I had lunch last week with a friend, CEO of her own company, who had spent a lot of time out of town caring for elderly parents this year.  “How did you manage it?” I asked.  “Thank God I have Sarah,” she replied.  “She simply took over everything.  She managed client projects, went to meetings with prospects, landed new business, and kept everything running,” she said.  “While business is just a little off, I can’t believe what she was able to do. It could have been a disaster; instead we’re having a pretty good year.”   

It’s every boss’s dream to have an employee like Sarah.   Yet, they aren’t as hard to find as you might think.  In fact, they’re probably inside your organization right now.  Many people on your team would love to be the person asked to step up.  They just don’t get a chance.  We don’t hand over enough responsibility.  We believe we are the only ones who can do it.  And yet, if we could let go of that belief, we would discover so many great people who would love to take ownership.

I wish I had a nickel for every up-and-coming leader who has told me that he simply can’t get away from his business.  He doesn’t have anyone who can run things while he takes on the roles that only he should be doing.  That might be a greater communications role, spending more time with clients, prospects, business partners, speaking at conferences, or doing media interviews.  They stay in their businesses, instead of getting out there, because they believe there is no one on the team who can take over.  

The reason I am skeptical because I’ve seen it happen when push comes to shove–motivated employees step up and deliver.  When there is a crisis, and you really have to count on people (and you’ve hired and trained them well) they get it done.   Motivating your team to take ownership starts with you; it’s a matter of letting go.  Yes you have to prepare them.  You have to tell them you believe in them.  And then you have to let them fly.

People are motivated when they know you have confidence in them to do the job their way.  They are motivated because they understand what’s on the line, and they are glad to have a chance to prove themselves.  

Try it.  Start by believing your way isn’t the only way.  Give someone a chance.  You won’t believe how motivated people can be, when you give them the opportunity to show you.

My new book, Motivate Like a CEO, comes out in about six weeks.  One of the chapters is on the 8 principles of motivating like a leader.  If you would like an advance copy in PDF form of an article on the eight principles, please contact Meredith O’Connor at moconnor@bates-communications.com

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Our new Executive Assistant, Shellie Dunlap, is, in a word, FABULOUS.  It’s as if she’s been here for years instead of weeks.  Still, as in any new job, there’s much to learn.  The idiosyncracies of the organization and the many hats she is required to wear make it…well…let’s say… interesting.  Today as she was sorting out the complexities of our payroll and commission system, we told her, “It gets easier.”  She laughed.  But our Marketing Director, Meredith O’Connor, who used to do the payroll added, “Seriously, it does.”

This got me to thinking about what it’s like to develop new skill, such as public speaking.  The first time you get up to speak it is unnerving and awkward.  If you get past the first few, you stop trembling.  You are a little less self conscious.  As your career moves forward and you have more opportunities to speak, it becomes something you do.  You may not love it, but you can survive it.  It gets easier.

What happens after that is to me what’s most interesting.  If you decide you want to become an outstanding speaker, to connect in a powerful way with your audiences, you have to stretch again.  You need to feel a little uncomfortable, before you get comfortable with things like speaking without notes, standing on stage without a podium, telling stories, using gestures, moving around, trying creative exercises, whatever moves you into that next level of speaking.  Each time you do it, with a modicum of success, it gets easier.

Knowing that, I think it’s important to have courage…embrace the awkward feeling … and try something new.   We recently witnessed how hard this was for a group of executives who were about to make a major presentation to their senior leaders.  They were…quite simply…uncomfortable.  They were under pressure, so it wasn’t very much fun.  And I didn’t blame them for that.  It’s better to try something new when you’re not under the gun.

Still, I think every leader would be more energized about public speaking, more engaged in the process, and happier with the results, by getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.  As we all know… it does get easier.

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The other day I got a call from someone I hadn’t seen in about 100 years, and it was great.  We worked together in television.  He changed careers and became an executive recruiter.  Technically it was a warm call - he knew me - but it was warmer still because of the way he approached it.

His tone was friendly, his interest genuine, his story interesting!  He started by congratulting me on building my business, telling me his story, and observing that many of our colleagues who had left television had also been successful.

At first, like anyone would be, I was a little on guard; I figured he was looking for a job or selling something.  He certainly told me about his firm (I already know and admire the CEO) but he didn’t press forward with an “ask.”  We simply talked.

Funny, because it got me thinking that I do want to hire a “creative” person (his recruiting specialty) and until that moment, I hadn’t thought about engaging their firm to help.  Now it’s on my radar.  I told him so.  Again, no pressure. 

I told him I found it challenging to write a job description for the position; he offered to send me a couple of “sample resumes” of people in the field, which he said he often does when employers are developing job descriptions.  That is a perfect example of what I talked about in my recent teleseminar, “The Power of Adversity, Opportunities to Connect with Customers in Challenging Times.” 

When you understand your true value to a  client or prospect, you can offer value.  Don’t worry about selling something on that first warm call, especially in these challenging times.  Be a resource.  Have answers.  Offer help.  Believe me people will remember it.

For those of you who did not get to participate in the Teleseminar, we are putting together a downloadable booklet and CD set.  We are taking advance orders so please contact Meredith O’Connor to put in your order.  The price will be $79.  moconnor@bates-communications.com

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I just spent four days at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida with a small, incredibly accomplished group of top consultants from around the world, including the U.S., Germany and Australia.  The “Million Dollar Club” was launched by Alan Weiss, author of over 20 books including the best seller, “Million Dollar Consulting.” 

Alan asked each member of the group to list the qualties that made their businesses successful.  Surprisingly, while all of our business models were different, there was tremendous synergy and similarity.

I’m passing these “traits” of million dollar consultants along to any and all consultants, business owners, and leaders who would like to know how to improve their businesses, make more money and have more fun. The top five are in this posting, the we will email to you if you contact Meredith O’Connor, our Marketing/Communications Director.  moconnor@bates-communications.com and ask her to email you the PDF of the “30 Million Dollar Club Traits.”

5 of the 30 Traits of Million Dollar Consultants:

1.  Focus and discipline: determine what’s important and be ruthless focusing on achieving and surpassing your goals.

2. Market: Identify your key markets and exploit them.

3. Leverage and scalability: when can 1 plus 1 equal 1,000? Constantly seek to leverage products, services, markets and relationships.

4. Database Intelligence: create, nurtuer grow, and cleanse databases so that they are of high quality and generate powerful returns.

5. Belief and Faith: The client doesn’t tell you how to consult and you will insist on the right way or walk.

If you’re not acquainted with Alan, I highly recommend “Million Dollar Consuting” as well as his groundbreaking book on how to dramatically increase your revenues and develop more profitable business through “Value Based Selling.”  To visit Alan’s web site click here.

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