July-August 2006

COACHINGTRAININGWORKSHOPS

It's What's In Between That Matters ©

At a memorial service I attended a few years ago, I heard this quote by a young woman, "Beginnings are scary and endings are sad. It's what's in between that really matters." How true! I have noticed that the printed tribute to the deceased often states their name followed by 1930 - 2006, or similar dates. There it is - an entire life contained in a dash between two sets of numbers. When students graduate, their diplomas are inscribed with the dates they attended a certain institution of higher education. Again, years of education are reduced to a dash.

In these examples, the beginning and the end are noted but nothing is said about what is in between which is where all action takes place. For the actor or actress, there is a lifetime between beginning a career and accepting an academy award. A business person may create a business and sell it later for a healthy profit. All the work, ideas and dedication in between the beginning and the sale are what made it successful.

I have a set of very special book ends in my bookcase. When I look at the bookcase, I don't focus on the bookends; I focus on what's in between the book ends because that's where the real value lives.

What does the "in between" have to do with business? Everything! Do you get excited about things you start and talk about the wonderful ending you visualize? This is great but what happens in between to make the project successful? Did you do research, design a plan, set goals and create a timeline for achievement? These items are the "meat" between a beginning and a successful ending. It's the day after day work and following your plan that ensures success.

Summer is between spring and fall; between school sessions. Vacations are between the rush of spring and the deadlines of fall. Summer is a great "in between time" to review and evaluate your progress toward your goals. Consider this process your "Summer Tune-up" and take the following three steps make this in between time productive.

1. Review your goals.
   You probably set goals at the beginning of the New Year. Have you looked at them recently? Do you want to keep them, revise them or discard some of them? An honest review of your goals will give you the answers to these questions.
    
2. Identify strategies for dealing with obstacles.
   All of us encounter obstacles along the way to achievement. Have you identified your obstacles? If so, create strategies to deal with them. You may want someone such as a mentor or business coach to assist you with this process. Another set of eyes, ears, and skills will bring a new perspective to the situation.
    
3. Create a revised path to achievement.
   The path from an idea's beginning to completion is very seldom straight. Use this in between time to revise your path to achievement. Discard the things that are not working. Include your new strategies and expand on what is working.

If you use your in between time to implement these three steps, you will be able to embrace success at the end of the year.

"Tip #76. "Make networking a conscious part of your activities every day until it becomes a lifestyle and a mindset."
-- from "Networking Tips That Build Powerful Connections^©" by Donna M. Reed

Order online or call (520)299-8199.

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The Cycles of Networking ©

We live our lives in cycles. In business, there are busy times, down times and in-between times. These are repeated over and over. Even our bodies operate in cycles. One day we are the child, the next day we are parents of our own children, and all too soon, those children grow up and have children of their own and we enter our later years, our last physical cycle.

Just as there are cycles in the seasons, nature, retail sales, the economy, education, etc., there are cycles in networking. Relationships also have cycles. Because relationships are the heart of networking, we can easily see similarities between the cycles in relationships and the cycles in networking. Let's explore the cycles of networking as seen through the framework of relationships.

First Cycle: Making Contacts
Whether you are searching for friends, a life partner or clients, you start by making contacts. Master networkers know they need to spend considerable time and effort placing themselves where they will be exposed to maximum contacts. This includes joining organizations, checking business calendars in the newspapers and attending meetings, making phone calls from productive lists, sending mailings, using e-mail, etc. The "dating game" in networking takes just as much time, energy and planning as it does to find a life partner.

Next issue: Second Cycle: Selection Process
 

"Tip #73. "Go for quality versus quantity. Ten quality relationships are worth more than one hundred names and casual relationships."
-- from "Networking Tips That Build Powerful Connections^©" by Donna M. Reed

Order online or call (520)299-8199.
 

The Coach's Corner Q. How do you know when it's time to stop seeing your coach? A. When you have completed the work you have been doing with your coach or when your coach no longer meets your needs. Review your reasons for hiring a coach and evaluate the progress you have made. You might want to reduce the frequency of your sessions, see your coach quarterly for a "check up" or discontinue coaching completely for the time being. The key question is, "Have your needs been met?"

Copyright © 2006 Tools For Achievers