42 Day Creative Retreat Process, Details Revealed
February 25, 2010
Yesterday I revealed some of the details of the 42 Day Creative Retreat process for the very first time my friends Jeff Simpkins and Eric Cook.
If you should want to listen, it was a very lively show and I think you’ll get a lot out of it!
Click here to listen
Enjoy!
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Cut the Crap & Dare To Be Yourself
October 29, 2009
Schmaltz: Yiddish, shmalts - literally, rendered fat
In my humble but large opinion there is too much schmaltziness in this world and not enough realness. So many people are trying too hard to be experts and guru’s. They are trying to stand out in the crowd and be known, but that is exactly what will make you obsolete very quickly.
Schmaltizness is not what we need now. We live in a world in which time is is speeding up. What we need is not to follow the crowd and do what we’ve always done, but to stand out in the crowd and dare to do doing something different.
Let this begin with you. Dare to take off the mask that you wear because you fear won’t like you if you are yourself. The truth is that many people won’t like you no matter what you do. So give that up as your goal and work instead to be genuine.
Try this in your conversations, your blog posts, even your marketing materials. Yes I’m suggesting that you cut the crap and dare to be real.
Honestly, it’s not easy. The brain and nervous system are wired with a deeply ingrained circuitry that being different will get us killed. The archaic part of the brain perceives difference as a life or death matter. It’s part of the ancient law of the tribe. So to live a full, real life, you have to override that ancient impulse and go in the direction of real life. That is where all the meaning and the juice are anyway.
Be aware that when you begin to do this you may feel scared. You will feel scared in the beginning, scared all the way through and maybe even afterwards. But this is normal. Think of the experience of a roller coaster ride. Personally I feel fear the entire way through. But that doesn’t have to stop you. You’ve got to BE FIERCE to cut through the crap. It doesn’t come easily.
But consider the benefits of really truly, genuinely being yourself. Here are a few of mine, please let me know about yours:
Benefits of Daring To Cut The Crap and Be Yourself:
- You make genuine honest connections with people.
- People come to love you for who you are.
- Those that don’t will naturally drift away and that is good.
- You will be happier and sleep more easily because genuineness is good for your peace of mind.
Today I had an inspiring conversation with my fellow Trainer and Coach, Eva Reiff of Nurnberg, Germany. Eva and I have coached each other every week for over eight years, amazing!
We support and encourage each other to continue to live big and dare to do things that seem scary, uncomfortable or even impossible. And together we have gone much further than we ever imagined.
After our talk today Eva sent me this beautiful note:
I am so amazed at how you have decided to cut through the crap and just be raw and real in the world. I admire your courage to lead the way and to follow what you sense the world needs. You care about real connections, and you use that as a filter to everything. You are ahead of your time. 
Today be fierce in your intent to be honest, real, vulnerable, scared, on-the-edge. Dare to be yourself and live out of the box. You will be glad you did. And besides, you have nothing to lost but your schmaltz, which I’m pretty sure you’d like to give up anyway!
Let this be your motto:
I am willing to cut the crap and dare to be myself!
Let me know how it goes.
Oh and by the way, I dare to tell stories raw and real because I’m pretty sure that’s what the world needs.
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Want to Flourish in Your Business?
September 5, 2009
ARE YOU READY TO FLOURISH?
Maybe you’re experiencing some success in your business, but it’s not at all what you dreamed of when you first hung out that shingle? Well if this is the case then it may be time for you to look at the underlying reasons that entrepreneurs don’t flourish in their work.
Join my two great friends - Sue Painter and Amy Franko for a wonderful series of FREE Teleseminars called, Four Ways to Flourish.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you procrastinate on kicking off your offerings or programs until every “i” is dotted and every “t” crossed – 10 times over?
- Do feelings of self-doubt creep in about [name your thing here] and you begin second guessing yourself?
- Do you get distracted and jump on the next greatest “thing” or “program” only to lack focus and follow through, losing money on your investment?
- Do you fall into small thinking and negative self talk?
If any of these apply and for most of us they do, then join in this wonderful experience. Amy and Sue will be interviewing four successful leaders in the entrepreneurial world. The calls are listed below and you can check their site for more information.
- Call #1:James Roche, Small Business Marketing Coach
- Call #2: David Neagle, Million Dollar Income Acceleration Coach
- Call #3: Michael Port, Founder of Book Yourself Solid and Best-Selling Author
- Call #4: Sandra Yancey, Founder & CEO eWomenNetwork
I know these two dynamo’s are going to produce a series that has alot of benefits for us all. I hope that you’ll join in. And remember it’s absolutely free!
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Outstanding Business Success, Creating a Rogue Monkey Culture
August 20, 2009
If you happened to read the “Plus Ultra“ story a few months ago, you might remember that a business man from Japan, wrote me to say that he’d had great success motivating his team by using that story. Wonderful!
When he mentioned a current problem he was having, I told him that I had another story he could use called, “The Rogue Monkey.“ He went ahead and read the story, then used it to motivate his team. But more than that, he actually created the beginning of a Rogue Monkey Culture. He used a story once again to lead his team to great success. This is an amazing example of the power of story to change corporate culture. Here is his letter:
Annie, I have had great success with the Rogue Monkey story. One of my American colleagues here in Tokyo, organized a brainstorming session with the other American partners to come up with ideas to improve the “operational effectiveness” of certain functions that we perform in the office.
He asked us to send him our ideas before the meeting so that he could summarize them and use them to jump start the discussion. Since this is an area where I have much experience, I prepared a Powerpoint summarizing my suggestions. But because I knew that some of my colleagues might react negatively to my suggestions, e.g, tried that before, won’t work here etc.,I began the presentation with the Rogue Monkey story.
It has a very positive impact on the group. They all liked the story. There was almost no criticism of my suggestions and most of the discussion was focused on how to implement them. In fact, the term “rogue monkey” was used as a collective term to describe my suggestions, as in “Ok, let’s take the top five priorities ouf of Rogue Monkey and focus on how to implement.”
In follow-up discussions after the meeting, the group used the term rogue monkey as a sort of shorthand to refer to the results of the meeting as in “What are the next steps for the rogue monkey?” which we all understand to mean - how are we moving forward on implementing the operational effectiveness?
Outside of the meeting, on matters unrelated to the brainstorming session, I have heard my colleagues say, “Hey you don’t sound much like a rogue monkey”, meaning have an open mind. I heard one person refer to another’s attitude by saying, “I think he was sprayed with water once to often,” meaning that he does not want to take any chances.
So the term has entered our corporate culture with the American partner group.
So thank you Annie for the story. It worked for me!
Annie’s note: Wonderful example of the power of story.
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21 Ways You Can Make Your Business Stronger
August 6, 2009
This is a wonderful useful post by my mentor Bea Fields who is the best in this area:
I personally believe that everyone needs a blog…it just makes sense from an SEO perspective to have great content filled with rich keywords.
But, as Professional Certified Coach and a member of the coaching industry, I believe that coaches have so much to offer and share with others, and a blog is a perfect mechanism for getting your message out and delivering ongoing value. At the end of the day, delivering a great message and adding value can make your business so much stronger.
So, if you are a coach, here are the 21 ways a blog can make your business stronger. Of course, these apply to anyone, but today, I am truly speaking to coaches:
1) A blog can serve as a storage site for the many articles you write. This can greatly enhance your expertise and build credibility.
2) With a great podcasting player, you can load ALL of your teleclasses straight into your blog. You can password protect your pages for teleclasses you sell and give the others away as freebies.
3) With Survey Gizmo, you can run free surveys and assessments on your blog.
4) With a blog, you can answer the most frequently asked questions about coaching.
5) Each time you are mentioned in the media, this information can be posted on your blog.
6) I have nothing against static websites, but unless you know Dreamweaver or Front Page, many coaches pay web designers to make tiny changes that end up costing thousands of dollars annually. With a blog, you have complete control over making updates to your pages without hiring a webmaster to do it. If you can type, you can write a blog post or create a blog page.
7) Many of the new blog templates (check out http://ithemes.com or http://studiopress.com ) offer templates that look JUST LIKE WEBSITES. You can build pages, add opt in boxes, add video, podcasts and the list goes on and on.
8. You can become known as an expert in your field. As a coach, when you become great with blogging, you can become a newsbreaker, spreading great news about the latest/greatest information in the coaching industry AND in the niche you represent.
9) News agencies and radio/television shows are more likely to pick up your story if you are consistently putting information out there (I know…it’s happened dozens of times for me.)
10) Your network will grow by leaps and bounds…and not just in the coaching industry but in multiple industries.
11) With a blog, you can post an events category, and each time a new event is coming, you can post it.
12) You can sell coaching, products and training straight from your blog. Yes…you can indeed add links to your blog to sell products and services.
13) Search engines love blogs, because they are so content rich. Your search engine ranking will go up the more you blog.
14) If there is a concern circulating around your business or the coaching industry, you can address this immediately by posting on your blog.
15) You can allow your true voice to be heard. As a coach, you have so much to say and offer, and most of this (I have found) goes unspoken. With a blog, you can talk from the heart about your passions, goals and vision.
16) You can use your blog to post all of your newsletters. With e-mail becoming more and more difficult to send and open, you can have a place on your blog just for your newsletters.
17) With a platform like Wordpress , a blog can be basically free. If you host the blog on your own domain, with a service like Hostgator.com, you pay about $9.00 per month to have a blog on your own domain.
18) You can use your blog to connect your message to over 30 social networks, including the 3 big guns: Twitter , Facebook and Linked In .
19) When you grow tired of the “look” of your blog or it becomes outdated, you simply update it by installing a new theme…you don’t have to go back to the drawing board with a brand new design, paying thousands of dollars for a new website.
20) You can use your blog as a forum by encouraging comments from others. The dialogue you create with others will enrich your life and the lives of your customers.
21) You can deliver ongoing value to the public every day of your life, and this is what coaches are so great with…delivering ongoing value!
At the end of the day, if the above 21 are happening, you WILL see your sales increase. It just happens, because at the end of the day, people want to hire a coach who knows what he/she is talking about and who is on the bleeding edge of business and technology.
If you are a coach (or a business owner) and you do not yet have a blog, I invite you to check out the Become a Blogging Maniac Program starting August 10.
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Top Business Skills For Our Future, Part 2
May 25, 2009
This is the second in my three-part survey of leaders from around the world who answered this question: “Everyone is concerned about how to survive in these tough times, but YOU are someone that lives bigger than just these times. When you peer into the future, what is the number one skill you see that we need for the future?”
From Doug Lipman, Edmond, OK
The number one skill I see needed for the future of our society is the ability to create new social structures based on mutually beneficial relationships. Why? Our existing social structures are largely based on profit. This can’t be sustained indefinitely, since profit demands an exponential increase (e.g.,8% per year, which amounts to doubling every 10 years), whereas actual value increases more slowly and some resources are fixed or even declining (e.g., fossil fuels). In effect, we’re working a “pyramid scheme” on the world. Such schemes always self-destruct in time.
What new structures do we need? We can’t predict what new societal structures will arise as the existing ones crumble. But relationships based on trust and respect will survive. In time, they can even evolve into new institutions.
So what does it take to create new social structures? First, we need the ability to understand and express our own point of view. Second, we need the ability to deeply listen to others, so that we understand differing points of view. Third, we need the ability to create expanded perspectives that include both parties’ points of view. Finally, we need the ability to create solutions, bridges, and adaptations that work for everyone within that perspective. For example, suppose you need support in your work as an artist. First, you need to be able to explain exactly what your true needs are (e.g., other artists to bounce ideas off, audiences to communicate with, modest physical resources of food, etc.). Further, let’s suppose you are trying to build a mutually supportive relationship with someone who sees her needs as including the inspiration that your artworks might potentially provide.
Second, you need to listen well to understand the exact needs of this person - and what she is happy to provide in return, such as money (that’s an easy one, at least at the start) or sharing your work with her friends (this takes more creativity on your part, if you expect to fully benefit from it).
Third, you need to find a perspective that includes both of your needs. For example, how does that person’s need for inspiration relate to her energy for sharing inspiring artwork? How might all that relate to your exact needs for audiences? Finally you have the option to create a mechanism for enabling your mutual benefit. For example, you might create a blog or other website that she can bring her friends to and which you contribute examples of your art.
As this simple example shows, the ability to create new social structures demands several sub-abilities, including imagination, empathy, inventiveness and creativity. No one person needs to have all the sub-abilities. But we all need to create and join communities in which individuals with the component abilities and energies can give part of what they have to offer and get part of what they need.
People have been using these abilities since the beginning of time. Now, in a time of transition, these are the abilities that can most protect us from the crumbling of exploitative structures and can also hasten the emergence of mutually beneficial ones.
“The Storytelling Coach”
www.storydynamics.com
From Nina East, Chapel Hill, NC
You have to be able to show that you care - which means you actually have to care in the first place (not just have the appearance of caring) and be able to communicate this in genuine ways. Ultimately it all comes down to relationship. People who build meaningful relationships are the ones who will thrive in the future.
Founder, Personal Growth Princess
www.PersonalGrowthPrincess.com
From Matthew Lynch, Chestnut Hill, PA
There is so much change happening so quickly that people must remain adaptable. Stubborness will mean certain disaster. Those people that find themselves in the unemployment line must learn new skills if they want to begin working again. Also, the financial services industry has seen many large buy-outs and mergers. People have to be willing to do away with their old daily routines, and adapt to the changes that will inevitably come with the marriage of two companies. The most successful people adapt and overcome.
Assistant Manager, TD Bank North
www.tdbank.com
From Sue Painter, Knoxville, TN
When I peer into the future, the number one skill I see that we need for the future is collaboration with others. The new model of doing business is a collaborative model. After many years of competitiveness and on-upmanship, we’ve found the downsides of that model for business. The businesses that will thrive most in the next decade are those that are transpararent and know how to work with their customers and even with their competitors in strongly collaborative partnership. On the personal side, collaboration is a winning behavior, too. It leads to much more openness and thus more possibilities in our lives with family, friends and community.
President and Founder, The Confident Marketer
www.confidentmarketer.com
From Amy Edleman, Chestnut Hill, PA
Glad to offer my opinion. The skills that I believe business owners need to have is the ability to change and adapt. Whether it’s new technology, new products that a younger generation is interested in or responding to current events and applying them to business.
We began to take steps to become a Green certified bakery several months ago. Customers are more aware of environmental issues and support our efforts by recycling and even bringing their own bags. Our steps to reduce waste, water and energy have positively affected our bottom line.
Owner, Night Kitchen Bakery
www.NightKitchenBakery.com, http://greeninchestnuthill.blogspot.com
Read on to Part 3 for more number one skills
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Video of the Week, May 24
May 24, 2009
International Business Leader Robert Dilts
Founder of NLP University, Dilts Strategy Group and Robert Dilts Consulting
Robert was the man with whom I did my NLP Trainer and Consultancy Training. Robert is an exceptional human being and a man who is truly changing the world through his work. He is one of 15 leaders in this weeks survey of the top business skill for our future. Thank you Robert for all you do!
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Make Yourself Memorable Through Story
May 21, 2009
Let me tell you a little story. When I was a little girl my mother and I were on the way out of the Supermarket one day, when I asked her for a nickel to get a trinket out of one of those little machines by the door. She said yes, so I put my nickel in and out popped a little plastic bubble. I was ready with my childlike anticipation to find a shiny bracelet or a new toy but instead found, much to my horror, that there was a little rubber worm inside.
Eeew!
”Eeew!”, I shouted loud enough for the whole store to hear me. I shoved the plastic bubble towards my mother but instead of throwing it out, which is what I wanted her to do, my mother did a very smart thing. She got down on her knees and said, “Do you hear that?” And I, who didn’t want anything to do with this ugly little worm, leaned closer. “No what?”, I said.
“He’s crying,” she said. “He thinks you don’t like him.” And with that, Sniffles the worm became my new best friend.
So how did my mother, transform this angst-ridden situation into a heart-opening worm story? She did it through the power of story, a story that has endured to this day.
And that is the power of story.
For thousands of years, cultures have survived because of Storytelling. But today story is used as a modern tool for your business life as well. Stories help you to build your brand, stand out in the crowd and be memorable. How? Because the brain is wired to remember and enjoy stories, the information goes in easily and gets filed into the long term memory banks as well.
This is they basis of building a solid brand and the key to long-term business success. Because anything that is memorable and lasting will stand out in the crowd and endure over time. Think Aunt Jemima and Morton Salt. Each of these brands has a whole sense of story behind it. And every one of us wants to be memorable and stand out in the crowd.
Stories also create a powerful connection between people. A story is much more likely to engage another person, than will a laundry list of ideas or solutions. Stories hit us on a visceral level and thus create a deep emotional connection. And when there is an emotional connection with something, the brain locks onto it. That is what makes stories memorable as well.
This has been something marketers have understood for a long time. They know that telling a story is much more likely to engage people and help the idea or information remain over the long-term. Stories satisfy the basic human need to be known.
Story has the power to stay in our minds forever. Just think about a story that you remember from childhood. Did anyone ask you to memorize it? Probably not. But I imagine that you could probably sit down and tell that story by heart right? Because you made an emotional connection to it. You were literally inside of that story when it was being told to you – whether it was sailing on the high seas like Robinson Crusoe or being in the barn with Charlotte the spider, you learned the story from the inside out.
This same strategy can be used both for memorizing difficult material and for making your important material stand out to others. When you speak in story, people listen to you and more importantly they want more of what you have to offer. Here’s how to begin:
Step 1. - Tell a story, any story and notice how people listen.
Step 2. - Find stories that you like, have lived , or have value to you.
Step 3. Share stories everywhere.
Stories connect us inside and outside. Today stand out in the crowd and make yourself memorable through story.
Stand out in the crowd through story
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