I told them they did a good job. I think.

You can't underestimate the value of a great team that synergizes business activity into a living, morphing organism of sustainable success. Do you know the secret to that success? It can be summed up in two words: effective communication.

Are your team members on the same page? Do you even know if they are? Maybe they are and they just don't speak the same language. Maybe they're not and they still don't speak the same language. And maybe they are misunderstanding you, the goals of the business, or other key concepts that daily affect their ability to contribute to the success of the company.

There are 98 common ways of saying, "You did a good job." How do you say it? How do your team members understand it? Do you think you're being supportive and congratulatory when in reality your team feels your encouragement is meagre at best? Are your staff meetings and team-building exercises successful or are they more an exercise in frustration? Do they build your team or do they seem to exacerbate differences instead? How well do you and your team members really communicate?

When a business owner and staff communicate effectively together and with one another, the result is a cohesive operation that runs seamlessly. Even when problems and obstacles arise they can be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Positive energy, creative thinking, and ambition thrive in this kind of environment. When everyone feels heard, understood, and supported, they can put forth their best efforts in the workplace and know that these efforts are appreciated and rewarded. Everyone gives and takes and supports the business functions from their individual positions. It all comes together. And great things happen as this synergy places the business and everyone in it on the road to success.

If you find that your team is continually struggling to understand each other, that your staff is lacking in motivation, that you don't seem to be able to find common ground on which to build common understanding, or you're constantly frustrated with efforts to connect, it's time to call in a Business Coach. And not just any Coach - one that has experience with mediation, with strategies to build and enhance communication, and expertise in a variety of team settings (including corporate human resources, small business staffing practices, society and board function, and even government and municipal affairs). Team building is no easy task and you need an experienced Business Coach to make sure that the best is brought out in every member of your staff.

Take action today and start enjoying the synergy that will result in success. For you and everyone on your team. Call David Green today.

Why Big Decisions Don't Always Mean Big Results

You can take all the massive action you want and still not get the results you need. Why? Because you weren't making sure that the action you took fit in to your bigger picture.

Think of it this way: would you drive around aimlessly day after day without knowing where you were going? It might be a great joyride, but it won't feel like progress. You may even make some pretty big decisions along the way (for example, going north instead of south!) but you still won't feel that satisfying sense of accomplishment.

When it comes to business, you need to make sure that every move you make fits in to your overall strategy. Would you hire office staff if there wasn't a clear outline of how that would prove valuable to your business plan? Would you acquire a new building if your financial goals would be unattainable with the added expense? Would you diversify your product line if your manufacturing processes needed to remain static to control maintenance expenses? As attractive as all these "side trips" may be, they may end up preventing you from achieving the goals that need to be realized in order for you to experience success and satisfaction.

After you have developed a clear picture of where your business is headed, stick to the plan. You've already determined the objectives that are worth your investment of time, energy, and action. So don't waste time chasing rainbows in other directions. Get down to business!

The Inexpensive - But Priceless - Gift

As Christmas draws closer, the words of Charles Dickens have really sunk in:

 

"Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmas time."

My thoughts have turned constantly to the past year and all the amazing things that have happened. I am so blessed to have had association with so many fabulous people and be a part of the success of so many thriving businesses!

An enormous THANK-YOU goes out to all my clients, family, and friends for another amazing year! The journey we shared over the past 12 months has been the best part of my life so far.

I can close the book on 2012 and say with satisfaction that it was time well-spent, money well-invested, and relationships well-cultivated. It was a year of positive growth, change and development. It was an amazing year of facing challenges, overcoming them, and finding more to come. It was a great year for realizing again what is best and most important in life. It was a year of celebration, of success, and of BFOs.

May each of you find the joy that can be yours by harnessing the resources at your disposal and making the most of them. Your dreams and goals are achievable, your visions can be realized, and you can be the most amazing person you know. Put it all down on paper, map your road, and take action. May 2013 be even more amazing than 2012!

Merry Christmas!

Coach David Green

Down Time

As we all know, maintaining balance is key to feeling good and operating at a level of productivity necessary to achieve desired outcomes in all areas of life. While it may not be easy, it is imperative that we recognize, accept and act on some principles that may seem counterintuitive or simply difficult to embrace.

First of all, we must recognize that we cannot maintain optimum productivity in one area 100% of the time. For example, we cannot consistently offer the same level of mental investment into an operating budget for 24 hours straight. Our minds and bodies are simply not given to that kind of intensity for an extended time period. We must take breaks, change our activities, and give different areas of our being the opportunity to exercise. For some people, 20 minutes at a keyboard and 20 min away from the keyboard is a good rule of thumb for avoiding eye strain or carpel tunnel syndrome. Taking a brisk walk before engaging in learning or creative problem-solving can improve our mental capacity and chemically improve our chances of achieving satisfactory ends quickly. The key is to find what works to bridge the gap from where we are to where we are going, and having the courage to embrace it. And know that the answer does not lie in duct-taping ourselves to our desk for 3 days.

Second, we need to recognize that focus is essential. And by that, I do not mean living at the office 365 days a year staring at the same numbers over and over. We need down time. And we must have down time that is as intense and focussed as our work time. It is interesting to note that workers who have little focus at work often tend to have little focus outside of work, as well. They are constantly thinking of work as much as they are constantly thinking about leisure time activities. They are often completely unrested, imbalanced, and tend toward higher stress levels and burnout. When it's time to relax, put your mind, energy and power into something completely and wholly unrelated to anything at work. Focus hard on play and you will find a greater power to focus at work. In whatever activity you are engaged in, focus. Get focus, keep your focus, and don't release your focus until it's time to change that focus. Focus.

Third, recognize that you are the boss. In every situation in which you find yourself, you have choices. You are responsible to ensure that your life is balanced. It is not a decision made by your spouse, your business partner, or your mentor. Choose how you will balance the demands in your life. Choose how you will invest your time. Choose your thoughts as carefully as you choose your activities. Ensure that when it's time to rest from one labour, the other areas of your being are awakened and given their opportunity to exercise. Choose to discipline yourself, balance your energies, and focus. Make good choices day after day, and feel good about those choices as you begin to embrace a successful lifestyle. You are your own boss - no matter what.