Vol. 5, No. 40 - February/March 08

Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Coach

In This Issue:

Business Coaching:
11 Strategic Actions To Combat and Defeat Time Wasters From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
      
Business Help:
Powerful Strategic Networking Questions From Your
Strategic Thinking Business Coach
      
Business Building:
A Prescription From The PR Doctor To Become Positive Headline News
      
      
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Glenn's Golden Grains To Grasp
Recommended  Reading: 
"Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes”
By: Mark Penn and E. Kinney Zalesne
ISBN-13: 978-0-446-58096-6
ISBN-10: 0-446-58096-1
Available online at www.amazon.com

“Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes,” authored by Mark Penn and E. Kinney Zalesne present another look at societal subsets with which Americans are increasingly identifying, and what they mean. I believe this book is a ”natural” read for business people who are strategically examining small and emerging trends and how they will transform into big changes in business and society. Every business owner and his or her staff, especially those in marketing and strategic planning, could benefit by reading this book as a source of potential new ideas and new opportunities for their businesses that are related to the microtrends described in the book.

Words to the Wise for Work:
“Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.”
           – Niccolo Machiavelli, Italian diplomat, political philosopher,
              musician, poet and playwright of the Italian Renaissance.

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach’s Challenge to Commit:
I CHALLENGE YOU TO COMMIT: “that you will select one book that you believe will have a positive impact on you and read it before our next newsletter arrives."

Please send me your responses to my challenge to commit.

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach’s Recommended Resource
My recommended resource for this month can be found online. I recommend that you check out www.snopes.com as an additional resource to my previously recommended www.truthorfiction.com to check out Internet and email hoaxes.

If you would like to have some of your thoughts, comments or web sites included in the next issue, let us know by clicking here and entering your items in the comments section.

Business Coaching
11 Strategic Actions To Combat and Defeat Time Wasters From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
By J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Founder & Chief Executive of J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group™

There is not a day goes by when I do not hear someone tell me they do not have enough time to do what they need to do.  Or some people will blatantly tell me that they are terrible time managers and waste a lot of their time (not to mention the waste of others time also).  Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach recommends that you take a good look at the ways you waste time and the ways others cause a waste of your time and then develop a plan to get rid of those time wasters.  In order to facilitate and guide you in this effort, Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of eleven (11) strategic actions to combat and defeat time wasters.

Strategic Action #1:  Prepare a time log of how you spend your time every day for a one week time period.  You may do this in 15 or 30-minute increments, dependent upon your individual situation.  Let me assure you that you will probably be surprised at the results.  This is a critical first strategic action because it will define your existing expenditure of your time and this information can be used to develop a strategic time management plan. 

Strategic Action #2:  Plan, prioritize and focus your work and activities.  Planning, prioritizing and focusing your time to accomplish specific objectives will be very effective in moving you toward your vision and your goals.  You will accomplish much more in a shorter amount of time.
 
Strategic Action #3:  You avoid procrastination.  You commit to and discipline yourself to take action in a timely manner on what needs to be done and by when it needs to be done. 

Strategic Action #4:  You manage the handling of interruptions.  This means that you manage the time when you receive telephone calls, have people drop into your office, and other things that will interrupt you and prevent you from focusing on what you need to do at that time.  You establish the parameters and inform people of the circumstances when you can be interrupted (e.g. some type of emergency where immediate attention is needed).

Strategic Action #5:  You learn to say “NO” and commit to saying “NO” when you do not have the time to responsibly respond to a request for the use of your time. 

Strategic Action #6:  You make sure that if you plan a meeting, there is a specific purpose for the meeting, a designated start & stop time for the meeting, an agenda, a record of the meeting and assigned specific follow-up actions.  You use those guidelines to inquire about meetings you are asked to attend and ensure that your attendance at the meeting is required.

Strategic Action #7:  You schedule specific times to return telephone calls, check and respond to your email and to use the Internet.  This is a very effective time management technique and will save you from wasting time by haphazardly doing these tasks.

Strategic Action #8:  You commit to and then delegate tasks that someone else can do.  You learn to separate those tasks that only you can do or that you are the most appropriate person to do those tasks. 

Strategic Action #9:  You commit to and establish time for yourself.  This is time you set aside that is totally for and about YOU!

Strategic Action #10:  You commit to get rid of your “clutter” and to become very organized so you will not waste time looking for items and will not be distracted by the “clutter.”

Strategic Action #11:  Develop a strategic time management action plan that incorporates the above strategic actions.

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach encourages you to make the most strategic use of your time each day.  If you would like to learn more about how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at www.businesscoach4u.com or by email Glenn.

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Business Help
Powerful Strategic Networking Questions From Your
Strategic Thinking Business Coach
By J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Founder & Chief Executive of J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group™

Networking is an important and absolutely critical activity for business marketers and sales people.  People who have the ability to network strategically will always enjoy a competitive advantage in business.  Are you comfortable in a networking role?  Are you striving to be the best you can be when it comes to networking?  What is one major thing you can do to ensure you will be successful at networking?

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach believes the number one thing you should become is a master at asking questions.  There is so much power in the ability to ask the right questions and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of ten (10) powerful strategic networking questions for you to use in any business or social setting to help you open a valuable conversation without sounding like you are out hunting for business.  

Strategic Networking Question #1:  How did you get started in the (fill in the type of business the person is in here) business?  People love to talk about themselves and share their personal stories.  This question is a powerful way to give them carte blanche to share their personal information, which could provide some insightful and strategic information for you.

Strategic Networking Question #2:  What do you personally find is the single most enjoyable part of your business?  The power of this question is that it will get the person to focus on positive aspects of his or her job.

Strategic Networking Question #3:  What is your unique selling proposition or what makes you and your company unique from your competition?  The power of this question is that it provides the opportunity to learn how this person views his or her business compared to the competition.

Strategic Networking Question #4:  What is the single biggest challenge for your company and your industry (or business sector)?  The power of this question is that it will give you an idea of how the person views and defines challenges.

Strategic Networking Question #5:  What is the single most significant change you have seen in your profession in the last five to ten years?  The power of this question is that it will provide insight as to how the person defines significant change.

Strategic Networking Question #6:  What do you see as the most important emerging trends in your business?  The power of this question is that it will indicate if the person is a visionary or is not able to see too far into the future.

Strategic Networking Question #7:  What is the most memorable thing that has ever happened to you in your business?  The power of this question is that it will help you understand what this person views as “memorable.”

Strategic Networking Question #8:  What is the single most significant success you have achieved in your business?  The power of this question is that you will learn his or her definition of a significant success.  

Strategic Networking Question #9:  If you could invite any person, living or dead, to have dinner with you, whom would you choose?  The power of this question is its uniqueness and its ability to compel the person to stop and really give some thought to his or her answer.  And the person they select will also tell you something about the person answering your question.

Strategic Networking Question #10:  What headline would you like to see written about your business one year from today and five years from today?  The power of this question is that it will give you insight as to how he or she views the short-term and longer-term future of their business.

Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach encourages you to develop the ability to be a strategic networker and feel comfortable in engaging people in conversation at any business or social event.  If you would like to learn more about how a strategic thinking business coach can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at www.businesscoach4u.com or by email Glenn.

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Business Building
A Prescription From The PR Doctor To Become Positive Headline News
By J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Founder & Chief Executive of J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group™

Publicity is an essential ingredient in any integrated marketing communications plan. Positive public relations are very important to all businesses and require a dedicated strategic thinking effort to achieve the desired results. The impact of media coverage and positive media headlines can mean an enhancement of your company and your individual image in the communities and the markets where you do business.

The PR Doctor has developed a prescription for you to use to become positive headline news. The prescription includes the following ten (10) prescribed strategic actions.

Prescribed Strategic Action #1: Always have something newsworthy to say. If you want to be a positive headliner and be part of a good interview, then you need to emphasize the strengths of your company and what differentiates you from others in the business sector. You also need to have some quotable aspect of your business to get reporters attention.

Prescribed Strategic Action #2: Develop good solid opinions and share them with confidence. The media loves to quote people who are willing to share opinions on controversial issues, make predictions about their industry, take risks and exhibit confidence. And these quotes can turn into positive headlines.

Prescribed Strategic Action #3: Speak with authority. Share your knowledge. Positive headliners will develop a reputation as an authority on their industry, business sector or a particular subject. They will do this by speaking at various business forums, including professional societies, seminars, workshops, chambers of commerce and other business forums.

Prescribed Strategic Action #4: Develop a positive personality. Think of the positive headliners who grab the most media attention. One of the most important things they have in common is charisma. And their charisma helps them educate reporters without delivering what sounds like a “canned” sales pitch.

Prescribed Strategic Action #5: Develop a position of authority or expertise with the media. Positive headliners become leaders in their field by sharing their knowledge with the media. Reporters want to gain access to experts to quote, and therefore positive headliners achieve credible exposure in the media.

Prescribed Strategic Action #6: Interpret news events. Positive headliners think on a “big picture” but they speak on a narrow “snapshot” focus. They issue news releases, write letters to editors or otherwise contact trade and business media to offer insight into business and economic developments. For example, how will the recent increase in minimum wage impact your business?

Prescribed Strategic Action #7: Always display the highest level of good business etiquette. Positive headliners who are often quoted in the media are those who treat reporters with courtesy. They are on time for interviews, return phone calls and e-mails quickly and thank reporters for their time.

Prescribed Strategic Action #8: Build positive relationships and credibility with the media. Media-savvy positive headliners establish rapport with the best and most highly regarded business editors and reporters just as they do with their key customers. They develop a relationship by meeting and talking with them frequently to determine what they need – and then they respond with interesting and valuable information or with access to requested people to meet those needs.

Prescribed Strategic Action #9: Always think before you speak. Although it is essential to build relationships with reporters, positive headliners know they must carefully consider every word they say. It is important to remember that any damaging quote is worse than no quote at all.

Prescribed Strategic Action #10: Be available. You must understand that media relations are all about the media deadlines. A reporter cannot postpone deadlines, which means positive headliners who want media attention must work around critical deadlines and editorial schedules and be willing to respond after hours or even on vacation.

The PR Doctor encourages you to develop a plan to gain positive headline news for you and your business. If you would like to learn more about how The PR Doctor can facilitate and guide you in that endeavor, please contact Glenn Ebersole today through his website at www.businesscoach4u.com or email Glenn.

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