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.