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ISSUE #58
January, 2004
Within the past two days I received two unexpected messages of appreciation:
"I want to tell you how good I felt after we spoke.
Thank you for your sensitive advice.
You really "get" me and your words are always so connected to who I am.
You are a terrific friend and coach."
"Thank you for all your help over the years. You are truly and greatly appreciated!"
In addition to watching clients grow and thrive, it's these kinds of messages that are the true reward for the work I do. As a coach I not only get to do what I love, I get the best paycheck in the world - appreciation. It's what we all want from our work. Unfortunately, few of us receive enough of it.
When you read this month's Feature Article, "Seven Keys to Giving and Receiving More Appreciation", you'll find some specifics that you can apply to elevate the appreciation level for yourself and your business. You'll also learn more about the connection between appreciation and motivation.
Being appreciated is a strong motivator. We'll talk about that at this month's Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable, "How to Stay Motivated Every Day", with our Guest Expert, Jonathan Flaks. Jonathan is a professional coach and colleague who has learned what it takes to keep himself and his clients focused and motivated. Join us and jump start your year with new ideas on how to stay motivated. See details below.
Thank you for being a part of my network and sharing with me your trials, tribulations, challenges and successes in building and maintaining your business. You are appreciated.
To your success,
Marian Banker
Publisher
Small Business Leader
mailto:marian@primestrategies.com
http://primestrategies.com
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FEATURE ARTICLE: Seven Keys to Giving and Receiving More Appreciation
Love, sex and money may make the world go round, but appreciation is what most of us are starving for, especially in the work environment. Appreciation is a strong motivator. It reinforces positive behavior and creates a bond between giver and receiver. Leaders who show appreciation for those who support and assist them will always have followers.
Appreciation is the balance between giving and receiving. People follow those who acknowledge value received and show their appreciation in some form. Today's smart business leaders know that one of the best and least expensive ways to increase productivity is to offer appreciation for value received. And when you show appreciation for what others share, give or produce, it will be returned, even if not overtly stated.
When David, the owner of a sports equipment store, started showing appreciation for positive behavior instead of complaining about negative behavior from his retail sales staff, attendance improved and overall sales started to climb. One young man with a flair for style and design was given the opportunity to create an attractive display that increased sales of the displayed items. Personal and public appreciation for his contribution was enough encouragement for him to try other displays. He was eventually rewarded with a small override on promotional items for which he had created the display, but the real motivation came from the appreciation he received for a job well done and seeing the success of his efforts.
Customer loyalty, staff dedication and increased personal integrity are the result of freely given appreciation. Appreciation reinforces positive behavior. Appreciation encourages returned appreciation.
Here are seven keys you can use to help open the flow of appreciation around you.
Say Thank You - Any time someone contributes to your or your business's well being, say "thank you". It can be a simple verbal statement, an e-mail or a handwritten note. It's the message that counts. The recipient will appreciate your acknowledgement. Feeling unappreciated or underappreciated is one of the biggest complaints among employees. When given the opportunity, a good but underappreciated employee may find another position where appreciation is more forthcoming. Remember, employees who feel appreciated are motivated to continue the behavior that's appreciated.
Listen - Then Think - As a coach it's critical to ask lots of questions and then listen to the response before thinking about what to say next. If you're thinking about your next words while someone else is speaking, you aren't connecting with what is being said. Conversations without listening do not leave either party feeling appreciated. When you feel heard you feel appreciated.
Accentuate the Positive - When you need to address the negative, start by stating what is positive. By showing appreciation for what is good and right you are setting the tone for the dialogue to be positive - how can we bring what is not positive onto the positive side. Try it next time you have to address negative staff behavior.
Ask How You Can Help - And make it a sincere offer. Your offer may not be accepted, but it will certainly be appreciated. Whenever possible, find out what is needed before making your offer. Of course, you'll need to follow through on your offer or you'll leave a negative memory and that won't be appreciated.
Tap your Inner Value - To increase the odds of what you do being appreciated, tap into your natural gifts, passions, talents, skills and interests as much as possible in any situation. What you do naturally and well will be easier to accomplish. The results are likely to be of greater value than trying to do something that you find difficult, boring or tedious. You'll be appreciated for who you really are and that is always a mood enhancer - and motivator.
Stay in the Flow - When you see you're receiving appreciation for your actions, think about how you can continue to carry out such actions again. The more you are appreciated, the greater your value. Continue to do more of what produces appreciation.
Use Appreciation as a Motivator - Since we know that expressing appreciation acts as a motivator to repeat the behavior appreciated, look for what can be honestly and sincerely appreciated. Receiving and giving appreciation strengthens relationships, builds personal and professional confidence and sets the tone for a sustainable business.
More pay for more productivity is a good motivator, but of equal or greater value is the personal satisfaction felt from knowing your efforts are appreciated. So whether you're dealing with employees, colleagues, suppliers or customers keep these keys in mind and use them to generate and enjoy more appreciation.
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January Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable
Moderator and Discussion Leader: Marian Banker, MBA, Business Leadership Coach
Topic: "How to Stay Motivated Every Day"
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2004, 1 to 2 p.m. EST
Guest Expert: Jonathan Flaks, http://www.jfcoach.com, is a Professional Certified Coach who motivates executives, teams, entrepreneurs and creative professionals to create greater wealth and a better life. Jonathan shares his unique perspective with major corporations and teaches business and leadership at New York University.
Less than 1 in 10 people are enthusiastic, upbeat and ready to go all day. Business and career successes can happen at any moment, yet most people have difficulty staying motivated. They are unaware of the cost of being stuck, drained or simply carrying a "ho-hum" attitude.
Find out how YOU can embrace your own best performance consistently.
In this one hour teleconference call format, we'll talk about...
• New understandings of what works - how upbeat people stay motivated.
• Unleashing your natural strengths and the power of focused direction.
• Remove energy drains and navigate obstacles to your success.
• The impact of people on your ups and downs.
• How to consistently be your "best self."
There is NO CHARGE for the Roundtable.
To register and receive the call-in number, send an e-mail to marian@primestrategies.com
with the Subject as Roundtable 1-29-04
Here¹s just one of the many Testimonials about our popular Roundtable.
" OK, this makes two Roundtable calls that I've been on and both have been very worthwhile. I liked the guest's down-to-earth, pragmatic and measurable approach to a sales and marketing strategy. Thanks again!" Karen Pinkman, KNP Associates
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QUOTES:
"A real business is one that isn't dependent upon the owner being there. It has staying power and can support the employees, customers and other stakeholders without the owner's presence. It is a living, breathing entity."
Michael Angier, "Why You Should Have a World Class Business", http://SuccessNet.org/articles/angier-world-class.htm
"2004 Prediction: After being the stepchild of the marketplace - and politics - for the entire 20th century, small business as a class will continue to paint a larger image on the radar screens of policy makers in 2004.
With new and proposed tax cuts, plus more power given to regulatory watchdogs, like the SBA's Office of Advocacy, small business owners will continue to be the backbone of the economy, and will finally be recognized for their contribution - more momentum for the Century of the Entrepreneurial."
Jim Blasingame, Small Business Advocate Newsletter, January 5, 2004 / Volume V, Issue 8,
www.smallbusinessadvocate.com
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TIP: Foster Individual Accountability
As business leader it's your job to foster the individual accountability of each of your staff, managers and subcontractors. That means communicating clearly and consistently about company goals and plans.
Involve each team member as early as practical in goal setting and planning process so they feel they have a stake in the outcome. Help them set individual goals that are in line with the company goals and help them create a plan to achieve their goals. And, of course, show your appreciation when goals are achieved.
Just as you need personal accountability, so do each of your team members.
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RESOURCES:
SBA ADVOCACY
Want to stay up with what is happening at the federal government level that may affect you or your business? The SBA Advocacy site offers a well organized and comprehensive compilation of information, statistics and options. To get the latest news on a timely basis, several electronic periodicals are offered on a subscription basis. Worth checking out.
http://www.sba.gov/advo/
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ARTICLES:
GET HELP
As an entrepreneur there are many times you'd like help on the tough decisions you face every day. BizJournals features an Entrepreneur article showcasing how one entrepreneur got the help she needed to grow a hobby into a $3 million business.
http://www.bizjournals.com/entrepreneur/2003/12/15/
CALL LOST CUSTOMERS
It takes courage to call lost customers, but it can provide valuable information about what you might do to prevent future losses - and could be a door opener to recover that customer. Learn what Jeffrey Gitomer suggests in his article, "Lost Customers: An Untapped Resource".
http://www.bizjournals.com/extraedge/consultants/sales_moves/2003/12/29/column379.html
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
Marian Banker has been publishing Small Business Leader since January, 1999. Her focus is on bringing to the busy entrepreneur a quick look into the current world of small business from the perspective she's gained from coaching, consulting and training entrepreneurs in both service and product based businesses.
Marian offers individual coaching, business support groups, seminars and workshops on topics of critical interest to small business owners. Her monthly Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable has proven to be a popular way for business owners to come together around a specific business topic without leaving their office. See notice about this month's topic in the content above.
To learn more about her services, visit http://primestrategies.com.
