How to Receive Respect from Others

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Respect – think highly of; show concern for; show honor
It is another common question that I receive that prompts this article: “Dave, how do I get the respect of my __________. Employees, spouse, customers, vendors, even myself!

The short answer is to engage the law of reciprocity.

Together Everyone Achieves More

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Team Work
“I am a team player and team leader. I do whatever it takes to stay together and achieve team goals. I focus on co-operation and always come to a resolution, not a compromise. I am flexible in my work and able to change if what I’m doing is not working. I ask for help when I need it and I am compassionate to others who ask me.”

That is the statement from the Action Coach eighth point of culture, TEAM. I hear it all the time from business owners; “How can I get people to work with each other and not against each other?”

Education – It’s All About Mistakes and Confusion!

By Action Coach Dave Beam

The Action Coach 7th point of culture reads as follows:

Education"I learn from my mistakes. I consistently learn, grow and master so that I can help my fellow team members and clients learn, grow and master too. I am an educator and allow my clients to make their own intelligent decisions about their future remembering that it is their future. I impart practical and useable knowledge rather than just theory."

Consider that first statement. How do you feel when you make a mistake? Embarrassed? Ashamed? Depressed? De-motivated?

I guess it somewhat depends on the “size” of the mistake!

Success

By Action Coach Dave Beam

The Webster definition of success is: “a favorable result.”

Success is the sixth point of culture in Action Coach, defined as follows:

SuccessI totally focus my thoughts, energy and attention on the successful outcome of whatever I am doing. I am willing to win and allow others to win: Win/Win. At all times, I display my inner pride, prosperity, competence and personal confidence. I am a successful person.

Shifting Your Mindset from Scarcity to Abundance

By Action Coach Dave Beam

I really believe that how I view the world, my customers, my employees, and even myself has a profound influence on my results. Would you agree?

I think most people acknowledge that how we think does affect our results at some level. One such paradigm, or way of looking at the world, is abundance vs. scarcity. Here are some definitions:

Abundant – more than what is needed; plenteous; much

Scarce – hard to get; not enough; constricted; little

WIFLE - A Powerful, Simple Team Communication Tool

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Often when I am coaching a business, I meet individually with the key employees to get their perspective on how the business is doing and what we can all work on to make it better. By far, the number one issue that comes up is communication.

“We just need to get on the same page” is a familiar phrase, or “The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing”. The fact is that the only way for people to know what is going on is to communicate. A more subtle but important fact is that it is NOT all about business. Your employees and managers are people, and they have feelings that they would like to express. If a team of people can learn to be more open and transparent with each other, they just work better together.

If You Are Maxed Out, Consider Raising Your Prices

By Action Coach Dave Beam

I recently met with a business owner that has been in a residential service and install business for over 20 years. He has about 10 employees, and his main frustration or complaint is that he is “maxed out”. What he meant by that is that he never goes on vacation, always has to be there at least 60 hours per week, and that he actually dreads the phone ringing and new customers at times.

Positioning Your Customer - It’s What They Expect That Matters

By Action Coach Dave Beam

One of the first issues that I address with a new coaching client is customer communication. The fact is that every customer that buys from you comes to you with expectations concerning the service he is about to receive. Those expectations have been created based on many sources of information. His past experience with you is a major contributor to his expectation. If he has been referred, then his expectation is formed based on what he has been told. Your marketing and advertising also creates an expectation. If this customer has worked with your competitor, he will definitely have expectations based on that experience. The fact is, he enters your business with beliefs and an expected outcome.

Delivery Mastery: Just Let Your Customers Buy From You!

By Action Coach Dave Beam

How often have you experienced it? You walk into a business, ready to buy, and you can’t get someone to listen and understand what you want so that you can give them your money and walk out with your purchase!

I recently spoke with one of my clients, Roger, who had every intention of buying not one, but two pick-up trucks from a certain car dealer. Roger had done business with this dealer for years, and there was a loyalty and relationship established.

Managing Receivables – A Key to a Healthy Cashflow!

By Action Coach Dave Beam

One of the reasons that people solicit my help as a business coach is to improve their cashflow. If you are in business, you’ve heard it said that cash is king! It’s the gasoline in your tank – if you run out, you are out of business!

There is much that can be done to improve cashflow, but one of the simplest, easiest ways is to effectively manage receivables. The fact is that many businesses do a mediocre job at best managing their receivables. With that being said, I want to give you some practical tips on how to better manage your receivables. These tips will help you only if you decide to use them.

Intention and Attention

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Here are two powerful words that sound much alike, and they are related.

INTENTION: It’s my stated purpose. It’s what I affirm I want. It includes my goals and my aspirations. Intention come from INside and it is created. It doesn’t just happen, but it is a choice.

ATTENTION: It’s where I put my focus. It’s what has my presence and my energy in a given moment. It’s where I invest my activity. Attention is outside. It is where I am and what I am with. It is what I do.

Marketing and Advertising – An Expense or an Investment?

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Most of the business owners that I speak with tell me that the majority of advertising and marketing is largely a waste of money.  They advertise out of fear, feeling like they need to at least keep their name out there.  They usually have a sense that most of their new customers are coming in from word-of-mouth, and that the advertising that they buy is probably not effective.  As a result, most small businesses are reluctant to advertise and try to minimize their marketing expense.

What Can You Guarantee?

By Action Coach Dave Beam

One of the keys to building a strong presence in the marketplace is uniqueness. When your business is different, and your customers have to come to you to get the service they are looking for, then you have established a niche market. You can easily raise your prices. In fact, it is appropriate and expected that rare, unique products would cost more.

I'll Get My Accountant to Do That

By Action Coach Dave Beam

I was working with my new client, Tom, who had some organizational and financial challenges. One of the first things I ask clients like Tom to do is develop a cash flow budget. I asked him to organize a picture of the cash flow in his business on a simple spreadsheet showing historically where the cash comes from and where it goes.

An Attitude of Gratitude

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Have you ever woke up and felt a little blah! Maybe there are some unresolved aggravations, or even some major ongoing challenges that are just bringing you down. I have noticed that when I start to give way to these thoughts and feelings, it is like a downward spiral. I start to think about what’s not pleasant, or of good report, and this negative focus produces further down feelings. Those negative feelings feed my negative thinking, which leads to even more bad feelings. I’m sure you get the picture and can likely relate.

Five Helpful Tips on Increasing Your Cash by Managing Receivables

By Action Coach Dave Beam

Today I want to put some more cash into your business.  It is simple and essential for an ongoing healthy cash flow.  You must choose to manage your receivables.  Here are 5 tips to improve the management of receivables:

TIP #1: Create a system to receive payment for goods and services as close to the time of delivery as possible.

Some businesses are a completely cash business.  They collect their money at the time of service.  That is a good thing.  I encourage you to work towards this model as much as possible.  Create your system of payment for services and/or goods to be a close to the time of delivery as possible.  In fact, ask yourself this question “How could I get my customer to pay for goods and services in advance?”  Incentives for pre-paying or paying when goods and services are delivered are a wonderful way to address this business challenge.

Proactivity – Living Life Inside-Out

By Action Coach Dave Beam

People engage my coaching services because they want change.  They typically want a change in their cash flow, a change in their customers, a change in their employees, or a change in their discretionary time.  The good news is that all of this is possible.  The interesting news is you really can’t directly change any of those things.  To affect sustainable change, you must accept the fact that you can really only change yourself.  When you change, you become more effective in influencing your environment.  It is an inside-out process.

The Power of Routine

By Action Coach Dave Beam

I would like to address an issue that used to make me groan – discipline.  The picture that comes to my mind when I think of that word is sweat, toil, deprivation, and pain.  No pain, no gain, as the saying goes.  If you have similar feelings and pictures when the word discipline is mentioned, it may be why you avoid or resist any changes in your life associated with the concept.

Well, you can lower your resistance to making positive changes by dropping the word “discipline” from your mind and replacing it with a milder, friendlier concept and term – routine.

How To Write Ads That Work – AIDA!

By Action Coach Dave Beam

We are all bombarded with hundreds of advertising messages every day.  If you have been in the business of business for long, you probably have concluded that advertising is a waste of money.  I only partially agree with that statement.  MOST advertising is a waste of money, because most advertising is frankly – lousy.  Ask the average person what makes a great ad, and they will likely tell you that it has something to do with creativity and entertainment value.  Not necessarily so.  I have only one measure for the quality of an ad; does it elicit a response that results in a sale?

Do You Have a Happy Business?

By Action Coach Dave Beam

I was referred to an oral surgeon a couple of years ago to address some issues beyond the scope of my regular dentist.  As with many people, going to doctors and dentists is not one of my favorite things to do.  As a business coach, I often observe business attitudes and practices as a part of my practical education.  I learn so much just by watching what others do.

Do You Really Have a Time Management Problem?

By Action Coach Dave Beam

One of the most common challenges presented to me as a coach is how to find more time to spend with family and friends.  Many “successful” business owners and executives complain that they are so busy that they have little time available to be with their wives, husbands, children, grandchildren, and friends.  They feel that there is just too much to do, and that if they just “had more time” they would be with their loved ones more often.  Some express a deep regret and sense of loss.  I really believe that they are confused, and therefore are looking for answers in all the wrong places.

Ownership

By Certified Action Coach Dave Beam

Ownership is ActionCOACH’s second point of culture.  It  is stated as follows:

OWNERSHIP:

“I am truly responsible for my actions and outcomes and own everything that takes place in my work and my life. I am accountable for my results and I know that for things to change, first I must change.”

The essence of the Action Coach culture is “Living Above the Line”.  Above the line, I take OWNERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, and RESPONSIBILITY.  Below the line, there is BLAME, EXCUSE, and DENIAL.

Ownership is my choice to live life to the fullest; to seize each and every opportunity and participate; to take risk and live without fear; to fully participate; to give it a go; to embrace and welcome; to care; to respond; to lead and serve; to have fun and enjoy; to celebrate; to be thankful and filled with gratitude.

A Simple Personal Organization System

(adapted from David Allen’s “Getting Things Done”)By Certified Action Coach Dave Beam

One of my greatest “mentors” when it comes to Self-Management and Personal Organization has been David Allen. Based upon his widely read book, “Getting Things Done,” I have put together a simple system for personal organization that I use for myself and I share with my clients. What follows is an “A-La-Carte” set of straightforward instructions on what to do with ALL of the “stuff” that comes into your life on a daily basis. If you put a system like this in place and use it religiously, it quite literally will change your life.

Commitment – A Simple but Powerful Tool

By Certified Action Coach Dave Beam

ActionCOACH has 14 points of culture.  These 14 words define who we are and our “rules of the game”.  Our very first point of culture is Commitment.  Here it is as defined by our founder, Brad Sugars:

Commitment

“I give myself and everything I commit to 100% until I succeed. I am committed to the Vision, Mission, Culture and success of ActionCOACH, its current and future team, and its clients at all times.“

Business Systems –Unlocking the Door to Your Freedom

By Certified Action Coach Dave Beam

I am amazed when I drive past our local McDonalds in the morning. There are days when the cars are lined up around the building, almost into the road!  And what is even more amazing is that most of those people will be served a consistent hot breakfast for under ten dollars by teenagers who likely didn’t even make their bed!

How to Deal With a Bad Habit - What You Resist Persists!

By Certified Action Coach Dave Beam

All of us have successfully (or unsuccessfully) tried to rid ourselves of a bad habit.  People often ask me why it is so difficult to change a bad habit.  There are probably as many answers and theories to answer that question as there are bad habits!  Often folks hide behind the story or excuse that “if I just knew why I did this, then I could quit”.  Not true!

The Identity Iceberg

Today I want to share one of the most powerful concepts in the Action Coach toolbox, the Identity Iceberg.  Understanding this concept will help you achieve the results you want from yourself and your team.

The Identity Iceberg…

(this is not the traditional flipchart, I had to format it for the newsletter –ed.)

                       R E S U L T S<-------------HAVE

                                   DO-------------->ACTIONS & DECISIONS

BEHAVIOUR

(water line)-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-(water line)

SKILLS

BELIEFS

VALUES

                                                                          IDENTITY<-----------BE

E N V I R O N M E N T

Take a look at the flipchart and note that it is a picture of an iceberg.  How much of an iceberg is above the water or visible?  Probably only around 10%.  That is the portion of the iceberg that you normally see.  What is it that is normally visible in a person?  It is their BEHAVIOR, ACTIONS, and DECISIONS – or what they DO.  What I DO produces RESULTS, or what I HAVE.  But if I want to produce a sustained, long term change in what I DO (my BEHAVIOR, ACTIONS, and DECISIONS), I really need to look below the surface at what produces and drives what I do.

Time to Take Out the Head Trash!

By Certified Action Coach Dave Beam

Has there ever been a time in your life when you lived somewhere and let the trash accumulate?  I’m not just talking about garbage, but also clutter – old newspapers, broken devices, expired coupons, stuff, junk, and debris.  And did you finally clean it all out, and create some clean new space?  How did that make you feel?  Probably energized and ready to work.

In business today, if you want to be your best, you need to learn to regularly remove the trash not only from your workplace, but from your head!  The mind is like a garden.  We plant seeds, cultivate those seeds as they grow and eventually reap a harvest.  Your mind is a field ready to produce a harvest.  Your creative ideas are the seeds that are sewn that can produce a crop.  And then come the weeds – the head trash – the worries, and fears, and doubts, and overwhelm, and frustration, and discouragements.  What must you do with this garden clutter if you want to reap a healthy crop?  You must relentlessly pull it up and throw it out!