Tightening Our Circle of Influence

“When you are seeking to bring big plans to fruition it is important with whom you regularly associate. Hang out with friends who are like-minded and who are also designing purpose-filled lives. Similarly be that kind of a friend for your friends.” – Mark Twain

Strategies abound this time of year and with the exception of our preferred weight, most are focused on "increase". We talk about increasing our income, the size of our business, our knowledge, our influence, etc. As I look toward 2016, there is one specific area in which I plan to make a substantial reduction -- associations. On the surface it might sound somewhat negative, but in reality it is a necessary strategy.

Where we spend our time and who we spend our time with, are important factors in maximizing our effectiveness and ultimately, the profitability of our business. We need to get out and tell our story. We need to build trust with key referral partners and strategic alliances. We also need to be sure we are doing so with the right people, in the right places, at the right time, and for the right reasons. All meetings, events, and associations are not created equal -- and the longer we're in business the more apparent this becomes. Our goal is not to simply fill the marketing calendar, but to leverage it. It is a matter of quality over quantity. And while we somewhat instinctively know this to be true, a careful examination of our current practices can be somewhat eye-opening.

Our circle of influence, and the people we allow to be a part of it, can be a great predictor of our business success -- or at the very least impact the rate at which we grow professionally and personally. We definitely need to find good mentors and like-minded people, but we also need to be selective in terms of how these associations fit into our goals, plans, and strategies. We need to constantly ask ourselves whether this association or this group is moving us toward our objectives or pushing us farther away. We simply cannot be all things to all people and tightening the circle helps us invest our time, talents, and treasure more effectively -- which substantially increases the quality of our business relationships and quite possibly, our reputation.

Is it time to take a meaningful look at your associations and where your business development time is spent? Is what you see truly what you want? Is it time to make some changes and tighten up the circle? For me, the answer is yes.

Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Also featured on LinkedIn on 12/29/2015

About the Author: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a Certified Behavioral Consultant. As a member of LIFE Leadership, he is passionate about helping people from all walks of life discover the joy of learning, the joy of leading, and the joy of building a profitable business.

Do You Hear What I...

"I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say today will teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening." -- Larry King

I swallowed a little hard when I first read this quote from Larry King. As a business coach, speaker, and facilitator, I find myself frequently talking about the benefits of effective listening, and there lies the rub. Even though the subject matter is about hearing and listening, at that moment, I am doing all the talking. Now, I understand that is my role at that time and break-out exercises will certainly give participants a chance to practice their own listening skills. But, it is the link between listening and learning that caught my attention, here.

Those who know me well, and probably even those who don't know me as well can tell you I like to talk. If you ask me, I'll tell you that I like to teach and so talking is a big part of the teaching process-- and certainly it has its time and place. So does listening -- and I mean listening with a closed mouth and an open mind. While I may in some respects be preaching to the choir, I'm really preaching to myself and reminding myself of my commitment to learn something new and hopefully, from someone new, every day. My love for "teaching" is most likely pushing me to talk too much at times when a little listening might just be what is needed most.

I really hate to think about the nuggets of wisdom I may have missed in my eagerness to share what I know. Worse yet, I hate to think about the number of people who may have given up trying to share those nuggets of wisdom.

One of my main goals for 2016 is to work harder at becoming a more effective listener and a more effective student of the wonderful information available to me. I will ask some trusted advisers to monitor me and hold me accountable for making some of the crucial adjustments in this important area. I want to talk less and listen more. I'm looking forward to what I can learn by following a better listening process.

Actually, while we are talking about it, I'd like hear what YOU think about the subject.

About the Author: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a Certified Behavioral Consultant. As a member of LIFE Leadership, he is passionate about helping people from all walks of life discover the joy of learning, the joy of leading, and the joy of building a profitable business.

What's Your Story?

"We all have a life story and a message that can inspire others to live a better life or run a better business. Why not use that story and message to serve others and grow a real business doing it?" -- Brendon Burchard

It has often been said that we may not remember the subject of a speech or a sermon -- but we always remember the stories. Storytelling is a powerful and ageless communication device that can capture the imagination and inspire the heart, mind, and soul. And what story should we be an expert in telling? Ours!

We each have a unique blend of thinking, temperament, and experiences that have helped make us not just life observers, but life participants. Think about the things you've done, the people you've met, the places you've gone. Make a list of the most important and most memorable in each category. Chances are what you now have is the makings of a great story -- one that motivates, inspires, and even validates the feelings or experiences of another. And, while we are all more comfortable talking about the positive aspects of our story, it is important not to neglect the failures, disappointments, disillusionments,  and unwise decisions that brought negative consequences in our lives.

I don't believe people are interested in how great we are or want to ooh and ahh over our great accomplishments. No, I believe people are more interested in how real we are and how in that sphere of realism we lived, loved, laughed, cried, and ultimately found some sort of message -- and even a sense of purpose and destiny in what previously looked like a mish-mash of unrelated experiences. This is our real story. This is the story someone desperately needs to hear. Even if only one person is helped or validated as a result of your story -- all that "writing" you did will be worth it.

I was thrilled to read a story by my friend, Cheree Stokes. She is actually a friend I found here on LinkedIn. We've found a camaraderie in our mutual desire to learn and grow -- and in the process found mutual inspiration. Cheree told a short story of how she embraced the principles of gratitude, and how she decided to change the way she approached her business. Most importantly, she talked about the ACTION she took to make it happen. It was that action part I needed to hear and implement in my own business. You can read Cheree's story, Never Give Up -- and I sincerely  hope you will. #chereestokes

So what about you? Who needs to hear your story? You'll never know until you start telling it.

 About the Storyteller: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a Certified Behavioral Consultant. As a member of LIFE Leadership, he is passionate about helping people from all walks of life discover the joy of learning, the joy of leading, and the joy of building a profitable business.

Generosity -- The Gift That Gives Back

Have you ever noticed that there is a link between generosity, happiness, and prosperity? Most of us know someone, hopefully several someones, who give so generously and yet always have plenty more for themselves -- and additional giving. There's a joy and a happiness about them that is both attractive and inspiring. Thankfully, many of these people are business owners and business professionals that are making a huge impact in the communities in which they serve. While they are not always easy to spot, usually by design, their impact is undeniable and can be seen in at least three specific ways.

Givers are generous with their resources: So many successful business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals have built their business from the ground up. They know what it is like to struggle and they have a genuine appreciation for what they have received as a result of their hard work, and they can usually point back to a time when someone helped them. In appreciation and gratitude, they want to give back by either "paying it forward" or by giving from their own abundance.

Givers are generous with their time: I've noticed that most generous business people are willing to give their time to a cause, an event, a community organization, or an educational opportunity. You find them serving on boards, volunteering for events, or bringing perspective to a project. The great ones are not afraid to get their hands dirty and never seek attention or recognition for their efforts. Time is a precious gift, and they are willing to give it.

Givers are generous with their wisdom and knowledge: One of the benchmarks of a truly successful business owner or entrepreneur is their willingness to share what they have learned in their journey. While you may not get any trade secrets, particularly if you are a competitor, you will get valuable nuggets -- if you are open to receiving them. My experience shows that these people are not only willing to share their wisdom, they are eager and honored to do it. In a time when mentorship and coaching are so desperately needed, these are the people who stand up and fill the gap. As with resources and time, they want to give back and find happiness and joy in the effort. Test this for yourself and see if it isn't true.

Just a quick word of caution: If we are not willing to be generous in return, we'll quickly find our precious access cut off or severely limited. Users and takers are quickly sorted out and may find themselves on the outside looking in. There is a difference between charity and empowerment -- and there is a time for both. However, sooner or later the true giver, out of obligation to those who "will", must move on and invest their resources where they are likely to grow -- not in direct return for themselves, but for the betterment and advancement of others. The principle of sowing and reaping takes care of the giver and they are seldom in want.

It is this cycle, and this attitude toward giving that produces new generations of givers and those who will pay it forward, without hesitation and with a joyful heart. So let's start where we are, with what we have, and begin or expand our own cycle of generosity.

Happiness and prosperity are highly sought after and may just be found on the other side of generosity. I wish you well in your journey to that other side.

Send this to the givers you know and thank them for their great generosity.

What Will Our Labor Ultimately Produce?

"Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them" -- Joseph Joubert

I think Labor Day is a great time to seriously reflect on our occupational life and spend some time thinking about what we do, why we do it, and the outcome we really want from it. Are we merely making a living, or are we truly making a life? Certainly, there is nothing wrong with making a living -- and I believe that all work is honorable. We should want to work and want to produce fruit from our labors -- and be paid for our efforts. But, what kind of fruit are we meant to produce and whose orchard are we supposed to be working in?

In his book, The Cashflow Quadrant, Robert Kiyosaki lays out four different ways to make money. He says we can be an Employee, Self-Employed, an Investor, or have a "B-Type Business" that produces an income whether we are present or not. I'm not going to go into detail here or even debate the pluses and minuses of the "ESBI" quadrant or where we are on that quadrant. However, I think it is important to know the options and decide if where we are is where we want to be -- and to answer ourselves in regard to "why" we do what we do, and "what" we want from doing it. If you haven't read the book, I suggest taking time to read it. I do however want to look at "4 Ps" that we can and should think about in terms of what we do for a living.

Purpose: Each of us has a unique mix of talents, abilities, and temperaments. No one is quite like we are and as a result, each of us has a specific purpose. The question is: Is my pragmatic occupation in alignment with my purpose -- or can I find meaningful purpose in my pragmatic occupation? Knowing our purpose helps align our priorities.

People: Who is affected by what I do? Who am I building "it" for? The "who" is an important consideration because it takes the discussion beyond ourselves and helps us understand the impact of our decisions and our actions on the lives of others. We most likely think of our immediate family -- spouse, children, and grandchildren. But, there is also a legacy that impacts a much greater community of people -- perhaps even those who are yet to be born.

Profit: What is the fruit of our occupation providing for? What type of lifestyle is it funding -- and is that the lifestyle I truly want, or the lifestyle I have settled for? It is amazing how we can whittle down our dreams to fit our current fiscal reality. Do we give real and actionable thought on how we can produce a bigger profit -- that is in alignment with our purpose and our people?

Product: What do we want to be known for? How will our work define us and the contribution we will be remembered for? We mentioned legacy in terms of our impact on people -- present and future. When those people speak our name, what will they say? How can we use the work we do, or are intended to do, to leave a lasting impact on the world? Certainly, we are more than just the work we do or will do -- but it is our work that often provides the experience and resources that will ultimately impact our legacy. What are we producing?

I hope this Labor Day provides you an opportunity to rest and recharge. I also hope it provides a moment of reflection and a renewed commitment to do the work that you are designed to do, for who you are designed to do it, to provide a lifestyle of your own design and most importantly, a legacy of your own design. 

Your comments are always welcome.

Liberty or Freedom: Is There a Difference?

In anticipation of another Fourth of July Holiday, and the discussions and celebrations that surround it, I posted my thankful thoughts in regard to the freedom and liberty we enjoy on my personal Facebook page. As I put the two words together in the same sentence -- just as I did here -- I started to wonder if there is a real difference in their respective definitions. Or, were these two words interchangeable like so many others in our English language.

So, I looked it up and found a great article or blog post called Liberty or Freedom? The Difference is Amazing, by Jed Waverly, in The Penultimate Word. Here's the difference as Jed describes it:

Freedom is a state of being capable of making decisions without external control.

Liberty, on the other hand, is freedom which has been granted to a people by an external control.

Although both have the same root, and an argument can be made for a same general meaning, as indicated by their respective definitions in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary; there really is an important distinction between what we can take -- freedom, and what we've been given -- liberty.

As Jed indicates, our Declaration of Independence was written to declare the right to be an independent nation and grant liberty to the citizens and inhabitants, allowing them to exercise their individual freedoms. Great Britain was increasingly and intolerably restricting the freedom of the colonists to the point that our founding fathers deemed it necessary to declare the intention to form a new government that could and would grant liberty to its inhabitants.

As we celebrate our nation's independence, we celebrate the liberty we've been given as business owners, entrepreneurs, and working professionals to have the freedom to pursue our dreams, our goals, and aspirations. We are thankful that the structure of our government, although imperfect, is designed to protect and promote this liberty and the associated freedoms we now enjoy.

I think of the Statue of Liberty and how she welcomed so many immigrants to a nation willing and able to grant the liberty that in some cases their homeland would not or could not do. And that how on that foundation of liberty they would exercise their individual freedom in the true pursuit of happiness and occupation, which in so many cases would culminate in business ownership.

I hope that you are using the liberty that has been given to you to explore the freedom you seek, to build the life you want, for the people you want to build it for, in the place you choose to build it. I hope you are using these gifts to help and empower others -- and in the end, make a difference. Let us never squander our precious liberty or surrender our true freedom.

Happy Independence Day! Let Freedom ring from the bells of Liberty!

Making the Radical Leap

We are currently reading Steve Farber's Radical Leap Re-Energized In our Thursday Noontime Book Club. This book is a great combination of Radical Leap and Radical Edge, featured in one limited-edition book. We are now completing Part One, which is the book, Radical Leap.

For this week's discussion, I asked the group to reflect on what they've read and pick out some of the key nuggets. I also invited them to tie them to the four concepts which make up the LEAP. Here's what I came up with:

Love, Energy, Audacity, Proof:

Love: A bigger and more complete understanding of love’s scope as it pertains to the business of relationships and life. Love is not just touchy-feely, but has a firm and tough side that is demonstrated in challenging ourselves and those around us to be more, do more, and – love more. To care deeply and passionately about a cause that is greater than ourselves and push past our fears in pursuing that cause.

Energy: It takes focused energy to make anything worthwhile happen. We find the energy to do those things that are most important to us in our lives. When we find the passion and purpose, we find the energy -- and it can be contagious. When our energy is harnessed and focused we inspire others to see our vision and willingly follow. 

Audacity: There is a boldness in having a life-changing and even world changing goal. We often shrink our dreams to fit others expectation of us. We worry way too much about what others think about us. We are afraid to lose face or ruin our carefully crafted image. We need to be who we were created to be and be audacious in the process. Our goals and dreams need to be bigger and have greater impact. We must believe attaining those goals and realizing those dreams is not only possible, but probable with the disciplined and audacious mindset.

Proof: Sooner or later, the walk must match the talk. We must consistently practice what we espouse to be important. We cannot expect of others that which we are not willing to do for ourselves. We must be willing to put it all on the line in the pursuit of everything we say is important to us and important to our world. We build trust through our actions and commitments, not merely through our words.

I highly recommend reading The Radical Leap and the Radical Edge. Together, they provide an entertaining and engaging look at what it takes to be an Extreme Leader. There is a casual, yet no-holds-barred feel  that challenges our thinking and forces us to look beyond the surface and pat answers we give to ourselves and to others.Business and Life Coaches will find that it just might take a look behind the curtain at some of the thoughts and inner struggles we sometimes have. Then again, it might just be me, but I highly doubt it. 

A big thanks to Steve Farber for bringing this pair of potential life-changing books to the marketplace. Looking forward to reading more of his great stuff. Check out what Steve has to offer at: www.stevefarber.com. 

Love to hear your comments!

Also published in LinkedIn on 6/25/2015