Tag: Leadership

Advertising and marketing have been infected with a serious virus: hyperbole.

I get messages everyday from people who promise they can help me crush it, make massive gains, offer an epic product, achieve awesome impact, etc. 

Whatever happened to the philosophy of “underpromise and overdeliver”? Seems to me this hyperbolic marketing is the exact opposite.

There are many problems with this kind of marketing jargon, but here are some of the biggest:

1. They are difficult if not impossible to define. What is the difference between being competitive, highly competitive, and crushing it? Next time someone says they can help you have massive impact if you retain their services, ask them exactly what they mean.
2. Many making these grandiose claims don’t have any evidence that they are crushing it. How can they help you do something they likely haven’t accomplished?
3. There is no way to quantify success (see #1). If you can’t measure it, you can’t prove you’ve achieved it. “Better” is not “massive” and “improvement” isn’t “crushing it.”
4. Most offer no guarantee. Saying you can do something for a client and actually doing it are two different things.

So why do so many marketers and solopreneurs resort to this silliness? I’m guessing, and am pretty confident, that they are trying to set themselves apart. What they are doing is identifying themselves as copycats who have read the descriptions of others and think they must make similar claims or be left behind. In essence, they are joining an undifferentiated group of exaggerators.

What is the alternative? Consider the following:

1. Find a way to capture attention that is different but believable.
2. Quantify results. Instead of “massive results” offer a measurable percentage increase.
3. Offer social proof: clients who are willing to give testimonials with specific results attained.
4. What makes your process different instead of what makes your results similar.
5. Skin in the game, whether that is a guarantee or a percentage of increase or improvement.
6. Use a thesaurus and master the use of different words to communicate your message accurately.
7. Offer something free before your client has to buy. Prove your worth with a small, easily-delivered sample.
8. Relate specifically to your client or at least your client’s marketplace. Nobody can help everybody get better. Pursue a niche where you have the best results.

Hyperbole, exaggeration and cliches put off readers and prospects. Be believable, create value that is valued, and you won’t need to exaggerate to win business.

 

Mark Sanborn is an award winning speaker and Leadership Expert in Residence at High Point University, the Premier Life Skills University. For more information about his work, visit www.marksanborn.com. 

For  a free assessment and information about The Classic Fred Factor online training and a unique opportunity to license the training, go to www.FredFactor.com.

 

Author: Mark Sanborn

Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. He was recently honored with the Cavett Award, the…

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A Team Activity that Takes Managers to the Next Level

Lousy mangers are like a rash that keeps coming back. Harter and Clifton report that spending time with their manager is the worst part of the day for employees. (Wellbeing at Work)

Great managers succeed because they know how to succeed. Results are a by-product.

Stumbling managers are so busy doing the work that they don’t work on how they do the work. Eventually they lose their legs; results dwindle, frustration increases, and negative practices take hold.

The Manager of the Year team activity:

Preparation:

Before they come to the meeting, ask your team to reflect on the best manager they know.

1. What makes them standout?
2. What are their top strengths?
3. What patterns and daily practices do you observe?
4. How do they interact with employees?
5. How do they solve problems, delegate responsibilities, inspire team members, and practice accountability?
6. How do they balance challenge and support?
7. How did they practice accountability and giving feedback?

Write at least three paragraphs that explain why your manager deserves the Manager of the Year award.

You cannot include the obvious. You can’t say, they worked harder than anyone else.

Meeting open:

Imagine advocating for someone to receive the Manager of the Year award. The pursuit of results is necessary but knowing the core skills and behaviors that produce remarkable results is genius.

Any fool can pressure people to meet goals.

Have each participant read their endorsement. (Names aren’t necessary.)

Discuss. Clarify.

Make a list of top management skills and behaviors based on your team’s conversation.

Application:

With the Top Manager Award in mind, what’s one way you might emulate their skills or behaviors? Be specific and actionable. Working harder isn’t an answer.

What might you adapt or add to the above activity to make it more effective?

What are the skills and behaviors of the top manager in your organization?

How might you emulate one of their behaviors today?

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We’ve all experienced a situation like this:

The plane lands early but the gate is occupied and you actually deplane late.

The flight pilot makes an announcement: “Thank you for your patience.”

It takes you three times longer than it should to cash a check because the bank teller line is short-staffed.

When you finally reach a teller, he says, “Thank you for your patience.”

Stop. The truth is I’m annoyed and anything but patient. If you are robbed at gunpoint, it is silly for the thief to thank you for your wallet. You didn’t have a choice. Thanking someone who has been made to wait feels like you are forcing patience on them when they don’t have it.

Nobody should pay to have their life inconvenienced, but it happens all the time. And many are better at a Zen-like response than others. I’m really bad at it.

I realize the service provider is acknowledging the inconvenience, but they are going about it in the wrong way.

The better response? “I apologize we made you late.”

Or “I apologize for the unreasonable wait.”

Or “I apologize that we couldn’t have served you more quickly.”

Stop playing word games and keep the responsibility where it belongs. Work diligently to keep customers from waiting, but if you fail (as all service providers do at some point), acknowledge your responsibility and apologize for the inconvenience.

 

Mark Sanborn is an award winning speaker and Leadership Expert in Residence at High Point University, the Premier Life Skills University. For more information about his work, visit www.marksanborn.com. 

For a free assessment and information about The Classic Fred Factor online training and a unique opportunity to license the training, go to www.FredFactor.com.

Author: Mark Sanborn

Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. He was recently honored with the Cavett Award, the highest honor the NSA bestows on its members, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the speaking profession. In 2020, Global Gurus named Mark the #5 Leadership Authority in the world.

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A very successful financial professional is retired and still mentoring others and making money. He’s obviously good at what he does. He’d been outstanding in his career and continues to achieve things in retirement that most only aspire to.

Is there a secret to his success? Or at least a clue?

Although it is popular to ascribe success to one primary thing, there are usually several interacting factors. But for the person I write about now, consider that his secret might be this: he’s never had a website.

Not having a website isn’t what has created his continued success. Being so good, so well-known and so often referred to, he doesn’t need one.

A website doesn’t ultimately determine anyone’s success. But being able to stay busy and keep your business pipeline full without a website usually means one thing: you are so damn good at what you do that almost everybody knows it and those who don’t find out about you from those who do.

Keep the big picture in mind. How much more successful might this person might have been with a website? It doesn’t matter. My friend is as busy as he wants to be. He stays busy. He isn’t pursuing more clients because he doesn’t have time for them.

What about you? If you couldn’t have your website–or social media or mastermind or whatever now powers your marketing–how successful would you be? Marketing is important, but mastery is more important. Few ever become so good that they never have to sell themselves or their services, but a few achieve it. We’d all be better if we spent just a little more time at being really, really good and a little less time selling really, really hard.

Cal Newport wrote a book with a most instructive title: So Good They Can’t Ignore You. If you are getting plenty of business and loyalty without a website, that may be proof that you really are so good they can’t ignore you.

 

For a free assessment and information about The Classic Fred Factor online training and a unique opportunity to license the training, go to www.FredFactor.com.

Author: Mark Sanborn

Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame. He was recently honored with the Cavett Award, the highest honor the NSA bestows on its members, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the speaking profession. In 2020, Global Gurus named Mark the #5 Leadership Authority in the world.

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Are you committed to getting better, to waking up each day a little bit better in some area of your life than you were the day before?

Most say they want to get better, but few have a plan. That’s not an educated guess, but a fact based on research I did for my book, The Potential Principle. We found that 59% of leaders were “very committed” to getting better…but only 50% of them had a specific, updated plan.

A goal without a plan seems more like wishful thinking to me.

The real question of getting better isn’t “do you want to?” but “what are you doing about it?” For a deep dive into the why, the how and a process you can use, I refer you to The Potential Principle book. But what follows is a simple foundation to launch your improvement program.

Download the Potential Principle Handout

Here are 8 principles you can use to get better:

1. Anyone can become better. Few of us will ever be best at something. Best is really hard. Better is really easy. Becoming the best at anything is difficult. It usually takes tremendous effort and a long time. Better can happen in an instance. Any slight improvement will make you better. Ever heard the cliche, “Death by a thousand cuts”? Try “Better by lots of little improvements.”
2. Desire always precedes better. Your desire to get better must be coupled with your efforts to get better. Better can’t be imposed, borrowed or rented. You’ve got to want it and be willing to work for it.
3. Better is your responsibility. Others can help you get better, but they can’t do it for you.
4. You can improve anything in your life but not everything. Don’t try to improve everything.You won’t benefit by making everything in your life better, nor do you have time nor energy to do so. Go for significant improvements.
5. Better requires an object. Better at what? Be specific about what matters enough to improve (see above).Often improvement goals are too vague. Prioritize getting better at what matters most and what will make the biggest difference, and ideally identify metrics.
6. Better is never accidental. It takes intention and effort. You can swing a golf club a thousand times but if you aren’t paying attention, you won’t get better. You’ll just get tired.
7. Better needs a process. If desire precedes better a plan needs to follow. The primary reason people don’t get better is lack of a plan.
8. Better always beats best. Target the person or company at the top of their game. You don’t have to be twice as good as they are to displace them. All you need is to be a little better.

So now what? Knowing these principles is interesting, but implementing them is powerful. Here is a worksheet to help you get started:

In what area(s) do you want to get better? (the goal)

Why? (the motivation)

How? (the plan)

How much time and…

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Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

If I told you that the fate of the world rested on your shoulders, how would you respond?

Would you take an action hero approach and confidently declare that you will handle it?

Would you shrink from the responsibility and pass it on to someone else?

Or would you simply shake your head, look me in the eye and say, “You’ve got the wrong person”?

The truth is, the fate of the world does rest on your shoulders. Your life is changing the world every day, whether you believe it or not.

If you choose to live positive values and be a good citizen of your community, you are changing the world for the better. If you choose to live negative values and take what you want from your community, then you are changing the world for the worse. No matter what you choose—to serve when needed, to give when asked, to ignore the pain of others, to take more than you give—every choice changes the world in some way.

There are four easy choices you can make daily that will change the world:

1. Choose to Value People—this is a decision to see each human being you come in contact with, be it in real life or in the digital world, as someone with value who needs that value affirmed in some way. It’s a choice to connect with people and begin breaking down walls of distrust.
2. Choose to Add Value to People—this is the decision to do something that helps another person in some way. It can be as extravagant as giving a gift or as simple as doing the dishes still piled in the sink, but it’s a choice to influence people through good deeds.
3. Choose to Live Positive Values—this is the decision to live a life that builds rather than destroys. It’s the choice to be honest when the cashier gives you too much change, the choice to let someone else get the credit at work, the choice to treat other people with courtesy and respect. It’s also one of the most attractive ways to live your life.
4. Choose to Share Positive Values—this is the decision to share with others the values that inspire and sustain your life. A life of positive values will inevitably lead someone to ask, “What’s your secret? How do you stay so positive, or generous, or kind?” And when they ask, you can choose to share with them the values that empower and enable you to live differently and make a difference.

That’s all it takes. You don’t have to be a superhero or a social media icon to influence people and make a difference in this world; you just have to have the courage to choose a life of values.

That’s the message of my new book, Change Your World, which will be in stores on January 26th. To launch the book, we’ve organized the first-ever Transformathon: a virtual marathon…

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Dear Dan: I Never Do Enough

Dear Dan,

I am struggling at the moment with one team member. It feels like I do so much for her and it’s never enough.

I provided so much positive feedback and when I need to give corrective feedback, she can’t handle it and feels criticized. She is disorganized, constantly late, and unprepared. She is also causing other team members frustration. I experience her as very needy and manipulative.

Sincerely,

Never Enough

Dear Never Enough,

This person is doing more damage than you might imagine. She’s holding your team back, wasting your time, and drains everyone’s energy. You have three options.

#1. Reassign her to a job she is capable of doing.

#2. Redesign her current job so she can succeed.

#3. Manager her out with kindness.

Option #3 seems like the only viable choice. This is the first time in a Dear Dan post I have suggested termination. Typically I accept the challenge of designing creative options for readers to consider. In this case, I suggest you begin the termination process.

If I may suggest an awkward idea. Persistent poor performance is a management problem, not an employee problem. Yes, you’ve tried to make a difference for this person, but admit it. It hasn’t work.

Stop wasting time, energy, and resources doing things that aren’t working. Establish consequences for failure that include termination.

Trying to control things you can’t control adds heat to frustration. Accept that you can’t force this person to step up. Do your best to lower emotional frustration. It’s harming you and it’s not helping your poor performer.

Ruinous compassion harms people and organizations.

Whatever you do, keep the best interest of your employee, team, and organization in mind. It’s not in the best interest of your employee to tolerate poor performance.

You have my best,

Dan

What suggestions do you have for Never Enough?

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Before the Covid 19 pandemic, 17 percent of U.S. employees worked from home 5 days or more per week. That increased 44 percent during the pandemic. Here’s a fact:

     Remote work, part-time or full-time, is here to stay. And you’ll likely be doing it soon

     if not already and those you work with and lead need to know how to do it well.

Have you considered what it will take to succeed with that new challenge? Have you thought about the differences between working in an office space to working at home? Most importantly, have you developed a process that enables you to be productive and successful working remotely? Or, if you’re a manager, have you taught your team those skills?

Here are seven simple but effective keys to help:

1. If you can’t change where you work, change your attitude about it. When we are in a situation we can change, the way to make the most of it is to change our attitude. You don’t need to deny it if you don’t like remote work, but find the positive aspects to focus on until your situation changes. Whining never helps.

2.  Develop a work day routine. Your old workspace, start and end times, provided a routine for your professional life. When at home you need to develop a routine to support your productivity. Get dressed like you would at an office or worksite even if you’re not going to leave your home. Track your efforts and identify projects and milestones. Importantly, identify your workday’s end so it doesn’t keep expanding and enveloping personal time.

3. Use results rather than input to evaluate your success. In the past our activities at work filled each day. As long as we were busy, we felt productive. Remote work isn’t about how much time you spend, but how many results you produce. You may find that with fewer office type distractions, you may be able to work fewer hours and get as much or more done.

4. Clarify expectations. Your employer may well have different expectations of you as a remote worker. If they haven’t been specific about what they expect, inquire so that you know.

5. Model your remote work after how you work at the office. To the degree that you can, use the same processes and protocols. Don’t cut corners because your remote workspace doesn’t feel traditional. 

6. Stay connected as well or better than before. This doesn’t necessarily mean lots more time on the phone or in Zoom meetings. It is about being strategic and caring to maintain important relationships that might be affected since you’re not sharing space with those people.

7. Go outside. E.O. Wilson said it well: Just being surrounded by bountiful nature, rejuvenates and inspires us. The nature outside your home might be more or less bountiful, but getting out of the house periodically for a short walk will help.

The more tools you have in your toolbox, the…

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Photo by Volkan Olmez on Unsplash

Since January 1 I’ve been walking one mile a day. It’s part of our Transformathon—which ends later this month with an amazing 5K walk that I’ll be live-streaming from two different locations—but it’s also part of my health routine.

When Covid hit last year and my travel schedule suddenly opened up, it didn’t take me long to realize that I would have to fill some of those now empty hours with something productive. Something that would make me better. Something that would help my growth.

So I started walking. I could’ve joined a gym, or hired a trainer, but walking is something that everyone can do. It’s something that doesn’t require fancy equipment. It’s something that you can do without needing a coach to show you how.

When it comes to it, a walk is just you, your willpower, and the open road.

What I loved about my walks was the uninterrupted thinking time! I made use of every mile, no matter how slow it may have been, by using the time to think about the things I was learning, or the things I was reading, or to think about our work for Transformation. Those daily walks became some of my most productive minutes of the day.

They also taught me the value of a mile.

One mile might not sound that impressive to some of you, but for many of us, it’s a big achievement. That’s because it’s takes us a little longer, requires a little bit more grit to get it done. That mile represents the victory of our will and celebrates the power of intentional action in our lives.

That’s why I love this Transformathon. Hundreds of you have signed up and joined me out on the road (or in the pool, as I was today!) to put in your mile. And while you’re walking, my team and I have provided you with a value to think about along the way. Since all Transformation is rooted in good values, it makes sense for us to meditate on a value as we walk.

Today’s value is teachability and I’ve recorded a video teaching on that value that you can watch on my Instagram or Twitter feeds (and I encourage you to give today’s video a look—it’s a hoot!).

But we’ve also discussed other values, powerful values like Attitude, Courage, Initiative, and Empathy. These values are the key to unlocking the potential in other people; they are the way that you and I can introduce change into our worlds by living out these values with the people we call neighbors and friends.

As you walk each mile, I want you to think about how the value of the day could change your neighborhood. What would happen if people were to embrace teachability and be open to learning new ideas or ways of living? What would happen if your neighbor who’s struggling with their marriage…

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