Question, What Am I Good At?

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Did you ever say to yourself, what are my gifts? my talents?

A few years ago I had a meeting with entrepreneur who wanted to expand into another business. Her dilemma was that she was not sure what type of business to start.
I asked Patti,  "What are your skills?"
"Skills? I'm not sure", she answered humbly.
I knew right away that she needed my help.

I think we all struggle sometimes with identifying what we are good at.

Here are three questions you probably never asked anyone before:

1. Ask three of your closest friends;  "What do I do that you depend on?"
2. Ask three business associates; "If I worked for you, what would you have me do?"
3. Ask three clients/customers; "What is it about me that made you decide to purchase my service/product?"

Write it all down and read through your notes several times. Take a few moments to think, and the question; What am I good at? ...will be answered.

Today Patti's new business is growing because she recognized her gifts and her talents and decided to do what she was good at.

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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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Pecan Pie: 32 Business Success Strategies Passionately Baked To Order!
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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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