Success Happens - The Magic of Alignment

As we look out across the landscape of success and see the many who have reached the heights of what we might imagine is success, we so often think that success just happens. We sometimes get caught in the illusion that people get famous, successful or rich over night. Now there is no such thing as overnight success, unless you get on Australia's Got Talent or win at the lottery, and even then most people have been working all there lives to achieve the success that they finally receive.  However in some small way over night success can happen. In some respects there is a truth to this seemingly immediate success, there is some magic that can and does happen when the planets align.

In most cases those that reach success have been working at it for a very long time. They have fought through rejection after rejection trying to get someone of influence to recognise their talent. Be it a book they have written, a song they have sung or a program they champion, most of those that have reached success have worked hard at it. However there is a faster way to reach success, or at least to assist the process of the climb to fame and fortune.

There are a lot of things that need to come together for success to manifest, right product, right place, right time, right meeting, right connection, right attitude, right mindset, it can seem endless. In most cases there are a lot of things that need to line up for the magic of manifestation to deliver the success that you desire. In some respects when all the things that need to happen align, then often dreams do come true. Often when alignment happens dreams come true very quickly. This is the touch point that we are so very often exposed to since the advent of the internet and reality TV. 

So can we influence alignment or is it just right place and right time?

What if we could influence the planets aligning, train the ducks to get in a row and hit a bulls eye each time we through the dart? In my experience alignment comes down to four things.

Mindset

Is our ability to get clear and focussed, to be able to control those negative thoughts, emotions and feelings so that we can push through belief and self doubt. It demands that we have belief in our selves our product and the dream that we are aspiring towards.

Action

Is our ability to get off our back side and get moving and do what we need to do to get the job done. In most cases things don't manifest because people are waiting for it to happen... We make it happen by getting out there and facing the fear but doing it anyway.

Energy

Harnessing our energy and engaging in who we are and what we do at the deepest level allows us to attract all manner of good fortune towards us. Aligning our energy to the thing we are being called to do, that book, that song, that program, you know the one that sits there under the surface dying to get out. How we are being effects everything we are, or are not receiving. How we engage with the world will inevitably determine what we get from the world.

Potential

Unleash your true potential and believe in yourself, hell no one else is going to. Make things happen from that deeper part of who you are and live up to yourself, you only have now!

As we align it's like a rainbow appears, all the conditions are just right for all of the colours of the palette to shine, and when they do there is always a pot of gold at the end...

Have a great week and may all the instant success be yours, after all the work is done...

Cheers Marcus

A Tribute to Steve Jobs

Love him or hate him Steve Jobs built some of the most admired, well known and most successful organisations in the world. From Apple to Pixar, Steve developed businesses that have touched the lives of billions of people world wide. From Toy Story to the Ipod his dedication to developing innovative yet 'sexy' products was endless. This week however his journey came to an end as I am sure we are all aware.

For me Steve and his organisations have been a great inspiration and a lesson in the success of congruence. The 'sexy' nature of the products that these organisations delivered have lead to a passionate following of customers. To the degree that many of these customers fall in love with the products. Regardless of price these products have stood out in a very full market place and have commanded loyalty and a dedicated following. More on this next time...

Apart from his corporate life which some may see as ruthless and hard nosed, Steve had a tough fight with Liver disease and then Pancreatic cancer, which eventually led to his dimise. Along this journey he connected with the deep wisdom that lies inside all of us. At many of my workshops, and also with my clients I often ask them to write there message to the world. What would you tell the world if you knew you were going to die tomorrow? What wisdom, life lessons would you impart to the rest of us before you left this life? Well Steve got his opportunity when he presented his version of Message to the World at Stanford University. If you have not seen this very different key note speech it is worth watching.


So here is Steve's Message to the World.

I hope you enjoy, until next time live like it is your last day because one day it will be!

Cheer Marcus

What do you believe in?

I came across this amazing video the other day on ted.com and during my week off I thought I would leave this one with you. Belief, connection, vulnerability as a key to success in work and life. A truly inspirational and insightful video which everyone should see.

I hope you enjoy....

Cheer Marcus

Uncovering the truth about your USP!

There has been a lot of talk about discovering your Unique Selling Point (USP) and to be quite frank, I am sick of hearing about it. Most of the time it is spoken of by marketing experts and is externalised with a view to impressing your market. It is important but not for the reasons that they often profess. Even though most business owners understand and know of the value of having a USP, or at least have heard that they should, most still have not got it right.

We live in an increasingly competitive market place, with tighter margins and often more demanding clients. It is your USP that will help you to stand out in a busy and competitive market place. Where most business owners go wrong is that they look outside of themselves, analyzing and researching their competitors, trying to find a gap and in turn design their USP.

At Intrinsic Success we take a very different view of discovering you USP. In our experience your USP is more about the essence of you and your business than it is about marketing or competition. Your USP should really be your unique stand and place, and less about how you sell. If you really want to stand out and make a difference in the world then discovering the truth of your USP is essential.

So what is it that makes you unique? In a world of six billion people and millions of businesses what on earth could make you unique. Here is where the trick lies, for if you are trying to find your uniqueness in what you do then you are going to come up with the same thing as everyone else. It is interesting to note that so many businesses claim to be unique and then go on to do and say the same thing everyone else does. So what could make you unique? This is where the essence and energy of you and your business comes in. What is it that makes you, YOU? What is the uniqueness that makes you the special person that you are? What would your friends and family say about you that makes you, YOU? It is the same for your business, what is it about your business that makes it your business? What would your existing clients say about your business? What would your team, your friends and family say about the uniqueness of your business?

If you can nail these questions then you are most of the way to finding your USP. It is a little tricky I must admit and can seem like a never-ending pilgrimage to the end of the earth however, once you have it your business is guaranteed to take off. Now, you will know when you have it by the reaction of the external world, your clients, your team, your family and friends. One of the KPI's is when the clients come flocking then you know that you have it. When we get really clear about what we are then our potential clients can get clear about what we are and make a definite decision as to whether or not to engage us. It is when we are covered in fluff and same old same old that potential clients get confused and unsure about what we are and what we have to offer. Clients want businesses that are clear, definite and sure-footed. Our USP will give them most of this information.

Then you want to understand what it is that you stand for and make that stand. In our case we are interested in business owners who are ready to make a difference to their business and their lives. Those business owners who are truly ready to do what ever it takes to grow and expand and make a significant difference in their world and the world at large.

Once you have discovered the thing that makes you unique, are clear about what you stand for, you can then take your place in the market. So where is your place, or where do you want it to be? Go find the most comfortable and receptive place in the market and tell them what your USP is all about. Begin to attract your perfect client based on your USP. Let go of trying to find clients that do not fit into your view of yourself and the world. I guarantee you will be happier, less stressed and more successful. Oh and if you have some that don't fit I dare you to think about changing that...

So go out into the world and discover your true intrinsic USP, then go tell everyone…NOW!

Have a great week and may your intrinsic uniqueness shine for greater success.

Cheers Marcus

Redefining Possibility

I often talk to my clients about possibility and how with just one question you can get the brain to open up to things that you might feel is impossible. So is it possible to increase your income ten fold in the next three months? Is it possible to have the life of your dreams complete with new house, shinny new car, maybe a new girlfriend or wife or maybe just freedom.

The most powerful question you can ask in the opening up to what might be possible is this:

What if it were possible?

What if it were possible to have the job of your dreams and still get paid what you do in your current corporate gig? What if it were possible to have it all with less effort? This question allows the left brain to relax and get into 'solve mode' which it loves.

A few months ago, even though I talk about possibility, my dreams seemed like they were going to elude me for the rest of time. In fact I almost gave up! However remembering my own words I decided to knuckle down, bunk in and hold the fort determined to succeed. Sometimes it takes some real determination, courage and a swift kick of reality up the backside to change the impossible into the possible and then into reality.

I have always been a positive person, always believing that success might be just around the corner but when you have had 44 years of believing success maybe just around the corner sometimes you loose sight of this positive perspective. Well I am finally here to tell you not to! That every time your brain tells you that success and your dreams or desires are not possible, knuckle down and change this reality. Turn the question upside down and ask but what if it was possible? What then?

I am please to report that in 75 days I reached the possibility. I have gone from white belt to black belt in just under three months. What is white belt to black belt all about? Well those of you that are interested you can look up the following address www.thoughtleadersglobal.com. It’s just me practicing what I preach and with the help of my mentor, success and a new reality is now upon me.

I realised through the process that sometimes success takes a lot of hard work, determination, courage and some good old fashion stubbornness. To aim high, follow a dream and make it a reality. This reality would not have been possible without help. Help of my mentor Peter Cook, help from my family, thanks Steph and help from all those that believe in me.

Now the journey is not over, quite the opposite, it is just beginning. We are all on this planet together to primarily help each other. Help each other to feel better, have a better life, reach our dreams, love, laugh and experience joy. So I want to help you realise the possibility that you can have your dreams come true.

If you are sitting their wondering how you are going to make your dreams a reality, stop wondering and call me that’s why I am here, to help you! Ask the question ‘what if it were possible’ and then go make that happen…it is possible!

Have a great week, dream big, never give up and go make it happen NOW!

Cheer Marcus

The Onsen and the importance of living your passion…

Two years ago I went skiing in Japan, Niseko to be exact, and experienced an Onsen for the first time. Now, those of you not familiar with the concept, an Onsen is a term for hot springs in Japanese though the term is often used to describe bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs.  


Apart from the amazing skiing in Japan and the awesome food and the wonderfully friendly people the Onsen is a real treat, especially after a hard days skiing the powder, as these monkey's will attest to.

Unfortunately I was not skiing in Japan over the weekend but I did spend it in Sorrento for some well-deserved R & R. 

So Friday night we headed off to Sorrento primarily to rest and rejuvenate but also so that Stephanie could introduce me to the soothing treat she had found a few weeks earlier. Believe it or not right here in Victoria on the peninsula are some of our very own hot springs. These hot springs are amazing with pools ranging from 37 degrees up 43 degrees and the water is amazingly good for the health.

Ok so maybe you don’t want to hear about my wonderful weekend bathing in the hot springs, I feel fantastic by the way and my skin, smooooooth. What was impressive is what the owners have built there. As an excerpt from their web site describes how it all happened…

‘Peninsula Hot Springs was founded by brothers Charles & Richard Davidson and Norm Cleland’.

‘The inspiration for the project began when Charles visited several hot springs while living in Japan in 1992. This sparked off several years of touring and studying hot springs around the world’.

‘In 1996 Charles heard a rumor that hot geothermal water had been discovered on the Mornington Peninsula in 1979, and a search of Department of Minerals and Energy records substantiated it’.

‘In 1997 the two brothers formed a partnership and they bought the 42 acre site on which the hot springs now stand. It took several more years of hard work to design the facility, secure the water license, obtain a planning permit, and drill a bore some 637 meter deep to a plentiful aquifer of 54 degree C natural hot minerals waters. The Davidson brothers then found an investor, in the form of Norm Cleland and his family, and together proceeded to build the Stage one Spa Dreaming Centre facility, which opened in June 2005. In December 2009 the second stage Bath House centre penned vastly increasing the number of bathing experiences and providing a area for children and families. Future plans include an increase in bathing experiences, accommodation, a restaurant and more wellness focused facilities’.

For me, both as a business mentor and personal development coach, it is amazing to see what they have built. The passion that has gone into the project is obvious and truly inspirational. No expense has been spared and the experience for the patrons is top notch. It is fascinating to see that it has taken them since 1997 to build what we see today. In a world of fast food and instant gratification it is important to remember that sometimes dreams take time, especially big dreams. To see the persistence, dedication and commitment that must have gone into the making of the bathes is worth writing about and also worth the drive to experience.

Noting that it took several years just to secure licenses to design and build the premises and drill the bore. I know for me I sometimes expect that things will be perfect right now and that success should happen yesterday. But in truth it takes persistence, determination and a real commitment to see the project through. This is where passion comes in, for without it, chances are you will quit before it has even got off the ground.

Passion is the driving force behind many of the world’s great projects, companies and individuals. Many things have gone by the wayside just because the passion was not there. The world would be a colder place without the passion that has driven these amazing things. Therefore it is important that we follow are passion. When we do we are twice as likely to have the success that we have dreamt of, experience twice the fun and realize twice the joy. At the end of the day that’s what life is about…Joy!

So what are you passionate about? What is it going to take for you to go and make it happen? When do you get the courage to seek help, to find mentors in those that have been there and are now living their passion fully?

If you can’t connect with your passion or the fear is too deep, just for a moment entertain the possibility that your passion could be made known to you. What if it was possible to know your passion? What if it was possible to live that passion fully?

Passion is the hot spring of life, it gives meaning, it gives energy and it heals the lost soul. So go out into your world and be passionate about what ever you do, even if for the moment it is not your true passion. Living passionately will bring you more joy, success and the possibility that you too can live an abundant and full life.

Have a great week and may the passion be with you…Oh and don’t forget to visit the hot springs next time you are on the peninsula it is well worth it. Check out the web site: 

http://www.peninsulahotsprings.com

Regards Marcus

Biting your tongue, showing interest and the coming of snow…

Good morning and thanks for reading my blog on this cold winter morning, well cold anyway and nice to see some sun. If you had not noticed winter is finally here, so exciting. 


'There is snow on dem dare hills!' 


I know most of you are probably saying, ‘what a crazy man excited about cold miserable mornings’, crazy I’m not but excited I am you see it’s my favorite time of year. In the immortal words of British adventurer Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes;

‘There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing’.

It is a bit the same with communication, there is no such thing as bad communication, just inappropriate words. Likewise ‘you can say anything to anyone as long as you say it in the right way’. I have a wonderful friend of mine who has an amazing way of using the right words at the right time. He could be telling you that you smell but he does it in such a way that you walk away thinking it was a compliment.

So what does it take to make sure that the words we are using are the most appropriate as possible? There are two parts to making sure that we use the most appropriate words as possible. The first is awareness, awareness of what is happening in and around the conversation and awareness of what words are landing well and what words are giving us negative feedback. Our awareness needs to include a consciousness of what words we are using and what words we choose to use in the next moment. The second part will help us in the first part and that is our ability to truly listen to the conversation and in particular the person who is speaking. When we listen to a conversation with both ears we become attentive to how the communication is landing. Most of the time however we are so concerned with what we are going to say next that we don’t actually listen to what the other person is saying.

Listening is therefore one of the most important things in the communication process. If there is no listening it is very hard to have true awareness of the communication process. So how do we listen to a conversation as we are having the conversation? Well I’m glad you asked, one of the techniques that I use is a thing called active listening, I know you have probably herd of or learnt about active listening. For those who have not and those that are not using it here is a refresher.

Active listening comprises of three parts:

Part one: Listen to what someone is communicating to you.

Part two: Paraphrase back to them what you have heard.

Part three: Listen to the response.

In action it might sound something like this;

Person 1: I am really concerned about spending that sort of money on the project because it seems irresponsible.

Person 2: So spending that amount seems irresponsible?

Person 1: Yes in my experience we could achieve the same result spending far less using company X.

Person 2: Yes if we use company X you believe we could save and get the same result?

Person 1: Yes I do.

I know it is a silly example but as you can see the effect is two fold, one the person feels heard and that you understand them and two you begin to have a greater awareness of the conversation because you actually heard what was being said. When you have to paraphrase a conversation back to the other person you make sure that you have heard what they are saying and therefore listen more attentively. It is very embarrassing paraphrasing back when you have not actually heard what is being said.

So go out into your week bite your tongue and let the other person finish what they are saying, show interest by using active listening and build a greater awareness of communication happening around you, I dare you.

Oh and back to the great weather we are having, snow is on the way (the picture at the top of this blog is an image of Mt Buller as of this morning so snow is actually here, oh and to the right is me out for a gentle morning of skiing, well maybe me a few years ago.) and if you have not guessed by now I LOVE SKIING. In the next few months if you don’t hear from me I’ve gone skiing, see you on the slopes...

Have a great week Regards Marcus

Finding the truth at an airport!

I am sitting at Hobart airport, here's the photo to prove it, waiting for my flight back to Melbourne after a great morning coaching. Nice suite and tie Marcus!

If I had a dollar for every hour that I have spent in airports I would be writing this blog from some exotic ski resort. Well maybe not writing this blog but skiing and sharing all the tales from the snow.

Apart from being with my family theres an image of what I would be doing!

But alas I am in another airport just waiting, oh well it give’s you time to think if nothing else.

So a blog... what to write about this week? Well I have just spent the morning discussing the truth. The truth about our own individual lives and how we are very good at clouding the truth and in turn having us convince ourselves of what is real and what is not. This then leads us into what we think we want and often has us diving into things that are not really what we do want. We unfortunately often don’t find this out until years later only to create the same decision time and time again.

You see reality is not all it is cracked up to be! Our reality is shaped from our left-brain point of view as this is what we have all be trained to trust, how so you ask. Thanks for asking! As some of you may know we have two hemispheres of our brain the right and the left, anyone know what they do? That’s right the left is all about analytical, strategy, systematic and linier function. In learns in words, process and structure. It lives in the past and the future and is concerned with keeping us safe. The right brain on the other hand is all about abstract, feelings and takes in its data through the senses of our being. It lives in the eternal moment of now. The issue with reality is that in our left-brain dominant world, which we have all been trained to trust more than anything else, we create a feedback loop system that creates false reality.

How it does this is that the further we move from an event in our lives the less truthful it becomes. Take a memory from your early childhood; remember what happened and the feelings that it gave you. Now I bet if you asked a sibling or a parent their memory of this shared experience they would tell you a different story. Now what is real and who is right? The answer is no one and everyone as all these realities are only past perceived realities.  The further we move from the event the more it becomes a perceived reality rather than a true reality of what actually happened. Now if we come back to today all these past-perceived realities are projected into the immediate future creating a future perceived reality, which then creates a now perceived reality. None of which are necessarily the truth. Confused yet?

It’s ok because half of the confusion comes from thinking of reality from the left-brain which can’t actually understand reality on it’s own. In steps the right brain that only lives in the moment of now. You see reality only lives in the moment of now. From a left-brain point of view the past might have us believe that we are not worthy, not good enough and what we should or should not do. This reality then leads us into doing things that are not truly aligned with our truth. Now we believe that we are doing our truth based on the left-brain view of the world and past-perceived reality creating future perceived reality creating a now perceived reality none of which is the truth. When we take the same image and overlay the right brain we find that all the drama associated with an event or situation is allowed to disperse. The right brain helps us to step out of the perceived reality space and actually connect with the truth. Once we have this truth we can use the left-brain to create actions that move us forward into the new reality, the truth.

So that’s all well and good but how do you know the truth. Well that my friend is a journey of delving into the depth of who you are. The first step is to become conscious of the truth and how your past and future are creating your now. The secret to this is to look at the dramas in your life. It is the perceived reality that often creates drama. To then look at the truth of this reality, this drama and decide which is true and which is not. Once you know this authentic truth it is time to become congruent and to take this congruence out into the world a bit like taking your new puppy for its first walk. It’s a little scary, a little unsure, a little unstable and a lot of faith that this is the right thing to do.

Accessing the right brain will help you to connect with what is really going on. Some may call it intuition others a knowing and for some it is gut feel. In a lot of cases it helps to get someone external to help you to connect with the truth for once you connect it is easier to keep the connection. If you can connect to your knowing, check in and try and identify your drama. What is the perceived reality that you have created for yourself? Is it your ultimate truth?

So go out into the world and find your truth, see where you are deceiving yourself with a perceived reality and make the truth, your truth, real!

Thanks for reading until next week, Nanoo Nanoo, for all those eighties kids. For those who don’t know what this is check out channel 11 and the old re-runs of Mork and Mindy.

P.S: if you want some help to find your truth drop me a line marcus@intrinsicsuccess.com

P.P.S: if you want to know more about the brain check out this video from the TED website it is well worth it! http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

Your Story is Worth it!

I spent the weekend at the National Speakers Association of Australia convention and had some very eye opening moments. There was so much good stuff I heard, so much I learnt and a whole lot of amazing speakers that not only inspired but also gave me lots of great ideas to spice up my performances. I also got to hear from and speak to some very successful authors who shared some great wisdom. Now I could write a whole swag load of blog’s from the convention, which I might just well do, however today or tonight as the case maybe I have to pick just one.

So what topic shall I pick, so much good fodder, so many memorable moments, mmmm! So I just choose to go with whatever inspires the heart and in this case it came up with the title ‘Your story is worth it’

It is amazing at how many people love to hear my story and how reluctant I often am to share it. But it is our stories that help people to feel closer to us and inspires them to connect to us. This connection is the most important thing that we can focus on, as it is connection that more than often has people buying our product or service. It does not mater if we run our own business or work for someone else, connection is the most important thing you can foster. We all prefer to deal with people we like or have things in common with. The more intimate we feel with someone the better we think we know them. It helps us to feel the authenticity of that person and this authenticity allows us to connect deeply.

The more we connect the more we want to do business with that person and as that connection grows, the more we are likely we are to refer them to others. Now it is one thing to get business from the people we know it is another to get them to refer us to the people that they know. This is how we build a successful business or career, by getting others to refer us. We would all rather do business with someone that has been referred to us. So connection is imperative if we are to be successful and receive referrals.

So what is your story? Do you feel comfortable sharing it? A lot of the people I speak to, including myself, are hesitant to share their story. Maybe it was all the times we were told as kids not to big note, brag or stand out. Maybe it’s just part of the Australian collective conscious which commands that you don’t stick your head up too high as tall poppies get cut down. But then again maybe it’s not about this at all but rather just finding the courage to share honestly and openly your amazing story.

We all have one, a story that is heart felt, touching and real. As humans we all have experiences that are happy, sad, distressing, uplifting, depressing, devastating, painful and joyful. All these emotions have value to each other as sharing helps us to feel normal and builds a kinship with others. These stories also have great lessons and teachings weaved throughout them. These lessons have value for others and are likely to positively touch and intern change another’s life. We may not see its effect or the results of that wisdom but it’s there and its important.

Finding the courage to share your story is often half the battle. Moving past the ‘who would care about my story’, ‘its just not that interesting’ and ‘I’m scared what people will think’ may just help another more than you will ever know. Maybe it’s time to stop all this rot and start to share more of yourselves, through your story.

So your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to write out your unique story. To then share it with one person that may not know it.

‘Share more of who you really are through the experiences that you have really had’.

Remember your story is worth it. Own it, believe in it, share it with passion!

If you feel moved to share it with me I would love to receive them.

Thanks for reading until next week, share your story with passion!

Engagement - A Life Changing Experience

Well another week has gone by and this week I have been playing Mr Mum and Mr Dad as Stephanie has been away in northern NSW working as an assistant on the Shamanic Midwifery course. Thankfully I have had lots of help from my Mum, yea for mums, and what a great help she has been thanks Mum. Now trying to juggle family and the extra responsibilities with an already busy work schedule has not been easy and as I sit here on Sunday night I am a little tired.

I was watching Undercover Boss last night, one of my favorite reality shows, and I could not help but to be dragged into the emotion of it all. It was a particularly emotional show with a boss who connected deeply to his staff and had some very big awakenings. I can’t help but be moved by the deep connection that was felt by all and the life changing results that this connection achieved. It made me think about the whole connection and engagement theories that we talk about but often give lip services to. As I have said before, and no doubt will again, engagement is the key to success or more importantly how we engage. It makes sense that the more we engage and the deeper that engagement we have with anything the more success we are likely to receive. So how are you engaging with your business and your world?

If you are a sole trader or small business owner you might want to look at how you are engaging with each of the domains, or in our language, the pillars of your business. How are you engaging with the finances, the marketing, the sales or in the structure of your files and records? I can bet that the areas that you dislike engaging in are the things that need the most attention. Unfortunately when you are a sole trader you have to be the HR manager, the finance manager, the marketing manager, the sales manager, pretty much everything. Now if you just can’t engage with any of these areas because you just dislike them, like me with my finances, then get someone in who loves engaging in that particular area to help. If you can’t afford it then learn to engage by listing the benefits of engaging in that area and then apply that to your passion. So how is engaging with your finances going to help you to build a successful coaching practice, as in my case. Sometimes we need to segway our engagement so that we can engage in those things that at first thought we can’t stand.

Now if you are in a larger organization where you have employees who report to you or you happen to own a business that has employees then engagement becomes critical to the bottom line. Employee and staffing costs are often the most expense outgoings in any business, so making sure that they are performing is essential if you want to make a profit. It goes without saying, so I’ll say it anyway, that the more engaged employees are the better they will perform. Engaged employees also cost less from a sick leave and turnover point of view. A recent statistic that I read said that over 80% of employees do not like what they do. A scary statistic to think that 80% of staff are disengaged with what they are doing.

I have a theory called motion theory, which states that everything in the universe is constantly in motion. Employees are no different in that employees are either moving towards or away from your business. Those that are moving towards the business are engaged and therefore perform better, have fewer sick days, greater loyalty and have a happier and more enthusiastic demeanor. Now this has to be good for business as an engaged employee is more likely to engage with customers in a positive way. On the other hand those that are moving away from the business and disengaging are more likely to have higher sick leave, less company loyalty and will be less enthusiastic or happy. Now I don’t need to tell you how this comes across to customers just take the supermarket check out person, ‘Hi, how are you’ in a drool monotone voice reading from the employee training manual. Just for fun, change it up a gear next time you meet one of these employees, there not just in supermarkets, and give them a response that is not in the manual.

In all seriousness we have three categories that we place employees into, they are either - Advocates, Fence Sitters or Detractors. Advocates are those that are moving towards the business and engage. These are the employees that enjoy coming to work, are passionate about what they do and the company they work for and the group that we are likely to get the most out of. The second type of employee is the Fence Sitter, these are the employees who are there to do there job and rarely put in over and above but seem to like where they work. These employees are however easily swayed. The third group is the Detractors, these are employees that are in the process of or have disengaged from the business. These employees, depending on the distance of disengagement, don’t like where they work and at the extreme can become toxic to the organisation. These employees hate to be alone and will try to recruit other employees to join their cause. This is where the Fence Sitters can be influenced to join them, which can turn into a mutiny if not taken care of quickly. I am sure we have all been a part of one or all of these groups at some time I know I have. Now both the Fence Sitters and the Detractors, as long as they have not moved too far, can be turned around and encouraged to become Advocates. In fact it is possible to have a company full of advocates. If you don’t believe me check this site out http://www.zapposinsights.com/main/ Zappos is an online business, which started out selling shoes and has now moved into a wide range of merchandise. Their employees are primarily all call centre staff, but a call centre with a very big difference, all their employees are Advocates and moving towards the business. Some of the most engaged employees I have ever seen. They are so successful at employee engagement that they now take tours and run workshops for other organizations that want to learn their secrets.

Engagement is crucial if we want to have a more successful business and successful life. So this week I challenge you to take a look at how you are engaging with your world, identify where you could engage deeper and make an engagement plan. Learn how to love what you do and if you can’t go find and then live your passion, the world will be a better place for it…

Thanks for reading…

P.S: As the Gallup organization have found:

The world's top-performing organizations understand that employee engagement is a force that drives performance outcomes. In the best organizations, engagement is more than a human resources initiative -- it is a strategic foundation for the way they do business.

Research by Gallup and others shows that engaged employees are more productive. They are more profitable, more customer-focused, safer, and more likely to withstand temptations to leave. The best-performing companies know that an employee engagement improvement strategy linked to the achievement of corporate goals will help them win in the marketplace.

P.P.S: Now you don’t have to go to the USA to get extreme employee engagement you just need to call us. If you want to engage more with your small business or have your employees engage more with your organisation the benefits are far and beyond increased profit. Why not give us a call to see how our Engagement Success Technologies can help you to have greater success. It does not cost anything to get an evaluation…