Don't "Should" on Me!

Did you ever wonder why free spirited entrepreneurs don't like to follow the rules?

Well, its not the rules they don't like,  its the way the rules are often explained to them.  First; they need a WIIFM and second; avoid saying to them -  "you SHOULD have done it this way."

Here are 5 tips to avoid conflicts with free spirited entrepreneurs:

1. Ask "how can I help?", before helping.

2. Ask for permission to coach, before coaching.

3. When they ask you for help, ask them; "what have you done so far?"

4. Be an expert on not being an expert.

5. Most importantly, never say "you should have done it this way."

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No More "Ugly"

Not the physical appearance at all...

...I am talking no more bad behavior i.e. ugly behavior.. I am talking about not accepting ugly behavior in the business arena.

10 - No More Ugly

1. Consistently late for meetings or no-contact / no-show.

2. Not completing projects on time.

3. Telling off-color jokes.

4. Texting / emailing during a business meeting.

5. False commitments.

6. Bullsh*t lies.

7. Negative, Debby-Dower, Gumpy Cats.

8. Conflictor* personalities.

9. Lazy, lazy, and did I say lazy?

10. Habitual procrastinators.

*definition

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Three Fundamental Core Values of Customer Service

1. Your organization's customer service strategy must add value to your customers' lives. Your customers must feel good about their relationship with your organization.
- Customer

2. Your organization's customer service strategy must add value to your employees' lives. Your employees must feel good about their relationship with your customers.
- Employee

3. Customer service is not work. It is an integral part of everyone's job, practiced by all team members, and modeled by leaders at all times.
- Team

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Who's In Your Space?

Jim Rohn said, "You are the combined average of the 5 people you spend the most time with."
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Answer True or False

All 5 people you spend the most time with:*

1. are ahead of me

2. continually challenge me

3. support my forward focus

4. create an affirming atmosphere

5. get me out of my comfort zone

6. wake up excited

7. know that failure is not the enemy

8. are always growing

9. Love change

10.Growth is modeled and expected.

*** If you answered false to more than five of the statements, your current environment (the 5 people) may be hampering your growth.

* excerpt from The 15 Invaluable Ways of Growth

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Who's on Your Team?

Team dynamics fundamentally never change.
Yesterday I was reading an article about team dynamics, first published in the 1940s. Though the experts, yesterday and even today, don't agree on exactly how many roles there are and how to name them, 10 general personality types are consistently identified:

1. Task Leader. May or may not be the designated leader; a nuts and bolts, roll-up-the-sleeves-and-get-busy-type.
2. Social-emotional leader. Concerned with emotional heartbeat of the group; good at solving interpersonal problems.
3. Tension-releaser. "Breaks the ice" with appropriate humor at the right moment.
4. Information provider. Has research skills that stand out above all others. Could end up doing unfair amount of work.
5. Central negative. Always plays the devil's advocate role in discussions but in a non-threatening manner.
6. Questioner. Constantly seeks clarification and more information.
7. Silent observer. Speaks little, observing and taking in all information. When he or she speaks up, people listen.
8. Active listener. Listens attentively, sums up others' points of view. Good for keeping discussion on track.
9. Recorder. Has good recording skills and little interest in participating in group discussion.
10. Self-centered follower. Constantly questions opinions is a non-supportive way. Unlike the central-negative person, the self-centered follower is concerned only about personal interests.

So...which one are you?, or are you several?

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* Teamwork notes
“Copyright (9-23-12) by Robert V Gambone Sr.”
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Don't Just Sit There, Say Something...or Not.

Disagreement within a business team can be healthy, but should you always reveal your conflicting opinion?
Here a some guidelines:*

Do express your view when:

• You have the facts to back up your opinion.
• You don't believe the team has fully examined all possibilities.
• You feel strongly about your opinion, even though it may not be popular.

Don't express your opinion when:

• You really are not sure of yourself.
• The timing is poor or the climate is wrong.
• You catch yourself disagreeing only for the sake of disagreement - with no strong feeling about the subject.

"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress" - Mahatma Gandhi.

*Teamwork  notes

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The $50 Dryer

*** Top Rated Post***

A client of mine recently shared a story with me. 

  Back in 1980, her family was struggling financially. One day their clothes dryer died and they had very little money to purchase a new one. So she visited the local garbage dump that sold used appliances.  She found a medium size unknown brand dryer for $50. The owner of the dump said he could not guarantee that it would work, however he did state that the people who dropped it off said it was still in fine working condition.

She took their word for it.

That dryer served her family for the next five years. In 1985 the family moved and had to leave the dryer behind. The new family that purchased her home offered $100 for the used dryer; my client denied and took only $50. That same dryer served the new family for the next three years. In 1988 the new family was expanding with three new children and decided they needed a bigger dryer. So they took the used dryer back to the same junk yard. When the owner of the junkyard saw the dryer he said, “I remember that dryer, does it still work?” The new family said “Yes, it works fine.” The junk yard owner gave them $50.

When I first heard this story, several words went through my mind.  “trust” “honesty”  “ appreciation” , even “serendipity”.

When I read it through a couple more times, I had an “aha moment”. The common thread here is actually “leadership”. You do the same…read it through a few more times and you will also have an “aha moment”.
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