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January 15, 2008 Vol. III Issue 3
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Table of Contents
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Zig
On... |
Staying Up, Up, Up in a Down, Down World (Part II of II)
By Zig ZiglarCheerful, Upbeat People Reproduce Cheerful, Upbeat People
In
the last issue we explored the benefits of greeting people with an
enthusiastic "Good Morning!", even when it's 8:00 p.m. The reason
is simple: The best way for me to feel upbeat and optimistic is for me
to make an effort to make others feel upbeat and optimistic.
Admittedly, on rare occasions I get back a less than chipper reply, but
from my perspective that's their problem and not mine. For each
stinking thinking reply I get, I get back a hundred positive
ones. The other reason I say "good morning" is that I always
believe the best part of the day is still in front of me. As far
as I'm concerned, the use of the word "morning" is legitimate.
When
someone beats me to the draw and says something like, "Good morning,
how are you?" I always respond in one of two ways. I will either
say, "Better than good, and that's an understatement," or "Super good,
but I'm getting better!" Almost without exception after an
interchange like that the other person is smiling. When I cause
someone else to smile I leave them slightly better than I found them,
which makes me feel better.
Phase two of this approach to life is what I say when I part company with an individual. Instead
of the usual "Have a good day," I say, "I'll see you over the top!",
which also brings a smile. Just in case you're wondering if that
is the "real world," my answer is, "You bet it is!" One of the
interesting psychological truths is that logic will not change an
emotion, but action will. This approach is initiating a physical
action which will, in fact, make me feel better while also making the
other person feel better. This validates the concept that you can
have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other
people get what they want.
Give this approach an honest trial and I'll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
Mr. Ziglar has written twenty-six celebrated books on personal growth,
leadership, sales, faith, family and success. For more
information on Zig, click here.
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Networking
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Networking Basics – Widening Your Circle of Influence
By Andrew BrownIf you count up the number of people you meet every day, you will probably be
astounded. Networking opportunities are abundant in our day to day
activities.
Networking can be a critical success path to growing and
establishing a business. When you expand your network, you create a sphere of
influence which can help spread the word about your company and the services
and/or products you sell. Building a network is not difficult but it does
require hard work and a little creativity.
Many people can develop a
solid contact list but fail to take the next step of cultivating the contacts.
To gain the most value from your contact list, identify the people that have the
most potential for helping to build your sphere of influence. The goal is to
select the people on your networking list that could be long-term connections.
Think in terms of people that can be referral sources, not necessarily those who
directly need your services.
You can expand your sphere of influence by
actively pursuing opportunities to share your expertise with peers in and out of
your industry. Contact an industry trade journal and volunteer to write an
article or speak at a local seminar. Expand your network beyond industry
insiders by attending local networking events. You can check your local business
news journal to find these events where you live.
Maximize your personal
network of friends and family members. Even if they are not in the same
business, these people have connections, and someone within their networks
likely has a problem or need that your business can solve.
Asking
customers for referrals may be one of the most commonly known and accessible
methods of building a network, but it is also one of the most underutilized.
Your current customers are a guaranteed and cost efficient source to acquire new
customers just like them. And satisfied customers are usually happy to refer
their network to you, but many business owners fail to ask.
The key is
becoming networking proficient in how you engage people and subsequently promote
your business. A common mistake companies make when building a network is
focusing strictly on self-gain. They rush through the hand shaking, salutation,
and business card trade, then immediately start pitching their product or
service. Influence spheres are not built this way.
The goal of networking
is to produce long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. When you meet
someone new, use the opportunity to learn something about them and always look
for ways that you can help them. This may mean opening your network of contacts.
When you seek opportunities to help others and be of value to them, your efforts
will pay off in spades. Listen to what others have to say and seek ways to be a
problem solver, even if the problem is not directly related to your business. Be
willing to make referrals and you too will be the recipient of generosity. When
you are genuinely interested in others and approach networking with a "how can I
help you" attitude, you will find much greater success.
Rome was not
built in a day and neither is a sphere of influence. Networking takes
dedication, persistent effort, and time. It is not about just meeting people,
but meeting people and leaving a lasting impression. Focus on the people you
meet as you go about your daily business, engage with them, and leave that
lasting impression. Over time, you will find that you have more connections than
you ever thought possible, and that your business and bank account have reaped
big benefits as a result.
Take advantage of networking opportunities in
whatever form they take, and you will effortlessly expand your network by
creating relationships that can benefit your business. Always have your business
cards with you, even when running personal errands so that you can exchange
information. All it takes is just one interested party to start the ball rolling
with referrals.
Andrew Brown and Small Business Guru provide Coaching,
Inspiration and Practical Advice for Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs.
Subscribe to the free, weekly newsletter at http://www.small-business-guru.com.
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Leadership
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Set the Pace from the Helm
By Charles LutzDuring my 22 years in the Navy, I have heard a saying "The Captain is the Ship"
and I must say that I couldn't agree more. The commands (offices) where I have
worked had the "personality" of the person in charge. During my two tours as a
Commanding Officer, my commands took on my personality as well - good and bad
traits. Take a moment to reflect on where you currently work. What is the office
mood or character? Who is the ring leader of your office's atmosphere? Most
likely, the leadership--whomever is at the helm– has set the office climate.
Why!? It's because we take our "cues" from those who are steering the vessel
(organizationally or departmentally).
To set the right tone for your "ship"
as it heads into new waters, try the "COPY" leadership system for modeling
organizational success. COPY stands for:
Be...
Concise
Optimistic
Playful
Yourself
Concise
With being
concise, I am referring to concise communication in relaying the mission,
vision, and overall strategy to team members. There are three basic questions
that come with any strategy.
They are:
1. Where are we now?
2.
Where are we going?
3. How are we going to get there?
In being
concise, knowing where you currently are is the first step. The second question
of "Where are we going?" is critical to organizational success. The vision
should be clear, tangible, and easily understood. More importantly, everyone
should know what it is and where he or she fits into the value chain in
producing the end result. A teammate who knows, with precision, where the
organization is going will help you figure out the third question of "How are we
going to get there." All of this starts with stepping out and reaching each
teammate with concise communication.
Optimistic
As the "Captain," your optimistic attitude will permeate throughout the
rest of the "ship" and will dictate the performance of the team. When you are
excited about where you are going and have used concise communication to let
everyone know, your team will be excited as well. Although there may be
grumbling (because resistance to change can happen), you have the power to
quickly turn it around. As you believe it and are positive about it, the rest
will follow. Mountains, valleys, highs, lows, and even large ravines shouldn't
keep you from losing focus - the battle is won (or lost) in your head prior to
its start and it all begins with PMA (Positive Mental Attitude)!
Playful
Do
you remember how much fun it was to hang out, laugh, and play with your friends
when you were a kid? So do I! That's what work should be...FUN! Cell phones,
deadlines, finances, and email pound down on employees every day - stifling
creativity, productivity, and morale. You, as the leader, can mitigate the
effects of stress by infusing "fun" into each day. It could be as simple as
hosting a weekly "potluck" - something to break the workweek/day up. Work should
be like a game of kick ball. The focus stays strategic (win the game) but the
method is fun. You set the pace and the entire "crew" will take their cues from
you...go ahead, kick the ball!
Yourself
During Officer Candidate School, one does A LOT of push ups (I did more
than most). As we went down to the floor in the push up position, we had to
scream "INTEGRITY" and on the up we had to scream "DISCIPLINE!" Honestly,
although it was done as a punishment, it was one of the most motivational
moments of my life - hearing 80 people scream in unison can help you tap into
strength reserves that you didn't know you had. When times have gotten bad and I
may have been tempted to cut a corner and not be true to who I was as a person,
I think of those two words and my teammates yelling them in my ear–
"INTEGRITY!....DISCIPLINE!" and I am able to tap back into those reserves and
stay the course. We all have those times of trial and if we stay true the entire
team appreciates it. Always be "you" and always stay true to your core
beliefs.
Modeling the way for your team through the "COPY" system will help your
team achieve greater productivity, creativity, cohesion, and will simply make
work a much better place to be. It's very much like when your mom used to say
"monkey see, monkey do" - you get to be the head monkey, model the way and,
let's face it, monkeys are cool! Remember to COPY and never give up the
ship!
Chip Lutz is a professional speaker, trainer, and retired Navy
Officer with 22 years’ leadership experience. He served as Commanding Officer of
two separate Navy Facilities and was the Director of Security for Naval District
Washington, DC during September 11th, 2001. Find our more about his work at http://www.funsquadinc.com.
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Riddle
of the Week |
When is it dangerous to play cards?
See bottom of the page for the answer!
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What's New at Ziglar? |
A
beautiful new e-book has just been released and it’s yours for
free. It’s called “180 Life-Changing Motivational Quotes” and 6
of them are from Zig himself! Be inspired by some of the most
profound thoughts of all time. Simply click here, answer one anonymous survey question, and the e-book, valued at $40, is yours for free.
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Zingers
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Zingers
By Croft M. PentzContent makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.
The key to contentment is to realize that life is a gift – not a right.
Some Christians are like kittens – contented only when petted.
Many people want what they don’t need and need what they don’t want.
If all of us had everything we wanted, we wouldn’t have enough places to keep it.
Published with permission by Tyndale House Publishers
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| Riddle Answer: When the joker is wild! |