Make Antoni’s Secret to Success Your Own!

By Linda Feinholz, “Your Success Catalyst”

One of my favorite times in my consulting and coaching is when a light bulb goes off and the person I’m working with has an ‘ah ha!’ moment and spots a new opportunity.

Very often when I’m working with established professionals it takes some real in depth probing to uncover the high payoff idea that no one else has spotted. 90% of the time those ideas come from my clients’ personal passions and interests.

If you want to spot the results of passion and personal interests, you won’t find better examples than Barcelona. Barcelona was home to the renowned Antoni Gaudi. His designs have shaped the public and religious spaces and the character of the city itself for over a century. Barcelona is a city filled with soaring spires and cool places that enliven the days and nights of every person living in or visiting that city for a day, a week, or years.

Straight edges curve, building walls and corners swoop, and banisters beg your had to run their length. Cathedrals, apartment buildings, public parks. Each of them are mind blowing examples of the results of his relentless pushing beyond what was common, familiar, the expected use of materials and shapes.

The character of the city has been permanently taken into a burst of creativity in public spaces seen nowhere else in the world. Moreover, any visitor to that city is immersed in the results of his passion and vision and the artists and architects who followed him. And the result of his vision and it’s realization is that tourism is magnetized to that city and employs thousands of people daily.

Being in that city made me want to wander for hours, sit and relax and gaze at amazing vistas, and made my own hands itch with the desire to design things for my own home and yard. It wrote emails to more people telling them “You’ve got to see this! Get yourself here!” than I’ve ever said in my 30 years of travel.

It also reminded me that the renegade few who will break the mold often create the highest payoff results all of us run to experience!

One of my clients, Michele, is successful for the very same reason. Her profession is law. In her early career she found herself doing transactional work that was identical to her colleagues and peers. That was simply how law was.

Through our work Michele voiced her passion for working on personal matters with the analytical rigors of the law. Once she named that personal vision, she was able to create a new direction, and a blend that was unique at that time in an arena that had no name and today is called Elder Law. Her result: her clients do her marketing for her. They are passionate about taking their parents, children and friends to her for a constantly expanding range of services.

Another client, the owner of a moving company, carved out a niche in the shipping industry. His personal passion for luxury furnishings led him to create unique offerings: in addition to white glove handling of those items, He discovered that safe handling of expensive goods was only one opportunity. Often the new owner had construction work at the destination and needed storage. He added long-term secure storage of those same items. The result: buyers refer each other to him and vendors refer their buyers to him as well. He doubled his income. In a year.

Each of them broke the mold in their industry and did it in a way that prevented others from easily copying them. And each time it was the result of them incorporating their passion into their work.

Antoni never shared his thoughts about his passion until his 70s. In fact we only know them because his disciples recorded his spoken thoughts and visions. Even so, his concrete and iron buildings and wooden furniture stand as statements of his passion.

They act as a question across the decades for all of us: what passion have you been holding off to the side? And how might you bring it to the forefront in your work and life?

June 28, 2007 | Filed Under Ideas, Inspiration, Vision | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 Greeting And You Can Change It All!

Everyone wants to feel seen, valued, acknowledged, appreciated. Everyone. Period.

Even the simplest of human courtesies can accelerate a decision being made, an associate prioritizing something you need done, and a team coming together more productively,

So ask yourself this week:

“Am I simply greeting people?”

Take it on as a steady practice this week at every encounter when you enter any room, meeting, store. Any place you find yourself whether it’s familiar to you or new.
Let me know the results you create!

June 25, 2007 | Filed Under Inspiration, Vision | Leave a Comment 

1 Simple Action to Boost Your HIGH Payoff Activities!

By Linda Feinholz, “Your Success Catalyst”

Who knew I’d get a lesson for creating successful teams and productive organizations in a Paris Metro station?

I got it loud and clear today, and I’d hate to keep it to myself when it could change your life in High Payoff ways!

I grew up in Switzerland. I’ve been back to Europe several times since graduating college in the USA, As I planned this trip with my niece I thought about what she might enjoy doing. I wanted to uncover great haunts to take her to on our trip. Even so, I know we each tend to walk in habitual paths on automatic. So, I started researching.

You can imagine: I spent hours… tens of hours over tens of weeks… on-line and on-cable researching and looking for ideas of where to go and what to do.

I had great conversations over business lunches about the favorite spots friends and colleagues had found in the cities I’m taking my niece to – Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Florence, Rome and more.

I became a devotee of Rick Steve’s Travel programs and reading his extra notes in his travel guides. One of his comments I filed away as a convenient reminder: To greet every shopkeeper in France with “Bon Jour! (Hello!)” the very moment you enter their shop, and leave with that “Merci! (Thanks!)”

Seems simple, right? Well I had one heck of a reminder today that the simplest actions can have enormous and lasting impact. And, when neglected, they can kill your plans and potentially your results as well.

Rushing from metro to metro today built up a real hunger. My niece and I were glancing down metro corridors as we looked for the right one to take. And the scent of fresh bread caught us and pulled us to an intersection where a pastry vendor’s booth was set up.

Now, I’ve spent the past four days walking in and out of hotels and shops. Not only have I been buying, but I’ve also been stopping everyone everywhere to ask for directions or assistance. And I’ve faithfully greeted every vendor, police man, concierge, stranger on the street.

This particular vendor had quite a line up and a lot of confusion going on. An assistant stepped forward to pick up the slack and I blurted out “3 croissants, please!”

The glare I got could have frozen hot espresso in an instant.

“Bon Jour.”

She said it to me frigidly as she reached for the bag to put them in.

I haven’t felt that reprimanded in decades. Around me everyone was hello-ing each other. I paid. Said “Merci” and we rand for our train. But my nerves were ringing.

As the train rattled to our next station, my thoughts went back to a conversation I had with a company president I’ve coached over  the past few years. Our discussion was about how it takes only a little effort to have the simplest human interaction with his employees and make them feel valued and appreciated.

That’s one of the key responsibilities of leadership, of management, and of just plain good beingness. And too many of my clients believe it isn’t worth their time or attention.

And that vendor in Paris didn’t feel either acknowledged or appreciated. AND she felt completely safe letting me know that my neglect of a simple 2-word greeting had immediate impact on her and her desire to know me, to assist me, to have me anywhere in her life.

Most of your colleagues, vendors, employees, associates won’t let you know when they feel the same way she did. They won’t signal you directly that you aren’t using the simplest of courtesies. And they may be polite, they may be professional and they may deliver on their commitments. But they aren’t giving you everything they could because they don’t feel appreciated. In fact they would rather put that final 10% of their time, intelligence and energy in somewhere else. They’re likely doing just that!

So I’ll be making a point of bringing back the simple courtesy of greeting people. What simple behavior is it time for you to build in as you conduct yourself and your business?

June 21, 2007 | Filed Under Ideas, Vision | 1 Comment 

Change 1 Habit And You Can Change It All!

What about you? What overwhelm has had you wandering in circles?

Sit down with pen and paper and ask yourself

“What is incomplete and nagging at my attention?”

Give the list-making 10 full minutes and you’ll find that the calm you gain gives you the attention to get the work done in no time!Let me know the results you create!

June 18, 2007 | Filed Under Ideas, Time Management | Leave a Comment 

3 Steps To Break Through Overwhelm!

By Linda Feinholz, “Your Success Catalyst”

Every once in a while, things simply pile up. Like luggage for a long trip. 

Take me for example. I’ve been ‘planning’ a trip overseas for six weeks. People started asking me “Are you ready to go?” two months before my plane was due to take off. I cheerfully said “Of course not!”

Then four weeks before lift off I started creating piles of the stuff that needed to come with me. Every weekend my thoughts were occupied by shopping for the right clothing for different climates, finding 3 ounce bottles, and estimating how many changes of clothing I could stand to carry through 14 cities.

And three weeks out I began thinking about what work materials I needed to bring with me - audios to edit, copy that needs reworking, books I need to go through for reference.

Two weeks to go and obsessions about how many fluid ounces I could take with me clouded all my thinking and planning.

And then my client work doubled, for which I’m grateful, and my brain left town ahead of my body.

All of which suddenly left me unable to make a decision, figure out what to pack and what to send and what to carry.

I had no choice - I had to resort to the 3 simple steps for getting out of overwhelm. I share them here with you so you’ll have them in your back pocket.

Step 1 - List ALL The Things That Are Incomplete

I know - it sounds silly that I’m asking you to hit the ‘pause’ button and sit down. Yet an interesting phenomenon sets in with this exercise. The very act of focusing on writing things down calms your entire mind and body. So there are two benefits.

The first is you have identified everything that needs doing. The second is you’ve regained the attention you need for the next two steps!

Step 2 - Prioritize What Will Create The Highest Payoff

If you’re anything like me, your list will have enough items on it to keep a regiment busy for a month. Now is the time to have a good laugh, and to put the most important items on the top of your list and let everything else slide into the “I wish I could get it done!” category.

Now put those top items on a single piece of paper with a space to check them off as they are accomplished and work only from that list.

Step 3 - Designate 15-minute Blocks of Time For Each Item

What? Just 15-minutes? That’s right! 

When you have too much to do you cannot take the time to overwork any of the things on your list. Now’s the time to take the first, put 100% of your attention on it, power through and then move on to the next. And so on right through the list.

The very act of giving uninterrupted time to a task often shortens the task to one-quarter the time you expected it to take!
Make these steps techniques that you use and you’ll soon find yourself ready with bags packed to join me in my voyages!
See you on the road!

June 14, 2007 | Filed Under Ideas, Processes, Time Management | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 Habit And You Can Change It All!

What about you? What ideas have you been clinging to out of habit, perhaps for months, without moving forward into your new High Payoff focus?

Ask yourself

“What is one piece of information that I’ve been needing to know?”

Now take action on getting that information. Decide if you’ll do it or delegate it. If you’re doing it, get that doing on your calendar in the next 3 hours. Write down where you’re starting your search, via email, internet, phoning someone who will get you the next step.

Let me know the results you create!

June 11, 2007 | Filed Under Inspiration, Processes | Leave a Comment 

5 Fresh Steps To Get Focused On Your HIGH Payoff Activities!

By Linda Feinholz, “Your Success Catalyst”

If you’re like most people who are running a business, as an owner, an executive or an independent professional you get so immersed in the doing you miss your own graduations. 

Two of my clients are graduating this week.

“Judy” has been studying how to run her professional services firm in a more productive and profitable way for over 6 years. “Michael” has been getting a masters degree in marketing his business.

Don’t let appearances fool you! They aren’t in formal school environments. Yet I know from personal experience how powerful the recognition of being finished with one stage and moving on to the next can be. The characteristics that mark your advancement in school are just as appropriate for our advancement in your business lives.

There are specific ideas you can learn from graduations that will have you advancing from your old habits, old decisions and old actions.

Step 1 - Identify What You Need To Know

I know - it seems obvious when I say it. But most entrepreneurs I work with are so busy in the ‘doing’ that they never stop and ask “What do I need to know to accomplish my goals?” Successful leaders and managers spend time figuring out what their staff needs to learn. You need to ask yourself what information or capabilities you need.

When you commit to finding out what you need to know your attention shifts from ‘what I now know,’ to ‘what I’m ready to know now.’

Step 2 - Find A Source To Learn From

Marvelous things happen when you declare you want to know - new people and new sources of information suddenly present themselves as your perfect source of learning!

I’ve learned over the years from comments made by more experienced professionals, from books and articles, from conferences, teleseminars and from formal educational programs. And at times I even learn what I need to know through the internet or someone sitting next to me on a plane. And let’s not forget there are informational interviews, golf buddies, vendors and magazines.

Step 3 - Calendar It To Get It Done

Deciding to get information is not enough. We’re all living very busy lives and we need to use the tools that keep us moving from idea to action!

Pull out your calendar and block off 15-minutes to start your search. Once you’ve started it you can calendar the next block of time and the next until you’ve found your source, and probed for the information you need. That may be setting a date with yourself to read, to go to a conference or to sit with an expert to get answers directly from them over their desk or a cup of coffee.

Step 4 - Put The Information To Use

The best schools are those that not only share the information but also give the students the opportunity to apply it and learn from the results.

The same holds true for you in your business. To get High Payoff results, you need to put information to the test by using it, tweaking it, modifying it until it proves to be a tool that will make your efforts more productive and profitable.

Step 5 - Celebrate It

Re-balance your life! Don’t just cross things off that To Do list. Our daily lives are filled with To Do lists. Hour by hour we stare at To Do lists that are the same as declarations of everything that needs doing, that hasn‘t been solved yet, that’s a problem or challenge.

Our souls need moments of acknowledgment for what has been accomplished. That includes learning, applying new information, getting new results. Each of these is a mini-graduation as you increase your ability to create High Payoff results.

Get the proportions shifted to give more attention to what has been accomplished, learned, applied, created, achieved! Announce what you’ve learned to other people at work and at home. State it specifically in meetings. Report on exactly what you did in each of those first 4 steps AND the result that you’ve created.

Make these steps techniques that you use and you’ll soon find yourself giving more and more attention to ideas and actions that will move you forward to your next level, and your business success along with you. You’ll have ongoing opportunities to bathe in cheers and to share them with others around you.

Congratulations on your graduation!

June 7, 2007 | Filed Under Inspiration, Processes | Leave a Comment 

Change 1 Action And You Can Change It All!

You will get ideas piling up on your To Do list. We all do. If you set a goal for yourself of shortening that To Do list you’ll find yourself with a nice list of ‘Done’s instead!
Ask yourself

“What single thing that’s been sitting will I put into action today?”

Now decide if you’ll do it or delegate it. If you’re delegating it, get that meeting on your calendar, whether it’s in person or by phone, in the next 3 hours. If you’re keeping it on your own list, write on your calendar the exact action you’re taking on it in the next 24 hours.

June 4, 2007 | Filed Under Ideas | Leave a Comment