Small Business Leadership and Sales Blog

When people first meet me, (or you for that matter), they immediately start making one of three decisions. This begins with the very first impression. Face-to-face or through technology.

They choose:

1. No, I’m not on the same page with you.
2. Yes, I get you and your message and we ARE on the same page and I want to know more.
3. Maybe, I need more time to get to know you, your information and what you’re all about.

Many people that know me know that I, rarely if ever, have a bad day. Seriously. Now I know what some of you are thinking while you’re reading this. “Marvin, don’t give me that “PollyAnna” crapola, (one of Gitomer’s
favorite words) that all is right with you and your world. We know better. We know you have problems.”

My answer: well of course I have “stuff”. We all have “stuff”. We always WILL have “stuff”. But, how quickly you MOVE ON from one pile of “stuff” to the next is my secret life weapon. That weapon – that unique ability that I
have developed, (beginning in 1978) is how I overcome and overachieve.

What I EXPECT is what I GET. I EXPECT much out of myself and I get much out of myself.
* I’m not blessed with height. (I’m a short, round Cajun.)
* I’m not blessed with good looks. (I had the biggest ears in my 4th Grade Class and the picture is on my Facebook to prove it)
* I was not highly educated at Tulane or Harvard. (But I bleed LSU purple & gold)

What do you EXPECT out of yourself? Are you GETTING what you EXPECT? Are you GIVING what you EXPECT?

I will definitely admit that I do have bad “moments” in my days, but I don’t have bad days.

On Oct. 20th of 2007 my daughter & I were riding my Honda Goldwing. It was a gorgeous, sunny, dry day. We decided to take the scenic River Road out of LaPlace, Louisiana (Hwy.44) – instead of taking the interstate. We were listening to Buddy Guy on my iPod. And then in a flash, we were catapulted directly over the front of my Goldwing. A careless, elderly driver had “T-boned” us.

My daughter lay motionless, face down on the asphalt in the lane of oncoming traffic. Immediately I looked down to see the bones in my right wrist displaced and broken from the impact. We both went over the top of his car. We both were heavily armored with proper bike wear. Besides some lower back pain that my daughter had, she is fine. I incurred 32 stiches in my wrist and 2 screws (my joints tell me when it’s going to rain.) The elderly driver is no longer with us.

But here’s the real point. That was NOT A BAD DAY!!!

WHY? Because we still made it home in time to watch LSU beat Auburn!!! 30-24(LSU had the ball in field goal range at the end of the game, but did not use its remaining timeout, instead calling a pass into the end zone,
which went for the winning TD with 1 second left, keeping our national championship hopes alive. By the way, we won the National Championship in 2007 beating Ohio State 38-24. That was the night that the Buckeyes couldn’t spell O-H-I-O with their big flags. My daughter and I were there. That was NOT A BAD DAY, now was it?)

Now — stop and really hear me.  IT’S WHAT YOU FOCUS ON THAT MATTERS!! IT’S what you CHOOSE to think that matters!

Quit obsessing about what you don’t have. And start obsessing about what you DO HAVE. Start obsessing about what your OPPORTUNITIES are that you can capitalize on. If you’re in a bad work relationship or you’re in a bad personal relationship, make a MOVE!!! This thing called “LIFE” is not a dress rehearsal. Make a MOVE and stop BITCHING!! Hug the people you love and mean it!! Tell people you love them and mean it!!

Well Marvin, you don’t understand my circumstances.

Really? Well then let’s talk about it. No, really. I’m serious. Let’s set an appointment. 15 minutes. And after 15 minutes, you can make one of three decisions about me.

Yes, No or Maybe. We’ll both be better people after the 15 minutes are completed.

Some homework before we talk.

** What specific tools or skills are you lacking that keeps you “stuck” too long?
** Do you honestly believe that things can change for you without you changing?
** Who do you have in your life that is an Accountability Partner that keeps you moving in the right direction?

PS: Did you know that you can leave your comments and opinions and feedback about this blog right here at the site? Please do it. For the benefit of others. We really want to hear what you have to say.

Hello Marvelous People~

Be the kind of man that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says “Oh Crap, He’s up!”

Brother, life is too short to wake up with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right.

Forgive the ones who don’t just because you can.

Believe everything happens for a reason.

If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.

If it changes your life, let it.

Take a few minutes to think before you act when you’re mad.

Forgive quickly.

God never said life would be easy, He just promised it would be worth it. Send this to all your brothers, fathers, sons.

(author unknown)

 

Hello Marvelous People!

Our guest blogger is Tyler Winner – President of Dale Carnegie Training for Middle Louisiana and East Texas. His article today on Team Member Engagement offers great tips to use in your next team meeting. Let us know how his ideas help move your team forward at MarvinLeBlanc@aol.com.


7 Ways To Foster Team Member Engagement

As a leader at your business, you have considerable impact on employee engagement, and whether that engagement remains sustained or not.  Because employee engagement is so critical to the success of your business, affecting such areas as communication, development, contribution and employee morale, it becomes a necessary responsibility for all leaders.

Team Member Engagement Directly Impacts The Success Of Your Business.

Businesses with engaged employees benefit from having fewer absences, excellent customer service (acknowledged by their clients), stronger internal communication and employees who are generally more enthusiastic about their jobs and, thus, more productive.  To help you create the sort of dynamic work environment that team member engagement generates, we put together the seven tips below.

7 Ways To Foster Team Member Engagement:

#1. Talk To Your Team: Communication is a two-way street, but someone has to put the keys in the ignition and get the car started, and that someone has to be a leader.  If you want your team members actively communicating with one another, you need to lead by example.  Throughout the day, talk to them about what is happening in the business, about work in the team and about their personal interests.

#2. Get To Know Your Team: Developing a rapport with your employees works in tandem with talking to them.  By genuinely getting to know your team members — their likes, their dislikes, their passions, their goals — you will gain a better understanding of what makes them tick, and in the process help them feel like unique individuals as opposed to human-shaped representations of their job function.

#3. Make Time For Your Team: As a leader at your business, it is important that you are available to the members of your team when they need you.  If you come off as unavailable or detached from the main body of your team, you will create a barrier between them and you.  This will lead to a serious disconnect and inevitable breakdown in communication, directly affecting your business’ success.

#4. Promote Fun At Work: “Fun” in this instance has less to do with fun in the sense of “fun and games” and more to do with employees being enthusiastic about their jobs.  When employees are having fun at the workplace, they are considerably more productive and contribute to a positive energy that influences the success of your business.

#5. Actively Support Your Team: Feeling supported by the rest of the team and the leaders at a business is an important aspect of team member engagement. Said leaders need to look for ways to help their employees grow and attain their business goals in order to combat complacency and prevent employees from growing disheartened with their job and their role in the company.

#6. Provide The Tools They Need: If you want your team members to perform at the top of their game and deliver the very best they can produce, you need to supply them with the right tools for their respective jobs.  Expecting employees to make due with what they have in essence cripples them, and can leave employees feeling that their job is far more of a struggle than it ought to be.

#7. Be Flexible: Ruling with an iron-fisted “my way or the highway” mentality stifles growth and development and creates a static, unchanging, complacent work environment — the antithesis of innovation and design (read: success).  Strong leaders know when to admit their weakness and when to concede to employees who may know more about something than they do, in the process engaging the employee by acknowledging their experience and relative expertise.

Executive Summary: Team member engagement, for any business — no matter what you do or what your size — is absolutely crucial.  As a leader at your business, it falls on your shoulders to take the first steps towards engaging your team members.  It may take a bit of effort, but in the end, the payoff is immeasurable.  Engagement motivates employees, creates a work atmosphere charged with excitement and energy, better communication and so much more. Bottom line: Team member engagement improves your business in every way.

Your Next Step: If you want to find out more about how Dale Carnegie Training can make your business more effective, or need more information on this subject, please send us an e-mail at tyler_winner@dalecarnegie.com.

Make it a great day!

A few weeks ago I was watching TV before bed.  We were watching America’s Funniest Home Videos. There was this one scene where a guy was demonstrating that his storm door on the front of his house was missing the glass.  He would literally just step through the door because the hole where the glass used to be was about 6 foot from the bottom to the top.  Now once he displayed that the glass was missing, he called his dog to the door and asked the dog if he wanted to go outside. 

The dog obviously did because he was nudging the medal frame of the door.  SO the guy stepped through the opening where the glass normally is, blatantly showing the dog that the glass was missing.  But yet the dog waited patiently for the man to open the door.  He did this over and over 5 or 6 times, stepping through the huge opening, then opening the door for the dog to go in and out.

The dog never got it.  He had been programmed to wait until the door was opened, no matter what the circumstances.  All of the walls of the house could have been gone, but as long as that door frame stood, that dog would continue to sit and wait for its master to open the door.

As crazy as it sounds, people are programmed in the same way.  We are programmed from a young age to draw within the lines… to sit in rows in our school classrooms… we are taught to walk in a straight line when going to lunch.  And it’s this controlling conformity that does the most damage to us as an individual.  It robs us of one of our most valuable assets…

CREATIVITY!   Your creative mind is what enables you to walk through the doors of opportunity.  Not only does it give you the freedom to ask “What If”… but it gives you the “Guts” to walk through any door.  And if there’s no door, it gives you the “Power” to break down any walls. 

It’s creativity and imagination that has fueled ALL of the great successful people in the world.  Neither DisneyLand nor DisneyWorld would exist if Walt Disney had conformed and done what he was supposed to do… if he had stayed in art school.  But he refused to harness his creativity… he refused to do what he was told and draw within the lines, and he dropped out of art school.

The list of success stories attributed to creative ability is endless. Billionaire Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Records, Virgin Airlines, and over 200 other companies, dropped out of high school in the 10th grade to express and develop his creative abilities. 

Michael Dell of Dell computers started his computer company while he was a freshman in college.  He spent his school money on computer parts and built computers in his dorm room.  He stopped going to classes and focused all of his time making computers.  His father freaked out on him when he realized what he was doing.   He said, “Michael, why can’t you be more like your brother?”  His brother had graduated from medical school.  His brother played by the rules and didn’t draw outside the lines.  But now, his brother works for Michael.

Now, don’t misunderstand what I am saying … Education is important.  I am not saying you don’t need to gain knowledge.  All of the most successful people in the world seek out specific knowledge that help them achieve their goals.  And they also surround themselves with people that can help them achieve their goals.

The point I want to make is that they were bold enough to NOT conform to the norm.  And that comes from having a strong creative mind.

According to studies by UCLA and the University of Georgia, all children have 100 percent of their creative potential at age five.  But by age seven half of that creative potential is gone.  And throughout life, your creative potential continues to deteriorate, unless you exercise it. –Author Unknown

 

Marvin LeBlanc is a left-handed, right-brained, fun-loving Cajun that is obsessed with Life Performance and Overcoming Adversity. He is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker and founder of Marvelous Performance Systems. Marvin is available for business retreats, keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, & individual coaching programs. His book “COME HELL OR HIGH WATER” will be available in the Fall of 2011 through New York Publisher www.BloomingTwig.com. To rent Marvin’s brain, contact him at MarvinLeBlanc@aol.com and request a Free Personal Coaching Session.

 

The quarter of 2011 is now in the books and pretty much GONE!

So I have a question. What were the results of  the recent “2011 CUSTOMER ADDED VALUE” meeting you had at your company in the last month?

Be honest. You never had that meeting now did you? That is a PROBLEM. And that spells future PAIN for you in 2011.

Why do I say this? Because if you don’t provide the ADDED VALUE, your clients and prospects will find it from your competitor. And this will happen easily.  If you do nothing.

Perhaps a great goal for you is to “GET DONE” some vital thinking.

Define what ADDED VALUE for your clients and prospects really IS. Define what ADDED VALUE for your clients and prospects LOOKS LIKE.

(Do you have some clients that will tell you the truth about how you are doing in this area? It’s probably time to take them out for coffee anyways right?)

So do that, and be sure to let me know how it works out for you.  Save the RSS Feed for this blog and come back and share your important feedback.

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Marvin LeBlanc is a left-handed, right-brained, fun-loving Cajun that is obsessed with Life Performance and Overcoming Adversity. He is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker and founder of Marvelous Performance Systems. Marvin is available for business retreats, keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, & individual coaching programs. His book “COME HELL OR HIGH WATER” will be available in the Fall of 2011 through New York Publisher www.BloomingTwig.com. To rent Marvin’s brain, contact him at MarvinLeBlanc@aol.com and request a Free Personal Coaching Session

Hello Marvelous People!

Our guest blogger today is a buddy of mine that resides in the beautiful Rochester, New York area. His title seems to captivate much of the sentiment I pick up on when I travel across the nation, overhear conversations in airports and hear the daily news messages.

Brad feels there’s other choices than Retiring Pissed Off and Broke.
Enjoy the read & be sure to post your comments on our blog. It’s your blog too!

Peace,Love and Gumbo!
Marvin LeBlanc

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO RETIRE PISSED OFF AND BROKE?

You couldn’t go online yesterday without seeing a story about Steven Slater, the Jet Blue flight attendant, who got in an argument with a passenger, stole some beer, and then used the emergency slide to exit the plane before driving home. As a former flight attendant, I relate to Steven and the grief flight attendants take from passengers, but Steven’s outburst was wrong and the courts will now figure out if he’ll pay civil or criminal penalties. However, what a learning opportunity we have to examine this story and apply its lessons to our lives and careers.

Last weekend we were guests at our neighbor’s cottage in Upstate New York, and one of the guests commented on how much corporate America has sucked the life out of him, and his day-to-day existience is fluroscent lights and his cube, but he doesn’t dare break free because of the reliable check and the health benefits. Now I’m not one to criticize because the fact of the matter is we live in Rochester, New York because a large company offered us a job and benefits after my wife was laid off and pregnant. Since she was carrying the benefits at the time this put us in quite a “pickle”.

Now though as I look forward to my future and someday being 100% self-employed again I know that with proper planning we can survive and thrive without corporate America. Instead what we see in our society are a lot of Steven Slaters in our day-to-day work who are at the edge of what they can take from the co-workers, customers, and bosses and they are just looking for their own emergency slide to jump into. The fact is most people never do find their slide and they suffer a career of should’ve, could’ve, would’ves and retire pissed off and broke.

Right now you have a decision to make. If you are “stuck” in your career/life you can either accept the status quo or you can chart your course to the work you love. If you choose the status quo please do your co-workers, boss, friends, and family one small favor, stop bitching about your work because you’re the one choosing to stay, not them. Now if you choose the work you love, take 15 minutes tonight and write down on paper the three steps you can take in the next week to start working towards these goals. You will be surprised at how simple the process is once you start charting a course to your dreams, because as Zig Ziglar stated, “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

Acknowledge, Decide, and DO…

Brad “HOOT” Heutmaker, MBA/E-Business

Every article you read. Every TV show you view. Every radio talk show you listen to. Every advertisement you are interrupted with. They all seem to be consumed with ways to help you make more money.

But you see – YOUR INCOME DOESN’T MATTER.  Because income has nothing to do with accumulating wealth.

*Why is it that the retired school teacher that never made over $30,000 in any year, dies & her favorite library or charity receives a half million dollars that was stipulated to go to them in her will?

*Why do the Japanese save an average of 25% of what they earn?

*Why do the Germans save 19% of what they earn?

*Yet, the average American does not save 25% or 19% do they?  No, of course not.

America, the richest country in the world, (at least until China surpasses us in 2020), SPENDS 115% of what we make. What that means is that we make $100 and spend $115.

Yep, you’ve figured it out. We’re living off of CREDIT. Or to put it simply – we’re increasing our DEBT on a monthly basis. With no sensible strategy in place to accumulate wealth.

So just when you heard that heart disease or cancer or diabetes is the #1 killer in America, I’m telling you that’s not the disease you have to worry about.  Yippee!

The #1 DISEASE IN AMERICA is – SPENDING! Stick with me here.  If you had $500.00 to monthly invest with me and I told you there were 3 places you could put your money:

1. We could take your $500.00 and put it in a place that it earns 10%.

2. Or we could take your $500.00 and put it in a place that earns 5%

3. Or we could take your $500 and put it in a place that earn 0%.

Which place would you choose to put your money?

Hang on. Hang on. Before you answer, let me tell you that your 10% or 5% account are always there so if you need the money, you can easily get to it. But the 0% money goes into a TIN CAN. And as soon as the money goes in each month, the lid on the TIN CAN is SLAMMED SHUT. And there’s no way to get to your money.

My question to you is this. In which of these 3 places will you have the most money in 10 years?  The TIN CAN. You & I both know the TIN CAN will outperform the other 2 places you could’ve put your money.

Here’s the point, Marvelous People -  Success or Failure is NOT based on a RATE OF RETURN. But rather, it is based on strategic, systematic investing.

It never has been about TIMING OF THE MARKET. Rather, it’s about TIME IN THE MARKET. Investing is not irrational, impulsive or emotional. It’s strategic and predictable and intentional.

If you have more questions for me or you would like to find out how you can get a great TIN CAN, be in touch with me.

Hello Marvelous People!

If you’re a small business owner new to Social Media, then this article is just the thing you need to read now. If you’re experienced in Social Media, more than likely there are 3 items out of the 10 that you are not doing well.

So read this helpful article by Dave Nelsen and take some notes on what you need to do differently today with your Social Media approach.

Ten Do’s of Social Media (By Vistage Speaker Dave Nelsen)

Social media and social networking are quickly becoming “de rigueur” for business. A recent study by a Chicago-based firm, Slack Barshinger, showed that small and medium-size businesses are getting “heavily involved with social media, with about half using blogs, wikis, Twitter or other social media channels for business purposes.” If your company is not yet engaged, it’s time to jump in before your competitors beat you to the punch. If you’re not familiar with social media, check out YouTube, Twitter, TalkShoe, or any blog–these publishing and broadcasting democracies involve hundreds of millions of people. While most of these services were originally conceived for consumers, social media allows businesses to engage in many-to-many conversations with customers, accelerating their learning and building trust.


Critial rules for Social Media Marketing:

1. Do the same up-front planning you would for any important business initiative.

2. Define your target audience. Detail how you intend to create value for them. Map out how you expect them to create value for you. Document your approach and objectives per medium (blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Listen and learn from others for a few weeks before responding. In general,
spend twice as much time listening as responding.

3. Display your Personality, and keep the content Interesting and Entertaining (the old radio adage “PIE”). Remember, people buy from people; show your professional self.

4. Be authentic. Never before has a medium and its participants been more skilled at smelling a rat and turning against the perpetrator.

5. Remember that social media is about two-way conversation (see “Don’t try to control” above). Conversation builds trust; trust leads to more sales. Favor timeless content over time-sensitive content (note: this varies based on the medium and there are exceptions). We live in a time-shifted “Tivo” world and there’s wonderful leverage in creating a blog post (for example) that will have value to new readers weeks, months, or even years from now.

6. Remember that “push” is out and “pull” is in. Direct mail, traditional advertising, and unsolicited email are forms of “push” — the content producer chooses who to target. “Following” on Twitter, “subscribing” to a blog or podcast, or viewing a video your friends “liked” on Facebook are forms of “pull” — the content consumer decides what to listen to. In today’s information-rich world, people want to opt-in, choosing where to spend their valuable time. Give them a reason to choose your content.

7. Keep your eyes open. Use Google Alerts, search.twitter.com, relevant Linkedin Groups, Ning networks, and other sites to monitor or “listen in” on conversations about your company, your competitors, and the best practices in your industry.

8. Show patience. As the party with more power (a business relative to a customer/prospect), attacking or being critical will frequently backfire and word will propagate quickly.

9. Learn from your audience (as they will learn from you). Be prepared to rapidly evolve your products and services to meet their needs. They’ll suggest valuable ideas you never thought of.

10. In the next few years, social media will become a primary vehicle for interacting with your customers, partners, suppliers, and even employees. By getting started today, your company can adapt to a changing world more quickly than your competitors. What are you waiting for?

Vistage member and speaker, Dave Nelsen helps companies develop social media strategies to improve their marketing, sales, customer support, and even internal communication. He’s the Founder of podcasting pioneer TalkShoe and a long-time entrepreneur. You can contact Dave at dave@get121.biz.

Hello Marvelos People!

Part two of the Do's and Don'ts of Social Media for small business owners.  You can read the things you should be doing with your social media accounts here.

Vistage speaker Dave Nelsen says: This is not your father’s marketing.

Here are ten basic rules for what you should avoid in social media.

1. Don’t get started if you have significant product weaknesses or customer support issues. Engaging in social media makes good products more successful, and bad products… dead. But don’t delay for long; address the issues and then jump in.

2. Don’t use social media to overtly market or sell. Instead educate, enlighten, inform, and entertain your audience. In this way, you’ll position yourself and your company as an expert in your field and benefit from the “media halo.”

3. Don’t “set it and forget it.” This makes you look worse than not showing up at all. Once you get started, sustain your participation and interaction.

4. Don’t go negative. Emphasize your strengths and advantages rather than making claims about a competitor’s weakness.

5. Don’t mix personal and business accounts/personas, etc.

6. Don’t expect to fully control the conversation. Social media is not an advertisement, product brochure, newsletter, email blast, or one-way monologue; it’s a conversation. Conversations are bi-directional and can have rough edges. Even if you don’t want to participate, your customers and prospects are already
talking. Join them.

7. Don’t worry about some negativity for online users. Studies show that a little negativity increases credibility and empathy. Paraphrasing Abraham Lincoln: “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Be responsive to the negative.

8. Don’t feel the need to disclose everything. Not everyone who likes sausage wants to see exactly how it’s made. Be open and honest and use discretion.

9. Don’t be a generalist. With literally hundreds of millions of blogs, videos and podcasts to choose from, every individual can precisely tailor their consumption to their interests. Focus on one topic and do it well (the narrower the better).

10. Don’t overwhelm your followers with too much information, or too frequently. Everybody’s got a busy life and nobody enjoys getting “Twitter-ria”. Focus on the highest value information and content.

Vistage member and speaker, Dave Nelsen helps companies develop social media strategies to improve their marketing, sales, customer support, and even internal communication. He’s the Founder of podcasting pioneer TalkShoe and a long-time entrepreneur. You can contact Dave at dave@get121.biz.

Hello Marvelous People! Stick with me here for a second.

Take out a clean sheet of paper and draw one big circle.

Now draw 3 lines across the circle, making 6 different sections.

Now you have what looks like a beach ball, right?

You’ll now insert the following words in each of their own sections.

1.
Most Significant Event – Personal
Most Significant Event – Professional

2.
Personal Issues & Frustrations
Professional Issues & Frustrations

3.
Personal Goals
Professional Goals

4.
Personal Dreams
Professional Dreams

5.
Ideas that can make us better?

6.
How can I help?

With the tool of “The Beach Ball” you will have a 1 hour monthly focus supper with your team members.  Afterall, you’d probably agree with me that it’s not unreasonable to spend ONE QUALITY HOUR with your team members monthly.  The Beach Ball, used consistently month after month, serves as a conversation guide.  I strongly suggest an early supper right after work and definitely away from work. Somewhere casual. Somewhere that feels comfortable. Somewhere that’s not so loud that you can’t hear each other communicate. Afterall, that is the whole point of the “Beach Ball” tool.  Try it. Enjoy the process and you will be amazed what you might discover about your team members. Remember, “LISTENING IS NOT WAITING TO TALK”