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

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

Getting Back to Business Basics

“Tell me and I forget; show me and I remember; involve me and I understand.” – Anonymous

For the past two years I’ve noticed that there’s been a shift in the way consumers want to interact with businesses. The ‘slap ‘em on the back’ semi-patronizing approach to selling isn’t cutting it anymore. Today’s consumer is way too savvy to be snowed under by fake smiles, insincerity, and they don’t like to feel that they’re simply a number in your bottom line.

So, how do you build relationships with new clients?

By getting back to business basics.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by that statement. Do you remember going to the local grocery store with your parents back when you were a child? The man behind the counter at the meat section always seemed to know your mother’s (or father’s) name, and that they always wanted a sirloin roast, around 5 pounds, every second Friday. Or the operator of the corner bakery always knew that your mother didn’t like her bread pre-sliced – she wanted it left intact so she could cut it later at home. In that era, you knew that your patronage was valued – YOU mattered to the owner and they took concrete steps to ensure that you kept doing business with them.

People don’t do business with the ‘name’ on the door. They do business with YOU – another live, human being, and to succeed you need to incorporate “R & R” – respect & responsibility, into your interactions with others. Your own core values need to come across clearly in every aspect of your business, whether it is from the moment you pick up the phone and say “Hello! This is Cookie speaking. How can I help you today?” to ensuring that when you make promises to the customer, you deliver on time, every time. They care whether their needs are being met and that they can trust you to give them the best bang for their hard-earned buck.

Which leads me to ask you this question: Are your actions matching your values?

Here are what I believe to be the 3 key elements to running a successful and service-based business:

1. Honesty. As a consumer yourself, I know you want to deal with people who are up front about their product/service. Are you doing the same with your clients? Do you tell them exactly what you are capable of bringing to the table, or do you ‘snow’ them with empty promises that you know you won’t be able to deliver on? Yes, sometimes being totally honest means you may have to let a potential client go elsewhere, but I can guarantee you that they’ll remember you for being upfront and honest with them. And guess what? Perhaps when they do have a need for what you provide, they’ll remember YOUR name because you told them the truth. Period.
2. Trust. Have you ever walked away from doing business with a company simply because you had a gut feeling that you couldn’t trust a word they were saying? I know I have because I can’t do business with someone I don’t feel comfortable with. It is inconsistent with my core values. Fostering trust is a huge plus in my books. Do you ‘walk your talk’ or are you full of hot air? Bluffing your way through a sales pitch is a dead giveaway that you don’t trust your own product/service enough to look people in the eye and be able to sell yourself and product convincingly. If you don’t have your client’s trust, they’ll move on to someone who they can work with without worrying they’re being taken advantage of.
3. Value. Do you really appreciate your clients and for that matter, members of your own team? If so, do you tell them how pleased you are that they’re doing business with you? When was the last time you sat your team down and told them that without their contribution to your business, the company wouldn’t be as flourishing as it is today? How often have you genuinely thanked your clients for being part of your success? Better yet, when was the last time you asked your clients how you can serve them better? Two simple words used often and sincerely can go a long way to establishing your reputation as someone worthy of conducting business with, and those two words are “Thank you.”  Say them often and mean it!

If you follow these three small steps and incorporate them into your everyday business life, I can guarantee you that your customers will remain loyal to your business and you.

And true loyalty is priceless.

And if you need a fresh perspective and a partner to help you get back to basics and an action plan for 2011 and beyond, take advantage of my Complimentary Business Strategy Session. Cookie@CookieTuminello.com.

You CAN Teach An ‘Old Dog’ New Tricks!

“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.” – Arnold Bennett

One of the biggest issues which have been cropping up consistently with my clients lately is that of accepting and even embracing change. Even when they know that the converting over to a new way of doing things will eventually in the long run save them time and money to say nothing of alleviating stress in their lives, they continue to kick and scream every inch of the way.

I believe the first thing you need to do in order to embrace change gracefully is to find out why you’re experiencing such an adverse reaction to this new request. For example, are you afraid of failure? Having a hard time trusting yourself to go through with the process, as in “Why bother? Nothing ever changes.” These conditions are all due to issues of low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, and resignation which you’ll need to work on at some point, but let’s take a look at the bigger picture here of why you’re fighting this change so hard.

At what point in your life did you become so entrenched in the ‘But that’s the way we’ve always done it’ dumpster? I know there are a lot of people who subscribe to the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” choir, but that saying has one major flaw in it: what IF it can be improved by making a few changes? Should you just sit blindly by and do nothing because you’re afraid of the work you’ll need to do to modify something? No way!

Here’s the thing about change. With change comes confusion, uncertainty, chaos, and not having all the answers. And not having all the answers is the thing that really rocks our boat. Because when we have all the answers, we can deal with those changes and it feels safe. Ah, but herein lies the kicker….there’s no room for growth there and you succumb to mediocrity and ultimately fade into the woodwork so to speak.

Change is the very thing that adds spice to our everyday life. Picture this: if you ate one kind of cereal every morning for 40 years, don’t you think you’d be a little bit tired of eating it at around day 14,610? (By the way, that number includes an extra 10 days for Leap years.) I’m pretty sure you just nodded your head yes at that one, right?

Change is the determining factor between having a thriving and bountiful life and business, or one that is merely existing and taking up space on the planet. Yes, change is hard to adapt to, and yes, it’s uncomfortable when you’re going through it – most of the best things in life do cause us some twinges of pain – but you need to realize that the immediate discomfort will soon pass.

So, the next time you’re faced with any type of change, ask yourself these two questions:

1. What will the end result look like once I embrace this change and reach the goa lpost?
2. If I do this now, what added benefits will it bring to my overall life?

We’re talking ‘big picture’ here folks. Think bigger – you just might like it!

And if you are still having trouble making the leap and would like to insure your success, drop me an email to schedule 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 –>

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.

There is No Such Thing as a Good Excuse

“Bad excuses are worse than none.” – Thomas Fuller

Have you ever noticed how we, (myself included), medicate ourselves with excuses for not being happy, not being successful, or not reaching our goals? It’s as if these excuses make it all better. There are no ‘good’ excuses, they’re simply just excuses. In reality, these excuses keep us stuck. Last week, I was talking to a friend and I caught myself doing this exact thing. I stopped in mid sentence and said, “No excuses, I just didn’t do it.” I was then able to recommit and move on to bigger and better things.

Well, here we are 4 weeks into the new year. How are you doing with your New Year’s intentions? You notice I did not say New Year’s resolutions, because as we all know they don’t last as long as some of the hangovers. Are you starting to crawfish out and make excuses for not taking action on those goals?

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself when setting your New Year’s Intentions and goals.

1. Is this goal a ‘should’ or a ‘choice?’ Sometimes we set goals based on what we or someone else thinks we should do. If it’s a ‘should’ then your chances of succeeding are slim to none because you’re not committed to making it happen.

1. Are my goals smart, realistic goals for me? Be realistic about what you are willing to do to achieve the end result. Challenge and stretch yourself, but don’t set yourself up for failure. Remember goals must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

1. What is my plan of action? Do you have steps in place to get you to the finish line, and again, are they realistic ones? Sometimes we get so caught up in the ‘doing’ that we fail to do the necessary ‘planning’ that’ll keep us on track. As the old saying goes, “You have to crawl before you walk” and the same goes when making an action plan. It would great if we could simply twitch our nose like Samantha in “Bewitched” and everything would be instantly finished for us, but that’s not real life. Map out a clear plan of what you need to do, step by sometimes painstaking slow step, to get you to where you want to be.

1. Am I ready to let go of tired practices that aren’t working and try something new? For example, you’ve tried getting new clients via sending out newsletters on a regular basis and so far you’ve only gotten 10 over the past year. Now is the time to try a new tactic or approach to build your list. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results and that same principle applies to your business and life. Unless you really enjoy running into that proverbial brick wall, embrace change and move on. Keep trying new things until you find a method that works for you and helps you achieve the level of success you desire.

1. Do I have the support of a mentor or coach to keep me focused and accountable? In today’s changing marketplace, having a mentor or coach is no longer considered to be a luxury in your business, it is a necessity. Why? Because they can help boost your confidence, stop procrastination, minimize trial and error, and get better results in less time.  My own coach holds me accountable, focused, and keeps me honest so I don’t sabotage myself.

If you practice these 5 simple steps, I can guarantee you that you’ll achieve every item that’s on your list of intentions for 2010. Plus if you get stuck in ‘analysis paralysis’ as I call it, send me an email at Cookie@CookieTuminello.com and I’ll help you get straightened out and moving forward.

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© 2010 Cookie Tuminello – Success Source, LLC

Is the fear of success holding you back?

“The greatest fear of success is the possibility of it.” – Arthur Tugman

It’s a brand new year and you’ve made some bold decisions on the direction you’d like your business to go, but something is definitely holding you back from putting your plans in motion.

I know. Some of you may think that’s a totally backwards statement to make as everyone loves to be successful, but that’s not always the case. Let me explain.

As I’m fond of saying, big risks require big actions, and those actions usually involve stepping way outside your comfort zone. Yes, you may know how to service your regional area, but how will you handle 3 regional areas if that’s one of your goals? And even more importantly, what happens if suddenly 30 companies are placing orders for your products or services? Are you equipped and ready to handle that increase in your business?

That’s what I call the ‘fear of success’ principle. It’s that big, “What will I do if this idea flies?” question that often stops entrepreneurs dead in their tracks. Their heart says, “I’m so ready to be bigger and bolder in my business,” yet their brain starts arguing with them and responds, “Yeah, but what if I achieve that goal and I can’t handle the added pressure? What’s going to happen to my business then?” I’ll tell you what happens next. You end up sitting on the fence getting splinters in your behind for not making a decision to either move forward with your plans, or you stay in the same, safe place you’re used to being in.

Ask yourself these 3 simple questions to determine whether you’re afraid of success or simply procrastinating:

1. Am I equipped to handle the ‘best’ case scenario? Do you have systems in place to accommodate the increase in your business? Have you laid the proper groundwork to quickly and easily bring on board additional personnel if needed to satisfy the demands of your clients? If your answer is no to this one, then you’d better start the process of putting together a firm foundation upon which to grow your business before you implement new programs or growth strategies.
2. Can I live with the added stress that business growth usually brings? If you’re already eating a bottle of antacids a day due to your already stressful life, then you seriously need to find ways to increase your coping mechanisms. Everyday life is stressful enough without taking into consideration what the additional requests for your time/resources will bring into the mix. Carefully look at what it will take to remove some of the stressors from your life now before the increase in your business happens. Being in peak physical and mental condition is key to surviving both the pitfalls and periods of growth in your company’s operations and personal life as well.
3. Am I managing my commitments or are they managing me? Yes, you heard right… commitments. Why? You can’t manage your commitments without know how to manage your time. No matter how you slice or dice it, there are only 24 hours in every day, 365 days a year, (and 366 on a Leap Year). If you’re constantly running late for client appointments, or rescheduling your calendar to try and fit in time to have dinner with your family, you definitely need to reassess where you’re spending your time. Trying to maintain an even work/life balance is hard enough when your days are running along fairly smoothly let alone when your business suddenly takes a big upswing in demand.

Failure is something that most all of us have experienced in one form or another, but handling success is a whole different ball game. Make sure you’re primed and ready to cope with all the downsides of success as well as the upsides of achieving those lofty goals before you set them in motion!

And if you need help conquering either your fear of success or failure, then email me at Cookie@CookieTuminello.com as we’ll work together to get you on track to achieve the success you want in 2010.

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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 weekly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.