A month ago at the last Executive Series , a meeting that I lead called, “Ignite Your Business”, the president of one company reported the reason he was able to implement the business strategies that all of us were working on, was due to the fact he was simultaneously taking the Dale Carnegie Course. He said because of the personal changes he made, such as a change in his perspective in impacting people, customers and his team, his improved ability to engage his team helped him believe things could change for him and his business.  His point to all of us was, “Unless you change yourself, you won’t change strategically to move your business forward.”

What a powerful revelation that led to quite a sincere conversation and new commitments to be better leaders. When you have time to think, this can happen. It’s so easy to be consumed by external problems within our chaotic, busy, complicated world, and forget that we have the most influence on the direction of our lives and business.

How is 2014/15 going to go for you? Well probably the way it has been for you. (Aren’t you glad you are reading this?) You have noticed that every time the tide goes out it comes back in. Every winter is followed by a spring (although we’re late seeing that phenomenon this year). Light follows dark. It has been that way for thousands of years. When we have opportunities and succeed, difficulties appear. When we have ups, it is followed by _______. So it goes. Period.  So for things to change, you have to change.

I hear plenty of businesspeople describe the changes and problems they’re experiencing. For example:
•    a competitive global marketplace
•    smaller margins
•    it’s tougher to sell today because every company sounds the same
•    a disengaged and selfish workforce etc.

You add that to the difficulties in raising kids, keeping afloat with the costs of living, the overwhelming time and the stress that goes with it.  These things are real and they will continue.

How do you handle it all, be more productive and happy?

It’s been our experience that unless you get frustrated enough, maybe a little desperate, you probably won’t be open to any new ideas, or strategies that cause you to act differently. You might forget those fundamentals that work and get lost in the noise of business and life.

And they always have to be rediscovered because we get lost and a lot of external stuff and fears get in our heads that block us from seeing reality and what must change for us for things to change.  And so it goes!

Your situation won’t change unless you do!

One big influence that can turn things around is the magic of inspiration. You can see the lack of it in people and teams. When people are inspired, new ah-ha’s and better actions can appear, followed by real learning and new activities.

Where do you get inspiration?
Do you read? Stay connected to inspired leaders? Attend meetings that cause you to think?  What developments are you going through that bring out your potential?

Inspiration alone won’t change habits. Some kind of structure that causes you to rehearse and practice behaviours that fundamentally work, along with supportive and helpful coaching can really cause the change and new performance you want and need.

If your team needs to go up a very difficult hill they won’t go there unless an inspired leader helps them discover what they need to do to change so they can adjust, maybe innovate and act on what needs to be done. No outside magic bullet will work unless an inside re-commitment to change themselves is present.

I hope some inspiration is happening to you right now. If it isn’t, maybe you are looking in the wrong places. Your market, sales, career, team won’t respond unless you do. And so it goes!

•    Where do you need to change in order to make changes?
•    Where are you going to get more inspiration?
•    What development are you going to get involved in?

Have a great week!

Kevin D. Crone
Chairman, Dale Carnegie Business Group
kdcrone@dalecarnegie.ca or 905-826-7300 / 1-800-361-2032

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A Special Invitation from Kevin D. Crone, Canada’s Monday Morning Mentor…

Dale Carnegie Training® has engaged a world wide study on the emerging trend of Salesforce Transformation to explain the changing motives of customers, their enhanced level of sophistication, and how all of this, including the internet and tightening competition is changing how big sales are becoming more complex.

90% of businesses are seen as being commoditized and only 14% of customers see organizations as having unique propositions.

We are bringing together executives from across the GTA to reveal our research findings that will explain why big sales are tougher, what is different now and what is necessary to grab more market share and increase sales.

Executive Coaching Series: The New Sales/Marketing Transition
Monday, June 16th
2:30 – 5:00 pm
Location: : Dale Carnegie Center of Excellence
103-2121 Argentia Road, Mississauga, Ontario

As always, you will enjoy Kevin’s style, the peer conversation and the insights revealed in the new research.

If you have questions, please email Chee Vang at cvang@dalecarnegie.ca or call our office at 905-826-7300 / 1-800-361-2032.

Register Today!

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