610-793-6609 michael@achievable.com

What is the Relationship Between Activity and Results?

May 11, 2021 | Business Owners, CEOs, Leadership Development, Productivity

Many people are running around crazy busy but are not really effective or productive. Being productive and producing amazing results requires a relentless focus on what really matters most in the organization. Productivity is really all about doing the right things, for the right reasons, and doing them in order of priority.

You will achieve positive results by doing the things that really matter most in your business and getting the right people, the A players, in the right positions to achieve your goals.  Achievement is simply the result of doing the “right things” consistently over a sustained period of time. Doing the “right things” is a direct result of your personal choice. Your future is built on the choices you make, day by day, moment by moment. Every one of those choices should be about moving you closer to your overarching goals.

When you spend your time doing the right things and doing them in order of priority, you can dramatically increase your productivity! How do most people today improve their productivity? They put in more and more hours! Working longer and harder is never the right answer because it only depletes our energy and produces little, real, or impactful results.

Time is the limiting factor – it is the scarcest resource- totally irreplaceable.

This challenging new normal is going to quickly weed out the weak and ineffective organizations and doing the right things matters more now than ever before.

As a leader or manager in your organization being productive is more about:

Planning and Goal Setting – Think Time

Communicating your goals and plans.

Gaining commitment from your team to execute your goals

Relationship Building

Delegation and Follow-up

Coaching and Training

Personal Development

Preparation and Prevention

Reporting, tracking & special projects.

My favorite quote from Peter Drucker is “There’s nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” I love this quote because I have seen people on a daily basis, in organizations I work with, being efficient doing things they should not be doing at all.  You do not have to handle every crisis, interruption, or inbox item. Be very, very selective about what you are giving your time and attention to.  Say yes to the right things and no to everything else.

The shift begins when you start focusing on “what really matters most” which is effective operations and clear strategy. 

Peter Drucker said over and over again “Don’t confuse motion with progress.” Just because you are doing things all day long does not mean that you are moving the needle any further. When in doubt, ask your self Peter Drucker’s question, “What can I and only I do, that if done well, will make a real difference?”  It is one of the best of all questions for achieving personal effectiveness. What can you, and only you do, that if done well, can make a real difference?

For more information, download this Getting Results Through Others Brochure – Click Here.

Getting Results Through Others By Communicating More Effectively

May 4, 2021 | Leadership, Leadership Development, Productivity, Success

Probably the number one challenge for companies that I have found through working with my is  communicating effectively on a consistent basis. We have more ways to communicate than ever before in our history and yet in most cases do a terrible job at it. Many people in business communicate but few truly connect or are understood which leads to a lot of mutual mystification. For this reason, I want to review some way that we can communicate more effectively.  

Let’s look at a couple of areas:

The first area is communication factors.  Our communication consists of 3 factors: the words we use, the tone and inflection of those words and body language which includes facial expressions. Profesor Albert Mehrabian of the University of California in Los Angeles studied communicated and found that of our total communication message the words represent only 7%, the tonality is 38% and our body language is 55%. Right here we can see lots of ways for our communication may be misunderstood.

You can also use other models, such as the DISC model to understand communication styles. DISC is the universal language of observable human behavior. It creates a report that tells the assessment taker HOW they do what they do. One of the great values behind the DISC model is you can take an assessment and in 10 minutes identify your style and you can also learn the style of everyone on your team. Knowing each others’ communication style and adapting your style to communicate better is an excellent way to improve the communication of your team.

There are also barriers to Effective Communication that we must be aware of and seek to overcome. The first is attitude. The truth is people do things for their reasons, not ours, so we have to be in tune to their attitudes and values. Another is lack of trust – trust is earned and not bestowed, so it is important to develop a trusting relationship with the people we are communicating with in the workplace and every area of our lives.  The third is distractions – internal and external. External distractions surround us daily such as people, notifications on social media or e-mail, background noise. Internal distractions are our head trash, internal dialogue and/or lack of interest. We must seek to eliminate distractions whenever possible. Our preconceived thoughts and ideas can also negatively impact communication. These can include personal prejudices, perceptions, and personality traits. As we increase our own self-awareness, we can more easily identify which personal factors may be inhibiting our communication with others.  Lack of communication skill is another issue. Most people don’t really know how to connect and listen, it is important to study communication styles and practice effective communication.  Lack of concentration can cause us to miss important information and talking too much means we are not listening. Having an “I” focus is another major barrier to communication. When you are all about you and not the other person, you are not REALLY hearing what they are saying.

A Few Commandments of Good Communication

  1. Develop trust and credibility. It’s not automatically given; it must be earned. Authentic sincerity helps to create an atmosphere of trust.
  2. Effective communicators use the 5 C’s in their message: Clear, Complete, Concise, Concrete, and Correct.
  3. Every perspective is a perspective.
  4. What we hear and what we see depends largely on what we are listening and looking for.
  5. Openly communicate more than you have to or need to. Make it your top priority. Say what you mean. Say exactly what you mean.

The real question is: How do you know if you are successful at communicating? 

How Important is it for You to Get the Next 6 Months Right?

Sep 17, 2020 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Goal Setting, Leadership, Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, Success

In light of everything that has happened so far this year, what your going to do intentionally to ensure that the next months of 2020 are a success for you and your business? Do you have a clear and specific, written plan of action? Are you ready and equipped to thrive in the months ahead instead of simply surviving from crisis to crisis?

Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable.” Creating a plan and leaving it on a shelf to collect dust, never reviewing it or adapting it to changes in your market or the current economy is absolutely useless. Plans are meant to be revisited and refreshed and often your goals may need to be realigned. We are certainly not able to predict everything that is going to happen but if we are committed to planning, we will be more likely to thrive regardless of what happens.

Our plans are the framework for success. Even if we have to rewrite them, they will keep us on track toward achieving our core purpose. Lewis Carroll said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” So, know where you are going and be willing to do what it takes to get there. Are you willing to set the time aside you need to plan for the future? Are you willing to do this routinely? How important is it for you, really, to get the next 6 months right? Do you have the team to help you get there? Are you developing your leaders? Are you working on your own personal and professional development?

The time is now! Don’t wait any longer!

If you are ready and willing to do what it takes join our Fast Track Strategic Plan Challenge beginning September 21, 2020 at 12 PM. Spaces are limited, so sign up today by clicking here.

The Science of Successful Communication

Jul 1, 2020 | Leadership, Leadership Development, Success

Do you ever think about how your brain processes verbal and nonverbal communication? Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) was created by Richard Bandler and John Grindler in the 1970s as an approach to managing human behavior. They believed that it is possible to identify thought and behaviors patterns in successful people and then teach them to others It involves tuning into and reading observable signals in the way people communicate to each other. Based on these signals, you can create an appropriate response that establishes rapport quickly.

NLP proposes that each of us fits into one of three major patterns or styles of communication. The three possible styles are: visual (what we see), auditory (what we hear) and kinesthetic (what we feel).

Visual people “see” the world.  They make sense of it through pictures.  Their words and phrases convey visual images.  They don’t think a lot about the words they use.  They capture images and they program their minds to rewind, edit, or fast-forward the video.  Over half of all people fit this description.

Auditory people “hear” the world.  They experience it through sound.  They hear their internal dialogue first before they speak out loud.  Words are very important to auditory people; they select them thoughtfully and listen to you carefully.  Auditory people need to talk things out at length to get their thoughts in order. Over one-third of all people fit this description.

Kinesthetic people “feel” the world.  They make sense of it through tactile and emotional data.  They look for harmony in your words, vocals, and body language.  Everything you do or say, as well as everything you do not do or say tells them if they should believe you.  Less than one-fourth of the people you encounter fit this description.

When you are able to identify how other people experience the world you will be better able to communicate with them in the way they understand. This will improve your relationships with others and in turn help you achieve your goals in business and in life.

I will be speaking for the Presence Summit, a virtual event, at 9:15 AM on July 15th. The topic of discussion is – What Type of Communicator Are You? The Presence Summit is a full day of stimulating presentations and workshops to help you AMPLIFY and SHARE your value using video communications. Click Here to find out more.

 

Communicating to Connect

Jun 23, 2020 | Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Success

It’s the modern paradox – we’re increasingly super-connected but also disconnected. How often do you send a text or e-mail to someone instead of having a verbal conversation over the phone or in person?  Does it ever seem like the receiver of that text or e-mail did not fully understand what you intended to say? Does this ever happen even when you are talking to someone face-to-face?

Communication is the exchange of ideas, thoughts, and information between two people. It is a two-way process – receiving as well as sending. To be successful, the communication process must result in a mutual understanding between the sender and receiver. This mutual understanding is very difficult to achieve without some level of interpersonal connection.

Yes, our relationships with others greatly impact the effectiveness of our communication with them and how we communicate with them greatly impacts our relationship.  So how do we communicate in a way that creates or enhances connection?

First, be aware that communication does not stop happening. Everything we do or do not do communicates a message.

Be careful to choose the appropriate communication channel – face-to-face, phone, e-mail, text, etc.  The channel you choose can help or hinder the communication process. Factors to be considered when choosing a communication channel include: the nature of the message, the detail of the message, the reason for sending the message, the speed at which you want to communicate the message, and the characteristics of the person receiving the message. Whatever the channel, it should remain open so there can be exchange of questions and concerns between sender and receiver.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, recognize that all people have personal filters (experiences, memories, biases, values, expectations, beliefs and assumptions) that may influence what they see, hear, and feel in the message. Our message may not be received initially as we intended and we should demonstrate understanding and empathy when this occurs.

Communication is a dynamic process and the more you know about the person you are talking to, the more effectively you will be able to communicate with them.

I will be speaking for the Presence Summit, a virtual event, at 9:15 AM on July 15th. The topic of discussion is – What Type of Communicator Are You? The Presence Summit is a full day of stimulating presentations and workshops to help you AMPLIFY and SHARE your value using video communications. Click Here to find out more.

How to Better Understand Others

Jun 16, 2020 | Ethical Leadership, Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Success

Our ability to interact effectively with other people may be the difference between success or failure. Understanding others is necessary for positive interaction and it is every bit as important on your journey toward success as personal awareness. Today, I want to give you four tips on how to gain better insight into the behavior of others and improve your relationships.

Use Introspection – Try reflecting on your professional and personal relationships and ask yourself how others perceive you. Do others see you the same way you see yourself? How would you see yourself if you were in the other person’s shoes? Be sure to answer these questions honestly. When we are willing and able to see ourselves from another’s point of view, it will likely improve our relationship with that person.

Ask Questions – If you want to find out what people expect from you – ask them. If you want to know what drives people – ask them that, too. You can use surveys or start an individual conversation with your employees and clients.

Actively Listen – When you are talking to others make sure you hear what they are really saying. Pay attention to body language and ask questions for clarification. Listen to understand, not to respond.

Assessments – You can better understand your employees by providing them with opportunities to complete assessments for personal and professional development. The TTI Talent Insights Assessment is one such tool that helps employees identify their behavior and communication style. Managers who know this information about their employees are better equipped to communicate with them which leads to increased engagement and productivity.

The old saying, “Treat people how you would like to be treated” is not always good advice. We need to treat people how they like to be treated and this differs between individuals. When we have a better understanding of why people do what they do, we can demonstrate empathy and compassion which facilitates growth individually and within the relationship.

I will be speaking for the Presence Summit, a virtual event, at 9:15 AM on July 15th. The topic of discussion is – What Type of Communicator Are You? The Presence Summit is a full day of stimulating presentations and workshops to help you AMPLIFY and SHARE your value using video communications. Click Here to find out more.