How to Identify Your Strengths: A Checklist for Success
How to Identify Your Strengths
How to Identify Your Strengths: A Checklist for Success
Learning how to identify your strengths can be daunting. However, having a good checklist to help you identify your strengths can make a world of difference. As I made the transition from employee to full-time entrepreneur, I used this checklist to help me uncover the strengths that would help me in my new role. Take a few minutes to go through this checklist to help you identify your strengths as you transform from an employee to an entrepreneur.
1. Identifying Your Strengths
First, answer the following questions:
What do you like to do every day?
Do people make favorable comments about what you like to do?
Are there other things that you do that receive favorable comments?
What do you like to talk about?
2. Capitalize on Your Strengths
Practice saying “No” to doing things that you do not do well.
Identify skills you can transfer from your job to your business.
Stop doing things you dislike, when possible. (Remember to outsource by building your business dream team!)
Leave your comfort zone.
3. Develop Your Skills
Take one step a day towards improvement.
Define expectations for yourself.
4. Determine if Weaknesses Matter
Center your activity on what you can do.
Know that you can do more than you think you can.
Avoid making excuses.
5. Use Tools to Help You Better Understand Your Strengths
Take at least one personality test.
Identify famous people with your personality type.
Read books that highlight how to use your strengths.
Find a coach or mentor.
At My Biz Dream Team, we can show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out Special Report and Training Guide: Building Your Business Dream Team. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
Pamela Montgomery
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, marketing strategist, and speaker, helping you create the life of your dreams as you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership
Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership
Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership
Have you ever thought about developing better listening skills? Well, if you want to be an effective leader, developing better listening skills is essential.
I learned the importance of developing better listening skills for effective leadership during a successful career as a litigator, policy maker, entrepreneur, and serving on the boards of many community organizations.
I am not talking about whether you can hear or not. Instead, I am referring to the ability to connect with someone because you not only hear what they are saying, but also understand what they are not saying. This often called 360 listening.
Today, I am sharing with you the lessons that I have learned about the importance of developing better listening skills in making me a better a leader. Hopefully, you can learn from my experiences!
1. Developing Better Listening Skills Builds Trust
The ability to connect and to build trust in a meaningful way is a key component of leadership.
I recently read an article by Melissa Daimler, “Listening is an Overlooked Leadership Tool” in the Harvard Business Review. Ms. Daimler makes an excellent point that, “The most powerful mode of communication is that of two people listening.”
At one time, I thought that as the leader, I should be the person doing most of the talking. However, I realized that I was a more effective leader when I listened and asked questions.
Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership
2. Developing Better Listening Skills Builds Respect
I learned that there is no better way to show respect to another person than to listen to what she is saying. I had to learn to stop looking at emails when a team member came to talk to me. I also had to learn to stop multi-tasking, and to pay attention to the person standing in front of me.
Sometimes, I found myself so worried about getting stuff down, that I forgot about the importance of effective communication with the people who worked with me.
As Steven Covey said in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “Seek first to understand.” I learned to understand by listening. Once I began developing better listening skills, I became a more effective leader.
Below is a checklist that I have developed to help me and my colleagues in developing better listening skills. Hopefully, the checklist will help you as you learn to connect, build trust, and communicate by developing better listening skills.
3. The Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership Checklist™
1. I understand that developing better listening is a skill that I absolutely must develop.
2. When I am listening to someone, I eliminate distractions and give that person my full attention. I am no longer:
- Processing what I want to say as they are speaking
- Jumping to conclusions or making assumptions about what they are trying to communicate
- Interrupting people when I should be listening
- Other__________________________________________
3. As I am developing better listening skills, I am:
- Looking for non-verbal clues
- Asking deep questions
- Thinking before I speak
- Following up on our conversation
- Other___________________________________________
4. I do not hesitate to make notes about conversations I have just had, to remind myself of important details or follow-up actions I must take.
5. I am aware of the three different types of listening, and what differentiates them:
- Internal listening
- Focused listening
- 360 listening
6. I am working hard to practice 360 listening.
7. I understand that developing better listening skills actively builds trust.
Developing Better Listening Skills for Effective Leadership
Conclusion
The importance of developing better listening skills for effective leadership can not be overstated. Over a successful career as a litigator, policy maker, entrepreneur, and serving on numerous boards, I have learned from my experiences. Hopefully, you can begin developing better listening skills as you grow as a leader in your job, your business, and your community.
I would love to hear from you about the leadership challenges that you face! Leave me a comment below!
At My Biz Dream Team, we can show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out the Special Report and Training Guide: Build My Business Dream Team. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
Pamela Montgomery
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, helping you create the life of your dreams as you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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Shifting Your Mindset for Prosperity and Success
Shifting Your Mindset for Prosperity and Success
Shifting Your Mindset for Prosperity and Success
Shifting your mindset for prosperity and success may sound daunting. However, by practicing a few habits you can begin transforming your life.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a prosperous and successful entrepreneur? Do you wonder what prosperous and successful entrepreneurs do or know that makes them so different from everyone else?
As you know, entrepreneurs are different from everyone else because we get to make the rules we live by. The trouble is, however, that many entrepreneurs still live by rules that others make. These rules often do not work well and keep them from prosperity and success.
Today I want to share with you what I have learned from being in business for several years and from talking to dozens of my colleagues. To become a prosperous and successful entrepreneur I had to learn to enlarge my capacity and change the habits that no longer worked for me. My colleagues had to make the same changes. We had to begin shifting our mindset for prosperity and success.
Here are 7 mindset practices that Dexter and I, and other successful entrepreneurs use to replace those old habits that kept us stuck. Once you begin to practice these new habits, you find yourself shifting your mindset for prosperity and success.
1. Use Affirmations Effectively
To begin shifting your mindset for prosperity and success, learn to use affirmations effectively.
If affirmations have not worked for you in the past, consider the fact that you may be investing your energy and hope into (1) unrealistic ones you do not really believe in or (2) generic affirmations that are too vague and broad-ranging.
The key to making affirmations effective is two-fold:
• Be specific. Take your affirmation from pie-in-the-sky platitude to something you can achieve.
• Make sure you believe in the message.
Anyone can say: “I am a millionaire right now.” But that is not really an affirmation. That is wishful thinking.
On the other hand, telling yourself daily, “I have a millionaire mindset” can be a powerful boost to your confidence and outlook, if you pair it with a plan of action.
2. Change your Perspective
The next habit to develop as you begin shifting your mindset for prosperity and success is to change your perspective.
Are you a “glass-half-empty” person? If so, call yourself on these negative, doom-and-gloom self-messages. Say,“Oops, that’s a glass-half-empty thought. Let’s turn this around and transform this thought into glass-half-full.”
It may feel contrived and your heart may not be in this little exercise at first, if you have been undergoing stress or challenges in your business or personal life. But if you persevere, you will soon discover that deliberately changing glass-half-empty thoughts to glass-half-full ones increases:
• Gratitude
• Empowerment
• Optimism
• Proactivity
Ultimately you will achieve prosperity and success as you develop the habit of changing your perspective!
Reframe Your Negative Thoughts
3. Reframe Negative Thoughts
Shifting your mindset for prosperity and success, involves learning to reframe negative thoughts.
The damage may be done. A negative family environment or significant relationship may have left you with poor self-esteem or poor processing habits. Or perhaps the damage was caused by that toxic company you worked at for twenty years.
But no matter what caused you to adopt an “I’m doomed, I may as well give up” attitude. You can make the decision to change that thinking today.
You can begin to making a mindset shift for prosperity and success.
One successful technique that psychologists use is called “re-framing”. This is how it works:
• Take a negative, habitual thought
• Filter it in an objective manner through the light of reality
• Replace your negative thought with a positive but realistic, corrected version.
You can do this with any type of thought,business or personal. For example, change “I always fail” with, “I am successful. Sometimes I may make mistakes, but I learn from them.”
4. Avoid “All-or-Nothing” Thinking
One highly destructive self-talk is known in psychological circles as “all-or-nothing thinking”. To ensure you do not do it, watch out particularly for the words “always” or “never” in self-talk: For example, “I always fail at everything I do” or “I’ll never learn how to do write sales copy”.
All-or-nothing thinking is just another way of beating yourself up, and strips away both personal power and confidence.
If you catch yourself making an all-or-nothing statement, reframe it instantly to a more realistic, empowering thought.
For example, change your “all-or nothing” thinking to, “Lots of people learn how to write sales copy effectively. I can choose to outsource this. Or say to yourself, “I can just take my time, read instructions more carefully, and keep doing it until I get it right.”
Shifting Your Mindset for Prosperity and Success
5. Avoid Making Every Setback a Catastrophe
Do you see every setback as a catastrophe? Is every setback that happens the end of the world? Do you say things like “my business is FINISHED” if your computer dies, instead of simply buying another one?
Yes, this is just another form of beating yourself up. Even if you do experience a disaster—for example, a power outage occurs, and you lose a graphics file you’ve been working on for hours—realize that in the large scheme of things, this is frustrating but not really the end of your world. Treat it as a learning experience. Example: “Next time I’ll remember to save that graphic at every step.”
6. Ask Yourself: “Will This Matter in Five Years?”
One of the best ways to train yourself out of doom-oriented thinking is to get into the habit of asking yourself, after each disaster, “Will this matter in five years?”
If the answer is “no, I won’t even remember it”, it’s not worth worrying about.
7. Focus On Serving Others
One of the best ways to begin shifting your mindset for prosperity and success is to start focusing on serving others.
Our worst worries, fear and paralysis behaviors and mindsets occur when we are focused inward, thinking about ourselves.
Instead, focus on serving others. Think about how you are going to help the person who reads your next book. Or focus on how much it will help not just your client but other members of his team when you finish your project on time.
When you are focused on serving others, there is no room for worry.
Conclusion
As you begin shifting your mindset for prosperity and success, you will begin to transform yourself and your business.
Remember that any transformation begins in your mind. See it. Believe it. Then you can achieve it.
Begin to practice these 7 mindset habits to experience prosperity and success in your life.
1. Use Affirmations Effectively
2. Change Your Perspective
3. Re-frame Negative Thoughts
4. Avoid “All or Nothing” Thinking
5. Avoid Making Every Set Back a Catastrophe
6. Ask Yourself: “Will it Matter in Five Years?”
7. Focus on Serving Others
At My Biz Dream Team, we can show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out the Special Report and Training Guide: Build My Business Dream Team. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
Pamela Montgomery
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, marketing strategist, and speaker, helping you create the life of your dreams as you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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The Pathway to Better Leadership in Your Community Checklist™
Pathway to Better Leadership
The Pathway to Better Leadership in Your Community Checklist™
If you are interested in having a positive impact in your community, on-line or off-line, then follow this pathway to better leadership checklist. It has worked me! Give it a try.
Identify Your Community
1. I have identified my community—those who engage with me and trust me:
Online
Locally
In specialty groups where I interact
Other________________________
2. I have identified:
Where I experience the most online interactivity and engagement
Where and with whom I like to spend my online time
If that community could be a paying market
3. I have asked myself and analyzed:
What would they pay for without thinking twice?
How I already help them
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
4. I have identified the unspoken question underlying their struggles
__________________________________________________________
5. I have identified who I help in my local community, as well as how and why I help them
Connect with Your Community
Connect with Your Community
6. I have arranged to:
Present a free workshop or presentation at my local library
Present a free workshop or presentation for my local business organizations
Write a community-oriented article for my local newspaper
Offered to write a free regular column for my local newspaper
7. I have ensured I can be ready with a signature presentation and fill in at a moment’s notice at any gathering, when speakers cancel at the last minute
8. I understand that volunteering my time and expertise in my local community helps not only them, but helps me:
Increase my public presence
Become known for my specialty
Be viewed as their local expert in my field
Make valuable network connections
Build my reputation
Increase my self-worth
Help my neighbors
9. I am cultivating outward-looking attitudes based on caring, sharing, gratitude and love
10. I am focusing on being a glass-half-full person
11. I welcome challenges as opportunities to learn and grow
12. I understand that forgiveness is a process—and a choice
13. I have forgiven:
Everyone I need to forgive in my life
Myself
14. I understand that:
I can’t control other people, only myself
How I feel is also a choice I make
I have the power to choose
15. I am not going to take on other people’s ‘stuff’ any more
16. I take full responsibility for my choices
17. I understand that good listening is a skill that I absolutely must develop
18. When listening to someone, I eliminate distractions and give that person my full attention
19. I am no longer:
Processing what I want to say as they are talking
Jumping to conclusions or making assumptions about what they are wanting to communicate
Interrupting people I am supposed to be listening to
Other__________________________________________
20. I am:
Looking for non-verbal clues
Asking deep questions
Thinking before I speak
Following up on our conversation
Other___________________________________________
21. I do not hesitate to make notes about conversations I have just had, to remind myself of important details or actions I have to take
22. I am aware of the three different types of listening, and what differentiates them:
Internal listening
Focused listening
360 listening
23. I am working hard to practice 360 listening
24. I understand that good listening actively builds trust
Engage with Your Community
Engage with Your Community
25. I am living my core values—every day
26. I understand that micro-managing is not leading
27. I do things WITH my clients—not for them
28. I have set clear boundaries with my followers and clients by:
Defining when and how I will interact—and sticking to it
Never reducing my fees to accommodate a client with financial problems
Never stepping outside the times I have set for myself for either coaching or for volunteer work
Respecting my client or group member’s boundaries, too
Following through on what I have set up
29. I understand that setting up and honoring my own boundaries is one of the most priceless gifts I can share with my kids, my clients, and my community
30. I have identified what I want my community members to remember, think and feel about me and how I helped them, years from now
31. I have identified what I want my community to:
Learn
Share
Take away
Other___________________________________
32. I have answered the question, “What will the world miss when my business no longer exists?”
______________________________________________________
33. I am actively and daily spending time with my community
34. I am spending significant time thinking about my community members, how I can best help them and what they really need
35. I am going deep and looking for that extra tweak that people need and appreciate
36. I have read up on critical thinking, if that is a new concept to me, and I am committed to practicing it from now on.
37. I am making it a regular practice to always go deep and look for that extra tweak my people need
38. When asking myself a question, I am:
Looking at all possible answers
Testing these possible answers
39. I am looking for—and asking—the questions that no one has thought of: Ones that desperately need to be addressed
40. When it comes to my business and brand, I am planning for longevity
41. I have asked myself:
What is it about my business idea that really excites me?
Will it sustain me in the long run?
Will it excite and help my community members for years down the line?
42. I have considered taking an online Critical Thinking course
Share with Your Community
Share with Your Community
43. I am looking outward and sharing by benefiting my community with one or more of the following:
Curation
Volunteer work
Donating to causes and charities
Setting up programs and funding
Other________________________________________________
44. I understand that my success can benefit the world and my community through these voluntary sharing and caring activities—and that I will be able to participate much more easily richer, rather than poorer!
45. I understand that my success helps my community members validate themselves too
46. I understand that my full commitment to positive leadership will help me make the world a better place
Conclusion/Call to Action
Are you ready to follow the pathway to better leadership? I hope that you will commit yourself to having a positive impact on your community.
Together we can make the world a better place. You and your community will grow and prosper when you begin to follow The Pathway to Better Leadership in Your Community Checklist™.
Click here to receive a free handout of The Pathway to Better Leadership in Your Community Checklist™
For more articles on Leadership see:
How to Step into the Spotlight as a Leader and Public Speaker
5 Valuable Qualities of an Authentic Leader
At My Biz Dream Team, we show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out The Podcasting Power Playbook, to help you increase your visibility, credibility, and authority status. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, providing results-oriented strategies that help you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
Pamela Montgomery
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How to Quickly Build Skills that Boost Your Success
How to Quickly Build Skills that Boost Your Success
How to Quickly Build Skills that Boost Your Success
To quickly build skills that boost your success as an entrepreneur, you will need to push your boundaries and act right now. You can start slowly, or you can dive right in.
I recommend that you dive right in!
These seven tips will help you move past your fears quickly and boost your success.
As Martin Meadows, author of Confidence – How to Overcome Limiting Believes and Achieve Your Goals states, the strength of your beliefs in your ability to complete a task successfully, makes it easier to complete tasks successfully.
• Organize an Event –
You should set a date and organize an event whether it is an in-person event or an online event.
If you are nervous, start with a local meet-up using Meetup.com to help.
Organizing and planning an event will teach you a lot about planning, negotiating, and deadline setting.
You can do the same thing with an online webinar, the only difference is you may need to learn modern technology while you are also learning to plan, negotiate and set deadlines.
I host a weekly teleseminar and re-purpose it into a podcast. Learn how to start your own podcast at: The Podcasting Power Playbook
Successful Networking for Entrepreneurs
• Get Involved with Others
Get involved with others by either joining an organization or volunteering at a charity that you care about. Choose a group that matches your skill set so that there will be a lot of things for you to do that prove your worth and help you improve your skills.
I enjoy being involved with Rotary International. There are more than 1.2 million members world-wide who work to have a positive impact in their local community and across the globe.
I get the opportunity to help the community and showcase my expertise as a public speaker.
• Improve Your Communication Skills
One of the most important parts of being an entrepreneur is being able to communicate. One way to improve your communication skills is to learn to give speeches and talk to people. You can join a local Toastmasters International club to help you get better at your communication skills.
You can start your own podcast to ease into public speaking and improving your communication skills. I host a weekly podcast on achieving entrepreneurial success. You can find the podcast on my website and on iTunes.
To find how to start your own podcast, checkout: The Podcasting Power Playbook
• Become the Expert
One way to develop your entrepreneurial mindset is to become an expert in your niche. Write blog posts, contribute guest articles, and write a book, host webinars, host local events and more. The more you do to develop your expertise, the more confidence you will have and the more successful you will become.
To learn more about becoming the expert and building your authority status, check out: The New Entrepreneur's Guide to Getting Known and Being Seen
• Learn Something New Regularly
If you just devote one hour a day to learning something new, then move on to something else when you master the first thing, you will be able to keep your skills topnotch and develop them even better than you can without a plan of action.
• Go to Networking Events
Do not network with only people you are comfortable with that are competition. Instead find events to attend that consist of your ideal clients / customers / audience so that you can learn more from them. Then, network smartly and keep your ears open and listen more than you talk.
For more information on successful networking check out: How to Network Like an Awesome Entrepreneur
• Learn to Delegate
No CEO does everything on their own and that is true of an entrepreneur, too. Whether you have a very small home business or a larger business, you will likely need to learn to delegate something. Even if it is just letting your spouse handle childcare duties and dinner on work days, that is something.
Read more about how to delegate to your team in this blog post: Delegate to Your Business Dream Team to Multiply Your Success
Also, check out this Special Report and Training Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Business Dream Team.
Conclusion/Call to Action
Improving your skills as an entrepreneur is not an overnight task and you will never be finished. However, by following a few tips you can quickly build skills that boost your success.
Your journey as an entrepreneur is ever evolving and changing. You may be surprised that what you are doing today is very different from what you will be doing tomorrow. But, that is how an entrepreneur stays successful. They adapt to change and develop the skills they need to stay competitive.
Follow these seven tips to quickly build skills that boost your success as an entrepreneur:
1. Organize an Event
2. Get involved with Others
3. Improve Your Communication Skills
4. Become the Expert
5. Learn Something New Regularly
6. Go to Networking Events
7. Learn to Delegate
At My Biz Dream Team, we show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out The Podcasting Power Playbook, to help you increase your visibility, credibility, and authority status. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
Pamela Montgomery
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, providing results-oriented strategies that help you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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5 Tips for Successful Networking for Entrepreneurs
Successful Networking for Entrepreneurs
5 Tips for Successful Networking for Entrepreneurs
What if you had five tips for successful networking for entrepreneurs?
Would that help you to make new contacts with potential clients? Would a few time-proven tips for successful networking for entrepreneurs give your business the opportunity to get a needed boost of innovative ideas or capital? Perhaps you would you gain greater visibility, credibility, and authority as you build relationships
If so, then read on to learn about how to become a savvy networker. In this article I share with you the strategies that I have used over the years as an attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker to connect to hundreds of people who have been helpful to both my business and my career.
1. Do Your Homework Before the Event
Study the event literature ahead of time. Check out the event’s Facebook page, if it has one. Be sure to make a note of people you would like to meet at the event.
Then look up the people you would like to meet on LinkedIn or Facebook. But do not be creepy about it.
For example, do not research every detail of their personal lives and then scare your new contacts.
Know just enough to focus on one thing – their specialty is the best bet. For example, you can truthfully say, “I hear you are the expert to go to, when it comes to setting up a podcast.”
Be careful not to ask for free advice on your WordPress podcasting plugin conflict. Instead focus on your contact. Give him an opportunity to talk about why he loves podcasting.
If you think you can absolutely use your new contact’s services, ask if she has an opening for a new client.
Exchange business cards or contact details, promise to call or email about your needs. Then contact him within twenty-four hours.
2. Bring Someone with You
If you are shy or nervous about attending the event, ask someone to go with you. Choose carefully and choose someone whose presence would add to the event. Ask someone who would genuinely enjoy it.
For example, if you are going to a “small business organization” conference and the friendly administrative assistant who helps you with social media expresses an interest, she will most likely be the perfect guest to take.
Having someone supportive and professionally savvy with you helps defuse shyness. Also, you can introduce each other to key people you know will be good contacts.
Successful Networking for Entrepreneurs
3. Set Personal Goals
This is different from your main goal in attending a networking event. Set personal goals only you will ever know about for the event itself.
For example, if you are “bad with names,” plan to learn and remember the names of six people.
These goals should be unique to you and designed to help get you past blocks.
For example, plan to get contact information from five people if you are hesitant about asking for business cards or email addresses. Or plan to simply talk to three people during each break.
When you are focused on meeting a goal, you are more likely to push yourself. That is when you will meet or even exceed your goals.
4. Organize the Event Yourself
One of the best ways to defuse fear of attending networking events lies in organizing one yourself. Here are a few tips to help you organize a successful networking event:
- Find out everything you can about organizing a successful event
- Decide what type would best suit your intended audience and your level of comfort
- Hire an experienced assistant – or recruit an experienced volunteer, if you do not have experience organizing events
- Find an industry peer to co-host it with you.
- Keep the event as simple as possible.
Once you have organized a networking event you will never feel quite as intimidated or bored with a networking event again.
5. Follow Up After the Event
Do not just connect with people.
Look for opportunities to help them.
For example, do you have a template back at your home office that would solve your new contact’s problem?
Is there a link you can share to a valuable resource?
Promise to send whatever it is that you have told your new contact about, if she is receptive. Then be sure to follow up when you get home and send it straight away. Sending it within twenty-four hours is the norm, and what people will look for.
Here is another helpful hint to use after the event. You should always try having something valuable you can send or share. This is a natural way to get your new contact’s email address.
If your new contact lives in the same city, invite her out for lunch or for coffee. Also, let her know about other events you think she might like.
If your new contact lives out of town and you hear she is going to visit, put her up at your house if the two of you have really hit it off.
If the connection is not quite strong enough for that, arrange to have breakfast or lunch when she is in town.
Conclusion/Call to Action
By following these 5 tips for successful networking for entrepreneurs, you will increase your credibility, visibility, and authority as you build relationships. Remember to:
- Do Your Homework
- Bring Someone with You
- Set Personal Goals
- Organize the Event Yourself
- Follow Up
For more networking tips check out the following articles:
How to Network Like an Awesome Entrepreneur
Networking Tips for Entrepreneurs: You Can Be a Star
10 Practical Self-Improvement Tips for 2018
Networking in the Age of Social Media
At My Biz Dream Team, we show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out The Strategic Pathway to Success Program™. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
Pamela Montgomery
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, providing results-oriented strategies that help you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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How to Develop a Success Mindset Checklist
How to Develop a Success Mindset Checklist
How to Develop a Success Mindset Checklist
As an entrepreneur have you ever wondered how to develop a success mindset? Many associates, friends, and clients have often asked me this question. However, before I share my strategies with you, I want to provide some background context for my response.
First, we must address what is a success mindset. In my view, a success mindset is a sincere belief in yourself and your competence. The way that you think and feel about yourself permeates everything that you do.
But you may be wondering, why is it important for an entrepreneur to have a success mindset. I say that having a successful mindset can make the difference between having a successful business and a failed one.
Also, having a success mindset can make all the difference in your personal satisfaction and business success.
Developing a success mindset is the key.
But how do you develop a success mindset? Here are some strategies that I have used to develop a success mindset, that you can easily implement yourself.
1. Challenge Yourself
If you might find yourself getting negative about your business, it may be because you are not challenged. If it is just too easy to meet your goals, perhaps your goals are not high enough. Challenge yourself.
2. Keep Positive Company
When you hang around with negative people their negative attitudes tend to rub off. Your acquaintances might be jealous of you. They may be threatened by your success. Try to keep company with upbeat people whose excitement is contagious.
For more on keeping negative people out of your life, see: Negative People: How to Protect Yourself from Them
If you want to read about the benefits of seeking out positive people see: How to Create a Success Mindset: 3 Simple Steps
3. Remember Your Why
Keep a list handy of all the reasons you started your business. Look at it whenever you feel overwhelmed or negative. Remind yourself of why you are doing this.
This list might include financial goals, too. Remember why you want to earn that money.
4. Do not Blame Others
Do not blame others for your failures. Of course, it is not good to beat yourself up over your failures, either.
The healthy way to handle failure is to take responsibility for the failure and learn from it. Think of it as a motivational moment. You can improve and not make the same mistakes again.
5. Be Bold
Sometimes, you can exhibit a negative mindset by being too cautious. If you always feel the need to have several back-ups plans before taking any risk or venture, it can hold you back. Being sensible about risks is healthy but being overly cautious can paralyze you.
Therefore, be bold in your approach to your business. Dare to be different!
Conclusion/Call to Action
To be a successful entrepreneur you must develop a success mindset. A success mindset can be the difference between a successful business and a failed one.
Here are a few strategies that I have followed to allow be to become a successful lawyer and entrepreneur:
· Challenge Yourself
· Keep Positive Company
· Remember Your Why
· Do not Blame Others
· Be Bold
At My Biz Dream Team, we show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals.
Check out The Strategic Pathway to Success Program™. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love!
If you are interested in starting a podcast, checkout this great resource: Podcasting Power
Pamela Montgomery
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, providing results-oriented strategies that help you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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5 Valuable Qualities of an Authentic Leader
Become an Authentic Leader
5 Valuable Qualities of an Authentic Leader
As an entrepreneur you can develop and grow your community and your brand by demonstrating the five valuable qualities of an authentic leader. What is authentic leadership? According to Bill George, author of Authentic Leadership, it is built on the highest integrity, focused on results, and reflects your values and beliefs. Therefore, for long-term success, you want to be known and seen as an authentic leader in your both your off-line and on-line community.
Many people have written about leadership from Warren Bennis to Robert Greenleaf. My focus today is on authentic leadership. With authentic leadership you stand out from those who overpromise and under deliver. Your approach to your business is based on your values and integrity. In today’s world authentic leadership is welcomed and needed. Use these five qualities of an authentic leader to develop and grow your community.
1. Authentic Leaders Make Connections
First of all, authentic leaders make connections. Part of this process involves getting out into the community and networking. Talk to peers and competitors.Find out what is important to them. You should go to conferences and symposiums. Talk to the experts.
Would you like to ask an expert a question? Then, develop a relationship with them. For example, follow them on social media. Interact with them on-line and off-line. Remember to be of value first before asking for assistance!
2. Authentic Leaders Focus on Results
Secondly, authentic leaders focuses on results. Weak leaders shame and blame. But an authentic leader zeros in on specific problems. She looks for solutions. Therefore, as an authentic leader you want to focus on achieving results that far exceed the standard solutions.
According to Kevin Kruse, “They are able to put the mission and the goals of the organization ahead of their own self-interest. They do the job in pursuit of results, not for their own power, money or ego.”
3. Authentic Leaders Act First
Authentic leaders also act first on ideas. They are first-class implementers. As an authentic leaders you find the best people for specific tasks while others are still discussing possibilities.
According to Michael Hyatt, “Leaders go first. They don’t sit on the sidelines. They don’t ask others to do what they are unwilling to do themselves. Instead, they lead by example. This is what distinguishes leaders from theoreticians and armchair quarterbacks.”
4. Authentic Leaders Know How to Ask for Help
An authentic leader knows how and when to admit you need help. An authentic leader does not pretend to be perfect. No one is.
5. Authentic Leaders Love to Learn
You will find that authentic leaders have an insatiable love for learning. They seek to improve every aspect of their lives. My personal library is full of books on personal development, history, and literature. I love to read, listen to podcasts, go to seminars, and attend workshops.
Authentic leaders find out how things work. They develop a community to help them handle situations. They also take time to do the difficult inner work that builds their self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Conclusion/Call to Action
Are you ready to develop and grow your community and brand by demonstrating the five valuable qualities of an authentic leader? Have you done the work and built the skills to be an authentic leader?
I encourage you to join me in this endeavor to develop and build your community and brand with your authentic leadership. Will you commit to using authentic leadership to make the world a better place?
Check out my latest report: Get Known and Be Seen! Learn how to stop being invisible and to gain authority status in your community by becoming an authentic leader.
Pamela Montgomery
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, providing you resulted-oriented strategies to help you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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How to Use Your Leadership Skills to Build Your Brand
Use Your Leadership Skills to Build Your Brand
How to Use Your Leadership Skills to Build Your Brand
As a speaker, entrepreneur, or author it is essential that you use your leadership skills to build your brand. In the “ABC’s of Branding,” I stated “Branding is an essential component of your business strategy. Being branded separates you from all the others in your area of expertise.” Your leadership in your community, both online and offline is a strategic way to brand yourself. Remember, you are the brand. Everything that you do reflects on your business. Therefore, it is important that you use your leadership skills to build your brand.
How are you using your leadership skills to build your brand and help your community?
1. Volunteer to Serve in Your Local Community
One way to use your leadership skills to build your brand, is to volunteer to serve in your local community. As you build your business, it is important to develop an attitude of caring, sharing, and love. One way to demonstrate that attitude of caring, sharing and love is to volunteer in your local community. As you give of your time and attention to others, they will grow to know and trust you.
I serve as the Chair of a foundation dedicated to help youth and their families with educational and social development issues. In addition, I serve on the local zoning board. I also love to participate in the projects sponsored by the Woodbridge Rotary Club. We prepare meals for families starving from famine, provide scholarships and gifts for the young people at the local Girls and Boys Club, and support numerous veteran organizations. This year we are also recognizing teachers, firemen, and police officers who contribute so much to our community. I am known for my community and civic engagement.
Remember that your reputation in your community is key to developing a valuable brand. You want to build a brand based on your achievement, your unique benefits, and your client-focused strategies.
2. Volunteer to Speak in Your Local Community
Another way to use your leadership skills to build your brand, is to volunteer to speak in the local community. Public speaking is a key leadership skill. Nothing says that you are a leader like standing in front of the room making a presentation.
You can volunteer to give presentations at the library or a community center. Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce or local business groups needs speakers. You should always be prepared to give a brief speech on your signature topic in case you are asked to substitute at the last minute. Your ability to effectively communicate in public is a key leadership skill. By volunteering to speak for local community groups, you are increasing your visibility and using a key skill for to make a positive impact.
3. The Benefits When You Use Your Leadership Skills to Build Your Brand
When you use your leadership skills to build your brand both you and the community benefit. Your community receives the benefits of your time, skills, and expertise. In turn, you will
a. Increase your public presence
b. Become known for your specialty
c. Be viewed as their local expert in my field
d. Make valuable network connections
e. Build your reputation
f. Increase your self-confidence
View your community involvement as an opportunity to learn and grow. It is also a time to listen to the concerns and needs of your neighbors. Through voluntary participation in community events you share your leadership skills for worthwhile causes.
You do not want to become one-dimensional, by focusing only your business. You want to benefit the community by using your skills to lead community organizations.
Conclusion/Call to Action
I encourage you to join me in this endeavor to use your leadership skills to build your brand. Will you commit to positive leadership to making the world a better place?
At My Biz Dream Team, we can show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out The Strategic Pathway to Success Program™. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, helping you create the life of your dreams as you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
Pamela Montgomery
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How to Quickly Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking
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Quickly Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking
How to Quickly Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking
You can quickly overcome your fear of public speaking by following a few simple strategies. Do your knees start to knock and your throat start to close thinking about public speaking? Do you imagine forgetting everything you planned to say? You can rid yourself of the overwhelming anxiety in the pit of your stomach. These symptoms of the fear of public speaking can be overcome by following the advice on this episode of My Biz Dream Team: Opportunity Wednesday Training Series.
1. Being Nervous vs Being Afraid
I understand your fear of public speaking. My entire professional life as an attorney, seminar presenter, and spokesperson was all about public speaking.
As an entrepreneur, I am often asked to make remarks or speak about my business. Each time I stand up to speak, I am nervous. Being nervous is a good thing. It gives me the edge to do my best.
I do not want to be complacent about the opportunity to influence and persuade my audience. However, being nervous and being afraid are two different emotions.
2. The Solution
To help you overcome the fear of public speaking, I recommend that you what I did. Schedule yourself to speak in public on a regular basis. The more you speak, the less afraid you become. Like swimming, you just need to jump into the water! As you do more public speaking, you become a better public speaker and more confident in your abilities. You will quickly overcome your fear of public speaking after a few months of regular speaking. You realize that you will not forget your prepared remarks. You realize that the audience will not laugh at you. In fact, the audience will support and follow your lead if you provide them valuable information that helps them solve their problems.
3. Implementing the Solution
You can quickly overcome your fear of public speaking by making sure that you speak in public at least once a month. When six weeks passed without making a presentation, I felt rusty and more anxious when I returned to the stage. Make sure that does not happen to you. Make public speaking a habit. There is no better way to position yourself as an authority.
You can find opportunities to speak online or offline. I highly recommend that you start podcast. For example, you can interview guests or discuss issues of concern to your audience.
To receive more in-depth information about the power of podcasting and the power of public speaking see the following blog posts and podcasts.
How You Can Make Podcasting Absolutely Enjoyable
How to Quickly Identify Your Ideal Client
How to Attract New Clients Through Speaking and Writing
You may also want to pursue opportunities offline in your local community. Local business associations, libraries, and civic organizations are always looking for speakers. Prepare a speech or presentation on an interesting topic and then schedule yourself to speak. It has been my experience that the best way to quickly overcome the fear of public speaking is to start speaking in public on a regular basis.
Conclusion/Call to Action
Are you ready to quickly overcome the fear of public speaking? If so, schedule yourself to speak regularly. The more frequently you speak the more confident you will become. You will find that will quickly overcome the fear of public speaking when you begin to speak in public on a regular basis.
At My Biz Dream Team, we can show you how to develop an internet lifestyle business that can help you reach your money goals. Check out The Strategic Pathway to Success Program™. Let us show you how to reach your goal of creating a lifestyle and a business that you love! Act today.
I am Pamela Montgomery, attorney, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, providing result-oriented solutions that help you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!
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