Whether in business or your personal life…

…choosing the right partner is essential.

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

Gaining an Eclectic Education, Step 6 of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE, can apply to any activity in which we’re engaged.  Phone conversations with two very talented women prove my point.

During both conversations the topic shifted to opportunities they’d had to partner with others in their field.  Both of these women had repeatedly declined these offers for one very simple reason, the people approaching them didn’t have the breadth and depth of experience they had.

As one of these women so eloquently stated “If one person is strong and the other weak, the weaker partner will benefit immensely from the association while the stronger partner eventually becomes disgruntled over the inequity of the exchange.”  There are other negative outcomes that could occur as well:

• The stronger partner may feel that she is being held back by the weaker partner.
• The weaker partner may feel pressured to take action that she feels ill-equipped to handle.
• The weaker partner may feel that she’s doing all the grunt work while the stronger partner enjoys all the fun work.

The list is endless.

It’s counter-intuitive, but good potential partners are those who are enjoying similar levels of success on their own. Combine that success with similar values, similar dreams and overlapping, yet distinctive capabilities and odds are good that the two of you will enjoy even greater success as partners.

If you want to distinguish yourself, become a person who learns something new in all activities in which your engaged.  Then share what you’ve learned with others.  This ability will make you INVALUABLE to those around you and, in the process, attract opportunities so that you don’t have to pursue them.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how to get compensated well for the value you provide or check out my latest book, Pricing for Profit.  Enjoy!

Are you being honest…

…in conversations with yourself?

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

In today’s blog we’re going to explore the importance of language, in particular the language we use with ourselves as we’re formulating the decisions we’re making.  We’re going to tap Step 6, Eclectic Education, to help us gain these insights.

In his book, The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz states that the first agreement is to be impeccable with our word.  In a similar fashion, neurolinguistic programming states that how we perceive things depends upon the language we use.

Recently I met with a friend who was telling me about a request that he’d received from a client.  His first statement was “I don’t think I’m the right person for this project.”  I challenged his statement knowing that he is one of the most competent and creative people I know and that this project was well within his capabilities.

Then he said “You’re right!  I don’t want to do this project.”  Again I challenged him “This sounds exactly like the kind of project you’d enjoy.  Why do you say that you don’t want to do it?”  He responded “I don’t want to do the research this project requires.”  This gentleman loves research!

Again I challenged his statement.  Then he said “They’re not going to want to pay for the research this project will require.”  Now we’d gotten to the real issue – being compensated fairly for the project.

Why was it so difficult to get to the real issue?  This person wasn’t being honest with himself.  The reality was that he didn’t want to disappoint a good customer, he was pretty sure that the customer wouldn’t want to pay for the research and yet he wanted to get compensated for his efforts.  He bundled all that together and came up with “I don’t think I’m the right guy for this project.”  How sad. And counter-productive.

It’s counter-intuitive but when we feel reluctance toward things, we need to do a reality check.    Is our reluctance truly what we think it is?  Or are our emotions causing us to make excuses for not doing something?  Once we get to the true reason behind our reluctance, we can confront the situation openly and honestly with all parties. This clarity will create a better result for all involved.

How was my friends dilemma resolved?  I suggested that he tell his customer that the research involved in this project would cost between $30,000 and $50,000.  Then I suggested that he ask “Will you get enough benefit from this effort to warrant that investment?” By being honest with himself, he could be honest with his customer. In being honest with his customer he educated that customer and allowed the customer to make an informed decision. After all, it is possible that my friend is overlooking some aspect of value that this project could provide.  He would never discover that if he assumed that the value wasn’t there.

If you’d like to develop these insights so that you, too, can become INVALUABLE to yourself and others, simply click on the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE book cover and sign up for the self-study program.  Or, if you prefer that personal touch, you can have your own personal coach to help you become INVALUABLE and, in the process, learn how to attract opportunities instead of pursuing them.

Would you like to learn how to develop these counter-intuitive thought approaches?  Check out my 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE self-study program.  It’s a modest investment with life-time returns.  Just click on the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE book cover and learn how easy it is for you to become INVALUABLE.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how to get compensated well for the value you provide or check out my latest book, Pricing for Profit.  Enjoy!

It’s natural to rail at things that upset us…

…but is it productive?

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

In Step 3, Suspend Judgment, I struggle, as I believe most of us do, to avoid allowing the emotional reactions I have from becoming judgments about the person, the message or the behavior.  That’s precisely where I am today.

A friend recommended a national best-selling book to me.  I won’t mention the book or author because I don’t believe in denigrating the work of others.  There’s too much of that going on today.  Besides I wouldn’t be modeling the behavior of suspending judgment that I’m asking you to adopt as part of the 7 Steps program.

What I’m offering is the lesson that I’ve taken from this experience.  As I was reading the book – actually within the first 20 pages or so – I was inclined to return it to the library unread.  Why?  The author was railing about today’s political environment without offering any suggestions on what we, the readers, could do to effect changes in that environment.  The examples offered about governments failings were accurate and lucid, but these examples left me with the nagging question “So what do I do about it?”

Without that answer the author left me feeling angry, frustrated and helpless.  The last thing we need are those emotions running rampant throughout the populace.  It’s an emotional blend that builds a powder keg of emotion that, once sparked, unleashes terrible violent action despite the fact that this author promotes non-violence in his rhetoric.

It’s counter-intuitive, but railing at anything triggers emotional reactions in others that can lead to unpredictable, sometimes violent reactions.  At the very least, railing will result in the listeners forming judgments that closes their minds to alternative approaches to dealing with the situation being discussed.

Whenever you feel inclined to rail at something that’s upset you, pause a moment. Remind yourself that you’re experiencing an emotional reaction.  Recall previous instances in which you were emotional and how those emotions clouded your judgment.  Then recall those situations in which you were able to set aside those emotions and how much more lucid and productive your thinking was.  Relive the joy you experienced as this emotion-free state allowed you to craft a variety of alternative solutions to the problem you were facing.  Remember the peace you experienced as you realized that there were a number of solutions, any of which that could work.

If you want to be INVALUABLE, don’t rail at the situations you face. Instead, set aside those emotions and the judgments they naturally form and explore alternatives to the situation you’re facing.  Once you’ve identified those alternatives, communicate the circumstances factually as well as the alternative approaches.  The people around you will appreciate the fact that you haven’t cast them into an emotional whirlpool with no way out.  It’s the kind of approach that will cause them to seek your well-reasoned counsel, invite you onto their teams and involve you in their new initiatives.  It’s another way for you to become INVALUABLE.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how to get compensated well for the value you provide.  Enjoy!

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog or if you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

If you’re struggling to get noticed…

…you may want to try a different language.

I received a call from a woman who had forwarded her resume to me.  She asked “What can I do to make my resume more powerful?”  A few days later, a business owner told me that he was expanding his market and wanted some thoughts on how to craft his message for that market.

My answer to both was exactly the same, “Talk about the results you’ve gotten.”  When I see a resume that doesn’t highlight results, I question whether or not the person has produced any.  When I see marketing materials or a website that talks about what the business does I can’t help but wonder “What did the customer get?”

While both of the examples above relate to business, the universal language of results applies to all aspects of our lives.  If someone offers you child-rearing tips, advice on how to bring romance back into your life or ways improve your health, you’re going to discount that advice unless the person can demonstrate that he or she has gotten results.  And you should, after all it’s the result you’re after.  As the old adage says “if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will do.”  But we’re not interested in any road, we want to reach a specific destination – to get a specific result.

It’s a natural human tendency to want to talk about what we do.  That’s the way we’re wried.  Unfortunately, it’s not what potential employers and prospective customers want to hear.  They want to know, “Can you produce the result?”

It’s counter-intuitive, but if your message isn’t helping you get noticed, your probably speaking the wrong language.  You’re speaking the language of process instead of the language of results.  Whenever you’re asked “What do you do?”, pause a moment and think about the language you’re about to use.  If it’s the language of process, shelve that commentary.  Shift gears and tell that prospective employer or customer what results you can produce for them.  That’s how you stand out from the crowd.  That’s how you get noticed.  That’s how you get hired.

The 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE program is designed to help you see more effective ways of doing business – ways that dramatically improve your bottom line while making your life easier.  In today’s blog I used Step 4, Seeing Similarities, to determine that the employment situation and the shift in market focus were exactly the same situation.  Then I used, Step 1, Contributory Negligence, to determine what these folks were doing that caused them not to gain the interest they desired.  Finally, I used Step 5, Contrarian Mindset, to demonstrate that results is a universal language.  For more information on the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE visit www.furtwengler.com/7steps.htm.

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog or if you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

Good news – My latest book, Pricing for Profit, was released 9.9.09 in the United States, Canada, U.K., Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands.  It’s available in all the major bookstores – Borders, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Each of us has a natural propensity for discovering solutions to problems…

…what’s yours?

In his book, The Cerebral Symphony, William Calvin notes that in the scientific community there are experimenters and synthesizers.  Experimenters are people who exploit new techniques for looking deeper into whatever question they’re investigating. 

Conversely, synthesizers take the vast array of discoveries from a variety of disciplines to piece together a holistic view of the way things work.  Calvin goes on to say that, while both approaches contribute to scientific progress, few scientists employ both.

What does that have to do with you?  First it affords new insights into the way you prefer to work – your natural style.  Here’s a quick question to gauge your preference.  Given a choice of projects would you prefer to tear apart a process to discover ways to improve it or would you rather gather information from someone who has done that analysis and use it to establish new procedures? 

Some people enjoy the investigative intrigue problem-solving affords.  Others prefer to learn from others and use that knowledge to get ahead of the curve by establishing new policies and procedures to avoid the problem in the future.

It’s counter-intuitive, but awareness of your natural style (experimenter or synthesizer) and the style of your colleagues prefer, can help you, your boss and your team enjoy greater success.  Helping guide the delegation of tasks based on natural preferences can increase job enjoyment, reduce cycle times and dramatically improve results now and in the future.

The 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE program I offer is designed to help you see more effective ways of doing business – ways that dramatically improve your bottom line while making your life easier.  In today’s blog I used Step 6, Eclectic Education, to demonstrate how to import insights and ideas from other disciplines.  In this case I drew from the field of neurophysiology.  I also employed Step 4, Seeing Similarities, to apply those insights to business.

As you share these insights at work don’t forget Step 2, The Persuasion Myth.  Your natural tendency will be to try to convince your colleagues and boss how valuable this approach is.  The more you try to persuade them the more resistance you’ll get. 

Step 2, The Persuasion Myth, suggests that you share the concept with your colleagues, then ask them how they think this approach could be used in your organization.  You’ll find that they’re more likely to embrace the concept once they’ve had a chance to do their own evaluation of it.

You can learn more about the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE program and how it can help you deal with the business challenges you face by clicking on http://www.furtwengler.com/7steps.htm

Please share your thoughts, whether you agree or not, by posting a comment.  If there are topics you’d like me to address, send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.

No one denies that experience is valuable…

…but what role does it play in future success?

At the risk of being labeled a political pundit (this is the third blog in a row based on the current presidential election), I’m struck by the enormity of the debate over who has relevant experience.

Personally, I think experience is overrated.  Certainly it has value, but experience doesn’t necessarily prepare us to deal with the future.  I could bore you with countless tales of experiences I’ve had in which I learned valuable lessons only to repeat the same mistake. 

There is no pride in that admission, simply recognition of the fact that I’m human and, as is the fate of all human beings, I occasionally need to learn a lesson more than once for it to stick. 

If not experience, what then should we be looking for in our presidential and vice-presidential candidates?  The ability to think! 

It never ceases to amaze me how some people can be successful in any arena in which they choose to operate.  General Electric is a fine example of what I mean.  To rise to the top echelons in General Electric, leaders must demonstrate the ability to be successful – to continuously improve results – in diverse businesses, in varying market conditions with very different technologies at work.

GE’s leaders succeed because they’ve trained their minds to see similarities in diverse situations, not because they’ve had “relevant” experience.  Indeed, people who have spent the majority of their careers in one field, often lack the ability to see anything but normal industry practices, while those who move beyond their specialty are able to craft new and exciting approaches to whatever challenges they face.

How does all of this relate to you?  Whether you’re choosing a person to lead this great country or filling a position in your organization, look first to the person’s demonstrated ability think, then at their experience.  You’ll make better choices.

It’s counter-intuitive, but critical thinking will trump experience every time.

If you’re getting tired of political commentary and would like me to address a different topic, send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.

One of today’s most popular concepts.

Why don’t more people use it effectively?

The book and DVD, The Secret, offer a plethora of examples of very successful people who have used the law of attraction to great effect.  It’s a message that resonates well with virtually everyone. 

Why, then, do so few people employ it effectively in enhancing their lives?  The title of this blog offers a clue.  It’s the action.  In my opinion, The Secret does not place enough emphasis on taking appropriate action.  Without action, neither God nor the universe, knows that you’re serious about your expressed desire.  Allow me to share a personal example.

I have a program, 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE.  As I’m sure that you know, it’s the program that teaches people how to develop the skill of counter-intuitive thinking – the focus of this blog.  It’s a message that resonates extremely well with audiences.  It’s not unusual to have over half the audience feverishly taking notes. 

I’ve wanted to take this program national for about six months.  I didn’t make this goal a priority until 45 days ago.  As you’ve probably guessed, nothing happened until the last 45 days.  In that brief period, I’ve had the good fortune to have a literary agent become interested in a book concept that utilizes counter-intuitive thinking.  I’ve increased my speaking engagements six-fold and I’ve recently been interviewed twice by a national continuing education provider.

It’s counter-intuitive, but the law of attraction’s success lies in the action.  Visualizing what you want, keeping the message in front of you everyday – multiple times a day – aren’t enough to get you the success you desire.  You must take action and be consistent in taking actions that move you in the direction of your desired goal.

Do you have topics you’d like to see addressed?  If so, send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.