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Browse published articles attributed to Kathleen Schulweis, with full-archive search.
Several years ago, I was consulting an extremely bright woman who had a groundbreaking technology for which she was pursuing financing. Melissa appeared to have everything going for her; a solid education and a solid technology, which she was ready to turn into a business. Melissa had secured a group of individuals -- angels --- who were interested in funding her company.
How do you motivate yourself for achievement? - Are you driven by deadlines? - How about gut-wrenching fear? - Positive reinforcement? - Team support? - Shame? Reward? Do-or Die self-confidence? Knowing what motivates you helps you to achieve your goals. That is, if you know your goals. What if you want to lose 10 pounds in 90 days because you have to go to your high school reunion? That’s a goal. But, what’s the motivation? Are you doing this so you can look great and show off in front of that boy who jilted you at the senior prom?
Like it or not, meeting people face-to-face is a grand way to grow your business. Professionals net-work all the time getting to know one another and thus creating trust. I regularly receive referrals from my friends and acquaintances in all my social networks. That happens because they know what I do and they know me. And likewise, I know them and what they do so I can easily make excellent referrals. And, as a professional executive coach I have to have credible professionals in my arsenal.
If you spend any time on the road, you know we’re living in a stress-out, over-worked and insecure world. Road rage is up – yelling, screaming, slamming doors, flipping off, and threats are up and so is workplace bullying. Workplace bullying is the road rage of the office with the plus of knowing the target and having the authority to keep ‘em scared. Since most of us are acting out our fears and anxieties (Yes you are, admit it!
According to researchers at Northweste University there may be no such things as a sensitive boss. It seems insensitivity is to power as empathy is to powerlessness. Frankly, the powerful just don’t ‘give a damn’. The powerful are busy taking risks, pushing others to excellence, and having the buck stop at their desk. These findings have serious implications for anyone trying to influence someone in power since suggestions for influencing others include gentle and sensitive negotiation, reasoning, counter suggestions, and trying to ‘massage’ the relationship.
Are you selling yourself? Then you’re in some trouble. More and more personal services are being viewed as commodities. Our work, our intellectual property, and our gifts to the world are now widgets to be compared with other widgets and purchased at the lowest possible price. If we’re going to move ourselves from commodity back to professional, we’re going to have to learn to sell without selling; to master the art of a confident selling mindset, that is, a mindset of abundance coupled with some concrete strategies for success.
When I am at a meeting and ask, ‘Who in the room has been bullied at work?’ 50% raise hands; adding, ‘Who know someone who has been bullied?’ it’s 100%. Bullies use threats, intimidation, and humiliation to control their targets. Targets of bullying become sick, lose confidence, and forfeit their career to escape. Bullies are rewarded with the personal satisfaction of hurting others. But sometimes there is more to bullying than hurt. Sometimes bullying has a huge reward attached to it. Sometimes bullying is about taking over someone’s career.
I wasn’t always a sales trainer. Sales training is something that evolved from my work at the University of Southern Califo ia and the Califo ia Institute of Technology. I found that teaching negotiation and problem-solving skills was like teaching someone to sell themselves and their ideas. Lots like it. So, when I developed the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs chapters in Southern Califo ia back in 1998, I broadened my thinking about empowerment to sales and selling for entrepreneurs. Eventually Confidence Selling was born.
One thing about business development I know to be true is carts and horses. Yes, that’s right carts and horses. More often I am finding new and seasoned entrepreneurs putting their carts before their horses. When we put our carts before our horses, we cannot expect to move forward. First of all the horse is very confused and second, horses are used to pulling rather than pushing. How do I see this cart/horse problem? Well, how about starting a business without having any financial management tools in place? I wonder: How can you know how your business is doing?
Nearly 70% of executives of fortune 500 companies engage the services of an executive coach; 50% of CEO’s in the healthcare industry have professional coaches and 86% believe they should have one. Why do these leaders have executive coaching? What do they know to be true about the power of executive coaching? They know that an executive coach makes all the difference. • An executive coach provides perspective, clarity, confidentiality, and analysis . • An executive coach gives a leader the edge on management, change , and career success.
If you are in the unenviable position of leading a sales team to victory, there are a few things you can do that can make all the difference for them. When working with sales managers and new businesses, I observe and evaluate before I start any training. And, what I have seen in my practice would make any good motivator cringe with fear. It is so easy to de-motivate your team and so hard to win back their trust and loyalty.
People are starting businesses every day. In record numbers, hundreds nay thousands, are taking the plunge. And the bad news is 8 out of 10 will FAIL within the first year. And of those who survive 80% will be out of business within 5 years. And the failures have less to do with $$ than with attitude and behavior. How can you avoid crashing your dreams of independence and financial success? There are some standard mistakes that will sink your ship and leave you to the ‘sharks’. That said, here is my list of top mistakes business builders make and ways to avoid them.
Hello, I am Kathleen Schulweis, professional certified co-active coach and owner of http://www.confidenceconnections.com, a coaching and training organization. I am an executive coach with over 25 years of experience helping professionals achieve their personal and career goals working in such august institutions as UCLA, University of Southern Califo ia, and Califo ia Institute of Technology.
Bullies drain you with threats, and unrealistic or unreasonable demands and makes you feel sick and afraid all the time. Unless you do something productive, drain your life force as we imagine a vampire might. Living or working with a bully vampire is a problem that’s bigger than you are, so be kind to yourself but start planning a new life. Here are some suggestions: • Move on. Save your life, your health, and your self-esteem.
Okay, you’re struggling, contemplating things that will land you in jail, wishing you could be anywhere but around your caustic, obnoxious, and maybe bullying boss or colleague, and yet, you stay. Why do you stay? Most reasons people stay in such environments are economic but also your identity-who are you without work, convenience-family-it’s hard to imagine leaving a city where you have deep roots, and stubbornness-you plan to outlive and out-advance your hell-of-a situation. So, you stay, and stay and stay even as you pay a huge price.