Month: May 2012

When was the last time you heard a great story?

You know the kind…where you find yourself repeating it to someone else.

You may have heard it in passing. It may have been a friend or colleague that told you something that just kind of stuck. It was compelling, perhaps had an urgent message or simply inspired you. It struck a chord in you somewhere, you may not even know what it was… But you find yourself telling your partner or a friend.

Can you imagine what it would be like if every time you spoke, this happened?

Can you imagine how it would affect your life and your business if your story touched people in this way?

It’s not as difficult as you would imagine.  It’s down to 4 simple ingredients. They are: passion, conviction, clarity and presence.

If you are passionate about what you stand for and what you are saying…

If you believe in your mission entirely… If you have complete clarity as to what are the
benefits… If you are truly present…

How many people actually have this in their business? I imagine, not as many as we would think!

Last week I participate in a storytelling performance for a local festival.  As I stood on the stage, in the middle of the most enchanting forest you could imagine, those four magic ingredients showed up.

I was passionate about my stories.

I was completely committed to my role as
storyteller, peace maker and entertainer.

I was clear about how the audience would be thrilled by the experience of our performance, but also go away thinking about the big issues we were discussing.

And finally, I went through my physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual preparations in order to be fully present.

So, the truth is, it’s much easier when you are ‘performing’…when you are on stage. But what about in life and in your business?

Can you imagine how your life and business would change if it were made up of these four ingredients all the time?

It’s mind-blowing! Seriously, you could change the world! And why not – why not go for it? Create this level of impact in everything you do.

To succeed in today’s economic environment, check your ego at the door and embrace a new way of doing business that is about more than what you can control and manipulate.  That’s your ego talking.

The Ego Economy is dead.

Welcome to the We Economy.

This rising tide of the We Economy can lift all of our companies on thrilling waves of positive profits or capsize and drown us in red ink. We choose.

How do you navigate the change and positively succeed at work?

Here are three positive business conversation transformations to have today that say “good bye” to the Ego Economy and “hello” to the We Economy so you will positively profit.

“I did it” becomes “We did it.”

In the Ego Economy, you could afford to get by on what you alone could do. The We Economy requires the creation of partner relationships with your employees, customers/clients, vendors/suppliers and more to generate a profit built on what “We” can do.

How?

Ask your employees, “How would you build a better business?” They are on the front-line of interaction daily. Listen deeply and tap their wisdom. Act to implement.

Ask your customers/clients, “What can we do better?” They bring you their hard-earned money in exchange for your services and products. Listen deeply for themes and respond immediately.

Ask your vendors/suppliers, “What are some best practices you see out there?” Take notes about the one that makes sense for your business and ask your employees what they think and how they would implement it.

In the We Economy, we succeed as we create partner relationships with everyone who touches the business. We do it, not I.

“I already know that” becomes “Please show me how.”

In the Ego Economy, you stayed on top of the change-of-information trickle with little effort. “I already know that” was a reflection of the predictable growth of knowledge.

In today’s We Economy, the info flow is more like a fire hose than a trickle. You as a business owner or leader simply can’t drink from it alone. “Please show me how” replaces “I already know that” to generate more profits. Be teachable.

Your business is your tuition ticket to matriculate in Biz U. You hire people smarter than you in certain areas and learn from them. You cultivate an “always on the learn” environment in which results are shared, graded, and evaluated for next time and do-over’s.

Keep saying, “Please show me how” until it rolls with delight because you’re about to learn something that makes your company more profitable.

“I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps” becomes “We wear loafers.”

In the Ego Economy, we all wore boots and bragged about pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps. As self-made men and women, we created it all.

In the We Economy, we wear loafers. In a boot-wearing market, loafers are innovative—more comfortable, easier to pull on and off, with no socks. In the We Economy, you’re comfortable in responding to the changing demands of your partners and learning as you go. You’re pulled onto and off of teams according to project needs, not siloed departments. And who needs socks?

Relating with all who interact with your business and creating new learning generates creative innovation which takes your company to greater profits and higher margins. In an economy of boot-wearing, ego-driven, know-it-all’s, innovators who are loafer-sporting, team-focused, and learning-as-you-do-it have more to say about success than anyone.

Avoid talking about “I” because the Ego Economy is dead.

Instead, start a positive work conversation about “us.”

Welcome to the “We” Economy.

(Wear your loafers.)

About the Author:

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), coach, and speaker who helps professionals discover success in the silver lining of their business and achieve their dreams. Discover more at www.ListentoLife.org/speaking.