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Check your leadership with this one simple question

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By Lindsey Tolino

Have you seen Simon Sinek’s TED talk “Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe?” If you haven’t, go watch it now. If you’re short on time, I’d rather you watch it than read the rest of this post (but if you have time – come back!).

In Simon’s talk, he eloquently articulates great leadership. He states that leadership is a choice and not a rank. He asserts that followers sacrifice for their leader because they say their leader would do it for them.

Serving should be the hallmark of every area in your business. Serving doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. In fact, we’re even more innovative and successful when we’re motivated to help others.

Great leadership is characterized by great service. And so, here’s the one simple question to check your leadership:

Who I am serving?

As a leader, every decision you make should serve others. But that doesn’t mean you should run your business into the ground because you’re sacrificing its health for the sake of those it serves. In fact, the opposite is true. Serving well means that you seek to run a healthy business so that you can sustainably serve people for the long run.

Similar to a mom who needs to take time to be healthy herself so she can better serve her children in the long run, you need to make decisions to ensure your business is healthy as well. This may mean closing your business for a week to remodel in order to better serve customers. Or it may mean closing down over the holidays to serve your employees. Or it may mean you taking a week of vacation to rest and recharge so you can better serve when you return.

Ultimately though, your leadership should be characterized by serving others. This should be evident in how you manage every aspect of your business:

  • Marketing shouldn’t be motivated by a desire to gain sales – it should be motivated by a desire to serve the customers who are looking for your products.
  • QA/QC procedures shouldn’t be motivated by a fear of being sued – they should be motivated by a desire to provide the best product possible.
  • Clean finances shouldn’t be motivated by fear of an audit or desire to get ahead – they should be motivated by a desire to have clean numbers so that the best decisions can be made to serve people well in the long-run.

These seem like small distinctions, but they are huge. They can be the difference between having a good company and having an revolutionary one.

It seems that few business leaders are motivated to serve people through every aspect of their business. You can be revolutionarily different by using your business as a tool to serve others.

Great leadership isn’t easy, but it’s simple – serve others well in every aspect of your business.

Author’s Bio: Lindsey Tolino comes alongside artisans, craftsman and people monetizing their passions to help them create healthy, structured businesses. She shares business musings and tips at ToBusinessOwners.com. Follow her on Twitter @LindseyTolino or connect with her on Google+.

Why strong people ask for help

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I was told yesterday that I have “walking pneumonia.”

Not really a big deal, it’s pretty common and I don’t feel that sick. However, it’s my own fault that it got this far.

I let a bad cold linger for three weeks before finally breaking down and going to the doctor. Through all of the symptoms, coughing, chills/fever, sore throat, sleeplessness, lethargy…I soldiered on and told everyone that I was “riding it out.”

That was selfish and silly. If I had gone to the doctor in week one, I probably would have gotten medicine and started healing in a couple of days. Instead, I’ve been a shallower version of myself for almost a month. Family, co-workers, and customers have gotten the short end of the stick because I was “too busy” to take care of myself.

This morning, having taken some medicine and finally gotten a great night’s sleep, it hit me like a ton of bricks. It’s not weak to ask for help. It’s strong.

Strong People Ask for Help

  • If your business is suffering because you are bogged down in repetitive tasks that don’t require your “special sauce,” consider hiring a virtual assistant.
  • If you spend too much time going back and forth trying to set appointments with people, think about using an online scheduler like MeetMe or Simplybook.me.
  • When you’re trying to launch or promote something for your business, don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends and colleagues and let them know what you need. Look for the people who won’t let you fail. Be specific, and be grateful when they do support you. Be there for them when they have something to promote as well.
  • When someone offers to help, accept it. Stop pushing people off, saying “I’m OK, it’s all good.”
  • Trust the people you hire to take care of their responsibilities, until proven otherwise. The ability to delegate effectively is a true sign of leadership.
  • Think about cross training your team as much as possible, so that colleagues can offer relief to one another when necessary.

And if you’ve had a bad cough for more than four days, take yourself to the doctor!

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Helping our “invisible” community

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This blog and community is about the “doers.”

Yes, we share a lot of food for thought as you build your business, but the goal is to stimulate action.

Today’s post highlights a man of action who is also a member of our community– Mark Horvath, founder of Invisible People, a nonprofit that uses social media to help change the story of homelessness.

In 2010 a film production company followed Mark around to produce a documentary on his work and homelessness.

@Home movie Mark Horvath
The good news, well great news actually, is that the movie, called “@home,” will be airing on PBS in 35 States starting 3/25. The not-so-great news is that there is zero promotion or campaign to accompany the film.

When Mark agreed to participate in the film it was with the hope that there would be an awareness campaign to accompany the movie. As he put it, “the last thing I wanted was a film that ended the conversion after the movie was over kind of like ‘homelessness sucks, but lets go get ice cream!'”

For whatever reason, neither a campaign or promotion of any significance has happened.

The current plan is to try to remedy the lack of promotion with some grass roots effort, and Mark has been inspired by a successful project from 2009 (called Twestival). For that project, Amanda Rose started a grassroots movement that was truly amazing. Her community crowdsourced tweetups (do those even exist anymore?) in 202 cities around the world and raised huge money for charity:water.

Some of the events were pretty significant, while some were just a few people gathering at a bar or restaurant. It showed how social media can be used to organically organize people to gather for a purpose and have impact.

This is where Mark needs our help.

At the end of this post we are listing cities, stations and times. If you live in one of those communities and are a make-things-happen type person, it would be awesome if you (or a team of you) would start promoting the PBS airing and make some kind of an event happen.

If you want to make it a fundraiser, PLEASE PICK A LOCAL HOMELESS SERVICE to benefit. It’s important to fight homelessness at a local level. Plus, supporting a local homeless service would just be a better fit for any local event.

The point of this movie is just that – create a conversation on people experiencing homelessness.

Mark has made available a couple of resources that can support your efforts to spread the word. One is a study guide for the film, created by Seattle University.

@home-discussion-guide

He also has a website called InvisiblePeople.tv where he highlights the stories of specific homeless people in our communities.

Anything you can do to help spread the word about this important film, and Mark’s vital work, would be much appreciated.

These are the scheduled showings of the film on PBS stations around the United States:

EASTERN STANDARD TIME
Wednesday, March 25 at 7:00 PM
Thursday, March 26 at 12:00 AM, 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM
Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 PM ET
WEDU – Tampa, FL NHPTV – Durham, NH
WPBT – North Miami, FL WNET – New York, NY
WUCF – Orlando, FL WNED – Buffalo, NY
WXEL – West Palm Beach, FL WMHT – Troy, NY
WJCT – Jacksonville, FL WXXI – Rochester, NY
WSRE – Pensacola, FL WCNY – Syracuse, NY
WGCU – Fort Myers, FL WCFE – Plattsburgh, NY
WUFT – Gainesville, FL WSKG – Vestal, NY
GEOR – Atlanta, GA WPBS – Watertown, NY
ALAB – Birmingham, AL WVIZ – Cleveland, OH
WGBH – Boston, MA WOUB – Athens, OH
WGBY – Springfield, MA WCTE – Cookeville, TN
MAIN – Bangor, ME WKNO – Cordova, TN
WTVS – Wixom, MI WETP – Knoxville, TN
WKAR – East Lansing, MI WLJT – Martin, TN
WHYY – Philadelphia, PA WHRO – Norfolk, VA
WQED – Pittsburgh, PA WBRA – Roanoke, VA
WPSU – University Park, PA VERM – Colchester, VT
WQLN – Erie, PA

CENTRAL STANDARD TIME
Wednesday, March 25 at 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM
Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 AM and 1:00 PM
Saturday, March 28 at 12:00 PM
ARKA – Conway, AR KENT – Lexington, KY
IOWA – Johnston, IA WYES – New Orleans, LA
WTTW – Chicago, IL KWCM – Appleton, MN
WSIU – Carbondale, IL KETC – St. Louis, MO
WILL – Urbana, IL NDAK – Fargo, ND
WMEC – Chatham, IL NEBR – Lincoln, NE
WTVP – Peoria, IL KERA – Dallas, TX
WTIU – Bloomington, IN KLRN – San Antonio, TX
WVUT – Vincennes, IN WMVS – Milwaukee, WI

MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME
Wednesday, March 25 at 5:00 PM ant 10:00 PM
Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 AM and 12:00 PM
Saturday, March 28 at 11:00 AM
IDAH – Boise, ID SDAK – Vermillion, SD
MONT – Bozeman, MT KUED – Salt Lake City, UT

PACIFIC STANDARD TIME
Wednesday, March 25 at 4:00 PM and 9:00 PM
Thursday, March 26 at 5:00 AM and 11:00 AM
Saturday, March 28 at 10:00 AM
KUAC – Fairbanks, AK KIXE – Redding, CA
KAET – Phoenix, AZ KEET – Eureka, CA
KUAT – Tucson, AZ KNME – Albuquerque, NM
KOCE – Santa Ana, CA KSYS – Medford, OR
KQED – San Francisco, CA KSPS – Spokane, WA
KVIE – Sacramento, CA

If you have questions, or would like to help, you can contact Mark Horvath directly: info [at] invisiblepeople [dot] tv.

Who do you want in the trenches with you?

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Spoiler alert: this post contains a spoiler about the conclusion of Celebrity Apprentice.

You’re building a business. It has some similarities to going into battle.

  • You don’t really know what’s going to happen.
  • You need to equip yourself properly.
  • You must be in it for the long haul.
  • You need a strategy.
  • You must know what you want to get out of it. What’s the mission.
  • You need to have a thick skin and confidence.
  • You have to be able to handle unexpected events.
  • You need to know when it’s time to retreat with honor.

And.

You need the right people in the trenches with you.

Band of Brothers in the trenches

But how do you know who will be there, handing you the last cigarette as the artillery fire is landing all around you? Who will jump out of the trench with you and charge into the unknown, eyes fixed on the next hill? Whom do you want to share victory with?

Perhaps I’ve watched Band of Brothers one too many times, but I’ve always known that surrounding yourself with the right people is crucial to success. Jim Collins calls it “getting the right people on the bus.”

How can you discern who will be really invested in what you’re doing…as a colleague, partner, or customer?

How can you ensure that you have the right people?

Here are some tips:

  • Work with someone smarter. Surround yourself with people who inspire you with their resourcefulness, their savvy, and their education. If you need to be the smartest person in the room, you’re not cut out to be a business leader.
  • Work with someone who knows something different. If your special skill set is marketing, hire someone who’s an ace at finance. Know your own strengths, and choose people who compliment them.
  • Work with someone who’s been somewhere different. Find people who have a different life story, a different perspective. You don’t want to be surrounded by yes-men and yes-women. Find people who will argue with you if you’re wrong.
  • Give your people a way to shine. Leeza Gibbons won Celebrity Apprentice this week because she consistently took advantage of her team’s talents and allowed them the room to perform.
  • Stop trying to convince people. As an entrepreneur, your resources are best invested in people who already “get it.” When you describe your mission, look for the light to go on in the other person’s eyes. If it’s not there, you don’t have a good fit, and it’s best for both of you if you move on.

Who’s in the trenches with you?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Are you trying to win? Or win them over?

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By Deb Bixler

Dale Carnegie says that the only way to get someone to do something that you want them to do is to make them want to do it themselves.

If you are always trying to win, then you are fighting. It doesn’t matter whether you are using logic or a club, then you are not communicating. Communication takes practice.

Good communicators do not focus on winning.

Good communicators practice the art of communication and compromise.

Good communication is not winning, but winning others over.

Logic rarely works

Anyone who has tried to argue with children can tell you that logic never works. The same is true with adults. When you couple logic with emotions, then you have a better chance of effective communication.

Humor, anger, virtue, pride, happiness, excitement or even irony can be very effective communication tools. When you are emotionally involving the participant in the conversation, there is a better chance of creating a situation in which they may want to do what you want them to do.

Using logic as a tool to “win” an argument is not effective. Incorporating emotional connections into the conversation will bring better results.

Anger prompts action

It has been proven that people who are angry are more prone to action. However, this type of emotional involvement might not result in the type of action you are looking for. A hole in the wall or a black eye is not the result we are after in most communication efforts.

Creating the emotion of anger in someone is one sure way to get results. The problem is that the result may not be predictable nor the one you want.

Humor is a connector

The ability to use humor in communication efforts will almost always elicit good response even when the co-communicator is not prone to your opinion. The challenge here is to get the other party to see the humor in the situation.

A recent conversation with my 5 year old niece about combing her hair is a good example.

She hates to comb her hair, as it is long and pulls when being brushed out after sleeping.

She would go forever without combing her hair if allowed to do so.

For example, on a recent 2-day sleepover, on day one no amount of convincing on my part could get her to allow me to comb her hair. We ended up going out and about with her hair looking like a rat’s nest.

I am sure that people we met thought I was terrible for allowing her out like that.

It was that or anger! I chose the rat’s nest.

Day 2 brought a new scenario.

I got up and did not comb my hair.

My hair always comes out of bed looking like a total lunatic. Flat on one side, sticking straight out on the other and in 10 different directions all over.

If I went out in public anyone who would see me surely would think I escaped from the insane asylum.

We got ready to go to “Special Persons” day at kindergarten and I asked her if I could comb her hair, and she said no.

I said That’s ok, me neither, I’m not combing my hair either.

She looked at me and we both laughed and we ate breakfast. After breakfast she went upstairs and combed her hair and we both laughed at mine again and I combed mine and we went to school.

Three things happened here.

1. I allowed her to win. She didn’t have to comb her hair if she didn’t want to.

2. We laughed together

3. She chose to comb her hair.

The emotion of humor coupled with me not “needing” to win, allowed her to make her own choice. When I stopped trying to win, I won her over!

Emotions always sell

In sales, when someone has an emotional experience they buy.

The same is true in almost all communications.

Learning to communicate on a level of connection takes practice. It is easier to depend on convincing people of our way through logic than it is to take the time to actually learn their motivations and then make an emotional commitment to connect.

People buy with their emotions. They view products and services emotionally and they also buy into what it is you are communicating when they are emotionally involved.

Author’s Bio: is a direct sales educator who teaches proven systems that work in all direct sales companies. Treat your business like a profession and you will get professional results. Learn more home business systems at: http://www.CreateACashFlowShow.com

6 Fun Ways to Start a Business and Save the Planet, Too

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By Diana Gomez

Saving the planet has to happen organically, one individual at a time. As an entrepreneur, you have the world at your fingertips to do as you please.

The decision to start your own online business is alone a huge step in the eco-friendly direction. Think of the good you’ll do by staying at home and off the road, for instance. Fewer overhead costs also means less energy used. You’re the boss, so you have the right to decide that you’ll recycle daily or send vendors paperless bills.

But beginning your own business means you can do more than using less paper — it means you can actually make your living with a green business idea. The possibilities are endless, but here are a few ideas to help get the creative juices flowing.

volunteers recycling

Recycled Clothing Shop

Why not start an online clothing store? With resources and platforms like Etsy available, it’s easy to do your part for the planet by selling used goods, turning your products into recycled ones. Whether it’s vintage clothes, designer labels, or regular modern wear, you have a market. And the best part? Besides an environmentally satisfying career, you get to shop for a living. And once you get started, you’ll find that friends and friends of friends will even give you their used stuff to sell — for free.

Upcycled Furniture

So maybe hoarding clothes isn’t your thing. Love to work with your hands? Try your hand(s) at taking old, thrifted or roadside furniture and turning it into a work of art. Take a look around and you’ll notice that more and more homes are full of furniture that’s used but endearingly rustic. Many stores are even filled with tables and chests that are brand new, but made to look shabby chic. How senseless is that when you can create the real deal? People will appreciate the heart you put into your work. And you’ll be saving a tree or two in the process.

Green Events

It doesn’t take a serious environmentalist to figure out how wasteful events can be. And whether it’s a business meeting, a wedding or a festival, bringing people together often brings up the problem of wasted materials, energy and water. By becoming a green event planner, you can use your eco-friendly know-how to make decisions that are not only mindful of the planet but also ones that clientele will be grateful for. It can be frustrating attending a concert that doesn’t recycle beer bottles or a nighttime event that’s unnecessarily lit up. By making sound decisions in your event planning, it can not only save you money, but the business image it generates can only be positive as a result.

Organic Foods

The yummiest thing you could do as a business owner is to grow your own vegetables and consider selling them at your local farmer’s market. The organic movement is in full force, and so it’s a great time to use that as a launching pad for your dream (green) business. If cooking’s more your thing, consider a baking venture. Yes, you can make it as an online baker! There are plenty of sellers on Etsy who make their living sending beautiful edible goods off to faraway places. There’s no reason you can’t get in on that, giving yourself an edge by making your products totally organic. When possible, use ingredients you can grow yourself or buy locally, like herbs and fruits.

Nutritionist

If you’re laughing at the thought of growing foods or cooking them, but you’re still interested in the notion of being good to your body, why not start an online business as a green nutritionist? The number of people needing guidance away from processed, convenient foods toward whole, real food is a growing one. Why not elect yourself as their savior? You could go the extra mile and create (or hire someone to) an app to complement your efforts by providing clients with a place to track what goes in and helps people choose what to eat next. Forget counting calories and tracking how many steps you walk in a day. Get back to the basics and help people eat more like our grandparents and less like Homer Simpson.

Green Trade Sites

Why not take the idea of renting a movie by mail further and apply it to other types of used goods, which saves money on purchasing tons of new stuff? I read an article recently about a guy who’s applying the notion to renting used ties online. Never buy a new tie again! Why not rent out a hat by mail or a set of tea cups for a special party? The creative options are endless.

What kind of online green business have you been impressed with lately?

Author’s Bio: Diana Gomez is the Marketing Coordinator at Lyoness America, where she is instrumental in the implementation of marketing and social media strategies for USA and Canada. Lyoness, an international shopping community and loyalty rewards program, sponsors the Lyoness Greenfinity Foundation, a charitable organization actively involved in sustainably protecting the environment, realizing innovative climate protection projects worldwide, and promoting the use of renewable energies.