Thieves Prefer A MacBook

The MacBook saga continues. You may recall that my 1st MacBook took a glass of Zin and insurance did pay for my 2nd MacBook. Love that technology rider on my State Farm policy.

13 days later my 2nd MacBook was stolen out of my car in broad daylight. After a meeting in Denver we put the MacBook satchel onto the backseat floor and my friend’s PC briefcase into the back hatch area. We then went to continue the meeting over a glass of club soda.

45 minutes later we were SHOCKED to find that my car had been broken into with a slim-jim and they had stolen the MacBook… and left the PC! This was in a very nice business area, in front of a Fitness 24, with plenty of passers-by.

As the police offer was dusting for fingerprints he informed us that this is a very common occurrence. That it really is NOT SAFE to leave anything in your car. No kidding …

I’m now on my third MacBook within a 7-week period.

What’s the message here?

One associate said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me, you’re not going to get another one are you?’ Of course I was going to get another! I still wanted one and now more than ever.

The message to me is ‘it’s not what happens to you… it’s what you do with it.’ It’s not WHY ME? It’s NOW WHAT? As in ‘now what am I going to do?’

This time I didn’t get as upset, numb or frustrated. I was more level headed and stayed with ‘what’s the next action?’ without the mental swirl. I had more forward focus than blame or victim thinking.

You might be wondering who paid for the 3rd one. I’ve been trying to use the benefit of my biz credit card that ‘if it’s lost or stolen, we buy you a new one’. Yet, they will only cover my $250 deductible as I found out today. So, that tech rider on my insurance policy is coming through again.

Bottom-line: get tech coverage insurance, back-up regularly and have password protection to boot up. Now I know how important these actions are!

Computers Don’t Like Zinfandel

I have proof that this is true. 10 days after getting my brand new MacBook it took a glass of Zin in the keyboard. I will not repeat the single word that came out of my mouth five times.  It’s the only one that spontaneously erupted.

There was no amount of cleaning, drying or Googling help that was ever going to have that MacBook turn on or not smell. Interestingly, it was the cord of my old PC that hit that glass. I was frustrated, heart broken and numb as no solution could be determined until the morning.

Have you too felt that way recently?  Maybe not over a liquid spill but over something that seemed out of your control? Some turn of events that you wished would have been different because you now have to deal with how to fix the mess.

Challenges happen. The key is to know how to proactively deal with them. Here’s one process that I’ve found very beneficial.

STOPPING Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda!
This mental swirl is of no useful purpose. Really. Stopping this tendency is easier said than done yet the sooner you catch your mental swirl and stop it, the more solution focused you become.  What happened, happened. What can now be done is the question.

FEELING the frustration or dis-ease is normal… yet don’t let it paralyze you. Using the angst to propel forward motion is different than getting caught up in it.

THINKING through the action step options gives the mind something concrete to focus on.  Then make a list of all the to-do actions so that you have a plan to follow.

TAKING ONE ACTION leads to the next action step as answers and clarity are obtained.
Proactively handling and moving through challenging situations is the only option. Ignoring anything will not change it or make it go away! Call it self leadership.

After many phone calls I now know that Apple doesn’t insure anything having to do with liquid and that insurance companies require a special technology rider for any tech coverage.  I got lucky.  My insurance agent used my business insurance deductible to cover the cost of a new MacBook.  Very lucky!

So here’s my advice: no liquids by any computer, back up regularly, get tech insurance.    No computer likes wine.  Trust me!

Solicitation Selling – Interruption?

Solicitation selling can be tough for the rep and tough on you and me. It sure can feel like an interruption. Are you too getting more knocks on the door and phone calls soliciting you to buy?  I am.  And I’ve noticed a pattern in my responses and willingness to engage and purchase.  It has a lot to do with the attitude and presentation of the caller along with my predetermined need.  In  industry where prospective clients often come to you (how fortunate you are), you can learn much from successful outreach sales methods.

Interestingly, my neighborhood has a ‘no solicitation’ policy and yet I bought from one person and would have bought from another. Why? They were making my life easier and it didn’t feel like ‘selling’. It was more like an educational dialogue, a conversation.

Isn’t that what we all want to have when either buying or selling?  The old sales model of deluge them with information and ABC (Always Be Closing) is gone.  Today it’s about Opening… opening the relationship with pertinent conversation to create desire for your product or service.

Whether the potential client comes to you or you do outreach, friendly conversations don’t feel like interruptions! Consider my recent solicitation sales calls and see if you agree.

1. USAdvantage Cleaner: The young woman on the other end of the phone was absolutely upbeat and peppy.  Her enthusiasm was contagious! I actually smiled and felt good being solicited (does this ever happen?).  I previously purchased this product from a door to door sales rep. This spot remover is so amazing that I would have bought if I needed more. They were making it easy for me to purchase. This stuff takes red wine out of white carpet and rust spots off the driveway…and you can squirt it in your mouth (no I didn’t do this).  Get some at 800-822-5858.  (Guess her selling me worked in a more powerful way.)

2. Comcast Cable: Jason knocked on my door on Friday afternoon and I was grateful. Here’s what’s interesting. I had already made the decision to switch to Comcast for my bundled tele/internet needs but had been procrastinating for 9 months! I actually wanted his product. So this low key, nice guy simply needed to educate me on the specifics. Telling me that I was getting a better rate from him than I could by calling on the phone was bonus benefit, too. (What bonus benefit are you using?)

3. Longmont Dairy: Calling herself the ‘milk lady’, Kathy was another knock. She could see by the milk box on the porch that I already take weekly delivery from her competitor.  Her enthusiasm, information, engaging eye-contact and offer for samples along with a free half gallon of milk kept me attentive.  Her passion made me realize that I don’t feel valued by my current dairy. I would have switched had I met their weekly criteria.

And the list could go on with those I chose to not engage. The difference in their approaches makes so much difference.  In all industries you are well served to:
Be enthusiastic: Let your enthusiasm be contagious so that everyone gets excited about your products and service!
Be friendly: People buy from people they connect with and like. Be likable!
Be engaging: Genuinely connect with people. Be interested in them prior to being interesting.
Be helpful: Give information that pertains to what the potential Cliet is interested in…that’s what they care about.
Be delightful: Delight your potential client with a surprise bonus that has them say ‘yes, this is the best choice for me’!

At this prime season of the year your friendly approach and genuine conversations will make all the difference.  Mitigating the feeling of selling and incite the feeling of ‘I cannot wait to purchase!’  As my New Jersey clients recently shared in a seminar, make sure you and your team are ‘rockin it’!  Your new clients will feel the positive energy, too!

Next-Gen Leadership

Ok, so I must admit this right at the start.  I think the generational categories by age grouping are over-rated.  It’s time to move beyond the boxes that we put our team members in.

Let’s consider the fact that in each age grouping there have always been leaders and followers, similarities and differences, proactive and reactive contributors, movers & shakers and lagers.  At each stage of life there are always those who seem to be ageless.  Think of the people you know who are always ready and willing to take responsibility, to adapt and excel, regardless of the generational stigma.  It’s always been this way.

I’ve found it more advantageous to consider Gen-R, Gen-A, Gen-S and Gen-G. What do I mean?

Generation Responsible: No slackers here!  These team members are dependable, reliable and accountable to both themselves and the team.  They have that inner-generated compass for doing what’s right. Call it personal integrity.

Generation Achievement: These people initiate or adapt with a concentration on making income happen, winning business… doing what it takes to reach their potential & goals. They ride the waves of change like an adventurous master surfer!

Generation Serve: Some people seem to come pre-wired with an orientation toward being of service and delivering noteworthy service. Others are teachable with an attitude of helpfulness. Think stellar service = growing profitability.

Generation Generosity: This is a latest buzz with people championing organizations to have a make-a-difference soul. It has marketing appeal and generates good feelings in the team, too. Think of it this way… generosity contributes to happy employees who contribute to happy customers who contribute to happy results.

Given this perspective, now is indeed the time to embrace some next-gen leadership training approaches. There are ways to bring out the best in all team members. The old model of ‘do what I say because I say it’ will no longer work (as if it ever effectively did). As our society is changing, leadership must evolve and make that transformational shift as well.

So how is your next-gen leadership working for you? Is it time for a tweak or time for an overhaul?  Your success and the future success of your company depends upon training your leaders at all levels today… no matter their generational influence.  Be prepared to ride this current cycle and maximize the coming upturn!

Leadership – Lessons from Teens

Last week I did a leadership session for my daughter’s 8th grade leadership class. Actually it was two sessions for two classes back to back…and what an eye opening experience.  All good!

For the session I used an abbreviated leadership outline from my corporate programs. I knew the points to make and thought I knew where we would end up.  But, we didn’t even get past the second point with all the questions and interaction we had! These middle school 14 year-olds shared answers right on target with adult answers. Wow!

Here are some key take-aways that you might find useful, both personally and with your work teams.

Transparent Leadership: When asked what the most important leadership qualities are, these kids responded with the same top qualities that adults list as most important in their organizations. Qualities such as honesty, confidence, consistency, respectfulness, good listening, clarifying expectations and managing unexpected situations. There is no hiding mediocre, good or excellent leadership – even in the eyes of a teenager.

Self Leadership Knowledge: Covey’s ‘7 Habits of Highly Successful Teens’ is one of their core reads. They already have a diet of person effectiveness that many adults haven’t fully absorbed. There’s a reason Covey’s ‘7 Habit’ library has sold more than 5 million copies in 32 languages. There’s value in mastering the inner core of knowledge: personal responsibility, leadership and self-management, that translates into effectiveness throughout business and life.

Connection: These kids were able to tell me why some relationships work and why others don’t. The ones that work have a foundation of respect and feeling connected. They understand it’s unrealistic to expect another person to change and that they can only change themselves. Personal responsibility already.  If only we all got this and practiced it…the workplace would surely be a different reality!

Engaging questions: We created an environment whereby they felt free to open up and speak their concerns. I’m told this can be as tough with some teens as it can be tough in the workplace.  So what did they want to talk about?  Same stuff adults frequently want to talk about. Stopping that insistent little voice of worry in their heads. How to move forward confidently. How to have better communication with their parents (translate to coworkers at work). Sound familiar?

Acknowledgement: I had to ask the question that I ask in all programs, “Who here gets too much acknowledgement?”  Same response…no hands go up (except for the two kids who are ‘in love’ with each other).  I asked if they think their parents get too much acknowledgement…no hands go up.  So I shared that my son, AJ, will randomly email me ‘I love you mom’.  Of course this got a huge laugh. Yet, in that moment the teacher said, “Anyone who has your cell phone, text this message to your mom right now!”  What fun! Then they each agreed to take on the assignment of giving 5 acknowledgements a day.  Try it!

Encouragement: In the first class I told them there was cool stuff to get for participation.  Guess what?  There was quick participation. In the second class, I held off telling them about the give-aways until the end.  Guess what? Participation wasn’t as quick.  Same is true in my adult programs.  Adults and kids will participate more fully when they get encouragement verbally and with buttons, fire-balls, power bracelets, etc!  Yep, hip teens aren’t too cool for this stuff and adults aren’t too conservative to have fun.

So what’s the bottom line? No matter the age, people want and deserve to be treated with respect, honesty and encouragement.  Kids and adults both perform better when these qualities are prioritized and implemented.  Here’s a leadership key to bringing out the best performance from all four generations in the workplace.  How are these leadership qualities working in your organization and within your team?  The level of performance you are seeing is a good indicator.  Good to think about.

Ps. In case you are wondering how I scored with these teens. I’m told that I got the ‘cool mom’ reputation and that they are still wearing those buttons.  Nice!

Forward Focus vs. Fear … Right Now

Too many people I know are scared. In these economically unstable times, doubt and fear of uncertainty are still running rampant. Unfortunately, fear prompts retreat.  And this is just the opposite of what will assist you and your team members to thrive.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Gregory Berns a neuro-economist, told of his brain-imaging experiment with the fear system of the human brain.  Specifically, how to keep it from impeding sound decision making.  In his study he observed that our fears are being generalized to the workplace and everything associated with work and money. Including that many of us are caught in a spiral in which we are so scared of losing a job or our savings, that fear takes over the brain.  And this makes it impossible to concentrate on anything but self preservation.

Ultimately, no good can come from this type of thinking and decision making.  It impedes  progress and any value creation in life or the workplace.  All this worry takes energy and when the fear system of the brain is active…exploratory activity and risk taking are turned off.

So what to do?  Well, not being a fear-monger is a great idea!  How about avoiding people who are overly pessimistic about the economy, your company or anything.  Turning off the media that keeps fanning the emotional flames.  This doesn’t mean sticking your head in the sand, sure it means being prepared, by looking forward.

This is the ideal time to start moving forward with massive action. Forward focus is a key piece for stabilizing. Give the following a try either individually or with your team members.  Write down your answers to:

What’s already working? At any given time there is more going right than not. Take a look at what successes you have had and are having now. This starts the forward focus/solution focus vs. staying stuck in the problem focus and fear.  Get your creative energy back in play.

What makes it work? Defining your success pattern will enable you to consciously repeat your best practices. This eliminates the ‘what went wrong and who did it’ thinking that fosters fear.  Keep focused on your successes.

What do you want to Accomplish? This is the opposite of focusing on a ‘problem’. Focus on what you do want and build from here. This will help you align your resources and identify the best use of your time and your team’s time.

What are the Benefits? Identifying WIIFM in achieving your objective will provide the needed buy-in and motivation to take action!  There’s no need to worry about getting things done when you know what’s in it for you and your action is inspired.

What’s the Plan? Identifying what you can do more, better or differently to move closer to your objective will get you going.  What, by when and how will you measure progress will keep your focus forward and out of fear.

This is a powerful process that my friend and associate Ed Oakley created over 20 years ago.
This process is amazingly simple and has a proven success rate. It will move you and your teams from fear and into creating the best year that’s possible.  Email or call me at 303-439-0077 to learn more about making this a winning formula for you and your teams!

Welcome to Terri’s new Blog!

I welcome your questions and ideas on my blog.

I’m thrilled to be blogging with you!

**If you didn’t come from my site, MultiFamily Performance, please go and check it out.  It’s about creating a Value-Centric property management or multifamily organization and why that’s utterly crucial to your success in this rapidly evolving time.

Paul Potts gains Inner Trust!

Hello Glick Team! It was great working with all of you last week. Remember I spoke about Britain’s version of American Idol. Here’s the video of how Paul Potts, a mobile phone salesman, got PROOF that he could trust in himself. Proof is a powerful concept for everyone of us. Post your thoughts on this video!