April 15, 2016 by

Do You Like Change?

Change

Someone once told me that the only people who really like change are babies who are wearing wet diapers.

On the one hand we have:

Mahatma Gandhi - Be the change that you wish to see in the world“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

On the other hand we have:

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
― Leo Tolstoy

All the way to this: 

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
― Rob Siltanen

What is it about change that sends people running into their shells? The fear of change can bring people together who typically never agree on anything… only to fight as one against the change!

Consider –

  • the world is flat – the first ships to sail around the world
  • the first cars
  • the first flights in the air
  • women wearing pants – sneakers – workout clothes

Each of these created a stir!

Think about this for a moment – when the group photo is taken at an event and it is posted online in the newsletter or physically up on the board by the coffee machine – who is the first person you look at in the photo?

Where do we begin?

Albert Einstein - Change our thinking“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
― Albert Einstein

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
― Rumi

“I have accepted fear as part of life – specifically the fear of change… I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back….”
― Erica Jong

“We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better.”
― C. JoyBell C.

Are you satisfied? Are you happy with your results? Your personal results? The state of your career or your business? If the answer to any of these are no or not really – how will the answer be changed to YES!

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym

One week! You have enough time in one week!

Are you ready to look inside and begin now to change? Click here now to work with Mitch.

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

Filed Under: Inspiration, Self Improvement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
September 3, 2015 by

It Is Common Sense; It Is Not Common Practice

outstretched-handTen years ago one of my sons joined me in a few meetings. He was there to witness not participate. His attendance was granted in advance at my request.

On the drive home I asked the question, “So what did you think of the meetings?” Here is what he said to me, “Well I found them to be interesting. I kept waiting to hear something magical and totally off the wall from you. It never happened. I mean tell me if I have this wrong. You basically listen and ask questions. You listen some more and ask more questions. Then when you feel the time is right you offer solutions. The solutions you offer are common sense. Right? I mean like seriously, common sense! Then everyone in the meeting looks at you like you are a genius and they want to know how to do it like that. Then this is where you will follow up and get paid money? Is this right? Is this really what you do?”

My answer, “You are pretty much on target with your assessment. Here is the truth about how this works. People in general are coming from different places in their lives. Today more than ever, people are really focusing on themselves and their business. What may be common sense to you and me – well it may not be common sense to someone else. The other thing we are working on is change. People in general do not like change. It may seem like common sense, but if it will require a change in behavior or a change in a habit it may never stick. The only way to make it stick is going to be through accountability and the incentive to change.”

My son said, “Or a bop on the head!”

My response, “Funny you should say that, even a bop on the head does not always work.”

In fact, it may come as a shock what bop on the head works and which one does not. Think of this one example and there are so many, I should write a book! A man who happens to be a CEO of a large company, enjoys a treat each morning with his coffee. Every single morning the same slice of this well known coffee cake (in NYC anyway).

As you might imagine the coffee cake is made with sugar, sugar, and more sugar, white flour, eggs and who knows what else! After his last physical check up almost a year ago his doctor told him to stop eating these type of foods as his cholesterol numbers did not look good and to reduce his coffee intake as well. His family had some health history and this was more than a precaution with three children, his wife and a few vacation homes there was a lot to live for. Plus as a CEO and a Board member for three other companies there was business to take care of all the time.

Nothing changed – he continued his four cups of coffee in the morning and some days he even had two slices of coffee cake. You would think the medical advice would be the needed bop on the head!

One day he bit into something solid in his coffee cake. He slid the object onto a napkin and it was clearly the clipping of a large toe nail from a person which was in his coffee cake! The CEO never ate coffee cake again! Bop! Do you need a Bop on the head?

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford, CT.

Would you like to be ‘Empowered’ learn more about The Empowerment Mentoring Program coming soon

Filed Under: Habits, Self Improvement Tagged With: , , , ,
July 18, 2014 by

Do You Know What Your Customers Want?

know-your-customersAt the NJ Shore, ice cream trucks still roam the local streets. Each beach block the ringing of the chimes or bells brings out running children laughing with glee and happiness to purchase their favorite treat.

Imagine if when they arrived at the truck all that was available was fruit! Nice wholesome apples, pears, peaches or a banana to purchase – no ice cream.

How would the children react? How would they feel?

The reason for bringing this information up in this discussion today is to ask you how you determine what is important to your clients and customers? And, how often do you check in with your clients and customers to make certain you know what is important to them and you are providing them with what is important to them. Often – this is easier said than accomplished!

Clients, customers and prospects are continually changing their view and opinion on what is most important to them. Speak with anyone in retail and they will be happy to describe why store layouts are changed and for those in fashion why the styles always change.

It is to stay ahead of the curve. By creating the change before the consumer determines they need the change, the retailer is still somewhat in control. When the consumer changes their opinion about something, on their own, the retailer may lose their customer forever.

In a similar fashion, anyone in a provider or service based business must stay on top of the needs and wants of their clients. The continual learning and growing to stay more than current, to stay ahead of the curve is not just a necessity it is a requirement. By surrounding yourself and being a part of the leading minds in your area of expertise, you become part of the this leading edge.

You may be thinking, “I don’t need to be that much on the leading edge, everything is fine right now, my customers are happy.” Okay, you are permitted to feel this way.

By point of fact, an entire industry in the event video space was completely turned upside down almost overnight. Technology has created the opportunity for virtually anyone to offer a high quality photography and video service including editing, adding in music and more for a deep discount for family events such as weddings in comparison to only a few years ago where ‘specialists’ were running a full time business requiring booking months in advance and charging premium prices for the service.

In every geographic region these type of businesses were shutting down. Only the few who evolved, who recognized they must offer something more, something unique, something the customer wanted were able to stay in business and thrive.

In summary, always be asking, always check in with your clients, customers and prospects on what they care about.  What do they want?

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford. CT.

 

Filed Under: Business Planning, Business Strategy, Know Where You Want To Go Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
February 27, 2013 by

Embrace Change for Your Business Success

What is it about change that is so difficult for us?

Let’s try this out today. If you wear a watch on your wrist, take the watch off and move it over to your other wrist. Leave your watch there for the rest of the day. You know that you physically moved your watch from one wrist to the other. However, whenever you want to check out what time it is today, you will first take a look at the wrist without the watch on it throughout the entire day. You know you made the change moving your watch from the wrist where you always wear it to the other wrist and you still take a look.

Why do we do that?

The human brain works in very specific ways. The physical recognition of moving the watch does not necessarily communicate the move to the behavior part of the brain. This will take place over time with repeated activity.

There are terms such as “We are creatures of habit” or “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” and more. There is some thread of truth woven into these statements. The fact is, we are all the sum of the actions we take each and every day. In order to effectively put into place new habits, which will create lasting change, there is a requirement that we put effort into the activity. When the habits we intend to create are for change toward growth and place us on the path toward the fulfillment of our dreams even more effort is required.

This is due to outside influences who want us to remain as we are and as they know us. It is not to hold us back. It is that when we grow and when we change our habits, our friends, acquaintances and family notice we are different in their eyes. This brings them some level of discomfort. We must work toward assuring them we are on our correct path, or distance ourselves from them until we are comfortable enough not to be sidetracked off of our formulation of new habits and creating positive change within ourselves. This is not to say we should move out of town! It is to say, to avoid the long and deep conversations where negative input is placed upon us which might influence us.

When you are running your own business with a team, or you are an entrepreneur running your own business alone, the ability to embrace positive change and to be able to formulate your internal plan to make this part of your personal fingerprint will be one of the most valuable skills you should acquire.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified personal and executive coach who lives in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Business Strategy, Self Improvement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
January 16, 2013 by

Change Your Way Toward Success in Business and Life

Business SuccessWe all know there are habits we have, things we do, and processes we live with that require change. We all know that everything about us and our business is not exactly how we want them to be. We resist. Why? What is it about change that stops us from changing?

Albert Einstein said, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

We all know this as a fact. We still resist change. Why? Here are three areas we might examine within ourselves. Each of us might take a few moments in our busy schedules to review and reflect if we see ourselves in one or more of these categories. Ever hear the statement, “They couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag!” Can you? Will you?

  • Analysis Paralysis
  • SBO – Shiny Bright Objects
  • Fear of Failure

Analysis Paralysis

One of the classic fall back patterns regardless of you being a creative or analytical thinker is to invent your need to review and over analyze your options and choices. It is not to say one should not review and conduct some due diligence. It is quite another to have the need and to actually know something must be done and to then hold up a solution for three years while you review the options available in the universe. It is potentially more damaging to not try out some of the available solutions and find out through trial and error that they are not suitable, then to continuously review options and do nothing. The review of the problem and the potential solutions should be conducted with input from others. If you are a solopreneur, seek guidance or assistance from a trusted business associate or hire a consultant to offer advice and bounce ideas off of. The action of continual analysis paralysis is due to our avoidance of change.

SBO – Shiny Bright Objects

The businesses we run and the relationships we have are the highway of our lives. When we permit distractions to enter into our business or our relationships we are going off of the highway. This type of exit ramp distraction is done by large corporations, small companies, entrepreneurs and in fact may take place in all of our lives as well. We see something that either appears to provide some magical solution, solve some need or just looks really cool. We spend our time, effort, and money on this SBO. All during this period we are not paying attention to the things that really should matter most to us. What is happening is the business or our relationship is taking a nose dive while we are intoxicated with our new toy. Sometimes we do not even see the crash until it happens. Other times we recognize something is not right, yet we cannot pull ourselves back on track. When we are distracted often and find ourselves not facing the reality, it is due to our avoidance of change. The change we know we need.

Fear of Failure

The documentation exists, it does not need to be repeated here. Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs and even Derek Jeter all have one thing in common. They all failed more than they succeeded. We all have this fear. It is the fear of failing. What will our families and friends think of us? How will we respond to those who will say, “See, I told you so!” This fear of failure pervades our subconscious and unless it is overcome, we will not embrace change or take any risks. We must have the ability to be aware of our fear and then overcome it as we move forward with our ideas and our changes.

In summary, if you find yourself in one of these areas or another area and are stuck, try to replace the word change with ‘evolve’. See if as you ‘evolve’ it becomes easier for you to move forward.

Mitch Tublin is a certified personal and executive coach who lives in Stamford,CT.

Filed Under: Business Strategy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,