5 Days of Business

12 Days Before Christmas

On the 1st day of Business, Don Farrell trains on loyalty: Ethical Theft shall set you free.

On the 2nd day of Business we plan strategically: 2 ROI Books, 1 Ethical Theft,  with The Hurricane we broadcast globally.

On the 3rd day of Business Dr. Group phones in to say: 3 Green Products for sale, 2 ROI Books, 1 Ethical Theft, with The Hurricane we broadcast globally.

On the 4th day of Business, John McGrann chimes in to say: I’m here for social media consultancy for 3 Green Products for sale, 2 ROI Books,1 Ethical Theft, with The Hurricane we broadcast globally.

On the 5th day of Business -- INCOMING -- 5 telesales rings! 4 social media points, 3 Green Products for sale, 2 ROI Books, 1 Ethical Theft and here we’re doing business with glee!

AnnieBiotics -- LOYALTY!

"LOYAL customers, they don’t just come back, they don’t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you."  ~Chip Bell, Founder Chip Bell Group

Why Annie Armen Friends:  I not only HIGHLY recommend the following list of 3 companies below for ALL your business needs, I insist that my friends call them FIRST before making any decision(s) with other alternatives. Mention my name as your referral source, and be amazed on how LOYALTY works!

1. Fresh Revenues, Inc. – Don Farrell, Founder | Chief Cultivating Officer
2. Global Healing Center –Dr. Edward Group III, Founder | CEO
3. Drive Social Media – John McGrann, Founder | CEO

If you have any questions and we can be of any help, do not hesitate to drop us a line. Please be as specific as possible with what you are looking for, and what you are looking to accomplish.

Again, the 3 companies above… with absolute, mutually EARNED loyalty and trust, I will proudly stake my entire reputation on the line, and challenge any other company who can approach me and say they can do better than my top 3 listed!

Be Blessed throughout Christmas and here’s to looking forward to a promising, hope-filled, prosperous New Year TOGETHER!

~Annie Armen

List of Quotes and Articles You May Find of Interest:
1.  12 Quotes on Christmas
2.  8 New Year Quotes -- Inspired by Og Mandino
3.  14 Quotes on LOYALTY in Business and in Life
4.  20 Quotes on Communication in Business and in Life
5.  Ethical Theft -- How to Steal Business From The Competition
6.  Is Your Business and Home Environment Toxic
7.  Generate Revenues Using Social Media
8.  The Hurricane Immune Power Pack
9.  Impact Your Bottom-line 
10.  The Value of Mutual Reciprocity by Referrals

Did you say Can't?

“Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I CAN choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I CAN choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself.” ~Walter Inglis Anderson

I've Fallen and I CAN Get up!

When you count all the number of times you KEEP ON GETTING UP, compared to the number of times you fell... guess which number is greater, and more importantly, a true reflection of your reality?

'Tis the season to flip the deception of -- "I've fallen, and I can't get up" -- and wake up to a more realistic tune of -- "I've fallen and I did, CAN, and will get up"!

When you CHOOSE to target your focus on all the times you KEEP ON GETTING UP, did you know that your inner levels of energy, confidence, attitude, gratitude, hope, Faith, love, and courage start walking with you?  Remember, at the end of the day, the power within you is unstoppable when you CHOOSE to tap into it! 

AnnieBiotics -- Tap Into Your CAN DO Power Within!

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do."  ~John Wooden

1.  In order to activate your CAN DO power, you must first realize that CAN is solely your CHOICE to make:
-- You can CHOOSE to listen to the word, CAN.
-- You can CHOOSE to act on the word, CAN.
-- You can CHOOSE to flip that deception of “can’t” and walk forward with courage and confidence by tapping into your CAN DO power within, to achieve your most desired goals in life, and more importantly -- to live the life YOU want and value!

2.  To sustain and thrive with CAN DO power, very important to re-evaluate, assess, and consider pruning off dead weight in your personal and professional lives.   By no means is this an easy process, and does take an “investment” of your time toward living the life YOU want, as YOU envision it. 

3.  Especially During the Holidays -- If you know of someone, or have a friend who is really looking to kick a bad habit out the door (regardless of what that bad habit is... whether it be smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc...) and occasionally slips while taking steps forward... Please don't give up hope on him or her. Reach out your hand and help him/her up with love and support, reminding and encouraging them that they have CAN DO power within to guide them through and out to victory!

+++++++++++++++++++++

Are you allowing the deceptive voices of "can't" infect your power of CAN? Emphasis on the words... "are you allowing" .... why do you think that is?

~Annie Armen 

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:
1. Are You Tempted to Quit?
2. Are You Leaving Your AUTHENTIC Mark?
3. 30 Quotes on LOVE in Business and in Life!
4. 30 Quotes on HOPE in Business and in Life!
5. 20 Quotes on COURAGE in Business and in Life! 
6. 30 Quotes on ACTION in Business and in Life! 
7. 30 Quotes on CONFIDENCE in Business and in Life!
8. 20 Quotes on GO FOR IT in Business and in Life! 
9. 20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life! 
10. 30 Quotes on COMMITMENT in Business and in Life! 
11. 30 Quotes on ENCOURAGEMENT in Business and in Life!
12. Celebrate the Gift of Life Because You Can! 
13. AnnieBiotics

Are you a Walking Miracle Amongst us?

... to move forward in FAITH and live, or to not move at all, and be left paralyzed by fear? What would you choose?

Dear friend...

What I'm about to share with you is a short excerpt taken from my chapter in a new, much anticipated, collaborative business book scheduled for launch around the corner... Stay tuned for announcements ahead...

In the interim, however ... Why share this excerpt?

September 23, 2004

September 23, 2004 is forever etched in my heart, mind, soul, and Spirit as God's Miracle for this day, that particular moment, not only defied all logic and science, but more importantly... served and continues to serve its undeniable purpose to HIS glory! Today I AM ALIVE, a walking testament that practicing FAITH is real, and produces results far beyond anything the human mind alone can ever conceive, much less comprehend... no matter how brilliant.

On this night, right after I produced a LIVE radio program with noted guest professionals, I was driving back to Los Angeles from San Diego. It was only 45 minutes into my drive, when suddenly, an animal ran onto and across the freeway. I immediately slammed on the brakes, which led to my car spinning out of control in the middle of the freeway, flying through the rails, to the other side of the median. Thankfully, at that moment, the highway was pretty clear, no one was injured, and there was no collision with any vehicle. Dad (God) in Heaven was definitely watching over all the drivers and me on the freeway.

Of course, I could have avoided this predicament had I simply hit the animal and kept on going. Instead, I chose to swerve and miss it. Was this an unwise choice on my part? Absolutely, without a doubt! However, as we all know, much easier said than done!

The reality is... when you actually face that kind of an emergency, it’s amazing what you end up finding yourself doing contrary to what you know is best. One truly never knows until in that given instance what he or she is going to do … and such was definitely my experience.

Fast Forwarding ...
 
In the officer’s words: “I just can’t believe you are standing there without a scratch on you, and ALIVE. Not 10 minutes from here, there was another car crash, but nothing like what’s happened to you. I had to call the ambulance because the guy was in bad shape. Your car is completely crunched, tires and parts scattered a mile away, car in smokes, windows smashed into a million pieces, and not a scratch on you. How did you manage to get out of the vehicle? It’s virtually impossible! Can’t even open the doors! You are a walking miracle! ... If I didn’t see this with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it!”


Personal Message

Yesterday, marked my 8 year anniversary of celebrating LIFE since this horrific incident. The picture you see above... (pausing for a moment)... I kept this one picture in one of my old hard drives, saved under a name completely unrelated, and locked away in a storage. This year, I decided I was going to dig up this picture, look straight into its eye, and share it publicly for the first time. WHY?

Imagine for one second, where what you are experiencing truly feels like you’re having your last gulp of air on earth. In that very instant when about to enter the jaws of death, you choose to take action with Faith, while believing you’ve already received the impossible – life!

Dear friends, such was my personal and Spiritual experience; I am here to communicate with you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my physical existence today is tangible proof that practicing Faith is real (details written in my chapter), both in business and in life!

AnnieBiotics®

“Who is of so little Faith that in a moment of great disaster or heartbreak has not called to his God? Confront another with dark horror and his mouth will say, ‘My God’ … My life need not be filled with religion in order for me to recognize this greatest mystery of nature.” ~Og Mandino, Best Selling Author, The Greatest Salesman in the World

Are you a Walking Miracle Amongst us?

Celebrate the Gift of Life Because You Can!  Please share your miracle in the comments section below, for what you tangibly communicate here in writing, will uplift, empower, inspire and even help save a life.

~Annie Armen

20 Quotes on PERSEVERANCE in Business and in Life!

Dear Why Annie Armen Readers,

May you find these select 20 quotes on PERSEVERANCE purposeful and empowering, adding productive value in your lives, both personally and professionally!

Once you’ve had an opportunity to read through all 20 quotes, please take a moment to share your thoughts (in the comments section) to the question posted at the end of this article. Thank You...
__________________

1. “Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”  ~Jacob A. Riis

2. "How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience would have achieved success?"  ~Elbert Hubbard

3. “The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary.”  ~Thomas A. Edison

4. "Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done right."  ~Walt Disney

5. "KEEP ON GOING, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down."  ~Charles Kettering

6. "Patience and PERSEVERANCE have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."  ~John Quincy Adams

7. "Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance."  ~Samuel Johnson

8. "Peak performers want more than merely to win the next game. They see all the way to the championship. They have a long-range goal that inspires commitment and action."  ~Charles Garfield

9. "PERSEVERANCE is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did."  ~Newt Gingrich

10. "Never think that God's delays are God's denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius."  ~Georges-Louis Leclerc

11. "Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines."  ~Robert Schuller

12. "With ordinary talent and extraordinary PERSEVERANCE, all things are attainable."  ~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

13. "Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use."  ~Earl Nightingale

14. "I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to PERSEVERE and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."   ~Christopher Reeve

15. "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."  ~Michael Jordan

16. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."  ~Thomas Edison

17. “Through PERSEVERANCE many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.”  ~Benjamin Disraeli

18. "There is no royal road to anything. One thing at a time, all things in succession. That which grows fast withers as rapidly; that which grows slowly endures."  ~J.G. Holland

19. "Patience and TENACITY of purpose are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness."  ~Thomas Henry Huxley

20. “Never stop pedaling to power your dreams."  ~Terri Guillemets
__________________

Question for Why Annie Armen Readers:

What methods or techniques do you use to develop perseverance to achieve your long-term goals?

Look forward to reading your comments!

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:
1. Did You Say, Can't?
2. 30 Quotes on ACTION in Business and in Life!
3. 20 Quotes on GO FOR IT in Business and in Life!
4. 20 Quotes on COURAGE in Business and in Life!
5. 30 Quotes on ENCOURAGEMENT in Business and in Life! 
6. 30 Quotes on COMMITMENT in Business and in Life!
7. Are You Leaving Your AUTHENTIC Mark? 
8. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?
9. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This!
10. AnnieBiotics

To PRO-act or to RE-act – is that the Question or Your Choice?

“WEAK is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions.  STRONG is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts.”  ~Og Mandino, Author of The Greatest Salesman in the World

Whether in business or in life, one guarantee we can all bank on in our daily lives is tackling challenges as we forge ahead through life’s unexpected, at times off beat twists and turns, with extreme spikes ranging from “chill to thrill” or vice versa, all in a matter of seconds, and at times in just a second!  What is MOST critical during such moments is to purpose awareness, and immediately wake up to the reality that whether you are in your best (thrill) or in your worst (chill) situation, YOU hold the key to two choices -- to PRO-act or to RE-act! 

9 RED FLAG “Pollutants” to Watch out for

Way passed the wondering phase of whether “that” is a mere question… To PRO-act or to RE-act – THAT is your choice!

In no particular order, 9 RED FLAG “Pollutants” to watch out for, that when given even the slightest attention and/or acknowledgment whether intrinsically or when communicating with another openly, what you are in effect doing is allowing these toxic “pollutants” to infect your 9 purifying “soul’utions (see below), triggering your choice to RE-act when making decisions:
 
1.  Fear
2.  Hate
3.  Hopelessness
4.  Regret
5.  Revenge
6.  Ignorance
7.  Ego (when self is above service; false, destructive pride)
8.  Lies
9.  Laziness

Bottom-line, when you choose to give your ears to any one of the 9 "pollutants" referenced above,  then in the words of Og Mandino, you are “permitting your thoughts to control your actions".  Let's backtrack.. when you permit your emotions to influence your thoughts, now your infected thoughts have the green light to control your actions.  In doing so, you are choosing to RE-act to any given situation, at which point -- achieving less than favorable outcomes is only inevitable (and that’s stating it mildly).

Purpose Awareness at ALL Times! 

Intentionally hitting the REWIND button here for a moment to repeat these words from earlier:   What is MOST critical during such instances is to purpose awareness, and immediately wake up to the reality that whether you are in your best (thrill) or in your worst (chill) situation, YOU hold the key to two choices -- to PRO-act or to RE-act!  Dear friend, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you to purpose awareness at ALL times, particularly during times of vulnerability, mixed emotions, confusion, hurt feelings, betrayals … in essence when you feel like you are at your worst, in a dark place or space whether personally or professionally.

Equally if not MORE critical, is to purpose awareness during times when you are in your comfort zone, where you are feeling you are at your best, perhaps even feeling overly confident, dare I say greedy, too proud, and the like.  Sound familiar? 

9 Purifying “SOUL”utions -- Your Protective Armor

Whether in business or in life, remember that extreme spikes of “chill” and “thrill” happen when you least expect it, sometimes within seconds, other times within a second.  So again… purpose awareness at ALL times, and stay alert when you are in the “comfort” zone, or rather what I like to call – the “blind spot”.

That said… in no particular order … your protective armor of 9 Purifying “SOUL”utions to trigger your choice to PRO-act and kick toxic “pollutants” out the door, without a moment’s mercy are:

1.  Faith
2.  Love
3.  Hope
4.  Gratitude
5.  Forgiveness
6.  Wisdom
7.  Humility

8.  Honesty
9.  Diligence  

   

3 Take-Aways

“The bigger rewards in life are a direct result of those finer details mastered through life." ~ Annie Armen 

Without a doubt, this is a continuous, cleansing / purifying process and takes daily practice, for knowledge alone is never enough!   What is worth noting here is maintaining “balance” between mind and heart … making sure both are working in harmony to accomplish set goals and objectives with satisfaction and success! 

Often times, minds and hearts are at war… thinking one thing, feeling another, leading to RE-actionary choices.  Therefore, in order to “OUT with the pollution, and IN with the ‘soul’ution™” PRO-actively, 3 take-aways to remember:

1.  Purpose Awareness at ALL Times
2.  Stay alert when in your “comfort zone” – blind spot.
3.  Maintain balance between mind and heart.  Only when the two are in accord, you are ready to PRO-act, make sound decisions and aim for the long-term win!  

Did you find this article helpful?

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest: 

1. 30 Quotes on LOVE in Business and in Life!
2. 30 Quotes on HOPE in Business and in Life!
3. 20 Quotes on VALUES in Business and in Life!  

4. 30 Quotes on COMMITMENT in Business and in Life!
5. 30 Quotes on ACTION in Business and in Life!  

6. Are you Leaving Your AUTHENTIC Mark?
7. Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?

8. Grab a cup of Courage and Just Ask!
9. Celebrate the Gift of Life Because You Can!
10. Did You Say, Can't?
11. AnnieBiotics 

Do you Know What you Will do With a Square Inch?

“Faith consists in believing
when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” ~Voltaire



 

Do you Know What you Will do With a Square Inch?

WOW! Have you ever been in a one-to-one, profoundly invigorating business meeting, where time just flew on by mercilessly, and all you wanted to do was stop the clock and capture every second if at all possible? Such was the case for both John Richardson and me during Father’s Day Weekend, and with his blessing, only select highlights are now written...

Here I am, sitting across this business professional on our first meet only to find myself completely intoxicated with his gift of wisdom, for he was communicating from planet EXTRA-ordinary!  I was humbled, honored, and in awe to say the least, that he was seeking my advice on a complex, delicate communications issue. In truth, we both skipped through all the typical business questions one can think of, or come up with under the sun that takes place during a first meet, let alone the 10th meet … and mutually zoomed right into the heart of the matter, with intellectual attack!

Fast forwarding ... Once the consulting portion of our conversation was fulfilled, generally in that given instance, both parties tend to dash off to their next respective meetings to follow through with their plans and commitments for the day in a timely manner. Dear friend that was definitely not the case here! In fact, quite the opposite happened! We respectfully asked for a mutual pause in our conversation, only to pick up our phones, and rearrange our schedules without hesitation in unexplainable synchronicity. Of course, neither of us knew the other was going to take that action. Amazing how Faith works in business and in life when we choose to practice it, free of logical reasoning (refer to steps 1, 2, and 3 below).

After That 5 Second, Reflective Pause ...

Moving along… Various topics surfaced as our communications took more profound turns followed by purposeful detours. One of the highlights that I will remember for a lifetime was this one question John asked:

"Annie... as our seconds go by fast, do you know what you will do with a square inch?"

Holy smokes!!! Closed my eyes for a 5 second, reflective pause...

Opened my eyes and answered …

"John … hoping not to disappoint … if there is a specific answer to your question, then I truly do not know, and more than willing to learn, believing you will be willing to teach me. If the answer is more of a Spiritual nature… then Spiritually in pure Faith, I pray for guidance to make wise (more so than right) choices for the seconds of today, and thank God in Faith for preparing my actions toward His Plans “already” in motion, to wisely and responsibly take on His assigned square inches for tomorrow. If I may give you a more direct answer, it comes down to this: The fact that I am blessed in the now with this rare opportunity to learn from you and in that process, if I may dare gain a nugget from your bank of wisdom to equip myself for the future, then in this moment John Richardson,... That's what I'm doing with a square inch."

Our 5 Minute, Positively Paralyzing Mutual Silence ...

Immediately following my response, was our mutual, 5 minute, positively paralyzing silence. The wheels of our thoughts were turning, as though we were both playing a mental chess game, yet not so.

Let’s hit the PAUSE button here for a moment… What just happened? Was this your expected, professional one-to-one business meeting? 

Speaking both personally and professionally:  In all the years I have had the privilege to communicate and work with top leaders across the spectrum of professional industries, if I may respectfully and gracefully respond by saying ... HECK NO!  Although we were in a restaurant, conversing with one another very much in the present, It genuinely felt like we were communicating from a future era, sharing innovative visions, thoughts, concepts, ideas as mere appetizers to what has yet to be experienced, taught, and learned in the business world today! 

To say this was an enLIGHTNING jolt of an event we had the fortune to experience, is an understatement!  It was one of those RARE, once in a lifetime, unprecedented meetings, serving as a foreshadowing of what is to come, yet a seed planted in the now to provoke two choices: FAITH and ACTION!

Allow me to backtrack here for a moment and briefly expand upon the values of Faith and Action in this manner. In order for the seed to take root for a purpose to be fulfilled in the future, THAT choice is up to you and me. To activate that choice, it will take pure FAITH with ACTION:

1. Faith to embrace the unknown (what you cannot see)
2. Faith to believe that what is to come is ALREADY there!
3. Faith to act on that choice, without resorting to logical reasoning.

Now... let’s hit the PLAY button. After our 5 minute, positively paralyzing, mutual silence…John chuckles and says:  “Annie Armen … now I know why my friend said these words to me. John, brace yourself, you met your match. Prepare to be blown away by a human hurricane after having just one chat. Make it count!  You want this lady in your corner for the impossible projects you have in mind down the road.”

Just the rose color blush I needed on my face after hearing those words, when in truth... it was I who was blown away!  Later, toward the end of our conversation, John said something that I just had to write down and pay it forward, in essence ... to plant this seed in your minds and hearts. Let me tell you… it’s one that will have me thinking "on purpose" for a long time:

"There are more square inches in one square mile, than there are seconds in a century. You can see your whole life if you equate one square inch to one second." ~John Richardson  

+++++++++++++++++++++

Dear friend, do you know what you will do with a square inch? Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and share your thoughts to this very profound enigma … 

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest: 

1. 20 Quotes on Communication in Business and in Life!
2. 14 Quotes on Loyalty in Business and in Life!   

3. When did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice?

4. When you Hear the Words, "I am a Life Coach" -- What Thoughts Come to Mind? 

5. What is Your Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

6. Communicate Anyway 

7. AnnieBiotics®  

Stealing Business From Your Competition -- Ethical or Unethical?

All content for this post is taken from Fresh Revenues Website, and from articles
written by Don Farrell -- Chief Cultivating Officer at Fresh Revenues, Inc., Author of Ethical Theft

"If you can steal from your competition, then they deserve to lose it. If someone steals from you, then shame on you....you deserve it. Same goes for employees too."  ~Don Farrell, Chief Cultivating Officer at Fresh Revenues, Inc., Author of Ethical Theft

Hypothetical #1:
You are on an airplane and you strike up a conversation with the person next to you. She is the decision maker of a company that buys your competitor’s products and services. You have such a great exchange during the flight that she asks you for your card and gives you the opportunity to bid for their business. You do and you win the account. Ethical or unethical way to liberate business from your competition?  (For answers, see content references below)

Hypothetical #2
... you have been unsuccessful for quite some time now at trying to get into see a large prospective client. You read in the paper that they are having a meeting at a local hotel and in fact, your competition is sponsoring the meeting. You know that most meetings have an AM and PM coffee break. You know that the AM break usually occurs at around 10:30-11. Sure enough, you see as you enter the meeting room area of this hotel that your potential client has people milling all around talking to one another over coffee. You don’t know who is in charge, so you walk up to the nearest person with a name tag on, and you pardon the interruption. You ask them who is in charge and he points to another gentleman and says, “John Rogers over there is the VP of Operations … he’s the main man.” You get close to Mr. Rogers and you wait for a break in his conversation and you approach him saying “ … Mr. Rogers, my name is David Hall (hand him your card) and I know that this is not the time nor place for this conversation, but I would like to speak with you about doing business with my firm … can we set something up for later this week after this meeting has concluded?” Ethical or not?  (For answers, see content references below)
 

Ethical vs. Unethical … What is Right and Wrong When it Comes to Stealing Business?

"The deciding differentiator in how you drive loyalty lies within your greatest asset....your people." ~Don Farrell 

Simply put, nobody is a good enough salesperson to come in and take a client of yours if they are loyal to you and your company. Period. If they are able to take your business then you did not deserve it. Same with your good employees who leave you for your competition.
 
So What is Ethical? It is easier to define unethical so let’s do that one … not doing all you can within the limits of the law to provide for your employees. End of story!  So now, think for a moment or two, how many times did you not pull out all the stops to acquire and account from the competition. In doing so, how many people did you let down?


A Salute to Industry
... story from my book titled Ethical Theft  ... "A Salute to Industry". I would approach our top six clients and tell them that we have been thanking them for far too long now and it was high time we helped them improve their profits as well. I would explain that we wanted to dedicate a space in our hotel for them to advertise their products and services. We would calculate how many guests would walk past their exhibit over the course of a month and the number would be quite impressive....it even surprised us when we first calculated it. So for 30 days there would stand an attractive display behind velvet ropes, a sign telling our guests who this client is and how they can contact them if they wanted to hear from them.

At the end of the month when it was time to take their display down for the next client, we would have a cocktail and hors d' oeuvres party around their display. We would take an 8X10 photo of the event and mount it in an attractive frame and mount it on the wall where the display would be for posterity. We would also send a similar photo to that company for their use (public relations, company newsletter, annual financial statements). We were in essence thanking them for their business by helping to provide them with business as well. Now, for the remaining six months of the year we would ask POTENTIAL clients to advertise their "wares" in this Salute to Industry area. We would have a reception around their display at the end of thirty days and they would see a wall with pictures of our happy existing clients. We would now be on a fast track to liberating more business.

What was normally dead space in our hotel became a real profit and social center of attraction. I would sometimes be passing by that area and see an unknown guest looking at it and picking up a brochure to learn more about that company. I would approach them and tell them who I was and tell them the cool things about our clients or hopeful client's product or service. A real person having a real conversation with a real person who had real interest. How cool is that?
 
Ethical Theft -- The Book!
If you are looking to laugh, think and wonder how far you or your competition would be willing to go to acquire business, Ethical Theft is the book for you! One recent review states: "Don Farrell has a take on business ethics that may shock some, but in light of current economic times, it is a pragmatic and sensible approach. If you want to do your best for yourself, your staff and your bottom-line, then you need to read this book."

Need tools that will help distance yourself from your competition forever?  How about coming up with a compelling tactical plan to maximize revenues?  If your answer is "yes", contact Don Farrell today and set up a one-to-one chat to explore service deliverables tailored to your needs!  ... Be sure to mention -- Referred by Annie Armen for that special, extra attention!

Fresh Revenues, Inc.
435 South Front Street, Suite 208
Memphis, TN 38103
(office) 855-256-1751

Content References
1. How to Create Loyal Clients and in Doing so Steal From Your Competition
2. Ethical Theft: How to Steal Business From Your Competition

3. Fresh Revenues

Did you find this article helpful for your business?  

Please post your comments below... we look forward to reading your feedback.

~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest: 

1. Communicate Anyway
2. 14 Quotes on LOYALTY in Business and in Life!  
3. 30 Quotes on COMMITMENT in Business and in Life!
4. Are You Leaving Your AUTHENTIC Mark?
5. That Does it... I've Had Just About Enough of This! 
6. When Did s/he Give the Impression s/he Needed Your Advice? 
7. What is Your Definition of a Perfect Partnership in Business?

8. Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?    

9. AnnieBiotics®

Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?

"You can't expect your employees to exceed the expectations of your customers if you don't exceed the employees' expectations of management." ~Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks

Are you Working With a Resistant Employee?
The episode illustrated below dates several years back...
With client's permission to share for general value... 

Client asks, “Annie, any insights on how to deal with a resistant employee, particularly a persistent one?”  

In that moment, I chose to respond with a silent pause followed by a quick chuckle... 

Client:  "Oh no... why do I get the feeling I need to sit down for this one?"

Me:  "Interesting choice word ... deal... Have you looked into the WHY factor to better understand the root cause of his resistance?"

Client:  "I haven't personally, but from what I understand, the manager has, and he has advised me that it is in the company's best interest to terminate this particular employee."

Me:  "Well, it appears you have your answer on what to do from one of your trusted hires ... the manager ... unless I am missing something here?"

Client:  "Annie ... look... something's not adding up here ... and any insights from you will be helpful."

Me:  "Fair enough... You mentioned that something's not adding up here... May I ask what that is?"

Client:  "Can you stop by my office tomorrow afternoon?  Will share details with you then..."

Me:  "Done!  Tomorrow afternoon it is!"

It was just over a year ago, when I addressed a similar inquiry on video... (you can hear it below).

 

To Deal or to Embrace? 

Are you choosing to deal with a "resistant employee" by terminating his/her employment, simply because that is what you were told by his/her supervisor?  OR, are you choosing to embrace the challenging, perhaps delicate situation through effective communication with tact, fairness, and character?  

Insight #1:  Drawing from my professional experience with culture building endeavors, a "resistant employee" -- 9 times out of 10 -- tends to be a direct reflection of the individual(s) who is/are in the position of leading the team.  Therefore, prior to making any final, reactionary decisions, which include employee termination, it is very important for the decision maker to proactively and openly embrace the dilemma from all angles (just as my client did).  A great starting point would be to reflect upon his or her own past and present choices followed by actions.  Were there any unintended consequences that may have occurred along the way, leading up to the question, "Annie, any insights on how to deal with a 'resistant employee', particularly a persistent one?” 

When Hidden Agendas get in the way 

Insight #2: There is resistance, and then there is resistance! When a team leader slacks off, what is an employee to do?  Is it in the company's best interest for the employee to remain idle and do nothing?  In other words, if an employee decides to step up to the plate and take necessary action to meet the required sales quota for the week that impacts company bottom-line, does that make him or her a "resistant" employee?  (Note:  The employee took the above described initiative -- after having gone to his/her manager asking for permission to help, although beyond the scope of his/her duties.  In this particular scenario, the manager said "no", that he had everything under control, when in fact, he did not).   

Here is an unfortunate reality that I have come across repeatedly, especially in the corporate world.  Such rare employees who may be tagged as "resistant" are actually the "committed" ones who are loyal and are effecting constructive change for the overall success of the company.  Unless there is a Communications Specialist on board to help facilitate and bridge gaps of uncertainty and unhealthy confusion ... their voice only carries so far, and their productive actions seldom get reported positively much less accurately, and rarely reach the ears of the top decision makers for proper acknowledgments and future promotions.  Instead what I have found is, these exceptional employees get shafted due to "EGO"-s at play, who exercise their authority to protect their own hidden agendas, always at the price of the company. 

Where Does a Business Owner go From Here?

If you are a business owner looking to build, establish and sustain a healthier working environment across all levels within your company, speaking from 20+ years of experience in working with leaders from various industries, any business owner should include a Communications Specialist on their team of "trusted" advisors and consultants to help bridge any potential gaps of misunderstandings, tensions, and unintended consequences to achieve desired productivity, performance, loyalty, trust, and ROI results with enthusiasm, commitment and impact!  When you find the right Communications Specialist, you will discover that he or she will be critically instrumental in the success of your business.

Did you find this article helpful?  

~Annie Armen

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