By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Business Coach
A few days ago, I was interviewed by a local radio station in Miami about the effects of the current recession on small business. After the interview was finished, they called me back and expressed surprise at my answers. I did not mention anything negative about the current economic situation. I did not say anything about layoffs, downsizing or business restructuring. Instead, I talked about possibilities.
It is impossible to deny the effects of the economy. We have to be aware of it and clearly understand the impact that this turbulence is creating in our businesses and in our personal lives. However, to achieve success we have to focus on creating possibilities.
In his book, “Making It Happen Before Lunch," Stephan Schiffman says: “Dwell in possibility, there is always a door somewhere waiting to be opened." What a great thought!
For me, a possibility is that this climate may result in coaching more clients – to help them increase their success in retaining, developing and enhancing the performance of their people. It could lead to my helping a manager become a leader. It could lead to helping a person or organization plan and implement change.
Focusing on possibilities, in my case, requires overcoming or controlling my instincts and attitudes. It doesn't mean abandoning what I like to do (organizing, reading, preparing). It does mean creating a habit of thought: to focus on finding the doors that Schiffman talks about, and then opening those doors and walking into an opportunity to be of service to people and companies.
We all have to create our own possibilities. How to do it?
Start with optimism. It's so much easier to believe in possibilities as an optimist. That's a challenge for about 70% of the population – the 70% whose thought pattern conjures up pitfalls rather than opportunities.
All those pessimists should start every day with this thought: “Something good will happen today – if I make it happen.” Keep telling yourself that. Once you convince yourself that there are doors waiting to open – whatever that means to you – carve out the time and energy to find those doors.
Talk about obsession, not recession. Don’t participate in negative conversations about the future. Change the subject. Start talking about how well your business is doing and the things you are doing differently. Talk about today.
Be obsessed with your success, making reference to your vision and dreams during your conversations with co-workers, family and friends, allowing them to be aligned with your positive thoughts.
Change your perspective. Don’t stare at the picture from yesterday’s viewpoint. You have to come out to where you are today and watch your life and organization from a different perspective. Stop your day-to-day activities to take some time to look at perceived obstacles and impediments from a different point of view. Invite your team members to do the same thing. If you change your perspective from time to time, the questions you ask will be different, and so will the answers you get.
Create goals that keep you focused on possibilities. Make a promise to yourself that every day you will take an action that will create possibilities (such as a phone call to a prospect, a new meeting with your people, or a lunch with a long-lost friend or client). But in every case – do it!
Write down your accomplishments when you create a possibility – then see how many of those possibilities you created can be made into opportunities, then into relationships, then into new businesses.
Speak possibilities. Do you have a roadmap to your success? Do you have variable solutions to your obstacles? If not, act now! Explore your possibilities. When you speak possibilities you are sending a positive message to the world around you, asking for success instead of failure. You are creating your own future today by opening your mind to new things.
List your dreams for this year, and draw the roadmap to get there, and you will see how many new possibilities appear in front of you.
Build on your success. Be convinced that the more possibilities you create, the more doors you will open – and think about how great it will be to step through into opportunities.
Realize that every day new possibilities can be created – they are there waiting for you!
As an Executive and Business Coach, I help people use their resources and skills to do a better job, watching the picture from a different perspective. For more information, call Pablo J. Perez at +1(305) 495-6851, or send an e-mail to pabloperezbarreiro@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Get what you want..NOW!
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive Coach
Getting what you want whenever you want it, has been the deepest desire of humanity. Young people work hard to acquire more knowledge and skills to have the chance of getting what they want in the future. Middle-aged people work even harder to get what they want, time an essential factor to be considered. But success does not come in bottles.
How can you get what you want … now? Here is some advice.
Dream a lot, but make a plan
Walt Disney said “If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse”, but dreaming is not enough.
We can spend all our lives dreaming about our company’s success or our personal success, yet if we do not make a detailed plan considering the priorities and building a timetable to execute them, we are left only with a bunch of wishes.
Never give up
Successful people never give up. They learn from every failure and every mistake. Remember Carl Carlson's 17-year efforts to make his copy machine (Xerox) a reality and Thomas Edison's 10,000 experiments to invent the light bulb. The powerful lesson from many great inventors and entrepreneurs in human history is – Never Give Up!
Those inventors kept on trying. They did not allow negative results or rejection to kill their new ideas, hopes and dreams. They took every obstacle as a challenge to overcome. They picked themselves up after every rejection and kept working even harder.
Do not fear change
Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” After fear of public speaking, fear of changing is the strongest impediment to success. However, if we want to improve the quality of our lives, the revenue of our companies, or the inter-personal relationships with people around us, we have to change. Positive behavioral change is a must to improve results.
Understand your weaknesses and your strengths
Be realistic. There is always room for improvement. Last week I learned another important lesson in my life when I decided to take a sales assessment to evaluate my sales skills. This assessment provides crucial insights that reveal the hidden barriers you can eliminate to maximize your sales performance. Today, after digesting and analyzing the results of my assessment, I have key information which will allow me to dramatically improve my sales skills.
Developing your skills and knowledge in order to minimize your weaknesses is fundamental to get what you want. However, do not forget to keep developing your strengths. Those are the ones that got you where you are today.
The power of getting everything you want in life whenever you want it is in you. If you want to change the outcome of your actions, you have to start analyzing your thought processes and act now.
If you want to create a roadmap to your success, getting what you want whenever you want it, call me at (305) 722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com for a free assessment.
Getting what you want whenever you want it, has been the deepest desire of humanity. Young people work hard to acquire more knowledge and skills to have the chance of getting what they want in the future. Middle-aged people work even harder to get what they want, time an essential factor to be considered. But success does not come in bottles.
How can you get what you want … now? Here is some advice.
Dream a lot, but make a plan
Walt Disney said “If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse”, but dreaming is not enough.
We can spend all our lives dreaming about our company’s success or our personal success, yet if we do not make a detailed plan considering the priorities and building a timetable to execute them, we are left only with a bunch of wishes.
Never give up
Successful people never give up. They learn from every failure and every mistake. Remember Carl Carlson's 17-year efforts to make his copy machine (Xerox) a reality and Thomas Edison's 10,000 experiments to invent the light bulb. The powerful lesson from many great inventors and entrepreneurs in human history is – Never Give Up!
Those inventors kept on trying. They did not allow negative results or rejection to kill their new ideas, hopes and dreams. They took every obstacle as a challenge to overcome. They picked themselves up after every rejection and kept working even harder.
Do not fear change
Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” After fear of public speaking, fear of changing is the strongest impediment to success. However, if we want to improve the quality of our lives, the revenue of our companies, or the inter-personal relationships with people around us, we have to change. Positive behavioral change is a must to improve results.
Understand your weaknesses and your strengths
Be realistic. There is always room for improvement. Last week I learned another important lesson in my life when I decided to take a sales assessment to evaluate my sales skills. This assessment provides crucial insights that reveal the hidden barriers you can eliminate to maximize your sales performance. Today, after digesting and analyzing the results of my assessment, I have key information which will allow me to dramatically improve my sales skills.
Developing your skills and knowledge in order to minimize your weaknesses is fundamental to get what you want. However, do not forget to keep developing your strengths. Those are the ones that got you where you are today.
The power of getting everything you want in life whenever you want it is in you. If you want to change the outcome of your actions, you have to start analyzing your thought processes and act now.
If you want to create a roadmap to your success, getting what you want whenever you want it, call me at (305) 722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com for a free assessment.
Developing Your Internal CEO
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Coach
How can I get more control over my decisions? How can I improve my personal results faster? When can I reach my dreams? What is needed to get there?
Sometimes it is difficult to find the answers to these questions. However, there is a pathfinder formula that will lead you to a response. Everything starts with that little voice in your head, the “internal CEO” that governs the actions and decisions that will guide your future outcomes.
Let’s start by defining the term “development.” According to the Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, the definition of development is:
How can I get more control over my decisions? How can I improve my personal results faster? When can I reach my dreams? What is needed to get there?
Sometimes it is difficult to find the answers to these questions. However, there is a pathfinder formula that will lead you to a response. Everything starts with that little voice in your head, the “internal CEO” that governs the actions and decisions that will guide your future outcomes.
Let’s start by defining the term “development.” According to the Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, the definition of development is:
- The act or process of going from the simple or basic to the complex or advanced
Synonyms elaboration, evolution, expansion, growth, progress, progression - A condition or occurrence traceable to a cause
The process of becoming mature.
Personal development implies a deep self-evaluation; a complete review of your personal desires and dreams and a comparison between the “wish to be” and the “what I am.”
There is a mathematical axiom which states that “the whole is equal to the sum of its parts.” Similarly, your growth as a person depends on your ability to examine the parts of your life to see if they add up to the total person you want to be.
The “life wheel” is composed of the areas that together form the “internal CEO” (see graph one). The difficult task is that the wheel should be “balanced” for a smooth and comfortable journey, and the “pressure” in each area of the wheel depends on your desires, priorities and needs. Every area is always open to further development, depending on the different stages in your life, and should be checked periodically.
The successful development of your “internal CEO” will help you succeed on your own terms, developing a positive attitude, improving your interpersonal skills, and last but not least, enhancing your goal achievement rate.
Now, I would like to give you three assignments which to help you evaluate how your “internal CEO” is progressing so far.
- List the benefits for you as an individual and for your organization of having a balanced wheel.
- List the consequences for you as an individual and for your organization of NOT having a balanced wheel.
- List the last 10 personal goals you set and achieved during the last 12 months.
Once your lists are completed, the next step is to set goals and establish priorities for each area of your “life wheel,” turning your general ideas into specific goals that you can begin planning.
Taking Action:
Williams James, the father of American psychology, said: “The greatest discovery of the Twentieth Century is the fact that human beings have the ability to change their attitudes.”
If we control our “internal CEO” and choose the goals we want to achieve in each area of our life wheel, we will receive the rewards of success. Having and achieving your own definition of balance in the areas of ethics and beliefs, mental, social, physical, financial, and family life will allow you to dramatically improve your results and your goal achievement rate.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity, employee motivation, and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215, or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Leadership published by Resource Associates Corporation.
STOP! CHANGE PERSPECTIVE AND START LEADING
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Business Coach
During the last weeks, our economy has been facing a great challenge which has affected our thought process about the future. We have been surrounded by bad news and negative thoughts, feeding the fear of the unknown, which could inhibit leadership behavior. Our need to be safe causes us to be fearful in those uncertain situations. This is the right time to make a pit stop, refuel, and clean the windshield to get our business or career ready for the next race.
A classic characterization depicting our current situation is a drawing by Dr. Scott Simmerman (www.squarewheels.com). The drawing shows a man pulling a big heavy wagon by a rope from the front. In the back of the wagon there are a couple of guys pushing as hard as possible to help from behind.
If we take a look at the picture from a different perspective, from the viewpoint of where we are, we see that there is a significant impediment. The wagon has square wheels. Unfortunately, from the leader’s location, at the front of the wagon, he or she can’t see the square wheels. Likewise, the people in the back who are pushing the wagon can’t see the square wheels either. Ironically, in this drawing, the wagon is loaded with round wheels. If they discover those round wheels, they will be able to take those wheels out of the wagon and replace the square ones.
Stopping our daily activities and changing our perspective allows us to have a different view of problems. Consequently, the new perspective presents a chance for a wider array of potential solutions, usually better ones than our originals.
When I say you should change perspective from time to time, I am not suggesting you should reinvent your business or your career. You need to assess and maximize your strengths in order to take advantage of the opportunities that are present. Part of my mission as a coach is to help clients embrace change, and to use the resources they already have inside the organization to produce a higher quality of results. In doing so, we work on improving teamwork and aligning everyone to mutually committed goals. However, I cannot command my clients to change. I only provide a proven process that provides a path toward change. The process not only positively affects the individuals involved, it improves organizational results.
Most people avoid change because they don't like being changed. When change comes into view, fear and resistance come along, often despite the change’s obvious benefits. People fight change because they:
· Fear losing something they value, or
· Don't understand the change and its implications, or
· Don't think that the change makes sense.
Some people believe that no change = security. I would say that no change = no potential.As Albert Einstein said, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” And if you do what you've always done, you will get the same results!!
It is a great time to STOP and take another look at your organization or career. A pause in your daily activities to recognize the impediments is the first step in addressing them. Once you acknowledge the impediments, you can create a new roadmap to your success.
Contact me today to learn how Activate Group helps individuals to increase their success and works with organizations to attain consistent revenue and profit growth rates of at least 20% annually. Call (305) 722-7215 or e-mail me at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
THE POWER OF EMPOWERING YOUR EMPLOYEES
by Pablo J. Perez, Executive Coach
The term “employee empowerment” has been regarded by critics as an exercise to change the attitudes of workers, so they can work harder rather than giving them any real power. In other words, empowerment was linked to "attitudinal shaping." However, recent research suggests that people empowerment is a key element contributing to employee engagement and well-being.
Empowerment is a global term which includes many ideas regarding employee power and responsibility; but in general, it means giving employees the power to do their job better. It is providing the right motivation at the right moment, giving the employees the necessary alignment to the organizational goals, and make them feel that their work is important.
Does higher employee empowerment improve productivity?
The answer is yes. Empowerment = motivation = action = results!
There are 4 factors that should be considered in order to generate and maintain empowerment among employees:
1. Strong leadership and accountability
This starts with the executive leadership and extends to all management levels, supervisors and people that work for them. If all members of the organization play by the same rules and to achieve aligned goals can only be a positive end result .
2. Trust and communication
Management must develop trust and good communication with employees. High levels of trust and communication are the strongest signs of employee empowerment.
3. Create the right work environment
It is responsibility of the company's management to create the environment for employee empowerment. If employees are in an environment where “joy” is part of the formula, motivation and retention will increase dramatically.
4. Action
It has been said, “that you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.” The same can be said for employee empowerment. Once leadership takes action to encourage empowerment, it is up to the employees to take the opportunity.
To truly motivate your employees to perform at their peak, you must provide an adequate level of:
The term “employee empowerment” has been regarded by critics as an exercise to change the attitudes of workers, so they can work harder rather than giving them any real power. In other words, empowerment was linked to "attitudinal shaping." However, recent research suggests that people empowerment is a key element contributing to employee engagement and well-being.
Empowerment is a global term which includes many ideas regarding employee power and responsibility; but in general, it means giving employees the power to do their job better. It is providing the right motivation at the right moment, giving the employees the necessary alignment to the organizational goals, and make them feel that their work is important.
Does higher employee empowerment improve productivity?
The answer is yes. Empowerment = motivation = action = results!
There are 4 factors that should be considered in order to generate and maintain empowerment among employees:
1. Strong leadership and accountability
This starts with the executive leadership and extends to all management levels, supervisors and people that work for them. If all members of the organization play by the same rules and to achieve aligned goals can only be a positive end result .
2. Trust and communication
Management must develop trust and good communication with employees. High levels of trust and communication are the strongest signs of employee empowerment.
3. Create the right work environment
It is responsibility of the company's management to create the environment for employee empowerment. If employees are in an environment where “joy” is part of the formula, motivation and retention will increase dramatically.
4. Action
It has been said, “that you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.” The same can be said for employee empowerment. Once leadership takes action to encourage empowerment, it is up to the employees to take the opportunity.
To truly motivate your employees to perform at their peak, you must provide an adequate level of:
- Training
- Communication
- Personal and professional growth
- Ability to be creative
- Recognition and rewards
If you want to measure the level of commitment your organization has to develop employee empowerment, just survey employees as to how well they think you are doing in the above 5 areas. If you score poorly in more than two items then you have a lot of opportunity to increase organizational performance.
Remember, management has the obligation to create the environment that fosters employee empowerment and employees have the duty to accept the opportunity.
If you want to create and deploy a strategy to increase employee empowerment, please review our website at www.activategroupinc.com, call Pablo J. Perez at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Positive Marketing Creates Customer Loyalty
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Coach
Nowadays, in order to attract and maintain customers and open new markets, offers must go beyond products and services. People want to add positive things to their lives, buying products and services which will satisfy their needs and bring value to their daily activities.
Communicating positive messages that connect potential customers to their current goals and values furthers the goals of sustainability. Addressing these values connects them to what they care about and provides the impetus for innovative business practices.
During the last decade there has been a positive trend in business: Many companies now address corporate social responsibility (CSR), which is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society, taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities, and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. CSR is a voluntary effort to improve the quality of life for employees and their families as well as for the local community.
These positive efforts create a feeling of joy among employees, creating a positive energy which will be translated into more and better customer loyalty.
Recent reports indicate that communicating positive messages of a company’s actions to address environmental, social, and economical issues, favorably affects that company’s bottom line and produces good business opportunities.
More and more consumers want to buy products and services from companies that support their values, care about the environment, and can offer shareholders a solid return. Whole Foods, for example, promotes organic products grown by local farmers by inviting customers to learn about the farm and the farmer through colorful displays positioned near the products. Patagonia connects lifestyle and values by offering customers a recycling option for some of its clothing choices. Whole Foods and Patagonia connect to their customers by using positive messages to address issues of care: values and community. Other companies produce positive messages of sustainability, based on their business goals or mission.
Another example of how a company incorporates corporate social responsibility is Starbucks. Its social responsibilities are part of their mission statement.
A good marketing campaign needs to recognize the importance of communicating positive messages by making offers and developing trust and relationships. By connecting to people's cares, we affect outcomes – especially important when addressing sustainability.
Nowadays, in order to attract and maintain customers and open new markets, offers must go beyond products and services. People want to add positive things to their lives, buying products and services which will satisfy their needs and bring value to their daily activities.
Communicating positive messages that connect potential customers to their current goals and values furthers the goals of sustainability. Addressing these values connects them to what they care about and provides the impetus for innovative business practices.
During the last decade there has been a positive trend in business: Many companies now address corporate social responsibility (CSR), which is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society, taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities, and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. CSR is a voluntary effort to improve the quality of life for employees and their families as well as for the local community.
These positive efforts create a feeling of joy among employees, creating a positive energy which will be translated into more and better customer loyalty.
Recent reports indicate that communicating positive messages of a company’s actions to address environmental, social, and economical issues, favorably affects that company’s bottom line and produces good business opportunities.
More and more consumers want to buy products and services from companies that support their values, care about the environment, and can offer shareholders a solid return. Whole Foods, for example, promotes organic products grown by local farmers by inviting customers to learn about the farm and the farmer through colorful displays positioned near the products. Patagonia connects lifestyle and values by offering customers a recycling option for some of its clothing choices. Whole Foods and Patagonia connect to their customers by using positive messages to address issues of care: values and community. Other companies produce positive messages of sustainability, based on their business goals or mission.
Another example of how a company incorporates corporate social responsibility is Starbucks. Its social responsibilities are part of their mission statement.
A good marketing campaign needs to recognize the importance of communicating positive messages by making offers and developing trust and relationships. By connecting to people's cares, we affect outcomes – especially important when addressing sustainability.
We live in a world where the negative aspect of life and its consequences drive the buying or selling decision-making process. However, companies who not only say they care, but actually demonstrate caring about their employees, customers, and communities have a great competitive advantage.
Consider the saying, "People want to know you care, before they care about what you know." As human beings, we have a natural desire to belong and feel valued. It's the reason why people hate to be sold to ... we don't feel understood or valued for who we are.
Why do people want to hear positive message for their lives?
- They have the desire to do more and be more.
- They are looking for effective ways to make their dreams reality.
- They need motivation and accountability to truly accomplish their goals.
Motivated employees will motivate customers to become loyal to your company. Likewise, motivated customers not only will continue buying from you; they will invite their friends and families to buy your products and services.
Using positive messages in your internal and external marketing campaigns, and caring about your community and its environment, will bring your company a competitive advantage and sustainable growth.
Contact me today to learn how Activate Group helps individuals to increase their success and works with organizations to attain consistent revenue and profit growth rates of at least 20% annually. Call (305) 722-7215 or e-mail me at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Customer Retention. The Road to Profitability
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Business Coach
The notion that there is no linkage between customer retention and profitability is being proven false. There is a direct linkage between customer retention and profitability.
One survey found that a 5% increase in customer retention consistently resulted in a 25% to 100% increase in profits. These almost unbelievable results would suggest that there must be a powerful force, your emotional connection to your customer, which needs to be understood and effectively managed.
Customer retention is not only a cost effective and profitable strategy, but in today's business world it's necessary. This is especially true when you remember that 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customer and clients. With these statistics in mind, I am wondering why most marketing and sales campaigns are designed for the new customer.
Take for instance the wireless telephone companies; if you sign a new contract you are given a large rebate or even a free cellular telephone. If you are a current customer you have the privilege of paying full price. Can someone please explain that methodology to me. With this type of promotion are we not just pushing current customers and clients to seek services elsewhere when their contract ends?
Creating a new business model that focuses on customer loyalty and retention would show that there is, in fact, a linkage between all elements of a business system: your employees, customers, and investors—and the generation of profits. Providing customer value begins with a management philosophy that supports the cultivation of strong customer relationships and is implemented by having properly trained and motivated employees who know how to deliver value.
Research has shown that customers who have an emotional connection and feel valued will repeatedly be repeat customers as well as provide a strong referral base for new customers. Loyal customers repeatedly purchasing your product or service are what generate sustainable business growth and profit. However, your practices and processes that support loyal customer relationships must be in place first before you will begin to see a profitable impact. This model does not work in reverse, although many organizations seem to think the reverse is possible.
This new business model is important because it initiates a series of steps which cascades through the organization as follows:
1. Revenues and market share grow as your best customers build repeat purchases and recommend you to others who also become loyal.
2. Employee retention increases due to job pride and satisfaction, which in turn creates a loop that reinforces customer retention through familiarity and better service to the customers. Customers like doing business with people they know, and your employees want to do the right things because it makes their job far less stressful.
3. As costs decrease and revenues increase, profits increase. Improved profits provide resources to invest in employee development and compensation (further increasing retention) and in new features and products that enhance customer value. Profits are important not just as an end in themselves. They also allow the organization to improve value and provide additional incentives and reasons for employees, customers, and investors to remain loyal to your organization.
4. Costs begin to shrink as the expense of acquiring and serving new customers and replacing old customers declines. In our experience, it is five times more profitable to spend marketing and advertising dollars to retain current customers than it is to acquire new customers.
So what can you do differently for your business? Perhaps a good place to start would be to find better ways to create and sustain a loyal customer base. While there will be the need for an investment, the advantages will be enormous to your customers, employees, and investors. Strictly from a financial perspective, increased revenue from improved service quality tends to be 10-20 times the costs associated with fixing the problem.
If you want more information or you are interested on increasing your customer retention ratios, please call (305) 722-7215, or you may also send me an e-mail at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
The notion that there is no linkage between customer retention and profitability is being proven false. There is a direct linkage between customer retention and profitability.
One survey found that a 5% increase in customer retention consistently resulted in a 25% to 100% increase in profits. These almost unbelievable results would suggest that there must be a powerful force, your emotional connection to your customer, which needs to be understood and effectively managed.
Customer retention is not only a cost effective and profitable strategy, but in today's business world it's necessary. This is especially true when you remember that 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customer and clients. With these statistics in mind, I am wondering why most marketing and sales campaigns are designed for the new customer.
Take for instance the wireless telephone companies; if you sign a new contract you are given a large rebate or even a free cellular telephone. If you are a current customer you have the privilege of paying full price. Can someone please explain that methodology to me. With this type of promotion are we not just pushing current customers and clients to seek services elsewhere when their contract ends?
Creating a new business model that focuses on customer loyalty and retention would show that there is, in fact, a linkage between all elements of a business system: your employees, customers, and investors—and the generation of profits. Providing customer value begins with a management philosophy that supports the cultivation of strong customer relationships and is implemented by having properly trained and motivated employees who know how to deliver value.
Research has shown that customers who have an emotional connection and feel valued will repeatedly be repeat customers as well as provide a strong referral base for new customers. Loyal customers repeatedly purchasing your product or service are what generate sustainable business growth and profit. However, your practices and processes that support loyal customer relationships must be in place first before you will begin to see a profitable impact. This model does not work in reverse, although many organizations seem to think the reverse is possible.
This new business model is important because it initiates a series of steps which cascades through the organization as follows:
1. Revenues and market share grow as your best customers build repeat purchases and recommend you to others who also become loyal.
2. Employee retention increases due to job pride and satisfaction, which in turn creates a loop that reinforces customer retention through familiarity and better service to the customers. Customers like doing business with people they know, and your employees want to do the right things because it makes their job far less stressful.
3. As costs decrease and revenues increase, profits increase. Improved profits provide resources to invest in employee development and compensation (further increasing retention) and in new features and products that enhance customer value. Profits are important not just as an end in themselves. They also allow the organization to improve value and provide additional incentives and reasons for employees, customers, and investors to remain loyal to your organization.
4. Costs begin to shrink as the expense of acquiring and serving new customers and replacing old customers declines. In our experience, it is five times more profitable to spend marketing and advertising dollars to retain current customers than it is to acquire new customers.
So what can you do differently for your business? Perhaps a good place to start would be to find better ways to create and sustain a loyal customer base. While there will be the need for an investment, the advantages will be enormous to your customers, employees, and investors. Strictly from a financial perspective, increased revenue from improved service quality tends to be 10-20 times the costs associated with fixing the problem.
If you want more information or you are interested on increasing your customer retention ratios, please call (305) 722-7215, or you may also send me an e-mail at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Customer Loyalty published by Resource Associates Corporation, Mohnton, PA.
Customer Loyalty: Priceless
By Pablo J Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
Last summer, during a deserved break from my coaching activities, I decided to spend four days with my family at a beautiful resort on the west coast of Florida. The experience was “ok”, except for the speed of the checking-in and out processes, pool services and other services. In a nutshell, overall service was satisfactory but not memorable. If asked, I would relate to the resort that “I was a satisfied customer”.
However, would I stay at this resort in the future? Would I recommend the resort to my family and friends? The answers toboth these questions area resounding “no.” In conclusion, I was a “satisfied” customer but not a “loyal” customer.
According to Jeffrey Gitomer of Customer Satisfation is Worthless: Customer Loyalty is Priceless, “Satisfaction is not longer the acceptable measurement of Customer service success”. The Gallup Organization’s research also concludes that no matter how an organization thinks its customers are satisfied, if it hasn’t made an emotional connection with its customers to develop a long-term relationship, satisfaction will ultimately be worthless.
During my summer experience, there lacked an emotional connection with the resort, resulting in a loss of desire to return to the resort.
Great customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.
Customers will come back and will bring family and friends to do business with you, if:
1. The “emotion” experienced at every “point of connection” during the buying process is so strong that it leaves a mark on their memories.
2. The relationship is based on “trust”. Customer will seek your personal assistance, and they are willing to pay for it.
3. They feel you really care about their needs. Always put your Customer’s interests and needs ahead of yours.
Here are some statistics
• A typical dissatisfied customer will tell 6-10 people about the problem. A typical satisfied customer will tell 1-2 people.
• It costs 6 times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an old one.
• Of those customers who quit, 68% do so because of an attitude of indifference by the company or a specific individual.
• About 7 of 10 complaining customers will do business with you again if you resolve the complaint in their favor.
• If you resolve a complaint on the spot, 95% of customers will do business with you again.
What happens to angry customers?
• 91% of any business's angry customers will never come back.
• 96% will never tell you the reason that they left.
• 80% will do business with you again if their problem was handled quickly and to their satisfaction.
If the problem was quite bad, they will tell stories about it for years and years to come.
"Who is typically to blame when you lose a customer?" Most customer service providers will answer that it is the customer's fault! (and here is the scariest percentage) .. 99% of the time that customer service provider only needs to look in the mirror to see who is truly at fault!”
From a scale of 1-10, how likely are your Customers to recommend your organization to someone else? If your answer is below 7 or you don’t know the answer, it is time to think about developing a Customer Loyalty Strategy to start creating the “emotion” not only on your External Customer but also on the Internal ones (employees).
If you want to learn more details about our Customer Loyalty Development Program and how valuable for your organization it might be, please review our website at www.activategroupinc.com, call Pablo J. Perez at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Is Your Company Flying in V-Formation? Collaboration and Teamwork
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
Geese fly in V-formation for aerodynamic efficiency. Are management and staff focused on reaching a common goal through teamwork? How do you know if your teams are staying focused and flying in a V-formation to generate customer retention and loyalty?
Why do geese fly in V-Formation? A goose's eyes are set in the sides of its head, giving good all-round vision but leaving a small blind spot directly ahead and behind. If a goose were to follow directly behind the one in front, it would have to turn its head slightly to see it clearly and would have to resort to asymmetrical flapping to maintain a straight course, reducing its aerodynamic efficiency and wasting energy. Experiments have shown 25 geese flying in a V can travel 70 percent further than solo birds. The birds function more efficiently in a group working together.
The same should be said for your organization. Every employee should be focused on reaching a common goal through teamwork and collaboration. Team responsibilities should be clearly defined, and management should provide strategy and support by identifying the strengths of each team member. Team members should be selected to complement one another by utilizing their differing skills and experiences.
Jim Collins, in his best-selling book Good to Great asks the question: Do you have the right people on the bus? In this regard, Collins says that the executives who ignited the transformations from good to great did not first figure out where to drive the bus and then get people to take it there. No, they first got the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figured out where to drive it.
In my experience as an Executive and Corporate Team Coach, the initial steps to increase team performance and global organizational productivity are:
- Have a clear understanding of the skills and behavioral profiles of each team member. Forthis purpose we have been successfully applying personal and professional assessment tools that have given us the opportunity to help our clients make a better decision at the moment of hiring a new employee or building a team for a specific strategic purpose.
- Evaluate the organizational “flying formation”. Two critical questions that are often asked by senior management are, “How do we know that resources have been properly allocated, and how can we better utilize our limited resources?” The use of organizational assessments has given our clients the opportunity to answer both questions, providing information as to how well critical elements are working together to achieve business and strategic goals.
Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, but working together is success.” For a thousand years, humanity has proven that working together generates an energy so powerful that is able to create unimaginable things. The Great Wall of China and the Pyramids in Egypt are just examples of teamwork and collaboration.
Teams that have fun and enjoy their work will focus on even higher goals and be more willing to get the job done, as opposed to employees that commit only to a boring existence of working their shift each day with no incentives.
If you are the leader of an organization or a head of a department or division, it is your responsibility to:
- Create the strategy to enforce teamwork in the organization or division.
- Provide positive reinforcement. If at all possible, throw a party, have an outing or invite your team for an informal get-together after work. Even if you can celebrate a team's success with pizza for lunch or a cake during a break, it is another positive reinforcement of the team effort and a building block to future successes.
- Provide support and improve the teamwork processes.
- Recognize and regard excellence in teamwork.
If you think 1+2=5 is a miscalculation, think again. Teamwork and collaboration, just like the geese flying in V-formation can take you 70% beyond your goals.
If you want more information or you are interested on implementing a V-formation for your organization, please call (305) 722-7215, or you may also send me an e-mail at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Customer Loyalty: Priceless
By Pablo J Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
Last summer, during a deserved break from my coaching activities, I decided to spend four days with my family at a beautiful resort on the west coast of Florida. The experience was “ok”, except for the speed of the checking-in and out processes, pool services and other services. In a nutshell, overall service was satisfactory but not memorable. If asked, I would relate to the resort that “I was a satisfied customer”.
However, would I stay at this resort in the future? Would I recommend the resort to my family and friends? The answers toboth these questions area resounding “no.” In conclusion, I was a “satisfied” customer but not a “loyal” customer.
According to Jeffrey Gitomer of Customer Satisfation is Worthless: Customer Loyalty is Priceless, “Satisfaction is not longer the acceptable measurement of Customer service success”. The Gallup Organization’s research also concludes that no matter how an organization thinks its customers are satisfied, if it hasn’t made an emotional connection with its customers to develop a long-term relationship, satisfaction will ultimately be worthless.
During my summer experience, there lacked an emotional connection with the resort, resulting in a loss of desire to return to the resort.
Great customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.
Customers will come back and will bring family and friends to do business with you, if:
1. The “emotion” experienced at every “point of connection” during the buying process is so strong that it leaves a mark on their memories.
2. The relationship is based on “trust”. Customer will seek your personal assistance, and they are willing to pay for it.
3. They feel you really care about their needs. Always put your Customer’s interests and needs ahead of yours.
Here are some statistics
• A typical dissatisfied customer will tell 6-10 people about the problem. A typical satisfied customer will tell 1-2 people.
• It costs 6 times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an old one.
• Of those customers who quit, 68% do so because of an attitude of indifference by the company or a specific individual.
• About 7 of 10 complaining customers will do business with you again if you resolve the complaint in their favor.
• If you resolve a complaint on the spot, 95% of customers will do business with you again.
What happens to angry customers?
• 91% of any business's angry customers will never come back.
• 96% will never tell you the reason that they left.
• 80% will do business with you again if their problem was handled quickly and to their satisfaction.
If the problem was quite bad, they will tell stories about it for years and years to come.
"Who is typically to blame when you lose a customer?" Most customer service providers will answer that it is the customer's fault! (and here is the scariest percentage) .. 99% of the time that customer service provider only needs to look in the mirror to see who is truly at fault!”
From a scale of 1-10, how likely are your Customers to recommend your organization to someone else? If your answer is below 7 or you don’t know the answer, it is time to think about developing a Customer Loyalty Strategy to start creating the “emotion” not only on your External Customer but also on the Internal ones (employees).
If you want to learn more details about our Customer Loyalty Development Program and how valuable for your organization it might be, please review our website at www.activategroupinc.com, call Pablo J. Perez at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Customer Loyalty by Resource Associates Corporation.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Creating Loyal Growth – Part 2
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
Have you ever washed a rental car? This is a question I ask of managers and leaders of traditional businesses or non-for-profits, and 99% of the time the answer is a smile and a “no.” The sense of ownership has a direct link with loyalty, and loyalty has a direct link with business growth. In other words, if your customers and employees are willing to “wash the rental car” (the organization), then the chances of developing sustainable profitability are high.
If the reason for an organization to be in business centers on their customers or the community they serve, in order to achieve organizational success, the leadership team should assume the following critical functions as it relates to their customers:
• Develop a customer-oriented strategy
• Design and implement customer-friendly policies and processes
• Develop employees’ skills
• Monitor and improve processes on the issues that are defined as most important to the customer.
The customer is now the center of the business universe. Everything in the organization should rotate around increasing customer retention and having the right interaction with our customers, with the sole objective of creating loyal growth.
According to Barbara Glanz’s Human Business Model, whether you are serving employees as a leader or a manager or are serving a customer, you always have choices. There are two levels in any interaction that we have:the business level, which is focused on achieving external objectives and goals a specific person has, and the human level, which is all about how people feel during that interaction. Most of the training we have received is focused on creating interactions at a business level, but we have received little training on the human level interaction.
At the human level is where customer loyalty grows. According to the statistics, a 5% increase in customer retention consistently resulted in a 25-100% increase in profits. This unbelievable result is consequence of a powerful force created by the emotional connection to your customers.
Organizations invest a lot of money developing products and services to compete in the marketplace and also design and implement customer service strategies to provide support and generate customer satisfaction. Nowadays, customer satisfaction is synonymous with mediocrity. Using a grading system, satisfaction could easily translate into a “C” on a report card. When customers receive more value than they expected, then the grade rises to an “A,” which always equates to loyal customers.
If we draw the diagram of every Point of Connection that a potential customer has with the organization from before the sale is made to after the delivery of the product or service, we would be able to visualize the total buying process. We need to provide all customers with the level of value and emotional support they expect at every Point of Connection.
Every Point of Connection is an opportunity to connect emotionally with your customer and be sure they are receiving the value as they define it. It is an opportunity to interact at the human level generating the emotional contact that will make them come back and bring their family and friends.
If you are a business owner, or you are leading a business unit or a whole organization, in order to effectively manage Points of Connection; I want to encourage you to follow these steps:
Identify all Points of Connection between your customers and your company.
Once they are identified, you must understand what value your customer is looking for in each Point of Connection.
If there is a gap between the value your customer is expecting and what currently exists, then it is management’s job to put in place proper employee development and process improvement to eliminate the gap.
If you want more information about the three above-mentioned steps to create loyal growth in your business, or you are interested in implementing a customer loyalty strategy for your organization, please call (305) 722-7215, or you may also send me an e-mail at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
If the reason for an organization to be in business centers on their customers or the community they serve, in order to achieve organizational success, the leadership team should assume the following critical functions as it relates to their customers:
• Develop a customer-oriented strategy
• Design and implement customer-friendly policies and processes
• Develop employees’ skills
• Monitor and improve processes on the issues that are defined as most important to the customer.
The customer is now the center of the business universe. Everything in the organization should rotate around increasing customer retention and having the right interaction with our customers, with the sole objective of creating loyal growth.
According to Barbara Glanz’s Human Business Model, whether you are serving employees as a leader or a manager or are serving a customer, you always have choices. There are two levels in any interaction that we have:the business level, which is focused on achieving external objectives and goals a specific person has, and the human level, which is all about how people feel during that interaction. Most of the training we have received is focused on creating interactions at a business level, but we have received little training on the human level interaction.
At the human level is where customer loyalty grows. According to the statistics, a 5% increase in customer retention consistently resulted in a 25-100% increase in profits. This unbelievable result is consequence of a powerful force created by the emotional connection to your customers.
Organizations invest a lot of money developing products and services to compete in the marketplace and also design and implement customer service strategies to provide support and generate customer satisfaction. Nowadays, customer satisfaction is synonymous with mediocrity. Using a grading system, satisfaction could easily translate into a “C” on a report card. When customers receive more value than they expected, then the grade rises to an “A,” which always equates to loyal customers.
If we draw the diagram of every Point of Connection that a potential customer has with the organization from before the sale is made to after the delivery of the product or service, we would be able to visualize the total buying process. We need to provide all customers with the level of value and emotional support they expect at every Point of Connection.
Every Point of Connection is an opportunity to connect emotionally with your customer and be sure they are receiving the value as they define it. It is an opportunity to interact at the human level generating the emotional contact that will make them come back and bring their family and friends.
If you are a business owner, or you are leading a business unit or a whole organization, in order to effectively manage Points of Connection; I want to encourage you to follow these steps:
Identify all Points of Connection between your customers and your company.
Once they are identified, you must understand what value your customer is looking for in each Point of Connection.
If there is a gap between the value your customer is expecting and what currently exists, then it is management’s job to put in place proper employee development and process improvement to eliminate the gap.
If you want more information about the three above-mentioned steps to create loyal growth in your business, or you are interested in implementing a customer loyalty strategy for your organization, please call (305) 722-7215, or you may also send me an e-mail at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Creating Loyal Growth – Part I
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
The formula to achieve profitable organic growth should be as simple as attracting, developing and keeping profitable customers. Companies spend an important part of their budgets in marketing and advertising with the purpose of attracting new customers; however, keeping and developing your customers are the result of having a solid and aligned organizational culture.
If your customers can switch to your competition at any time, you should keep reading this article.
In all businesses we have four types of customers:
• New Customers, who receive our biggest investment of attention and time;
• Current Customers, to who we have been providing services for a period of time, giving us a “safe” feeling;
• Past Customers, people who no longer are doing business with us;
• Future Customers, who will do business with us in the future.
From the list above, who is your most important customer? I know the answers will vary; however, let’s focus on the Past Customers – those that decided to stop doing business with us.
The federal government carried out a research program and to find out why customers stop doing business with a company. The research discovered that:
• 3% move away.
• 5% develop friendships or business alliances with other companies.
• 9% go out of business.
• 14% leave because of quality issues.
• The other 68% don't like the way they are treated.
As you can see from the above, the last two reasons make up 82% of the total lost business and both of these reasons are avoidable. Now you might assume these customers were unsatisfied. However, maybe they were not loyal. Or maybe they were both?
Is customer satisfaction equal to customer loyalty? Definitely not. A satisfied customer may keep doing business with you but will not create profitable organic growth for your company. A loyal customer will bring to your company not only her or his business, but will refer you business from family and friends.
Research prepared by Accenture concludes that customers who are highly satisfied for the most part are willing to switch providers if the incentive is right.
% Indicating Would
Reason to Leave Switch Provider
Any reason 87%
Lower price 79%
More reliable/better service 58%
Better products 47%
Offers suited to my needs 6%
Access to a real person 36%
More product choices 27%
Rewards program 29%
More accurate billing 22%
However, according to the same research, these are the actions loyal customers are likely to take:
Continue purchasing .........81%
Recommend the company to others ...........74%
If your customers can switch to your competition at any time, you should keep reading this article.
In all businesses we have four types of customers:
• New Customers, who receive our biggest investment of attention and time;
• Current Customers, to who we have been providing services for a period of time, giving us a “safe” feeling;
• Past Customers, people who no longer are doing business with us;
• Future Customers, who will do business with us in the future.
From the list above, who is your most important customer? I know the answers will vary; however, let’s focus on the Past Customers – those that decided to stop doing business with us.
The federal government carried out a research program and to find out why customers stop doing business with a company. The research discovered that:
• 3% move away.
• 5% develop friendships or business alliances with other companies.
• 9% go out of business.
• 14% leave because of quality issues.
• The other 68% don't like the way they are treated.
As you can see from the above, the last two reasons make up 82% of the total lost business and both of these reasons are avoidable. Now you might assume these customers were unsatisfied. However, maybe they were not loyal. Or maybe they were both?
Is customer satisfaction equal to customer loyalty? Definitely not. A satisfied customer may keep doing business with you but will not create profitable organic growth for your company. A loyal customer will bring to your company not only her or his business, but will refer you business from family and friends.
Research prepared by Accenture concludes that customers who are highly satisfied for the most part are willing to switch providers if the incentive is right.
% Indicating Would
Reason to Leave Switch Provider
Any reason 87%
Lower price 79%
More reliable/better service 58%
Better products 47%
Offers suited to my needs 6%
Access to a real person 36%
More product choices 27%
Rewards program 29%
More accurate billing 22%
However, according to the same research, these are the actions loyal customers are likely to take:
Continue purchasing .........81%
Recommend the company to others ...........74%
Respond to specials ........51%
Provide direct positive feedback ...........38%
Provide personal endorsement .........31%
Share information with company for improved products and services ........20%
Most consumers believe good customer service should be a core competency of the companies with which they do business. Today, they need to receive more than good customer service to become loyal to your business.
Customer satisfaction surveys are useless in terms of creating loyal customers. 95% of dissatisfied customers will not participate in any survey. They just leave and never come back. Another thing you have to remember is that 8 out of 10 of those people who go away will bad-mouth you. They will tell somewhere between 25 and 250 people that they had a problem with your company, and they will actually enjoy saying it. It's your job to keep that from happening.
Customer loyalty is based on four elements: price, service, trust, and emotion.
On “Creating Loyal Growth – Part 2” I will describe in more details these four elements.
To discuss how I can help your organization to develop loyal customers for your organization, please call (305) 722-7215, or you may also send me an e-mail at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Provide direct positive feedback ...........38%
Provide personal endorsement .........31%
Share information with company for improved products and services ........20%
Most consumers believe good customer service should be a core competency of the companies with which they do business. Today, they need to receive more than good customer service to become loyal to your business.
Customer satisfaction surveys are useless in terms of creating loyal customers. 95% of dissatisfied customers will not participate in any survey. They just leave and never come back. Another thing you have to remember is that 8 out of 10 of those people who go away will bad-mouth you. They will tell somewhere between 25 and 250 people that they had a problem with your company, and they will actually enjoy saying it. It's your job to keep that from happening.
Customer loyalty is based on four elements: price, service, trust, and emotion.
On “Creating Loyal Growth – Part 2” I will describe in more details these four elements.
To discuss how I can help your organization to develop loyal customers for your organization, please call (305) 722-7215, or you may also send me an e-mail at pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Make 2008 Your Best Year Ever..Until 2009
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
If you listen carefully to the talk of the town, you will notice that recession is in the air. People talk about the stock market, the real estate slowdown, oil prices, the presidential election, etc. And I wonder, is a recession a negative economic growth or is the accrual of people’s negative thoughts? Aren’t we responsible for the outcome of our business and personal activities? Are we talking about possibilities instead of negativities?
Two thousand and eight could be your best year ever, but you need to have the courage to take action to get there. Be ready to use the resources you already have to do a better job of what you are doing.
In his book “Leadership an Art of Possibilities”, Ben Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic says that the new leader’s job is recognizing the downward spiral and enrolling people in the journey to radiating possibility.
There are 5 ways you can change the outcome of your business and personal life:
1. Never say never again. How many times have you restrained yourself from doing something because you listened to the voice of the little fellow on your shoulder telling you “you will fail again” or “don’t even try it” or “you can’t do it”. You MUST stop listening to your negative inner voice, substituting it for positive thoughts about success. Remember, “Luck” is where opportunity and preparation meet. When you met your spouse or your partner, where you planning meeting her or him that day? Successful people are always open to new opportunities and ready to say yes.
2. Talk about obsession and no recession. Don’t participate in negative conversations about the future. Change the subject and start talking about how well your business is doing and the things you are doing different. Talk about today.
Be obsessed with your success making reference to your vision and dreams during your conversations with co-workers, family and friends, allowing them to be aligned with your positive thoughts.
3. Change your perspective. Don’t stare at the picture from the same spot. You have to come out to where you are and watch your life and organization from a different perspective. Stop your day-to-day activities and take some time to look at the obstacles and impediments from a different point of view. Invite your team members to do the same thing. If you change your perspective from time to time, the questions you ask will be different and so will the answers you get.
4. Create power around you. Abraham Lincoln said “You see what power is - holding someone else's fear in your hand and showing it to them!” You create power through your actions and your reactions. Every interaction in your life should be a deposit to your power account. Create empathy with your people and put yourself in other person’s shoes, caring about their personal and professional growth.
5. Speak possibilities. Do you have a roadmap to your success? Do you have variable solutions to your obstacles? If not, act now! Explore your possibilities. When you speak possibilities you are sending a positive message to the world around you, asking for success instead of failure. You are creating your own future today by opening your mind to new things.
List your dreams for this year, and draw the roadmap to get there, and you will see how many new possibilities appear in front of you.
Make 2008 the best year of your life..until 2009 which will be even better!
As an Executive and Corporate Team Coach, I help people use their resources and skills to do a better job, watching the picture from a different perspective. For more information, please review our website at http://www.activategroupinc.com/, call Pablo J. Perez at (305) 722-7215, or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
If you listen carefully to the talk of the town, you will notice that recession is in the air. People talk about the stock market, the real estate slowdown, oil prices, the presidential election, etc. And I wonder, is a recession a negative economic growth or is the accrual of people’s negative thoughts? Aren’t we responsible for the outcome of our business and personal activities? Are we talking about possibilities instead of negativities?
Two thousand and eight could be your best year ever, but you need to have the courage to take action to get there. Be ready to use the resources you already have to do a better job of what you are doing.
In his book “Leadership an Art of Possibilities”, Ben Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic says that the new leader’s job is recognizing the downward spiral and enrolling people in the journey to radiating possibility.
There are 5 ways you can change the outcome of your business and personal life:
1. Never say never again. How many times have you restrained yourself from doing something because you listened to the voice of the little fellow on your shoulder telling you “you will fail again” or “don’t even try it” or “you can’t do it”. You MUST stop listening to your negative inner voice, substituting it for positive thoughts about success. Remember, “Luck” is where opportunity and preparation meet. When you met your spouse or your partner, where you planning meeting her or him that day? Successful people are always open to new opportunities and ready to say yes.
2. Talk about obsession and no recession. Don’t participate in negative conversations about the future. Change the subject and start talking about how well your business is doing and the things you are doing different. Talk about today.
Be obsessed with your success making reference to your vision and dreams during your conversations with co-workers, family and friends, allowing them to be aligned with your positive thoughts.
3. Change your perspective. Don’t stare at the picture from the same spot. You have to come out to where you are and watch your life and organization from a different perspective. Stop your day-to-day activities and take some time to look at the obstacles and impediments from a different point of view. Invite your team members to do the same thing. If you change your perspective from time to time, the questions you ask will be different and so will the answers you get.
4. Create power around you. Abraham Lincoln said “You see what power is - holding someone else's fear in your hand and showing it to them!” You create power through your actions and your reactions. Every interaction in your life should be a deposit to your power account. Create empathy with your people and put yourself in other person’s shoes, caring about their personal and professional growth.
5. Speak possibilities. Do you have a roadmap to your success? Do you have variable solutions to your obstacles? If not, act now! Explore your possibilities. When you speak possibilities you are sending a positive message to the world around you, asking for success instead of failure. You are creating your own future today by opening your mind to new things.
List your dreams for this year, and draw the roadmap to get there, and you will see how many new possibilities appear in front of you.
Make 2008 the best year of your life..until 2009 which will be even better!
As an Executive and Corporate Team Coach, I help people use their resources and skills to do a better job, watching the picture from a different perspective. For more information, please review our website at http://www.activategroupinc.com/, call Pablo J. Perez at (305) 722-7215, or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Is Training Only For Pets?
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
Is your company expending money on training without expecting a ROI? Is the budget expended on training strengthening the employees’ skills allowing them to grow personally and professionally?
There is a difference between training and development. In many circumstances, due to the misinterpretation of these terms, companies expend tons of money providing training to executives and managers who already have the skills and the knowledge, when what they really need is to develop those skills to their maximum potential
Most organizations, when seeking new employees, invest money in newspaper ads, headhunters, job fairs, internet posting to attract and hire those candidates who already have the knowledge and the skills to do the job.
However, does that knowledge or those skills make them successful? How many times have you met individuals with degrees from top schools who can not reach professional success?
Training is the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching; on the other hand, development teaches you how to become more productive and effective at work and how to maintain focus on what really counts in all aspects of your life. In other words, training provides the skill, development maximizes it.
When you invest money in developing your employees, you are helping them use the resources that they have to do a better job. While you have them together in the team arena, you have the opportunity to get them to discover things that they would have never discovered in their day-to-day work.
Once those tools are applied in the proper way, attitudes and habits turn positive, time strategies are put in place, productivity increases, goal-setting turns into goal achievement, and the feeling of success brings the team members a balance in their personal life and professional careers.
Going back to the article’s title: Is training only for pets? In my opinion no, it is not. Training and education are the main structure of the temple of knowledge, and when we decide to invest in professional and personal development, we are fortifying the temple.
If the most important asset in your organization is your people, and they were hired because of the quality of the skills and knowledge they brought to the company, it is time to think about developing their skills to their maximum potential to propel your organization’s organic growth.
As an Executive and Corporate Team Coach, I provide the tools and methodologies to accelerate team performance. For more information, please review our website at http://www.activategroupinc.com/, call Pablo J. Perez at (305) 722-7215, or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Some Reference and excerpts were taken from Coaching Corporate Teams by David Herdlinger.
Is your company expending money on training without expecting a ROI? Is the budget expended on training strengthening the employees’ skills allowing them to grow personally and professionally?
There is a difference between training and development. In many circumstances, due to the misinterpretation of these terms, companies expend tons of money providing training to executives and managers who already have the skills and the knowledge, when what they really need is to develop those skills to their maximum potential
Most organizations, when seeking new employees, invest money in newspaper ads, headhunters, job fairs, internet posting to attract and hire those candidates who already have the knowledge and the skills to do the job.
However, does that knowledge or those skills make them successful? How many times have you met individuals with degrees from top schools who can not reach professional success?
Training is the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching; on the other hand, development teaches you how to become more productive and effective at work and how to maintain focus on what really counts in all aspects of your life. In other words, training provides the skill, development maximizes it.
When you invest money in developing your employees, you are helping them use the resources that they have to do a better job. While you have them together in the team arena, you have the opportunity to get them to discover things that they would have never discovered in their day-to-day work.
As you strengthen the individual members of the team, the team gets strengthened. As the team gets strengthened, you will see that the organization gets strengthened.
When we develop people through coaching, the tools we use are different from those we apply when we provide training. Those tools are centered on:
- Attitudes and habits
- Skills, not technical skills, but the soft skills, the personal skills: things like communication, time management, decision-making, problem-solving, etc.
- Goal-setting and goal achievement
- Purpose
Once those tools are applied in the proper way, attitudes and habits turn positive, time strategies are put in place, productivity increases, goal-setting turns into goal achievement, and the feeling of success brings the team members a balance in their personal life and professional careers.
Going back to the article’s title: Is training only for pets? In my opinion no, it is not. Training and education are the main structure of the temple of knowledge, and when we decide to invest in professional and personal development, we are fortifying the temple.
If the most important asset in your organization is your people, and they were hired because of the quality of the skills and knowledge they brought to the company, it is time to think about developing their skills to their maximum potential to propel your organization’s organic growth.
As an Executive and Corporate Team Coach, I provide the tools and methodologies to accelerate team performance. For more information, please review our website at http://www.activategroupinc.com/, call Pablo J. Perez at (305) 722-7215, or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Some Reference and excerpts were taken from Coaching Corporate Teams by David Herdlinger.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Customer Loyalty: Priceless
By Pablo J Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach
Last summer, during a deserved break from my coaching activities, I decided to spend four days with my family at a beautiful resort on the west coast of Florida. The experience was “ok”, except for the speed of the checking-in and out processes, pool services and other services. In a nutshell, overall service was satisfactory but not memorable. If asked, I would relate to the resort that “I was a satisfied customer”.
However, would I stay at this resort in the future? Would I recommend the resort to my family and friends? The answers to both these questions are a resounding “no.” In conclusion, I was a “satisfied” customer but not a “loyal” customer.
According to Jeffrey Gitomer of Customer Satisfation is Worthless: Customer Loyalty is Priceless, “Satisfaction is not longer the acceptable measurement of Customer service success”. The Gallup Organization’s research also concludes that no matter how an organization thinks its customers are satisfied, if it hasn’t made an emotional connection with its customers to develop a long-term relationship, satisfaction will ultimately be worthless.
During my summer experience, there lacked an emotional connection with the resort, resulting in a loss of desire to return to the resort.
Great customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.
Customers will come back and will bring family and friends to do business with you, if:
1. The “emotion” experienced at every “point of connection” during the buying process is so strong that it leaves a mark on their memories.
2. The relationship is based on “trust”. Customer will seek your personal assistance, and they are willing to pay for it.
3. They feel you really care about their needs. Always put your Customer’s interests and needs ahead of yours.
Here are some statistics
• A typical dissatisfied customer will tell 6-10 people about the problem. A typical satisfied customer will tell 1-2 people.
• It costs 6 times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an old one.
• Of those customers who quit, 68% do so because of an attitude of indifference by the company or a specific individual.
• About 7 of 10 complaining customers will do business with you again if you resolve the complaint in their favor.
• If you resolve a complaint on the spot, 95% of customers will do business with you again.
What happens to angry customers?
• 91% of any business's angry customers will never come back.
• 96% will never tell you the reason that they left.
• 80% will do business with you again if their problem was handled quickly and to their satisfaction.
If the problem was quite bad, they will tell stories about it for years and years to come.
"Who is typically to blame when you lose a customer?" Most customer service providers will answer that it is the customer's fault! (and here is the scariest percentage) .. 99% of the time that customer service provider only needs to look in the mirror to see who is truly at fault!”
From a scale of 1-10, how likely are your Customers to recommend your organization to someone else? If your answer is below 7 or you don’t know the answer, it is time to think about developing a Customer Loyalty Strategy to start creating the “emotion” not only on your External Customer but also on the Internal ones (employees).
If you want to learn more details about our Customer Loyalty Development Program and how valuable for your organization it might be, please review our website at www.activategroupinc.com, call Pablo J. Perez at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Customer Loyalty by Resource Associates Corporation.
Last summer, during a deserved break from my coaching activities, I decided to spend four days with my family at a beautiful resort on the west coast of Florida. The experience was “ok”, except for the speed of the checking-in and out processes, pool services and other services. In a nutshell, overall service was satisfactory but not memorable. If asked, I would relate to the resort that “I was a satisfied customer”.
However, would I stay at this resort in the future? Would I recommend the resort to my family and friends? The answers to both these questions are a resounding “no.” In conclusion, I was a “satisfied” customer but not a “loyal” customer.
According to Jeffrey Gitomer of Customer Satisfation is Worthless: Customer Loyalty is Priceless, “Satisfaction is not longer the acceptable measurement of Customer service success”. The Gallup Organization’s research also concludes that no matter how an organization thinks its customers are satisfied, if it hasn’t made an emotional connection with its customers to develop a long-term relationship, satisfaction will ultimately be worthless.
During my summer experience, there lacked an emotional connection with the resort, resulting in a loss of desire to return to the resort.
Great customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.
Customers will come back and will bring family and friends to do business with you, if:
1. The “emotion” experienced at every “point of connection” during the buying process is so strong that it leaves a mark on their memories.
2. The relationship is based on “trust”. Customer will seek your personal assistance, and they are willing to pay for it.
3. They feel you really care about their needs. Always put your Customer’s interests and needs ahead of yours.
Here are some statistics
• A typical dissatisfied customer will tell 6-10 people about the problem. A typical satisfied customer will tell 1-2 people.
• It costs 6 times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an old one.
• Of those customers who quit, 68% do so because of an attitude of indifference by the company or a specific individual.
• About 7 of 10 complaining customers will do business with you again if you resolve the complaint in their favor.
• If you resolve a complaint on the spot, 95% of customers will do business with you again.
What happens to angry customers?
• 91% of any business's angry customers will never come back.
• 96% will never tell you the reason that they left.
• 80% will do business with you again if their problem was handled quickly and to their satisfaction.
If the problem was quite bad, they will tell stories about it for years and years to come.
"Who is typically to blame when you lose a customer?" Most customer service providers will answer that it is the customer's fault! (and here is the scariest percentage) .. 99% of the time that customer service provider only needs to look in the mirror to see who is truly at fault!”
From a scale of 1-10, how likely are your Customers to recommend your organization to someone else? If your answer is below 7 or you don’t know the answer, it is time to think about developing a Customer Loyalty Strategy to start creating the “emotion” not only on your External Customer but also on the Internal ones (employees).
If you want to learn more details about our Customer Loyalty Development Program and how valuable for your organization it might be, please review our website at www.activategroupinc.com, call Pablo J. Perez at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Customer Loyalty by Resource Associates Corporation.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
THE HABIT OF DOING NOTHING…A SUCCESS KILLER
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Coach
Don’t worry I will do it later! No problem, we have time! Tomorrow will be another day! These are all examples of success-killer statements which unfortunately are used almost daily by top executives, managers, and workers. We start as little children then as students and the consequences gradually build as we reach the work force.
The habit of doing nothing, as most habits, starts to develop when we are young children, when our parents do everything for us from cleaning-up our room or helping us with our important school project. Sometimes there were no consequences for our inaction, other times we were grounded for a couple of hours, or other more drastic measures. However, one thing is certain, as adults the “pay-off” for our inaction will come sooner or later and can be huge.
Habits are formed through a process that involves evaluating a given situation, deciding what action to take, and then reassessing the action to find whether or not it yields to a desirable result. Sometimes a person will consciously develop a bad habit. For instance, an individual decides on a certain course of action that yields an undesired result and then tries other options, and each one proves unsatisfactory. He then chooses to form his habit based on the lesser negative consequence.
One of the most precious things we have in our lives is time, and having bad habits managing our time could bring huge consequences for our personal or professional life. Time is not given to us. Time is only available to us. How much, and how we use it is up to us. Time has to dimensions: hours and energy. By wasting one, we waste the other; however, by using one wisely, we enhance the other’s value.
Procrastination is the worst enemy of time. Every time we put off doing something for later, we are actually postponing our success and opening the door to failure. The procrastinator is often remarkably optimistic about his ability to complete a task on a tight deadline; this is usually accompanied by expressions of reassurance that everything is under control (Therefore, there is no need to start). At this point, considerable effort is directed towards completing the task, and work progresses. This sudden spurt of energy is the source of the erroneous feeling that "I only work well under pressure." Actually, at this point you are making progress only because you haven't any choice. Your back is against the wall and there are no alternatives. Progress is being made, but you have lost your freedom.
Procrastinators often follow exactly the wrong direction. They try to minimize their commitments, assuming that if they have only a few things to do, they will quit procrastinating and get them done. But this goes contrary to the basic nature of the procrastinator and destroys his most important source of motivation. The few tasks on his list will be by definition the most important, and the only way to avoid doing them will be to do nothing. This is a way to become a couch potato, not an effective human being.
These are some of the characteristics of a procrastinator:
• Low Self-Confidence - The procrastinator may struggle with feelings of low self-confidence and low self-esteem.
• I’m too Busy - Procrastination may be used to call attention to how busy he is. "Obviously I cannot do such and such because my affairs are so complicated and so demanding. That is why I am late, etc." The procrastinator may even spend considerable time justifying his reasons, time that could be spent doing the work.
• Pride - Procrastination may be used as an expression of pride: "Don't think you can push me around. I will do it when I'm good and ready."
• Manipulation - Procrastination may be used to control or manipulate the behavior of others. "They cannot start if I am not there." Let's face it: deliberate delay drives others crazy.
• A Frustrated Victim - The procrastinator often feels like a victim: he cannot understand his behavior or why he cannot get work done like others. The whole thing is a frustrating mystery. The reasons for his behavior are hidden from him.
Procrastination, as other habits requires hard work to overcome, and sometimes our mind creates our own obstacles to justify our actions. The following are some examples of things we often tell ourselves:
1. Mañana - "I'll do it tomorrow."
2. Contingent mañana - "I'll do it tomorrow, if ..."
3. Grasshopperism - "I need to have some well-earned fun first." (In Esop's fable, the grasshopper fiddled and played all summer while the ants stored up winter supplies. When winter came, the grasshopper suffered.)
4. Escapism - "I've got to get out for a while to clear my mind."
5. Impulsiveness - "My problem will be solved if I change my major, or attend a different college, or "
6. Music and reading - "I'll relax a while and then get started."
7. To the rescue - "The flight will be late as usual and the meeting will be postponed!"
Taking Action:
Contrary to common misconception people can improve attitudes which are actually habits of thought. We are in charge of our life and we are the only ones who will receive the rewards of success. If the habit of doing nothing is creating obstacles in our journey to success, we can start creating “good” time management habits and open the window to new techniques to support our behavioral change.
As with anything worth having, a change in attitude will take hard work. Removing a bad habit of thought is not simply erasing something from our minds. We have to replace it with something over and over until that habit of thought turns into behavior that causes results. As you start seeing results you will gain confidence that will reinforce the new behavior.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity, employee motivation and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Leadership published by Resource Associates Corporation, Mohnton, PA.
Don’t worry I will do it later! No problem, we have time! Tomorrow will be another day! These are all examples of success-killer statements which unfortunately are used almost daily by top executives, managers, and workers. We start as little children then as students and the consequences gradually build as we reach the work force.
The habit of doing nothing, as most habits, starts to develop when we are young children, when our parents do everything for us from cleaning-up our room or helping us with our important school project. Sometimes there were no consequences for our inaction, other times we were grounded for a couple of hours, or other more drastic measures. However, one thing is certain, as adults the “pay-off” for our inaction will come sooner or later and can be huge.
Habits are formed through a process that involves evaluating a given situation, deciding what action to take, and then reassessing the action to find whether or not it yields to a desirable result. Sometimes a person will consciously develop a bad habit. For instance, an individual decides on a certain course of action that yields an undesired result and then tries other options, and each one proves unsatisfactory. He then chooses to form his habit based on the lesser negative consequence.
One of the most precious things we have in our lives is time, and having bad habits managing our time could bring huge consequences for our personal or professional life. Time is not given to us. Time is only available to us. How much, and how we use it is up to us. Time has to dimensions: hours and energy. By wasting one, we waste the other; however, by using one wisely, we enhance the other’s value.
Procrastination is the worst enemy of time. Every time we put off doing something for later, we are actually postponing our success and opening the door to failure. The procrastinator is often remarkably optimistic about his ability to complete a task on a tight deadline; this is usually accompanied by expressions of reassurance that everything is under control (Therefore, there is no need to start). At this point, considerable effort is directed towards completing the task, and work progresses. This sudden spurt of energy is the source of the erroneous feeling that "I only work well under pressure." Actually, at this point you are making progress only because you haven't any choice. Your back is against the wall and there are no alternatives. Progress is being made, but you have lost your freedom.
Procrastinators often follow exactly the wrong direction. They try to minimize their commitments, assuming that if they have only a few things to do, they will quit procrastinating and get them done. But this goes contrary to the basic nature of the procrastinator and destroys his most important source of motivation. The few tasks on his list will be by definition the most important, and the only way to avoid doing them will be to do nothing. This is a way to become a couch potato, not an effective human being.
These are some of the characteristics of a procrastinator:
• Low Self-Confidence - The procrastinator may struggle with feelings of low self-confidence and low self-esteem.
• I’m too Busy - Procrastination may be used to call attention to how busy he is. "Obviously I cannot do such and such because my affairs are so complicated and so demanding. That is why I am late, etc." The procrastinator may even spend considerable time justifying his reasons, time that could be spent doing the work.
• Pride - Procrastination may be used as an expression of pride: "Don't think you can push me around. I will do it when I'm good and ready."
• Manipulation - Procrastination may be used to control or manipulate the behavior of others. "They cannot start if I am not there." Let's face it: deliberate delay drives others crazy.
• A Frustrated Victim - The procrastinator often feels like a victim: he cannot understand his behavior or why he cannot get work done like others. The whole thing is a frustrating mystery. The reasons for his behavior are hidden from him.
Procrastination, as other habits requires hard work to overcome, and sometimes our mind creates our own obstacles to justify our actions. The following are some examples of things we often tell ourselves:
1. Mañana - "I'll do it tomorrow."
2. Contingent mañana - "I'll do it tomorrow, if ..."
3. Grasshopperism - "I need to have some well-earned fun first." (In Esop's fable, the grasshopper fiddled and played all summer while the ants stored up winter supplies. When winter came, the grasshopper suffered.)
4. Escapism - "I've got to get out for a while to clear my mind."
5. Impulsiveness - "My problem will be solved if I change my major, or attend a different college, or "
6. Music and reading - "I'll relax a while and then get started."
7. To the rescue - "The flight will be late as usual and the meeting will be postponed!"
Taking Action:
Contrary to common misconception people can improve attitudes which are actually habits of thought. We are in charge of our life and we are the only ones who will receive the rewards of success. If the habit of doing nothing is creating obstacles in our journey to success, we can start creating “good” time management habits and open the window to new techniques to support our behavioral change.
As with anything worth having, a change in attitude will take hard work. Removing a bad habit of thought is not simply erasing something from our minds. We have to replace it with something over and over until that habit of thought turns into behavior that causes results. As you start seeing results you will gain confidence that will reinforce the new behavior.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity, employee motivation and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Leadership published by Resource Associates Corporation, Mohnton, PA.
Monday, November 12, 2007
5 STEPS TO MAKE MONDAYS FUN AGAIN – STEP 5
By Pablo J. Perez, Executive and Corporate Team Coach, Activate Group, Inc.
When I started this series of articles about the steps to make Mondays fun again, my purpose was to send a positive message about enjoying life and getting the best from every single day of our lives. It doesn’t matter if it is Monday, Friday, or Sunday. Two weeks ago, watching a rental movie with my family, a powerful message came to my attention. The story was about a high school football team with a long losing streak and the efforts of its coach to break that streak and turn these boys into winners. One day, a wise man came to talk to the coach and told him the following story: there were two farmers who prayed every day with all their hearts for rain. One of them spent most of his time going to a house of worship to pray, while the other farmer decided to pray early in the morning and work the rest of day preparing the land for the rain to come. God sent rain to only one of them. You guessed right! The farmer who prepared the land received the rain. The question is: which of the two farmers are you?
The football coach understood the message, defined the purpose of the team (which by the way, was not winning games), aligned all players with that purpose, and as a result, the team became State Champion for the first time in its history.
Our job is to prepare the land and be ready for the rain. Probably the farmer who did not receive the rain, thought he had bad luck. His rain will come, but he has to take action.
Remember: luck is the point in time where preparation and opportunity meet.
This is the final step to make Mondays fun again! GO FOR IT AND HAVE FUN!
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”. - Walt Disney
Having the courage to take action on the things we consider important for our lives is a consequence of the previous four steps in the process of making Mondays fun again. As a refresher, those steps are:
1. Define your purpose
2. Explore your potential
3. Create a solid plan
4. Develop the right attitude
To jump to the final step of the ladder, you have to believe, esteem, and love yourself first; create a self-leadership environment which will provide you with the power of acting now, instead of procrastinating with your dreams.
Be happy and enjoy the journey. Wake up every Monday morning with the positive assurance that the week to come will be the best week of your life. Take action on your dreams; prepare your land for the rain to come.
Life is good!
As an Executive and Corporate Team Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
When I started this series of articles about the steps to make Mondays fun again, my purpose was to send a positive message about enjoying life and getting the best from every single day of our lives. It doesn’t matter if it is Monday, Friday, or Sunday. Two weeks ago, watching a rental movie with my family, a powerful message came to my attention. The story was about a high school football team with a long losing streak and the efforts of its coach to break that streak and turn these boys into winners. One day, a wise man came to talk to the coach and told him the following story: there were two farmers who prayed every day with all their hearts for rain. One of them spent most of his time going to a house of worship to pray, while the other farmer decided to pray early in the morning and work the rest of day preparing the land for the rain to come. God sent rain to only one of them. You guessed right! The farmer who prepared the land received the rain. The question is: which of the two farmers are you?
The football coach understood the message, defined the purpose of the team (which by the way, was not winning games), aligned all players with that purpose, and as a result, the team became State Champion for the first time in its history.
Our job is to prepare the land and be ready for the rain. Probably the farmer who did not receive the rain, thought he had bad luck. His rain will come, but he has to take action.
Remember: luck is the point in time where preparation and opportunity meet.
This is the final step to make Mondays fun again! GO FOR IT AND HAVE FUN!
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”. - Walt Disney
Having the courage to take action on the things we consider important for our lives is a consequence of the previous four steps in the process of making Mondays fun again. As a refresher, those steps are:
1. Define your purpose
2. Explore your potential
3. Create a solid plan
4. Develop the right attitude
To jump to the final step of the ladder, you have to believe, esteem, and love yourself first; create a self-leadership environment which will provide you with the power of acting now, instead of procrastinating with your dreams.
Be happy and enjoy the journey. Wake up every Monday morning with the positive assurance that the week to come will be the best week of your life. Take action on your dreams; prepare your land for the rain to come.
Life is good!
As an Executive and Corporate Team Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
IF TIME IS MONEY…HOW BIG ARE YOUR SAVINGS? By Pablo J. Perez
Since the beginning of time, we have been a population preoccupied with the concept of time. Unfortunately the term "Time management" creates a false impression of what a person is able to do. Time can't be managed and is uncontrollable. However, we can manage ourselves and choose how we use time.
We measure daily activities, progress, even distances in terms of days, hours or minutes. Most important, we think of money in terms of time. “Time is money” is a phrase often heard in the business world. Our job productivity is often related to the time consumed in to perform specific tasks. In many business compensation is paid in terms of rates per hour.
Do you use time or does it use you? Do you stay on top of things, or do they stay on top of you? To a very large degree, your success will depend on whether or not you master the art of effective time organization. However, time management is a skill few people master and is one that most people need. If you really want to improve the use of your time and your productivity and at the same time feel good and effective, you should start by building a strategy around your time, evaluating your current behaviors and habits.
Time management is a skill, a technique, a mindset and a lifestyle. It can be adopted by anyone who wants to:
• Feel in more control
• Attain more out of life
• Reduce stress
• Realize more balance in life
• Achieve success in business
To use your time successfully you must first accomplish what is most important for you. When you don’t accomplish what you truly want, you may feel confused, compromised, and frustrated. Many people try to use time management techniques that work for others, only to be disappointed. It does not matter if you use a paper-base system, a PDA, or one of those expensive mobile devises. What really matter is that you are using a system that make you effective.
Myths About Time Management
Some of the myths related to time management use are a direct consequence of our attitudes. Our attitudes are developed through a conditioning process that began very early in life. As you examine your past and the future, you will develop a much better understanding of why you do the things you do. Let’s take a look at some myths related to time:
MYTH: My life is completely controlled by external events.
FACT: You can have some control over many aspects of your life, but you and you alone are responsible for initiating that control.
MYTH: I should meet everyone's expectations.
FACT: The needs and demands of others may be inappropriate for you and your lifestyle. First, become clear about what your needs are. Then, consider what others expect of you.
MYTH: I should have no limits.
FACT: We all have limits . . . failure to acknowledge this may cause you to become perfectionist in your expectations. Perfectionism normally leads to procrastination.
MYTH: I do not have time
FACT: You need a time strategy.
Common Time Wasters Which Need To Be Identified
In order for a time management process to work it is important to know what aspects of our personal management need to be improved. Below you will find some of the most frequent reasons for reducing effectiveness in the workplace. Identify the ones that are major obstacles to your effective use of your time. Identifying your time stealers
• Interruptions – telephone
• Interruptions - personal visitors
• Meetings
• Tasks you should have delegated
• Procrastination and indecision (see my article “The Habit of Doing Nothing)
• Acting with incomplete information
• Dealing with team members
• Crisis management (fire fighting)
• Unclear communication
• Inadequate technical knowledge
• Unclear objectives and priorities
• Lack of planning
• Stress and fatigue
• Inability to say "No"
• Desk management and personal disorganization
Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to manage your time, be more in control and reduce stress. You can analyze your time and see how you may be both the cause and the solution to your time challenges.
There are many ways we can manage our time more effectively. The following is list of some strategies you can use to use your time more effectively:
1. Put your daily plans in writing.
2. Plan your daily time use by listing your activities in order of their priority.
3. Delegate.
4. Be selective
5. Make brief notes immediately following a conference, meeting or an important conversation.
6. Keep simple records regarding the routine of your daily life.
7. Schedule a quiet time –do not disturb-.
8. Use waiting time wisely.
9. Keep your work area uncluttered and free of distractions.
10.Keep incoming “Junk mail” to a minimum.
Using your time is your responsibility and is controllable if you choose to. The degree of your commitment to achieve personal goals will determine how serious you are about setting priorities for you time.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity, employee motivation and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Management and Leadership published by Resource Associates Corporation.
We measure daily activities, progress, even distances in terms of days, hours or minutes. Most important, we think of money in terms of time. “Time is money” is a phrase often heard in the business world. Our job productivity is often related to the time consumed in to perform specific tasks. In many business compensation is paid in terms of rates per hour.
Do you use time or does it use you? Do you stay on top of things, or do they stay on top of you? To a very large degree, your success will depend on whether or not you master the art of effective time organization. However, time management is a skill few people master and is one that most people need. If you really want to improve the use of your time and your productivity and at the same time feel good and effective, you should start by building a strategy around your time, evaluating your current behaviors and habits.
Time management is a skill, a technique, a mindset and a lifestyle. It can be adopted by anyone who wants to:
• Feel in more control
• Attain more out of life
• Reduce stress
• Realize more balance in life
• Achieve success in business
To use your time successfully you must first accomplish what is most important for you. When you don’t accomplish what you truly want, you may feel confused, compromised, and frustrated. Many people try to use time management techniques that work for others, only to be disappointed. It does not matter if you use a paper-base system, a PDA, or one of those expensive mobile devises. What really matter is that you are using a system that make you effective.
Myths About Time Management
Some of the myths related to time management use are a direct consequence of our attitudes. Our attitudes are developed through a conditioning process that began very early in life. As you examine your past and the future, you will develop a much better understanding of why you do the things you do. Let’s take a look at some myths related to time:
MYTH: My life is completely controlled by external events.
FACT: You can have some control over many aspects of your life, but you and you alone are responsible for initiating that control.
MYTH: I should meet everyone's expectations.
FACT: The needs and demands of others may be inappropriate for you and your lifestyle. First, become clear about what your needs are. Then, consider what others expect of you.
MYTH: I should have no limits.
FACT: We all have limits . . . failure to acknowledge this may cause you to become perfectionist in your expectations. Perfectionism normally leads to procrastination.
MYTH: I do not have time
FACT: You need a time strategy.
Common Time Wasters Which Need To Be Identified
In order for a time management process to work it is important to know what aspects of our personal management need to be improved. Below you will find some of the most frequent reasons for reducing effectiveness in the workplace. Identify the ones that are major obstacles to your effective use of your time. Identifying your time stealers
• Interruptions – telephone
• Interruptions - personal visitors
• Meetings
• Tasks you should have delegated
• Procrastination and indecision (see my article “The Habit of Doing Nothing)
• Acting with incomplete information
• Dealing with team members
• Crisis management (fire fighting)
• Unclear communication
• Inadequate technical knowledge
• Unclear objectives and priorities
• Lack of planning
• Stress and fatigue
• Inability to say "No"
• Desk management and personal disorganization
Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to manage your time, be more in control and reduce stress. You can analyze your time and see how you may be both the cause and the solution to your time challenges.
There are many ways we can manage our time more effectively. The following is list of some strategies you can use to use your time more effectively:
1. Put your daily plans in writing.
2. Plan your daily time use by listing your activities in order of their priority.
3. Delegate.
4. Be selective
5. Make brief notes immediately following a conference, meeting or an important conversation.
6. Keep simple records regarding the routine of your daily life.
7. Schedule a quiet time –do not disturb-.
8. Use waiting time wisely.
9. Keep your work area uncluttered and free of distractions.
10.Keep incoming “Junk mail” to a minimum.
Using your time is your responsibility and is controllable if you choose to. The degree of your commitment to achieve personal goals will determine how serious you are about setting priorities for you time.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity, employee motivation and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Reference and excerpts taken with permission from Management and Leadership published by Resource Associates Corporation.
Start a winning streak: Are you being Coach? By Pablo J. Perez,
“Everybody starts out at 0-0 at the beginning of the game. Everybody is even,” proclaimed one coach whose team was in a losing streak. Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, made a similar point, saying that, mathematically, each game is a new start.
Even though both statements sound logical, both are wrong. Each game does not reset the organizational score to zero, any more than each quarter is a fresh beginning for a business or than each day is a new life for a person. Reset an old car’s odometer to zero, and it is still an old car.
We carry our baggage from the past, but the great news is that attitudes and behaviors can be improved, substituted or changed; giving us the chance of starting a brand new winning streak that will make us feel we are attaining our dreams and, as a consequence, becoming successful.
How can I stop a losing streak? How can I start a winning one? Close your eyes and envision your future. Are you happy? Are you rich? You can see yourself many years from now, surrounded by symbols of success, but what you will not imagine is the path to get there. It does not matter how hard you try; knowing what road to take is not an easy task. As people aspire to better lives, they are more likely to seek outside help to get them there: a professional coach.
People seek out coaches for three common reasons: take their performance to the next level, navigating some transition in their lives or careers, or having the need to change a behavior that is holding them back from their goals.
The dictionary defines “Coaching” as "private instruction." Yes, being a coach is much like being a private instructor, but it really is so much more. I believe coaching is also a talent and a gift. Good coaches have a knack for helping people and encouraging people to dig deep and realize more of their full potential than even they, themselves, thought possible.
FACTS ABOUT COACHING:
* Professional coaching is more popular than ever. The International Coach Federation boasts about 8,000 members, up from approximately 1,500 in 1998.
* In 2004, 56% of polled companies said that executive coaching would be a major learning method they would emphasize. Then in a 2006 follow-up survey, 51% said the use of coaching had actually increased.
* In the study, High-Impact Executive Coaching, 43% of CEOs and 71% of the senior executive team had worked with a coach.
* 63% of organizations say they plan to increase their use of coaching over the next five years.
* 92% of leaders being coached say they plan to use a coach again.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity, employee motivation and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Some of the concepts and facts discussed in this paper were taken from “Coaching: The Fad that Won’t Go Away” by Jim Bolt.
Even though both statements sound logical, both are wrong. Each game does not reset the organizational score to zero, any more than each quarter is a fresh beginning for a business or than each day is a new life for a person. Reset an old car’s odometer to zero, and it is still an old car.
We carry our baggage from the past, but the great news is that attitudes and behaviors can be improved, substituted or changed; giving us the chance of starting a brand new winning streak that will make us feel we are attaining our dreams and, as a consequence, becoming successful.
How can I stop a losing streak? How can I start a winning one? Close your eyes and envision your future. Are you happy? Are you rich? You can see yourself many years from now, surrounded by symbols of success, but what you will not imagine is the path to get there. It does not matter how hard you try; knowing what road to take is not an easy task. As people aspire to better lives, they are more likely to seek outside help to get them there: a professional coach.
People seek out coaches for three common reasons: take their performance to the next level, navigating some transition in their lives or careers, or having the need to change a behavior that is holding them back from their goals.
The dictionary defines “Coaching” as "private instruction." Yes, being a coach is much like being a private instructor, but it really is so much more. I believe coaching is also a talent and a gift. Good coaches have a knack for helping people and encouraging people to dig deep and realize more of their full potential than even they, themselves, thought possible.
FACTS ABOUT COACHING:
* Professional coaching is more popular than ever. The International Coach Federation boasts about 8,000 members, up from approximately 1,500 in 1998.
* In 2004, 56% of polled companies said that executive coaching would be a major learning method they would emphasize. Then in a 2006 follow-up survey, 51% said the use of coaching had actually increased.
* In the study, High-Impact Executive Coaching, 43% of CEOs and 71% of the senior executive team had worked with a coach.
* 63% of organizations say they plan to increase their use of coaching over the next five years.
* 92% of leaders being coached say they plan to use a coach again.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity, employee motivation and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
Some of the concepts and facts discussed in this paper were taken from “Coaching: The Fad that Won’t Go Away” by Jim Bolt.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
5 STEPS TO MAKE MONDAYS FUN AGAIN – STEP 4
On 4th of July, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by the Union stating that “ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL”. This is an indisputable affirmation. However, why are some people successful and others aren’t? Why have people without a formal education achieved a high degree of success? Why do successful people do things that unsuccessful people don’t like to do?
ATTITUDE is the answer: and if you develop the right one you will open the door to a better quality of life and a world full of personal and professional achievement. Most importantly, you will make “Mondays fun again”.
Step 4 – Develop the Right Attitude
Become your future, not your past
The first word we teach our children is NO. That’s very positive, isn’t it? They are the raw material ready to be conditioned by an already negatively conditioned adult. For example, during our school years we are told not to talk in class. Suddenly we are requested to give a presentation in an auditorium in front of 100 people feeling the strong desire of disappearing from the face of the earth. If you have experienced this situation, don’t worry, 70% of presenters experience butterflies and pre-speech jitters.
A positive attitude will attract positive things to your life and will help you create rapport and solid relationships for your business and personal life. Remember, when someone tells you “I like you” what they are really saying is “I am like you”.
"The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." William James, father of American Psychology
Action Steps:
How can I change my inner attitudes?
Dream a lot
“Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.” James Dean, Actor.
Have a passion
“All the passions are nothing else than different degrees of heat and cold of the blood.” Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld
ATTITUDE is the answer: and if you develop the right one you will open the door to a better quality of life and a world full of personal and professional achievement. Most importantly, you will make “Mondays fun again”.
Step 4 – Develop the Right Attitude
Become your future, not your past
The first word we teach our children is NO. That’s very positive, isn’t it? They are the raw material ready to be conditioned by an already negatively conditioned adult. For example, during our school years we are told not to talk in class. Suddenly we are requested to give a presentation in an auditorium in front of 100 people feeling the strong desire of disappearing from the face of the earth. If you have experienced this situation, don’t worry, 70% of presenters experience butterflies and pre-speech jitters.
A positive attitude will attract positive things to your life and will help you create rapport and solid relationships for your business and personal life. Remember, when someone tells you “I like you” what they are really saying is “I am like you”.
"The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." William James, father of American Psychology
Action Steps:
How can I change my inner attitudes?
Dream a lot
“Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.” James Dean, Actor.
Have a passion
“All the passions are nothing else than different degrees of heat and cold of the blood.” Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld
Gain Courage to take action
“All your dreams come true, if you have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney
Smile
“People do not smile because their happy, they are happy because they smile” Unknown
Keep life simple
“If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.” Albert Einstein
Always expect the best
“We usually get what we anticipate.” Claude M. Bristol
Love
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” Martin Luther King Jr.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
Stay tuned for our next edition of “Room For Improvement” when you will learn the last Step To Make Mondays Fun Again and find more tips and suggestions on how to accelerate the performance of your business and your career faster and with less effort.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
“All your dreams come true, if you have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney
Smile
“People do not smile because their happy, they are happy because they smile” Unknown
Keep life simple
“If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.” Albert Einstein
Always expect the best
“We usually get what we anticipate.” Claude M. Bristol
Love
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” Martin Luther King Jr.
As an Executive Coach, I help individuals and organizations develop better attitudes more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. I work with my clients in all areas, including business, career, finances, time management, productivity and relationships. As a result of coaching, clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
Stay tuned for our next edition of “Room For Improvement” when you will learn the last Step To Make Mondays Fun Again and find more tips and suggestions on how to accelerate the performance of your business and your career faster and with less effort.
If you wish to explore deeper into the subjects contained in this article, please call Activate Group at (305)722-7215 or send an e-mail to pjperez@activategroupinc.com.
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