Monday, March 21, 2016
3 Ways to Pay Attention and Tidy Up this Spring
I love choices. I love the freedom to choose (which might explain my shoe collection but that’s another topic for another blog)!
Ever feel like clutter distracts and overwhelms you? Does it prevent you from making the clearest, best choices?
The best leaders know attention pays. We need to pay attention to what matters so we can create more significant moments for our clients, our teams and our family.
In order for you to make the best choices, you must pay attention to what matters most in your surroundings. This may result in a need for you to tidy up your space to eliminate distractions and enable you to make quicker decisions.
According to a Newsweek report, the average American spends a year of their life looking for misplaced items… A YEAR! No, thank you! The distractions that come with clutter challenge our ability to be productive and remain calm.
Here are 3 ways to tidy up and improve your ability to pay attention:
- Notice everything – look at your desk as you read this… does it show you are in control? Is it a true reflection of your knowledge? Is it important to you? If not, now’s the perfect time for a quick 15-minute spring to eliminate unnecessary distractions. Notice your calendar. Do the meetings have clear purpose? Are they productive? Do they positively achieve the goals set? If the answer is no, perhaps it’s time to tidy up your schedule. Free time to accomplish tasks and reevaluate the purpose of your committed meetings.
- Give everything a place – invest time to allocate space for the things that are important. After applying Kondo’s strategies, everything should have a designated space making it quicker to find and utilize in accomplishing tasks. It’s a simple strategy with a big impact. Do your team members have a place on your calendar to regularly chat about their development, projects and client challenges? If not, choose a date and time on your calendar to devote to team development.
- Create calm – Organizing your work space and your calendar will create calm for you and your team. When everything has a place we don’t waste time and energy trying to find things. If everyone knows the mission or objective of the team they are less likely to get stressed not knowing what to work on next. The productiveness created by a tidy space and the routine that compliments it creates clarity and peace necessary for success.
Think about what is distracting you right now? If it’s clutter, tidy up. If it’s an unfinished conversation, schedule it. If it’s an overdue thank you, say it.
With this week’s arrival of spring (for my US readers), it is the perfect time to eliminate what you don’t need, clear clutter and tidy up. Schedule a pick up by your favorite charity to donate items others could benefit from using. Start today. Spring Clean. Remember Attention Pays.
Love to hear your ideas below of how you manage to tidy up and pay attention to what matters.
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Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Top Tips on Accountability, Attention and Productivity
Paying attention increases accountability, profitability and productivity.
Time management is out the window.
Productivity was the conversation of yesterday.
Today’s conversation and the most important topic, is attention!
Yes you guessed it; attention pays.
Over the years, we have shared how to accomplish more and focus on what matters. Here is a fun selection of blogs written to assist you with focus on the people and projects mean the most to you.
Read: http://ift.tt/1LMm5Nm
Watch: https://youtu.be/5bqIoMIHSxI
3 Ways Confidence gets Attention
Read: http://ift.tt/1ZMw5Hx
Watch: https://youtu.be/9FSgYVEk8ws
Read: http://ift.tt/1Ikgrkg
Watch: https://youtu.be/cAp3Ooicp4k
Pay Attention to Your Community
Read: http://ift.tt/1lqIaVz
Watch: https://youtu.be/PFKk10IovPE
Read: http://ift.tt/1PwduiG
Watch: https://youtu.be/Z3bfSKwPm5w
Read: http://ift.tt/1Rqdk9U
Watch: https://youtu.be/UbrZXg8YDfs
Call to action:
Where can you invest your attention this week?
Can you share these ideas with your team?
Share with us which of these blogs were most beneficial to you.
Can’t wait to hear from you
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Monday, March 07, 2016
5 Ways to Give Attention on Facebook
I admit sometimes it often drives me crazy… some posts are so bad, I can’t help myself and still read and sometimes I see posts and shake my head. However the positive aspects of Facebook of being able to connect to my family in Australia, chat with friends around the world and see life changing events for others in real time… makes it all worthwhile.
I have been known to say ‘I don’t need to read other people’s crazy to feed my crazy’ #truth.
Here are 5 ways to give attention to others using Facebook:
- Like a post – it’s a simple click of a button and now Facebook offers more emotions like Wow, HaHa, Love or Dislike. It shows someone you read their post.
- Comment on a status – spend a moment to write a quick comment so someone knows you saw it and have an opinion.
- Share a memory – one of my favorite features is Facebook shows old photos of memories shared with others. You can then re-share and remind someone of something fun that occurred.
- Add to a discussion – Facebook has groups where you can add value, share a resource or help someone in a conversation.
- Shoot a video – for people I adore when it’s their birthday, I shoot a little video singing Happy Birthday (I do NOT have a great voice, but it’s fun). Videos allow others to hear your voice, see your face and know you went a little extra just for them.
What would you add to this list to give someone attention on Facebook? Love to hear your ideas below
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Tuesday, March 01, 2016
Book Review: Marie Kondo’s ‘Spark Joy’
When you consider your surroundings, I challenge you to ask yourself: Does this really matter? Does this spark joy in my life? Might it spark joy for another?
Enjoy,
Neen
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Monday, February 29, 2016
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
How to Stay Relevant and Current in Changing Times
More than 3,000 books are published daily (and I am not talking electronic books), and there are more text messages sent and received on a daily basis than there are people on the planet!
Our access to information via Google and other online sources is enormous. How do you stay relevant with so much information available to you?
It’s not the information age; it’s the age of over information!
To stay current and relevant today you need to educate yourself, energize your skills, embrace technology and engage in social media. Do you want people to pay attention to your company, your team and your results – use these strategies to attract and keep attention on what matters.
Just like in school where every year you got an annual report card as a snapshot of where you were at, this month decide to measure how relevant are you in your organization?
Leaders today need to focus on four areas to stay relevant in such dynamic times.
Educate Yourself
Is your personal education adding value to your conversations each day and managing your team? If not, what actions do you need to take to increase your education? Can you attend industry event and conferences? Can you complete online webinars and programs to bridge any gaps in your learning? Is it time to invest in watching TED talks of thought leaders in your area? Can you hire a mentor to provide an accelerated learning process? It’s up to you… not your boss or your clients to tell you. If you want to add value to your team, your industry and yourself – get educated.
Energize Skills
When was the last time you did a personal skills audit? Often it isn’t until leaders want to make a change of job or industry that they stop to update their resume. If you want to say truly relevant in your organization choose to accelerate this process and allocate time to a review. What one skill are you good at that would impact your business the most? Focus your attention on getting even better at that one skill and accelerate your results – get energized.
Embrace Technology
Are you across the latest time-saving technologies for your everyday activities? Have you found a cell phone that can help you achieve the demands of your communications needs? Is your computer system helping you achieve the results you want … or … are you putting up with slow machines, outdated equipment, and redundant applications? Challenge yourself to embrace the technologies that are most relevant for you and your clients. This may mean upgrading some areas of your technology, investigating the latest apps and spending time and money in new systems. If you want to amplify your message using platforms including social media and apps – start embracing.
Engage Social Media
According to Fast Company magazine, 78.6% of sales people using social media to sell outperformed those who weren’t using social media. They went on to say when it came to exceeding sales quota (by more than 10%); social media users were 23% more successful than their non-social media peers.
Social media is not a passing fab.
You don’t have to participate on every platform however now is the time to engage in conversation with your clients on the platforms most suitable for them. At a minimum every professional needs a LinkedIn profile (consider it your own personal website). How current is your photo? Your skills listed, your experiences – spend time today updating it. Do your clients hang out on Facebook? Is your business page regularly providing value to your readers to advance your message? Are you participating in conversations on Twitter with your community. Find the platform most beneficial for you and your clients and advance your conversations using this too – get engaged!
What are your ideas on how you can stay relevant in such changing times? Share your ideas with us here on our blog.
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Don’t Sprint the Marathon: Positive Changes take Pacing – Guest Blog by Tami Evans
Enjoy,
Neen
26.2
You’ve probably seen the sticker, and chances are you know someone who actually earned the sticker. 26.2 This number represents the amount of miles run to complete a marathon. It takes the average marathon runner 4 ½ hours to do it.
As a runner… well, a slogger (slow + jogger)… my sticker would only read 3 which is the number of miles I am able to complete a few times per week – and it takes me about 30 minutes. But even on my relatively short shuffle, I have to pace myself – If I tried to run my 3 miles in 15 minutes, I would fail.
So, you know that bright shiny feeling of power you feel facing this new year? Perhaps you named a few new behaviors you were excited about incorporating? You feel full of potential and able to achieve your most elusive goal?
Pace yourself.
If you start to feel the familiar urge to chuck it all and revert back to old habits, or think “Holy wha! Look at the pile of stuff on my to-do list, how did I think I would have time to make a change?!?” Please don’t give up the race. Rather, step off to the side for a quick slug of water and a hamstring stretch. Then take a deep breath and get back in there, moving forward, slowly one step at a time. Even if you find yourself back at the starting line – keep starting!
It may take all 52 weeks to complete your goal or institute your positive behavior change. So what if it takes all year? At the end of 52 weeks you will have achieved a major accomplishment. Which is a heck of a lot more than you will achieve if you step out of the race because it takes longer than you would like.
You decided on this positive change for YOU. Don’t let anyone or anything muck up your marathon. Now, lace up and let’s get going!
Genuine and funny, motivational speaker Tami Evans specializes in crucial content with heaps of humor! Her eloquent and engaging keynote programs are perfect for national conventions and conferences, for Associations & Organizations, teacher in-service programs, kick-off meetings, lunch & learn sessions, and more!
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Monday, February 15, 2016
Stop Being Rude
Whether you are with people you know, or interacting with a stranger, it’s time to stop being rude.
Watch my 3 tips to stopping rude behavior, being kind and connecting with those around you. Give your attention to those that matter most.
Can you commit to paying more attention?
Can you commit to putting down the device and connect with those around you?
Leave your comments for how you will begin to pay attention and connect with those that matter.
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Tuesday, February 09, 2016
Monday, February 08, 2016
Be a Force of Nature
When you call someone a force of nature it means the person has a strong personality or character — like a hurricane or a tsunami – they might be full of energy, unstoppable, unchallengeable, unforgettable. In summary, a person to be reckoned with – that made me smile even more!
Are you a force of nature?
What is your energy level? Your drive? Your confidence level?
Can you be, as the great speaker Patrick Henry says, ‘Remember-able?’
I am surrounded by people who are forces of nature. It’s fun to observe them, debrief their actions that impresses me.
Listed below are observations we can all apply at work, at home, and in our community.
Make people matter – be fully focused. Can you give someone the gift of your undivided attention so they realize they are the most important person you are talking in that moment in time? This means STOP looking at your cell phone and look someone in the eye. Stop making technology more important than people. Please put your cell phone away.
Invest wisely – be deliberate with how you invest your time, energy and attention to the people and the projects that will give you the best ROA (return on attention). Say ‘no’ to the things that don’t matter. We have a mantra in our office that says ‘if it’s not yes, it’s no’. It sounds simple and it’s incredibly liberating when you do it. Stop wasting time in indecision. Make a decision and move on.
Enter energetically – your energy is contagious. You can change the energy of a conversation, presentation or the feeling of a room simply by the way you enter it. Show us as the best version of yourself as you walk in with assumption that everyone wants to play with you (that’s my belief). This means walking in confidently, with a real smile on your face and not looking at your cell phone. It means extending your hand first to shake hands, it means not looking like the ‘bag lady’ weighed down with too many bags, coffee mugs and clutter. Stop walking into meetings connected to devices, clearing emails and not acknowledging your team members. Make people matter.
Attention pays. Paying attention increases profitability, productivity and accountability.
I challenge you, today to make someone feel like they are the most important person you have met, talked to, texted, called, or seen. People want to be seen and heard. The forces of nature I have in my life have mastered this skill. Be a force of nature today.
Many of you have shared you want to be more productive this year. Our new online Folding Time Mentoring Program has just been released, check it out and each month I will pop into your inbox (well not literally) with videos, blogs, white papers, interviews, templates and all kinds of goodies – sign up today!
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Monday, February 01, 2016
“Eyes Full of Dreams” Book Review
Scott is a brilliant professional speaker, writer, photographer and songwriter. His new book is an interactive, fun and thought provoking resource for anyone who wants to pay attention to what matters.
Pick up a copy of “Eyes Full of Dreams” and set goals for yourself that will help you focus and pay attention to how you can increase profits, build lasting relationships and cultivate business.
To learn more about Scott and his work on “Eyes Full of Dreams,” go to http://ift.tt/1c22YGO. Learn more about him, or check out his TEDx speaking event here. Follow, watch and learn from Scott. He knows how to get attention for his message the RIGHT way.
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Sunday, January 24, 2016
Confidence Gets Attention: Know Yourself, Your Team and Your Ideas
Do you know someone that walks into a room and you can tell they feel confident, in themselves, their outfit, their knowledge? They have a presence about them and they present their ideas with authority.
If you want to get the right attention for you, your team and your ideas here are three strategies to help you today:
Know Yourself: invest time to know your strengths (and your stressors). Explore assessment tools, read books like Fascinate by Sally Hogshead, Strength Finder 2.0 or do an assessment with Core Clarity online… so many great tools available.
Early in my career, sitting in Barb’s office (she was a beautiful, elegant and fantastic boss), and she gave great advice saying “Neen you need to know 3 things you are good at, don’t blink and don’t look away”. What are your three things you are good at?
Knowing this has helped with job searches, projects and promotions over my career. Watch this video for more ideas:
Know Your Team: know their strengths, invest in training and development and know the status of their projects. Always be looking for ways to promote your team to others in your organization. What are your team’s top three priorities this week?
Know Your Ideas: I love creating ideas and especially contextual models to support real thought leaders… however I am not fabulous at the implementing routine activities. I love helping brainstorm ideas, capture ideas… I just don’t enjoy implementing them (I definitely leave that to talented consultant colleagues). Do you believe in your ideas? Can you present your ideas with conviction and make them easily understood to those in your meetings and presentations?
Positioning your unique thoughts confidently makes you stand out in a room and within your organization.
When you know yourself, your team and believe in your ideas you are able to walk into any room, meeting or presentation with your head held high, a smile on your face and true confidence to get attention for your team, projects and ideas. Try this out today.
Many of you have shared you want to be more productive this year. Our new online Folding Time Mentoring Program has just been released, check it out and each month I will pop into your inbox (well not literally) with videos, blogs, white papers, interviews, templates and all kinds of goodies – sign up today!
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Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Top 10 Leadership Strategies for the New Year
Attention Pays,
Neen
- Revisit why you lead. Get clear on your purpose, not just your strategies and tactics.
- Refocus on the most important things you should be doing. It won’t be a long list.
- Tend to important relationships. Repair for some and renewal for others might be in order.
- Set a few big goals. Aim for the big things that matter. Don’t get distracted by the insignificant.
- Pay attention to the difference between activity and accomplishment. It isn’t about how busy you are; it is about how much you get done.
- Dig deeper. Don’t stop at first or second thoughts. Think harder than others are willing to do.
- Learn something new every day. Go to bed smarter than you woke up.
- Develop your team. If your people aren’t getting better, you’re not leading effectively.
- Work hard and have fun. Don’t make the two exclusive.
- Be grateful and express it frequently to others.
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Monday, January 18, 2016
Friday, January 15, 2016
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Monday, January 11, 2016
What’s Your Contextual Word?
Mine is attention. What’s yours?
A gazillion years ago, I heard Matt Church recommend a focus word for the year. I have been doing it ever since. He’s so smart.
A contextual word allows you to focus your time, attention and energy into the people and projects that matter most to you. Could you create one this year?
Is your new year’s resolution already broken? I don’t set them because it seems that if I couldn’t’ master the behavior last year, it’s not going to happen with some silly, over-tired, champagne-induced resolve!
This year my contextual word is attention (it is also the name of my new book and the keynote I share with clients as the opening keynote speaker at their events). My desire is to pay more attention at home, work, in my community.
Here are a few ideas to help you implement your word:
Choose Five: We set goals in five areas: spiritual, relational, physical, financial and educational. Maybe you could use a similar framework? This year I intend to be more focused through regular mediation (spiritual), connected (relational), stronger and fitter (and definitely need to weigh less, boy oh boy when I stopped paying attention to my food and champagne choices I gained 15 lbs, yuck), diligent with money (financial), and study deeper (educational). What are your 5? Megan Kristel wrote a great blog on her 2016 goals for real people and I loved the terminology she used.
Choose ‘No’ – choosing to focus on your word might seem selfish to others (it’s not!) and it means you might have to say no to things more often and in awkward situations. It’s no secret I love champagne, this month I am avoiding it (stop judging), I am also avoiding chocolate, fries and anything else that seems to stay around my middle. I have also said no to people who want time that drain my energy (do you have anyone like that in your life), projects that sounded fun but weren’t profitable, and invitations that don’t make me happy. Selfish? Maybe? I prefer to say self-full. No is a complete sentence!
Choose now – make a decision. Determine your focus. Write it down. Share it with a friend, your partner, and/or your team. Share it online to accelerate accountability. Now go and implement it. Easy peasy (well not really, but it will become your new decision filtering system).
You don’t have time to everything, only time to do what matters.
Today choose people, projects and passions that are going to help you stay focused on your contextual word… and share with me your word, I’d love to hear it. Let’s do this together.
Many of you have shared you want to be more productive this year. Our new online Folding Time Mentoring Program has just been released, check it out and each month I will pop into your inbox (well not literally) with videos, blogs, white papers, interviews, templates and all kinds of goodies – sign up today!
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Sunday, January 10, 2016
Thursday, January 07, 2016
6 Must-Haves to Be Influential Monday to Monday
Influence from Monday to Monday requires you to be consistent with how you deliver a message and the words you speak during all interactions and through all communication mediums. This high level of communication takes discipline, hard work and a lot of focus.
Begin TODAY applying the six must-haves.
- Where are you going? Have a clear and specific vision of what you want to improve. Be willing to commit to and make that vision your reality. Begin by writing five specific action steps to improve your communication, which you promise yourself you’ll accomplish. Is it time to avoid the “uh’s” and “um’s” that are cluttering your message and allowing your listeners to question your knowledge?
- Avoid doing it alone! Every day, ask a family member or peer to immediately give you constructive feedback on the communication behaviors you’re focusing on. This feedback can occur during a phone call, face-to-face or Skype conversation, Google Hangout, meeting or presentation. Ask them to let you know when your non-verbal behaviors are distracting or purposeful.
Be consistent. The perception
- Is what you’re saying consistent with how you’re saying it? Tailor your message to your listener by asking yourself, “Why would my listener be interested in my topic?” your clients create of you during your presentation needs to be the same perception they created of you during that first interaction. Influence from Monday to Monday means you never speak with non-words or filler You consistently connect and engage with your listeners during all conversations. You walk into every room like you belong there. You have a polished presence that communicates your attention to detail and that you’re someone whom your client can rely on.
When you’re consistent through your words and actions, a trusting reputation builds. Others will want to listen and follow your lead. If they’re following you, there’s a strong probability that they’re influenced by you Monday to Monday.
- Seeing is believing. At least once a month, video or audio record yourself during your day-to-day conversations.
Immediately review your playback as you give yourself balanced feedback. Is your message consistent with your non-verbal behaviors? Do you sound confident or uncertain? Do you perceive yourself as having knowledge or uncertainty?
After reviewing your playbacks, answer these questions:
- What did I do and say that had impact and influence on my listeners?
- What do I want to change?
- How will I make these changes permanent?
- Take five minutes. At the beginning of every day, identify what communication skills and techniques you’re committed to work on throughout the day. Write these down!
- Communicating with influence is like living a healthy lifestyle: both are lifelong commitments based on daily choices. A healthy lifestyle involves making good choices about diet and exercise. Fundamentally, enhancing your influence also comes down to intentional choices. Should you:
- Answer emails during that conference call or use it as an opportunity to practice your influence skills?
- Assume no news is good news or ask for real feedback?
- Give a canned presentation or listen to your prospects and adapt your message accordingly?
Although there are no “quick fixes” when it comes to enhancing your influence, when you hold yourself accountable by seeking feedback and practicing the skills, you will see positive changes fairly quickly.
Being influential Monday to Monday is a choice. One year from today you’ll either be the same communicator you are now or you’ll be an individual who has influence, has stronger relationships and is consistently perceived as trustworthy, confident and knowledgeable. Not to forget more money in your pocket.
Stacey Hanke is founder of Stacey Hanke Inc. and co-author of the book; Yes You Can! Everything You Need From A To Z To Influence Others To Take Action. She is in the process of writing book #2 on the topic of Redefining Influence.
She has trained over 15,000 people to rid themselves of bad body language habits and choose words wisely. Her client list is vast from Coca-Cola, Kohl’s, United States Army, Navy and Air Force, Leo Burnett, Nationwide, University of Chicago, Novartis, GE, General Mills, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cardinal Health. In addition to her client list, she has been the Emcee for Tedx. She has inspired thousands as a featured guest on media outlets including; The NY Times, SmartMoney magazine, Business Week, Lifetime Network, Chicago WGN and WLS-AM.
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Tuesday, January 05, 2016
Win More By Not Being Rude – Guest Blog by Thom Singer
Are you ready to pay attention?
Rise to the challenge,
Neen
Has it become “okay” to be rude? Is the trend of self-focus gotten us to the point that we rarely even acknowledge the people around us? Smart phones and other gadgets have our attention, and since the power to connect with the whole world is in our hands we are missing the human engagement that is all around us.
I am not talking about blatant in your face nasty (that should never be acceptable), yet there seems to be less common courtesy and fewer smiles between people in our daily interactions. While “rude” is a word that makes many nervous, I think it is the right word. Most people do not see their own actions as “rude”…. but in a world where being over-extended and busy is a badge of honor, few people take the time to notice others (much less give them a few seconds of polite attention).
If you watch closely throughout your day you will see what I mean. People seem more detached in recent years. It is in the little things where etiquette seems to be abandoned. I am not blaming the internet, social media and the mobile technology, but there is clearly a lack of intention lately to the social manners.
At Starbucks this morning I watched the line of people in front of me. Only one woman said “Thank You” to the person who was serving the drinks to the waiting customers. Now, one could argue that in the transaction of six dollar cups of coffee one does not need to be gracious to the baristas, but one out of eight people seemed out of wack.
Last week at a hotel when the elevator doors opened two young women who were staring at their phones walked into the lift without waiting for others to exit. Those of us getting off had to push past, and once the doors closed we all looked at each other in amazement. No recognition that other people had been present.
And don’t get me started about “Thank You Notes”, or at least saying “Thank You” to people who have done you a favor or sent you a gift. Too many people just go on with their lives without showing any gratitude, and if questioned about it they look at you like you are from Mars. Gratitude is not something you should ever ignore.
In a world where common courtesy seems to be in short supply, if you want to stand out and find more success in your human-to-human relationships it is easier than ever to get noticed by simply not being “rude”. Being polite and making others feel special will allow you to win more often in the game of life.
Go back to the basics of social etiquette and people will be impressed by your actions. It takes no extra time to be polite, and if you do this regularly you will develop an epic reputation for how you treat others. It is sad that being kind to others has become a way to stand out in the crowd, but those who practice being nice, and avoid being rude, will find more success.
I often speak to groups about “Cooperative Significance”. We all want to make a contribution and be significant at work, home, and in our communities. But you cannot decide for others that you are significant, they make that determination. To be significant you begin by making others feel they matter (as this will cause them to notice you). One way to do this is to be nice to them and help them feel good about the things they are accomplishing in their world.
Five Tips To Being Kind
1. Be observant. Many people go about their day feeling invisible, as too few are noticing others actions. Take the time to watch the people around you and acknowledge their contributions. You should do this at home, around the office, or anywhere you go. Make it a habit to be aware of others.
2. Say something nice. Everyone is so busy that we rarely say anything to the people around us, and this is amplified when dealing with strangers in transnational situations (the coffee shop, elevator, car wash, etc…). When you are interacting with someone look them in the eye and say “please”, “thank you”, etc… Maybe add in a compliment about their work product, their appearance, or something else they are doing well that makes them stand out.
3. Look up from your phone. Get beyond thinking that important things are happening constantly in your email or you Instagram feed. Put the phone down and be present with the other people. When you are talking to someone one-to-one do not put your eyes on your phone during that conversation. Nobody appreciates being ingnored. We call it rude when other do this, but when we do it ourselves we call it “multi-tasking”. Sorry, it is rude.
4. RSVP and show up on time. Somewhere along the line we forgot that we are supposed to respond to invitations and then do what we said we were going to do. Respect other people’s time. Be militant about your schedule and show up when you say you will attend.
5. Make gratitude your secret weapon. When someone gives you a gift or does you a favor, make sure you thank them in a proper manner. A text that reads “THX” may or may not be the right answer. Know this: No matter what you do, if you take a shortcut to show gratitude the other person will know it.
Being rude or aloof should not be acceptable in the course of your day. It takes no more time to be polite, attentive and aware. Those who embrace these small actions will have more wins in the long run.
To learn more about Thom Singer, a speaking entrepreneur that will “wow” your audience with his practical and motivational presentations, visit his website.
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Monday, December 21, 2015
3 Strategies to Share Your Message for Attention
I believe businesses and professionals can profit from attention – not just getting it, but giving it. The next time you prepare for a presentation, business brief or sales pitch, pay attention to these three key factors. By doing so, you’ll ensure your message resonates with those you wish to receive attention from.
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Thursday, December 17, 2015
Good Manners – Guest Post by Candace Ellis
xoxo,
Neen
When Clarence Thomas said “good manners will open doors that the best education can not.”, I wonder if he meant that literally?
As a an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States he may have been referring to people he met in his courts when he said this. But the way I look at it is this: good manners will get you places and will open doors.
I know this to be true because in my as a receptionist and executive assistant for one of the leading companies in Australia in research I constantly greet and welcome people from all walks of life. Everyday we all meet people including sales reps, service engineers, patients couriers and even lost colleagues. While every visitor has different reasons for being there, one thing they all have in common is they must get past the gatekeeper – yep that’s me, the receptionist.
Some might say I am the bump in their road, the roadblock in their mission and some visitors want to bypass. As the gatekeeper, I am not trying to make your life more difficult or waste your time or distract you from your journey. My mission ( and yours – should you choose to accept it) is to move you from reception to the right person at the right time. Let me help you, help me, here’s how:
- Know whom you came for. It saves us time- know the full name and job title. In large organizations it’s challenging to know everyone’s name. Guess what, sometimes there are more than one “Sheila” or “Bruce” please know their last name. This also indicates you are prepared and organized.
- Know your reason for visiting. You may be a frequent visitor and tell me why you are back. I need to keep tabs on the visitors – let’s build a rapport. Heck I don’t mind a little small talk! Yes I did watch Game of Thrones last night, wasn’t it brutal?
- Know your focus. Eyes on the game and not on your phone. Give attention during your interaction- simple and effective. Talking on your phone while being helped is sinful and demonstrates a lack of respect. If you need to take the call, excuse yourself and return when you can give your full attention.
- Know the power of a smile, eye contact, and friendliness. Sometimes you may not get this in return (unless you visit me of course). Some receptionists are distracted, under the pump and having a bad day – try not to take it personally. Everyone might be entitled to a bad day, however when you work in a service industry you waive that right. Receptionists are people too and sometimes bad days sneak up on you. Isn’t interesting when you surround yourself with positive people, it rubs off on you? It is contagious and I love being around positive people. You could be the turning point in someone’s bad day so flash ‘em your pearly whites, what have you got to lose?
- Know the Rules. This one is easy. Sign in, sign out and wear your nametag. Follow instructions, and use the visitor car parks designated to you. It’s simple people. Please pay attention.
Recently we had very important guests visiting our workplace. My job was to ensure these guests we were well looked after and shown the highest hospitality. At the end of the visit I commenced clean up, washing coffee cups in the too small, too hot kitchen behind the meeting rooms. I was coming down with cold and feeling ill. Soldiering on I was standing over the sink in my tired, pre-cold haziness and heard a voice and a tap at the door. As I turned I saw one our guest VIPs, smiling. He took the time to find me, extend his gratitude and smile. He looked me in the eye, asked my name and thanked me. Out of all the guests that day, he is the one I remember and one who I will gladly welcome back.
Good manners does open doors, and I will be happily waiting at that door for you.
The post Good Manners – Guest Post by Candace Ellis appeared first on Neen James.
Monday, December 14, 2015
3 Types of Thought Leaders – Which Are You?
They don’t just know something, they are known for something.
When the term was first coined, it meant something different than it does today. Now it seems as though the phrase is used and abused in business today. I’m a partner in Thought Leaders Global and we have a definition of three types of Thought Leaders.
- Intrapreneur – Within a corporation, this person is the go-to resource within a company that best represents their brand, idea and thoughts.
- Entrepreneur – These are the people who like to start, grow and exit a fast growing business within about five years. They use thought leadership as a marketing strategy to operationalize their ideas.
- Infopreneur – Professionals that have information in their head they can capitalize on by sharing it with the world in a way that is uniquely theirs.
Often, what we see is that perceived Thought Leaders are actually just thought repeaters. If you really want to stand out, identify what type of Thought Leader do you want to be?
Are you an internal thought leader that is the go-to expert in your area of expertise. This is a fantastic strategy if you really want to attract, retain and develop top talent in your company.
If you’re an entrepreneurial thinker, you must have a clear strategy for the types of businesses you can rapidly grow, market and exit using your area of expertise and skills.
As an infopreneurial thought leader, consider those thoughts and ideas that are uniquely yours. What’s your context for the world and how do you see the world. My context is Attention. I want the world to give the gift of their undivided attention in order to better receive the attention they too desire.
What compels you? What is your passion? What is your unique experience? How can you honor that uniqueness to share thoughts and ideas with the world? Share your ideas with us!
The post 3 Types of Thought Leaders – Which Are You? appeared first on Neen James.
Tuesday, December 08, 2015
12 Best Apps for Busy Women – Guest Blog by Megan Kristel
Attention Pays,
Neen
I do not have a techie bone in my body, yet I find myself relying more and more on my phone to keep me organized. With the New Year, and promises of better, more productive selves around the corner, I thought I would share the apps that make my hectic life run a little smoother.
1. Instacart: I started using Instacart a few months ago, and it is by far the best app/service I discovered all year. Instacart is a grocery delivery service that connects you to a personal shopper who goes to your favorite market (mine is Whole Foods). You order your groceries online, and they are delivered to your door within a few hours. I love to cook but hate grocery shopping, especially on the weekends when the stores are so overly crowded. With Instacart, I can sit at my desk, with my cookbooks and list and only order what I need. I paid an annual fee initially that has already paid for itself, and you tip the shopper. Even if I end up spending a little more than I would in the store, I save so much time and sanity. Plus, I get stuff done around the house or work while I wait, making me extra productive.
2. Open Table: I’m always surprised when someone doesn’t have Open Table on their phone. It makes grabbing dinner reservations anywhere in the country easy peasy. I use mine constantly, often within minutes of wanting to walk in somewhere.
3. TripIt: If you travel frequently, TripIt is for you. TripIt allows you to keep your itinerary organized. It’s super easy to use. Once you make your hotel reservation, forward the email to Tripit, and it automatically updates your agenda. Do the same with your flight information, car service, etc. On the day of your trip, everything you need, from your reservations to your boarding pass, is in one place.
4. Uber: I use Uber all the time. From airport pick-ups to nights that go a little too late with a little too much wine, it makes getting safely from point A to point B easy.
5. Circle of 6: Circle of 6 was originally designed for college-aged women, to help keep them safe on campus. Essentially, it’s an app that lets you send a message to 6 individuals of your choosing. For example, one message reads, “Call and pretend you need me. I need an interruption.” It also sends your GPS coordinates. Every woman should have this on her phone. It’s a no-brainer.
6. Sleep Pillow: Having spent more time in hotels this year than I care to think about, one thing I know for sure is that hotels, for the most part, are noisy. You can be stuck by the elevator, the ice machine or just next a very rude and nocturnal neighbor. The Sleep Pillowapp is a white noise machine and alarm clock in one. My favorite sounds are beach waves and thunderstorm. While the free app is great, I upgraded to the paid version, which allows you to play the noise all night and be gently woken up by the app in the morning.
7. Sleep Cycle Power Nap: Speaking of sleeping, I’m a big fan of napping. The Sleep Cycle Power Nap app guides you to sleep easily and wakes you gently before you fall into a deep sleep. It offers several different nap cycles, my favorite being the “recovery nap”. You get a solid 45 minutes and wake up feeling like the better version of you.
8. Evernote: The standard for note taking apps and for good reason. It’s intuitive, easy to use and cross-functional allowing you to use it on your phone and desktop. I need to write things down; it helps me process information and commit to it. However, once I vet out my to-do list, I write it in Evernote, because I will likely forget to pack my notebook, but I always remember my phone. It’s an extra step, but one I am happy to take to stay on top of my never-ending, always growing to-do list.
9. Last Pass: Last Pass holds all of your passwords, keeping them secure. When you need to log into one of your accounts, it self-populates. Having been the person who kept all of my passwords written in the back of my day journal, this makes my life so much easier and safer.With Last Pass you’ll never have to remember your passwords again.
10. Mint: Mint helps keep your finances in order, so you never miss a bill, always know how much cash you have on hand and your current credit score. I know too many women, who are otherwise brilliant and accomplished, with no knowledge of their financial situation. With Mint, you can have all of your accounts linked together for a real-time snapshot of your money health. If being more financially savvy is on your list of New Year resolutions, get on Mint today.
11. Dropbox: If you own a business or work as a freelancer, Dropbox is a life saver. You can store all of your important documents, photos and share files. We use it all the time, across all of our businesses. For example, when a potential client requests additional information about our private services, we can very easily send them our information PDF from our phones. This cuts down the time it takes to convert a lead to a client. Dropbox will help streamline your systems, keep your business organized and help you look organized.
12. Shutterfly: While I use Dropbox to store pictures, I also use Shutterfly. I keep the Shutterfly app on my phone. When photos are uploaded, they are automatically time stamped to when they were originally taken. Then I can go in and sort them, create albums, even order custom books, all from my phone.
Let us know in the comments below your favorite apps and how you use them!
The post 12 Best Apps for Busy Women – Guest Blog by Megan Kristel appeared first on Neen James.
Sunday, December 06, 2015
3 Strategies for Ending Your Slump
Ever felt so overwhelmed, overstressed and overtired that you were exhausted – mentally, physically and emotionally? Perhaps you were in a perpetual slump, one you couldn’t see your way out of. I know I’ve been there, and most of us have. After recently experiencing a bit of a slump myself, I realized to turn to my ‘beacons – those people I trust implicitly to help give candid and honest feedback with my best interest in mind. How do you determine who these people are and allow them to guide you out of your slump? Who are those that are dragging you further into it?
Here are my 3 strategies for getting out of a slump and determining those ‘beacons’ who will help.
The post 3 Strategies for Ending Your Slump appeared first on Neen James.
Friday, December 04, 2015
Thursday, December 03, 2015
Make Your 2016 More Profitable and Productive with Executive Exchange
In order to clearly identify your unique offering and to make more money from your ideas, spend 90 minutes in an Executive Exchange with Neen James. Neen will bring clarity and contextual messaging to your brand, in order to help you articulate why you are the best expert to hire or best leader for your project or promotion. This will not only lead to brand cohesion and confidence, but also increased commercial success.
This three stage process will eliminate extraneous messaging and allow your true thought leadership to become focused and noteworthy.
A: Before your Executive Exchange, you will receive a series of activating questions to complete. This exercise is incredibly grounding and begins the process of function through formulation. The answers you share will also give Neen a brief summary of who you are and where you currently serve.
B: During your 90 minute Executive Exchange with Neen via phone or Skype you will receive:
- A clear positioning statement that you can use when someone ask ‘what do you do?’. This script is a powerful tool to be used on your website, LinkedIn profile, social media, in videos, during a speech and for your sales calls.
- A unique contextual model to clearly showcase your expertise in a way that is easy for your client / buyer to understand the value you add to their event and organization. This model can be used during your presentations, in sales calls and to elevate the scope of your next book project or project report.
- An intellectual property snapshot to help articulate one of your leading ideas that will include a contextual model, metaphor, statement and explanation and relevant data and stories to support it. This tool can be used in your presentations, blogs and sales conversations. This tool is especially helpful to distinguish you from other experts in your area and show depth of knowledge and expertise of why you are the best person to hire or partner with.
C: After your Executive Exchange you will be eligible to access Neen’s extensive Success Source Material including: templates, sample chapters of eBooks and recommendations of additional resources to grow your thought leadership and help you make more money from your ideas.
If you are ready to harness the power of your brilliant brain, schedule your private session with Neen today.
Three-part Executive Exchange Experience = $750
The post Make Your 2016 More Profitable and Productive with Executive Exchange appeared first on Neen James.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Pay Attention to Your Community
I still found it hard to believe but then considered the whole idea of community attention. Who is in your community? What does your community believe and where are they located? Who are you paying attention to and who has permission to influence you?
It’s fascinating to also read that 50% of the people surveyed said they would give up social media for a week so they didn’t miss the finale of their favorite TV show! Sounds crazy, right! Social media, in fact, has become one of our communities. Consider who you are connected with and ask yourself if they add value to your thoughts and your progress. It’s interesting to me with social media how everyone has an opinion and they share that, but what do those in your social community stand for?
To understand who you should pay attention to and how to build on that community, you must recognize who shapes it. To identify your community and those that have influence in your life, ask yourself these three questions:
- Who do I listen to? Who has permission to speak and has influence in my life, decisions and direction?
- What does my community stand for? What are their values, their beliefs? Do I want to be associated to what they are known for?
- Where does my community hangout? Where can I find more people who think, believe and behave accordingly?
You get 1,440 minutes in a day. How and with whom do you invest yours?
When it comes to community attention, think about where you need to spend more attention and maybe where you need to spend less. I know myself. I could certainly spend less time on social media and the online community.
What do you need to do this week to truly accelerate your attention with the community you’re a part of? I challenge you to find one place where you could give more attention and maybe one place you could give less attention.
What are your ideas for truly managing community attention? Share them in the comments below.
Today as a leader, you really do get a choice to be amazing every time you give someone the gift of your undivided attention, where you’re spending your attention, and in what communities are you part of today.
The post Pay Attention to Your Community appeared first on Neen James.
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