newspaper: Attend a one-day seminar and learn the secrets of how to be successful beyond your wildest dreams. Retire early! Drive luxurious cars! Live in a mansion! Hear from our experts how they tapped into secret power and discovered untold wealth and prosperity.

With all due respect, seriously? Why do we keep taking the bait that there is a secret?

Business owners often say to me, "We need an expert in our business. Only a successfull expert can tell us the one thing we aren't doing that's keeping us from the next level of success."

The Magic Bullet?

Tapping into the minds of sales professionals (that do not disappear after the fair is over) you can learn that there are certain verifiable truths to sales and marketing. They are proven in every industry and they are ageless. Here are some sales "secrets" that rise to the top in successful businesses:

Relationship. Don't underestimate the power of knowing someone.
Service. It really isn't about you. It's about your customer.
Attitude. The power of thinking is indisputably positive.
Persistency. Never, never, never give up.
Value. Not what it's worth to you; what is it worth to someone else?
Recognition. Identity in a crowd.
Passion. Knowledge that is persuasive, committed and magnetic.

These axioms are not magic. What they require is simply clarity of thought and an action plan that you stick to. (On a side note: If you would like to send me a check for $999 I can send you a laminated copy. I will also send you a set of CDs that feature me talking enthusiastically about each one of these unveiled secrets. And if you act today I will throw in a beautiful walnut frame to display your copy of Secrets Unveiled on the wall of your office. Your colleagues will be envious . . .)

Seriously. Read the biographies of entrepreneurs and successful sales people. Get close enough to listen to their stories. The same truths will be told again and again. It's not magic. It's just the way things are.

Now if only an individual could break away from activity to gain clarity of thought and develop a workable action plan . . .
__________________________
When was the last time you took a thoughtful look at your sales methods?
Which tried and true sales axiom needs to be addressed in your business?

Send me an email: A.Furst@theGrowthCoach.com

What was I thinking?

2010-01-18T14:43:00.009-06:00

Standing backwards on the edge of a cliff deep in the Mexican jungle I could feel my chest rise and fall in anticipation of what waited behind me. Breath blew across my lips and I wondered if it were possible to mount a little wind turbine under my nose to generate electricity. What a great idea for people with sleep apnea. Instead of having to plug in a machine, I could invent the world’s first self-powered breathing aid.

“Tres . . .”

Sweat normally reserved for my forehead, underarms and neck sprouted from the palms holding nylon rope. I wondered how fast a body my size would fall. I mentally calculated which bones I could break and still get back home to work. Legs were expendable. I needed arms and fingers for the keyboard.

“Dos . . .”

Jaime’s voice interrupted my processing. I know what comes after dos. My heart reminded me with an extra large push of blood through the chambers somewhere deep inside. What do they tell you? Don’t look down? I looked up. The sky was blue with a smattering of white clouds. I wonder what it’s like to fly?

“Uno.”

Before Jaime’s tongue touched the roof of his mouth to pronounce the n, his calloused hand forcefully pushed me on the sternum and my feet suddenly had no ground underneath them. I was airborne with a limp rope technically wrapped around me. Still looking up I saw Jaime walk away without a second glance. I was on my own. What did he tell me to do next?

Day Two of starting your own business feels like rappelling. Each day’s activities come so fast and you have react quickly to stay in control. The phone rings—could be money waiting for you. An order comes in—prove yourself and deliver. The first invoice goes out—just how do you use Quickbooks? The phone doesn’t ring—time to get the word out. The first hire interviews—I-9s, background checks, tax withholding.

Two years later your business is now your job. It’s not quite as comfortable as the ratty flannel shirt you’ve worn since college, but it’s not stiff like a new pair of leather shoes either. You report to you. You make it happen and if you don’t make it happen, it doesn’t happen. The feeling of exhilaration you experienced over 700 days ago has long since metastasized into daily activity.

Your accountant gives you the news about what you owe in taxes. On the drive home your mental calculator starts tabulating the information. You worked how hard for how much money? You need to get away for a break. The mental calculator quickly adds up how much money you won’t be able to bill if you don’t show up at work. You decide to rent a DVD instead. The Bahamas will just have to wait.

Rappelling down the side of owning a small business quickly loses the initial exhilaration and fast becomes daily. Stop. Look where you came from. Look where you need to get to. You have to finish well if you don’t want to break your bones. Assess. Move forward with a clear goal in mind and an intentional technique to ensure desired results. Start having more fun in your business.

_______________________

Why did you go into business?

If going into business did not achieve your dreams, what happened?

What are you going to do to get back on track?