Archive for June, 2011
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
 “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.” – Charles Swindoll
We may not be able to change what has happened to us thus far in life, such as our biological parents, or other factors, which have influenced us. We can’t control many of the things, which happen to us in life. We can, however, control how we respond to what happens to us. Personal skills, competencies, and worth can be improved regardless of age or position. Far too often, failure is blamed on external circumstances: other people or things beyond our control. But that is rarely the case. There are just too many people who continue to overcome diverse circumstances. An old adage still remains true—if you think you can or if you think you can’t, you’re probably right.
Ray Kroc was considered to be an aging high school drop out who failed at almost everything he ever did. At age 52, he decided to try again and developed what is now the McDonald’s empire.
Sam Walton opened his first store (a Ben Franklin variety store) in a small town of about 7,000 people. It was losing money and he bought it with $5,000 of his own money and $20,000, which he borrowed. Within five years, he had reached his goal of turning a profit, only to be refused renewal on his lease and forced to sell. His next venture was to open another store, Walton’s Five and Dime. This was the beginning of the greatest retail success story in history. Sam Walton created Walmart, the largest chain of discount stores in America.
There are many other examples of individuals who overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve worldwide acclaim, of leaders who took their companies to positions of global dominance in the face of fierce competition. There are even more examples of those who gave up, threw in the towel, and failed. It’s easy to blame others, or the environment, or the economy, or to rationalize ‘why’ it wasn’t their fault. If circumstances are not the determining factor, what is?
Too many people hold themselves in lower self-esteem than the actual facts warrant. Bad moments and past mistakes tend to make a deeper impression on our memories than our past successes. Many people tend to think more often of where and how they’ve failed, rather than where and how they have succeeded. Thus, many people tend to view themselves as less capable than they actually are. Another problem is that many have never learned the importance of self-love. The awkwardness with which some people accept compliments illustrates this fact. They often allow minor imperfections to color their view of themselves, resulting in a low self-image. To build a self-image on anything less than self-love, is to build on a hopelessly weak foundation.
With these thoughts in mind, begin to imagine the difference you would make in enhancing the self-image of others if you thought more frequently in the terms of their strengths and implemented a system and recognition program focused on their achievements, rather than on mistakes and failures. How much easier would it be to implement a change process if everyone viewed himself or herself in a positive light? What would happen to productivity if everyone thought more in terms of their unlimited potential rather than their limitations? You could have a powerful influence on the growth and achievement of everyone with whom you work!
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in business and management consulting, strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching and youth leadership. For more information visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Ben Franklin, Charles Swindoll, Ray Kroc, Sam Walton, self esteem, unlimited potential
Posted in Human Potential | No Comments »
Friday, June 17th, 2011
We have talked in previous articles about the importance of having a clearly defined vision—identifying what you truly want and sincerely desire. We have also discussed that in addition to a clearly defined vision, you also need to define your core values, which help you choose and commit to what you believe in and how you want to be known.
The next critical step is to develop the success attitudes needed to help you realize your vision. Your attitudes play a critical role in your success. Your belief in yourself and your ability to achieve the results you desire will influence the way you deal with others. A negative attitude about yourself and your worth or about the worth of others will be like an anchor holding you back from success. A positive attitude becomes an internal motor that will drive you to accomplishment. Positive attitudes are synonymous with high self-esteem, and both are developed as a result of values and beliefs that recognize the worth of self and others. People who feel good about themselves produce better results.
Behavioral scientists have long realized that our behavior is linked closely with our attitudes and that if we want to improve behavior and outcomes, we have to improve the way we think. If you are to implement new ideas, new plans, and visions for excellence, you have to change attitudes and improve thinking. New thinking won’t work with old attitudes, and new results won’t work with old thinking.
The way you think, your attitudes, are a result of the events you have experienced thus far in your life and how you feel about those events and their outcomes. Your perceptions of yourself, of others, of your worth, and the worth of others are also a result of your past experiences.
The key to developing stronger success attitudes is twofold. First, recognize that your attitudes have been developed over time, and they can be changed or developed to be more conducive to your success and desired outcomes. You are 100% in control of developing your attitudes of success. Second, realize that any meaningful and lasting change must occur over a period of time and evolve from conscious, daily input of positive and growth-oriented ideas. Success attitudes result from repetitive and positive input over a period of time. Develop constant reminders, which will help you keep your vision and your strengths in clear focus. These reminders have the capability of exciting you when obstacles seem insurmountable, as well as helping you feel good about yourself when moments of self-doubt creep into your thinking.
One of the most common forms of successful attitude reinforcement is the regular use of affirmations. An affirmation is telling yourself in times of doubt that which you know to be true other times. More specifically, an affirmation is a positive statement, which describes the person that you want to become. The power of affirmations can best be understood when we realize that our mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined. Affirmations help you utilize this phenomenon to your advantage. By continuously imaging yourself succeeding or winning, your positive belief system is reinforced and you can become anything you choose!
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: affirmations, Attitudes, new thinking, old thinking, positive attitudes, Success, success attitudes, Values, Vision
Posted in Attitudes, Vision | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
Organizational goals provide the definition of purpose and the direction for an organization. Goals crystallize and bring life to the organization’s vision—its reason for existence. Organizational goals that are developed and executed properly foster organizational alignment and success through the three most critical components of an organization: Strategy, People, and Process.
As the overall goals are carried through every department, business unit, or division of an organization’s structure, they provide the cornerstone to the organizational structure. Organizational goals give you and your team something you can sink your teeth into, provide guidelines for achievement and recognition, and promote pride in the organization. A primary part of your job as a team leader is to communicate the organizational goals and their connectivity to the goals of your team or department.
The primary reason most organizations exist is to be profitable or to generate enough funds to implement their mission as in a not-for-profit organization. Goals provide the direction around which every part of an organization, as well as the various activities of the individuals within the organization, must be organized. When the physical, mental, and emotional efforts of all contributors are channeled toward organizational goals, the organization’s success increases dramatically.
Goals provide the organization with a tracking system and a means of recording its achievements. Too often, organizational goals are achieved but lost to memory by the reporting period. Recognizing achievements is a confidence builder. Past achievements can be a predictor of your future success.
Goals assist an organization in all decision-making processes. When an organization has defined exactly where it is headed, many decisions fall into place. All energies can be focused on discovering ways to get there, rather than deciding where to go. When goals are identified and action steps determined—it is much easier for all parts of an organization to align. Each part of the organization can weigh its own effort in terms of its contribution to the overall goals of the entire organization rather than to its own unique function. Goals help the members of an organization build unity of purpose. Therefore, communications improve and differences of opinion are shared more rationally because the team effort is directed at achieving common goals.
Well thought out organizational goals often become the basis of an organization’s public image. Publicly shared goals that convey confidence and success can help increase market share, customer loyalty, and earning potential. Customers are more likely to purchase from an organization whose image is that of an organization capable of describing its achievements to a vast audience—your employees and customer base.
Clearly defined goals will also help an organization anticipate, compensate for, and reduce the impact that outside forces have upon its operations. Goals help set into motion plans of action, which take into consideration a wide spectrum of possible obstacles to be encountered. By such systematic strategic planning, obstacles are either overcome or their efforts are greatly reduced.
A team with well-defined goals provides a framework within which your team members can set appropriate and meaningful personal goals. For success in today’s business environment, it is important that employees’ personal goals are aligned with the team’s and the organization’s goals. There is always a much stronger commitment to organizational goals when personal goals and needs are being fulfilled.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses and individuals achieve high levels of excellence and success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: goal setting, goals, organizational, personal, resource associate, Success
Posted in Goal Planning | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
“Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it.” – Peter Drucker
Before you answer the question, ‘What does a customer really want?’ Consider a broader question, ‘What is your definition of a customer?’ Although organizations deal with many types of customers, the definition should include two important components:
- A customer is someone who wants or needs your help, your service or your product, and is willing to pay for it.
- A customer is someone with whom your organization is attempting to create a unique and emotionally positive experience for which they will repeatedly purchase your product or service.
By defining your customer it becomes much easier to identify what your customer really wants. Above all, a customer wants a hassle free experience as well as to be individually recognized and treated with respect. Research shows that 96% of customers who are not treated with respect decide to never go back. Typically, customers will not complain because complaining just adds to the hassle of an already bad experience. Six out of ten customers will never return to an organization based on poor service … not poor products. They usually will not register a complaint with the organization; they just go elsewhere. Customers want a positive experience and want to deal with a service provider that has empathy and understands how they feel. They want a service provider who creates strong points of connection. A powerful point of connection creates a bond with customers and ensures a high level of trust. Trust builds strong relationships and a strong relationship ultimately creates customer loyalty. Also keep in mind trust is what your customer wants.
There are many requirements to building a successful and sustainable business:
- The ability to manage the organization effectively
- The ability to create financial growth
- The ability to innovate
- The ability to develop and sustain a loyal customer base
- The ability to make environmentally sound decisions.
When these five components are working in sync, an organization will experience sustainable success.
We know that loyal customers will always return to purchase your products or services, which creates a long-term stream of income. A satisfied customer who has had an average experience may or may not come back, therefore, creating a one time sales or revenue opportunity. Loyal customers always come back; whether it is once a week to their local grocery store or drycleaner, or monthly to their local pharmacy, or every April at tax time to the same accounting professional. No matter the business or industry, creating multiple, and consistent revenue opportunities has a very positive financial effect on the organization.
Additional advantages of developing a loyal customer base include their willingness to pay more for your product or service, and they are also more forgiving when your organization makes a mistake. As loyal customers, they trust your organization and have faith that you are fair. It is truly all about building relationships through trust and strong points of connection. Making the strategic decision to create a loyal customer base is one of the most important commitments you can make to the success of your organization.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve sustainable results through management consulting, strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching and youth leadership. For information on creating a leadership succession plan visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Tags: Customer Loyalty, points of connection, relationships, resource associates, sustainable, trust
Posted in Customer Loyalty | No Comments »
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