THE POWER OF OTHERS

Just returning from a very successful trip to Europe, it is amazing how a little distance can offer so much perspective. And with perspective comes lighthearted opportunity, endless possibility and vision. So why do I want to talk to you about ‘others’? 

Well, it is because of them that we lose sight of ourselves and our own wishes and get caught up in things we did not set out to do. It is our need to please, fit and impress that others hold so much power over us. ENOUGH, I say!

Firstly let me share a very brief story of a very good friend of mine. She was approached with an incredible opportunity however it was not something that was going to serve her or her family. Of course she was flattered and knew she could probably do an outstanding job. Yet she had other plans for the future which simply did not align. When she came to me, she was still torn. Her emotional turmoil did not let her think objectively. She wanted to proof to the people who supported her, she could do it and to the people who didn’t, even more so!

Have you ever been in such a situation? Where you did something you felt others expected you to, even though you knew somehow that it wasn’t right for you? People can have a big influence on our judgment, opinions and actions. Throw in your own ego and emotions and together it all becomes a tricky, murky muddle, led by the wrong intentions and in the wrong direction. What a terrible waste! It is time to put a stop to this!

The following 5 Decision Mantras will save you from falling into this usual trap:

1.) Know what you want - If you have a plan mapped out for yourself and your family, it is easier to sync your activities based on what is supportive and cut out what isn't!

2.) Take time before committing to anything - For big decisions you might even want to take a short trip to take yourself out of the emotionally overcast circumstances. It will do wonders to your objective perspective!

3.) Do ONLY what serves YOU - Everything else delegate, cancel or delete :)

4.) Don’t take things so damn personally - We all know we are replaceable and dispensable. And what’s more, we are not responsible for others but ourselves and our families!

5.) Detach from the outcome! - If you start by considering all the ‘what ifs’, chances are you don’t ground your decision on what you want but merely on conditioned emotions.

So for those of you who struggle with wasting precious time on pleasing others typically with little in it for yourselves, it’s time to put your foot down. Commit these decision mantras to memory and learn to make decisions that serve you, not others!


All the best,
Conny

THE POWER OF FEAR

I am not sure if I should even write about the ‘F’ word this week as it might lower the tone and won’t give you the same upbeat feeling like my usual blog posts do.  However I think we are among like minded individuals and should be able to be frank and honest about important things that have a high impact on our success. So taking a closer look at the Entrepreneurial Fear is essential to identify it, acknowledge it and then GIVE IT NO MORE FURTHER ATTENTION! Do you sometimes share the uneasy feeling in the pit of your tummy? Then read on!

How often are you experiencing situations where you would like to act or apply yourself  simply to find that fear is holding you back? Or maybe you are on the brink of great success but don’t want to take the next step, in fear of loosing or jeopardizing what you’ve already got?

There are many reasons why entrepreneurs might be enduring the churning feeling in their tummy due to some form of fear that they are possibly:

• Not doing enough
• Not knowing enough
• Not keeping up with the competition
• Not making enough money
• Not managing to balance life & work properly

Any of these thoughts create anxiety and might even be paralyzing for a concerned entrepreneur. This can have devastating consequences, like not moving forward, not capitalizing on obvious opportunities and frustration with oneself, possibly with looming self defeat. Gives you a knotted feeling just reading it, doesn’t it?

Fact is, all of this is in your own mind, only! And should any of the above be true, well guess what? You can do something about it. If you really feel that you aren’t doing enough, look at how you can take control of your time management to get more goal orientated actions done. Or if you are not making enough money, well firstly define what is enough and if you do see a shortfall, create extra revenue streams, cut out inflated expenses and get hunting for some more business.

It is exciting to think that if you stop paying attention to the “F” word and start actioning, you will feel a whole lot better.

Now we have only touched on fear as a negative. There is a positive to it as well (see, you knew I would get to this part)! Fear can be a powerful motivator to drive you above and beyond anything you ever dreamt possible. Typically this is pretty serious in the beginning because it is generated through a desperate situation.

To highlight let me briefly share the story of female client who had been running a message therapist clinic. She had her business for a number of years but didn’t really make the money that she could. She was too scared to go out and find new clients! When her little son got critically ill and she did not have enough financial resources to take time out to be with her little boy, it jolted her into a whole new level of action. She overcame her fear of selling, as the fear of not having the financial freedom in the future superseded, accelerating her to one of the top massage therapist clinics in her region.

I want you to know that it does not take something as core shaking as that, to finally  commit to overcoming your fears. It is as simple as a shift in mind! Next time the tummy starts churning, acknowledge & do it anyway! Let’s stop paying attention to the entrepreneurial “F” word and make it a thing of the past!

He can, she can, YOU can!
And you know it :)
Conny

THE POWER OF EXPECTATIONS

Recent events have led me to want to share this true story with you. Do enjoy the content but this time, your feedback is much needed. So read on and participate:

It happens from time to time that as an Angel Business Consultant to savvy female entrepreneurs I open my much cherished Rolodex to make an introduction to third party providers.  In my practice, I focus on my area of expertise in sales and marketing but bring on other professionals for services such as HR Consulting, Finance or IT. In order to provide a fully supportive environment for existing clients, these providers are offered the opportunity to complement and work within a strategic framework whilst assisting to stabilize and grow an existing business venture.

For me as the main supporter and long term partner to my clients, making those connections is huge.  A lot of trust and preconceived expectations precede the first introduction. Like any other business, my clients are much cherished and carefully looked after. Therefore placing them in front of another provider, the expectation of professionalism, top service and ongoing communication should be very basic requirements. Well and of course, a thank you is always kindly received and the reciprocal notion of offering something in return even more so.

One of my longest standing clients who have enjoyed a very rapid growth phase, needed financial control services and assistance with budgeting strategy. When your business grows at such a speed, getting the right professional assistance is most important and whilst we recognized this need, I introduced a person who I thought would fit the bill.

In the beginning it was agreed that the provider would get caught up on the financial details and make up of the business before any analysis and planning could be done. However after three months we still did not have the necessary financial information, essential for the strategic planning for the next quarter. When connecting with the service provider, there was reluctance and defiance with no intention of putting things right.

I was shocked! How could this be happening? Maybe I needed to properly intervene to get the promised results that had already loyally been paid for by my client? I decided to put in a firm but nice phone call to get to the bottom of it. Instead of an explanation or a desire to put things right, the provider refused point blank to assist or cooperate. They deflected all responsibility, had cashed in the $4,500 and failed to provide the service they had agreed to deliver.

Now what? I felt guilty for having made the intro in the first place and this third party provider let my client down and me as an alliance partner. What do I do?

Do I contact BBB to advise them of the situation?
Do I encourage my client to take legal action against this provider?
Do I stop making future introductions?
Do I from now on have to manage the relationships with third party providers?
Do I need to adjust my expectations?

I am at a loss and need your objectivity! What are your thoughts? Email me cmillard@mcgbusiness.com. You may even have a similar story to share. Either way I would love to hear from you.

Connect and share,
Thank you in advance.
Conny