The Bryce Harper Effect, When Greatness Comes Out of Left Field

When many of us think about the summer, images of going to the beach or grilling out fill our minds. For some of you summer really only means one thing, and that’s baseball. If you’ve been paying any attention, you’ll probably know who Bryce Harper is.

But, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the name, Bryce Harper is an outfielder for the Washington Nationals. In the 2014 season he played left field, hence the pun.

Aside from being an outstanding player, Harper has an interesting take on life and business. It can be described by two words:

Keep Pushing.

What makes Bryce Harper so great is not just the fact that he is insanely talented, (at 16 he decorated Sports Illustrated’s cover with the title “Baseball’s Chosen One” and was drafted into the MLB by the Washington Nationals at 19), but the fact that he pushes himself to the limit in everything he does, and then some. He’s not one to rest on his laurels either. Even with his insane talent he is always looking for things that he can improve.

This got me thinking, what does a Bryce Harper attitude look like for business? How do we keep pushing?

We have to stay hungry, and remember what it was we set out to do. Accept nothing but the best from yourself, and your business will flourish. But get comfortable and lazy and you’ll get left behind.

What any organizational leader or manager MUST know how to do is build a sense of urgency in their organization.

Even if you’re doing everything in your power to make more sales and create a positive customer experience, it is your team who is on the front lines, keeping the engines running.  Creating a sense of urgency and embedding it into your company culture is the ONLY way you can ensure that your team is performing at their highest levels each and every day. A sense of urgency is the only way to make sure your company stays above the curve.

No matter what industry, or what stage of the game you’re in, I can help you define and identify the changes you need to build a culture of urgency in your business and create real results today.  I can coach you to implement the strategies you need to create unparalleled success and ensure your business makes a Grand Slam in the coming Quarter.

If you’re ready to transform yourself and your business in order to gain the type of award-winning success Bryce Harper created to garner national attention, contact me today. You can reach me at coachluis@luisvicentegarcia.com.

And believe you can always do it if you set your mind to it!

To Your Success,


Luis Vicente Garcia

Earth Day 2015: Managing our Environment.

Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22^nd since 1970, when then US Senator, Gaylord Nelson, saw the oil spill off the coast of California and decided to do something about it. Raising awareness was his goal and already by 1990 had reached a massive turnout, mobilizing more than 200 million people in over 140 countries.

This year we are commemorating the 45^th anniversary of that first day when people decided to celebrate "Earth Day". A movement - perhaps as many - which failed at the beginning to see the extent it would have. For many, this is the starting date of the modern environmental movement.

Yes we do have events in many countries, states or cities; we have understood and probably changed our own judgments about what is good or bad for our environment. But this has to be something more. We all need to realize the importance of our natural resources and our precious Earth, understanding the use we give them, and more importantly the commitment we have to make not only for us but for future generations. It should be the ideal of a better, greener, less polluted and more livable world.

Since the 90’s, with creativity and getting various groups and institutions involved, different activities and movements worldwide have resulted. Among the many achievements we can cite the following:

- Home Recycling;
- The Conservationism movement;
- Major Environmental Commitment;
- Sustainable Agriculture auto;
- Promotion of local production rather than the big international chains;
- Changes on many topics related to Nutrition
- The development of organic replacing the synthetic;
- Understanding the consequences of global warming;
- Development of Energy "Clean";
- Efforts for reducing Carbon Dioxide.

There are many initiatives, programs, movements and ideas that have come out so far; but more effort is required. A joint effort of all and for all required; greater commitment on the part of companies and governments is required; more action is required. And this goes beyond planting trees or visiting a festival during Earth week. That of course has to be done; but our commitment must be in education, teaching, generating new ideas to improve the use of these precious resources and, of course, our active participation is required.

As for the past five years, around this date I do not write about attitude, motivation, entrepreneurship or leadership; I dedicate an article to the welfare of our environment. But if we think in a serious way, this is rather a matter of "ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDE". It means to be accountable for what needs to be done; creating different initiatives; and realizing the changes that we can generate for a better environment. I think we're just - still - starting out, and really need to do more. In other words we should be talking about ‘managing our Environment’.

Let's make Earth Day every day. 

This is the only way that will lead us to act in a different and more sustainable way.

In other words, let’s start 'Motivating' the idea of ​​caring for and improving our environment.

Luis Vicente Garcia.

StarShine Academy: on a world wide Education initiative and the X-Prize

Dear Friends

Last year I had the honor to be invited to speak to the students at Star Shine Academy in Phoenix, AZ. What a group of very valuable kids. Although most live in difficult, negative and poor environments, Star Shine Academy devotes itself to providing them with the best K-12 education.

This year Star Shine has embarked yet in another more challenging project, reaching out to 250 million kids worldwide. They are doing a magnificent effort and if they succeed, they will receive the X-Prize for Global Learning to pursue this amazing goal; but they need our help. They need to raise enough funds to help this project get started.

If you want to find out more about the project and what this amazing prize means, I invite you to please read the link below:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/starshine-glee-xprize-team-for-global-learning

I am sure you will love the project and if possible contribute to its success. Go ahead, share the news and become involved in this worldwide education improvement.

Thanks in adance/Muchas gracias anticipadas,

Luis Vicente

 

Augustin Hadelich: An inspiring Performance!

I was not ready to see tonight’s concert and was not prepared for the wonderful musical experience I had. And now I must say I was very fortunate to see Augustin Hadelich’s amazing performance of Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 (the first performance of the concert in 1939 has come to be regarded as one of the great 20th-century violin concertos, according to the LA Philharmonic).

When you attend a Classical Concert or an Opera you prepare yourself in advance. You see the program and learn about the concert; you read the biographies of the composer, the conductor and the concertist; and you buy the tickets in advance. Well, until today, as I decided to attend tonight’s concert by the Houston Symphony Orchestra only 40 minutes before it started.

As I have been travelling these past few months between Caracas and Houston, I have been able to see several performances by the Houston Symphony (@housymphony). Tonight I just simply read that the Orchestra would be playing Mozart and headed downtown Houston; and I was treated to an evening of sound, magic and excitement.

Tonight’s concert conducted by Gilbert Varga, was an incredible performance by the Houston Symphony which started with Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Nights’ Dream and ended with Mozart’s Symphony No. 39. Beautiful, elegant, enchanting and melodic concertos that make you start dreaming as you listen to their first notes.

And then, violinist Augustin Hadelich played Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2. I have to say I had read about his concert at Carnegie Hall in New York in December last year, but as I started to enjoy this very powerful and fast paced concert, I realized I was seeing a very talented musician who commanded the scenario with strong energy and a compelling dynamism.

Very demanding of his 1723 Stradivarius Violin (that at times appeared to be talking to us), he transmitted a level of excellence that seemed beyond us at certain moments and that we very seldom seen today. And Bartok’s very challenging concert was played with ‘beauty’, which was how the Washington Post described Hadelich’s essence of playing. On my way back I read what the Houston Chronicle wrote about his previous performance at Jones Hall which indicated that Hadelich “exerted the kind of excitement that threatens to lift the listener right out of his seat.” And of course, we all got lifted again this time.

As a Business Performance Coach I started asking questions in my head. How do we get this kind of performance from our team members? How do you get that kind of performance in your companies? How do we leave audiences in ‘awe’? How do we get a standing ovation? We don’t if we do not prepare and work to achieve our goals, our purpose and our vision.

This is why we need to constantly generate new ideas, learn new skills, practice for perfection, and continuously train our co-workers and team members, including ourselves. Not an easy task, but if we want to give a level of performance that exceeds our customer’s expectations, we need to prepare, practice, train and develop the abilities and qualities of the individuals that surround us, that work with us and from whom we require the kind of excellent performance level I saw this evening.

Tonight’s concert by the Houston Symphony was incredible; and Augustin Hadelich’s and exquisite and distinguished performance was – simply – inspirational, after which the audience gave a long and deserving standing ovation, with sounds of ‘Bravo’ and ‘Bravssimo’ being heard, while the Orchestra musicians were applauding along (he came back to the delight the audience with a beautiful encore piece by Paganini; greeted of course with his second standing ovation of the evening). One of those concerts and amazing performances you will be able to cherish and remember forever.

Luis Vicente Garcia is a Business Performance Coach and Consultant, an international speaker and best-selling author. You can follow Luis Vicente at @lvgarciag and www.luisvicentegarcia.com You may also contact him at coachluis@luisvicentegarcia.com

 

 

Ready to close Q1?

Can you believe we’re nearing the end of the first Quarter of 2015 already?  In today’s “feast or famine” economy, 95% of business owners and managers are behind in their quotas. You heard me right. 95%! And you name the quota: sales, marketing plans, budget, innovation, etc.

Social media has taken over the world of marketing. But the costs of online ad campaigns are soaring through the roof! Then there’s the predicted downturn in the economy that is causing consumers to hold tight to their wallets. Add to that the new burden of minimum wage increases, and business owners have a real problem on their hands.

But I have good news for you. There are proven systems and processes you can put into place today to draw more clients and consumers to your door, ensuring a steady steam of revenue even in today’s unstable market.

As a Business Performance Coach, an internationally motivational speaker and a Best-Selling author, I have helped business owners, Sales and HR representatives just like you in many industries and in different countries, increase their business and revenue in just under six-months, using simple but proven techniques.

Do not let the issues you are facing in Q1 define the rest of 2015 for you and your company. You can do incredily well.

If you’re ready to see what Sales and motivational Training can do for you, our TEAM and your company, allow me to put my skills and expertise into work for your business today. Click here to learn more about the programs and systems I have created especially for you.

To Your Success,

Luis Vicente Garcia
Business Performance Coach

The Bill Belichick HR System, by Luis Vicente Garcia

People are still buzzing over the Super Bowl. 

From the commercials to Katy Perry to the last play call that cost the Seahawks the game, what a night it was. 

And while everyone is talking about the play that Pete Carroll, coach of the Seahawks called, I want to talk about the call that Bill Belichick, coach of the Patriots made. 

- Bill is an architect. 

- He is smart. 

- Cunning. 

- Precise. 

And it shows with 4 Super Bowl wins in the last 13 years. 

That last play was just the final piece in the ultimate chess match. 

And Coach Belichick saw it a mile away. 

- He knew his opponent. 

- He knew the situation. 

- He could see into the future. 

This is really how you need to manage HR in your organization. 

You need to be able to forecast for the future. 

You need to know your personnel better than anyone.

You need to understand the challenges coming, the opportunities that present themselves and be ready to make the play call that will help your company succeed. 

Today I want to pose a question to you. 

What are you doing day-in and day-out to make sure you are ready to make that play call?

How can you to truly be effective in forecasting for the future? You need to be in place to make the game winning play. Not an easy task, I know, but you can all do it.

 

Just simply, start working on your plan

and be playing at a championship level this season!

To your success, 

Luis Vicente Garcia

www.luisvicentegarcia.com

coachluis@luisvicentegarcia.com

 

 

Business Insider Newsletter - February 2015

Dear friends,

As February is just starting I wanted to share with you my latest "Business Insider Newsletter, a FocalPoint Coaching Newsletter which is filled with important insights and interesting information for managers, executives, business owners and entrepreneurs.

In this month's edition we cover:

- digital advertising
- customer service
- sales training
- other interesting topics

Here is the link to the Newsletter 

http://goo.gl/xqKqyM

If you would like to get information on how I can help you and your company grow, please contact us at coachluis@luisvicentegarcia.com

Have a great and productive month

Luis Vicente Garcia