The Year 2011: Commitments vs. Confusion

“In beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in expert’s mind there are few.”- Suzuki Roshi

By now, most of you are coming out of the Christmas Cheer Coma and are back at work scratching your head and saying to yourselves, “Whew!” Now what?” Your doors are open, your butt’s in the chair, but you’re not too sure where you want to go yet.

And of course, with the New Year comes our infamous New Year’s Resolutions. You know the ones like, “I’m going to get healthy. I’m going to make a million dollars,” and so on. Unfortunately, the problem with most resolutions is that they don’t last as long as the hangovers. Why is that? I have learned that most resolutions are about what you think you should or should not do as opposed to what you choose to do, whereas making a commitment to change is a whole different ball game. Commitment is making a conscious choice to do something with your whole being. That type of commitment comes from your core, not your ‘Guilt Gremlin.’ If you do take this route, ultimately you don’t end up shooting yourself in the foot as often.

There is a quote by Suzuki Roshi that says, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”

If you are going to be about making changes this year, then tack this quote to your forehead. The idea of beginner’s mind is to empty your mind of old ideas and old beliefs that can keep you stuck so that you can be open and ready for new possibilities that will take where you want to go.

You can’t determine where you’re going in your business or your life unless you determine where you have been. And you can’t get there asking the same questions you asked last year. You need a fresh perspective. You have to do a little excavating. New Year + New Goals + New Questions + New Actions = Results and Success.

Here are 4 questions to ponder to get you started and pointed in the right direction for the new year. This is not a test but you may want to take out a note pad and pen and jot down your answers.

1. What were my accomplishments last year? Write them all down so you don’t forget them.
2. What worked and what didn’t work in last year’s plan? Be honest with yourself.
3. What are you going to have to do differently (action steps) in 2011 to take you to your next level of success?
4. What kind of support are you going to need to reach your goals?

Keep in mind, the only thing that changed on January 1st was the date. Now you have to decide if it will be a year full of opportunities and possibilities, or just more of the same old same old for the next 364 days. If you like what you are doing and don’t want to change, keep doing what you are doing. However, if you don’t like the way your business/career or life has been going, now is the time to make some changes to get it right.

The key is to get clear about what you want to change and your goals for getting there. And most importantly, enlist the support you need to get there. It really does help to have an outside perspective. Accountability is a key ingredient to attaining your goals and making sure you reach your next level of success.

And if you’re wanting to make 2011 your best year ever, give me a call or drop me an email and I will help you get there with less stress and more success.

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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

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

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.

What Does Success really look like to you?

“All my life I’ve wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should’ve been more specific.” – Jane Wagner, Playwright

Every business is started based on a dream. We get a great idea for a super product that will help thousands of people, or have a desire to share our knowledge with others so they’ll enjoy a better life. But the bigger question is, what do you really want out of your business? What does success really look like to you?

Let me explain. Do you simply want to be the leader – the head honcho of your company? Do you want to be the team leader who motivates others to create a successful business? What is the tangible end result you want to achieve as you go forward to create your empire?

Like the quote above says, who is that ‘somebody’ and what do they desire? What does that elusive word ‘success’ actually mean to you?

When I first started coaching, I just wanted to help people be successful. Right! That was about as clear as mud. It’s no wonder it took me so long to get where I was going. And yes, I would whine because I didn’t get what I wanted. Imagine that. Thank goodness, I have had excellent coaches and mentors who taught me that if you want to get somewhere in your life, you’re going to have to get a lot more specific if you want to get there. You’re going to have to start asking different questions than the ones you’ve been asking.

Here’s are some hard hitting questions for you to answer this week that will help you get specific about the direction you want your business or your career to take.

You want to be content and have your business sales soar!Okay, what does that look and feel like? Does contentment involve more ME time or more fun? What do you need to do to see your bottom line prosper? Create new products or offerings? Get your action plan in place.

Will your quest for success allow you to be in tune with your Core Values?

If you’re not sure what core values are, give me a call. I can help.

What actions will you have to take to get there?

Do you need to further your own education to get the results from your business that you desire? Remember this: you can’t be a perfectionist and do it all by yourself, or you won’t be around to enjoy your success.

What kind of support would you need and from whom?

Do you have the right people on your team, or do you need to source out some of the more complicated tasks to an expert? Do you have a coach to help you brainstorm, strengthen your leadership skills, create powerful strategies for you and your team?

How committed are you to getting there?

Are you just hoping that it will all work out or are you taking targeted action and doing whatever it takes to reach your goals? Either you’re in this for the long haul or you might as well throw in the towel right now.

Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is?

You’ve got to be willing to do the work, and make no mistake about it, growing a successful business IS work! Walt Disney may have created Tinkerbell, but she certainly didn’t wave her magic wand and create his empire for him!

Are you starting to get the picture? The road is not as hard or as long when you know where you are going and you get really specific. Try it and see what happens.

And if you’re having trouble defining what success looks like to you in your in your business and you need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com

© 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.

Is your Inaction Costing you Business?

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – August 18th, 2009**

“There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the risks and costs of comfortable inaction” ~ John F. Kennedy

This quote from John F. Kennedy completely explains one of the major problems that some business leaders and their team members suffer from, namely inaction.

Playing the wait and see game in your business could be costing you business.

Talk is cheap, and there can be no success in business without action. Just thinking about what you would like to do, but waiting for the right time to do it is not going to cut it. There will never be a right time. The right time is always now.

You are responsible for the success of your business. You can’t just sit back and blame the economy for everything that is happening or not happening in your business. You must always be looking forward, not back. You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone and try new things.

The consequences of your inactions are far greater than the fear of making the wrong move. The only wrong moves in business or your life are the ones you never take. Inaction breeds indecision, inertia, lack of confidence, resignation, and above all, no future potential or possibilities.

If one door closes, you open another one. If one solution doesn’t work, you try another one. And you keep trying until you get to the right one.

There can be no success without change. Change requires you try new things and walk through your fears. Change requires adaptation and action.

You can write all the visions statements and make all the ‘to do’ lists you want, but if you keep sitting on the fence playing a ‘wait and see’ game, you’ll never realize any of your goals and dreams. All you’ll end up with is splinters in your behind from wiggling back and forth on that fence.

The success of your business depends on four components: courage, responsibility, action, and tenacity. You can’t have one without the other three.

If you are the leader, then you have to lead, and not just talk about it, but by taking concrete steps to get to your final destination. YOU have to make the changes. YOU and only you are accountable and responsible for the direction you want to take your business. There are no magic genies trapped in a bottle hidden somewhere in the lunchroom waiting for you to appear and discover them. There are no wrong decisions, only opportunities to learn, grow, unleash your potential, and succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

So, what are you waiting for? Start creating your plan of action and set a date to get moving on it now. Like I said last week, the economic shift is beginning to happen. If you’re not taking action now then you’re going to be left out in the cold without a winter jacket!

If you are having trouble creating a vision and a plan of action for you and your team and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com.

When You Throw Dirt, You Lose Ground!!

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – August 4th, 2009**

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

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 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 means truly blame free. The environment is solution focused, not problem focused. It means there are no victim’s 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 necessary 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 has to start at the top of the food chain. One of the best definitions I found of this powerful word is ‘Integrity is consistency 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 stick to hour long lunches if you, as their boss, routinely take 2 hour escapes from the office.
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 don’t 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.

By incorporating integrity, trust, and solid communication skills into your company’s overall performance, the sky’s the limit to achieving success in your goals. And with today’s iffy economy, who doesn’t want to be on a winning team?

If you are having trouble creating a vision and a plan of action for you and your team and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com.

5 Steps For Taking Calculated Risks To Succeed

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – July 28th, 2009**

“Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.

~ General George S. Patton

A few years ago, I was asked to teach a workshop called, “Dreams Never Die – How to keep your dreams alive after 50”. It is true that dreams never die, but they can wind up fading into the woodwork of our lives if they aren’t cultivated and nurtured into reality. What I realized is that while all of us have dreams most people aren’t sure how to actualize those dreams. We tend to keep them in a ‘Someday file’ and someday never comes, because the fear of taking a risk and making a mistake is too scary and overwhelming to us. Hence, the reason a lot of folks die with regrets.

The same theory applies to building a successful business. While most are content to maintain a status quo and a stable bottom line, those who dared to take calculated risks and step outside their comfort zone to create new possibilities are those who often achieve the greatest success. A truly passionate leader, who invokes feelings of anticipation and inspiration within their team, can turn dreams into reality.

The web definition of ‘calculated risk’ is “A risk that has been given thoughtful consideration and for which the potential costs and potential benefits have been weighted and considered.” I’m not suggesting that you spend months, (or even years), trying to determine the pro’s and con’s of changes you’d like to implement in your business. What I am suggesting is that you make the decision to take a risk – to think of alternative possibilities – and start putting new, fresh ideas to work in your company and team.

You will never know what you are capable of until you let go and take action. Think about it. How far are you willing to go to have the business you want and deserve? When was the last time that you presented a fresh idea or perspective on how to achieve a specific goal to your team? Or better yet, when was the last time you were open to receiving a new idea from your team members?

Here are some questions to ask yourself to begin turning your dreams into visions, visions into goals, goals into action, and action into fulfillment. These steps will help you clarify your thoughts and turn them into reality:

1. Is my goal/dream in keeping with my company’s values? If your new vision doesn’t quite feel right or goes against your mission/values statement, then drop it.
2. What are the action steps I need to take to achieve this dream? How will you fund this new idea? Does it fall into place with your long term gains for your company?
3. What support will I need to stay focused and committed to my dream? How can you get your team to buy into your dream? You’re going to need their input as well as their own ideas of how to take your thoughts and turn them into reality.
4. By what date will I achieve this dream? Be very realistic when choosing the timeline of when you’d like to be see your goals put into action. If you try and rush genius, you could end up looking like a fool.
5. How will I feel when I achieve this dream? Visualize how you will feel once your dream has become grounded in reality. Are you seeing an increase in your bottom line? Are your customers raving about your new offering? Are your team members happy and committed? Picture how satisfied you’ll feel once everything has fallen into place and your sales are soaring.

Go ahead, dare to dream big. You will never know how far you can go until you do!

If you are having trouble creating a vision and a plan of action for you and your team and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com.

Want to go from “Good” to “Great” leader?

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – May 28th, 2009**

“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 are having trouble creating a vision and a plan of action for your team and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com.

COOKIE’S “Wind Down Friday” THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.” —  George Washington Carver

COOKIE’S COMMENTS

I STAND GUILTY AS CHARGED! How many dreams have you had that you just talk about but never do anything about it as if it is going to miraculously fall out of the sky by itself. Fear of the unknown and what ifs have a way of causing mischief and keeping us stuck. Don’t you just hate it when that happens? The only failure that can happen is if we never take action.

TODAY, pick one thing you have been making excuses about and take some action.

COOKIE’S “Wake Up Wednesday” THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“Focus on what you are moving toward rather than what you are leaving behind.” –  Alan Cohen

COOKIE’S COMMENT

We can’t change the past, but we can use it as a learning tool for creating new actions and possibilities in our lives.

Today, take your learning from one past experience and use to make a new choice for your future.