“Dancing With The Stars” has become a TV ratings juggernaut. Have you seen it? It’s a “must watch” in my home, with my wife and daughters. They’re all dancers. I’m not.
My attempts to light-up the dance floor or cut the rug are usually accompanied by family laughter, snickering and finger-pointing!
Although, I was rather impressive during the “disco era!” Not!
Perhaps it’s my lack of dancing dexterity, that causes me to marvel at those who can dance. Masterfully!
It’s demanding, challenging, artistic and creative.
It requires discipline, focus, preparation, flexibility and decisive action.
Whoa! Sounds a lot like the assets you need to succeed in life and business.
Today, and in next week’s column, you’ll have the opportunity to “dance with a star.”
Roxanne Emmerich has been a friend for almost 19 years. She’s a talented dancer, businesswoman and fellow Hall of Fame speaker.
We only see each other once or twice a year at industry events for the National Speakers Association. Yet while there, I’ve witnessed and enjoyed her “artistry” on the dance floor, from the stage as a speaker or most important, during our valuable hallway conversations.
She’s often called a “transformation agent.” And her new book, “Thank God It’s Monday” is designed to transform and propel you to new levels of success. Quickly! Profoundly!
As you’ll soon discover, Roxanne is a heckuva dance partner. Because, she’s ready to help you stretch and leap into the future with the right steps for success.
Below are some excerpts from our conversation.
Jeff Blackman: What’s a “bring-it-on” attitude?
Roxanne Emmerich: “Bring it on” means people go beyond their job description, to see what isn’t there and to make it happen.
It’s about going beyond excuses and stories of why something can’t be done. It’s about feeling powerful, when you decide it can be done and how you’ll do it!
It’s the opposite of, “There’s no way.” ... ”You’re kidding” ... or even worse, “I’ll do it” when it’s not meant or believed.
“Bring it on” is also about celebrating results. Daily.
Publicly. With tons of hoopla to stimulate more breakthroughs the next day!
JB: How do you create it?
RE: You let people know their minimum job requirements are their job description. But there’s no fun in that. So you let them know we came to work to have a hoot and kick some butt! Assure them, you know at a typical organization, people shoot wildly for mediocrity, but you’re not typical. Your organization is about “being powerful” and getting powerful results!
JB: How do you bring “profits and fun” to business, simultaneously?
RE: These days, it’s hard to bring profits without the fun. When we engage our childlike energy to make work “play,” celebrate the successes and lighten the mood, it creates a magnetic marketing impact. Customers say, “I want whatever she’s having!” They buy more and tell everyone they know.
When people are having fun, they don’t get whiney and feel they were promoted to “Head of the Complaint Department.” They resolve problems, instead of create them. Who can afford whiners and complainers during challenging times?
JB: What’s the “Kick Butt Kick-Off” strategy?
RE: It’s a one-day significant emotional event where you clean-out the crazy-making beliefs. Like:
- “Things will never get better around here.”
- “You can’t trust management.”
- “The problem is them.”
- “Nobody told me, so I’m not responsible.”
You replace those old beliefs with new ones:
- “This work is a calling.”
- We’re getting clear about the mountain we’re climbing and we’re not stopping until we’re to the top.”
- “We’re unstoppable.”
- “We rock!”
- “We’ll never tolerate excuses, whining, gossip, and victimhood again!”
- “We’re all accountable to call each other tight on those behaviors, instead of waiting for someone else or a manager to do that.”
JB: How do you create a workplace that employees and customers love, if employees might be concerned about layoffs, and customers/prospects might still be reluctant to spend/invest in products or services?
RE: Great point. It’s bad enough for the people who lose their jobs, but nobody’s talking about those “left behind.” Most are frozen in fear and going through the motions with little to no engagement.
Before this mess happened, Gallup told us, the average business lost $.34 on the dollar of payroll to “disengaged employees.” Who can afford that? Imagine what that number is costing businesses now!
Businesses need to get their heads out of the sand and focus on the leading indicator of future profitability and growth, their culture.
If you aren’t working to get people excited and clear about what massive results look like, and building the tools to keep them focused, celebrating and having fun, well, your future doesn’t look very bright.
As for customers, some will always spend money. Your job is to figure out who and how they’ll spend it with you.
I called my CEO clients a year and a half ago and told them the media will be talking about a recession. And to be sure they acknowledge it in their beginning-of-the-year memos. Yet to also stress, this can be a time to pull ahead of competitors in massive ways.
Next week ...
We’ll dive into blunders vs. benefits, handling underachievers and why your work week really starts on Sunday night! Until then, for more “pull ahead” strategies, along with a few strategic “dance” steps and right moves, check out emmerichgroup.com.
Jeff Blackman is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer who lives part-time on Marco Island. His clients call him a “business-growth specialist.” Send an e-mail to jeff@jeffblackman.com or go to jeffblackman.com to subscribe to his free e-letter.
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