BE A REFRIGERATOR

Hello Speakers, Business Owners and Future Entrepreneurs,

Now that I am in my 50's my personality and persona has calmed down dramatically. I find that your true strength can be shown to others by remaining calm, cool and in control of attitude and actions in the face of great turmoil.

I once witnessed a confrontation with two men where I thought for sure there were going to be fists thrown. I believe it was over a parking space that was taken innocently. The man that was jilted out of his parking spot was speaking and yelling in a rage just inches away from the other man's face who had claimed the parking spot. 

The second man, when he responded, came across with a quiet tone and pleasant demeanor. He asked what I thought were some deflecting questions and alternatives to defuse the situation. After a few minutes the initial rage and insulting anger this man had started to diminish. A small crowd had gathered to watch this verbal barrage.
The second man offered to even give his spot up to the angry man. When this offer was presented the angry man became quiet (probably realizing how stupid he looked in front of everyone) and he walked away from the scene talking to himself. The situation was quelled!

Someone asked the calm man how did you hold your composure through it all?

He responded: "Sometimes you have to be like a refrigerator by keeping your real emotions frozen. Sure, I felt like hauling off at him a couple of times, however, the outcome would have ended in disaster. There would have been ambulances on scene or we would have been hand cuffed and jailed over what...., a parking spot. I figured I just have to make it through 5 minutes. I also figured when we parted company the chances of ever running into that man again were zero. So I decided to become a refrigerator".
As I think back on this story I wonder how many marriages, friendships and jobs have been lost because someone didn't turn on the refrigerator for 5 minutes and wade through the situation until it was defused. Honestly, I can tell you my refrigerator was turned off many times in the past. As I have learned the spoken word can act like a fiery spear or they can be words of kindness and love. Once you release those words you can never retrieve them. EVER.

Words can alter a destiny, it can change the way one looks at your character and it can leave a relationship in the dust or make it one they will write about in novels. So when you find yourself in a tense situation remember one thing. "TURN ON THE REFRIGERATOR"!

My best to you for this coming month.
          "Make It Successful"
                     John

The Author is John P. Slosek, Jr. He is an Insurance Agency Owner for over 30 years and a Radio Talk Show host for 15 years. He specializes in personal growth with mentality and money. He will speak to large or small groups and if available will fill in for last minute speaking cancellations.
His contact information is (413) 246-5037 or Insurancecoach@aol.com

Are Your Blind Spots Holding You Back?

By Ann Meacham 

It’s important to know that your mind plays “dirty” tricks on you.  That is, your perception of reality is never reality itself.  Rather it is your mind’s version or internal representation of reality. 

This causes blind spots – beliefs you have that cause you to be unaware of factors and situations that are causing your business success strategies to fail.

Example: “The economy is keeping me from getting more customers.” 

Blind spot #1: Frequently the reality is that are not getting customers because your marketing and sales efforts are not well organized or focused.

Blind spot #2:  You get bogged down because you feel you’re working so hard and aren’t seeing the results.  What you’re not seeing is the possibility that focus combined with hard work will bring results in any economic climate.

Blind spot #3: Allowing yourself to be distracted by projects that are not aligned with your marketing and sales will block the results you so desire.

It’s complicated. Developing strategies and plans is a healthy practice. However, if your strategies include significant blind spots, they are doomed from the outset.

Remember, your mind creates these blind spots by filtering incoming information and thoughts.  As a result, this filtering process distorts, deletes and generalizes your sense of reality. It feels like you know the truth.  Often it is not real.

•   Where are you missing critical external cues that your strategies need to be adjusted?   
•    Where are you over-estimating your abilities?  
•    To what extent are you attached to your own strategies as being correct that you cannot perceive better ways of reaching your destination?

The first step to get past blind spots is to be aware of every thought, assumption, belief (disguised as fact) and point of view with which you currently identify.  Challenge it. Especially when you believe you are right.

Find out how to clear your blind spots and create greater success for yourself.

I am president of Leadership Dynamics.  I work with business owners and executives to clear their blind spots so they can identify the issues that need to be addressed and focus on making their business succeed.  Contact me at ann@leadyourteams.com  or sign up for a Free Leadership Strategy Session on our website or call 860-788-3504.

 

     www.leadyourteams.com 

How Believing You Need a Website is Costing You Time and Money (part 1 of 3)

There is a good chance you have a website you love; it generates leads, it makes you money, it shows up on search queries, it is frequently maintained and you even receive compliments on its design and functionality. If this is you; congratulations! You don’t need to read the rest of this article; unless you…

Know someone who “believes” they need a website?

I have lost count over the years as to how many prospective clients contact me in panic mode saying “I need a website. How long will it take?” My first response is always the same “Why do you feel you need to have a website?” 6 out of 10 people will respond with “Because everyone says I need one. They say I’m losing money if I don’t.” Okay, there may be some truth to what “everyone” is saying; but I then ask “Do YOU want a website?” Usually, the answer is “I don’t know.” or “Not really. What do you think?”

What do I think? I think following the crowd because they said to, stinks. I think every person has the right to listen to, and act upon, their own gut judgment whether it is to do, or not to do. To quote a good friend of mine “No one should ever be “should” upon.”

I especially think that someone in this position; who is struggling to “believe” they need a website can find their own resolution by simply stating to themselves “I do NOT need a website.” Saying this a few times allows the statement to clear the back-n-forth mind-chatter of “What do I do? Should I? Should I not?” This will give the person the quite space they need to separate their true feelings from outside influences.

If one does not clear the mind-clutter the result could lead to procrastination in many areas of the business, one being marketing in general. If all marketing efforts are halted by this elusive website decision, then you guessed it the company will experience loss of visibility, momentum (which circles around to time), and ultimately money.

Once they can hear their own thoughts, and gut-reactions they will be able to answer the following questions honestly, for themselves:

• I know who my ideal client is, the emotional traits of their struggles, and what they will experience after working with me. I share them here: _________.
  
• The purpose of my website is to _____, and I will know it is working when _______.
  
• When visitors arrive at my website they will take one of the following actions: _______. (we’re aiming for at least 3 different actions)
  
• I understand an un-maintained website can do more damage than not having one at all. I am _____% committed to the on-going success of the website. (we’re aiming for 95 to 100% here)

These are great starting questions to help evaluate if you are ready for a website; now, later, or not at all. You will instinctively know, by how you answer the questions (easily, struggled, didn't answer) what the right choice is for you at this time.

I will state it. I truly believe that not every company needs a website. A website is only a fraction of the overall marketing strategy a business owner needs to consider.

I have declined clients who asked me to build them a website; when they didn’t need it or were not ready. Either way, I could not consciously invoice them for something that in the long run would just sit there doing nothing to help grow their business. Some clients went and had someone else built a website for them, others looked at me oddly, thanked me for my honesty, and we focused on alternative approaches.   

A business owner can have an online presence without the cost of creating and maintaining a website. In the next article I will share with you the: Top 4 Reasons Why You Don’t Need a Website.

Until then, happy marketing!

Chana Monahan

Greenhouse Graphics, llc. Where Ideas Grow

860-379-2974

grow@greenhousegraphicsllc.com

www.greenhousegraphicsllc.com