Business Leadership Skills 02 (Feb 13 - Apr 15)

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“Anxiety is usually caused by lack of control, organization, preparation and action."

- Kekich Credo #97

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5 Keys to Being a Leader in Your Industry [#2] By Craig Ballantyne

2) A Divide & Conquer Strategy - I don’t love this because it makes me think of partisan politicians and their sickening empty promises, but it’s likely true.

A divide and conquer strategy simplifies the message and solution for the end user.

And that lets the reader off the hook. They don’t have to “think” anymore and can just follow a thought leader like a sheep.

Kennedy recommended that you, “Deliberately divide and conquer by finding a group that feels they are unheard, and then you stand up and speak for them. Tell them that everyone else is wrong.”

You sacrifice being ‘everything-to-everyone’ so that you connect stronger with those that want to hear your message.

Use this principle wisely, in the most positive method possible.

Source: ETR

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5 Keys to Being a Leader in Your Industry [#3]By Craig Ballantyne

3) Clearly Communicated Philosophical Principles

A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything, right? That’s how the old saying goes. So as a thought leader you must stand strong and tall for your chosen and well-espoused philosophical principles.

I have mine, such as “Get up earlier and work on one big project before you do anything else,” and “Script your day for maximum productivity,” and “Just say NO to cardio,” among others.

You must have yours that you share with your readers on “Program Repeat”. That means that your mind delivers the same lessons over and over and over again. It’s like having the 10 Commandments in the Bible. You really only need to know the 10 commandments, but the Bible tells stories demonstrating them over and over and over again.

So…first, clearly and concisely communicate your philosophical principles. And then use success stories and dramatic demonstrations to show these principles over and over again so that your readers have it drilled into their heads how they are supposed to think and act.

Remember – YOU are the thought leader. You call the shots.

Source: ETR

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5 Keys to Being a Leader in Your Industry [#4] By Craig Ballantyne

4) An Origin Story

Using the example of Batman, Dan Kennedy recommends using your origin story to explain "how you came to be".

How did you get to be the expert in this area? Your origin story, of whether you were once overweight yourself, or perhaps a skinny rake in need of a savior, then gives you the moral authority to pronounce yourself as THE expert.

As you've heard me say many times before, one of the best business models is the Affinity Model, where you can show your prospects that you were once just like them. And then you learned the secrets and changed your life.

That is how you get others to believe that they can do it too. So tell your origin story (and also put this on Program Repeat).

Source: ETR

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How to Hire (and keep) Good Workers By Mark Ford

The kind of employee you hire will have a huge impact on the long-term success of the business. Great people make all the difference. Employees who are tenacious and self-motivated will help take your company to the next level. It’s important that prospective employees understand your goals. In turn, it’s important to know their goals.

This will help you reach your goals while helping the employees achieve their own. A relationship that is beneficial to both parties will go a long way. Here are some other key elements:

A healthy working environment that workers enjoy will increase productivity.

Adequate employee compensation goes a long way. It will make the employee feel like they are an integral part of the company’s operation.

Acknowledging hard work when an employee is doing a good job motivate them. It’s important to recognize a job well done immediately. This reinforces their hard work.

Manage people to their strengths. Utilizing tools that give insight into personality profiles and a person’s unique abilities will maximize an employee’s strengths. This increases productivity and results in good employee morale.

Give employees some freedom. Letting employees choose the projects they work on and enjoy the most will boost productivity.

Reward great work. You should always make sure employees know you appreciate them and that you notice their hard work.

Treat employees the way you’d want to be treated. This is self-explanatory. Employees are people just like you, so don’t treat them like a number.

Let employees speak up. Allowing employees to take initiative will help create a great team. This, in turn, will help your company grow.

Always be on the lookout for quality employees. The recruitment process never stops.

Hire passionate people. Not hiring individuals who are bossy, prima donnas, or clock-watchers is key. This will create a healthy work environment.

Look for people who will be a good fit. Make sure the employee fits your values and culture and really gets your business.

Be able to work with employees’ schedules. Being flexible helps in making a loyal employee.

Finally, hire self-starters. These people have drive and see value in building their own careers. Another factor that will help grow your business.


Source: ETR

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"Being smart is an elusive concept.

There's a certain sharpness, an ability to absorb new facts, to ask an insightful question or relate to domains that may not seem connected at first."

- Bill Gates

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"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

- Nelson Mandela

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"Not being in tune with your customers is like living in an alternate reality; the way you think your customers feel about your product is not always the same as what your customers really think about your product."

- Bo Bennett

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How to Decide What Matters By Dan Kennedy

I have a few litmus-test type, clarity oriented questions for you to consider as you invest your time, your intellect, your energy, and your money...

I) Does doing this clearly move me measurably closer to my meaningful goals?
Or is it distraction? Diffusion or dilution? Confusion? Cost in time or treasure I can't defend in concrete ROI terms?

II) Am I engaged with this because it is beneficial and profitable for me?
Or because everybody else is doing it? And I don't want to feel left behind for not being engaged in it?

III) Is this making me smarter, more capable, more mentally agile, or a better communicator?
Or is it substituting for thinking? Am I more or less in control because of this?

Bottom line: Constantly, critically question WHY you are doing whatever it is you are doing, and the way you are doing it, whatever you are using, and however you are using it.

Source: ETR

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"The fact is, everyone is in sales. Whatever area you work in, you do have clients and you do need to sell."
-- Jay Abraham