I asked a wealthy client about the beginnings of his fortune. As a child, he accumulated $600 through odd jobs and gifts. While in college in the early 1960s, he invested this savings into the stock market. By the time he got out of school he had multiplied his stake into enough cash to support himself for years, travel to Europe, and finance his first business.
I remarked, “Even in the go-go bull market of the 60s, that is an amazing return. You must have made some very smart investments. Why didn’t you continue onto a career in investing?”
My client is not a modest or self-effacing man, but he does see events clearly. He replied, “I did make some good investments, but I was smart enough to know I was lucky.”
Maybe this is why we use the same word, fortune, for both “chance” and “wealth.”
The winners of the Distinguished Alumni Award at a top business school were asked, “What leads to success in business–a lucky experience or a series of planned decisive steps?”
Today’s podcast, “Be More Curious, Effective, & Empathetic” is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner’s Executive Coach. Listen to this recording and then join us for Tuesdays with Tony at Twelve, a weekly, free webinar where you can explore powerful executive coaching tools and ask Tony about applying them in your life and career.
Tony teaches a crucial skill for better conversations, smoother work relationships, and greater productivity. The key is asking more questions, even responding to direct questions not with a simple answer, but with genuine curiosity, asking “clarifying questions” to discover exactly what your employee, sales prospect, or best friend really want from you.
Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/
Today’s podcast, “Tough Talk: Conversations That Make A Difference” is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner’s Executive Coach. Listen to this recording and then join us for Tuesdays with Tony at Twelve, a weekly, free webinar where you can explore powerful executive coaching tools and ask Tony about applying them in your life and career.
This program teaches Tony’s 12 Step program for engaging with people on difficult topics, simple tools for resolving contentious issues, and a powerful approach to work and personal conversations that will bring you better results and stronger relationships.
Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/
I first shared this on October 22, 2020, more than three months ago. I wish I had not been right but here we are, with dangerous new versions of COVID-19 spreading from Brazil, South Africa, and the UK to that guy next to you in line.
Stay Home If You Can. or Wear a Mask!
This isn’t the end of the pandemic. I am not even convinced we have reached the end of the beginning.
COVID-19 is an RNA virus, like the common cold. RNA viruses mutate frequently. That’s why (more…)
mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 are being used worldwide. Soon, you may queue to have one injected into your body. Here’re the basics of how mRNA vaccines will work, from the University of Cambridge: https://www.phgfoundation.org/briefing/rna-vaccines
☣ ☣ ☣
An interesting editorial in the New York Times by a German journalist explores how Germany is confronting (more…)
Are you a business owner thinking about whether coaching might improve the performance of your COO or another key executive? My answer is, “Yes,” in most cases, but only if the CEO is being coached. I’ve learned the hard way over the years that I can have a major, enduring impact with a COO or other direct report only when I am also coaching the CEO. I believe this is generally the case with true executive coaches.1
Any growth or development on the part of a subordinate that is not shared by the boss is likely to have two unwanted effects. First, the boss’s unchanged behavior will undermine and thwart the direct report’s new behavior. Second, the developing key executive will either abandon the changes or judge the boss to be the bigger problem and leave. As one blunt coach said to a prospect, “If I fix your VP without you moving in the same direction, you will become the problem.”
Stay away from inspiring stores of genius leaders such as Steve Jobs, Harold Geneen, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, etc. They are unique, lucky, and extraordinarily difficult to work with. They certainly were not copying anyone. Anyone attempting to copy them is likely to cause disasters both financial and personal.
These recommendations for management training, as with executive coaching, require the ultimate leader and influencer (you, the CEO/Owner) to learn and practice the same techniques.
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1 I say true executive coaches because, these days, every consultant, trainer, and even many salespeople now call themselves coaches. That’s a topic for another post.
Before you reduce the size of your workforce with furloughs or layoffs consider reducing hours per employee. Some states are offering “Work Share” unemployment benefits. If employee hours and pay are reduced, for example, by 25%, employees may be eligible for 25% unemployment benefits. This lets the (more…)
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