Article reprinted from Professionally Speaking magazine, Winter 2010 issue.

While growing up, my grandmother used to say your body is like a temple. Be careful of the thoughts you dwell on and scrutinize how it is allowed to be treated. Lately, this memory has been on my mind. It made me wonder, what about our business? Are we as selective as we should be when it comes to the strategies we implement, the marketing and promotions we use or the software products we purchase? Do we ensure we are positioned as an expert in our field and take care of our biggest asset, ourselves? 

The beginning of every new year seems to be riddled with resolutions. Among the top resolutions made include better emotional, physical and fiscal health management. Although 46% of Americans lose their resolve within the first six months of the year, research shows that people who are resilient and explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals. Oh yes, written and consistently reviewed goals are ways to achieve what you want and at the same time, Shake It Up!

Let’s take a look at physical health. According to the Gallop-Healthways Well-Being Index, Americans exercised less in 2009 than in 2008. The benchmark for this study is based on exercising at least 30 minutes a day three or more times a week. What if we were on an activity regimen like this for our business? Imagine how our performance and productivity would improve if we were to adopt such a practice, if we exercised such discipline?

As NSA/NC member Joanne Black recommends, work on things that are closest to cash. Meaning, the activities that bring you closest to payday get priority. Then consider spending 30 minutes a day three days a week following up on referrals and leads. Meet prospects for coffee with the specific goal of getting to know how you can serve them better and strengthen your relationship. Dedicate this time to identifying and changing, when possible, prospects into clients.

Our business is a precious and vital aspect of our lives. We have to show due diligence in its maintenance and care. There is an old sales adage that says leaders do what needs to be done rather they want to or not. This year, be a leader. Get clear on what and how you feed your business based on your activities. By taking action on a plan, you can reduce stress, keep healthy and fit so you have the energy to Shake It Up!

Karen Walker-Tunoa, 2009-2010 NSA/NC President

If you enjoyed this post, click here to get free updates by RSS

As you may know, I’m the president of the National Speakers Association/Northern California. Our mission is to inspire quality and professionalism in both speaking and business development for those who use the platform in their work. The following article was written and published in the Fall 2009 issue of Professionally Speaking magazine to encourage our members and readers to remember possibilities. I hope you are inspired to remember possibilities as well.

* * * * *

Children have an amazing talent – they know how to get what they want! Without any guidance from adults, they literally see possibilities and do not hesitate to try new things to get the result they’re looking for. Want proof? Go to a park or visit a playground on a sunny day. Nine times out of ten you will witness strategic planning and negotiations galore right on the blacktop, near the slide or the swings. Why? Most of the children playing are unaware of doubt, fear and self-imposed limitations – the things that typically rule the day for adults. Children embrace their intuition and insight while allowing creativity to flow. They really know how to Shake It Up!

Can you imagine what would happen if we allowed ourselves the freedom to see possibilities in our relationships and the work we do? With our knowledge and skills, especially when we collaborate with others, new ideas could be explored to foster better solutions for the situations we face. The benefits are endless. We can make this a reality by accepting a little-known fact: a change in perspectives may occur.

The possibility perspective does not let doubt, fear or self-imposed limitations impact decision making. Clouds of doom and gloom are not over our heads. We are smart and talented. We have what it takes to not only see the possibilities that are before us, but also to take advantage of them.

Opportunities for better possibilities exist. I know what some of you are thinking and I’m inclined to agree: exploring possibilities involves risk. Ahh, but the reward! The risk of freedom to expand your thoughts and do things you only imagined is well worth it. It’s OK to risk being right; to believe in your ability to see the array of possibilities around you; to do something differently. 

Whenever you want a fresh take on negotiation or intuitive skills, go out and watch children play. You’ll be surprised at what you can learn. Who knows, you may take a few pointers from the playground to the boardroom. Just remember to Shake It Up!

Some folks say you’re either resilient or you’re not. How do you deal with life’s disappointments, challenges or this economy? Do you face them head-on? Are you overwhelmed with uncertainty? Do you ever become frozen, unable to make a decision or take a step forward?

 When faced with a demanding schedule and endless pressure to perform at your best, consistent positive results make a difference. The presence of difficulty, whether derived from a personal or professional situation, does not eliminate the need for excellent performance; especially, when others are affected by the outcome. Then why is it that some people who face significant adversity seem to thrive while others, when faced with similar situations, seem to be in despair? The core of the answer can be found within our own being. It’s part of our make-up. If this is the case, where can we go when we feel drained and empty?

 Hold on, it’s OK – there’s good news. Research has shown resilience to be the common denominator in those who succeed against all odds. Specific traits have been identified in individuals who exhibit both resilience and top performance. Since working hard doesn’t prevent life’s inevitable challenges, strengthening the traits of resilience is a must. Let’s take a closer look at resilience.

Power and Resilience

Resilience has been defined as the ability to bounce back, to return to an original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched. There is an expanded essence and power, yes power, to resilience. I’ll share the secret. It’s resiliency trait unity. The unity of resiliency traits can actually optimize performance and power is within their joint usage. Returning to an original state during an intense challenge is only the beginning. It gets you to “GO.” However, as the classic Monopoly game points out, you have to actually pass “GO” in order to have the opportunity to collect the salary of $200, twice. In reality, research shows that bouncing back isn’t enough to produce outstanding results. Want more? I know I did.

My Story

When my father was born, his heart was three centimeters outside his chest cavity. He had heart attacks as often as some folks change the oil in their car; about every three months or 3,000 miles; whichever comes first. He wasn’t expected to live past adolescence. He got tired of constantly being reminded that he was going to die. “Who isn’t,” my dad said. He grew up, married my mother, and they had five children. When I was three, he had a massive heart attack and died. Two months later, my mother had a cerebral hemorrhage and died. My four siblings and I were raised by other family members.

 Thirty years later when I was 33, a rare blood vessel disorder didn’t show up on any of my routine exams. An artery at the base of my brain dissected and bled extensively. This arterial dissection caused a hemorrhagic stroke, unlike the common ischemic type of stroke caused by blood clots. The entire right side of my body was paralyzed. Due to the damage my body endured, specialists said my speech would remain severely impaired and that I would never walk again.

 I was a Realtor at the time of this incident. My career was in full bloom or so I thought. Suddenly, representing others in the purchase and sale of residential real estate was halted for an unknown period of time. I had to find a way to support myself and my three boys although I no longer had a source of income, couldn’t walk or speak clearly. There didn’t appear to be any relief in sight. By the way, my other obligations did not go away. They were still present. Certainly, I was facing a challenge. How could I regain my ability to earn a livelihood for my family and perhaps exceed my initial performance level?

 Let’s start with a tangible solution, resiliency traits. Once they are acknowledged and utilized, their strength improves decisioning ability and enables performance optimization even while in the middle of adversity. This method has proven to be effective in a wide variety of business industries and in managing multiple personal issues. Results truly reside in resiliency traits.

The seven traits of resilience are courage, creativity, initiative, focus, insight, humility, and tenacity. We all possess these traits in varying degrees. Why resilience? Separately, the traits are useful. Mastery of them all produces an incredible improvement in your life and ability to sustain winning perspectives towards the situations you may face. Resilience is a solid and reliable foundation that provides peace of mind. Especially, when doubt in your ability to succeed rears its ugly head. As detailed in my upcoming book, Getting Past Go When Life Says Stop, by drawing upon the faith and dedication needed to use all of these traits together, you’ll create the destiny you want and life you deserve.

 Are you wondering what to do with the traits? Start by acknowledging and repeating the following three words every day, I am resilient!  Consciously, use each trait at least once every day to strengthen them. Then reflect on the word BELIEVE as an acronym. It’s a helpful way to remember the traits and how they can be used. Build courage, Elevate creativity, Lead initiative, Intensify focus, Enhance insight, Value humility, and Exercise tenacity.

 Arm yourself with natures answer to life’s challenges. Use resilience and it’s traits to the maximum. As I like to say, when just enough is not good enough, that’s when it’s time to BELIEVE. You’re resilient!

 Karen Walker-Tunoa is a national award-winning speaker, certified facilitator, and trainer. As an experienced keynote speaker and authority on resilience and results, Karen coaches’ leaders by helping them reset their businesses for optimal performance during times of growth and change. To learn more, email karen@kwtcommunications.com or call 707.542.8114. Visit www.KWTcommunications.com.

By Karen Walker-Tunoa

If you were born in the early 1960’s or before, you’ll probably remember the hit TV series called M*A*S*H that aired from 1972 to 1983. It was about the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital staff that were placed on the front-lines during the Korean war. They found laughter was the best way to deal with their situation, although much of their time was spent in triage. Triage is the determination of priorities for action based on the likely benefit of immediate medical treatment. It literally can mean the difference between life and death of a patient. Although controversial, it’s proven to be so effective it’s been used on battlefields and when necessary, even during local disasters in emergency departments throughout the world.

Triage patients are divided into three groups according to the severity of their injuries: 1) Those who will survive only with immediate treatment; 2) Those who will survive without treatment; 3) Those who will not survive with or without treatment. This process is controversial, however many believe it maximizes the number of lives saved.

Suppose, just for a moment, triage was taken into the world of business. What if the process of triage was used to determine priority for projects and activities? What affect might this have on productivity? What would this look like?

Using Results Triage will give businesses the ability to quickly and accurately identify issues of a situation that are in need of immediate improvement as a way to stop the bleeding of non-performance and get better results by focusing resources on the most beneficial projects. Here’s how Results Triage can be applied:

Result Group 1:

The accurate completion of this project will significantly advance the company’s bottom-line, reputation, and exposure to new business by improving effectiveness.  

Result Group 2:

The completion of this project will not impact the company; status quo remains.  

Result Group 3:

The completion of this project may actually cost the company in wasted work-hours due to lack of efficiencies within the project; it’s like throwing good money after bad, it only feeds a few egos with little, if any, contribution to the bottom-line.

To obtain outstanding results, focus on the Result Group 1 projects. This means little time is allotted for Result Group 2 and there may be a need to cut the losses of Result Group 3. This may be a tough call when emotions fuel the projects, however necessary.

I also recommend individuals Result Triage their own professional activities. Ask questions such as, is the item you spent the last two hours working on classified as a Result Group 1, 2, or 3? Is the outcome impactful, beneficial, or just “busy” work which offers no true value?

Take for example a sales force concentrating on the merits of a Result Group 1 project. Goals are being met, deliverables are on time, and profits are made. However, that same sales force can spend the same concentrated effort on a Result Group 3 project and not have success. Why? The Result Group 3 project, might at one time have been a good idea, but no longer offers the same benefits.

Many times organizations don’t analyze projects frequently enough to determine if they are worth pursuing. Results Triage can improve a company’s effectiveness and accelerate productivity, just as medical triage saves more lives in the emergency room and on the battlefield.

For your next project, include triage competency in the job description for the manager. Establish the rules for engagement from the start. Make sure result groups are identified on a regular basis and have the courage to say “no” to a project that has turned into a Result Group 3. If you have the courage and discipline to apply triage to your business as I’ve described, your teams will be laughing along with Radar, Hawkeye, and Klinger as they deliver outstanding results.

Have a comment? I’m waiting to hear from you!

This is an article outlining steps originators and other professionals should utilize when a presentation is used as a marketing tool. Use these tips to increase business visibility every time you speak.

 Let me know  the impact these tips have had with your presentations by posting a comment.

Seven Speaking Tips for Originators

 By Karen Walker-Tunoa; As seen in Broker Banker magazine, Volume 100

Susan is an experienced originator who has closed several loans with Michael, a top producing realtor. Michael says Susan is an excellent originator and he arranges a sales presentation for her with his entire office of 47 Realtors. Susan shares the news about the appointment with her manager, Jackie and says, “I ran the numbers. If this presentation is successful, conservatively it could mean at least a 15% increase in revenue. How can I ensure my presentation will be effective?” Jackie replies with the professional speakers rule of thumb, Don’t wing it!”

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or novice, your message is too important to take a chance with its content or delivery. Here are seven tips used by professional speakers that originators can use to enhance their presentations. These tips will establish a connection with prospects at a faster pace and help decisions get made sooner. Minimizing the time frame from initial contact to funding means more closed loans for you!

#1  Define your Objectives and Purpose

What results are you looking for, i.e. referrals, applications, inquiries about services etc.? What action do you want the prospect to take? What are the needs, wants, and values of the prospects? Are they well versed in finance, looking for strategies or a quick fix? this information will quickly determine how you can be of service and add value to their transaction.

#2  Content Development

As accomplished speaker Michael Lee, CSP, says, “Content is King.” I have found Chunking MNN to be a source for rich meaningful content. Chunking MNN means to clearly identify the “must knows,” “need to knows,” and “nice to knows” about the service(s) you offer. Based on the financing knowledge and experience level of the prospects, allotted speaking time and objective, you can determine how much of each category to use. For example, a short period of time should be filled with “must knows” and “need to knows” rather than inconsequential “nice to knows.” These chunks are your key points. Don’t use more words than needed – edit.

#3  Clear Structure

This promotes better understanding and allows your message to be easily remembered.

a. Capture Prospects Attention

The initial 30 seconds are critical; use them wisely. The opening statement should be strong and relative to “what’s in it for them.”

b. Premise

Use a compelling sentence that states the purpose of the presentation and leaves the prospect asking *how*. For example, “Within the next 30 minutes, all the home owners who can hear the sound of my voice will have an opportunity to learn a specific way to take control of your finances that’s flexible and offers security.”

c. Build a Connection

A surefire way to capture and maintain the attention of prospects is to stimulate intellect and arouse emotion! Do this by including vivid stories, examples and statistics with the content you develop in #2. Use no more than three key points with supporting data in any one setting. You will avoid information overload. Carefully choose transition words and phrases to connect key points.

d. Lesson Learned

Provide a story or example of how your expertise or service(s) were of great value or helped prevent someone from making a decision they would later regret.

e. Q&A

Obtain agreement of understanding before moving on. Review previously stated key points and don’t close on questions.

f. Close

Always ask for business prior to your final comment. The opening was strong. The close should be stronger. Make it one that evokes action!

#4  Last Words Linger

As said by executive speech coach Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, your final comment should be a memorable statement that can be easily repeated.

#5  Delivery

Enthusiasm is essential. Angela DeFinis, presentation skills delivery expert says, “Maintain eye contact, use natural gestures and eliminate distractions, such as filler words., ah, um etc.” Pause for impact and the prospects’ response. Tasteful humor goes a long way. All is forgiven if you aren’t boring.

#6  Listen

Pay attention to what prospects say and their body language. Allow them to enjoy and be a part of the presentation.

#7  Practice, Practice, Practice

Master these tips and differentiate yourself from the competition.

Susan used all of the seven tips and her presentation was phenomenal. She developed new relationships; revenues exceeded her expectation and she is now viewed as an industry expert. Susan says, “My presentation is my most profitable marketing tool.”

Get the results you want from presentations. Your message grows your business. Be seen~Be heard~Be remembered!

Plan & Present for Profit

.

Winning Circle

• Comprehensive One Year Performance Management Program
• Private Consultation, Refinement & Management Monthly Reviews
• Presentations Skills Training

Specific Performance (Ninety Days)

• One-On-One Private Consulting Sessions with Business Owner
• Small Group Consulting Session
• Monthly Business Plan Review

Planning Platform

• Express – ½ Day Planning Session
• One Day Planning Retreat
• Comprehensive Plan Development

Starting Position

• Keynotes and Facilitation
• Fast Track Workshops (two or three hour segments available)
• Half Day Workshops
• Full Day Training Retreats

Questions? Reply below or Connect with Us!

Consultative Plan Development

• One year performance management program

• Private monthly business reviews

• Alignment sessions as needed

• eLearning system and tools (no IT required)

• Private one-on-one with business owner

• Organizational or group consulting

• Proven methodology with measurable outcomes

Presentation Skills Training

• Content creation

• Structure development

• Platform skills

• Delivery skills

• Before and after-training videos

Keynotes and Facilitation

• Customized keynotes focused on professional performance management solutions delivered to groups of all sizes

• Facilitate teams in discovering performance solutions engineered for their specific needs

Workshops and Training Retreats

• Business planning retreat – one day

• Presentation skills and business training retreats – one day

• Presentation skills or business training workshops – half day

Service packages are available. Questions? Reply below or Connect with Us!