VALUE

What do you value, what is your time worth, who shares those values in the form of Co-workers, Customers, and Joint Venture Partners?

 There is a story told, of a General in ancient times. He was living in a peaceful time, but received word that the enemy was massing troops in the borderlands. He wished for his people to experience as little pain and suffering, as possible. He even wished for his enemy to suffer as little as possible. In his wisdom he wrote down what he valued, on an animal skin. He raised those values as a military standard. Do you know what a military standard is? It is rallying point and a measurement tool. In the heat of the battle, forward direction can be difficult to determine. So, an occasional scan to see the standard is advised. If you are moving further from the standard, it indicates success in the battle. If you are being moved closer to the standard, fight harder, because it means that the enemy is advancing. If you can't see the standard, run, because if the standard has fallen it means that the enemy has overrun your position.

In wisdom, the General raised a standard that clearly communicated his values. Why? By doing so, he knew that he would attract those who valued what he valued, and discourage those who did not share his values from joining him. Why was that wise? Some might suggest that any and all would aid the cause. The General knew that those who shared his values probably shared his experience - eliminating the need to begin training from the most fundamental levels. He also knew that those who valued what he valued, would not not need to be convinced in a specific course of action. A divided army that argues amongst itself is the fastest way to failure. Look up "The Fifth Column." He knew that would avoid discord and wasting time in getting organized. When the troops are aligned, the likelihood of success increases. Indeed, the war was short, and in some cases, death amongst his troops was avoided.

When you can clearly communicate what you value, you will attract employees, vendors, trading partners, and customers who value what you value. Obviously, you value your time (I hope you do). When you attract employees who value time, you attract engaged employees who will make a conscientious effort to deliver a worthy effort. When you attract Vendors and Trading Partners who value your time, you attract companies and individuals who will work to   
provide what you need, on time and to specifications. When you attract customers who value your time, you avoid those who would pay you less than you deserve. You avoid those who would avoid paying you on time. Is this making sense? Frankly, correctly valuing your time (it is not more important than anyone else's time) helps you to personally avoid engaging in less valuable activities.

My challenge to you is to clearly identify 11 principles that you hold dear. Examples could include such values as Integrity, Service, Gratitude, Profitability, Growth, Family, and such. To that list I would ask you to add the principle of Vision (more on that in another post). If you cannot come up with 11 principles that you value, then add Activities that you value, until you come up with a list of 11 principles and activities that you value. If your list is still short of 11, add Material Possessions that you value. Now you're ready to raise your standard, and ready to attract those who value what you value. You will find yourself enjoying your work environment more.

This list of 12 (your 11 plus Vision) will become your "Must Do's." In the next post we'll consider the concept of "Must Do's," a core component of the Just Give Me 5 Minutes way. Until then, enjoy getting clear.

Coach Frits

Interview with Coaching Expert Nathalie Virem

Good morning Coach Frits,

Thank you for your time. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to interview you today.

How’s the weather in Utah today?

Coach Frits: “…”Too warm, we need more snow for the farmers and skiers like me

Let’s start with an introduction. Coach Frits is an incredibly wise man and a generous soul. His knowledge and wisdom are very valuable for those who want to make money, succeed and live a life that fulfills them. He has worked with companies all over the world. From large companies like Chrysler, to small businesses and startups. His Model of Learn, Do, Succeed then Teach has helped start-ups go from 0 to 1M in 7 months and clients to make 1M in just a few months. He is also the author of “Major League Selling” and “Just Give Me 5 Minutes”. He makes his self-coaching tools available freely and loves helping people to connect and collaborate.

Now here is the first question. Tell us about one of your greatest success, which is, how you made your first 1M dollars in just 30 days. Walk us through the steps you went through to achieve that.

Coach Frits: “….”I immersed myself in the endeavor, it was my sole focus for the first two weeks, in a self imposed boot camp. I hired a coach. I prepared and memorized (verbatim) a 15 minute presentation (if you don't know what you're going to say, until you say it, you'll probably say the wrong things - at least in a sales presentation. I chunked my activity, broke it down into daily targets. I made it a "must do" to be out on the streets, ready to knock on doors, at 7:30 in the morning - most importantly, I learned the new strategies of goal setting.

Wow! What is your best advice for those who want to make that kind of money that quickly?

Coach Frits: “….”Like anything else, there is great power in focus. That is something that a private coach is great for. They can help you get focused and stay focused on your stated goals.

What an incredible and inspiring story!

The second question is what are in your opinion the key ingredients to success?

Coach Frits: “….”The willingness to learn coupled with a listening spirit

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

The next question is about your life lessons. If a kid walked up to you and asked you to tell him your life best tips, what would those be?

Coach Frits: “….I'd want an hour . But, in a nutshell

1)Get clear on what you value most (it's the old adage of defining failure as getting to the top of the ladder only to discover that it's leaning against the wrong wall).

2)Express gratitude for all you are given, even if it seems meager, for in that moment your wealth increases immediately.

3)Mentally experience your success daily - know what it looks like, feels like, sounds like, even tastes like.

4)Then, behave as if you are already there at your moment of success, Find a great coach or mentor.

5)Then get up each day, get dressed and show up. Go out, even if you don't have anywhere specific to be.

6)And lastly, learn the strategies for effective goal setting and achievement.

Beautiful! Thanks for those wide words.

Finally, the last question is what’s next for you. You have accomplished more than most humans would want to accomplish in a lifetime. What’s next now for you?

Coach Frits: “….”Wow, you're so kind to say that Nathalie. I am most driven by experiencing others' successes along with them. I'm in the process of opening up a composites plant here in my small, impoverished county, where a wage of $15/hr is considered a high paying job. My goal is to create $35 to $65/hr jobs - especially for the disenfranchised. And though I've been to almost all parts of the world, I haven't been to the Canary Islands yet.

Thank you so much for the advice you have offered to our viewers, is there anything else you would like to add?

Coach Frits: “….”I am available to talk to anyone about effective coaching that can great joy and success. I invite you to call me directly at 801-755-6823.

Thank you Coach Frits for this wonderful interview. To our viewers, you can check Coach Frits out by visiting one of his blogs such as http://justgiveme5minutesbusinesscoaching.blogspot.com/, or linkedin. You're even invited to call him directly at 801-755-6823 to speak with him about private coaching. You can also email him directly at CoachFrits@gmail.com

5 Minutes To Success Infographic - feel free to share

Is it possible to succeed with a single 5 minute effort? Of course not. But, give a 5 Minute effort everyday and you will see growth, change and success.

I like to say that " man's greatest strength is also his, or her's, greatest weakness."

One of our greatest strengths in the 21st Century is our commitment to success. We are seeing much accomplished, worldwide. Friends who grew up in a world such as India's caste system, promised no more the a meager survival, have gone on to great success. Friends like Ashwini. But our belief in an ability to achieve much greater things than our humble beginnings may have suggested has a flip side. We believe that to accomplish much will not only take a great deal of time; but that we must also set aside great amounts of time to pursue those dreams. So instead of going to the gym and working out, we tell ourselves that we'll go when we can carve out a one to two hour time block to get that workout in. I can tell you that if you simply workout for 5 minutes, each day, you'll most definitely see a difference at the end of the year. As proof I will simply point out that many of us grow obese even, by a consistent effort of daily eating in the absence of exercise, over the course of 20 or 30 years. Now, at the age of 58, I find that those eating habits (some requiring much lass than a 5 Minute effort) are the key to fitness goals. I haven't ridden a bull in over three years now (I started when I was 50), because of the slow but steady weight gain that I've experienced.

So, the bottom line? A focused 5 Minute effort will yield results, even the results you're looking for, if you engage in those 5 Minute efforts daily. Give me a call, I'll be happy to talk with you at greater length. 801-755-6823.  

Coach Frits

Business Success In 5 Minutes?

The past 16 months have found me busy developing a new business for my son. That has kept me so busy that I have neglected my first love, Coaching. And it has been evidenced by my lack of new blog posts. To tell the whole story, I have been enjoying my new granddaughter, Marley, since her birth in February, 2011. It was her pending birth that motivated me to start the new business for my son, it was really for her. The new business has been a great place to apply the very business development principles that I teach my coaching clients. As most of you know, I prefer to lead by doing and succeeding. That allows me to prove the value of the principles that I have been taught and continue to pass on.


Business startup in the economy of 2010 has been challenging, but the principles that I have been taught have proven themselves to be timeless and adaptable to any economic environment. Profitability was achieved within the second month. A major change in my largest trading partner’s business model forced me start at square one again in February of 2011. Once again those principles of success proved their value as we once again achieved profitability almost immediately.


As we begin a new year we see it full of promise and the opportunity to make new choices (if we’re not getting the results that we say we would like to enjoy), or choose new outcomes for this year, or commit ourselves to the choices and activities that have produced the desired, successful, results for us.


Let’s take this new year to focus on learning and applying principles of success, as opposed to focusing on strategies. What are the principles of success?


VALUE 


What do you value, what is your time worth, who shares those values in the form of Co-workers, Customers, and Joint Venture Partners?


SERVICE


Don’t ask how you can make money; simply ask how you serve the world best. What are your unique strengths? Remember the Hippopotamus that is my corporate logo. If you don't know the story behind that choice, no worries, we'll revisit it in February.


VISION


If you don’t know what success looks like, you may just walk past it, past him or past her. When you have enjoyed complete success, where are you, what are you doing, and who are you with; both at home and at work? Can you clearly communicate that vision of success? When you can, you will attract the right components required for that success. What does success look like, feel like, sound like, taste like? Experience that success daily, internally.


GRATITUDE


If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, you can’t have more – meaning that what is the point of accomplishment or gain when it doesn’t register with you? Lack of gratitude is at the core of a scarcity mentality. Lack of gratitude focuses on what you don’t have and provides all the excuses for failure. Gratitude allows you to recognize what you already have and allows you to leverage those assets for greater achievement.


CHOICE


Choose to produce the results that you value. Not getting what you desire, make different choices. Don’t want to make new and different choices? Learn how to be happy with the results that you’re producing. Those two choices are the core choices of our lives.


BALANCE 


Balance work and play, home and work, indulgence and discipline, limits and charity, effort and rest.


INTEGRITY


Keep all of your promises and make no promises that you can’t keep.


ATTENTION


Pay attention and listen to the most important people in your life, at home, at the office and in the marketplace. Give them what is important to them, and in a way that allows them to understand that you’re giving them what they ask for.


MUST DO


If I say it’s going to get done I will get it done.


GOOD ENOUGH


Don’t wait for the perfect amount of time, or the perfect set of circumstances to begin achieving your dreams. Start now, even if you only have 5 minutes, even if you only have $5, even if you only have 5 friends or 5 potential customers.


ACCEPTANCE


Accept what is as good and beautiful, and right for the moment, even if “what is” seems painful.


LOVE


Learn to love and care for yourself as you would love and care for those most important to you. There is no integrity to beating yourself up while extending love to others. You can’t love anyone more than you love yourself. Until you can show yourself patience and acceptance, you can’t show it to anyone else, at least not to the highest levels that you are capable of.

I have not been producing all of the results that I value most; chief among them is the coaching that fulfills me.  One of the reasons that I value Coaching so much is that it allows me to revisit the principles of success that have been taught to me. And frankly, I need to hear those message more than most of you need to hear them. While it appears that I am better at applying the principles of success, it is simply a matter of the fact that I hear the messages more often than the rest of you, because I repeat them over and over again in coaching sessions with my clients, my friends. That said, I choose to post to this blog on a bi-weekly basis, and I will use these principles as my curriculum. Let me know if these posts are meaningful. In fact, take the time to post links to these blog posts on your blogs. I promise to pay attention to what you say to make these posts as productive for you as possible. Let's take our "Knowing" this year and apply in wise ways to produce much good for ourselves, our families, our friends  and our communities throughout the world.


Make this “THE BEST YEAR EVER!”™


Coach Frits


and remember... "Once a Client, always a friend!" Get in touch with me my friends, let me know what you're grateful for.

How do You Select a Good Coach?

SELECTING A COACH

It's important to give an executive coach the same scrutiny that you would give any other professional. These are six questions that are valuable to ask.

1. How do you define coaching?

Coaching is the Art and Science of helping Clients 1) Get Clear on what they value most. 2) Get clear on what their individual value is. 3) Assist Clients in getting more of what they value most. This is done by helping Clients become accountable for what they say they want to produce, and by doing it through asking the right questions.

2. May I see your code of ethics?

1. I do not possess all of the answers, rather the answers lie within the Client.

2. You are enough. You need not change a thing, unless you desire to produce something that you've not produced before.

3. You do the "heavy lifting." I'm here to help you decide on what that needs to be.

4. A good Coach will help you create systems that are sustainable without relying on the Coach as a crutch.

5. I value Coaching and have my own Coaches as well. Coaching reduces the learning curve by avoiding the repetition of "trial and error."

6. I guarantee the value of the Coaching I deliver. If you don't produce 4 times the value of what you pay me in 1 year, I will refund your coaching fees. I am a Business Coach Vs being a Life Coach because we have a scorecard. That scorecard is your bank account. I will regularly ask if you put money in the bank.

7. Our relationship is based on trust. There is confidentiality in our conversations, even if your boss or Manager hired me and pay me to provide coaching for you. I'm not here to be another set of eyes on you, nor to provide additional review and rating services for your company. I work for you.

There is no "lesson" of the week. My focus is on you and your specific needs and situation.

8. I am not here to change you, I am here to support whatever growth or accomplishment that you desire.

9. I focus on the process.

10. You are responsible for keeping your promises to yourself. If you say you're going to get something done for a purpose that serves you, you must get it done. Keep your promises, and make no promises that you can't keep.

3. What principles do you favor in your coaching?

1. G.R.O.W. the organizational model for our coaching sessions;

G. - GOALS Everything we do together is driven by YOUR Goals.

R. - REVIEW Review the activities and results of the previous week

O. - OPTIONS We consider optional ways of achieving what you desire, or to get better results out of your actions, or to get you to do what you say you want to do.

W. - WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO, AND WHEN WILL IT GET DONE? Weekly Assignments

MUST DO - There are actions that you agree to that must be accomplished before our next meeting. Failure is not an option with "must do's," they are the things or actions that will be taken, and would get done even if you went to the Emergency Room, but were physically capable of doing, before you go to sleep that night.

VALUES - One must be clear in what they value most, so much so that you can effectively communicate those values to the world. As a result, you will attract Employees, Vendors and Customers who value the same things and are willing, even anxious to do what you have them do or pay the price that you would have them pay. Values are raised like a Military standard which; a) Gathers the team b) Provides a sense of direction and a sense of achievement for the team c) Provides for the morale of the team.

TIME VALUE – If you sell your time for less than it's worth, you will not find satisfaction. You know what your time value is. It's important to get clear on what that time value is so that you communicate that value to others.

INVESTMENT - While scholarship may be provided, I have discovered over the past 25 years or so that individuals do not take the required action (I challenge you to do the things that have been avoided up to this point) unless they have a vested interest.

CONSISTENCY - Success is nothing more than making the right choices, at the right time, consistently.

PRINCIPLE CENTERED Vs STRATEGY ORIENTED - Principles are lasting, strategies are situation based. Principles allow us to create the best strategy for the moment, but do not require going back to school, as it were. 

ONCE A CLIENT, ALWAYS A FRIEND - I have a vested interest in your success, whether that may be accomplished in a day or 20 years. I remain dedicated to your success, even when you may wish to give up.

4. What will you require of me?

 

1. Weekly meetings at the agreed to time and day.

 

2. Accountability. Reporting of achievement, or lack of.

 

3. Complete Honesty, including letting me know when you disagree with me.

 

4. Elimination of the words, "should have" and the concept of guilt. Instead, the use of "I choose to" and acceptance of the results as what you desire more than perhaps even stated desires.

 

5. Does the proposed program match my needs?

 

Minimal time requirement is 1 hourly meeting each week, for a minimum of 12 weeks. Ideally we will work together for 1 year.

 

A minimum of 5 minutes of daily effort on each stated objective or accepted assignment.

 

6. Is confidentiality clear?

 

Once again, our meetings, and what we discuss is held in strict confidence between us, even if a Company or Manager pays for your Coaching.

 

Lastly, ask my current and previous clients if they would hire me again. I'm more than happy to provide you with a list of people that you can call.

With Every Bad Comes the Good, and Vice Versa

An interesting fact reported by the Harvard Business Review today; JUNE 16, 2010

Swedish Papas Get Generous Paid Leave

With 85% of fathers in Sweden taking extensive paid parental leave, companies there have come to expect new dads to disappear for months at a time, and the leave-takers aren't penalized at promotion time, according to The New York Times. The country's generous paternal-leave policy is seen as contributing to lower divorce rates.

Source: The New York Times According to a Wikepedia article, the combined Employer and Worker tax rate in Sweden is about 63%. Yet quality of life, as compared throughout the world is ranked as #10 of best rated countries to live in. USA Ranks #14 best Country with Honolulu coming as the #31 best city to live in, in the world. New York is the median ranked as the #49 best city to live in in the world. This according to the Mercer survey (Vienna scores 108.6 and Baghdad scores 14.7. Cities are ranked against New York as the base city…). Whether we agree with the survey, or not, is not at issue – it has long been known that quality of life in Sweden is high. Indeed, in my last visit to Stockholm, I was amazed at the relative "elegance of the populace. The food was remarkable. Culture is at its highest. I awoke one summer morning around 4AM; the lights were blazing through my window. It was a manmade "land of the midnight sun" as it were. Upon looking out my hotel window, I was amazed to see a scene of families enjoying the weekend, parents and even small children, having fun together as if it were a typical Saturday afternoon in any small American town. Understandable, considering how brutal the winters can be. Winters are so challenging that my hosts told me that theirs is a shrinking population. But their summers are filled with pure joy, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. Along with their brutal taxes come some great joys of life. Yin and Yan, opposite forces always at play. My point is, that none of us have anything to complain about, if we take the time to see "what's good" in our daily existence, regardless of where we live. Witness one of the International students in our town, who though being raised in the brothels of India (ranked on the lowest end of the Mercer survey). I have only seen her a few times, but each time, she has had a smile. She is helping my wife over the summer. Regardless of the assignment, she does not complain. My wife tells me that she goes about happily doing what is asked of her. Many in our society have grown jaded. That attitude was summed up so well in a conversation with a teenager when he said "I Didn't ask to be here." Au contraire mon frère...what we have we have somehow asked for, a controversial truth open to argument, but unchangeable. Do we ask for tragedy or accident? No. Although, I refuse to watch what we commonly refer to as "wrecks" in bull riding (a really bad ride that generally ends in injury to the cowboy) because I don't want those images it in my mind as they can create fear and other unwanted outcomes. If I were to picture it in my mind, I might start looking for a "soft place" to land, as most cowboys do. If you get an opportunity to watch, especially amateur bull riding, see if you can notice where the cowboy is looking when he comes out of the chute. The cowboys that "fall" off the bull, (you never really fall off, you get slammed off by 2,000lbs of muscle) as they come out of the chute, are probably looking down at the ground. In bull riding we like to say you're going where you're looking. In that instance, we can create our reality. But accidents are just that, we don't create them, they really just happen. Anyway, when you feel that you're dealing with "bad," look for the opposite force at play, the Yin and Yan. Trust me, it's there. Know that there is good in your business. If your business is "off," it represents an opportunity to improve your marketing efforts. Indeed, when sales numbers remain constant, we may be missing a huge opportunity to find more markets, or improve our marketing efforts such that we increase our business dramatically. The current economy has many business owners complaining and many even failing. But if you walk "behind the scenes at Temkin International, you'll witness Danny Temkin's employees hard at work improving company efficiencies. Despite the fact that company finances are in a healthy state, the current economy has provided an opportunity to become more competitive for this firm that has grown to be largest US producer in their industry. And, should economic conditions improve dramatically; the company will simply enjoy improved net profit dollars as a result. As you become aware of, and grateful for, that "good" your life is immediately enriched. You will find yourself more energized, and in the right place at the right time to enjoy the good accidents of life. Namaste, Coach Frits

Are Your Clients Experiencing Any Kind Of Economic Recovery?

A multi-millionaire friend of mine asked that question of me the other day. I thought that my answer was worth sharing with you as well. In response to his question I said that many of my small business owners have been enjoying, and continue to enjoy economic success, regardless of national or worldwide economic conditions. People are still spending what money they have. Tires still wear out, books are still being read (indeed, witness the overwhelming success of the iPad), people are still buying computers and technology, people are still buying houses and getting mortgages. Regardless of the community that they are in, I am witnessing client successes throughout America.

SUCCESS IS AS EASY AS WE ALLOW IT TO BE, OR AS DIFFICULT AS WE CHOOSE TO MAKE IT – THE PRINCIPLE OF ALIGNMENT

Raji Rykert (her nickname is Superwoman) lives in Southern California. She has been enjoying success on two fronts. Real Estate Investing (how many people can say that today) and a new business startup (www.3facesmedia.com) signing new clients like Shari Belafonte the actress daughter of Harry Belafonte. I had the opportunity to sit and coach Shari briefly. What a remarkable person. Shari is introducing Raji to her best celebrity friends and growing Raji's business for her. How has Raji enjoyed such remarkably rapid success? It's not by hiring a great sales team or implementing an aggressive sales approach. Surely, Shari had many options when it came to hiring a Publicist. The traditional approach would have been costly. But by simply "seeding" the success of others, Raji seeded her own success. This is consistent with the behavior that I model in "Once a Client, Always a Friend." Would you like a friend who will be there for the long term? Give me a call at 801-755-6823.

There's a wonderful article about Augie Nieto, the founder of LifeCycle which grew to become a $550 Million business. Augie started out with a national sales tour that would ultimately cost a great deal and show no success. He found his success was much easier when his efforts came into alignment with his value of "Reciprocity." Read the article HERE and buy his book.

Mike B owns a towing and auto shop service in small town USA (population 4,505). When we began the coaching process he told me in our third session "I got mad at you for getting me to dream again. I had grown to accept my situation." Because of our work together he became aware of business losses that would ultimately force him to shut down his business (as so many small business owners do in America). By getting clear on what he values most, we are now identifying remarkable profit enhancing opportunities for his company. How many of you have struggled with business expansion opportunities when cash flow just isn't what it needs to be? Do you go out and finance your inventory, only to further erode profits? Have you offered products and services at deep discounts, not only eroding profits – but devaluing your products and services further? Or have you implemented measures that allow for profitable growth, like Mike?

STEP 1: GET CLEAR ON WHAT YOU VALUE

How can we align with our values if we don't know what they are? Stanford University research points to this as the fundamental reason for lack of success in peoples' lives. We have a great free tool available to help you get clear on what you value, and document them in a way that adds to more exercises that will grow your business. Again, IT'S FREE. Just email me at coachfrits@gmail.com for your copy.

But to get you started, answer this question. If you were admitted to the emergency ward today, and were coherent, what would you make sure got done before you went to sleep tonight? The answers to this question will give a huge head start on getting clear on your values.

An ancient story is told of a General living in peacetime, only to discover the enemy's preparations for a new war. The General was wise and caring, and desired a short war with minimal casualties, on both sides. In his wisdom he decided that the way to ensure a short conflict was to gather around him seasoned warriors who valued the same things that he valued. He knew that they would have experienced many of the same things that he had already experienced. He also knew that he would avoid having to convince those warriors of his strategies and tactics, saving additional time and avoiding loss of lives. With the lives of his friends and family in the balance, he wrote down the principles that he valued most, on an animal skin, and raised it as a standard. Military standards are used as a rallying point. As long as the standard flies, is held aloft, in the heat of battle it provides an inspiration to keep working towards the goal. Listing his values attracted warriors of similar value to his cause. A standard is also valuable as it allows us to measure progress – ground gained or lost relative to the standard. So a standard also provides a sense of direction, especially in the disorienting moments of a melee.

So it is in our communities and our companies. Success is so much easier, the challenge reduced, when we are surrounded by others of a like mind and value. You can save yourself significant hours and dollars when you are surrounded by those who value what you value. Get clear on what you value and then communicate it to your universe of possible Joint Venture partners. The businesses who value what you value, will allow you to make a profit while introducing you to their best customers. In fact, they probably have a customer list of buyers who are similar to your best buyers. You can grow your business even if you only 5 minutes today, by getting others to sell your products or services for you, much like Shari Belafonte does for Raji Rykert. You'll discover how much easier success becomes at this point.

Coach Frits