My Weblog

Managing Energy is the Key to Sustaining High Performance

“To be fully engaged in our lives, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest.” – Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, The Power of Full Engagement (2003) 

Some executives thrive under pressure, others wilt. There is an epidemic of stress and burnout in our personal and work lives. We pride ourselves on our ability to multi-task and use computer aids to organize the demands on our time; we become more efficient and take on more responsibilities, and with them, more stress.  

Even when managing our time well we still end up exhausted and stressed, unable to concentrate, keep focus, and be productive. That’s because the problem isn’t time management, it’s energy. One major quality that executives seek for themselves and their employees is sustained high performance in the face of ever-increasing pressure and rapid change, and that takes energy.

The tools for sustaining high performance are not taught in business schools. Leadership development courses rarely broach the issue of energy management, either individually or organizationally. Depleted energy may be one of the reasons more than two-thirds of employees feel less than fully engaged at work (Gallup Organization, 2004).

Some of the secrets of sustaining energy and high performance come from studying professional athletes. Professional athletes spend most of their time training and, at most, a few hours a day actually competing. Corporate executives, however, have almost no time for training and must perform at peak levels under intense scrutiny and competition for often 12 or 14 hours a day. Most professional sports have an off season of several months. The typical executive has several weeks of vacation; even then, as many as 47 percent report taking their laptops to answer e-mail during their breaks. The career of the athlete spans 7 years on average; that of a corporate executive may last 40 or 50 years.

The skillful management of energy—both individually and organizationally—makes sustaining peak performance possible. According to authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book,The Power of Full Engagement (2003), we need to rethink much of what we’ve believed about organizing our lives. We need to learn two new rules:

1. Energy is the fundamental currency of high performance.

2. Performance, health, and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.

Will be continued...

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Some executives thrive under pressure, others wilt. There is an epidemic of stress and burnout in our personal and work lives. We pride ourselves on our ability to multi-task and use computer aids to organize the demands on our time; we become more efficient and take on more responsibilities, and with them, more stress.  

Even when managing our time well we still end up exhausted and stressed, unable to concentrate, keep focus, and be productive. That’s because the problem isn’t time management, it’s energy. One major quality that executives seek for themselves and their employees is sustained high performance in the face of ever-increasing pressure and rapid change, and that takes energy.

The tools for sustaining high performance are not taught in business schools. Leadership development courses rarely broach the issue of energy management, either individually or organizationally. Depleted energy may be one of the reasons more than two-thirds of employees feel less than fully engaged at work (Gallup Organization, 2004).

Some of the secrets of sustaining energy and high performance come from studying professional athletes. Professional athletes spend most of their time training and, at most, a few hours a day actually competing. Corporate executives, however, have almost no time for training and must perform at peak levels under intense scrutiny and competition for often 12 or 14 hours a day. Most professional sports have an off season of several months. The typical executive has several weeks of vacation; even then, as many as 47 percent report taking their laptops to answer e-mail during their breaks. The career of the athlete spans 7 years on average; that of a corporate executive may last 40 or 50 years.

The skillful management of energy—both individually and organizationally—makes sustaining peak performance possible. According to authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book,The Power of Full Engagement (2003), we need to rethink much of what we’ve believed about organizing our lives. We need to learn two new rules:

1. Energy is the fundamental currency of high performance.

2. Performance, health, and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.

Will be continued...

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Six Key Networking Strategies for Today's Marketplace

Currently looking for a job?  Looking for new customers?  The only way today is NETWORKING! If you are currently searching job boards, postings on the Internet, executive search firms, cold calling for new customers, I have a question for you--how is it working?

 

The answer, probably not well.  Today’s marketplace requires trust, access and credibility more so now then anytime I have experienced in my lifetime.  Companies have hunkered down and closed ranks; this is a time to keep your cards close to the vest, a no risk mentality.  Therefore, if I don’t know you or know someone I trust that recommends you, there is no consideration.

 

As a fisherman I would like you to think about the following, when I go fishing I always consider is it a lake, river, salt or fresh water, surf or deep sea.  Then I think of what fish are available, where are they and what is the best time to go after them.  Also I decide the type of bait I will use.  All this done I then go to where the fish are, this is critical --- fish where the fish are!

 

Strategy One:  What area of work or opportunity are you looking for?     Be specific.  Visualize, research and describe what you are looking for --- what do you want to do?  This sounds simple, but is not easy.  You must develop your ideal job or customer profile and think about your life and identify what you enjoy doing, chances are what you enjoy you also do well.  In today’s marketplace you must compete in the area of your passion and what you do well.

 

Strategy Two:  Who do you want to target?  This could be based on specific industries or regions determined by what you have decided in step one.  The more specific you can be the greater success you will have.  When deciding which fish I am going after that decision will impact not only the type of bait but also the size of the hook and rig as well.

 

Strategy Three:  After you have determined the what and the who you will then be able to go where they are.  Each industry has an association or conference and now all you have to do is go there.  Join the chamber or organizations that have your target people.

 

 

 

Strategy Four:  When is the best time to approach your target?  With fish there are certain times of the day you want to focus your efforts.  Sharks in the surf usually feed around dusk, select your rig, bait your hook and cast in the surf just before dark and you will be successful.  With people you need to discover what is the best time to contact, are they a morning person, do they prefer phone, email or in person, what works for them.

 

Strategy Five:  When you make contact with your right people at the right time in the right place, you need to be prepared to explain, convince and persuade them why you are the best person for this opportunity.  This is answering the why.

 

Strategy Six:  If you are successful with the first five strategies, you need to know how to proceed and obtain what you want.  More fish are lost at the side of the boat then in the deep water.  After all of your hard work you do not want to have this happen.

 

This is the caveat; you can do all of the above and not be successful.  There are days when the fish don’t bite.  That does not mean you are wrong or you should give up fishing.  The important thing is to get up tomorrow and start the process over again.  You will be successful.

copyright 2009 AnovickAssociates

CoachAnovick.com

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Leadership By Persuasion

As a leader, your success depends upon your ability to get things done: up, down and across all lines. Today’s organizations are politically complex and fluid, which blurs lines of formal authority. 

To survive and succeed, you must learn to persuade people: to convince them to take action on your behalf and under your direction, often without formal authority. Even when you do have formal authority, you may be hesitant to use it. 

Persuasion is widely perceived as a skill reserved for sales and negotiation. Now, it’s an essential proficiency for all leaders.

Defining Our Terms

“Effective persuasion becomes a negotiating and learning process through which a persuader leads colleagues to a problem’s shared solution.”

—Jay A. Conger, PhD 

Professor of organizational behavior, London Business School

Author, Winning ’Em Over: A New Model for Management in the Age of Persuasion 

 

Persuasion involves leading people to take a position they don’t currently hold. You must not only make a rational argument, but also position your information, ideas, approaches and/or solutions in ways that appeal to basic human emotions. Dr. Conger describes the traditional view of persuasion: “First, you strongly state your position. Second, you outline the supporting arguments, followed by a highly assertive, data-based exposition. Finally, you enter the deal-making stage and work toward a close.”

Discovery, Preparation, Dialogue

Any attempt to persuade may provoke colleagues to oppose and polarize. If, according to Dr. Conger, persuasion is a learning and negotiating process, then it must include three phases: discovery, preparation and dialogue. 

Before you even begin to speak, you must consider your position from every angle. Getting ready to present your ideas may take weeks or months of planning, as you learn about your audience and prepare your arguments. 

Dialogue occurs both before and during the persuasion process. You must invite people to discuss solutions, debate the merits of your position, offer honest feedback and suggest alternatives.

To effectively persuade, you must test and revise ideas to reflect your colleagues’ concerns and needs. Success depends on being open-minded and willing to incorporate compromises. 

Four Steps to Successful Persuasion

Leading through persuasion requires you to follow four essential steps:

1. Establish credibility.

2. Understand your audience, framing your goals in a way that identifies common ground.

3. Reinforce your positions with vivid language and compelling evidence.

4. Connect emotionally with your audience.

To avoid failure, your strategy for persuasion must be as compelling as your arguments. 

The Importance of Credibility

Credibility develops from two sources: expertise and relationships. Listen carefully to your audience’s suggestions, and establish an environment in which they know their opinions are valued. Prepare by collecting data and information that both support and contradict your arguments—a step that sheds light on your position’s strengths and weaknesses. Place others’ best interests first so you can validate that you truly care about the team’s well-being.

Frame for Common Ground

You must be adept at describing your positions in ways that illuminate their advantages. The primary goal is to identify tangible benefits to which your targeted audience can relate. This requires multiple conversations, meetings and dialogue to collect essential information by asking thoughtful questions. This process will often prompt you to alter your initial argument or include compromises.

Identify key decision makers, stakeholders and the organization’s network of influence. Who is supportive, unyielding or neutral? Pinpoint their interests and how they view alternatives. 

Provide Evidence

Persuasion requires you to present evidence: strong data in multiple forms (stories, graphs, images, metaphors and examples). Make your position come alive by using vivid language that complements graphics. In most cases, a rock-solid argument: 

o Is logical and consistent with facts and experience

o Favorably addresses your audience’s interests

o Eliminates or neutralizes competing alternatives

o Recognizes and deals with office politics

o Receives endorsements from objective, authoritative third parties

Connect Emotionally

Your connection to your audience must demonstrate both intellectual and emotional commitment to your position. Successful persuaders cultivate an accurate sense of their audience’s emotional state, and they adjust their arguments’ tone accordingly. Whatever your position, you must match your emotional fervor to your audience’s ability to receive your message.

Virtual Teams

It’s even harder to persuade when your relationships are electronically based. Without face-to-face meetings, you cannot gather critical nonverbal cues that help you connect with others. If you usually communicate by email, arrange frequent phone conferences to interact on a more personal level. While actual meetings require travel expenses, they may be well worth the cost.

Four Ways to Fail at Persuasion

Most leaders attempt to persuade through logic, persistence and personal enthusiasm. In reality, this model is a setup for failure. You blunder when you:

1. Make your case with a hard sell. Assailing colleagues with preconceived ideas from the get-go gives potential opponents a clear target for battle.

2. Resist compromise. To buy into your proposal, people want to see if you’re flexible enough to respond to their concerns. Compromises often lead to more sustainable solutions.

3. Think the secret of persuasion lies in presenting great arguments. Your credibility—as well as your ability to create a mutually beneficial framework, connect on the right emotional level and communicate through vivid language that makes arguments come alive—are equally important.

4. Assume persuasion is a one-shot effort. Persuasion is a process, not an event. It’s rarely possible to arrive at a shared solution on the first try. 

Resources

Conger, J.A. (1998) Winning ’Em Over: A New Model for Management in the Age of Persuasion. Simon & Schuster. New York NY.

Getting People On Board. (2005) The Results-Driven Manager Series. Harvard Business School Press. Boston MA.

Power, Influence, and Persuasion: Sell Your Ideas and Make Things Happen. (2005) Harvard Business Essentials. Harvard Business School Press. Boston MA.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

To survive and succeed, you must learn to persuade people: to convince them to take action on your behalf and under your direction, often without formal authority. Even when you do have formal authority, you may be hesitant to use it. 

Persuasion is widely perceived as a skill reserved for sales and negotiation. Now, it’s an essential proficiency for all leaders.

Defining Our Terms

“Effective persuasion becomes a negotiating and learning process through which a persuader leads colleagues to a problem’s shared solution.”

—Jay A. Conger, PhD 

Professor of organizational behavior, London Business School

Author, Winning ’Em Over: A New Model for Management in the Age of Persuasion 

 

Persuasion involves leading people to take a position they don’t currently hold. You must not only make a rational argument, but also position your information, ideas, approaches and/or solutions in ways that appeal to basic human emotions. Dr. Conger describes the traditional view of persuasion: “First, you strongly state your position. Second, you outline the supporting arguments, followed by a highly assertive, data-based exposition. Finally, you enter the deal-making stage and work toward a close.”

Discovery, Preparation, Dialogue

Any attempt to persuade may provoke colleagues to oppose and polarize. If, according to Dr. Conger, persuasion is a learning and negotiating process, then it must include three phases: discovery, preparation and dialogue. 

Before you even begin to speak, you must consider your position from every angle. Getting ready to present your ideas may take weeks or months of planning, as you learn about your audience and prepare your arguments. 

Dialogue occurs both before and during the persuasion process. You must invite people to discuss solutions, debate the merits of your position, offer honest feedback and suggest alternatives.

To effectively persuade, you must test and revise ideas to reflect your colleagues’ concerns and needs. Success depends on being open-minded and willing to incorporate compromises. 

Four Steps to Successful Persuasion

Leading through persuasion requires you to follow four essential steps:

1. Establish credibility.

2. Understand your audience, framing your goals in a way that identifies common ground.

3. Reinforce your positions with vivid language and compelling evidence.

4. Connect emotionally with your audience.

To avoid failure, your strategy for persuasion must be as compelling as your arguments. 

The Importance of Credibility

Credibility develops from two sources: expertise and relationships. Listen carefully to your audience’s suggestions, and establish an environment in which they know their opinions are valued. Prepare by collecting data and information that both support and contradict your arguments—a step that sheds light on your position’s strengths and weaknesses. Place others’ best interests first so you can validate that you truly care about the team’s well-being.

Frame for Common Ground

You must be adept at describing your positions in ways that illuminate their advantages. The primary goal is to identify tangible benefits to which your targeted audience can relate. This requires multiple conversations, meetings and dialogue to collect essential information by asking thoughtful questions. This process will often prompt you to alter your initial argument or include compromises.

Identify key decision makers, stakeholders and the organization’s network of influence. Who is supportive, unyielding or neutral? Pinpoint their interests and how they view alternatives. 

Provide Evidence

Persuasion requires you to present evidence: strong data in multiple forms (stories, graphs, images, metaphors and examples). Make your position come alive by using vivid language that complements graphics. In most cases, a rock-solid argument: 

o Is logical and consistent with facts and experience

o Favorably addresses your audience’s interests

o Eliminates or neutralizes competing alternatives

o Recognizes and deals with office politics

o Receives endorsements from objective, authoritative third parties

Connect Emotionally

Your connection to your audience must demonstrate both intellectual and emotional commitment to your position. Successful persuaders cultivate an accurate sense of their audience’s emotional state, and they adjust their arguments’ tone accordingly. Whatever your position, you must match your emotional fervor to your audience’s ability to receive your message.

Virtual Teams

It’s even harder to persuade when your relationships are electronically based. Without face-to-face meetings, you cannot gather critical nonverbal cues that help you connect with others. If you usually communicate by email, arrange frequent phone conferences to interact on a more personal level. While actual meetings require travel expenses, they may be well worth the cost.

Four Ways to Fail at Persuasion

Most leaders attempt to persuade through logic, persistence and personal enthusiasm. In reality, this model is a setup for failure. You blunder when you:

1. Make your case with a hard sell. Assailing colleagues with preconceived ideas from the get-go gives potential opponents a clear target for battle.

2. Resist compromise. To buy into your proposal, people want to see if you’re flexible enough to respond to their concerns. Compromises often lead to more sustainable solutions.

3. Think the secret of persuasion lies in presenting great arguments. Your credibility—as well as your ability to create a mutually beneficial framework, connect on the right emotional level and communicate through vivid language that makes arguments come alive—are equally important.

4. Assume persuasion is a one-shot effort. Persuasion is a process, not an event. It’s rarely possible to arrive at a shared solution on the first try. 

Resources

Conger, J.A. (1998) Winning ’Em Over: A New Model for Management in the Age of Persuasion. Simon & Schuster. New York NY.

Getting People On Board. (2005) The Results-Driven Manager Series. Harvard Business School Press. Boston MA.

Power, Influence, and Persuasion: Sell Your Ideas and Make Things Happen. (2005) Harvard Business Essentials. Harvard Business School Press. Boston MA.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Strategies for Public Speaking

The ability to present your thoughts and ideas in a professional and persuasive manner is invaluable. You may have great ideas but if you are unable to present them effectively you’re at a disadvantage. It has been my experience that the ability to present well enhances your credibility, builds trust and develops followers to your ideas. 

Whether in business, organizations or among friends and associates, your presentation skills will greatly increase your influence. Jerry Seinfeld once said, “People fear public speaking more than death, therefore the person at a funeral giving the eulogy would rather be in the coffin.” I have encountered many people who are terrified of standing in front of any group and speaking. Without a doubt this could limit your ability to grow in life and in your pursuits be it business or organizations. 

“Great speakers are not born, they’re trained.” Dale Carnegie 

 Plan Rehearse Edit Psych The acronym PREP is a good way to develop your success strategy. 

 Plan: Who, what, where, when, why and how, answer these questions and you are on your way to a successful presentation. Know your audience and answer the question in their mind, “What here affects me?” this will focus your message and win over your audience. General Eisenhower once said, “ in preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable.” 

Rehearse: Practice, practice, practice, and when you rehearse you gain confidence and understanding of what you are saying. The muscle and brain memory of delivering your presentation is a key step in this process. Through developing the patterns of how you want to communicate your message. You become aware of your tone of voice, the sound of the words you choose and what is the appropriate movement of your body.

 

Edit: As you rehearse you will eliminate words, change concepts and develop your ideas. Can you say it in fewer words? As you rehearse it often becomes apparent that you need to make changes in sentence structure or the sequence of thoughts. Have a clear beginning, middle and end of your presentation. Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them. 

Psych: After the first three steps you will be thoroughly ready to share your ideas and thoughts. You will be energized and psyched. The process of PREP will give you focus, confidence and the skill to deliver successful presentations with each opportunity. Nervousness is often caused by several factors. Lack of preparation, you are afraid you’ll be boring or you’re afraid you’ll say what they‘ve heard before. Whatever “butterflies” were in your stomach will now be flying in formation. When you are prepared you know what you are saying and how you want to deliver your message. You can now focus on the most important element of your success, THE AUDIENCE! 

Successful communicators are natural, prepared and psyched. They make eye contact with key members of the audience and understand that “dead air” is golden… watch the ahs, and ums, stay focused on your message and address the WHAM factor for your audience, “What Here Applies To Me?” Lastly, never let them see you sweat. Only you know the script and where you want to go and what you want to say. If you forget something or deliver the material out of order, keep moving never let them see you sweat. Don’t apologize or let on that you have made a mistake, no one will ever know unless you tell them. Be confident, be prepared and you will be a successful communicator.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Persuasion

The Brain Science of Persuasion:

7 Automatic Triggers 

People make two major mistakes when trying to persuade others:

1. Using the argument that would work best on themselves

2. Overestimating the power of logic and rationality

Instead of researching what makes people buy or make decisions, they ask themselves, “What would motivateme to participate in this program or buy this product?”

The fact is, persuasion can be defined, learned and successfully incorporated into anyone’s communication abilities. It doesn’t matter if you work in sales, marketing or another field directly related to persuasion. Every leader or manager depends on getting things done through others.

Getting Things Done Through Others

Your boss may give you specific powers, but execution and results come from successfully influencing others.

So, what does brain science tell us about the natural processes of decision-making and being influenced? 

• With the recent advent of real-time brain-imaging technology, we can now look at what happens inside the brain as we process information, make decisions and respond to others. 

Feelings First, Logic Later

Most of us try to persuade by using our best arguments, best data, logical flow charts and rationality to generate the thinking, decisions and actions we seek. Business leaders still believe everyone relies heavily on logic and reason to make decisions. We’ve traditionally believed that emotion wreaks havoc on rationality, especially in business.

As science evolves, we’re starting to realize that emotions come first. Not only do they guide our decisions and actions, but we’re incapable of making decisions without them.

We use the emotional parts of our brain to make rational decisions. Emotional context helps us make the best choices, often in a split second, long before the rational centers of the brain are even activated.

The Brain Science of Persuasive Powers

We respond to persuasive attempts either analytically or automatically.

Those who respond analytically use a reasoned evaluative approach to come to a decision, but  this requires enormous energy. The brain uses up reserves of glucose and calories whenever it evaluates. And because it’s human nature to conserve energy, most of us won’t respond with the extra effort required to be analytical. In fact, most people slip into automatic-response mode whenever possible. 

This doesn’t mean you can skip logical arguments, but it does place less emphasis on reason and more on emotion. When you understand that people want to make rapid, automatic and accelerated decisions, you can make it easier on those you’re trying to influence.

How do we generate automatic influence? With triggers. Everybody has them. A trigger is any stimulus that will help us make a non-thinking decision or action. A trigger activates a person’s immediate compliance with an attempt to influence. It’s simply a shortcut to avoid the pain and effort of mental activity.

Let’s examine the seven triggers that automatically influence others.

1. The Friendship Trigger

We are more easily influenced by people we like, and liking is a prerequisite for the other triggers. Friendship generates trust, and trust activates a strong internal trigger. Find connections and common interests, and listen to the people you wish to influence.

2. The Authority Trigger

We respond with unthinking, automatic compliance to those we believe have authority, credibility and power. Managers and leaders may think they have authority by virtue of their position, but without the likeability factor, this trigger is weakened. The authority trigger works because we assume the person in position of authority has done the evaluation work for us.

3. The Consistency Trigger

Our internal guidance system compels us to be consistent in the way we see ourselves and the peers we admire. We are slaves to consistency and conformity; in fact, these drives are hard-wired into our brain. When it’s time to make a decision, we call up an emotional memory that’s similar to the situation at hand, and we’re guided in the same direction.

4. The Reciprocity Trigger

Reciprocity is the well-documented psychological desire to give back to someone who has given us a gift. It’s another automatic response hard-wired into our brains. Marketers have been using bonus gifts and free samples for years. 

5. The Contrast Trigger

Framing a proposition so it appears more desirable than an alternative is a proven automatic compliance technique. Always present the most onerous approach first, followed by what you really want.

6. The Reason Why Trigger

When you present a valid reason to accept a proposition, you achieve compliance. 

7. The Hope Trigger

We are easily persuaded by those who understand our hopes, wishes and dreams. Once we perceive an opportunity to satisfy them, we seldom rely on cognitive thought or logic before we act. 

Six Steps to a Persuasive Presentation 

Here’s a proposed outline for framing a successful presentation that persuades others to act in the direction you desire:

1. Write down your persuasion goal, what you hope to accomplish, what you expect others to do and the ideal time frame.

2. List the questions you’ll ask your audience to determine their perceptions on the issue.

3. List each of the seven internal triggers. Under each one, list every possible item that could apply. Select and prioritize the three or four triggers best suited to the situation.

4. Frame your presentation with the beginning and ending that have the highest impact. The friendship trigger, coupled with the reciprocity trigger, is a great start. You’ll also want early application of the authority trigger.

5. The body of the proposal, including the logic and data, will follow the other trigger information. Minimal application of logic and data will reinforce a positive decision.

6. Finally, frame your closure by defining precisely what you want your audience to do, and determine how you will ask for this action.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

The Brain Science of Persuasion:

7 Automatic Triggers 

People make two major mistakes when trying to persuade others:

1. Using the argument that would work best on themselves

2. Overestimating the power of logic and rationality

Instead of researching what makes people buy or make decisions, they ask themselves, “What would motivateme to participate in this program or buy this product?”

The fact is, persuasion can be defined, learned and successfully incorporated into anyone’s communication abilities. It doesn’t matter if you work in sales, marketing or another field directly related to persuasion. Every leader or manager depends on getting things done through others.

Getting Things Done Through Others

Your boss may give you specific powers, but execution and results come from successfully influencing others.

So, what does brain science tell us about the natural processes of decision-making and being influenced? 

• With the recent advent of real-time brain-imaging technology, we can now look at what happens inside the brain as we process information, make decisions and respond to others. 

Feelings First, Logic Later

Most of us try to persuade by using our best arguments, best data, logical flow charts and rationality to generate the thinking, decisions and actions we seek. Business leaders still believe everyone relies heavily on logic and reason to make decisions. We’ve traditionally believed that emotion wreaks havoc on rationality, especially in business.

As science evolves, we’re starting to realize that emotions come first. Not only do they guide our decisions and actions, but we’re incapable of making decisions without them.

We use the emotional parts of our brain to make rational decisions. Emotional context helps us make the best choices, often in a split second, long before the rational centers of the brain are even activated.

The Brain Science of Persuasive Powers

We respond to persuasive attempts either analytically or automatically.

Those who respond analytically use a reasoned evaluative approach to come to a decision, but  this requires enormous energy. The brain uses up reserves of glucose and calories whenever it evaluates. And because it’s human nature to conserve energy, most of us won’t respond with the extra effort required to be analytical. In fact, most people slip into automatic-response mode whenever possible. 

This doesn’t mean you can skip logical arguments, but it does place less emphasis on reason and more on emotion. When you understand that people want to make rapid, automatic and accelerated decisions, you can make it easier on those you’re trying to influence.

How do we generate automatic influence? With triggers. Everybody has them. A trigger is any stimulus that will help us make a non-thinking decision or action. A trigger activates a person’s immediate compliance with an attempt to influence. It’s simply a shortcut to avoid the pain and effort of mental activity.

Let’s examine the seven triggers that automatically influence others.

1. The Friendship Trigger

We are more easily influenced by people we like, and liking is a prerequisite for the other triggers. Friendship generates trust, and trust activates a strong internal trigger. Find connections and common interests, and listen to the people you wish to influence.

2. The Authority Trigger

We respond with unthinking, automatic compliance to those we believe have authority, credibility and power. Managers and leaders may think they have authority by virtue of their position, but without the likeability factor, this trigger is weakened. The authority trigger works because we assume the person in position of authority has done the evaluation work for us.

3. The Consistency Trigger

Our internal guidance system compels us to be consistent in the way we see ourselves and the peers we admire. We are slaves to consistency and conformity; in fact, these drives are hard-wired into our brain. When it’s time to make a decision, we call up an emotional memory that’s similar to the situation at hand, and we’re guided in the same direction.

4. The Reciprocity Trigger

Reciprocity is the well-documented psychological desire to give back to someone who has given us a gift. It’s another automatic response hard-wired into our brains. Marketers have been using bonus gifts and free samples for years. 

5. The Contrast Trigger

Framing a proposition so it appears more desirable than an alternative is a proven automatic compliance technique. Always present the most onerous approach first, followed by what you really want.

6. The Reason Why Trigger

When you present a valid reason to accept a proposition, you achieve compliance. 

7. The Hope Trigger

We are easily persuaded by those who understand our hopes, wishes and dreams. Once we perceive an opportunity to satisfy them, we seldom rely on cognitive thought or logic before we act. 

Six Steps to a Persuasive Presentation 

Here’s a proposed outline for framing a successful presentation that persuades others to act in the direction you desire:

1. Write down your persuasion goal, what you hope to accomplish, what you expect others to do and the ideal time frame.

2. List the questions you’ll ask your audience to determine their perceptions on the issue.

3. List each of the seven internal triggers. Under each one, list every possible item that could apply. Select and prioritize the three or four triggers best suited to the situation.

4. Frame your presentation with the beginning and ending that have the highest impact. The friendship trigger, coupled with the reciprocity trigger, is a great start. You’ll also want early application of the authority trigger.

5. The body of the proposal, including the logic and data, will follow the other trigger information. Minimal application of logic and data will reinforce a positive decision.

6. Finally, frame your closure by defining precisely what you want your audience to do, and determine how you will ask for this action.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Motivation is What Gets You Started, Habit is What Keeps You Going

What is your purpose? During these challenging times it is a good opportunity to reflect and answer the BIG questions. This may sound “old school” to many however here are some “habits” to consider; hard work, preparation, taking care of those you love, self sacrifice, self discipline, religious faith and enjoy life.

 

The question, “What is your purpose?” often prompts the following, “be true to yourself” or “hold firm to your ideals”. Well, what if you can’t answer these questions?

 

Several years ago I spent time developing my personal “mission statement”. The result follows.

 

To make a contribution to the world by being a living example of; love, understanding, compassion, trust and wisdom. Starting first with my family I will help each develop the strength and courage to lead an independent and fulfilling life.

 

Seek first to understand, then be understood.

 

I will live by the values of integrity, compassion and self-discipline. I will strive to keep commitments not only to others but myself as well. I will not make excuses or blame others. I will keep my mind and body healthy and strong so that I am able to live my mission.

 

My mission is to be a force for positive change and to inspire others to greatness through being a catalyst for action and through developing a shared vision of that which is possible.

 

We make choices each day that influence our legacy. What can you do better? Are you spending your time the way you want?

 

Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”

 

 

 

On the wall behind my desk hangs a famous photo of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, having just knocked him to the canvas; you may have seen the photo. Liston does not get up again, very few people remember Sonny Liston and quite frankly he was not much of a champ, more of a chump, however, Ali goes on to become one of the most famous champions of all time. In the years after the Liston fight Ali was beaten several times, what makes Ali the “GREATEST” is he got back up and fought again and again. My father, he was also a professional fighter, always told me it is not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up.

 

A 29 year Yale study concluded that an optimistic attitude is more important to health than blood pressure, cholesterol level, smoking or obesity. It also found that with an optimistic attitude, you live on average 7.5 years longer. Optimism is not a goofy naïve, over dreaming perspective. It is choosing to be forward moving regardless of setbacks. It’s choosing to be free of unnecessary anxiety and frustration. It is accepting the fact of where you are, but never letting go of the mental perspective “I will prevail.” Get up off the canvas! The remarkable thing is that you have a choice every single day to manage it or let it be mismanaged.

 CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

 

Planning for Your Success

If you don’t know where you are going any road will get you there.  Without a plan how can you prioritize your day, how do you know what a good customer looks like, how do you ask for referrals?

 

Recently I was coaching a client with his plan and I asked his assessment of how he was doing so far this year. There was silence on the other end of the phone while I waited. We then discussed his “critical goals” and looked at the plan he had built 6 months ago.

 

When a plane takes off from Newark airport the pilot has a flight plan. The plane may have to make adjustments as it flies west, it will eventually arrive at its destination, even though it was off course most of the time. The goal was to get to LA.

 

You must be absolutely clear about your destination.  Do you have clear, written, specific, measurable goals, committed to paper and organized into specific action plans? Can you answer the question…what do you want?

 

You must be prepared to launch in the face of your fears, doubts and natural reluctance to leave your comfort zone. Les Brown says, “To achieve something that you have never achieved before, you must be prepared to do something that you have never done before.”

 

You must resolve in advance to persist in the face of any difficulty or problem that you experience.  Recently I watched, with my family, the Will Smith movie “In Pursuit of Happiness”. The main character was certainly determined. Perhaps the most important quality for success is persistence.  You must resolve in advance that you will view every temporary setback or difficultly as merely a signal that you need to make an adjustment to reach your goal.

 

We are almost half way through 2008, now is a good time to take out your plan and see how you are doing with your journey.

 

“Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.”

 Jim Ryun.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

 

Recently I was coaching a client with his plan and I asked his assessment of how he was doing so far this year. There was silence on the other end of the phone while I waited. We then discussed his “critical goals” and looked at the plan he had built 6 months ago.

 

When a plane takes off from Newark airport the pilot has a flight plan. The plane may have to make adjustments as it flies west, it will eventually arrive at its destination, even though it was off course most of the time. The goal was to get to LA.

 

You must be absolutely clear about your destination.  Do you have clear, written, specific, measurable goals, committed to paper and organized into specific action plans? Can you answer the question…what do you want?

 

You must be prepared to launch in the face of your fears, doubts and natural reluctance to leave your comfort zone. Les Brown says, “To achieve something that you have never achieved before, you must be prepared to do something that you have never done before.”

 

You must resolve in advance to persist in the face of any difficulty or problem that you experience.  Recently I watched, with my family, the Will Smith movie “In Pursuit of Happiness”. The main character was certainly determined. Perhaps the most important quality for success is persistence.  You must resolve in advance that you will view every temporary setback or difficultly as merely a signal that you need to make an adjustment to reach your goal.

 

We are almost half way through 2008, now is a good time to take out your plan and see how you are doing with your journey.

 

“Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going.”

 Jim Ryun.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Your Plans are Temporary Your Ability to Plan is Forever.

Last week we marked the 65^th anniversary of the Normandy invasion. The planning that took place for this massive Allied undertaking was extensive. One of the contributors to the plan was Winston Churchill, one of the great strategic minds of the 20^th century. Sir Winston said, “Plans are worthless, planning is invaluable.”

 

 

What did he mean by that statement? How does this impact you? On June 6, 1944, ships landed on the wrong beach, airborne troops were dropped many miles off target, communications broke down, intelligence that was gathered prior to the attack was not accurate and many other events occurred that were not anticipated.

 

In order to be successful you must have GOALS, to reach those goals you must have a plan. The lessons that I take from history and apply to planning are just that; develop plans to reach your goals, anticipate obstacles, be prepared to change your assumptions but not your conviction. Berlin and the defeat of the Nazi’s remained the goal, however, the obstacles the Allies encountered after D-Day required many adjustments and new directions to achieve their ultimate goal.

 

Steps in setting SMART goals. The Art of Goal Setting

 

S- specific

M- measurable

A- attainable

R- realistic

T- time bound

 

1.    Narrow your focus and be specific when setting goals. Concentration is the key to success, the more defined your goal the greater your focus.

2.    What gets measured gets done. Write down your goals and how you plan on measuring your progress. When you can see the goal you tap more energy and conviction.

3.    When developing your goals you must consider where are you now. The goal has to be something you believe you are capable of doing. Make sure your goal is something you enjoy doing, your commitment to stay the course will be helped if you enjoy the journey.

4.    When you evaluate and review your goals make sure they are not too easy. There will be times you struggle and times you progress faster than expected.

5.    There needs to be a beginning and end.  Your progress should be tracked at regular intervals. There must be accountability; it is easier to stay on track when you have support and reminders. Benchmarks and time periods are several examples, having a coach to provide feedback is invaluable.

 

Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.” You are the master of your fate. The principles listed above can change your destiny. People take more time to plan a two-week vacation then they invest in planning their lives. Invest in yourself; write down your goals and plans now!

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

Paul Anovick

201-445-2822

Can Affirmations Work for You?

Your mind is made up of two elements that interact in such a way as to control your behavior. The first of these is your subconscious mind.  Your subconscious mind is that part that houses memories, the nervous system, emotions, and your most basic attitudes.  It is from your subconscious mind that thoughts are sent which will eventually enable you to achieve your goals.  The conscious mind makes decisions, determines goals, and gathers knowledge for the purpose of taking some kind of action.

If the data in the subconscious mind complements conscious decisions and desires, action will occur.  If, however, the messages conflict, the “power” of the subconscious mind will cause conflict, procrastination, fear, and possibly avoidance of action. A large percentage of our actions are automatic and instinctive. They are controlled by the attitudes and beliefs imprinted on the subconscious mind. Conversely, all input to the subconscious mind must come from the conscious, which is that part of you which controls behavior.

The relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind can be seen in all kinds of people. For example – have you ever heard someone telling themselves they were ill so much that they actually became ill? Or – have you ever known someone who lied to themselves so often that they began to believe the lies? These are both examples of the interaction between the subconscious and the conscious minds. In the first case, the individual’s conscious mind told that they were ill. The subconscious (which is incapable of reasoning) accepted that data and through the nervous system, sent back signals that caused the person to feel illness.  In the second case, the same process occurred.

Your success is tied to your action, your action to your attitude. Thus, the “automatic guidance system” within you either operates as a success mechanism or failure mechanism. It all depends on the goals you set for it.

Through the conscious use of affirmations we become able to program our subconscious mind so that it operates as a success mechanism and causes positive behavior and change towards the achievement of our goals.

The use of affirmations is designed fundamentally to get the subconscious working with us not against us – to get our goal-striving mechanism to work for the achievement of our goals.

What is an affirmation? The best definition of an affirmation is: “telling yourself in times of doubt that which you know to be true at other times.”

More specifically, an affirmation is a positive statement in the first person singular which describes the you you want to become through our goals program.

The power of affirmations can best be recognized when we realize that the mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined.  For example, suppose you “imagine” late at night that there is a prowler in the house.  Are you any less frightened than if you “knew” there was a prowler in the house?  Certainly not.  You are afraid because you imagine a fearful situation. The use of affirmations to build confidence applies to the same principle, but with a positive goal in mind.

Affirmations should have the following qualities:

1.    Affirmations should be positive.

2.     Affirmations should be in the first person singular.

3. Affirmations should be within the realm of your capacity to believe  (realistically high)

4. Affirmations should be directly related to your goals.

Let me know your experience, have you tried affirmations…what happened?
If you now try affirmations, let me know your experience.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

If the data in the subconscious mind complements conscious decisions and desires, action will occur.  If, however, the messages conflict, the “power” of the subconscious mind will cause conflict, procrastination, fear, and possibly avoidance of action. A large percentage of our actions are automatic and instinctive. They are controlled by the attitudes and beliefs imprinted on the subconscious mind. Conversely, all input to the subconscious mind must come from the conscious, which is that part of you which controls behavior.

The relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind can be seen in all kinds of people. For example – have you ever heard someone telling themselves they were ill so much that they actually became ill? Or – have you ever known someone who lied to themselves so often that they began to believe the lies? These are both examples of the interaction between the subconscious and the conscious minds. In the first case, the individual’s conscious mind told that they were ill. The subconscious (which is incapable of reasoning) accepted that data and through the nervous system, sent back signals that caused the person to feel illness.  In the second case, the same process occurred.

Your success is tied to your action, your action to your attitude. Thus, the “automatic guidance system” within you either operates as a success mechanism or failure mechanism. It all depends on the goals you set for it.

Through the conscious use of affirmations we become able to program our subconscious mind so that it operates as a success mechanism and causes positive behavior and change towards the achievement of our goals.

The use of affirmations is designed fundamentally to get the subconscious working with us not against us – to get our goal-striving mechanism to work for the achievement of our goals.

What is an affirmation? The best definition of an affirmation is: “telling yourself in times of doubt that which you know to be true at other times.”

More specifically, an affirmation is a positive statement in the first person singular which describes the you you want to become through our goals program.

The power of affirmations can best be recognized when we realize that the mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined.  For example, suppose you “imagine” late at night that there is a prowler in the house.  Are you any less frightened than if you “knew” there was a prowler in the house?  Certainly not.  You are afraid because you imagine a fearful situation. The use of affirmations to build confidence applies to the same principle, but with a positive goal in mind.

Affirmations should have the following qualities:

1.    Affirmations should be positive.

2.     Affirmations should be in the first person singular.

3. Affirmations should be within the realm of your capacity to believe  (realistically high)

4. Affirmations should be directly related to your goals.

Let me know your experience, have you tried affirmations…what happened?
If you now try affirmations, let me know your experience.

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822

Paul Anovick

Five Simple Strategies for More Effective Communications

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” This expression sums up exchanges we have throughout our day. Why does this expression resonate with so many?

 

Some think communication is transferring a precise piece of information from one mind to another. Have you had data, or a conclusion; you felt so strongly about that all you had to do was explain your finding and people instantly saw your point of view? How did that work for you…not so well?

 

1. Let others talk.  My favorite acronym is WAIT--Why am I talking?  By waiting and letting others speak first we are able to learn much. How do they like to communicate?  Do they speak in short sentences with specific facts?  Do they tell stories and ramble?   Are they controlled and unexpressive or do they use their hands and many facial expressions?  These are all clues on how you should communicate with them.  By allowing people to speak first, your comments will be more effective and better received.

 

2. Listen.  God gave us two ears and one mouth; I suggest we use them proportionately. You must work at listening…concentrate; get the information the first time.  Good listeners do not jump to conclusions; they listen for ideas not just facts.  Keep your mind open…hold emotion in check.  Take notes and adjust to the speaker.  Judge content, not delivery and listen optimistically.

 

3. Create an open atmosphere.  Notice the first two items were pertaining to receiving not sending.  Communication is a two-way process, sending and receiving.  Many focus only on the sending portion.  In order to be a great communicator, you must build a climate of openness and trust.  You do this by having mutual respect and the results will follow.

 

4. Non-verbal communication.  Eye contact.  Smiling, nodding your head, appropriate facial expressions or body language all let the person know you are paying attention.  Repeat what the other person says by using, “If I understand you correctly…” Seek first to understand, and then be understood.

 

5. The Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would do unto yourself.”  A fine sentiment, however, in the 21^st century the “World is Flat”.  Realize the cultural, multi-generational and personality differences of the people you’re speaking with.  Use the philosophy of “Do unto others as they would do unto themselves.”

 

The rewards of being a good communicator will directly influence your ability to lead; you will empower others to excel by clearly and effectively communicating.

 

CoachAnovick.com

Developing Potential, Producing Results

201-445-2822