Category: Uncategorized

7 Steps to Find Purpose and Build Resilience

More than anything else, having a life’s purpose creates a resiliency that helps a person succeed. Many studies have concluded on key elements that allow a person to persist through setback.

And often the most important ingredient of resiliency is Identifying your life’s purpose, so that the work you do is meaningful and consistent with your values. I consistently coach clients that are climbing the wrong mountains. People who work 20 years or more of their lives doing something that has no deep purpose for them or is not consistent with their values. Executives and leaders that wake up one day and wonder why they spent a lifetime on something that doesn’t provide deep meaning or fulfillment.

If you are a purpose-driven personal naturally, then you probably already possess a sense of direction that create resiliency and moves you forward even during the darkest of days. But if you are like most of us, then you may need some help. I would suggest the following steps.

  • Develop a clear sense of the values that are important to you
  • Better understand your life’s purpose and get uncomfortable with the status quo
  • Get next to people who possess great desire and raise your game
  • Design goals that meet your purpose and values and that will excite you every day
  • Take massive action toward achieving these goals
  • Visualize yourself enjoying the rewards of that goal
  • Create daily affirmations that will ingrain the confidence you need to continue

If you follow this a strategy, you may not immediately find your ultimate purpose, but you will at least start moving in that direction. As Tony Robbins says “Success is doing what you want, when you want, where you want, with whom you want as much as you want.”

P.S. If you are looking to make a transformation in your life or business, schedule a complimentary meeting with me and we can conduct a 30 minute discovery session to determine our fit as partners in your life’s journey.

P.S.S.  Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

5 Key Actions to Leading a Virtual Workforce

Given the potential both for a new normal and no real idea when we will return to the office, it is critically important to have a system for leading dispersed and virtual teams. Outcomes that are measurable with strategies to motivate and align will be more and more critical. The ability to lead without constant supervision and micromanaging will take on more importance in the coming years. There are 5 key actions to help you achieve this and drive excellence in your organization

 

Ensure you and your team are aligned

 

While strategy is important it really only accounts for 1% of performance. The other 99% will be an alignment between you and the teams you lead. To accomplish this, collaborating on your long-term vision and the actions over 3 years, 1 year and this quarter will ensure the big rocks are accounted for and moved along. These actions are measurable with clear and agreed on targets.

 

Agree on measures of success

 

These could by key process indicators (KPIs) or Objectives and key Results (OKRs). They should be measurable with clear improvement goals for the quarter and for the year. The big rocks should ensure the teams are hitting all goals for the year and if not, check whether the plan is on track or the plan isn’t working as designed.

 

Establish operating rhythms to drive accountability and provide support

 

Operating rhythms with a clear purpose and agenda will ensure progress is made efficiently as possible. Daily check ins to remove barriers, weekly team rhythms to discuss 1 or 2 big rocks and quarterly meetings to discuss strategy execution all play a key part in driving success. The goal is to provide support and encouragement to your teams.

 

Create a reward and recognition program

 

Ensure that the reward and recognition program is built into your strategic roadmap. What will you celebrate and how will you celebrate. And make it clear to your teams from the beginning of the year. By doing this you will not miss opportunities to motivate and recognize the success of your teams.

 

Establish communication channels

 

Finally, you should clearly define channels of communication and their purpose. Will your team use slack, email or some other digital tool? When will you use them and for what purpose? Should certain communication always be in person or is it ok to post on an internal slack channel? Combining this with clearly defined operating rhythms will alleviate frustration, improve performance and ensure problems are solved at the appropriate level.

 

To lead change in a virtual environment is simple but not easy. By following the 5 steps discussed and providing daily support, your teams can flourish without meeting consistently in person. And given the uncertainty of returning to an office environment, getting this right is critical to your success.

P.S. Also remember, to determine how likely your marketing is to convert, simply fill out my Conversion Equation Evaluator.

This evaluator has the unprecedented ability to predict the future success of any marketing collateral you develop… as well as predict whether that marketing will be profitable or not. And, it’s 100% free to use!

After calculating your marketing conversion level, I can show you exactly what to do with your website and marketing collateral that could double or triple the number of prospects who respond to your marketing.

Just schedule a complimentary meeting with me

 

Customer Service as the WOW factor

Customer service is a pretty hot topic and can make or break your business. Consumers have little patience for lousy customer service and easily get tired of waiting in long lines, trying to get a live person on the line, going through an interrogation to return something or trying to communicate through a language barrier.

If you provide them with a simple, efficient, pleasant experience they will revisit your business over and over. More importantly, they will tell everyone they know!

There are three secrets to good customer service, the first one we’re going to conquer is knowing exactly what YOU want.

You are the captain of the ship and the visionary for the future of your business, so you need to have a clearly defined plan for your business and that includes customer service. There are three main goals you need to consider:

  1. It needs to be easy for your customers to do business with you. You can do this with advertised discounts, kiosks, your website and other technology based programs to help them shop.
  2. Doing business with you needs to be a warm and pleasant experience. Your staff has to be knowledgeable, approachable, warm and patient. Your customers need to feel like they are getting a good value for their time and money. Perceived value goes beyond the price of the products and extends to their shopping experience. Make certain your team is cross-trained if you sell in multiple product lines.
  3. Change your mind set and ask yourself “How can I NOT afford to do these things?” This shouldn’t be a question of expenses, but making and keep happy customers. A motivated customer service team can become a revenue generating profit center with proper planning and execution.

Which these thoughts in mind you also need to take a few things into consideration when deciding on the actual programs and standards you’ll put into place.

  • Develop the customer service vision with your staff.
  • Connect your incentive programs and bonuses directly to customer service.
  • Monitor the level of customer service your staff is delivering & provide coaching.
  • Teach your customer service staff to cross sell, upsell and down sell.
  • Create visual management that has everyone focused on the goals.

Now, that you know what you want you can start thinking about how to meet those wants and create a positive customer service experience.

PS. Do not leave this blog until you have a plan of action!

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Don Vanpool … AKA “The King of Cash”