Sara Hand

In our daily journey it is so easy to get caught up in the “all” of what we must do. We hide in the busyness of our routines, the desires of our hearts, only to have them surface at odd moments as unrecognized sadness.

It is spring time in Florida. From the balmy breeze, the blue skies, the budding greenery and oh yes the traffic. It is a time of growth, a time of renewal and refreshing. It is a time to open the windows and let the fresh air fill the house, before it again gets hot.

It is a great time to look at the activities of life, the busyness that fills your day and ask “Why?” If the answers make sense…Great!

If not, here is a quote from Marianne Williamson that I enjoy.

"It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us."

Our Deepest Fear

 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.’ We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

(A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”, Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3])

As we attempt to make a quick trip to the store, wait in lines or notice that there are cars and people everywhere, it might be hard not to grumble at least slightly.

However, as you look at all those out of state license plates and think of the good ol’ days of summer. Don’t forget those good ol’ days were overshadowed by the fallout from an oil spill and the deflation of the housing market. This summer the discussion was of empty guest rooms across all types of resort facilities and efforts were focused on getting the word out that our beaches were clean.

 All those cars and traffic represent people. People that have come to enjoy our beaches, shop in our malls, and eat in our restaurants; who all though it might not have been as warm lately as it normally is, are happy that the wind chill factor is above zero. And although it is way too cold for me to get in the water, the Gulf is only cold for those of us who are spoiled Florida natives or long-time transplants. 

So in sharing our roads and beaches… REMEMBER to be on your best behavior. Try to be thankful and grateful for our winter guests. They could have chosen to go some place else, but they chose here and aren’t we glad they did?

The sun rises and sets each day as time goes and the days get shorter. At first it is not so noticeable; but little by little, one change and then the next, as day goes into day, seasons change.  

Depending on your business, the change of seasons may mean different things. It might mean a time of rest, a time of harvest, a time overwhelming business, or maybe even a time of regrouping. Regardless of the seasons or cycles of your business; to ignore changes of one season to the next is to ignore the very nature of life.

As you see the birds flying in the v formation of migration, as the grass needs to be mowed less often, as the days become less humid and the traffic on our roads doubles (hopefully); are you positioned to move into this new season? If not, what will you do about it?

Does discouragement ever keep you from doing the things you need to do to be more productive?

3 Things you can do to change that.

1. Stop and breathe…Some people just run faster and try harder. Others shut down altogether. Neither response will effectively produce results over the course of time.

Take 3 deep breathes and release slowly each time. Your nervous system will kick in and you will begin to relax. When you relax you can make better choices.

Exercise: It releases endorphins which will help you feel better. Ride a bike, walk, dance…do something you love.

(Alcohol and other substances to “feel good” don’t count.)

Hold hands with someone you love. Look them in the face and TELL them that. Build Joy…Yes, Joy is a real thing.

2. Set realistic goals. The world is tough enough. Stop trying to be Super person. Unrealistic expectations reaffirm an inability to succeed. Affirmations are great, if you really believe that in your heart…if you don’t, it is NO better that the unrealistic goal. Let yourself grow into big goals, one baby step at a time.

3. Set up accountability with someone who actually cares whether you succeed or not. Ask someone to give you honest caring feedback. I have a coach, a counselor, and an advisory board and a couple of incredible friends that I have empowered to let me have it…they help me stay on track through constructive criticism and act as cheerleaders when the going gets tough. They believe in me, even when I may begin to doubt myself.

**I believe**

As companies are challenged by current economic conditions and the need to change, sometimes the busyness of business can be overwhelming. Trying to make it happen, we run from one thing to the next: network meetings, company functions, civic responsibilities, family events and what about this social media thing?

But there is something interesting that is happening…a shift in society. A swinging of the pendulum that is changing the way we look at behavior and how we do business. In the last number of years there has been something of an anything goes policy. The simplicity of posting content to the rising number of internet outlets such as MySpace, YouTube and various blogging platforms, meant not a lot was secret anymore. Of course, complaints of “What is our world coming to?” were rampant.

How we did business was also influenced by the online tools and a new dependency on the immediate. Connecting first through email and websites, we developed this stuff called sales copy…long winded, superlative laden and reminiscent of inexpensively produced local hardware and mattress store television commercials. We spent so much of our time connected that we even developed ways to stay connected when not connected…can you say wireless?

Yet could this advent of technology, combined with various economic and generational issues be a driving force in a return to accountability? As companies create policies regarding behavior standards and social media, will employees behave more circumspectly? As more adults move into “virtual” spaces of employment, will the latch key kid be a thing of the past? As electronic marketing messages bombard prospective consumers, will old-fashioned in person meetings make a come back?

Could we be getting back to basics?

The fact that business as normal is not normal any longer is now an accepted fact. But what does the new normal look like? Well if you don’t know, don’t feel bad. It appears that a lot of people are unsure.

However, this can present some interesting challenges. 

Who is your ideal prospect?

(If you used to work predominantly with new home builders, you may not have as many of these as you used to.)

 How do you connect with them?

(If the phone book or newspaper advertising used to do the trick, you might be feeling a bit of a pinch.)

 What type of payment options do you have available for your prospects and clients?

(If in the past large ticket sales were predominantly credit, this could be a problem.)

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER IN A CHANGING ECONMOY:

Could I think bigger than I am?  

Is there a bigger picture my company fits into?Many companies are cutting back…advertising, marketing, and development.

Have I limited my thinking through preconceived notions of what is possible? 

If you want better answers ask better questions:

How can I leverage the time, money, and effort I put into my business?

How can I expand my business and capture market share with limited resources?

How can I become more valuable to my prospects and clients?

Success is often in the details.  Do I take care of the details in my business? 

If I have changed, do others know? 

 At the end of the day what do I want this to look like?

 Asking better questions, will give you better answers. And as you ask and answer, your questions will continue to get better and in turn your answers will improve. It’s a process, and not a comfortable one. However it is one where the perseverant will not only survive, but will prosper.

Is it the worst marriages that end in divorce? Do the best ideas and  products succeed in the marketplace? Is there a thing called “happily ever after”? Most women will tell you giving birth is not fun, in fact that whole last month is pretty uncomfortable. But that new life, full of possibilities on the other side is, for most people worth it.

Many of our parents and grandparents grew up knowing the value of a good days work. They believed in saving for a rainy day, because they knew those days would come. They were influenced by a “Great Depression” and a World War. They knew good things were worth waiting for and they would live and die for what they believed. In a world of cell phones, microwaves and “super size me” it sometimes appears that the characteristics of that day are all but gone.

 But life is hard and stuff happens. No amount of societal advancement will take that away, although there are an infinite number of new methods and medications for coping with it. This is where the challenge lies. Do I avoid or ignore these obstacles or do I adopt behaviors that simply cope or cohabitate with difficulty. Or could undesirable circumstances press through to a new reality? 

In nature we see the cocooned caterpillar struggle to break free and emerge from its cocoon. It no longer resembles the creature it once was as it strains against the crystalis. Yet if helped to escape, this new creation will never have the strength in its new wings to soar as the butterfly it was meant to be.

It is through adversity that we are sharpened, compressed and refined into an image of beauty. We can deal with these opportunities and press on, or we can choose to exit this process at any point. It won’t mean that life will necessarily be easier or harder. It only means that we won’t go any further, like a child who doesn’t want to play.How can hardship work to our benefit? It works through commitment. With commitment to the process of change, the relationship, and the opportunity itself; we are transformed. When we are committed there is security. We don’t have to focus on pleasing for the moment, because the long term success is more important than the short term discomfort. With security, we can face hard things, we can take risks.

 Feeling stuck? Wondering how your hardships could actually work together for anything good? Can you put a name to those things that might hold you back?

Choose commitment and push through the process. There is something much better waiting outside the cocoon if you dare!

You can’t imagine how many times I have heard that. And it saddens me to tell you this, but that just isn’t true. It doesn’t matter how great your product or service is, or how much it is needed. People don’t buy based on need. There is someone who needs it, that won’t use it, even if you gave it away.

However this is one of the most liberating and profitable epiphanies of the business world! Understanding this, I can make more money in less time. I can arrive home at the end of day facing clients and looking for prospects with my ego intact…no longer beaten and bruised.

WHY? Because I am no longer trying to sell everyone on the fact that what I bring to the table is wonderful. I no longer have to jump through hoops trying to convince someone who will never buy that they should. I have made make peace with the fact that I am not a fit for everyone, so like a miner sifting and searching for gold, I am sifting and searching through leads for prospects. Some people are not going to buy and it isn’t because I stink, it’s because they are not a fit for the value proposition I can present.

The secret to utilizing this understanding is…I must know what my prospects look like and I must know how to recognize them when they come across my path. I still have to be skilled at my craft. I still need to do and say and bring to the table my best, but my results are going to be significantly more profitable.

If you could only do one thing it would be so easy. It would be so easy to know what to do, which direction to go. But there are so many choices and so many of the choices are good…or so it seems initially. And actually there is very little inherently bad in the choices. However I have learned that, just because I can…doesn’t mean I should.

In fact just recently I was presented with an awesome looking project: something that could prove to be very fruitful, something that I could enjoy, something I have wanted to do for a while, only to discover that just because I could do this now did not mean that it WAS the right thing to do now.

The economy is not exactly optimal at the moment. It may take some creativity and may take some extra work, to make it all work. Sometimes as we work at making things work we get caught up in the doing trap of “Next”. Then whatever comes along next is what we do. And pretty soon you look up from doing to say, “How in the world did I get here?”

I will admit sometimes you do have to do whatever it takes, however the more you can stay it that place where you create the most value…the better. But to stay in your YES, you may have to learn to say NO.

Leadership is not a job or a role that you play, but a lifestyle…an expression of who you are. When you plant words of life, you reap rapport and relationship. Rapport and relationship positions you for influence and influence can position you for almost anything.

However influence and leadership is not cheap. There is a price to pay. A price of accountability and of responsibility to those you lead, to those over whom you have influence. Good leadership doesn’t make decisions based on today or even just tomorrow.

Seeds of greatness lie within each individual. For many, those seeds will remain just that, seeds of unrealized potential and possibility. From others greatness will emerge. Lives will be changed and the world impacted as their choices ripple outward.

What makes the difference between those that become and those that don’t?

•  
  • They have a vision for something that is bigger than just them and extends beyond just today. It is a dream fueled by passion and connected to action.
  •  They deal with the uncomfortable, awkward and negative issues, situations and relationship challenges that arise. They know that simply waiting for it to go away could leave them waiting for the rest of their life and time is precious.
  • They understand the power of consequence and so not make decisions solely on the comfort and convenience of today.
  • They take action…EVERY DAY! They have accepted responsibility for the realization of their vision and move toward it step by step day by day. They don’t despise the small steps, but are thankful for even small increments of progress.
  • They have not only defined what they like, BUT ALSO what they don’t like. They don’t focus on the “NO’s”. However by clearly defining what “NO” looks like, they are able to recognize what carries negative influences much sooner.
  • They operate with grace. Because they choose to forgive, they are free to move forward and are not tied to the past.
  • They know what it is to be a part of a team. They know their own strengths and weaknesses and are not threatened by others whose strengths and weaknesses are different from their own. They are able to ask for help when they need it.
  • They are not afraid of change and they are not trying to make everyone happy. As they move forward there will be others who are not supportive and who do not agree with the choices and decisions that they make. They understand that old adage, “You can’t please everyone all the time.”

Being a leader and carrying influence is about being a steward over the potential of your team, of your organization…your company. It is about empowering them to step up and be leaders over their sphere of influence. It is about speaking to the possibilities that exist and moving towards that day by day. How will your organization move forward,  first as individuals and then as a team…TODAY?