Keys to Business Success and Life Happiness – Ignite Your Passion, Optimism and Self Belief.

October 24, 2009 by kutenk · 1 Comment
Filed under: Business Skills - Attitude 

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Ignite Your Passion, Optimism and Self Belief.

MISTAKE #1: Losing Your Excitement
Passion is the great equalizer. It can make up for a lack of experience and knowledge. I am not suggesting that you should not develop your knowledge or experience, however, because they will only enhance and further empower your passion—your strong belief in yourself, your mission, and your purpose.
Passion is different than enthusiasm. The cliche says, “Act enthusiastic and you will become enthusiastic.” I have never subscribed to this philosophy Why? Because if enthusiasm is an act that you use when things are going well, how do you behave when your life is falling apart? Are you just as enthusiastic about failure, about more problems than you deserve, and any number of disappointments, frustrations, and adversities?
Passion is not an act. It is a way of believing. It is woven into your cellular structure just as much as your DNA. Passion—real passion—for who you are, who you are becoming, where you are and where you are going, and what you believe in, stand for, and would die for shouts to the world, “I am here to stay, I am here to make a difference, I will leave mv mark in this world. It may take me my entire life, but I will not give up until my purpose and destiny are realized.”
Who do you know that is passionate about something? You can see it in their eyes, hear it in their voice, and sense it in their behavior. How are you doing? Are you in love with where you are, where you are going, who you are becoming, and what you are contributing? Or are you living like over 85 percent of the population with the attitude: “Same stuff, different day”?
If you have lost or are losing your passion for your sales career, do whatever is necessary to get it back.

If you are Losing Your Excitement, you need to Turn It Around.
Keep the passion alive in your career and life.




MISTAKE #2: Being Pessimistic
Is the glass half full or half empty? Will this product, policy, or strategy work or foil? Can I really achieve my dreams or am I living in fantasyland? These and hundreds of other questions are asked every day by well-meaning and hardworking salespeople.
In his great book Optimism, the Biology of Hope, written over forty years ago, Lionel Tiger discusses how optimism impacts a person’s attitudes, outlook-success, and health. He suggests that people who artless optimistic about life, the present, and the future tend to get sick more frequently and often die sooner. In his book Learned Optimism, Martin Seligman discusses how each of us begins every project, activity, task, relationship, career, etc., with either a yes or a no—a yes, I can and I will, or no, I can’t and I won’t—in our heart.
You can’t measure optimism. You can’t bottle it, regulate it, run out of it, or manufacture it, but you can learn to develop it if you will only take the time and effort. Some people feel it is better to be realistic than optimistic—why set yourself up for disappointment? Tell me what is realistic. Looking back over the past one hundred years, where would we be if Edison, Bell, Gates, Ford, Land, and Disney had been realistic? If their attitude had been: “It hasn’t been done yet, so I guess it can’t be done”?
There are numerous benefits to having an optimistic outlook, and just as many pitfalls in not having one.
Here are a few of the benefits: you will achieve more, you will have more fun, you will be happier, you will have more friends, you will enjoy life more, and you will be healthier.

If you are Being Pessimistic, you need to Turn It Around.
Be optimistic. You have nothing to lose.




MISTAKE #3: Not Believing in Yourself
Do you believe in, trust, and accept yourself? This is one of the keys to success and happiness.
Belief in yourself is the knowledge that no matter what crosses your path, you can handle it. No matter how hard you fall, how long you are down, or who is kicking you while you’re down there, this too will pass and you can learn from the experience.
There are two types of people in the world: those who whine and those who act. Those who believe in a better tomorrow and those who don’t. Those who blame and those who take responsibility. Those who resist the pull of life into the future and those who flow with it.
Self-belief says: “Throw it: at me, life. I will handle it, overcome it, and I will survive and succeed.”
A lack of self-belief says: “I quit. I can’t do it. It’s too much for me.”
What is your approach to adversity, trouble, failure, problems, challenges, or any negative circumstances? Do you have a yes or no in your heart?
As you begin each new day, are you poised to go for it? To tackle whatever life throws in your path? To never give in or give up?
We won’t do it all, have it all, learn it all in life. It just isn’t that kind of world. But you have nothing to lose and a great deal to gain by pushing the edges and your limits. Trust the process of your life and the opportunities that cross your path and give it all you’ve got.

If you are Not Believing in Yourself, you need to Turn It Around.
Believe in yourself even when no one else does.

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Management Challenges – Attitude Challenges – Controlling Your Ego.

October 20, 2009 by kutenk · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Business Skills - Attitude 

Attitude Challenges

CHALLENGE #1: Controlling Your Ego




One of the biggest contributors to poor management performance, bad decisions, hiring mistakes, and a host of other problems is ego. Everyone has an ego. It is a natural part of everyone’s psyche and vital for success. The ego wants to look good, be right, not make mistakes, not admit failure, manipulate, and to be in control or appear to be in control at all times. Problems occur though when managers’ egos are given too much control over their behaviors, attitudes, and management styles.
What I have discovered is that not only do individuals have an ego, but many organizations also function as if there was an “organization ego.” I know Freud
would have a problem with this concept, but I have seen too many organizations fail or do poorly purely as a result of—not the ego of an individual—but an underlying ego force that resonates from the organization as a whole.
It would be nice if organizations and their strategies, objectives, goals, purpose, mission, and performance were always predictable and operating at peak efficiency and optimum results. However, in the real world, change is the norm. Uncertainty prevails. And there are forces at work that would sabotage your ideal world. They include: unpredictable employees, technology, competitors, customer attitudes and expectations, the government, and the weather, just to mention a few. If all of these could be harnessed for optimum control, we would never have business failures, lost customers, unhappy or poorly performing employees, disgruntled suppliers, or frustrated accountants.




Business people’s uncontrolled egos have cost Corporate America more money than any other single factor. Uncontrolled egos have resulted in poor decisions, thwarted initiatives, the failure of products that have outlived their life cycle, and acquisitions gone bad. Want more?
    New products that should never have hit the street
    Bad products that were left on the street too long
    Poor hiring decisions
    The termination of good employees for no other reason than that they have egos too
    The unwillingness to let go of the control of anything
    Keeping decision-making at the top of the corporate ladder
    Unwillingness to delegate difficult or critical tasks
    The desire to look good to the rest of the corporate world, regardless of whether you are making money or not.

I believe by now I should have your attention. So why is ego such a big problem in business? After all, Donald Trump has one, and he is successful.
If you were to ask an executive or manager with an out-of-control-ego if his or her ego is out of control, guess what you will hear? Believe it or not: no.
Why is this? Denial? Arrogance? Insecurity? Or is there some other psychological or emotional need that is not being met?
During my career, I have watched clients make acquisitions (against my recommendations) for no other reason than ego. In almost every case, their decisions cost their organization dearly in focus and reputation, not to mention profits. Ultimately, many of these companies were shut down or sold off to some other executive with a big ego, maybe this time to someone who prides him- or herself as being a business savior or turn-around master!
Before I lose you, I don’t want you to get the impression that ego is only an issue in the big decisions or choices made at the top. Its impact can be found day-to-day in many of the small and often less significant parts of an enterprise—in the actions and decisions made by mid-level managers and supervisors.

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