Without Vision Life, Careers and Business Cannot Survive

This is the last week of The Standing Strong: 3 Steps to Success series. The third step is: create visions, set challenging goals and build plans of action.  The third step is the one that most people don’t follow and prevents them from having a chance for sustained success. It is amazing how few people and businesses spend their time working on visions and the plans that will make them happen. It’s these same people who are perplexed as to the reasons nothing has changed or been created in their lives, careers, or businesses. Without vision there is no hope. Without hope there is stagnation and even death.

The clearer a vision is for a life, career, and business the higher the chances of success. Thinking and believing in visions paves the way for universal law to set into motion the necessary energy that brings the vision into reality. People don’t understand or believe this concept and actually fear what has been proven in physical science. It is true that once the “thinking” work takes place including the goals and needed actions, the universe does take over. It knows nothing else than supporting bringing about what is needed to create the vision. When people truly understand this concept they cannot help but be successful. For those of you who struggle with this concept please check out my book, Say It See It Be It.

Goals are just the vision broken down into steps that can be followed by performing certain actions. When belief is strong the needed actions become easier. Things start falling into place more quickly. The right people and circumstances appear. Those who are negative and should not be involved fade away. Think about a time when you truly desired and believed that an event, object or situation you wanted to happen manifested itself easily, almost miraculously. This is a real example of what I have been describing. Stop! If you haven’t followed my suggestion, then go back and do it now. You will have the proof to believe that what I suggest in this pearl works.

You might say, “I or the team have tried this many times and nothing happened.” Then I will answer you by saying, “the negative belief system that exists in your mind(s) is stronger than the positive one”. Work needs to be done on beefing up your beliefs. When you truly believe you can create or change something in your life, you can.

Live from a positive mindset exuding and inspiring confidence in others 

This week we will be looking at the second step of a three step formula on creating the success you desire, “live from a positive mindset exuding and inspiring confidence in others”.  This step was presented in the January 16^th Pearl of Wisdom.  If you missed it, please check out my blog.

Do you see yourself as a positive or negative thinker?  Most people have a difficult time seeing or understanding the depth of their negativity.  This scotoma blocks them from understanding the major reason for not reaching higher levels of success. In chapter four of my book, Say It See It Be It: How Visions & Affirmations will change your life; I give many symptoms and outcomes of negative thinking.  Becoming familiar with these symptoms will help you recognize your negative actions and thoughts.

The world of Quantum Physics has proven that the universe, including humans, is made up of energy, not matter. This is not actually new thinking. It dates back thousands of years to the ancient rishis in India.  Scientific studies have shown that as you go deeper and deeper into the workings of the atom, you see that there is nothing there – just energy waves.  These studies help explain how our thought is made up of atoms, thus energy. It proves we have the ability to control what we create. Success lies in your own mind.

If your thoughts are negative you will manifest negatively and if your thoughts are positive you will manifest positively.  We all have the ability to think what we please. Then why not declare better circumstances for life and work.  If you can develop and train yourself to make use of the habits listed below you will reach new levels of success

1. Become observant of your actions, words, and thoughts.
2. Become willing to rephrase your negative words and thoughts.
3. Discover the causes of your negativity and the blocks that prevent you from giving and receiving all that the universe offers.

Understanding your Behavioral Style

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.”

                                                                        Lao Tzu      

Last week I introduced a formula with three steps that are a MUST for building on the successes you have already achieved.  Today we are going to discuss the first Step, Understanding your Behavioral Style.  Research shows that the majority of people in corporations, who are terminated for cause, have difficulty interacting and communicating with their peers, subordinates and superiors.   In most cases, it’s not their deficiency in technical job skills, it’s their inability to understand how to interact with others.   How, then, do we learn to communicate with others even though we cannot relate to their thinking and ways of doing things?   People who truly want to be seen as “Leading Achievers” consistently work on discovering and understanding their actions, motives and beliefs.  

Everyone has blind spots when it comes to seeing how they behave, think and perform.  These are called scotomas.  Our belief systems affect our behaviors and actions towards ourselves and others.  Scotomas limit us, because we cannot see how our belief systems are affecting our behaviors.  For example, we may not be able to see our strengths because of poor beliefs about ourselves, or how we treat others because of certain false beliefs we hold about certain types of people and their behaviors.    

Become committed to discovering and letting go of the beliefs you have, which get in the way of your performance.  Work on yourself by doing personal inventories.  To help with blind spots, find a mentor, coach or support group  that will help you “see what you cannot see”.

There are many behavioral assessments available that will help you understand your behaviors and reactions.  One instrument is the DISC.  I am certified in it and have worked with hundreds of people to help them with self-discovery and better communication with others. It’s a great way to get started.  If you are truly interested in learning more about the DISC, contact me about the many ways you can experience the DISC inexpensively and enhance your existing success.

 Stand Strong.

Am I Successful? 

January is a time for self-assessment.  It’s the beginning of the year and most people see it as a fresh start.  What’s interesting is they never stop to answer the question, “am I already successful”.  Instead, they are very mentally hung up on the reasons they have not achieved more.  When people concentrate on their non-achievement, they are re-enforcing the very thing they do not want to be happening.  This type of thinking says to the Universe, “I am not successful”.  

The Law of Cause and Affect then brings lack of success right back to them.  Isn’t it time you accept your achievements to date and celebrate them?  This is the thinking that will take you to even higher achievement and success.  In the next three weeks, I will be discussing the formula stated below which you can work on from a mindset of already being successful. Think about what you have already achieved in each step and “then and only then” choose the areas where you want to build on this success.  

Standing Strong:  Three Steps to Success

1. Step One—Understand how your behavior affects others and how your reactions affect other people.
2. Step Two—Live from a positive mindset exuding and inspiring  confidence in others.
3. Step Three­—Create visions, set challenging goals and build plans of action.

Arlene’s Executive Leadership Training Tips

Five Tips for Coping with an Angry Boss

I just left a meeting with an executive of a 6 million dollar company who is working for a “grouch”.  This boss is uncommunicative, spends company money without qualifying the need and “yells” when things don’t please him. Wow!  Talk about creating stress for his employees.  The sad thing is he has no idea about how much resentment and non-productivity he is causing.  Below are some tips I shared with my client

        1.        DETACH—Let’s define this word.  It means that you no longer take personally anything the “angry” person says or does. You are going to emotionally separate yourself from their inappropriate behavior.

        2.        STOP—No longer be the victim of an “angry” person. Silence any words of defense that come to your mind. Recognize that this is his problem and say, “I hear your anger” or “I see you are upset”.

        3.        ACKNOWLEDGEMENT—Many times, it’s okay to just nod in a way that shows you are listening.  Let them rant and rave if necessary (which some people do).  Verbally mirror back what you have heard. Groveling is demeaning to you and reflects a lack of self-respect. There isn’t a person I know who doesn’t need to be acknowledged, even if what they are saying is absurd. You do not have to agree at this point in the conversation.

        4.        PATIENCE—Wait until the individual has quieted down.  Decide in your mind the best time to discuss the situation. It might be best after you have acknowledged them to say, “let me think about all this” and wait a day to create solutions. 

        5.        CHANGE—your attitude. Stop “hating” the “angry” person or being indifferent to them and instead, realize their anger is their problem.  Being hateful, resentful, or indifferent is the easy way out and no one benefits.

Arlene’s Executive Leadership Tips

Creating your Vision

Where are you today?

1. Find a place where you can totally relax, feel safe and will have no interruptions. Be prepared to spend at least an hour on this part of the process. 
2. Start to think about what is and what is not working in your life and career.  Ask yourself what inner knowledge has been poking at you.  It is important to think of this as an inventory that you are taking on all areas of your life. Some suggestions are: career, family, social life, physical and mental well being, and finances. My book, “Say It See It Be It:  How visions & Affirmations Will Change Your Life” has a vision wheel that can help you with this process.  
3. Use a writing journal to write everything down. This process requires you to be totally honest with yourself and feel the uncomfortable feelings that will come up.  Remember your working on creating a whole new way of living.  

Where do you want to be?

The first commitment in vision creation is to learn how to think “BIG”. 

 The bigger you think the better chance you have in creating what you truly desire

1. Now it is time to ask what life would look like without the things that are not working.
2. Be very detailed about how each area will look. Use your journal to write every detail about your vision.  Do a double check when you’ve finished for two things.

a) Did I give enough detail to visualize everything I desire.

b) Am I freaked out?  Good, that means you are thinking big enough!

Happy New Year!!

Arlene’s Executive Leadership Tips

Participating In Purpose
Three Steps for Creating Visions Cont’d

Last week I talked about how visualizations work in our subconscious.  If you believed nothing else but the Universal Law of Cause and Effect, and consistently practiced visualizing your dreams, eventually your whole life would change.  Unfortunately, most of us make an attempt but are not patient, and give up right before we cross the finish line.  If it means that much to you, think big and never give up.  The difference between a truly successful executive, or entrepreneur, and those who reach moderate success is the former never lose site of their passion and continually visualize their success.  Commit to being one of these people. My suggestion is you get support  to help you do it. Use a coach, mentor or support group.

Before we begin the steps of creating a vision, you must do one more thing: become clear on the larger purpose of your life.  Most of us lose touch with our larger purpose, because we are so busy with the details of our jobs, chores, family and possessions, that we forget there is a larger purpose and infrequently give thought to it. The last week of the year is a perfect time to meditate on this subject.   Joseph Naft on his website says, “Participating in purpose brings you the confidence that what you do matters, that your inner work matters beyond yourself.   Participating in purpose brings you the real happiness of a meaningful life.”

Arlene’s Executive Leadership Tips

Three Steps for Creating Visions

Last week I gave you three tips for doing visualization on a daily basis, and told you this is the time to start thinking of your visions for 2012.  For the next Four weeks, I am going to give you detailed instructions on how to write a complete vision, for all areas of your life.  Today I am going to talk about what you need to do to prepare for writing your visions.

THE METHOD

Learn how to use your subconscious mind to achieve the results  you want and deserve in your life.  Last week’s suggested exercise is a great way to get started.   By training your mind to visualize, and imagine your aspirations, and letting go of your fearful thoughts, you will attain new outcomes. Visualizations are pictures of what you yearn for in your mind. When you experience the feelings that go with these pictures, you become confident of your results.

Before you begin creating visions you need to COMMIT to making the time to create your visions for next year.

When you practice the concept of inner reflection, your true desires and passion for them will emerge.   This commitment requires a great deal of soul searching and learning to hear, or feel, the inner urges that are nudging you silently and quietly. No matter what negative thoughts you have, you can change them and let them go, if you are willing to do the hard inner mind, body and soul work. Yes, this means you do need to learn how to sit quietly for short periods of time

Have a Great Week and Stand Strong!

Arlene’s Executive Leadership Training Tips

3 Tips For Creating Your Desires

As we get ready to face the end of 2011, this is the time to start thinking of your visions for 2012.  Is this the year you will take the time to change your limiting beliefs and let them go so you can create the career, job, and life you desire? The key to releasing these negative beliefs is understanding they are false and have been programmed into you by your environment.  It requires a reprogramming of our subconscious and a letting go of our comfort zones.

As young children most of us believe in the magic of the Holiday Season.  We are bright eyed and positive about receiving and creating.   As we grow older we become entrenched in the belief systems of our caretakers and the world around us. Their negativity becomes our negativity.  Their dis-belief becomes our dis-belief. 

Scientific research shows that even the most intrinsic conditioning can be changed—it is possible to grow into a completely new way of thinking.  Below are three tips for getting started:

1.  Develop the ability to create visions of what you desire.  Take five minutes a day to just sit and create the picture of your vision.
2. Feel the emotions of belief and happiness as you see your dreams happening.
3.  Let go of the need to analyze and criticize yourself.  Instead. do your vision work and accept that you are just fine the way you are. 

Have a great week!

Arlene’s Executive Leadership Training Tips

Two Tips For Balancing Leadership and Management

This past year much has been discussed in leadership books for women about the difference between Leadership and Management.  Simply stated managers are responsible for getting the “job done”.  Leaders “set the tone and stage” for it all to happen and “ensure” it comes to pass.  Unless you’re part of a very large organization most managers usually wear both hats. This is not always easy to do and over time usually creates overwhelm and stress. 

How can small business owners and executives accomplish all that is needed to fulfill these roles? First they must understand the difference between being a leader vs. manager. In my executive leadership training I discuss the top skills needed by managers and leaders.  They are below:

Managers:

1. Establish systems and organizational structures
2. Problem solve
3. Manage processes
4. Set goals and enforce the budget
5. Coach subordinates

Leaders:

1. Set direction and mission
2. Create visions for the future
3. Communicate to and align stakeholders
4. Motivate
5. Energize

Two major tips for balancing being a leader and manager follow:

1. Delegate as much of your managerial skills as possible.  Whether you are a single entrepreneur or run a department of 50, you cannot do it all alone.  Find the right people to support you.  Too many entrepreneurs use the excuse of not having enough money.  This is limited thinking.  In the end this is what causes your demise. 

 

2. Devote a minimum of a half to one hour a day towards “thinking and creating”.  This might include taking a temperature check of clients and/or subordinates.  Motivate and energize yourself by reading articles rather than doing emails. If you are motivated, the people around you will stay motivated including your customers and clients.