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Are You Tough Enough?

If you’re reading this you’ve been here or someplace like this before. You went through 911… Still Standing. You survived the Dot Com meltdown… Still Standing. You outlasted the 2008 mortgage melt down and lived to tell… Still Standing! While you’ve been wobbled more than once you made it through. You paid attention and as a result each one of these made you smarter, wiser and stronger. I’ve had the same experience as many of you. If you haven’t given yourself credit for surviving the time is now! You’re overdue.

Pastor Robert Schuller used to say “Tough Times Don’t Last But Tough People Do!” I suspect the last few weeks have measured your toughness. Still Standing? You’re certifiably tough. What’s your plan to remain tough? Mike Tyson was the first to say “Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth.” We’ve all been hit… response means everything and determines what’s next.

A client from about 10 years ago called to tell me how bad things were. He’d been knocked down. I told him to Get Up! He misunderstood me so I said it again… Get The Hell Up! His words and actions during what may well be the fight of his life were crippling him and I heard that in his voice. When I asked what he’s done since the shelter in place order he said “everything’s shut down… What can I do?” I gave him a list of 10 things to do that day before he went to bed. I then got his wife on the phone to keep him accountable. I got off the phone with him 9 days later and things are much better while still under the shelter in place order. He has a new plan now.  

This will eventually end. Many businesses, even some of your competition, will simply wait this out. That’s never the way to respond to any threat. If you’ve read the “Art Of War” you know to attack when the enemy is weak. There’s more weakness than I’ve ever seen. I promise I will survive this Pandemic both personally and professionally… I will emerge stronger. You will as well. Those who don’t take and maintain decisive action are bound to suffer the consequences. That result is sad and predictable. We’re in this together. We’re going to thrive together!     

My name is Steven Clauson.  I coach people who want help getting where they want to be.  The people I coach are typically already taking action, getting results and ask what’s next and what actions to take to make an even greater impact.  They aren’t afraid to ask for help.  How can I help you?  What actions are you taking?  Those who have a plan and implement that plan lead the pack.  Planning, preparing to win and taking appropriate action means you hear the word “YES” more than ever. Only if you one of the few willing to take action, do what’s required and play full out and you likely to hear the word yes more often.  People hearing the word “YES” are winners on the field playing because they play full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclausoncom

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Optimism Or Reasoned Optimism?

In the current climate we’re living in, being optimistic may be a good thing. In the current climate we’re living in creating multiple reasons to be optimistic is an unstoppable force. Personally, I prefer reasoned optimism.

One of my favorite quotes is “Dig your well before you get thirsty.” For most this is easy to understand and the actual doing can be very different. I dig my well daily and the results speak for themselves. I understand that intelligent outflow creates meaningful inflow. I’m shocked at how many people wake up each day and play at a level 1 or 2 on a scale of 10. What do they think is going to happen?

I’m reminded of a short story I heard from Robert Ringer who wrote the book Maximum Achievement… Every day in in Africa a Lion wakes up and already knows they must run faster than the slowest Gazelle or they won’t eat. Every day in Africa a Gazelle wakes up and already knows they must run faster than the fastest Lion or they will be eaten. Each knows when they wake up they must start running to survive!  Have you started running yet?

My name is Steven Clauson.  I coach people who want help getting where they want to be.  The people I coach are typically already taking action, getting results and ask what’s next and what actions to take to make an even greater impact.  They aren’t afraid to ask for help.  How can I help you?  What actions are you taking?  Those who have a plan and implement that plan lead the pack.  Planning, preparing to win and taking appropriate action means you hear the word “YES” more than ever. Only if you one of the few willing to take action, do what’s required and play full out and you likely to hear the word yes more often.  People hearing the word “YES” are winners on the field playing because they play full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

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What’s Left Over When Your Time Is Up?

This isn’t a highly motivational picture. It was placed to get your attention. All of us will have this day. I’m not looking forward. I know it’s gonna get here. Elon Musk is working on a go around but I’m not optimistic.

Most of the people I meet are incredibly protective with their money while paying minimal attention to their time. This is ass backwards. My wife told me to eliminate the words ass but PFUI… sometimes I need to be blunt.

When your coffin lid starts to close or they place the lid on the urn what you will have left over is money… what you will have no more is time. The last thing I’m worried about is someone who wants to steal my money. No worries… I know how to make more money with incredible reliability. The most non-renewable resource I have is my time. Your most non-renewable resource is your time. When you run out of time you can’t fix it. You’re done! Many years ago I filed bankruptcy… isn’t that proof I was out of money? I got more money and you will too. Why do most people feel the opposite?

If you want to steal my time we’re going to have an issue. I have literally refused to work with people simply because they have no respect for my time or theirs. If you are constantly running behind you must not respect someone and it better not be me. The worst person to disrespect on the subject of time is yourself. The value you put on your time determines your income. Be On Time!    

My name is Steven Clauson.  I coach people who want help getting where they want to be.  The people I coach are typically already taking action, getting results and ask what’s next and what actions to take to make an even greater impact.  They aren’t afraid to ask for help.  How can I help you?  What actions are you taking?  Those who have a plan and implement that plan lead the pack.  Planning, preparing to win and taking appropriate action means you hear the word “YES” more than ever. Only if you one of the few willing to take action, do what’s required and play full out and you likely to hear the word yes more often.  People hearing the word “YES” are winners on the field playing because they play full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

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“A” Players Hire “A” Players. Who Do “B” Player Hire?

       It’s a fact that “A” Players only hire “A” Players when they need something done.  Why work with someone who produces a result below your current skill set.  This is about who hires “B” Players and more importantly why they hire them.
I decided long ago it was easier and less expensive in the long run to work with “A” Players exclusively.  It seemed  expensive at first… turns out it was one of the least expensive things I ever did.  Working with “A” Players kept me off balance and uncomfortable and as a result I was productive instead of busy.  “A” Players demanded results from me I would have never demanded of myself.
  It turns out the “B” Players hire “C” Players!  Why have people around you who are constantly nagging you to do this or create that?  Seems like a lot of work.  Another good about hiring “C” Players is they aren’t invested in the result they help you create.  They are happy to cruise along, settle for less and pretend to smile.  Sure, low standards and a commitment void is a shitty way to live and unless you tell someone the secret is yours.  We make choices every day about working with “A” or “C” level people.  Whose on your team?
        My name is Steven Clauson and I coach “A” people to take “A” level actions, be their best and win more often.  I know the one taking action most often wins.  Taking action means you will hear the word “YES” more than ever.  Are you one of the few willing to take action, do what’s required to hear the word yes more often?  People accustomed to the word “YES” are winners on the field playing full out and dominating.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

 

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Don’t Give A Damn What You Think…

       Stop giving a damn about what you think!  Everything you are worried about is never going to happen.  None of it.  You can have and do what you want starting now.  You can have the income you want, work with the people you want, work the hours you want, work the days you want, have the vacations you want and design the business and life to be exactly as you want them to be.
What most people are best at is setting boundaries on themselves and those around them.  The leading cause of boundaries is a thing called fear.  Fear comes in many forms and can manifest differently on a daily basis.  Fear is crippling to those who embrace it and freeing to those who learn to manage it.
The letters in the word FEAR tell the story we need to hear.  False Evidence Appearing Real.  When I ask someone who wants to accomplish something they have as outside of what they can do I typically get a series of fear related responses as opposed to actual actions they have taken to get where they want to be.  I call it Wimp Junction and this is where dreams go to die.  We have all seen too much death in our lives and the fact is our dreams don’t need to be on the casualty list.
Stop wasting time worrying about whether you can or can’t do something.  How about telling the person who won’t let you off the hook what you are going to do.  In a great quote by Ayn Rand who wrote Atlas Shrugged “It’s not who is going to LET me, it’s who is going to STOP me!”  Go for it!   
       My name is Steven Clauson and I coach people who want to come out of the stands and onto the field or are already on the field and demand to work to their potential.  Are you in the stands or on the field?  Winners are on the field playing full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

 

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The Secret Life Of “Your Name Here”

My bride and I saw a very entertaining movie recently called “The Secret Life Of Pets.”  This movie explains in unrealistic detail what pets do after we leave for work.  While the premise was entertaining I seriously doubt that any of our pets are superhero’s.  Possibly my Italian Greyhound but I digress.

What “Secret Life” do others think you lead as opposed to what actually happens? 

  • People see Personal Injury Attorneys as just sitting in their office writing letters all day and being overpaid as a result.  The reality is hours spent researching cases, depositions, working with clients, fighting with insurance companies, working with investigators and otherwise doing the heavy lifting others refuse to do.
  • People see Automobile Repair Technicians as those who connect a scanner to a car and it tells them exactly what to fix in exact detail.  The reality is researching recalls on cars, diagnosing noises, fixing oil leaks, working in 35 degree weather or 105 degree weather, cut hands, burned arms and trying to make heads or tails what the scanner has generally identified as an issue.
  •  People see Coaches & Writers as those who sit around writing and coaching willing people who are proactive in everything they do.  The reality is I work with smart people who got where they are using uncommon levels of drive and determination and demand to get to the next level.  I am in the position of working with this person and helping change some of the ways of operation to get a different and ultimately better result.  I have to constantly stay abreast of their profession and its trends along with my own.  Very little of what anyone does is glamorous and I know very few Superheros.  I get a great deal of satisfaction with my chosen profession and I am blessed that I truly like each and every person and company I work with.  I promise that if I didn’t like and trust them I wouldn’t have anything to do with them.

       What’s your secret life like?  Who would believe you?  Does it get you out of bed in the morning with a sense of purpose?  No?  Let’s talk about that.

       My name is Steven Clauson and I coach people who want to come out of the stands and onto the field or are already on the field and demand to work to their potential.  Are you in the stands or on the field?  Winners are on the field playing full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

 

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Are They Really Listening?

      I work with someone who has multiple audiences that are more or less the same audience.  Or so it appears.  On the surface they have many of the identical issues, needs, fears, pain and drivers.  I made the decision early on to separate these audiences using the experience I have in this area.  The results are both fascinating and expected.
The most recent marketing communication we sent to these groups were identical down to what time they were sent..  The only difference is the grouping we used.  Group A opened the marketing piece up at a rate of 41.8% and Group B opened up the piece at a 23.9%.  This is a stunning difference.  Reading the piece we sent tells us a lot about the issues that Group A is having that is impacting Group B with much less urgency.  When we talk to the recipients in Group A we now know what their issues are, what to focus on and what solutions will matter to them.
Got an idea what solution your customer really wants?  Talking about what they really want as opposed to what they tell you they want will get them to listen very closely!  What do you want to say?
My name is Steven Clauson and I coach people who want to come out of the stands and onto the field or are already on the field and demand to work to their potential.  Are you in the stands or on the field?  Winners are on the field playing full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

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Wells Fargo… How To Double Down On Problems

     Wells Fargo finally figured out what happened and got rid of the executive in charge of the offending division.  Good call for Wells.  The action was a better result for Carrie Tolstedt, the executive that was in charge of that division as she walked out with over $124 Million in exit compensation.  What Wells Fargo did next defies explanation!
In one of the more “Big Dumb Company” moves I have ever witnessed, Wells removed all sales goals from all employees in that division.  Brilliant move if you desire your largest group of workers coming in on a daily basis with no goals at all.  Think about this…  Athletes measure how fast they can run, how much weight they can lift or how far they throw a ball.  If you are dieting you measure how much weight you have lost.  If you are driving you likely measure your speed or how long it takes to travel from point A to point B.  Wells has decided the best way to work is to eliminate all sales goals starting January 1, 2017.
Removing goals will never be the answer to getting behaviors that work.  It didn’t work when we wanted our kids to clean their room and will never work with staffing.  Removing incentives removes the desire to excel.  This is where participation trophies started and we know how that turned out.  Want more out of your staff?  Let’s talk.
My name is Steven Clauson and I coach people who want to come out of the stands and onto the field or are already on the field and demand to work to their potential.  Are you in the stands or on the field?  Winners are on the field playing full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

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Did They Quit Their Job Or Quit Their Boss?

The polling company Gallup recently published a study showing that over 75% of everyone who quits their job has as their primary reason for quitting to get the hell away from their boss.  They don’t leave for more money, better schedule, more time off or any of the other reasons we want to use.  They just want to escape!
So be it right?  No worries as we will find a replacement.  Think that through before you get too overly confident.  The first thing to consider is the actual cost to replace that person is between $5,000 and $30,000 dollars depending on how long they have had the position and the institutional knowledge they leave with.  They also leave with everything you have taught them and if they move to your competitor be prepared for that as well.  If they are quitting the boss is there a potential area of litigation you need to be concerned with?  What about the cost of training the remaining people to take over fore the person who quit?  Running ads, interviewing people, adding them to the payroll and then hoping they work out.  This list goes on and only gets more expensive.
Why not address the problem of the actual boss?  The ability to manage differing personalities will take it’s toll on the best among us.  Taking this stress home every day is mind numbingly difficult and when you don’t have an outlet the stress will arrive either at home of work.  Work is the default position and this gets expensive.  If someone’s only tool is a hammer everything needs to be a nail?  Need more tools to fix your problems?
My name is Steven Clauson and I coach people who want to come out of the stands and onto the field or are already on the field and demand to work to their potential.  Are you in the stands or on the field?  Winners are on the field playing full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com

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Not What Wells Fargo Intended

      Wells Fargo was in the news over the last for days and they explained the fired over 5300 employees and were fined $185 Million Dollars.  That’s pretty heavy duty and what caused this is pretty obvious for most anyone in the corporate world.
I went into my local pharmacy recently to pick up a prescription and they asked me if I wanted a flu shot.  I explained that I have never had a flu shot in my life and also that I will never have one in my life as a result of the research.  No big deal.  My scientific reasons aside I also pay attention and it’s August, 90 degrees outside and no one I know has had the flu.  I asked why they were asking so early.   The clerk explained that the parent company required them to give 8 shots per day, every day and when they don’t it causes a warning from the head office and people lose their jobs!
It’s pretty clear to me that someone not wanting a flu shot in August or at all is a shitty reason for someone to lose their job or even be reprimanded.  I wonder what happened at Wells Fargo?  Doing minimal research I was able to find an interview with a previous Wells Fargo employee who was one of the 5300 who were fired and she said the pressure from above was so great that it was all she focused on and her actual job became secondary to getting a new account.  All she talked about were Home Equity Lines, Credit Cards, IRA’s, Overdraft Protection and anything Wells made money on irrespective of customer need.  This past employee had a child to feed and felt that to be pretty important.
Prior to writing this I reached out to several people I know who work at about the same level on the totem pole as a teller and was told stories similar to what this terminated teller told.  Yes, this happens.  Company Greed over Customer Need is not good for any of us and hurts all of us from a credibility point of view.  I wrote recently about what to say and this is about what to sell.  Trust takes time to build and moments to destroy.  How much time will Wells need to rebuild what they lost with their corporate tactics?  Is there that much time?  Got an idea what your customer really wants?  Selling them what they really need as opposed to what upper management forces you to sell?  Start listening to them even more closely!  What does your customer actually need?
My name is Steven Clauson and I coach people who want to come out of the stands and onto the field or are already on the field and demand to work to their potential.  Are you in the stands or on the field?  Winners are on the field playing full out and dominate.  For these people results matter.  Tired of results less than you know you can produce?  Call me at 916-230-0176 or visit www.stevenclauson.com