Monday, October 27, 2008

What’s In Your Briefcase?

Everyday when we come to work we bring "stuff" with us. These things can influence---either positively or negatively---how we work, how we interact with other employees & peers, and how we treat & serve our customers.

So, what’s in your briefcase?
  • Your Photo ID (with a smiling face)
    A positive attitude! To move forward, you have to stop looking backwards. Football teams only score by someone falling forward with the ball three yards at a time. We all know that we’ve had some obstacles that we’ve had to overcome in the past, but if we continue an atmosphere of rehashing the past, we’ll never positively move into the future. Remember: "Attitude, not aptitude, equals altitude."
  • Team Jersey
    Do you consistently promote the team? Do you wear your jersey at all times? Are you distracted by something? You can’t play for the Celtics and for the Lakers at the same time. Where your heart is, is where your mind will be too. And what you demonstrate to your customers (and team mates) through company pride & enthusiasm will be make a huge statement about yourself.
  • Glasses
    Vision. Can you clearly see and share the vision with others? Albert Schweitzer said in his waning years, "My eyesight grows dim, but my vision is clearer than ever." How clear are you on the vision? But not only is vision important, but so is perspective. Great leaders & salespeople not only see things from their own perspective, but also from the perspective of their client’s and support teams.
  • A Magnifying Glass
    Do you have clear focus? Do you understand your gifts and are you working in those gifts? Anytime you work outside of what you’re gifted with, you’ll always find yourself struggling. Focus on your gifts and work in those; discover others who are gifted in the areas you are not and partner with them on projects & objectives.
  • A Mirror
    Integrity. Always, without fail, guard and protect your integrity. Don’t carry it on the tip of your finger, allowing it to occasionally fall off so you can slip out of your integrity for even a moment. If necessary, put it in a backpack and strap it around yourself! Do whatever it takes to consistently display the highest morals/ethics and great integrity no matter where you go or what you do. The three self-tests for integrity are: You have nothing to prove, nothing to hide and nothing to lose.
  • A Good Book
    Personal Leadership Growth. What are you doing to grow your leadership, sales & people skills? You should constantly be growing these skills including taking personal time to do so. As the "CEO of yourself", you lead in your career, in your home, in your church & in your community organizations, you should always be stretching yourself to be a better leader.
  • Your Watch
    How are you doing with your self management? Are you busy or are you effective? You may be at work for 10 hours or more a day, but are you generating the same amount of productive hours? Do you schedule meetings one after the other and are never getting anywhere on time? Always leave a cushion between meetings so you don’t leave others being unproductive when you’re not where you’re suppose to be due to a delay. And, how are you doing with your "enjoyment" time---your personal leisure time. You have to schedule in time to relax, refresh, re-energize yourself not only for yourself, but also for your family; in the end, it even helps your work better.
  • Your Phone
    How are your communications skills? Do you actively communicate with your support teams about jobs, objectives, customer issues and projects? Are you properly working with your teams prior to quote presentation? Are you presenting to your clients/prospects professionally?
  • A Gift Card
    How generous are you? When it comes to giving, stop at nothing! We all go through life with either a ‘scarcity mentality’ or an ‘abundance mentality’. The ‘scarcity mentality’ tells us that we’re never getting what we deserve; that we have to take all the recognition for ourselves because it’s ours; we are jealous of our peers; and that we should never share information. The ‘abundance mentality’ tells us that there’s plenty for everyone; that we celebrate when someone has a win; that we give all the credit for a job well done to the support team; that we share what we know so that others can benefit and possibly bring the team to a higher level. Do you have an attitude of gratitude and send THANK YOU letters to your customers? Zig Ziglar says that the way for a person to become successful is by making other people successful! Remember the saying, "Give without remembering, but accept without forgetting."
  • A Dictionary
    Do you have your processes right? Do you cooperate or manipulate? Do you communicate or delegate? Are you an encourager or discourager? Do you look for potential or problems? Are you concerned with influence or affluence? Do you evaluate and/or consider giving of yourself to someone based on their self-worth or their net-worth? Do your words contain: team, we, our, us, solutions, etc.; or do they contain: mine, me, I, they, problems, etc.?
  • A Light
    Are you full of enthusiasm? Who wants to work with a 25-watt bulb? Wouldn’t you rather be around someone who is pumped and enthused about what they’re doing? Always be the most enthusiastic person in the group. Be a 100-watt bulb and turn the light on others!
  • Your Will
    What impact & legacy are you leaving? When you move on, either by position change/promotion, relocation, retirement, etc., what will be left for others to follow? Will it be a path blazed with excellence and progression, or something else less desirable?


    So, what do you bring to work with you in your briefcase? Be careful what you pack.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

2008 3rd Presidential Debate

For those of you who were unable to watch (or record) the 3rd Presidential Debate last night, you can view it here:


I can't think of an election that's ever been as important than this one.

Please encourage others to go out an vote this November 4th.

And if you're interested in who "Joe the plumber" was, then...

Monday, October 13, 2008

Sales People - Take Action!

Take Action!

I know each of you constantly think about how to work better, how to create more success and generate more wealth (for your customers and for yourself). Well, what it all boils down to---it’s all about attitude and how you think.
John Maxwell says, "We choose what attitudes we have right now. And it's a continuing choice."

So, here’s an important MILLION DOLLAR attitude question that I want you to answer: Are you a salesperson in business, or are you a business owner making sales?

When you think of your role as if you’re the business owner---act like you’re the CEO of your own company---then things will take on an entirely new perspective for you.

So then, let’s work on the mind-set change.

From this point forward, you should walk, talk, act and sell with a World-Class mindset as the CEO of your business.

Now that we’ve established our mindset, let’s work on our World Class thinking.

Why world-class thinking? Because you have to understand there’s a difference between you and your competition. What is it that seperates you from every other person offering the same products? The biggest difference from the client’s point-of-view is the difference they perceive in YOU! The difference then is, the competition is average and ordinary while you’re a world-class thinker! Here are (some of) the differences in average business thinkers and world-class CEO thinkers:
  • Average thinkers don’t buy stuff for themselves to help them succeed if they can’t expense it out.
    World-class thinkers equip themselves for success, even if it comes out of their own pockets.
  • Average thinkers wait for training until their company provides it.
    World-class thinkers have a personal growth program that is in conjunction with, and regardless of, their company’s efforts.
  • Average thinkers are more concerned with activity.
    World-class thinkers are more concerned with results.
  • Average thinkers provide customer service.
    World-class thinkers produce customer loyalty.
  • Average thinkers are more concerned over the client’s cash.
    World-class thinkers are concerned about the client’s confidence in them.
  • Average thinkers know everything about themselves.
    World-class thinkers know everything about their clients.
  • Average thinkers avoid risk.
    World-class thinkers manage risk.
  • Average thinkers love to be comfortable.
    World-class thinkers are comfortable being uncomfortable.
  • Average thinkers hunger for security.
    World-class thinkers don’t believe security exits.
  • Average thinkers sacrifice growth for safety.
    World-class thinkers sacrifice safety for growth.
  • Average thinkers look for short-cuts.
    World-class thinkers know there are no short-cuts.
  • Average thinkers handle work as it’s given to them.
    World-class thinkers work at growing their business.
  • Average thinkers work on time management.
    World-class thinkers work on self-management.
  • Average thinkers are reactive.
    World-class thinkers are proactive.
  • Average thinkers work on getting the next sell from the customer.
    World-class thinkers work on getting all future sells from the customer.
  • Average thinkers work on trying to sell the customer.
    World-class thinkers work on trying to serve the customer.
  • Average thinkers work to increase the size of the transaction.
    World-class thinkers work to increase the amount of satisfaction.
  • Average thinkers work to satisfy the customer.
    World-class thinkers work to amaze the customer.
  • Average thinkers give criticism.
    World-class thinkers provide coaching.
  • Average thinkers have reason.
    World-class thinkers have faith.

    Until next time, best wishes and remember that...

Your Success Is My Business."

Hello...

Hello,

Thanks for stopping by, either by stumbling across this or (even better) because you heard and were interested. I hope you find value in what you read here...either because it makes you ponder on something, because it causes you to take action about something, or because you share similar beliefs.

I plan on sharing the following:
  • Motiviational & Leadership messages
  • News/Information that I feel affects our world

I hope you share your thoughts with me as we begin this journey.

THANKS so much!

Joey