Maripat Abbott - Guest Blogger

Yoga is a Leadership Summit For Your Body

Let's pretend your physical body is a corporation. Going through daily life, the mind leads your company by making decisions and taking action based on thoughts. The problem is, the mind doesn't embody good leadership qualities. It's a narcissist; it's always right, and doesn't wish to collaborate since it has all the answers already.

Many times, I begin a yoga class by suggesting that the students leave their mind outside-fire it for a while, so to speak. What happens as a result is a beautiful thing. For the first time in days, months or sometimes years, the body's coworkers- the muscles, joints, breath, even the heartbeat - listen deeply to each other. The calm in the room is palpable. Everyone feels it.

I've seen firsthand what's possible when the body is given a leadership role.- even if only for an hour. Students often arrive to class with their company in a state of chaos. It's evident by their contracted posture, hurried pace, tense facial muscles, and rapid speech. But once the mind has been laid off for a while, the demeanor of the body changes dramatically.

A yoga class can be one of the best leadership summits ever held, because the leaders are invited to step out of their minds and into the hearts for a while. This is a place leaders forget to go.

Maripatt Abbott
Certified Yoga Instructor
Certified Life Coach
http://manifestingpossibilities.com/holistic-relocation.html

Sherri Flaherty - Guest Blogger

Transitioning from a Corporate Leader to an Entrepreneurial Leader

     After 30 years of climbing the corporate ladder I recently transitioned to owning my own business as a real estate agent. While the core competencies remain the same, building your own business requires its own set of key competencies to be a successful entrepreneurial leader. If you are considering making the leap from corporate world to owning your business consider a few areas of focus:

Read- read about your industry, read about successful entrepreneurs, read blogs from people in business, develop your intellectual horsepower with a focus on becoming an expert in your new business.
Get Involved- attend meetings and seminars;  participate on committees, boards and organizations the create change in your industry.
Hire a Business Coach- a business coach is your accountability partner and will guide you through the process to build the foundation of your business.
Write Down Your Goals- focus on the few critical goals for success in your business, write them down on one page, keep them simple, 3-5 is ideal. Measure and monitor your success at least monthly. Inspect what you expect.
Build a Nest Egg- your first year in your business is your time to build your business. Have some money set aside to pay your bills for the first year so you can focus on building your business.

     It takes 10,000 hours to master a new job. The more you practice the better you will become. The core competencies of a leader remain the same- treat people with respect, hone your communication skills, listen, be honest, trustworthy and authentic.  Watch what successful people do in your business and what those that are not successful are doing- you learn from both.

Sherri Flaherty
The Flaherty Group
Real Estate Pittsburgh
www.theflahertygrouprealtor.com

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Be a Leader - Grow a Pair!

Leadership is getting people to do not what they want to do, but what they need to do.

Servant leadership is not kissing peoples' ass, it is leading people so they don't get their asses kick.

12 Leadership actions you need to put in place now before mediocrity infects your business team.

(Do Not accept mediocrity when excellence is an option.)

1. Create an environment where excellence is expected, enjoyed, and honored.

2. Hold people responsible and accountable for their actions.

3. Reward what you want repeated. Excellent behavior needs to modeled.

4. Always provide constructive feedback(criticism) individually, one - to -one.

4. Deal with irresponsibility quickly and fairly. Too much help doesn't help.

5. Ask open ended questions: Who does what by when?  What's next? What else?

6. Clarify and confirm. (don't ASS-U-ME).

7. KISS - Keep It Simple and Sincere

8. "How can I help?"  does not mean do it for them.

9. Empower, not Umpire.

10. Train to Retain.

11. Listen more, talk less.

12. Start accepting "I'm sorry" only as a polite gesture, NOT as an excuse.

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SWEET '16

Let's make 2016 a year to remember! 

Let's make 2016 --- "SWEET '16 "  a memorable chapter in our journey.

Here are SIXTEEN "One -Step-Outside-Your-Comfort Zone"(for many) strategies,  guaranteed to re-ignite your Leadership:

1. Once a day;  reward what you want repeated by telling a person more than just "hey, good job"...explain what you observed them doing and why it is important.

2. Have lunch with one of your competitors.

3. Write a poem and share it with a loved one.

4. Take yoga and meditation classes.

5. Run a Marathon, or 1/2 Marathon, or a 10K...or walk it.

6. Jump out of an airplane...with a parachute.

7. Volunteer/ donate to help a cause that your best friend believes in.

8. Ask your employees or business partners how you can be a better leader.

9. Reach out to an old friend that you have not spoken to for years.

10. Ask a good friend whats a good book to read, then read it. (if you've read it, ask for another)

11. Wake up 30 minutes earlier everyday.

12. Talk less, listen more.

13. Establish a relationship with a person more successful than you.

14. Create a new family tradition.

15. Learn a new language.

16. Journalize or blog about all of your above experiences.

" Life always begins one step outside your comfort zone." ~ Shannon Alder

*** Please share how you are going to make 2016 --- "Sweet '16" (comment below)  Thank you!

www.bobgambone.com

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Vertical Growth Vs. Horizontal Growth

Business owners have a choice to grow their business in three ways; horizontally, vertically or a combination of the two.

What is the difference between horizontal growth and vertical growth?

Vertical growth:

1. The business owner works entirely "in" his/her business rather than "on" his/her business.
2. Micromanaging is very prevalent.
3. Empowerment is lacking.
4. Client/Customer saturation is inevitable.
5. The business owner continues to work more and more hours to grow his/her business.

Horizontal Growth:

1. The business owner keeps his/her friends close and his/her competition closer.
2. Vision and Mission Statements are clearly communicated.
3. Leadership prevails over management.
4. Training systems, client/ customers service strategies, SMART goals, and Key Performance Indicators are implemented and systematically reviewed.
5. The business owners finds him/herself working less hours "in" the business while the business continues to grow.

"Get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus,  and the right people in the right seats... and THEN figure out where to drive it. " ~ Jim Collins (summary from the book Good to Great)

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Scrooged?!

aka,  Conflictor!

We all know one:

1. "Conflictors" know something about everything, just enough to be dangerous.

2. Disagree with you on everything, in a passive aggressive manner.

3. Challenge your knowledge, in a condescending manner.

4. Devalues your time, while their time is precious.

5. Tells you others are not team players, while stabbing you in the back.

6. Creates a positive facade, and then is negative about your positivity.

7. A "Conflictor" is always right, and if you try to prove them wrong...you will become mentally exhausted.

Bottom line; a "Conflictor" is a predator. When you are up they will get you down. And will you are down, they will take you deeper.

When a "Conflictor", by no choice of yours, tries to ruin your Holiday Season...do not try to handle them alone. One on one they will drain you. Bond together with people you trust and eventually the "Conflictor"  aka Scrooge, will get frustrated and move on to other prey.

Never a Stupid Question, Right?

A collection of  "Really?!" one-liners,  business owners or potential business owners have shared with me in my free consultation sessions. Many became clients and I have helped them. The rest? Oh well,  I hope they found help somewhere.

Here we go...

"Do I really need a logo and branding, I thought only big businesses had that."

"Well, I want to make more money but I don't trust people."

"Do I have a vision and mission statement for my business? Not at all, do I need one?"

"I really don't plan too much or even have a strategic plan...I kinda just see how things happen."

"I want to open a restaurant because I love to cook, I'm a hard worker, and I have the support of my family...isn't that enough?"

"No, I have never worked in retail, but this new franchise opportunity this guy was talking about sounds great!"

" ...not sure if my business is up or down from last year, but I do know my bills are getting paid."

"What's a target market?"

"My point of difference? I offer great service."

"There is enough free help out there...I don't need to pay for it."

"What measurements do I have in place?...they are all right here (as he pointed to his head)."

" What is horizontal growth?"

"I have more clients then I can handle...I don't need any help."

I have so many more I can share, but you get the point. Now I admit, when I started my own business five years ago I said some of the same things, that is why I hired a coach...enough said.

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