Success – Are You Ready to Pay the Price?

“The best things in life are free”, so the saying goes. Maybe.

In reality, most things come with a price tag –- and, quite often, more than mere money is involved. This is particularly so of activities providing great satisfaction.

For example, to enjoy the many blessings of a happy marriage, the price both partners pay is to become a little less selfish.

If we want to experience the joy of raising a family, we must be prepared to forgo the sleepless nights; first when they are born and about fifteen years later, when they should have been home hours ago!

 

After marriage and a family, probably the next most satisfying activity is the warm sense of achievement gained from creating your very own thriving business.

Never has there been a better time to set up a business from home with minimal capital, minimal overheads and no staff. Yet, it is possible –- within months -– to provide a very welcome extra income and, a short while later, be expanded to match your earnings from a regular job.

Then, later, after you’ve given your boss the pink slip, how much you make is up to you. The sky is literally the limit.

But the price to be paid for the status and financial security of your own successful business is manifold. Prime among these is what separates those forever doomed to walk the job treadmill from those who will soar with the eagles.

It’s simply this: when you start, you have to defer pleasure, whilst you lay the foundations and build the structure of your fledgling business. It involves no money, yet it’s a price few are prepared to pay.

But, if you are prepared to step up to the plate, you’ll be head and shoulders above your work mates.

So, whilst others are arriving home from work, eager for an evening of fun and relaxation, you’re facing the prospect of more hours of work on your fledgling business. And your weekends belong to your new business, too.

And there’s the rub: at that stage, you cannot be sure your extramural work will ever be rewarded.

That’s when the doubts creep in.

Perhaps you’re a mug, chasing an impossible dream. Why not be content with your lot? After all, you’ve got a good job and manage to “get by”. And there’s that raise the boss promised you in the fall, so why not join the boys down at the bowling alley, after all?

This is the hard part.

It’s not raising the capital, or getting the ideas –- or even getting the customers. All that pales into insignificance, compared with the titanic tussle going on in your head, right now.

But you do have one advantage. You are entirely in control of this conversation.

So here’s the solution.

Flood your mind with vivid images of the exhilaration you’ll experience, when that very first order for your new business arrives. Feel the electrifying joy! Imagine the look of amazement –- even envy –- on the faces of the “guys at the bowling alley”, when your business takes off and you drive by in your gleaming, brand new, top of the range, Mercedes Benz.

They frittered their time away, watching TV and relaxing. So the only explanation they’ll find for your astonishing success is either you’ve won the lottery or are just plain “lucky”.

But you and I will know differently, won’t we?

Copyright Paul Hooper-Kelly 2005

Paul Hooper-Kelly owns http://HowToMakeYourOwnLuck.com/ helping ordinary people achieve extraordinary personal and financial success.
Paul has just written a free e-course called “The Seventeen Secrets of Success”. Grab your copy at http://HowToMakeYourOwnLuck.com/secrets.html

b5media launches

Well, what better place than to give my new blog network a plug, given that its powered by WordPress.

 All the details here.

Lone Wolf to Lead Wolf —- The Evolution of Leadership

Privately held companies range in size form very small “Mom & Pop� operations with revenue as low as $100,000 or less, to huge multi- million dollar distributors with locations all across North America. Wholesale distribution also has some mega-distributors with sales ranging from $1 billion to as much as $27 billion. The majority of wholesale distributors are family owned.

 

Family owned organizations, both small and large, with succession issues, family preparation and second and third generation leadership issues have been subjected to the evolution of leadership. These organizations are often founded by an aggressive, highly talented entrepreneur. Many of the principles of leadership that helped build the success that the organization enjoyed in the past is not the type of leadership that will maintain that success through generations of ownership. Contrary to some “leadership authorities� belief, the Machiavelli theories on leadership just don’t apply today. Niccolo Machiavelli is considered by some a leadership guru who lived during the renaissance period and is often quoted and written about today. Machiavelli believed that “Men are more ready for evil than good.� “A leader’s goal is one of power and domination.�

The Evolution of Leadership

Times have changed, leadership has evolved. The days of the “Lone Wolf� leader at the top who dominates with power are gone. Successful privately held organizations have gone through the leadership evolutionary process. They understand that today’s leader must create change in the organization to meet the needs of their customers, to meet the needs of their employees and to meet the needs of their vendor partners. It involves a particular life cycle change. This change varies according to the generation of leadership.

More often than not, the “seat of the pants� based on intuitive judgment leadership style of the founder with highly autocratic methodologies won’t work in today’s business environment. Today’s environment demands a stable administrative structure that requires a change in the nature of past leadership practices. Simply put, it’s an evolution from a highly reactive, autocratic individualistic style to a more empowering, people employee oriented proactive style. It’s about going from a “Lone Wolf� leadership style to a “Lead Wolf� leadership style that has confidence in the employee’s ability to make things happen and empowers the employees to get the job done.

Founders and even second and third generation successors may find it difficult to make the transition from the “Lone Wolf� to the “Lead Wolf� leadership style. When this happens, ownership may put personal needs ahead of business needs and the organization is not managed in the best interest of its customers, its vendors and its employees. Organizations that are still run in the “Lone Wolf� style have an owner at the helm that has a strong dominating personality that is likely to be a poor listener. This “Lone Wolf� syndrome is easy to recognize. The same problems seem to arise over and over. Market share deteriorates, cash flow problems exist, there may be a vision but no plan exists to accomplish that vision. Anxiety may set in and the owner becomes defensive or even paranoid and resorts to blaming others for the lack of success or pending failure. Without outside intervention, executive coaching, a solid board of directors or even an advisory group, the company may end up being sold or worse yet the company may go into a death spiral. (e-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for the article “The Death Spiral� and the “Leadership Thought Provoker� Checklist)

The Lone Wolf Leader Still Exists

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t some “Lone Wolf� leaders that still exist today that are successful. Remember, they have a strong entrepreneurial spirit that makes them dynamic and decisive. They often have a clear vision and these traits can drive a company for some time. However, I submit to you that the “Lone Wolf� leaders that have not evolved today cannot maximize the success of their organization. They will not leverage the competitive advantage that has become the life line of their survival. The strong traits that brought them success in the past quickly become liabilities in today’s environment. They don’t believe in empowerment. They don’t believe in long range planning. They are reluctant to develop structure, policy and procedure because it inhibits the ability to shoot from the hip and it slows them down. They mistakenly believe that shooting from the hip is part of their competitive advantage because it worked so well in the past. They can make reactive crisis-driven decisions with little or no help from their management without recognizing that they must identify and correct the root cause. If they do have a board of directors, they are hand picked friends that basically do whatever they want and challenge very little. They count on only those that seem to be the most loyal and they motivate by fear and guilt. Sure, they’ll hold staff meetings but it’s more of an exercise in power to report on crisis intervention or simply to chew people out. They have difficulty in letting go of the past.

Evolution has Created the Demand for Lead Wolf Executives

Successful growing organizations have gone through the experience of change. In fact, these organizations recognized the necessity to create change. That is what leadership is really about; the ability to create change. These successful organizations have developed their employees along the way. The Lead Wolf executives have earned the respect and trust of their employees by demonstrating respect and trust in the employees themselves. Most employ a servant, situational leadership style that is based on an empowerment platform. They develop future leaders; make proactive decisions based on calculated risk. They employ root cause analysis even if they don’t formally call it that. They employ best practices and make staffing decisions based on responsibility, competency, training and capabilities. They develop a real board of directors that provide value to the organization, challenge the executive staff and hold them accountable. The Lead Wolf executives recognize and believe that leadership is an invitation to greatness that we extend to others. Successful leaders understand that they must give back what they have learned. They become mentors.

The Evolution is a Growth & Learning Process

Owner executives that have evolved to the Lead Wolf style of leadership have gone through an individual growth and learning process. They have accepted the fact that they may not have all the answers. More importantly, they recognize that they don’t have to have all the answers. Many have found a mentor or an executive coach outside the organization. Changing a leadership style is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Coaching becomes a very useful resource. This evolutionary process includes:

• Enhancement of their instinctive curiosity and a strengthening of their focus on being a customer driven organization. Service and quality become a way of life within the organization and it is used to support their competitive advantage.

• Taking their vision and redefining it as an end game which challenges their executive team to create a strategic plan to meet this end game. This plan incorporates growth and profitability as well as other specific goals and objectives.

• The recognition that employees are the most precious asset and backing up that recognition by the willingness to invest profits in the development of these employees.

• Empowerment that is accompanied by the resources necessary to succeed and accountability for results.

• Utilizing a board of directors as a resource while sharing management challenges seeking policy and guidance. Incorporating contingency planning and scenario planning as a regular exercise.

(e-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for Board of Director information including a sample director application form and qualifications)

Wholesale distribution organizations increasingly are characterized by a large and incredibly complex set of independent relationships between highly diverse groups of people. That is what the evolution is about. To be successful, the Lead Wolf executive determines how to get active involvement, innovation and creativity out of their employees. Success depends on more than just “best practiceâ€? success drivers. Success demands a superior level of leadership—a level that requires deep commitment. This commitment will not flourish in workplace environments that are still dominated by the Lone Wolf–“slap & pointâ€? or the “carrot and stickâ€? method of management often used in the past.

The Lead Wolf Executive

Lead Wolf executives get results. They are high impact leaders. They are consistent, explicit and concise and they command a presence when they walk into a room. They have enough charisma to turn the dullest moment into a high-energy event. When they move on, others want to go with them. They have a following. Their openness and honesty create a legacy which people admire and look up to. They gain commitment and foster trust.

Creating change, managing during turbulent times, or fostering growth all depends on balance and the Lead Wolf type of leadership. No one person can make a company successful. It takes a lot of people, but one person with a command of leadership, utilizing the Lead Wolf style can transfer enough influence, creating enough leadership amongst the management group to guarantee success. Management must figure out how to get more active involvement and creativity out of their employees. Questioning of the status quo and the generation of new ideas is a mandate of success. That success depends on a superior level of performance, a level that requires deep commitment.

Most of us are not born leaders. We are not adept at communication. However, a good percentage of us long to become leaders of men and make deep connections in our careers that lead to commitment, a commitment to success. For family owned organizations, leadership is passed on from generation to generation. To achieve objectives, each generation must understand the following basic principles of leadership.

• Honesty
• Integrity
• Respect
• Trustworthiness
• Sincere concern of others
• Willingness to take calculated risk

Once these principles are learned and practiced, leverage of these leadership skills to develop the management team is the next step. Lead Wolf family executives that have gone through the evolution of change understand this and they are clear as to what their responsibilities are.

“The true test of a successful leader is that he leaves behind the conviction, the will and the understanding to carry on.�

“Leadership is easy, just find a bunch of people going in the same direction and jump in front of themâ€?——–Willie Nelson

The Lead Wolf executive understands the importance of making emotional connections with the management team that surrounds them. They must encourage these people to open up, share dialog and reveal dreams. They must teach and mentor. It’s not as easy as Willie Nelson would have you believe. Leveraging their leadership entails advancing their personal agenda by advancing the agenda of others. A good leader is not intimidated by the success of others. They encourage others to succeed and help them fulfill their wants and needs. Leveraging leadership helps determine the hidden factors in communication. Understanding inferences and assertions become a key component to understanding people. Lead Wolf executives have high questioning and prospering skills that allow them to drill down to real facts and issues. Leveraging their leadership allows successful leaders to establish emotional connections, which diminish fear and intimidation. This encourages enthusiasm and cooperation and that is what being a Lead Wolf leader is all about. (e-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for the Leadership Thought Provoker Checklist)

Dr. Eric “Rickâ€? Johnson (rick@ceostrategist.com) is the founder of CEO Strategist LLC. an experienced based firm specializing in Distribution. CEO Strategist LLC. works in an advisory capacity with distributor executives in board representation, executive coaching, team coaching and education and training to make the changes necessary to create or maintain competitive advantage. and a Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from Capital University, Columbus Ohio. Rick recently completed his dissertation on Strategic Leadership and received his Ph.D. He’s also a published book author with four titles to his credit: “The Toolkit for Improved Business Performance in Wholesale Distribution,â€? the NWFA & NAFCD “Roadmapâ€?, Lone Wolf-Lead Wolf—The Evolution of Salesâ€? and a fiction novel about teenagers called “Shattered Innocence.â€?You can contact them by calling 352-750-0868, or visit http://www.ceostrategist.com for more information. Rick is also an accomplished speaker, member of NSA. Contact Rick for your upcoming events.

What We Can Learn From J. Paul Getty

Some interesting words from Saleen Rana:

J. Paul Getty planned to enter the U.S. Diplomatic Service, but, when he got out of college, the Oklahoma oil boom caught his attention. Since his father had already prospered in the oil business, he was irresistably attracted to the prospects of wildcatting, and he decided to postpone his diplomatic ambitions for two more years.

He worked on other wildcatter’s rigs and borrowed money from his father to raise money for oil speculation. His father only gave him small amounts of money and demanded prompt repayment.

J. Paul Getty spent his money frugally, and also saved money through haggling over prices.

 

At first his speculations did not go well, and a diplomatic career looked increasingly inviting. Then, early in 1916, he secured a bargain price of $500 on a lease and the well he sank produced 700 barrels a day. Suddenly, at the age of 23, he made a fortune.

Years later, journalists would ask him about his lucky beginning. They wondered how he knew that the well was so rich. He responded that he had gathered all the necessary geological facts from experts and the spot appeared to have been a good one.

“But,� he added, “ as for actually knowing what the outcome would be that was impossible. If there were a way to be a hundred percent sure where rich oil deposits are, nobody would ever sink a dry well.�

“Oil prospecting is like any other venture in life, from getting married to buying a car…there is always an element of chance, and you must be willing to live with that element.â€?

“If you insist on perfect certainty, you will never be able to make any decisions at all. You will simply paralyze yourself.�

Resource Box

Saleem Rana got his Masters degree in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life

How Much Is Poor Time Management Costing You?

Some good, sound business advice:

* If you were paying you to prioritise emails over coaching your team, would you feel you were getting a good return on your investment?

* If you were paying you to waste time on trivia rather than planning your next quarters sales plan – would you think you were getting good value for money?

* If you were paying you to sit in numerous unproductive meetings would you feel that was a worthwhile contribution?

I suspect that the answer to those questions is no and yet, in effect, that’s exactly what you are doing. By choosing to adopt poor time management habits and poorly prioritise what’s important you are in effect creating a poor return on investment for your self your organisation or you own business.

 

No go One Step Further and ask your self “If I was paying me by the hour, day or on specific results what would I pay myself?�

It might be $30/hour, $800/week or $150000/year depending on your skill, knowledge and experience and in what role or business you are in. Let’s say for example you are a manager earning $80000/year. Let’s assume you work 250 x 8 hour days a year, which means you are earning the equivalent of $40/hour

* For every hour you spend trawling through your emails the cost is $40

* For every ½ day you spend catching up on your personal administration because you are poorly organised the cost is $160

* For every day you sit in unproductive meetings the cost is $320

Now imagine that came out of YOUR paycheck. Would that refocus your priorities? Probably.

You can see now how your poor time management could be costing you dearly and that’s only in financial terms. You are probably paying the price physically and emotionally for your lack of prioritisation of what’s important versus what’s urgent and unimportant. But look how easily you can make impactful changes

Using the same average work pattern look how much extra time you could have if…

* You save 5 minutes a day; you will increase your productivity by 2.6 full days.

* You save 30 minutes a day; you will increase your productivity by 15.63 full days.

* You save one hour a day; you will increase your productivity by 31.25 full days.

Suddenly you have “created more time� with the opportunity to achieve more results. You can see that even small changes can make a huge difference.

Take Control of Your Time an by saving that time or by choosing to reallocate that time to higher priority work you will achieve better results, reach the targets you have been set and help others to do the same. By changing your costly habits you might also help others change theirs.

©2005 Beverley Hamilton

About The Author
Beverley Hamilton is the author of Take Control of Your Time: 7 Straight Shooter Strategies for Success. To learn more, subscribe to Quickstart her free ezine and get more tips, tools and articles visit at One Step Further

 

The Impossible Dream

First up a nice post from Graham Harris on why its import to focus.

The 72,500 men, women and children sat in an uncomfortable silence, no one daring to cough, no one daring to speak, each one focussed on the young 27 year old. Each one knowing, this was the start of the impossible dream. The dream they had had for 27 years. A dream they had dreamed every year of this boy’s life. Now it could become reality. Now it was possible.

And then: failure. The dream was dashed. The young man had missed the first opportunity to put their team ahead in the annual battle against an old enemy. He missed a sitter was the gasp around the crowd. Men turned to friends and compatriots and said, “We’re going to lose again�. “How long do we have to wait?�

 

Some wiped a tear away. The game has already restarted. There was a heavy feeling amongst the crowd.

The kicking king had missed what he would consider to be a sitter. As he looked up he saw the ball wasn’t going straight. He had miscued. He had missed the opportunity to calm the crowd, his team mates and put the opposition on the back foot.

His reaction was not that of defeat or self flagellation instead he reminded himself:

It’s all about the method. The process.

Kicking a penalty in an international match is the same as in practice. The same rules apply as on the training ground. It’s all about the method, the process. Not the outcome.

“Concentrate on the process�. Concentrate on the method of taking the kick. Concentrate on the formula. Place your non kicking foot in the right place. Swing your leg the same way as you always do. Make contact in the same manner. Follow through as you have always done. If you keep using the correct method, the correct process, then success will naturally follow.

Stephen Jones knows that the process is the key to success and he went on to kick many goals in that match and fulfil the dreams of a nation.

What about you?

To reach your goals, your dreams do you focus on the outcome or the method, the process?

Good Luck

Graham and Julie
http://www.desktop-meditation.com

To improve your intuition, initiative and energy levels please go to: http://www.desktop-meditation.com It’s free.

 

Success, Motivation and other matters

Finally I’ve decided what I’m going to do with this blog, part of the Alpha release of WordPress.com.

Success, Motivation and other matters

first, the text is very large. Note to Matt Mullenweg, I need some way of seeing the coding or turning it off.

 

Still very big. Oh well, the new blog is going to be on some success and motivational stuff. I’ll write a little myself but I’ll also be sourcing some material externally as well. so lets do it.