Connecting professionals to share stories of making new business relationships and creating opportunities.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Let Your Team Know You Care
Reading Michael Nichols' recent blog (http://www.michaelnichols.org/positively-impact-your-team/) inspired this week's topic. These are four powerful words that will make your team think you are awesome: Trust, Serve, Care and Encourage.
Trust
You either trust or you do not trust a team member. If you start with trust first, the relationship will be stronger and will develop in a good way. Only when you have to question your trust, seek knowledge first before acting to ensure your instinct is correct.
Overall most people can be trusted. They will place value on your trust in them and they will reciprocate. Trusting is always the best policy when letting your Team know you care.
Serve
Leaders serve their Team and their Team's needs. As a great leader it is not about you and it is about them at all times. Grooming your team members to be leaders and to be successful is the leader's focus. Remember the question: "Are you the genius in the room or are the genius maker".
It is easy to serve oneself, focus on oneself and forget about the Team. When you fall into this trap, those around you that care quickly help you re-focus. This is the sign of both a great leader and a great Team. Remember leaders serve others above oneself.
Care
Do you show your Team you care? Does your Team know you care? Tough to accomplish both on a consistent basis. Effective leaders value key relationships and make them a top priority. Very good advice from Michael Nichols.
Positive reinforcement by "catching" your Team members doing something good and acknowledging it is one way to show you care. Saying thank-you and saying you appreciate what your Team does are other ways you can demonstrate on a daily basis you care.
Encourage
Being positive and supportive provides the encouragement your Team needs on a regular basis. It is your positive influence resulting in the motivation to make everyone more successful. You may not always agree, you may not always be happy, however, you as a great leader always need to be positive.
Remember it is about them and not about you. The Team needs you to invigorate them and not focus on yourself or the negativity elements. Channel all your energy into being positive. This is why the most successful leaders are called "Optimists": They see something positive in everything and make stuff happen in a good way by embracing the facts and situation with the help of their Team.
Thank you to the AlphaKOR Team for all you do and working on these four words to show you how much we care.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Enjoying the Journey
How are you enjoying your Journey?
On the personal side: Enjoying time with the Family and watching Haley and Sydney grow into young adults. Carmela has been beside me, supporting me and even working together for the last several years. We do our best to balance our personal time and turn off the business side at home.
We enjoy the time with extended family and friends as we get together and enjoy everyone' company. Volunteering in leisure activities such as managing Syd' soccer team is a fun time watching the Team grow over the years and making friends with the parents.
Going to the gym and making slightly better food choices has made a big difference. Very happy with the personal part of the journey!
On the Business side: What makes AlphaKOR enjoyable is the partners, Ali, Mazen, Shawn and myself working together with the AlphaKORians who are so dedicated and committed. Our loyal clientele who support us and provide feedback to keep striving for excellence make it an enjoyable journey.
Fulfilling the role of President has been very rewarding. I cannot thank the partners, Carmela, the Team, our clients, family, friends and associates enough for all they do.
As we continue to invest in the company, our Team and in the community, we look forward to making a difference along our journey.
On the personal side: Enjoying time with the Family and watching Haley and Sydney grow into young adults. Carmela has been beside me, supporting me and even working together for the last several years. We do our best to balance our personal time and turn off the business side at home.
We enjoy the time with extended family and friends as we get together and enjoy everyone' company. Volunteering in leisure activities such as managing Syd' soccer team is a fun time watching the Team grow over the years and making friends with the parents.
Going to the gym and making slightly better food choices has made a big difference. Very happy with the personal part of the journey!
On the Business side: What makes AlphaKOR enjoyable is the partners, Ali, Mazen, Shawn and myself working together with the AlphaKORians who are so dedicated and committed. Our loyal clientele who support us and provide feedback to keep striving for excellence make it an enjoyable journey.
Fulfilling the role of President has been very rewarding. I cannot thank the partners, Carmela, the Team, our clients, family, friends and associates enough for all they do.
As we continue to invest in the company, our Team and in the community, we look forward to making a difference along our journey.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
How do You Maintain Relationships?
How do you maintain your business relationships?
Communication seems to always be the key to successful relationships. How often do you communicate to ensure it is often enough and not too often?
Understanding each relationship and treating everyone as individuals instead of grouping them helps balance right amount of communication.
Each of us have a threshold of how often we want to be contacted and when you understand this you will see positive results.
What about the little things? Most relationships are challenged due to the little things. On one hand these little things do not seem to matter. On the other hand they make all the difference.
What little things do you do to maintain the relationship to set you apart from the rest?
We take pride in dropping off products to our clients at no charge. Most of the time it leads to a good discussion and an opportunity. This little thing strengthens and provides value to the relationship.
Make your communications consistent and be proactive. The conversation is about building the relationship first and adding the business dialogue afterwards resulting in a well-rounded relationship.
When there are challenges, it is very rewarding for one party to contact the other and share their concern. Working together on a challenge is the ultimate sign of a successful relationship. You actually do not have to agree, however, you both have to accept each other' facts and move forward together.
Saying thank you and showing your appreciation is another way to maintain relationships. How are you maintaining your business relationships?
Communication seems to always be the key to successful relationships. How often do you communicate to ensure it is often enough and not too often?
Understanding each relationship and treating everyone as individuals instead of grouping them helps balance right amount of communication.
Each of us have a threshold of how often we want to be contacted and when you understand this you will see positive results.
What about the little things? Most relationships are challenged due to the little things. On one hand these little things do not seem to matter. On the other hand they make all the difference.
What little things do you do to maintain the relationship to set you apart from the rest?
We take pride in dropping off products to our clients at no charge. Most of the time it leads to a good discussion and an opportunity. This little thing strengthens and provides value to the relationship.
Make your communications consistent and be proactive. The conversation is about building the relationship first and adding the business dialogue afterwards resulting in a well-rounded relationship.
When there are challenges, it is very rewarding for one party to contact the other and share their concern. Working together on a challenge is the ultimate sign of a successful relationship. You actually do not have to agree, however, you both have to accept each other' facts and move forward together.
Saying thank you and showing your appreciation is another way to maintain relationships. How are you maintaining your business relationships?
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Top 5 Daily Habits
1. Prioritizing Tasks
Always a challenge due to the fact every task usually feels like a top priority. Follow a simple rule: FIFO which means First In, First Out. With the exception of adding a certain new task you feel is a higher priority, add it as the next task or near the top of the list. Make this the exception to the FIFO rule. If you fall into the trap of LIFO (Last In, First Out) each task goes to the top and nothing gets completed.
2. Follow Through
OK we will not repeat the three keys to this concept. If you commit to following up then you need to ensure this is near the top of the list. How many times do we hear "still have not heard from them". Consistently following up on all your promises is an excellent daily habit.
3. Be Pro-Active
What activities in both your professional and personal life can you be pro-active in? Sure most mornings when it is bitterly cold out it is easier to work in the home office instead of going out to the Club to workout. You know the end result here. Always glad the choice was made to go out instead of procrastinating another day. This is my version of "Just Do It". This is the reason why "busy" people get things done!
4. Expand your Knowledge
Be open to learning each and every day. Daily habits to build here are to ask more questions, listen attentively, watch podcasts, read blogs and read books. You do not have to know a lot of trivial things, however, you should be somewhat aware of newsworthy events so you can be part of daily conversation. Adding what you learned as it applies to the topic helps moving the dialogue forward.
5. Balance
This is the most challenging of all. Balance work, personal and leisure time. Create a good balance so you can feel refreshed and even rejuvenated each and every day. OK some days the scale tips to the professional hat especially when it is so easy to work from anywhere such as the home office. Make the time for yourself, your family and your friends to bring a daily balance to your life.
What is your Top Daily Habit?
Always a challenge due to the fact every task usually feels like a top priority. Follow a simple rule: FIFO which means First In, First Out. With the exception of adding a certain new task you feel is a higher priority, add it as the next task or near the top of the list. Make this the exception to the FIFO rule. If you fall into the trap of LIFO (Last In, First Out) each task goes to the top and nothing gets completed.
2. Follow Through
OK we will not repeat the three keys to this concept. If you commit to following up then you need to ensure this is near the top of the list. How many times do we hear "still have not heard from them". Consistently following up on all your promises is an excellent daily habit.
3. Be Pro-Active
What activities in both your professional and personal life can you be pro-active in? Sure most mornings when it is bitterly cold out it is easier to work in the home office instead of going out to the Club to workout. You know the end result here. Always glad the choice was made to go out instead of procrastinating another day. This is my version of "Just Do It". This is the reason why "busy" people get things done!
4. Expand your Knowledge
Be open to learning each and every day. Daily habits to build here are to ask more questions, listen attentively, watch podcasts, read blogs and read books. You do not have to know a lot of trivial things, however, you should be somewhat aware of newsworthy events so you can be part of daily conversation. Adding what you learned as it applies to the topic helps moving the dialogue forward.
5. Balance
This is the most challenging of all. Balance work, personal and leisure time. Create a good balance so you can feel refreshed and even rejuvenated each and every day. OK some days the scale tips to the professional hat especially when it is so easy to work from anywhere such as the home office. Make the time for yourself, your family and your friends to bring a daily balance to your life.
What is your Top Daily Habit?
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