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Articles from Michael Beck | Selfgrowth.com
- Executive Effectiveness: Becoming an Effective Leader - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2012 from Michael BeckRecently on LinkedIn I posed three questions that resulted in some very interesting conversations. Here they are: 1. An executive is only a leader if people choose to follow. How can you tell whether people are following or just doing their job? 2. Everyone says leadership is important, ...
Views: 1291(2 votes) - Executive Effectiveness: Becoming Highly Productive - by Submitted on Feb 29, 2012 from Michael BeckFor an executive to be highly effective, they need to become highly productive. In addition, how they attain high productivity is as important as the productivity itself. High productivity is essential for executives because it serves three important purposes. The first, most obvious, is that ...
Views: 1432 - Executive Blind Spots - by Submitted on Nov 16, 2011 from Michael BeckWe all have patterns, habits, and beliefs that limit us. The challenge is that we generally can't see how those thought-patterns and beliefs hold us back and what we can't see tends to sabotage our efforts. Blind spots can severely impact an executive's strategic vision, their course of ...
Views: 1336 - Blind Spots Limit Your Success - by Submitted on Jul 21, 2011 from Michael BeckThe restaurant business is something we live and breathe. We're in the restaurant for countless hours every week. We talk about it all the time to customers, staff and friends. We think about it constantly. And yet... the success we'd really like to have often eludes us. The challenge ...
Views: 1304 - The Art of Asking Questions - by Submitted on May 07, 2011 from Michael BeckMastering the Art of Asking Questions is essential if you want to succeed. It's not simply a matter of getting in the habit of utilizing questions in your interactions with people. It's really about learning how to ask the right questions at the right time. Whether you're having sales ...
Views: 1162 - Developing People ~ A Key to Eliciting Excellence - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2010 from Michael BeckThere is tremendous opportunity and satisfaction as a leader in developing others. By effectively developing the people around us, we elicit excellence in a number of impactful and far-reaching ways. Developing others is an important function of effective leadership. The first benefit, ...
Views: 1639(7 votes) - Expecting Excellence - A Key to Effective Leadership - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2010 from Michael BeckThe idea of expecting excellence isn't new, nor is the premise that every leader should expect excellence from his or her team. But just like everything a leader says and does, it's not so much a matter of "what" he or she does as much as it is about "how" they do what they do. There's a ...
Views: 2188(8 votes) - Leaders Can't Be Trained - by Submitted on Sep 29, 2010 from Michael BeckDespite the hundreds of books, programs and websites devoted to leadership, the truth is that leaders can't be trained. Leaders need to be developed. Hopefully this doesn't seem like a simple matter of semantics, because it isn't. Let me illustrate this distinction. Leadership is more ...
Views: 1414(4 votes) - Instilling Pride ~ A Key to Eliciting Excellence - by Submitted on Aug 20, 2010 from Michael BeckEliciting excellence in others is the essence of leadership, and one of the most effective means of eliciting excellence is to instill a sense of pride in those around us. Instilling pride has a myriad of benefits - quality of work and workmanship improves, creativity and innovation ...
Views: 1470(4 votes) - The Zen of Leadership - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2010 from Michael BeckThere are many aspects to leadership that parallel the philosophies, concepts, and perspectives of Zen Buddhism. I don't profess to have a great depth of knowledge regarding Zen Buddhism, but from the insights I do have, I can see the application with respect to effective leadership. The ...
Views: 1831(6 votes) - Most Companies Get Leadership Wrong - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2010 from Michael BeckMost companies take a good approach to developing leaders, but generally miss the point. There's a lot of emphasis placed on good decision making, effective communication, and team building. And all those are important, but don't address what matters most. When you get right down to it, the ...
Views: 2182(10 votes) - Does Success Change You? - by Submitted on May 04, 2010 from Michael BeckImagine this scenario... You spend years working hard to succeed. During these years, you have some success, mixed with lots of false starts. But you never really reach the level of success you dream of. And then something shifts. Everything begins to work, and your fame and fortune take ...
Views: 2178 - Don't Bother Setting Goals - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2010 from Michael BeckDon't bother setting goals. It's a waste of time. Let me explain why I feel this way about goals and then offer a better alternative. See if this scenario sounds familiar. You decide to work towards some new level of accomplishment. So you set a goal for yourself. Actually, you probably ...
Views: 1598(3 votes) - Stop Trying to Be Normal - by Submitted on Feb 12, 2010 from Michael BeckStop trying to be normal. It undermines your success and keeps you in a state of mediocrity. It's an interesting phenomenon. This idea of being "normal" starts to take hold in high school. There begins to form this desire to "fit in" - to be part of a group. Or at least, not be singled ...
Views: 2531(5 votes) - If You Want Things The Way They Were… - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2010 from Michael BeckIf you long for "the good old days" the way they were a couple of years ago, then things have to change. I'm not talking about the economy or the politicians. I'm talking about us and our business. If we want to regain the success of days past, then we need to change our marketing and how ...
Views: 1273 - How To Attract Clients - by Submitted on Sep 22, 2008 from Michael BeckAh, those magic words – “Attract Clients”. Virtually every professional I know loves the idea of attracting clients, and would be even happier if there was a “magic formula” for accomplishing it. Well, actually there is a formula that works like magic for attracting clients to you. And I’m going ...
Views: 1230 - Why I Left My Insurance Agent - by Submitted on Sep 16, 2008 from Michael BeckI was talking to a friend the other day, explaining what I do for a living, when she interrupted me and proceeded to tell me all about how wonderful her insurance agent was. Her story caused me to reflect on why I left my previous agent. I don’t think my previous agent will be upset by ...
Views: 908 - Who Are You? - by Submitted on Sep 12, 2008 from Michael BeckIn truth, it’s WHO YOU ARE, rather than what you do or what you know, that persuades someone to buy from you. People will choose to do business with you because they like you, relate to you, and trust you. What traits define “who you are” in the minds of others? Obviously there are many things ...
Views: 1007 - Eliminate The Negatives - by Submitted on Sep 11, 2008 from Michael BeckStop reading the newspaper! Everyone acknowledges that the newspaper is mostly filled with negativity – murder, fire, war, disasters, etc. Stop feeding yourself with it! Believe me, you can’t help but be informed about major stories one way or another. We are bombarded. There is no need to go ...
Views: 965 - Close More Sales Without Selling! - by Submitted on Sep 05, 2008 from Michael BeckLet’s face it… No one likes to be “sold” something. To me, being “sold” is when somebody convinces me to buy something – whether or not I really needed or wanted it. Have you ever been convinced by someone to buy something, maybe even against your ...
Views: 887 - Protect Your Attitude - by Submitted on Sep 03, 2008 from Michael BeckAn important key to high productivity and effective leadership, not to mention sales and marketing success, is to have and maintain a positive attitude. Nothing else will have a greater effect on you than your attitude. Remember the saying, “Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude”? It’s ...
Views: 954(1 vote) - Eliminate Conflicting Intentions - by Submitted on Aug 26, 2008 from Michael BeckFor a couple of years now, I’ve worked with clients regarding the impact that conflicting intentions can have on a person’s success, but it wasn’t until the year – 2005 - that I got to experience the impact firsthand. Before I tell you my experience with it, let me ...
Views: 945 - Effective Phone Techniques - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2008 from Michael BeckNow that we’re better aware of some of the pitfalls to avoid (read my article “Tele-phony”), let’s discuss how to be an effective professional on the phone. People like to be around people, who are appropriately positive, appropriately enthusiastic, and who reflect a belief and confidence in ...
Views: 1075 - Tele-phony - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2008 from Michael BeckAnyone who conducts marketing and sales has to deal with using the phone as an important communication tool. The problem is that most people don’t maximize its effectiveness. Using the phone poorly can inadvertently act as a detriment to our success. Understand that the phone conveys our ...
Views: 999 - The Right Path - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2008 from Michael BeckBy taking the time to gain new insights into ourselves and our business, we create an opportunity to see things in a different light – to truly see things as they are. Once we do that, we can much better determine whether we need to take a new and better approach to building our business ...
Views: 870 - It's Time To Re-Evaluate - by Submitted on Aug 13, 2008 from Michael BeckI know an insurance agent in my area who, every time we run into one another, asks me if I have any good ideas as to how to find new clients without actually having to talk to people. This guy is in the wrong business. He needs to re-evaluate his life and decide to either change his attitude or ...
Views: 828 - Strategies For Survival In Tough Times - by Submitted on Aug 07, 2008 from Michael BeckWork on your energy! In times of stress and anxiety, it’s even more critical to eat right, exercise, and get the proper amount of sleep (generally 6-8 hours a night). By taking care of yourself properly you maximize your ability to be highly productive throughout the day – every day. Know how ...
Views: 845 - How To Survive The Tough Times - by Submitted on Aug 06, 2008 from Michael BeckLook… Let’s be honest. There’s no “one size fits all” solution to survival during challenging times. But there are some strategies that will help no matter what situation you and your business are in. The first strategy, for starters, is not to take things too seriously. I know that there ...
Views: 1003 - Can You Change Your Destiny? - by Submitted on Jul 31, 2008 from Michael BeckThe answer is “No”. Let me clarify that. I don’t believe we can change our true destiny – that is, the destiny we secretly know to be true - for the truth is the truth. But we can and should change that “destiny” or fate that we have resigned ourselves to accept. You see, that “destiny” isn’t ...
Views: 1257 - What Is Your Destiny? - by Submitted on Jul 29, 2008 from Michael BeckThe other evening I was out having a cigar and a beverage. While sitting around a fire pit (an outdoor wood fire), I overheard an interesting conversation. [We were all sitting and standing pretty close to one another and this group was talking fairly loudly, so one couldn’t help but hear.] This ...
Views: 1017 - Purpose of Your Organization - by Submitted on Jul 24, 2008 from Michael BeckCreate a clear, worthwhile purpose for your organization. How you develop a meaningful purpose? Involve people throughout the organization to develop and distill the essence of why your organization exists. Don’t simply rely on the executive team to develop and then dictate the purpose to ...
Views: 2866 - Motivating People: Why It Doesn't Work - by Submitted on Jul 22, 2008 from Michael BeckA topic that I'm often asked about is how to motivate people. Executives are always looking for ways to improve the attitude and performance of their team. My clients will tell me about how they've met and worked with each of their team members to get them to improve their performance but ...
Views: 1144 - How to Effectively Delegate - by Submitted on Jul 17, 2008 from Michael BeckSuccessful people master delegation, while mediocre performers desperately hang on to tasks which are important but better left to administrative experts. Being clear as to how you’d be more productive if you had the time is key to getting motivated about delegating. You are where you are ...
Views: 1332 - Effective Delegation: The Secret Tool for Growth - by Submitted on Jul 15, 2008 from Michael BeckEffective delegation can be a springboard that launches your success to new heights. Successful people master delegation, while mediocre performers desperately hang on to tasks which are important but better left to administrative experts. Over the years, I’ve found that often people ...
Views: 1084(3 votes) - What To Ask When Recruiting - by Submitted on Jul 10, 2008 from Michael BeckThe facts surrounding someone’s past give us an idea of where they’re coming from. However, their feelings and thoughts about their past experiences can offer a better insight into their make up. Some questions will be oriented towards clarifying past experiences and decisions; others are ...
Views: 893 - Recruit Owners Not Employees - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2008 from Michael BeckThe three top issues that I seem to work with my executive clients on are Effective Recruiting, Maximizing Production and Time Management. Today I’d like to share some thoughts on how to better identify candidates that are more likely to succeed in our business. Have you ever brought someone ...
Views: 955 - Dealing With Employee Terminations - by Submitted on Jul 03, 2008 from Michael BeckIn a recent workshop I conducted on “The Art of Dealing with Difficult People”, we spent some time discussing terminations. If you’ve ever had to terminate someone, you know how difficult and stressful this can be. (Donald Trump excluded!) Over the years, I’ve developed a leadership philosophy ...
Views: 1167 - Helpful Clues To Build Rapport - by Submitted on Jul 01, 2008 from Michael BeckHow to Read the Cards Now that we have a general idea of each social style (previous article “Build Rapport Quickly and Drive up Your Closing Ratios!”), let’s look at how to spot styles in others. Remember that we’re all complex, unique individuals – made up of aspects of all styles. What we’re ...
Views: 1056 - Build Rapport Quickly And Drive Up Your Closing Ratios! - by Submitted on Jun 27, 2008 from Michael BeckProduct knowledge is important in selling insurance. Understanding how to uncover your prospect’s needs and then determining which product will best address those needs is critical. But as we’ve heard before, people buy from people they like. People buy Benefits, not Features … and they’re more ...
Views: 998 - So what can we do about Stress? - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2008 from Michael BeckIn my workshops, I'll ask participants for examples of stress-causing situations or events. They're always eager to offer real-life examples of stressful events. (Some examples may have already popped into your head as you read this.) But the reality is that there are no stressful situations! ...
Views: 958 - Manage Stress To Boost Productivity - by Submitted on Jun 20, 2008 from Michael BeckWe live in a time when it seems like we're regularly put into situations that cause us stress. Sometimes we feel a little stress for a short time and sometimes we feel a lot of stress for a long time. The fact is that when we feel stress, especially for extended periods of time, not only does ...
Views: 981 - Steps To Reach Your Goal! - by Submitted on Jun 12, 2008 from Michael BeckThis is the time of year when insurance professionals are focused on finishing the year strong and reaching all those goals their company has set for them. It’s also the time we begin to think about next year. We think about what goals we’d like to attain, how we’re going to do things ...
Views: 1179(1 vote) - How Dealing with Difficult People affects you? - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2008 from Michael BeckYou know, this would be a great business if it weren’t for having to deal with people all the time… OK, so maybe I’ve exaggerated things a bit, but we’ve all certainly heard that saying before. Why does that sentiment ring true for so many folks? Obviously it’s ...
Views: 852 - The 4 Keys To Referral Success - by Submitted on Jun 04, 2008 from Michael BeckIn contrast to previous article titled “Why Do Referral Efforts Fail”, how can we turn these shortfalls around? How can we put ALL the pieces together to generate an ongoing stream of referrals? Here are the 4 keys to referral success… Key #1: WORK WITH ENOUGH REFERRAL SOURCES You need to have ...
Views: 905 - Why Do Referral Efforts Fail? - by Submitted on Jun 04, 2008 from Michael BeckDon’t you get tired of hearing about how great referrals are? Especially if you’re not getting enough of them? I am always speaking to managers, agents and advisors who say they’re so tired of chasing “suspects” and would love real prospects – specifically prospects that come from referrals. I ...
Views: 890 - What Attracts More - Selling or Helping? - by Submitted on May 27, 2008 from Michael BeckThere are many distinctions related to taking a professional, helping approach over a selling approach, and they have significant implications. Professionals help rather than sell. They have clients instead of customers/policyholders. They build relationships instead of conducting transactions. ...
Views: 851 - Why Does Turnover Take Place? - by Submitted on May 22, 2008 from Michael BeckEver work in a company where the prospects of advancement or expansion of responsibilities were nonexistent? Someplace where you knew that you weren’t going anywhere? Stay very long? That’s my point. Without an opportunity for growth, learning, expansion of responsibility, and increase in ...
Views: 938 - Turnover Is Not A Problem - by Submitted on May 20, 2008 from Michael Beck“Ha!” you say. “For someone to make a statement like that, they obviously haven’t worked in the real world and certainly have never had to run a company.” Well, let me assure you. In my past I’ve not only run companies, but spent many years in one of the most notorious industries for turnover – ...
Views: 932 - Is Your Leadership Effective? - by Submitted on May 14, 2008 from Michael BeckIn many ways, good leadership is hard to define. It can't be directly measured. There's no leadership "score" or report card. In fact often the measure of leadership is qualitative rather than quantitative - although quantitative results always follow. So, the questions remains, how can you tell ...
Views: 1002 - Effective Peronal Leadership - by Submitted on May 14, 2008 from Michael BeckWhen I ask workshop participants about characteristics of both good and bad leaders, the list never includes issues of intelligence, technical skills, or effective decision-making! Instead, the list is full of people-related traits – good listener, respectful, good communicator, develops ...
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