Posts Tagged ‘Executive Coaching’

I am interested in assertiveness training. My problem, both in business and life, is holding people accountable and asking the tough questions. I think that if I went away for a weekend to a camp where I will be pushed I will come back a changed person. Do you have any ideas to help me?

Monday, May 9th, 2011

Will a weekend really be enough time to create lasting change in your life? While going to boot camp isn’t a bad idea, you may want to start closer to home first.

It’s obvious that to become more assertive you must change. If you are doing something one way and it isn’t working out, you must do things differently. To do things truly differently, that means you must be different as well.

But how do you become the change you want to be?

Getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to grow, both as a person and as a business leader. You have to find ways to push and stretch yourself and while boot camp may help, will you be able to keep the lessons you learned there over the long term?

One huge advantage you have is that it sounds like you already know what the end result should look and feel like.

Now it’s about being and doing.

Get some easy wins by being assertive in situations that aren’t highly confrontational. Then move slowly onto more difficult situations.

I call this process perturbation, which means applying pressure until there is a break down, break through or a break away. You obviously can’t break away from yourself, but you can certainly get the break through you are looking for without having to head to boot camp for a weekend.

Since you have to get out of your comfort zone, and that isn’t always the easiest thing for someone to do on their own, finding someone who will hold you accountable can really help.

If you have an unreasonable friend, tell them what you’re trying to accomplish and ask them to help. If you don’t have a friend or mentor who will hold you accountable, then you should find a trainer or coach who will.

Whatever you choose, you’ll find that once you have gone through perturbation, you will be surprised how easily you can handle the issues that used to plague you and assertiveness shouldn’t be a problem for you anymore.

All the best,
Brad Sugars

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Brad- I own a landscaping business that has been in operation for 7 years. We have been desperately trying to find more “high-end” clients and we have tried seemingly every form of advertising with little to no results. We do direct mail by demographic, advertise in the Yellow Pages, have a website and we’ve even tried local publications in addition to radio and tv ads. So far nothing is getting the high-end clients I think my business needs. What should I do to attract them?

Friday, February 11th, 2011

It’s time to develop a referral strategy that will lower your customer acquisition cost while bringing in the type of customer you are looking for. That way, even if you don’t find “high-end” clients, your company will still be able to generate leads and new customers profitably.

If your service is good, garnering referrals won’t be as hard as you might think.

You say your business has been around for seven years, so you probably have a number of valuable customers. Use your best customers you have as a resource to generate new customers and don’t be afraid to ask them to help.

If you tell your best customers you are looking for more customers just like them, you’ll not only flatter them, they will probably bring you more customers that will use your services time and again.

You can give incentives for referrals as well. For instance, offer customers half off a service for each referral they bring you.

If you generate more referrals, but they still aren’t the type of customers you are striving for, consider where you’ve been looking for your customers.

The avenues you mentioned aren’t exactly where the rich are looking for your business.

They are more likely to find you online than in the Yellow Pages, but only if your website is easily found. If the website you have isn’t drumming up business, you should probably look a bit closer at the way search engines find your business or Search Engine Optimization.

Have you optimized keywords on your website? Do you have keywords that describe your business and match what people would search when looking for a business like yours?

You can also partner with another business that caters to the type of customers you want, if you can work out a deal in which they promote your business and you gain access to their database of customers.

How about a deal with the local “high-end” car dealership where they offer your landscaping services each time someone bought from them?

When your company goes in and does a great job at that new car owner’s home, do you think that might generate a lead or two?

Of course, getting those new customers is just the first step. Once they are customers, you have to make them repeat customers and then advocates of your business.

The ultimate goal is to turn each of your customers into ravings fans, who can’t help but tell others about your business. If your business does it correctly, it will lead to referrals and a thriving business.

All the best,
Brad Sugars

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Brad- I understand that a company’s culture is very important and I like the 14 Points of Culture you talk about with ActionCOACH. How can I be sure that I’m always giving 100% and playing above the line?

Monday, October 25th, 2010

I don’t think it’s possible for people to be at 100% all the time, so don’t put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect.

We are all just human beings and while perfection isn’t possible, it is something we should strive for.

That said you always want to be above the line and that begins with the proper thought processes.

This means you have to be accountable for your actions and those of your team.

“That’s not my job,” is never an excuse for people above the line.

Above the line means you have to do what you say you will do and always deliver on your promises and deadlines.

In business, the key to creating a company whose culture is above the line is to find a group of high quality people that come together to create a high performance team.

Not everyone on that team will do everything perfectly and there will always be some personality conflicts to overcome, but that is where clearly stating your Points of Culture will help lead your team down the correct path and keep them playing at 100% and above the line.

The most important thing to remember is that you want to build a company culture that you believe in and want to live.

Creating your company’s culture is not a frivolous exercise.

It is an important way to state what your business is about while showing your team exactly what type of behavior will be expected of them and keep you and your business above the line and at 100%.

All the best,
Brad Sugars

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