Accountability

Have you ever been a coach? For a sports team? A team at work? A friend? Currently, I coach the Air Force Academy collegiate equestrian team, in addition to my business and executive coaching roles. There are many similarities with being a sports coach and a business coach. Coaching athletes and business leaders both involve encouragement, goal setting, deadlines, and some gentle reminding (some refer to this as “nagging”) when necessary.

Whether it is in the boardroom or the locker room (Disclaimer: I have never been a coach that involved a locker room) an integral part of both coaching and leading is harnessing talent, and providing a mechanism for accountability.

One of the tips in last month’s article was to create goals that are SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. What happens when we set easy goals? Grabbing and getting the low-hanging fruit – achieving the easily attained goals – are great initial motivators. This is why I occasionally include on my Productivity List tasks such as “Take Vitamins” and “Fill Gas Tank.” Some days we need the sense of accomplishment that builds confidence and momentum to propel us forward. Other times, we simply set goals that are quick to achieve for other reasons – fear of failure, or perhaps more commonly than we realize – fear of success.

Thomas Hood, a 19^th century British author and playwright wrote “Half of the failures in life come from pulling one’s horse when he is leaping.” (I liked the equestrian reference.) Hood’s caution, fear of success, holds many people back in their business lives as well as in their personal lives. Being any kind of coach requires recognizing when goals need to be tweaked for true, authentic reasons, or because there are barriers that need to be addressed. For instance, do you or your employees have the proper tools to meet the goal? Whether that tool is equipment, software, training, or simply fostering an environment of trust and pride in project ownership – without the proper tools, you and your team cannot succeed. Perhaps you worry about growing too large too quickly, or you might be worried about managing the extra personnel. Planning and setting measurable goals helps identifies possible problems as well creating solutions.

An often overlooked aspect of goal-setting is the post-goal plan. Do you take the time to make new plans and goals based on reaching your initial objectives? For example, popular New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight, eat healthier, and exercise. An essential part of the success in weight loss is what happens when you reach your goal weight. There must be a plan for success to be long-term. Great companies are constantly renewing, reinventing and reinvigorating themselves and their products.

What else are you doing to ensure that once you reach that goal you can continue to move forward? How are you going to build capacity within your office or company? This may mean hiring additional personnel, implementing client management software, adding additional office or production space. How are you adjusting your business plan as you meet and continue adjusting your goals? Who is holding you accountable?

The most successful exercise programs occur when people commit to a workout buddy or a team. Having that other person who relies on you means that you show up and work out. If you find that you are not meeting goals, have trouble staying focused, miss deadlines, or slip off track, find a trusted friend and colleague to act as your accountability partner. Who ever you choose, make sure that they understand their role for your accountability. Set goals, brain-storm, and keep each other on track for 2012!

To start off the New Year, wouldn’t it be great to perform a Random Act of Kindness and then share your kindness idea with other people? Many people do really nice things for others (such as the person who paid off other people’s layaway items at a KMART, sparking others to do the same). Many people would like to take action, but they are not sure what to do. So let’s share ideas! For the month of January, I would LOVE it if you could please share with me your Random Act of Kindness and add your idea to this post, or email it to me at Mary@ProductiveLeaders.com so that I can tell others. (You can remain anonymous if you email it to me at Mary@ProductiveLeaders.com.)
Some quick ideas:
1. Drop off items at Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or a charity thrift store
2. Pay for someone’s coffee at 7-11
3. Feed other people’s parking meters
4. Take flower arrangements to a senior center
5. Contribute to or work at a Food Bank, Humane Society, or Children’s Hospital
6. Send a care package to a soldier or sailor
7. Give blood! (contact the Red Cross to find a convenient location)
I can’t wait to hear your ideas!
Warmly,
Mary

This is a great time to set new goals and resolutions for your business. Unlike our personal resolutions that may involve dropping a few pounds or organizing the garage, following through (or failing to follow through) with business resolutions can have a major impact on your organization. Please consider one of the following resolutions and how it might work for you. Join me on LinkedIn or Facebook and let’s discuss how resolutions can help grow your business in 2012.

1)    Design SMART goals for 2012. SMART goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. “Increase profits” is not specific. Instead, a SMART Goal would be phrased “Gain one new client per month/quarter by the end of 2012.” Your goals should be broken down into smaller daily, weekly, or monthly goals to help keep you on track. Then post your goals where you can see them. When your goals are written down and visible, you subconsciously start working on them. It’s okay to re-evaluate your goals if your goal is either easily attained or not feasible. When you reach a goal, make sure to take time to celebrate the success.

2)    Make planning a regular event. Planning is an important aspect of growing your business and finding balance between your home and work life. Whether at the beginning or end of your day, take 10 or 15 minutes to organize your desk and write your daily goals and to-do list. It ensure that you won’t forget something important and increases the likelihood that you’ll accomplish that task. (There is a free Productivity To-Do List download at http://www.productiveleaders.com/downloads/Productivity_Sheet_3_2011_FNL.pdf which I use everyday. I punch holes in them and keep them in a three ring binder.) Make a plan once a week to regularly review your marketing, business, and financial plans.

3)    Use what works, drop what doesn’t. Find technology that works for you and invest in what fits your needs. Do you appreciate the “ding” of an electronic reminder, or do you get satisfaction of taking a pen to paper and to draft your message? Figure out what works for you and embrace it. There are many new applications available for your computer, tablet, or phone that help you be more productive and many of them are free. Along the same lines, if a piece of technology or equipment is holding you back – find ways to improve it or replace it. Perhaps you’ve been paying for a service you don’t use or simply don’t know how to use. Either learn how to use it or discontinue it.

If an aspect of your business plan or sales technique isn’t working for you – change it. Remember that your time (and your employees’) time is valuable, and having technology or processes that are ineffective reflects on your company to your employees and customers.

4)    Decide to delegate. Many business owners and leaders feel that they need to do all the things associated with their business or department. If you’re overwhelmed, find ways to delegate or out-source what you can. Whether that means bringing in someone part-time, assigning tasks to current staff, or seeking project specific contracts to lessen your workload, hiring others to help your business grow is smart. It make take you three hours to figure out how to change something on your website, while an expert may take just mintes. Save yourself time and frustration – hire great people to do what they do best so that you can do what you do best.

5)    Learn something new. Resolve to learn something everyday. Now is the perfect time for professional and personal development. Read a business book. Listen to an audio book. Peruse business summaries. Get smarter to advance yourself and your business. Perhaps taking a course on a specific software application or a speech class would make you feel more efficient and confident at work. Similarly, encourage your coworkers and employees to enhance themselves professionally. This benefits them and increases your company’s productivity.

6)    Join a new business organization or networking group. Consider joining or becoming more involved in professional organizations relevant to your business and career goals. Online communities through LinkedIn can be very effective. In-person networking groups such as Chambers of Commerce, associations, or alumni groups allow you to exchange ideas with other professionals to find new opportunities. Building these relationships also provides avenues for accountability – if you tell people you are training to climb Pikes Peak or that starting a newsletter, chances are you will be more committed to your resolutions.

Increase social capital. Social Capital is why people live in communities. Communities with strong social capital tend to be more prsoperous, more resilient, and develop better educated children. What contributes to social capital? People who work to build a strong commnuity. Pitch in. Volunteer. Join your local community centers, churches, and chambers. Coach Little League or be scout leader. Walk for cancer or Alzheimer’s, or visit an Alzheimer’s patient. Monetary donations help, but communities also need time and talent. Be involved. If you love being outdoors, look into organizations and community events to clear and build trails. Love your business? Consider mentoring a college student interested in your field. Passionate about a cause? Volunteer at fundraisers for the organizations you believe in. Whether you’re able to provide 2 hours a week or 2 hours a quarter, it makes a difference. The organizations will be grateful for your time and talent, you gain connections and have fun, and you building your community in the process.

Corporate managers frequently complain that employees are unfocused, unproductive, and struggle to work cohesively. Employees not actively engaged generally lack interest in the goals of the organization. In economics, we call this the ‘principle-agent problem’ meaning employees look out for their own interests before considering their employer’s interests.

Motivating employees and ensuring their engagement in the organization’s goals is a widespread challenge, and some military practices may prove useful in strengthening employee engagement in your organization.

Military training at all levels is designed to quickly instill the principle that the interests of the organization and mission supersede self-interest. So just how does the military garner such employee engagement?

1.     Start with trust. Trust people to do their job until something goes wrong. Then fix the problem quickly. Understand that people will make mistakes, and as long as they learn from those mistakes, fix the problem, and move on.

If you trust your people, they will trust you until you give them a reason to doubt. Military personnel understand that there are times when unpopular decisions must be made. Part of building a cohesive team is making sure that people understand decisions are made fairly and objectively. People can handle bad news, and making sure they know what is going on builds trust that you will keep them informed.

2.     Be honest. Employees appreciate honesty. If you don’t know something, say you’ll find out. Then find out and get back to them. Never try to lie or deceive an employee; chances are, they will see right through you. This destroys your credibility and decreases trust. Employees would rather have incomplete news now than speculate on what could be going on.

3.     Build Teamwork by keeping promises. If you make a promise, keep it. Trust takes time to build and can be destroyed in an instant. Leaders understand that creating trust means that they have to be honest with their people, especially when there is uncertainty, and when promulgating difficult plans. That trust is what allows managers to relay information and assign jobs that are not popular and may be dangerous. Teamwork solidifies when employees trust their leaders’ decisions in challenging situations and trust that their needs are being considered. 

4.     Be a decisive and confident. People like to know what direction they’re heading, and where they and the organization are going. For employees, leaders who waffle over small decisions cannot be trusted with big decisions. When faced with a decision, gather all information, make a firm decision, take responsibility, and move forward.

5.     Communicate clear, common goals. Great leaders understand that planning comes from higher authority and that the execution rests with them. If the process and goals are unclear, resources and productivity may be wasted and ultimately compromise the mission. Whether a manager agrees with higher decisions or not, a good manager always leads with positive motivation that “today we are going to do this.”   Employees must clearly understand their roles, their ability to impact the success of the organization, and be held accountable for their roles and adherence to standards.

6.     Inspire confidence. I don’t know a pilot who doesn’t feel a surge of adrenaline when attempting a night-landing on the rolling deck of an aircraft carrier, but it is the job they train for, which instills confidence and skill. Great leaders understand the steps needed to train for even the most difficult job.  They know when to be encouraging, when to be critical, and when to be compassionate. Confidence in your employees is contagious.

7.     Leaders hold other leaders accountable. With leadership comes tremendous responsibility. Immediate supervisors provide substantial influence. They must be trained properly as a manager and then be expected to perform well. If the manager is not performing, then that manager’s supervisor must act quickly to remedy the situation and adjust their behavior. Management is hands-on and managers must know what is going with their people. In the military, managers are held accountable for the actions of the people underneath them.

8.     Feedback should be prompt, constructive, and focused on the desired outcome. Feedback lets your employees know that there is a better way of doing their job and that you want them to focus on doing that activity. Giving someone course corrections to improve their productivity makes them a more valuable employee. It gives them a chance to improve at work. If you don’t provide feedback, you are allowing them to become obsolete. Feedback also helps them know when they are doing things right. Let people know when they are doing a great job so they continue to do their jobs well.

9.     Fix the problem, not the blame. Great leaders don’t make excuses or blame others. Instead, they take the blame when things go wrong and provide praise when things go right. Instead of worrying about who was to blame, fix the process which caused the failure. When the process is fixed, the problem likely won’t be repeated. That doesn’t mean the people who make mistakes should not be corrected, but it does mean that you look for the underlying problem and fix it.

10.  Ask the hard questions and then listen. You can’t fix problems if you can’t find them. Sometimes people don’t like to tell the boss when there is a problem for fear of how the boss will react or because the boss makes it clear that they don’t want to be bothered. Don’t be that boss. Ask the probing questions and be prepared to listen.  “What are we working on today?” or “What can be improved?” and know your direction and goals.

Ultimately, great leaders understand the need for accountability at all levels. They provide clear communication, and constructively seek continuous improvement across the organization. They look for problems so that they can provide solutions, and they build trust while trusting others.

Fabulous Carly Kendall recently posted her review on Master Your World and 15 Ways to Grow Your Business in Every Economy. Thank you, Carly!

Here are some excerpts:

Master Your World:

“Learning leadership skills is not exactly the easiest thing to do and so many books on the subject are dry and hard to put in practical terms.  But, Mary has done something brilliant with Master Your World….  Not only is it very educational, but it is also very entertaining.”

“Mary has just simplified the concept of leadership and put it in terms that anyone can not only understand, but put into everyday business practice…  Mary is a fantastic teacher and I have learned so much from her already, but I will turn back to this book often as my business grows.  I must continue to learn and grow along with it.”

15 Ways To Grow Your Business In Every Economy:

“Mary’s book, 15 Ways to Grow Your Business in Every Economy is not just a book you sit and read, it is also part workbook.  There are plenty of questions to prompt the reader to think a little deeper about what she has just talked about and there is space to make lists and plans to make positive changes to your business.”

“There are a lot of common sense suggestions that as I was reading this book, made the light bulb turn on for me – things that I can do everyday to grow my business… She writes in a down to earth way that even someone like me, who is new to running a business, can understand and learn a great deal from.”

Read the full article on her blog here.

Dealing with disappointments

Have you ever looked forward to an event and then felt let down when certain things did not go as well as you hoped? For our family, friends, and colleagues, we tend to have a set of standards and expectations, and when those expectations are not met, we experienced a sense of sadness, loss, disappointment, and sometimes, betrayal.

In the past few weeks, I have been disappointed by a bounced check by a fellow member of an association, audience members who blatantly stole some of my books, and a colleague whose bitterness extended to some of the people who were kindest to him. In the grand scheme of life, none of these are earth-shattering or life-threatening. But they were still disappointing.

How do we deal with disappointments? What do we do when people surprise us by failing to do the right thing, or by deliberately behaving badly?

We have a few choices about how we respond:

1. We can confront the other person and hope that we can persuade them to remedy the situation. Most of us in business have been taught to communicate with the end purpose in mind. If we are confident that the other person’s behavior is unlikely or unable to change, a confrontation may make us feel better, but it will not resolve the situation. However, if the confrontation stops the bad behavior, the confrontation is necessary.

Many people shy away from confrontation, either because they recognize the futility of the act or because they do not want to further aggravate themselves. This, of course, allows people to continue with their bad behavior.

2. We can conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the situation and determine whether it is worth our time and energy to address the situation. If this situation is unlikely to be repeated, it may be more cost-effective to acknowledge the situation for what it was, and move on. If a resolution attempt cannot solve the situation, it may be wisest to simply accept the situation as a lesson learned, and move on.

I confess, until this month, I have never received a bounced check before. I was chagrined that a $30 bounced check also incurred $15 in fees charged to me by my bank. So not only am I out the $30 owed to me, but I am penalized for trusting someone else’s personal check. This is a bit of a quandary. Clearly, if they don’t have the $30, chances of getting the extra $15 seem slim as well.  Do I call them? Do I pursue the matter? Or do I simply make it my new policy to not accept personal checks? I decided to do none of those things. I decided to let it go, because the opportunity cost of pursuing a $45 loss seemed greater than the actual $45. I calculated that it would take me a few hours of significant irritation to attempt to recover this money owed, and it would result in embarrassment to them, and possibly increase the level of hardship they are currently experiencing. (Now, honestly, if the check was a few decimal places larger, I might arrive at a different conclusion.)

3. We can change the way we conduct business to protect ourselves from possible loss. I can choose to insulate myself from other people. I can make it a practice not to accept personal checks. I can hire security guard for my books. We can choose how we react when other people disappoint us, and acknowledging that we have choices with how we react gives us control over the situation. We cannot control how other people behave or how they think, but we can always control our own reaction. We can choose to allow this to upset us, or not. (I chose not to change anything about my business practices.)

4. We can understand the frailty of the human spirit, realize that life is not always fair, and know people are going to make mistakes that disappoint us. It can be disheartening to focus on the negative consequences, whether intended or not.

Sometimes the right thing to do, for our own best interests, is to chalk up the injury as a lesson learned, practice the fine art of forgiveness, and move on with a new sense of gratitude that these disappointments stand out because they are relatively rare. It should increase our gratitude for the fabulous people in our lives who are fabulous, and reminds us that we should try not to disappoint others (even inadvertently) as well.

Disappointments, therefore, serve as a reminder to show heartfelt appreciation for the people in our lives who stand up for us when things go wrong, the people who do the right thing at their own personal expense, and those who continually strive to genuinely give to others without expecting anything in return.

James Rick, host of the Full Potential Show, interviewed me on what it takes to live a Full Potential life in the area of my expertise. You can watch the interview here: http://www.fullpotential.com/mary-kelly2/
Enjoy!

Leading Across Divisions: The Perils of Stovepipe Retailing

One of the reasons I like JCPenney is because their marketers and advertisers work in conjunction
with the front-line retail store managers.

When JCPenney runs a promotion with special and coupons, they mail them to residences, and those same coupons are available in the store. It makes good sense. As anyone in advertising knows, the purpose of direct mail marketing is to position yourself as a place where people want to go to do business.

When buyers (or potential customers) receive the JCPenney coupon, they get the idea that they want to shop there, and they show up at the store. They choose items to purchase, which is generally more than what they would have purchased if you have not been to the store at all, and the store uses the coupon to render the discount. The system works.  People respond to incentives.  The store makes profit.

This all seems very basic, even to a first year advertising student.   The purpose of advertising is to generate buying behavior.   All the store has to do is not fail on their end.

Sadly, stores fail.

I was at a retail store this week that enjoys nationwide recognition. I selected items for purchase.   When I arrived at checkout, I realized I did not have my coupon.  The store refused to honor my discount, even though they have the ability to process the coupon, whether I have it or not, and in their system I am listed as a preferred customer, and am clearly one of the coupon recipients. I certainly did not feel preferred.

The store manager explained to me that the reason they could not honor my coupon was because “Headquarters wants to track which advertising was working the best.”

With a smile on my face, I told her what tactics were not working, but the sarcasm was lost. Needless to say, I departed the store with zero items and a healthy resolve to never return. (If you’d like to know the name of the store please e-mail me and I will give you both the name and the address.  It ends with Mart and it has nothing to do with animals or walls.)  I thought this was a deplorable lack of communication between the company’s advertising and marketing arm, data collection ability, and the retail store.

Since when does data collection take precedence over sales?   Isn’t the whole intent of advertising and marketing to generate sales? Do we really have retail organizations where the individual departments are so compartmentalized that they are not supporting the goals of the company?   Apparently we have retail stores and service providers who have lost sight of why they are in business.

Let me help. If you are in business, your products fill a need for your customers. Your job as a manager and the leader is to make the process as easy as possible, as pleasant as possible, and provide a good quality product for the price. That’s it. It is that simple.

The breakdown generally is not the quality of the product, it is either deplorable customer service or a miserable buying process. In my case, the store was a shining example of exactly what not to do.

I recently attended a grand opening for a store. The planners did a terrific job with advertising the event, but on the day of the opening, they had very few cashiers although several people were walking around the store asking if they could help people.  Why would a store manager pay employees to “help” potential customers on the floor, but then neglect to have sufficient cashiers?  I observed the checkout line with 15 people in line.  Many people just left their carts full of merchandise as they walked out of the store, clearly disgruntled.

Again, this is a case where the store manager poorly managed his employees at the expense of sales.  The quality of the product was there, and had customers come the opportunity to have interaction with personnel at the cash register, it may have been pleasant. But the process too long and was cumbersome so customers never got that chance.

Two lessons here:  1. Makes sure that you look carefully at your processes to make sure they are consistent with your business vision and support your business plan. Coordinate among the divisions to make sure that one is not unintentionally sabotaging another.  2. Make sure that your people respond appropriately when you are not there, and that their response is what you want them to do.   Your front-line customer service people should encourage business growth instead of alienating preferred customers.

I had enough.

After trying for nearly a month to get my new Motorola smart phone to work properly, I finally returned it. Ten different people had been unable to resolve the various problems I had been experiencing, although the consensus was the root cause was most likely Motorola’s Motoblur feature.

Motoblur is a tool that’s supposed to coordinate all your communication elements: contact list, social media, e-mail, etc. It’s built in to every new Motorola handset and you must set up a Motoblur account to use the phone.

Ironically, a Motorola sales rep had been at the store during one of my previous visits. Upon hearing my problems, he seemed puzzled, but assured me Motoblur couldn’t be at fault. He then proceeded to rave about how wonderful Motoblur was and how much he loved it.

Decorum demanded that I not slap the grin off his face and set him straight. However, here’s what I was dying to say to him:

“Of course you love Motoblur! It’s your product! It’s like your child! You love it for the sole reason it’s yours. You love it even if nobody else does.

And as it happens, nobody else does love it. If you look online, you won’t see users posting comments about how terrific Motoblur is. In fact, you’ll find just the opposite. Nobody wants Motoblur. The only reason people use it is because Motorola requires them to.”

A lot of companies fall into this trap. They think their products and services are great for the simple reason they created them. Just as too many parents are blind to their children’s failings, too many companies are blind to their products’ flaws.

You are not the arbiter of whether or not your product or service is great. The marketplace is. Your opinion of your own offerings is irrelevant. The opinions of your prospects and customers are all that matter.

So my question to you is this: Do you (consciously or not) feel about your products and services the same way you feel about your children? Because if so, that’s a recipe for disaster.

If your child fails at something you can (and should) still be proud of them and support them. If your product fails, that means it sucked and it needs to be overhauled or eliminated. Emotional attachments to your children are vital. Emotional attachments to your products are deadly.

If you want your products and services to succeed, you need to think about them objectively at every stage of their development. You have to look at them through your customers’ eyes. You must subject them to harsh scrutiny and potential criticism. You’re not creating something you will like—you’re creating something your customers will like. (Check out You Are Not Your Prospect for more insights into this critical distinction.)

After your product or service is launched, measure its greatness by its sales figures. Once it’s successful, then you can be proud of it.

You should love your kids because they’re yours and because they deserve to be loved by you. Your products, however, are not your kids.

Don Cooper helps business teams enhance sales and can be reached at 303-832-4248 or at Don@DonCoooper.com

Managing Your World When the U.S. Economy
is on a Wall Street Roller Coaster

U.S. and global stocks rode the market roller coaster this week when the loss of the Triple A bond
rating for the United States shook the financial world.  The rating loss was based on the U.S. increasing
debt and the lack of a plan to combat that rising debt to revenue ratio.

As of August 14, 2011, the total debt per American taxpayer (not household) is $130,514, while the average personal savings per household is only $6,859.

The lack of confidence in the U.S. government’s ability to plan its finances should be a concern for Americans.  The uncertainty creates anxiety and frustration, as we wonder why we should bother to clip coupons and save money when the government continues to spend our money at what is currently an uncontrollable rate.

What can we, as individual citizens, do to minimize the impact of Congressional actions on our own financial world?

1. Make sure that your elected officials know what you think about their spending.  If you are not sure how to contact your elected officials, go to http://www.contactingthecongress.org  for easy contact information.
2. Make sure that you are being wise about your spending and saving plan.  Ideas: save 10% of your income, have a budget plan (that you stick to), contribute to your company’s 401 (k) or SEP or Thrift Savings Plan. Then look hard at your bills, such as your cell phone and cable bills to make sure that you are using all of those services or reduce them to save money.
3. Take care of you.  Gaining control means taking care of your health by managing the stress that comes with anxiety.  You can achieve this by eating right, exercising to reduce stress and build strength, taking vitamin supplements, and drinking plenty water.  Spending time with friends also reduces stress and increases longevity.
4. Take care of your financial house.  Regain control of your finances through knowledge and action.
   • Locate it: Do you know where all of your assets are?  Do you know what you have and where you have it?
   • Understand it:  Make sure that you know what you have, what you are invested in, and what the risks are.
   • Sleep on it: If your investments are making you lose sleep at night, you need something more conservative.
   • Do nothing about it: If you rode out the roller coaster of the market this past week and did NOTHING with your investments, you may be down a bit, but you are probably okay. People who reacted quickly and sold when the market was diving lost money. Be careful about overreacting to bad news in the market. If you are properly diversified, you should be fine.  If you have to panic when the market experiences a sudden move, you might need to rebalance your portfolio.
   • Talk about it: If you are not sure that you understand your investments, call your financial advisor and get smarter.  Make sure that your financial world reflects what you need for your investment goals and what you value.

The stock market is risky, but not having a plan for retirement is even riskier.  Protect yourself by guarding your assets and taking care of yourself financially.

Remember knowledge is power in the world of finances.

The National Speaker’s Association (the other NSA) holds a yearly convention that is beyond awesome. I learn from the sessions, meet smart and talented people, and get great platform and business ideas. I also leave with a To-Do list.

Here are the highlights of my NSA To-Do list.

• Set up Google analytics on website.

• Google my name and keywords – manage my online presence more often.

• Set Google alerts on my stuff.

• Blog and cross-blog more, but only with content. Use keywords to tag blog. Use hashtags on blogs, like #NSA11.

• Write everyday.

• Use video and more video with tons of content, and add keywords to make sure each video is searchable.

• Use Twitter more to create more community. Retweet and reply.

• Look at the websites of other NSA people, especially other business leadership people, and see how I can refer others to them.

• Create a totally unique and fun assessment on website that I can use before my sessions. Sally Hogshead’s was great: http://sallyhogshead.com/f-score-personality-test/

• Do marketing autoresponders (thanks David Newman!) and read David’s free ebook http://www.doitmarketing.com/marketing-ebook/

• Use Ford Saeks’ copywriting list to create great copywrite. Review Ford’s 60-minute webinar on Social Media http://www.ProfitRichResults.com/social-influence/replay

• Get QR code and add to books, postcards, and business cards (ex: Scott McKain has on his Minibuk).

• Reread everything on Patricia Fripp’s website http://www.fripp.com/articleslist.html

• Promote my friends and colleagues to grow a bigger economic pie. (I am still looking for more specifics to do more of this, so if you have an idea, please let me know.)

• Listen to NSA recordings of the sessions I missed.

• Follow-up, follow-up, and follow-up with people I met at the conference.

• Thank the amazing people who made the convention possible!

Leadership Starts with Followership
aka What I Learned During Plebe Summer

Last week was my classmates and my 28^th anniversary of I-Day (Induction Day) at the US
Naval Academy.  We were eager teenagers taking an oath of office that launched us into Plebe Summer
and our military careers.

Plebe summer taught me lessons that I used throughout my military and business life.

About being in charge:

1. If you are in charge, we are watching you.  We see everything you do, and we hear every word.
2. We know when you are sincere and when you are not.
3. If you play favorites, either positive or negatively, we respect you less.
4. We look to you for guidance.  We want you to lead us.  We want to trust you.
5. We want great leadership.

About time management:

1. Don’t waste minutes.  A minute is a long time, especially if you are holding a push-up position for the third time. You can learn facts in a single minute.  You can fix your bed, wipe out the sink, or do a quick shine on shoes in a minute.
2. Walk quickly.  You get there faster.  It is good exercise.  People think you are on a mission.
3. Think quickly.  One of the funniest comments I heard in grad school was, “I need to reflect on the material.”  He was taking ONE class and not working.  (He wasn’t reflecting, he was lazy.)  Learn to process information fast.

About teamwork:

1. We really are stronger together.
2. Working as a team means giving as much as you can with whatever you can.  You don’t have to be the best at everything.
3. We are only as strong as the weakest link in the chain, so help each other.
4. Teams survive because people focus on the good of the many.

About not making excuses:

1. “No excuse, sir!” Was one of our five basic responses.  If the question did not elicit any of the other authorizes responses: “Yes, sir.”  “No, sir.” “Aye aye, sir” (which means, I hear you, I acknowledge you and I will comply).  “I’ll find out, sir” (and you had to). And “no excuse, sir!”No excuses meant that you took personal responsibility.“Why were you late?”
   “No excuse, sir!”
2. Try hard.  A friend was recently telling me about his son who wanted to join the Army but couldn’t pass the physical readiness test because the young man couldn’t run.“Why can’t he run?”  I asked.  “Is he injured?”
   “No, he just can’t run,” the dad replied.
   “So how often does he run?” I persisted.
   “Well,” the dad admitted.  “He doesn’t.”I see the problem.

   Can’t isn’t the right word.  Will not is more accurate.  The only way to improve running is to run.  If you choose not to run, you are choosing not to join the Army.

   Don’t make excuses for what you choose not to do.

3. Choices matter.  The choices we make every day count.  Are we going to be happy to not?  Will we help others or not?  Will what we post on our Facebook page come back to haunt us? (That is to my younger friends…)Our choices are our Permanent Record.  We live with the choices we make and so do others.  So make good decisions.

Would you like to use any of these articles in your newsletter or website? You can, as long as you include this at the end: With over twenty years of leadership experience and a diverse background leading teams in the U.S. and abroad, Mary Kelly makes leadership a reality for all levels of an organization. Register for her free newsletters at www.ProductiveLeaders.com

]]> http://productiveleaders.com/2011/07/15/leadership-starts-with-followership-plebe/feed/ 3 http://productiveleaders.com/2011/06/18/a-fathers-day-tribute/ http://productiveleaders.com/2011/06/18/a-fathers-day-tribute/#comments Sat, 18 Jun 2011 16:06:26 +0000 marykelly http://productiveleaders.com/?p=1160

My Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th anniversary yesterday, and Father’s Day is tomorrow.

Dad provided me with great advice over the years (and he probably didn’t think I heard all of it) but I was paying attention, at least part of the time.

So Dad, in honor of Father’s Day and your Golden Anniversary, and all of the dads out there – A Few Things I learned From Dad.

1. Always carry enough cash to get home on your own.
2. You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.
3. Life isn’t fair. Get over it.
4. They can’t tell you “no” until you ask.
5. Plan your work and work your plan.
6. Numbers don’t lie.
7. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Respect where they come from.
8. Business is about relationships. People do business with people they like.
9. Not everyone is going to like you or what you represent. Get over that, too.
10. It is easier to sleep at night when you do the right thing.
11. You are responsible for your community. Get involved. Give, give, and give some more.
12. To whom much is given, much is expected. Work hard.

As you can tell, I am very fortunate.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
Love,
Mary

The Exit Interview is Way Too Late

Unless all of your employees are seasonal workers (life guards, ski instructors, retail support
during Christmas, all considered seasonal unemployment when they lose their jobs) turnover
can be costly and unexpected.

When one of your employees starts sending out resumes and actively looking for employment elsewhere, it may be too late to try to convince them to stay. The workplace mirrors the dating world in this regard – when you start hanging out in bars looking to meet new people, your current relationship is probably in jeopardy.  Clearly, there are aspects of your life that are not being fulfilled in the current situation, whether at work or in your personal life, if you are shopping around.

As a manager, part of your job is to train your people to move onward and upward, to get another position of advanced responsibility, and to be competitive when they do land that better job. I always felt that if my organization could not promote people to their highest potential, then it was part of my responsibility to develop those people to assume the next higher rung on the corporate ladder.

I know companies who openly told some of their most talented, loyal, and valuable employees that those employees had progressed as far as they can go, and that even if they remained with the company another 30 years, there were no promotions options available. They are stuck where they are.  Management may have been trying to help them, in a burst of honesty, but it was demotivating to the workers.

Some workers simply become obsolete.  Sadly, few companies make typewriters anymore.  Those people who made those typewriter keys are considered structurally unemployed.  The demand for their products diminished, so they simply have no jobs. If these people don’t get retrained, they will be unemployed for a long time.

Cyclical unemployment happens in concurrence with the business cycle.  As the economy prospers, more jobs are created.  When the economy falters, jobs are lost as businesses try to reduce their costs by firing workers.

Frictional unemployment is the natural, balanced state of unemployment. Your spouse moves so you leave your job, you find another job somewhere else, you and your boss don’t get along, or you get an advanced degree and you find another job, etc. These are all examples of frictional unemployment.

As a manager this is the unemployment type that most depends on you.  People generally get into a job because they enjoy the work.  Then compensation was obviously acceptable because they accepted the job in the first place.  The working hours are probably fine, and the benefits are okay.

Nope, people don’t quit jobs; they quit bosses. People leave because they feel unappreciated, ignored, disparaged, frustrated, angered, or any combination of negative emotions.

Because this is the number one reason people quit, they are unlikely to reveal their true reasons for leaving in an exit interview.  Exit interviews generally do not yield good data on why employees are leaving.

Worse, even when senior leadership recognizes that there is a problem at the lower level, they may not feel compelled to take action.  I observed an organization that lost 80% of their senior managers in less than 6 months.  Top leadership didn’t see why this was a problem, and continued to ignore the loss of talent. The company never recovered.  The problem was exceedingly bad leadership of a new top manager, and the really talented people had other options.  Your top talented people ALWAYS have other options.

If you know that people are shopping around, either help them find new jobs because that is good for them, or find out why they are leaving, because that is good for the company.

Managing a Team of Quarterbacks

Most people consider themselves above average drivers, but statistically, that just isn’t
possible. Many people pride themselves on working harder than the average worker. Many
people think they are smarter than they really are.

Many people also have blinders on when it comes to their own work performance. It is challenging, therefore, for a manager to harness multiple, and sometimes (very) strong personalities into a cohesive team, when there are people who clearly don’t want to adhere to the same standards of behavior that they expect of others. You have probably heard someone disdain, “Rules are for other people!” These people expect the rules to apply to everyone else but them, and are frequently the most difficult to manage.

Oftentimes, these “quarterbacks” are your most valuable talent. They are usually your “out of the box” thinkers, and they excel when they are the star of the team or when they operate alone. But when they refuse to lend themselves to the overall well-being of the team, their actions are distracting and counterproductive.

How do you fix it?

Address problems right away. As a manager, as soon as you discover that someone is violating his boundaries, not contributing, or working contrary to team goals, pull him in for a meeting. Explain that his motivation for the action may be right, but working outside the legal or safety parameters or not helping the team is detrimental.

Frequently these employees don’t understand the strategic picture. They don’t have all of the facts, and they don’t understand the consequences of their bad decisions.

When providing feedback, or “feed forward” (it sounds more positive and proactive) reactions will differ, but many may fall into one of these common response scenarios:

1) Denial – “I didn’t mean to.” The action may stem from pure carelessness, neglect, laziness, or sheer lack of knowledge, which indicates a need for more training.

Your solution: Ask the person to discuss it right away. Call him on what happened and make sure he realizes the effect that his behavior has on others. “That may not have been your intent, but it happened and now we have to make sure it doesn’t happen again. How can we prevent this from happening in the future?” Put the burden of thinking about a solution on him. Help him see the consequences. Make it a training opportunity.

2) Defensive – “I don’t see why it is a problem.” The team member doesn’t see why he created a problem because he don’t have the maturity, the wisdom, the facts, the experience, or the reasoning ability to discern the real issue. Sometimes he just doesn’t want to see that he is at fault. (See Denial, above) These people try to argue their way out of trouble. These people think that they are above average drivers, too.

Your solution: “This action (be specific) wound up costing $___ and __ of time because you did this ___ (again, be specific.) This is where it went wrong. Now, how are you going to fix it?” The defensive responders tend to be experts at deflecting the issue. Managers may hear, “But Charlie does it all the time!” or some other excuse that has little to do with the current problem. Don’t let your Defensives lead you off topic. Stay focused on the current problem, “We aren’t talking about Charlie, we are talking about you.” Or “That is not your issue. Your issue is ___(restate the problematic action).”

Put the responsibility of fixing the problem back on them. Help them find the right solution that both corrects the mistake and provides a real learning experience. If they don’t have to work to fix the negative consequences, the behavior or problem will likely be repeated. These people need more attention, follow-up, and supervision.

3) Apologetic – “I am sorry. This is my fault.” This is the easiest response to deal with, if it is sincere. (When I make a mistake, I am harder on myself than anyone else ever could be. No boss has ever made me feel as bad as I can.) If this attitude is genuine, you can move forward quickly.

Your solution: “Thanks for taking responsibility. How are you going to take care of it?” Chances are, they already have a solution in mind as soon as they realize the problem. Assure them that you consider the matter resolved and that you intend to move forward.

4) Personalization – “This is because you don’t like me.” The response is much like the defensive response. The other person may try to use something personal as an excuse to not see the behavior. Stay focused!

Your solution: Phrase the problem using a third-party. “If Frank needed some help on this project, how should he best approach you?” Have them explain and then delve into the problem. “Well, Frank asked you on Tuesday and you promised help by Wednesday, but it didn’t happen, so now we are all behind. What do you think Frank should do?” Ask plenty of open-ended questions that focus on the issue in a non-blaming manner, and then close it with consensual agreement. “So you are willing to help Frank and you can get this finished by Friday? Let’s go talk with him together and schedule the rest of the project.”

Sometimes, however, you do everything right, and the bad attitude and poor performance continues. You may have to consider whether that person, however gifted, is the wrong fit for the team. If you have done everything possible to elicit his talents and adequately trained him to work with others, then you should not feel as though you have failed if is time to help them find another job. Some people need to get off the bus so the bus can get to where it needs to go. Any coach will attest that great players are valuable only when they contribute to the betterment of the team.

Story: I had a boss who was easily angered and when he got mad, he erupted (Volcano-Man). But once the offending person was duly held accountable, the matter was instantly forgotten. I much preferred his method to the boss who never communicated and slowly-simmered (Crockpot-Man) under the surface, only to explode over trivial issues. Crockpot-Man made people feel as though they were walking on eggshells. Given a choice, I prefer clear communication every time. Managers need to realize that people prefer more information, not less.

Finding people to do business with is like dating. You spend a lot of time exploring options. You get referrals, you look online, and you go to events where others are, ostensibly, looking to make a connection with you.

Then you try them out. A date, as it were. Then you decide if the person you met is the person still living in their parent’s basement or someone you want to see again.

In economics this is called the Search Activity – finding people that you want to do business with.

It is fabulous when you find the right people – the people who support you, help you, and anticipate your business needs.

Last week my friend Christine from Art and Style Baking (http://www.artandstylebaking.com) designed cookie bag toppers for gourmet cookies she baked to promote my book, Master Your World. The cookies were shaped like dogs, doghouses, and dog bones, and she CREATED these cookie bag toppers with my company information and copies of my book covers. They were effective, eye-catching, and the cookies are delicious. They were a huge hit at the conference in Santa Fe, NM.

I found two mistakes in one of my books, AFTER it was already at the publishers. My text editor, Gail, took my mistakes, and revised my book interior for me in less than 24 hours, and then she sent it to the publisher for me. (http://ebookdesigner.wordpress.com) What a relief!

The amazing ladies, Ashley and Hannah, from Busy.Busy (http://busybusyevents.wordpress.com) were responsible for catering, set up, and event execution for the Colorado Springs Express Network (www.cswen.org) event, a Wine Tasting fundraiser for the scholarship program. Busy.Busy arrived early, created centerpieces, steamed the tablecloths, and orchestrated the event. They even made wine charms, which proven to be a really helpful with the many people in attendance.

Paul David of Wine Pairings (http://www.winepairings.biz) helped us find great wines to taste, to make the event successful. He writes a terrific newsletter on wine – I recommend signing up.

It is hard to find great people to work with. When you find them, treasure them and tell others!

No One Mourns the Wicked

In Wicked, the musical, the Wicked Witch laments that no good deed goes unpunished.
(If you haven’t seen it, Wicked is fabulous, and I promise not to ruin the story.) She isn’t
the first to be upset when she does the Right Thing and her actions are portrayed another way.
Her frustration is shared by many people in business.

You do the Right Thing, but the action, product, or service provided is misconstrued, distorted, or misinterpreted. These failures to effectively communicate your message can tarnish your image and be costly in business. It is imperative to proactively manage your reputation both online, though your social media efforts, and in superlative product delivery.

How do you assess your outward standing as an individual? As a company? What reputation do your products project? Do you make promises? Do you always deliver? As a general rule, great companies delight their customers by under promising and over delivering. If you promise to return phone calls in 90 minutes, but then 4 hours go by without a return call, your customer feels neglected. However, if you promise to return a phone call in 4 hours, and then return calls within 90 minutes, you surpass expectations.

No, the key is not consistently lowered expectations. The key is having expectations for yourself and your business and then always striving to exceed those expectations.

We can all recall companies that promise a great product. What makes the truly great companies outstanding? Is it really just the product?

If the outcome was simply a satisfactorily working product, then the cellular phone industry would never see people changing their plans. Cell phone companies might be characterized by delighted and loyal customers, and customer migration between phone companies would be miniscule. But that is not the case. People change phone companies frequently. There is clearly room for improved delivery.

What makes you return to a particular hotel over and over?If you adore your hotel, why exactly do you love staying there? Is it the location? View? Service? Comfort? Affordability? Is it the details, like the hotels in London that provide guests with the makings of a full in-room tea service, or the extreme politeness of the kind telephone customer service representative who helpfully found the right part for your broken refrigerator, or the flight attendant who seems genuinely interested in making sure that you enjoyed your flight.

Delighted clients not only return; they make referrals to others. Unhappy clients rarely complain to you but, in the age of blogs and easy websites, they may slam you online. They may post a complaint on their website.

What is a hard-working company to do?

Use technology to solve problems. Google your name, your product and your company, and quickly respond to any compliant. Have a site where people can make comments. A few less than thrilled comments won’t hurt you as long as you promise to fix the problem, and then DO IT. One of the gurus of the online world, the lovely Gina Schreck, has a terrific web site called www.synapse3di.com. Her GettinGeeky videos help people explore online issues and implement them right away. I check in at least weekly to stay current.

In today’s market, it is not enough to simply want to deliver the right product to the right person with a great experience. The intentions and products can be terrific, but the online community needs to reflect your commitment to a consistently great outcome every time.

 Life Resolutions: Creating and Setting Life Goals

What do you want to be when you grow up? What are you going to do to change the world?
How are you pushing other people forward? What does success look like to you?

These are not New Year’s resolutions; these are life resolutions. Sometimes we resign ourselves to the
unhappy conclusion that those childhood aspirations may not come true. How sad. Let’s revisit our life goals
and reframe them in a way that delineates how we are going to achieve them.

Step 1 – Refine and Write Down Your Goals. You already know that writing your goals down increases the likelihood of achieving them, yet few people actually take that step. In Now…Build a Great Business, Mark Thompson and Brian Tracy reiterate the importance of writing down goals and using the three-P formula. They suggest that when you design your goals you record them in the Present tense (write as though you already accomplished it), make the goals Positive (not “I will quit smoking” but rather “I am a nonsmoker”), and make them Personal by using the word “I” (“I eat healthy food,” “I keep my desk organized,” or “I raise money for the homeless”).

To this I might also add that the goals should be both measurable and specific. “I eat two fresh vegetables every day” or “I exercise for five minutes every morning.” On a large scale, “I generate income for an orphanage in Bali on a yearly basis” or “I put a clean water well in Central Africa in 2011.”

Thompson and Tracy also remind us that once you have your goals list written down, your subconscious and superconscious minds start working on achieving them. This is why it is so important to write them down.

Step 2 – See Success. Don’t let other people’s limitations constrain your possibilities. When many people set goals, they limit themselves by resources, obstacles, and objections. Many times these negative perspectives come from other people. They believe the opinions of others telling them that they cannot achieve their goals. (“You cannot bring clean water to Central Africa.”) Then they quit before they even try.

Some of the saddest words ever heard are “I wish I had…” or “I could have…” Well, what is stopping you? Are these YOUR obstacles or other people’s displaced misgivings projected onto you? As Yoda said, “There is no try. There is only do.” My fabulous friend Loretta Milo (LorettaMilo.com) reminds her coaching clients to eliminate the word “try” from their vocabulary. Trying isn’t doing. “Trying” is attempting, not succeeding.

To succeed, you need to start. That means doing. If you stop before you start, then you never even get the chance to achieve goals. Launch, jump, leap into your goals with complete confidence that you will achieve them. There are always going to be naysayers and dream-killers. Don’t give their pessimism any power over you.

Step 3 – One Step at a Time. Every goal is achieved by a series of steps working toward a target. To take that dream vacation, you start by doing research, reserving dates, booking tickets, and planning the desired excursions. The trip unfolds one day at a time and one step at time.

Take your goals and break them down into manageable steps. Then take those steps and break them down into smaller, more easily achieved baby steps.

For many people, the problem is knowing where to take those first steps. If you don’t know, get help. Find a coach or a consultant. Create a Wisdom Circle or find a Board of Advisors to help you. No one says you have to save the world by yourself.

Life resolutions happen when you make the decision to take action. The action occurs after examining your life and your opportunities, and resolving to make the most of the talents you have, the skills you developed, and the dreams that you choose.

Did you know that fashion trends mirror the economy?

The economy is showing signs of new life, and that optimism that is reflected in spring fashions. The stock market is coming back to life, the Consumer Price Index rose by 0.4% during each of the past two months (the largest back to back increases in two years) and thanks to the Middle East, oil prices are rising, which drives up other prices, but also increases wages, which is a goal of the US Federal Reserve (they want inflation of about 1.5-2.0% each year). US manufacturing is increasing for high value items, and American companies are starting to hire again. US unemployment fell below 9% for the first time in almost two years, across almost all sectors except state and local governments.

As a result (and with fingers crossed by retailers), consumers are spending again.  Perhaps consumers are just tired of bad news, but fashion spending is moving toward cheerful purchases of bright colors, happy patterns, and hopeful combinations. What is in for spring? Fashion for spring 2011 displays a strong vibrancy. We’re seeing people feel confident as they make clothing purchases that reflect a more positive mood reflecting uplifted spirits. Colors get brighter when the economy improves, too. We are seeing bright pinks, turquoise, reds, greens, purples, and even yellow. Platform shoes and wedges are in. (Maybe we are finally standing on the platform of an economic recovery?) Skirts are still all lengths, but many moved shorter, in hopeful confidence. Straight leg and wide leg pants are still very present as people are serious about functionality and ease of movement, paired with exuberant prints in vibrant enthusiasm.

Enjoy spring fashion and hopefully the upward spiral we are all feeling and yearning for will continue. (Yellow, for example, stimulates your creativity.) Have some fun with work as well as your wardrobe. Invest in yourself and others. According to economists and fashionistas alike, now is the time to do so!

By Dr Mary C. Kelly with Carolyn Strauss

www.productiveleaders.com

www.carolynstrauss.com

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Customer Appreciation!!!!

People return to restaurants, grocery stores, gyms and even churches because that establishment
fills a particular need for their patrons, who enjoy a variety of choices. Valentine’s Day reminds us to
reaffirm not only our level of commitment to that special someone in our personal lives, but also to our
customers. Wouldn’t it be nice if the suppliers of the goods and services we use often appreciated us the way
we appreciate our loved ones on Valentine’s Day? What can we do to make our customers feel appreciated?

As with that special person, we do appreciate clients 365 days of the year, but on February 14, we can take time to honor those people who help make us successful too.

A completely unscientific poll of 100 young people (ages 18 to 22) revealed a sense of uncertainty and dread regarding how to show appreciation on Valentine’s Day. If you do too much, the other person might get scared off. If you don’t do enough, you might be headed for a breakup, as the other person feels unappreciated. While remembering that people have choices, knowing how to achieve the right balance can be tricky in a relationship. The same is true in business relationships. When people don’t feel valued, they may not return.

Ways to surprise and delight your customers:

1. Increase the value added. Include a special service or good when you can. When I order dog treats from PetExtras.com, they always toss in some extra goodies for the dogs to try. They unexpected treats cost them very little, but they serve to make me feel as though they spent a few more seconds to care about my order.
2. Deliver surprises. One of my friends throws a golf tournament every year, and on Hole #5, all of the participants know there will be a surprise photo opportunity. It may be a celebrity, a rock band, an alligator, or a chef serving up samples. It is always a surprise, and people look forward to that surprise every year.
3. Spend a little more time listening, and then deliver. Really listen to what your clients need, and then try to go above and beyond what they asked for. For example, I know many associations are having budget issues, so I offer to conduct an extra breakout session for their conference as a bonus, or I film a promotional video just for their event, or I write an article for their publication to help promote the event. Anticipate what they want and then do it.
4. Become one of your clients’ best collaborators. Promote your customers’ causes and events. Contribute to their fundraisers with your goods or services. Retweet your clients’ messages. Repost their events. Publicize their achievements. Support your clients and help them spread the word about the great services they offer.
5. Write the card. Hallmark and other card companies know that cards still work. Cards take a little effort, and that personal touch of writing your personal sentiment is still meaningful. In the age of electronic communications, cards are more appreciated now than ever. Cards with gift cards inside are really appreciated.

This February, let’s celebrate and appreciate our customers!

In September, Congress passed the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. This is by no way a comprehensive profile of this complicated act, however this does highlight a few items that you might want to be aware of.

Some of the business provisions I found interesting are:

1. In 2011, landlords are required to issue 1099 statements for paid services in excess of $600 to any vendor.

Note: Penalties for not filing the 1099s double in 2011.

2. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members can deduct health insurance premiums before they calculate their self-employment tax.

3. The penalties for late filing of partnerships and S. corporation returns increases to $195 per partner, or shareholder, per month for 12 months.

Note #2: Find a great accountant.

What changes will affect you personally?

1. If you converted part or all of your traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to a Roth IRA you can elect to pay a tax on the conversion in 2012 and 2013, rather than on the current return.

2. The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemptions dropped back to pre-2008 levels. This will surprise many middle-class Americans in 2010 as they carefully itemize but they will get hit with the AMT anyway.

3. You can still qualify for the 30% tax credit in 2010 for energy-saving improvements to your home. But, the maximum credit for 2010 and 2011 cannot exceed $1500. Solar energy credits are available through 2016.

4. The marriage penalty is back in 2011. Unmarried single tax filers will enjoy a lower tax liability than if they were married filing together.

5. Over-the-counter drugs are no longer qualified as medical expenses. (I know, I know, but I don’t write the tax code. So if you can get a prescription for Motrin instead of buying ibuprofen over-the-counter, does that count?)

6. The long-term capital gains rate increases to 20% in 2011, up from 15% for most income filers with capital gains. Dividends will be taxed at the ordinary rates.

7. In 2013, a new “Medicare tax” of 3.8% will be assessed on passive income or modified adjusted gross income for married filing jointly, or $200,000 for single or head of household.

8. The child tax credit drops in 2011 from $1000 to $500 per child. Childcare credits will also fall for most taxpayers.

The tax laws changed quickly at the end of 2010.

My advice? Accountants assume new importance with these tax changes. I am not an accountant, so please verify what you need to do with a qualified accountant.

Good luck!

Mary Kelly
www.ProductiveLeaders.com

Every relationship has a life cycle. When you are really lucky, that life cycle lasts forever.

However, some life cycle end before we are ready to let them go.

A business life cycle is like any other relationship in terms of supporting and enhancing those involved. When you pour your heart and soul into a business, like a personal relationship, it can be devastating when it ends. You spend years of time, money, and resources to create an entity that contributes to the well being of the lives of those around you and those you serve. It is hard to watch your life’s dream overtaken by external circumstances and a changing market.

Imagine having all of your investments in 8 track tapes. Markets change.

Truth is, it is wise to know when it is time to close the doors and move on to new opportunities.

However, ending any business means shifting long-term relationships with customers, clients, suppliers, the network of buyers, as well as your trusted friends and partners. Change can be difficult and frightening for many people. But not evolving means certain stagnation. (And who wants that?)

Ending the business or losing a job means “not knowing” in your life. “Not knowing is a state of grace” according to Thich Nhat Hanh. A glass that is already full has no space for anything new.

When you end a personal relationship, people understand that you are lonely, in need of support, and in need of new opportunities to meet other people. Starting a new business or looking for a new job is much the same.

Here are our three suggestions for how to bungee jump to your next great opportunity:
1. Get clear about who you are, what gifts you bring to the table, and the causes that fuel your passion. This is a great time to focus on doing what you really want to do.
2. Engender support. Reach out to your network of friends, colleagues, and associates, and ask them how you can be of help to them and their passions.
3. Be open to exploring new ideas and business options. Think outside of traditional roles and functions. Stretch your competencies by learning a new skill or business application, or by joining groups that stimulate your creative thinking beyond the typical standard for your industry.

Just a note, remember, five years ago, there were no blogs.

By Mary Kelly, PhD (www.ProductiveLeaders.com) with Carolyn Strauss (www.CarolynStrauss.com)

Simple Tips for a Wealthier 2011

Kick off the New Year by making a viable spending plan. Make a commitment to manage your
finances. A savings and spending plan, whether for home or for business, is an integral part of how you
manage your home and business resources. A plan helps you focus on your wants and needs, and directs
where you devote time and energy. If managing finances isn’t fun for you, try following these simple steps.

1. Take a snapshot of your finances. If you don’t know where you are, it’s impossible to plan for the future. Where are you financially right now? What did you make and what did you spend? What are your assets at the start of 2011? How much debt do you have right now? You need to know where your finances are as you plan to be successful going into the new year. Look at all of your bank statements. Add up all assets and then add up debt. Do this every year.
2. Assess last year’s spending.Pull out the credit card statements, the weekly bookkeeping, and the spending plan. Was last year’s plan effective? Was it accurate? Did the plan achieve your goals? Were you able to stay focused and spend what you intended? What were the over expenditures? In what areas did you under spend?Look at the discrepancies between what you planned for and what actually happened. Adjust either the numbers or the spending to reflect your priorities for this year. Are you satisfied with what you spent and where you spent it? If not, make note of the changes. These areas help you identify the realities and the goals for this year.I frequently advise people to examine their spending as a means of gauging their priorities. An honest appraisal is key to developing programs that work effectively.For example, in a home spending plan, the categories of budgeting are defined by function and their necessity, such as the rent or mortgage, electricity, food, and utilities. Other categories that are nice to have, but are not necessary, might include entertainment, dining out, superfluous clothing, or vacations.If you spend $4.00 on coffee every day, but you feel guilty because it was not in your budget, you need to budget for it. It is clearly a priority for you, so rather than blowing the budget and feeling as though you failed, plan for the expenditure so you can enjoy the coffee, and forego something else that you do not value as much, such as an evening dinner at a restaurant.

   The same spending concept applies to business. If you planned on spending a certain amount on marketing or events, but consistently go over budget because you get a greater rate of return from those activities, plan for that and cut other areas that are less valuable for you.

3. Expect the unexpected. Unanticipated expenses can create a hardship because they came as a surprise. This is a problem for both home and business budgets When I sit down with families or business planners, they often protest that THIS MONTH is not reflective of their usual spending patterns because the kids are out of school, the in-laws are visiting, it is the holidays, their business product does not sell in winter, or any number of other excuses. These events ALWAYS happen. There simply are no usual months.People often share that they always go into debt during the Christmas season. Why? Because they do not plan. The arrival of November and December is hardly a surprise, and yet not everyone saves all year for the extra expenses associated with the holidays. Repeatable line items, such as something that occurs on a predictable and yearly basis, should be part of the plan.Business budgets are often thrown off by a change of plans. Maybe you weren’t planning on hiring and training a new employee, or branding a new line, or perhaps that market research cost 20% more than estimated.There are always going to be unanticipated expenses, and they need to be considered in the budget planning.
4. Identify your rates of return. Where did you spend resources that made sense? What expenditures gave you a good return on your investment? Do you need to devote more resources to those activities that were successful? In business, does this means that you need to hire additional staff or explore a new product or research a new idea? One area where many people can realize an immediate rate of return is paying off high interest credit card and other debt. If you are paying 12% on credit card debt, but your savings account is only yielding 1%, divert some of your savings money to reducing debt and you essentially get an 11% return. Look at your products and make sure that your rate of return is still profitable.
5. Plan for this year now. Many businesses and families don’t make a budget, and then they wonder where their money went. Get out your spending plan from last year. For many businesses and homes, this plan was abandoned before Valentine’s Day. Find a previous budget and use your data from last year to formulate a realistic spending plan for this year.Don’t have a budget? There are many budget plans available online. Don’t use online programs that charge you a fee – you probably don’t need to. Also stay away from any offers that store your data on their server. That is a serious
   breach of confidentiality. If you need a template, try mine – free, of course, and completely yours – just download the excel spreadsheet and manipulate it from there. It is at the bottom of this page. Make a monthly template and then make seasonal adjustments when necessary. I print out my monthly budget, three-hole punch them for a binder, and make pen and ink changes on a weekly basis or as expenditures change.
6. Plan for success. I attended a seminar where the speaker told his audience to write down how much they wanted to make the following year. He advised people to dream big. While dreaming big has merit, planning realistically is also valuable. Write down what you made last year and then look at what you think you are going to make this year.If next year’s number is higher than the standard inflation rate of 2-3%per year, why is it higher? And are you willing to do what is necessary to make the number higher? Will it mean more travel, more work, and less free time? Or will more profit mean launching new products, implementing better processes, and becoming more efficient?
7. Financial considerations.Now is a good time to look at options when it comes time to mapping out your personal wealth strategy.
   1. Examine the company’s retirement plan and make sure that you are contributing as much as possible.
   2. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), whether a traditional or a ROTH, can be very valuable for planning for the future. ROTH IRAs grow tax-free. Forever. I think ROTH IRAs are fabulous.
   3. Balance your portfolio. Not sure how? Hire a financial adviser for help. They do this every day and they study financial data all the time. Their expertise is well worth the investment.
   4. Explore tax implications of your income and your company’s income. Not sure where to start? A great accountant is a valuable partner.
   5. Consider real estate. Yes, I know the market is down, which means a lot of real estate is on sale. Your business may be able to buy their business building and rent out additional office space as added revenue. Many homes are deeply discounted right now as well. For most Americans, owning their own home is their largest sources of wealth accumulation, so buy wisely. If you are not going to live in a location more than 3 years, do a VERY careful cost-benefit analysis of the commissions, taxes, and maintenance before taking the leap into home ownership. As many people discovered over the past 6 years, real estate valuations do not always go up, but there can be great tax benefits to both home ownership and having rental property.
   6. Review your life and health insurance policies and programs. If you are part of a company life insurance program, check to make sure that the insurance company that you initially signed up with has not changed, and that you have updated your own records as well as updated your beneficiaries. If you are part of a shared health plan, review the options and know what is covered and what is not. You may need additional coverage.

Whatever you decide, commit to a financial plan that makes sense for you and your business and family. I wish you health and prosperity in 2011!

New Year’s Eve is a time for me to make my list of lists that I post on my white board in my office.

My 2011 lists are for a variety of purposes; business and personal growth, thoughts, ideas, resolutions, and random To-Do items.

• Books to read
• People to call
• People to meet
• People to connect/reconnect with
• Charities to support
• Trips to take
• Articles to write
• Random acts of kindness to accomplish
• Groups to speak to
• Friends to spend time with
• Projects to start
• Projects to finish
• Meals to try
• Benefits to attend
• People to appreciate

I am ALWAYS looking to expand this list! If you have another list category or a suggestion or an idea, please make a comment on this blog, or email me at Mary@ProductiveLeaders.com.

Happy New Year!

~ 10 Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday ~

For many people, the holidays are stressful. So…

1. Go into the holiday season with the understanding that you have to be nicer to other people during this time, both for them and for you. We need to be cognizant that people are operating at a higher stress level during the holidays. When most people stress, they become more sensitive to the words and actions of others. Well-intended and humorous comments that might otherwise be laughed off or considered good-natured ribbing can be perceived as hurtful.Goal: Be more sensitive to the needs of others during the holidays.
2. Temper your expectations. People have unrealistic goals for the holidays. Yes, we’d all love homes that look like magazine covers, and a family dynamic that harmoniously resembles the Waltons. This is largely unrealistic.Mary’s favorite holiday rule: Plan for what you can do and be happy with the results. No one will remember that the candles didn’t match or that the tablecloth was wrinkled. The holidays are about making memories and creating happy moments that people remember with joy.
3. Shoot for success, not perfection, as my friend Alan Weiss says. Don’t worry about perfection. Think about what constitutes success for your holidays. Does it mean hosting one great cocktail party? Getting Christmas cards out before Valentine’s Day? Baking Grandma’s cookies for the neighbors and the office?If you know ahead of time what success means, you are more likely to be happy with the results.
4. Outsource what you can. Now may be the time to get help hanging Christmas lights, cleaning the house, and preparing food. Use your resources, and consider hiring some help to decrease your stress level.
5. Use technology to streamline tasks and improve your own quality of life. Last year, for the first time, I sent out an electronic Christmas letter. I realize that some folks think that misses the personal touch, but it allowed me to craft a pretty fun newsletter with pictures, updates, and all of my contact information. For my friends who don’t have email, I simply printed the newsletter and mailed it to them. It saves on postage, saves on addressing envelopes, and is environmentally friendly.
6. Coop your friends. For those fun but sometimes time-consuming tasks such as tree-trimming, cookie baking, and log chopping, get together with friends and make doing whatever you need to accomplish a party. I always love cookie swaps, and I was delighted to be invited to one in early December. I love trying other people’s recipes and having a chance to talk with friends. The assortment of cookies then becomes my go-to dessert when I attend other holiday parties.
7. Over communicate. During November and December, most people are overcommitted, short of time, and even shorter on attention. Help each other by reminding people of appointments, gatherings, meetings, and parties. Just because the event made it to that person’s calendar does not mean that it is in the forefront of their mind. So back each other up. Drop your friends an email note or give them a call, “I’m looking forward to seeing you on Friday at 12:15 at the Marriott. Do you need a ride?” or “I just wanted to see what time you are going to arrive at the party on Saturday night.” It helps brings those events into focus, and your friends will get a little serotonin rush when they are reminded that they are going to see you. For the introverted people, sometimes holiday parties are a source of stress. Your reaching out to them makes them feel as though their attendance matters, and it increases their chances of coming.
8. Offer specific support. The holidays are a sad time for some people, especially for introverted people, people in a new area, those away from family or friends, and military families with deployed service members. Watch for signs of depression or isolation among friends, families, colleagues, students, and employees.Businesses and managers need to be especially mindful of how their people are doing. Depression rates soar during the holidays because people often expect the holidays to be a magical time of happiness. When those expectations are disappointed, people can become depressed. Inclusion is the key to solving problems of isolation. Reach out to others and invite them to events. Follow up to make sure they know that you sincerely want them to be part of the gathering.
9. Give yourself a present of presence. Try to enjoy each little moment, rather than worrying about what is going to happen in six hours (I know, and I am a planning person, but too much of that can get in the way of enjoying the moment). Focus being in the moment and enjoying whatever is happening right now.Tim Saunders recommends substituting the words “have to “ with “get to.” I get to pick up the kids at school. I get to set the holiday table. I get to see my friends and family at a party tonight. Just substituting those verbs on your to-do list creates a sense of gratitude.Many people postpone enjoyment because they mentally feel as though they need to gear up for enjoyment. Take the time to be happy now.
10. Make giving a part of the season. Try to practice anonymous and random acts of kindness. Many of us know people who really do not need another single thing in their homes or their lives. So please consider supporting a charity or giving a goat, or a chicken or a cow or a rabbit in the name of your gift recipient. Organizations such as www.heifer.org or www.Kiva.org provide livestock and resources to people and villages who desperately need sustainable food resources. It can save lives, and it makes for a unique and worthwhile gift.

Please enjoy a stress-free holiday!

5 Ways to Strategically Plan Your Strategic Planning Meeting

Many organizations desperately need a strategic planning session. They may want better vision,
team cohesion, or new products. Most companies hold meetings, hoping that some strategic planning
will magically emerge. This is unrealistic.

Strategic planning is envisioning the future of the company or organization, translating that vision into measurable and achievable goals, and then implementing long range planning to accomplish those goals. Strategic planning works with the ultimate goal in mind. This differs from long term planning. Long term planning is defining the series of steps along the path to achieve the vision. Strategic planning considers overarching plans far into the future, and transcends all aspects of the organization.

Strategic planning is hard because 1) it asks people to think and work beyond the scope of their defined roles; 2) it requires that departments work with other departments in new and cooperative ways; 3) it means people who previously did not consider consequences beyond their scope of responsibilities do so; and 4) it forces thinking of possibilities far into the future.

For many people, just getting through the workday and managing their daily responsibilities is taxing enough. Thinking about where the future of the organization will be 5 and 10 and 20 years in the future, maybe long after they are collecting a pension, seems unnecessary and irrelevant.

Creating a strategic planning session is not the same as the weekly planning meeting. It takes times, energy, patience and commitment. It also takes open-minded vision and foresight.

How can you create a strategic summit?

1. Start with a common ideology. I start with about 30 minutes on leadership and management. For some, this is a review, but it gets everyone thinking about their role in and value to the organization. A shared experience, even for 30 minutes, can help accomplish this. It gets everyone thinking creatively about their relationship with their supervisor and employees.
2. Identify the reason you are in business. Define what makes your company, product, or organization unique. This means revisiting values, goals, and commitments. Ask the group questions such as:“Why did you first want to work with us?” “What attracts you to the mission of this organization?” “What is it we do here that makes you want to be part of this team?” In Simon Sinek’s The Power of Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, he articulates why some companies such as Apple and Harley Davidson manage to create such a definitive brand and a loyal customer base by defining first and foremost why they are in business.
3. Identify the challenges. Many companies don’t want to hear about problems. They hide or gloss over issues, mistakenly hoping that the problems will disappear on their own. Many organizations discourage problem solving because they punish the people who identify the areas of needed improvement and potential growth. Companies tend to be resistant to changes because mistakes can be costly, or, more likely, “it is the way we’ve always done it.” If managers and leaders don’t identify problems, they cannot solve them. Brainstorming about areas to change is a key part of finding efficiency, expansion and creating a shared vision of the future.
4. Create the vision. Brainstorm on where the company should/could be in 5, 10 or 20 years. See or develop the new products. Formulate a plan for the matriculation of the next generation of leaders. One of my common questions is “Who is going to lead this organization in 20 years, and what are you doing to help those leaders now?” Think of new products and how will be used in the future. When things seem impossible, then you have probably crafted a vision. Establish common goals and prioritize them based on the company’s needs.
5. Develop the long-term plan to achieve the strategic goals. Strategic planning is about vision. Long term planning is the systematic series of processes or steps you take to achieve those specific goals. If the goals are not set or if the bar is too low, then there is no real long term planning. That is just daily tasks. People sometimes confuse the long term planning process with strategic vision. If you are mapping out the “how-to” then it is probably long term planning.

Good companies and organizations embrace change because it means they are moving forward, staying current, and constantly striving to exceed their customers’ expectations.

Wealth is discretionary time.

-Alan Weiss

I am not sure if Alan was the first to say it, but it resonated with me. Many people work to make a living, but they don’t have much of a life.

There are a few ways of building real wealth, not monetary wealth.
1. Live in the moment. Focus on being present in the moment and enjoying the process of what your life is.
2. Enjoy the work that you do. If you don’t love every single thing that you do, change your attitude.
3. Get rid of the energy vampires in your life. If there are people who are causing you to lose energy, stay away from them.
4. Try not to work with people who are bad for you. I wrote an article recently that I wasn’t sure people would find funny. One of my friends commented that if the people reading my article didn’t think it was funny, I didn’t need to work with them anyway. Good advice!
5. Get rid of your own baggage. Don’t let your own doubts, misconceptions, or fears get in your own way. Stay out of your own way and go forward.
Have a great day and enjoy your world!

Avoid these 10 Meeting Mistakes

Bringing people together for meetings can be a great way to increase team interaction, discuss ideas,
and share valuable information. However, 100 people polled in the last 42 days indicated that most
employees perceive meetings as a colossal and inconvenient waste of time.

Why is there such a disconnect? Many managers or facilitators make one or more of these meeting mistakes, also known as:

10 Ways to Anger and Irritate Your Meeting Attendees
(Sarcasm and humor intended.)

1. Schedule the meeting during lunch. People love to focus when they are hungry, and that puts them in the right frame of mind for their afternoon client calls. Don’t provide food – that might be distracting. People could spill on the copious notes they are taking.
2. Be sure to announce the meeting less than 24 hours in advance. People love showing how flexible they are for nonimportant staff issues,. Clients love being reshuffled as well to accommodate your poor planning.
3. Keep the topic of the meeting a mystery. People LOVE surprises.
4. Don’t have an agenda. Workers enjoy your sense of disorganization and off-the-cuff, random thoughts on philosophical issues.
5. Read to attendees during the meeting. Preferable a very long, detailed, or analytical new policy. Do this for several minutes. Make sure to mispronounce several common industry words so that we pay attention.
6. Giggle a lot. People respect your humorous nervous energy when you are in front of subordinates.
7. Start the meeting with off-color jokes to connect with our immature side.
8. Don’t start or end on time.
9. Hold weekly, monthly or quarterly meetings even if you have nothing to say because those meetings are on a checklist somewhere.
10. Give the company complainers plenty of time to air their personal grievances.

Get the idea? When employees don’t feel as though their time is valued, they are not fully engaged. Increase participation and accomplish the organization’s goals by making sure that you don’t make these meeting mistakes.

Want Referrals? Be Referable!

Many people rely on referrals and repeat business to sustain their livelihood. But there is a
difference between repeat business and business loyalty that makes your clients happy to refer
you to other people.

I have a friend who has been with his insurance company since he was 17 years old. He knows there are many other great insurance companies, but he is so intensely loyal to his insurance company that he does not even consider the offers from other companies. The other companies may have lower prices. They may have better coverage. They may dangle enticing offers and extra benefits if he changes companies. But he doesn’t. And he refers this company to others as often as possible.

What drives such proponents? Wouldn’t it be great to be the company that induces such intense loyalty that referrals are driving new customers to you in droves?

How do you become a company that delivers great value and becomes referable?

1. Make sure every customer you have receives great communication from your team. You might think your company is doing a superb job. But you might want to ask a few questions: Do your customer service people call your customers by their proper names and titles? When your customers make an address change, does it go to all parts of the organization, or do they have to make several phone calls? Are your customers subjected to long wait times when they call you? Do you respond to customer inquiries right away? Are you keeping a loyal following?

2. Pop the blisters. The customers who complain are some of your best friends in business. If a customer has a problem and they complain, and you fix it, you have actually increased their loyalty to your company. However, if customers do not complain after they have had a less-than-satisfactory experience, you never get back that opportunity to remedy the situation. Your customers just go to your competitors. Make sure that you fully understand the problem and the consequences from their point of view, and then make sure that the steps you take to fix the problem actually happen. (Sometimes an owner or a manager will direct someone else to take the required action, but that person doesn’t. This increases the customer’s frustration, and solidifies his or her intent to use your competitors.) Solve the problem completely, and follow-up to make sure the customer is sincerely happy.

3. Solve your client’s problems by being attentive to their problems. I was at a conference delivering a speech and right before my talk, the meeting planner looked unhappy and flustered. I asked if everything was okay. Frustrated, she said that one of her breakout session speakers had just canceled that morning for an afternoon session. (Aha! A problem!)

”Well,” I said, ”I’d be happy to substitute for him and conduct a seminar on social media if that helps you. It is completely different from my leadership keynote, and I have the social media brief right here.” I knew budget was an issue and I added, “And I’ll do it for nothing. I am sure the accounting folks are busy enough right now.” This solved her problem, and made her day as a meeting planner much easier. I received two referrals from her and future loyal business from her organization. Was I trying to get referrals? No, I was really just trying to help my meeting planner.

4. Deliver more than what your clients expect. We often patronize businesses even though we are not completely satisfied with their delivery or our experience. As a result, we are not loyal to those businesses, so if we find another provider, we will probably explore our choices. This is one of the reasons why hotels and airlines and other substitutable service providers have rewards programs. If you have a poor experience at one hotel in a chain in one city it makes you reluctant to try that same chain in another city. By giving you incentives to stay with that chain, the hotels are hoping that you will give them another chance, and continue to patronize them. This sometimes works, but wouldn’t it be great if people continued to use your business because they were absolutely delighted every time?

I needed a piece of wooden trim to finish one of my household projects. I do not own a table saw. (I don’t really want to own a table saw.) At the hardware store, I found a very nice man in the lumber section who not only pulled a piece of trim that I needed, but cut it exactly to the required specifications. I was only charged for the piece of trim. This saved me significant amounts of time and effort. (And possibly injury. I’m not very good with saws.) Needless to say, I was delighted. I called the store manager to relay the terrific experience and thanked him for having such a helpful employee. I went online to the store’s comment card section to report my fantastic experience. That hardware store built loyalty because one person took five minutes to completely meet my needs and exceed my expectations.

5. Show your appreciation to your clients for their business. Say thank you!!! It is not just good manners, it is good business. Thank your clients with a follow-up note or phone call. Remember client birthdays. Be thoughtful.

A colleague of mine just bought a new car from a very well known car dealer. About three weeks afterwards, I asked if the car dealership that sold a $30,000 car had called him to see how he was doing with the vehicle. Nope. No call, no note, no follow up in any way. What a missed opportunity! So if you do follow-up and thank your clients when they do business with you, you are memorable.

6. If you want people to refer business to you, refer business to them. One of the ways you can help your clients, friends and colleagues is to refer them to other people. In economics, this is called the Search Activity. It takes time and effort finding quality people with which to conduct a successful business transaction. When you generate business for others, you indicate your trust and confidence in their product and business. You are pledging your name to their delivery. Most people view this as a responsibility not to disappoint you, and if someone gives you a referral, you should treat it as such.

Becoming a valued provider means cultivating the relationship that makes an experience with you one that your clients will want to share with their friends. Creating value makes you referable and increases your business.

Fresh Palisades Peaches!!!!

They are so juicy and delicious fresh from the farm, but they also fabulous as a dessert, tucked nicely under a cobbler crust. (My friend Deborah Hoskins went peach shopping two weeks ago and she put the cobbler idea into my head for the season. )

Fresh Peach Cobbler
4 large fresh peaches
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
sprinkle of cinnamon

Plop fresh peaches into boiling water for about 45 seconds. Remove them quickly and dunk them into cold water. Then drain and cool a few minutes. The skin should peel right off with very little lost fruit. Cut into quarters. Remove pit and any hard parts, and slice.

Sprinkle with ¼ cup of the sugar and spread in 8 x 8 pan. Sprinkle with a dash or two if cinnamon, if desired. (Large pie pan works well too.)

Melt butter. Stir in flour and sugar. It will be sticky and crumbly. Spread over peaches.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until browned on top. Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Not everyone loves delivering speeches or presentations, so knowing a few tricks make it easier.

In some instances, using power point or other visual aids is helpful. In other situations, an after dinner speech for example, the speech by itself reigns supreme.

Look at your audience and the setting to determine the best forum for the delivery of the message. Some people appreciate using power point or some other visual prop to convey their message, while others find power point limiting for certain interactive seminars. If you are preparing for a presentation, this article may help.

A few benefits of using Power Point:
Power Point has many benefits, and the most obvious is there is less for the presenter to remember. The slides act as your teleprompter. Once you see the title of the slide, or the first line, it should start you on your story or point.

If the idea of public speaking makes you want to be doing almost anything else, including swallowing ground glass, the power point slides can be comforting. Power point slides can help anchor you to the speech, give you a place to refer to if you get nervous or forget a point, and be a reference if you get a question that sidetracks you during the talk.

One of the best aspects of power point is that it forces the presenter to get (and stay) organized. Some people claim they do their best speaking off the cuff, and they like doing a speech spontaneously. Honestly, this is only true for a very small percentage of the population. Most people do best when they think about their message, carefully craft their information, and then take that framework and organize it into a cogent presentation. Most terrific speakers write out their main points, expand their points with secondary points, and reiterate those main points throughout the dialogue with stories, ideas, or other information.

Actually making the slides:
Most people will listen to a percentage of what is said, but they will read and see what you have on the slides. Make the slides the points you want your audience to remember.

The font size for the title of a slide should be no smaller than 36 point, and at least 28 point for major bullets. Presenters can use 24 point for indented bullets, but anything smaller tends to frustrate the audience because they can’t read it. One of the most irritating aspects from an audience perspective is illegible slides, and then they stop listening completely. You will know they have stopped listening if they start drafting their grocery store list.

The font type should be normal and familiar, and most of all, easy to read for all audiences. Times New Roman, Arial, or Tahoma are all good standards.

Some speakers use video clips of other speakers or humorous incidents to break up their speech. This makes me nervous for a few reasons. Video takes up computer space, it may not work with the audio visual support in the facility (particularly the sound), and most of all, people generally don’t want to watch a video of someone else if they came to see you.

A few thoughts on the mechanics of a good power point:

1. The rule of four. Keep your bullets on a slide to four or less. If there are more, no one will remember them.
2. Use light on a dark background. Make sure the slides can be easily seen from the back of the room.
3. Use upper and lower case letters. Thanks to email, ALL CAPITAL LETTERS is seen as shouting. Instead of CAPS, use bold, italics, size, or colors to emphasize points.
4. Kill the animation! Yes, it is a cool feature. No, don’t use it. Flying in sentences word by word is not creating drama, it is creating annoyance. You cannot stop it once it starts, it takes time, and it is distracting at best. Excess animation can make audiences hostile. Most of us don’t need the help.

A few speaking Do’s and Don’ts:

1. Never, ever, read the words on your slide from start to finish. You can emphasize a point, or you can get someone in the audience to fill in a word for you as you point to it on the slide. Most people can read faster than other people read out loud. They will get to the point before you do, and then you missed your opportunity to make a point.
2. Never talk to the slide with your back to the audience!!!!! If your focus is on the slide, it is not on the audience. This is akin to a teacher who writes on the chalkboard and talks to the chalkboard at the same time. It is not effective.
3. Open with something about the audience, focus on their problems and provide solutions, and close with something memorable. The opening slide should be interesting to the audience and give them an idea of what they can expect and why they should pay attention to you.
4. Always know your opening and closing paragraphs verbatim. This is where people listen the most, so make them great. This is also where most presenters stumble. Knowing them word for word alleviates problems.
5. All talks are about the audience, either providing information or motivating the audience or ideally, both.
6. Give people a resource or a way to get more information from you. They need your contact information for future communications.

Better Speaking Tricks:

1. Get rid of “and”, “uh”, “but”, “so”, “then”, and “hums.”
2. Keep your hands out of your pockets.
3. Make an effort to deliberately look at individuals in the audience. Make eye contact.
4. Practice! Out loud! More than once! The whole presentation! Every joke and every gesture needs to be practiced.
5. Spontaneity is great on vacation, not in a business presentation. Practice some more!
6. Practice being loud enough to be heard.
7. Use voice inflection to keep the presentation interesting.
8. Know your material and be prepared to answer questions.
9. When you pause for dramatic effect, freeze your body.
10. Have fun! When you love your audience, it makes the presentation easy and enjoyable!

The How of a LinkedIn Profile:
How to Build a Great Profile

The Steps:

Step 1: Go to
www.LinkedIn.com and start filling in the blanks for a new profile.
Use your common email address as a secondary and use your business email for your primary (you don’t want business contacts to find you at your college email address at ILOVESPRINGBREAK89 @ hotmail.com), but you need to have an email on file that you will always be able to access.

Step 2: Upload your picture. Many people will not accept connection invitations if they do not see a picture. They may not recognize the name among the hundreds they met at a recent convention without a picture. The picture should be appropriate for business. LinkedIn pictures don’t have to be overly formal, but they do need to be something better than your best at-the-gym picture.

Step 3: Add a tag, or a description to your name if you have a very common name. I have a very common name, so I add “Leadership Expert” after my name. It sounds a bit pretentious (I was uncomfortable doing that until a friend of mine told me that there were thousands of Mary Kellys out there (thanks Mom and Dad) and he couldn’t find me), so I added the tag to my last name and voila! My connections increased because my friends and contacts found me.

Step 4: Use your resume and background to build great content. Fill in the blanks of your education and work experience. Be interesting. Bullets for your summary are a great way to provide concise, eye-catching information.

Side note: I don’t recommend starting a profile (or a website) with a video. Two reasons: 1) it takes time to load, and most people won’t wait; 2) unless you are very interesting (like Henry Kissinger) or very funny (like The O’Shea Report ), no one wants to spend that time watching you introduce yourself.

Step 5: Get some high-quality recommendations. Go to the recommendations tab at the top and ask some of your trusted colleagues for recommendations specific to you as a professional. For example, comments such as “Mary is great!” or “Mary was wonderful!” sound nice, but they do not describe what I do, or the value I provide to a business client.

“Mary provided timely economic expertise and leadership advice that allowed us to increase productivity immediately. Mary’s advice saved us $567,000 for the year” is a much stronger recommendation.

Ask your recommenders to focus on the results you provide.

If you are a roofer, ask customers to describe your GREAT service as a roofer. “Ken’s prompt response and accurate estimate was indicative of the fast, quality work that his company provided. He and his team were on time, polite, and trustworthy. They got the job done on time and under budget.”

If you are a lawyer, request that your clients describe the characteristics that make you a GREAT lawyer. “Cris is smart, responsive, personable, and knows she the law. She drafted a will and trust package that covered all of our family’s many issues, AND she was affordable! She earned our trust and confidence.” (www.criscarterlaw.com)

Step 6: Join groups of your peers. In the upper right corner is a search box. To the left of that are options with an arrow. Click on the groups and then search for your business interests, your alumni organizations, and your business peers. Join groups to allow you to connect with the other members of those groups. Increase your interaction in LinkedIn groups and get to know what others are doing in your field.

Step 7: Join the groups that your clients join. This allows you to understand the concerns of your customer base, and then you can provide solutions in the group discussion areas, which increases both your presence and your credibility.

Step 8: Use the applications. My favorites are the book list and the slideshare functions. The book list lets you type in the name of a book, select the book’s cover, and make comments about the book. I also like this function to feature some of my favorite authors and friends. The slideshare function is an easy upload for large presentation. This lets people share presentations and notes that otherwise might be too large to email. There is also a travel application that lets your network know where you are going, leading to simple coordination and more opportunities for meetings.

Step 9: Be the expert. Use the answers function in the upper right box. Click on answers, and type in your topic of expertise. When the questions appear, provide an answer and include your website. You become a known subject matter expert and others get the benefit of your wisdom.

Step 10: Enjoy your online connections! Thanks to social media, we can connect with people all over the world. LinkedIn is a terrific way to find lost friends and to stay in touch with new ones. (Next month: How to increase connections) I hope you have fun with social media!

Negotiation at Home and at Work

To celebrate that June is a popular month for weddings, in this newsletter we are celebrating
the relationships that make our home and business lives possible.

In business, as in any long term relationship, keeping the end in mind is crucial to a lasting and fulfilling connection. More and more businesses are realizing that to maintain a healthy and prosperous business, they need to maintain healthy and mutually beneficial relationships with their customers and clients.

Most business people I know spent a great deal of time trying to find the right people to do business with; either finding customers or finding suppliers. In economics, this is called the Search Activity. (In dating this might also be called the Search Activity.) I have also heard many business people complain about suppliers or buyers because they believed someone didn’t fulfill their part of the bargain. As a result, hurt feelings ensue, and sometimes someone will declare, “ I’m never doing business with them again.” These declarations sound like one of my friends whose recent date did not end well, and announced, “I’m never going out with him again!”

Sometimes what we need is just some negotiation tactics to resolve the difficulties. So, in the spirit of June weddings, we have compiled five secrets to successful negotiation, a.k.a. getting what you want while giving the other person what they want too.

1. Think success.
My dating friend who decided their dating relationship was over clearly just gave up on the success of their relationship. Especially during the economic difficulties of the past two years, some people in business have changed their practices, and in some instances, that has been detrimental. In order to be successful in both marriage and in management, both parties have to want to work together for ultimate success.

2. Take a walk in their shoes.
Sometimes we’re not willing to try to see things from the other person’s perspective. Sometimes we are so sure that our perspective is correct that we fail to consider the possibility that we are wrong. It helps to take a step back and try to see the situation from the other person’s viewpoint. If you have ever watched a couple argue,(and we’ve all seen people argue) it is usually because of a small misunderstanding that got blown out of proportion. One good tactic is to stop and actually say the words,” I’d like to see this from your perspective. Can you please tell me what happened so that I can better understand?” If they tell you what happened from their experience, then you can see the parts that are missing, and help clarify the situation. Frequently, in both management and marriage, this diffuses problems before they escalate.

3. Just take a walk.
Misunderstandings can get emotional both at work and at home. Successful negotiation rarely happens when both parties are angry. If you are truly trying to resolve a situation, don’t have the discussion when you are emotional. Ideally, neither of you should be emotional at the time of the discussion. We used to have a rule in my house: Only one of us can be crazy at one time. That meant that if one person was clearly upset the other one had to back off. As a result what could have been arguments were kept to rational discussions. Sometimes this means deferring conversations until later. Sometimes this means taking a walk, either by yourself or together, to calm down, and give yourself another activity to do while you process through the issues at hand.

4. Do some research and have the facts.
If you’re trying to persuade another person to believe in your product, perspective, or purpose make sure that you back up your viewpoint with facts. Sometimes on a personal level, the facts become very vague and blurry. “You never do the vacuuming!” is probably not true. If one party throws out statements that are simply wrong, or so absolute that they cannot be taken seriously, the other party discounts their argument. This is true in the business world as well. Having accurate and current information at hand is more persuasive than emotional diatribes. Have the facts before you engage in the discussion.

5. Realize that life (and happiness) is all about compromise.
Very few people get everything they want all the time. The rest of us get what we want some of the time. If the issue is important, (and I mean really important), stick to your guns and do your very best to negotiate for what you want. However, negotiating also means that you look for the ways that the other person wins too. Very few people want to go into a situation where all they do is lose. A good negotiator makes sure that the final outcome is not just acceptable, but is beneficial to both parties. Successful negotiators, both at home and at work, watch out for the other person as well.

Ideally in business, as in a marriage, you want to help each other grow, become better, and be successful. Good negotiation makes that possible.

Memorial Day, 2010

Want to thank a veteran? Hire them and strengthen your work force in the process

Some of my business friends were lamenting the lack of commitment and dedication of their workforce. One gentleman claimed he could not get people to follow directions.

“How many former military people do you have?” I asked.

The answers were blank stares.

The military corporate culture produces many of the characteristics that many work places lack. Military people are trained to show up — on time or early. They are computer savvy. They work until the job is completed. They understand how to take and give directions. They appreciate honest and helpful feedback. They are motivated to do a good job. They are serious about working, and serious about fulfilling your mission. Most veterans have the can-do attitude that employers want.

“I don’t know where to find military people,” one business owner replied.

“Couldn’t be easier or cheaper!” came the answer.

Do a google or bing search for “hire military veteran” and all kinds of groups with databases pop up. You can post your job requirements at most of these sites for free. Good for your business, and good for the veterans.

You can also join LinkedIn groups that focus on hiring veterans.

I adore my civilian workers or friends, but on this Memorial Day, if you are thinking about increasing your workforce, please consider hiring a veteran.

If you need help finding veterans to hire, please reply to this blog or email privately, and I will help.

Thanks! Happy Memorial Day!

An 8 year old gave me a great quote last night. We were talking about baseball, and I asked him what position he liked best. Eyes shining, wide grin, he beamed, “First base or pitcher. Hmmm, I like pitcher best. When you are the pitcher, you always get the ball.”

What a great reminder that it can certainly feel easier standing in the outfield, and occasionally worrying what happens if the ball comes your way, but If you are pitching, you know the ball is coming to you. You don’t have the uncertainty of the pop fly to right center. You know that the game cannot go forward without you. More pressure on the pitcher, maybe. But it is more consistent pressure. You are the center of the field, the center to the action. You always get the ball.

In business, sometimes we hold back from being on the pitcher’s mound. We don’t want to stand out, because if we become the focal point, we can expect pressure and criticism. Being at the center means people are counting on you and you have to perform more often and more consistently, in front of more people. But you also get the opportunity to shine. It pushes you to work harder and work (and play) at the top of your game.

So if you feel like you are hiding in the outfield, maybe give pitching a try.

Put me in coach. I’m ready to play.

How to Attract and Keep Great People

I recently surveyed over 200 managers, and asked what their biggest management challenges
are in the current business environment. Not surprisingly, all of their responses dealt with personnel.
Many leaders broached the difficulties involved with attracting and keeping great employees.

How do we make working with us more appealing to an employee than working for someone else? Surprisingly, wages, salaries and other compensation are not the primary factors that kept employees happy.

What keeps employees happy? What makes people want to come to work and do a good job? What motivates our workers?

First, employees want to be valued both for their contributions to the organization, and appreciated as individuals who are important within their span of influence. Managers have to ensure that employees understand how valuable each role is to the success of the mission.

Second, managers need to know their employees as individuals. I interviewed one employee who loved the work he was doing, but said that three weeks into his new job, his supervisor had still not even spoken to him. This created a sense that he was not a valued member of the team, and that he was of little or no value to the manager and the organization. I spoke with the manager, who told me that the new employee was doing a fabulous job, and they could not be happier. I asked the manager why he had not told the employee that, or even had a conversation with the new hire. The manager said that he didn’t realize that the new employee wanted to talk (yes, I’m serious). Clearly the onus of making sure that a new employee feels valued is on the supervisor in the organization.

Third, employees want their managers to understand what makes them more effective in the workplace. Employees want to do a good job. Here are four secrets that employees want their managers to know.

• It’s not about the money. Leaders and managers in companies need to understand that compensation will get quality people to apply for the job, but it is how they are treated after they are hired that determines whether or not they will stay. I’m not talking limousines and red carpet treatment. This is about making sure that the basic necessities of getting a job done are provided. Employees need to have the corporate knowledge and the resources required to do a great job. Giving an employee a job to do without providing the resources, or explaining company procedures sets them up for failure.
• Feeling frustrated. Employees will not consider a long-term relationship with an organization that constantly frustrates them. How do organizations frustrate their employees? They ignore them. They don’t take their ideas seriously. They subject them to meaningless training and mindless readings. Regardless of the compensation, employees who are frustrated will find other places to work.
• Not everyone gets the trophy. Some organizations go too far trying to recognize every little tiny accomplishment that happens within an organization. As a result, the constant award ceremonies, acknowledgments, and accolades dilute the importance of those people who are making a real difference. The consequence is that instead of creating an atmosphere of true gratitude, it fosters one of cynicism and distrust.
• Talk to me. The most common complaint among employees is that they don’t feel that they know what’s going on. Managers and leaders need to understand that their employees are part of the decision-making process, whether or not the employee’s input is solicited. In some cases not everyone’s input warrants consideration, however for events that might affect that employee’s job, department, or branch, the employees should be aware of the discussion. This creates a sense of teamwork, keeps the employees informed, and dispels the idea that managers are making decisions in secret. This improves trust, confidence, respect and teamwork.

Managing people is managing relationships. As a friend of mine told me, working together involves mutual trust, mutual respect, mutual interests, and the means to conduct the relationship.

I recently joined an organization which provides philanthropic support to my local community. They hold two fundraisers per year to support very worthy community projects such as the Girl Scouts, the Little League, the Food Pantry, and the Fire Department.

One of the fundraisers involves a community sale with furniture, household items, plants, and an old-fashioned bake sale. The day before the sale is filled with preparations: volunteer teenagers setting up tables, vendors hauling in booths, and a group of ladies (who are renowned for their cooking and baking abilities) who make and sell homemade soup and baked goods.

Being new to this organization, I wanted to do a really good job. I must admit that in the tradition of my grandmother, great-grandmother, and my numerous aunts, I relish the thought of spending a full day in the kitchen, focusing on nothing but baking. Faced with mountains of butter, cream, sugar, flour and all forms of dark chocolate (everything that Dr. Oz says we should stay away from) I am transformed into my own version of Julia Childs. Baking is cathartic. Baking when conducted by several hundred local (mostly) women is a force to be reckoned with.

When I dropped off my contributions this morning (again this is my first foray with this group), I was overwhelmed by the beauty and the magnitude of their generous cooking skills. Items were intricately prepared, beautifully decorated, packaged with bows and ribbons, and everything looked delicious. Clearly, I was in the company of professionals.

The bakers are the supply side of this fundraising equation, but equally important are the members of the local community who come forward to purchase these luscious treats. Without the buyers, the efforts of the people who do the set up, provide the saleable items, advertise, market the event, and cleanup is meaningless.

So my business lesson from the bake sale today was:

1) remember who the buyers are,

2) make the product attractive to the buyers,

3) keep the goal in sight.

Three rum cakes and a few batches of double chocolate cookies doesn’t sound like much when considering the cost of a fire truck, but when combined with the efforts of a few hundred other determined and dedicated workers, the fire house gets a new addition.

Mary’s Seriously Rich Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 12 ounce semi sweet chocolate, melted, cooled
• 1/4 cup butter, melted, cooled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon strong espresso
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Beat eggs and flour together for six minutes. Add melted chocolate, butter, vanilla, and espresso. Sift together cake flour and baking powder. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat on lowest setting. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. The mixture is very sticky. Chill dough for three hours. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto parchment paper on cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes until the tops look shiny and cracked. Cookies are very soft. Cool on cookie racks. Makes four dozen.

The Importance of the Follow-Up

This month the topic is on developing a plan for following up with our business contacts.

Many people attend networking functions to meet people who can help them grow their business.
They make a business connection, yet they don’t actually get business from those business leads simply
because they don’t follow up.

How many times have you heard this conversation?

“That sounds really interesting. I’d like to learn more about that.”

“Yes! I’d really like that. Let’s definitely get together.”"That would be great. Maybe we could meet for coffee?”

“Maybe next week?”

“Sure! I’ll check my schedule.”

“Let’s talk soon!”

Then nothing happens.

This can be due to networking “drive-bys” as my friend, Sarah Michel (www.perfectingconnecting.com) dubs them, where people feel as though they are in a race to collect business cards as though it was the adult version of an Easter egg hunt.

Why don’t we follow up? A quick poll yielded these excuses.

Fear: The reluctance to follow-up can stem from uncertainty as to whether that other person’s intent to meet was genuine.
Some people fear rejection. What if they don’t like me? What if they don’t value my product or my company? What if they were just being nice?

Not enough time: People get absorbed with the day-to-day activities and they just don’t make following up a priority.
If you make a promise, keep it. Make the time.

Good intentions: You know what they say about good intentions? They don’t generate much business. Actions generate business.

Creating a monthly FOLLOW-UP ACTION plan.

1. Make a phone call a day: Pull out that stack of business cards and promise yourself that you are going to make a phone every day to someone you have been meaning to call, and then DO IT!
2. Send an email note: “Hi, I met you at ___ and I wanted to follow-up on our discussion. Can I send you information on___? Do one every Friday.
3. Scrub your social media contacts: Take 10 minutes and browse your social media contacts. Find five people to follow up with this month.
4. Drink some coffee: Or tea. Make 2 coffee dates this month. Keep those dates!
5. Ask for 15 minutes: Make a point of maximizing your times by meeting people before or after that association monthly meeting, group lunch, or Rotary Club event. You are already there, so you might as well use that time to schedule a quick, productive meeting.
6. Spend the 44 cents: Actually write a note. Send the note through the mail. People like receiving personal notes. Writing notes is becoming a lost art, and is therefore more appreciated. No, your messy handwriting should not stop you. Pledge to write 4 notes this month. It can be a great 44-cent investment.

The bottom line: If you say you will follow-up, do it. Call, email, or write a note. If you say you are going to do something, get it done.

Happy Easter!

Easter is a time of rebirth and new life.  In addition to the religious aspects of Easter, most people like the idea of celebrating spring as a time of growth, fresh opportunity, and an end of winter.  (Chocolate bunnies and those malted-speckled eggs are great too.)

It is easy to fall into the routines of our daily lives.  We are comfortable with our routines.  There is a regular rhythm in our habits.   But when does a routine turn into a rut?

As we look forward to the progress of the new season, it might be fun to try new things as a way of growing in this season.  Try to do something new, if not every day, maybe make a point to try something new once a week.  New experiences help us breakout of our groove (Yes, I used the word groove) and are just plain fun.

Some ideas:

1)  Try completely different food – a Moroccan restaurant, Thai Panang, or Korean BBQ

2)  Take a class that interests you

3)  Walk someone else’s dog

4)  Participate in different exercise class, such as a Nia or Zumba class

5)  Sign up to support a new fundraiser

6)  Watch an episode of the History channel on a completely foreign topic

7)  Plant some herbs

8)  Help your cells regenerate – for a whole day, eat just fruits and vegetables

9)  Further help your cellular development by getting a great night’s sleep

10)  Clean out a closet and donate what you don’t use

11)  Wash the car!  Or surprise someone else by cleaning their car

12)  Try a local brewery’s beer

13)  Try a different wine

14)  Drive a new road

15)  Put a different assortment of toppings on your next pizza

16)  Babysit someone else’s kids

17)  Open a cookbook at random and try whatever page you see

18)  Listen to your kids’ music

What are your ideas for new experiences this spring?  Let us know by leaving a comment!

It is snowing, and my dogs are having a marvelous, snowy time.  They love the snow.  They love standing in the snow, crunching the partially frozen top layer of previous snowfalls, and they love chasing each other in the snow.  This is “dog tag” and while I don’t quite understand the rules, it involves lots of running, chasing, dashing in circles, and barking.  It looks like loads of fun.

Then the wet dogs come inside.  They drags in chunks of ice, snowballs that cling to furry legs, and whatever foliage they can manage.  It can be messy.

I think many times, having fun involves a messy process.  I like the idea that we embrace the messy aspects of our life, including our fun.   While I love a clutter-free, clean house, (my office doesn’t count) I also love the chaos and mess that comes with house-guests, especially those with children.  I enjoy the remnants that remain after a good party, or what the kitchen looks like after a really great meal.  Messy and wonderful.

The mess is sometimes evidence of a terrific memory and a fun time.  So let’s go make a mess!

How Start and Maintain a Business Plan

One of a leader’s most important (and some argue, the most important) qualities is the ability to plan for the future. Leaders have to respond to changes in the economy, innovation by the competition, fluctuating consumer preferences, new marketing techniques, and advancing technology. Leaders have to make decisions based on imperfect information without the benefit of a crystal ball. Leaders have to be their own crystal ball.

How do great leaders adjust for social changes, economic downturns, and changing customer buying habits?

They have plans. They have a strategic vision. When circumstances change (and they are always changing), insightful leaders make adjustments to the plans. They update the mechanisms and the steps that contribute to the strategic plan. Flexible plans allow companies to take advantage of new opportunities while keeping the overarching vision at the forefront of the business.

Write out your business plan. I am always surprised when business owners tell me they don’t have a written business plan. This is like sailing to China without a map. How can a business possibly move forward when there is no plan? How do you know what to plan for when you don’t have it mapped out?

Some common excuses include: 1) I just haven’t had time; 2) My company doesn’t need one; 3) I don’t know what one is supposed to look like; 4) I don’t know what we’d do with a plan if we did have one; and my personal favorite, 5) It is all in my head.

While I can think of several responses to all of these, the bottom line is the same: To be successful and sustainable, a company needs a plan.

If any of these excuses seem uncomfortably familiar, please consider spending some quality time formulating a business plan.

Where to start? My favorite business plans for many small businesses are based off free templates provided by SCORE at
www.scrore.org. There are templates for startup companies as well as for established companies. The downloadable templates walk users though a series of questions that are crucial for companies to answer for their future successes.

Who creates the plan? Sole proprietors can do it themselves or work with a coach or consultant. (Don’t know the difference? See article here.) One great way to develop a business plan for companies already in business to dedicate a half-day off-site with a dedicated note-taker and a facilitator. Spend 3 hours with your team, and tackle developing the business plan with the same determination as you would tackle a problem with a distributor.

Make the process as painless as possible.

Business plans are not carved in stone, and they MUST evolve with the changing market, economy, and advances of the company. Great leaders make adjustments when circumstances change. Having a working business plan means that changes are incorporated into the strategic vision of the company. The plan, and the steps needed to achieve the goals, become guiding aspirations. Having a plan, and having the plan evolve means growing the company in the right direction.

Congress got involved with credit card companies. As a result, the credit card companies recently changed the rules regarding how it can charge customers. The credit card changes went into effect February 22, 2010. Consumers with credit cards should be aware of their rights under the new laws.

1. Interest rates: Credit card issuers can no longer change interest rates in the first year that they issue the card. Cardholders get 45 days notice on any rate changes. Interest rates on the balances will not be raised unless the account is 60 days past due.

2. Put a cap on it: Activation and/or service fees in the past were unlimited. Now, the activation and service fees are capped at 25% of the credit limit during the first year of use.

3. Amazing grace: Card issuers previously were able to change the due dates to make it easier to charge late fees. Now, credit card companies have to give customers at least a 21-day grace period to pay their balance.

4. Credit limits: Customers have to agree to exceed their credit limits before they can be charged a fee for doing so, and customers who go over limit can only be assessed one fee per bill.

5. How long? Monthly statements now need to show how long it will take a cardholder to pay off the balance of their credit card debt if they only pay the minimum amount due.

6. Just say no: Cardholders can now refuse to accept interest rate hikes. If you refuse the new interest rates you opt instead to pay off your balances at the existing rates.

7. Hi Mom! Credit card companies used to target college students because their parents were liable for all charges. Now, anyone under 21 years old must have a co-signer or proof of enough income to repay the debt they might incur before they are issued a credit card.

Caveat Emptor!

Daytona, FL

Today is my perfect Valentine’s Day. I get to watch the Daytona 500.

I realize that watching NASCAR may not be every girl’s dream for Valentine’s Day, a day usually hallmarked by, well, Hallmark, candy, champagne, roses, and heart-shaped chocolate boxes. But it works for me.

On Valentine’s Day we celebrate love, and that means doing activities that make your loved ones happy. Some people will go out for a romantic dinner – I am making tempura shrimp and vegetables that go well with other race food. Some people will dress up and look beautiful for their partners – I will be in jeans and a number 14 sweatshirt. Some people will exchange cards and romantic gifts – I will place bets on NASCAR drivers and hope that my friends’ drivers lose. Traditional Valentine’s Day? No. Valentine’s Day Fun? Yes.

Valentine’s Day is a moment to reflect on the important relationships in our lives, and there is one that is commonly ignored. My friend Carolyn Strauss (www.CarolynStrauss.com) reminds us in her blog that we need to remember to love ourselves as well. We need to love the person we are. So please take a little time to do something nice for yourself, as well as your loved ones.

However you decide to celebrate a day that focuses on love and friendship, do what makes you happy, and what makes those around you feel cherished. Share the joy of being together. Make a promise to spend more time with someone special, whether it is a grandparent or a niece or a significant other.

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Mary

Beauty may be in the Eye of the Beholder,
But Product Value is in the Eye of the Buyer

Leaders need to put themselves in the position of their consumers. The theme of this article is to encourage leaders to experience their product or service from their customers’ perspective.

1. Buy your product, and then try to return it.Do the internet search. Price compare. Actually make an order to see how well the process works. Some companies do this very well. Kohls, COSTCO, and Walmart are all very good about product purchase procedures and customer service during the return process. They build up a loyal customer base by being helpful and considerate throughout the buying (and sometimes returning) experience.Customers want the buying experience to be fast, pleasant, and productive. That means they don’t want hassle or difficulties along the way. If a company makes the process too onerous or time-consuming, customers will
   simply find other places to buy what they want. One reason many customers buy online is they don’t have to deal with customer service personnel.

   Organizations should experience their processes to see how they can increase consumer loyalty through simply examining their own customer experiences. Consider the airline industry.

   The airline industry needs to understand why so many of us are willing to put up with the lack of seat assignments at Southwest. It isn’t that they allow our luggage to still travel with us for free, although that is a help. Many people LUV (their ticker symbol) Southwest Airlines because the booking and changing of tickets is an easy process. Not only is there ZERO hassle for changing a ticket, but their customer service people are sincerely pleasant and helpful.

   My most recent experiences changing tickets on two major airlines were expensive and time-consuming. I don’t understand why I get docked $150 for a ticket change (months before the initial flight would have occurred) and then when I tried using the remainder of the ticket after the $150 was deducted, the airline also kept the remainder of the amount that I didn’t use when I rebooked. Seriously? I traded in a $534 ticket for $178 ticket? After several hours on the phone with various customer service representatives who were neither pleasant nor helpful, I succumbed. I was defeated.

   No amount of marketing or clever slogans is going to reverse the damage of poor purchasing processes and unpleasant customer representatives. Are senior leaders oblivious to the fact that their organizations are driving customers away? Maybe. But I guarantee that the major leaders of the airlines do not go through their own ticketing process and customer service desks and, therefore, have no real idea how miserable the experience is for their consumers. So I fly Southwest whenever possible.

2. Go through your own drive-in. While traveling cross country with 2 dogs in the car, my meal selections are limited to either restaurants that do not mind my furry ones sitting with me (read: NONE) or those fine dining establishments that have drive-through windows.So on a recent trip, I placed my order at the window, and proceeded to the payments and collection window. I politely asked if they would please throw away my coffee cup (from my first drive-through experience of the day) to make room for their drink in my cup holder. To my unhappy surprise, the answer was a firm NO.“We cannot accept trash at the window.” “Why not?” I ask (in my own customer voice, which is far sweeter than I actually felt). “It is our policy not to accept trash. But you can park, come in, and throw away your trash.”

   Not willing to be so easily dissuaded from my fried entrée, I persist. “Is there an outside trash can?” “No,” came the reply, “because people might put garbage in it.” Seriously?

   It is 10 degrees outside, and I have pooches (what if I had children in car seats?) to consider. “Cancel my order please” was my response on behalf of all people traveling with small children, those who are physically challenged, and everyone else. It is ridiculous policy, and one that I am sure senior management knows nothing about. Why? Because they do not procure their own products in the same manner as average consumers do. They need to experience their company’s purchasing procedure like their customers do.

3. Make the call.Leaders of America, I dare you – call your own customer service department. How long are you on hold? How many voice mails did you have to go through? How many buttons did you have to press before you got to the right department? An actual person?Nightmare on Hold – A Customer Service Story:My worst telephonic customer service experience was with one of the biggest PC manufacturers. After they shipped me the wrong $150 part, I tried to return it. Sorry, I was one day outside the 20-day window, they answer. “But:” I pleasantly explained, “I have only been home from a trip for 2 days, and it is only Monday.” “Sorry,” says their customer service representative in a country that sounds far away, “The clock starts when you place the order. And you can only return it by DHL.” (The DHL service office was an hour and a half away from where I lived.) Huh?

   Again, not easily dissuaded, I persisted in trying to find a reasonable person to help resolve the situation. I made over 150 phone calls to their overseas customer service desk, and no one even pretended to care about my
   problem. One of their senior customer service representatives suggested that I donate the undesired part to a school, because there was no way they were taking it back. I fell outside the stated policy. There are no exceptions.

   On phone call number 151 (I started logging them for my own amusement, since I spent so much time on hold, and I thought that number might prove lucky), I asked for the phone number to their Headquarters, right here in the US. Surely, I thought, if I spoke to a manager, I could explain that the part was still sealed in its box, and the mistake was theirs. I was told there are no phones at their Headquarters.

   My three letters went unanswered (this process became a research experiment in customer service), and emails to the company customer service site were ignored. Remember, I still needed a part to fix my computer.

   After two weeks of irritation and countless hours, I bought a Mac. My entire company went Mac. For the cost of decent customer service and a $150 part, this PC manufacturer lost me and my entire company forever. Mac, I am happy to report, has GREAT customer service.

Leaders can protect against bad customer service before it starts by having efficient systems in place to take care of customers the first time. Not sure if your procedures are working? Make a return, go through the drive-through, and call your own customer service department.

Blessed are they…..

There are those people in every organization who perform the myriad of tasks that everyone takes for granted.
If you haven’t done any of these in a while, then you owe someone a thank you.
I once had a boss who, when my time with the organization was complete (my tour was finished) and I was getting my outbrief, looked at me and blankly said, “I honestly don’t know exactly what you do around here.”
I replied that much of what I did was, in fact, largely unnoticed because there were no problems associated with my department. “But don’t worry,” I assured him, “You’ll know more about what I did after I have been a gone a few weeks. When I’m not here, you’ll suddenly miss me.”
I wasn’t trying to be self-aggrandizing or arrogant. He just never knew how many problems never got to his level because they were handled at mine.
Then there are the basic, every day activities:

1. Making the coffee (and again and again)
2. Refilling the paper tray in the copier
3. Sorting the mail
4. Signing for delivery packages
5. Cleaning out the office refrigerator
6. Taking care of the trash
7. Sending flowers to whoever is sick, had a baby, or lost someone
8. Making the lunch run
9. Answering the phones in the common areas
10. Replacing the toner in the printers

So to those people who DO those unappreciated, daily activities that make it nicer for the rest of us, thank you!!

It is minus 4 degrees at my house right now.  The temperature did not get higher than 7 degrees today.  On really cold days, when I am snowed in, I stay home.  Why fight Mother Nature?

Being trapped in the house and my office makes me ridiculously productive.   No transit time, no spending time doing my hair in preparation for a face-to-face meeting, having to grab coffee on the road or waiting in-between meetings.

I love working on my home office.  I know some people who do a lot of work from home have a hard time “going” to work, but I love my work and I love the environment.  Still, there are times when I struggle to attack the projects that frustrate, irritate, or seem mundane.

So the question is how do I to get motivated when the project pile just keeps getting higher?

1. Wash the towels first.   I am the queen of laundry, and when the pile looms, I attack the towels first.  Why?  They are bulky and once they are in the washing machine, the rest of the pile looks less daunting.  Make a dent in the biggest, easiest pile first.  Then the rest of the tasks seem more manageable.
2. Make a dated list.  Not just the normal To-Do List that continues to grow every day regardless of the past three 18-hour workdays.  Put the day and date at the top of the  list of what is really important that day, and jot down what you really want to get accomplished that day.  Giving yourself measureable, attainable goals is helpful.  Simple ones like “Take Vitamins” and “Walk Dog” counts.
3. Multi-task.  I know, I know.  Everyone says that multi-tasking increases the time it takes to accomplish something, but if you have a long, tedious conference call to attend that you are not chairing, clean out a drawer or do some other fairly mindless task while others talk.  I run two computers simultaneously so that I can always be working on something, and I don’t wait for loading of pages or looking up other information.
4. Do the Post-Its Notes Focus Trick.  Thinking about the 2 dozen cupcakes that you need for the Halloween Party in the morning?  And the dog’s vet visit? And the oil light that came on yesterday?  And the project that is due in two days?  Write all the little distractions and other things on their own Post-It note, so and put them on the wall, on the space under the counter of your desk, or anyother place where you might see them.  Then as you get a few moments of free time, you can do some thing about those quick taskers.  What is left at the end of the day gets stuck on your daily list.
5. Walk fast.  People in organizations assume that if you walk quickly, you are busy.   When you ARE busy and walking fast, and fewer people will want to waste your time with idle chat, (so slow down slightly but keep walking).
6. Get it Done Now!  I make a sign and post it.

Good luck!

Mary

~ 7 Financial Strategies to Lead Into a Successful 2010 ~

January always seems a bit like a Monday morning. Lots to do, and not nearly enough coffee. Pass the aspirin and start planning now.

1. Assess the debt. If you personally did your part to single-handedly stimulate the economy over the holidays, we thank you. January is the time to assess all debt – credit cards, lines of credit, what you owe Mom and Dad, and car payments (I don’t count mortgage payments as debt, because you have to live somewhere, and if you weren’t paying a mortgage you’d be paying something for rent anyway.) Add it all up, and write that number on your calendar for Jan 1, 2010. As you pay off debt, track that number by adding up all debt at the beginning of every month, to make sure that debt number is heading in the right direction.
2. Any Thing, just not Every Thing. The book Do It made a great point several years ago – you can have Any Thing you want, just not Every Thing you want. So prioritize your serious wants, and separate those from your more frivolous wants. If you want to take a vacation, make saving for that a priority. If you want to increase retirement savings, cut out something less important. It is all about making a clear decision and focusing on the end goal.
3. Make a List and Check it Twice. I am the first to say that shopping with a list adds time. (I always forget something in the first aisle and have to double back somewhere at least twice.) However, whenever I take a trip, I make a list. When I go to a presentation, I make a list. For my financial goals, I make a list. Why? It increases the chance of getting it done if it is something I look at regularly. When making 2010 business goals, make a list. And before heading off to shop, make a list.
4. Taxes, Taxes, Taxes. The tax bill is going to come as a surprise to a lot of people. The US deficit spending has to be funded from somewhere, so we are going to see personal income as well as corporate tax increase. If the deficit spending increased by 4 fold in 2009 alone, how much do we think our taxes are going to increase? (Hint: Probably more than what we’d like.) Hopefully taxes won’t multiply by 4 immediately, but we are naïve if we think we are not going to be impacted. Start planning for taxes early, and be prepared. You might need to get professional help.
5. Pay to Pay? I know, it does seem wrong to pay a someone so that they can help you pay what you owe to the government. However, remember that a great tax person will generally 1) know the laws, 2) know the most recent changes, 3) actually save you time, effort and money in the long run. Don’t forget to take 2008 losses. Lot of folks are still reeling from the stock market melting, and many people sold at a loss. Remember that you can offset gains with losses for tax purposes. Again, seek a professional if it seems overwhelming.
6. Get the family involved. Sit down and honestly discuss financial matters with the family. Make sure everyone (over a certain age, of course – an 8 year old doesn’t need to know what the utility bill is) understands that there are limited resources. A great technique is to give teens and tweens their own “living allowance” which includes what they need for lunches, entertainment, clothes and miscellaneous items. Start tweens off with a weekly living allowance, and teens for the month. It teaches them to budget, to allocate funds for what they want, and to be mindful of money. My friends did this with great success. The first month the teen ran out of lunch money on the 20th of the month. Mom directed the teenager toward the jar of peanut butter. Teen never had a budgeting problem again.
7. Spend less than you make. If money gets tight, stop shopping. I was very impressed when a friend of mine told me a few weeks before Christmas that she just couldn’t do gifts this year because money was tight. Her friends were MORE than understanding, and a more than a few felt relieved because they were tight this Christmas too. Pressure off!

Happy New Year!

Now is the time to get the home budget under control, assess debt, and keep track of business costs.  Setting up a system at the start of the new year somehow seems more satisfying than starting in May.  A few easy tips:

1. Spend less than you make, after taxes.  What you make after taxes is the actual disposable income.  Many people forget about taxes, whether property, income, sales, car registration, or state taxes, and then are surprised when the paycheck runs a little short at the end of the month.

2. Create a realistic budget.  Sit down with the credit card receipts and the checkbook, and figure out the major expenditures, such as the house and car payments, utiities, and food.  Then create the rest of the spending plan after you have paid the bills.

3. Know where the money goes.  Many people get into trouble because they truly cannot figure out where the money went.  So track it.  And be honest.  If you truly do spend $60 a month at Starbucks, but buy your clothes at Goodwill, that is okay as long as you have planned for that in the budget.

4. Write it down.  The best way to know where the money went is to track it.  There are many great personal finance programs available.  You can use a ledger book.  You can use a school notebook.  There is a free downloadable monthly budget program on my website that allows you to either make your own book by printing out monthly sheets or you can maniplate the entries and amounts and it does the math for you.  It is yours to use, and is not on any server, so your information stays completely private.  www.organize-you.com/refills/

5. Plan for the rainy days.  If this recession taught us nothing else, it alerted us that anyone have financial troubles, so it is wise to save for emergencies.

Good luck and let me know how it goes!!!

Mary

I left the white snow to go the white sandy beach for Christmas, not because I am a sunbather (ha!) or because snow is cold (it is), but because my sister and her kids, my brother and his kids, my cousin (who is a awesome) and parents all decided to head to FL for the Christmas holidays. So the dogs and I hopped into the car and drove 1600 miles to share in holiday fun.

The house is full of the chaos and noise that corresponds with children, and I just love it.

The dogs have been complete troopers, both on the long 2 day drive (I know!) and with the small people who insist on tugging and pulling on the dogs while teaching them how to play Candyland.

My parents are of the age where the loudest noise they hear during the day is when Dad pops the top off a beer. So the riotous fun of the children is a big change for them. (They mute television commercials because they don’t like the noise.)

The kids, of course, are having a grand time – they are other adults to pounce upon with books, demanding stories, and all kinds of new games. Aunt Mary thinks poker is a great way to teach numbers and counting. Grandpa loves to teach toasting. Grandma is working on Scrabble with the 6 year olds. Great Aunt Mary is a fan of building sandcastles with shoes on.

So far, so good. No major meltdowns or fits of crying, and the kids are holding up too.

Merry Christmas!
Mary

~ 10 Ways to Enjoy the Joy with a Stress-Free Holiday ~

Leadership is not just a position at work. Leadership also means taking responsibility at home, and that means ringing in theholiday with as much joy, and as little stress, as possible.

The holidays mean wonder, joy and a celebration of abundance, but it can also mean moments of frustration, anger and irritation at friends and family. Every year there is an unrealized expectation that the mere appearance of the holidays also brings with it a metamorphosis that those closest to us will transform into something else. Seriously, is it realistic to expect that our family will all become characters from a made-for-TV Christmas special just because we all decided to get together for the holidays? It is not. Yet these expectations remain, and whenever there are unrealized expectations, there is disappointment, leading to frustration and anger.

So how do we enjoy all of this togetherness time?

1. Keep the big picture. Who really cares of Aunt Thelma wants to contribute her horrible green beans for the Christmas feast? Smile, say thank you, and move on to something important.
2. Let go of other people’s problems. Their problems are not yours, much as they might try to share them. If you can’t solve their personal problems, then those are not your problems. You can listen, you can empathize, you can sympathize, but if you cannot solve them, then you need to give up the emotional anxiety associated with them. Move on. (I am a big fan of the Move On idea.)
3. Be the grown up. I recommend this a lot, especially when your partner, the person you love, drives you crazy. Be the mature person in the relationship. Be the first to try to see the other person’s perspectives, and try to find a reason for their behavior. It is more important to be together and appreciative than to be right. So overlook the stories that are not told t, the imperfect recall of an event, or a missed promise. Other people are going to complain, act out, and behave badly, ect. When they irritate you, they give you an option. You have a choice – either be the grown up and act accordingly, or not. I recommend the high road. Why? Fewer regrets later. And it makes the decisions easier. Or you can just smile and move on to something important.
4. Focus on the important. Great leaders differentiate between problems and inconveniences. Problems are real. Inconveniences may be unpleasant, but they are hardly life threatening. Many people blur the difference and forget to focus on the important. As a result, those little matters start to take over. By staying focused on the important, the little inconveniences will fall away.
5. Buy a goat. Nothing provides focus more than the knowledge that your $ 75 goat could save an entire family’s life. Think about the benefit you could provide for the price of a month’s worth of mocha lattes. It is a great way to celebrate your own abundance while helping out someone else. Go to www. Worldvision.org or www.heifer.org . And save a family.
6. Give Uncle Harold the goat.You know Uncle Harold, who hates everything he gets for any occasion? Even better. Buy a goat or a pig or 5 ducks (a bargain at just $30) in his name and send him the card. (That will teach him to criticize last year’s cookie basket!) Well, it may not teach him to think twice about complaining, but at leastsomebody will be grateful for your gift.
7. Take 5. Take just 5 minutes to go for a walk, and try to get the family to go with you. (I realize that could take 45 minutes.) Try to have activities that encourage healthy behavior, even if it is just for 5 minutes.
8. Clarify the expectations.Frustrations and unrealized expectations often occur because people don’t know what is expected. As my New York grandma used to say, “If they don’t know better, you tell them.” So open the dialogue early and let people discuss activities, meals, and presents. Generally, people at work do better when they know what is expected of them. Why do we think that our families might be different? Agree on a few guidelines and make sure everyone knows.
9. Communicate, communicate, and communicate. Holidays can be tough because sometimes one family’s tradition or rules merge with another’s morays. For example, one holiday meal was being cooked by an in-law, whose family’s ideas of meal promptness made the military pale by comparison. When he cooked for my family, whose idea of a mealtimes falls into the “when we all get to the table” he was upset and chagrined that some people showed up “late” not realizing that it is impossible to be “late” to a meal in my family. If something is important, let people know. If they don’t understand the importance that is your fault for failing to effectively communicate. The onus of the communication is on the communicator, so make sure that you take responsibility for the message you want received.
10. Breathe. Accept people for who they are and what they are not. Sometimes, despite all of our diplomacy, plans go awry, people get upset, and there is a lack of gratitude and appreciation. Honestly, it would be terrific if we all became that person our dogs think we are, but few people have the forgiving nature common to most dogs. But that doesn’t mean the effort is wasted. This year, let’s try practicing acceptance and forgiveness.

Let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear how your holidays go!