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Facilitating Effective Virtual Meetings Even While Traveling

Facilitating Effective Virtual MeetingsFacilitating effective virtual meetings can be accomplished even while traveling. This is a necessity for my wife and I who are full-time RVers that operate our business as we roll across America. Here are 10 tips I have learned.

During the past 35-years, I have served my clients as a facilitator, trainer, speaker and coach. Pre-Covid I did so 80 percent in-person and 20 percent virtual. During Covid the balance shifted entirely to 100 percent virtual. This has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It has enabled me to serve my clients more efficiently while simultaneously enjoying our nomadic RV lifestyle. Read more

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Cope with 2020 by Practicing Purity, Patience, and Perseverance

Practice Purity, Patience, and Purity

Twenty years ago, I learned a valuable life-principle for dealing with chaos and uncertainty that has helped me to better cope with 2020 by practicing purity, patience, and perseverance.

My three trips to an ashram in India from 1996 to 2001 continued to reinforce the importance of living this revitalizing triad of values. It has served me well especially when dealing with chaos and uncertainty like we are collectively experiencing today. Here is how you can feel greater confidence, comfort, and calm by applying the 3 P’s—purity, patience, and perseverance—to your life and business…

Read more

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How to Transform Pesky Problems into Energizing Goals

Trail Blazing, leadership training and development, leadership coach, business coach, team building, problem-solving

 

“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”  ~ Albert Einstein

 

 

The Decision that Lifted Me from Chaos to Clarity

Tired of the 2020 chaos? Covid-19 and other simultaneous 2020 societal, financial, political, and climate crises have sapped our energy. Sapped our lifestyle. Sapped our businesses. The problem-solving process I am going to share with you reenergized me.

A few months ago, I decided to stop staring zombie-like at my television and computer screens discover the latest distressing updates that were mostly out of my control. Instead, I decided to take some productive actions within my control which has made a huge difference with creating some order in the midst of the chaos. I decided to be an optimistic Creator rather than a pessimistic Reactor to my life circumstances. It has made a huge difference in my business and personal wellbeing. The process I followed  can yield similar results for you.

In April I sat down with a low-tech piece of paper and pen in hand and began answering the problem-solving questions that I learned as a student and instructor for Dale Carnegie Systems. The process that I am about to share is adapted from Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. It’s a process that I have used successfully for the past 30 years as a project manager, business owner, and business consultant.

Basic Steps for Effective Problem-Analysis

Before I share with you the specific steps that I used to get out of my funk, these are the overreaching basic steps for “Strengthening Your C.O.A.R.TM” through effective problem analysis: Read more

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Do Values or Principles Matter Anymore?

Do values or principles matter anymore? If so, what is the most important value or principle you live by? Why?

For me, two intertwined principles seem to rise up from deep within our collective humanity during trying times such as these we are facing today—a global pandemic, widespread unemployment, and the recalibration of political, cultural, gender and racial justice. These principles have been my guiding light throughout my entire life especially during turbulent times.

Hope and Healing After 9-11-01

One such time I remember is the aftermath of the 9-11-01 events. I was inspired, at 45 years old, to pedal my vintage bicycle 3,369 miles in 70 days from Phoenix, Arizona, to Ground Zero, New York City to honor the heroes of 9-11. Supported by my wife, Lyn, we rolled across America and shared a powerful message of hope and healing with thousands of people across America. People shared heartwarming stories with us, grounded in timeless principles that can help each of us be more peaceful and joyful no matter what is happening in our lives and the world.

The Golden Rule principleThe Golden Rule

The principle that echoed the deepest in my heart and others’ hearts that I connected with during my bicycle journey—and has echoed again during this present chaotic time—is The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. This overreaching principle embodies values such as respect, caring, trust, honesty, and simply being nice.

 

The Diamond Rule principleThe Diamond Rule

Another equally powerful principle is the flip-side of the same coin. I call it The Diamond Rule: Strive honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view. It means to walk a mile in another person’s moccasins to better understand their unique perspective. Read more

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Strengthen Your C.O.A.R. in Business and Life with Strategic Focus

Clarify, Organize, Act, RealizeWant some relief during the stressful, chaotic times we are experiencing on a global scale? It helps me to remind myself that chaos is the catalyst for great opportunity, to strengthen strategic focus.

We can choose to be creators or reactors in life. A creative life is a joyful, expansive life. A reactive life is a stressful, diminishing life. When I find myself feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, I take a break from the chaos to refocus my attention onto something more satisfying—energizing future positive possibilities. It comforts me to remember that this too shall pass, so why not plan a rendezvous with the spectacular! Read more

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50 Books for Small Businesses

Hope your summer is off to a terrific start.

Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading. Here are 50 books that a colleague, Lindsey Anderson, recently shared on her blog that are sure to keep you inspired and your business thriving even during your summer adventures. If you don’t own a business yourself, feel free to share it with someone you know who does.

I feel honored to have my book Energize Your Business included on Lindsey’s list of must read business books. Enjoy!

50 Books for Small Businesses

By Lindsey Anderson

(The following is from Lindsey Anderson’s One-Click Lindsey blog post dated May 30, 2019)

In the wide world of business, so much emphasis is put on what’s “Bigger.” It’s good to have a large, successful business, of course, but no business becomes the company of your dreams overnight. Everyone starts somewhere. Maybe you’re in the early stages of building your business—you’ve worked hard, stayed dedicated, and you know there’s a vibrant market out there just waiting for your great idea! However, you may not be sure where to go from here; hard work and passion got you this far and will carry you even further, but maybe you’re looking for something a little extra, some help to push you in the direction you need to go.

Look no further! Countless entrepreneurs just like you have been in your shoes before, and many of them are willing to help. Here are 50 books to aid you in your small business ventures—whether you’re looking to expand your horizons or keep it small-time, these experts know the ins and outs of success in businesses of all sizes and are more than willing to share their wisdom in the hopes that others may follow their dreams…

(Read About the 50 Books)

Enjoy your summer adventures and staying inspired.

Much success and fulfillment,

Ray

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Your Compass to Realize Business Success

Wildflowers at Picacho Peak State Park, AZ

Spring has nearly sprung to life. Here in Arizona, wildflowers are bursting into bloom. Soon the rest of the country will follow suit.

Spring is also a time for cleaning and organizing our lives—and our businesses. It’s the perfect time to refresh your strategic plan.

Strategic planning is one of the best ways to truly engage your employees in the success of your organization. Done right, it can be an easy, fun and inspiring process for involving everyone. It will amplify and accelerate the success of any team and organization.

A strategic plan is both the roadmap and the compass for your organization. It enables you to clarify, organize, act and realize your organization’s intentions as quickly as possible—so you can get on with operating your day-to-day business.

4 Phases of the Strategic Planning Process 

  • 1st Phase, you and your team to clarify the direction to take the organization and why to do it;

    The Strategic Planning Process

  • 2nd Phase, you will learn what will motivate your team to organize and be on the same page, moving in the same direction, and understand what to do and who’s to do it;
  • 3rd Phase, you will learn what will cause your team to act efficiently and effectively with implementing your action plans and why it’s important to keep the plan alive;
  • 4th Phase, you will learn how to ensure that your teams realize results that exceed your desires and expectations.

 

12 Steps of the Strategic Planning Process

Here are the 12 steps that move you through the 4 Phases of the strategic planning process cycle: Read more

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How to Realize Your Goals Like a Pro

Introduction

Are you looking to grow and expand your business and life? There’s and art and science to it. The art is choosing to create an intention (or goal) you love that is meaningful to you and others. The science is invoking the universal creation process to realize your inspired idea.

Invoking the 4-Phase Creation Process

Each of us has been born with the same power to create the reality we desire. In each moment, we get to choose to be a creator or a reactor in life. A creative life is a joyful, expansive life. A reactive life is a stressful, contractive life. As human beings, we feel most alive and energized when we are consciously creating something new.

If you are satisfied with what is showing up in your life, do more of that. If you don’t like what’s showing up, do something different to create a more satisfying experience. The four phases of creation to manifest any inspired idea or intention are:

  1. Imagine
  2. Visualize
  3. Expect
  4. Allow

Here’s what each of the phases entail. Read more

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9 Ways to Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

What do you do if someone you know or work with has a bad attitude or poor habit of doing something? A leader’s and parent’s job often includes mastering human relations by changing people’s attitudes and behavior.

In the last article I shared the “12 Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking ” from Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.*

In this article, I share the remaining nine Dale Carnegie principles that can help you to be a leader who changes people without giving offense or arousing resentment.

Whether in business or your personal life, these following principles really work wonders to improve potentially destructive attitudes and behaviors.

9 Ways to Be a Leader:

How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

(Click on each principle to read a brief synopsis)

  1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
  2. Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly.
  3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
  4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
  5. Let the other person save face.
  6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be “hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise.”
  7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
  8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
  9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

Enjoy mastering the art and science of human relations. Read more

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12 Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

Navigating today’s social and political climate which appears to be raging with divergent points of view takes mastery in human relations. Below are twelve common sense principles that can help.

In the last article I shared the “9 Ways to Be a Friendlier Person” from Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.*

In this article I share the next twelve principles that can help you win people to your way of thinking (and still be friends). Whether in business or your personal life, these principles really work wonders to create alignment and mutual agreement.

12 Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

(Click on each principle to read a brief synopsis)

  1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
  2. Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.”
  3. If your are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
  4. Begin in a friendly way.
  5. Get the other person saying “yes, yes” immediately.
  6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
  7. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
  8. Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.
  9. Be sympathetic with the other person’s ideas and desires.
  10. Appeal to the nobler motives.
  11. Dramatize your ideas.
  12. Throw down a challenge.

Enjoy mastering the art and science of human relations. Read more

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