Sometimes We Quit Too Soon…

“The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.” – Anonymous

It is real easy to get sucked into an overnight success story. But what you don’t read right away is that it took that person a lot of years and a lot of hard work to get to that place. We live in what I call the McDonald’s Society. We want it quick, easy, and good. However, what happens is that we become very impatient with our quest for success and we give up way too soon.

Let me give you an example. In an effort to get healthier and gain muscular strength, I joined a local Pilates Performer club. OMG! Talk about a workout, but I absolutely love it. The whole premise behind the class is doing the exercises very, very slowly to get the maximum results. My instructor, Jessica, who is just a sweetheart and excellent teacher, favorite words are ‘Creep it, creep it. Tell those stomach muscles to do their job and don’t quit.’ Now I know you have an 8” x10” glossy mental picture of me sweating, straining, and trembling to keep going and not give up. Believe me, in the early learning stages it’s not a pretty picture, but I persevere.

Whether it is in Pilates or in life, intentionality is very important to your success. The intention behind going slow is that you concentrate on doing the exercise the right way to get the maximum results out of your efforts. In addition, you also find out what actions work and what actions don’t work for you, hence you reach your goals faster.

Who would have thought that a success lesson would come from a Pilates class? Every time the instructor says those words ‘don’t quit’ it reminds me of how many times I have become impatient or given up because I wanted results right now. Whether it is in your business or your life, the same principles apply. In order to reach your goals, you must remember three things: patience, consistency, and commitment.

PATIENCE – Since patience has never been one of my strong suits, this is one that I continue to work on. The thing that you have to remember is that you didn’t get that way overnight and you’re not going to change it over night. Stay the course.

CONSISTENCY – Whether it is a personal or a professional goal, you can’t just do something once and expect it to magically transform you. You’ve got to keep working those muscles, whether it is a mental confidence muscle or a stomach muscle.

COMMITMENT – The right mindset is everything. The key to success is to keep your vision of what you want in front of you at all times. It must be your goal, not something you think you should do because everybody else is doing it.

Success comes to those who are willing to work for it, however long it takes. If it is worth having, it’s worth working for.

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Cookie Tuminello is an unconventional, take charge, savvy and successful leadership and team building coach. She is the CEO of Success Source LLC, which she founded in 1999. For more information on Cookie and her programs visit www.CookieTuminello.com.

5 Surefire Signs You’re In Denial In Your Business

“It’s not denial. I’m just selective about the reality I accept.” – Bill Watterson

I think I’m having another Wake Up Alice/Alex moment. It’s time to come out of Wonderland people.How many of you are playing the role of King or Queen of Denial? You know, that’s when you think that if you don’t address a problem in your business it will go away. NOT!

You keep thinking that if you just work harder everything is going to get better, and miraculously your employees are going to get the message and do their part too. That would be another big NOT!

When was the last time you took a good hard look at your business? And I don’t just mean the bottom line on your balance sheet or bank account. Sometimes what you think is the reality may not always be an accurate observation. Sometimes we may need a little support seeing things from a different perspective.

Here are 5 surefire signs that you are living in ‘Denial-Land’ about your business:

1. Not recognizing when something is not working. You know that your product/service isn’t selling as well as it could be, plus you’ve heard rumblings of discontent from your team members around the water cooler. Yet what happens here is that you think the Good Business Fairy is going to make a surprise visit to your company, sprinkle magic dust, and miraculously your offerings are going to start flying off the shelf. Plus your team members are all going to come to work each morning wearing huge smiles and be chock-full of enthusiasm. Secluding yourself in your office and refusing to acknowledge that your business has problems isn’t going to fix anything. You need to face facts, figure out what isn’t working, and then make an action plan to address the problems before your business becomes another sad statistic.
2. Not taking necessary steps to change what’s not working. Okay, so you’ve identified what needs to be fixed and you put off doing something about it until tomorrow… and then the next day… then the next week… See where I’m going with this? No one likes change as it requires work, but when you’re in business, you need to be open to adapting new directions and concepts. Digging your heels in and saying things like, “Well, that’s how I’ve always done it in the past” isn’t going to cure the problems you’re facing today. If your product or service isn’t selling well, determine whether the cause is internal or external. If your team is not performing at optimum level, sit them down and find out what’s working and not working. You won’t know until you ask, so take the bull by the horns, move forward, and take action.
3. Not knowing your market and their challenges. You can have the absolute best product/service in the world, but who are you going to sell it to? Not knowing who your ideal client is and the problems your offerings are going to solve in their life is a huge mistake a lot of business owners make. Do an online survey of a random section of your potential clients. Ask them detailed questions to see if indeed that 30-40 year old woman, married with 1 child, working a full-time job, making $45K a year is interested in your newest mousetrap. You might be surprised at the answers you’ll get from surveys IF you ask the right questions.
4. Thinking your business is different than the other businesses out there. “Oh, that marketing approach won’t work for me because my business is different.” Really. You’d be surprised at how many times I hear that statement. If you’re in business, you’re in it to make money… period. If you’re not in business to make a living, then you’re a charitable organization. Don’t get me wrong here. I have the utmost respect for charitable companies, but if you’re an entrepreneur, then this is not the direction you want to take for your business. Whether you sell apples or advice is irrelevant, as having sound business practices and leadership skills in place applies to ALL business owners. We all need to network, have effective advertising/marketing collateral, and we all need clients. You as a person may be different, but the operation of your business isn’t.
5. Expecting your team and clients to be mind readers. Everyone is guilty of this step at some point. You tell “Jane” to take care of a certain project and then act surprised when 3 weeks later it isn’t completed. Hello! Did you give her explicit instructions on what you wanted done? Better yet, do you have an open door policy where if she ran into difficulty, she’d feel comfortable coming to you for more direction? I’ve yet to meet a bone fide mind reader, but I have met a lot of ‘guesstimators’ – people who ‘think’ they know what their leader is looking for and unfortunately fall flat on their face because they miss the target. Be clear and concise when giving directions to your team. Don’t make them do their job based on assumptions as well all know that happens in that scenario.

I know these steps might seem like a lot of work to you, but keeping your business on track requires work… period. And if you as the team leader, aren’t effectively leading the team, who is?

If you need help getting back on track in your business, email me at info@CookieTuminello.com for a Get Acquainted Session today.

Have a prosperous and productive week!

Love ya,

PS: Keep up with Cookie during the week… Join my Facebook family!

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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.

I’m doing a free teleseminar – join me?

FROM MY PRESS RELEASE:

Cookie Tuminello announced today that she will be hosting a free seminar for Business Owners, CEO’s and Managers titled “From Good to Great – Effective Leadership and Team Building in a Changing Marketplace” on October 6, 2009.  This event is open to the public free of charge.  Space is limited so reserve your space now to ensure your seat.

“From Good to Great – Effective Leadership and Team Building in a Changing Marketplace” will be held at the LEDA conference room located at 211 E. Devalcourt St., Lafayette, LA.  Registration will begin at 8:30 am and the seminar will start promptly at 9:00 a.m.

Some of the topics that will be covered include:

–    How to improve interpersonal skills and performance.
–    How to create powerful, cohesive teams
–    How to unlock the door to productive communication, positive relationships and increased performance

Cookie Tuminello has a proven track record of empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999.  She provides action oriented coaching programs, workshops and trainings. For additional information or to register for this seminar please call (337) 984-1506.

4 Steps to Getting and Keeping “A” List Clients

“Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.” – Brian Tracy

Last week, we talked about letting go of “D” List Clients, but this begs the question, “How do you get “A” List clients?” Believe it or not, it is not that hard. We just make it difficult. The Law of Attraction says that if you expect it, and you can picture it in your mind, you will create it, which is actually a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The number one reason that most leaders sabotage their success is that they don’t take the time to get really clear about what types of clients they want to work with. And no, warm, breathing and having expendable cash does not constitute your target client. Whether you are just starting a new business or growing an existing business, the above statement applies. Growing a business is about building ‘win/win’ relationships. The sooner you get clear about your expectations for clients, the sooner you’ll start attracting them into your business.

Here are 4 steps for attracting “A” list clients that will make a difference in your bottom line and stress levels when conducting business:

1. Get clear about what your expectations are for your target client. Paint a picture in your mind. What do they look like? How old are they? What’s their income bracket? What type of personality traits do they possess? What do they spend their recreational time? And how will you know them you see them? Answer all these questions then write down your observations. You need to make a ‘wish’ list if you will to get the perfect clients for your business. And like I said, warm, breathing, and having cash in their pockets doesn’t count.
2. Set clear guidelines and expectations for your relationship and your service with this new client. What do you expect from your clients and what can they expect from you? Providing excellent service may be a cliché but it’s still applicable in today’s business world. Be crystal clear about your offerings and set boundaries of what you can or cannot do so there won’t be any communication breakdowns. Remember the saying, ‘Under Promise, Over Deliver.’ You’ll never go wrong.
3. Communicate your expectations to your clients at the onset of the relationship. Yes, I mean conduct a real live conversation. For some, this may be considered a difficult hurdle to overcome, but it really shouldn’t be. Breakdowns and misunderstandings occur in business relationships because clear expectations are not communicated and established in the beginning. By having one, if not several, actual conversations with your new potential client, you can clearly outline your values, level of professionalism and your commitment to giving your best to your client. Another reason to have this conversation is to gain clarity about what they expect from you as well. By writing down and discussing what you need as well as what your client expects to receive from you gives you something concrete to fall back on should there be breakdowns or misunderstandings that occur between you.
4. Be willing to let go of the client. Don’t wait until it’s too late before you address breakdowns or when commitments are not being honored. This step also includes any areas in which you may not be able to fulfill your original commitments. Everyone values honesty and the sooner you address the issues as they arise, the happier everyone will be. If you find that the client simply isn’t a good fit for what you have to offer, let them go. Be polite and clear about the reason why you’re releasing them from their original obligation to you so they’ll not take it as a personal insult.

Clearly knowing who your ideal client is will save you a lot of grief and stress in the long run. While I know a lot of you need that immediate cash infusion into your business to keep it afloat, connecting with too many “D” list clients will only waste your time and patience – two items that are often in short supply for business owners. Quit wasting your efforts trying to mold a client to suit your needs. It’s better to focus your energy and attention in attracting 4 or 5 solid “A” list clients than to have to deal with 10 “D” types. By practicing active attraction, your peace of mind will thank you for it.

And if you’re having trouble figuring out how to attract “A” list clients and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com

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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. workshops and trainings, Cookie provides her clients with powerful tools and tactics to engage, inspire, and energize them to attain amazing, sustainable results. Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members with a occasional coddle or occasional kick in the pants!

Find out more about Cookie, get her FREE Report “50 Ways to go from Overwhelmed to Empowered ” and receive FREE 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.

Goodbye Information Age – Hello Conceptual Era!

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – August 11th, 2009**

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

I’m probably not the first person who is going to break this astounding news to you, but I do want to make sure all you savvy business people are aware of the shift in business models that will definitely change the way you may doing business now.

By 2010, the days (and ways) of doing business via simply supplying your clients with the right information are going to be gone. No longer will cash registers ring from sales simply because ‘cheap’ is good enough. The new era of consumers are smart… and they’re going to make buying decisions based on what their ‘heart’ tells them versus what their ‘head’ used to dictate was right.

Don’t misunderstand me here and think I’m going all soft and gushy on you because I’m not. I’m simply telling you what this new era of business is going to look and feel like, with the emphasis on the ‘feel’ part.

I’m going to look at three new trends that are starting to emerge in the marketplace so you can start the necessary mind shift to steer your business in the right direction to be successful.

Here are my top 3 trends that will dictate the Conceptual Era:

1. Heart versus Head Spending. No longer will people choose the cheapest, easiest or fastest way to getting what they want. They’re going to want to conduct business with people who sell from a place of integrity. In short, the new consumer wants to be able to place 100% of their trust in YOU and your business. They want to know what your values are, how you operate your business, and what practices you have in place to ensure that your customer will leave your place of business feeling as if they’ve just made a ‘new’ best friend.
2. Right Brain versus Left Brain Business. Left brain selling is going to fade away like the dinosaurs. Appealing to people’s logical and mathematical senses in order to make a sale is going to disappear. The left brain or analytical part of your thinking is not going to make your final buying decisions. This shift in thought patterns will allow your right brain, (or emotions), to dictate your ultimate choice of whom you’ll conduct business with. Remember the old saying from the ’60’s that went, “If it feels good, do it?” Well, that way of thinking is going to make a comeback in a BIG way.
3. Manipulating, High Pressure Tactics versus Selling with Integrity. The days of slick talking salespeople are coming to a close. The new consumer wants to be able to ask questions and get real answers, not hear huff and fluff about why Brand X” is simply THE best thing since sliced bread. These new consumers are capable of doing their own research thank you very much, and they already know what they want before they set foot in your store. They’re not going to tolerate up-selling, cross-selling, or any kind of ‘hype’ selling as they view that as an insult to their intelligence, and rightfully so. They want to be treated as equals by you, the owner. They want you to acknowledge their requests, take their interests to heart, and provide them with the best possible solution to their buying excursion. In short, they want to ‘see’ your level of integrity and honesty. If you try to pull the proverbial wool over their eyes, they’re going to be on you like white on rice.

So, are you ready to serve this new breed of consumer, or are you still stuck in the ’70s? Better get your interpersonal skills ramped up now or you’re going to miss hearing that lovely ‘cha-ching’ sound of your cash register!

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.

6 Steps to Get Out of Procrastination and Into Action

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – July 21st, 2009**

“Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday.” ~ Napoleon Hill

Most people love to procrastinate on completing things that they just don’t ‘want’ to do or plain old dislike doing. Constantly telling ourselves, “I’ll get around to that … soon” is just like a dog trying to catch his own tail. We end up going around and around in circles accomplishing nothing. What a vicious cycle! The way I see it, we have two choices: we can mentally press what I call the Procrastination Pause button, or we can start NOW to work on our personal ‘wish list’ and not waste time doing absolutely nothing.

With all that being said, about 2 months ago I started taking a look at my goals for this year. Although I was quite pleased with my accomplishments made so far, there was one goal that I kept pushing aside. I had been saying it was time for me to take my business to the next level with the addition of new programs that I had been talking about for a long time. This was like the “What’s next?” for me. Even though I knew that, I still procrastinated. Not only was I holding myself back, I was holding my team back. Their work depended on me doing my work first. Procrastination is a pesky little devil that hangs on tenaciously, and I wasn’t quite ready to do a whole shift in my business.

However, I knew that if I didn’t put the wheels in motion to bring about the change in direction that I wanted for my business – and soon! – then I’d probably be beating myself up mentally with the shoulda, woulda, coulda conversation.

Since everybody I know dwells in ‘procrastination land’ on occasion, here are 6 important steps to get your engines revving at full speed ahead and dump procrastination from your work life.

1. Make a clear list of what you want to do and set a time frame. You have got to know where you are going before you can go there, and set a definite finish date. This keeps you accountable to yourself.
2. Check off what is an absolute priority. When I say priority, I mean an absolute “must do”.
3. Determine what can be realistically delegated. Contrary to popular belief, there are things on your list that can be handled by others. For example, gathering data for reports, copying, phone calls, etc. Asking for support will allow you to get farther, faster and with less stress.
4. Take a look at what is left on your list. Ask yourself if this is a “must do” or a “should do.” If you have some “shoulds” on your list – dump them! Oh, I can hear the “buts” coming up now. No Buts! If you have items on your list like that, you are probably not committed to doing them. So why put yourself through the agony of defeat and invalidation? Let them go!
5. Make a plan of action. Determine what you will do daily to achieve your goal and what support you will need. The intention is to design a plan that will work for you, not stress you out more.
6. Focus on the present and what you have to do today. This step will keep you from going into overwhelm.

So, let’s see, the choice was mentally press the pause button or finish what you started. You have now got a plan. All it needs is for you to provide the action. Remember, it’s not about finishing, it’s about starting.

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.

Employers and Employees: Partners or Enemies?

“I have long been convinced that…employers and employees are partners, not enemies: that their interests are common, not opposed: that in the long run the success of each is dependent upon the success of the other.

~ John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

This is so right on, John. I totally agree…

Wake up folks! This is the Information Age. The days of treating employees as less than partners are OVER! Plus the time of leading by intimidation is FINISHED! The more you enroll your employees in your visions, the more support and success you create.

The workplace has changed and no longer will employees stay in a position for 30 years just for the sake of security. This is one of the reasons that so many corporate employees are jumping ship and becoming entrepreneurs. Employees become tired of being told what to do, how to do it, and being chastised if the directions they’ve been given to follow from their employers fall short and a project fails. Guess who usually gets the blame? That’s right! The employee. Even though water usually runs downhill, when it comes to pointing the finger and assigning guilt, often it’s the employee who ends up being the scapegoat for dismal results.

Today’s new breed of employees want to know two things: they want to know they matter to you, their employer, and they want to make a worthwhile contribution to the bottom line of the company they’re working for. Statistics also show that the average professional will change jobs at least 7 times in their working life. Can your company survive constant turnovers? Believe me – it takes longer to retrain a new hire than to show your current employees that you value their worth.

Your success as an employer will be tied to your ability to meet their needs, create long term relationships, and ultimately reduce your turnover rate. So how can you do that?

1. Set clear guidelines and expectations from the get go. Implement job descriptions so your employees will know what key functions they are responsible for.
2. Utilize their talents. Let them do the things they are good at, and don’t force them to do things that they’re not capable of doing and expect miracles.
3. Implement strategies that support teamwork instead of creating ‘lone rangers.’ As the old saying goes, “Two heads are better than one,” so listen to the input you get from your employees. There just might be some nuggets of gold in their words.
4. Communication is the key to success. Always be open and honest with your team, and above all, don’t be afraid to ask them for help when you need it.

I imagine that some of you may be shaking your heads and saying, “But Cookie, I pay these people good money to work for me! Shouldn’t that be enough?” Not anymore. While compensation for a day’s work is still important, your employees want to know that you genuinely care for their level of contentment in your business. Feel free to use 3 little words that will go a long way to fostering good employee relations, namely ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’

Partnerships are successful when everyone is committed to the same agenda – the success of the team.

By definition, the word partner means a cooperative relationship between people or groups who agree to share responsibility for achieving some specific goal.

Conversely, by definition the word enemy means one that is antagonistic to another; especially one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent.

Which definition best suits YOU?

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