The Power of A.S.K.ing
Have you ever had the opportunity to follow-up on a sales lead? Recently, I had such an opportunity to reconnect with an organization that I had been trying to secure as a client. Due to some new events and after multiple unreturned phone calls, I decided to ask for the decision maker within the department. After receiving the executive's name and finally making contact, I explained who I was, where I was from and how I could add value to their training request. A planned 5 minute telephone call turned into a 30 minute engaging dialogue where I learned even more about their needs and was asked in return if I had the experience to facilitate a second, separate engagement. The point of this story is quite simple. How many times in life do we fail because we didn't ASK? For example, we receive only part of the information that we need and instead of A.S.K.'ing for the rest of the information we provide a response based on limited information. We rationalize this behavior because of our desire to respond quickly, to showcase our expertise, to show respect, to not lose a potential contact or sale, etc. Yet, if we had received all of the necessary information, how much different would the outcome be? Many of us know when to ask, however, we may not understand why we need to ask. In exploring the various reasons for asking, there are 3 basic actions why we A.S.K: Aspire ~ Solidify ~ Know First, by A.S.K.'ing, we aspire to reach that next level of understanding. Remember, how young children are always asking "Why?" like "Why isn't the moon always round?" These endless questions provide opportunities for them to grow. Reason number two centers around the need to solidify our current information or knowledge. By A.S.K.'ing, we take the time to ensure that our understanding is solid so that we can accept new knowledge into our existing experiences. Examples of this include such questions as: "Ask do you understand?" or my personal favorite "Does that make sense to you?" The third reason we ask is to know something. Knowing questions are "Where are you going?" or "When do you want this project finished?" A.S.K.'ing is truly an art that we refine over time through practice and awareness. Our continued practice and awareness create the balance so that we also know when not to ask. The question is then "Should I ask?" "To know the road ahead, ask those coming back." Chinese Proverb Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist. With over 25 years of business and education experience, she builds peace and abundance by connecting the 3P's of Passion, Purpose and Performance through process improvement. Her ROI driven process solutions affect sustainable change in 4 key areas: financials, leadership, relationships and growth & innovation with a variety of industries. She aligns the strategies, systems and people to develop loyal internal customers that lead to external customers. As co-author of M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Potential:Living an Amazing Life Beyond Purpose to Achievement due for June 2005 release, Leanne speaks nationally to a variety of audiences. Please call Leanne a call at 219.759.5601 or email leanne@processspecialist.com if you are seeking amazing results. Copyright 2005(c) Leanne Hoagland-Smith, http://www.processspecialist.com Permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with a live link, and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accept.)
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The Power of Inspiration
INSPIRATION can be a powerful thing. It can keep you going when all around you cries out "quit!" It is even more powerful than motivation,as motivation gives you your basic reasons to keepgoing--it tells you why you want to do what you do, because motivation is based on goals. These, in turn, may be based on necessity want or desire. But inspiration fills those reasons with hope, possibil-ity and enjoyment and keeps the "grind" from becomingtoo grindy. But just what does inspiration consist of? Iposit two elements: vision and mission. Proverbs29:18 says 'Where there is no vision, the peopleperish." A vision is the first step toward turningyour motivation into inspiration. A person with a vision sees down the road. He can sense what itwill be like six weeks, six months, a year, twoyears, five years and more ahead. But how do you get a vision?, you ask. Firstof all, you need to narrow your perspective. You can't attempt to "ride off in all directions at once,"so to speak. Try to decide what it is you arelooking for, so you'll know it when you see it.In other words, try to have in mind some generalgoals as to where you want to be six months a year,etc. from now. These goals will not only form thebasis of your motivation but should also serve to limit to an extent the scope of your activity.Next, try to locate and choose an opportunity(buisness, career or job) which you feel is right for you.This may be easier said then done, as there are many choiceswhich sound good. You may come upon an outstanding oneright away, purely by chance. If so, latch onto it. Butyou will probably have to pick several at first andstudy the things which each one offers and try to evaluate the potential of each one as you see it.Settle on the one which you feel has the mostpotential with the least amount of hassle (preferablyone that is totally Internet driven as opposed to one where you have to spend time calling potential prospects by phone). Once you have chosen your company, stand behindit in every way and don't quit or change your mind.B.C. Forbes said "Without loyalty, nothing can beaccomplished in any sphere..." Think of yourself as being in it for the long haul, no matter what. And try to envision, based on what you know, how things will be down the road. Keep that picture before yourmind, and never doubt. Napoleon Hill said "What themind can conceive and believe it can achieve,"and the Bible says, in Hebrews 11:1 "Faith isthe substance of things hoped for, the evidenceof things not seen." Once the vision is firmly implanted in your mind,let it become your driving force. Let the vision exciteyou with the possibility of its fulfillment and you willautomatically begin the next step--you are on a mission. Your mission is to bring about the realization of thevision. If you keep the vision in mind, you will moveforward in the mission, accomplishing enthusiasticallystep by step that which is necessary to bring the visioninto reality. You will have developed a sense of excite-ment, importance and urgency which will keep the fires ofinspiration burning in your heart and moving you ever onwardand upward.
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