FOR YOU

73 Best Business and Success Lessons

1. You can really Lead Without a Title.
2. Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do.
3. Give away what you most wish to receive.
4. The antidote to stagnation is innovation.
5. The conversations you are most resisting are the conversations you most need to be having.
6. Leadership is no longer about position – but passion. It’s no longer about image but impact. This is Leadership 2.0.
7. The bigger the dream, the more important to the team.
8. Visionaries see the “impossible” as the inevitable.
9. All great thinkers are initially ridiculed – and eventually revered.
10. The more you worry about being applauded by others and making money, the less you’ll focus on doing the great work that will generate applause. And make you money.
11. To double your net worth, double your self-worth. Because you will never exceed the height of your self-image.
12. The more messes you allow into your life, the more messes will become a normal (and acceptable) part of your life.
13. The secret to genius is not genetics but daily practice married with relentless perseverance.
14. The best leaders lift people up versus tear people down.
15. The most precious resource for businesspeople is not their time. It’s their energy. Manage it well.
16. The fears you run from run to you.
17. The most dangerous place is in your safety zone.
18. The more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.
19. Every moment in front of a customer is a gorgeous opportunity to live your values.
20. Be so good at what you do that no one else in the world can do what you do.
21. You’ll never go wrong in doing what is right.
22. It generally takes about 10 years to become an overnight sensation.
23. Never leave the site of a strong idea without doing something to execute around it.
24. A strong foundation at home sets you up for a strong foundation at work.
25. Never miss a moment to encourage someone you work with.
26. Saying “I’ll try” really means “I’m not really committed.”
27. The secret of passion is purpose.
28. Do a few things at mastery versus many things at mediocrity.
29. To have the rewards that very few have, do the things that very few people are willing to do.
30. Go where no one’s gone and leave a trail of excellence behind you.
31. Who you are becoming is more important than what you are accumulating.
32. Accept your teammates for what they are and inspire them to become all they can be.
33. To triple the growth of your organization, triple the growth of your people.
34. The best leaders are the most dedicated learners. Read great books daily. Investing in your self-development is the best investment you will ever make.
35. Other people’s opinions of you are none of your business.
36. Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle and best at the end.
37. Measure your success by your inner scorecard versus an outer one.
38. Understand the acute difference between the cost of something and the value of something.
39. Nothing fails like success. Because when you are at the top, it’s so easy to stop doing the very things that brought you to the top.
40. The best leaders blend courage with compassion.
41. The less you are like others, the less others will like you.
42. The thoughts you think today determine the results you’ll see tomorrow.
43. Excellence in one area is the beginning of excellence in every area.
44. The real reward for doing your best work is not the money you make but the leader you become.
45. Passion + production = performance.
46. The value of getting to your goals lives not in reaching the goal but what the talents/strengths/capabilities the journey reveals to you.
47. Stand for something. Or else you’ll fall for anything.
48. Say “thank you” when you’re grateful and “sorry” when you’re wrong.
49. Make the work you are doing today better than the work you did yesterday.
50. Small daily – seemingly insignificant – improvements and innovations lead to staggering achievements over time.
51. Peak performers replace depletion with inspiration on a daily basis.
52. Take care of your relationships and the sales/money will take care of itself.
53. You can’t be great if you don’t feel great. Make exceptional health your #1 priority.
54. Doing the difficult things that you’ve never done awakens the talents you never knew you had.
55. As we each express our natural genius, we all elevate our world.
56. Your daily schedule reflects your deepest values.
57. People do business with people who make them feel special.
58. All things being equal, the primary competitive advantage of your business will be your ability to grow Leaders Without Titles faster than your industry peers.
59. Treat people well on your way up and they’ll treat you well on your way down.
60. Success lies in a masterful consistency around a few fundamentals. It really is simple. Not easy. But simple.
61. The business (and person) who tries to be everything to everyone ends up being nothing to anyone.
62. One of the primary tactics for enduring winning is daily learning.
63. To have everything you want, help as many people as you can possibly find get everything they want.
64. Understand that a problem is only a problem if you choose to view it as a problem (vs. an opportunity).
65. Clarity precedes mastery. Craft clear and precise plans/goals/deliverables. And then block out all else.
66. The best in business spend far more time on learning than in leisure.
67. Lucky is where skill meets persistence.
68. The best Leaders Without a Title use their heads and listen to their hearts.
69. The things that are hardest to do are often the things that are the best to do.
70. Every single person in the world could be a genius at something, if they practiced it daily for at least ten years (as confirmed by the research of Anders Ericsson and others).
71. Daily exercise is an insurance policy against future illness. The best Leaders Without Titles are the fittest.
72. Education is the beginning of transformation. Dedicate yourself to daily learning via books/audios/seminars and coaching.
73. The quickest way to grow the sales of your business is to grow your people.

- See more at: http://www.robinsharma.com/blog/09/robins-73-best-business-and-success-lessons/#sthash.cU9tkuxS.dpuf

To reach  world class :

1.

1. Know what you want. Clarity is power. And vague goals promote vague results.
2. Remember that when you transform your fitness, you’ll transform your business.
3. Stop being a victim. Your business and personal life was made by you. No one else is responsible. To make it better, make better choices. And new decisions.
4. Find your own style. Be an original. Every superstar differentiated themselves from The Herd. And marched to their own drumbeat.
5. A problem is only a problem if you make the choice to see it as a problem.
6. In business, don’t play to survive. Play to win.
7. Give more than you take. The marketplace rewards generosity
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Regards
   Dhanasekar

11 Obsessions of Remarkable Entrepreneurs

The 11 Obsessions of Remarkable Entrepreneurs 1. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand the quality of the practice determines the caliber of the performance The Pro Athlete Protocol: Prepare Yourself Mentally, Physically + Emotionally 2. Bureaucrats talk about people and problems, Remarkable Entrepreneurs talk about possibilities and solutions Focus on results and get things done. Continually ask yourself, “What’s the opportunity here? How can we leverage this situation.” Focus on possibilities. Results. Results. Results. 3. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand they are paid not just to work, but they are paid to be scared The best entrepreneurs play out on the edges and take calculated risks. Challenge the way you performed yesterday. Take calculated risks. 4. To have what only 1% of the entrepreneurial population have, you must be willing to do what only 1% of the entrepreneurial population are willing to do The best entrepreneurs do what’s difficult, what causes them to stretch and what requires commitment. Be committed. Be willing to do what the few do. Develop the leaders around you. Go into silence. Work on your customer experience. Have acute clarity on your 90 day goals. Work on your goals. Build relationships and trust. Persist. 5. Bureaucrats are threatened by change, Remarkable Entrepreneurs are inspired by change The best entrepreneurs understand that a change is required to get to the next level of profits, success and fulfillment. Go through the confusion to get to the clarity. 6. Bureaucrats have jobs, Remarkable Entrepreneurs have crafts Develop your talents and make a dent in the universe. Do something you are proud of. Elicit the best within you. The best entrepreneurs aren’t in it for the money, they’re in it for the pride they feel on creating world-class products and doing genius-level work. 7. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand that an addiction to distraction is the death of creative production The best entrepreneurs understand the key in business is to shift out of complexity + busy-ness to simplicity + focus. Focus on the few high leverage activities that will get you to where you want to be. 8. Bureaucrats wait until they get the energy, Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand that to get the energy you must first do the work When you do the Work You Will Receive The 3 Entrepreneurial Gifts: 1. Release of more motivation 2. Release of confidence 3. Release of energy 9. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand the bigger the dream the more important the team Leadership is about influence – moving people to action by your example. Leadership is about impact – less talk more results. Leadership is about inspiration – grow other leaders 10. Remarkable Entrepreneurs populate their lives with people whose lives they want to be living Surround yourself with people and environments that inspire you. Have an obsessive attention to excellence. Create worlds that inspire you. 11. Remarkable Entrepreneurs are obsessed fundamentally with giving Ask yourself not what can I get, ask yourself who may I help. Business is about producing unusual value for as many people as possible.

15 Ways To Do Your Best Work

1.Do your best work by challenging the way you did things yesterday. 2.Do your best work by allowing your passion to see the light of day. 3.Do your best work by becoming part of the solution versus growing the problem. 4.Do your best work by expecting nothing less than you playing at world-class. 5.Do your best work by giving away the credit (especially when you crave it) 6.Do your best work by practicing your skills so you become a virtuoso. 7.Do your best work by releasing excuses and doing important things. 8.Do your best work by getting up when you’ve been knocked down. 9.Do your best work by keeping your promises; to others and to yourself. 10.Do your best work by showing integrity. 11.Do your best work by delivering more value than anyone could ever expect from you. 12.Do your best work by making time to refill your well. 13.Do your best work by having a strong foundation at home. 14.Do your best work by becoming as fit as a pro athlete. 15.Do your best work by doing work that makes a difference and inspires others to do the same.

The 44 Master Moves of Remarkable Entrepreneurs

1. They get that the #1 way to build a global brand is one customer at a time. 2. They obsess around having an impact vs. growing their income (and so their income soars). 3. They listen more than they speak. And they deliver more than they promise. 4. They use their most valuable hours to do their most valuable work (don’t check email first thing in the morning). 5. They get that you can’t have an A-level company if you hire B-level people. 6. They are deeply aware that jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to Mastery. And so they fearlessly pour their Genius into the world. 7. They understand that what the amateur calls genius, the professional calls practice. 8. They are fanatics around building a systems-driven company. Everything has a system built around it. This ensures consistently fantastic results. And allows the entrepreneur to take extraordinary amounts of time off. [I've recorded a powerful training video that will show you how to really grow an ultra-successful company while you live a much better life. It's called "The Napa Valley Adventure". Watch it now: http://www.theremarkableentrepreneur.com/napavalleyadventure] 9. They trust their vision when everyone else is doubting their vision. 10. They provoke their teammates to do work they never imagined they could do. 11. They know that good enough just isn’t good enough. Outright perfection is their ideal. 12. They have discovered that extra hard work is Success’ true best friend. 13. They use flight time to get ahead and review their plans vs. playing Angry Birds and watching bad movies. 14. They get that progress often shows up in failure’s clothing. 15. They invest deeply in their education and development knowing that the fastest way to double your net worth is to triple your rate of learning. 16. They focus on value versus cost. 17. They hold themselves to performance + ethical standards higher than anyone could ever expect of them. 18. They make the time to think, plan and prepare – understanding that clarity breeds mastery. And there’s no point in brilliantly executing the wrong things. 19. They get that their 3 most valuable assets are their mental focus, physical energy and internal creativity. And so they protect them ferociously. 20. They are “Apple-like” in their willingness to think differently and ensure their products leave customers breathless. 21. They stick to their convictions – especially in the face of criticism. 22. They relentlessly stay true to their clearly articulated vision – even when confronted with the most heartbreaking of obstruction. 23. They adore the mantra: “How may I best serve the most people?” 24. They challenge the way they worked yesterday for the sake of even bigger work tomorrow. 25. They get that either you disrupt the status quo in your industry (and within your life), or you will be disrupted. And it will hurt. 26. They spend their days doing real work versus fake work. And getting important things done versus being really busy being busy. 27. They know that if they’re not frightened a lot they’re not achieving a lot. 28. They appreciate that Leadership’s no longer about ensuring compliance but inspiring connections, being of service and getting great things done. 29. They work hard to craft a high-performance culture, understanding that the culture of the organization stages the performance of its people. 30. They are more fascinated in building a company that will endure the generations than an enterprise that is hot for a few quarters. Iconic is their obsession. 31. They get that failure is the foundation of innovation. 32. They are acutely aware that the winning formula that made their company successful just might be the one that makes their company obsolete. And so they break what works. And stay foolish and hungry. 33. They deliver results versus voice rationalizations. 34. They view angry customers as breathtakingly great opportunities to create fanatical fans. 35. They know that if people are not laughing at your 24 Month Magnificent Obsession (More on that and all these ideas at The Remarkable Entrepreneur SuperConference 2012 in Toronto, Canada June 2+3 – see below for details to grab a seat while you can – I really want to help you win this year!), you have the wrong vision. 36. They perceive connections with their community as the main aim of commerce. 37. They are devoted to getting into their absolute best physical condition. They have zero desire to be the richest people in the graveyard. 38. They understand that the greatest gift you can give a teammate (or a customer or your child) is the gift of your undivided attention. 39. They know that logic is the dream killer. Instead, they trust instinct, creativity and passion to lead them to where they need to go. 40. They have learned that few things feel better than the pride you’ll feel on a job beautifully done. 41. They are good at starting things. And even better at finishing them. 42. They get that confidence grows via the doing of difficult things. And so they pursue discomfort. 43. They identify themselves as virtuosos. Best in World is the only place they play. 44. They bravely donate their lives to a cause larger than themselves. And – in this way – transform the world through their presence. If you’re ready to make these master moves a part of the way you work and are set to unleash the potential of your business, you definitely want to attend The Remarkable Entrepreneur SuperConference 2012, widely considered one of the most valuable and game-changing training events for business builders in the world. I’ll teach you everything I know about growing your business in these volatile times and my method to double your sales in 24 months or less – while taking a lot more time off.

35 Fast Tips to Make This Your Best Year Yet

Remember that the quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts.
Keep the promises you make to others – and to yourself.
The project that most scares you is the project you need to do first.
Small daily improvements are the key to staggering long-term results.
Stop being busy being busy. This New Year, clean out the distractions from your work+life and devote to a monomaniacal focus on the few things that matter.
Read “The War of Art”.
Watch “The Fighter”.
In a world where technology is causing some of us to forget how to act human, become the politest person you know.
Remember that all great ideas were first ridiculed.
Remember that critics are dreamers gone scared.
Be “Apple-Like” in your obsession with getting the details right.
Take 60 minutes every weekend to craft a blueprint for the coming seven days. As Saul Bellow once said: “A plan relieves you of the torment of choice.”
Release your need to be liked this New Year. You can’t be a visionary if you long to be liked.
Disrupt or be disrupted.
Hire a personal trainer to get you into the best shape of your life. Superstars focus on the value they receive versus the cost of the service.
Give your teammates, customers and family one of the greatest gifts of all: the gift of your attention (and presence).
Every morning ask yourself: “How may I best serve the most people?”
Every night ask yourself: “What 5 good things happened to me this day?”
Don’t waste your most valuable hours (the morning) doing low value work.
Leave every project you touch at work better than you found it.
Your job is not just to work. Your job is to leave a trail of leaders behind you.
A job is not “just a job”. Every job is a gorgeous vehicle to express your gifts and talents – and to model exceptionalism for all around you.
Fears unfaced become your limits.
Get up at 5 am and take 60 minutes to prepare your mind, body, emotions and spirit to be remarkable during the hours that follow. Being a superstar is not the domain of the gifted but the prepared.
Write love letters to your family.
Smile at strangers.
Drink more water.
Keep a journal. Your life’s story is worth recording.
Do more than you’re paid to do and do work that leaves your teammates breathless.
Leave your ego at the door every morning.
Set 5 daily goals every morning. These small wins will lead to nearly 2000 little victories by the end of the year.
Say “please” and “thank you”.
Remember the secret to happiness is doing work that matters and being an instrument of service.
Don’t be the richest person in the graveyard. Health is wealth.
Life’s short. The greatest risk is risk-less living. And settling for average.

You Can’t Lead In Fear

Fear ruins more bright lives than you might imagine. Each of us, by virtue of our very human nature, has the potential to Lead Without Title and achieve great things that elevate everyone around us by our model of possibility. But the chattering voice of fear in our heads stops us from playing big.
A little while back I had the chance to spend 3 weeks in New Zealand. And just before I returned home, I had the opportunity to go heli-skiing. Yes, this is where a helicopter drops you off at the top of a mountain, and you ski down.
The experience was challenging, exhilarating and full of rich lessons for growth. Here are some of them, that we can apply to business and life:
1. You Don’t Grow In Normal
All I mean by this is that if you stay within your comfort zone, you don’t grow. But if you instead stretch and face fear head on by going to your limits, you’ll discover your limits will grow.
2. You Don’t Know Until You Try
It would have been easy to refuse the chance to heli-ski. I could have made a thousand excuses. But Leaders Without a Title recognize good opportunities. So I seized it. And because I tried heli-skiing, I not only grew as a skier, I added another experience to my life that will shape all I do.
3. On the Other Side of Your Fears You’ll Find Your Confidence
By doing what we’re afraid to do because it’s beyond our comfort zone, we grow in confidence. The increased confidence I have as a skier because I skied a new peak will translate to increased confidence as an entrepreneur and as a human being.
4. Life’s Short So Get In The Game
A rich life is one made up of many rich adventures. Don’t miss out on enjoying as many as you can.

17 Tips To Double Your Productivity In 14 Days

1. Turn off all technology for 60 minutes a day and focus on doing your most important work.
2. Work in 90 minute cycles (tons of science is now confirming that this is the optimal work to rest ratio).
3. Start your day with at least 30 minutes of exercise.
4. Don’t check your email first thing in the morning.
5. Turn all your electronic notifications off.
6. Take one day a week as a complete recovery day, to refuel and regenerate (that means no email, no phone calls and zero work). You need full recovery one day a week otherwise you’ll start depleting your capabilities.
7. The data says workers are interrupted every 11 minutes. Distractions destroy productivity. Learn to protect your time and say no to interruptions.
8. Schedule every day of your week every Sunday morning. A plan relieves you of the torment of choice (said novelist Saul Bellow). It restores focus and provides energy.
9. Work in blocks of time. Creative geniuses all had 2 things in common: when they worked they were fully engaged and when they worked, they worked with this deep concentration for long periods of time. Rare in this world of entrepreneurs who can’t sit still.
10. Drink a liter of water early every morning. We wake up dehydrated. The most precious asset of an entrepreneur isn’t time – it’s energy. Water restores it.
11. Don’t answer your phone every time it rings.
12. Invest in your professional development so you bring more value to the hours you work.
13. Avoid gossip and time vampires.
14. Touch paper just once.
15. Keep a “Stop Doing List”.
16. Get up at 5 am.
17. Have meetings standing up.

How To Build A Movement Around Your Business

In 10 years, we’ll look back at this time as one of the greatest periods in history to be in business. It’s never been so easy to deliver original value for massive amounts of people. It’s never been so important to show leadership in all that you do. And there’s never been a better time to grow a full-blown movement around the products and services that you offer to the people who put food on your table every night.

Smart entrepreneurs (and even people working in companies need to think and perform like entrepreneurs within their jobs if they want to excel) do the following 4 things to grow communities of fanatical followers around their brands:

1. They understand that every moment in front of a customer is a moment of truth. You either live the values your advertising sells. Or you don’t.

2. They avoid “Copycat Syndrome”. Starbucks and NIKE and Zappos and Google became iconic because they were unique. Not because they tried to be a better clone of a successful competitior.

3. The best entrepreneurs never lose the human touch. Yes, technology’s an awesome lever to build relationships and scale your business. But ultimately, people do business with human beings – not companies.

4. The best entrepreneurs grow movements by asing themselves “how may I best serve the most people” vs “how may I make the quickest money doing the least effort.” Helping people get to their dreams via the superb product you offer still remains the single best marketing strategy in this uncertain work of business we play in.

11 Obsessions of Remarkable Entrepreneurs

Recently I delivered a three-hour presentation for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization in Vancouver. I was really delighted to share my ideas on what it takes to be a world-class entrepreneur. The productivity habits of best entrepreneurs, and ultimately how you build a fast growth company while actually cultivating a better lifestyle. A lifestyle where you have more fun and more balance.
And I wanted to share the 11 Obsessions of Remarkable Entrepreneurs with you. Because I shared a lot of the ideas with them and I wanted to offer them to you so you can multiply your profits, build a truly great small company while creating a truly exceptional lifestyle.
The 11 Obsessions of Remarkable Entrepreneurs
1. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand the quality of the practice determines the caliber of the performance
The Pro Athlete Protocol: Prepare Yourself Mentally, Physically + Emotionally
2. Bureaucrats talk about people and problems, Remarkable Entrepreneurs talk about possibilities and solutions
Focus on results and get things done. What’s the opportunity here? How can we leverage this situation. Focus on possibilities. Results. Results. Results.
3. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand they are paid not just to work, but they are paid to be scared
The best entrepreneurs play out on the edges and take calculated risks. Challenge the way you performed yesterday. Take calculated risks.
4. To have what only 1% of the entrepreneurial population have, you must be willing to do what only 1% of the entrepreneurial population are willing to do
The best entrepreneurs do what’s difficult, what causes them to stretch and what requires commitment. Be committed. Be willing to do what the few do. Develop the leaders around you. Go into silence. Work on your customer experience. Have acute clarity on your 90 day goals. Work on your goals. Build relationships and trust. Persist.
5. Bureaucrats are threatened by change, Remarkable Entrepreneurs are inspired by change
The best entrepreneurs understand that a change is required to get to the next level of profits, success and fulfillment. Go through the confusion to get to the clarity.
6. Bureaucrats have jobs, Remarkable Entrepreneurs have crafts
Develop your talents and make a dent in the universe. Do something you are proud of. Elicit the best within you. The best entrepreneurs aren’t in it for the money, they’re in it for the pride they feel on creating world-class products and doing genius-level work.
7. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand an addiction to distraction is the death of creative production
The best entrepreneurs understand the key in business is to shift out of complexity + busy-ness to simplicity + focus. Focus on the few high leverage activities that will get you to where you want to be.
8. Bureaucrats wait until they get the energy, Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand that to get the energy you must first do the work
When you do the Work You Will Receive The 3 Entrepreneurial Gifts:
1. Release of more motivation 2. Release of confidence 3. Release of energy
9. Remarkable Entrepreneurs understand the bigger the dream the more important the team
Leadership is about influence – moving people to action by your example. Leadership is about impact – less talk more results. Leadership is about inspiration – grow other leaders
10. Remarkable Entrepreneurs populate their lives with people whose lives they want to be living
Surround yourself with people and environments that inspire you. Obsessive attention to excellence. Create worlds that inspire you.
11. Remarkable Entrepreneurs are obsessed fundamentally with giving
Ask yourself not what can I get, ask yourself who may I help. Business is about producing unusual value for as many people as possible.
Make Your Business Awesome.

Do What’s Most Difficult

We attempt to structure our lives to avoid our fears but that’s about as intelligent as straightening the deck chairs on the Titanic. The best way to overcome a fear is to face your fear. As a matter of fact, every time we do something we’ve been avoiding, we take back the power that seemingly scary or difficult thing had over us.
Every Leader Without a Title and world-class Productive runs toward what they are most resisting versus toward the exit door. They feel the fear of tackling a game changing project and do the project anyway. They acknowledge the sweaty palms before the high-stakes presentation, and give the presentation anyway. They experience the runaway heartbeats accompanying asking for the biggest order in the history of their company, and they ask anyway. And that’s what makes them great.

Understand emotions to build better team spirit

Emotions are so much a part of human life that they cannot be disregarded in the professional world. The ability to understand others' feelings, is necessary to build good workplace relationships. It helps one to become a better communicator. It improves the ability to influence others.

Understanding emotions is an important constituent of emotional intelligence. Managers, mentors and counsellors should possess this skill because their jobs have a lot to do with influencing people. The success of all day-to-day activities like meetings, negotiations, conflict resolutions and performance management is based on the ability of the participants to understand others' emotions. It helps in avoiding misunderstandings, frustration and to some extent stress.

Each one of us displays emotions in a unique way. Learning to read another person's emotions from the cues he throws requires patience, but is worth it. Conclusions about responses of a person in different emotional states can be drawn only after careful observation and analysis of his behaviour.

And when we commit a mistake in our analysis and act guided by those conclusions, we may end up damaging our relationship with the person and leaving a deep scar on his mind. Here are some ways to comprehend others' emotions:

Self-study: Observe yourself to understand how your different emotions are displayed in different situations. By recognising how your emotions affect you, you can understand others' emotions.

Enquire: The best way to know how a person is feeling is to ask him. When you do this, you are exhibiting your concern for him. It will make him feel good and he will be glad to share his feelings. This way you not only get what you want but also develop a better relationship with the person.

Empathise: Empathy gives the ability to understand and evaluate. So by imagining yourself in the situation the other person is in, you will be in a better position to understand his feelings.

Analyse: There might be cases when it is not appropriate or intelligent to ask. Sometimes, the person might not be willing to share with you. Or he might take advantage of the opportunity to mislead you.

At times, the other person could be unaware of his true feelings. So, whether to ask or not and how much to believe are up to your discretion. Again practise improves your judgement. And when you are unsure, take into account, non-verbal cues.

Frown, wide-open mouth, blank eyes, physical distance maintained from a person or contracted eyes have all messages about emotional state of the person. Non-verbal signs tell a lot about a person's feelings and usually more precisely.

The changes in facial expression convey how a person is feeling about the external influences and what kind of responses could be building up in his mind. Apart from this, gestures and body movements also provide insight to the mind of the person.

For example, biting lips and shaking legs is a sign of nervousness. Crossed hands and legs are sign of disagreement. Relaxed face muscles are sign of contentment.

Speech is another important source to understand emotions. Tone, speed and quality of speech, pitch and amplitude convey ulterior and unarticulated messages about the emotional state of a person. Fast speech is a sign of excitement or nervousness. Talking slowly, at audible level suggests pondering on the issue.

Understanding emotions is necessary to anticipate and control the outcomes of events. For managers who aim to inspire and motivate others, this ability helps to deal with people with different attitude and approach.

It is useful to avoid conflicts, build team spirit and mediate between disagreeing parties. It helps to cultivate a better way of thinking.

60 TIPS FOR A STUNNINGLY GREAT LIFE

1. Exercise daily.
2. Get serious about gratitude.
3. See your work as a craft.
4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.
5. Keep a journal.
6. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”.
7. Plan a schedule for your week.
8. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.
9. Say no to distractions.
10. Drink a lot of water.
11. Improve your work every single day.
12. Get a mentor.
13. Hire a coach.
14. Get up at 5 am each day.
15. Eat less food.
16. Find more heroes.
17. Be a hero to someone.
18. Smile at strangers.
19. Be the most ethical person you know.
20. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
21. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.
22. Save 10% of your income each month.
23. Spend time at art galleries.
24. Walk in the woods.
25. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.
26. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
27. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.
28. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.
29. Have 5 great friends.
30. Become stunningly polite.
31. Unplug your TV.
32. Sell your TV.
33. Read daily.
34. Avoid the news.
35. Be content with what you have.
36. Pursue your dreams.
37. Be authentic.
38. Be passionate.
39. Say sorry when you know you should.
40. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.
41. Have a vision for your life.
42. Know your strengths.
43. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.
44. Be patient.
45. Don’t give up.
46. Clean up your messes.
47. Use impeccable words.
48. Travel more.
49. Read “As You Think”.
50. Honor your parents.
51. Tip taxi drivers well.
52. Be a great teammate.
53. Give no energy to critics.
54. Spent time in the mountains.
55. Know your top 5 values.
56. Shift from being busy to achieving results.
57. Innovate and iterate.
58. Speak less. Listen more.
59. Be the best person you know.
60. Make your life matter.

Robin’s 73 Best Business and Success Lessons

The 73 Best Lessons I’ve Learned for Leadership Success in Business and Life 
By Robin Sharma, author of the international bestseller “The Leader Who Had No Title”
Hi There,
I’m skiing in South America but have also been doing a lot of thinking. I wanted to thank you for all your kind support of my work. So I have summarized the 73 best ideas/insights/lessons I’ve learned for winning in business and life below. I hope they help you. And I hope you’ll share them with others who will benefit from them. Again, thanks for supporting my mission to help people in organizations around the world Lead Without a Title. I’m grateful. 

 
Robin
You can really Lead Without a Title.
Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do.
Give away what you most wish to receive.
The antidote to stagnation is innovation.
The conversations you are most resisting are the conversations you most need to be having.
Leadership is no longer about position – but passion. It’s no longer about image but impact. This is Leadership 2.0.
The bigger the dream, the more important to the team.
Visionaries see the “impossible” as the inevitable.
All great thinkers are initially ridiculed – and eventually revered.
The more you worry about being applauded by others and making money, the less you’ll focus on doing the great work that will generate applause. And make you money.
To double your net worth, double your self-worth. Because you will never exceed the height of your self-image.
The more messes you allow into your life, the more messes will become a normal (and acceptable) part of your life.
The secret to genius is not genetics but daily practice married with relentless perseverance.
The best leaders lift people up versus tear people down.
The most precious resource for businesspeople is not their time. It’s their energy. Manage it well.
The fears you run from run to you.
The most dangerous place is in your safety zone.
The more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.
Every moment in front of a customer is a gorgeous opportunity to live your values.
Be so good at what you do that no one else in the world can do what you do.
You’ll never go wrong in doing what is right.
It generally takes about 10 years to become an overnight sensation.
Never leave the site of a strong idea without doing something to execute around it.
A strong foundation at home sets you up for a strong foundation at work.
Never miss a moment to encourage someone you work with.
Saying “I’ll try” really means “I’m not really committed.”
The secret of passion is purpose.
Do a few things at mastery versus many things at mediocrity.
To have the rewards that very few have, do the things that very few people are willing to do.
Go where no one’s gone and leave a trail of excellence behind you.
Who you are becoming is more important than what you are accumulating.
Accept your teammates for what they are and inspire them to become all they can be.
To triple the growth of your organization, triple the growth of your people.
The best leaders are the most dedicated learners. Read great books daily. Investing in your self-development is the best investment you will ever make.
Other people’s opinions of you are none of your business.
Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle and best at the end.
Measure your success by your inner scorecard versus an outer one.
Understand the acute difference between the cost of something and the value of something.
Nothing fails like success. Because when you are at the top, it’s so easy to stop doing the very things that brought you to the top.
The best leaders blend courage with compassion.
The less you are like others, the less others will like you.
You’ll never go wrong in doing what’s right.
Excellence in one area is the beginning of excellence in every area.
The real reward for doing your best work is not the money you make but the leader you become.
Passion + production = performance.
The value of getting to your goals lives not in reaching the goal but what the talents/strengths/capabilities the journey reveals to you.
Stand for something. Or else you’ll fall for anything.
Say “thank you” when you’re grateful and “sorry” when you’re wrong.
Make the work you are doing today better than the work you did yesterday.
Small daily – seemingly insignificant – improvements and innovations lead to staggering achievements over time.
Peak performers replace depletion with inspiration on a daily basis.
Take care of your relationships and the sales/money will take care of itself.
You can’t be great if you don’t feel great. Make exceptional health your #1 priority.
Doing the difficult things that you’ve never done awakens the talents you never knew you had.
As we each express our natural genius, we all elevate our world.
Your daily schedule reflects your deepest values.
People do business with people who make them feel special.
All things being equal, the primary competitive advantage of your business will be your ability to grow Leaders Without Titles faster than your industry peers.
Treat people well on your way up and they’ll treat you well on your way down.
Success lies in a masterful consistency around a few fundamentals. It really is simple. Not easy. But simple.
The business (and person) who tries to be everything to everyone ends up being nothing to anyone.
One of the primary tactics for enduring winning is daily learning.
To have everything you want, help as many people as you can possibly find get everything they want.
Understand that a problem is only a problem if you choose to view it as a problem (vs. an opportunity).
Clarity precedes mastery. Craft clear and precise plans/goals/deliverables. And then block out all else.
The best in business spend far more time on learning than in leisure.
Lucky is where skill meets persistence.
The best Leaders Without a Title use their heads and listen to their hearts.
The things that are hardest to do are often the things that are the best to do.
Every single person in the world could be a genius at something, if they practiced it daily for at least ten years (as confirmed by the research of Anders Ericsson and others).
Daily exercise is an insurance policy against future illness. The best Leaders Without Titles are the fittest.
Education is the beginning of transformation. Dedicate yourself to daily learning via books/audios/seminars and coaching.
The quickest way to grow the sales of your business is to grow your people.
Robin Sharma is the bestselling author of “The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and Life.” Buy it now

Here’s How Salespeople Can Defeat Price Resistance Objections

Price resistance is the nemesis of most salespeople.

Our research shows that 72% of salespeople cave in when the buyer resists price.

This results in companies losing millions of profit dollars every year because their salespeople fail to defend their prices.

They discount when they should hold the line on prices.

There is a blend of emotional and tactical reasons why salespeople relent on price objections. How many of these ten reasons apply to you?

Emotional reasons why salespeople lose to price objections:

1. Fear. You fear losing the sale. Fear is a powerful motivator—more powerful than greed. Humans are hard-wired to detect danger and nothing signals danger more for a salesperson than the possibility of losing a sale.

2. Guilt. You feel guilty selling at that price. Other customers may be paying less and you feel guilty charging more to this customer. Wrap in some fear that the buyer will discover others pay less and your guilt is amplified by your fear.

3. Conviction. You do not believe that your product is better than the competition’s product. You lack the passion you need to defend your price. It’s difficult to convince others of your value when you suffer from a lack of confidence in your package.

4. Exhaustion. You are tired of the battle. You believe that it takes too much effort to hold the line on your prices. You feel that it is easier to discount than fight for your profit.

5. Courage. You give up too early. You lack the will to continue. Your fear is too overwhelming and you decide that it is less painful to cave in to your fear than fight for your profit. When buyers object to price, first they test your price; then, they test your resolve.

Tactical reasons why salespeople lose to price objections:

6. You fail to penetrate the account high enough to talk to the high-level decision maker who controls the purse strings. Research shows that 90% of salespeople do not penetrate at this level, mostly because high-level decision makers intimidate them, or salespeople fear alienating a lower level contact by going over their heads.

7. Your buyer is more prepared than you are for the price discussion. There are many legitimate reasons to lose a sale—wrong product, availability, and even price—but being out-prepared for the negotiation by the customer is not one of them.

8. You lack the know-how to hold the line on prices. You never learned how to fight this battle tactically. This generally means a lack of training.

9. You copy a price competitor’s price strategy. You cannot be an industry leader if you are a follower on price. You alone control your prices. The competition may cut their prices, but you cut your prices. Copying them means that you tacitly admit your product or service is no better than the competition’s.

10. You quit too early. For whatever reason, you stop selling before the buyer stops buying. Maybe it is a lack of resolve or knowledge of how to continue the battle. The sale is never over until you or the customer calls it off. Why would you quit if the buyer does not quit?

Do you see yourself in any of these reasons? If so, use this insight to improve your results.

Study. Prepare. Infuse yourself with passion about your product.

Be ready for price resistance. Anticipating that price may become an issue is not the same as soliciting a price objection.

You need not fear price resistance if you are prepared and believe in what you sell.

You need not feel guilty holding the line on price when you are convinced of your value.

You need not give up too early when you are prepared for the battle.

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PATIENT LEADERSHIP

All Spring, I've been watching the trees in my backyard flourish. All of them have grown into lush masterpieces of nature and vivid beauty. All have matured and revealed precious blossoms to my family and I. All have provided us with shade, joy and protection. All but one.



This one tree stands apart. While the others were growing quickly a few months ago, this one had no leaves at all. It looked thin and frail. I wasn't even sure if it had made it through the Winter. I left it for dead. But then something very spectacular happened.



From nowhere, it started to yield stunningly beautiful little flowers on its almost instantly firm branches. It grew higher than every other tree around it. And it offered us more cover than its counterparts. This tree is now the best tree. The Lead Tree in my backyard.





Here's the leadership lesson: strong roots eventually yield great success. 



I have a suspicion that while the naked eye suggested that the tree wasn't growing, in truth, it definitely was. But the expansion was below ground rather than above ground. And so I dismissed it. 



While the other trees were reaching for the sky, this special tree was quietly working on its foundation, ensuring its roots were strong and its base was secure. And once done, it outperformed every tree around it.



Business and life has taught me so many lessons. And so has nature. And one of the best is that leadership takes time. You might think that other people and other organizations are so far ahead of you that you'll never catch up. But please be patient. Tend to your roots. Do exceptionally great work. Build deep relationships. Invent and innovate daily. And Lead Without a Title.



Nature is always fair. And eventually, like the special tree in my backyard, you will win. 



Q and As on Leading Without a Title

Q1. You advise the big players of this world on Leadership. What do you teach them first and foremost?

I advise them that the old model of leadership is dead. Look at Wall Street firms that have crumbled, organizations that have fallen and CEOs who were once revered, who have now lost face. The new model of leadership is all about Leading Without a Title. That doesn't mean that titles and positions no longer matter. It simply means that any business that really wants to win in a time of dramatic disruption needs to build the leadership capability of every employee, at all levels. This is Leadership 2.0. and organizations that don't make the leap will end up obsolete.


Q2. Could your teaching also apply to the bosses of small and medium-sized companies?


Absolutely. The game changing idea that the #1 competitive advantage in this time of radical change is building leaders at all levels not only applies to our FORTUNE 500 clients like Microsoft, GE and NIKE but to any business in the marketplace today. In my book "The Leader Who Had No Title" I distill exactly what the best businesspeople and organizations are doing that most don't. These tactics include daily innovation, creating a base of fanatical followers who are your customers, building a Leadership Culture and the importance of transparency.

Q3. What characterizes a leader?


There isn't just one thing that makes an exceptional leader - just like there isn't just one thing that made Mozart exceptional or Picasso great. The best leaders have a bias towards innovation, are ruthlessly focused on just a few things, have remarkable capacity to attract superb talent, have strong resilience in the face of turbulence and are often radically optimistic (while being wildly practical).

Q4. Is management a kind of vocation?


Management is obsolete. Any company that is serious about winning (or even staying alive) should stop thinking about management and start obsessing about leadership - especially the imperative of every employee Leading Without a Title. Just imagine a company where every single employee worked like Roger Federer plays tennis. That's what the whole Lead Without a Title philosophy is about.

Q5. Can we learn what it is necessary to become a good leader?


Absolutely. Exceptional leadership isn't born - it's built. The best leaders have trained and practiced their craft. That's good news for anyone in business today: all that stands between you and world-class is learning the science of leadership and then practicing it every day to mastery.

Q6. Did the economic crisis change the expectations of companies towards leaders?


Of course. Given the behaviors of so many once-respected leaders, stakeholders are now demanding only the highest standards of performance, transparency and ethics of their leaders. In The Leader Who Had No Title, I write: "it could take you 20 years to build a great reputation and 20 seconds to lose it - in one act of bad judgment."

Q7. Which are, according to you, the new important criteria for a Leader?

1.

Leave our egos at the front door and do brilliant work - that adds remarkable value for your customers.


2. Build a phenomenally great team. A mediocre team results in a mediocre company.


3. Innovate and disrupt the way you think and perform daily in hot pursuit of something even better.


4. Build deep relationships.


5. Be authentic and transparent. Winning companies show they are the real deal and live their brand.

The Deeper Your Relationships, The Stronger Your Leadership

Leadership is a people sport. The best of the best understand that people do business with people they like. People do business with people they trust, and people do business with those who make them feel special. Please remember this simple, yet transformational, idea: When you take care of the relationship, the money will take care of itself.

In my new book, The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life (Simon and Schuster), I share a process to build world-class relationships with your teammates and clients that will cause you to have spectacularly strong bonds so that you receive unbeatable results. And it all starts with understanding that the deeper your relationships, the stronger your leadership. People just won’t follow/support/help people they don’t like/trust/respect.

Here are six powerful moves you can make to be the best relationship builder in every room you happen to be in:

1. Give Away What You Most Want. Want more respect from those you work with or from the customers you are fortunate enough to serve? Give them all more respect. Want more appreciation? Give more appreciation away. Hope to have more loyalty? Be exceptionally loyal (in a world where loyalty is a lost art). The best way to influence other people is through the awesome power of your best example. Give away all that you most wish to receive. People will love you for it.

2. Leverage the Power of Circulation. “The business of business is people,” said Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines. Yes, we have more technology than ever before and we can access the world’s information with a single Google search, but I think it’s also true that we’ve never been less emotionally connected with people. I’m not talking about being wired through e-mail or cell phones. I’m speaking of real human connections, the kind that cause people to believe in you—and go to the wall to help you win. There is extraordinary power in circulating. Just being out there, having lunch with your teammates and breaking bread with your customers is important. When people get to know you, they’ll be first in line to do some serious business with you.

3. Treat People Like VIPs. By now, you know my main focus as an author and consultant is helping people in organizations “Lead Without a Title.” In these turbulent times we work in, the single best move an organization can make is to develop the leadership talent of every single person at every possible level. Now, anyone can lead, whether they’re the receptionist or the vice president of sales. And one of the defining behaviors of leadership without a title is leaving everyone you meet better than you found them. Be one of those rare people who inspire others to step into their best and raise the game at which they play—regardless of your rank. And treat everyone you know like they are royalty. Common sense? Yes. Common practice? No.

4. Listen Like a Genius. Listening involves more than waiting until the speaker has stopped speaking. Yet, in our hyper-fast world, few people in business have dedicated themselves to being a “wow” of a listener. Here’s the thing: When you become brilliant at listening, people feel that you care about them. When they feel you care about them, they begin to care about you. And when people care about you, your success becomes a part of how they define their success.

5. Say “Please” and “Thank You.” “Manners are the lubricating oil of an organization,” said management guru Peter Drucker. “Please” means “I respect you,” and “Thank you” means “I appreciate you.” To grow your relationships and lead the field, manage your manners so people see that you strongly value them.

6. Focus on Value Generation (versus Ego Gratification). Former President Harry Truman said, “You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit.” Leave your ego at the door every morning, and just do some truly great work. Few things will make you feel better than a job brilliantly done. And the more you focus on adding value to as many people as possible, the more all those ego pursuits, like a bigger title, more money and greater acclaim, will show up for you in the best of ways. And that would be a good thing.

Leadership Traits

One of the most important contributions psychology has made to the field of business has been in determining the key traits of acknowledged leaders. Psychological tests have been used to determine what characteristics are most commonly noted among successful leaders. This list of characteristics can be used for developmental purposes to help managers gain insight and develop their leadership skills.

The increasing rate of change in the business environment is a major factor in this emphasis on leadership. Whereas in the past, managers were expected to maintain the status quo in order to move ahead, new forces in the marketplace have made it necessary to expand this narrow focus. The new leaders of tomorrow are visionary. They are both learners and teachers. Not only do they foresee paradigm changes in society, but they also have a strong sense of ethics and work to build integrity in their organizations.

Raymond Cattell, a pioneer in the field of personality assessment, developed the Leadership Potential equation in 1954. This equation, which was based on a study of military leaders, is used today to determine the traits which characterize an effective leader. The traits of an effective leader include the following:

Emotional stability. Good leaders must be able to tolerate frustration and stress. Overall, they must be well-adjusted and have the psychological maturity to deal with anything they are required to face.

Dominance. Leaders are often times competitive and decisive and usually enjoy overcoming obstacles. Overall, they are assertive in their thinking style as well as their attitude in dealing with others.

Enthusiasm. Leaders are usually seen as active, expressive, and energetic. They are often very optimistic and open to change. Overall, they are generally quick and alert and tend to be uninhibited.

Conscientiousness. Leaders are often dominated by a sense of duty and tend to be very exacting in character. They usually have a very high standard of excellence and an inward desire to do one's best. They also have a need for order and tend to be very self-disciplined.

Social boldness. Leaders tend to be spontaneous risk-takers. They are usually socially aggressive and generally thick-skinned. Overall, they are responsive to others and tend to be high in emotional stamina.

Tough-mindedness. Good leaders are practical, logical, and to-the-point. They tend to be low in sentimental attachments and comfortable with criticism. They are usually insensitive to hardship and overall, are very poised.

Self-assurance. Self-confidence and resiliency are common traits among leaders. They tend to be free of guilt and have little or no need for approval. They are generally secure and free from guilt and are usually unaffected by prior mistakes or failures.

Compulsiveness. Leaders were found to be controlled and very precise in their social interactions. Overall, they were very protective of their integrity and reputation and consequently tended to be socially aware and careful, abundant in foresight, and very careful when making decisions or determining specific actions.

Beyond these basic traits, leaders of today must also possess traits which will help them motivate others and lead them in new directions. Leaders of the future must be able to envision the future and convince others that their vision is worth following. To do this, they must have the following personality traits:

High energy. Long hours and some travel are usually a prerequisite for leadership positions, especially as your company grows. Remaining alert and staying focused are two of the greatest obstacles you will have to face as a leader.

Intuitiveness. Rapid changes in the world today combined with information overload result in an inability to "know" everything. In other words, reasoning and logic will not get you through all situations. In fact, more and more leaders are learning to the value of using their intuition and trusting their own instincts when making decisions.

Maturity. To be a good leader, personal power and recognition must be secondary to the development of your employees. In other words, maturity is based on recognizing that more can be accomplished by empowering others than can be by ruling others.

Team orientation. Business leaders today put a strong emphasis on team work. Instead of promoting an adult/child relationship with their employees, leaders create an adult/adult relationship which fosters team cohesiveness.

Empathy. Being able to put yourself in the other person's shoes is a key trait of leaders. Without empathy, you can't build trust. And without trust, you will never be able to get the best effort from your employees.

Charisma. People usually perceive leaders as larger than life. Charisma plays a large part in this perception. Leaders who have charisma are able to arouse strong emotions in their employees by defining a vision which unites and captivates them. Using this vision, leaders motivate employees to reach toward a future goal by tying the goal to substantial personal rewards and values.

Personal traits play a major role in determining who will and who will not be comfortable leading others. However, it is important to remember that people are forever learning and changing. Leaders are rarely (if ever) born. Circumstances and persistence are major components in the developmental process of any leader. If your goal is to become a leader, work on developing those areas from the list above that you are weak in. For instance, if you have all of the basic traits, but do not consider yourself very much of a people person, take classes or read books on empathy. Get feedback from others on how they see you and what they think you can do to develop those traits. There are many leadership training programs around. Contact your local business school to find one near you.