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Monday Morning Motivators – August 18, 2008
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Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. Subscribing and unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“The work of the individual still remains the spark that moves mankind ahead even more than teamwork.”
--Igor Sikorsky
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Table of Contents
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1. Solving Problems - Linda Fayerweather
2. Never Underestimate the Personal Touch - Rebecca Booth
3. Eliminate Judgmental Thoughts Today! - Pat Altvater
4. One IS the Loneliest Number! - Paula Frazier
5. To Do This Week
6. Fine Print
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1. Solving Problems
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A big “Oops” starts off your Monday Morning. Before you try to “solve” the problem, take a deep breath and realize that 80% of the time companies are fixing the same problem over and over again because the true cause does not get identified. If your problem is a repeat, returning issue, you need to find the root cause. Here are six steps to discovering and solving a problem for good.
1. Describe the problem.
2. Implement temporary containment.
3. Analyze the problem and generate potential solution(s).
4. Determine root cause and select solution(s).
5. Implement solution(s).
6. Verify effectiveness of solution(s).
These six steps are a disciplined approach to problem solving and discovering the root cause. You will also find that when you take a step by step approach (and yes, these need to be done in order) you are less likely to jump to conclusions and will encourage teams to use their skills and ideas. In the end, you will find the root cause and once the this cause is identified, the solution will stop the same ole’ problem from resurfacing.
Copyright 2008 Linda Fayerweather
Storm the Barn with New Ideas
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
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2. Never Underestimate the Personal Touch
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When’s the last time you really connected with someone? I’m not talking about a generic birthday card with your signature and company logo pre-printed on the card. I’m talking about a personal phone call or greeting card that asks the person about something important in their life. I just got off the phone with a previous client whom I hadn’t spoken with in a year. I started out the conversation with movie going – because she and her husband are movie buffs. We shared comments on what was worth the “full price” ticket and what wasn’t. Then we got down to business. This approach was a win/win for the both of us: as it started out the conversation on an “up” momentum (she was a little uncertain about calling as they had started doing things in-house versus outsourcing to me) and I got the “skinny” on the new Batman movie!
Connecting personally is so easy. A simple phone call, greeting card or even “I was thinking about you” email does the trick. Your focus should always be about them and their interests – kids, grandkids, pets or hobbies. Business will follow much more easily – and with much more success – if you start out this way.
Copyright 2008 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419-855-3399
www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com
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3. Eliminate Judgmental Thoughts Today!
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Have you heard the saying that “Every blade of grass has an angel bending over it whispering, grow, grow!” However, I’ve found that most of my clients hear a persistent whisper that is a bit less encouraging. In psychology it’s called “The critic”. It’s that fault-finding voice within, with a knack for reminding us of our weaknesses. If you close your eyes you might hear it now. “You’re not smart enough. You’re not special enough. What makes you think you can do that! Didn’t those shorts fit looser last summer???”
Experts say that a full 70 – 80% of our thoughts are negative. The unfortunate reality is that we are constantly judging ourselves and others. Listen to yourself during one day and see how many judgmental thoughts you have. Do you look in the mirror in the morning and criticize your appearance? Do you reprimand yourself if you make a mistake, realize that you’ve said the wrong thing, or heaven forbid, eaten a cookie or two??
Keep in mind, too, that our criticisms of others always reflect how we feel about ourselves. Those judgments mask our own fears that we don’t measure up and typically what we judge in others is what we don’t like about ourselves and haven’t had the courage to admit!
So it’s time to give it up, don’t you agree? Just STOP!!! The minute you hear yourself think a judgmental thought say “Cancel that” and instantly substitute a new and powerful thought about you. Keep doing this and eventually those judgmental comments will subside and you’ll free up your brain to think other more creative and empowering thoughts!
Copyright 2008 Pat Altvater
www.ignitethepowerwithinbook.com
www.thesecretofpermanentweightloss.com
www.permanentweightlossebook.com
www.transformationsinstitute.com
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4. One IS the Loneliest Number!
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Even if you are a natural networker and were born and blessed with the networking gene you’re gonna have to get out of your cave to apply your referral marketing techniques and to build your referral network. But far too many of us are cave dwellers – and we don’t even know it!
We wake up each morning in our cave called a house. We jump into a cave on four wheels and drive to work. We enter another cave commonly known as an office. We may even venture out into a few other caves – the bank cave, the local coffee shop cave, the restaurant cave and sometimes even the chamber cave. It FEELS like we’re getting out but we’re truly hanging out in the same old caves with a big bunch of other cave dwellers.
When you’re a cave dweller 1+1+1 can still equal 1 – YOU all by yourself – ALONE! Believe it or not, you can experience different results even if you’re not comfortable venturing out into new caves. There are three words that BNI Executive Director, Neal Frazier, loves to share – GO WITH PURPOSE:
1. Have a goal to meet one new person in smaller venues and 5-10 new people in larger venues.
2. Invest about 15 minutes with each person to learn a bit about them and a bit about their business. Be sure to share a bit about yourself.
3. Actively listen. Be fully present and participate in the conversation.
4. As appropriate- follow up to schedule a meeting with the people that could be prospective referral partners (or clients)and follow up to schedule a face to face introduction when you’ve identified needs that one of your referral partners can potentially give them help them.
5. Send a thank you card to everyone you strategically introduce yourself to. You never know who they know. It increases the likelihood that they’ll remember you.
As the song goes, “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever know” when you’re counting on building your business by relationship, by referral.
What are you going to do to move your referral marketing efforts into the 21st century and to get out of your cave before your business becomes extinct?!?
Copyright 2008 Paula Frazier is a referral marketing trainer, coach, consultant and keynote speaker. She is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Paula’s business networking articles have been published internationally. She is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion – Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. Check out #33, Delusion with a twist! To learn more about the science of referrals contact Paula at paula@referralinstitute-va.com or paula@bniswva.com.
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5. To Do This Week
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Review the waste you are throwing out – can you do a bigger part of recycling.
