Musings

2009-01-11T22:05:00.000-08:00

Watch this!

Delving deeper

2006-11-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

When I first declared women-owned insurance agencies as my target market, I didn't know very much about them or the industry. So, I've started doing research and educating myself by interviewing women in this group. I've begun to identify some of their major challenges and have even uncovered a potential opportunity for a product offering. If it turns out that this is as big as it seems, it could mean a fundamental shift in my business model which I eagerly anticipate.

Management Mastery Academy Braintrust lecture series

2006-11-06T12:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I've launched Management Mastery Club Academy with expert calls from a variety of disciplines. The first one was last week and focused on non-traditional sales strategies.

The next few will be on tax strategies of the rich and famous, strategic business development and using legal business entity formation to capitilize on tax law.

I'm excited about working with these talented people and they are excited about teaching my clients their secrets!

Stay tuned...

Technology Recovery

2006-10-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

I am notorius for saving emails and I'm on a lot of email distribution lists. I have signed up with a variety of online marketers so I can study and emulate their strategies. It leaves my email in-basket however, quite full.

To make matters even worse, I don't spend a lot of time cleaning out my inbasket. I read and respond to the notices I need to, then just ignore the rest. This results in a complete overload...and crash... of my email client last Saturday.

Fortunately, I subscribe to a fabulous service, www.MyComputerWorks.com. The technicians there can access your computer remotely (with your permission and oversight of course) and fix any number of issues. This past weekend, a team of them repaired, recovered, re-established all of my email accounts. I didn't get everything back (that would have crashed it again anyway), but the BEST news is that, I didn't have to spend hours (or more likely days) working on my own, trying to figure out what to do.

They did all of the work for me!

It took literally hours (probably about 10 when it was all said and done). But it wasn't 10 MY hours. It was 10 of THEIRS! Talk about leverage and good use of outsourcing.

I love those guys! They have saved me a fortune.

Joint Ventures

2006-10-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

I've had a couple of conversations with colleagues about creating products (teleclasses mostly) that we conduct together and promote to the people who subscribe to my newsletter. I see this as a great way to create value for my clients and to increase visibility and credibility for both me and the people with whom I partner.

The first class will be on Halloween, October 31 and it's called "Break the Rules and Make More Sales". I'm really looking forward to it. We'll be offering at least one new class every month. Look for upcoming announcements about these great events.

Referral partners

2006-10-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

I'm attending a magnificent course on business building that centers on networking and referrals. The techniques are amazing and I'm right now somewhat overloaded with possibilities for expansion. I can see that I need to outsource some of the activities that consume my time so I can focus on more high leverage opportunities - like building relationships with a referral network.

I also know that I must begin interacting more directly with people live and face-to-face. I love technology, but recognize that I sometimes hide behind email and web-based marketing. I get such positive feedback from live events I conduct that it's time to start doing more of them.

This week I'll be identifying and contacting people with whom I can partner for events and people to whom I can delegate some of my work.

Here we go! On to bigger horizons and playing fields!

Amazing results

2006-10-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Having defined a target market (women insurance agent/owners with staff]), I met with my first prospect in that market. In my meeting with her, I learned a lot abot her business and the challenges she faces. As we spoke, it became apparent that there were a number of things we could do profitably together and I am happy to report that she is now a client!

I'm really looking forward to working with her and her team. I'm sure I'll learn more about the industry as we work together and will be able to extend my 'offer' to her to her colleagues in the insurance market.

Distractions

2006-10-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, it seems my day was consumed with distractions and little nuisances that took an hour to resolve. I switched the telephone/cable/internet bill from my husband's name to mine and had to reconfigure all 3 of my email accounts. I spent nearly an hour with a tech support person trying to figure out why one of them was still not receiving messages sent from the other two.

I spent over an hour on the phone with techsupport at my shopping cart provider and then with my webmaster assessing what might have happened with the notices I was supposed to receive notifying me of people who had signed up for a teleclass I scheduled. I had only gotten one notice and postponed the class only to find out a few minutes after start time that 21 people had signed up and many of them were on the call waiting for me! Yikes! Lesson learned. Don't rely on autoresponder notices...check the cart for sign-ups before cancelling a class.

It was a tough day. At the end of the day, I looked back on where my time had gone. I was convinced that it has become time to hire someone else, yet given the nature of the things that consumed the time, it seemed like what was needed was my own tech support staff. Here's the bad news. I want to understand the tech portions of my business and I'm afraid of letting some part of the technology side go. Now, this sounds like what my coaching clients tell me when they are facing the big delegation decision. So I'm going to reassess where I spend my time and come up with a plan for how to get some of these time-consuming annoyances off of my plate.

I realize that I can't scale to the size I want to become if I keep all these 'goodies' to myself. Time for a reinvention. Stay tuned!

Strategic Planning

2006-10-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Last year about this time, I created a strategic planning tool to make available for my clients. I gavee a talk on the topic, and one of the attendees asked me if I did all of the things I was suggesting they do. He wanted to know if I 'walked the talk'. Fortunately, I did and I gave him several examples of how I incorporate planning into my life.

A couple of weeks ago, I was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed with all that was on my plate and a little depressed about all the things that weren't on my plate. In a flash of wisdom, decided now would be a good time for my own annual strategic planning session. So I selected one of the days I had set aside for business development, cleared the few activities that were on the calendar and dedicated the day for a strategic planning session with myself.

Wow! It was wonderful! So wonderful, in fact that I have now promised myself to devote more time to this activity on an annual basis. As I was winding down, I realized that I could have used another day to review and prioritize items from all of the conferences and workshops I've attended over the last year. Next year, I will devote two days to the activity.

I revamped my mission statement, refined my target market, developed strategies and goals that left me feeling refreshed, recharged and focused! My mood had shifted dramatically. The world seemed like a playground rather than a prison. It was truly amazing.

Pick up your own copy (http://www.emeraldharvest.com/StrategicBusinessPlanning/strategicbusinessplanning.html) and go forth and plan!

Manking space

2006-10-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I had arranged to spend the day cleaning my office and office closet with the assistance of my virtual assistant. Due to a scheduling mistake on my part, my assistant was not available. However, I decided to go forth with the plan and emptied my closet, went through most of my file drawers and threw away pounds of no-longer-needed papers.

Typically, I do this around New Year's each year, but this purge was different. Having really settled into what my purpose is and what my business is about, I was able to let go of many categories of things I had been holding on to "just in case" I needed them. Additionally, I believe that my increased use of the Internet has created a sense of confidence that if I do need something again, I'll be able to find it (or something even more current on the subject) on the WorldWideWeb.

I love that feeling of freedom that clear space provides!

Management Mastery Club

2006-10-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

A preview of the site was launched last Friday. There are still many features to add and fine tune, but it is up and available.

I also included a teaser about the first teleclinic with sales guru, Brad Ferguson. The introduction is taking place next Tuesday.

Need to start driving traffic to the site now, publishing articles about relevant topics and doing a Google Adwords campaign.

We're on our way!

We're almost there

2006-09-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

I've gotten to preview some of the features of Management Mastery Club and I'm getting more excited about it. In a few minutes, I'll be speaking with my first joint venture partner about the first teleclass we'll be hosting. It's on sales development. I left messages for two other power players yesterday and intend to fill out the schedule for the rest of the year this week.

Yippee! It's happening!

Completion not perfection

2006-09-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

Many of us take longer than necessary to complete the tasks or projects at hand. We keep polishing and perfecting the product until it's perfect. For some tasks, surgery for example, perfection is a requirement.

For most things in our lives however, completion is a more desired result. Think about it. In the grand scheme of things, how important is it that you have the 'perfect' article written before you submit it for publishing? Certainly, it should be readable and free of grammar and syntax errors. Beyond that though, does every idea you've considered have to be included? Does every transition have to be imminently smooth? Do you really need to have thought of and addressed every counter point? Probably not.

If the point of publishing is increasing your visibility, getting it done and 'out there' is more important than making it perfect. The sooner you release your article, the sooner you can move on to your next project - the next thing that could have a positive impact on your business.

Think about the amount of time you've spent (or even wasted at the extreme), polishing to a high gleam some project that a 'rough cut' would have sufficed. Imagine how much more you could get done if you stopped when things were 'good enough'.

Month end

2006-09-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I've arrived near the end of the month and it's time to create the September newsletter if there is going to be one, which of course, there is. My delightful webmaster is returning from vacation today and I'm sure will be swamped, but she promised to put her full attention to getting the newsletter out. I just need to write it now!

Better get to work!

Focusing on financial services

2006-09-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

For years, I have been resisting declaring a target market out of fear of missing out on revenue opportunities. Yesterday, I decided to focus on women business owners of finacial services firms (insurance and mortgage brokerages). I can relate to this group because I am a female business owner myself and have coached a number of insurance brokers. I also love the mortgage broker industry and have toyed with the idea of working in that field as well.

I'm excited about providing HR and business management services to this esteemed group to support them in growing their enterprises.

By the way, the software tools are now installed on Management Mastery Club and we can proceed with the content development.

Progress

2006-09-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I have purchased and installed two software tools on www.ManagementMasteryClub.com that will manage the username and password administration and will allow people to schedule coaching sessions with me. I think it might actually go live later this week - definitely by the end of the month!

I've seen a preview of the content, which right now looks a little skimpy at first blush. However there is a wealth of information behind the scene so I just have to figure out how to make it more visible. Also, the major value of the Management Mastery Coaching Club is not just the information, but the ability to get targeted coaching on specific issues. That is more than well worth the minimal monthly fee.

Technology - Part II

2006-09-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it's beginning to come together. I purchased two software solutions for www.ManagementMasteryClub.com and after some consideration, opted to have the providers do the installation rather than my webmaster. My thinking was that the providers, being infinitely more familiar with their product would have a minimal learning curve. And that my webmasters, skilled though they were, would take a bit longer to figure out how to deal with any nuances of the particular applications.

Additionally, one of the providers offered FREE installation and the other was only $20 more. Almost made the decision a no-brainer one.

In any event, progress is happening. My webmasters are working on the website template and uploading the content as we speak. I should be able to view the first draft by Monday.

Technology - can't live with it, can't live without it

2006-09-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

Well, my webmaster started working on building www.ManagementMasteryClub.com and we ran into a case of bait and switch false advertising. We had discovered a website that offered hundreds of free design templates and I had found which I loved. Unfortunatly, it already had text in it which could not be modified.

The author offered an editable version for a very reasonable price, so I went to purchase it and, lo-and-behold, PayPal would not accept a payment for him. Hmmm. Something sounds really amiss here.

Well, I've written to him (because I really do like the way the template looks) to find out how to pay him. Hopefully, he'll write back quickly with instructions. And, hopefully, the editable version is easy to use.

Stay tuned.

Topics for Coaching Club

2006-09-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

I've now spoken with a number of people and here are the topics so far:
Networking
Marketing 101
Sales Techniques
Organizing for success
Performance Management
Strategic Hiring
Conflict Resolution
Business Formation Strategies

Other topics underconsideration not yet confirmed:
Information products
Wealth Building Strategies
Building a Web Presence
Productive PR
Time Management
Branding
Technology Use
Retention Strategies
Targeted Inclusion
Inpire & Motivate
Handling Terminations

Stay tuned as we get closer to launch

Management Master Coaching Club progress

2006-08-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

I've selected a template design for the website and software to manage the member signups. I'm looking for a product to help me manage the content efficiently.

Several 'experts' have agreed to participate in the teleclass series. I'm working on the pricing now. It should be launched, if the technology works shortly after Labor Day.

Websites

2006-08-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

Today's focus will be, in part, the creation of the structure for several websites. I mentioned www.ManagementMasteryClub.com the other day.

I'm also creating a site for my speaking business, www.LorettaLoveHuff.com which will have streaming videos of me speaking along with topics I speak about. It will be a virtual press kit which I'm hoping meeting planners will find helpful.

I am also creating an assessment center which will display several tools individuals and organizations can use to better understand their strengths and weaknesses.

You'll hear more about each of these in the future.

Experts

2006-08-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

I've spoken with several experts in various fields of business mastery - business formation, marketing, office organization, effective networking, PR, financing, wealth creating, internet marketing and strategic planning, to name a few. We'll have quite a line up for he next several months. This is shaping up quite nicely.

Management Mastery

2006-08-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

I'm working now on a new project - www.ManagementMasteryClub.com. It's a site for owners of small businesses and managers in larger ones. I'm planning to have it launched by 8/31/06. I'm quite excited about it. Members will be able to find information on great management practices, HR requirements and strategies plus teleseminars with experts on a variety of topics associated with living and managing well.

Leadership that Transforms & Delivers - Planning

2006-02-02T14:57:00.000-08:00

This month we segue to a different leadership skill, planning. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines plan as “…a drawing or diagram showing the parts of details of something, a method for accomplishing an objective.”

That sounds really dry to me. I see planning as a much more exciting venture. (See the article on Strategic Planning from the October newsletter.) Merriam Webster also lists goal, aim and intend as related words. When done well, planning can transform one’s confidence level in achieving the end goal by making it seem more ‘doable’ and realistic. It supports the realization of the goal by anticipating potential obstacles and identifying necessary resources. By including others in the planning process, one can capture critical alignment from people who are important in the fulfillment of the goal.

It’s not enough to know and say to the troops, ‘let’s take that hill!’. As a leader, you have to be able to outline how you’re going to do that. Which route you’ll take. What dangers might exist and how you’ll deal with them if they arise.

People avoid planning for a number of reasons. They very often think there just isn’t time. There are fires to be put out. Urgent demands to be satisfied. This brings to mind Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix outlined in his 3rd Habit – Put First Things First in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character Ethic. In that model, he distinguishes what’s urgent (requires immediate attention) and not and what’s important (contributes to your mission, vision or high priority goals) and not.

Many people spend the bulk of their time in the urgent and important category, and this is helpful, but this leads to burnout, stress and constant fire-fighting, all justified by a sense of accomplishment expressed as “I get a lot done in a day”.

Planning falls into the important and not urgent quadrant. I would hazard a guess that rarely (with perhaps the exception of budget time) is anyone breathing down your neck asking “Where’s that plan?!”

This however is where the real payoff in life and in business occurs. By also focusing on the longer-term mission and vision, you’ll make sure you’re working on the right things, not just the urgent things.

One of my clients recently lamented that there just wasn’t time for planning until she realized that she could choose to make planning one of her ‘to-dos’ for the day and schedule time on her calendar for it! That seemed like a great idea, but alas, two weeks later, she admitted that she had not invested the time she had allocated to it because she still gave into the urgent needs of the day. It wasn’t until we spoke about her vision and the consequences of not fulfilling it did the emotional commitment to plan take hold.

The actual act of planning can start from the present or the future. From the present, the following steps are involved:
1. Analyze your current position
2. Identify the end goal
3. Explore options
4. Choose the appropriate actions, steps and milestones to reach the goal
5. Evaluate the plan: assess potential flaws, obstacles, missed opportunities
6. Implement the plan
7. Acknowledge the end of implementation (success/abandonment)
8. Assess and share lessons learned

Deepak Chopra suggests another view in The Way of the Wizard, “living backward in time…letting the future create the present.” He suggests that the more traditional view of planning keeps us weighed down by our memory of past successes and ‘failures’.

To try this approach for planning from the future:
1. Envision the end goal
2. Ask yourself, ‘What helpful thing happened or came about just before the goal was realized?”
3. Then ask, “What needed to happen in order for that to occur?”
4. Keep asking yourself those questions until you arrive back at the present moment.

By beginning with the end in mind (another point from Covey), one is less bound by sequential logic and preconceived notions of what’s possible. Chopra goes into a quantum physics discussion of time which I won’t repeat here, but suggests that ‘this' (present) moment is pivotal for any possible future you can envision. Recognize that the choices you make today (or any day) will make the occurrence of your desired future more likely. So, make a habit of keeping the end in mind and choosing wisely, day by day and moment by moment.

Leadership that Transforms & Delivers - Motivation Style

2006-01-30T14:04:00.000-08:00

James McGregor Burns wrote about leadership, motivation and influence styles in the 1970s distinguishing transactional from transformational leaders. (Are you a transformational leader? Take this assessment and find out). Transactional leaders improve organizational efficiency, transformational leaders steer organizations onto a better course of action.

Much management theory at the time subscribed to the transactional approach of offering contingent rewards for specific behaviors or results, managing by exception (using corrective measures to keep work on track or to punish unacceptable performance) or using a laissez-faire, hands off approach, letting the chips fall where they may.

Transformational or charismatic leadership, on the other hand, seeks to increase employees' efforts by contributing to their sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy. Transformational leaders seek to tie peoples' personal values to larger (e.g. organizational or communal) initiatives thereby increasing the intrinsic value of achieving those initiatives.

They raise the level of awareness and consciousness about the importance, significance and value of particular outcomes. I can't help but think of Jack Nicholson's line to Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets, "You make me wanna be a better man." That's the impact of a transformational leader.

These leaders direct others toward a new set of values and behaviors, a better course of action. They find (or create) a unifying purpose and commonly held goals that inspire people to transcend self-interests in pursuit of something grand and noble.

Transformational leaders engage the hearts and minds of employees by using participatory decision making to involve employees in the process of shaping the organization's vision and reaching agreement about strategies and tactics.

Their words, symbols and stories build contagious enthusiasm that energizes people. While their approach is often bold, they are able to find significance and vision-relevance in even the most mundane of activities. Transformational leaders demonstrate a 'can do' attitude and 'walk the talk'. They expect, get and reward innovative thinking and action from others and model that behavior themselves.

They rely less on hierarchy and more on interdependent work relationships. Transformational leaders express genuine interest in their staff. They invest time and energy in mentoring and guiding staff members toward the highest unfoldment of each individual's skills and abilities. Developing the people around them is important to them. They pride themselves their ability to on nurture the growth of others.

Transformational leaders subordinate their own personal goals for the benefit of their staff, organization and/or the lofty goal being pursued. Loyalty on both sides of the equation is high. Followers share their leader's values and vision, they admire the leader and see him or her as a role model. As a result, they continually strive to match the leaders high expectations of them to gain and keep their leader's respect. In doing so, they outperform even their own expectations, literally moving mountains in the process.