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Michael Beck Articles

Written by: Michael Beck

Executive Blind Spots - Click To Read Article
Blind spots can severely impact an executive's strategic vision, their course of action, and their rate of success. They impact decision-making and creativity (or lack thereof) in solving problems and they act to limit the strategic initiatives we are willing to consider. They even affect how we relate to others - hampering our leadership effectiveness, our political adeptness, and our executive presence.

Blind Spots Limit Your Success - Click To Read Article
The restaurant business is something we live and breathe. We're in the restaurant for countless hours every week. We talk about it all the time to customers, staff and friends. We think about it constantly. And yet... the success we'd really like to have often eludes us...

The Art of Asking Questions - Click To Read Article
Mastering the Art of Asking Questions is essential if you want to succeed. It's not simply a matter of getting in the habit of utilizing questions in your interactions with people. It's really about learning how to ask the right questions at the right time.

Developing People ~ A Key to Eliciting Excellence - Click To Read Article
There is tremendous opportunity and satisfaction as a leader in developing others. By effectively developing the people around us, we elicit excellence in a number of impactful and far-reaching ways. Developing others is an important function of effective leadership.

Expecting Excellence - A Key to Effective Leadership - Click To Read Article
The idea of expecting excellence isn't new, nor is the premise that every leader should expect excellence from his or her team. But just like everything a leader says and does, it's not so much a matter of "what" he or she does as much as it is about "how" they do what they do. There's a significant difference between establishing an environment where excellence is expected and one where excellence is demanded.

Leaders Can't Be Trained - Click To Read Article
Despite the hundreds of books, programs and websites devoted to leadership, the truth is that leaders can't be trained. Leaders need to be developed. Hopefully this doesn't seem like a simple matter of semantics, because it isn't. Let me illustrate this distinction...

Instilling Pride ~ A Key to Eliciting Excellence - Click To Read Article
Eliciting excellence in others is the essence of leadership, and one of the most effective means of eliciting excellence is to instill a sense of pride in those around us. Instilling pride has a myriad of benefits - quality of work and workmanship improves, creativity and innovation increases, collaboration is facilitated more easily, and people are willing to "go the extra mile" to do their best.

The Zen of Leadership - Click To Read Article
There are many aspects to leadership that parallel the philosophies, concepts, and perspectives of Zen Buddhism. I don't profess to have a great depth of knowledge regarding Zen Buddhism, but from the insights I do have, I can see the application with respect to effective leadership. The parallel exists within the concept of...

Most Companies Get Leadership Wrong - Click To Read Article
Most companies take a good approach to developing leaders, but generally miss the point. There's a lot of emphasis placed on good decision making, effective communication, and team building. And all those are important, but don't address what matters most.

Does Success Change You? - Click To Read Article
Imagine this scenario... You spend years working hard to succeed. During these years, you have some success, mixed with lots of false starts. But you never really reach the level of success you dream of. And then something shifts. Everything begins to work, and your fame and fortune take off...

Manage Stress to Boost Productivity - Click To Read Article
If you want to be at the top of your game, spend the time to determine which “rituals” help you to alleviate stressful feelings and be committed to taking care of yourself. I have a Zen Buddhist saying on the wall of my office which says, “Live half for yourself, and half for others.” It’s a good philosophy to live by.

Effective Delegation: The Secret Tool for Growth - Click To Read Article
Effective delegation will leverage your time and your efforts. It will work to develop your team and make them more valuable, more productive and more loyal. If you want to boost your production, spend more of your time on efforts that produce and less time on tasks that are administrative.

Can Attitude Change Your Reality? - Click To Read Article
I’ve observed that negative people often adopt a defeatist mindset, taking on the role of a victim, while positive people often adopt a solution-oriented mindset and set about creating their own opportunities.

How To Attract Clients: The Magic Formula - Click To Read Article
Ah, those magic words – "Attract Clients". Virtually every professional I know loves the idea of attracting clients, and would be even happier if there was a “magic formula” for accomplishing it. Well, actually there is a formula that works like magic for attracting clients to you. And I’m going to

Can You Change Your Destiny? - Click To Read Article
Anyone can make great strides towards advancing in the direction of their destiny – but it takes a definite shift in attitude, a definite shift in action, and a bit of courage…

What is Your Destiny? - Click To Read Article
Maybe you (secretly) know what your true destiny is, but have gotten to a point where that spark of a vision has almost been extinguished. Maybe you have tried “everything” and feel that your “destiny” is one of mediocrity – living check to check, not having much of an impact.

Steps to Reach Your Goal! - Click To Read Article
Clearly not everything stands in your way towards success. By identifying the one or two issues which are obstacles, you begin the process of eliminating or reducing the bottlenecks and impediments to your progress.

The 4 Keys to Referral Success - Click To Read Article
In summary, the four keys to referral success are to work with 12 or more centers of influence, implement a systematic way to stay in touch, differentiate yourself from everyone else, and build a connection with each center of influence.

Turnover is Not a Problem - Click To Read Article
Turnover isn’t a problem - it’s a symptom caused by leadership problems. Fortunately, the problems can be solved, and you have the power to make that difference. Strive to become the best leader you can be.

Eliminate the Negatives - Click To Read Article
Ever notice that all the folks with negative, small-minded attitudes always hang out together and all the successful, big-minded people hang out together as well? Coincidence? NO! Remove yourself from the negative crowd. Avoid negative people as much as possible.

Dealing with Difficult People - Click To Read Article
A manager tolerates a difficult person for an extended time, hoping they’ll “come around” and thereby avoid a confrontation, until something happens – some event or challenge - and they feel they have no choice but to confront and often terminate them.

Don't Bother Setting Goals - Click To Read Article
Don't bother setting goals. It's a waste of time. Let me explain why I feel this way about goals and then offer a better alternative. See if this scenario sounds familiar...

Stop Trying to Be Normal - Click To Read Article
Stop trying to be normal. It undermines your success and keeps you in a state of mediocrity. It's an interesting phenomenon. This idea of being "normal" starts to take hold in high school...

If You Want Things The Way They Were… - Click To Read Article
If we want to regain the success of days past, then we need to change our marketing and how we go about doing it. The problem is that when things become challenging, there's a tendency to rely on what used to work. And here's what happens...

Three Common Recruiting Mistakes to Avoid - Click To Read Article
At a time when so many people are looking for opportunities, one would think that it should be relatively easy to find great sales agents. But it's not as easy as it seems. In fact, there are three mistakes many of us are prone to make in selecting new agents which can cause a cascade of problems - for the team, for the company, for your business, and for the new agent.

Three Stages of a Sales Agent - Click To Read Article
Sales agents and advisors have a life cycle, similar to that of the life cycle of a franchisee. There's a beginning stage, an intermediate stage, and the final result stage. Most agents and advisors behave in a similar fashion during the first two stages, but their behavior can differ dramatically in the final result stage. But I'm getting ahead of myself…

Who Are You? - Click To Read Article
After all, they’re HABITS. So once again, the best way to make the changes that we want is to enlist the help of people around us. Ask those people you trust to point out to you when you fall into those old habits that you want to break.

Why Does Turnover Take Place? - Click To Read Article
Turnover isn’t a problem - it’s a symptom caused by leadership problems. Fortunately, the problems can be solved, and you have the power to make that difference. Strive to become the best leader you can be.

Why Do Referral Efforts Fail? - Click To Read Article
I’ll assume that you are likable, have integrity, and know your stuff. Over my years of working as a professional and working with professionals, I’ve identified four CRITICAL keys to referral success. Most professionals fall short in one or more of these areas.

Why I Left My Insurance Agent - Click To Read Article
I decided to switch because my new agent not only cared, but he helped me improve my existing coverage’s, which I was willing to do even if it meant paying a higher premium. (After all, why have insurance at all if it doesn’t protect us the way we want it to?) We connect with people for who they are

What to Ask When Recruiting - Click To Read Article
As you become proficient at questioning, you’ll be able to reveal a candidate’s motivation for considering this career. You’ll make better recruiting decisions and as a consequence have more time to devote to the candidates that will succeed.

What Attracts More - Selling or Helping? - Click To Read Article
It’s been said that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, and it’s true. The interesting consequence is that when you take your focus off of selling and place it on helping, you’ll attract more clients, generate more referrals, and sell more insurance.

The Right Path - Click To Read Article
Re-evaluate yourself and your business. Gain clarity as to whether you should continue to build the business you’re in or change occupations. If staying where you are is right, then commit to changing and growing. Be open to new ideas, even if the “new” ideas are ones you tried years ago...

The Key to Attracting Clients - Click To Read Article
The first key is to understand that people will be attracted to you by WHO YOU ARE, rather than by WHAT YOU DO. While there will be a small group of people who will do business with you strictly based on your depth of knowledge, most people – in fact, the majority of people – will do business with y

The Key to High Sales Productivity - Click To Read Article
Issue most often raised by my clients is better time management. People have tried prioritizing tasks, blocking out parts of their day for certain tasks, implementing new systems and getting better at delegation. But, the key to high sales productivity is energy management.

Tele-phony - Click To Read Article
Using the phone poorly can inadvertently act as a detriment to our success. Understand that the phone conveys our personality, our sincerity, our belief, our energy, our attitude, our professionalism, and our message. If you aren’t aware of how you sound, you may very well be sending the exact oppo

Strategies for Survival in Tough Times - Click To Read Article
Work on your energy! In times of stress and anxiety, it’s even more critical to eat right, exercise, and get the proper amount of sleep (generally 6-8 hours a night). By taking care of yourself properly you maximize your ability to be highly productive throughout the day – every day.

So what can we do about Stress? - Click To Read Article
Working to effectively minimize or even eliminate stress will have a significant impact not only on your health, but on your creativity, energy levels, people skills and relationships. Guard your attitude and energy level, along with having a clear sense of priorities.

Sales Strategies: Why Prospects Buy From You - Click To Read Article
In truth, it’s WHO YOU ARE, rather than what you do or what you know, that persuades someone to buy from you. People will choose to do business with you because they like you, relate to you, and trust you.

Sales Strategies: Close More Sales Without Selling - Click To Read Article
Let’s face it… No one likes to be “sold” something. Here’s the key to success: Since people want to feel that they’re freely choosing to buy, and you want them to choose to buy from you, then you need to be someone who people choose to do business with.

Sales Productivity: Manage Your Energy - Click To Read Article
What affects our energy levels? You already know the answer to that question. Nutrition, sleep, stress, physical fitness, attitudes, emotions, and environment are the major influencers of our levels of energy. How do you improve these aspects of our life so we maximize our level of energy?

Recruit Owners not Employees - Click To Read Article
As you become proficient at questioning, you’ll be able to reveal a candidate’s motivation for considering that specific career. You’ll make better recruiting decisions and as a consequence have more time to devote to the candidates that will succeed.

Purpose of Your Organization - Click To Read Article
When a business has clearly defined its Purpose, Mission, and Values, then all decisions, policies, and actions will have a means to keep them on course and you will have an organization which attracts and keeps the best!

Protect Your Attitude - Click To Read Article
An important key to high productivity and effective leadership, not to mention sales and marketing success, is to have and maintain a positive attitude. Nothing else will have a greater effect on you than your attitude. Remember the saying, “Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude”? It’s true.

Motivating People: Why it doesn't work - Click To Read Article
When a business has a clearly defined purpose it begins to act as a magnet, attracting the kind of people who will further the purpose; people who are like-minded. Not only will having a purpose attract the right people, but it will also act to retain them.

It's Time to Re-Evaluate - Click To Read Article
Allow me to begin with a discussion of how and why to evaluate things, and then move on to a discussion about either changing occupations or re-inventing yourself and your business. Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you like it!

Is your leadership effective? - Click To Read Article
In many ways, good leadership is hard to define. It can't be directly measured. In fact often the measure of leadership is qualitative rather than quantitative - although quantitative results always follow. So, the questions remains, how can you tell if your leadership skills are effective?

How to Survive the Tough Times - Click To Read Article
Look… Let’s be honest. There’s no “one size fits all” solution to survival during challenging times. But there are some strategies that will help no matter what situation you and your business are in.

How to Effectively Delegate - Click To Read Article
Effective delegation will leverage your time and your efforts. It will work to develop your team and make them more valuable, more productive and more loyal. If you want to boost your production, spend more of your time on efforts that produce and less time on tasks that are administrative.

How to Attract Clients - Click To Read Article
Let me offer some proof. I’m willing to bet that we’ve all known one or more professionals who were an absolute fountain of knowledge regarding product and service info. And yet, they went out of business due to lack of clients.

How Dealing with Difficult People affects you? - Click To Read Article
The difficult person is someone we simply have to deal with. In those situations, we have three options. These options are: 1) Try to change ourselves, 2) Try to change the other person, and 3) Resolve to tolerate the situation – basically decide to put up with them.

Helpful Clues to Build Rapport - Click To Read Article
If you truly want to have a thriving book of business, you need to understand people and have them connect with you. Study the traits of the four social styles (Analytical, Commander, Expressive, Stabilizer). Practice picking up clues from prospect’s clothing, body language, surroundings, and speech

Effective Personal Leadership - Click To Read Article
When we combine personal competency in all areas of leadership skills with an organizational culture which supports people, their development, and their success, we end up with exceptional leadership which, in turn, inspires the best effort in others.

Effective Phone Techniques - Click To Read Article
People like to be around people, who are appropriately positive, appropriately enthusiastic, and who reflect a belief and confidence in what they’re doing. By listening to yourself as you use the phone and being sensitive to how you sound to others, you can develop an excellent style ...

Eliminate Conflicting Intentions - Click To Read Article
If consciously and outwardly you have the intention to achieve something – anything – but subconsciously (internally) you feel or believe just the opposite, the intentions are in conflict and cancel one another out. The consequence is that you get average, mediocre results.

Dealing with Employee Terminations - Click To Read Article
Make sure you set a time table for the departure of your employee. Allowing someone to linger who is unhappy and who produces poor work will continue to be detrimental.

Close More Sales Without Selling! - Click To Read Article
To me, being “sold” is when somebody convinces me to buy something – whether or not I really needed or wanted it. Have you ever been convinced by someone to buy something, maybe even against your better judgment, and then regretted having made the purchase?

Build Rapport Quickly and Drive Up Your Closing Ratios! - Click To Read Article
If you truly want to have a thriving book of business, you need to understand people and have them connect with you. Study the traits of the four social styles (Analytical, Commander, Expressive, Stabilizer)





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