Do Some Reflecting This Week

This is a good time to think about what 2010 brought you and where you want to Be in your life/business in 2011.  It's typically a down time between Christmas and New Years with not much going on in the business world so why not take time now to start writing down some changes you want to make.  What were some of your successes you encountered this past year.  What were some lessons you learned, people who influenced you, things that made an impact on decisions you made, etc. What do you feel you need to do differently?  All good points to consider and reflect on. What would like to create in 2011 that is not in your life or business now?  Who do you want to Be?  Think big and bold and be comfortable with taking risks and most importantly, don't settle for less than what you are capable of doing.

I look forward to going across the street and sitting on the beach this week for a couple of hours to be in nature and let my intuition surface for what I am creating this coming year. I had lots of great gifts, opportunities that came my way, new people I met and work with and places I got to see this past year. It's all good even the lessons I needed to learn and I suggest you do the same.

Whatever happens, my wish is for prosperity, good health, fond memories, new growth and endless opportunity for everyone.

Happy New Year 2011!!!!

Your Results are Simply Your Results by Lou Dozier

I love that.  Lou wrote an article in Choice Magazine (for coaches) about Living the Life You Love - 4 Keys to Abundance. This was #2 Key. What he means by this quote is the Universe mirrors back to you what you create. So if you are happy with how your life and business is flowing, you are grateful for all of the gifts in your life, you are aware of the lessons that show up, you will be in a healthy relationship with your results and with yourself.  If on the other hand, you are constantly worrying about how much money you need or don't have, you are envious of others, never seem fulfilled, etc., guess what shows up?

So going into the last weeks of 2010, be mindful of where you set your attention and attitude and see what you become aware of. A good way to keep track is to journal.  Write down your positive thoughts, goals and vision of what you want to create and start believing that you have the ability to have all that you want and long for. Next year at this time, you can pull out what you wrote and reflect back on your journey.  I wish you good luck with this and may abundance flow through your every pore.  Blessings for the holiday season.

Effective Partnering

I have created a series of three workshops for partners in business that I will start facilitating in January. I thought of "effective partnering" in the middle of the night as I was thinking about how important it is to be in harmony when you are working with someone and you equally are making successful oriented business decisions together. In a perfect world I would have worded this "effortless partnering" but sometimes we have to struggle and make decisions that may be difficult. It's very important at the beginning of a business partner relationship to get everything that is relevant to your success on the table.  Define people's roles, create boundaries and get clarity on expectations so if there is a surprise that shows up, you can deal with it rationally without making someone wrong. Too many times these steps are left out, not thought of or thought of as not important. Things will come back to bite you if you don't address key issues up front.  You can never assume that the other person thinks like you do, big mistake.  We are all wired very differently with life experiences, education and backgrounds that reflect on who we each are. Taking time to sit down and talk about roles is key to how successful and balanced you will be in decisions you will be making together in the future. What steps do you need to make now to start a   more successful relationship?

Creating a positive culture

great article posted by Bruce Rector

Premium content frctorom South Florida Business Journal - by Bruce Rector

It is surprising to me how few companies that I encounter proactively contemplate creating a corporate culture as a competitive advantage. Many times, corporate culture is an afterthought – if it’s even thought about at all. And, in my experience, this can be the case not only at middle-market companies, but even at large, multinational firms. This might be a result of viewing operating results purely from a financial perspective without thinking about the softer issues that often can drive those results.

Why might a firm benefit from a thoughtful approach to creating a positive corporate culture?

• Your employees will be more productive. I’ve seen companies that have clearly positive, encouraging cultures, and the difference in employee satisfaction and productivity is remarkable. When problems arise, these companies are focused on fixing the problem, not finding a person on whom to fix the blame. Bottom line: If people feel like they are in an environment that is positive, they add more value.
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• It can make it easier to identify potential leaders. By creating a strongly positive culture, a company can make it easier for leaders to emerge. They will be the ones that will feel free to suggest improvements to processes and procedures because the culture will support their stepping out and taking the risk to be proactive.
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• It will make it easier to recruit and retain quality employees. Companies that garner a reputation as places that are quality places to work will do a much better job of recruiting strong employees. And a company is only as strong as the people who work there.
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• It will almost certainly enhance the company’s reputation in the marketplace. This sort of credibility and awareness in the marketplace can be terrifically valuable to your company.  While you may understand the value of creating an appropriate culture, management needs to recognize that building a strong, positive culture is a conscious choice on their part. Like any aspect of developing and growing a business, this doesn’t just happen accidentally. Management must decide that creating the right culture is a priority, and put some thought into how they will make it happen. By putting pencil to paper and laying out a series of steps they can design and implement a strategy to make it happen – and add enormous value to their company.

Read more: Creating a positive culture | South Florida Business Journal 

Who Are You?

I have been finding a common theme amongst some companies in the mortgage industry around not disclosing who the executive team is.  The web sites talk about what the company does and how they do it but they don't talk about who is leading the teams, why they got in the business in the first place, what their strengths are or their backgrounds. Having been in national sales for many years and now in my coaching practice, I share with leaders I am in conversation with how important it is to talk about yourselves. Maybe there is fear around a competitor stealing away good people - what a shame as if you are so concerned about losing someone to another company, maybe it's time to step back and learn about the person and what you value in them and convey the message of who you are as a company and how they fit in with value. This is probably a whisper to me as potential future business to share with these companies how significant it is to talk about your Why. Hmmm, I'll have to stew on that one.

Why Complain About How Cold It Is?

We are currently experiencing a cold front here in South Florida.  Currently it's about 50 degrees but with the wind blowing, it feels colder.  I love this change in weather.  I get to haul out my out of state Florida clothing and relish the crisp air.  Mark, my life partner hates it.  He constantly complains how miserable it is and is dressed like he's going into hibernation. I understand where he is coming from as he was born, raised and lived in Chicago for 45 years and his memories include standing in his foyer in the mornings waiting for his car to warm up. He would never go back there in the winter. I on the other hand was raised in California and Arizona and didn't have to live for long periods of time in really cold weather. But I also appreciate the gifts of whatever the weather is showing up.  I get to breathe fresh air, I get to enjoy the sunshine and I live in beauty. There are many places in the world where people live in ungodly environments but they make do and typically don't complain. We will be back to normal temperatures within the week which means 70's to 60's range for the next six months, this I appreciate. What good is complaining, it gets you know where but causes negative feelings that get even more pronounced. Be thankful for who you are, what you have access to and the freedom we enjoy. This cold weather shall change so deal with it as best you can, what else can you do?

End of November 2010

Today is the last day of November 2010 and as always, I like to reflect back on the month and think about the happenings and how they affected me.  Some significant happenings were my daughter-in-law losing her father to a sudden illness and he was only 56.  I am glad we got the opportunity to meet him in Argentina last year at this time, he was a lovely man. I also started working in a company with two associates with a focus on creating a stronger culture from the top down.  This is what I was meant to do, help guide leaders to work their purpose and lead people to believe in the purpose and thrive.  I also helped one of my clients get promoted to a newly created position of more responsibility and continued success.  It's been such a pleasure to be on his journey as he embraced being open to getting better at communicating.  I conducted a couple of workshops on communication - one on effective networking and one on trust and collaboration.  Engaging people in conversation is the most effective way for them to embrace change.  You can't talk at people but instead involve them in the discussion.  I also conducted a workshop for Habitat for Humanity Family Support for new homeowners on passing the baton from Habitat to becoming responsible homeowners.  Again engaging the families in the conversations around this.  Great ideas were shared from some of them for the benefit of everyone. Thanksgiving was last week and we enjoyed the day with dear, long time friends.  We all shared things we were grateful for as we also shared our food.  I try to live in the present moment and be aware of the opportunities that show up at any given moment and they do.  You can't get frustrated if something is not going according to your plan as something unexpected can show up that may give you a whole new perspective to look at.  I know tomorrow will be another day into a new month and who knows how it will turn out.  I do know that I will embrace the cooler weather coming so we can open or doors again.

Thanksgiving Week

Everyone is getting ready for the big day of eating, enjoying the company of family and friends and possibly traveling.  Many people will be providing service to others in the form of helping feed the hungry, delivering food to the needy, collecting food, etc.  This is a great time to also reflect on what's good in your life, what you are grateful for and sharing that with others.  If you are doing the cooking, think about the neighbor, business associate or friend who may be alone and invite them over. Think of ways you can express your gratitude to the people in your life by remembering to thank them for something they have done - something as simple as r being in your life. Gratitude creates tremendous energy that comes back at you many times.  How can you incorporate more of recognizing this in your life? In the service of others is one way to spark the attention around the benefits of gratitude.  Have a blessed and safe holiday.

Effective Networking

I am presenting a workshop next week on "Effective Networking".  I  have decided to be mindful of what happens at networking meetings I attend and people I meet with from these groups. Good material will come from these observations as I present. Here is what I observed at a group meeting today:

• Some people are very good at creating opportunities by setting up meetings with referral sources and potential clients.  They share about themselves and they want to know about the other person.
• Some people attend these meetings and are there in appearance only, never meeting with anyone - simply attending the gathering.  I would love to know their purpose for being there, especially if they are married to their phone.
• Some people are very good with follow up and some are not.  This is a pet peeve of mine - you have to follow up for many reasons.  If you promised them something, complete the task and follow through.  Sometimes opportunities won't arise for a few months so you want to maintain the relationship if you see potential.  People appreciate and remember those who follow this step.
• Some people have their own agenda for meeting - it's all about them and they love to talk about themselves.  Step back after the meeting and ask yourself if this is someone who will benefit from a relationship with you and you with them.
• Some people position themselves in the same spot every meeting or they sit with their friends.  How does this benefit opportunity? Simple questions to ask yourself.

If you are networking, be clear before you get where you are going what your intention is and your expectations.  Your elevator speech should be concise and always be open to sharing a little bit more about you or a tidbit they could use, etc. something that would be interesting to the members of the group.  Get creative with this, it will serve you and it mixes things up.

Falling On Your Face Sometimes Is OK

There are lessons learned when we face failure or disappointment.  Sometimes things don't fall in place like we expected them to and we make decisions that may not serve us.  Instead of getting stressed, worrying about the outcome or impact, step back - breathe and then ask yourself.....what did I learn from this experience? There are always lessons to be learned.  As Deepak Chopra says "In every failure is the seed of success.  Our failures are stepping-stones in the mechanics of creation, bringing us ever closer to our goals.  In reality, there is no such thing as failure. What we call failure is just a mechanism through which we can learn to do things right." If you learn to be OK with this thought process and practice it, you will find more clarity and peace of  mind.

When Traveling Enjoy Where You Are

We flew up to Chicago this past Friday for a friend's surprise 60th (before he turns 61) birthday party.  The gathering of old friends and the party was so much fun and went on into the early a.m.  But backing up... what I noticed is how special trips can be if you stay in the moment and enjoy the whole experience as it unfolds.  I took my camera and my Flip but I also had fun from the moment we got on Southwest Airlines.  My seat mate was this lovely woman, Ruth who had a tiny service dog in her lap.  She was traveling from South Florida to Santa Fe, NM where she and her husband now live most of the year.  We had great conversations on living in Santa Fe, why she has a service dog, how she met her husband, etc.  When we got over Chicago, the sky was blue and clear and we could see the city and downtown.  The trees were changing color and the air was crisp but very pleasant.  I took lots of pictures of the trees - from yellow, orange and red.  The sun was setting while I was driving to and I noticed that it is much larger in that part of the country than in South Florida where we experience beautiful sunsets every night. We passed the White Sox stadium (new one) and saw lots of people heading home on the L train. We stayed in an old, established  country club (built in 1911).  The room was all right and the party was held there so it was so very convenient to just walk up stairs after one too many glasses of champagne and night turning to morning.  I took a walk around the grounds in the morning and appreciated the colors, flowers, leaves falling off the trees, the cool air, the golfers and the birds.  We passed Mark's old high school, had breakfast at the Egg & I and even drove by his old house - lots of fond memories for him in all of these locations.  There are other experiences from the trip I could share but i won't.  I simply want to say - take time to enjoy the moments as they unfold when you are anywhere as life is a journey to be explored.

Preparing to Attend the Mortgage Bankers Association in Atlanta

So it's been five years since I attended and actually served "booth duty" at the annual MBA conference. In 2005, the conference was held in Orlando during Hurricane Wilma.  That was an experience - I remember the chandeliers swinging a bit, the lights flashing, wind blowing outside and lots of rain but that was about it for the Orlando area. That was the last year I was actively in the mortgage business - served as a national business development manager for a valuation company based in CA.  Looking back now, I think the hurricane arriving in FL was a metaphor to what happened in the mortgage business the following year and continues to effect many.

This year the conference is in Atlanta in less than two weeks and close enough to justify going although I will be attending from a different perspective as a coach and part time sales consultant.  It will be a lot of fun reconnecting with my old associates, clients and new people I will meet.  The industry is in tremendous turmoil currently and I believe there is a huge opportunity for coaching to change processes and mind sets of how to do business in service to the consumer.  It will be interesting to reflect on what I see and hear and what opportunities there are and where the decision makers think this huge industry is heading.

80/20 Rule

Most of you know the 80/20 rule:  80% of your business is going to come from 20% of your clients. It doesn't matter what your industry is or what you provide in service, most of your new business will be created from existing relationships.  What does this mean?  You need to cultivate these relationships by having regular contact with the decision makers and the people who place the orders or those who directly do business with you and your company.  We live in a time and society where things are changing constantly at a very rapid pace especially in the areas of technology.  Make it a point to set up regularly scheduled check-in (maybe quarterly, semi-annually or the very least annually) to see what has changed with your client.  Asking questions around how you are performing, what is something you need to know about them to service them better or differently, etc.?  This will serve you in the long run and keep you on track with your clients.

How Approachable Are You?

If networking is a must do for you in your business plan, it's very important to be approachable.  What does that mean?  When you are attending events, functions, business centric affairs where you want to build relationships you want people to approach you so be aware that body language is very important here.  The first 20-seconds is where first impressions are made.  Simply smiling, standing confidently in the space of believing in yourself, being open to receive conversations will help you meet people who want to meet you. If you were to choose between introducing yourself to someone who is smiling and open to a dialog or someone who is closed down, not smiling or immersed in their blackberry or iphone, who would you rather introduce yourself to?  Think about this the next time you go to a meeting or event.  An interesting exercise is to observe the room at the next networking event or meeting you attend.  What's going on with people?  How are they engaged and interacting?  Who looks approachable?  Who looks distracted and not comfortable?  If this is hard for you, create a plan where you can be more approachable and practice, practice, practice.

Another component to all of this is offering a firm handshake and asking about the other person instead of going into your story first.  We tend not to listen to others enough and by practicing listening you are setting yourself apart from many others which in the long run will serve you in creating new relationships and business opportunities.

Ten Reasons to Hire An Executive Coach

Here are some comments which could trigger why you would benefit from coaching:

1. 1.     “I just never seem to have enough time for anything but my work.”
   2.     “I am so disorganized and because of it I never feel like I have accomplished what I need to accomplish.”
   3.     “It’s getting harder and harder to find clients and it’s also getting so competitive. Frankly, I think we have lost our edge.”
   4.     “We just can’t seem to keep good people consequently we continually experience high turnover.”
   5.     “We have experienced tremendous growth over the past few months and quite frankly I am concerned how we can manage it successfully.”
   6.     “There is a complete breakdown in communication and collaboration between management and employees.”
   7.     “I am not very good at delegating and I find I keep taking on more and more and it’s affecting my focus.”
   8.     “There is a lack of trust and collaboration in our company and because of this we don’t work as a team.”
   9.     “If I don’t step back and find a new way of leading my team, we are going to run this company off the track.”
   10. “I need to get better at managing my time.”

Trust and Collaboration

Trust and Collaboration - two huge issues for many companies especially in South Florida.  I have been working with companies around these issues which really stem from the lack of open communication and transparency.  It starts at the top in leadership and trickles down to everyone so it's important to tackle these challenges to be able to move forward.  It's the responsibility of leadership to convey a clear message of what's expected, admit mistakes when they happen, praise people and learn to trust others to help you guide the ship to smoother sailing.  I have created surveys I send to leaders who are open to taking a pulse of what people's feelings are and the belief systems inside of the companies.  From the results, work can begin on changing the culture allowing for more collaboration, better communication and eventually trust will start to show up. Be aware of the value of trust and collaboration and start doing something about before it affects your business.

The Tremendous Value of Practicing Yoga

While practicing yoga at my gym this morning, I thought about how wonderful I felt being there.  There is such great benefit derived from the practice - fluidity of the body, mind and spirit.  It's a tremendous stress reducer and has been proven to slow down the process of aging.  If every person would integrate the practice of yoga in their everyday lives, they would be less stressed, more aware of being in the present moment and be more willing and able to live a work/life balance which we all strive to have.

Honoring the American Worker

Today being Labor Day I want to write about greatness of being an American and recognize our labor related laws and the opportunities we have here in the U.S.  I believe we are blessed to live in a country that has structured laws to protect human beings who labor to create the quality of life we have and are exposed to.  There are far more countries around the world who don't take care of their workers or give them opportunities to create quality living.  Yes, we are dealing with a lot of challenges, high unemployment and financial concerns here in our country but we also have the freedom to pick and chose what we want to do even if we have to risk stability and comfort to do so.  We have structured labor laws, unemployment insurance, worker's compensation and social security  to name a few of the pieces put in place to protect us.

I want to acknowledge those workers who work very hard in manual labor to keep our system running smoothly  and those in the service industry who are there to protect us and keep us out of harms way.  I am proud to be an American and feel very blessed to be given the opportunity and freedom I exercise and am aware of.

Patience - and why it's important

I have a ritual I do every morning that jump starts my day - been practicing this for 16 years.  I write in a Gratitude Journal and read sections from Deepak Chopra's book "Creating Affluence".  I also have three positive messages/affirmation calendars in various areas of my bedroom and office.  The message today was all around Patience.  It kept showing up everywhere - the word in quotes, articles, etc.  So for me, that meant I needed to spend some special time practicing patience in all that I did today as I believe there are universal whispers to pay attention to and this was one of them. So, it helped to breathe when I got impatient or when I was allowing a bunch of thoughts to come present in my mind.  I so believe that when you are ready to receive something that is going to enhance your life, you have to wait until it's ready to happen and be OK with the wait.

So, my advice to you is when a feeling or a word shows up over and over again and you notice it, pay heed and acknowledge it and practice what's being told to you.  Who knows some new idea or success could appear.

It's All About Them Until They Ask About You

How do you engage someone at a networking event or set up a meeting with someone who could potentially be a referral source or better yet, a client?  I have been really noticing (without judging) how people engage me in conversation with we meet and I find many think they have to tell you everything about themselves and their company.

In a networking scenario, I never ask "what do you do?"  I think it is so cliche', instead I ask the person what they like about the group, what was their reason for attending the event, how long have they lived in Florida, etc.  Eventually the job/company comes into the conversation but it's much more embedded in normal dialog which creates some trust and casualness to our conversation. Not everyone is interested in conversation unless they are with people they know or they simply aren't conversationalists and I am OK with this and move on.

When I meet with someone over lunch or coffee my first questions are - "how much time to you have?" and "what would benefit you from our meeting today?" If I set up the meeting, I'll start asking questions about them, their business including what they like about the company and what are their challenges?  Halfway through our meeting and I have enough information, I'll ask them if they have any questions for me and they typically will ask about what I do, etc..  If they don't...time to move on and end the meeting, graciously.  If I feel there is an alignment between us, I'll think of referrals or introductions and tell them what good referrals would be for me and we figure out what our next step is going to be.

Lesson here:  We don't listen enough to others - there is a gift in this skill and people appreciate being heard.

Using Experts in Mortgage Banking Arena to Teach Others How to Be a Great Lender

I attended the quarterly meeting of the Florida Quality Council today here in South Florida.  I used to be very active with this group, president for two terms in the late 90's and have kept my relationships with some members.  As the speakers were presenting today on fraud and updates on what's going on with the government and regulating the industry more and more, I thought of the tremendous brain power that was in the room - many experts in quality lending.  There were title, appraisal, fraud investigators, lenders, consultants on credit risk and quality control in attendance.  Many of these people know the value of quality lending and could teach lenders and consumers the importance of good lending and what to look out for to prevent mortgage fraud.  Having been in the industry for 16 years in the property valuation side of the business and being actively involved with this group and the MBA's sub-committtee on mortgage fraud, I bring value in helping create a group of experts to go out and present and engage the industry in understanding the new regulations and awareness of how mortgage fraud is still being committed.  Now I need to think about how this can evolve........

Discovering My Purpose

A light bulb went on today for me.  Since I became a coach in 2004, I have been telling people that my purpose was to guide and inspire business owners and leaders to change.  That's OK but it really didn't set me apart from many other coaches who do the same thing.  My coach training taught me to really Be with my clients where they are now which has given me fundamentally, the foundation for who I am as a coach. I know my place is working with business leaders and their employees as most people who work spend a good deal of their time in their jobs.  Why not love what you do and not have the need to switch it on and off when you leave at the end of the day.

What I am clear about now is that my true purpose is to help business leaders discover and reveal their core values and really get clear on what their purpose is (in simple terms) and drive these values and this purpose throughout their organization.  Doing this will create success, happiness, engaged employees who love what they do and who will thrive in the environment that has been created. Companies who have done this well:  Southwest Airlines, Whole Foods, Microsoft, Starbucks to name a few.  I know there are company leaders out there that want to make a change in their cultures and their lives, to embrace who they are, be more authentic for the good of all and who want to know their higher purpose which will bring them riches in all areas of their life.

Reasons Professionals Quit Their Jobs

I recently read in a business journal (survey taken of professionals in the U.S.) that business people leave their jobs for the following reasons (which are ranked accordingly):

• Lack of communication and involvement by top management
• Lack of promotion despite successful work results
• Overworked
• Lack of a company "vision"
• Lack of belief in colleague's competence
• Lack of administrative support
• Rude colleagues
• Boss takes credit for their work 

Many of these traits show up regularly in many companies, unfortunately. For me, these are areas for great coaching to create more transparency, collaboration, clarity and success.  The question is - what will it take for a leader of a company with these traits to step up and embrace doing things differently?

Being Present When Driving

Do you ever drive somewhere and when you arrive at your destination you don't remember any of the details of how you got there because you were so caught up in your own private thoughts?  I know I am guilty of that although I am getting better at staying present so I can enjoy what I am passing.  It happened this morning in fact.  I was driving back from Palm Beach on A1A, one of my favorite roads because the ocean is on my left and beautiful mansions are on the right.  I really absorbed all that was going on and so enjoyed the journey and the experience.  Workers were out doing their gardening; the ocean was smooth as glass with some boats out on the horizon; I passed some really cool mail boxes; a museum in Delray Beach - Sandoval House (sp?) a nature museum which I have passed many, many time and never knew existed.  Bicyclists sharing the road; people eating at two restaurants in Delray Beach - Bostons and Luna Rosa and the new, in the middle of the roadway crosswalk stop signs for pedestrians who you must stop for in Palm Beach County or you can be fine $119.  Great ice cream store in Manapalan, across from the Ritz Carlton - "Ice Cream Club" and new construction of somemore beautiful mansions.

Not only will you benefit from being aware of what's around you, discovering a new inspiration that could show up from something you passed and but most importantly you are driving - leave the thinking for later when you arrive at where you are going.

Creating Your Company's Vision

Do you know where your business is going at this point? Have you visualized what your business will look like in one year?  Without a vision and a plan, you are going to not only be frustrated and stressed but also be lacking in direction.  If your business is sputtering along without momentum, now is the time to spend some time by yourself creating this vision.

You don't need to make it a cumbersome process, simply put aside about 90-minutes to start thinking about and writing down what you envision in your success.  Studies show that for one hour spent in planning saves three hours of execution. So where do you start?

• Do a simple visioning exercise
• Close your eyes and breath (at least three deep breaths to get you centered)
• Visualize yourself one year from now and what your business looks like if you had a magic wand to wave and it was all that you wanted it to be.  What is the difference then to what is going on now?
• Write down your thoughts and answers to the above question.  Here are a few more questions to ponder and discover what the answers are one year from now:
• Who are my clients and what do I provide them?
• What is my Gross Revenue, what are my expenses, what is my income?
• How am I marketing myself and my business?
• Networking and Referrals
• Deepening relationships with existing clients/customers
• Social Media like LinkedIn; Facebook; Twitter, etc.
• Newsletter/eZine Newsletter or Blogging
• Speaking in front of groups
• Web site (keeping it current and fresh)
• Marketing materials and tradeshows
• Advertising 
• Ask yourself, How am I visible to my clients?
• Business Operations
• Do I use a Contact Management System for tracking new clients and existing clients?
• Do I have the proper insurance or legal documents I need?
• Do I have the equipment I need to run my business efficiently?
• Do I have my financial matters managed?
• Personal and Professional Growth
• How am I staying abreast of what is the latest and greatest in my business market?
• How am I involved in the service of others, getting involved with non-profits? (this is very important for balance as well as potential for business referrals)
• Setting Goals and Committing to My Success
• Review what you have written down and pick one item from each area that will be priorities over the next six months.  Write down three steps for each item you can take in the next three months to move you to your vision.  Make this easy for yourself - realistic small steps that will move you forward, don't bite off more than you can chew. At the end of the three months, review what you have accomplished and adjust or tweak what isn't working.  Do the same at six months.  At the end of the six months, repeat the same process with other items on your list.  Review at nine months and then at the one year mark.  Ask yourself, what is different for me now than it was a year ago?
• Hire a coach to help you with this process or at the very least, find a business associate or friend who will hold you accountable and to bounce ideas off of.  The value of this - you aren't doing this process by yourself if you aren't self-motivated.  If you incorporate this exercise into your life and take the 90-minutes each quarter to review what's going on, success will be at your door and after all, isn't that what you want?

Motivating Inside of an Organization

Daniel Pink's second book is called "Drive" - The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us".  A great read and some good exercises in the back that coaches could use as a tool to change business culture.  In one section, he talks about motivating people which is so very important for many reasons.  Having completed a team coaching module through ORSC (Organizational Relationship Systems Coaching), I have learned how to work with teams to create a new focus, new direction and a new way of communicating with everyone without judgment and making people wrong.

A new way of creating motivation is allowing and encouraging employees (set up a time and day each month) to work on their own great ideas or projects that are company related. This would be separate from the daily duties that everyone have to complete. Point for discussion about this idea - what is the value in doing this?  Another idea is to set up a program for employees to award their peers (without permission) to hand out a small bonus or an award token to a fellow employee who has done an exceptional job.  What's nice about this is it's not driven by management; it's given in real time and it carries a different meaning than if it came from management, which can be motivating. There are many creative ways people can come up and one place to start is asking for input from the employees themselves, brainstorming and be open to some of the ideas.  Zappos (www.zappos.com) is a company that has set the bar on being really creative on changing business culture to be more fun, motivating and an inspiring place to work. Click on their web site and scroll down to the bottom of the page and check out the "About" section.  The business culture is changing and quite frankly I feel it's a breath of fresh air.

Thought Provoking Awareness - What Do You Think of You?

I have some of my clients and the girls I mentor through Women of Tomorrow complete the following exercise  What would be a benefit for doing this exercise?  When you start thinking of the answers and writing down your thoughts, a new idea or a new level of consciousness may show up on who you are.  These are all great areas for coaching.  You complete the following sentences:

 - I am incredibly _____________________________________________________________

 - I am lousy at  ________________________________________________________________

 - I am ____________________ intelligent

 - I have a gift or natural ability of ________________________________________________

 - I am extremely good at _______________________________________________________

 - I am a_________________athlete

 - Most people who really know me think I am ________________________________________

 - I will never learn to ___________________________________________________________

 - I am just average at  _________________________________________________________

 - My life is __________________________________________________________________

 - My future is going to be _______________________________________________________

 - I would rather be ____________________________________________________________

 - I am far too ________________________________________________________________

 - My health is _________________________________________________________________

 - I am _________________________ to look at

 - I am ________________________ prosperous

After writing out your answers, what you are discovering about yourself that you haven't thought about ever or in a long time?  You can also pick one area to possibly work on to improve something that isn't currently working for you.  All food for thought.

Best Places to Work Awards

I read in the Florida Trend magazine today who in FL was chosen as "best places to work" for 2010.  Companies were broken down into three categories - Large companies - 250+ employees; Midsized companies - 50-249 employees; Small companies - 15- 49 employees.  There was a common theme showing up in many of these companies.  The employees are energized,  allowed to show their creativity, appreciated, valued and given responsibilities that together as a team creates success.  Some of the companies really have even created a fun place to work. They don't necessarily pamper the employees (quote from the magazine) but more importantly they value their employees and find creative ways to do so.

Bacardi U.S.A. is one of the companies in the "large company" category.  The company believes in moving people around to get new experience and contribute regardless of your position.  They also offer some nice perks such as a gym, free lunch for employees and paid health insurance to name a few.

Studer Group, a consulting company in the hospital field (medium size company), employees are encouraged to bring new ideas to the table; they rate each other as employees on how well they are each doing and they share the results with all employees; they also value flexibility.  Some of their quirks are 48-hours a year to use  for working in the community; adoption allowance for qualifying employees, etc.

Creative Space, a PR company (small company) values transparency including in the accounting department; value flexibility when it comes to work schedules; technology - every employee gets a laptop and cell phone to use in the office and at home.

The bottom line in all of these examples and in general - these companies rely on their employees' strengths, give them flexibility (which is very important for the younger generations), have created respect and a sense of team in their settings. Employee retention and loyalty are embedded in these types of environments.

Hopefully more and more companies will see the importance of creating similar cultures such as the companies who made this list. The payoff is higher morale, higher employee retention, more success in their business model and a healthy work environment.  These are the companies I love working with as they see the value in their people.

Update on Being in the Present Moment

Well, it's been 24-days nows since I have been making a conscious effort to stay in the present moment.  Studies show that it takes about 21-days for a change in habit to stay with you.  I have to agree here as I am able to access being in the present moment, daily, even hourly.  If I catch myself in a thought away from where I am, I simply take 3 breaths and I am back in the present.  What I have noticed is I have a tendency to sing a song in my head a lot so I am now writing down what those songs are - this is very interesting!!!!!  I also noticed that I am so much more calm and I am seeing things I normally haven't seen.  Examples include:  while driving back from West Palm Beach this morning, I drove Federal Hwy vs. the interstate.  I saw such fabulous old buildings, especially restaurants that have been there for a long time - lots of Mexican food, Cuban, Haitian, deli, diners, etc.  When I stopped on an errand in Boca Raton, I noticed the cool eye glasses a sales lady (I always deal with) had on and she said she has worn them for 20 years. Where am I taking this - I am more calm, less worried, finding clues and inspiration from ordinary things that cross my path and enjoying the experiences more.  I know it serves me well to continue this awareness as I grow my business and live my life in balance, for this I am grateful.

The Value of Being in Nature

I recently returned from Frisco, Colorado where I spent five days with great friends. Frisco is in the mountains in the ski area west of Denver.  You actually have to drive through Frisco to get to Breckenridge which is a bit more well known.  Because I practice living in the present moment, it's easy for me to drink in my surroundings, see the beauty of wherever I am and Be with the people I'm with. Thus, I noticed a lot of beautiful parts of Colorado in the summer: flowers everywhere - in flower boxes, hanging from street lamps, in the fields; flowing water; still water; beautiful mountains everywhere and wild animals like elk, mouse, deer, fox, chipmunks, beavers, etc.  I also noticed how people love to be outside biking, walking, hiking, boating simply Being with nature.  They are healthy for the most part and enjoy their lifestyle. I also noticed how people embrace the Green initiative, especially recycling and taking care of the environment.  There is a lot to be said of taking time out of our busy lives to enjoy places like this.  Colorado is a great place to visit and appreciate the gifts of nature and laid back living. But, you don't have to go out to Colorado to absorb your surroundings.  There are many places around the country and close to home to experience the same type of needed peace, we just have to take the time to do it.

 I coach many leaders and successful business people who are not really good at balancing their life or knowing when to slow down to relax and enjoy people and places in their life. This awareness is vital to the long-term health of people both mentally and physically.  I ask my clients to find some activity that they love doing or did in their past or something they have always wanted to do that is fun and relaxing and to figure out a way to integrate it into their lives.  Simple things like reading a book while lying in a hammock, sitting on a patio, being at the beach or just taking a walk with nature with or without music, riding a bike, cooking - just something simple but so beneficial to their well being. I know one of my purposes is to introduce this concept to hard charging people who have lost the joy of appreciating this life, mind and body we were born with.

The Art of Silence

Silence - the part of life that brings me inspiration, peace and awareness.  I have been actively living in the present moment these past couple of weeks and it is becoming easier and easier to stay there simply by breathing when my mind starts to be too active.  Multi-tasking is very easy for me and because of this, I have to consciously not get caught up in it.  By breathing, I get back to the calmness of the moment and think more from my heart instead of my head.  How does this serve me?  I am able to see the small things in life that I normally completely miss and I am finding that I don't feel bored if I have free time.  I'm OK with it and don't feel like I have to find something else I should be doing.  Example:  yesterday after I finished a great book, "The Last Lecture" I was sitting in a comfy chair in our bedroom.  Outside on the patio wall were a group of mockingbirds.  They were simply perched together and exploring their surroundings.  It was really fun just watching them.  They did not sense a human being in their space so were busy checking out our neighors patio - maybe a future nest location?  The point of this discussion, if you are reading this, try to incoroporate into your being the art of living in silence - it will serve you well.

The Importance of Giving Back

You find your most balanced and successful self when you are in the service of others.  When I am coaching with a client who is stuck and not happy with aspects of their lives that lack peace and balance, I recommend to them to get involved with a non-profit.  When we are helping others in some capacity (not just giving money) the selfless person discovers compassion, satisfaction, appreciation for life and gratitude.  So, if you live your life at a frantic pace and never are able to shut down that energy, find a cause that is dear to your heart and get involved.  You will find new things about yourself that you may not have known before and you'll probably start prioritizing what and who are important to in your life and change some habits.

Being vs Doing

I use the Enneagram Assessment tool to create awareness around personality traits that my clients will discover about themselves which impacts change.  I am a "7" - "The Enthusiast" with a theme of "I love life and want to experience it all!"  This is a good thing but I also have a tendency to have one foot into the future anticipating what's next vs in the Now where there are clues to opportunities and inspiration which will help me on my journey. Typically I move very quickly in action and thought and a lesson for me is to purposelly slow down and be present.  That is what I am practicing as I write this and as I proceed with my day.  So what is the Being vs the Doing?  If I don't allow myself to feel sadness or frustration when they appear and instead rush into "next" I am more in my head - doing vs. in my heart -being which really is where we find our greatest joy and inspiration. Who knows I may find something totally unexpected that I need in my life and I am open to those possibilities.

"What Do You Do?"

How many times a day do you get asked "what do you do?"  I typically don't like to ask this question as I prefer to get to know the person I am having a dialect with so I ask them questions about themselves.  "How long have you lived in Florida?" "What brought you to this networking event or cause?" ""Got any plans that are special this summer?"  My reaction to the "what do you do?" question is - the other person wants to qualify me quickly whether I am a candidate to do business with them?  There are some people who are simply curious of what my occupation is and they will typically ask other questions.  I used to change my "30-second elevator speech" nearly every time I am asked that question which hasn't really served me.  My coach got me to focus more on my message and my purpose so I now have it down to exactly what I do - "I listen".  Simple answer but also a complex answer as I really create a safe space for people - business owners and leaders to really discover something they want to change to make their business more successful or their life more balanced and happy.  That is my WHY - I LISTEN to people.  My point in this blog is to suggest you really get clear what your true purpose and passion is and create a simple statement describing those two keys things when describing what you do as it really is your Why (the driver behind what and how you do what you do). By embodying this message about yourself, people will believe you and want to do business with you. Keep it simple and be genuine and see what happens.

People Believing in You

I was in a discussion this morning about when people follow leaders and are inspired by who they are.  Why do people respect and hang on every word some people say, want to do things for them and just simply enjoy being in their presence?  It all boils down to being genuine, making people feel comfortable and listening to what others are saying. Great leaders inspire people to want to follow them even if the path may not always be smooth.  Not all leaders have these traits or rather are too busy to take the time to get to know their  people or engage them in a dialog. Separating a leader of a company from an inspiring (great) leader is a huge space, one that many will never cross or change because they can't and have no desire to do so.  "You are lucky you have a job" or "it's not my job to motivate people, I hire people to do that" will only get a leader so far in his/her success with a lot of casualties along the way.  Those exceptional leaders who see the value in their people are going to strive for excellence and do so with a united front of their team(s), driving success, well-being and engaged employees.  Ask yourself and reflect on - "Who Am I As A Leader?"

The Importance of Finding Out Your Why

I am currently reading the book "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek.  The book goes into detail about the significance of being very clear on Why you do what you do - personally and professionally.  Through my coach training I worked on this concept as the most significant part of who we all are and what the drivers are that motivate us to our success.  Most people are really good at knowing What they are doing and How they are doing it but they typically don't see the significance or have clarity around Why they do something which is really where success and happiness shows up.  Walmart knows what their Why is - a store for the everyday man or woman who typically lives from pay check to pay check.  Southwest Airlines does as well - low cost airline for the everyday person - economical, efficient and no frills. (these are my words not a quote)  So, to start thinking about the purpose behind what you do start asking yourself some questions and from the answers bringing your discovery to light.  examples:  "what is significant about doing this?"  "what do I like/love about this?" "what makes me jump out of bed in the morning and motivates me to do what I am doing?"  "what experience do I want to create for the benefit of others and why is that important?"  These questions lead to deeper meaning in who you are and what you do.

Appreciation Shown at the Work Place

I read the results of a survey in USA Today that the employees polled said that Appreciation was shown by fellow colleagues 54% of the time; by supervisors 30% of the time and by executives 16% of the time.  Are you surprised?  I am not disappointingly.  What does this mean and what needs to change?

This means that management and leaders are too busy running the company to remember the importance of slowing down long enough to see the value of staff and staff's contribution and saying something to people  doing a great job.  Wouldn't it be inspiring and uplifting to the morale of the company if the practice of Appreciation was incorporated into the company culture on a regular basis?  Imagine working in an environment where you are recognized for the skills and talent you bring to the company to help them succeed.  A simple spoken Thank You, an occasional note in the company newsletter, a small gift card, etc. don't take up a lot of energy and money and the results go such a long way.

The new leader of mortgage giant Freddie Mac makes it a point to go around to people's cubicles and engaging in conversation with regular staff to see how they are doing.  He invites people to join him for lunch as well.  The morale of this agency probably is at a very low point for most of the staff who work there.  He sees the relevance and importance of taking time out of his busy day to remember to acknowledge these people.

Gallup has conducted  employee surveys on 500 top companies and a common theme that showed up over and over again.  "Show me appreciation for what I do; understand what my strengths are so you can use me for my best abilities; let me grow through education programs and give me opportunities to improve myself in the service of the company.  Money is not the end all for everyone.  People will contribute to the success of a company by being acknowledged and recognized and given opportunities to grow and create new ideas.

Too many companies don't see this but it's where they need to be for future success and I want to be part of this change.

The Value of Building Open and Honest Relationships

I pride myself in being an open book when I show up in the world.  Honesty and integrity are core values of mine and they show up when I am interfacing with others. Practicing this I have found helps build strong relationships based on trust and faith. Being compassionate and a really good listener has served me both personally and professionally.  At the end of the day it's not what we say or do but how we make people feel that matters the most.  Think about those conversations you have had with someone in your life where you have felt heard and understood with no judgment.  How did that make you feel? What was the significance of that experience?  Thank you CTI for teaching me these skills that I practice everyday and make me the coach that I am now, continually growing and evolving.

Communication Transparency Accountability

These three words were used to describe what was missing in a local government decision that was made that made many people very angry.  If these three words were/ingrained in how leaders operate, challenges would be  discussed openly and solutions found more often.  Yet most companies ignore the significance of communication, transparency and accountability.  The leaders assume that all is OK and everyone understands how I operate and agree with what I do and say. This is not the case, consequently lots of back stabbing, working in fear, unproductive, wasted time with people talking about the problems and disfunction of an organization.  How can this change?

Awareness of the importance of dialog, open communication (transparency) and holding people accountable including the leaders themselves in doing what needs to be done for the good of the company and the clients/customers. Being open to listening to the people to hear new ideas, give their opinions of the impact of a decision, empowering the people to be more engaged in the work process and the culture of the company are key to the success of an organization.

Question to contemplate:  "What is your definition of open communication and how important is it in how you conduct your business?"

Character Strengths

So I took a strengths test last week (I have taken about six different ones).  My top strength is "Gratitude" which is what I am going to talk about here.  I say an affirmation every morning - " I live in gratitude for the many gifts that come my way as the day unfolds".  I then proceed to say with conviction - "thank you" ten times.  You would be surprised at the little things that pop up during the day that work in my favor and I always follow them with "thank you".  Making it across the bridge before they close it; finding the right parking space; being someplace on time when I was so concerned I was going to be late; traveling on I-95 and not being delayed by stopped traffic.  The big ones - appreciating my loving family and friends; my good health, positive outlook on life, where I live, being a US citizen; bringing value to my clients are just some of things I am grateful for.

Oprah got me motivated in 1994 to start writing down five things I am grateful for in a gratitude journal.  I have practiced this for 16 years and each day is always different in some way.  Doing this exercise has made me very aware of all the gifts around me.

What has happened to you in the past hour that you can say "thank you" for?  My wish is that you become more aware of the little things that make life a bit easier in the direction of happiness.

Top 10 Sales Tips

Since my coaching focus is on guiding business owners and sales professionals to increase their revenue and be happy in the process.  I thought I would share 10 tips for more improved business development and retention of favorite clients.
        1.  You have to really believe in what you are selling - be passionate about it but don't be pushy.
        2.  Selling and Business Development is about Relationships.  Got to connect with the other person, build trust, respect and really listen to what is being said.
        3.  It's all about the client/customer prospect. You have to find out where there is a need and a pain point before you start trying to sell what you offer. Worst mistake a sales person can do is immediately talk about what you offer when you don't know what they need.
        4.  Ask lots of open ended questions and really listen to what is being said.  The art of listening separates  good sales people from great sales people.
        5.  Present the benefits of your service/product to what they need.  You will have heard this if you were listening.
        6.  After you have heard their story and you have presented the benefits of working with you, ask for the business.  Many people don't feel comfortable asking for the business before they leave the meeting.  You can create simple sentences or questions around this.  Needs to be genuine, not pushy and be confident in your ability as you ask this.  Doing this critical step will increase your success rate.
        7.  Follow up, follow up, follow up - always check back in, as soon as you leave the meeting (within 24-hours).  And, if you say you will contact the person in the future, give them a date and do it.  Never commit to an action and then forget to do it.  If you don't get a commitment from them, set up a follow up system (I usually do this 30-45 days).  Sometimes commitment won't happen until you have communicated with them seven times.  If they really aren't interested, hear this and walk away and be OK with that.  Not everyone will want to do business with you.
        8.  Be comfortable and believe in yourself when you are pricing your service/product.  There may be times when you can be creative with packaging pricing, offering discounts, etc.  But for the sake of getting the business, don't sell yourself short and feel uncomfortable with offering your services for less than what you are worth as this is not good business.  If you are good, there are people out there in the business arena who will pay for it.
        8. When the business comes in, be on top of it making sure delivery is exceptional.  Having a comfortable, transparent dialog with this new client/customers is important going forward.  You want them to feel that they can come to you with questions, concerns and you vice versa.
       9.  Show appreciation for these new clients, thanking them for doing business with you and check back in  periodically to see how they are doing.
      10.  80% of your business is going to come from 20% of your clients.  New services and products should be offered to existing clients so get creative and be open to change.  Fire those clients who are super high-maintenance and taking more of your time for less business.  Ask yourself, "is this client a good fit for my business model?"

We are living and working in a world of constant change.  Be flexible, transparent and continually educate yourself on what the newest trends are.  We are now a world of multi-generations with different drivers on what is needed and wanted.  Be aware of this and you will be more successful and less stressed.

Dealing with Conflict

Great book - "Crucial Confrontations" by several authors including Kerry Patterson.  The focus of the book is on tools for resolving broken promises, violated expectations and bad behavior. I recommend this book for managers to read. Here is what I gleaned from the book to share:
- If there is a confrontation, a face to face meeting/discussion is imperative.  When this is handled well, the problem gets resolved and the relationship can get back on track.  Most people just don't do this and either walk away and hold the anger and resentment.
- A good practice to step back and think about what you are going to say about anything so you become the master of your stories.  Practice working on your conversation/story, your feelings and thoughts.
- When there is enough safety, you can talk to almost anyone about almost anything including unexpected situations that show up. It's that stepping back, breathing and thinking about what you are going to say before you speak.
- If you feel the other person is going to be offended or defensive to what you are going to say, before you say anything else, prepare the conversation by explaining what you don't and do mean" At the end of the conversation, ask a question around what they heard.
- When the other person isn't motivated, it our job to be motivating.  Talk about the natural consequences.  When someone wants to know, explain what needs to be done and why. Try to find consequences that matter to the other person. Finish the conversation by determining who is going to be doing what and when.
- When there is ability issues, talk about turning around impossible tasks to possible making it easy. Together explore causes of problem and empower others by allowing them to be part of the solution. Ask them for their ideas.  If they can't find solutions, work on them together including your view. When you find a solution, ask if they do what's required?
- We must stay focused and flexible.  If fear shows up, we have to make a safe space and breaking down
 the fear, what it means, what is the worst thing that can happen, etc.
- Once a plan has been created, we have to agree on an action and follow-up.  If you don't do this, you have wasted time and plans fall through the cracks.  To end well, create a plan that spells out who is doing what and when and making sure everyone is clear on what needs to be done. Ask for any questions.  Depending on the skill level of the person you are in dialog with, their history with your company will tell you how often you will need to follow up.  And most importantly, FOLLOW UP.

The book talks about 12 "Yeah Buts" scenarios that are a must read.

Why My Ideal Client Should Choose Me?

This questions was posed to me by my successful coach as homework.  I am to list three qualities about myself to answer this question.  After doing some reflecting, this is what I know about myself as an engaged coach:

       1.  I provide a wide, safe space for my clients to be authentic, real and vulnerable.  This trusted relationship creates new ideas, stepping out of the box thinking, new discoveries about what they know they can do in their future.

       2.  Since the agenda is the client's, I am there to be the Guide to greater possibilities - "what if" thinking and then how do you get there.  I call my clients forth to be honest with themselves, facing Fear if it shows up and dismantling that fear.  Nobody gets to be wrong or is judged on what is said or what shows up, consequently great freedom to be creative.

     3.  Listening at a very deep level allows for exposing the real reasons things are important.  This includes not only the words spoken, unspoken, emotions, body language, sighing, etc.  CTI coach training is based on three levels of listening which I practice everyday in whatever I am doing in my life.  It's all about the client.

My purpose as a coach is to bring out the very best in my client so as they continue on their journey, they are proud of what they are accomplishing, who and what they are allowing into their lives and Being who they are or are meant to be.

While driving to West Palm Beach yesterday, I passed the cutest car, a Cube by Nissan. It's a compact car similar to the Scion but the design is very futuristic - the window in the rear back right side curves around from the back to the side without a post support. Nissan has been making some very attractive cars the past two years as their other models are just as attractive and most importantly, the brand is very reliable.

I am very blessed to be able to experience beautiful sunsets every evening from our balcony. We have a direct, unobstructed view right to the horizon. Each sunset is different each night, some have clouds and some are just the sun going down in the distance. The palette of color is spectacular and this I am appreciative of.

Have you taken time to notice how automated everything is becoming, for our convenience? The latest things that have been helping me be more efficient is the automatic check-out system at Costco where you scan your merchandise, bag your stuff and leave. So much faster and easier to get in and get out.

This week I had the pleasure of processing film off my digital camera chip at CVS. You simply input what you want to do, input your chip and away it goes. Within 10 minutes I had my developed photos at a nominal price.

The latest automated processing is going to be the check-ins for rental cars at the airports. You can simply check in and go right to your car without having to wait in line for service. I don't do that anyway, thank goodness because I am a Hertz Gold Club member but this process will help many, many other people.

Given the popularity of the movies Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, 3-D TVs are appearing in the marketplace. Although I think we will wait a couple of years until the prices come down and the technology get tweaked, it will be exciting to feel you are part of what you are watching.

What's next?

New Rules for Renewing Driver's Licenses in Florida

Thank God I did my research when the driver's license renewal notice came in the mail in January. I went to the state government's website to check out what I needed to do. Effective January 1, 2010 in Florida, you have to go to a Driver's License office to renew as they are requiring complete information on you, I think to cut down on fraud and identify theft. Once you have brought all this information into them, you don't have to do it again in the future, so they say. Here are some tips that are important to make the process go smoothly:

1. Make an appointment at least 30-days in advance

2. When you do this, you should be in and out within an hour if you bring all your paperwork with you. If you don't have an appointment and you simply show up, expect the process to take 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Go to the official Florida government website to find out exactly what type of paperwork you need to bring with you. This will include a second identification like a passport or birth certificate; you will also need to take an original social security card; two copies of certain documents with your address listed such as voter's registration, mortgage payment statement, insurance documents or car registration.

4. You may have to take an eye exam but they will let you know that on your renewal notice.

5. There is a cost to this process which you pay when you are done and you can use credit cards.

Long lines outside the door for those unfortunate souls who just showed up. Glad I went prepared. I was in and out in 50 minutes.

Power of Healing Energy of Horses

In my coaching community more and more coaches are practicing Equine Coaching using horses to help people heal emotionally and break down fear and unblock negative energy. I was fortunate enough to get to experience this by being in a ring this week with a beautiful horse. He could sense my energy - if I was in the present moment, I was relaxed or tense and if I was fully present. When I tried to force him to move even gently, he would not. I had to step back, breathe and be totally centered before proceeding and him allowing me to lead him around the ring. My fellow coach who

Communication

The importance of Communication cannot be stressed enough. Too many people express their opinions and perceptions and assume everyone else thinks the same way and guess what -they get so frustrated when you do not agree with them!!!! We are all individuals with our own methods and styles of communicating. It's all right to not always agree with what is being said and to state an opinion. Once there is an awareness of not making people wrong or judging them on what they say, a more relaxed conversation can occur and a common ground may show up.

Many leaders and managers need to know and practice this. A typical scenario in companies is that there is an assumption that "everything is fine" because no one is saying otherwise. If senior management simply took a few minutes to acknowledge people and maybe develop a policy of meeting once a month to get a sense of understanding of what's happening with everyone, a new sense of pride and ownership could start appearing. With the help of a coach, they can learn to be more open and transparent and create a space to create collaboration and good synergy.

God gave us two ears, two eyes and one mouth. There is tremendous value in listening to what is being said and seeing the reaction. Before you speak, step back a second and breathe , you could possibly react differently and be more profound in what you are going to say.

Leaders Who Care About Their People

On Sunday evening at 10:00 EST there is a great show on television called "Undercover Boss". CEO's from large corporations are going undercover for one week inside of their companies to find out what's working, what is not working and who their people are. I have seen three shows and as a coach, I want to share how exciting it is to see these CEOs really engaging people. They are hearing stories of personal challenges, challenges of the goings on inside the company and meeting some amazing employees who go the extra mile in their jobs. The CEOs are taking this information back to their executive committees to talk about needed changes and recognition of some folks.

Wouldn't it be less stressful and more motivating for employees to know senior management cares about who they are and how they contribute to the success of the company. Engaging people to find out better ways to be processing the work and improving systems creates a culture of pride, responsibility, contribution and success.

Hopefully this new awareness will mainstream to more and more companies wanting to explore how they can be better by engaging their workforce. Less Ego and more flexibility and open communication.