December 16, 2016 by

Use It Or Lose It!

check-wenkroyThe month of December brings along much joy, warmth and pleasure to many people. It signifies the end of the calendar year and for a great many organizations the end of their fiscal year.  Corporations, not for profit charities and a variety of associations and other businesses have allocated funds for development, training and materials which if the funds are not utilized by the end of the year they are lost.  

Potentially even more impactful to their budget is the allocation in the budget for the upcoming year or two may be reset to the lower number of dollars actually spent in this previous year for this category.  

When this topic is discussed by me certain people say, “This is not true! Why would this  apply to a Non- Profit Organization?”  

It definitely does apply and here is one small example. From a variety of my contacts on the Board of Directors of certain Non-Profit Organizations, they tell me the business and the people in a Non-Profit may need development and training in leadership, communications, and presentation skills more than some of their corporate sponsors. In fact, they would find the money as long as the Non-Profit would agree to spend the money specifically on it and not something else.

If you are in this type of situation or know of an organization which is please stop right now and contact me with your information or an introduction.

This is an investment in the future of your organization. There are many reports which state that organizations are spending quite a bit on leadership development and training within their organization and they still are not seeing the return on their investment.  

Now this is not to knock the Human Resources folks – and let’s be careful here not to feel offended as this is not the purpose here –  often a training and development workshop or course is brought in with the mindset that it is a one time event.  For the most part this is due to the larger organizations who are hired are set up to deliver their workshops and courses in this manner.  Once the workshop or the course ends everyone goes back to conducting themselves exactly as they did prior to the workshop or course.

The more effective method of delivery to have an impact and to create a change in behavior is through spaced repetition. For example – If you consider marketing and the use of media it is through the repetition of the brand, the message, the reason through a  number of different sources which translates into the attainment of a customer.

By incorporating spaced repetition into the delivery, this continued contact and engagement in a variety of methods keep people onboard and accountable. They are able to grow and their behavior changes along with this process.

The ultimate goal and deliverable must be supported from the top of the organization as well. When a shift in culture or behavioral change is the deliverable the fastest way to undo everything is to have a leader in the organization or a manager continue to present themselves the same exact way they always have while expecting everyone else to change.

There are numerous ways to take advantage of this end of year opportunity. Here are a few examples where either a deposit or a full payment in December 2016 will secure top notch development, training and resources for individuals and/or groups:

  • High Performance Coaching
  • Effective Personal Productivity
  • Effective Personal Leadership

These ALL INCLUDE areas where goal setting and the accountability to carry these through are part of the program. Each of these are from start to finish designed for an initial 90 day effort.

Secure the program now! 

Mitch Tublin runs a boutique consulting firm with a main focus on leadership development, strategic initiatives and executive coaching. Based in Stamford, CT. he has clients all over the world.

Filed Under: Business Planning, Business Strategy, Marketing, Small Business Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
December 9, 2016 by

Hit Any Speed Bumps Lately?

Speed bumpsThe other day my wife and I were driving to a gathering in a neighborhood we had not been to before. The homes were all unique with stone facing and a variety of styles. The landscaping at each home was meticulous.

As the driver what really caught my attention were the speed bumps. Every single street had two or three of these spaced out based on the length of the street. There was not one single street in this area which did not have multiple speed bumps. Yes there were signs to warn you and to note the exact location for each speed bump.

It turns out the speed bumps were placed there for a few reasons.

The first one, which is the most obvious, is to slow down the speed of any vehicles driving through this neighborhood. The second reason was to protect the children in the area who might be either crossing the road or playing in or near to the road. The third reason, which may not be so obvious, is to reduce the road traffic as people who know the speed bumps are there would avoid these roads unless they had to drive into the area for a specific reason or to visit someone.

Isn’t this how it is in our business and our lives? Don’t we hit speed bumps at various times? Now we are not talking about a dead end, we are talking about a speed bump.

So people might just say – “well I know there are speed bumps if I go that way so I am not going that way.”

Sometimes we take note of the warning signs and other times we are totally taken off guard. Yes, of course there are others who will not slow down at all and just plow right through. We all know what that will do to your car if you try that out on the road. Maybe speed bumps in our business, career and our lives are meant for us to slow down and think about what it is that we are doing?

What are we trying to achieve? What are we really focused on?

The road with the speed bumps may be the road less traveled. The road to success in life and in business may be a road like that as well. It seems clear to me we need to recognize the speed bumps when they are present, take note, slow down and consider what are we doing and why are we doing it?

Mitch Tublin runs a boutique consulting firm with a main focus on leadership development, strategic initiatives and executive coaching. Based in Stamford, CT. he has clients all over the world.

Filed Under: Business Planning, Business Strategy, Know Where You Want To Go, Small Business Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
November 18, 2016 by

What Does It Take To Run Your First Marathon?

What does it take to run your first marathon?

Very much like running your first business.

Let’s start with the fact that the assumption is you want to run a business with staying power. Not a hit and run quick buck – which almost always is some type of a scam – business but a long-term real business.

Rule #1 – It is a marathon! Not a sprint! It is my guess almost anyone can sprint for ten meters. A lot of people can sprint for twenty five meters. How about going all out for as fast as you can for 100 meters? Any takers? This is not how to run a marathon and it is certainly not how to run a business.

Unless you are already working in the business you want to run – there will be a learning curve. You must become a sponge for the important information and be able to edit out the noise. Even when you are ready to start your business learning and growing, having a coach to guide you along the way and challenge you at times is going to be critical.

Rule #2 – It is your first marathon! Speak with people who have run a marathon before and ask them questions about everything from nutrition, training programs, pacing during the run, what shoes and gear to wear, ask about anything. Similar advice goes for starting your own business. Many people have been in your shoes before – seek them out and leverage their knowledge in terms of not only the things that worked – the things that did not work too.

Do you have accountability partners and possibly a support network? You do not need to be an elite runner to have accountability partners for your training, your nutrition program and everything you are doing for running your marathon. There are running clubs all over the world who set up and match up people based upon their running pace and goals. A support network may be a coach for running and training and a coach for your mental approach to everything you are doing.

Rule #3 – You do not have to do everything by yourself – other than run the marathon, of course, other people may run alongside you for encouragement! In starting your business let everyone in your circle of friends and family know what you are doing. You never know who they know.

There are many more people who will never even try to run a marathon vs. how many people do at least try. In fact even less actually sign up, train, show up and run and finish their first marathon.

Rule #4 – Your attitude will get you through it. Have the best possible attitude throughout the process. Throughout your training everyday you run. This will further prepare you for what it is going to take to complete your run.

In starting your business you must really want your business to succeed. The numbers are staggering how many new businesses fail within their first three years.

In closing, our entire family is bursting with pride as our son, brother – Bryan completed his first marathon – the 2016 New York City Marathon in a time of 4:32. We all were there to see him run. We each selected different sections and rode the subway to overtake and catch up along the route. Bryan set out a goal to complete his first marathon and he did it!

bryan NYC Marathon

Bryan Tublin

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified coach, trainer and business consultant based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Accountability, Business Planning, Business Strategy, Inspiration, Mindset, Small Business Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
September 30, 2016 by

Who Is The Most Valuable Group In Any Company?

Who Is The Most Valuable Group In Any Company?The other evening at a small networking event a few of us met some people who were at the same venue yet not in our networking group. Of course, since this was all about connecting and networking, we had them join our little group and engaged in conversation with them and welcomed them into our fold.

One of the people went to great lengths to explain to me after hearing about my work as a speaker, trainer and coach with a main focus on leadership, effective communication and emotional intelligence in the workplace, why Human Resources (HR) is the most valuable part of any company and severely under rated in their function. Yes, you heard that right – the most valuable part of any company.

Right now, stop and take a moment to comment in the comment section – what is the most valuable group in your company – where you work?

The week before I was at Baltusrol Golf Club – yes that Baltusrol, which by the way is a gem of a golf course and full of history! I was in conversation with one of the golfers in our foursome about my work of adding value to individuals, teams, divisions and entire companies by introducing cultural change, values based leadership and more. He is a very senior lawyer at a Fortune 100 company.

During our discussion he mentioned how HR almost raises their own level of importance by introducing a variety of measurements and evaluation and processes which really restricts people who run groups inside the company from being leaders and bringing in outside speakers and trainers with fresh thinking and outside view points. He has witnessed over the last decade and more how HR has forced themselves into much more than necessary to the point where they have raised their level of importance without really adding any tangible value. Yes, you heard that right – they have raised their level of importance without really adding any tangible value.

Now here is the thing – HR has a function – and full disclosure – HR is critical to me and my business as often it is the HR group which places me on their list of coaches to select from or retain as their Executive Coach for the company and brings me in to conduct training and workshops on Effective Personal Leadership, Effective Personal Productivity and much, much more.

If you have not done so already, please go to the comments area and note – what is the most valuable group in your company – where you work?

Here is the answer to the question – Who Is The Most Valuable Group In Any Company?

The Group Of People Who Are Working At The Company! 

The People Who Work At The Company are the MOST VALUABLE GROUP!

Everyone must be on the same team! No one group should attempt to be known as the most important group in the company. It is a team effort. This is why CULTURE MATTERS. Everyone must understand and recognize from the most senior levels in the company to the most entry level person in the company every single person contributes to the success or failure of the business in some way.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive coach, trainer and speaker based in Stamford, CT.

***Are you seeking a speaker for an upcoming event or company function?
***Would you like to have a one to two hour leadership gap discovery session with your leadership team?
***Does your team need one on one executive coaching to bring each person to the next level in their interpersonal communications, personal productivity or presentation skills?

Contact Mitch Tublin and let’s make it HAPPEN!

Filed Under: Networking, Small Business Tagged With: , , , , , ,
August 26, 2016 by

And The Survey Says…

survey-for-businessHow do you respond when asked to fill out a survey?

Do you feel and respond differently to a survey emailed to you?

Do you feel and respond in another way to a survey sent online which offers some type of gift if you fill it out and submit it?

Do you feel most comfortable and responsive when you speak with a person either over the phone or in person to a few questions?

Place your responses right in the comments section for this article.

THINK – – –

Would any of your answers change if you know the owner of the company and they asked you to respond as a favor to obtain feedback?

How does a business – a business owner – anyone providing a product or service – find out answers to become a better business when most people will not answer a few questions or give their feedback unless they have a real gripe or concern about something?

For many years grocery stores have welcomed sample tables in their locations where a company may set up a product table, offer free samples to taste or try out and obtain instant feedback. This is an excellent way for the lotions and potions business owners to obtain instant feedback and word of mouth sales. In a similar way a food product or a new version of a well known brand changing some of the flavors or introducing a new flavor would be able to obtain quick feedback.

What would you suggest for a business in a service oriented field? How would they obtain quick and reliable responses to help them become a better business?

Here are three methods which work for many business owners in service based businesses –

  1. Upon engagement ask, give or send a form and request your client fill it out immediately about the initial engagement process. This does a few things. First you have established that you really do care about what they think about your business. Second is they are now creating a habit of filling out your brief questions and returning the responses to your office.
  2. Part way through the engagement with your client – follow step one except now you would be asking about more than the initial engagement process.
  3. Upon completing a certain period of time working with your client – ask them if they would be open to responding to a few questions about your business? The goal you would explain is to always be aware of how each client feels about their business and to keep your business fresh and in touch with their customers.

Try out one of these three methods or maybe all three and see how they work out for you in your business. Otherwise how will you know?

Need help with creating the right questions and/or how to implement the changes necessary once the surveys are all returned and reviewed? Contact Mitch Tublin here.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified coach, trainer and speaker based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Business Strategy, Self Improvement, Small Business Tagged With: , , , , ,
December 18, 2015 by

Do You Know Your Customer’s Habits?

Do you know your customer's habits?Do you know your customer’s habits? All of our customers, regardless of the type of business we are in have habits. The way they investigate, compare, negotiate, purchase, make their payment to name a few. These are all habits of our customers.

Look at coffee for example – the local coffee shop all the way to Starbucks. If you are a real regular, odds are really good that when you walk in the door your order is already being prepared for you to pick it up and make the purchase. You will most likely be greeted by name.

A second example is if you are a regular at a local diner or restaurant, you may be seated at a favorite table where your favorite waiter or waitress serves.

Another example is a clothing store and their tailor. If you regularly purchase from them you have a file with them. If you have an urgent requirement for a suit, a jacket, one or two shirts and ties you will find they will offer to ship these right to where you are located, and remember they will have been tailored for your size and the clothing matched to your style.

These are the type of interactions which only happen when a business owner has taken the time to get to know their customer and the habits of their customers.

This type of interaction based upon a person having an interaction with another person is not so readily available online or in a digital form. In fact more and more marketers agree, that to remain competitive a business must utilize all of the information about their customers that is available.

One of the behaviors I notice with certain clients working with me as their Executive Coach, specifically on their interest in finding a new position, is right before an interview either losing focus on the specific agenda points we discussed or a lack of confidence.

Right before an interview! My offer to them – text me or let’s talk for five minutes right before their interview. What might you offer to your customers – your clients – based upon their behavior which would add even more value to them?

Isn’t this the point? The differentiator in a world where there is so much competition the question becomes – how do you stand out? The answer is to get to know your clients and customers habits and then with this information available to you and your business add more value to your clients and customers. Always add more value.

Start Your 30-Day Journey – Learn How To Live Intentionally With John C. Maxwell.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced, certified coach, speaker and trainer based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Business Planning, Business Strategy, Habits, Small Business Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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