Leadership Resilience Archives - Page 17 of 26 - Motivational Speeches and books by Snowden McFall

Inspiration from a 12 Year Old

Not too long ago, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote speech for Community Connections Volunteer Appreciation Event. This non-profit organization in Jacksonville, FL does an amazing job of fighting homelessness, poverty and hunger, helping families, and homeless women and children. The luncheon saluted all the wonderful 1100 volunteers who do so much. They are all so impressive and give so generously of their time and money. But every once in a while, there is a volunteer who truly stands out.

One such volunteer is Osjah Castro. How many 12 year olds do you know that have 1000 volunteer hours for each year of their lives? (Yes- that’s over 12,000 hours, folks) That’s Osjah’s story, and she is amazing. Poised, confident and enthusiastic, Osjah is humble about what she has done and enthusiastic about the future. Now organizing a concert fundraiser with national teen stars, Osjah is passionate, positive and committed. She exemplifies resilient leadership at such a young age. When I asked what she likes best about volunteering, she said “The way it makes you feel.” I couldn’t agree more. Giving back touches your heart, lifts your stress and inspires your soul. Osjah has inspired me; I can’t wait to see what she does next.

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Sales Tip: Overcome Objections by Leading with Them

Take a Tip from PR Specialists

If you’ve ever watched a scandal unfold, you’ve seen how well or poorly it can be handled. Most PR professionals believe in breaking an imminent story first, so that they can control the message and lead with the truth. That’s good advice for sales as well.

If you know there is an obvious question or objection to your product or service,
after you have carefully listened to your prospects needs and concerns, control your message by overcoming any objections up front. Lead with them, show why they are not true and give real case studies that back up what you say. Be relaxed and confident about any objections, not defensive or reactive. That’s a position of strength and integrity, which positions you well versus your competition.

Take the time to truly study your competition, know your strengths and weaknesses and anticipate any possible objections. Overcome them with courage and data; it will serve you well.

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Impossible is a State of Mind

Don’t Hold Yourself Back

I recently spoke at a conference for financial managers in the medical field, and met an impressive young man. He shared with me his secret for success as a sales professional. He said most salespeople were attractive women or strong, good-looking men. He said those qualities made them more memorable. Then he went on to tell me that he had suffered severe burns over most of his body when he was younger. His face showed some of those burn scars although honestly, his eyes were what I most noticed about him. He said how many salespeople out there have significant burns on their body? He was the only one he knew of, and he used to to his advantage. He said that made him memorable, and clearly his positive attitude made all the difference.

A colleague of mine, W. Mitchell, is a paraplegic who also experienced severe burns and trauma after two horrific accidents. His message of inspiration and not quitting is very powerful. He is a special person and I am blessed to know him. His tenacity and joy of life always touch my heart.

So often, in my consulting and coaching work, I hear the words ” I can’t” or I observe how people quit on themselves. And then I think about people who had every reason to quit, to feel sorry for themselves, but instead turned their adversity into a strength and used it to help others.

Where in your life can your turn an adversity into a strength? Is there any part of you that has quit on yourself? I encourage you to dig deeper into your own inner wisdom and gifts, reclaim your power and commit more fully to success. You can do it. I believe in you. Nothing is impossible.

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The Power of Choice: Stand in Your Power

There are so many times in our lives when we can choose to be courageous, strong, and live in our integrity, and there are times when some of us do not.
Regardless of peer or political pressure in any situation, you ultimately have yourself and God to be accountable to. Live in the authentic nature of who you are, make decisions and take actions that resonate with you and your values, and you will always be able to respect yourself. There are infinite opportunities to do the right thing and be the best you can be. Choose wisely.

“To win or lose,
To love or hate,
To try or quit,
To risk or withdraw,
To accelerate or hesitate,
To dream or stagnate,
To open or close,
To succeed or fail,
To live or die.
Everyone of these starts with a CHOICE.”
Snowden McFall

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What To Do When You Are Overwhelmed

Take Control of Something Small

When you have too many projects going on and suddenly another lands in your lap, when your kids’ activities seem too onerous on your already hectic schedule, and when you can’t imagine where you would find time to exercise, stop. Take a few minutes to yourself and breathe.

Overwhelm is very common in American society. We are on 24/7 with cellphones and computers and that means for some of us, our brains never stop. The danger with that is you never get the critical rest your body and mind desperately need, and you don’t have any resources to fall back on.

Next time you are overwhelmed and feel out of control, try this. Take control of one small thing that has immediate visible, tangible results. Like clean off your desk. Or file the mountain of paperwork sitting on top of your file cabinet. Something you can see right away. Afterwards, you will feel a sense of power and accomplishment and you can handle the next task. You’ll feel more balanced.
Then you can prioritize your highest leveraged activities and start managing them in peace and quiet with your phone off for a good 90 minutes, for maximum productivity.

You can conquer overwhelm and gain control of your time. Try it.

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Give Your Clients Information the Way THEY Want It

Everyone Is Different: Pay Attention to Their Needs

Do you know how your clients prefer information? I recently learned that one of my important contacts really dislikes the phone, and prefers skype or face to face meetings. That was a big surprise to me. And a little challenging since she lives on the West Coast and I am on the East Coast.

Some clients are not auditory- you can tell them things over the phone but the data is lost. (Most people are not auditory- they are visual.) Visuals prefer the written word, whether by fax or email. Some don’t want attachments other than PDF files. Some folks want reports set up in a specific way, followed by a confirming phone call.

Ask your customers and key contacts how they would most like to receive information and then change your work habits to suit THEIR needs. A recent client said she rarely checks email, so that if I send her something important, I should call so she checks her email. That was very useful to know.

Find out what works for your key clients. It can often dramatically improve communication effectiveness and ensure a smooth working relationship.

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Smart Networking: Focus on Them

Ask Questions About Their Work & Interests

When you meet someone at a networking function, the temptation is to share all your latest new products and services. That’s the wrong move. What’s much more effective is to ask a series of questions that get them talking about themselves, such as:

1. How did you get into that line of work?

2. What do you like best about it?

3. What changes have you seen in your industry?

4. Please describe your ideal client…

5. What advice would you give to someone entering this field?

6. What do you see as upcoming trends in your industry?

These questions are suggested by my friend, author Bob Burg in his book Endless Referrals. If you spend your focus on the other person, learning as much as you can about them, referring them to others, introducing them to others, you are adding value first, and becoming much more memorable than any other people “selling” at those events.

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Are You Badmouthing Yourself?

Stop Judging and Criticizing Yourself

Stressed out Woman from Fired Up! and Stress Express

One of the most destructive habits so many of us have is judging ourselves when we make a mistake and badmouthing ourselves. It’s been said we have between 40,000 and 50,000 thoughts a day and that 75-85% of those thoughts are negative. Everyone has some kind of voice that tries to hold them back. Replace that voice with positive self-talk and take action anyway, no matter what the negative voice says. When you catch yourself berating yourself, say “Stop” or “Deflect” and replace it with a positive thought or statement about yourself. Recall past successes, times when you felt valued and appreciated, were effective at work. Focus on those good thoughts and drown out the old judgmental voices, whether yours or from your childhood. You can overcome anything and be as successful as you choose.

” To discover your potential, reject the negative programming
all of us are exposed to.“
Robert Schuller

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You Do Make A Difference When You Volunteer

Plus It’s a Great Stress Reliever

One of the last things you might think of doing when you are very stressed is to take the time to help someone else. But it can truly be the best thing you can do. The value of volunteerism is that it gives you perspective, awareness of how blessed your life really is, and away from the anxiety of stress.

Volunteering:
• promotes connection and sharing
• decreases stress and depression
• improves interpersonal skills
• increases gratitude and empathy
• improves understanding of community issues
• strengthens your ability to cope
• makes you feel good about yourself and your gifts and talents

Cornell University studied the impact of environmental volunteerism on seniors, and discovered those who volunteer outside became more physically active and benefitted from being in nature. They had more energy, a greater ability to cope, and stronger emotional well-being. Younger nature volunteers had increased concentration, reduced aggression, decreased stress and improved self-esteem.

If you have not volunteered lately, there are so many groups who need your talents and ideas. Check your local listings for area non-profits and get started. You DO make a difference.

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What You Focus On You Create

Choose Wisely

From Stress Express, image of messy home office

Energy follows thought so you really want to be careful where you put your thoughts. If you are worried about paying bills and all you see in front of you is a mess and a stack of bills like those shown here, it’s hard to focus on anything else. And the problem with that is you attract more of the same.

Instead, clear off your desk, put the clutter away, put the bills in a file and focus on what you are grateful for. Focus on your health, your friends and family, your loved ones, your home, your pets. your gifts and talents. Put your attention on WHAT YOU WANT. Create a dream collage and imagine yourself living in better circumstances, being happy and able to pay your bills with ease. Shift out of the negative into the positive and then take action accordingly. It can make a huge difference in your life.

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