Here's a fun podcast just a few minutes long that is taken directly from my new shows on TSTN television. This is excerpted from the series of 12 episodes I created with them that are currently on the air.
http://www.tstn.com/programming/podcasts.aspx?item_id=15
Just cut and paste the above link into your browser and let the video stream run. You can bail anytime you want but hang in there for the few minutes it's on if you can, because I'd like to get your feedback.
What do you like about it and what would you change if you could?
Feel free to pass this along to anyone you'd like. JC
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Who Should You Take Time To Thank?
by Jim Cathcart, CEO & Founder, Cathcart Institute, Inc.
June 16, 1977. That was the day Cathcart Institute began. As our 30th Anniversary arrived the big question we asked was, "Who is responsible for this!?" :-)
With three decades of exciting achievements and joyful experiences it is important to remember who helped make it happen. As I reflected on our journey I noticed more and more people who had made a significant contribution. If I attempted to list them here there would be no room for this article. They were partners, coworkers, mentors, suppliers, fans, clients, friends, colleagues and even competitors. There were those who worked in our business and those who didn't. There were even some noteworthy folks who didn't even realize that they were part of my inspiration or motivation. We all learned from so many others.
Nobody makes it alone in this world. We sure didn't. You could argue that a personal service business like a training and consulting firm is often the lengthened shadow of one or two individuals. That might be true but those shadows get transformed when other people become involved. Hundreds of people deserve some credit for our successes.
How about yours?
How many people have inspired and motivated you? Who encouraged you during tough times? Who believed in you? Who challenged you?
Who coached and educated you? Who pitched in to help? From whom did you learn vital lessons despite difficult situations? Who touched you in ways that made a difference?
It is important that we make time to celebrate and acknowledge our milestones. These are times of reflection that remind us of the many valuable facets of our successes. Sometimes just celebrating our survival for yet another year, decade or generation can be enough encouragement to keep us in the game. Bouncing back is proof that we still have something to give. We can't all always succeed, but we can always try. And trying counts for something. Not giving up is an admirable trait as long as we are also listening to the marketplace while we persist toward a goal.
Say thank you often, and offer congratulations whenever you can. One of the greatest abilities we humans possess is the ability to acknowledge and appreciate. In fact, entire careers have been invested by some merely to get the acknowledgement or appreciation of someone else. There are few words sweeter to the soul than "I'm so proud of you!" and "I knew you could do it!" We not only need to hear these words, we also need to say them.
When we celebrated our tenth business anniversary, twenty years ago, I held a three day series of experiences that involved: former employees, friends and mentors, vendors, colleagues and coworkers. We had a picnic, went sailing, watched the sunset from a mountaintop, dined at my home, had cocktails overlooking the ocean, watched a slide show of our times together, gave gifts and mementos and held a small banquet. At the end we made a photo album of the experience and sent one to their homes with our gratitude. Never have I had as much fun! And everyone remembers it fondly. They knew for sure that their contributions were noticed and appreciated.
One of my clients prepared special magazine covers featuring each person and gave framed copies of them to each participant. Another client established what I called a "Gratitude Brigade" to assure that everyone got at least three separate forms of thanks. They combined personal visits, phone calls, handwritten notes, gifts and other forms of contact to assure that each person not only WAS thanked but, more importantly, they FELT thanked.
At an upcoming event each speaker is being presented with an art-quality pencil drawing portrait made from one of their photographs. You can bet that this gift will be proudly displayed for years to come.
Whether your milestone is an anniversary, a goal reached, a new era, or an ordeal endured and survived, it is important to find some symbolic way to imprint it along with your gratitude for the contributions made. As I mentioned above, it is not important that we thank people, what is important is that they feel thanked and appreciated.
In my 30 years as a professional speaker and consultant, I (with the help of many others) have authored 14 books, two of which became national best sellers, recorded scores of audio albums that sold millions of dollars worth, served as president of the National Speakers Association, worked with thousands of clients, spoke in all 50 states, most of Canada and circumnavigated the globe twice in one year! I was inducted in the the Speaker Hall of Fame, and Speakers Roundtable, received my industry's top awards: The Golden Gavel and The Cavett Award, authored the professional development program used by NSA, and addressed hundreds of thousands of the top business people in North America and Australia. I've had literally hundreds of articles published worldwide and I've had more fun than a person could reasonably expect in a lifetime! My best friends are many of the top thought leaders in the world.
But I'm just warming up. I have decades of creativity and service ahead of me. With good health I'm probably good for another entire generation, but I'll still need others all along the way.
If you've been connected with me in any way over these past 30 years I sincerely thank you. If not, then let's get together soon and see how much more successful YOU can be. I'm eager to be of service. There is no limit to what people can do when they join forces and keep the vision alive. Thank you.
In the Spirit of Growth,
Jim Cathcart
June 16, 1977. That was the day Cathcart Institute began. As our 30th Anniversary arrived the big question we asked was, "Who is responsible for this!?" :-)
With three decades of exciting achievements and joyful experiences it is important to remember who helped make it happen. As I reflected on our journey I noticed more and more people who had made a significant contribution. If I attempted to list them here there would be no room for this article. They were partners, coworkers, mentors, suppliers, fans, clients, friends, colleagues and even competitors. There were those who worked in our business and those who didn't. There were even some noteworthy folks who didn't even realize that they were part of my inspiration or motivation. We all learned from so many others.
Nobody makes it alone in this world. We sure didn't. You could argue that a personal service business like a training and consulting firm is often the lengthened shadow of one or two individuals. That might be true but those shadows get transformed when other people become involved. Hundreds of people deserve some credit for our successes.
How about yours?
How many people have inspired and motivated you? Who encouraged you during tough times? Who believed in you? Who challenged you?
Who coached and educated you? Who pitched in to help? From whom did you learn vital lessons despite difficult situations? Who touched you in ways that made a difference?
It is important that we make time to celebrate and acknowledge our milestones. These are times of reflection that remind us of the many valuable facets of our successes. Sometimes just celebrating our survival for yet another year, decade or generation can be enough encouragement to keep us in the game. Bouncing back is proof that we still have something to give. We can't all always succeed, but we can always try. And trying counts for something. Not giving up is an admirable trait as long as we are also listening to the marketplace while we persist toward a goal.
Say thank you often, and offer congratulations whenever you can. One of the greatest abilities we humans possess is the ability to acknowledge and appreciate. In fact, entire careers have been invested by some merely to get the acknowledgement or appreciation of someone else. There are few words sweeter to the soul than "I'm so proud of you!" and "I knew you could do it!" We not only need to hear these words, we also need to say them.
When we celebrated our tenth business anniversary, twenty years ago, I held a three day series of experiences that involved: former employees, friends and mentors, vendors, colleagues and coworkers. We had a picnic, went sailing, watched the sunset from a mountaintop, dined at my home, had cocktails overlooking the ocean, watched a slide show of our times together, gave gifts and mementos and held a small banquet. At the end we made a photo album of the experience and sent one to their homes with our gratitude. Never have I had as much fun! And everyone remembers it fondly. They knew for sure that their contributions were noticed and appreciated.
One of my clients prepared special magazine covers featuring each person and gave framed copies of them to each participant. Another client established what I called a "Gratitude Brigade" to assure that everyone got at least three separate forms of thanks. They combined personal visits, phone calls, handwritten notes, gifts and other forms of contact to assure that each person not only WAS thanked but, more importantly, they FELT thanked.
At an upcoming event each speaker is being presented with an art-quality pencil drawing portrait made from one of their photographs. You can bet that this gift will be proudly displayed for years to come.
Whether your milestone is an anniversary, a goal reached, a new era, or an ordeal endured and survived, it is important to find some symbolic way to imprint it along with your gratitude for the contributions made. As I mentioned above, it is not important that we thank people, what is important is that they feel thanked and appreciated.
In my 30 years as a professional speaker and consultant, I (with the help of many others) have authored 14 books, two of which became national best sellers, recorded scores of audio albums that sold millions of dollars worth, served as president of the National Speakers Association, worked with thousands of clients, spoke in all 50 states, most of Canada and circumnavigated the globe twice in one year! I was inducted in the the Speaker Hall of Fame, and Speakers Roundtable, received my industry's top awards: The Golden Gavel and The Cavett Award, authored the professional development program used by NSA, and addressed hundreds of thousands of the top business people in North America and Australia. I've had literally hundreds of articles published worldwide and I've had more fun than a person could reasonably expect in a lifetime! My best friends are many of the top thought leaders in the world.
But I'm just warming up. I have decades of creativity and service ahead of me. With good health I'm probably good for another entire generation, but I'll still need others all along the way.
If you've been connected with me in any way over these past 30 years I sincerely thank you. If not, then let's get together soon and see how much more successful YOU can be. I'm eager to be of service. There is no limit to what people can do when they join forces and keep the vision alive. Thank you.
In the Spirit of Growth,
Jim Cathcart
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Two New Speech & Seminar Topics
by Jim Cathcart
Hi Folks, I'd love your feedback on the items below.
We've got lots of exciting news. My online library is growing daily and I've refined some new speech & seminar topics as well. (This is a new treatment of an older title.)
1. The Acorn Principle - Growing Demand by Growing Your Brand
From Brand Awareness to Brand Preference to Brand Insistence
Your Personal Brand and Your Business' Brand
Emerging in a new marketplace (How to create & establish your brand)
Transitioning from an earlier position
The biggest brand error of all (inconsistency)
Riding someone else's horse, at first
How to look like good news to everyone you meet
Knowing your "Publics"
Defining the reputation you want
Earning the reputation you want
Managing your reputation - consciously & intentionally
The Future you see and the Person you'll be
Expanding your Brand
Things that are measured tend to improve
Brand Marketing: Surround, Penetrate, Saturate
Personal Service Businesses, Small Businesses and Large Enterprises
Becoming the person you will need to be
2. Sales Psychology - Understanding The Mind of your Buyer
How people will show you the ways they like to buy
How to know what kind of "Relationship" buyers prefer
Opening new mental "files" so that you can learn more
The essence of intelligence is noticing more
Methods vs Patterns vs Principles
The tip of the iceberg and the bulk of the iceberg
Behavior Patterns are only the beginning
Internal Diversity and External Diversity
Personal Velocity differences
Understanding Intellectual Bandwidth - processing capacity
Multiple Intelligences - How is this person smart?
Value Priorities - what matters to him or her?
Background Imprint - patterns from the past
Know thyself - If you don't know yourself, others will be in control
Adapting to multiple differences in people
What This Means To You Is... (translating your message to suit their mind)
Modus Operandi- Mode of Operation - whether to use information or motivation next
These are just two new topics that have evolved out of all of my research over these past 30 years.
(June 16, 2007 is Cathcart Institutes's 30th Business Anniversary!)
I have not produced separate promotional pieces for these topics since they extend my existing topics but , check out the following link to my new website. It is a video one-sheet with three short clips of narration followed by live performance.
Here is the link: http://youonyourwebsite.com/Cathcart/One_Page.htm
In the Spirit of Growth,
Jim
Jim Cathcart
Cathcart Institute, Inc.
Executive Office
2324 Crombie Court
Lake Sherwood, CA 91361
805-777-3477
email: jim@cathcart.com
Jim on Video: http://youonyourwebsite.com/Cathcart/One_Page.htm
website: http://www.cathcart.com
Jim's blog: http://www.cathcart.com/blog
Hi Folks, I'd love your feedback on the items below.
We've got lots of exciting news. My online library is growing daily and I've refined some new speech & seminar topics as well. (This is a new treatment of an older title.)
1. The Acorn Principle - Growing Demand by Growing Your Brand
From Brand Awareness to Brand Preference to Brand Insistence
Your Personal Brand and Your Business' Brand
Emerging in a new marketplace (How to create & establish your brand)
Transitioning from an earlier position
The biggest brand error of all (inconsistency)
Riding someone else's horse, at first
How to look like good news to everyone you meet
Knowing your "Publics"
Defining the reputation you want
Earning the reputation you want
Managing your reputation - consciously & intentionally
The Future you see and the Person you'll be
Expanding your Brand
Things that are measured tend to improve
Brand Marketing: Surround, Penetrate, Saturate
Personal Service Businesses, Small Businesses and Large Enterprises
Becoming the person you will need to be
2. Sales Psychology - Understanding The Mind of your Buyer
How people will show you the ways they like to buy
How to know what kind of "Relationship" buyers prefer
Opening new mental "files" so that you can learn more
The essence of intelligence is noticing more
Methods vs Patterns vs Principles
The tip of the iceberg and the bulk of the iceberg
Behavior Patterns are only the beginning
Internal Diversity and External Diversity
Personal Velocity differences
Understanding Intellectual Bandwidth - processing capacity
Multiple Intelligences - How is this person smart?
Value Priorities - what matters to him or her?
Background Imprint - patterns from the past
Know thyself - If you don't know yourself, others will be in control
Adapting to multiple differences in people
What This Means To You Is... (translating your message to suit their mind)
Modus Operandi- Mode of Operation - whether to use information or motivation next
These are just two new topics that have evolved out of all of my research over these past 30 years.
(June 16, 2007 is Cathcart Institutes's 30th Business Anniversary!)
I have not produced separate promotional pieces for these topics since they extend my existing topics but , check out the following link to my new website. It is a video one-sheet with three short clips of narration followed by live performance.
Here is the link: http://youonyourwebsite.com/Cathcart/One_Page.htm
In the Spirit of Growth,
Jim
Jim Cathcart
Cathcart Institute, Inc.
Executive Office
2324 Crombie Court
Lake Sherwood, CA 91361
805-777-3477
email: jim@cathcart.com
Jim on Video: http://youonyourwebsite.com/Cathcart/One_Page.htm
website: http://www.cathcart.com
Jim's blog: http://www.cathcart.com/blog
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Do your friends really know what you do for a living?
by Jim Cathcart, founder of Cathcart Institute, Inc.
When my friend called and asked for a referral to someone who could deliver a keynote speech for his company's convention I was stunned. He wasn't aware of the fact that for 30 years I have been a professional speaker! He knew I wrote books and consulted with companies in helping them to grow, but he wasn't aware of the biggest part of my career; professional speaking. One visit to my website, www.cathcart.com, would have quickly shown him that I was a member of the Professional Speaker Hall of Fame, past president of the National Speakers Association and had received the Cavett Award and the Golden Gavel Award as one of the top speakers internationally. What a wake up call to me! I now make it a point to tell my friends what I do.
How many of your friends, neighbors and family members could accurately describe what you do for a living and how well you do it?
We spend so much time around those closest to us that we often assume they know much more about us than they do. I think it is a good idea to keep our friends informed. We join networks and attend functions in order to connect with prospects and discover opportunities, but do we provide overviews and orientations for those closest to us?
In an effort to keep you aware of my "news" I will be adding an announcement section to The Acorn Letter. The usual message will still be there for you and you can scroll right past my news if you aren't interested in it, but at least I'll know that I shared the latest information with you.
I encourage you to do something similar with your circle of relationships. Just start asking if they'd be interested in learning about what you do or can do for others. The most likely people to send you opportunities are those who already know and care about you. Keep them up to date.
When my friend called and asked for a referral to someone who could deliver a keynote speech for his company's convention I was stunned. He wasn't aware of the fact that for 30 years I have been a professional speaker! He knew I wrote books and consulted with companies in helping them to grow, but he wasn't aware of the biggest part of my career; professional speaking. One visit to my website, www.cathcart.com, would have quickly shown him that I was a member of the Professional Speaker Hall of Fame, past president of the National Speakers Association and had received the Cavett Award and the Golden Gavel Award as one of the top speakers internationally. What a wake up call to me! I now make it a point to tell my friends what I do.
How many of your friends, neighbors and family members could accurately describe what you do for a living and how well you do it?
We spend so much time around those closest to us that we often assume they know much more about us than they do. I think it is a good idea to keep our friends informed. We join networks and attend functions in order to connect with prospects and discover opportunities, but do we provide overviews and orientations for those closest to us?
In an effort to keep you aware of my "news" I will be adding an announcement section to The Acorn Letter. The usual message will still be there for you and you can scroll right past my news if you aren't interested in it, but at least I'll know that I shared the latest information with you.
I encourage you to do something similar with your circle of relationships. Just start asking if they'd be interested in learning about what you do or can do for others. The most likely people to send you opportunities are those who already know and care about you. Keep them up to date.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Get all of your people to work together
by Jim Cathcart
Cathcart Institute, Inc.
A few years ago one of my clients was a Country Club with 25 managers, 125 employees with a mixture of two languages, about 500 members and a world class facility including Golf, Tennis and Dining. They had experienced a lack of communication between departments and some of their managers weren't taking their roles very seriously when it came to attendance at special social events. Some of the managers never complimented but frequently criticized their employees. Others never confronted bad behaviors. Relations with the customers (Members) were less than ideal. The budget available for addressing the problem was limited but they couldn't afford to do nothing.
The General Manager decided to schedule a series of training lectures from various experts in an effort to change attitudes and, ultimately, behaviors. I was invited to deliver one of the lectures.
When I interviewed the GM to see what his goals were he told me of the situation described above. Upon looking at the plans for the lecture series I could see that it was not a coordinated series focused on the needs but rather it was a group of interesting general presentations on "teamwork", "time management", "communication", etc. So I made a radical suggestion.
I said, "Don't do the lecture series at all. Just put all your energies into addressing the real problems. Let me be your project chairman and I'll design a plan to turn the attitudes and behaviors around." After some discussion he agreed and I was hired to be the outside "Director of Training" for the balance of the year.
Upon closer inspection I found that there was no ongoing program to orient new managers to the Club and its ways. Sure, everyone got some training to do "their job" but there was no form of In-Processing that would assure they were all thinking in compatible ways. Nor was there any training or process in place that truly made them feel like everyone was part of the same organization, all as one. So each person quickly fell into the mindset of "I'll handle my department and you handle yours."
No teamwork, no handoffs, little communication, no sense of connection with other employees, and no sense of duty or commitment to serving the members and guests. These were the predictable results of assuming that everyone would "get it" on their own. But, at least, they were pleasant toward each other. And, a couple of the first level managers were exceptional performers with great attitudes despite the lack of direction from above. Of the entire group most were well qualified for their positions and were good people. Only a few had "issues."
I determined that the first need was to orient everyone toward the Club in ways that made them proud to be a part of it and feeling an obligation to do their part to make it better. So I got their promotional packet that was distributed to every prospective member and to the press during special events. This gave me the images and content upon which to build our first meeting. We decided to work with the managers at first and to let them carry the message to their coworkers.
The press kit cover said "Welcome to XYZ Country Club". In the opening meeting I established an open atmosphere and put the managers at ease, then I posed the question, "To whom are we speaking when we say "Welcome to XYZ Country Club"?
They said it was directed at prospective members and guests. "Anyone else?" I asked.
Yes, the media reads it too.
Then I asked what seemed to be a stupid question, "What does Welcome mean?" They said it meant that we want people to feel that we are glad they are here and we will happily help them with whatever they want or need. They said it also means that they should have no apprehension about being here, just relax and enjoy because they are "welcome" here. (Nice answer.)
So I followed up with a second question, in the spirit of Dr. Phil, I asked, "How's that working for you? Do people truly feel welcome here? Do they tell you so? How do we know if anyone feels that way?" You see, without measures and feedback we don't know what is working and what is not.
My next question backed them into a corner even more. "Do we want the people who work here to feel 'welcome'? Or do we just want them to do their jobs and quickly go home? " I said that any worker who did not feel welcome here would probably resent their job and coworkers. If we want someone's best efforts then we have to treat them with dignity and show them that we care about them. People who are often reminded how little they matter tend to become resentful employees and they resist doing any work that isn't absolutely required. So, everyone agreed,"Yes, we want everyone who works here to feel welcome too."
Now I had them. So I asked, "what do you do that lets them know they are welcome here?" Silence.
I tried another approach, "what do we do or not do that causes them to feel they are NOT welcome here?" Answers started to flow. In other words, there were plenty of turn-offs being handed out but almost zero turn-ons.
Once I had made my case for new behaviors I asked the group to embrace a single, simple new policy: We acknowledge people, all people, all of the time, under all circumstances. I explained that this meant greeting each other in the hallways or at least smiling and nodding hello. It also meant speaking with people doing landscaping and housekeeping work. And it meant that all staff at all levels would begin to acknowledge members and guests too. They agreed.
Within one week of the new policy people started communicating more. It took some supervision to get everyone to practice the new behavior but once they knew we were seriously committed to acknowledgment, then everyone started speaking and smiling more often. It's hard to ignore a friendly hello or a smile and eye contact, so the effects were felt almost immediately. A simple behavior had produced dramatic effects. But much more work was still needed.
Our next management session focused on the Why behind all of the things we do. I asked each of them to explain why their department was important to the organization and why each role within it was needed. This was hard for some, they had never thought that way. They could explain How all day long, but they seldom thought about why. And a Why overrules a How every time. The person who knows How may have a job but the one who knows Why will usually be their boss.
After several sessions like the above, each building upon the others, we got to a point where every manager and many of their coworkers could easily explain how the country club worked, what each part of it did for the members and the owners, and how every one of their jobs fit into the system. They knew why they did things in the ways they did and what the value of each behavior was. They agreed to become more accountable for their outcomes and more cooperative with each other. The group had become a team and they cared about each other as well as the club itself.
The lesson here is that Behaviors always follow Mindset. Change the Mindset and you will change the Behaviors.
But to sustain the Mindset you need Systems. And all systems within the organization should grow out of the purpose, mission and vision (the DNA) of the Club in this case.
Between Mindset and Systems are Skillsets. People need to be continually trained in the Skillsets that allow them to perform at an excellent level.
Mindset, Skillsets, and Systems are the key to transforming a group into a Team.
For more information on how you can use ideas from this case study contact me at jim@cathcart.com.
Cathcart Institute, Inc.
A few years ago one of my clients was a Country Club with 25 managers, 125 employees with a mixture of two languages, about 500 members and a world class facility including Golf, Tennis and Dining. They had experienced a lack of communication between departments and some of their managers weren't taking their roles very seriously when it came to attendance at special social events. Some of the managers never complimented but frequently criticized their employees. Others never confronted bad behaviors. Relations with the customers (Members) were less than ideal. The budget available for addressing the problem was limited but they couldn't afford to do nothing.
The General Manager decided to schedule a series of training lectures from various experts in an effort to change attitudes and, ultimately, behaviors. I was invited to deliver one of the lectures.
When I interviewed the GM to see what his goals were he told me of the situation described above. Upon looking at the plans for the lecture series I could see that it was not a coordinated series focused on the needs but rather it was a group of interesting general presentations on "teamwork", "time management", "communication", etc. So I made a radical suggestion.
I said, "Don't do the lecture series at all. Just put all your energies into addressing the real problems. Let me be your project chairman and I'll design a plan to turn the attitudes and behaviors around." After some discussion he agreed and I was hired to be the outside "Director of Training" for the balance of the year.
Upon closer inspection I found that there was no ongoing program to orient new managers to the Club and its ways. Sure, everyone got some training to do "their job" but there was no form of In-Processing that would assure they were all thinking in compatible ways. Nor was there any training or process in place that truly made them feel like everyone was part of the same organization, all as one. So each person quickly fell into the mindset of "I'll handle my department and you handle yours."
No teamwork, no handoffs, little communication, no sense of connection with other employees, and no sense of duty or commitment to serving the members and guests. These were the predictable results of assuming that everyone would "get it" on their own. But, at least, they were pleasant toward each other. And, a couple of the first level managers were exceptional performers with great attitudes despite the lack of direction from above. Of the entire group most were well qualified for their positions and were good people. Only a few had "issues."
I determined that the first need was to orient everyone toward the Club in ways that made them proud to be a part of it and feeling an obligation to do their part to make it better. So I got their promotional packet that was distributed to every prospective member and to the press during special events. This gave me the images and content upon which to build our first meeting. We decided to work with the managers at first and to let them carry the message to their coworkers.
The press kit cover said "Welcome to XYZ Country Club". In the opening meeting I established an open atmosphere and put the managers at ease, then I posed the question, "To whom are we speaking when we say "Welcome to XYZ Country Club"?
They said it was directed at prospective members and guests. "Anyone else?" I asked.
Yes, the media reads it too.
Then I asked what seemed to be a stupid question, "What does Welcome mean?" They said it meant that we want people to feel that we are glad they are here and we will happily help them with whatever they want or need. They said it also means that they should have no apprehension about being here, just relax and enjoy because they are "welcome" here. (Nice answer.)
So I followed up with a second question, in the spirit of Dr. Phil, I asked, "How's that working for you? Do people truly feel welcome here? Do they tell you so? How do we know if anyone feels that way?" You see, without measures and feedback we don't know what is working and what is not.
My next question backed them into a corner even more. "Do we want the people who work here to feel 'welcome'? Or do we just want them to do their jobs and quickly go home? " I said that any worker who did not feel welcome here would probably resent their job and coworkers. If we want someone's best efforts then we have to treat them with dignity and show them that we care about them. People who are often reminded how little they matter tend to become resentful employees and they resist doing any work that isn't absolutely required. So, everyone agreed,"Yes, we want everyone who works here to feel welcome too."
Now I had them. So I asked, "what do you do that lets them know they are welcome here?" Silence.
I tried another approach, "what do we do or not do that causes them to feel they are NOT welcome here?" Answers started to flow. In other words, there were plenty of turn-offs being handed out but almost zero turn-ons.
Once I had made my case for new behaviors I asked the group to embrace a single, simple new policy: We acknowledge people, all people, all of the time, under all circumstances. I explained that this meant greeting each other in the hallways or at least smiling and nodding hello. It also meant speaking with people doing landscaping and housekeeping work. And it meant that all staff at all levels would begin to acknowledge members and guests too. They agreed.
Within one week of the new policy people started communicating more. It took some supervision to get everyone to practice the new behavior but once they knew we were seriously committed to acknowledgment, then everyone started speaking and smiling more often. It's hard to ignore a friendly hello or a smile and eye contact, so the effects were felt almost immediately. A simple behavior had produced dramatic effects. But much more work was still needed.
Our next management session focused on the Why behind all of the things we do. I asked each of them to explain why their department was important to the organization and why each role within it was needed. This was hard for some, they had never thought that way. They could explain How all day long, but they seldom thought about why. And a Why overrules a How every time. The person who knows How may have a job but the one who knows Why will usually be their boss.
After several sessions like the above, each building upon the others, we got to a point where every manager and many of their coworkers could easily explain how the country club worked, what each part of it did for the members and the owners, and how every one of their jobs fit into the system. They knew why they did things in the ways they did and what the value of each behavior was. They agreed to become more accountable for their outcomes and more cooperative with each other. The group had become a team and they cared about each other as well as the club itself.
The lesson here is that Behaviors always follow Mindset. Change the Mindset and you will change the Behaviors.
But to sustain the Mindset you need Systems. And all systems within the organization should grow out of the purpose, mission and vision (the DNA) of the Club in this case.
Between Mindset and Systems are Skillsets. People need to be continually trained in the Skillsets that allow them to perform at an excellent level.
Mindset, Skillsets, and Systems are the key to transforming a group into a Team.
For more information on how you can use ideas from this case study contact me at jim@cathcart.com.
Monday, April 16, 2007
The US Economy
by Jim Cathcart
My friends and investment advisors Bill & Mary Staton of America's Finest Companies recently posted the following in their monthly email report:
Brian Wesbury of First Trust Advisors sums up our thinking nicely, “Last year, U.S. exports, industrial production, real-hourly compensation, corporate profits, federal tax revenue, retail sales, GDP, productivity, the number of people with jobs, the number of students in college, airline passenger traffic and the Dow Jones Industrial Average all hit record levels. For the third consecutive year, global growth was strong, continuing to lift (and hold) millions of people out of poverty. In relative terms, the first five years of the current recovery have been much better than the first five years of the 1990s recovery.”
Now pause for a moment and reread the quote above.
Then answer this question, "What kind of shape is our economy in at present?"
Next question, "How does this compare to all the news you've been hearing and reading?"
My guess is that your impression of our economic status prior to reading the above, was that we were in a down economy and worse off than during the Clinton administration. The knee jerk response is "yes, but now we are at war and the economy is not the whole picture." Of course it is not the whole picture, but please get it that we have a robust economy right now DESPITE being at war. That is a big point.
In most situations the drains from fighting a war would sap the economy so much that it would be struggling for survival. The reason ours is not is that the current administration's economic policy of reducing taxes is working.
Our newly elected Democratic majority seems to be on a feeding frenzy to remove tax breaks and increase taxes on the business leaders, the ones who drive the economy. They claim that the "rich" are paying too little and the "poor" are paying too much. So they want to raise taxes.
Now, what's wrong with this picture? The economy is fantastically strong, jobs are plentiful, unemployment is way down and has stayed that way for years, tax income to the federal government is up due to the booming economy...so they want to "fix" it???
Folks, it doesn't matter what political party you embrace, the economy is driven by Ownership not by employees. Providing tax incentives to business owners is the quickest way to get increased salaries, increased tax revenues for the government and increased employee benefits. Successful companies with lower tax burdens tend to be more generous with benefits and raises. Struggling companies always tighten their belts and reduce what they pay to the employees, in order to survive.
Please do not listen to the politicians who are telling you we need more taxes. And for sure don't listen to those who claim that forced pay increases (via higher minimum wage laws) will help the workers. They won't. Never have and won't in the future. The more the employer HAS to pay to the government and to their employees the less they will invest in new technology, new products and new ways to grow the business. Businesses that grow require more employees (more jobs!) and they try harder to retain their good employees (more pay raises and benefits!).
Let's invest in education and raise the standards of performance so that everyone becomes productive. Leave the taxes low and get them lower if we can. That will stimulate business growth as we have seen it do for years now. Stop the insanity of the politics of good intentions and return to the policies of reason, logic and proven methods. Our economy is strong, please encourage your congressional leaders to stop tinkering with it in order to feel good about changing things (which, incidentally, don't need changing.)
Invest your energies in the issues that do need our attention: eliminating terrorism from the world, stopping the victimization of innocent people and expanding freedom and opportunity to all.
My friends and investment advisors Bill & Mary Staton of America's Finest Companies recently posted the following in their monthly email report:
Brian Wesbury of First Trust Advisors sums up our thinking nicely, “Last year, U.S. exports, industrial production, real-hourly compensation, corporate profits, federal tax revenue, retail sales, GDP, productivity, the number of people with jobs, the number of students in college, airline passenger traffic and the Dow Jones Industrial Average all hit record levels. For the third consecutive year, global growth was strong, continuing to lift (and hold) millions of people out of poverty. In relative terms, the first five years of the current recovery have been much better than the first five years of the 1990s recovery.”
Now pause for a moment and reread the quote above.
Then answer this question, "What kind of shape is our economy in at present?"
Next question, "How does this compare to all the news you've been hearing and reading?"
My guess is that your impression of our economic status prior to reading the above, was that we were in a down economy and worse off than during the Clinton administration. The knee jerk response is "yes, but now we are at war and the economy is not the whole picture." Of course it is not the whole picture, but please get it that we have a robust economy right now DESPITE being at war. That is a big point.
In most situations the drains from fighting a war would sap the economy so much that it would be struggling for survival. The reason ours is not is that the current administration's economic policy of reducing taxes is working.
Our newly elected Democratic majority seems to be on a feeding frenzy to remove tax breaks and increase taxes on the business leaders, the ones who drive the economy. They claim that the "rich" are paying too little and the "poor" are paying too much. So they want to raise taxes.
Now, what's wrong with this picture? The economy is fantastically strong, jobs are plentiful, unemployment is way down and has stayed that way for years, tax income to the federal government is up due to the booming economy...so they want to "fix" it???
Folks, it doesn't matter what political party you embrace, the economy is driven by Ownership not by employees. Providing tax incentives to business owners is the quickest way to get increased salaries, increased tax revenues for the government and increased employee benefits. Successful companies with lower tax burdens tend to be more generous with benefits and raises. Struggling companies always tighten their belts and reduce what they pay to the employees, in order to survive.
Please do not listen to the politicians who are telling you we need more taxes. And for sure don't listen to those who claim that forced pay increases (via higher minimum wage laws) will help the workers. They won't. Never have and won't in the future. The more the employer HAS to pay to the government and to their employees the less they will invest in new technology, new products and new ways to grow the business. Businesses that grow require more employees (more jobs!) and they try harder to retain their good employees (more pay raises and benefits!).
Let's invest in education and raise the standards of performance so that everyone becomes productive. Leave the taxes low and get them lower if we can. That will stimulate business growth as we have seen it do for years now. Stop the insanity of the politics of good intentions and return to the policies of reason, logic and proven methods. Our economy is strong, please encourage your congressional leaders to stop tinkering with it in order to feel good about changing things (which, incidentally, don't need changing.)
Invest your energies in the issues that do need our attention: eliminating terrorism from the world, stopping the victimization of innocent people and expanding freedom and opportunity to all.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Self Leadership Skills - The Base Required For Success
by Jim Cathcart
If you can't lead yourself then you aren't ready to lead others.
Stated more positively: When you learn to lead yourself the world is yours!
In 1977 I formed Cathcart Institute for the expressed purpose of "Helping People Grow."
Since then I've worked with psychological researchers, organizational development specialists, managers, authors, poets, trainers, olympic athletes, philosophers, historians, scientists and motivators to determine how people can gain more control over their lives and more capacity for self direction.
My assumption has been that by empowering others to lead themselves effectively I will expand the contributions they make to the world and all of us will ultimately benefit. When I'm hired as a motivational speaker my task is not to motivate others but rather it is to show them how to continually motivate themselves. If I only motivate them from the outside then they remain dependent on others to get them going. But by showing them how to sustain Self Leadership, they are free to grow on their own.
For Managers, the best thing they can do for their employees is to teach them to manage themselves. As each person becomes more self-managed, their supervisor is freed to apply energy to other opportunities.
I have often informed my new employees that I expect them to continually learn and grow on their own, to become more valuable to my company and their career with each passing day. Yes, I support their learning in some ways, but the responsibility to learn and improve is theirs, not mine. I let them know that just as they expect me to grow the company, I expect them to grow themselves. If either of us stops growing then we should part company.
For Parents, the task of getting children to complete their homework is often a decades long assignment, and an unpleasant one at that. But if they can cultivate in their children a love of learning, they may never have to worry about homework again. The kids don't do homework on their own unless they feel a personal desire to do so. Outside pressure only creates a temporary stimulus. Show them the benefits and joys of learning. Show your own love of learning through your actions and teach them techniques to make learning more enjoyable and easier, then you can stand back and watch them grow.
In Sales, the sales managers that teach their representatives to become their own sales managers are freed to focus on producing more and better sales. Those who do not are saddled with the eternal duty of keeping their team motivated. Share the information freely and hold people accountable for taking initiative. Keep the numbers of what is working and what is not obvious to everyone. Things that are measured tend to improve.
There is an underlying concept here: Responsible TO vs Responsible FOR.
If I'm responsible FOR you then all things have to begin with me. When I don't act then you don't act, but you get to blame me for your inaction.
On the other hand, when I'm responsible TO you to provide direction, support and encouragement, then if I don't do my part, you are still in the drivers seat. I'm just a resource. That is as it should be.
Examine your own patterns. Do you condition others into the posture of waiting for your lead or do you expect and allow them to take actions on their own? Often our own policies and practices can work to defeat our desired effects. For example: if people are instructed to not take any creative action without your prior approval then creativity will not happen. But with the freedom to use their own best judgement they are allowed to explore best solutions. We only get new ideas when there is enough room to experiment.
Trust your people enough to give them some room. Allow them enough margin for error that they can take chances, but not so much that you put the entire enterprise at risk. Teach standards of performance, core values, best practices, and legal limits, but leave room for innovation. At least allow them to stumble and possibly fall as they progress toward your goals. Teach them how to Fall Forward when they experiment.
Don't encourage them to be "Risk Takers" instead teach them to be "Opportunity Seekers." Show them how to explore within reasonable limits of risk.
For Self Leadership to emerge, there must be: Trust, Support, Open Information Flow, Clear Guidelines, Resources and Compelling Goals. People step up when they have a reason to do so (the root word in Motivation is "Motive") and when they have permission to act on their own.
For more on Self Leadership Skills, go to www.selfleadershipskills.com.
If you can't lead yourself then you aren't ready to lead others.
Stated more positively: When you learn to lead yourself the world is yours!
In 1977 I formed Cathcart Institute for the expressed purpose of "Helping People Grow."
Since then I've worked with psychological researchers, organizational development specialists, managers, authors, poets, trainers, olympic athletes, philosophers, historians, scientists and motivators to determine how people can gain more control over their lives and more capacity for self direction.
My assumption has been that by empowering others to lead themselves effectively I will expand the contributions they make to the world and all of us will ultimately benefit. When I'm hired as a motivational speaker my task is not to motivate others but rather it is to show them how to continually motivate themselves. If I only motivate them from the outside then they remain dependent on others to get them going. But by showing them how to sustain Self Leadership, they are free to grow on their own.
For Managers, the best thing they can do for their employees is to teach them to manage themselves. As each person becomes more self-managed, their supervisor is freed to apply energy to other opportunities.
I have often informed my new employees that I expect them to continually learn and grow on their own, to become more valuable to my company and their career with each passing day. Yes, I support their learning in some ways, but the responsibility to learn and improve is theirs, not mine. I let them know that just as they expect me to grow the company, I expect them to grow themselves. If either of us stops growing then we should part company.
For Parents, the task of getting children to complete their homework is often a decades long assignment, and an unpleasant one at that. But if they can cultivate in their children a love of learning, they may never have to worry about homework again. The kids don't do homework on their own unless they feel a personal desire to do so. Outside pressure only creates a temporary stimulus. Show them the benefits and joys of learning. Show your own love of learning through your actions and teach them techniques to make learning more enjoyable and easier, then you can stand back and watch them grow.
In Sales, the sales managers that teach their representatives to become their own sales managers are freed to focus on producing more and better sales. Those who do not are saddled with the eternal duty of keeping their team motivated. Share the information freely and hold people accountable for taking initiative. Keep the numbers of what is working and what is not obvious to everyone. Things that are measured tend to improve.
There is an underlying concept here: Responsible TO vs Responsible FOR.
If I'm responsible FOR you then all things have to begin with me. When I don't act then you don't act, but you get to blame me for your inaction.
On the other hand, when I'm responsible TO you to provide direction, support and encouragement, then if I don't do my part, you are still in the drivers seat. I'm just a resource. That is as it should be.
Examine your own patterns. Do you condition others into the posture of waiting for your lead or do you expect and allow them to take actions on their own? Often our own policies and practices can work to defeat our desired effects. For example: if people are instructed to not take any creative action without your prior approval then creativity will not happen. But with the freedom to use their own best judgement they are allowed to explore best solutions. We only get new ideas when there is enough room to experiment.
Trust your people enough to give them some room. Allow them enough margin for error that they can take chances, but not so much that you put the entire enterprise at risk. Teach standards of performance, core values, best practices, and legal limits, but leave room for innovation. At least allow them to stumble and possibly fall as they progress toward your goals. Teach them how to Fall Forward when they experiment.
Don't encourage them to be "Risk Takers" instead teach them to be "Opportunity Seekers." Show them how to explore within reasonable limits of risk.
For Self Leadership to emerge, there must be: Trust, Support, Open Information Flow, Clear Guidelines, Resources and Compelling Goals. People step up when they have a reason to do so (the root word in Motivation is "Motive") and when they have permission to act on their own.
For more on Self Leadership Skills, go to www.selfleadershipskills.com.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Sherwood Parlor Series- The lost art of discussion
In the ancient days before television a practice flourished that was known as Discussion. In fact, people even hosted what were known as Discussion Salons. These were typically in someone's living room and the program for the evening was simply a lively dialogue among the participants.
Occasionally today we have great discussions with our friends and colleagues, but today it is less likely to be planned, and therefore less likely to occur at all. I say it's time to reverse the trend.
Let's get together and talk.
A few years ago my wife Paula and I moved to a new community. This one was 150 miles from our previous home and we didn't know many people. I found the uncertainty stimulating and decided to do something about it. So I contacted the Sherwood Country Club where we had moved and asked if they'd like for me to host a "Parlor Discussion Series" for the members and residents. They enthusiastically agreed. The club provided the location and catering. The attendees paid a small fee to cover expenses and I provided the topics, the special guests and the leadership of the meetings. (This may be something you can do in your home area.)
Evidently there was a thirst for "interesting discussions among interested people" because we had more people than our venue could accomodate at the first event. The topic I chose was "Friendship" and I invited one of my colleagues who had special insight into the friendships between Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and Charles Lindberg.
About 26 people attended and we set up the room like a big living room with an oval of couches and armchairs.
I introduced my guest and told the group that the rules of our Discussion Parlor Series were few and simple: 1. treat this as your living room, relax and be yourself, and 2. be nice to each other.
They laughed in approval and we began the discussion. We talked about: how friendships are formed, types of friendships, the life expectancy of a friendship, what made them grow and/or dissolve, etc.
Since that time I've hosted 17 "Sherwood Parlor" events in almost five years.
We have had a fascinating assortment of guests and topics.
Occasionally today we have great discussions with our friends and colleagues, but today it is less likely to be planned, and therefore less likely to occur at all. I say it's time to reverse the trend.
Let's get together and talk.
A few years ago my wife Paula and I moved to a new community. This one was 150 miles from our previous home and we didn't know many people. I found the uncertainty stimulating and decided to do something about it. So I contacted the Sherwood Country Club where we had moved and asked if they'd like for me to host a "Parlor Discussion Series" for the members and residents. They enthusiastically agreed. The club provided the location and catering. The attendees paid a small fee to cover expenses and I provided the topics, the special guests and the leadership of the meetings. (This may be something you can do in your home area.)
Evidently there was a thirst for "interesting discussions among interested people" because we had more people than our venue could accomodate at the first event. The topic I chose was "Friendship" and I invited one of my colleagues who had special insight into the friendships between Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and Charles Lindberg.
About 26 people attended and we set up the room like a big living room with an oval of couches and armchairs.
I introduced my guest and told the group that the rules of our Discussion Parlor Series were few and simple: 1. treat this as your living room, relax and be yourself, and 2. be nice to each other.
They laughed in approval and we began the discussion. We talked about: how friendships are formed, types of friendships, the life expectancy of a friendship, what made them grow and/or dissolve, etc.
Since that time I've hosted 17 "Sherwood Parlor" events in almost five years.
We have had a fascinating assortment of guests and topics.
Prior topics have been:
- Friendship,
- Mentors & Role Models,
- What Motivates People?,
- Can Optimism Be Learned?,
- The Importance of Laughter,
- Leading in "Fast Time",
- The Importance of Stories,
- Adding Show-Business to Business,
- How To Cultivate Curiosity,
- Negotiation,
- Inspiring Yourself & Others,
- Why People Succeed,
- Creating The Future,
- Music Matters,
- Thinking About Thinking,
- and The Four Seasons Way (learning what makes a Luxury Hotel)
Guests have included: Bob Hope's chief comedy writer, Gene Perrett, Shuttle Astronaut, Col. Rick Searfoss, and an assortment of musicians, writers, speakers, executives, philosophers, etc.
This is not a speech atmosphere, nor does it require any special preparation.
In fact my guests usually only speak for a few minutes before we open to floor to everyone.
These are informal "living room" chats with a group of anywhere from a dozen to two dozen people who live here in the area.
The meetings convene at 5:30pm and adjourn promptly at 7:30pm so that everyone can still make dinner plans for after the Parlor. Starting and ending on time is vital. If you conduct an event like this the attendees will expect you to stick to your times and to keep the events interesting.
One way I keep things lively is by taking as much interest in the attendees as they do in my guest. I ask everyone for their opinions, questions or stories. Sometimes they are more fascinating than my special guests! At the end I summarize a few key points or ask the audience to do that for me. Then we go to dinner with my guest and invite the others to join us "dutch treat" if they wish. Usually about 1/3 of the participants will join our dinner party. We simply go across the street to the Tennis Club Dining Room and take as many tables as are available. It's an informal and spontaneous gathering, but it's always fun.
I encourage you to find some folks you would enjoy talking with, select a few fascinating topics, and schedule a parlor discussion of your own. You don't need to make a series of it, but you can if the interest is there. Let's get together more often and just talk.
One way I keep things lively is by taking as much interest in the attendees as they do in my guest. I ask everyone for their opinions, questions or stories. Sometimes they are more fascinating than my special guests! At the end I summarize a few key points or ask the audience to do that for me. Then we go to dinner with my guest and invite the others to join us "dutch treat" if they wish. Usually about 1/3 of the participants will join our dinner party. We simply go across the street to the Tennis Club Dining Room and take as many tables as are available. It's an informal and spontaneous gathering, but it's always fun.
I encourage you to find some folks you would enjoy talking with, select a few fascinating topics, and schedule a parlor discussion of your own. You don't need to make a series of it, but you can if the interest is there. Let's get together more often and just talk.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Secret to your Success - Leadership
Open any newspaper or magazine today and you will find a mention if not a feature on The Secret (the book & the DVD). This phenomenal product was created by Rhonda Byrne and includes some of my good friends; James Ray, Jack Canfield, Denis Waitley and others. They are speaking about the concept known as "The Law of Attraction."
Simply stated this law says, what you focus your attention on tends to move toward you. This is even true on the simple physical level. When riding a bike, if there is an obstacle in the road, by looking at it you almost assure that you will collide with it. So we are taught to look at the unobstructed path around the obstacle, not at the obstacle itself. Try it sometime, in a safe area, pick a point in the road ahead of you and look at it while intending to avoid it. You will "hit" it instead. Then look just to the side of it and you'll avoid it.
On the metaphysical level this means that what you think about will "come upon you." If you think about success you will surely achieve it. If you think about your fear of not succeeding, failure will be yours. It takes much training to get our thoughts and feelings under our guidance. They are used to following their own lead.
But the payoff for taking control of what you think about, how you think about it and how you allow yourself to feel about it, is huge! This is the most important work you can ever do because it will allow you to do everything else you ever decide to do.
I've proven it in my own life repeatedly and I've seen countless others learn to do it too.
It comes down to Self Leadership. You need to take charge of yourself.
If you don't take charge of you, others will. Everyone is led, but only the successful few are self led. That's because they have decided to and committed to doing so.
Start today to notice how you think and feel. Start keeping a journal or log of your thoughts and feelings each day. Study the patterns over several weeks and see the links between your thinking and your outcomes.
Read inspirational messages each day. Listen to podcasts and recordings that uplift you and show you how to own your life. Write out your primary goals and look at them every day, several times a day. Train your mind to focus on what you want, not what you fear.
You can have the life you want, but first the Universe needs to know from your thoughts what it is specifically that you want. Send the messages clearly and live as the person who is about to receive them.
You deserve an abundant life. And the rest of us need the contributions you can make as you become more successful.
Simply stated this law says, what you focus your attention on tends to move toward you. This is even true on the simple physical level. When riding a bike, if there is an obstacle in the road, by looking at it you almost assure that you will collide with it. So we are taught to look at the unobstructed path around the obstacle, not at the obstacle itself. Try it sometime, in a safe area, pick a point in the road ahead of you and look at it while intending to avoid it. You will "hit" it instead. Then look just to the side of it and you'll avoid it.
On the metaphysical level this means that what you think about will "come upon you." If you think about success you will surely achieve it. If you think about your fear of not succeeding, failure will be yours. It takes much training to get our thoughts and feelings under our guidance. They are used to following their own lead.
But the payoff for taking control of what you think about, how you think about it and how you allow yourself to feel about it, is huge! This is the most important work you can ever do because it will allow you to do everything else you ever decide to do.
I've proven it in my own life repeatedly and I've seen countless others learn to do it too.
It comes down to Self Leadership. You need to take charge of yourself.
If you don't take charge of you, others will. Everyone is led, but only the successful few are self led. That's because they have decided to and committed to doing so.
Start today to notice how you think and feel. Start keeping a journal or log of your thoughts and feelings each day. Study the patterns over several weeks and see the links between your thinking and your outcomes.
Read inspirational messages each day. Listen to podcasts and recordings that uplift you and show you how to own your life. Write out your primary goals and look at them every day, several times a day. Train your mind to focus on what you want, not what you fear.
You can have the life you want, but first the Universe needs to know from your thoughts what it is specifically that you want. Send the messages clearly and live as the person who is about to receive them.
You deserve an abundant life. And the rest of us need the contributions you can make as you become more successful.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
12 New Episodes on Jim Cathcart's TV Show
The full 12 episodes of Jim Cathcart's new TV series debuts on TSTN!
Dish Network features TSTN, The Success Training Channel, and it is also available on the web via this link. There is a special seasonal discount right now for new subscribers.
This exciting new show has 12 half hour episodes covering the following topics:
1. Relationship Selling: Managing relationships as business assets.
2. Reputation Management: Reputation Creation, Expansion and Management.
3. The Metrics of Sales Success:
What to measure and how, Behavioral Economics, Doing what pays off.
4. The Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling.
5. UpServing for Greater Sales:
Increasing satisfaction in order to increase transactions.
6. Enlisting Everyone in Selling (Sustaining a Sales Culture):
gaining full cooperation and involvement in sales.
7. Face to Face Selling- Confirming the Sale:
Presentations, Persuasion and Communication.
8. i-Contact Skills for Today’s Digital World:
(alternatively: e-contact Skills)
9. Sales Negotiation: How to sell when the prospect isn't ready yet to buy.
10. Selling to the Differences in People: How to sell in the way that people like to buy.
11. Selling In Fast Times- (The Time Value of Action):
How to sell when change is faster than you are.
12. Sustaining the Selling Mindset (Think Sales):
Thoughts shape actions, certain mindsets generate sales; others restrict sales.
Follow the link by clicking on the TSTN banner above or just go to TSTN on the web
http://www.tstn.com/programming/ThePurposeofSelling.aspx?img=28&kbid=1240
to access this and many other great shows on this exciting new channel from Splash Network.
Let us know how you like the show and any suggestions you have for making it even better. You can subscribe and have your entire team watch this series of programs as an ongoing training series. The only cost is your one subscription. And with the other programs from world leading authors and experts you can design a curriculum that is truly powerful.
Dish Network features TSTN, The Success Training Channel, and it is also available on the web via this link. There is a special seasonal discount right now for new subscribers.
This exciting new show has 12 half hour episodes covering the following topics:
1. Relationship Selling: Managing relationships as business assets.
2. Reputation Management: Reputation Creation, Expansion and Management.
3. The Metrics of Sales Success:
What to measure and how, Behavioral Economics, Doing what pays off.
4. The Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling.
5. UpServing for Greater Sales:
Increasing satisfaction in order to increase transactions.
6. Enlisting Everyone in Selling (Sustaining a Sales Culture):
gaining full cooperation and involvement in sales.
7. Face to Face Selling- Confirming the Sale:
Presentations, Persuasion and Communication.
8. i-Contact Skills for Today’s Digital World:
(alternatively: e-contact Skills)
9. Sales Negotiation: How to sell when the prospect isn't ready yet to buy.
10. Selling to the Differences in People: How to sell in the way that people like to buy.
11. Selling In Fast Times- (The Time Value of Action):
How to sell when change is faster than you are.
12. Sustaining the Selling Mindset (Think Sales):
Thoughts shape actions, certain mindsets generate sales; others restrict sales.
Follow the link by clicking on the TSTN banner above or just go to TSTN on the web
http://www.tstn.com/programming/ThePurposeofSelling.aspx?img=28&kbid=1240
to access this and many other great shows on this exciting new channel from Splash Network.
Let us know how you like the show and any suggestions you have for making it even better. You can subscribe and have your entire team watch this series of programs as an ongoing training series. The only cost is your one subscription. And with the other programs from world leading authors and experts you can design a curriculum that is truly powerful.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Watch for my new Website Video Clips
I just spent two days in the studio creating a series of video messages to guide people through my website. Each is 1 minute or less in length so they won't be obtrusive or in the way.
Watch Cathcart.com and 101Leaders.com over the next few weeks for these enhancements.
Here is the link to my "video One Sheet" with clips from live performances.
http://youonyourwebsite.com/Cathcart/One_Page.htm
Let me know what you think of it.
I will also send out a few video emails that I think you'll enjoy.
If you would like to do some of these same upgrades to your own online marketing just let me know. I have a team who can create the items for you and I'd be happy to assist you as an online spokesperson if appropriate.
See you in the movies! :-)
Jim Cathcart
Watch Cathcart.com and 101Leaders.com over the next few weeks for these enhancements.
Here is the link to my "video One Sheet" with clips from live performances.
http://youonyourwebsite.com/Cathcart/One_Page.htm
Let me know what you think of it.
I will also send out a few video emails that I think you'll enjoy.
If you would like to do some of these same upgrades to your own online marketing just let me know. I have a team who can create the items for you and I'd be happy to assist you as an online spokesperson if appropriate.
See you in the movies! :-)
Jim Cathcart
How to build your board & leadership team
How to Build Your Board & Leadership Team
by Jim Cathcart, founder, 101 Leaders Institute
Chairman, Cathcart Institute,Inc.
Until you multiply yourself through others you are not using all your strength.
Our potential lies not only within us, but also within all who share our goals and concerns and those who care about us.
To build your leadership team there are several approaches to take:
1. Determine who is already on your team.
Look at your email log, your phone call log, your daily calendar, your checkbook register and other "tracks" of where you've been and who you have communicated with recently. Many of these folks are in your corner already. Note who they are.
2. Identify the people you want on your team.
Write down the names of the individuals who, in a perfect world, would be aligned with you. Set goals to connect with them and lead them to your cause over time. Consider this a multi-year project, "sooner or later I'm going to get you."
3. Determine the expertise level of your current team.
What level of expertise is on your team now? What would you like it to be?
Plan to train, develop, coach and support your team members so that they advance to the next levels of their potential. This will make them greater assets for you.
4. Assess the mix of talent and perspectives on your team.
Does everyone bring the same talent to the team? If so, go shopping for new and different abilities to recruit to your cause. Get a balanced team of varying viewpoints, skills and connections.
5. Grow tomorrow's leaders like you'd grow a garden.
Tend your relationships like plants; daily attention, adding nutrients, grooming them for growth. Think of every customer, supporter, buddy, vendor and colleague as a potential leader for your team. Nurture them over time to become more involved, more committed and more interested in your cause. All relationships are assets and all relationships have a future.
6. Make sure each meeting, bulletin, email broadcast, and phone conference is productive and interesting. Remember, there must be some payoff to them for helping you. Make your meetings fun and useful. Don't waste time and don't be boring.
7. Find out what they would like.
Study each individual's interests, values and goals. Help them get to where they'd like to go. Make the service a two-way street. You help them ge what they want and they open doors to what you want.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart
www.cathcart.com
www.101Leaders.com
by Jim Cathcart, founder, 101 Leaders Institute
Chairman, Cathcart Institute,Inc.
Until you multiply yourself through others you are not using all your strength.
Our potential lies not only within us, but also within all who share our goals and concerns and those who care about us.
To build your leadership team there are several approaches to take:
1. Determine who is already on your team.
Look at your email log, your phone call log, your daily calendar, your checkbook register and other "tracks" of where you've been and who you have communicated with recently. Many of these folks are in your corner already. Note who they are.
2. Identify the people you want on your team.
Write down the names of the individuals who, in a perfect world, would be aligned with you. Set goals to connect with them and lead them to your cause over time. Consider this a multi-year project, "sooner or later I'm going to get you."
3. Determine the expertise level of your current team.
What level of expertise is on your team now? What would you like it to be?
Plan to train, develop, coach and support your team members so that they advance to the next levels of their potential. This will make them greater assets for you.
4. Assess the mix of talent and perspectives on your team.
Does everyone bring the same talent to the team? If so, go shopping for new and different abilities to recruit to your cause. Get a balanced team of varying viewpoints, skills and connections.
5. Grow tomorrow's leaders like you'd grow a garden.
Tend your relationships like plants; daily attention, adding nutrients, grooming them for growth. Think of every customer, supporter, buddy, vendor and colleague as a potential leader for your team. Nurture them over time to become more involved, more committed and more interested in your cause. All relationships are assets and all relationships have a future.
6. Make sure each meeting, bulletin, email broadcast, and phone conference is productive and interesting. Remember, there must be some payoff to them for helping you. Make your meetings fun and useful. Don't waste time and don't be boring.
7. Find out what they would like.
Study each individual's interests, values and goals. Help them get to where they'd like to go. Make the service a two-way street. You help them ge what they want and they open doors to what you want.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart
www.cathcart.com
www.101Leaders.com
The Chairperson's Planning Guide
The Chairperson's Planning Guide
by Jim Cathcart
(To be completed in writing)
"If it isn't written, it isn't a plan." Jim Cathcart
"Plans are nothing but planning is everything." Dwight D. Eisenhower
"No plan survives its contact with reality." Leland Russell
1. What is Your Primary Purpose? Describe your desired outcome. What will the successful effect be if you do what you plan to do?
2. Determine the Need. What is it that you plan to do and why does it matter? Who is concerned about it? Who will be affected by it? How urgent is it? How big is the need?
3. Relationship to Other Goals. How does this project fit into the other priorities you are working on? Does it help lead you to another accomplishment or away from it? Are there others who are working on related tasks? How might you combine efforts with them?
4. Establish Priorities. Define the importance of this project in relation to the other interests on your list. Should this come first, second, last? Is your method of setting priority based mostly on hard facts, other people's opinions, your own feelings, relative risks, or what?
5. Set Your Goals. Define specifically what you will do, by when and to what extent. Make sure it is measurable, achievable, challenging, and most of all...desirable. You and others must truly care about whether these goals are reached.
6. Brainstorm possible obstacles and how you will address them. See your problems before they occur.
7. Identify Your Resources. Who can help? What tools will be needed? What information will be needed? What skills will be essential to your success?
8. Define the Steps in the Process. Identify your milestones, checkpoints, and key events. Know every step that has to happen in every aspect of the project.
9. Budget and Schedule. Then Schedule and Budget. Determine the cost of doing what you plan. Specify the revenue that will be generated and when it will arrive. Also specify the costs you will incur and when you will incur them. Lay out a detailed time-line of the steps and budgetary effects, then revise and improve the schedule and budget to achieve the optimum plan.
10. Do It Now! Get started today. Stop planning and start doing. Call people, take action, get moving, produce measurable progress now.
11. Watch Yourself and Improve. Do an after-action review as each part is completed. Ask what worked and didn't. Determine why. Avoid blame, just analyze and learn from it. Ask the WIN question, "What's Important Now?" Revise your plan constantly to reflect the best approach now. When in doubt...stick to the plan! Follow your plan until shown concrete reasons to do things differently. The success of most endeavors is found in the persistent actions and daily improvements.
12. Celebrate! Take time to enjoy your success...but not too much time. There is more to be done and more people who need what you can do.
copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
by Jim Cathcart
(To be completed in writing)
"If it isn't written, it isn't a plan." Jim Cathcart
"Plans are nothing but planning is everything." Dwight D. Eisenhower
"No plan survives its contact with reality." Leland Russell
1. What is Your Primary Purpose? Describe your desired outcome. What will the successful effect be if you do what you plan to do?
2. Determine the Need. What is it that you plan to do and why does it matter? Who is concerned about it? Who will be affected by it? How urgent is it? How big is the need?
3. Relationship to Other Goals. How does this project fit into the other priorities you are working on? Does it help lead you to another accomplishment or away from it? Are there others who are working on related tasks? How might you combine efforts with them?
4. Establish Priorities. Define the importance of this project in relation to the other interests on your list. Should this come first, second, last? Is your method of setting priority based mostly on hard facts, other people's opinions, your own feelings, relative risks, or what?
5. Set Your Goals. Define specifically what you will do, by when and to what extent. Make sure it is measurable, achievable, challenging, and most of all...desirable. You and others must truly care about whether these goals are reached.
6. Brainstorm possible obstacles and how you will address them. See your problems before they occur.
7. Identify Your Resources. Who can help? What tools will be needed? What information will be needed? What skills will be essential to your success?
8. Define the Steps in the Process. Identify your milestones, checkpoints, and key events. Know every step that has to happen in every aspect of the project.
9. Budget and Schedule. Then Schedule and Budget. Determine the cost of doing what you plan. Specify the revenue that will be generated and when it will arrive. Also specify the costs you will incur and when you will incur them. Lay out a detailed time-line of the steps and budgetary effects, then revise and improve the schedule and budget to achieve the optimum plan.
10. Do It Now! Get started today. Stop planning and start doing. Call people, take action, get moving, produce measurable progress now.
11. Watch Yourself and Improve. Do an after-action review as each part is completed. Ask what worked and didn't. Determine why. Avoid blame, just analyze and learn from it. Ask the WIN question, "What's Important Now?" Revise your plan constantly to reflect the best approach now. When in doubt...stick to the plan! Follow your plan until shown concrete reasons to do things differently. The success of most endeavors is found in the persistent actions and daily improvements.
12. Celebrate! Take time to enjoy your success...but not too much time. There is more to be done and more people who need what you can do.
copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Keys to Successful Presentations
Public Speaking Tips
Keys to successful presentations
by Professional Speaker and Author Jim Cathcart,
Speaker Hall of Famer and cofounder of the Professional Speaking Institute.
1. Remember, it is not the speech that counts. It is the value of the message to the audience that matters most. If you can reach the audience effectively then your speech was successful. So, don't focus on your speech, focus on getting your audience to understand and accept the message.
2. Dress Appropriately. Don't dress to impress, dress to succeed. If you are speaking to farmers at their local co-op, don't wear a three piece suit. Go for business casual. But if you are addressing a formal awards banquet, put on your best formal attire. Don't dress to be attractive, dress to be persuasive. You want credibility first, charisma second.
3. Know why this group should want to hear about this topic from you at this time. Determine what the message will mean to them. How will they benefit from knowing what you know and agreeing with your suggestions? Answer their age old question "WIIFM- What's In It For Me?"
4. Don't open with a joke, unless you must. Your opening should be designed to connect with them, not just to amuse them. If you want to be credible then tell them why you are here today and what benefit they will get from the ideas you are about to present. Jokes are fine but don't make them the purpose of your speech, unless you are a humorist.
5. Organize your thoughts in threes. People retain things well when they are presented in small groupings. Three is a good working number. Break your message into three main points, illustrate each one with an example or a story, then conclude by showing them specifically what to do next.
6. When in doubt...tell a story. True stories are best, but fables, parables, hypotheticals are also just fine. Be sure that you bring your points to life by describing how people can use or understand what you are telling them. The greatest teachers through time were excellent story tellers; Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Will Rogers, Ronald Reagan, Confucius. When asked to describe her ministry, Mother Teresa replied, "Come and look! Come and look." Don't just talk about things, bring them to life for people.
7. It's OK to use PowerPoint, but it's not OK to depend upon it for your success. Let your visuals reinforce and enhance your message. Don't expect them to carry your message, that's your job. Use visuals sparingly.
8. Turn on the lights! Let people see you and make sure you can see them. Your best and most important audio-visual is your own face. Do not stand at a darkened lectern while slides give your speech. Stand in the light and talk with your audience. Put the slide screen off to one side.
9. Get away from the head table. Do not stand behind a table filled with others who are also facing the audience. Head tables are dead, relics of a bygone era. Have reserved seating up front if you must, but have only the speaker stand on the stage. Focus the audience's attention on the person they are expected to listen to. Keep others out of their line of sight.
10. Be real and have fun. If your notes fall to the floor, say "excuse me" and pick up your notes. If someone says something funny, laugh along with the audience. Relax, this is your chance to connect with people and to make a difference. Be yourself, not some speech teacher you thought you were supposed to be like. You'll do just fine. Trust yourself.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
Keys to successful presentations
by Professional Speaker and Author Jim Cathcart,
Speaker Hall of Famer and cofounder of the Professional Speaking Institute.
1. Remember, it is not the speech that counts. It is the value of the message to the audience that matters most. If you can reach the audience effectively then your speech was successful. So, don't focus on your speech, focus on getting your audience to understand and accept the message.
2. Dress Appropriately. Don't dress to impress, dress to succeed. If you are speaking to farmers at their local co-op, don't wear a three piece suit. Go for business casual. But if you are addressing a formal awards banquet, put on your best formal attire. Don't dress to be attractive, dress to be persuasive. You want credibility first, charisma second.
3. Know why this group should want to hear about this topic from you at this time. Determine what the message will mean to them. How will they benefit from knowing what you know and agreeing with your suggestions? Answer their age old question "WIIFM- What's In It For Me?"
4. Don't open with a joke, unless you must. Your opening should be designed to connect with them, not just to amuse them. If you want to be credible then tell them why you are here today and what benefit they will get from the ideas you are about to present. Jokes are fine but don't make them the purpose of your speech, unless you are a humorist.
5. Organize your thoughts in threes. People retain things well when they are presented in small groupings. Three is a good working number. Break your message into three main points, illustrate each one with an example or a story, then conclude by showing them specifically what to do next.
6. When in doubt...tell a story. True stories are best, but fables, parables, hypotheticals are also just fine. Be sure that you bring your points to life by describing how people can use or understand what you are telling them. The greatest teachers through time were excellent story tellers; Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Will Rogers, Ronald Reagan, Confucius. When asked to describe her ministry, Mother Teresa replied, "Come and look! Come and look." Don't just talk about things, bring them to life for people.
7. It's OK to use PowerPoint, but it's not OK to depend upon it for your success. Let your visuals reinforce and enhance your message. Don't expect them to carry your message, that's your job. Use visuals sparingly.
8. Turn on the lights! Let people see you and make sure you can see them. Your best and most important audio-visual is your own face. Do not stand at a darkened lectern while slides give your speech. Stand in the light and talk with your audience. Put the slide screen off to one side.
9. Get away from the head table. Do not stand behind a table filled with others who are also facing the audience. Head tables are dead, relics of a bygone era. Have reserved seating up front if you must, but have only the speaker stand on the stage. Focus the audience's attention on the person they are expected to listen to. Keep others out of their line of sight.
10. Be real and have fun. If your notes fall to the floor, say "excuse me" and pick up your notes. If someone says something funny, laugh along with the audience. Relax, this is your chance to connect with people and to make a difference. Be yourself, not some speech teacher you thought you were supposed to be like. You'll do just fine. Trust yourself.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
How to Motivate Volunteers
How to Motivate Volunteers
by Jim Cathcart, Founder, 101 Leaders Institute.
"People do things for their reasons, not yours." author unknown
"A person convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Benjamin Franklin
1. Give people a reason. There has to be a motive if you want motivation. Motives vary from person to person and time to time, but all actions are driven by some motive. Appeal to compassion, pride, fun, fulfillment, significance, conformity, or whatever appropriate motive might get people to do as you desire. Base it on their wants in relation to your goals.
2. Be specific. People can contribute Time, Talent or Treasure but they need to know exactly what you want before they can determine how to best get it for you. Tell them what you need and by when. Show them or describe to them the ideal outcome you are seeking.
3. Have the attitude of gratitude. Being grateful is the psychological equivalent of magnetism. People are drawn to others who are appreciative. Thank people, point out what they have done and how it mattered. Show your appreciation for what you receive. "Give without remembering and receive without forgetting."
4. Inspect what you expect. Be a good supervisor. Show that you are concerned, involved and paying attention, but do not hover over others as they work and micro-manage with constant corrections. Agree with them as to how you will monitor their progress, in that way they will expect you to be watching but not become bothered by it.
5. Sell the vision and purpose. Continually talk about the bigger purpose behind the actions. Walt Disney showed everyone his dream of Disneyland. He built models, drew pictures, told stories and dreamed aloud so that everyone could see the goal and feel its value. They say that the person who knows how to do something may have a job but the one who knows why it matters will always be their boss.
6. Collaborate with your volunteers. Treat them as your equals. Show them that you respect them and appreciate the value of what they are doing. Ask their opinion. You don't have to always follow their suggestions but you should listen to them and seriously consider them. Most breakthroughs are achieved through the suggestions of the workers rather than their leaders.
7. Celebrate their successes. When something good is achieved take time to point it out and comment on it. Saying 'thank you' and 'good work' goes a long way to keeping people motivated. Remember, they are volunteers.
8. Treat failures and mistakes as teachable moments. Instead of blaming, accusing and criticizing, use these occasions to do an after-action review of what happened, why it happened, and what effect it had. Then look for ways to avoid allowing it to happen again. Determine whether it was due to something: situational, personal, interpersonal, technical, or systemic. Then correct the cause.
9. Document the actions and outcomes;what was done and how it worked. Help people have a tracking system to assure that they know when they are on and/or off course. Things that are measured tend to improve, so be careful to set up measures. Know the progress and document what you have learned together.
10. Trust people a bit more than they deserve. Someone with no experience leading others would be ill equipped to take charge without some supervision, but with constant supervision, they'd never learn to lead. Give people enough room to take decisions and make mistakes but not so much room that you put everything at risk. There must be enough trust so that people find their own solutions, otherwise you will always have to supervise them. Remember; the role of a supervisor and motivator is to become progressively unnecessary. You will know you were successful when your motivation is no longer essential.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
by Jim Cathcart, Founder, 101 Leaders Institute.
"People do things for their reasons, not yours." author unknown
"A person convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Benjamin Franklin
1. Give people a reason. There has to be a motive if you want motivation. Motives vary from person to person and time to time, but all actions are driven by some motive. Appeal to compassion, pride, fun, fulfillment, significance, conformity, or whatever appropriate motive might get people to do as you desire. Base it on their wants in relation to your goals.
2. Be specific. People can contribute Time, Talent or Treasure but they need to know exactly what you want before they can determine how to best get it for you. Tell them what you need and by when. Show them or describe to them the ideal outcome you are seeking.
3. Have the attitude of gratitude. Being grateful is the psychological equivalent of magnetism. People are drawn to others who are appreciative. Thank people, point out what they have done and how it mattered. Show your appreciation for what you receive. "Give without remembering and receive without forgetting."
4. Inspect what you expect. Be a good supervisor. Show that you are concerned, involved and paying attention, but do not hover over others as they work and micro-manage with constant corrections. Agree with them as to how you will monitor their progress, in that way they will expect you to be watching but not become bothered by it.
5. Sell the vision and purpose. Continually talk about the bigger purpose behind the actions. Walt Disney showed everyone his dream of Disneyland. He built models, drew pictures, told stories and dreamed aloud so that everyone could see the goal and feel its value. They say that the person who knows how to do something may have a job but the one who knows why it matters will always be their boss.
6. Collaborate with your volunteers. Treat them as your equals. Show them that you respect them and appreciate the value of what they are doing. Ask their opinion. You don't have to always follow their suggestions but you should listen to them and seriously consider them. Most breakthroughs are achieved through the suggestions of the workers rather than their leaders.
7. Celebrate their successes. When something good is achieved take time to point it out and comment on it. Saying 'thank you' and 'good work' goes a long way to keeping people motivated. Remember, they are volunteers.
8. Treat failures and mistakes as teachable moments. Instead of blaming, accusing and criticizing, use these occasions to do an after-action review of what happened, why it happened, and what effect it had. Then look for ways to avoid allowing it to happen again. Determine whether it was due to something: situational, personal, interpersonal, technical, or systemic. Then correct the cause.
9. Document the actions and outcomes;what was done and how it worked. Help people have a tracking system to assure that they know when they are on and/or off course. Things that are measured tend to improve, so be careful to set up measures. Know the progress and document what you have learned together.
10. Trust people a bit more than they deserve. Someone with no experience leading others would be ill equipped to take charge without some supervision, but with constant supervision, they'd never learn to lead. Give people enough room to take decisions and make mistakes but not so much room that you put everything at risk. There must be enough trust so that people find their own solutions, otherwise you will always have to supervise them. Remember; the role of a supervisor and motivator is to become progressively unnecessary. You will know you were successful when your motivation is no longer essential.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Jim Cathcart's New TV Show
Jim Cathcart's new TV series debuts on TSTN!
Dish Network features TSTN, The Success Training Channel, and it is also available on the web via this link. There is a special seasonal discount right now for new subscribers.
This exciting new show has 12 half hour episodes covering the following topics:
1. Relationship Selling: Managing relationships as business assets.
2. Reputation Management: Reputation Creation, Expansion and Management.
3. The Metrics of Sales Success:
What to measure and how, Behavioral Economics, Doing what pays off.
4. The Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling.
5. UpServing for Greater Sales:
Increasing satisfaction in order to increase transactions.
6. Enlisting Everyone in Selling (Sustaining a Sales Culture):
gaining full cooperation and involvement in sales.
7. Face to Face Selling- Confirming the Sale:
Presentations, Persuasion and Communication.
8. i-Contact Skills for Today’s Digital World:
(alternatively: e-contact Skills)
9. Sales Negotiation:
10. Selling to the Differences in People:
11. Selling In Fast Times- (The Time Value of Action):
How to sell when change is faster than you are.
12. Sustaining the Selling Mindset (Think Sales):
Thoughts shape actions, certain mindsets generate sales; others restrict sales.
Follow the link by clicking on the TSTN banner above or just go to TSTN on the web to access this and many other great shows on this exciting new channel from Splash Network.
Let us know how you like the show and any suggestions you have for making it even better.
Dish Network features TSTN, The Success Training Channel, and it is also available on the web via this link. There is a special seasonal discount right now for new subscribers.
This exciting new show has 12 half hour episodes covering the following topics:
1. Relationship Selling: Managing relationships as business assets.
2. Reputation Management: Reputation Creation, Expansion and Management.
3. The Metrics of Sales Success:
What to measure and how, Behavioral Economics, Doing what pays off.
4. The Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling.
5. UpServing for Greater Sales:
Increasing satisfaction in order to increase transactions.
6. Enlisting Everyone in Selling (Sustaining a Sales Culture):
gaining full cooperation and involvement in sales.
7. Face to Face Selling- Confirming the Sale:
Presentations, Persuasion and Communication.
8. i-Contact Skills for Today’s Digital World:
(alternatively: e-contact Skills)
9. Sales Negotiation:
10. Selling to the Differences in People:
11. Selling In Fast Times- (The Time Value of Action):
How to sell when change is faster than you are.
12. Sustaining the Selling Mindset (Think Sales):
Thoughts shape actions, certain mindsets generate sales; others restrict sales.
Follow the link by clicking on the TSTN banner above or just go to TSTN on the web to access this and many other great shows on this exciting new channel from Splash Network.
Let us know how you like the show and any suggestions you have for making it even better.
Inaugural Summit generates Rave Reviews!
101 Leaders Summit - 2006
for Non Profit & Charity Leaders
Date: September 8, 2006
Venue: Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA
Event Summary
The 101 Leaders Alliance, founded in 2003 by Jim Cathcart, recently held it first Leadership Summit to rave reviews!
The 2006 Summit gathered a diverse representation of 70 people from regional businesses, charities, schools, government and community services and professional services.
The "Three Pillars of Content" : Presenters introduced ideas and dialogue to inspire new attitudes and new approaches towards -
1) generating more revenue, 2) building greater support and 3) developing your leadership team.
Attendee Comments
The following comments were made by attendees during a casual focus group following the event:
“The event maintained a good pace and was high energy.”
“I was excited at the magnitude of the content.”
"It was impressive that NBC News sent a video crew to cover the event."
“There was a good mix of head & heart.”
“Presentations stayed focused and high level.”
“The panelists were fabulous.”
“I discovered what great resources exist in our community.”
“Good practical sharing and exchanging of ideas.”
“Great venue and flow of activities.”
"The food was delicious!"
“Good networking opportunity.”
" I need a bigger hat for all the new information in my head."
" The gifts, books, and CDs we received all day made it even more fun."
" The event ended exactly on time. How did you do that?"
" Everyone got a chance to participate and you listened to our input."
Attendees
Thank you each for your active participation...
805 Living Magazine
A.G. Edwards
Alliance for the Arts
American Heart Association
Biola University
Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes
Cal State Univ. Channel Islands
California Lutheran University
Casa Pacifica
Cathcart Institute, Inc.
Christian Foundation of the West
Chrysalis
Conejo Las Virgenes Future Foundation
Crescendo Interactive
Cupid's Coach
Frumi & Associates
Go Be Do Productions
Herzog Wine Cellars
Hoefflin Law
Infinite Strategies Coaching
Interface Children & Family Services
Kruse Design Services
Lefko Group - Facilitators
New West Symphony
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Patrons Association of LA VC
Principle Based Enterprises
Rotary Club - Conejo Valley Centennial
Senior Concerns
SEV YMCA
Simi Valley Buick
Sonic Ventures
Stirling Behavioral Health Institute
Structure Development, LLC
The Ackert Advisory
The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance
United Way Ventura County
Ventura County Community Foundation
Ventura County Sheriff's Department
Presenters
Thank you each for your valuable insights and contributions...
Sheriff Bob Brooks
Ventura County Sheriff
Jim Cathcart
Professional speaker & author
Founder of 101 Leaders Institute
Marty de los Cobos,
VP for University Advancement,
California State University Channel Islands
Art Hobba
President of Principle Based Enterprises,
Organizational Development Specialists
Mark Lefko
President of Lefko Group
Specialists in Off-site Corporate Retreats
Linda Livingstone,
Dean, Graziadio School of Business & Management,
Pepperdine University
Charles Maxey
Dean, School of Business
California Lutheran University
Hugh Ralston
President, Ventura County Community Foundation
Charles Schultz
President of Crescendo Interactive,
Total Planned-Giving Solutions
Jeff Tanenbaum
Professional Fund Raiser & Business Coach
Partner in 101 Leaders Summit
for Non Profit & Charity Leaders
Date: September 8, 2006
Venue: Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA
Event Summary
The 101 Leaders Alliance, founded in 2003 by Jim Cathcart, recently held it first Leadership Summit to rave reviews!
The 2006 Summit gathered a diverse representation of 70 people from regional businesses, charities, schools, government and community services and professional services.
The "Three Pillars of Content" : Presenters introduced ideas and dialogue to inspire new attitudes and new approaches towards -
1) generating more revenue, 2) building greater support and 3) developing your leadership team.
Attendee Comments
The following comments were made by attendees during a casual focus group following the event:
“The event maintained a good pace and was high energy.”
“I was excited at the magnitude of the content.”
"It was impressive that NBC News sent a video crew to cover the event."
“There was a good mix of head & heart.”
“Presentations stayed focused and high level.”
“The panelists were fabulous.”
“I discovered what great resources exist in our community.”
“Good practical sharing and exchanging of ideas.”
“Great venue and flow of activities.”
"The food was delicious!"
“Good networking opportunity.”
" I need a bigger hat for all the new information in my head."
" The gifts, books, and CDs we received all day made it even more fun."
" The event ended exactly on time. How did you do that?"
" Everyone got a chance to participate and you listened to our input."
Attendees
Thank you each for your active participation...
805 Living Magazine
A.G. Edwards
Alliance for the Arts
American Heart Association
Biola University
Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes
Cal State Univ. Channel Islands
California Lutheran University
Casa Pacifica
Cathcart Institute, Inc.
Christian Foundation of the West
Chrysalis
Conejo Las Virgenes Future Foundation
Crescendo Interactive
Cupid's Coach
Frumi & Associates
Go Be Do Productions
Herzog Wine Cellars
Hoefflin Law
Infinite Strategies Coaching
Interface Children & Family Services
Kruse Design Services
Lefko Group - Facilitators
New West Symphony
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Patrons Association of LA VC
Principle Based Enterprises
Rotary Club - Conejo Valley Centennial
Senior Concerns
SEV YMCA
Simi Valley Buick
Sonic Ventures
Stirling Behavioral Health Institute
Structure Development, LLC
The Ackert Advisory
The Jewish Federation Valley Alliance
United Way Ventura County
Ventura County Community Foundation
Ventura County Sheriff's Department
Presenters
Thank you each for your valuable insights and contributions...
Sheriff Bob Brooks
Ventura County Sheriff
Jim Cathcart
Professional speaker & author
Founder of 101 Leaders Institute
Marty de los Cobos,
VP for University Advancement,
California State University Channel Islands
Art Hobba
President of Principle Based Enterprises,
Organizational Development Specialists
Mark Lefko
President of Lefko Group
Specialists in Off-site Corporate Retreats
Linda Livingstone,
Dean, Graziadio School of Business & Management,
Pepperdine University
Charles Maxey
Dean, School of Business
California Lutheran University
Hugh Ralston
President, Ventura County Community Foundation
Charles Schultz
President of Crescendo Interactive,
Total Planned-Giving Solutions
Jeff Tanenbaum
Professional Fund Raiser & Business Coach
Partner in 101 Leaders Summit
How To Generate More Net Revenue
"It is not what you bring in that counts, it is what you keep when it's over." Jim Cathcart
1. To maximize revenues: 1) generate more gross revenue, 2) incur less
expense, and 3) reduce the work required to produce the revenue.
2. Plan with net revenue in mind, by doing a bottom-up budget. Add your
least acceptable net revenue goal to your expenses to arrive at your
gross revenue goal. Then set a stretch goal. Remember, with
expenses set, everything over your target will go directly to the bottom
line.
3. Consider all expenses: product costs, people costs, lost opportunity
costs (what could have done instead?),
direct costs, indirect costs, and more.
4. Ask, "what sponsors might be willing
to pay this expense for us, or provide
these resources to us at no cost?"
5. Break larger revenue goals into smaller
pieces To raise one million dollars you can get: one million dollar
donor, two half million donors, four quarter million donors, or even one
million one dollar donors. Which is the best approach based on your
situation, your skills and your resources?
6. Consider all of your revenue opportunities and select those that are
aligned with the goals, mission, values and strengths of your
organization, including its resources. Revenue opportunities include: a
raffle, a silent auction, a live auction, a membership offer, an enrollment
event, a subscription, a monthly pledge, a bequest or endowment, a
naming opportunity, a sponsorship for others who are in need, a
scholarship, etc.
7. Determine the value of “silent auction real estate” by dividing your
revenue goal by the
number of items intended
for the event.
Communicate this to your
procurement committee
for more effective results.
8. When procuring items for silent and live auctions, consider the
adjusted value of the items after any consignment costs.
9. Consider all direct and indirect costs when pricing a product or service.
A $400 painting that requires $150 for framing, someone's time for
handling is no longer a $400 item. Price it accordingly with the "profit"
added on.
10. Don't try to do it all by yourself. Ask constantly, "who else could do this
for me/us?" Multiply yourself through others. None of us is as strong or
as smart as all of us. Dividing up goals also makes them less daunting
and more achievable.
LEADERTIP SHEET #4
www.101leaders.com
© 2006, 101 Leaders Institute
1. To maximize revenues: 1) generate more gross revenue, 2) incur less
expense, and 3) reduce the work required to produce the revenue.
2. Plan with net revenue in mind, by doing a bottom-up budget. Add your
least acceptable net revenue goal to your expenses to arrive at your
gross revenue goal. Then set a stretch goal. Remember, with
expenses set, everything over your target will go directly to the bottom
line.
3. Consider all expenses: product costs, people costs, lost opportunity
costs (what could have done instead?),
direct costs, indirect costs, and more.
4. Ask, "what sponsors might be willing
to pay this expense for us, or provide
these resources to us at no cost?"
5. Break larger revenue goals into smaller
pieces To raise one million dollars you can get: one million dollar
donor, two half million donors, four quarter million donors, or even one
million one dollar donors. Which is the best approach based on your
situation, your skills and your resources?
6. Consider all of your revenue opportunities and select those that are
aligned with the goals, mission, values and strengths of your
organization, including its resources. Revenue opportunities include: a
raffle, a silent auction, a live auction, a membership offer, an enrollment
event, a subscription, a monthly pledge, a bequest or endowment, a
naming opportunity, a sponsorship for others who are in need, a
scholarship, etc.
7. Determine the value of “silent auction real estate” by dividing your
revenue goal by the
number of items intended
for the event.
Communicate this to your
procurement committee
for more effective results.
8. When procuring items for silent and live auctions, consider the
adjusted value of the items after any consignment costs.
9. Consider all direct and indirect costs when pricing a product or service.
A $400 painting that requires $150 for framing, someone's time for
handling is no longer a $400 item. Price it accordingly with the "profit"
added on.
10. Don't try to do it all by yourself. Ask constantly, "who else could do this
for me/us?" Multiply yourself through others. None of us is as strong or
as smart as all of us. Dividing up goals also makes them less daunting
and more achievable.
LEADERTIP SHEET #4
www.101leaders.com
© 2006, 101 Leaders Institute
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
How to Say "Thank You" Effectively
How to Say "Thank You" Effectively
by Jim Cathcart, founder, 101 Leaders Institute
The way to tell if your "thank you" message worked is to determine whether the recipient feels thanked. It is not important whether we "say" thank you. What matters is whether the person we thanked actually felt our gratitude. People who feel our thanks tend to be more likely to assist us again.
In fact, it is known in psychology that a person will feel more beholden to you if they do something for you than if you do something for them. Confusing isn't it? You'd think that by doing something for someone else, they'd respond with a feeling of gratitude or "I owe you one." But that's not how it works in the human emotions. We actually feel more connected to the people we have helped than to those who have helped us. So, our actions have a stronger impact on our feelings than the actions of others do. With that in mind, let's look at some effective ways to assure that people know you are grateful.
1. Call and thank them
2. Note specifically what they did that you are grateful for and why it matters to you
3. Write a thank you note to them personally
4. Acknowledge them with a toast at a dinner or reception
5. Thank them in a board or committee meeting "on the record"
6. Make a personal appointment with them and tell them what you appreciate
7. Send them an email thank you card or message
8. Send a greeting card
9. Arrange to have a total of three people thank them in various ways
10. Send a formal letter of thanks on your stationery
11. Give them a certificate, plaque or gift to commemorate their contribution
12. Provide a plaque that has a space for updates showing the year(s) of giving
13. Invite them to a lunch, breakfast or cocktails as a thank you
14. Provide them with attendance at a VIP event to show your gratitude
15. Find out what they love and give something related to that
16. Ask them or one who knows them, "what is the most special gift they ever received?" Give something like that
17. Ask them to do something more. Show that you want to keep them involved
18. Call and seek their advice and remind them how much you value their input
19. Hold a meeting where everyone brainstorms creative and non traditional ways to say "Thanks!"
20. Add the giver's name to a list of donors, contributors or key supporters
21. Do something permanent so they know you mean it.
The Golden Rule says we should "do unto others as we would have them do unto us" but they may not be like us. So, do what Tony Alessandra calls "The Platinum Rule": "do unto others the way others want to be done unto." Treat them the way THEY want to be treated. Thank them in the ways that they consider to be gracious and grateful.
In the final analysis what matters is whether they consider that you have appropriately thanked them. If you have then the transaction is momentarily complete. Now reconnect with them and start a new activity.
copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart
by Jim Cathcart, founder, 101 Leaders Institute
The way to tell if your "thank you" message worked is to determine whether the recipient feels thanked. It is not important whether we "say" thank you. What matters is whether the person we thanked actually felt our gratitude. People who feel our thanks tend to be more likely to assist us again.
In fact, it is known in psychology that a person will feel more beholden to you if they do something for you than if you do something for them. Confusing isn't it? You'd think that by doing something for someone else, they'd respond with a feeling of gratitude or "I owe you one." But that's not how it works in the human emotions. We actually feel more connected to the people we have helped than to those who have helped us. So, our actions have a stronger impact on our feelings than the actions of others do. With that in mind, let's look at some effective ways to assure that people know you are grateful.
1. Call and thank them
2. Note specifically what they did that you are grateful for and why it matters to you
3. Write a thank you note to them personally
4. Acknowledge them with a toast at a dinner or reception
5. Thank them in a board or committee meeting "on the record"
6. Make a personal appointment with them and tell them what you appreciate
7. Send them an email thank you card or message
8. Send a greeting card
9. Arrange to have a total of three people thank them in various ways
10. Send a formal letter of thanks on your stationery
11. Give them a certificate, plaque or gift to commemorate their contribution
12. Provide a plaque that has a space for updates showing the year(s) of giving
13. Invite them to a lunch, breakfast or cocktails as a thank you
14. Provide them with attendance at a VIP event to show your gratitude
15. Find out what they love and give something related to that
16. Ask them or one who knows them, "what is the most special gift they ever received?" Give something like that
17. Ask them to do something more. Show that you want to keep them involved
18. Call and seek their advice and remind them how much you value their input
19. Hold a meeting where everyone brainstorms creative and non traditional ways to say "Thanks!"
20. Add the giver's name to a list of donors, contributors or key supporters
21. Do something permanent so they know you mean it.
The Golden Rule says we should "do unto others as we would have them do unto us" but they may not be like us. So, do what Tony Alessandra calls "The Platinum Rule": "do unto others the way others want to be done unto." Treat them the way THEY want to be treated. Thank them in the ways that they consider to be gracious and grateful.
In the final analysis what matters is whether they consider that you have appropriately thanked them. If you have then the transaction is momentarily complete. Now reconnect with them and start a new activity.
copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart
Monday, June 19, 2006
How to Hold a Good Meeting
by Jim Cathcart, Founder of 101 Leaders Institute
One of the universal attitudes in society today is that
most meetings are a waste of time and
there is no such thing as "a good meeting."
It doesn't have to be that way. After all a "meeting" is
simply a gathering with others for a specific purpose,
kind of like a ball game or a party but with more
interaction and less physical.
1. Start and end ON TIME! It is not polite to wait for everyone to arrive before starting, in fact that is impolite. It disrespects the courtesy that others have shown by arriving on time. Kill the concept of being "fashionably late" and get people used to having 2 oclock meetings actually begin at, or very near, 2 oclock. And when the end time has arrived, even if the meeting didn't achieve its goals, offer people the opportunity to adjourn as they expected to, then reconvene when practical. Meetings that run overtime are evidence that the leader isn't skilled at running meetings.
2. Stay ON TOPIC! A meeting should have a purpose or it shouldn't be held. Let people know why you are meeting and what you hope to achieve. They will help you achieve it if they know what it is and why it matters. During the meeting politely acknowledge any off-topic comments and defer them to a separate meeting or time. Other items may be important but this meeting needs to achieve its own purpose first.
3. Start with an attention getter. You don't have to fire a cannon to get started but you do have to break the attention barrier appropriately. A good starter for most meetings is to loudly announce "Welcome Everyone! Let's get started." Then proceed as if you already had their attention. Those who are talking will stop if you continue to begin the meeting. If you wait for them to become quiet then you will put a chill on the entire group. Just start the meeting and let the group quiet each other.
4. Don't position anything as "before we start." If you are making housekeeping announcements, you have started. This IS part of the meeting, so get on with it. Also, do not start with a call for open comments or questions. You are the meeting's leader so LEAD! The group is waiting for you to show them direction and guide the discussion.
5. Eliminate distractions early. If a noise can be diminished by closing a door or a glare eliminated by drawing the curtains, do so right away. People won't hear your ideas if they are distracted by visuals or sounds or temperature problems. If others are talking and won't shut up, ask them politely to continue their discussion outside the room.
6. When introducing someone to address the group, tell them: why this speaker is addressing this group at this time on this topic. Don't just read their resume' and expect people to be impressed. Also, stay in place at the speaker stand until the next speaker takes over. Don't vacate the stage while they are walking forward.
7. When someone is finished addressing the group, thank them and step up to the lecturn or sound the gavel for the next topic. Waiting for them to stop on their own can often lead to long awkward moments and sometimes ruin your meeting. Take the cue that the time has expired and just say, "thank you Ellen, we have run out of time. Let's continue that dialogue offline after the meeting." Audiences despise meeting chairs who don't have the courage to do what is right. Instead of being courteous to the presenter try being more courteous to the entire audience when someone runs over time.
8. Don't try to cover every topic regardless of time frame. As the meeting unfolds, judge the best use of the remaining time and cover the important items during the meeting, leaving lesser topics for later. If your meetings are always overtime, either schedule longer meetings or learn to run meetings efficiently.
9. Lighten Up! Have fun in the meeting. Don't sacrifice progress for fun, but enjoy the process. If a senior or valued attendee comes into the room during the meeting, pause and welcome them. Keep it real, don't pretend that people don't notice.
10. Respect each other's time and topic. Keep the meeting on issue and allow each person their moment in the spotlight. Hear them out, keep them timely, and then move on. Most meetings run astray over mixing too many topics into one discussion. Print your agenda and hold people to it.
11. Let people know how it went. Send a summary or recap to the attendees. Remind them of decisions that were taken, commitments made, goals agreed to and other outcomes. Document the effect of the meeting so all can see what they achieved.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
One of the universal attitudes in society today is that
most meetings are a waste of time and
there is no such thing as "a good meeting."
It doesn't have to be that way. After all a "meeting" is
simply a gathering with others for a specific purpose,
kind of like a ball game or a party but with more
interaction and less physical.
1. Start and end ON TIME! It is not polite to wait for everyone to arrive before starting, in fact that is impolite. It disrespects the courtesy that others have shown by arriving on time. Kill the concept of being "fashionably late" and get people used to having 2 oclock meetings actually begin at, or very near, 2 oclock. And when the end time has arrived, even if the meeting didn't achieve its goals, offer people the opportunity to adjourn as they expected to, then reconvene when practical. Meetings that run overtime are evidence that the leader isn't skilled at running meetings.
2. Stay ON TOPIC! A meeting should have a purpose or it shouldn't be held. Let people know why you are meeting and what you hope to achieve. They will help you achieve it if they know what it is and why it matters. During the meeting politely acknowledge any off-topic comments and defer them to a separate meeting or time. Other items may be important but this meeting needs to achieve its own purpose first.
3. Start with an attention getter. You don't have to fire a cannon to get started but you do have to break the attention barrier appropriately. A good starter for most meetings is to loudly announce "Welcome Everyone! Let's get started." Then proceed as if you already had their attention. Those who are talking will stop if you continue to begin the meeting. If you wait for them to become quiet then you will put a chill on the entire group. Just start the meeting and let the group quiet each other.
4. Don't position anything as "before we start." If you are making housekeeping announcements, you have started. This IS part of the meeting, so get on with it. Also, do not start with a call for open comments or questions. You are the meeting's leader so LEAD! The group is waiting for you to show them direction and guide the discussion.
5. Eliminate distractions early. If a noise can be diminished by closing a door or a glare eliminated by drawing the curtains, do so right away. People won't hear your ideas if they are distracted by visuals or sounds or temperature problems. If others are talking and won't shut up, ask them politely to continue their discussion outside the room.
6. When introducing someone to address the group, tell them: why this speaker is addressing this group at this time on this topic. Don't just read their resume' and expect people to be impressed. Also, stay in place at the speaker stand until the next speaker takes over. Don't vacate the stage while they are walking forward.
7. When someone is finished addressing the group, thank them and step up to the lecturn or sound the gavel for the next topic. Waiting for them to stop on their own can often lead to long awkward moments and sometimes ruin your meeting. Take the cue that the time has expired and just say, "thank you Ellen, we have run out of time. Let's continue that dialogue offline after the meeting." Audiences despise meeting chairs who don't have the courage to do what is right. Instead of being courteous to the presenter try being more courteous to the entire audience when someone runs over time.
8. Don't try to cover every topic regardless of time frame. As the meeting unfolds, judge the best use of the remaining time and cover the important items during the meeting, leaving lesser topics for later. If your meetings are always overtime, either schedule longer meetings or learn to run meetings efficiently.
9. Lighten Up! Have fun in the meeting. Don't sacrifice progress for fun, but enjoy the process. If a senior or valued attendee comes into the room during the meeting, pause and welcome them. Keep it real, don't pretend that people don't notice.
10. Respect each other's time and topic. Keep the meeting on issue and allow each person their moment in the spotlight. Hear them out, keep them timely, and then move on. Most meetings run astray over mixing too many topics into one discussion. Print your agenda and hold people to it.
11. Let people know how it went. Send a summary or recap to the attendees. Remind them of decisions that were taken, commitments made, goals agreed to and other outcomes. Document the effect of the meeting so all can see what they achieved.
Copyright 2006 Jim Cathcart, Lake Sherwood, CA, USA
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