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

MARCH MADNESS REPORT: Tourney Could Cost Employers $1.8 Billion

"It is March once again, and like the swallows returning to Capistrano, basketball fans across the country will return to their favorite sports websites to research every one of the 64 teams playing in the NCAA men's basketball championship tournament, fill out tournament brackets and enter one or more betting pools in what has become an annual rite of spring as sacred as green beer on St. Patrick's Day." This was reported by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. "The original outplacement company" on their blog @Work.

It's absolutely amazing how much distractions at work can cost. The implied question is; "How do we avoid the costs of "distractions?"

 

"In fact, with worker stress and anxiety heightened, a little distraction could be just what the doctor ordered. The key for companies is finding a way to maximize the positive aspects of March Madness so that they outweigh any potential negatives," Challenger noted.

This report brings a focus to the issue of increased Employee Engagement. And that focus presents significant opportunities for companies to bring about improvements in corporate productivity. Workplace distractions are certainly not limited to March Madness. In fact, corporate America would be relieved if distractions and the impact on productivity were limited to a few weeks each year.

Allow me to add two additional strategies for increased focus and productivity among employees;

1. Convert employees into acting as Corporate Owners or CEO's. How do we achieve that level of engagement? The solution is actually very simple; teach employees how to present their ideas for improvement as a Senior Executive might make a presentation to the CEO, by creating a presentation that documents the improvement opportunity with Needs, Requirements, Costs and Return on Investment. We can help you accomplish that with powerful employee training and tools. In fact, with our "90 Minute Profit Recovery Jumpstart" we will pay for ourselves as well as pull additional and significant pure profit dollars out of "thin air." It's really not as "magical" as this choice of words may appear. In truth, it's a simple process that we guide your employees through. In fact. We are so confident that we can produce these results for your company, regardless of size, that we will deliver this powerful approach at no cost, until we produce those dollars.
   
2. Another great approach to producing greater productivity within your company is to enable your employees to engage in their work "foe their reasons." What does that mean? We can help you show your employees how to show up on time and work a full day by spending a few extra hours at work each week as they build new business opportunities for themselves. New business opportunities that will contribute to additional revenues and profits for your company. Let's face it; we are losing employee focus to their efforts at building their own businesses through Network Marketing and traditional business startups. Why not harness that energy in a way that builds your company as well?
   

Improved employee focus on the job can produce remarkable improvements for your company. Whether you need to show performance for the board or shareholders, or you have a small company that can benefit from improved revenue and profitability (face it, who doesn't need these improvements in today's economy) these strategies are powerful. Imagine what those improved profits can do at a time like this. Those profits can fuel market expansion (read – take market share away from less profitable competitors), invest in capital improvements and leave your company in a superior position that would be difficult to compete with, only allowing you to grow your company's market share, revenues, profits and efficiencies in sustainable ways.

March Madness, $1.8 Billion loss, or improvement opportunity, you choose and we'll support you. Regardless of where in the world you company is located, regardless of the business you're in, these truths can serve to help you build a business that's unstoppable.

Coach Frits

coachfrits@gmaiil.com

801-755-6823

Here’s a Great Profit Improvement Tool – Part 2

As an update that underscores the ease of use and versatility of this tool, I want to report that I have made 22 new blog posts in under an hour. Pretty cool. So let's consider how this tool saves you the added expenses of upgrading your office computer system or systems.

Forget the fact that software now costs more than the computers that we're buying, the biggest expense of a new computer system in the office is learning to use the new productivity tools, especially if you are the only "employee" of your Small Office/Homes Office based business. If you aren't familiar with "opportunity cost," it is simply defined as the possible profits that you could have earned by using a resource differently; in this case it's the resource of time that we are considering. As the only employee of your company, you need to be busy doing whatever it is that customers pay you for. If you don't have enough customers yet, then the most valuable activity that you can be engaged in is Selling. Even if you are a tech support company, your time is best spent fixing other people's computers, or improving other businesses computers, rather than working on your own computers. There is a legend that great businessman Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic (known as the god of manufacturing," I'll post his story later) once walked into one of his manufacturing plant offices and saw a "computer" sitting on an employee's desk (it was actually the monitor). Legend has it that he picked up the "computer" and in front of his astonished staff walked to a window and threw it out. He proclaimed that "computers do not work, people do." I am certain he was aware of the power of the computer, but he wanted to make the point to his employees that they could get bogged down. Certainly, the learning curve of a new system is just like that. Some of you may remember WordPerfect, after they took over WordStar's market (yes anyone who remembers WordStar and Lotus, and even Word Perfect is as old as Steve Jobs and me. Of course I remember when word processing was an electronic typewriter with a small 1x4 lcd)? If you do, you'll remember how we had a new learning curve. We used keyboard templates, and competing software companies had "WordPerfect commands" capabilities wherein we could switch back to WordPerfect commands because it was too difficult to relearn the new Microsoft commands. It seems almost laughable to today's generation of computer literate workers. But that reality helped us to understand that when new technology was purchased, we had to pay attention to the training element of learning how to use the new equipment.

Today, that challenge is made so much greater as we have to learn how to integrate all of the equipment in our office, while at the same time learning how to get it all to work with the Internet, Networks - both physical and virtual, email and email Clients. It has simply gotten to be too complex. Have you ever felt like you have become the Computer Help Desk or Tech department in your small business? Have you ever felt like tech requirements and technical support (calling up the mobile technicians and paying them to fix a problem that wasn't' there yesterday)is draining your working capital as well as your precious time? The entire Office 2010 suite seems to have the potential of eliminating most of that. Buy Word 2010 (of course, you're already seeing that I would recommend buying the entire suite), and you won't have to go through reading a "Cloud based" service's "help pages" trying to figure out how to get it and your word processor to talk to each other. With the growing cloud computing model, it was time that a software company figured how to simplify all of that for us. Once again; bravo to you Microsoft, for getting it right for us and making it so we can focus on our businesses not our office equipment.

Last, but not least, it seems that Microsoft's marketing department has been working in unison with the Developers, and made "getting Office 2010" as east as using it. The new pricing model is in line with our needs as small to medium sized business owners. In addition to being a more affordable pricing model, Microsoft has made it possible to "try it, before you buy it" buy allowing free downloads of the Office 2010 beta. The new suite of tools is scheduled to arrive on store shelves in June, 2010. I strongly suggest that you download it now, and see if you aren't as excited about its features as much as I am.

Here’s a Great Profit Improvement Tool

If you're like me and millions of business owners around the world, you are trying to use "Social Marketing" to your advantage. In your Social Marketing mix, you probably have a blog that you manage, just like this one. I manage 12 Blogs, along with 2 Social sites. That would seem a giant task, too large for anyone to manage. I'm no "superman," I have just found tools and advisors that help me, and I'd like to share one of those great tools with you.

Microsoft Word 2010

This may read like a tech page, but believe me, it's a very important part of our businesses toady. I strongly encourage you to read this to the end, unless you're already a raving fan of the new software, and are pretty confident with it's new features. Why didn't I refer to the entire set of work productivity tools now named Microsoft Office 2010? A great new marketing approach by Microsoft is that they will offer each Office 2010 product as a standalone application. So now, if you choose, you can buy just Microsoft Word 2010 by itself. Additionally, the entire suite of products is being offered under some great new pricing models. Along with "Upgrade," you'll also find "Card Key" which allows you to unlock pre-installed Office 2010 software when you buy a new computer. Lately, software prices have been higher than some new computer prices.

I am so excited about the tight integration and ease of use of Office 2010 that this may appear to be a Microsoft commercial, or ad. I assure you that I am not on Microsoft's payroll. Why am I so excited? I was just complaining to my wife how computers and software require a technical level of expertise to "keep it all working." Microsoft is changing all of that. A new standard is coming back to the tech industry. That new standard will only bring us, as consumers and businesspeople, ever improving ease of use and reliability standards we could only dream of (wait 'til you see how easy it is to set up your e-mail accounts in Outlook 2010 – but that's another story).

You will marvel at how easily you can link all of your blogs to Word's new "Blog Post" feature. No more "running around" the net logging into your one or many blogs. You're in control from the "Blog Post" tab in WORD 2010. Gone are the days when you had to learn different ways to spell check or format your bog post when using different service providers. All of the spell check, insertion, formatting and other features that you've become so comfortable with; are now all available to you when you're typing that next blog post. This is all possible from within the comfort of Word. Have you ever experienced the frustration of "fixing" spelling errors, or formatting errors, only to lose the entire document because your blogging server timed you out? That won't happen with Word, because the only time you will interface with the server is when you click on "publish." Combined with the power of your voice recognition capabilities, it won't get any easier until Microsoft figures out a way for us to think it and get it on the page. It's that good. More in the next blog.

Brilliant Marketing Campaign Example

Part I Brilliant Marketing Campaign Example

 

The first e-mail establishes the "value" of what will become the "add-on." Try it out for 21 days... "If I keep the DVD, I'll pay just 4 installments of $3.74, plus shipping and handling." Shipping and handling is the Wharton School of Business's "incremental profit model," where the most important profits may be earned - pure profit - as the purchase price should already account for those costs.

 

Target correctly (previous buyers/subscribers like me), this is compelling. Having collected many of the 15 minute workouts, it would just be easier to buy the complete collection. I felt an initial desire to buy. In fact, I believe that many would be motivated to buy, in spite of an overwhelming sense of a lack of discretionary funds in today's economy. I wouldn't be surprised if many who read this article end up subscribing to Men's Health.

 

Note that at the bottom there's an introduction of the "Price Drop" announcement.

 

Part II of the Brilliant Marketing Campaign Example

 

Now, in this e-mail they present the "we're pulling out all the stops" part of the offer. After establishing the value of both components, they offer the previous $14.96 (plus shipping and handling) product for free, and you can keep it even if you cancel the subscription. Note that they are charging the $4.95 Delivery (shipping and handling), if you continue on with the subscription, so the DVD production is covered (and probably earns a net profit). The cool thing about the DVD is that it's nothing more than a "repurposed" resource." The components of the DVD were previously delivered as part of the magazines "gargantuan" weekly emailed resources campaign, the campaign that keeps them on a customer's desktop daily. Talk about top of mind. Their emails always contain items of real value (valued contact concept - bringing value immediately, whether or not a customer buys today).

 

If it cost me money to deliver like this, as in a traditional direct mail campaign, I'd have to be a Proctor and Gamble, or a Rodale to afford this. But e-mail, and social marketing make this something even a bootstrapped start up can afford. Add a reward like, "let us tell your friends by entering their e-mail address , and if one of them buys/subscribes, we'll send you a DVD for free" could dramatically accelerate the viral marketing of anything. Especially a "download deliverable," that costs next to nothing.

 

Rodale must have hire some great Interns this past summer, another great concept for Client companies to understand.

 

So, the next step for me/you could be;

 

How can I put this to work for me, does it have potential for finally starting my business?

 

What do I have (or can I repurpose) that costs little to nothing to deliver (Jim's tapes)?

 

Can I create an auto responder system to deliver daily or weekly "valued contact" items (snippets from that "download deliverable")?

 

Can I then follow up by offering the "Complete Collection" (with yet to be seen tips that were never delivered in the daily weekly tips) at a incredible value, with an independent "New Reduced Price" subscription offer at the bottom?

 

Can I finish with an "all stops pulled" offer that puts the "New Reduced Price" subscription on the table again, and include the FREE "Complete Collection" cd/dvd/download deliverable added for a one time offer? Don't forget we're going to collect the "delivery" charge of $4.79 (odd numbers can hold credibility and be compelling).

 

Make this "THE BEST YEAR EVER!"
Coach Frits

Just Give Me 5 Minutes Coaching - For Busy Executives and Business Owners

http://hostjointventures.com
http://benfranklinjunto.com
http://justgiveme5minutes.com

To the "Elite"

As I prepare to head for an appointment, my thoughts turn to each one of you. Actually, my thoughts have been on you for a couple of hours now. 

As all of you know, or at least most of you, I have some big physical goals to achieve. Not the least of which is the upcoming College football combine (tryouts where athletes try to outdo one another in speed, agility, and strength contests) coming up in March. 

At 53 years of age, most would tell me to not even try. To compete at the level I desire, I need to be able to sprint 40 yards in 4.5 sec (NFL top athlete speed) I need jump, vertically, at least 36 inches. And I need to bench press 250 lbs at least 25 times and squat 300 lbs at least 20 times. Accomplishing those targets, I would get recruited to the local National Championship team with a full ride. I don't want to get recruited, or get a full ride and play. Seems an almost useless goal, doesn't it? 

Most of you have heard me say. "A man without dreams is dead, a man who merely dreams is sleepwalking." So, I continue to have dreams. And those dreams change with time. I know from experience, that those dreams/goals achieved, become a good story to tell. They are nothing more than a springboard to the next achievement. What may seem an exciting goal/accomplishment today, can be a yawn tomorrow. I also make sure that I'm wide awake by pursuing my dreams with conviction, believe and action. I woke up this morning like many of you, with creaky joints that ached…lol (yep, I'm getting old). But, like most of you, I got up and engaged in the life that I envision - experience mentally, and dream of. Now, most people that I share my dreams with, laugh (at me, not with me). They think I am foolish and chasing ridiculous dreams. Much like many did when I said I was going to ride bulls. And almost everyone says, isn't it too late to start on something that ambitious? Remember that we refer to those people as "Red Lights?" They are people that try to stop us from pursuing our greatest dreams. Set personal boundaries, and don't allow the "Red Lights" to interfere with your greatest dreams. By your commitments and "tuitions," all of you tell me that you believe me to be an intelligent person.  Don't my goals seem to contradict that sentiment? 

I pursue these goals (world-class I would say) for the reasons stated above – living with my eyes wide open, fully awake, fully alive. I have one additional reason, to lead by doing. To reconfirm my commitment to the concept that "Life, and success, are as easy as we allow them to be, and as difficult as we choose to make them."

Do I achieve all of my goals with perfection (I haven't ridden a bull past 4.7 seconds – perfection is 8 seconds)? No, I have learned that perfection is my enemy – and that lesson cost me much of my youth and thousands upon thousands of dollars with great coaches. I would invest the dollars over and over again. The lost youth I regret. Yes. I've made some choices to make life more difficult as well. But the good thing is that I have achieved what seems, to many, impossible goals. So why am I sharing this with you? 

To inspire and motivate you to believe and act as follows;

1)      It's never too late – but you must get started today, even now!

2)      Make perfection your enemy. I know you're busy, (much of that can be eliminated). DO what you can, even in the smallest "chunks." For those of you with fitness goals, I have a great 5 minute workout that will produce the result you're looking for. If you'd like a copy of it, (it's free), just ask and I'll email it to you.

3)      Accept the fact that life is about choices, live with the results produced by your choices. Either stop wanting more, or change what you're doing so that you get more. Start making life easier, and let go of regret and guilt. Live life as a conscious adult, making conscious choices. There was a time when letting life happen as it would, served us. That was when we were children. But even then, we intuitively understood that we didn't need to experience regret and guilt. Don't misunderstand me; we need to take responsibility for our choices. But look up responsibility and guilt, and you'll see the difference betweens those two words.

4)      Don't ask how you can make money; ask how you serve the world best (the Dharmic question). I serve best by Coaching. Because I found that answer to the question, my life has been full of worldwide experience and achievement. I enjoyed the life of a wealthy man long before I generated my first million. And I have continued to enjoy a remarkable life, by making a conscious choice to lead by doing. Do you know how rich my life has been because of leading by doing? You have all of the same abilities and opportunities.

5)      Accept your current condition and take advantage of all the resources available to you. You don't need an Olympic training center to be an Olympian. Look at the legendary bodybuilder, Larry Scott (Mr. America-1962, Mr. Universe-1964, and the first Mr. Olympia-1965 and 1966). It was said of him, "Scott is said to have possessed little apparent genetic potential when he started training with weights in 1956, his narrow shoulders having been a particular weak spot."  An interesting note is that Larry, a poor Idaho farm boy, didn't have a world-class gym available, and he couldn't afford expensive weights and such. In "Lil' Abner" like fashion , he would work out with car axles as barbells (that didn't allow for easy weight changes…lol). Don't have a million dollars; start with the $10,000 that you do have. Don't have $10,000, start with what you have.

6)      Take advantage of the concept of collaboration by using either the strategy of Joint Ventures (go to http://hostjointventures.com to see the possibility, and make sure I include you in the "possible Joint Venture Partners section," just put your name on a list of possible Junto Partners by emailing me with that request), or the strategy of Mastermind Groups ( I can help you set up a group if you don't feel like you have others that would make good Junto (Ben Franklin's name for a Mastermind group – you can go to http://benfranklinjunto.com to pick up a free copy of Franklin's Autobiography, don't pay for a copy, it's in the public domain). I've attached a small guide for Masterminding. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN GROUPS NOW, THIS IS NOT AN INDULGENCE OR A LUXURY. THIS IS A FUNDEMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF SUCCESS. IF YOU HAVEN'T HELD YOUR MASTERMIND MEETING YET THIS WEEK, DO IT TODAY/TONIGHT, OR THURSDAY AT THE LATEST. DO IT NOW. I'LL ASK YOU ABOUT IT ON FRIDAY. IF I DON'T SEE YOU IN YOUR COACHING SESSION, I'LL EMAIL AND ASK YOU ABOUT IT (AND YES, THIS MAY BE CONSTRUED AS "CYBER-SHOUTING," IT'S THAT VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT).

7)      Know, without a doubt, that I care about your success. I care enough to invest my time, with you, thinking about to best help you to succeed when I'm not "with you," and openly and freely sharing the success principles and strategies that I've been taught and experienced and know to be true. It has brought me great success, that's my an ulterior motive. What goes around really does "come around." A simple principle of success. Take advantage of this principle and share this email with the people who are most important to you. Your families, best friends and most valued business associates. 

Whoops, there goes the meeting reminder alarm. As Napoleon Dynamite's brother, Kip, would say "Peace, I'm out," and I'm off to my appointment and a great day. Here's hoping you're off to a great day and an easy life/success as well. It's your choice. 

Make this "THE BEST YEAR EVER!"

Your friend,

Coach Frits

Just Give Me 5 Minutes Coaching - For Busy Executives and Business Owners

*NOTE - The Joint Venture PDF that I've attached comes from a great new book written by my friend. If you'd like the entire book of 12 vital strategies, order it from me. The full retail price of the book in hardcover is $24.97. The 4-CD Audio Book version is $37.00.

Together, that's a $61.97 value!

But when you order the combination set, you get them both for just $47!  That's 25%--a savings of nearly $15.00!

Or, you can enroll in the Marketing Wizard's Alliance (FREE for the first 90 days, then $97 a month thereafter; you can cancel anytime), 3 FREE consultations with a PCM Coach, FREE monthly call-in days, and 6 FREE at-large critique certificates. I know that if you're not 100% satisfied, you can return the materials at any time within the first 90 days and get a complete, no-hassle refund.

Or you can enroll in my Recession Mini Marketing Coaching for $489. As always, as a matter of integrity and "practicing what I preach,"I offer Joint Venturing to you as well. I know you appreciate what I do for you, but there's no reason that you can't make this a Profit Center for your business as well

http://hostjointventures.com
http://benfranklinjunto.com
http://justgiveme5minutes.com