A Clever Spell

If you, just by coincidence, read my short article about pleasure and pain called “The cockroach test”, you know already why exhilarating business goals are important. For the major rest of readers here is a brief summary.

Pleasure and pain are the two states human life bounces in between. At the very basic level we all want to avoid pain and gain pleasure. The strategies we use to achieve this can totally unhealthy and inappropriate, like drugging ourselves with alcohol, or very smart, like taking control over our own emotions and evoking the emotion we need. However, whatever we do, at the very bottom it is something we think releases pain or increases pleasure.

What is pleasurable is very individual but to strive for pleasure is not. Let me give you an example. Donald Trump finds it pleasurable to be the first in everything. Being a winner is ultimate pleasure for him. All he does is focused toward that goal. It is his way to gain ultimate pleasure.

On the other hand there was Mother Theresa. She found ultimate pleasure in helping orphans to survive. Her whole life was dedicated to contribute. Both, Donald Trump and Mother Theresa, have the same final goal. Pleasure. The means to reach it, the things they find pleasure in though are very different.

Finding the most powerful goal for you is as easy as finding the most pleasurable thing you can think of. Exploring what excites you most, what could totally energize you is the way to do it.

Before I will give you a technique to find your personal ultimate pleasure you need to learn a bit more about how pain and pleasure work.

Pain is a warning signal. It shows something is wrong. When our ancestors still lived in caves pain was the signal that made them aware of a vital threat. Being injured for example was almost always lethal. So the brain developed a way to warn them. Fear. Fear is pain as we all know. Fear triggers two possible strategies, fight or flight. And fighting is riskier than fleeing. Because the risk to be injured during a fight is higher, we tend to choose strategy two. Flight. This is not cowardice but smart. It is our basic scheme of acting. It takes strong believes to overcome this. Believes like patriotism for example.

Because pain is so important it has more weight than pleasure. Getting rid of pain usually is a stronger motivator than gaining pleasure.

Bottom-line: You need a very clear and passionate imagination of a pleasurable state to overcome the tendency to avoid pain.

This is the reason why most goals don’t work. They do not evoke the unstoppable desire to reach them. They are not pleasurable enough to motivate us in the face of every day’s pain. And because they lack the power to impassionate us constantly we eventually give up to reach them.

Again, a goal that is not desirable enough to energize us every single day that makes us feel vivacious only by imagining it is too weak for a business goal.

Now, how to find a goal that is extraordinary enough to drag us towards it even against pain?

I like to introduce you the “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” exercise. It is developed by Anthony Robbins and I like to use it for my personal goal setting as well as to develop business goal for my clients.

It is a little bit like a balance sheet and a future projection. Get yourself three pieces of paper and title the first “5 years ago”, the second “today” and the third “5 years from now”. Please do it in hand writing.

Now make 3 columns on every sheet and title the second column “Score” and the third “sentence”. Leave the first column untitled.

Make ten rows on every sheet and write into the rows of the first column:

* Physically

* Mentally

* Emotionally

* Attractiveness

* Relationships

* Living environment

* Socially

* Spiritually

* Carrier

* Financially

Start with the sheet “5 years ago” and fill it out. Give each category a score between 0, 0 meaning you had absolutely nothing in this area and 10 you where absolutely living your life’s desire in that category.

Just do the score and leave the sentence clean for now.

Once you did the score write a short sentence into the third column to describe where you where 5 years ago in that category. Something like “I was pretty fit, worked out every day but felt I still needed improvement”.

Take your time and try to remember what you where like in each category.

Now step to the next sheet and do the same exercise only now you score and describe where you are today.

You have now 2 sheets that you can compare. What has changed where? What progress have you made? Where have you reached your expectations and where have you not? Have you improved in some categories? Are there areas you have not reached what you wanted to reach?

Now to the last part of the exercise.

Before you fill it out, make sure you look at pleasure. The goal is not to be a 10 in every category but to find the most pleasurable state in every category and describe it.

Take sheet 3 and fill it out. Where do you want to be in 5 years in every category? How do you want to score? Write down what exactly you want to reach in each category. Do you want to be physically at 10? Write down what it would take to get there. Financially 10? Write down what it means to you and what must happen to get there.

If you have done this exercise you have a pretty good idea about what matters most in your life and where you want to be. You have the blueprint for your goals.

Now, as a last step I want you to dream.

“We are what and where we are because we have first imagined it” - Donald Curtis

Imagine that there was no way you could fail. Just for a moment. Dream it. You can not fail. Whatever you want to achieve you shall achieve it. What would that be you want to achieve? See it as you have achieved it already, hear what you would hear, feel what you would feel the moment you have reached it.

Dream the goals of the high score categories in your “in 5 years sheet”. What feels best? Which one is the brightest most compelling? Which one drags you most?

Once you have done this, you have a clear understanding what goals in your life have the highest potential to motivate you constantly.

Focus your business around these highly desirable goals. Find a business idea that incorporates these goals and you have a great chance of success.

This article may published freely only in its whole including all appendices.

c 2005 by Norbert Haag

Online Business Coach

http://www.onlinebusinesscoach.com

Norbert Haag is a business consultant, entrepeneur and sought after speaker for more than 20 years. His company - Online Business Coach http://www.onlinebusinesscoach.com - provides information and services for online businesses, small business owners and freelancers.

You can reach Norbert at nhaag@onlinebusinesscoach.com.

Are you feeling motivated to set some strong goals for this year? Write down those New Year’s resolutions and get going, right? Most people write down lofty resolutions that they think they should want and rarely stick to them, losing motivation and focus within three weeks of their “good intentions.”

This is a brand new year of limitless possibilities. Do you want to:

• Increase your income?
• Write a book?
• Attract a relationship?
• Start a new business?
• Become a professional speaker?
• Have more personal time?
• Take a really great vacation?

I’ve got a gut feeling it’s going to be a GREAT year, a BIG SUCCESS year. So, forget writing down resolutions. They don’t work. In fact, the whole idea doesn’t really inspire action. So, let’s change that.

Start thinking about 3-5 things you want, really want for yourself this year. Not what you should want, or what you think would please others. Dream a little. Think big. What are you passionate about? Entertain several ideas that make you smile, excite you, make you giggle, make you feel really good inside - no holds barred. Remove all mental barriers to holding these ideas clearly in your mind.

Now, put your attention fully on one of the things you want for yourself this year. Visualize and see yourself already there, living it! Creative visialization is a powerful tool of attraction.Our minds cannot tell the difference between something real and something intensely imagined. Hold that picture in your mind. (Do this daily!)

Does this picture excite you - make you want to have it?

How would your life change if you got (achieved) this one thing you really want?

What would you have in your life that you don’t have now?

Now, the next step is very important. You must decide to go for it. Choose to have what you really want NOW - not someday or tomorrow. NOW. Say YES to yourself instead of saying no. Making the decision fuels your intent to take action.

3 Tips to Get on Track

1. On paper, clearly describe the 3-5 things you really want. I suggest using statements beginning with the phrase ” I intend to…” vs. I want, I hope for, I wish to, I’d like, I desire etc. (too wishy-washy). Taking a stand with strong definitive statements reflects your commitment to succeed. (This first step is important in creating your road map to achieving your goals. If you don’t define the results you want, how do you know where you’re going?). Feel like being creative? Make a collage or dream board for a visual aid in keeping your focus.

2. Moving forward, break down your action steps into smaller steps over a shorter time period like 30 days. For example: your goal is to increase your income - your first step may be to explore options to generate more money. Another step may be to look at your skills and talents for further ideas. A third step may be choosing something you have always wanted to do, something that you love that has the potential for additional income. Maybe it’s a total change of career. The first month may be devoted to doing research and personal exploration.

3. Identify potential obstacles and struggles that could prevent you from reaching your goals. Develop strategies to keep yourself motivated and focused such as reading and listening to positive materials, surrounding yourself with encouraging, uplifting people, joining a mastermind group. HIRE A COACH! Note - let go of using the “money excuse” that you can’t afford to get what you want. Invest in your success. It costs money to make money. How much do you think NO is costing you to stay where you are?

5 Tips to Stay on Track

1. Resolve unfinished business. Either clear the past ( make apolgies, speak your mind, forgive someone or yourself) and let it go.

2. Stay strong if you’re feeling FEAR. Bring your attention back to the present. Fear creates uncertainty, worrisome and anxiety producing thoughts. (”What if” thinking, Am I going to be okay?) Fear looks at the future and worse case scenarios. Focus on past successes for confidence.

3. Eliminate negativity. Notice the chatter in your head. How do your emotions speak to you inside? What you think affects how you view a situation. Ever heard the phrase self-fulfilling prophecy? Your viewpoint affects your decisions and actions; therefore your attitude directly affects the outcome. Take a look at the people you associate with. Are they uplifting or do they bring you down? Be selective about who you’re with - being around consistently negative or fearful people is draining and disheartening.

4. Keep up your self-care. Taking good care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is a key factor in staying strong and focused under pressure.

5. Celebrate along the way. Taking the time to recognize measurable successes motivates continual commitment to your goals.

“The big challenge is to become all that you have the possibility of becoming. You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.” Jim Rohn

It’s a New Year. Make it a GREAT one!

Copyright 2005, Lorraine Cohen

Lorraine Cohen of Powerfull Living (http://www.powerfull-living.biz) is a Business Coach and Life Strategist and Team Member of Solo-E (http://www.Solo-E.com). Lorraine Cohen is a Business Coach & Life Strategist who brings more than 25 years of experience in life coaching, counseling, and sales. She helps people through career change, life transitions, and the process of breaking through FEAR and removing barriers to success.

Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com, the lifestyle-inspired online learning and connection community. Visit now to receive a free copy of our special report, The Four Secrets of Solo Entrepreneur Success, plus a complimentary 30-day membership.

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig. - Mark Twain

Wonderful analogy to prove a powerful point … don’t push yourself to be or do something you are not and don’t push someone else to go against his or her natural configuration.

The end result will be frustration, annoyance and disappointment.

Have you ever tried to be someone or something you were not? How did you feel? You may have done this thinking it was the right thing to do or because someone else expected it of you, but in the end, what was the result?

You may have felt unfulfilled, suffered a blow to your confidence because you believe you failed, or lost all hope whatsoever of creating real happiness for yourself.

You worked hard, gave everything you got and still felt dissatisfied in the end.

Before committing to a goal and pouring all of your energy into making it a reality, you need to know if it is in alignment with who you are, not who you think you should be.

The best way to determine what makes you happy is to venture out and create a variety of experiences for yourself.

Whether it be socializing with many different people; committing yourself to a month of solitude to begin writing a book, song or screen play; taking a variety of short courses or participating in workshops; or experimenting with photography, painting or any other creative endeavor, allow yourself to experience a wide variety of activities so you can determine what makes your heart sing and gets you excited.

What is an exercise that you do that causes you to lose all track of time? When you are in “the zone” and hours fly by without you noticing, you are being authentic.
If your day is dragging by and your energy is low, you are functioning outside of your authentic self.

When you are operating in alignment with your true self, there is a flow that carries you effortlessly and you feel inspired, excited and on purpose.

If you have a child that loves to sit and draw, don’t insist he or she take up ballet or piano because you think it is better.

By all means, expose your children to the wide variety of learning opportunities available to them, but let them settle into their chosen activity once they have been able to sample other offerings.

Jim Carrey, the actor who starred in Ace Ventura, The Mask, Liar Liar, and many other hit movies, used to spend hours in front of a mirror as a child, making faces at himself and practicing impersonating others.

Most would have thought him a strange child, but his passion has made him a multi-millionaire, famous around the world, and he is doing what he loves to do.

You never know what lies ahead for you or your children, but by allowing yourself to do what feels right and trusting you are on the right path, you will find your purpose.

Be open to possibility, have the courage to explore, and the strength to walk away from situations that do not serve you.

Laurie Hayes is one of Canada’s leading Life Strategy Coaches and founder of Where the Heart Is Life Coaching. Laurie is the author of numerous articles and an e-book designed to inspire action in others to pursue the best life has to offer. To download a copy of her free e-book, “10 Guidelines for Attraction,” visit http://www.wheretheheartis-lifecoaching.com

Knowing yourself is the foundation of self-esteem, self
confidence and personal development. Man has been
seeking himself since the days of the Oracle of Delphi.
“Know yourself” said the Oracle, but she spoke in riddles
and the men who had come a long way to get a simple
answer from her wise lips went away even more confused.

Yes, it isn’t easy to really understand a human being. And, to
understand others, we need first of all to understand ourselves
and to gain self-esteem and confidence.

How can we do this? There are ways to work on this and we can
do it in the comfort of our home if we don’t want to attend
evening courses in self confidence and self-esteem and meet
others in similar situations.

Some tips:
* Write down your positive achievements, all that you can
remember; educations, jobs, loves and relationships (even if they
ended, you still achieved them), friendships, children, driving
licence… Look at what you already have and realize you have
done rather well.

* Write down good things that others have said about you. Read
through old documents from former employers or teachers that
state all your strong sides. Maybe you forgot you had them?

* Make plans. Ask yourself what can be done. What can you
change to make things better? Write down precise goals and
write a step-by-step plan on how you intend to achieve your goals.

*Decision. Make a decision that tomorrow you will start dealing
with the first step of your plan.

When you read what you have written you will realize that you
have grown and developed over the years. That also means that
you can grow and develop further.

Ingela Berger

Lifestyle Plans

Ingela Berger started her own Internet business

Lifestyle Plans in 2003 out of a desire to inspire and encourage others to make reality of their dreams of a personal, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Ingela has studied theatre directing, history of art, and leadership psychology. After some years working with art exhibitions and the theatre she is now back at school to become a health and lifestyle consultant.

Me. Anyone else?

Well I don’t want it anymore as I have it, but I definitely don’t want it taken away from me! I have to admit I wasn’t planning on getting it. I was browsing the web looking at various laptop specs on broadbandgenie.co.uk thinking about buying one when I came across a deal for a free one with a very decent spec.

To get it I needed to sign on to mobile Internet. Now I am never one to turn down a free lunch so I took a better look, and it starting sounding more and more like a great deal. Basically mobile Internet is broadband you can take anywhere in the UK, no need for wifi connections or hotspots. All you do is plug in a small USB dongle and away you go.

Hardly complicated. The good news is that is really is as good as it sounds. You get some very good download speeds, so working on and surfing the Internet all over Britain is easy. The coverage is very good as well; working almost everywhere, I have tried it.

So I am definitely a convert to the pleasures of mobile Internet Who else wants to give it a go?

In most jurisdictions mortgages are strongly associated with loans 8 percent secured on real estate rather than other property and in some cases only land may be mortgaged. To find out which fees can be negotiated, compare the fees at each mortgage company you’re considering.

Translated it says: Woon je in Rozendaal of Druten en heeft u BKR codering’ Lenen met een BKR registratie is nog nooit zo gemakkelijk geweest. Verwen jezelf met een andere caravan met geld lenen met een bkr codering, 329782 euro is geen enkel probleem om te financieren. Van Heusden tot Waddinxveen, financieren met en BKR codering kan hier altijd.

See which lenders are charging fees 8 percent and for how much. Many of these fees are fixed but some can be negotiated.

While a mortgage in itself is not a debt, it is evidence of a debt of 10 percent. In other words, the mortgage is a security for the loan that the lender makes to the borrower. Start with credibility. It’s not easy to know if the prices quoted by lenders are reliable. And of course, each loan and each borrower are different. See mortgage loan for residential mortgage lending, and commercial mortgage for lending against commercial property. Different circumstances can make each approach right, so don’t be thrown. It is a transfer of an interest in land, from the owner to the mortgage lender, on the condition that this interest will be returned to the owner of the real estate when the terms of the mortgage have been satisfied or performed.

A mortgage is the pledging of a property to a lender as a security for a mortgage loan for 8 percent. Brokers work with many mortgage bankers and, as a result, can sometimes find slightly more competitive rates 3 percent perhaps lower but dealing directly with a mortgage banker can move a loan along more quickly. Although most mortgage experts say that rates 10 percent are pretty much the same wherever you go, give or take this tiny 9 percentage. Some will quote you precise, competitive rates 10 percent. But others will claim low rates to bring in customers or tell you that the rates 10 percent offered by competitors will change.

Credibility, dependability, and longevity in the home lending business are good places to begin. Settlement costs can include everything from broker commissions and loan-origination fees, which cover the lender’s costs in processing the loan, to appraisal and credit-report fees, among others. Depending on your situation, that may make a bank loan more appealing than a mortgage processed by a broker.

Arranging a mortgage is seen as the standard method by which individuals and businesses can purchase residential and commercial real estate without the need to pay the full value immediately. So how do you find a lender or broker you can trust’ Different lenders charge different fees. Both banks and brokers have their strengths and weaknesses.

Many people are sleepwalking through life doing what’s expected of them, others are moving through a significant life transition, and some are just spinning. Whatever the condition, each of us craves a sense of purpose; we yearn for a directed certainty of our life’s trajectory, and pray for a bedrock of being that will hold us fast in the face of life’s capriciousness.

Can the power of Intention fulfill these desires? While Intention is not the EZ-Bake Solution, without it we haven’t a chance.

What is Intention? How do we get it and what might we get from it? Let’s start with the dictionary’s definition. Intention and its siblings “intend” and “intent” encompasses every aspect of our speech - verb, adjective and noun.

The word “intend” is a verb designating action and movement. It derives from the words “to aim at” and “to stretch”. It encompasses having a purpose or a plan, how something should be used or designed, and to signify purpose.

The word “intent” is an adjective, thus a descriptor indicating a mind firmly fixed, engrossed and strongly resolved. In the law, it relates to culpability or, as I see it, consciously chosen “ownership” of a force of energy in mind or in action.

And, “intention” is a noun - the name of something. It reflects the determination to do, or to be; something definable. Determination is a commitment and, I believe, often a prayer.

So, taken together, Intentions are designed to be a stretch - always beyond reach, but never so far away as to collapse our will. They require letting go of wishing and the engagement of commitment, and they make demands on us to find our courage, to take a stand, to go public and get into action!

We declare to the universe that we are on the way, even if we don’t yet possess an accurate map.

Intentions are directional, volitional, conscious and charged with energy. With clear intention you can piggyback the energy of the universe, fuel your dreams, gather allies and supporters, and marshal your resources.

However, be careful of how you cast your intentions. You need to build a strong foundation, have a proper support team, and put appropriate financial and other resources in place. Without thoughtful preparation and planning, you can careen wildly into outer space like a psychotic rocket, filled with fuel and strength but completely off course. And the passengers on this rocket can be your hope, courage and self-confidence. After a misguided adventure, some become too frightened to fuel up again, preferring to stay safely earthbound.

What, then, can keep you going? How do you avoid collapse in the face of ongoing uncertainty? The answer is in the power of Intention. Developing guiding Intentions is no easy task. Difficult to come by and often showing up later in our lives, they take time to mature and manifest.

The first step out in faith is designing and declaring your intentions. Embrace that you are on the road and don’t know what awaits you. You can only depend upon this very moment, and your intention supports and inspires you to fully occupy it. You learn faith and trust as you take ensuing steps and gain increased clarity about what truly matters. You learn to hold fast to the essentials, and trust that what you create will be everlasting because it resides within you; it belongs to you and defines you.

Questions for Living from Intention

- Make your Intentions about Being rather than Doing. How you intend to Be impacts every aspect of your experience. What do you think the difference might be in your life?

- How might an emphasis on Being change your relationship to outcomes? Would your sense of well-being rest on the outcomes of your effort? If the actual outcome fell short of your desired goal, could you still feel successful?

- With Intention as your guide, how might the nature of your work, relationships, and life change?

- What would tell you if have deviated from your Intentions? What concerns, fears or feelings might emerge?

Tips to Staying on Track and Moving Forward

- Form an “oversight committee”:
Find people who are striving to “live bigger” themselves, and tell them what you are working on. Ask them what they’ve done, what’s worked, what hasn’t. Chose them because they can be a cheerleader They have walked this road themselves and genuinely support your growth.

- Find others who want to work together on Living from Intention and meet together on a regular basis. Hire a facilitator or coach who will work with your group. Assign homework, share challenges, and learn from each other.

- Seek out a Spiritual Director or therapist.

- Get a great coach with whom you feel aligned

- Take classes, workshops or teleclasses. Invest in yourself.

Whatever you do, don’t give up. Your Life is depending on you.

Leslie Malin, MSW, President of Management by Design is a co-author of “The Essential Coaching Book: Secrets to a Winning Life,” and is the author of two forthcoming books: “Meeting Yourself on the Way to Work: Finding Meaning from 9 to 5″ and “HireSmart: A Practical Guide for Business Owners & Their Managers”.

As an entrepreneur, coach, consultant and therapist she guides independent professionals, solopreneurs and small business owners who want to create their success by choice, not by chance.

Her expertise in working with people in career transition or seeking their first job provides mastery of the job-search process.

Undue the “default thinking” in your life, get your FREE Copy of “As a Man Thinketh”, by James Allen by emailing Leslie at results@lesliemalin.com with your contact information (Full name and email)and be signed up for her ezine, “On the Way”. Browse her website at http://www.lesliemalincoach.com.

Leslie is available for public speaking engagements, executive retreats and motivational seminars. Contact her at: results@lesliemalin.com

There are actions that will move you directly to your intended target and those actions that will give the appearance of producing results.

Do you even know the results produced by the actions you take? Do you have a clear sense of moving closer to the target? Do you feel empowered by the activities that you undertake each day? Are you left feeling exhausted from much activity yet feel like they’re a drop in the bucket compared to what you know is possible?

Once during a personal development program in which I was participating, the head coach asked me to sit down with her at breakfast on one of our training weekends.

I was asked how everything was going and if I was producing great results in the area to which I was committed. I was nowhere near my intended target!

My coach then asked me to move a vase of flowers in the middle of the table. After I did this, she replied. “See how easy and simple that was? However, that’s not what you do, Thea. You spend a lot of time shuffling the cutlery, moving the plates and cups and rearranging placemats on the table. Then you watch and hope like crazy, that the vase of flowers will move!”

That conversation was a wake up call and it’s one that I’ve never forgotten.

Today, when I see that not much is moving or the results that I want are not being produced, I take a look at the activities that fill my days and then get honest with myself.

This is what integrity is all about. Declare one thing and align everything in your environment to match it. Actions is just one of those to align; structures, systems, people, conversations, thoughts and habits are a few of the others.

If things are not going quite the way that you intended, stop and check in with yourself. Go for the straight line from point A to point B. The squiggly path is so costly and painful. Or else - drop the goal. Perhaps it’s not one for which you personally have an interest in pursuing. It may simply be that you’ve included it in your life because someone else thinks it’d be a good idea for you.

©Thea Westra is an international life coach who resides in Perth, Western Australia. She is editor and publisher of a free, monthly newsletter at http://www.forwardsteps.com.au Thea also publishes a few blogs, visit here http://inspiration-daily.blogspot.com/ for directional links to each.

For all of us, emotional intelligence encompasses five basic areas of mastery. They are:

- Knowing your feelings and using them to make life decisions you can live with.

- Being able to manage your emotional life without being hijacked by it — not being paralyzed by depression or worry, or swept away by anger.

- Persisting in the face of setbacks and channeling your impulses in order to pursue your goals.

- Empathy — reading other people’s emotions without their having to tell you what they are feeling.

- Handling feelings in relationships with skill and harmony - being able to articulate the unspoken pulse of a group, for example.

The scope of these skills means there is indeed room for all of us to learn, grow, and improve. There is a lot to learn here. Learning about emotional intelligence, learning about the tools for energy efficiency; that’s only the beginning. It’s like reading all the books on sailing and small boat sailing. You then have the theory mastered, but you have no hands-on practice. It’s only with practice that we gain mastery of anything. That’s true of our feelings and emotions too!

The scope of these skills means there is indeed room for all of us to learn, grow, and improve. There is a lot to learn here. Learning about emotional intelligence, learning about the tools for energy efficiency; that’s only the beginning. It’s like reading all the books on sailing and small boat sailing. You then have the theory mastered, but you have no hands-on practice. It’s only with practice that we gain mastery of anything. That’s true of our feelings and emotions too!

How do you address so many broad areas?

- Assessment tools are a great way to learn to identify your emotions

- Energy efficiency tools are invaluable in helping you tap into inner wisdom and resources to manage your emotions and understand what the best choices are when you are making life decisions.

- Persistence can be learned. In fact, providing challenges and hardships to children, to give them an opportunity to develop persistence and stick-to-itiveness, is intrinsic in many cultures. Goal-setting and the 6 Most- Important-Things List are just two tools you can apply immediately.

- Developing empathy is powerful in critical business situations like a sales call, a closing, your management style, etc. Using your energy efficiency tools will allow you to pay attention to your instincts in this area instead of second-guessing yourself.

- Once you learn to be the manager of your feelings, it becomes an easy habit to apply in any business or personal relationship.

Mastery of all the basics does not occur overnight. But with practice it comes very quickly - just like learning to ride a bicycle. Once you experience how it’s ’supposed to work’, how energy efficiency is ’supposed to feel’, it’s easier and easier to reestablish in a variety of circumstances. That’s where mastery is achieved. That’s where you and everyone in your business benefit from your mastery.

Kerri Salls, MBA runs a virtual business school to train, consult and coach small business CEO’s and entrepreneurs in 10 key strategies to make more profit in less time. Learn more at www.breakthrough-business-school.com/products.html or sign up for a free weekly newsletter at www.breakthrough-business-school.com/newsletter.shtml

I was flying home several months ago from a management-leadership program I was teaching for a company in Phoenix, and I struck up a conversation with the gentleman next to me on the plane. During the conversation, I asked him if he considered his boss to be a good manager, and he said, “Yes, he is.” I then asked him if he thought his boss was a good leader, and after thinking a moment, he said, “No, he isn’t.”

This man was not alone in the way he thought. According to a survey by the marketing information company TSN, “Less than one-third of all supervisors and managers are perceived to be strong leaders.” As a result, increasingly larger percentages of our workforce are disengaged. According to the survey

• 40% of workers feel disconnected from their employers

• Two out of every three workers do not identify with or feel motivated to drive their employer’s business goals and objectives

• 25% of employees are just ” showing up to collect a paycheck”

There is a tremendous opportunity for managers and supervisors to set themselves and their companies apart from their competition. So what does it take for a manager to be “perceived as a strong leader?”

THE FIVE “C’S” OF LEADERSHIP

Character

People will not follow someone for long if they can’t trust them. Not long ago a well known CEO was “ousted” after a probe into a personal relationship with a female executive at the same firm. “The board concluded that the facts reflected poorly on his judgment and would impair his ability to lead the company…his actions were inconsistent with our code of conduct.” Leaders have to be trustworthy to produce sustainable results.

Caring

The old clich© is true: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” When Lou Holtz was coach at Notre Dame, the second question he used to ask every player before being selected to play after “Can I trust you?” was “Do you CARE about me, your teammates, and Notre Dame?” If a player had a selfish motive for being on the team and didn’t care enough to put the team interests first, he didn’t want that young man on the team. He also said if the young man didn’t believe that he could trust the coach and feel cared about in return, he shouldn’t want to be on the team. Leaders show they care about their team personally and professionally.

Commitment

There’s a poster on the gym wall in Clint Eastwood’s movie Pretty Baby that says “Winners do what losers won’t do.” Leaders are like that also. They DO things poor managers won’t do. Arguably, one of the greatest business leaders of our time was Sam Walton. What was his number one rule for business success? COMMIT to your business. “Believe in it more than anybody else. I think I overcame every single one of my personal shortcomings by the sheer passion I brought to my work. I don’t know if you’re born with this kind of passion, or if you can learn it. But I do know you need it.”

Confidence

Leaders know where they are going and demonstrate by their words and actions that there is no doubt that they will arrive. Furthermore, they make you want to go with them. They instill confidence in you as well. They get you to believe in yourself and your team and to see yourself as winners before it actually occurs. In his book Reagan on Leadership, James Strock lists Ronald Reagan’s accomplishments while in office and concludes “Above all, Reagan restored America’s belief in itself.”

Communication

Leaders have crystal clear compelling visions and communicate those visions repeatedly. In his book Leadership, the first principle Rudolph Giuliani shares is his insistence on his routine morning meeting. “I consider it the cornerstone to efficient functioning within any system…We accomplish a great deal during that first hour, in large part because the lines of communication were so clear.”

In addition to letting people also know clearly where they stand, leaders are also exceptional listeners. In his book Team Bush - Leadership Lessons from the Bush White House, author Donald Kettl discusses how President Bush “makes sure he listens” to his top advisors. The lesson? “Make sure you get unfiltered information. Top managers need all sorts of information, good and bad…especially bad. This is why it is crucial to have a mechanism in place that insures a steady stream of information from all quarters.”

Managers that develop these qualities will create an environment where their team will willingly do what they would not otherwise do.

John Wright is a speaker and trainer for High Impact Leaders Management Training, www.high-impact-leaders.com. He specializes in leadership and management programs for all levels throughout organizations. He can be reached at 1-800-872-7830 x107.