Stuck between mediocrity and excellence

At some point through a sales process, something has to get on paper.  After it's on paper, then ideally you want to get all parties to agree as to what's on that paper.  The simple example is that if I go to Chick-fil-A and I place an order, what's on my receipt should match what I ordered.  All the "my pleasure's" are a bonus.  In the consultative sales process, there is a give and take between client and consultant on exactly what service is being provided and to what degree (i.e., scope).  The more you talk, the more risk there is of offering advice for free.  The more you put on paper, the less chance there is of "disconnects in communication."  Consultative selling is hard because it's a lot of work to articulate what you think and what you think the client is thinking into communication that gets both parties to agree.  On top of that, you have to inject a point of view which means that you may have to actually think.  ...

The thing about advice is that you can selectively choose which part of it you want to take.  In addition to that, you can also choose which benefit will result out of the selected piece of advice that you have decided to follow.  Example: If I do any of the Beachbody workouts, my before and after pictures will look just like the ones I see on the infomercials.  Forget about the fact that there is a nutrition plan that comes with most, if not all, of those workouts that you have to follow.  Doing Insanity and then eating at 5 Guys won't get you a T-shirt. There is a lot to be said for understanding the bigger picture.  There is even more to be valued when you understand the full extent of what you need to take on and execute to get the results that you want. How many of us can say that we've really been "all in" what we want to accomplish? 

All you need to do is move the needle.  Work paralysis occurs when you get bogged down in the timeline of where you should be.  You want to lose 20 pounds, but it has to be gone by tomorrow.  You want to be at the next level in your job and you wonder why it's five years after you expected to be there.  You want your business to transform overnight, but you forgot how many years it took to for it to become what it's become.  Ctrl-Z doesn't work in life because life is a journey and a marathon.  All you need to do is move the needle in the right direction--- whether you feel it's an inch or a foot.  As long as it's moving.

Feedback can be a b*tch.  If it's positive, then the world is great.  If it's negative, or "constructive," as many of us like to say, then it can become instantly personal.  A lot of things have to be right for feedback to stick and be impactful.  Trust has to exist. Trust only comes through respect, credibility, integrity, and competency. Not a lot of people in the workplace score high in all of these categories.  Emotional intelligence has to exist . The ONLY being I know that that is truly in charge of his emotions is Mr. Spock from Star Trek. And he's fictional. The reality is that we are all emotional human beings-some more than others. The growth mindset has to trump the fixed mindset.  There is a book that is out called Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday. It's probably for a good reason. In today's world of exhibiting false confidence and having swag, you eventually begin to believe how legendary you are. This immediately closes down all...

A question that can commonly come up in an interview process is, "Describe your ideal work environment."  My answers would be one where: I can wear many hats I can make decisions  I can lead people I have the support to grow personally and professionally I am always learning something new I am improving or making something better each and every day People are collaborative I work with others that are smarter than I am  Schedules aren't hard coded The one-liner is a work environment where I belong and don't just "fit." Because more than likely what I've done is mutated myself to make myself fit into the environment and the system.  In a world where nobody holds down one job for an extended period of time anymore-- that's a lot of square peg fitting into round holes. Do it long enough and you'll eventually end up not knowing what shape you are.  Isn't it worth it to define your ideal work environment and pursue that ...

Inherent in any organization is a system.  You can call it culture. You can call it the people. You can call it beliefs and values.  It's still a system.  The solopreneur has a system.  A group of partners running a small business has a system.  A multi-functional global organization has a system that is made up of many systems.  I'm not talking about technology.  I'm talking about how people behave. How decisions are made. How people treat other.  A system for how things get done. If you work in a large, global organization, the system is defined as "heavily matrixed," or "bureaucratic," or "influencing and persuading through relationship building."  People generally move ahead because they've figured out how to effectively work the office politics.  If you work for a small organization, the system is defined as "chaotic," or "one has to wear many hats," or "filled with growing pains."  ...

Leadership Advice From Kublai Khan