Cynthia Kersey
Kelli Richards
November 29, 2014
Michael Van Himbergen
Kelli Richards
November 29, 2014
The Secret Weapon of Billionaire CEOs and Wildly Successful People
Kelli Richards
November 24, 2014
“My article was originally published on LinkedIn”
Picture this: You’ve launched your business, you’re turning a profit, and day-to-day operations are humming along. The company is solid, but you’ve hit a plateau. You know it’s time to take things to the next level, but you’re not sure how best to do it. You haven’t been here before.
If you’ve hit a wall, it might be time to hire a business coach. Sometimes no matter how passionate you are about your business, it takes an outsider’s perspective to see where the company is lacking and identify areas for growth. And that additional insight and shift in perspective can take moments but make a huge difference in your results and the outcome.
Business coaches can give you and your company a fresh perspective and the advantage of experience, but only if you know how to take advantage of what your coach can provide.
What Coaches Bring to the Table
If you’re unsure about working with a coach, consider that many top CEOs, politicians, and other public figures rely on coaches and mentors for feedback and guidance.
Google’s Eric Schmidt says his best advice to new CEOs is to get a coach, and former Intuit CEO Steve Bennett believes coaches are vital to ongoing professional development. Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, and even Barack Obama have all reported using coaches on a regular basis to advance in their careers.
I myself worked with several mentors at Apple, including the late Steve Jobs. Each taught me important lessons about team-building, collaboration, workplace politics, managing time and priorities, and how to remain confident in the face of challenges.
In addition to all the great professional development advice a coach can provide, she can also give you:
- Objective feedback. Being objective about your own company is nearly impossible. You’re so immersed in the day-to-day operations and accustomed to the way things are, you’re probably missing out on ways the business could be better. A coach can offer a fresh take on your strengths and weaknesses as a CEO and on the business as a whole.
- A broader network. A good coach can cost as much as a good lawyer, but she’ll instantly prove her worth by connecting you to other powerful people who can help grow your business and advise you on how to leverage and extend your existing network.
- Fresh ideas. Good business coaches are people who have a wealth of experience in your industry, which means they will likely have encountered the challenges you currently face — and they understand what’s most critical for you. When you aren’t sure where to take your business next, a coach will often see opportunities you missed.
How to Make the Most of the Relationship
A coach can do wonderful things for you and your business, but only if you put a lot of effort into the relationship yourself.
Here’s how to empower your coach to help you take your business to the next level:
- Take responsibility. Your coach will offer guidance, but it’s up to you to implement her recommendations. Act on her suggestions, and keep her updated on how those strategies are working. Regular communication tells your coach you’re serious about the work you’re doing together. It’s an exchange and collaboration; you must do your part.
- Emphasize honesty. No matter how much you might need a pick-me-up, coaches aren’t cheerleaders. You should insist on honest, constructive assessments from your coach at all times. While everyone else might be afraid to tell you the truth about your ideas, your coach may be (and often is) the one person you should be able to count on for honest feedback at all times.
- Pick her brain. Your coach can offer a wealth of industry experience, so take advantage of that. Ask her what professional organizations are worth joining, what lessons she’s learned in her own career, and how she achieved her greatest successes. This information helps you understand how you might shape your own career trajectory.
A business coach can be a valuable asset to any executive and leader. A coach can act as a sounding board for new ideas, offer a fresh and honest perspective, and motivate you to take your business to the next level. But ultimately, the success of your business depends on you taking the initiative to work with your coach, being all-in, and making the most of the relationship.
This post was originally published on Inc.com.
A highly sought-after consultant, super-connector, trusted advisor, celebrity wrangler, and thought leader, Kelli Richards is the CEO of The All Access Group. She facilitates strategic business opportunities in digital distribution among innovative technology companies, talent and media companies, and brands to foster new revenue streams and deliver compelling consumer experiences. As a trusted advisor, she transforms the quality of people’s lives. Kelli is also the author of the bestselling e-book “The Magic and Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View.”
Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The 4 Most Important Reasons You Need to Become a Mentor
Kelli Richards
November 20, 2014
November 20, 2014,
Inc.
When you decide to mentor someone, you really have no way of knowing how far she’ll go. Whether you shape the next great entrepreneur of our time or help someone achieve her dreams, you’ll make a difference — and that’s all that matters.
5 Conversation Tools For Nurturing Your Relationship With A Mentor
Kelli Richards
November 17, 2014
November 17, 2014,
LinkedIn Articles
We’ve all longed for a classic mentor-mentee relationship at some point in our careers.
The Ultimate Entrepreneur Pep Talk: 4 Important Affirmations for Any Innovator
Kelli Richards
November 17, 2014
“This article was originally posted on Inc. magazine”
Having a list of mantras that you can pull out of your toolkit in any situation will prepare you to turn challenges into successes.
You were prepared for the uncertainty that comes with entrepreneurship. You braced yourself for the long workdays–and for your first business failure. You were ready for just about everything–except the inner strength it takes to be your own biggest motivator.
Sure, it would be great to have your own personal coach wake you up every morning with breakfast in bed and a hearty “Go get ’em, tiger!” But that’s not likely to happen.
Nobody is waiting at the finish line to give you a medal for getting your business off the ground. Nobody is as invested in your idea as you are. You need to learn how to be your own coach, and it starts with giving yourself a killer pep talk (daily if necessary, then rinse and repeat).
If you’ve seen “Jessica’s Daily Affirmation,” you know how infectious personal motivation can be. Boosting your self-esteem won’t just add power to your day; it’s also likely to give your whole team a boost.
You don’t need to climb into your sink like Jessica to psych yourself up (though it obviously does help), but you do need a mantra. Here are four of my personal favorites:
1. “The journey is the reward.”
As an entrepreneur, the work you love doing is often overshadowed by revenue goals and other targets you put in place to gauge success. But as one of my most trusted mentors, Alan Cohen, says, “Do not be fooled by waiting for the ending. Sometimes the middle is more important.”
Rather than looking ahead and feeling dissatisfied because you aren’t where you thought you’d be (or “should” be) yet, stay present to take in the experiences around you and appreciate where you are now.
2. “Plan A is overrated.”
If Plan A doesn’t work, there are 25 other letters in the alphabet. Perfectionism can motivate you, but it can also be limiting–especially in the startup world, where markets, trends, and resources are always in flux. Often, the very best idea is the second, third, or eighteenth one that you try.
3. “No naysayers allowed.”
If you are passionate about your project and your intuition tells you that it could be successful, don’t pay too much attention to doubters. Instead, find the people who share your vision and will root for you and stand beside you when things get tough. These are the people who can help you by offering fresh ideas and perspectives–and a hearty dose of motivation. Good things happen when you work with people who believe in you and complement your strengths.
4. “Every failure is a step closer to success.”
In business, you can often learn a lot more from your failures than your successes. You learn how to adapt, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and gain new insights into your industry.
More importantly, you learn what you’re made of. You failed, yet the sun still came up in the morning. You’re still standing. And you’re probably a little wiser for the wear. When you dust yourself off and try the next idea, you’ll be better prepared and much more likely to succeed.
Having a list of mantras that you can pull out of your toolkit in any situation will prepare you to turn challenges into successes. If all else fails, a simple “You can do it!” can give you that boost you need to keep going. Remind yourself that you’ve done it before and will do it again.
Always remember that your goals are possible to achieve. Believe in yourself and your ideas. Your intuition got you this far, so trust it. Don’t ignore your own excitement. Keep the passion burning and your vision front and center at all times. It’s the perfect fuel for your dreams.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group.
PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter
The Ultimate Entrepreneur Pep Talk: 4 Important Affirmations for Any Innovator
Kelli Richards
November 11, 2014
November 11, 2014,
Inc.
Having a list of mantras that you can pull out of your toolkit in any situation will prepare you to turn challenges into successes.
Become an Effective Delegator
Kelli Richards
November 10, 2014
Delegation doesn’t come naturally to everyone–especially workaholic entrepreneurs. Recognize your #strengths. Tackle the things you love or do very well yourself, and then #DELEGATE the duties that slow down your productivity or otherwise aren’t a good use of your talents and time. Acknowledge and reward others for their strengths. Delegating is not only a way to decrease your workload it’s a way to channel your productivity and expertise! To read https://www.inc.com/kelli-richards/the-ultimate-guide-to-delegating-for-entrepreneurs-who-hate-delegating.html
How to Create Your Own Industry to Fit Your Strengths
Kelli Richards
November 7, 2014
November 7, 2014,
Inc.
Your new industry has to reflect you because whether you’re a “collaborator genie” or a “green-energy explorer,” you’ve got all the makings of becoming your own unique brand of superhero.
The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Delegating
Kelli Richards
November 3, 2014
“This article was originally posted on LinkedIn”
Is your to-do list a mile long? Do you spend your day in meetings and bring your work home with you because there aren’t enough hours in the workday? Do you feel as though the weight of the entire company is resting on your shoulders?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might need a refresher course on delegating.
As an entrepreneur, delegating can be hard — sometimes even downright painful. You built your business from the ground up, and your unique vision is apparent in everything from the website copy to the employee handbook. Giving up responsibility means giving up control, but it can also mean helping your business meet its goals faster and helping you build a stronger team.
If You Aren’t Delegating, You Aren’t Running an Effective Business
No matter how involved you like to be in the day-to-day operations of your business, you can’t expect to handle everything by yourself. Here are a few reasons why learning to delegate effectively is an essential aspect of running an effective business:
- You’re not a pro at everything. As your company grows and you hire employees to do specific jobs, you’ll soon realize that there are people who are better qualified to handle things like PR, accounting, website maintenance, graphic design, and customer service than you are.
- Delegation builds a stronger team. Delegating key tasks allows other team members to contribute their strengths and talents. When every team member feels invested in the business and can contribute, it takes some of the pressure off you and makes your company stronger.
- Creativity thrives in a team environment. Harnessing the diverse experiences and insights of your team gives you a much greater advantage than you’d have by solving a problem all by yourself. Brainstorming as a team can help you come up with powerful ideas, insights, and solutions you’d never have thought of on your own that may save time and money.
- Delegation increases productivity. If you stick to what you’re good at and let others handle the rest, you’ll be surprised by how much more productive you and your company will be. Likewise, allowing others on your team to perform tasks that align with their strengths will motivate them to work harder and deliver more in less time.
- The delegator is perceived as being more powerful. Many leaders fear that giving up duties and responsibilities will make them seem weak, but running a workplace effectively is a sign of a great leader. No one is great at everything; a team is only as strong as its individual members’ ability to pull together to achieve a shared vision.
4 Steps to Becoming an Effective Delegator
Delegation doesn’t come naturally to everyone — especially workaholic entrepreneurs — but there are a few simple steps that can help you delegate like a pro:
1. Recognize your strengths. Tackle the things you love or do very well yourself, and delegate the duties that slow down your productivity or otherwise aren’t a good use of your talents and time.
2. Acknowledge and reward others for their strengths. If you want your team to be as strong as possible, you must allow others to assume duties that will spur greater professional development. Don’t just think of delegating as a way to decrease your workload; recognize that it allows you to acknowledge and celebrate other team members’ strengths
3. Build a trustworthy team. The one reason entrepreneurs resist delegating responsibilities to others is a lack of trust, but if you emphasize honesty and trustworthiness from the beginning — even during the hiring process — you can build a team that you’re confident in delegating to. If you further reward transparency and open communication, others will step up and align with these ideals.
4. Tap into your network. Creating partnerships and alliances outside the company is a great way to solve problems that are beyond your team’s scope of expertise. You might hire an external social media strategist or consult with another business leader to get fresh ideas.
Freeing up your time won’t just make you more productive; it will also help maximize the skills and strengths of everyone on your team — including you. When you focus on doing what you do best and delegate everything else, you become a more effective leader andhelp grow your team’s skill set. While handing over responsibilities can be difficult, it will make your organization much stronger and far more efficient and productive in the long run.
This article was originally published on Inc.com.
A highly sought-after consultant, super-connector, trusted advisor, celebrity wrangler, and thought leader, Kelli Richards is the CEO of The All Access Group. She facilitates strategic business opportunities in digital distribution among innovative technology companies, talent and media companies, and brands to foster new revenue streams and deliver compelling consumer experiences. As a trusted advisor, she transforms the quality of people’s lives. Kelli is also the author of the bestselling e-book “The Magic and Moxie of Apple: An Insider’s View.”
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group.
PS: Subscribe to my FREE All Access Group Newsletter https://bit.ly/AAGNewletter
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