I am a very opinionated person. I have always been that way. However, I make sure that I know the subject of my abject opinions very well before voicing them. I will never voice an opinion about something on which I know nothing. What an embarrassment?! Even if I was good at blowing smoke, I wouldn’t feel like I was being authentic or real with my sparring partner if I did this. 

Opinions Needn’t Always Be Controversial

I realize that not everyone is geared to have the wide range of opinions that I have or feels comfortable sharing them. Nevertheless, having and sharing an opinion is invaluable to your organization and/or clients. In fact everyone should have opinions on issues relevant to their company and clients. Astute bosses and/or clients want input. They may project an air of infallibility but in reality, they appreciate another point of view. Responding with an “I’m not sure. Whatever you think is best,” does nothing to establish you as a valued, thinking partner.

What If Your Opinion Differs?No problem. It doesn’t matter because you are offering your boss, colleague or client an alternative. You are broadening their perspective, perhaps presenting a new opportunity. (S)He doesn’t have to agree with you to validate your opinion. Be open to learning why (s)he thinks the way they do. And be prepared to offer your rationale for your opinion to them. Given your work experience and education, you no doubt, have formed a few opinions that are ready for their debut! Go ahead, give it a try when asked and observe the changes in how people perceive you. 

How to Deliver Your Opinion

Do you feel like your “to-do” list never stops growing? Do you go to bed wondering why you’re not accomplishing the goals you’ve set? Wouldn’t it be great to do nothing and accomplish something? It can happen through effortless effort. What is effortless effort? The phenomena, whereby, in the course of your everyday activity you accomplish goals you set, as well as check things off your to-do list without a lot of effort, stress or planned activity.
 

Expert Recommendations are Just Recommendations

When we put so much pressure on ourselves to get through our to-do list or meet expectations like spending 10 hours a week on marketing, exercising every day first thing in the morning or losing ten pounds, we actually work against ourselves. We believe in order to be successful we need to accomplish the things on our list. Expert recommendations and common sense tell us pursuing these “to-dos” are good for us, but you are the only one who knows how much you can accomplish. Whose agenda are you living by when you create that unending to-do list or fulfill that daily requirement or follow that guideline? You are living by someone else’s idea of what’s good for you and ignoring what your instinct is telling you about what is good for you. You are setting yourself up for failure because you are requiring too much of yourself.

It’s OrganicEffortless effort is organic in nature. During a recent session a client was recounting how she’d spent her week prior. She kept saying that she had been socializing, taking time out for her, getting out of the house. In the course of her socializing she talked about her business and wound up with a few leads and some potential collaborations with other people interested in working with her. My client had been struggling for months looking for a marketing strategy, finding the time to do so and still spending enough time on her burgeoning business. When I asked her if she could see a way that her social activity could be business related she began to recount all of the effortless effort that brought in those client leads and potential collaborators.
 What changed for her? She decided to focus on herself by spending time with people who energized her. Rather than worrying whether doing so would fit into her business building plans she put herself first and the business side of things took care of itself – effortless effort.
 

Embracing Uncertainty
A friend mentioned to me recently that with a business venture one must get used to the uncertainty and embrace it. For anyone who has started their own business and deals with the associated travails and struggles this is wise advice. If you crave security, business ownership is not the pipe you should be smoking. My friend was saying, instead of being shocked or upset by the lack of security in business ownership we must befriend it. This is classic “reframing.”

What is Reframing?
Reframing is taking a statement such as, “Monday is shot. I have to meet with the builder, go to the storage facility and talk with the attorney,” and turning it into a positive statement like, “Monday will be spent tying up loose ends on the house and preparing for the move which will give me time to work on business development the next day.” My clients know that I am big on reframing statements. Unless your name is Pollyanna, a condition that besets all of us is voicing negative thoughts or coloring the picture with a black crayon when we’re talking about our circumstances. I hear it in my client sessions and in conversations with friends and colleagues. But you can work to begin to change the way you think about a circumstance by reframing it into a positive.

Are You Really An Optimist?
I hear countless people describe themselves as optimists, but the first words that come out of their mouths are negative when troubling circumstances arise. Where did that positive attitude go? It is easy to be positive when life is even keeled. But the rubber hits the road when uncertainty raises its ugly head. Reframing is a great exercise in seeing the silver lining. “Geez! I didn’t think the tires were going to be that expensive,” can be turned into “I’m glad I have the money to buy new tires so my family will be better protected when riding in my car.”

What does a new frame do for an old picture?
Have you ever taken a cherished photo or several old family photos out of their frames and rearranged them into a more appealing display? How did it feel? It’s amazing what a new mat and frame can do for a picture. What seemed old and outdated becomes fresh and more appealing. Have you ever changed the furniture around in your house? Once you are done you feel excited to be walking into your home. Shifting a piece of furniture to an angle or putting the TV in a different spot gives you a feeling of renewal, sparks your creative energy, changes up the norm for something new. The same theory applies with reframing. Instead of accepting our natural inclination to be negative, by reframing we reprogram our minds to think on the good things.

It’s Your Choice
When I ask my clients to reframe a statement I hear a little hesitation, maybe a little cringe before they do it. As they reframe the negative statement into a positive one their tone of voice changes from defeat and/or discouragement to one of excitement and potentiality. There is a well known scripture that says, “Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) There is so much wisdom in there. Train your mind to think on the good things. When your mind focuses on the good, it opens up to possibilities instead of shutting down. When your mind opens up, your attitude adjusts and instead of being consumed with sour thoughts your attitude brightens and you are able to impact others positively as well.

Life is full of uncertainty. It is a fact of life. Some of us are faced with this truth earlier than others but we’re all faced with the same choice when it comes to dealing with it. Either we can run from it, resent it, or embrace it. What are you going to do?

Be Bold,

Michelle

Here in Michigan, we face daunting statistics and realities every day when it comes to business. For those of us who have our own businesses, the bad news, dismal reports and struggle to find new business creates a challenge - to stay positive.

Three Good Things About A Downturn in the Economy

What are some good things about a down turn in the economy?

1) A downturn shows where your business may be weakest because business will drop off in this area. What can you do to shore up this area?/ Is it time to drop this service or product so you can focus on the strongest aspects of your business?

2) A downturn makes you more grateful for your loyal, returning clients and customers. These people are your bread and butter. They like you; respect your work; they willingly refer you to other potential clients. What can you do to show them you appreciate them?

It offers you the opportunity to slow down a bit and work on some of the improvements, upgrades and personal education you put on the back burner. Instead of reluctantly parting with the money required, recognize that now is the time to invest and be ready for the upswing in business that is bound to come by working on fine tuning your skills, learning new ones, or working on new attitudes and habits. If you don’t do it now, you certainly won’t do it when you’re running around working on new projects, enrolling new clients, and balancing a packed schedule.

Fight Complacency

One of the biggest enemies of a downturn in the economy is complacency or a “hurry up and wait” attitude. Hurry up and wait is inactivity. As a business owner you should be actively pursuing the next big thing; work on fine tuning office procedures; enhance your employee’s skills; and/or invest in your own professional development. Fight off the urge to wait for things to get better and use the down time to get your ship in order. It defies logic, but it will be time, energy and money well spent.

An example: A local plant nursery is in the midst of a major renovation. With people leaving Michigan in record numbers the owner of the nursery admits it seems like an odd time to be spending so much money on expanding and upgrading his store but he says he is counting on things turning around. In the meantime, he wants to be able to offer the best possible store and product to his returning customers. It is great to drive by and see the work trucks out front. It flies in the face of all the bad news and is a positive reminder that business in Michigan will be booming again. The question is will you be ready?

Be Bold,

Michelle

Researchers asked a group of high school students if any of them set goals. Three percent of them responded affirmatively. Twenty years later the researchers took a look at the same group and discovered that the net worth of the 3% who set goals exceeded the total net worth of the 97% who did not. That’s a great incentive to set some goals, isn’t it?!

Did you set any goals in 2007? Did you achieve them? If not, perhaps there’s more to know about setting achievable goals. Here’s another incentive to start setting goals.

Authentic Coaching & Synergistic Solutions, LLC is offering 4 months of coaching for the price of 3 through January 31, 2008!! That’s right you get one month of coaching for free. We are using some new learning tools and concepts that are producing great results. Did you get the results you wanted professionally in 2007? How about personally? Were you passionate about your career? Did you have the confidence you needed to step out in a new direction? A coaching contract with Authentic Coaching & Synergistic Solutions, LLC is what you need to make 2008 a banner year for you professionally and personally.

Money Back Guarantee If you feel you are not getting the results you thought you would from your coaching experience, let us know before the fourth session and we will make it right or deliver a full refund of your contract fees.

We also hold ourselves to a strict standard. If at anytime during the coaching contract we think our client is not seeing the results we anticipated, we will fire ourselves and end the contract.

Contact us to schedule your first session. 734 485 3250 or michelle@acssgroup.net.

Last time we discussed the labyrinth of leadership that impacts women’s climb up the corporate ladder. While much of what we discussed was discouraging, the authors of the HBR article cited several things women can do to successfully climb the ladder towards corporate leadership.

Build Your Social Capital
We all know women are faced with the challenge of raising a family and working. When it comes to networking and building social capital, women fail to recognize how beneficial the relationships established through networking are to them. Both the prioritization of family over socializing and the challenge of networking amidst male themed events end up hurting women as they seek to increase their leadership capital. Don’t let either of the aforementioned become excuses. Network and socialize. Carve out time.

Find a Mentor
Studies show that women with a strong, well positioned, respected mentor (especially a male mentor) make greater career progress and build more effective social networks. I can vouch for this in my own life. I have a male mentor that I respect immensely and who looks out for me, shares his wisdom and has opened up his network to me. He is well respected and very successful. Others look up to him which makes his endorsement of me more valuable to others. A well respected female mentor shouldn’t be a less attractive option but make sure you find one who is comfortable promoting you and shares your enthusiasm for leadership.

Ask for Tougher Assignments
Another action you can take to insure more efficient progress towards leadership is to ask for tough assignments. The authors found that women historically have been shoved towards administration and less challenging assignments. Ask for more demanding assignments, and challenging projects. You need to gain skills and knowledge to be considered for any type of promotion. You will never gain those skills and knowledge if you’re only ever “filling a role” or “supporting” someone else. Again I know this to be true in my own life. For years I craved more responsibility and tougher assignments where I could stretch myself and learn new things that would aid the formation of my leadership style. I knew I could handle more. I asked and asked and asked until I received several additional, more challenging projects. Once I’d proven myself in these areas I was asked to take on more and found myself the youngest and only female member of the leadership team.

On a merry note, I wish each of you a blessed Christmas and prosperous, safe New Year! Thank you for your support in 2007!!

God Bless You!

Michelle

If you’re a woman working your way up the corporate ladder you may be looking for a glass ceiling, but an article in the September issue of the Harvard Business Review dismisses the idea of the glass ceiling and highlights the other hurdles keeping women out of leadership positions. If you’re a male in leadership, you should read this article as it will inform and offer suggestions for how to bring balance to your boardrooms and leadership teams. It may also highlight your blind spot on this issue. Trust me, it will be painless.

It’s not the Glass Ceiling
The authors of the article reviewed several comprehensive studies investigating the challenges faced by women seeking leadership. Even though we like to think that as a society we’ve advanced our attitudes about women in leadership roles, in reality only 40% of managerial positions are held by women and 2% of women are CEOs. The authors discovered that the blame cannot simply be placed on one factor - the glass ceiling. In fact, they discovered that a myriad of factors contribute to what they identify as the “labyrinth of leadership.” In general there is a cultural bias against women in leadership at all levels.

What works for men doesn’t always work for women
This bias is reflected in a study that showed more people, women included, identified more leadership traits with men than with women. Therefore, there is resistance to women’s leadership at all levels. We see this in the wage discrepancy; the value of education in promotion of women versus negligible value for men up for analogous promotion; the benefit of having family for men versus the negative perception attached to a family for women seeking corporate leadership; and pejorative attachments to women who act strongly, speak directly and self promote. What is the most discouraging is that perhaps the strongest advocates for women in leadership, other female colleagues, carry forward these same prejudices choosing to betray and despise their sisters advancing towards leadership.

Stop Making Excuses/Do You Have a Blind Spot?
Knowing this, I would like to encourage the women out there to stop making excuses and make a plan of action for how you will combat the obstacles that you are bound to face. As for the men, I encourage you to think of ways you may inadvertently present obstacles to women. Do you have a different attitude towards your female colleagues as opposed to your male colleagues? Is your company, department, or team set up to encourage equanimity of thought?

Next time we’ll talk about the three styles of leadership and practical ways both sexes can untangle the labyrinth and transform it into a ladder.

A Proven Method for Personal Fulfillment
When I am out networking and talking about my business to other business leaders and owners, I get a lot of confused looks from people trying to get a grasp on what exactly a business and leadership coach does or more particularly, what a coach can do for them? My answer is always, “Why not see for yourself and schedule a time for a complimentary “Exploration Session”?”. This gives them the opportunity to experience first hand what Authentic Coaching & Synergistic Solutions (”ACSS”) can do for them.

Though coaching is an organic process, ACSS does utilize a methodology of discovery via intuitive questioning, identification of core issues and action plans agreed upon by both the client and the coach. What follows are some examples of exploration sessions highlighting the power of coaching.

Example 1
One particular exploration session agenda was worded as such, “I want to explore what other options might be available to me professionally.” Although the client’s agenda was pretty vague, other indicators suggested she was highly frustrated in her current job. After keying in on identifying her true passions and strengths we proceeded to uncover what was leading to her current dissatisfaction with her chosen career. During the session, it became clear she was doing something that sucked the energy and life from her because she was not using her God given abilities of public speaking and group facilitation. As the session progressed I listened to the tone of her voice change from frustration to exhilaration as her options came into clearer focus. By the end of her session she had agreed to take three action steps that would continue the momentum begun during the session. This client is currently on track to transition from her unrewarding career to one that utilizes her greatest strengths. She is fulfilled and making great strides professionally especially in comparison to where she started.

Example 2
Another agenda focused on the client’s job search within the industry he was looking to find work. Understandably, he was disheartened due to the current job market in Michigan and lack of job offers he had received through the traditional avenues of job fairs and interviews. Early on in our conversation/session he revealed that he was very focused on some residential rentals he held in his investment portfolio. He shared that about 50% of his time was spent on maintenance and finding tenants. He had a lot of passion in his voice when he talked about this portfolio and he made it clear to me that he was not going to sell. His desire to find a job in the industry he’d spent 25 years in seemed incongruent now that I knew he not only had a viable income source but one he was so enthused about. I asked if his job search was a safe option for him rather than a desire and he responded affirmatively. It was clear to me he had options better suited to his strengths and desires that he had not realized. I asked if he might consider focusing all of his energy on his rental portfolio, an already established income source, while finding a job in a related field or industry that would compliment his real estate endeavors. Before our session was over my client and I had identified companies such as Home Depot and Lowes as companies from which he might gain valuable experience and where he might be able to use his expert sales skills. The disheartenment I heard early in our conversation changed to excitement as he grew more comfortable with a job search that would require some transition but that would support his enthusiasm for real estate and its related endeavors.

There are numerous other examples, the business owner who was stuck because of fear to venture forward in the development of an unrelated product. She acknowledged she had achieved a lot and recognized the same skills with which she’d grown a business in an industry she didn’t know much about would take her through the development process for her new product. Or, the young professional who was looking for effective way to highlight her skills and increase her impact in a competitive new job. She’s made an impact and is taking over accounts and leaving her mark of excellence in every transaction.

What is the main theme of each of these case studies? It is breaking free from inertia created by fear, lack of motivation, unidentified strengths, closed possibilities and enhanced personal fulfillment. When each of these clients took the time to see what ACSS could do for them, they uncovered dreams and decided to pursue them. In each case the potential for greater personal satisfaction in their work via planned actions and personal responsibility was the result. Not only did they attain great personal satisfaction from their time as clients, they increased their potential to earn more money pursuing what they really loved and making the most of what they’d been given.

Interested?! Give us 40 minutes and together we’ll uncover and/or rediscover ideas and dreams, devise an action plan that fuels your passion and incorporates attitudes that enhance prosperity. Together we’ll make it happen! Contact us at info@acssgroup.net to schedule your free Exploration Session. What do you have to lose?!

Three weeks ago I finished my Masters thesis. For the better part of this past year I devoted my weekends to the proposal and then to the thesis itself. That meant, in addition to running a business, nearly every minute of each week, yes, all seven days were regimented. I knew whatI was doing each day and was focused on accomplishing a major goal.

For all of my whining about the work load and fantasizing about all of the things I would be able to spend my “extra” time on once my thesis was complete I found comfort in the adrenaline rush, the structure of my week and the quest to reach a goal. When the document was complete and handed in, I felt a sense of relief and freedom that I likened to the feeling a kid has on the last day of school. The possibilities of what I could now do were endless. Since I handed in the document on a Friday, I decided to treat myself and burn the two days of the weekend and do whatever I wanted. I slept in. I reminded myself I didn’t have to write about any abstract concepts. I participated in a road rally of sorts. I went out and celebrated with friends. And then on Monday I got right back to work.

I had a list of about fifteen things I needed to get done in order to jump start my business. I had spent nearly every day of the last two weeks on my thesis so time was of the essence. I needed to focus 100% of my energy on the business again. I had a coaching session with my coach and we carefully prioritized my “to-do l”ist and set up some time lines for completion of the first three items. I was gung ho and ready to go. If I didn’t push hard to accomplish everything on my “to-do” list and start the process of taking my business to the next level I would be failing myself and my business.

But by the end of the week I realized I wasn’t as focused as I wanted to be even though I had accomplished the three things plus more on my “to-do” list. My heart wasn’t in it. I began to panic. If my heart wasn’t in my business anymore, it wasn’t going to be any more fun and motivation would be a real challenge. I didn’t realize it at the time but my mind and body were rebelling against being pushed into another adrenaline infused flurry of activity and were crying out for more recuperation time. My coach asked me if the reason I was not focused could have been because I failed to give myself enough time to relax. I thought to myself, “Don’t be ridiculous. I took Saturday and Sunday off!” But when I really thought about it I recognized that my drive and craving for another “big goal” to achieve sublimated all desire I had for my business. The business I’ve come to love and enjoy so much.

I believe I am not alone in this. We all have a tendency to push for the next big thing. As if are lives aren’t complete or won’t be complete without it. I know a man who had a list of goals. The goals were age related. By thirty, married, by thirty two, birth of first child, by thirty-three, founder of a firm, etc. In business as well, he would always tell me that he would slow down once this deal closed or that project was done, but he never did slow down. He always found the next big thing to keep him pushing forward. But the next big thing and the next never brought him contentment. I never knew him to ever really relax and enjoy the wife and child he had acquired by the time he was thirty-three. He was missing out on what was truly restorative and worthwhile in life because he was always pushing for the next big thing.

I, too, had to realize that my business would not fall to pieces if I took things a little slower and enjoyed my freedom for a few more days. Instead of depleting my soul with more “to-dos” I needed to nourish it by enjoying the time with my dear friends and family, reading some fiction, listening to Beethoven, catching up on the latest news, and taking in the glories of the crisp autumn days. When I let myself off the hook, I began to feel my desire and interest in my business return. Though none of the aforementioned things have anything to do with running or growing a business they have everything to do with fueling my passion for my business because they feed my soul and provide energy that spurs my creativity.

If we forget about ourselves in the midst of trying to accomplish the next big thing we’re apt to loose ourselves entirely and become mere shells of what we’re meant to be. Take some time this week and think about your goals, what’s driving you and how much time do you take to replenish the storehouse of ideas that sources your business ideas. Are you giving anything or anyone that is important to you the short shrift? How is this hurting you or your business? What is one business related item you can replace this week with a “you-oriented” activity that will give you the spark you need to move forward?

To your success,

Michelle

Are you more organized and decisive or are you more open-ended preferring to take in all the information you can before making a decision? According to the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) you definitely have a preference.

Today we’ll continue discovering our preferred communication style as determined by the MBTI. Based upon the renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung’s theory of personality, the MBTI was developed to determine each individual’s natural tendencies to use their mind.

So far, we’ve covered the orientations of extroversion and introversion; the intuitive and sensory preference for taking in information; and our preferences for making decisions. We are at the final set of preferences, your preferences for how you deal with the outer world.

These two preferences are known as either Judging or Perceiving. For the record, those with a judging preference are not “judgmental” and those with a perceiving preference are not unusually “perceptive”.

Someone with a judging preference deals with their outer world in an organized fashion. “J” types are known as planners and approach nearly every aspect of their lives in this manner. They would rather nail down a date on the calendar rather than leave it open. Deviation from their well developed plans could possibly throw them into a tailspin. However a well developed “J” type has learned to be more flexible when their best laid plans get waylaid by “P” types or uncontrollable circumstances. A “J” type is also more likely to have a “to-do” list and gets energized by getting things done.

Those with a “P” type preference are freer with their time, preferring to take in all the information possible before making a decision. This lends to their more spontaneous reputation. In contrast to the “J” type, a “P” type is more inclined to take life as it comes and adapting to the outer world, rather than trying to control it via schedules and “to-do” lists. “P” types see schedules and order as confining, although they may see the value in them to achieve goals both personal and professional. Typically a “P” type will leave a date open on the calendar until the last possible minute, preferring to wait and see what happens rather than cornering themselves into a commitment two weeks in advance. “P” types pride themselves and are energized by their ability to adapt to changing situations and make the changes in the outer world work for them.

If you are a “J” type you may become annoyed with the freestyle approach of a “P”. They are prone to being late because of their distaste for following a set schedule. In addition if you work with a “P” type you may become frustrated by what you perceive to be their procrastination. Remember this is their preference. Typically they will get something done in the nick of time.

“P” types may become annoyed with the structure inherent to the life of a “J” type. Timelines and deadlines, though frustrating, to the “P” type’s open-ended information gathering process is a vital way for the “J” type to make decisions and get their work done so they can either enjoy their time off.

By now you should have a feel for your preferences. My MBTI preferences are ENTJ. Remember that knowing what makes you tick is the first step to being able to better understand how others want to be communicated to.

Want to learn more? Contact me (michelle@acssgroup.net) to discuss how the MBTI can be used individually to aid communication and corporately to aid problem solving, leadership, planning and decision making.

In the next issue we’ll discuss the preferences for how you make decisions.

To your success,

Michelle