Category: Planning & Management

How do you spend more time on things that creates value in your career or business? How can you be worth more?

There are certain careers where the multiplication approach is already inherent in that business.

A very good example I can give you is the insurance business or financial planning. If you’re a financial planner or an insurance agent and

you sell an insurance policy, you are paid a commission. Now that is what we call active income.

But the next year, your client will have to renew the policy, and when your client renews the policy you get a commission on that renewal. And on the third year, when he renews his policy again, again you get commission on that renewal. And on the fourth year, when he renews again you get a commission on that renewal.

In other words, you sell the policy one time and you get paid again and again and again and again and again. So your value is multiplied. In fact, insurance agents and financial planners, in their fifth year in business, 50% of their income is passive, it is scaled in value. That’s why there are insurance agents who make in excess about half a million dollars to $800,000 a year.

Another good example is the financial planning business, besides being an agent yourself, you start an agency and you recruit people within your agency. Every time that person sells a policy, you’ll get a commission on their commission. So again your value is magnified and multiplied.

Here’s my personal example.

There are many other trainers around in Asia, but one of the reasons why I’m paid more than a lot of the other trainers is because I create more value. A lot of trainers when they go out there and they speak they are just giving information and techniques.

For myself and the rest of our other trainers, we help people by touching them in different ways than just intellectually. We help people transform their own lives and we add a lot of value there

The next thing is scalability. No matter what you do, whether you are a chef, or feng shui master, you can scale your value.
Here’s an examples on fengshui masters. Most feng shui masters are never really wealthy, why? Because most of them only give one-to-one consultations, thus there is no scalability.

But there is a particular fengshui master called Lillian Too. And she is very wealthy. Why? That’s because she is able to magnify herself. She creates so much value for people. She does a lot more than what an average feng shui person would do. She knows where to focus her time where she creates the greatest value through writing books, selling, and providing consultations.

So as you can see through these examples, that only by multiplying and creating more value will one be able to achieve massive success in the particular business that they are in.

In December, I attended a two-day workshop on Manifestation and Abundance. It was a small group and part of the class included shifting beliefs and attitudes, especially ones that were beneath the surface, in the subconscious. Those deeper beliefs are harder to recover because they are not readily accessible through conscious thinking.

One of the exercises we worked with was asking ourselves the question, “What is it I really desire to manifest? ”

More money? A thriving business? Great vacations? A new car? Weight reduction? Vibrant health? A soul mate…..?

Imagine releasing the genie from the bottle and and given limitless wishes. WOW.

We broke into partners to support each other in creating our visions for 2009 (and beyond). What I chose to do was to close my eyes and ask my spirit to create my vision rather than to imagine what I thought I wanted. By inviting my spirit to create the picture of my true desires and having my mind step aside, I watched the vision take deeper form as my partner asked me questions. The clearer you are in what you wish to envision the better the Universe understands your desires!

My vision was very exciting. One thing I saw was sitting at a table with a line of people waiting to have me sign my new book. Their comments and feedback were high praises for the book and I could feel the joy of having accomplished what I intended when I wrote it. I can still feel that joy today because I know that the book is already written energetically and this year I will bring it into reality. (Giving myself a nudge on that one!) I also saw myself at peace and happier than I have ever felt in my life. I can still feel that too! It’s wonderfull.

While we visualized (sensed, saw with inner sight) what we desired to manifest, we were asked this question, “Was there any challenge or obstacle that came up in manifesting this desire?” In other words, anything that posed a potential roadblock? If there was, we were then asked, “How were you able to overcome, heal, resolve, transform (whatever word fits) that…….?” Those questions invited us to see what we might create in our future and showed us the path to overcome, heal, transform, resolve…whatever… before it happens. Have you ever looked at something in your past and said, “If I had known then what I know now….”

When you open to your inner wisdom and spirit and shift into a higher state of consciousness, you can develop the ability to tap into answers that affect future creations.

What are some keys to magnetize more good stuff into your life?

Here are a few:

1. Gratitude. Bless everyone and everything even if it is undesired. Look for the blessings and gifts in each experience that invites you to remember who you are. Anger, fear, judgments, resentments create blocks to flow. Genuine gratitude transforms negativity and fears and magnetizes good to us.

2. Embody the qualities of God. Unconditional love with everything and everyone you meet. When you find yourself reacting negatively, ask yourself, “What would love say?” Love is our true nature. Cultivate a loving, compassionate heart and attitude. You’ll see your life blossom.

3. Shift non-serving beliefs and attitudes that create constriction in your life. What you put your attention on, manifests even if is unconscious. Getting to the heart of subconscious beliefs can be tricky because of our conscious mind. Hypnosis and Theta healing are two highly effective modalities to transform beliefs and programs at the subconscious level.

4. Extend a hand to others. The UnitedStates was originally founded on the message of Brotherly Love. If you believe that we are all connected as part of the ONE, as I do, then you know that when we help others, we also receive the gifts. Look for opportunites to be of joyfull service to those who would benefit from your support. What goes around, goes around.

5. Follow your intuition. Listen to the nudges and whispers that come from within. Take time for meditation and spiritual practices that reconnect you to The Divine. The Universe is conspiring in your favor to help you have an abundant and happy life. Bring your instincts and intuition into your business practices.

Article Contributed by Scott Glatstein
The best-laid strategic plans often go awry once exposed to the light of day and the rudeness and ruthlessness of reality.
Former President Lyndon Johnson understood that. He often told a story of a man who had applied for a job as a flagman at a railroad crossing. The man was told he’d be handed the job if he could pass a test consisting of just a single question
The applicant was told to imagine that he was a flagman at a crossing consisting of a single track when he suddenly observed the Continental Express bearing down from the east at 95 miles per hour. Coming from the other direction was the Century Limited at 100 miles per hour. With the trains only 500 yards apart, the man was asked, what would he do under these circumstances? Without hesitation, the would-be flagman responded that he would go and get his brother-in-law.
Puzzled, the railroad examiner inquired, “What good would that do?”
The job applicant promptly replied, “He ain’t never seen a train wreck.”
Clearly the would-be flagman didn’t understand the overarching strategy of his potential employer (prevent accidents) nor his potential role in executing that strategy. Unfortunately, this is not unlike the current state of corporate strategic execution as evidenced by the train wrecks (AIG, Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, and the automotive industry) we see everyday in the marketplace.
How would I know? Well, my name is Scott Glatstein and I help companies execute their strategies in the marketplace for a living. In fact, I’ve been doing so as a corporate executive and a consultant for over 25 years.
I even wrote about strategy execution in my book, “Strategy Activation: How to Turn Your Vision into Marketplace Success.” In this book I present a breakthrough, holistic planning discipline that links strategic vision to marketplace reality.
Here’s What I Learned During My 25+ Years Executing Corporate Strategy:
1. Organizations who have mastered the intricacies of translating strategic vision into marketplace execution are, far and away, more likely to outperform competitors in key areas like:
– Revenue growth
– Profitability
– Customer satisfaction.
This is particularly true when the economy falters. When money tightens consumer confidence falls and commerce slows. As a result customer needs and expectations change. Every spending decision becomes an exercise in deploying limited resources. Whether it’s a consumer considering a night out on the town or a manufacturer trying to preserve margin the decision to spend money is not taken lightly. And the tolerance for imperfect execution melts away.
2. The old disjointed execution methods don’t work anymore.
Historically, work has been divided into two parts: strategy and execution. Top executives wrote the marketplace strategy, which always looked good on paper. Everyone else was supposed to execute it. However, many necessary steps and important questions were usually skipped over when moving from theory to implementation. For example:
– Would employees be able to implement the marketplace strategy given the new expectations placed on their performance?
– Can the company execute its strategy within its existing culture, reward system, or fundamental workflow processes and systems?
If you want to succeed in today’s difficult marketplace than you need to break down the historical wall that exists between strategy and execution.
3. Corporate strategic plans fail when there is no disciplined approach to their execution.
Strategy has to be more than a feel-good presentation shared with your managers, shareholders and the media. It has to be woven into the fabric of your organization. This means you must go beyond articulating the typical strategic plan. You must translate your marketplace strategy into specific employee roles and create the infrastructure and processes that enable them to fulfill those prescribed roles.
4. Strategy fails when companies fail to recognize that existing tools and methodologies will NOT enable success.
It’s difficult to implement a new strategy without changing the way your organization works. Too often, though, we redefine employees’ roles with little regard to the systems and processes that guide and enable their work. Your business processes and systems must meet the demands of your new strategic vision. Do your customer-facing and internal workflow processes enable the customer experience defined by your strategic vision? Do your tools facilitate communication and information sharing across the organization and enable the completion of the specific tasks that deliver your marketplace vision? Pursuing a new strategy with old capabilities is a recipe for disaster.
5. Strategy execution can improve as executives streamline daily activities and realign them so they are in harmony with the company’s overarching go-to-market strategy.
I bet every division across your organization thinks it’s different and therefore needs its own unique tools and workflow processes. In most cases that’s just not true. While customization may be appropriate in some instances, one must not lose sight of the broader organizational advantages of standardization. Consistent information and task tools support a consistent approach to the marketplace and allow employees to move seamlessly from one part of the organization to the next with less training. In short, standardization can bring more organizational flexibility and consistency to operations. And internal consistency drives consistent marketplace execution.
These difficult times call for a disciplined, thoughtful approach to execution of strategy in the marketplace. I created the Strategy Activation® planning approach to facilitate corporate strategy execution excellence. Apply it to your business and you will achieve higher revenue growth, profitability and customer satisfaction.
About the Author:
Corporate Strategy Execution Consultant Scott Glatstein, President of IMPERATIVES, LLC turns market opportunities into record-breaking profits with effective marketplace strategy planning & execution. Now for the first time, with his new book, “Strategy Activation: How to Turn Your Vision into Marketplace Success,” Scott unveils his groundbreaking plan for higher strategic profits. Get your FREE SNEAK PREVIEW at: http://www.strategyactivation.com

“It takes courage to demand time for yourself. At first glance, it may seem to be the ultimate in selfishness, a real slap in the face to those who love and depend on you. It’s not. It means you care enough to want to see the best in yourself and give only the best to others.” – Shale Paul

I advocate prioritizing self-care. In fact, I’m a broken record about the importance of being self-ish. (I’ll be writing more tips on this topic too). Are you cringing at the idea or thinking, “I’m just too busy? Are you nodding your head yes because you know it’s important and you don’t make the time in your day?

Have you been taught that putting yourself first is wrong or bad? You might have first-hand experience of having people judge you, withhold love or affection, or punish you in some way when you did something just for you?

Do you hear about people who are held in high esteem because they have always self-lessly been there for others? In our society, people are often applauded and emulated for how they are always there for others. I wonder…. are they also there for themselves? Do they allow others to be there for them as well? Are they great givers and poor receivers? How about you?

Here’s the point…….

When we continually give our time, energy, attention, ……to others without replenishing and nurture ourselves, we move closer to a “burnout” state of exhaustion, confusion, irritability, resentment, anger, destructive behaviors… that can lead to health or psychological problems.

Who wins there?

No one, especially you.

Make self-care a priority by practicing self-ishness. Create a new positive definition for self-ish that gives permission to value yourself AND be loving with others. We teach people how to treat us by our example. Do you wish to communicate to others that your needs, value, and worth are unimportant? If you’re a parent, is this what you wish to teach and model for your children?

It’s time to challenge and replace some of the beliefs and behaviors that have been handed down for generations that repress our authentic self from fully and joyfully emerging!

Say yes to yourself and others because it brings you joy. Say yes because you choose to rather than out of guilt or fearfull obligation. Say yes because you want to be of loving support and assistance rather than because you feel you “have to”.
Answering the calling of your needs, heart, and mind will help you respond to the calling of others. When you become self-ish you’ll have the extra reserves (time, energy etc.) to be generous with others. Be open and willing to make changes in your personal and professional life that “feed” and lift your spirit, rather than depleting you. When feeling conflicted, ask yourself, “What would respect my intentions of taking care of myself in this situation?”

1. Spend the next 7 days doing something very, very selfish every day. Do something each day that brings you joy and pleasure (even a guilty pleasure if you want!). It can be anything you want – that is your gift from you to YOU. I don’t mean doing something for someone else because it makes you feel good (or better about you, ok?). ‘

2. Say no because you feel like it. Refer to my article on saying no for some help!

3. Have a special gift or talent? Create a setting for that to flourish. Everyone will benefit.
When you take care of yourself, the people in your life you care about will experience the best of you rather than what’s left of you. If you start feeling guilty see the guilt as a sign you are on the right track. Making changes aren’t always comfortable at the beginning – for yourself and those around you. In time, people will adjust. By modeling a healthier way of being, you invite others to take more responsibility for their own happiness and self-value

Obviously you must practice discernment when making changes in your life. The rewards for taking better care of your self are boundless.

You’re worth it!

GigaOM FoundRead: Regardless of the title your company’s top technology executive uses — CTO, CIO, Chief Product Officer or VP of Engineering — your company will ultimately look to this person to produce the software and technical products upon which your business success depends. Through our earlier career experiences (at Quigo, eBay and PayPal), and now through our consulting practice (AKF Partners), we’ve noticed that there are five consistent reasons why a tech executive fails.
Perhaps the most commonly assumed “failure scenario” is that the CTO is simply not technical enough to inspire confidence in the engineering team. This is not the case. In fact, it is actually rare that a CTO is removed because he or she lacks technical acumen. The truth is that your senior technology officer does not need to be the brightest technical mind in the business, except, potentially, during the startup phase of your company. Over time, he or she need only be geeky enough to challenge the strongest technical minds in your company to add value to technical decision-making. Most often, we find that senior executives come to a bad end when they spend too much time relying on their technical brilliance and not enough time cultivating other important aspects of their job.
The Top 5 Tech Exec Failure Scenarios we list below are not mutually inclusive, but they all support one very important conclusion: when technology executives fail, it is not because they lack an individual skill. It is because they lack an an adequate balance of the many technical, operational and leadership skills necessary to make them a complete manager.

5. Failure to Build World Class Team
4. Failure to Execute
3. Failure to Lead/Motivate/Inspire
2. Failure to Manage Operationally
1. Lack of Financial Acumen
F|R: The Top 5 Reasons Tech Execs Fail [GigaOM FoundRead]