Lead with Vitality! | Garr Barr Group

December 30, 2014 By Susan Barr Leave a Comment

The Bottom Line on Leadership with Holiday Spirit

â€œWhy canâ€™t every day be like Christmas?â€ Elvis Presley recorded the classic in 1966 and every year I hear at least one person ask the question. I celebrate Christmas but regardless of your holiday faith tradition, all share common themes which if woven into the fabric of your business profit your soul as well as your bottom line.

Sharing Peace and Goodwill

How can we show we care all year long? During the holidays, there is a prevailing positive mindset, we see more smiles and everyone reaches out to their friends, family and the community spreading joy and encouragement all around us. We are all a better version of ourselves, giving and sharing our blessings with others.

You donâ€™t have to spend a lot of money to keep the feelings of goodwill alive in your business. There are free or inexpensive ways to spread goodwill to employees, customers, and fellow entrepreneurs. A positive word of appreciation or an encouraging offer of support can be priceless for an employee. Writing a positive review on social sites, introducing colleagues to potential clients, sharing an article that can help their business – there are countless ways to help other businesses which donâ€™t cost a dime.
As weâ€™ve written before, the act of giving is good for your personal health as well as the health of your business.

Voicing Faith

As we celebrate our spiritual traditions, we are all more likely to proudly and publicly share our beliefs in a positive way. Our beliefs may be challenged as public debates rage during this time of year regarding the â€œappropriate and legalâ€ place for religious expression in schools, businesses and other public venues. We engage in dialogue about our faith, re-evaluate why we believe what we believe and re-commit to the principles that steer our lives. In our businesses we are steered by Core Values, the beliefs and principles that do not change regardless of circumstances, the environment, and the products we sell â€“ they ground us with strength and inspire our brand promise and our culture.

How do we keep that spirit alive all year long? I guarantee if you run a small business, your beliefs are built in to your mission, vision and core values. As you go through the coming year, find ways to keep the dialogue about your core values alive and vibrant. Those core values come to life in every customer interaction, every employee interaction, every team conflict, every project and goal. Businesses who actively demonstrate core values and deliver customer experience consistent with those values earn customer goodwill and loyalty in return â€“ a definite competitive advantage. Know your core values, document them, and keep them alive to foster a better experience for customers and employees.

Expressing Hope

Most faith and spiritual traditions have been built upon stories and history with an underlying theme of the rewards of hope. We re-tell stories of how obstacles are overcome by hope, inspiring us with positive anticipation for the good to come. Optimism is on full display and our enthusiasm for the days ahead is infectious. As we review the past year, regardless of past level of achievement, we look to the New Year with hope for better days for our businesses and our personal lives.

Feelings and expressions of hope are good for business all year long. Shane Lopez PhD, a Senior Gallup Scientist who wrote Making Hope Happen has researched and measured the value of hope to businesses and other organizations. He defines hopeful thinking as â€œthat the future will be better and that you have a role in making it so.â€ Further Lopez says, â€œHope is worth a day a week at workâ€ and notes how that translates, for example, to a salesperson with hope achieving 6 days of sales results in 5 days â€“ let that thought settle in for a minute and then imagine those possibilities for your business.

Lopez states how hope causes us to invest psychologically in goals therefore we are more likely to achieve them. Leaders who inspire their employees with hope have employees more invested in business goals. As an entrepreneur and business leader, you can learn tactics and strategies to inspire others with hope. If you havenâ€™t been leading from a place of hope in the past, make a commitment to yourself and your business to develop the skills of hope. I suggest starting with Making Hope Happen.

Small Steps to a Better than Ever Businessâ€¦

Take a look at your plans for the coming year. What adjustments can you make to infuse your business with the vitality of hope, faith, and the spirit of goodwill? Take one small action today and make it happen.

December 16, 2014 By Susan Barr Leave a Comment

Planning for the New Year?

The New Year is almost upon us. Many small businesses are wrapping up their year as they wrap Christmas and Hanukah gifts. Some entrepreneurs are feeling a sense of achievement along with the goodwill and peace this time of year evokes. Others are feeling a combination of relief and hope as they close out a tough year while anticipating how to make next year better than this one. We are setting goals and resolutions for the New Year, our fresh new calendars are out and weâ€™re marking deadlines for new goals.

While you have that calendar out, try adding a few of the following items to grow your business while strengthening your personal health and vitality.

1. Vacation: Not only is it important to schedule breaks away from your business but studies have shown that just the act of planning a vacation brings happiness from the anticipation. As an entrepreneur the year will fly by regardless and if you donâ€™t mark your calendar in advance, â€œsomething will come upâ€ preventing you from following through. Canâ€™t afford long exotic vacations? Book a few long weekends to your schedule.

2. Reflection : Itâ€™s not enough to simply measure your year by dates and projects achieved. Quiet time to reflect on your personal and business growth, acknowledge your achievements, and refresh your soul provide perspective and an energetic strength you need for the next leg of your business journey. I personally need a few days of quiet reflection every few months but suggest you start with a day or two every quarter or six months. Once you get started, youâ€™ll be addicted to how good you feel during and after.

3. Personal Care: My guess is the perennial favorites of exercise and healthy eating are already on your list of goals for the coming year â€“ they are on my list! How about scheduling some other activities to take care of your body and soul? Schedule spa appointments for the next few months. If you find a massage relaxing, make the call and schedule a standing appointment for the year.

4. Relationships: As you look back on this year, are there some people you wish youâ€™d made more time for in your life? Whether personal or professional relationships, we often put those to the back burner while building a business. Choose one day a week to lunch with colleagues. Pick one weekend a month to dinner with old friend…itâ€™s a start and may lead to new traditions.

5. Giving back Time. Every year you talk about volunteering and then donâ€™t have time when the opportunities present themselves. Start with one day. Pick a cause. Pick up the phone and offer your help.

6. Fun: When was the last time you indulged your hobby? Hobbies have been proven to relieve stress and entrepreneurs certainly need that! You love to fish but havenâ€™t been in a few seasons? Or you love the theatre and concerts? Check out the schedule for your local area and mark your calendar in advance. Or perhaps itâ€™s time to pursue a new hobby? Schedule a class or pick up a book on the topic. Gardening is a great stress reliving activity for me and I enjoy planning for the coming year as much as I enjoy harvesting the cutting garden and eating fresh vegetables.

7. Big Picture Time: Itâ€™s easy to get caught up in the day to day details and looming deadlines, losing sight of our long-term vision. Schedule time to review your long-term business vision and your life vision. Spending time with your vision leads to clarity of purpose. Clarity feeds confidence and passion, two critical components of success.

8. Personal Development: Think about the skills you want to develop in the coming year. Look to the list above along with your goals for the coming year to identify some ideas. With all the training options available these days whether online or in a traditional classroom, there is an option for every schedule and no excuse for not investing in your own personal learning.

9. Team Building Activities: Some of the above activities can be combined with team-building activities as a way to strengthen bonds and improve overall team performance. Invest in a facilitator to enable you to be an active participant with the team and to encourage open dialogue for best results. Schedule a team party or team picnic. Plan a community volunteer day.
Some may resist the items on this list, perceiving the list as unproductive or â€œsoft skillsâ€ â€“ expect resistance from those who are focused on goals alone. But these softer skills and activities essential to running a business all contribute to your health, a clear mind, reduced stress and the positive mindset needed to run a business.

Small steps to a Better than Ever Businessâ€¦

Grab your calendar and start with 2-3 items from the above list. Just the simple act of scheduling an activity increases the odds of your success. Does it make you feel enthusiastic about the coming year? If these items are a challenge for you or you feel resistance, invest in a coach or join a mastermind team to keep you accountable in the coming year. This time next year, youâ€™ll look back with gratitude because you built habits of vitality and passion into your calendar. Cheers!

November 23, 2014 By Susan Barr 1 Comment

Leave a Legacy…Now!

Does the word legacy conjure visions of billionaires with large foundations or bring to mind the eulogies of famous people? Often when we think of legacy, we think of money or property passed down upon someoneâ€™s death. Your business may not be large enough to have a formal philanthropy program. Yet, each of us has the capacity to give in small ways which leaves a legacy in the hearts and minds of our communities, our families, and the world at large. Donâ€™t wait until you die to build a legacy. In fact, creating a legacy now is not only beneficial for your community, it benefits your well-being and your business.

For a small business, volunteering in your community is an opportunity to bring your core values to life! Certainly, there is no shortage of local causes which would appreciate your check. Most schools and town halls have a list of ways you can sponsor non-profits. Trade and newspapers often list large events and organizations in need of sponsors.
But, your contribution doesnâ€™t have to be financial. There are many ways to begin legacy that wonâ€™t cost you anything but time and effort. Perhaps youâ€™re not ready to adopt a specific cause for your business but you want to help the community. How about allowing your employees to choose their own cause and providing paid volunteer days? Organizations such as volunteermatch.org and createthegood.org provide online communities, training and resources designed to match individual and business volunteers with the organizations needing help.

Itâ€™s good for your heart!
The great social philosopher Bob Hope once said, â€œIf you havenâ€™t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.â€ Starting a legacy of giving alone may not heal real heart disease but the physical and psychological benefits of giving have been increasingly documented. According to the Cleveland Clinic, studies have documented a link between giving and the following health benefits: lower blood pressure, increased self-esteem, less depression, lower stress levels, longer life, and greater happiness.

Ultimately, building a living legacy is good for business! The benefits are generated both internally and externally. Internally, employees working together on community projects feel an increased sense of loyalty and dedication to their employers. Allowing your staff time for volunteering provides valuable team-building opportunities. Working on volunteer projects gives employees an opportunity to build relationships within and across organizational lines translating to improved teamwork and performance on internal projects.
Connecting with your customers in the community is an opportunity not only for positive public relations but for strengthening brand loyalty among existing customers. Customers increasingly prefer to do business with companies who give back to worthy causes. Connecting to your community via service projects can also generate new prospective customers.
It is worth repeating the fact that giving is good for your personal well-being. A healthy team of people has more positive energy to invest in creative problem-solving and innovation which ultimately translates to the bottom line!

Small Steps to a Better than Ever Businessâ€¦
Take a look at your core business values. What immediately strikes you when you review your mission as a way to bring your values to life? Or browse one of the volunteer matching websites for ideas. Start a list of ideas and ask your stakeholders to help you generate some ideas. If your heart is already speaking to you, make the contact and begin the process of volunteering.

November 23, 2014 By Susan Barr Leave a Comment

Soul Investment

Entrepreneurs make investment decisions almost daily. You decide whether to spend limited money and time for projects, capital equipment, additional staff, inventory, brand marketing, professional services, employee development and training, and computer systems, etc. But the best investment you can make for the health of your business is in your own personal vitality. Long hours and stressful situations are standard fare but that doesnâ€™t mean you canâ€™t be energized and inspired. YOU are the soul of your business and it takes energy to build a strong business. Investing in your self-care pays dividends in greater reserves of energy required to build your business.

Invest in yourself. You are the soul of your business so itâ€™s essential to â€œpay yourself first.â€ If you are lacking physical, emotional, or mental well-being, it will reflect on your bottom line. Taking care of yourself by following a wellness program combining eating right and exercise will improve every area of your life and generate energy needed to build a business. Commit to ongoing learning. Online classes and webinars are available on any topic and price point so thereâ€™s no excuse for not investing in your professional development.

Invest in relationships. Entrepreneurs profit from developing relationships with other business owners, coaches, and communities. You may be independent by nature but the ability to call on an advisor, coach, and colleague or mastermind team member in the midst of an issue is a priceless investment.

Invest in your legacy now. Donâ€™t just make giving a line item in your will or your balance sheet â€“ get out there and find a way to get active. Volunteer as a mentor or support local community fundraisers â€“ there are countless ways to get involved. Giving is good for the soul and the positive feelings it generates in you reflect back to your employees, your customers, and your community.

Small Steps to Better Than Ever Business…
Investing in your personal well-being, nurturing power partnerships, and creating a legacy now will generate inspiration and vitality that powers your life and business with immediate momentum.

Choose one area you think will give your psyche the biggest lift. Start an exercise program. Sign up for an online class. Call a local college and volunteer to mentor students. Start a mastermind team. Volunteer for your community 5K. Can you find a way to combine all of the above? Repeat tomorrow and everyday thereafter and soon youâ€™ll feel the dividends in your personal life and your bottom line.

November 23, 2014 By Susan Barr Leave a Comment

Change your Mindset

If your business is keeping you up at night instead of energizing you to jump out of bed in the morning, you may need a mindset adjustment. Here are a few suggestions:

Change Focus: At times when all you can think about are your issues and fears, spend a day in quiet retreat. Turn off the phones and the screens and reflect on the following:
Reacquaint with your Strategic Framework: The elements of a strategic framework are your business mission, vision, core values, and strategic thrusts. These are the â€œbig pictureâ€ foundation of your business and there are times when we all need to reacquaint ourselves with the reasons we started our business, the reason our business exists, the vision we have for how our business serves our personal lives and the lives of our customers. For me, itâ€™s like a shot of adrenaline when I gift myself time to reflect on my purpose and values, make resolutions and plans that re-align my thinking and activities with this framework.

Reflect on your achievements over the past year and over the past 3-5 years. You will gain strength and inspiration from the realization of goals accomplished, lives impacted in a positive way through you and your business. Often reflection reminds us of big issues weâ€™ve overcome in the past, the fears that never materialized (sleepless nights wasted) and the creativity weâ€™ve applied in the past to turn issues into opportunities.

Are you just overwhelmed and stressed from doing too much by yourself? Often we arenâ€™tâ€™ thinking with a positive mindset if weâ€™re stressed out. What activities can you delegate or outsource so you have the time and energy to focus on the big picture?

Eliminate negative influences from your life. If watching news creates stress and worry, turn it off. Try to minimize time spent with people who spread anxiety if you donâ€™t feel strong enough to diffuse their negativity with a positive thought. Negative social media getting to you? Eliminate it from your online timelines and newsfeeds.

Change Perspective: Looking at a problem from a different angle raises different options which can alter your approach to the issue.

Ask yourself if this â€œissueâ€ can be viewed as an opportunity. Isnâ€™t that where we entrepreneurs shine, seeing the â€œissuesâ€ of this world and providing solutions? Sit down and brainstorm a list of the positive opportunities that can be derived from this problem.

Ask advice from your support community. If you donâ€™t have a support community, use this as an opportunity to develop one. Every entrepreneur can benefit from power partners in whatever form works best for you â€“ a coach, a mentor, an online forum, a mastermind team, an advisory board, etc.

Look at the issue in a detached way. If a colleague shared this problem with you over coffee, what would you advise? I find we often intuitively know the answer but donâ€™t act on our own advice.

Take a holistic view of your business by using a SWOT analysis. Quickly brainstorm your current situation by developing a full list of strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats facing your business at this time. Concerned about a potential new competitor? A quick SWOT may remind you of your strengths compared to them or the opportunities you have due to exclusive supplier relationshipsâ€¦the possibilities are endless.

Change Scenery: Put distance between yourself and your business on a regular basis.
Regular vacations are essential for your own health and the health of your business but itâ€™s obviously not an option every time youâ€™re faced with an issue. Consider other personal habits and practices of self-care to reduce stress.

Take a walk. Run. Ride a bike. Hike. Get up and get away from your office. Studies show the benefits of physical exercise for the entrepreneur.

Distract yourself. Go to a movie. Have dinner with friends. Play with your dog. Go fishing. Indulge your hobbies. Take a weekend out of town and donâ€™t talk about work! Itâ€™s amazing what a break can do for your mental state, providing you with the clarity that constant focus cannot reveal.

Take up a silent practice â€“ meditation, EFT (tapping), prayer, yoga â€“ any active practice that frees your mind from thoughts of worry and replaces them with stillness or positive affirmations. Activity that is good for the health and soul of the entrepreneur is good for the soul of your business. Your personal peace brings peace to all around you.

Entrepreneurship is a journey of courage and resilience. No entrepreneur is promised a path of perfection â€“ problems come with the territory. Applying a few tactics to changing your mindset will strengthen you for inevitable challenges and give you greater satisfaction when you reach the ultimate success.

Small Steps to a Better than Ever Businessâ€¦
Choose one area above which resonates for you â€“ how about the one you read and immediately thought â€œI know I can better at this…?â€ If youâ€™ve been neglecting self-care, take a walk or begin a meditation practice. If youâ€™ve lost focus on the long-term vision for your business, spend a few minutes today renewing your soul and enthusiasm by reviewing your vision and core values. Reflect on how far youâ€™ve come from when those words were first written. Repeat again tomorrow and the next day.