Two people can view the same situation entirely different. One may see the glass half empty; another sees the glass half full. Both observations are correct, but the subtle difference in thought process and phrasing is important. The former is bemoaning what isn’t and the latter is appreciating what is. The way you view and describe a situation greatly influences how you feel about it and how you respond to it. You have the power to choose how you see life. You always have the option of viewing situations in either a positive or negative manner.
When someone asks you how you genuinely feel about yourself, what thoughts first come to your mind? Do you instinctively think about your shortcomings and failures, or do you think about your worth and potential? Your view of yourself affects your development. When you focus on your potential, you foster vision and motivation for growth. When you expect positive outcomes, you will be more inclined to work for and get them. If you motivate employees and create an environment where they want to succeed, they will be more likely to do so. If you have positive expectations, they will strive to live up to them. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and help them become what they’re capable of being.”
When you see life positively, you will be in a stronger position to ward off the negative influences that constantly bombard you. You will be able to set your goals and sustain your efforts to achieve them. Take an inventory of your internal attitudes. Listen closely to your dialogue with yourself. You will become increasingly aware of the many negative thoughts that you may entertain on a daily basis.
Be conscious of your thoughts and make a commitment to change those negative thoughts into positive commitments. Just as you exercise your body to make it healthy, exercise your mind with positive thoughts that begin with “I can” and “I will.” You have no doubt encountered people who move forward through life with vigor and enthusiasm. They seem to possess an indefinable quality that propels them over and around obstacles. They don’t get discouraged, and they don’t indulge in self-doubt or self-pity. That quality is a positive view of life. You can almost hear them saying aloud to themselves, “I can” and “I will,” and as a result they do!
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has been the first choice among business partners for creating successful business consultants and coaches. For more information visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Good coaches come in all shapes and sizes, but here are some characteristics that most good coaches seem to share.
They are excellent listeners. They’d rather ask good questions than give good advice.
They are curious people. They love to dig beneath the surface to uncover a person’s dreams, values, and passions.
They are self-assured and they rejoice in other people’s success.
They believe in relationships and enjoy working one-on-one with people over an extended period of time.
They are encouragers and they get a thrill out of helping others achieve their dreams.
They have positive attitudes and they look for, affirm, and expect the best in others.
They are honest and they are not afraid to challenge others when that’s the best way to help them.
They are unselfish and they are willing to get out of the way so others can grow.
They are respectful and they do not attempt to manipulate or control others.
A good coach is a professional who works with individual clients to help them achieve results and sustain life-changing behavior in both their personal lives and careers. Good coaches address the whole person with an emphasis on uncovering blind spots and producing right action that leads to more fulfillment, more balance, and a more enjoyable life journey.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping professional business coaches build stronger and more successful practices. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Having a coach is like having your own personal navigator for your life’s journey.
The coach helps you chart your course and reach your destination. Imagine having someone in your corner who is totally committed to your success. Someone who always encourages the powerful part of you, who sees how big you can be, and constantly holds up that big image for you even when you can’t hold it up for yourself.
Imagine a relationship that places the total focus on you. A relationship with someone who helps you clarify your dreams, aspirations, passions, and values. Someone who helps you celebrate your victories and learn from your setbacks as you press on toward achieving your goals together.
Consider the benefits of having regular conversations with a skilled, trained professional who really listens to you and not just your words but to your emotions, your energy, and even the spaces between your words. A coach is a professional who provides a ‘safe’ place for you to move beyond superficial, inhibited, self-limiting conversations, so you have the confidence to express doubts and even fears. A coach is someone who helps you gain the tools and strength you need to defeat the attitudes and behaviors that have sabotaged your past success and created stress in your life.
Imagine having a trustworthy, confidential relationship with someone who will absolutely tell you the truth, the truth about where you are strong, and where you sell yourself short. Someone who knows your values and your life purpose, and will help you hold yourself true to them. Someone who will accept everything your communicate without judgment, always seeking to draw out the very best in you.
The impact of coaching increases with time. As coach and client get to know each other better, the coach become more familiar with the client’s strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, and dreams.
So who can benefit from having a coach? Anyone who’s going through change, which includes just about all of us!
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has successfully taught professionals how to become an independent consultant or a coach. Learn how by visiting our website or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
A recent study performed by the Institute of Business Ethics found that companies displaying a ‘clear commitment to ethical conduct’ consistently outperform companies that do not display ethical conduct. The director of IBE, Philippa Foster Black stated, “Not only is ethical behavior in business the right thing to do in principle, we have shown that it pays off in financial returns.” Part of your commitment as a business leader is to create and maintain the processes and a culture that dictates ethical behavior. Ethical behavior is not an easy path, nor is it a path taken without thought and consideration. As a leader, decision with value connections will be presented frequently. Examples could include employees stealing from the company, doing personal business on company time, modifying accounting records, or extending a customer discount that was not earned, etc. Clearly defined organizational goals and clearly stated organizational values are integral to your ability to make the best decisions and take the right actions. As you deal with different types of situations you are being evaluated very closely by your team. As you lead by example, you become a champion for the organization’s commitment to ethical behavior. As you look to enhance the ethical policies and processes within your company, take into consideration the following five principles.
Be trustful: Recognize that customers and employees want to do business with an organization they can trust. When trust is at the core of an organization, it is easy to recognize.
Meet obligations: Regardless of the circumstances, do everything in your power to keep commitments and obligations to employees and customers. An incredible amount of trust is built when an organization honors its commitments. If unforeseen events stand in the way of meeting an obligation, immediately communicate the challenges and work together to find resolution.
Reevaluate all documents and materials: Make sure all department and organizational documents and literature are clear and precise. Make sure they don’t misinterpret or misrepresent.
Have documented processes: Every organization is structured differently. However, having documented processes and policies on how your organization interacts with customers and employees is critical. If processes are properly documented there is no question what a product or service should be or whether a customer exception falls within the acceptable guidelines. Take a hands-on approach to all accounting and record keeping as it will allow you to end an inappropriate action in a timely fashion.
Be respectful: Treat employees and customers with respect regardless of differences, positions, titles, ages, or diversity. Always treat others with respect and courtesy even if you agree to disagree.
Successful implementation of these five principles becomes a leader’s daily commitment and responsibility. Oprah Winfrey said it quite simply, “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to ever know whether you did it or not.”
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve sustainable results through leadership development and executive coaching. For information on creating a leadership succession plan visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
“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.
Erase from your mind any traces of the myth that leaders are born, not made. Instead realize that the degree to which you lead your organization or team to success lies in your hands. Your ability to lead both yourself and others will enhance the quality of your work as well as your life. The quality of your leadership not only determines your future, it determines the future of your organization and the lives of all those who follow you.
In any discussions of leadership, it is inevitable that we find ourselves thinking in terms of formal leadership. We tend to think of leadership in terms of rank or position. However, formal leadership is the outgrowth of your ability to master the art of self-leadership; it is indeed, the ability to establish a specific direction for your own life, and to proceed in that direction with the self-confidence that comes only to one who knows where he or she is going. Becoming a leader means becoming you. It is that simple and that difficult. It begins with figuring out who you are and what gives your life value and meaning. It means focusing on doing the right things and understanding who you are, who you want to become, what skills you want to develop, and what you want to accomplish beyond where you are today. When you identify your goals and values on a personal level, they are genuine and authentic. When you identify leadership on a personal level, you develop the authenticity required to become a leader of an organization. According to Winston Churchill, “The key to leadership is sincerity. Before he can inspire with emotion, he must be swayed by it himself. Before he can move their tears, his own must flow. To convince them, he must himself believe.” Leadership of others begins with leadership of self. Until you identify leadership on a personal level, you can never truly become an effective leader of an organization.
Realizing the vision involves a shared commitment and responsibility throughout the organization. This encompasses an ability to influence others to become committed to new directions and the ability to lead people to higher levels of performance. This is perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing today’s leaders. As we continue to shift our emphasis away from the traditional role of managing and controlling, we need to improve our understanding of human behavior and how to bring out the best in people.
For many leaders, this means change. Regardless of external circumstances, rank, or previous experience you can improve your leadership skills. Leadership qualities stem from internal attitudes and learned skills, not outside situations. Effective leadership consists of more than just an intellectual understanding of leadership characteristics. The characteristics and skills must be incorporated into your style. They must be consistent with your beliefs and values, and part of your actions and decisions. Leaders inspire others, improve outcomes, bring out the best in people, make mistakes, and continuously learn and improve. Your success as a leader depends on your ability to influence behavior and align your resources in the direction that will ensure continued success.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve sustainable results through leadership development and executive coaching. For information on creating a leadership succession plan visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Everyone makes decisions differently and is motivated or driven by different things. Being aware of and understanding these differences is really important when managing employees or creating relationships.
Over fifty years of scientific research has revealed that there are three distinct styles of decision-making. Each of us can make decisions in all three ways, but we tend to develop a preference for one more than the other two. This preference becomes a subconscious force, affecting the decisions we make on a daily basis and shaping how we perceive the world around us and ourselves. The three decisional styles are personal, practical, and analytical.
To some extent everyone is capable of making all three kinds of decisions, but we ultimately have a preference. Here is a simple example of the three in contrast with each other. A person with each style is sitting around a table working on a project together. While the Personal style is focused on the needs of the team members involved and how to best use their talents, the Practical style doesn’t really care as much about the team or if it is done right, he just wants to get it done. Finally the Analytical sees no reason to worry about the people involved or even getting it done if it isn’t going to be done correctly.
We all have different balances of these three styles. That is what makes our decisions and actions different from others. These ways of making decisions and how we use them are at the core of whom we are.
In addition to there being three distinct styles of decision making, people are also motivated to make decisions based on different drivers. Based on the research of Eduard Spranger and later by Gordon Allport, there are seven key motivational drivers and they include the following:
The motivation to achieve balance, harmony, and find form or beauty
The motivation for security from economic gain and to achieve practical returns
The motivation to be seen as unique, independent, and stand apart from the crowd
The motivation to have influence and control over one’s environment or success
The motivation to benefit others in a humanitarian sense
The motivation to establish order, routine, and structure
The motivation to gain knowledge or discover truth
Imagine how beneficial it would be to know how your team members make decisions and why they are motivated to do what they do. Imagine being able to share that knowledge with the actual team members. Communication, teamwork, and your ability to manage would instantly improve. Results and outcomes would measurably improve. Uncovering how people make decisions and what drives them to do what they do can be uncovered through a simple assessment process. However, the assessment process is only the beginning. A commitment by management to create an action plan on how to effectively use the knowledge to improve team building is a critical second step. Information for information’s sake is—you got it—just information. An action plan to manage with the new information will provide long-term and sustainable results for your team.
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.
When you begin to think of yourself as a successful leader, you realize that there are more demands on your time than you can possibly fill. This is a common problem faced by many leaders. The solution to this challenge is developing a process of effective delegation. However, delegation is an important tool that many leaders hesitate to use, and it has been the downfall of many leaders. The biggest barrier to delegation is overcoming the attitude that you must do it all! It becomes a leader’s curse when you adhere to the adage, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”
Delegation is very different from simply assigning someone a task or project that falls into his or her established job description or requirements. When you delegate, you give someone else one of your job tasks to complete with the authority and control to complete it properly. Delegation is not abdication. You share accountability for the assignment, which is why checkpoints are established to monitor overall progress. Just as the outcomes of your entire department are your responsibility, you are also responsible for the ultimate success of the delegation process.
When delegation is done properly and for the right reasons, it helps foster a climate of trust and creates growth opportunities for your employees. Here are five principles that can help you create an effective delegation process.
Determine what you will delegate. Effective delegation begins with defining your responsibilities. Write down all of your activities and responsibilities. Review your master list and categorize all of the items into two secondary lists: things you alone must do and things that others could do or help you complete. Anything that falls into the second list presents an opportunity for delegation.
Choose the right person to delegate the task to. Andrew Carnegie said, “The secret to success lies not in doing your own work, but in recognizing the right person to do it.” The key to finding the right person to delegate an assignment to is matching skills and attitude to the task at hand.
Clarify the desired results. When the results are clear, it allows the employee to use his or her own creativity and resources to accomplish the task. An added benefit of effective delegation is the individual may find a better and more effective way to accomplish the task or achieve the desired results.
Clearly define the employee’s responsibility and authority as it relates to the delegated task. Clearly communicate the expectation, responsibilities, and timeline. Be sure to ask the employee to share his or her understanding.
Establish a follow up meeting or touch points. The follow up meetings should be focused on two things—monitoring progress and determining the need for assistance. The number of follow up meetings will vary based on the scope of the task or project and whether the employee is new or a long term member of the department.
Once you have created a solid process for delegation, stick to it, and avoid reverse delegation. At times, a team member may try to dump the delegated task back to you, and you may feel tempted to take it back especially if he or she seems to be struggling. Helping him or her stretch outside his or her comfort zone is all part of a positive growth and development. Use the scheduled follow up meetings to manage the delegation process, provide encouragement, and monitor the results!
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.
Sustainability, green, social responsibility, and corporate citizenship are all descriptors used to explain the initiative of businesses doing good while doing well. In our experience, developing a strategy of sustainability is a commitment to all people, all processes, and the environment while building profitable businesses.
Business leaders are becoming more knowledgeable about how sustainability impacts their businesses but there is still a large learning curve that needs to be addressed. In a recent ASQ research study (American Society for Quality) 40% of the respondents noted they are only somewhat familiar or not really familiar with the concept of sustainability.
Depending on your business, the opportunities for enhanced business by embracing a strategy of sustainability can be multiple. In a recent study by Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and the Hitachi Foundation (released in 2010), they verified several business opportunities generated by sustainability initiatives. It is the only research to provide a comprehensive view of small, medium, and large sized US businesses.
72% of the companies surveyed are reducing costs through improved materials efficiency.
58% are manufacturing or sourcing domestically/locally.
53% are increasing brand awareness as “green” or socially responsible.
52% are designing and offering sustainable products/services.
50% are providing customers with more information about products’/services’ social and environmental impacts.
48% are offering more energy efficient products/services.
46% are providing frontline employees with business training to broaden and improve commercial awareness.
22% are using sustainability as a market differentiator.
Many of the early adaptors have been large organizations and often their adaptation was forced by customer and stakeholder pressure, regulations, or sometimes both. However, the sustainability initiative is fast taking hold in the small to mid-sized organizations for similar reasons.
Case Study 1: Berea College located in Berea, Kentucky; founded in 1855; employs 485 people. The college focuses on providing a strong academic program as well as a holistic approach to social and environmental issues. Some of their early initiatives included:
Developing a multidisciplinary sustainability and environmental studies program
Developing an eco-village
Developing sustainable agriculture
Due to these initiatives and the college’s long-term commitment to sustainability, Berea College used 52% less BTU’s of natural gas in 2009 over its 1999 usages, and provides 15% of its cafeteria food from its own farm and local producers.
Case Study 2: Johnson Financial Group, founded in 1970, is a full service financial services company and employs 1,267 people. A privately held company, they thought showing their customers that they had a commitment to keep operating costs down in tough economic times was a message of strength. Their sustainability campaign focuses on improving operations while generating social, environmental, and economic success. Their campaign includes:
Reducing transportation
Development green buildings
Reducing energy use
Education
Paper reduction and recycling
Waste reduction
Their results are clear. Johnson Financial has reduced energy consumption at its corporate headquarters for three consecutive years. One project saved 500,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, 17,000 terms of natural gas, and eliminated more than one million pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Case studies abound of companies who have embraced the concept of sustainability, whether by choice or by force, and have found the strategy to be a sound business move.
Sustainability is a sound investment and not just another way to drive up cost and diminish profitability. It is about looking at the big picture and doing the right things for the right reasons, while growing a successful and profitable organization.
Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation and a founder of The Institute for Sustainability, www.theinstituteforsustainability.com. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve high levels of excellence and success by adopting sustainability as a critical success factor of organizational success. Learn how at www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.
Often when succumbing to frustration, businesses and individuals find success to be a fleeting proposition. There is no question that success is a journey, but it can become a very manageable and measurable journey focused on desired outcomes and results. There is a significant difference between wishing for success and accomplishing success. And, that difference makes all the difference in the world!
Successful businesses and successful people have a long list of attributes that contribute to and foster their accomplishments. However, the objective of this article is to focus on five foundational attributes that apply to both personal as well as business success. Understanding and committing to these five core attributes will definitely propel you to a higher level of success.
Perspective: For the last three summers the Food Network has run the show “Who The Next Food Network Star.” Within the first several weeks of the season the judges inquire as to each contestant’s culinary point of view. What is his/her unique perspective on food, cooking, and the potential audience he/she may be in front of with this individual’s own show? Why would the audience at home want to watch their show and learn these recipes and techniques? Differentiation is critical as with your business and you. What is your business’s unique point of view? How does your business’ perspective differ from the competition? What are your unique set of beliefs to business and your life, and how can YOU capitalize on those?
Conviction: Having a strong belief in yourself and your business goes hand in hand with your unique perspective. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest) rate your belief in yourself and your belief in your business. Are your ratings where you want them to be? If not, why not? What you accomplished yesterday is a great measurement of the success of past decisions. However, your conviction or belief in yourself and in your business is a huge predictor of your future success.
Vision: Where do you want to go? What do you want to become? Why? Just like an organization’s vision your personal vision should be a short, succinct, and an inspiring statement of what you intend to become and achieve at some point in the future. Vision refers intentions that are broad, all-inclusive and forward thinking. It is the image that a business must have of its goals before it sets out to reach them. It describes aspirations for the future, without specifying the means that will be used to achieve those desired ends. Warren Bennis, a noted writer on leadership says: “To choose a direction, an individual (an organization) must have developed a mental image of the possible and desirable future state.”
Experience: Every individual and every business represents a unique set of skills and knowledge. How can you leverage those talents?
Attitude: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.” This quote by Charles Swindoll states that attitude is more important than many things. The remarkable thing about attitude is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, and we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is control our attitude and stay focused. Your attitude is your greatest tool!
Your challenge is to review these five attributes and conduct an honest assessment of where you stand as it relates to your perspective, conviction, vision, experience, and attitude. Are these five attributes propelling you to success, or are they hindering your desired outcome? Based on your answer to the last question what additional steps do you need to take or what do you need do differently? Your outcomes are directly connected to your choices—so choose wisely.
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.
Consulting through your own practice is exciting. Just imagine being able to control your own destiny and control your income potential. Learn how you can make your dream come true! […]
Two people can view the same situation entirely different. One may see the glass half empty; another sees the glass half full. Both observations are correct, but the subtle difference in thought process and phrasing is important. The former is bemoaning what isn’t and the latter is appreciating what is. The way you view and describe a situation greatly influences how you feel about it and how you respond to it. You have the power to choose how you see life. You always have the option of viewing situations in either a positive or negative manner.
The coach helps you chart your course and reach your destination. Imagine having someone in your corner who is totally committed to your success. Someone who always encourages the powerful part of you, who sees how big you can be, and constantly holds up that big image for you even when you can’t hold it up for yourself.
Delegation is very different from simply assigning someone a task or project that falls into his or her established job description or requirements. When you delegate, you give someone else one of your job tasks to complete with the authority and control to complete it properly. Delegation is not abdication. You share accountability for the assignment, which is why checkpoints are established to monitor overall progress. Just as the outcomes of your entire department are your responsibility, you are also responsible for the ultimate success of the delegation process.
Often when succumbing to frustration, businesses and individuals find success to be a fleeting proposition. There is no question that success is a journey, but it can become a very manageable and measurable journey focused on desired outcomes and results. There is a significant difference between wishing for success and accomplishing success. And, that difference makes all the difference in the world!
