Small Business Leadership and Sales Blog

We are almost to the middle of summer and the height of vacation season.  A fellow NSA colleague Kimberly Medlock shares this great information about not taking mental baggage with you on vacation.  Enjoy! 

There is something mysterious that often kicks in for many on “the day before vacation.” That long tedious list of random tasks that you have been able to successfully suppress for weeks (or months!) suddenly overwhelms you with an urge of almost irrational determination to get done. You simply must clean out the refrigerator, empty your inbox, return all borrowed items and dust your houseplants before you leave for vacation! (It’s not just me, right?)

I agree with the theory that suggests that subconsciously you are desperate to de-clutter your mind and shed the excessive “baggage” that comes from all of those loose-ends, procrastinated tasks and unfinished projects. You know that unless you do, you will have a difficult time transitioning into vacation mode and really experiencing the proven benefits that time-off has to offer.

So, in planning for your time away, my advice is to also plan for a few unscheduled hours/days for wrapping-up things on “your to-do list” before you leave. Doing so can allow you to be fully present while away from the office and be rid of any unnecessary worry, guilt or fear that an important project, expectation or customer was left neglected. Wouldn’t that be a nice change?

Here are a few tips to help you feel good about leaving the office for an extended time and reducing your mental baggage:

•  Avoid starting anything new that you can’t properly finish. Depending on what your job is, prior to leaving, avoid the usual “over-packing” of your calendar with new tasks, projects and commitments.

• Clean out your email inbox. A quick and effective way to do this is to sort your inbox by “sender” so you can review and delete large blocks of related e-mails.

• Clear your desk. Eliminate the piles on your desk by starting with a quick sort. Quickly dividing all of your papers into three piles – one for action items (things that require a specific follow-up action on your part), one for reference papers (items to be filed, support and a “someday/maybe” pile – things you might get back to in the future. Focus on taking care of your action items first. (If you have the time to file the non-action items, great - but if not at least you leave knowing that you took care of all known commitments.)

•  Let your important clients and colleagues know you will be out of the office. Send an email, set-up your email auto-responder and record a new voice mail greeting telling them of the dates you will be away and who they can contact should that they need immediate help.

•  Finish, delegate or at least bring up-to-date all incomplete projects.

Tip: Avoid hard-scheduling at least the first full day or two back on the job for reviewing your e-mails, processing new papers and being brought up to speed on any new issues.
Warning: With this laser-like focus and plan prior to leaving, you just might be so amazed at how much you actually completed and accomplished that you (and your boss) may realize the answer for improved productivity is actually to schedule more vacation time!

Lastly, remember it is just work. Work will always be there. Enjoy your family and have fun!

Want to improve your personal, team or company’s productivity?

Kimberly Medlock CPO® and Certified Microsoft Outlook Specialist is a speaker, trainer, author and coach for Productive Matters. She shares with enthusiasm how to achieve greater productivity and improved peace of mind for busy people. www.kimberlymedlock.com

"The future's so bright I gotta wear shades" is a great saying for people who are surrounded with positive energy and filled with real momentum to be successful. For your small business success, it is important to know that there are two primary types of people in the world. These people include givers, and then there are people who can be labeled as takers.

Before you finish your gumbo at lunch tomorrow, you can become a happier person by recognizing the givers and takers in your life.

Givers are people who will take the time to contribute positively to you on a personal and on a business level. Givers can be those loyal customers who will stick by you even when times are tough. Or the givers may be your mentor who lends comforting advice and guidance when it is needed. Another type of giver is simply a spouse, a friend, or a family member who will let you lean on them and will carry you through challenges or obstacles that you might face in your daily life.

Takers, on the other hand, do almost the exact opposite. Some takers are pessimists that always find the down side to any direction or decision. Other takers are needy people who are constantly down and out and require a lot of nurturing on your part. Still other takers are those who are out to take advantage or find the deal or steal of the day. These types of people can wear even the most hardy of us down.

Remember in school when your teacher assigned homework? Today's homework is for you to list ten people in your life, and then categorize those people as either givers or takers. No one is in-between. As you might have guessed, if you have just a few takers and mostly givers, you are more than likely a much happier person.

Your goal should be to find more people who are willing to be givers, and back away from those people who are your takers to achieve small business success. Once you find the right mix of people you will be able to lead a happier life - and that could happen as soon as you finish your gumbo at lunch tomorrow if you desire!

We all have a date with destiny. Along that journey, why not make it a little more pleasant by surrounding yourself with more positive people and more positive energy. For small business success this is key.

Please share this article with your friends, famiy and co-workers who could use a dose of positive energy! 

What the heck are you talking about this week, Marvin?

I'm talking about a simple tip to COMPLETE more projects.

Did you know that your biggest "time management" issues can be solved for $2.99?
Yep, all you need to do is buy an old fashioned egg timer at the dollar store.

Here's how you are going to start using it, (just as soon as you finish reading this article then emailing the article to 3 or 4 of your good friends that are always late and always griping about the stuff they never get done).

Premise: there are very few people that can focus their attention on one particular project or task for longer than 30 minutes without getting distracted or looking to be distracted.

So don't fight it. Work WITH it!

Strategy: put an egg-timer on your desk.

• set it for 25 minutes
• work only on the task that you have determined that is important in this "25 minute" appointment.
• avoid any eye contact with others
• turn your cell phone off or put it on silent. (don't fight me here. the world will keep on revolving during this 25 minute segment. Besides, you're not quite as important as you give yourself credit for)
• lock your office door (if you're in an office)
• notify your co-workers you are in a "conference/meeting/appointment". Because you are!! You've made an appointment to meet with yourself to confer and COMPLETE SOMETHING!!

Would you please complete a project so you can feel the excitement and self-confidence that only comes from GETTING IT DONE?

Why 25 minutes? Because at the end of 25 minutes, that particular session is over. Now you can go get some coffee, make a run to the restroom or follow-up with a co-worker or customer.

Observation: until you've really monitored your behavior, you cannot imagine the number of times you are interrupted in a typical work day. Sadly, most of us are guilty of being the person that is actually DOING the interrupting.

Oh I see, you're reading this article thinking you are not the interrupter. Well, be sure to read my next blog post because it will expose some of your own disruptive behaviors. It's a great time saving tool and it won't even cost $2.99.

Call to action: go buy that egg-timer and try this idea. Be sure to pass on your experiences with this idea to me at Marvin@MarvinLeBlanc.com.  Please pass this on to a friend, co-worker or colleague! 

Until next time.

Be Marvelous!

Hello Marvelous people!

Many of you may have already read my 1st book, "Come Hell or High Water" (Life Lessons from Hurricane Katrina). In it I discussed the Five Impossible Laws and one of those laws touched on the fact that it is impossible to over-communicate.

For leaders, communicating and effectively "speaking" is an endless challenge never to be fully mastered.

Regardless of whether or not you ever speak from a stage, know that to some degree we all "speak" professionally. May these nuggets of wisdom in Mr. Popovichs' article aid you in conquering your own stresses and anxieties.

Drop us an email and tell us how you will put these ideas into action. Marvin@MarvinLeBlanc.com

Stress and anxiety are factors that a professional speaker will have to deal with in their careers. As a result, here is a list of techniques that a person can use to help manage the daily stresses and anxieties of their speaking profession.

Sometimes, we get stressed when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things before you give your speech.

A technique that is very helpful is to have a small notebook of positive statements that makes you feel good. Whenever you come across an affirmation that makes you feel good, write it down in a small notebook that you can carry around with you in your pocket. Whenever you feel depressed or frustrated, open up your small notebook and read those statements. This will help to manage your negative thinking before your presentation.

Sometimes, we can get anxious over your upcoming presentation. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself giving the speech using your mind. By doing this, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes. Self-Visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation.

In dealing with your anxieties at your speaking profession, learn to take it one day at a time. While the consequences of a particular fear may seem real, there are usually other factors that cannot be anticipated and can affect the results of any situation. Get all of the facts of the situation and use them to your advantage.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you if you get really anxious in your presentations. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your depression and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future. Remember that it never hurts to ask for help.

BIOGRAPHY:
Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/

There's only two ways that you can have more money.

This is the only two that I know. You can increase your income, or you can
reduce your lifestyle and your expenses.

Obviously, it is highly encouraged to have a combination of both of those
going on at the same time.

Recently, I spent some time with some of my colleagues -- we were in a study group with insurance professionals from all across the nation.

In one of our discussions she shares with us a statement made by her client.

"I'm sorry, I really would like to implement a life insurance program that would deliver a check to my family in the event that I don't make it home
tonight due to an untimely death, but we can't afford it."

So, my colleague asks, "May I ask why it is that you can't afford it?"

Answer: "Well, I have to buy a new boat."

To which my colleague asks, "Are you a commercial fisherman?". (in
south Louisiana we have a large clientele of commercial fishermen, and that
would be a logical reason for buying a boat, because that's the way he may
make his living.) His reply: "No, it's not a commercial boat, it's just a
pleasure boat".

HERE'S THE POINT: You see, it was more important for this major breadwinner
to receive immediate gratification with the purchase of a pleasure boat than
it was for him to protect his family in the event of an untimely death.

This person could have chosen to reduce his lifestyle and secure his family,
but he chose immediate gratification over discipline and responsibility.

Now all you recreational boaters and fishermen out there, don't get
confused. I'm not against enjoying yourselves in Sportsmans' Paradise.

But just in case you don't make it home, could you please do something
financially meaningful for those you leave behind? It's much cheaper than a
boat, I can assure you.

What is a Meta Decision?

A meta decision is an umbrella-type decision that impacts all of the smaller decisions that come thereafter. It is made with the intention of impacting or replacing a number of future decisions. Thus, meta decisions are crucial to organizing because they save the mental anguish and time involved with making hundreds of individual decisions one by one.

How Can You Use Meta Decisions to Get Organized? You can use meta decisions with clothing (“I will not keep anything that I have not worn in the last 2 years”), magazines and newspapers (“If I have not read it in the last 3 months, it gets donated or thrown in the recycling bin!”), e-mail (“I will check email for 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour after lunch, and 1 hour in the evening only.”), requests for social events (“I will commit to 3 social events this month only.”), etc.

Let’s take paper for example. You can make a meta decision to purge any business paperwork that is over 7 years old. Then, all you need to do as you are sorting is look at the dates. Anything that is older than 7 years automatically gets purged. This takes the guesswork out of reviewing and making a decision regarding each and every document. Essentially, using meta decisions is a clever way to establish rules and set boundaries.

Try it! I guarantee it will free up some of your mental clutter, allowing you to purge more of your physical clutter.

If you find this article useful, please share it with your network, friends, family and co-workers. 

Peace, Love and Gumbo,

Marvin LeBLanc LUTCF, CNP

Each week we painfully witness Mother Nature's ability to interrupt our daily lives. Flooding, Icestorms, Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Hurricanes. What else am I forgetting? 

If you were incapacitated, would anyone be able to find your important records and take care of your family's financial or business matters? Having important papers organized and accessible in advance can be very important in an emergency or crisis situation. Consider the following for organizing your important records.

Location. Options for storage might include a home safe, fire-security box or off-site location such as a safety deposit box. The storage container should be securable and fire resistant. Shoe boxes or cardboard boxes in the closet or under the bed are not appropriate.

Who knows? Does someone in addition to your partner or family members know where these papers are kept? Consider making a list of such papers and records, and on the list state where these documents can be found. Then advise a trusted third party - an attorney, CPA, relative, or family friend - where this list is kept.

The general idea is that someone not living in your residence knows about this list and how to access it. This decision requires a certain comfort level, and you alone must make that decision based on trust.

Which papers? Regardless of who knows what, organized records are always a plus. The following items might be part of your "important documents" list:

· safety deposit box key
· life insurance policies
· deeds, contracts, leases, titles, mortgage(s), loan notes
· banking, savings, investment and retirement account(s) records
· will
· burial arrangements
· all other insurance policies (health, auto, home, etc.)
· birth certificates

However you decide to store your personal records, and whatever you decide to include, one fact is clear. If important legal, business and personal documents are organized and accessible, the handling of a crisis situation is made much easier.

We sincerely hope that you find these ideas helpful and then ACT ON THEM now. Knowledge is not power. Applying the knowledge and ideas is where the power rest.

Marvin LeBlanc, LUTCF, CNP

For more helpful tips on how you can Lead Smarter, Sell More Effectively or simply Live Life With a Lot more FUN,  grab your free subscription to this awesome blog. Over 200 articles available.   If you found this article helpful please feel free to share it with your friends, family and co-workers! 

Hello Marvelous People:  

Today we have a guest blog post from Southern Louisiana's own Jennifer Ledet.  It is a good one so all of you small business leaders out there take note. 

Here along the bayous of South Louisiana you may occasionally hear someone call a person a tete dur. A tete dur, which translates literally to “hard head” is someone who just won’t listen, whose mind has been made up, or who thinks he knows better. This is a term I’m pretty sure can be applied to most teenagers, starting around the age of 14 and ending around the age of, well, in some cases 21 or so. I am not proud to admit that I have been called a tete dur many times in my day.

Shoshin is a concept in Zen Buddhism meaning “beginner’s mind”. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner in that subject would.

What if, as a leader, you took the “beginner’s mind” approach to everything you did? What if you put aside your preconceived ideas, your assumptions, and your tete dur, and opened your mind to someone else’s ideas and suggestions? The practice of Zen states that “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” Could you open your mind up to the many possibilities that are available?

Let’s take a look at the two approaches and you decide for yourself which you will aspire to:

The tete dur is insecure and sees admitting that she doesn’t have all the answers all of the time as an admission of weakness or inadequacy. I have found that many leaders find it harder to say “I don’t know” than it is to apologize or admit a mistake. Maybe it’s because we’ve been conditioned to believe that the boss must know it all. Beginners are secure enough to say “I don’t know” and will take the steps necessary to find out the answers. A beginner will even ask team members for their ideas. Often those on the “front line” will have great ideas for improvements but won’t speak up unless asked.

A tete dur sees himself as an expert based on years of experience and knowledge. A beginner’s mind doesn’t assume anything, but rather, expects that he can learn something from each person he encounters. Of course no one is suggesting that you forget everything you’ve learned, or negate experience; Rather having a beginner’s mind is about keeping an open mind on how to apply your experience to each new circumstance.

A tete dur will often focus on doing things the “normal” way, or the “way we’ve always done things.” A beginner will challenge her paradigms or think outside of the box. Thank goodness inventors like Edison and Da Vinci had the courage to disregard common sense and allow themselves to be creative.

A tete dur gets stuck in preconceived ideas and may even believe that he knows all that he needs to know on a subject. A beginner is insatiably curious and loves to ask questions, learn, and explore. My daddy was a beginner in this regard. He was fascinated by learning how things work and inventing solutions to problems or challenges. (Although he could still be a tete durin many ways!) I am reminded of a Zen story that illustrates this point:

A professor once visited a Japanese master to inquire about Zen. The master served tea. When the visitor’s cup was full, the master kept pouring. Tea spilled out of the cup and over the table.“The cup is full!” said the professor. “No more will go in!” “Like this cup,” said the master, “You are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Obviously this story points out the fact that in order to learn and grow – in any subject – we have to be willing to release our pre-conceived ideas and adopt a spirit of curiosity and discovery. As a leader it’s easy to get stuck in what you know and how things have always been done. Today, take on a problem from a beginner’s mind, Tete Dur!

Please share with me what you plan to start doing, stop doing or continue doing as a leader. 

You can get more information about Jennifer Ledet by visiting her website and check out her new book Lead, Follow, or Get Me the Hot Sauce!

Remember, “Marvelous Performance is always intentional.
                     Marvelous Performance is never accidental.”
 
Feel free to send me your opinions, comments and feedback. We encourage you to inquire how our systems will help inspire you, your team, group or association to measurable Marvelous Performance.  Email me at Marvin@MarvinLeBlanc.com
 

To have success in business, mentors can give the inspiration needed to achieve.

General Ferdinand Foch of France once quoted

“The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.”

Through mentors people can be inspired and their souls set on fire with drive and determination for success in business.

If you think you can achieve success in business and be inspired without a mentor, you are being naive. Everyone needs a mentor to some degree to keep direction and retain motivation.

Perform your own self-evaluation and consider these four things honestly:

1. Who are your mentors? What people have inspired you in your life? From childhood through college and into adult life, there are numerous people who have given you than extra push to achieve and become inspired.

2. List your mentors by name and recall how they inspired you. Mentors can take different approaches. What may seem like a small thing to one person could mean a life of positive experiences for another. From a simple pat on the back from your football coach, to that encouraging message from the local church leader, or that gentle yet firm lecture from your teacher – mentors can affect you in many ways.

3. When have you last been in contact with your mentors? Can you reach out to them and rekindle your relationships again? You can initiate by making a simple “thank you” call and telling them how they have changed your life in a positive way. Or you can find out how they are doing and show concern for their well-being.

4. Be open to seeking out new mentors. There are more people willing to help you than you may realize! At work there are always good supervisors and managers who are seeking out people eager to be mentored. Even fellow coworkers or those in people in your social network may be willing to give some inspiration and guidance to help you on your way – all you need to do is ask and be open.

Never believe you have all the knowledge that you need. There are always opportunities to gain knowledge and inspiration from the mentors in your life. Keep an open mind and welcome the inspiration to ignite your soul.

From my book “Come Hell or High Water” chapter 8 is devoted to mentors. Pick up your free chapter and learn more!

Hello Marvelous People:

Today we can learn a lot from Veraunda Jackson.  Sometimes in life you must quit.  There are situations, people, activities, commitments that just must come to an end. Review this list of situations where it is okay to quit! 

1. Quit arguing with people about the same old foolishness! Respect their position and keep it moving!

2. Quit telling people your secrets when you know they are not going to keep them! And if you keep telling them, then quit getting mad when they tell your secrets!

3. Quit trying to pull people on your journey who don't want to travel with you. Either they believe in you and value you...or they don't!

4. Quit complaining about things you can't and won't change!

5. Quit gossiping about other people! Minding our own business should be a full time job!

6. Quit blaming each other for things that in the big picture aren't going to matter three weeks from now! Talk solutions...and then implement them!

7. Quit eating things you know are not good for you! If you can't quit...eat smaller portions!

8. Quit buying things when we know we can't afford them! If you don't have self control, then quit going to the stores! Quit charging things, especially when you don't NEED them!

9. Quit staying in unhealthy relationships! It is not okay for people to verbally or physically abuse you! So quit lying to yourself! It is not okay to stay in the marriage for the children! Ask them and they will tell you that they really would prefer to see you happy and that the misery you and your spouse/partner are living with is affecting them!

10. Quit letting family members rope you into the drama! Start telling them you don't want to hear it! Quit spreading the drama! Quit calling other relatives and telling them about your cousin or aunt! Go back to #5 minding your own business should be enough to keep you busy!

11. Quit trying to change people! IT DOESN'T WORK! Quit cussing people out when you know that they are just being the miserable and jealous people that they are!

12. Quit the job you hate! Start pursuing your passion. Find the job that fuels your passion BEFORE you quit!

13. Quit volunteering for things that you aren't getting any personal fulfillment from anymore! Quit volunteering for things and then failing to follow through with your commitment!

14. Quit listening to the naysayers! Quit watching the depressing news if you are going to live in the doom and gloom of it all!

15. Quit making excuses about why you are where you are or why you can't do what you want to do!

16. Quit waiting on others to give you the answers...and start finding the answers for yourself! If what you are doing isn't working for you...then quit it!

17. Quit settling and start making your dreams a reality!- Quit being afraid and START LIVING YOUR LIFE! CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT! If you want something different than what you have had in the past...you must quit doing what you have done before and DO something different! JUST QUIT IT ...... and START DOING something to create the experience you want!

Make Marvelous happen in your life!  If you need some assistance getting "unstuck" with your team or your business please contact me at marvinleblanc@aol.com

Peace, Love and Gumbo! 

Marvin LeBlanc, LUTCF, CNP