I hesitated even sending out this post today. Simply because it’s so basic and obvious. But consider this post for those of us who are holding off on starting a project.

For those of us who need to be certain of all the next steps. This is for you.

Just start.

Things in motion tend to stay in motion. So set your project in motion by simply starting.

➡️ Open a door and see what’s behind it.
➡️ Make a call with someone who knows the space you’re entering.
➡️ Trust the answers will appear as you proceed.

Momentum needs a start. Yes, this is obvious but uncertainty stands in the way of starting a project. Despite momentum being the key to success, its precursor, “starting” can be intimidating. Consider this your nudge to start.

For those who know exactly what’s going to unfold - kudos. You’re ahead of the curve. This message is for the rest of us who will learn along the way.

Again... just start.

#leadershipdevelopment #salescoaching #setbacktobreakthrough

Chances are, if your lips are moving you’re selling something. The importance of stellar communication starts with active listening - not talking.

If you’re trying to get across a message to an employee, coworker, or even a teenager then it’s important to, as Stephen Covey says, “seek first to understand then to be understood.”

Once your lips start moving it may be too late to really have impact and influence. As we all attempt to go through our days and accomplish certain objectives it’s clear other people will likely be part of the solution.

Please join me as I walk through this topic with Rock and Rich. Their style of podcasting is one I think you will enjoy.

In the meantime, just know, that if your lips are moving, chances are you are selling something. Choose your words wisely based on what you’ve first sought to understand.

Hear the podcast with this link:
https://lnkd.in/gZZtWC-V

#influence #coworker #communication #rockandrich #setbacktobreakthrough

Here’s what I learned from writing eight books on leadership for the self. It’s easy to write a bad book. It’s a worthy challenge to write a good book. What makes a good book?

Psssst. This also applies to memos, emails, and letters.

If you’ve got a book in you, here are a few objectives that I personally strive for (and hopefully achieve):

💡 Make it a Page Turner. Every sentence, paragraph, and chapter should entice the reader to want to read the next sentence, paragraph, and chapter. If you get the reader so flipping curious to know what’s next, give yourself a gold star.

💡 Make it Innovative or Counter Intuitive. If the reader thinks, “No $#1+ Sherlock,” then you’ve missed the mark. Use this as your mantra… “Never state the obvious.” Example: “Fall is here and the leaves are turning color,” or “You may be stuck between a rock and hard place,” then you have lost your audience.  Think of clichés and aphorisms as toxic book sludge.

💡 Bring People Into an Experience. Content does not rule the day if the experience doesn't lead the way. Yes, you want to grab someone’s attention with a point that has them think, “Gee, I didn’t think of it that way.” But then quickly transition into a story that has them noodling on what this must have felt like. At this point, you can support the story with your irresistible content.

This video is an exploration of a story-forward concept that is full of content designed to help people like you and me to get past any personal earthquakes. Heck, the Dalai Lama liked it…

I trust this helps.

#authortips #leadershipskills #TheEarthquake #dalailama #setbacktobreakthrough

Catch a decision maker off guard with your willingness to walk away and they’ll lean into what you have to offer.
 
In 2010 Music World Entertainment hired me to motivate their staff to “do what the competition is not willing to do.” MWE’s founder, Mathew Knowles helped his daughters Beyonce and Solange Knowles build their careers. First guiding Destiny’s Child then managing two successful solo careers.
 
From the age of 10, Max Poscente made it clear he would be a professional musician. I brought him to Houston to check out his dad's speech while he might gain some insight from the rest of the agenda. COO John Cawley was the first to recognize Max's potential and suggested my pre-teen son perform his own music while everyone ate lunch. Max rarely played covers back then.
 
Mathew jumped up, “Max how about you come down to Houston in a month or two and we’ll record one of your songs? Would you like that? Come to my office at the end of the day and we’ll talk about it.”
 
Waiting in the lobby, as the setting sun peeked through the window, Max insisted we should leave because “Mr. Knowles wouldn’t get my music.”
 
I encouraged Max to hear Mr. Knowles out. It was a fascinating conversation as Max finally admitted, “Mr. Knowles, I appreciate your interest, but I don’t think this will work. I just don’t think you’ll get my music.”
 
Mathew went from tilting back to leaning forward. He started selling Max on why he would be good for Max’s music career.
 
Skip ahead to Mathew and his A&R team flying up to Dallas to see Max’s band rehearse plus the makings of a 360-degree deal. At that time Beyonce wanted to spread her wings. She left MWE. With this tectonic change, Max, Mathew, and John continued their friendship as each went their separate ways.
 
I think back to that time, 12 years ago, when a music icon went from a gracious posture to a let’s-do-this vibe.
 
Here’s to friends knowing what they want and going for it.
 
#DecisionMakers #Beyonce #MusicWorld #setbacktobreakthrough

How does beginner’s luck work when subsequent and more informed efforts are subpar? It all has to do with your elephant. 🐘

Credit Dr. Lee Pulos’ research: in one second, your conscious mind processes with 2,000 neurons while your subconscious utilizes 4 billion neurons. To remember this amazing ratio, it’s like an ant 🐜 who thinks it decides direction while riding on the back of an elephant. Who’s really in control of where they end up?

You make a decision to go west, get fit, meet the partner of your dreams, add a comma (or two) to your bank account, and sign up five new clients before month’s end. But, alas, you end up east, out of shape, dating a doofus, distracted by a scary bank balance, and no new clients within miles of the bookings board. It’s time to understand the mojo of beginner’s luck.

Simply put, your elephant doesn’t know what you don’t know. The ant is busy trying to figure out the top-line basics while the subconscious mind is given complete autonomy. Imagine 4 billion neurons’ only measure - is the outcome.

Hit the ball in the middle of the fairway. Close that sale your 1st time out. Get a Standing O your first time on stage.

You’ve started in flow. Non-thought. Your elephantine subconscious mind guides you without the annoying, fear-based part of the conscious mind interrupting with second guesses. After a few tries, you start to “think.”

Right? 🤔 No? 🤔 What the heck?

It gets worse. The ant screams down at the elephant.

What was I thinking? 😖 That was stupid. 😖 I suck!

Meanwhile, the elephant is listening and reacting.

Was I thinking wrong? 🤨 Am I stupid? 🤨 Did I let myself down again?”

Presto, a downward spiral of misalignment and negative patterns. It vortexes from bad to worse.

Bring that Beginner’s Luck Mojo back. Next time:

✅ Under-Think It
✅ Trust the Inherent Power of Your Elephant
✅ Relax, Step Forward, & Save Uncertainty for Another Day

You got this!

#beginnersluck #powerofsubconscious #antandelephant #setbacktobreakthrough

Audio branding impact isn’t just for large corporations. Entrepreneurs who seek distinction from their competition are in on the sound logo advantage. A sound logo will elevate your brand and better connect with your customers.

Audio branding is not new. If I were to quiz you on the following sound logos, chances are you’ll be able to sing them immediately.

Intel Corporation, Netflix, HBO, McDonald's.

A good logo resonates with the sense of sight and is meant to elicit an emotional response. Adding the sense of sound further elevates a customer’s experience of your product or service.

Audio branding is next-level entrepreneurship. Just ask GaryVee (Gary Vaynerchuk) about the Rise of Audio Branding as a competitive advantage. He promotes audio branding as important.

"Sonic branding is about how your brand sounds and how it gets recalled or remembered — like the little jingle at the beginning of video games or the sound when you boot up your computer. It’s about to become dramatically more important for every single brand."

Note that jingles are the predecessor to sound logos. In fact, there's anecdotal evidence that Elizabethan musicians, wandering from town to town in the 16th century, were known to be sponsored by local entrepreneurs to come up with catchy tunes. Over the centuries, music has been used to enhance a company's brand image.

The next iteration of sound branding is audio logos. With the addition of sound and the subtle difference of a moving logo, your audience (or customer) is trained to get a shot of endorphins. Think of THX prior to a movie. That bone rattling wwwwwwwoooohhhhmmmmm sets up the audience for a "This is about to go down." 

Where can you get a Champagne Sound Logo on a Beer Budget? ➡️ Max

Full disclosure, Max (25) is my son. I learned about the impact of audio branding from him. He produces audio branding and sound logos for companies of all sizes who are wanting to elevate their customer experience. If you'd like to learn more about how a sound logo would benefit your business, call Max at 214-240-9987.

In the meantime, continue to implement ways to connect your brand promise with a memorable experience.

#customerexperience #soundlogo #businessgrowth #audiobranding #aboutyou

You may think you're the exception. BUT... everyone has Blind Spot Bias.

We each have a tendency to see other people being more biased than we are. In fact, in one study - over 85% of Americans reported they are less biased in their thinking.

People are motivated to see themselves in a positive light while biases are generally seen as undesirable.

Everyone has unconscious patterns and personal ‘factory defects’ if you will. There are things about each of us, we don’t know we have.

Let’s say elbow skin for example.

Roll your sleeve up and give your elbow skin a pinch. There, see that, you have no feeling in your elbow skin. A factory defect you weren’t likely aware of.

Another 'factory defect'... you have a Blind Spot.

Take this quick test. Cover your left eye. Keep your right eye on the + sign while you slowly bring your face closer to the screen. At some point the black spot will disappear then reappear. THAT is your blind spot.

When it comes to topics you’re passionate about, you also have a combination of blind spots. Blind Spot biases are enhanced by confirmation bias and repetition bias. You recognize data as aligning with your way of seeing the world, and bingo you have reinforced or confirmed your bias. Or, you hear a certain bit of information repeatedly and you are in the sights of repetition bias. 

If you hold your gaze from a fixed position, there is nothing you can do about your optical bias. It is by seeing something from a different angle or position will you then see what you couldn’t see before. The same can be said in life.

If you are posting your bias on social media or arguing your point with a significant other, know, you may have an unconscious bias, A BLIND SPOT that’s a factory defect somewhat like the unfeeling elbow skin of objectivity. 

For leaders and sales folks who are driving forward without an awareness of your blind spot biases... give us a call. The value of an outside perspective can be priceless. 

#Goals #selfawareness #biases #BusinessLeadership #setbacktobreakthrough

It’s hyper-competitive out there and we all seek ways to protect what we’ve built. There are those who are determined to attack your book of business, storm your sales territory, steal your market share, displace you from the job you enjoy, or a litany of ground assaults. Lead with value first and you will effectively create a protective moat. The more valuable your upfront offer, the more you fortify unassailable walls. Be creative with the value you provide.

Here’s an example:

This past week I attended this compelling session by @RichardBliss. He talked about the tactics to get the highest engagement on LinkedIn. While he conducted the session, a real post was initiated by an attendee.

By the end of the 90-minute course, she had over 1,000 impressions. It was impressive. I tried my own LinkedIn post and checked most of the boxes:

• Write a compelling post,
• include names of individuals,
• add original images,
• insert 3-5 hashtags,
• and make it a priority to answer all the comments that would appear in the first two magical hours of the posting.

Alas, the post only had a few dozen views.

Undeterred, I realized I needed to encourage comments by providing value to them first.

I texted 155 friends on Wednesday with an invitation to participate in this study and (here's the value part) a promise to provide the results.

At the time of posting this to you, the impressions on Thursday’s post were 4,500.

By offering value first, you are effectively competing at a higher level. With a background in ski racing, I learned it is conventional and average to do what your competition is not doing. Instead, do what the competition is not willing to do, and you’ll put a moat around your business.

With this moat of value, you will better secure that castle of yours.

#businesslife #innovation #digitalmarketing #winningstrategies #setbacktobreakthrough