Success in 2012: Got MAP – will travel!

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

How many of you intend to make more money this year? Raise your hand or say “I do?” Yup – thought so. Great! Now those of you that raised your hands and said yes, how many of you have actually laid out a road map to see how you’re going to get from here to there?

The problem is that our intentions are always to do better, be better, make more money, get a promotion, start a company etc., but rarely does the enthusiasm of the new year last as long as our hangovers. Why? Wishful thinking and idle dreams made up in our heads on a whim or because we think we should do something are no match for commitments coupled with targeted action.

So, how committed are you to creating the success you want and deserve this year? What are you willing to do to make it happen?

Being successful this year is going to take 3 things: great people skills, clear directions, and clarity. And these three items will require impeccable communication and leadership skills. The good news is that those who invest in targeted training and development will create more long-term sustainable results in a much shorter time than they would on their own. The bad news is that those who do not take action to institute change will be in the exact same spot on December 31st as they are today!

So, why would you invest in targeted training and development with a coach?

• If you are stuck in a business model that is not getting the results you want then it is time for a change. It is time to get an outside perspective. I can help you.

• If you want to get you and your team organized, refocused, and recharged for future growth, I can help you.

• If you want to bridge the gap between your goals and actions, I can help you.

• If you want a step-by-step plan tailored to the needs of you and your team, I can help you.

• My clients include CEO’s, business owners, and organizational leaders who are looking for the answer to the question, “How can I get the results I need NOW?” I have proven strategies and tools that I can teach you to get the results immediately and improve your bottom line. But YOU must be willing to change.

January 1st, 2012 opened a new book, and that new book is called Opportunity. As the above quote says, the pages are blank. You are the author. What will your book say about you and your business at year’s end? Will it say that you had a plan, took action, got the support you needed, and had the best year ever? Or will the book still be empty? It’s up to you.

Here is the bottom line: if your goal is to make more money and create the success you want and deserve, you must have a road map and plan of action to that success. But you won’t get anywhere if you don’t have a map. If you don’t know where to start, call me. I know I can help.

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© 2012 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

Passion Is Everything! Or What Would Steve Jobs Do?

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying, I’ve done something wonderful. That’s what matters.” – Steve Jobs

What came up for me as I listened to the interview was how many times I had settled, allowed fear to keep me stuck, and didn’t reach my goal because I was afraid to think big and dream big. People come to me everyday who are living life drifting along accepting the status quo, only to finally wake up and realize they could have had more if they’d only taken action earlier to act upon their dreams.  I have come to realize that life is meant to be lived with passion and purpose, think bigger and bolder about myself, and help others do the same. The universe will test you to see if you are serious. Be aware.

1.   Never Settle. Do what you love no matter what it is. Passion is everything. How many of you live your lives at half mast, settling for less than what you want because you think that is all there is so you’d better take it? Or you were afraid that you might fail.

2.   Put a dent in the universe with big, bold clear visions. Follow your heart. You will never know what you can achieve until step out. There was no doubt where Steve wanted to go and what his visions were. What about you? Are your visions clear?

3.   Say No to 1,000 things. Focus. Simplicity. Reduce clutter in your mind and in your actions. It’s real easy to get blindsided by the bright shiny objects that take us away from what we truly want. Steve took his vision of 100 products down to 10 so that he could focus and achieve the results he wanted. He also decided that his daily uniform was going to be a black turtleneck and blue jeans so he didn’t have to think about what he’d wear that day.

4.   Kick start your brain.Always keep an inquiring mind. You have to keep asking different questions to get different results than you have been getting. Surround yourself with out of the box thinkers.

5.   Sell dreams, not products. Innovation is key. People don’t buy products: they buy the experience of what that product is going to do for them and how they are going to feel once they have it. Are you selling your clients dreams or products?

6.   Create insanely great experiences.When Steve opened his first Apple Store, there were no sales clerks. There were Concierges to answer questions and there was a bar in the back of the store, not a liquor bar but a genius bar so that you could see and experience the result of having an Apple product.

7.   Master the message. Your success is directly related to how well you communicate your message. You can have the best product in the world, the most up to date information, but if you can’t communicate that experience to another person in a way that they can see themselves living it, you are dead in the water.

So, the next time you find yourself settling for less, stuck, following someone else’s dreams, giving up, resigned, ask yourself, what would Steve Jobs do? And then go do it.

And if you haven’t already got a copy of my book, Climbing The Ladder of Success In High Heels – Without Stepping On Your Values to jumpstart your heart and get you moving in the right direction, click here to purchase today!

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© 2011 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

Careful… Your Professional Etiquette Is Showing!

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

There’s so much buzz going around these days on developing the proper ‘netiquette’ when posting on the worldwide web that I wonder if we’ve overlooked the workplace where real professional etiquette is in danger of going the way of the dinosaur.

Professional etiquette isn’t solely what type of clothing you wear to the office although I do think that it is a very important factor. A favorite saying from my friend, Debbey Ryan, the Queen of Networking is, ‘Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.’

In this past month alone, I have had several requests for coaching and guest speaking on this very topic. Some professionals don’t have a clear cut vision of how they’re supposed to act or communicate with co-workers, clients, and team leaders. They struggle with unreal expectations and workloads. And to add to the confusion, we now have 4 generations of folks in the workplace.

Most of them are suffering from severe communication breakdowns due to the fact that the majority of communication is being conducted via email and that, my friends, leaves a lot of room for misinterpretations to occur between the lines.

While I think that the internet is the greatest thing since sliced bread, I also think it is one of the most abused areas of professional etiquette. While it may be faster, it is not always the best. That is why it is very important to be very clear about what it is you want to say and how you want to say it before you say it.

Here are 5 simple rules that I think will calm some of the chaos and confusion in the workplace:

Rule #1: Be respectful.

If your message is very important, deliver it in person, or at the least via the phone. Do NOT rely on emails or text messages to inform others of crucial pieces of information or worse yet, reprimand them about something they did or did not do, because I can guarantee you that at some point electronic messages will either become lost or be misinterpreted.

Rule #2: Set Boundaries.

If you’re not getting your work done during the day then take a look at where your time is going. Yes, I know that this may go against the idea of having an ‘open door’ policy, but that phrase doesn’t mean that people should be able to waltz into your office any time they like. By setting Open Office Hours (Follow Up/Questions/Meetings) and Closed Office Hours (Email/Phone Calls/Paperwork) you will find that you will be both productive and creative.

Rule #3: Learn how to present powerful ideas and handle difficult conversations.

If you’re due for a salary increase and it doesn’t happen, don’t sit and stew about it for weeks on end until you’ve worked yourself up into a towering inferno of suppressed anger. Schedule (there’s that word again!) some time to talk to your supervisor and go to the meeting with a clear-cut action plan. And stick to it! Many times we are so angry because we believe that our needs are being overlooked that we fail to maintain our objectivity when discussing our expectations with our boss. Face the issue head on and be ready to justify why you believe you are definitely due for that raise or promotion.

Rule #4: Bypass the office gossip mill.

Water cooler chit chat is always going to happen, but you don’t have to be a part of it. If you have a disagreement with someone, have a conversation with that person to clean it up. Remember that the person you cut down with harsh words or make fun of today could very well become your boss tomorrow! Nothing good ever comes out of idle gossip unless your employed by the leading supermarket tabloid publication.

Rule #5: Find a mentor to inspire you.

Charles Caleb Colton once said that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” and he was right! If you want to be a great manager or team leader, then observe how your favorite one acts, dresses, and behaves in general. I’m not suggesting that you literally stalk them at work; just take note of how they conduct themselves and try to incorporate their positive actions into your own business demeanor. Ask this person if they would consider becoming your mentor. Believe it or not, most people are flattered when asked this question and usually say yes to the request.

If you follow these 5 simple rules to effectively communicating with your team, leaders, and/or managers, I can guarantee you that you’ll have less confusion, more productivity, and see better results in your relationships and endeavors.

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© 2011 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz

This month I want to share with you a story about how you can get totally derailed when you least expect it, but how keeping a positive attitude can overcome any obstacle.

A couple of years ago, I was planning to go to a Business Marketing and Mindset Conference and had been eagerly anticipating it for over 8 months. Two days before I was to leave, I found out that I needed knee surgery. To top it all off, my doctor told me it needed to be done as soon as possible.

Of course, he wanted me to cancel my attendance at the conference due to the fact that I could not walk or stand too long. I won’t go into all the blah, blah details, but I went home and cancelled everything to have the surgery and after rethinking this dilemma, had my assistant uncancel them.

Here’s the deal. Sometimes when crisis or breakdowns occur, we react as opposed to responding.

This is what happened to me. I knew that it was important for me to be at that conference for myself and my business. Plus I wasn’t willing to give up my plan and wait another year until the next class. Once I made the decision to be there, the HOW showed up for me. I can hear you all saying, ‘Is she crazy?’ Some would say yes, but I prefer not to think I am.

However, I had faith that I could go to this conference and take care of myself at the same time. I asked for support at the airport, kept my knee propped up during class, and did not walk unnecessarily. And guess what? It worked out fine. I learned a lot, had fun, and met some fabulous, creative entrepreneurs from all over the country.

If you are in the process of growing your business, the most important component of your success, next to the products you offer, is your attitude. And yes, I know you know this, but what kind of attitude are you using?

Sometimes that little negative critic, ego, or whatever you call the pest in your head, can be negatively relentless, especially when you are stepping out of that cushy, comfort zone.

One of the obstacles my clients come to me with is that they know what to do, but can’t seem to get past the ‘Yeah, But’s’ to take action.

Here are three steps that will help you move through the ‘Yeah, But’s’ and the negative stuff that keeps you procrastinating and not trusting yourself:

1. Get clear about what you want and where you are going in your business. Write it down on paper. If you’re not sure, make a list of what you don’t want in your business. That way you’re not out there spinning your wheels and wasting your money.
2. Become aware of the fears that are keeping you stuck. Remember one of the many definitions of fear is false expectations appearing real. Write down what those fears are. Could it be that you’re afraid of failing? Could it be that you believe you’re not smart enough? Or could you even be afraid of success? Awareness and consciousness helps you work through them and determine whether they are real or perceived.
3. Get rid of excuses and playing the blame game. You are accountable for your life and what you want in it. And unless you’re Shirley MacLaine, you only get one life. This is not a practice run. You can go to your grave with lots of regrets and missed opportunities or you can go fulfilled and complete. It is your choice!

What I know for sure is that if you want different results in the future, you must be willing to change the attitude, beliefs, and fears that are holding you back NOW so that you can grab all that gusto that is waiting for you.

Who knows how high you’re capable of soaring?

If you need help keeping your mindset and attitude positive, give me a call or drop me an email to set up an appointment to chat.

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© 2011 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

When You Throw Dirt, You Lose Ground

“When you throw dirt, you lose ground.” – Texas Proverb

I feel as if all I’m hearing lately is people talking about the upcoming election and how every candidate seems to be slinging more mud than you’d find at a rodeo. Plus one of the biggest complaints I’m getting from the business owners I’ve been speaking and coaching with is the lack of accountability, responsibility, and drama among staff that gets in the way of productivity and effectiveness. What’s going on here people? It’s time to clean up this dirt and get back on track.

Nothing tears down relationships, teamwork, effectiveness, and productivity like the office rumor mill and gossip. Some refer to this as water cooler chit chat. There are certain type individuals that will go straight to the source to handle a breakdown, and then there are others who will complain and whine to everyone but the person they have a grievance with.

The problem is not that these breakdowns occur, the problem is that they don’t get handled when they come up. This ultimately causes a disconnect in the relationships – it’s as if there is a big white elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about. This causes everyone else to walk on egg shells trying to avoid the mine fields so to speak. The result of this behavior tears down trust, integrity, confidence, productivity, and positive communication.

What can you do to abate these breakdowns and create what I call a ‘blame free’ environment in which everyone thrives and succeeds?

First of all, let me explain what a blame free environment is. The name says it all. It literally means blame free. The environment is solution focused not problem focused. It means there are no victims, only victories. The focus is on the mission and intentions of the group, not on being right. It’s about building trust, confidence, and open communication within the group so that they are able to handle these breakdowns when they come up and move on.

How do you achieve this blame free environment? It starts at the top with the leader of the group. Let’s face it: you have to role model what it is that you want to create among your team.

I believe that by giving your team the tools to handle these breakdowns, you can create a blame free environment that begets feedback, openness, trust, and skills to handle these breakdowns when they occur and in some cases prevent them from happening altogether.

Here are 3 steps to creating a blame free environment:

1. INTEGRITY. This has to start at the top of the food chain. One of the best definitions I found of this powerful word is ‘Integrity is the alignment of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes.’ Great leadership is a skill that is often ‘shown’ more than ‘told.’ How you as a team leader behave is key to getting others to follow your lead. Don’t expect your team members to be on time for work if you, as their boss, routinely come dragging in late for work.
2. BUILDING TRUST. The whole team supports each other and is committed to one goal – the success of their mission. You tell the truth, come from integrity, and do what you say you are going to do. And if you can’t honor your commitment, you acknowledge it to the other party or you have a conversation to clean it up so that you can move on. It’s about creating win-win relationships.
3. COMMUNICATION. Learn how to handle breakdowns when they come up and not let them hang on for too long. Remember the saying, one bad apple can ruin a whole bushel? Well, that holds true for teams. You must always keep in mind that the intention is always to be solution oriented. It’s not about who did it but what is best for the team and overall goals of the group. You can be right or you can be happy and successful. The choice is yours.

And if you need a fresh perspective and a partner to help get you and your team back on track, take advantage of my Complimentary Business Strategy Session. Contact me at Cookie@CookieTuminello.com.

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© 2010 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

NEWS FLASH: Overwhelm Is Not Terminal

“You are surrounded by simple, obvious solutions that can dramatically increase your income, power, influence, and success. The problem is, you just don’t see them.” – Jay Abraham

Does this sound like your mantra? “I’m drowning in overwhelm and I can’t seem to get everything done! I don’t understand why this keeps happening to me.” Okay, this is one of those ‘Wake up, Alice this ain’t Wonderland’ moments I’m always referring to. Trying to please everyone runs deep. It runs so far into your inner core that you most likely don’t even realize when it is happening much less see a solution to the problem.

For a lot of us, we are taught at an early age to be kind, be nice, always try to help others, and never upset the ‘status quo.’ As a matter of fact, our worth was measured by it. We did what was asked and we never asked questions. For many of us, myself included, we didn’t even realize there were any options or another choice. The sad thing about this phenomenon is that we keep beating ourselves up thinking that there is something wrong with us because we can’t seem to keep it altogether and get everything done. Stop right now! There is nothing wrong with you. Being in the state of overwhelm is not terminal. You do have choices and you can change and get out of the state of overwhelm.

It took me a lot of years (50 to be exact), to realize that the majority of my overwhelm and frustration was created by me. Imagine that. I was so busy nurturing and serving others that I didn’t take me or my needs seriously. Consequently, I kept shooting myself in the foot and my ‘To Do’ list kept growing.

If you are in OVERWHELM, it means three things.

1. You are NOT managing your commitments wisely. Notice I said commitments instead of time. You can never manage time, you can only manage your commitments. We all get the same amount of hours in the day: no more, no less, no matter how you squeeze it. Ask yourself, are your actions in keeping with your goals/intentions? Are your actions also honoring your core values?
2. You are NOT setting boundaries. How many of your activities are choices and how many are should’s? Should’s are those things you are doing because you are too afraid to say NO. Heaven forbid that you would hurt someone else’s feelings by uttering that 2 letter word. For example, just because you have an open door policy in your office doesn’t mean that you have to be the doormat. You are allowed to close the door and set some guidelines around interruptions. You will get a whole lot more accomplished in your day. And you will be role modeling professionalism and leadership. Start eliminating some of the should’s in your day and see how much space you open up.
3. You are NOT making requests and asking for the support you need. How many times have you said to yourself, “I really don’t want to ask someone because that will take up their time. I’ll just do it myself. It will be faster anyway.” Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to be a martyr. You can ask for support. And usually people are quite willing to help. Remember, if you are going to be up to big things in your life, you will have to learn the art of making requests and delegating some of the responsibilities. Oh, and wishful thinking and complaining out loud does not constitute a request.

Learning how to manage your commitments, set boundaries, and make effective requests is the key to getting rid of being overwhelmed, overcommitted, and overpowered, and onto more productivity, more profit, and more peace in your life NOW. You do have a choice and you can change. If you don’t like the way your life is going right now, it’s up to you to make the decision to embrace change and take the necessary steps to living the life YOU chose.

And if you’re really serious about kicking your overwhelm out the door and learning how to be more productive in less time, then contact me  for a FREE Get Acquainted Session at Cookie@CookieTuminello.com.

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© 2010 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

Are You Waiting on the World to Change?

“You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.” – Les Brown

I was listening to a song on the radio the other day by John Mayer called, ‘Waiting on the World to Change.’..

Well, good luck with that. Sitting back and waiting in resignation for The Good Change Fairy to come and sprinkle pixie dust on your business and life to make it all better ain’t happening. Here’s the deal: The world doesn’t just change by itself. It takes people to make the changes happen in the world.

The only way to change your present circumstances is to take action to bring about the changes you want. As I’m fond of saying, “You don’t get to whine if you don’t do the time.”

If you are going to go about making changes in your business or your life, you’ll need to incorporate the following 3 components:

1. ACCOUNTABILITY – Look around you. Have you ever noticed that every time something happened in your life you were there? You can’t play the blame game if something is not working in your business or life. YOU are accountable for your actions or inactions. It’s no one else’s fault if something doesn’t turn out the way you wanted it to. YOU are accountable for everything you do: your words, your thoughts, your interactions with people, your own feelings, and the results you produce. If things aren’t working out the way you want, then YOU take a look at what YOU could do differently to make things better.
2. RESPONSIBILITY – You have a responsibility to conduct your business (and your life), from a place of honesty, integrity, and reality. If you create problems then it is your responsibility to rectify and resolve them… period. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “People are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Notice he didn’t say that “People are as happy as OTHERS make them feel.” So, if you or any of your clients has expressed their displeasure with your products or services, then it’s up to YOU to clean it up. Same principle applies to the people you interact with in your personal life. If you’re not happy with the way a relationship is going in your life, then is up to you to register a complaint and make a request to change it.
3. CORE VALUES – If you are making bad decisions or second guessing yourself a lot, then in all probability you are making ones that are not in keeping with your core values. If you are making decisions based on what you or others think you SHOULD do instead of what you WANT to do, in all probability you’re being inconsistent with your core values. Once you realign your actions to be consistent with your core values, then you will achieve the level of productivity, effectiveness, confidence, and success you want in your life.

The bottom line is this: If you don’t like your present circumstances, change them. You can’t sit around waiting for someone else to do it for you, like the aforementioned Good Change Fairy. YOU are the catalyst and change agent extraordinaire for your life. Go ahead, make a difference in YOUR world today. And don’t be surprised if the world starts bringing you more of what you want out of life as a result of your actions.

And if you’re having trouble figuring out what your core values are and how to use them to make the right decisions every time, give me a call or email me to schedule a time to chat at Cookie@CookieTuminello.com.

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© 2010 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

Does Integrity Reside In Your Business?

“Integrity is not a 90 percent thing, not a 95 percent thing; either you have it or you don’t.” – Peter Scotese

Opening up the newspaper or turning on the news can be a really scary act these days, which is why I don’t recommend doing either of these activities on a regular basis. It seems as if greed and lack of ethics are running rampant in every facet of our lives. The world of business has gotten so far out of hand that almost everyday the powers that be are uncovering yet another ponzi scheme or swindle scam that makes casualties out of honest, hard working folks who trusted the system and have now lost everything. What does it say about human beings who would sacrifice everything for the almighty dollar?

How did we get here? Better yet, how do we get back to what really matters, namely core values, trust, respect, and building relationships instead of tearing them down? Whatever happened to the word ‘integrity’ in our personal and professional lives?

By definition, integrity is the alignment of everything that we do, say, act, think, and be in a way that is respectful to ourselves and others. It’s not a 90 percent thing or a 95 percent thing: either you have it or you don’t. In other words, if your actions don’t match your mouth, it ain’t happening.

There was a time and not that long ago, where the customer depended on the honesty and integrity of the merchant they were doing business with and respected them for their principles. If a salesperson said that “X” was going to work, you simply accepted what they said at face value and believed them. Plus if “X” didn’t perform the way you expected, you got on the phone, called the store where you purchased the item, registered your dismay, and they promptly fixed the problem to YOUR satisfaction, not theirs.

For those of you who are reading this and saying, “Yeah, but Cookie, things are different these days. We’re living in a different world, and you seem to be stuck in the Dark Ages.” Um, nope, I’m not. Things have gotten way out of hand and it’s time for a return to what’s really important – values, integrity, and honesty. I’m seeing glimmers of light that a new way of doing business is rapidly approaching and I for one am glad to see it coming.

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself to see if you are walking your talk in your business:

1. How do I handle customer complaints? Do I put off returning customer calls because I know they might have a problem that I’ll have to deal with, or do I face them straight on, handle the situation immediately knowing that a satisfied customer is a repeat customer? It is twice as hard to secure new customers as it does to keep your existing ones happy, so take good care of the ones you already have. Build relationships, not adversaries.
2. Am I proactive instead of reactive? Do I willingly own up to an error in judgement on my behalf with both my customers and team? If I make a mistake, am I honest enough to stand up and admit it? Or do I shut up and wait for someone else to find the error and only then react? I can guarantee you that if you wait to get ‘found out’ you’re going to end up with egg on your face every time. And believe me when I tell you that no amount of soap can get you out of a sticky situation.
3. Am I working for the betterment of my customers or simply chasing a buck? Do I sincerely care that my customers and team members are happy to interact with me, or am I simply making a sale for the sake of the dollars in my bank account? If you’re working for the glory of the dollar, you’ll end up miserable. However, if you’re in business to serve your customers with the best possible experience, you’ll not only reap amazing financial benefits, but you’ll be able to sleep a whole lot better every night.

So folks, what’s it going to be? Honesty or lying? Dollar chasing or contentment? Integrity is an all or nothing thing. There are no grey areas. You’ve either got it or you don’t. When you’ve got integrity, you’ve got success and peace. Try it. It works.

And if you’re having trouble getting back on track, give me a call or email me to schedule a time to chat at Cookie@CookieTuminello.com.

© 2010 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See the Free Resources Page on Cookie’s Web Site

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© 2009 Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report "50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered" and receive weekly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? See Cookie’s Blog –>

Are You Working On Or In Your Business?

“You have to see the pattern, understand the order and experience the vision.” ~ Michael Gerber

Yes, I know. The title of this article may sound confusing, so let me clearly state what the difference is between working ‘in’ your business versus working ‘on’ it. Working ‘in’ your business means that you’re handling everything all by yourself: all the accounting, sales generation, product/service development, website maintenance, writing, running errands and making coffee. In short, you think you’re Wonder Woman, flying around wearing your bright red cape while searching for that 25th hour in the day.

Working ‘on’ your business means that you’re in charge of making sure that you actually have a business to run! You have a clear vision of where you want your business to go and spend your time developing new strategies to get there. You aren’t afraid to delegate or hire additional personnel to help you achieve your goals as you know your own strengths (and weaknesses!), and focus your attention on growing your company.

Let me give you a clear cut example. I am not a numbers person and as such do not like accounting. That does not mean that I didn’t know what was going on in my business because I did, I just didn’t like the detail stuff. I decided early on in that this was one area which I wasn’t going to waste my time working on. Since it took me three times as long to get my month-end accounting and paperwork done as it did an accountant, I knew my dollars and time would be better spent hiring someone else to perform this function in my business. By contracting this function out, I spared myself from making 2 very costly mistakes: 1) I could now schedule my time to work ‘on’ my business by developing new programs, and 2) I avoided spending hours doing my accounting and kicked my procrastination on completing this task to the curb.

When you are starting out in a business or a new position of leadership, you do the little things because you have to. At some point, (and sooner than later I hope), you wake up and realize that your actions are costing you money, clients, and growth in your business. If you have been working ‘in’ your business and not focusing ‘on’ your business, you will wake up ‘out of business.’

Here are 3 strategic steps that will totally shift your business model for the better, make the most of your time, and keep you focused on your big picture.

1. Take a hard look at where you are spending your time. For example, how many networking events do you attend a week? Being involved in your community is one thing, but joining every organization for the sake of exposure is a whole different ball game. Here are some questions that will help you quantify your involvement. Are you strategically connecting for your business or are you just chit chatting? Are you committed to participating in this organization or are you just showing up? Can you quantify a Return On your Investment (ROI)? If not, you may want to rethink your perception of networking.
2. Set business development hours/days. I set aside one day of the week for business development. This is the time that I am planning, working on projects/articles, developing new products, scheduling workshops, or contacting potential clients. The whole day is spent in my office. I don’t schedule any appointments outside my office. I’m a woman on a mission.
3. Set hours/days for outside appointments/meeting with clients or networking. This is huge. You can’t concentrate on your work if you are interrupting the flow of your day. In other words, it’s real hard to stop the flow of energy and re-start it later.

Keep in mind we all get the same amount of hours in a day. No more, no less. You can work harder or you can work smarter – the choice is yours. The object of the game is to create long term sustainable foundations and results that are in accordance with your vision, values, and purpose of your business. And that, my friends equals success.

If you are having trouble creating a business model that creates more success and less stress, email me at Info@CookieTuminello.com to schedule a Get Acquainted session today.

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© 2010 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive monthly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

Want To Go From A Good To Great Leader in 2010??

“A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” – Author Unknown

Being a terrific leader takes commitment, confidence, and clarity. It doesn’t matter if you’re a supervisor, CEO or entrepreneur – the steps you need to know in order to motivate the people who work with you are the same. The old school method of employing ‘scare’ tactics, i.e. “If you don’t do what I TELL you do, then there’s the door!” doesn’t cut it anymore in today’s business world. Besides, if you still subscribe to the “It’s my way or the highway” way of thinking, you’re going to alienate everyone who works in your company or organization and nothing will be accomplished except for making enemies out of your staff.

Here are 4 steps that will take you from good to great leader.

1. Set a clear direction for your team. Clarity begets desired results. If you aren’t clear about where you’re going, do you think your team will be? As a leader, your role is to be the visionary who paints the picture for them to follow. If you aren’t clear about the necessary steps your staff need to take to accomplish a goal, then a lot of time is going to be wasted running around in circles. Create a clear action plan – one that shows exactly how and what you want to get done. If needed, draw a roadmap diagram on paper outlining the full process, starting with the objective and detailing what each person is responsible to complete. The better your directions are, the easier it will be to get the goal finished.

2. Make sure your actions match your intentions and visions. You, as the leader, need to know what you envision being the final outcome of the project/task you’re asking your employees to work on. Do you want to ‘wow’ a client with an exceptional product presentation? Can you see the final project completed? What does it look like to you? Are YOU excited about this task? Your own level of commitment and enthusiasm needs to come across loud and clear to your team. If you’re ho hum about the outcome, then guess what – that’s the attitude that will be adopted by members of your team. Some of us are ‘big picture’ thinkers. We forget about all the details on how to get to that big picture, but as the leader you can’t allow yourself to let those minute details slide. If you do, then the final outcome will definitely not be to your liking.

3. Create a cohesive team. You must have confidence in your team and their abilities. Knowing who fits in where in your team is crucial to creating success. You need to assign the ‘right’ people to the ‘right’ tasks. If Suzie doesn’t like concept writing, but loves to work on graphics, then make sure you assign her that portion of the job. Knowing the strengths of each member of the team is crucial in achieving a super end result. No one likes to work on something they detest doing. By forcing them to take on duties they absolutely hate creates resentment, and resentment either slows down the entire project or provides a poor performance.

4. Work smarter, not harder. I know you’ve heard this phrase a million times, but it bears repeating. By learning to delegate the workload to the right person will lift some of the weight of turning in a top-notch end result off your own shoulders. Your role is to be the visionary – not the micro-manager! You role model what it means to be a leader and a follower, and in turn you inspire and create great leaders for the future. And isn’t that the purpose of being a leader?

If you want to go from good to great leader in your business and need some direction and support, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at info@cookietuminello.com.