The Real Bottom Line

I was listening to Michael Port’s book “Beyond Booked Solid” today en route to a meeting. He made one statement that truly sums up my philosophy. As he was talking about how to boost your income, streamline your processes, and take your business to the next level he said “The real bottom line is your life.” Meaning, the real bottom line when it comes to everything you do is your life – how you experience your days, the relationships you have, and your ability to truly enjoy living. Everything else is simply done in support of that.

Continue reading

Secret for Accelerating Your Results: Honor Your Truth

Are you overwhelmed by too much information, too many ideas to try, too many ways to get there?

Do you feel guided and supported in moving forward, confident in your ability to create what you want or do you still feel as unsure as you have in the past?

There is so much information and support out there. And that is great, but it can also leave you with way too much information so you don’t even use any of it, or it can distract you from the specific information that is exactly what YOU need on YOUR path.

I see so many people who are trying to learn from so many sources and yet they are still not moving forward with all of this “helpful” information.

And isn’t it moving forward that you”re really wanting anyway?

Continue reading

Social Media Connections and the Precious Moment

By Tinu AbayomiPaul

1210525_sweet_dreamsIt’s not just that social media is about connecting and relationships, or that business is about relationships.

It’s not just that social media has helped to facilitate that connection across borders of distance.

Nor is it about the fact that social media can penetrate through layers of handlers to get you in touch with people you admire, those who admire you, customers and clients that do repeat business with you, or other important people you otherwise never would encounter.

It’s about that Moment.

There’s a moment when you’re getting to know someone in which they turn from someone you know in passing, to someone you want to interact with on a regular basis. If you spend enough time talking to someone, regardless of the medium, you click, or you don’t click.

Continue reading

Public Speaking: 8 Simple Tips to Put Humor Into Your Speech

By Edward Hope

1099095_smiling_pakistani_girlA speech can be interesting, informative and highly entertaining without being humorous. Most speakers are invited because they are well informed on a specific subject and it is of interest to the audience, the listeners do not necessarily expect to be entertained. For entertainment they would hire an entertainer. However, humor has a number of great benefits in helping the speaker to be more effective in achieving the overall purpose of their speech.

The advantages of using humor in your speech are: -
Continue reading

Breaking The Bonds Of Limiting Influence

By John Halderman

If you are wanting to live your life uniquely, your own way, doing what you are here to do, you will need to take a good look at what is influencing you day in and day out. Your family, friends, groups and society all can influence your life usually beyond your awareness. Most people operate within what is considered normal in our society. People tend to go away from discomfort and pain, seeking comfort however they can, which usually means not wanting to feel the wrath of disapproval for doing something out of the ordinary.

The fact that most people are influenced greatly by others keeps them living a life where they are striving to feel good and be happy, but in ways that don’t bring long lasting results of either. If you are influenced to behave like the masses by the masses, what has happened to your unique inner drive? It is sniffled because it does not fit into the norm, and you have allowed yourself to go the more comfortable route, keeping in alignment with those around you.

There is something we are each intended to do, and we get thoughts and feelings about this, but usually cover it up. We think it can’t be done, because it doesn’t look like the life we are now living. The life we have fallen into by listening to and watching the masses rather than our heart and inner guidance is not usually close to our passion and purpose.

Our true deep happiness and satisfaction Continue reading

The Journey to Becoming Yourself

By Jan Engels Smith

In a world full of stress, deadlines, needs, and scarcity, it is sometimes hard to determine that you have any power. Helping yourself can feel like an overwhelming and unattainable mission. However, we also live in a world full of new information and understandings. Ideas of self-empowerment and the feelings that these truths bring is testimony for a new way of thinking.

The universe is unlimited, and, if you choose to explore it, you will awaken to a whole new way of knowing—a whole new way of being. Spirit is available to all people at equal levels; there is no “better than,” or “more deserving.” The choice to raise your consciousness means to broaden your awareness, open up to new possibilities, step out of your comfort zone, and allow information other than what you already “know.”

Spirit has many names: God, Great Spirit, All That Is, Mother/Father, Great Mystery, Allah, and Lord. All are interchangeable. Your spirit, which is housed in your body, is part of that giant whole. In fact, everything is made up of the same energy. All things—every tree, rock, grain of sand, gust of wind, drop of water, animal, insect, bird, planet, star—are expressions of the divine, and we are all interconnected in a divine and profound way.

You are an incredible spirit of divine perfection, the same composition as Spirit. Creator is an ocean and you are a drop of water in that ocean. You carry within you the exact components and properties of the entire ocean. You are made of Spirit, in the reflection of Spirit, and Spirit is in you. Continue reading

Are You Owning Your Gifts?

By Molly Luffy

So many people stay stuck where they are because they don’t value themselves fully. Recently I started working with a person – we’ll call her Susie – who has so many obvious talents and abilities. She’s smart as a whip and has an encyclopedic knowledge of a variety of interesting topics. She happily rattles off resources, ideas, tidbits of information. It’s very clear that Susie loves to help others and is always right there with some relevant information.

While Susie has many talents that are obvious to me, she has a difficult time recognizing them in herself. During a recent phone call I was telling her how much I appreciated her intellect and she started to cry. She shared with me that she doesn’t really feel that way about herself and struggles to appreciate her own qualities. I can certainly relate. There was a time when I struggled with my own gifts too, thinking they weren’t really that special.

But I’m over that, and Susie is on her way now, too. All of us have wonderful qualities that are unique and special. And we should lovingly appreciate ourselves for all of these qualities. It’s a delicate dance, though isn’t it? We don’t want to come off as an ego-maniac or a jerk by flaunting how great we are. But we also owe it to ourselves to heal the part of us that tells us to play small and undervalue our own gifts.

The world is changing every day. More, now than ever before, people are waking up and realizing that in order to make a difference and be their best in the world, they need to follow their soul’s lead and let go of those old beliefs about themselves that aren’t serving them anymore.

Susie is working on developing her own sense of self-love and appreciation. She understands the value that comes from this and is taking steps to live her life from this space. Are you ready to do the same thing? Are there qualities that others tell you they appreciate, that you can’t appreciate in yourself? Are you hanging on to past hurts or beliefs that aren’t serving you?

It’s time to let this all go. It’s time to get in touch with yourself, your gifts and let your inner star shine brightly. The world needs us now more than ever before, to stand in our power, to know who we are, what we believe in and be willing to take a powerful stand for those things that we care about. Loving yourself is the best gift you could ever give yourself – or the world.

Copyright 2009, Molly A. Luffy, MBA. Molly is an Intuitive Spiritual and Business Advisor who assists Conscious Women in creating a life that is happy, abundant and successful. Her unique approach to goal achievement blends practical, spiritual and energy healing modalities resulting in powerful transformation. Her clients call working with her “magical” and “life changing.” http://www.mollyluffy.com

Growth Of Business – 5 Secrets Of An Innovation Business Model

By Dr Mark Yates

Although most businesses are effectively treading water through the current economic crisis, many astute business owners are looking to the growth of business by utilising what’s commonly referred to as an innovation business model.

Innovation and change are often requirements for business growth and many opportunities present in times of business hardship.

The growth of business utilising an innovation business model is often the key to the success of many contemporary businesses.

Many business consultancy strategists & many an individual business consultant believe the first steps to achieving business success lie in identifying your business growth strategy plan.

Researching a good business model example will probably highlight business growth strategies and a concise business model definition.

In times of financial hardship every company aspires for growth in sales and profitability and profit maximisation is considered one of the first and the foremost business growth strategy plans of any business.

An innovation business model is a useful benchmark to successfully keep the business on the growth trajectory. When working to a business growth strategy plan it is necessary that all the areas of business are managed professionally.

Irrespective of the size of the business, these areas may include customer relationship and customer satisfaction, finance, quality and supply chain, vendor development etc.

When one considers strategy corporate and innovation and change not all businesses and their managements have the right skills to efficiently strategise, improve and manage every business area.

However no management can afford to ignore any of these areas. Therefore a large number of companies increasingly seek assistance of business consultancy in order to ensure all business areas are developed and improvised to meet the business growth objectives.

Hence the phrase, business consultancy equals business growth holds relevance as businesses depend on the expertise of business consultancies and business consultants for their business growth strategy.

The growth of any business planned during times of economic hardship should be carefully designed as the transition from feast to famine is not always a smooth ride.

It is always wise to seek the professional expertise of a business consultant who has proven expertise in business growth. Appointing a proven business growth consultant will ensure that many of the time, effort and financial mistakes are kept to a minimum.

A proven growth consultant will have been privy to all of these mistakes several times before and is therefore best placed to ensure they don’t materialise during your business growth.

When considering business growth strategies or strategy corporate tactics, the growth of business utilising an innovation business model should factor that without innovation and change the likelihood of business failure increases significantly.

When seeking to identify the initial business model definition or business model example a business consultant should understand the relevance of how embracing an innovation business model can lead to the exponential growth of business.

Therefore by definition, business consultancy equals business growth is a true phrase because business consultancy plays an important role of the catalyst in the growth of business organization.

Present day businesses face number of challenges right from getting finance to the deployment of right technologies and quality tools to ensure customer satisfaction is sustained and improved continuously and the business consultancy acts as a key enabler to equip the business organization with the right skills and know-how to meet these challenges effectively.

One expert business consultant is providing significant success to companies looking for the growth of business and through his business consultancy Art of Business War. He has successfully partnered with a large number of small and large business organizations to effectively put them on the growth trajectory by targeting the growth of business utilising his innovation business model.

Many businesses have been successfully transformed into profitable organizations through The Art of Business War innovation business model.

The well known expert business consultant at The Art of Business War has deployed unique business growth strategies for each business organization contemplating the growth of business utilising an innovation business model and has also imparted Professional Management Training specifically designed to assist in the implementation of a business growth strategy plan.

Hopefully the growth of business utilising an innovation business model clarifies the importance of identifying your business model definition or business model example before implementing business growth strategies and innovation and change.

Growth Of Business 5 Secrets Of An Innovation Business Model #1

Hire A Business Consultant With Proven Growth Skills

Before you consider any aspects of a business growth strategy or any business growth strategies it is wise to conduct due diligence to identify a business consultant with proven innovation and change skills.

He or she should be skilled in strategy corporate methodology required for business model definition. In today’s fast paced business life, the growth of business can sink or swim depending on the innovation business model example.

Hiring a business consultant with proven business growth skills is number 1 on the business consultancy 5 Secrets list.

Growth Of Business 5 Secrets Of An Innovation Business Model #2

Innovation And Change

When any business contemplates business growth strategies two of the most difficult aspects to manage are innovation and change.

Given the current economic business crisis every business growth strategy is best produced by an outsourced business consultant who is fully versed in implementing and managing the company problems associated with innovation and change.

The business model example and business model definition should incorporate all aspects of strategy corporate tactics identified from the business owners by the business consultant.

Although often difficult to implement in many businesses because it takes business owners out of their comfort zone innovation and change is number 2 on the business consultancy 5 Secrets list.

Growth Of Business 5 Secrets Of An Innovation Business Model #3

Business Growth Strategies

Just about every professional business consultant understands the relevance of business growth strategies when producing a strategic growth plan for a business.

The business model definition of business growth strategy lies in the business consultant producing a workable plan based around each individual business and the business employees.

There can be no such concept as a one business model example to serve all businesses because no two businesses are the same.

The strategy corporate tactics like innovation and change may be highly successful for one business but fail miserably for another business. This is why business growth strategies is number 3 on the business consultancy 5 Secrets list.

Growth Of Business 5 Secrets Of An Innovation Business Model #4

Business Model Example

Many business growth strategies suggested by an untrained or an unqualified business consultant include plagiarising the contents of another business model example. However as discussed above this method is often pre-programmed for failure.

For example trying to implement the Starbucks coffee shop business model example will be at opposite ends of the spectrum for the business growth strategy required by a medium sized engineering company seeking to grow its business.

The business model definition and business model example has to be relevant to the individual business and should only be produced after the business consultant has identified the business needs for growth like innovation and change and strategy corporate.

The business model example is number 4 on the business consultancy 5 Secrets list.

Growth Of Business 5 Secrets Of An Innovation Business Model #5

Strategy Corporate

Whenever a professional business consultant mentions strategy corporate it is relevant to understand the actual meaning behind business growth strategy and business growth strategies.

Strategy corporate is generally a plan of action or policy in business. This helps to identify the business model definition prior to finalising the business model example.

Any innovation business model has to include innovation and change which is why it lists at number 5 on the business consultancy 5 Secrets list.

The growth of business utilising an innovation business model is often the key to the success of many contemporary businesses. Many business consultancy strategists & many an individual business consultant believe the first steps to achieving business success lie in identifying your business growth strategy plan.

Researching a good business model example will probably highlight business growth strategies & a concise business model definition.

By working closely with your proven business growth consultant in implementing your innovation business model you should be able to look forward to long term sustainable and profitable business growth.

———————————————-

Dr. Mark D. Yates The International Business Guru & Growth Consultant grows businesses fast in a long term sustainability method. His dynamic business model delivers exponential growth, increased turnover & profit margins. He delivers business support to small, medium & large businesses in 42 countries. To claim his FREE business case files visit him at => http://www.businessconsultancyonestopshop.com or e-mail him at drmarkdyates@aol.com

Why Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence Will Increase Your Success as a Manager

When you become a manager, is it your IQ, your technical skills and your knowledge of the industry you’re in which is paramount – or your ability to influence, inspire and engage others? Or do they both matter equally?

Generally speaking, we promote people to manager or supervisor because they’re good at what they do. Generally speaking, you don’t get to be finance director without knowing how to count, do a balance sheet and understand how to handle money wisely.

However, do you need those skills more or less as you climb the ladder?
Well, who would you rather have as your finance director?

A moderately good accountant who is great with other people, internally and externally, and who is adept at motivating and engaging whoever he or she meets? Or a brilliant accountant who is inept with clients, difficult with peers and has an unnerving ability to alienate a lot of smart people around him or her?

I trust you said the former!

Getting the best out of people does not require the logic and reasoning of IQ. Getting the best out of people requires another form of intelligence entirely – what psychologists call EQ or emotional intelligence – and we all know emotions are generally anything but logical or rational!

Think of anyone you know who seems to have a knack of getting on with just about everybody. They’re not “pushovers”, they set high standards and have high expectations, and they’re not great friends with everyone, but everyone seems to like and, more importantly, respect, them. Moreover, no matter how tricky the customer, colleague, boss, or situation, they seem to be able to get things done and still engender a culture which feels good to work in. These sorts of managers have a queue of people waiting to work for and with them – they produce results and they get noticed for all the right reasons.

Now we can all get on with people we like, respect and admire – that’s the easy part.

However, getting on with, and getting the best out of people who conjure up negative emotions for us such as frustration, anger or dislike is a whole different ball game; because emotions are messy things! They’re not neat; they don’t fit into logical sequences; and they often don’t respond to the logic of intellectual intelligence.

Study after study shows the greatest managers, ( defined by both the high results they achieve through their people and their reputation as someone great to work with or for) have the highest emotional intelligence.

Most research shows our IQ is relatively fixed. However, the good news is, with a little diligence and practice, we most certainly can increase our emotional intelligence.

Great you say! But how exactly do I do that?


There’s five skills you need to develop to increase your emotional intelligence. I’ll cover the first one here, and keep an eye out for next month’s article where I’ll give you an overview of the others

Emotional intelligence skill 1: Self awareness

Are you aware of the impact you have on those around you?

If I asked you what your staff think of you, would you know? (Some would rather not find out – which perhaps says something about the quality of leadership you’re setting here?)

How do you handle, say, underperformance with someone you like? With someone you struggle with? (And, if there’s a difference – how might that affect the outcome?) Outstanding managers are supremely aware of how they come across to others. Some, (and you’ve probably met a few in your time!) seem to be either oblivious to how others feel about them, or don’t seem to care much.

For example, consider the manager who thinks he or she is being diligent, in following up what his/her staff are doing, but some staff perceive it as micromanaging, breathing down their necks, or not trusting them to get on with the job. Does this affect performance? Almost c ertainly.

Awareness of how our own behaviours, attitudes, beliefs and emotions might be affecting our relationships with others is the first step to improving communication mastery. I call it “turning the mirror on ourselves” – and this skill is, in my view, one of the most important to master.
It requires courage and humility to see ourselves as others see us – particularly when we may be in for a few not so pleasant surprises! However, the willingness to show our staff we know we are not perfect; and we value their opinion, only serves to strengthen rapport with others; not break it. If you show you are open to constructive feedback you gain respect; and just as importantly, you set the foundations for a culture where your people can challenge you constructively – and you can challenge them back! (A great example of the law of reciprocity in action.)

How do you increase emotional intelligence skill number one: your self-awareness?

Here are three simple reflection exercises to get you started.

1. My views on my team Take a blank sheet of paper and note down the name of each person on your team. By the side of their name, quickly write down what you think about:

a) The level of value you think they bring to the team

b) Your opinion of their performance

c) How much you like them

d) Emotions you associate with that person

2. Employee ranking If you were asked to place your staff in order of how much value they bring to the team, how would you rank them, and why? If you were asked to rank them in order according to whom you felt most rapport with, how would that list look?

What do you notice, if anything, about what you have written/thought?

Potential impact on my team Now go back and re-read what you’ve written. What subtle messages might you be sending to the people at the bottom of the list? What impact might that be having on their performance? Whatever you answer, it is likely that the simple process of just taking a step back, to observe and reflect upon your own behaviour and attitudes, will help increase your level of understanding and give you some thoughts about how you might adapt what you do to produce more constructive working relationships and a culture of openness and trust.

Copyright © 2009 Shona Garner

Shona Garner is an experienced Executive and Business Coach, specialising in helping managers build top performing teams, and increase their own standing in the organisation. For instant access to a free guide with the top ten tips for motivating and engaging your team visit http://10toptips.increasingmanagerialsuccess.com