Author Archives: admin

What Are You Reading?

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bulldog wearing eyeglasses sleeping over a good novel“What are you currently reading?” “Have you read any good books lately?” These two common questions come up often during conversations asked by friends, colleagues or people you have just met. What you have read or are reading reveals a lot about who you are as a person. Reading also includes social media forums and news feeds, what you choose to comment on, share, recommend or post. What you are reading reflects your position as an industry leader, expert and thought leader.

If you can answer these questions with an immediate affirmative response, then you position yourself as someone who is interested in new perspectives, current trends or fresh ideas. Translation: You are an intriguing person. If you have nothing to offer, like the answer, “No” or “I’m not reading anything right now,” you may position yourself as someone who is not interested in much or does not remain current. Translation: You have nothing to offer.

One of my favorite books, discovered by accident at a local bookstore a few years ago, is Soul Pancake: Chew on Life’s Big Questions by Rainn Wilson (who plays Dwight Schrute on the TV show, The Office), along with Devon Gundry, Golriz Lucina and Shabnam Mogharabi. I must admit, it was the title that grabbed my attention. Once I opened the book, I was hooked. Like the title promises, the questions are really big and deserve attention. Did I mention that the book is also on The New York Times Best Seller List? Visit the Soul Pancake website at http://soulpancake.com for more great reading, videos and interactive activities to keep the conversation going.

Reading can stretch your thinking, challenge you, open up your mind to unlimited possibilities. What, then, are you currently reading?

Look Up and Around…and Connect

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CloudsBlueAs my friend, Marty, prepared for her first trip to Africa recently, she expressed both excitement and a little anxiety. “What advice do you have for me?” she asked. My response required no thinking because it came from the heart. “Look up,” I said. You see, the night sky in Africa looks quite different than it does in Kansas City, where Marty lives.

I recalled two stand-out memories from my travels. The first was seeing the night sky of Bali in Indonesia’s Archipelago, with vast stars and constellations that I could only see there. The second was viewing the Milky Way while visiting Arizona. Since I live so close to the Great Lakes, the Milky Way is not visible from my home in Ohio.

I told Marty that her primary role as a traveler was that of observer, to be fully present in the moment and enjoy a more engaging sensory experience.

Leading an active, productive life, you may often find yourself immersed in work, errands, appointments and meetings, squeezing as many tasks into one day as is humanly possible. Yet, when you take the time to observe from every perspective — up, down and around, you will have a completely different experience because you are open to a deeper connection.

What is right in front of you that you are not seeing? What are you observing in  your day? In your life? Are you taking the time to look up and see everything with fresh eyes?

Take Time to Retreat

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Sunrise at Yumigahama BeachImagine getting away from everything that is familiar to you, allowing yourself to experience something new. In the process, you get to know yourself at a much deeper level. That, in essence, is what a retreat is designed to do.

Retreats come in every size and shape, offering a short or long stay, structured or unstructured, communal or private, religious or nondenominational. Your primary goal is reflection, either about your personal life or your professional life. Searching the internet, or following recommendations of friends or colleagues, you will find hundreds of retreat centers and spiritual centers around the world. Some include simple, rustic accommodations and ask for a freewill offering. Others feature more modern facilities, an organized plan and fee structure. Some retreats are self-directed; others are organized for you.

I enjoyed my first self-directed retreat five years ago and chose a private hermitage in a natural setting. For me, the term self-directed meant “Be open to see what each day brings.” I was fully present in each moment. My journal was my constant companion. I looked at every experience with fresh eyes and captured those thoughts on paper. Recently, I revisited that journal. As I read my words, I relived the experience.

If you are feeling unfocused, scattered in your thinking or overwhelmed, a retreat may be just what you need. Schedule regular time for yourself each year to go on a retreat to just be or to think, create and plan. When you plan a retreat, do it with an open mind and open heart. You will return home feeling rejuvenated and more focused.

When will you plan your next retreat?

What Are Your Words Worth?

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MegaphoneWPeopleWords define us. They shape our attitudes and beliefs. They express our perceptions. They also help to create our reality. Words can demonstrate strength or weakness. What words are you using? What are your words worth?

Imagine that you have been diagnosed with cancer and are sitting in a hospital room, ready to undergo your first chemotherapy session. You have decided that you want to face cancer with a positive attitude and humor in your heart. You sit in the chemo lounge chair and put on a red foam clown nose. It puts you in a better frame of mind for this new life experience. A nurse then comes over to you, with a smirk on her face, and says in a stern voice, “Why are you wearing a clown nose? Don’t you know you have cancer?”

What would you do? My colleague, Eddie, was seated in that chair in September, 1999. His response was, “Just because I have cancer doesn’t mean I am not allowed to have joy in my life!” Wow. I hope that nurse listened to Eddie’s words carefully because they offer us an important life lesson: Never give up. The nurse’s attitude didn’t sour Eddie’s outlook on life. The clown nose remained in place.

Many years have passed since his first chemotherapy session, and I am pleased to say that Eddie remains cancer-free. Now that’s a positive attitude. Eddie’s story reminds us that every day we can choose positive over negative. Which would you prefer to be? Like the nurse? Or like Eddie? The key is that you can choose to be positive. Put on your own red clown nose when you need it and step into the world with grace and dignity!

Use Intuition to Do the Right Thing

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MP900321197As a professional, you make important decisions often – some of them life changing. When you are struggling, your intuition provides a much-needed voice of reason. When you “feel” that something is right, you know you are making the best choice.

Yesterday, a touching story on the national news caught my attention. A group of World War II veterans, mostly aged in their 80s and 90s, traveled to Washington, D. C. to visit the World War II Memorial. When they arrived, a sign on the metal barricades indicated that – because of the government shutdown – the memorial was closed. These spirited veterans were disappointed, of course, for many knew that this might be their final trip to the memorial. Word traveled fast on Capitol Hill. A small group of concerned politicians decided to open the gates. They used their intuition, that voice inside that says “This is the right thing to do.” The Honor Flights, including nearly 150 veterans from Mississippi and Iowa, could now share memories with each other and pay homage to their fallen comrades. For once, I thought, government leaders got it right. They put the needs of others first. The swift decision required collaboration, and it worked.

The next time your gut screams out to you, “Do the right thing,” remember that your intuition knows best. It guides you through some of life’s toughest decisions. When you do the right thing, you will know it and feel it. And who knows? You could make someone’s day.

Make Referrals The Right Way – Part 5

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peoplecutoutsLesson Five: Cross-reference your database. “Who do you know who…?” is often a question you are asked by colleagues and friends when they are seeking the right person for a business partnership, career position or task. When you are ready to make a referral, you need an efficient system that will help you find and connect people through a quick search. Because your database contains all of your important contacts, you want to design it so it stands ready to help you when you need it the most.

Database software helps you to design a robust database so it works best for you. When my technology consultant set up the database for my business, she began with an important question: “What do you want to be able to do with this information?” She opened up my eyes to what was possible. Together, we designed a custom system that meets my specific needs.

When you set up (or revamp) your contacts database, add a variety of fields that will create different lists. For instance, you can retrieve target groups of individuals, like men, women, chief executive officers, vice presidents of sales and marketing, women business owners, etc. simply through the identifying codes you use. You can also run lists of people by occupation, like human resources, sales, marketing, training, finance, etc., or by geographic location. When a client was looking for a facilitator in the Washington, D.C. area, I was able to retrieve my facilitator colleagues in that area and make several recommendations. “Point and click” makes it easy to make a referral.

As you review your database and its various demographic groups, consider how you can make referrals and bring people together. Who can you connect today?

Make Referrals The Right Way – Part 4

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linkedin-icon1Lesson Four: Take advantage of electronic networking groups. The most revolutionary change that came from entering the new Millennium was the introduction of social networking sites. Professional and personal e-networking groups like LinkedIn, Facebook, Meetup and Twitter, to name a few, allow you to “cast your net(work) far and wide.”

This is how social networking sites work: Sign up as a member of the group. Send an email to anyone in your network of contacts who you want to include in your electronic network.  Your invitation is either accepted or rejected. For those individuals who accept, what happens is quite fascinating: Your contacts, who are in different networks, become intricately linked to each other so networks expand and grow. Your professional profile travels far and wide via the Internet. You also have the option to join special interest groups within these e-networking groups based on your background, profession or personal interests, keeping the lines of communication open with your contacts.

For professionals, LinkedIn allows you to introduce and refer people to each other or recommend or endorse individuals within their areas of expertise. When viewing their profile, you can see who they are connected to. If you see someone you want to meet, you can ask your contact to provide an introduction. LinkedIn’s internal messaging system makes it easy to refer people to each other. A Facebook page can either represent a business or a person. Your contacts can choose to “like” your Facebook page, which is a form of endorsement, or “like” a post. For people who prefer to put a face with a name and meet in person, Meetup brings together people online who share specific interests. Events are held offline within geographic areas around the world (either where you live or where you may be traveling). If you live in Cleveland and are visiting London on business, you can check to see if a Meetup event is happening during your stay. Twitter allows you to post short comments (less than 140 words) and also to follow top Thought Leaders and news sources. People can follow you on Twitter and re-tweet your tweets, which is a way of saying “I like the way this person thinks.” To me, that’s a form of endorsement.

As a busy professional, you can use e-networking groups to keep in contact with colleagues and friends, make referrals and expand your network. With a click of the mouse, watch your network grow.

Make Referrals The Right Way – Part 3

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1WomanExcited Lesson Three: Join a “lead” generating group. In lead generating groups, individuals usually pay an annual fee to become part of an exclusive business networking group. This means that only one or two individuals from specific industries are represented.

Lead exchange groups limit the number of members from various industries, like law, accounting, insurance, marketing, real estate or interior design, to name a few. Most groups meet weekly, bi-weekly or monthly with the specific intent of delivering business referrals to each other during the meeting. Traditionally, the group as a whole gets permission from the other members in the group to share their names with anyone they come in contact with who might be interested in doing business with them. That’s different from randomly giving out names to other people without the other person’s knowledge (as you already know, I do not support that practice).

Some lead groups work better than others. Do your homework first. Get as much information about the group as you can. Talk to people who are already members. See if you can attend a function as a guest and observer. Carefully study who else is in the group. Make sure they are people you want to associate with before you commit.

For a lead group to work well, four key criteria must exist: 1. Mutual respect for each other; 2. Trust among group members; 2. High business standards/ethics; and 4. A generous or giving spirit. When those four criteria exist, the group will work well for you.

Make Referrals The Right Way – Part 2

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Email abstractYou have available to you the gift of technology to connect people and refer them to each other. The great benefit of connecting people using electronic technology is that you have a thread of the connection, easily accessible with the click of a mouse.

Lesson Two: Make e-connections. I have met many colleagues who are in the same fields of work as I am – training, speaking, coaching, facilitation and consulting. Occasionally, I will meet a new contact and discover that there is someone in my network who they “must” meet. In my mind, it is a perfect fit. In this case, I will send an email to both of them, and make an “e-introduction.” Within the body of the email, I include contact information for both of them (name, title, company, address, phone, email) and a brief paragraph description on each person so background information is provided in advance of their connecting. It is up to them to contact each other. The intent is not just of referring business to someone, it is also to bring two colleagues together for mutual benefit. Try it. The result: People will respect you for your thoughtfulness. It positions you as a considerate business professional, one who is thinking of other people first.

Throughout the years, I have referred a number of people to each other through e-connections. People respond positively to this simple method because of the background information that is provided to them. Who do you know in your network who you believe needs to know each other? Get busy and make some introductions. Your colleagues and friends will look to you as a great resource and thank you for expanding their network of contacts.

Make Referrals The Right Way – Part 1

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2MenShakeHandsOne of the most widely accepted forms of reaching others is through a referral, those personal contacts that can help you locate resources, build a business or become more successful. Referrals are the most credible way to get other people’s attention. You can either refer someone to another person, or they can refer someone to you. It is a powerful way to expand your network. The personal connection opens doors much faster. Beginning with today’s post, and continuing for the next five weeks, I will share with you the top tips on making referrals the right way.

Lesson One: Contact your associate first. When you try to put people together, or match them up for business or social reasons, call or email your main contact first, and ask permission if you can send this person to them. For instance, I met a business woman several years ago who was new to our city. She and her husband had two small children, and they lived in an eastern suburb. A friend of mine, also a business woman and married with three small children, lived just several blocks away from the newcomer. I called my friend first and asked if she minded that I put this other woman in contact with her. “Go ahead and send her my way,” she said. It’s a simple courtesy, and it shows the other person that you are considerate enough to think of his/her needs and desire for privacy.

Today, it is easy to call or send a quick email to contacts, telling them there is someone who you would like to refer to them. It saves them the embarrassment of being caught off-guard when they receive a telephone call from someone they do not know. It positions you as a considerate, caring person with concern for the other person. Before you make that next referral, call or email in advance. Your thoughtfulness will be greatly appreciated.