The Virtual Wire

First Friday pep!!!

It is the beginning of the month again, and it is my duty to share something inspirational to o help you start off your July with a stronger stride in your step.  Also, of course, for my American friends and colleagues it is a highly celebrated holiday weekend - Your Independence Day.  I was reminded in a conversation this week about the desire and need for individuality, and it reminded me that I have always been one to encourage others to walk their own path, as well as tried for forge my own.  So in that vein I looked for inspirational items on independence and individuality, and this is what I found that I liked:

“Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change.”  Stephen R Covey.

I love this quote as it reminds me that I make the choices in my life, and if there is something I don’t like, I, and only I, have the power to change it.  And change is not only negative, it could also mean that if I like something and would like more of it, then I still need to make the change to get more.  I looooovvvveee having the power to change things!  What will you change in your practice this month?   

So for me I was thinking about doing more and getting more from the client relationships I really like, and I came across this quote:

“No employer today is independent of those about him. He cannot succeed alone, no matter how great his ability or capital. Business today is more than ever a question of cooperation.”  Orisen Swett Marden

Although this quote refers to employees/employers, I believe it speaks directly to the VA industry, and the possibilities of a successful VA/client relationship.   Need I say more???  You know just like with any relationship the tasks, activities and sheer volume of work can get in the way of building your relationship with your clients, but finding the time to further enhance and do more in this relationship is essential to it's success. In the month of July find the time to further enhance your relationships.  Show your client(s) how much you care about their success and wellbeing.  As Stacy Brice said this week “the 'juice' is in the relationships.”

Happy July to you and yours, and a fantastic Independence Day Weekend!

Happy 4th of July!

I've been away from the office for the last several days (albeit working on the road).  It's been great fun to get away and take time to enjoy some of the traditional summertime activities - picnics, family reunions, BBQs, and such.  I've enjoyed it immensely, and look forward to more of what the season has to offer. 

As the 4th of July approaches, however, I wanted to be sure and take time to reflect on the significance of this historical holiday. 

Thanks to Wikipedia.org we can find a good overview that begins with: 

"In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 ..."

"Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States."

(The summary continues with a bit of historical background.)

Part of the reflection for me includes remembering those who serve our country in the military and those who have sacrificed much (past and present).  I am grateful for their lives. 

Here are a couple famous quotes that I enjoy: 

“What is the essence of America? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom “to” and freedom “from.” ~ Marilyn vos Savant

“We stand for freedom. That is our conviction for ourselves; that is our only commitment to others. ”  ~ John F Kennedy

I wish you a wonderful time of reflection and celebration on this Independence Day 2009! 

What's your main message?

In a recent conversation with my friend (and fellow teacher) Cynthia, she told me she had come to realize that she was a "bridge builder". Where she could, she tried to forge bridges and connections between people (who should be connected). I liked that. I'm an ardent--some might say intensely passionate--proponent of communication and personal connections. I thought about what she said, and then was able to tell her what one of my main messages was.

I am a barrier breaker.

I try to diminish or 'destroy' barriers that are in the way of effective connections or communications. A similar take on Cynthia's message? Yes, I think so. In describing this part of my personality, I'd say that when barriers become clear to me--barriers that have or will cause distance between two or more people--I seek to dismantle or disarm them. It's frank; granted. It's sometimes intense. But the only way to do it is to acknowledge there is a barrier, and then directly confront it. One can do so compassionately, and I'd like to think I'm in that category.

So what are your main messages? What major benefits, canny or uncanny, do you freely bring to the world and the people in your world? Let us know ... that would be nice.

If I see the red flags, why do I pick them up?

At a recent group coaching session with Stacy Brice one of my team members was talking about the interview process and what she needed to develop in her process to make it stronger.  One of the subjects that Stacy was really trying to bring home to us is that if we are clear about the answers we expect from certain questions, then “we can stand for the client and stand for ourselves” by bowing out when it is clear that there is not a match.  My VA colleague struggled with some of this because, just like me, she tends to give the person the benefit of the doubt.  When I heard my colleague saying, “well if they give this answer, maybe it is not as bad as it seems” it hit home to me that I do exactly the same thing.  And that thing is maybe not listening properly, not trusting my intuition, or maybe even ignoring the answer completely and slotting in my own answer.  It sounds crazy when you read it right?  But I know many VAs, and other small business owners who do this/have done this.  It is what we call seeing “red flags”, yet some of us choose to ignore them.

The client says something like “I work 24/7, never take a break and expect my support person to have the same dedication to their business,” and the interviewing VA will say “oh he just wants someone who is dedicated, and I work until 7pm most nights and that will be fine.”  Only to then enter into the relationship and find that the client has absolutely no boundaries around time, and 7pm at night is just not good enough from the client’s perspective.

I started to think about the red flags that I had seen in the past and chose to ignore.

Selling ... do you hate it?

The opening lines of this article written by Tim Berry caught my attention:

"You know who you are. You hate selling, but here you are, making your way as entrepreneur, having to sell or sink. 

Oh yeah, I'm part of that crowd!  The "I hate selling" mantra has been heard from my lips many times. In fact, that was the biggest hurdle for me as I prepared to go out on my own and launch a micro-business. I did not want to "lose" my real self, which is what I had witnessed from some. 

Tim titled his article, "5 Points on Selling without Selling Your Soul."  I appreciate each point!  It is a list of fundamental principles for effectively developing a solid business. 

Each, too, is characteristic of good, strong interpersonal skills.  Skills we have likely (hopefully) honed as professionals - active listening, empathizing, truth telling, problem solving, and persistence.

You may find that you're implementing each of these points already.  This read will serve as a great validation, then, of your savvy selling skills!  I found it refreshingly relevant.