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As a business owner, have you ever wondered if you're maximizing your team's full potential?
Picture this: You're running a successful service-based business, carefully considering each new hire because every salary impacts your bottom line. While you might think only your sales team drives revenue, there's an untapped goldmine of sales potential sitting right in your existing workforce.
Let's be honest - when most business owners think about increasing sales, their first instinct is to hire more salespeople. But what if I told you that the key to boosting your revenue might already be sitting at your front desk, managing your books, or delivering your services?
Every employee you hire in your small business is an investment, and they need to contribute - directly or indirectly - to your business growth. The question isn't whether they can help increase sales; it's how to unlock their potential to do so.
Think about those administrative tasks eating up your valuable time. When you're spending hours managing receipts or handling routine paperwork, you're essentially paying CEO rates for administrative work.
Here's a perspective shift: a skilled bookkeeper or administrative assistant can do these tasks in half the time, at half the cost, freeing you up to focus on high-value activities that directly generate revenue. Not to mention, the quality of their work will be much better than yours, beacuse they are the exaprts at it.
Consider this: If you value your time at $100 per hour (conservative for a CEO), and you're spending 10 hours weekly on administrative tasks, that's $1,000 worth of potential revenue-generating time you're losing. By delegating these tasks to a skilled professional at $50 per hour, you're not just saving money - you're buying back time to focus on growth activities. And there is also "opportunity cost" than many often miss. For exmaple, if in those 10 hours a week, you landed a $10,000 or a $100,000 contract, this is the amount you are truly missing out when when you try to do it all by yourself.
Your front-line staff - whether they're receptionists, service providers, or customer service representatives - have golden opportunities to increase sales naturally.
Here's how:
The most powerful sales force isn't just your sales team - it's your entire staff when they genuinely believe in your business.
When employees love their work environment and believe in your services, they become natural brand ambassadors, sharing their enthusiasm with their networks and bringing in new clients organically.
Practical Implementation Steps
To maximize your team's sales potential:
Your non-sales employees can be powerful drivers of business growth when given the right tools, training, and motivation. By creating an environment where every team member understands their role in the company's success, you'll build a more resilient, profitable business with multiple growth channels.
Ready to transform your team into a revenue-generating powerhouse? Start by evaluating your current processes and identifying opportunities where your non-sales staff can contribute to growth. Remember, sometimes the best sales strategies don't come from your sales team at all.
And if you need help implementing these strategies in your business?
Book a free consultation here to discuss how we can train your team and create systems that drive sustainable growth.
About the Author:
Maggie Perotin is a business and leadership coach and founder of Stairway to Leadership, helping service-based businesses transform into sellable assets through strategic planning, operational excellence, and team development.
As a service-based business owner, you aim to deliver exceptional value to your clients.
But are there hidden gaps in your business that might be preventing you from truly serving them? In this blog, we’ll explore five ways you may be unintentionally underserving your clients—and how to fix it.
If you’ve noticed a lack of client engagement or loyalty, these insights can help you uncover the root causes and guide you toward building stronger, more meaningful relationships with your clients.
One of the most common mistakes business owners make is relying on generic marketing tactics, like holiday posts and surface-level content. While these may seem easy and harmless, they often fail to connect with your ideal clients. Effective marketing should speak directly to your clients' goals, pain points, and desires.
What to do instead: Create client-centric marketing that makes your audience feel heard and understood. By addressing their specific challenges and offering solutions, you build trust and demonstrate that you can help them. This gives your clients hope and a sense of partnership, which is invaluable.
When did you last walk through your entire customer journey from start to finish? If it’s been a while—or never—there are likely missed opportunities for improvement. Every touchpoint your client has with your business is an opportunity to add value. Failing to review and refine the client experience can leave gaps that weaken the relationship.
Actionable tip: Start by mapping out the customer journey and identifying areas where clients may feel frustrated or underwhelmed. Even small changes can make a big difference in improving the overall experience.
Every business decision, whether big or small, has the potential to affect your clients. An often overlooked example is pricing. While you may think keeping prices low benefits your clients, it can actually have the opposite effect. Low prices may signal a lack of quality or professionalism, potentially devaluing your services. Learn more about this aspect, from the Damonf Effect Podcast - EP # 168 - 5 Common Mistakes Service-Based Businesses Make That Undermine Client Satisfaction
Key takeaway: Always consider how decisions impact your clients. Whether it’s adjusting your pricing or changing service delivery, client perception plays a major role in how they value your business.
As a business owner, your well-being directly influences how you serve your clients. Burnout, stress, and exhaustion can leave you with little energy to focus on innovation or improving your services. When you’re mentally and physically drained, it’s easy to overlook opportunities for growth.
Solution: Prioritize self-care and invest in your personal growth. A well-rested, focused leader is more capable of driving improvements, enhancing client experiences, and fostering long-term business success.
Clients want to feel valued beyond just the services they pay for. If your relationships are purely transactional, you’re missing out on opportunities to build trust and loyalty. Strong client relationships are the foundation for long-term success and client retention.
What you can do: Focus on nurturing deeper connections with your clients. Take the time to engage with them beyond the sale—whether it’s through personalized follow-ups, genuine interest in their needs, or simply making them feel appreciated.
Ready to Transform Your Business and Build Loyal Client Relationships?
If you’re ready to double your business, retain happy and loyal clients, and create a sustainable work-life balance, let’s talk! I can show you how to implement these strategies, and more, through my proven T.O.P. CEO Leading Team System.
Book a free consultation with me HERE and let’s discuss how I can help you take your business to the next level.
Is Your Team Underperforming? Here Are 5 Warning Signs to Watch For
As a small business owner, managing a productive team is essential to your success. But how can you identify when your team is underperforming? In our latest Diamond Effect podcast episode # 167, “5 Indicators Your Team is Underperforming,” we discuss the top signs that your team might not be performing at its best, and how you can turn things around.
Spotting and addressing these issues early can help you boost employee engagement, improve productivity (which takes work off your plate), create a healthier workplace culture, and as a result, grow your business faster. Read on to learn the five major indicators of team underperformance and what you can do to resolve them.
One of the clearest indicators of team underperformance is a rise in basic or repetitive mistakes. If your team members consistently make errors that should be easily avoidable, it could point to disengagement or insufficient training. These mistakes can add up, leading to inefficiencies and lost time, which ultimately impacts your business.
How to fix it: While mistakes happen, repeated errors are often signs that something’s not right and you might be having a more systemic issue. Consider revisiting training programs, setting clearer expectations, and fostering a culture of accountability where employees are encouraged to take ownership of their work.
Toxic workplace behaviors like gossip and finger-pointing can derail a team’s performance. When employees are more focused on blaming others than solving problems, productivity takes a hit. A lack of accountability not only creates tension but also discourages collaboration, making it harder to achieve business goals. Not to mention that this negative environment can spill over to your client's experience, which damages your brand reputation and deters business.
How to fix it: Create a culture of transparency and accountability. Encourage open communication and set clear guidelines for behavior that promote respect and teamwork.
If your top talent is leaving your company, it's a serious red flag. High turnover, especially among high performers, signals dissatisfaction with the workplace environment, management, or lack of growth opportunities. Replacing talented employees can be costly both in terms of time and lost revenue.
How to fix it: Focus on retention strategies like recognizing contributions, providing opportunities for growth, offering competitive compensation, and not tolerating toxic culture. Regular feedback sessions can help identify employee concerns before they lead to turnover.
An increase in absenteeism can be more than just a sign of poor attendance—it’s often a symptom of low morale, disengament, or burnout. When employees are disengaged, they are more likely to take sick days or be late to work. This can severely disrupt your team's efficiency and morale.
How to fix it: Address the root causes of absenteeism by promoting a healthy work-life balance, offering wellness programs, and checking in with employees to understand their challenges.
When your team stops offering new ideas, suggestions for improvement, or raising concerns about problems in the business, it might mean they feel disconnected or demotivated. An engaged team should always be looking for ways to enhance business processes or address ongoing issues. If that stops, it’s a clear sign of disengagement.
How to fix it: Foster an environment where innovation and open communication are encouraged. Regularly seek input from your team and recognize their contributions to keep them motivated.
What Can You Do to Boost Team Performance? If any of these signs sound familiar, it’s important to act quickly. In the Diamond Effect Podcast episode 167, “5 Indicators Your Team is Underperforming,” we go deeper into each of these issues and provide actionable strategies to help you rebuild a strong, high-performing team.
Subsribe on your favorite platform and listen to the full episode for expert advice on how to diagnose and resolve team performance challenges, from reducing employee turnover to fostering accountability.
Understanding and addressing underperformance can transform your business. By recognizing these warning signs early, you can take steps to create a motivated, high-functioning team that drives your business forward. Don’t wait until it’s too late—start making changes today!
If your team’s underperformance holding your business back, I can help. With my T.O.P. CEO Leading Team System, I’ve guided small business owners like yourself to transform their teams, boost productivity, and achieve impressive growth.
Book a FREE consultation today, and I’ll show you how my proven system can help you double your business while creating a motivated, high-performing team.
Don’t miss this opportunity to take your leadership and your team to the next level. Click here to schedule your consultation and start seeing results!
Are you a small business owner struggling to convert leads into paying clients? You’re not alone.
Many service-based businesses face challenges when it comes to closing deals, but the good news is that with a few simple adjustments, you can turn more leads into customers. In this post, we’ll explore the top 5 reasons your sales conversations aren’t converting and give you actionable solutions to help you improve your sales process.
One of small business owners' biggest mistakes is attracting the wrong audience. If your marketing message isn’t speaking directly to your ideal client, then the people showing up to your sales calls may not be interested or ready to invest in your services. This misalignment makes it difficult to close deals and can leave you feeling frustrated.
How to fix it:
Refine your marketing messaging to focus on your ideal client’s pain points and goals. Use clear, targeted language that speaks directly to the people who are most likely to benefit from your services. By doing this, you’ll attract more qualified leads who are ready to convert.
Another common issue for small business owners is taking over the sales conversation. When you spend too much time talking and not enough time listening, you miss out on understanding the prospect’s true needs. As a result, it’s harder to position your services as the solution they’re looking for.
How to fix it:
Ask open-ended questions and allow your prospects to share their pain points and goals. The more you understand their unique situation, the better you can tailor your offer to meet their needs. Remember, a great sales conversation is 80% listening and 20% talking.
If you’ve ever found yourself pitching to someone who can’t make the final decision, you know how frustrating it can be. Many small business owners waste time because they’re talking to a non-decision maker or not all decision-makers are present during the call. This often results in delayed decisions or lost sales.
How to fix it:
Before the sales call, confirm that all decision-makers will be in the meeting. If multiple people need to weigh in, ensure they’re part of the conversation so you can present your solution to everyone who has a say in the decision. This can significantly speed up your sales process and increase your chances of closing the deal.
A generic sales pitch rarely resonates with potential clients. If you’re not tailoring your offer to address the specific pain points of each prospect, they’re less likely to see the value in your services. Small business owners often fall into the trap of using a one-size-fits-all pitch, which doesn’t connect on a personal level.
How to fix it:
After you’ve listened to your prospect’s pain points, customize your presentation to show how your services are the perfect solution to their challenges. Highlight specific benefits that relate directly to their goals. A personalized approach shows prospects that you truly understand their needs, making it easier for them to say “yes.”
Many small business owners shy away from handling objections during sales calls, either because they don’t know how or they’re afraid of confrontation. However, avoiding or mishandling objections can leave prospects feeling uncertain about moving forward. And the thing is objections and questions from your ideal client are a good sign! It means they are thinking of buying from you and just need more clarification. Otherwise, they wouldn't be asking you anything. No one wastes time asking questions about something they don't want to buy.
How to fix it:
Don’t be afraid to ask your prospects about any concerns they have. Address objections head-on by explaining how your services will overcome their challenges. If you handle objections confidently and effectively, you’ll build trust and remove barriers to closing the deal.
If you’ve been struggling to close sales, these five mistakes could be the reason why. By refining your marketing messaging, listening more during sales calls, ensuring you’re talking to decision-makers, personalizing your offer, and addressing objections, you’ll dramatically increase your conversion rate.
Looking for expert help with your sales process?
As a business coach who specializes in helping small business owners grow without added hustle, I can help you fine-tune your sales strategy and sign more clients. Contact me today to learn more about how I can support your business growth.
In the latest episode of the Diamond Effect podcast, international business and leadership coach Maggie Perotin kicks off a five-part series dedicated to marketing. This episode focuses on identifying and addressing five key indicators that your marketing efforts may not be as effective as they could be. Maggie emphasizes the importance of clear messaging, engagement, and understanding your target audience to improve marketing results. Here, we break down each of these indicators in detail, offering actionable advice and thorough explanations to help you enhance your marketing strategy.
Networking, whether online or in person, is a crucial component of any marketing strategy. If you’re not receiving quality referrals from your networking efforts, it’s a sign that your marketing and messaging may not be resonating with your audience.
Maggie advises that if you’re not seeing progress each month, it’s time to reassess your approach. This could involve tweaking your messaging, being more active in your networking efforts, or even exploring new networking opportunities.
A weak online presence can significantly hinder your marketing efforts. If your social media accounts and website aren’t attracting visitors or inquiries, it’s a clear sign that your marketing may need a revamp.
Maggie clarifies that it’s not about going viral or having a massive following, but rather about having a presence that engages your ideal clients. Troubleshoot by examining your messaging, understanding the platforms you’re using, and ensuring your marketing strategies align with where your ideal clients are.
Even if you have followers, a lack of engagement indicates that your messaging may not resonate with them. Engagement is a key indicator of how well your marketing is performing.
Maggie highlights the importance of creating content that encourages conversation and connection. Engagement is not just about numbers; it’s about building relationships and fostering a community around your brand.
Having followers and engagement is great, but if no one is reaching out to inquire about your services, your marketing strategy may need adjustment.
Maggie stresses that the ultimate goal of marketing is to guide potential clients through a journey that leads them to feel comfortable enough to reach out for help. If this isn’t happening, it’s crucial to evaluate your marketing strategy and ensure it includes elements that encourage inquiries.
Receiving inquiries from individuals who are not your ideal clients can be frustrating and a sign that your messaging needs refinement.
Maggie emphasizes that amplifying ineffective messaging through paid advertising will not yield better results. Instead, it’s essential to first ensure your messaging resonates organically before investing in ads.
Throughout the episode, Maggie underscores the importance of clear and compelling messaging in attracting the right clients. By focusing on these five indicators, you can evaluate your marketing efforts and make informed decisions to enhance your strategies, ultimately leading to greater success in your business.
By addressing these key indicators and implementing the recommended strategies, you can enhance your marketing efforts, attract your ideal clients, and achieve greater business success.
In today's world, e-mail has become one of the primary means of communication. Whether it's at work or home, some of us receive hundreds of e-mails a day. Who can read and process this much, I ask?? In my workplace some people can have whole e-mail conversations lasting hours or days on a subject that could take 15 mins if someone decided to pick up the phone.
Don't you ever feel like pulling your hair trying to keep up with e-mail traffic? Or that you have not accomplished anything productive most of the day other than responding to e-mail? Do you feel stressed by the sheer volume of e-mail you receive every day? I certainly do.
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place"
George Bernard Show
So what can we do to take over the control that e-mails wield on us? To become more productive and less stressed? And to make our e-mails sources of true communication? Here are some tips that can help with that.
According to numerous studies e-mail occupies 25% of employees' average work day. That is 13 hrs each week! On top of that an average person checks their inbox over 30 times an hour i.e. almost every 2 mins.
You can easily see now why we feel stressed or that we have not accomplished much throughout the day. OK, so what do I do you ask?
You will see that not only some of those lengthy e-mail conversations will take care of themselves by others jumping in but also in time people will stop expecting you responding right away. Think of this as setting ground rules and boundaries to protect your precious time.
By setting those boundaries your stress level will go down significantly. You don't have to just believe me on this one. It's been proven through research done by the University of California Irvine and the US Army.
And the best of all, you will now have time to work on those assignments you have been struggling to finish, meet the deadlines and get recognized!
Studies conducted at UCLA have shown that 50% of communication happens through facial expressions and body language, 40% through voice intonation and only 10% through actual words.
As you can see, having your reader understand the e-mail you sent them in a way you intended it is not that easy since 90% of your potential success is impossible to get via e-mail.
As a leader, leading by example is your job.
This includes e-mail communication. Even if you don't care about the titles and think that yours does not matter, remember that for others it does. The more "powerful" your title is, the more people feel pressed to respond to your e-mails right away and the more sensitive they are reading them.
That is why on top of the above tips that can help anyone, here are couple of others that Bosses should take to heart.
"Communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success. "
Paul J. Mayer
To sum up, paraphrasing Paul Mayer's wisdom, if we want to be successful, we need to know how to communicate with others. E-mail is just one means of communication but probably the most challenging one. Let's never assume that our reader will know how to interpret the meaning of our message. Going against our crazy busy world, slowing down, and taking the time to write meaningful and thought through e-mails will always pay off.
Any change starts with you.
As a business owner, manager, executive - a LEADER - are you excited for 2019?
Do you have a vision of what you and your Team will accomplish this year? Or you don't know how and where to start?
Here are 5 steps that can help you get going.
New Year is on, out with the old! - you might be all to happy to do that.
I am like that, a forward-thinking person that likes to move on from past to the future as soon as possible.
But, hold on, someone wise once told me that there are benefits to taking some time for reflection and learning from the past.
Let's do that first then.
I guess, no one really enjoys making the same mistakes over and over.
New mistakes are great! It means we are trying new things, being innovative and curious.
Whereas, making the same mistakes many times gets quite boring, frustrating and only reinforces Einstein's definition of insanity.
Therefore if you have not done that yet, I highly recommend sitting down with your Team and your Boss (if you have one) and asking a few questions:
Once you have those answers, you are armed with wisdom to enter the gates of 2019.
After reflection, second would be goal setting. We all love it, don't we?
To set meaningful goals, remind yourself first of your mission and values.
Does your organization or department have them? If yes, awesome! You can keep reading.
If not, look out for my next week's post that will try to convince you why you should. For now, please see below for a quick sneak peak just for you.
For me mission and values are a foundation of any organisation. They are like a lighthouse constantly showing way home to wondering boats.
"The mission announces exactly where you are going and the values describe the behaviors that will get you there."
Jack Welch, "Winning"
Setting the goals for your Team that are directly tied to your mission and values can bring extreme focus to the business, help it to stay authentic and with that competitive.
People, myself included, look for purpose in their lives. Meaning is what makes us happy.
Having goals that are meaningful, tied to a vision, and realistic will give your Tem a sense of accomplishment when you reach them.
And once that happens, it's time to CELEBRATE!
We all know that when hell breaks lose, plans are nothing but pretty looking paper.
However, planning IS EVERYTHING and that is what you should do next.
It's during the process of planning that we can prioritize. In today's day and age most organizations have more to do than they can chew on.
New opportunities and urgent matters are pouring through the doors with the speed of light.
But as the old saying goes: if everything is important, nothing is.
Picking top 1, max. 3 priorities for the month, quarter or whatever planning cycle you chose to dare into, will bring further focus to your Team.
Planning time is what helps you determine what those priorities are.
During this time, you should also break them down to small attainable steps (ex. weekly goals and priorities).
As a result, you will protect your people from feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work that needs to get done.
Now what about you? Have you thought about taking time for self-care?
I know you are laughing inside thinking what is she saying?
Who has time for that? There are so many important things to get done...
How could I possibly spare even 15 mins of "unproductive" time?
I am sooo busy ....
Let's learn from the aviation industry then ...
You know, the putting of the oxygen mask on you before you help anyone else.
Yeah, exactly ... we are no good as leaders to anyone if we are running around like a headless chicken, half burned out and only putting out fires.
Sometimes we need to step back, look at our business from the eagle's perspective, reflect and recalibrate if needed.
To be able to do that we need time to clear our minds, rest and re-charge.
Why?
Because our Teams rely on us to lead them through adventures to the safety of success not rocks of destruction.
Last but not least - how do I make all of this happen?
Well, put it on your calendar.
Take charge of your time (or at least most of it) and don't let urgent get mixed with important all the time.
Make it a priority, to take time now, this week, to schedule all important recurring events and keep them as sacred as possible.
Then ensure you keep scheduling and planning each week ahead of time.
Yes, it takes discipline, organization skills, and drive; but that is why we are leaders, aren't we?
So what do I need to schedule, you ask? Here are a few ideas:
In case you are not sure what to do in those meetings, look out for my posts in the coming weeks.
To summarize, leading a Team and organization to success is not easy but having a vision and a plan supporting its execution helps with taking action and getting there.
I am writing about Courage today because it is one of the values I have chosen to guide and define my business. Helping business owners and managers to step into leadership that is brave enough to build cohesive teams and healthy organizations is the core of my mission.
My inspiration for this post came from the books "Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" by E. Favilli and F. Cavallo. They are one of my kids' favourites bedtime reads.
Values guide our behaviors in personal and professional lives. No one questions the need of having a set of values in our personal lives. But, if you ever wondered why any business should define them for their operations, have a look at on of my blog posts.
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.”
MAYA ANGELOU
Courage can demonstrate itself in many different ways.
And below, you will find five inspiring stories of women that defined courage with their lives.
The Mirabal Sisters, also know as "Las Mariposas" were freedom fighters in the Dominican Republic. They were opposing the regime of dictator Raphael Trujillo. The sisters organized and participated in multiple protests and movements against the dictatorship. Together with their husbands, they were jailed multiple times. On November 25, 1960, the Mirabal Sisters were murdered by the regime. Their leadership and courage became the inspiration to Dominicans to continue opposing Trujillo's dictatorship. It eventually was abolished.
November 25th is now recognized as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Click here for the source article by Victoria Sanchez.
Maria Curie-Sklodowska was a Noble Prize-winning scientist. Together with her husband Pierre Curie she discovered radioactive elements: polonium and radium. Marie was born in Poland in 1867, at the time when the country was part of the Russian Empire. Since women were not allowed to attend university, she attended a secret Flying University in Warsaw. Marie Curie moved to Paris and joined Sorbonne, the university that accepted women students.
Throughout her life, to be able to follow her passion for science and research, Marie had to overcome many barriers. Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Noble Prize, the first person and only woman to win twice. She was also the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences (physics and chemistry).
Marie and her husband refused to receive monetary awards and medals and they have given away most of their first Noble prize money. Curie has also intentionally refrained from patenting her discoveries so that scientific community could continue the research.
Click here for the source and more detailed information on Marie Curie-Sklodowska.
Frida Kahlo, one of the most famous painters of the 20th century, suffered unimaginable pain all her life. As a child, she suffered from polio. In her student years, she had seriously injured her spine in a tragic bus accident. Frida started painting when she returned home from the hospital to alleviate her pain and kill time. In the self-portraits, Kahlo was expressing her physical suffering. Despite her multiple surgeries and deteriorating health Frida continued painting and being active in the Marxism inspired political movement.
In of her famous quotes, Frida says: "At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can."
Click here for more details on Frida Kahlo's life.
Viola Desmond (née Davis) was a Canadian businesswoman and civil rights activist. Born in 1914 in Halifax, she built her career and business as a beautician. Through her Desmond School of Beauty Culture, Viola was an inspiration and mentor to young Black women in Nova Scotia. In 1946, Viola Desmond stood up for equality of rights. She challenged racial discrimination when she refused to leave the segregated Whites-only section of a theater. For her act of courage, she was arrested, jailed overnight and convicted without legal representation for a "tax offense". Viola was not able to receive a pardon despite the efforts of The Nova Scotia Black Community trying to assist her.
Desmond’s brave refusal to accept an act of racial discrimination provided inspiration to other Black People in Canada. Click here for the source article.
Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi-British architect and the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize, in 2004. She became famous for her bold building designs with many sweeping lines. The Guardian called her the Queen of the Curve. She designed the aquatic center for the London Olympic Games 2012 (UK), Michigan State University's Broad Art Museum (US), the Guangzhou Opera House, and Beijing Daxing International Airport (both in China). Zaha was not afraid of being different. The Metropolitan Museum in New York talked about her buildings as "unconventional that seem to defy the logic of construction".
With her drive to cross boundaries, Zaha designed buildings that everyone else thought impossible.
To read more about Zaha Hadid's work, click here.
Courage is not an easy value to live by but we all have it inside. We show it in small and big actions, in many different ways every day. Courage gives us the freedom to do what's right and be ourselves.
"There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.
But sometimes it doesn't.
Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life.
That is the sort of bravery I must have now. "
VERONICA ROTH, Allegiant
Quite often we interpret an e-mail or somethingsomeone said to us in a negative light. Right after that, we get upset orstressed about it, only to find out later that our interpretation of thesituation was not precisely accurate. Or in the worst-case scenario, we reactto it with anger, which creates a spiral of misunderstanding, hurt feelings andlost "relationship chips," especially in our professional lives.Let’s face it; we have all been there.
I can’t even count how many times someone accused me of ignoring their e-mails only to realize, they sent an e-mail to a different Maggie or made an error in the email address.
Take a second and honestly respond to thisquestion. If you had 5 good little things happen to you in a day, 4 neutral and1 less good (bad or mildly bad), which thing you are going to remember themost? We all know the answer, don’t we?
It’s because of our so-called brain’s negativebias. In the caveman ages, this type of bias (focus on the bad, ignore thegood) was necessary to save our lives. Human’s survival instinct allowed ourrace to expand and become a dominant species. Yey to us!
However, in the 21st century, this bias became more of an unnecessary system glitch and is hurting us more than protecting from life perils.
This glitch works in such a way that when we feelsurrounded by bad or at best neutral qualities in others and barely notice thegood ones, subsequently we feel less supported, less safe, and less inclined tobe generous or pursue our dreams. And on the other hand, when another persongets the feeling that we don't see much good in them, they are less likely totake the time and see the good in us. Sounds familiar? I am sure you can thinkof at least one moment from last week when this scenario happened to you.
So, what would happen then, if we tried to flip thescript, made a conscious effort, and started assuming positive intent in ourinteractions with others?
As leaders we are always being watched, whether wewant it or not. Leading by example can be a lonely gig.
Remember a time when a bad word slipped your tongueonly so that you 3-year old could learn and use it at the most inconvenientmoment in public? The same happens at work and your employees.
That’s why becoming self-aware and learning how tocontrol and direct our negative emotions, will save us from falling into trapsof doing something that can damage our reputation and we will laterregret.
When we assume positive intent when interacting with others, especially our employees they can see we are on their side. Just like you most people want to do a great job and be successful and are not planning to ruin anyone’s day.
Putting ourselves in other’s people shoes enablesyou to act with empathy and look at things from their perspective. Thisattitude allows our employees to trust us because they see we are on theirside. With trust, we strengthen our relationships, create win-win situations,and in consequence, we can motivate people to help us succeed in our businessmission.
Moreover, when we take a moment, avoid reacting toissues and start assuming positive intent, we begin assessing the situationfrom different angles. Such an approach not only builds our strategy muscle butalso with a changed perspective can reveal solutions that we would not havethought otherwise or present us with opportunities we did not expect.
It's like coming out of a basement with only onesmall window to look outside to a large bright central room with windows givingyou a panoramic view on the area.
Assuming positive intent starts with our thinking. And Mahatma Gandhi described it the best, nothing more is needed.
Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words.
Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior.
Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior becomes your habits.
Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny.
Mahatma Gandhi
First, let’s recognize & acknowledge that most people just like ourselves are good human beings. Whatever they do, they want to do best they can and have no intention of making your life difficult. They want to excel at their job, be challenged and successful.
Secondly, let’s make a conscious effort tounderstand people’s point of view and put ourselves in their shoes. It willchange our perspective on how we perceive them and allow us to be moreempathetic. Maybe that e-mail from your peer that seems rude was sent it themidst of a crazy and stressful day, and they did not think about proofreadingit? Or the mistake that your employee made that caused an escalation you had todeal with was because you did not communicate your expectations clearly?
Thirdly, let’s lead by example. Take a few momentsto cool down before responding to an e-mail that seems rude. If you know youare clouded in your judgment by negative emotions, ask for help from people whodo not have any stakes in the situation. Their interpretation and suggestionswill help you become more objective and consider different scenarios.
The speaker shows a trick on how to rewire your brain to start consciously noticing and storing the good, as opposed to the negative. It’s worth watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpuDyGgIeh0
There are three main scenarios in which you can become a new manager:
1. You already have some leadership experience, and by moving to a new role in a different department or company, you start managing an existing team.
2. You are a Star A-player in your team and get promoted to a leadership position within it.
3. You are a "solopreneur" or a leader of a start-up division where business is growing, and now you need to start building and managing a team from scratch.
Starting today, over the next threeweeks, I will write about all three of those scenarios covering the mainmistakes that leaders sometimes make and giving you tips on how to avoid them.
All this information is anexcellent source of learning to all managers and can apply to many scenarios.So don’t miss out and follow the series to get most of out it!
Any role has a core mission andpurpose, whether it is clearly stated or not. Remember then that yourorganization hired you for a reason. You are a manger so that with your teamyou deliver specific results to the company and help solve real challenges.
That is why, as soon as possibleyou need to fundamentally understand what vision your new boss has for yourrole and what outcomes they see you achieve.
If you are lucky you found some ofthat during the interview processes. Maybe you asked, or maybe whoeverinterviewed you mentioned the main aspects of the role and expectations.
However, you need to take theinterview process with a grain of salt. Interviews are like a sales pitch onboth sides. On the one hand, you try to sell yourself and get the job you havedreamed of. On the other side, the employer attempts to sell the position theyare hiring for. They do that by striking a balance of setting the rightexpectations to attract the best candidates but also trying not to scare themoff right from the start or disclose too much of confidential internalinformation to the public.
Now you know why it is crucial thatright after the start date, you need to take steps, listen, ask questions andlearn to fully understand what is going on around you and why were you hired.
This bring me to advice # 2.
One of the common mistakes newleaders make when coming into the organization is by having a mindset ofknowing “the answer” to all the problems their teams are facing. Avoid that atall cost! Not only you definitely will not have all the answers, but also youwill show up as arrogant and insecure. Such an attitude will only alienatepeople form you.
And because of this, instead ofgaining the trust of your team and build the proper relationships, you will putyourself in a trust hole that you might not be able to get out of. I know thatyou do not want to be sabotaging your chances of success, especially right fromthe start.
Yes, reading reports, contracts and documents necessary for your role is critical. However, to get to know your new company or division, you need to talk to people. Striking the right balance of both will allow you to form your own informed opinions on the environment, people, as well as what is working and what is not.
If you have lead teams before, I amsure you know that each company or even department has a unique culture thatyou will want to understand and adapt to. Not venturing into the learningthrough connecting with people and relationship building, you will isolateyourself very quickly. So be humble, listen and ask questions first. You willbe amazed at how much you can learn!
That is why, my last three tipstalk about connecting with people, starting with your team.
Taking time to know your teammembers is the best investment you will make as a leader. You need to figureout quick who are your stars, your solid rock performers, and your bottom 10%that needs to be coached or find better opportunities elsewhere.
One-on-one meetings are one of thebest ways to do it along with regular staff meetings.
Ensure you make at least the firstcouple of on-one-ones friendly and relaxed as opposed to formal and stiff. Youremployees cannot feel like they are in an interrogation or a performance reviewright from the start.
You should definitely prepareyourself by thinking of a set of good questions to ask but don’t forget aboutallowing for some time for your team members to ask questions as well.
Additionally, think of introducingyourself as a professional but also a human being. Showing your personal sidewill make you authentic and give you credibility. Why? Because credibility isestablished not only by experience and technical skill but also by beingvulnerable. Now, to avoid the trap of making the meetings all about you, yourpart should be short and sweet.
With the right questions,observation, and positive atmosphere, you will get to know your team membersnot only as employees but also individuals. This approach will help you startbuilding trust and have your employees open to you.
In turn, it will increase the team member engagement and benefit the company the most. Knowing them as individuals will also allow you to find out what motivates them. And that will give you ideas on proper ways of recognizing and coaching your employees.
If you are finding these tips helpful and would like to receive more, for example, strategies on how to assess the qualities of your team members, then sign up for my newsletter. This week’s edition includes top-notch actionable advice that you can start using right away! Click here to sign up.
Sometimes while learning, gettingto know their team, putting out early fires, etc., the new managers forgetabout the relationship with their boss. Ironically, the bosses are the ones,whose buy-in and support you will need with all of your major decisions,infinitives or changes.
Building a positive relationshipwith your boss is one of your key opportunities to transition successfully intothe new role. That is why you need to invest time and effort to understandthem. Just like with your employees, find out what motivates them; what aretheir priorities and goals they need to achieve? What are their challenges andhow you can help in solving them? What are their expectations of you and theirway of working?
Answers to those questions willgive you a glimpse into your bosses’ value’s, concerns and struggles.Surpassing the superficial puts you on the right path to establishing a truepartnership with your boss.
For your team to be successful,which will make you successful, you need to form alliances and create two mainnetworks with people outside of your direct control.
Operational – those are the relationships with other people in the company that will help you and your team, perform your daily tasks and do your jobs efficiently (ex. IT or marketing). Your role as a leader is to remove roadblocks from your team's way so they can keep going. Operational networking helps you achieve it.
Strategic – those are the relationships with key stakeholders, outside of your direct control, whose support you will need to deliver on main goals and objectives.
Building alliances and networkstakes time, usually longer than a month or two. However, in the first 90 days,you can at least identify the key people with whom you should form suchrelationships and start the process.
Attempting to do too much at once is verytempting, especially when you enter a dysfunctional environment. However, striking the right balance betweenlearning and making decisions leading to pivotal changes is key to success.Identifying and focusing on what you need to learn first, will allow you tofind and secure the right early wins.
Yes, you can experiment and trydifferent approaches in overcoming challenges and solving problems. Butexcessive experimentation in the beginning or starting on too many changes in ashort time will only confuse and overwhelm your people. Striking the rightbalance is key!
In summary, stepping into any newrole is as exciting as it is challenging. To be successful, you need to useyour first couple of months in it strategically. Make sure you understand thecore purpose of why you were hired. Come in with an unassuming and learningmindset. Take time to get to know your team, your boss and build relationshipsfounded on trust and credibility. Lastly, identify people who can help yourteam and you in your journey to success and start creating supportive networkswith them. If you take all those steps, you will be walking the path ofsuccess.
PS. I hope you enjoyed this post and will follow the entire series. However, starting today if you want to learn more and have access to exclusive, actionable advice that you can apply right away, click here and sign up to my newsletter. It will take you less than 20 seconds and in turn, give you access to the wealth of knowledge on how to be successful in any leadership role!
With neuroscientists understanding our brain much betterthese days and a multitude of studies conducted on the subject, you must haveread by now that our mind cannot multitask.
All it can do is one task at a time. If you have ever triedto comprehend and respond to a long e-mail while paying attention at aconference call, you know what I mean. I sure did try, and it did not work verywell.
Inc.com, MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller says that our brains“are not wired to multitask well… when people think they’re multitasking,they’re just switching from one task to another very rapidly. And every timethey do, there’s a cognitive cost.”
If you want proof, try to do an exercise described in the article under this link.
THE OUTCOME? Tasks take us LONGER to do; results are LESSACCURATE; we put MORE EFFORT and are MORE STRESSED.
And below you will find out about 3 main reasons why working on being present is your way to success.
Think about last time you interacted with a person who gaveyou their undivided attention. Who listened to you all the way, did notinterrupt and asked some meaningful questions? How did they make you feel? Iknow, right! And that's the whole point!
When you are present in the moment and fully engaged in a conversation with a person you make them feel like they are the most important person to you; you make them feel valued, heard and understood.
Who does not like that?
People respond when they see you are listening attentively to what they want to say. Such attention will not only produce fewer misunderstandings with others but also inspire them to act the same. Which in turns builds stronger and healthy relationships.
We all have the same amount of time on this planet -24/7/365. This most valuable resource has been fairly given to all of us.
So what differentiates the most successful people? Contrarily to what we might think, it’s not their intelligence or connections. Most of them are as smart as you and me. Moreover, when they started, they had the same or even fewer connections or other resources. However, what they do better from us is how to use is their time.
They succeed by having clear goals, eliminating distractions, focusing their attention on what they wanted to achieve, and sticking with it even through the tough times.
We have so many distractions grabbing our attention everyday, that our brains became addicted to them: social media, e-mails and all thepings they create on our phones. Even if as you read this you think: ”Yeah! Sheis right. I am going to completely change my patterns tomorrow and become amillionaire in a month”, it is not going to work.
That's why being able to take control of your attention, and with-it time, and then direct it into what’s most important to you requires practice. It requires determination and commitment to breaking the old ways and building new better habits.
Can it be done? Of course, it can! I did it and working every day at improving even more. If you want to learn more about the system to do that, click here and let’s talk!
Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.
Alexander Graham Bell
The study conducted by researchers at the University ofCalifornia, Irvine, shows that multitasking makes us anxious. They performed atest which measured the heart rates of employees with and without access tooffice email. Those who could read their emails at any time remained “wired up”and exhibited higher heart rates than those who could not check their e-mails.On the other hand, the second group performed their tasks relativelystress-free.
I want to dare you to take this ONE-DAY CHALLENGE WITH ME.
Try out these 3 simple things just for 1 DAY and then let me know how it went 😊:
1. When you wakeup, before you look at your phone and start rushing, take 3 mins to sit on thefloor deep breathe and stretch lightly (no straining or going crazy!)
2. During the day,pause for 30 secs between each meeting or new “task” and take a few deepbreaths (if you can - close your eyes)
3. At the end of the day, think of and write down 3 things that happened and you are grateful for.
To conclude my story: being present is a way of achievingsuccess. It is also a way to happiness. Not only does it allow us to producemore with the time we have, but it also improves our relationships and makes ushealthier by reducing stress.
Let’s then be inspired to try it by one of the greatest modern dancers in the world Martha Graham.
This week’s blog concludes a 3-weekseries for New Managers.
It is designed to helpentrepreneurs or freshly promoted new managers who need to start building andmanaging a team from scratch. In less than 10 mins, this read will save youfrom making some rookie mistakes and show you alternative ways.
As a reminder in the past couple ofweeks we covered the following topics:
Week 1. You already have some leadership experience, and by moving to a new role in a different department or company, you start leading an existing team. Click here for more.
Week 2. You are a Star A-player in your team and get promoted to a leadership position within it. Click here for more.
Let's get started then! Here are the 3 best ways to avoid a rookie manager's mistakes.
As you start growing your business,hire people and become a manager, your role is no longer only tactical. Yes,you will still need to do some fire fighting here and there, but you also needto take time and focus on the big picture. Which translates into beingstrategic about your business.
Depending on your role and size ofthe organization, in the beginning, the strategy portion might be 10% of yourtime. However, as the business grows, or you climb the corporate ladder, thisratio will start going up significantly. Therefore, starting to build your strategicmuscle early will help you progress into it with ease.
Being strategic means knowing whatis truly important, not just urgent. It means ensuring that you take time towork on the important and not letting the urgent overshadow it. Yes, I knowthat you are getting a “better” sense of accomplishment from responding to 100e-mails a day or helping employees with their tasks. But as necessary as itmight be for you sometimes to jump and fight in the trenches, it cannot consume100% of your time.
Don’t focus just on activities, setgoals and focus on accomplishing them. Being strategic ensures that yourbusiness grows and stays competitive as opposed to just spinning like a hamsterwheel.
So far you have been either doingit all in your business or doing specific tasks as an individual contributor.It's all natural then that at the beginning of your management journey you wantto do it all alone.
Beware though as it’s an old habitfrom the past you need to get rid of as fast as you can. Not only because youwon't have time to be strategic, but also you will become one of those annoyingmicro-managers that no one wants to work for. You need to show confidence andtrust your people to do things right.
1. Treat delegation as a way to develop andgrow your team members. It’s not a dump and run tactic. Delegation takes timein the beginning. It teaches you strategy, requires planning and patience.
2. Match the delegation’s tasks with the strengthsof the employees to whom you will assign them.
3. Clearly define the goals – an outcome ofthe functions you are passing on.
4. If required, train your employees of anyaspects of the task performance. Show them anything that is important to you,but don’t constrain them to one way of reaching the goal. Just give them ideas.Ensure they know they can put their own spin to it. Remember, many roads leadto Rome. Let your employees pick one of them; you might enable innovation thisway :)
5. Trust your employees not only withresponsibility but also the authority to make some decisions along the way.Clearly define for them, which decisions they can make, on which they need toconsult with you, and which you need to make.
6. Don’t forget about feedback – praise your employees for a job well done and if there is anything they need to improve on, tell them about it candidly and constructively.
"Nothing we do is moreimportant than hiring and developing people. You bet on people, not onstrategies.”- Lawrence Bossidy
Many great and successful leaderstalk about it all the time, but somehow it's not a common practice yet. At theend of the day, your people are your success. As a Boss, your main job ishiring great talent and developing them by coaching and feedback.
It’s not easy to do, especially inthe beginning. It is why people management skill development is so important.Don’t just learn on the job. Big mistakes can cost you not only your job orloss of business but also affect your employees, real people with families whomthey support.
Of course that no one is perfect,everyone makes mistakes me included, and you will make them too. It is why youneed not to be afraid to acknowledge you do not know it all and get support. Ifyou are a new manager in a company, reach out to your boss, HR partner or moresenior colleagues for advice. Maybe you can find a mentor. If you are asolopreneur, connect with those who have large teams and are killing it.
Throughout my career, I have developed my skills through many different channels: on the job, in-person training, online courses, formal education, as well as mentors and senior colleagues. Although I made many mistakes along the way, I know that all that investment paid off. It prevented me from causing significant damages to the teams I managed and the businesses I run and also speed up my growth as a leader.
Since building a team, starts with recruitment, I prepared a free guide with 6 hiring strategies to help you start on the learning journey. It’s a quick read, a token of appreciation for those who want to learn for them and their people. Click here to receive my e-guide: ABC of Hiring.
To sum up, business is oftencompared to team sports: there are goals to hit, and people are in it to win.As per Michael Jordan: “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence winchampionships.”
As a Boss are your team’s main coach. It’s on you to hire talent, develop and coach the talent and above all ensure that all the individual talents become a high-performing Team. I compare a great team to a puzzle: every piece is different, but with a great leader when put together, they create a beautiful & cohesive picture.
We all understand what optimism and pessimism mean. However, for this blog to bring everyone on the same page, I chose the definition by Martin Seligman, Ph.D., the founder of Positive Psychology. He defines optimism as reacting to issues with a sense of confidence and high personal ability. Specifically, optimistic people believe that adverse events are temporary, limited in scope (as opposed to present in every aspect of a person’s life), and manageable.
Even if you don’t consider yourself an optimist you surely must know one. For me, it was my grandfather. No matter what life threw at him: war, communist regime prosecution or other hardships, he had always remained positive and believed that things would get better. Looking back at my childhood now, I know that it was he who taught me how to see the glass half full.
There is a multitude of benefits of being an optimist. Let’sexplore the ones that are a crucial part of your success in business.
In a study of 99 Harvard University students, those who wereoptimists at age 25 were significantly healthier at ages 45 and 60 than thosewho were pessimists.
In turns out that optimistic people have better mental andphysical health because:
• They look atdifficulties in their lives as external things that happen and will pass.Optimists experience less distress than pessimists when dealing with them. Thatis why they suffer much less anxiety and depression;
• They also adapt betterto negative events, which allows them to recover quicker from common sicknessesor even more severe ones, for example, coronary artery bypass surgery;
• Optimists report havingmore health-promoting habits like eating a healthy diet, being active or havingregular medical check-ups;
• It comes as no surprisethen than optimists tend to live longer as well.
And as evident as it is, I will still say it. Our health is themost important gift we have. It’s hard to lead any business if we arephysically or mentally unable to do it.
Optimistic people tend to be more productive as they set goals,make plans to achieve them and are not scared to put them into action. Combinethat with the fact that they do not to give up easily, hoping that thesituation can be handled successfully in one way or another, no wonder theyachieve more than pessimists.
Moreover, optimists are more resilient in the face of adversity.They treat failure as part of life, the opportunity for improvement, which inturn helps them to learn and keep moving closer to achieving their goals.
Optimists take Benjamin Franklin's words to heart: “Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.”
Another benefit of being optimistic is that your positive outlookmakes you a better leader. Why?
Because people are naturally drawn to leaders that are upbeat andhave a positive attitude a see the world as a glass half full; on top, moodsare contagious, so no surprise that no one wants to hang out with downers,especially at work.
Imagine having to work for a boss that always complains and thinksthat nothing will ever get better. How demotivating is that? Or a CEO who doesnot have faith in the success of the business they lead … How can they inspirepeople to follow their vision with such attitude? Ridiculous right?
Still not convinced?
What about analyzing the results of presidential elections then?It turns out that 85% of the US presidential elections over the past centurywere won by the more optimistic candidate.
That’s is why, if you re a leader or aspire to be one, optimism isessential to your success.
Now that hopefully, you are excited about the benefits of optimism, you will ask me: OK, but what if I am more of “a glass-half-empty: type of person? What do I do?
Research and literature published by Martin Seligman prove that itcan. If you want to take on the challenge, read his book “Learned Optimism. Howto Change Your Mind and Your Life”.
Additionally, since we are talking business here, I’d like you toconsider optimism as one of your strategies to achieve business success.
Convinced now but do not want to read an entire book? That’s OK,let me then share with you the below five quick tips on how to improve yourpositive outlook:
• Practice gratitudedaily;
• Practice acts ofkindness, doing good to people and expecting nothing in return;
• Develop a positivemindset by using your imagination to rehearse success (Michael Jordantechnique) and treating setbacks as the beginning of growth, opportunities forimprovement that jumpstart you to success;
• Grow your leadership skills; don’t know how? I can help! Click here and let’s chat 😊
• Set goals, find ways to achieve them and then just do it! Don’t know where to start? Here is a read that can help you, just click.
Following these strategies will give you hope (a key component of optimism) but also show your brain what to look for. It’s hard to drive a car to a destination if you don’t know the directions. By the same token, your brain needs guidance to bring you to success; otherwise, it will wander allowing your life to be taken over by other people’s agendas and priorities.
In summary, if you are a natural optimist – that’s great, keepgoing and never lose it! If you are not, don’t worry it’s not yet alllost. Learning how to practice optimismwill help you improve your health, become a better leader and achieve greatersuccess in business…
(..and pssst don’t tell anyone but in personal life as well!)
