Rainmaker Strategies

Business Coaching

Are You Choosing To Be Stressed?

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Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. You’re only here for a short visit, so don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.

Walter Hagen

Walter Hagen was a very busy man. Known as the father of professional golf, he won 11 major tournaments in the early 20th century, placing him third on the all time list behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

He was a bon vivant, who enjoyed life, living it to its fullest. I suspect, based on the quote above, he was also someone who took things in stride, was even-keeled, and didn’t get too stressed about things, despite the constant demands on his time and energy.

I admire folks like that … and, unfortunately, that’s just not who I am … or at least who I’ve become.

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Managing Attention vs. Managing Time

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You’ve probably heard all the tips for managing your time more effectively.

They make sense. They’re useful, and yet, when you focus on wrangling back some of your time, you’re focusing on a symptom, not the disease.

I want to go deeper. I want to talk about the need to manage your attention.

Are they related … managing time and managing attention?

Of course. But managing time has to be done in the service of managing your attention and keeping your focus.

Otherwise, all you’re doing is ending up with a bit more time and still no clear idea of what you need it for or what you’re gonna do with it!

The goal of managing attention is far more critical. That said, you can only achieve it by managing your time.

Case in point:

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Marketing During The Pandemic

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Tough Times. Crazy times.

So, the big question is whether or not it’s okay to continue marketing your services?

Yes and no.

No, if it looks and feels at all like a “pitch.” Just look at how you, yourself, react when you get a salesy kind of message these days. It feels so tone deaf and crass, as if the sender is oblivious to what’s going on in the world.

YES, if your efforts are focused on reaching out to people, connecting with them and figuring out ways to serve them in this time of extreme need.

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Why Do You Do It?

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Why do you do what you do professionally?

Is it because you love it and can’t imagine doing anything else … because it fulfills you in every way?

Is it because it pays well or offers tremendous opportunities?

Is it because you feel as if you don’t have other really viable options?

Look, if you do what you do because it’s fulfilling and you love it, count yourself among the luckiest people on earth.

It’s regrettable, but the vast majority don’t find themselves in that camp.

Most are either doing what they do just to pay the bills or because they see themselves as just flat stuck.

Now, let’s be clear. Who among us hasn’t found themselves unhappy with various aspects of their work life situation from time to time or even on an ongoing basis?

Precious few, so let’s not pretend the absolute ideal position even exists out there for more than a very lucky few.

And even those who love what they do have aspects of their work they’d rather not have to deal with … like accounting, managing employees, or trying to master baffling technology.

Every situation has its drawbacks, its annoyances, its limitations.

So, what’s the point? Why do I bring this up?

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Talking With Strangers At Parties!

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Holiday parties and other year end activities can be a lot of fun … for most people.

But not for everybody.

I regularly have clients bring up how they dread going to work-related holiday events. So, what’s the problem?

They hate the idea of mixing/networking in a room and many have difficulty knowing how to easily start a conversation with a stranger.

You know there has to be a better way than just sticking out your hand, introducing yourself, and staying, “Hi. What do you do?”

It’s not as if that’s so bad, but you’re right There’s a better way.

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You Need To Fire Your Boss

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Your boss is terrible.

She talks so harshly to you. The disdain and lack of respect makes you feel small and disempowered. There’s not much said when you do a job well, but plenty of criticism if things don’t go just right … and I mean exactly according to plan.

And woe unto you if you look after your own needs, you procrastinate the least little bit, or … god forbid … you make an actual mistake. You get absolutely berated.

She doesn’t do much in the way of providing you with the training and continuing education you need in order to really thrive at work. Whatever you do receive seems to be an afterthought, rather than being an integral part of a well-thought-out personal development plan.

And when you need some real guidance in terms of setting goals and priorities, and strategically managing your time … forget about it.

And so you find yourself just kind of floating through your days from task to disconnected task, not really making the most of your time, talent, or skills.

It’s a shame your boss can’t be more enlightened and just plain nicer.

Wait … what’s that?

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The Competitor And The Collaborator

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The need to compete is a simple fact of life. Everyone can’t have everything they want any time they want it. Whenever there’s a scarcity of something desirable, be it food or a job or a romantic partner, people will compete with each other.

And there’s nothing wrong with healthy competition where people succeed in gaining the prize by virtue of their superior knowledge, drive, skills, and creative ability.

The need to compete on merit keeps us sharp, always figuring out new ways to gain an edge.

Where competition becomes destructive is when power, position, and influence enter the equation rather than merit.

I recently became involved in a situation in a company where a senior person intruded on the territory of a couple of colleagues … because she could.

What do you think that does to morale and ongoing collaborative efforts?

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Bargaining With Your Subconscious

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If you could accomplish absolutely anything you wanted in your personal life or your business … and you knew you couldn’t fail … what would you take on?

It’d be something big, wouldn’t it?

But there are no guaranteed successes in life.

When you take on something big, you know there’s always the possibility you could fail.

Sure, you came up with a great plan, but something unexpected happened and, just like that, you’re out for the count.

That’s life. Nothing is promised. Nothing guaranteed, besides death, taxes, and telemarketers calling at dinnertime.

But here’s the crazy thing.

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What Kind of Pig Are you?

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It’s probably the most important thing you can do every day. And if you’re in the business of serving people as I am, it’s simply essential.

What am I talking about?

Keeping your personal energy up. Being happy and staying focused on what’s good and what’s working … and what’s possible. In other words, it’s important to keep your “vibration” elevated.

It’s not always so easy to do. There are plenty of things you can focus on that’ll bring you down and lower your vibration. In fact, it’s pretty safe to say that if you don’t make it a point of maintaining a positive vibe, mentally and emotionally, on a moment to moment and day to day basis, the bad news the world has to offer and the negativity of certain people around you will affect how you feel and sap your energy.

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Ad People Know How To Influence

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What moves people to action?

That’s the question we asked last month.

The answer?

The people you’re attempting to influence have to THINK you have a good idea. That’s where logic … reasoning and evidence … comes into play.

They have to FEEL in their hearts … and their guts … that it’s the right thing to do. They have to want to do it at an emotional level.

And none of that matters if they don’t TRUST you … if they don’t see you as a credible, trustworthy person, a straight shooter. It helps if you’re an expert with a wealth of experience and a stellar reputation.

But let’s go beyond these abstractions and look at a real life example that clearly illustrates exactly what we mean when we talk about appealing to trust, logic, and emotion.

And who better to turn to than the masters of the art … advertising people.Read More

What Influences People?

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What moves people to action?  

What is it that flips the switch, making someone go from merely considering an idea … even thinking it’s a good idea … to getting behind it and acting on it?

There’s a formula. It isn’t new. Aristotle came up with it 2,500 years ago.

It involves 3 kinds of “appeals.” He labeled them credos, logos, and pathos.

In plain English, what wins people over is a thoughtful combination of the following.  

They trust you.  

What you say makes logical sense and the evidence you present is compelling.

What you say or do speaks to people’s emotions. It has the power to move, touch, and inspire.

Why am I talking about this?  Read More

Marketing Doesn’t Have To Be A Solo Sport

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When it comes to your marketing, I have two words for you:

Partner up.

It’s natural to think we have to do this all ourselves. After all, it’s OUR business. Why should anyone else be interested in helping us promote ourselves?

Because there’s something in it for them too!

That’s what honest commerce is all about, creating that win-win.

It’s just that in the case of your marketing, it isn’t a case of the professional service provider wins and the client wins … it’s you win and your strategic partner wins.

And since you’re providing a stellar service, your client wins too. Yea!  Win-win-win.

There are four variations on theme here when it comes to how this partnering can work.

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More Breathing Room!

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When you become successful, you almost inevitably face a challenge … a limitation.

There are only so many hours in the day … and only so much of you to go around.

So how do you fit everything into your schedule without compromising your performance … and risking eventual physical and mental breakdown?

It’s an important question because too many people, especially the overachievers among us, think we can continue to push the limits of our endurance and not suffer any serious consequences.

But so often, here’s what happens.

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The Ins and Outs of Client Interviews

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Everybody likes to think they’re doing a good job. You probably are. But how do you know?

Because you’re getting few, if any, complaints? Because you get sincere thanks and compliments from time to time?

Okay, that’s nice. But how do you really know what’s going on in the minds of your clients … and what may be stuck in their craws?

Bottom line: You can’t know … unless you ask.

What am I saying?

Conducting structured interviews with your clients isn’t a nice, optional thing to do. It’s essential. It’s really the only way to know how well you’re doing and how you could do better.

In this article, I want share with you what I’ve learned from doing innumerable client interviews over the years … the dos and don’ts … the ins and outs … because it’s easy to make mistakes and/or not have the process yield the results you’re looking for. But when you do them right, the benefits can be substantial.

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Collaborating With The Client

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You’re the expert.

And that’s good, because your clients rely on you to know the ins and outs and do’s and don’ts you need to know to get the results they’re looking for.

But does that mean you know everything? Does that mean you have all the answers or always have the best answers?

Of course not. There will always be gaps in your knowledge, especially when it comes to what’s going on in the head and gut of your client.

What are your clients comfortable or uncomfortable with? What creative ideas do they have that you’re unaware of? What insights do they have that you haven’t gained access to?

Well, I can tell you, you’ll never find out if you make the mistake I see so many people make.

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