Business Leadership Skills 01 (Jul 09 - Feb 13)

[winston]

Ha Ha ... just noticed the new title. Next stop - Billionaire Boss ?

[winston]

How to De-Fang Emotionally Charged Criticism By Michael Masterson

When one of my clients fired "Bob," he sent me a vitriolic e-mail criticizing nearly everything about the company he had worked for.

My first impulse was to argue with him. Most of what he said, it seemed to me, was sour grapes, and I said so in the e-mail I wrote back to him. But instead of sending it, I let it rest for 24 hours. (This is a practice I've adopted that has saved me lots of time and trouble.)

The next day, I read it over and deleted it. Then I wrote a new e-mail. Instead of arguing with him, I acknowledged the legitimate points he'd made and poked fun at myself for not fixing those problems earlier.

What followed was a progressively more benevolent exchange that has matured into a friendly correspondence that benefits both of us. He still shoots off occasional verbal torpedoes, and I continue to deflect them as best I can with self-deprecating humor.

That's what then-senator John F. Kennedy did in 1958. The press and his political opponents were accusing him of using his father's wealth and influence to win the democratic nomination for president. He could have argued the point. Instead, he defused the allegations during a campaign speech by reading aloud this "telegram" from his generous daddy:

"Jack, don't spend one dime more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I am going to pay for a landslide."

Source: ETR

[kennynah]

all my life, i have found criticisms caustic and hard to swallow ...but as i age, i'm reminded that the people who made time to criticize me are in reality giving free life's lessons...and i should actually thank them....

i find that it is all a matter how we perceive those who criticize us... if we choose to see them as embarrassing us with their remarks, then we will be embarrassed...but if we choose to view these criticisms as +ve lessons, then we become more receptive...

we are not perfect beings...as long as we remember this fact, we know we are flawed...and need criticisms to improve....

[winston]

Is It Better to Be Pushy... or a Pushover? By Michael Masterson

Are you a pushy person?

Not sure? Take this test:

* Do you find that your subordinates often work more slowly than you would like them to?

* Do you worry that they do not entirely understand how to get the job done right?

* At the start of a project, do you worry that they won't make the deadline?

* Do you find yourself thinking that it would be easier to do things yourself than to delegate them?

If you answered "yes" to three or four of these questions, you are almost certainly pushy. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Pushy people get things done.

Being pushy isn't a choice, it's part of your personality. And our personalities are pretty well imprinted by the time we are teenagers. Problem is, being pushy can interfere with your ability to interact with other people. By being aware of your natural inclination to be a bit of an autocrat, you can keep that from happening.

If you know that you have a tendency to be pushy, focus on being diplomatic, courteous, and fair. If, on the other hand, you know that you have a tendency to be a pushover, focus on asserting yourself and saying "no" to delegated tasks that don't advance your career.

Source: ETR

[winston]

"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself."

Peter F. Drucker

[winston]

3 Powerful Ways to Benefit From Your Journal by Michael Masterson


1. Keep track of your goals.

If you keep track of your goals like I do, you will find that it is much easier to complete them. Every morning, all the tasks you want to do but haven't done yet are staring you in the face. They are shouting at you -- "Hey, lazy one... let's get to work!"

At the end of each day, note which tasks you've completed and which you've failed to complete. If you are failing to complete highlighted (important) tasks, put aside everything else the next day until you have taken care of those.


2. Stay creative and keep your writing fresh.

Writing in your journal every morning gets and keeps your creative juices flowing. You can record ideas for new products or services... draft memos to your team or letters to colleagues... jot down outlines for books you want to write... even practice your copywriting.

If you are a marketer, be sure to write marketing copy every day. Copywriter John Forde recommends writing three pages of sales copy a day. He says it will keep your imagination in top form. I believe he's right.


3. Remember things you've learned, books you've read, and observations you've made.

Whether you segregate your thoughts as I do, or simply highlight them in your diary, it's helpful to keep a record of them and then refer to them later.

I also record interesting facts and figures from my reading. (I make it a point to locate at least one useful fact or idea in every newspaper or magazine or business book that I read.) And I use my journal to list recommendations that I read or hear about: a new wine to try, a new book, a new CD from a favorite singer, a new restaurant, an exotic destination that I want to travel to.

It's amazing how much good stuff you can accumulate once you get into the habit of putting things that interest you into your journal and highlighting them for future use.

So those are three important benefits of keeping a journal -- but there are many more. A journal can also be a place to:

* Record snippets of conversations that you can use later when writing your next (or first) novel or screenplay.

* List reasons why you deserve a big salary increase (or reasons why you shouldn't be let go during your company's upcoming layoffs).

* Identify all your assets and their locations, so your spouse or children can get to them in an emergency.

* Index your favorite recipes, quotations, images, etc.

* Record the good deeds you've done and the blessings you've received.

Keeping a journal takes about 5 to 30 minutes a day -- well worth it when you consider the payoff: It will help you make better plans and accomplish more with your time.

And when you get much older, a journal can give you an unexpected bonus: hours and hours of fun, reminiscing about your rich, rewarding, productive life.


Source: ETR

[winston]

The 10 Best Business Relationship Building Tips for 2010 and Beyond!

1. Know something personal about each person you do business with.

Some people don't believe in mixing business with pleasure. But your business should be your pleasure!

Think about how much time you spend on your business. You can make it much nicer when you know what's important to your colleagues.

For those who have kids, there is nothing more important to them. So make an effort to know their children's names. And if a colleague is an avid golfer or tennis player, ask how his game is going.

This kind of small talk doesn't have to monopolize the entire conversation. But it is a great way to start off a business lunch or meeting, especially if you have not seen the person in a while.

2. Always be sincere.

Has this ever happened to you? You are at a conference, and you meet someone in your industry. Your new acquaintance initiates a business card exchange, and says, "I'll give you a call next week." You know that you have no intention of cultivating a relationship with this person, but you say, "Sure. Call me anytime." And you spend the next two weeks dodging his phone calls... until he finally realizes he's wasting his time.

If you hit it off with someone at an industry event and you think they could be a good business connection, go ahead and exchange cards. But it's really okay not to. And if someone asks if they can call and you know you are not interested -- tell them up front. Be polite and respectful, but never give the impression that you are going to do something when you know you will not.

3. Respond to colleagues in a timely manner.

We are all busy. And someone else's biggest priority is usually not yours. However, if you agree to do something for someone, do it in a timely manner.

Recently, a colleague wrote a book and wanted some feedback on his first chapter. Unfortunately, his request went onto my junk e-mail folder. When I saw the request three days later, I immediately sent him an e-mail explaining what had happened and told him I would read the chapter right away and send him my comments.

It was 11:00 p.m. when I saw the request, but I still read the chapter and sent off my comments just before midnight. Yes, I would rather have done it in the morning. But I knew this was important to him. We had been colleagues for 10 years. We had worked on multiple projects together, and he'd never missed a deadline.

Sure enough, he was online and sent me a big thank you as soon as he received my e-mail.

4. Always arrive on time.

Fashionably late does not exist in business. Showing up late for business meetings or lunches tells the other people that you don't respect their time and that you think your time is more valuable. It also makes them worry that the project you're working on with them won't get done on time.

5. Never use your children as an excuse.

Many times, the reason you're late with a report or late for a meeting has something to do with your children. Maybe one of them isn't feeling well... or they missed the school bus and you had to give them a ride.

Regardless of the reason, never walk into a business meeting that you are late for and announce that the dog ate Bobby's homework and you spent an hour helping him redo the assignment. Simply apologize for being tardy, ask what you missed, and move on.

There will be times when real emergencies arise while you're in the middle of something at work. When they do, it is perfectly fine to let your colleagues know that you need to leave because your child needs you.

6. Be positive.

No one likes to be around captious people. Aside from the fact that they take the fun out of things, their negativity can be draining and counterproductive. A study published inthe Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, for example, shows that positive people accomplish more than negative people.

7. Know something about your potential business associate's company.

If you are off to meet with a potential business associate, make sure you've done your homework. Understand his company's main function and core competencies. Know how long they have been in business. Have a basic understanding of how you can work together. With the Internet, all of this information is just a keyboard away.

8. Never, ever gossip.

Becoming known as a gossip is the fastest way to destroy business relationships. Regardless of your skill set, no one will want to work with you. Gossip not only takes up valuable time, it can destroy your career.

9. Give more than you get.

Karma does exist. If you are known as the WIIFM (What's In It For Me) type, you need to work on changing your image. When you are willing to help others without asking for anything in return, your efforts come back to you ten-fold. Helping a business colleague without the expectation of payback will always be beneficial to you in the end.

10. Just say no.

Being a working mom, I know what it's like to try to please everyone. However, there are times when saying no to a request in business is better than saying yes. If your plate is full and you know that you will not be able to honor the request in a satisfactory manner, don't do it. If you know the outcome will be substandard, you are at risk of hindering your credibility, disappointing your colleagues, and missing deadlines on projects you're already involved in.

By saying no, your colleagues will respect you for your honesty and commitment to finishing what you've started.

Source: ETR

[winston]

Thinking: It's One of the Most Difficult Tasks We Do By Harvey Mackay

Henry Ford once hired an efficiency expert to go through his plant. Ford directed him to find the nonproductive employees and, he said, "I will fire them!"

When the expert finished his evaluation, he reported to Ford that he was particularly concerned with one of his administrators. "Every time I walked by, he was sitting with his feet propped up on the desk. The man never does a thing. I definitely think you should consider getting rid of him!"

Ford was curious to know who was using company time that way. Then the expert identified him, and Ford shook his head. "I can't fire him. I pay that man to do nothing but think, and that's what he's doing."

Even in this culture of downsizing, right-sizing, and just plain streamlining operations, no company can afford to lose its thinkers.

Most small to mid-sized companies probably can't afford to hire a "staff thinker," but among the larger, and likely the most successful companies, I'll bet you'll find someone with a title like strategic planner, researcher, creative engineer, visioner, or some similar version. At Disney, they're called "imagineers." (At Microsoft, they're called "millionaires.")

"What a job!" you're thinking right about now. No measurable goals, no restrictive job descriptions, no pressure, because nobody can tell if you're doing your job. But you must prove yourself over time.

Guess again. Some people get lost in thought because it's such unfamiliar territory. And then look around your office and see if you can identify the person you'd go to first if you needed a great new plan or idea. There's the thinker. The job title may not be a tip-off.

Years ago, at the El Cortez Hotel in San Diego, management decided that one elevator wasn't adequate to serve their guests. They hired engineers and architects to add a second lift.

The professionals discussed several options, and eventually settled on a plan to cut a hole in each floor to accommodate the new elevator.

A janitor overheard the discussion, and inquired about their intentions. The engineers patiently explained their plans to him. The janitor was concerned and told them so: "That's going to make quite a mess -- plaster, dust, and debris everywhere." No problem, he was told, because the hotel would be closed during the construction.

"But that will cost the hotel a lot of money, and a lot of people will be out of jobs while the hotel is closed," the janitor replied.

"Do you have a better idea?" one of the architects asked.

The janitor surprised them all with his answer: "You could build the elevator on the outside of the hotel."

It had never been done before, but it was an intriguing concept. The engineers and architects, hired for their creative thinking, decided it was an idea worth developing. An architectural feature we now see every day was the brainchild of a hotel janitor. Not a "staff thinker." But a thinker on the staff.

Chances are you have several folks like that in your employ. They are worth their weight, and yours, in gold. Consultants may come and go, but those employees who can think are your best source of great ideas and inspiration for the rest of your organization.

Let me lay down a few ground rules for encouraging great thinking:

* Respond with enthusiasm. When someone has a great thought, be enthusiastic rather than demanding details on implementation. This person has ideas. Somebody else can develop them. You've seen that happen a million times.

* Make your workplace conducive to thinking. Windows are inspirational. Cheerful colors stimulate creativity. My office is full of photos and souvenirs and some of my favorite things. Sterile surroundings are for brain surgery. We're looking for brain candy.

* Celebrate occasionally. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is still true. Let your staff know they can have fun and be productive at the same time.

* Give credit where credit is due. I surely hope that janitor at the El Cortez got the recognition he deserved and a big bonus. Reward great thinking. You'll be surprised how creative every member of your staff can be.

Mackay's Moral: Minds are like parachutes -- not much good unless they are open.


Source: ETR

[winston]

People Who Talk to Themselves Have a Captive Audience By Harvey Mackay


How many people talk to themselves? As you're reading this, you might even be saying to yourself, "Who me? I don't talk to myself."

There are those who think people who talk to themselves are crazy, but nothing could be further from the truth. People who talk to themselves are competitive and they are often trying to better themselves.

I'm constantly talking to myself because when you do this you are coaching yourself. It's an opportunity to give yourself some constant, immediate, unfiltered feedback. You have access to yourself 24 hours a day. And the price is right.

Years ago, when I was building Mackay Envelope Company, I had a lot of pep talks with myself. I had to, in order to keep my dream of owning my own company alive. I had plenty of ups, many downs, and needed all the encouragement I could get. And it wasn't always coming from other sources! So I kept telling myself that things would work out... that I could pull this off... that I was the right person for the job. Forty-plus years and a few zillion envelopes later, I'm glad I listened.

In doing some research on this subject, I discovered that "private speech," as psychologists call it, starts as soon as kids learn to talk, typically between 18-24 months. It serves two purposes: It
(1) helps kids practice language skills and
(2) allows them to reflect on daytime experiences. (And let's not forget how it entertains eavesdropping parents.)
In elementary school, kids begin to transition to self-talk or intra-personal communication.

"A lot of parents think that it's socially unacceptable or weird if a child talks to himself," says Laura Berk, distinguished professor of psychology at Illinois State University and author of Awakening Children's Minds. "But in fact it's normal and typical, and we find that children who engage in task-relevant private speech generally perform better over time."

I agree 1,000 percent.

Unfortunately, as kids become adults, I'm afraid they grow out of talking to themselves. Maybe it's because society frowns on it. But the self-talk I'm referring to is not a sign of insecurity, insanity, or schizophrenia.

I talk to myself to help me think and map out my thoughts, to provide feedback, and, probably most important of all, to motivate myself.

Jack Canfield, co-creator of the wildly successful "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books, tells us that research shows that the average person talks to him/herself thousands of times a day! There's a downside to this research, however: It is 80 percent negative. Things like what you should have done or said instead of what actually happened, your shortcomings, your fears, and so on. Those negative thoughts have tremendous influence over our behavior. But you can change them.

I advise every one of you to continue to talk to yourself throughout your life. I want you to ask yourself: How am I doing? Am I living up to my commitments? I want you to evaluate yourself after a presentation or after a one-on-one with a potential customer. Tell yourself what you could have done better, what you absolutely aced, what you will do on the next call or with the next customer.

As with a lot of things, you have two choices. You can talk yourself into success or failure, into feeling good or bad, thinking positively or negatively. The choice is yours, but you can train yourself to use self-talk as a positive tool. It is up to you to decide whether the conversation in your head is helpful or hurtful. Remember, you can talk yourself out of negative thoughts.

And if you need more than talk, try a little visualization exercise too. Seeing yourself as successful, seeing where you want to go, seeing how you will get there -- add that to your self-talk and you can be invincible.

People talk about the brain as a computer. You need to program your brain to motivate yourself. Turn off the autopilot and take control of what you tell your brain to do.

Attitude is everything. You must build up your confidence and positive energy. Focus on the best thing that can happen, not the worst. Too many people talk themselves out of good ideas. Let your thoughts take you where you want to go.

Mackay's Moral: Great success can come from small conversation.

Source: ETR

[winston]

The Right Way to Ask For, and Get, Referrals By Pete Savage

Asking a client for a referral is no big deal. Provided the timing is right, there's no reason to worry that you'll look pushy, presumptuous, or out of place. To boost your chances of success, however, it's important to know just how to ask.

For example, if you just blurt out "Do you know anyone who could use my services?" with all the sensitivity of a masochistic game show host, what answer are you likely to get?

"Ohhh... mmmmm... no."

Asking the question in that manner puts your client on the spot. It makes her brain lock up. End of conversation.

Instead, ease into it. Use very casual, but courteous, language to make a very specific request. Something like this:

"Referrals are the primary way I grow my business. And since you're happy with the way this project has turned out, I wonder if I can ask you for the names of three people who might have a need for my services, either now or sometime in the future. Would that be okay?"

Every happy client will say "Certainly." And then you ask for the three names. You may only get two names, or one, but consider this: If you ask 15 people for three names, and you get an average of two names each time, that's 30 potentially warm prospects placed right in your lap!


Source: ETR