Posts Tagged ‘leadership’

Use the Right Communication Currency

Have you ever called, and called, and called a prospect, never to get a return phone call?  You’re not alone.  I couldn’t even begin to number the amount of prospects that have lost out on a great product because they didn’t pick up their phone.

Wait.  Maybe I lost out, because I didn’t find their communication currency.  What I mean by communication currency is the medium that someone likes to communicate through.

For prospects, this could mean contacting them through phone, email, or snail mail.  This could also mean that you may need to reach them through facebook, text, or twitter.  Some people just don’t respond to phone calls, and others never check their email.  There are still some clients who refuse to text or use social media.  Amazingly enough, there are some people who only respond when I stop by their office!

Everyone has a means that they like to communicate through.  Your job as a business owner is to find your clients communication style as quickly as you can, so you can move your prospect through your sales pipeline.

This may mean blasting a client with messages at every outlet that you have from the get-go.  Even though you may think you are inundating them with the same content, they are actually only receiving it in 2 out of 6 communication vehicles.

Take reachmore’s founder, CJ McClanahan, for example.  You will rarely catch him on social media, and you would almost never get a text response from him.  If you stopped by the office, he’s either teaching or off-site with a client.  No luck with a cold call.  Sending an email will just get you sent to his VP of Business Development or trash folder.  If you called him on the telephone before 8am, you might just catch him.

The same philosophy rings true when you are communicating with your employees.  Don’t know if you’re communicating with a D, I, S, or C?  Ask questions and use key phrases for all 4 styles until you have nailed exactly how someone would like to be communicated with.

The point of this blog is to encourage you to be flexible when communicating with prospects and employees.  If you think that everyone receives information the same way that you do, you are sorely wrong, and will have the mediocre success if you continue to act as if they do.

Be flexible, and remember that people aren’t difficult, they’re just different!

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice-President of Business Development for reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives.  For more resources on business leadership, please visit http://blog.goreachmore.com.

Think like a Dog

When I used to let Jenna’s dog, Sadie, out to the bathroom, she used to doddle on her way back in.  I would call her and call her, and she would never come back inside.  As soon as I went outside after her, and got close enough to grab her collar, she would shake me off and start running toward the door!

Dogs are special creatures, and I often wonder what they are thinking.  I must be a high “I” (for more on what it means to be a high “I”, email me at jamar@goreachmore.com), because I actually care what dogs are thinking about me.  Especially Sadie when she was defiant and kind of rude!

Animal cognition researcher, William Roberts, says that dogs only think in the moment.  They do not have episodic memory, so they can’t think behind or ahead of what is currently happening.  They can perceive and follow a command that you taught them in the past, but can’t remember how they learned it.  Basically, dogs live in the moment.

That’s why they are excited every time you come home from work.  That’s why they’re always in a good mood.  That’s why they always do everything “all out”.

Now, they do have the ability to perceive the meaning of something through circadian oscillators, which are regular fluctuations of hormones, temperature, and neural activity.  That’s why they like to eat around the same time, and get a stupid grin on their faces when you bring out that orange ball they love to play with.

I think we should take a page from the book of dog living, and live entirely in the moment.  Forget about the mistakes, pain, and successes of the past.  Live in the moment.  Go all out in what you are doing right now.  Don’t worry about the future – lamenting about the stresses or loneliness to come, just focus on your energy and intention on this very moment.

Your dog is always happy and productive.  Act like him, and you can be too!

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice-President of Business Development for Reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives.  For more resources on business leadership, please visit http://blog.goreachmore.com.

You Are Not Alone

When things get tough for me, I forget to ask God for help, and I typically stop going to church.  I know, this seems counter-intuitive, but it’s a pattern that I have noticed in my life

I went through one of those tough times in February this year, and every Sunday I would wake up early and just lay in bed instead of going to church; telling myself that I was “worn out” and needed “rest”.

It took one of my party-animal friends, to bring me back into the fold.  She is the last person that I ever thought would be the key to getting me encouraged in God.

As I sat at East Ninety-First Street Christian Church, God began to work with my heart, and shared three important thoughts with me.

The first is that we are all inter-connected.  We need each other from a physical standpoint in order to survive.  You wouldn’t have food, water, clothing, cars, streets, employees of your own, or ANYTHING if it weren’t for the people around you.

We are not only connected by our physical resources, we are also connected by our energy and souls.  Do you think your skin is enough of a container to hold in your soul?  It’s not.  Your energy is reaching out to and affecting everyone and everything around you.  Others have an impact on you as well.  Remember, when you are in a bad mood, trying to influence someone, or sitting thinking that you are alone; your energy and soul has impact.

My life philosophy is to live in balance according to Dave Durand’s 4F’s and a C – Faith, Family, Friends, Finances, and Career.  The premise of the philosophy is to constantly work on improving and living fully in all four areas of your life at the same time.  Faith is one of those areas.  I respect that there are a variety of faiths.  You don’t have to believe in Jesus and attend a Christian church every Sunday, but I dogmatically believe that in order to be successful, you must believe in God, his influence on your life, and his ability to strengthen you.  Find your center of faith.

Sometimes, I forget about the omnipotence of our Creator, and simply lean on my own weak flesh to accomplish my dreams.  Remember that no matter what, God is still God, and we can turn to him for help in our businesses and lives.

Think about this; we are unconscious for 30% of our lives during sleep.  While we are unconscious, our heart still beats, our food continues to digest, and we keep on breathing.  That is amazing.  The same God that created our bodies to work in such a miraculous way, and the same God that wakes us up every morning, is the same God that can assist you in achieving the vision that you have for your life.  There is so much power at your fingertips.

You are not alone.  Use the power of the people around you, and the God within you to achieve your greatest goals.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice-President of Business Development for Reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives.  For more resources on business leadership, please visit http://blog.goreachmore.com.

Long-Term Leadership Made Easy

The marquee of the Sparkle Car Wash on 82nd and Craig gave me my first breath of fresh air regarding the Colts Super Bowl loss. It read, “Thanks Colts, for Another Great Year!”

As disappointing as it was to see one of the best teams in the history of the NFL lose the Super bowl, the Colts character of leadership reminds me of what being the best is all about.

The key to the success of the Colts organization is that they hold themselves to a continuous standard of excellence, which is clearly marked by their multi-year success record, with a myriad of players on the front line.

Here are some of my observations of the team and how they have been wildly successful at creating long-term leadership excellence:

1. Focus – I love watching Peyton Manning focus on the sidelines while the defense is playing. He isn’t wandering around or talking to his team mates. He sits quietly in what I can only assume is an exercise in focused meditation; mentally reviewing the plays that will help his team win.

2. Integrity – They do what they say that they are going to do – nothing more and nothing less. The Colts are also a team that acts as if they have their heads together when they are not on the field. Their outside behavior is another reflection of their ability to focus on what is most important.

3. Fundamentals – You don’t see too many trick plays and risky chances called by the coaching staff. The Colts focus on the basics of the game, and that is what makes them great.

4. Consistent Attitude – Every once in a while you will see Marvin Harrison or Gary Brackett stunt a little bit after making a big play – but not often (if you would like to know the definition of “stunt”, email me at jamar@goreachmore.com). These guys are level headed and are all about getting the job done. Go to work, throw the ball, catch the ball, hit the line, run the ball, do it with energy and commitment, win the game. There is very little show or flash – just good ‘ol football.

The Colts know that winning every play and every game does not make a stellar career. Staying in the game, obeying the preceding rules, and playing hard are what makes their organization a football dynasty. They have a very clear focus on reality.

When reachmore’s executive coaching clients are going after their biggest year ever, we don’t pull out all of the flashy marketing plans, complex financial analyses, and 6-sigma operational structures. We teach our clients to focus, live and work with integrity, to perform the fundamentals of running their business daily, and to do everything with a level head. Those are the keys to long-term leadership.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice President of Business Development for reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives. Email Jamar at jamar@goreachmore.com for the latest on reachmore’s newest seminar, Launch.

Long-Term Leadership Made Easy

The marquee of the Sparkle Car Wash on 82nd and Craig gave me my first breath of fresh air regarding the Colts Super Bowl loss.  It read, “Thanks Colts, for Another Great Year!”

As disappointing as it was to see one of the best teams in the history of the NFL lose the Super bowl, the Colts character of leadership reminds me of what being the best is all about.

The key to the success of the Colts organization is that they hold themselves to a continuous standard of excellence, which is clearly marked by their multi-year success record, with a myriad of players on the front line.

Here are some of my observations of the team and how they have been wildly successful at creating long-term leadership excellence:

1.    Focus – I love watching Peyton Manning focus on the sidelines while the defense is playing.  He isn’t wandering around or talking to his team mates.  He sits quietly in what I can only assume is an exercise in focused meditation; mentally reviewing the plays that will help his team win.

2.    Integrity – They do what they say that they are going to do – nothing more and nothing less.  The Colts are also a team that acts as if they have their heads together when they are not on the field.  Their outside behavior is another reflection of their ability to focus on what is most important.

3.    Fundamentals – You don’t see too many trick plays and risky chances called by the coaching staff.  The Colts focus on the basics of the game, and that is what makes them great.

4.    Consistent Attitude – Every once in a while you will see Marvin Harrison or Gary Brackett stunt a little bit after making a big play – but not often (if you would like to know the definition of “stunt”, email me at jamar@goreachmore.com).  These guys are level headed and are all about getting the job done.  Go to work, throw the ball, catch the ball, hit the line, run the ball, do it with energy and commitment, win the game.  There is very little show or flash – just good ‘ol football.

The Colts know that winning every play and every game does not make a stellar career.  Staying in the game, obeying the preceding rules, and playing hard are what makes their organization a football dynasty.  They have a very clear focus on reality.

When reachmore’s executive coaching clients are going after their biggest year ever, we don’t pull out all of the flashy marketing plans, complex financial analyses, and 6-sigma operational structures.  We teach our clients to focus, live and work with integrity, to perform the fundamentals of running their business daily, and to do everything with a level head.  Those are the keys to long-term leadership.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice President of Business Development for reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives.  Email Jamar at jamar@goreachmore.com for the latest on reachmore’s newest seminar, Launch.