by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Celebration, Growth, Habits, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Opportunity, Planning, Tools
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 27 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: The Encore Effect – Part 2
— From The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do by Mark Sanborn
Yesterday we learned about remarkable performances to achieve the encore effect. Today we are going to look at the five traits of remarkable performances.
In The Encore Effect, Mark Sanborn talks about the importance of establishing an encore brand, whether personal or organizational. He defines a brand as “a promise for the future based on past performance.”
As such, an encore brand is one that has performed remarkably in the past and, based on that, we can anticipate that it will, likely, continue to perform the same way. Here are the five traits that encore brands exhibit:
1. Commitment: “Commitment is the price you are willing to pay to get remarkable results. Performance, on the other hand, reveals the price you have paid already. When we deliver a remarkable performance, we are saying in effect, ‘There is no other place or person I would rather spend my commitment on than you.’ And when we deliver a poor performance, we convey the opposite message—that we’d rather spend our commitment elsewhere.”
We all have to set boundaries on our engagements and commitments on a daily basis. However, “the challenge,” says Sanborn, “is to commit ourselves to the things that matter to us the most.”
2. Professionalism: “Your problems and opportunities become those of the professionals, who do their best even when they don’t have time or feel at their best. […] When you realize you are in the hands of a professional, you can relax. You know that your concerns will be addressed and that the professional will take care of you. And that is the feeling of confidence that you want to inspire in others.”
3. Skills: “Making the difficult look easy is a sign of mastery in any profession. […] To do anything adequately requires basic skills. The encore performer has gone far beyond the rudimentary to hone his or her skills to a high level. Encore performers demonstrate that they know how to do what they do, that they’ve practiced and perfected what they do, and that they still have a commitment to becoming better.”
“Are you able to spot opportunities that others can’t? Remarkable performers don’t wait for problems and opportunities to come to them—they actively look for problems and opportunities.”
4. Values: “Values are those beliefs that a person holds most dear. Over time, that which we hold most dear becomes what we are known for. […] Every performer is known for something.”
5. Character: Sanborn defines integrity as, “the distance between your lips and your life.” And he says, “your performance is a visible sign of your integrity and character. […] Integrity, sincerity, honesty, and transparency are all character traits of remarkable performers [whose] commitment drives them to become the very best of who they are. Remarkable performers have consistent values.”
These are the five traits that, in Sanborn’s opinion, are shared by those who excel: remarkable performers. These are the people who attract our attention and gain our trust. The author points out that, “[we] recognize a remarkable performance when it occurs, but [we] also recognize what it means about the performer.”
Finally, Sanborn invites us to examine our win-loss record of performance in our career and personal life: “each one of us has complete control over what we do to keep our ‘fans’ coming back for more.”
And on that note, please come back tomorrow for more, as we will look at the role that passion plays in achieving the encore effect.
ACTION
TODAY: Remarkable performers, according to the author, “think about things that are not being done efficiently or profitably or well in your workplace or industry or community.” Can you come up with suggestions or solutions to a problem that you see?
FUTURE: The author suggests, “Think about how your own life values affect your life, your job, and your interactions with others. Are your values reflected in your actions? If not, what can you do differently?” Over time you will see that “your brand [becomes] a composite of the values you act on every day.”
Know someone who is an encore performer? Please share this post with them via email, Facebook or Twitter, thanks!
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Celebration, Growth, Habits, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Opportunity, Planning, Tools
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 49 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: The Encore Effect – Part 1
— From The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do by Mark Sanborn
“It’s not what we know in life that matters most, but what we do with what we know.”
“Every day is game day,” says Mark Sanborn in The Encore Effect. “Every interaction is an opportunity to give a remarkable performance. The thing is, whether we realize it or not, we all perform for others in one way or another.”
Sanborn continues, “Performance counts. If you want to win the loyalty of your customers, coworkers, boss, and other constituents, you need to turn in a consistently strong performance. And if you want to wow them, you need to turn in a remarkable performance.”
But don’t mistake a remarkable performance to be necessarily a grandiose thing, the kind that you read about in the newspaper. Most remarkable performances never make the front page. To illustrate this, the author shares the story of a school bus driver whose coworkers teased a lot for not wearing a coat on a freezing day. The driver smiled and took it in stride. When a school administrator asked him why he was not wearing a coat, the driver explained that one of the students didn’t have a coat that day, so he gave his own to the student.
The author says that it’s important to notice that there is not one particular approach either. As long as our values and practices are genuine, they will guide us to perform in a variety of roles that are different expressions of our best self. We can ensure that way that our performances will be remarkable. “A remarkable performance… moves us and makes us want more.” That’s the potential and the promise of the Encore Effect.
Conversely, think how hard it is to perform remarkably when your heart is not in what you’re doing. “It’s difficult, if not impossible,” says Sanborn.
The key is recognizing that our lives are performances of which we are in charge. Every remarkable performance by others affects us positively, and every remarkable performance by us affects someone else positively too.
Remarkable performances can change lives, and “that’s why creating a remarkable performance is so key to personal success.”
Sanborn closes by saying that it is likely that, “all of us, would like to have our performance described as remarkable. All of us would like to excel at the things that matter most to us. And it is by giving such performances that we achieve the Encore Effect.”
Come back tomorrow to continue learning about the encore effect, we will focus on the traits of remarkable performances.
ACTION
TODAY: What remarkable performance can you give today as an individual, spouse, parent, employee, boss or as any other of the roles you play in life? Sanborn says, “Try this. Do the important jobs or tasks you have to perform before turning out the light tonight remarkably—even if you’re alone, even if there’s no one there to watch you. After all, you will still be aware of how you do what you need to do. Remember: self-respect is the first step toward gaining the respect of others. Ask more of yourself today; it will lead others to expect more of you tomorrow.”
FUTURE: Create the habit of planning, preparing, and creating remarkable performances that will leave your audience wanting more.
Know someone who is an encore performer? Please share this post with them via email, Facebook or Twitter, thanks!
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Celebration, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Opportunity
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 5 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: What is the Encore Effect?
— From The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do by Mark Sanborn
The Encore Effect, a great book by leadership guru and author Mark Sanborn, reminds us that, every day, we are called to perform. “A performance is simply the way someone or something performs—they way they do what they do.”
And since each one of us has different gifts, the stage in which we perform may be “an office, a sales floor, an assembly line, a pulpit, a classroom, a playing field, a home, a showroom, a hospital,” etc.
Yet, regardless of the kind of stage we perform on, Sanborn says “it can be just as worthy of an encore performance as any concert hall in the world.”
And this is what the author refers to as the Encore Effect: “when people constantly demand more and more of whatever it is that you do,” because what you do is simply remarkable.
Sanborn asks, “What if you were so good at your work, such an asset to your company, that your employer would do almost anything not to lose you? What if you performed in such a way that people buzzed about your performance and wanted more of your time, ideas, participation and leadership?”
The answers to those questions are exactly what the encore effect is all about.
Sanborn believes that “a worthy goal in life is to have people shouting for more of whatever it is we do that is really important and matters to us.” He encourages us to perform at our best because, “the world is desperately looking for people who make such a difference, who produce memorable results, who have a positive impact on others.”
Given that encore performers become indispensable and shine wherever they go, over the next few days we are going to understand and learn how to achieve and how to share the encore effect. Keep coming back for this miniseries, as we will learn a lot together!
ACTION
TODAY: Think of your stage and your performances. Where do you perform? What do you perform? And who wants more of your performance? Where are you remarkable and where do you have room for improvement?
FUTURE: While the definition of “best” is different in each field, you definitely know what is best in your field of performance. Strive for that by acting in a way that delivers the most value because it comes from your expertise, knowledge, generosity, principles, and character.
Know someone who is an encore performer? Please share this post with them via email, Facebook or Twitter, thanks!
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Creativity, Goals, Growth, Habits, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Tools
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 14 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: 3 Actions to improve teachability
— From Success 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Yesterday John C. Maxwell warned us against resting on our laurels and, instead, gave us five guidelines to cultivate and maintain an attitude of teachability.
While those guidelines were great to keep in mind, the question that came up revolved around specific actions that we could take to improve our teachability. Fortunately, Maxwell foresaw this question and, in today’s post—from the same book, Success 101—he offers the following three actions to ensure we’re always growing and always cultivating and maintaining an attitude of teachability.
1. Observe how you react to mistakes. “Do you admit your mistakes? Do you apologize when appropriate? Or are you defensive? Observe yourself. And ask a trusted friend’s opinion. If you react badly—or you make no mistakes at all—you need to work on your teachability.”
2. Try something new. “Go out of your way today to do something different that will stretch you mentally, emotionally, or physically. Challenges change us for the better. If you really want to start growing, make new challenges part of your daily activities.”
3. Learn in your area of strength. “Read six to twelve books a year on leadership or your field of specialization,” says Maxwell. “Continuing to learn in an area where you are already an expert prevents you from becoming jaded and unteachable.” Besides those books in your area of specialty, I know of a blog that can help you keep learning and growing daily… 😉
Finally, I’ll leave you with a story and a thought that Maxwell tells about Tuff Hedeman, a professional bull riding cowboy at rodeos. “After winning his third world championship, [he] didn’t have a big celebration. He moved on to Denver to start the new season—and the whole process over again. His comment: ‘The bull won’t care what I did last week.’ Whether you are an untested rookie or a successful veteran, if you want to be a champion tomorrow, be teachable today.”
“The most important thing about education is appetite.” — Winston Churchill
ACTION
TODAY: I challenge you to try something new as explained above. Today go out of your way to do something that will stretch you.
FUTURE: Create the habit of challenging yourself daily. Whether it’s 5 more minutes on the treadmill at a slightly faster pace, or recalling the names of 10 of the Saturn moons, or giving a genuine and caring compliment to a colleague whom you don’t like that much (Eek… I tried this one and it’s so hard!), do whatever stretches you where you need it most on that day or that period of time.
Know someone who is always growing? Please share this post with that person: email, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks!
by Helena Escalante | Growth, Habits, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Opportunity, Time, Tools
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 1 second.
TODAY’S IDEA: 5 Guidelines for a teachable attitude
— From Success 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Leadership guru, John C. Maxwell, tells the story of Charlie Chaplin in his book Success 101. Chaplin was born in poverty in the United Kingdom. His mother was institutionalized when he was very young, so he found himself on the street. After living in workhouses and orphanages, he began performing to support himself. He started working in Hollywood for $150 a week, and during his first year, he made 35 films working as an actor, writer, and director. “Everyone recognized his talent immediately, and his popularity grew. A year later, he earned $1,250 a week. Then… he signed the entertainment’s industry’s first $1 million contract.”
Maxwell states that Chaplin was successful because, “he had great talent and incredible drive. But those traits were fueled by teachability. He continually strived to grow, learn and perfect his craft. […] If Chaplin had replaced his teachability with arrogant self-satisfaction when he became successful, his name would be right up there along with Ford Sterling or Ben Turpin, stars of silent films who are all but forgotten today.”
Why is this story important? Because it exemplifies the two roads that people can take when they attain success: rest in their laurels or continue to grow. “Successful people face the danger of contentment with the status quo. After all, if a successful person already possesses influence and has achieved a level of respect, why should he [or she] keep growing?” The answer is simple. In Maxwell’s words:
Your growth determines who you are.
Who you are determines who you attract.
Who you attract determines the success of your [life and] organization.
We must continually grow and strive to be the best we can be. The only way we can do this is by cultivating and maintaining a teachable attitude. For this, Maxwell gives us five guidelines.
1. Cure your destination disease. “Ironically, lack of teachability is often rooted in achievement.” When people reach a specific goal (a degree, position, award, financial target, etc.), sometimes they become complacent and believe they no longer have to grow, but “the day they stop growing, is the day they forfeit their potential—and the potential of the organization.”
2. Overcome your success. “Another irony of teachability is that success often hinders it. Effective people know that what got them there doesn’t keep them there. If you have been successful in the past, beware. And consider this: if what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven’t done much today.”
3. Swear off shortcuts. Maxwell recalls a friend of his saying: The longest distance between two points is a shortcut. And he adds, “That’s really true. For everything of value in life, you pay a price. As you desire to grow in a particular are, figure out what it will really take, including the price, and then determine to pay it.”
4. Trade in your pride. “Teachability requires us to admit we don’t know everything, and that can make us look bad. In addition, if we keep learning, we must also keep making mistakes. […] Emerson wrote, ‘For everything you gain, you lose something.’ To gain growth, give up your pride.”
5. Never pay twice for the same mistake. “Teddy Roosevelt asserted, ‘He who makes no mistakes makes no progress.’ That’s true. But the person who keeps making the same mistakes also makes no progress.” Being teachable means that we will make mistakes, and while that is no fun, they bring valuable lessons. About mistakes, Maxwell says the following, “Forget them, but always remember what they taught you. If you don’t, you will pay for them more than once.”
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” — John Wooden
And after reading all this, the natural question that ensues is: How to improve teachability to never stop growing? If this same question popped up in your head, come back tomorrow to read Maxwell’s three actions to improve teachability.
In the meantime, what do you do to always keep growing? Tell me your story of cultivating and maintaining a teachable attitude, and I will make a compilation for publishing in a future series!
ACTION
TODAY: When was the last time you did something for the first time? Ponder this question. Decide to do something that you’ve never done before and in an area where you know nothing about.
FUTURE: Make a point of learning the things of which you know nothing. You can take a class, a course, or simply buy a magazine devoted to a topic completely out of your area of expertise. Not only will you learn new things, but you will also start getting new ideas for your current life and work. How fun is that?! 🙂
Know someone who has a story of teachability and would be interested in sharing it? Please share this post with that person: email, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks!
by Helena Escalante | Goals, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Opportunity, Planning, Productivity, Resolutions, Time, Tools, Willpower
Links to other parts of this miniseries:
How to find 5 extra hours per week – Part 1
How to find 5 extra hours per week – Part 2
How to find 5 extra hours per week – Part 3
How to find 5 extra hours per week – Part 4
How to find 5 extra hours per week – Part 5
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 46 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: How to find 5 extra hours per week – Part 6
— From Learning to Lead: Bringing Out the Best in People by Fred Smith (1915-2007)
We’ve come to the end of this miniseries on how to find a minimum of 5 extra hours per week based on the recommendations of the book Learning to Lead. I hope you have learned a lot of different ways that will help you make the most of your time emergency, that way you’ll be able to crush it when you decide to go into monk mode!
Let’s look at the last 3 concepts from Fred Smith’s 20-point checklist:
18. Put curiosity on hold. This is an important one. Smith emphasizes that we are strapped for time we must swallow curiosity and not ask questions. He says, “I make statements [instead]. Normally in good human relations we ask questions. But if we want to save time, we don’t. If we ask, ‘How’s your mother-in-law?’ it often takes some time to hear the whole sad story. It’s just as warm to say, ‘Hey, I’m glad to see you,’ and keep going… [Or if] I see a group in the hallway… and I enter the conversation, I’ll stay and talk—and there goes my time… Curiosity costs a lot of time.”
19. Stay out of sight. The author advises to lay low: “I try to curb my exposure during a time of emergency. If I stay out of people’s sight, I don’t have to offend them with my hurry.” Work out of home fully or partially if you can for this period of time, or stay out of sight in whatever way works best for you.
20. Leave meetings first. The author relays having fun with many an executive on this point. He says, “I tell them the most important person in the meeting leaves it first. Once I finish my speech, that remark empties the hall faster than anything I’ve used before.” And this is actually true: “The most productive people leave a meeting first. They don’t stand around shaking hands and swapping stories… People hang around a meeting to be liked, not to accomplish anything. The business is done; only the social frills are left. […] Busy people using a time battle plan can’t afford the leisure.’
And there you have it. Now you have the full 20-point checklist to create a battle plan if you ever decide to declare a time emergency. As good as it sounds, the author warns us again, “This plan is not at all about how to speed up. [You] are already going fast enough. What I’m getting at is how to gain some time… you ought to use part of it for loafing. If you’re already panicky, harried, frantic and worn out from the pressure, don’t spend your new time doing more work, or you’ll be right back in the same problem. […] If every time you get an hour you fill it up, you’ll have no concept of what a normal lifestyle is.”
As far as how to use our time, Smith shares some wise advice, “we need to move beyond fighting battles, losing them, fighting again, losing again, and fighting once more. We must move to a new way of life. Waging a battle is certainly better than not winning at all. But battles remain second-best to achieving a lifestyle where we stop worrying about time control… I’ve provided a battle plan. It will work in a pinch. How much better to win the war.”
“Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use.” – Thomas J. Watson
I hope you enjoyed this miniseries and learned a lot. What was your biggest takeaway? Let me know in the comments here.
ACTION
TODAY: As you put in place these 20 points for going into monk mode, don’t forget the importance of loafing, as the author says. Resting, exercising and spending time with your loved ones are all important activities, make sure you include them in your newfound hours.
FUTURE: As you go through this time emergency mode over the next few weeks, keep a list of the lessons you learn. At the end of the period review it. Using the war analogy of the author, I’m sure this list will be helpful to point you in the direction of how you can win the war as opposed to focusing on fighting a battle again and again.
Know someone who could use an additional 5 hours per week during a time emergency? Please share this post or the entire miniseries with that person. Thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
