Leadership Under Uncertainty

Being a leader is difficult in any circumstance.  However, becoming a successful leader in a constantly changing environment requires that you posses exceptional characteristics that flourish when times get tough. Change and uncertainty increase the challenges that a leader has to face, and it is not always easy. We live in a world that is constantly changing, where uncertainty is always certain.

We live in a world with an unclear and constantly changing set of rules, laws, and procedures, which affects the way people behave or run their businesses; potentially working under the effects of large economic swings, with lower growth, higher inflation or unemployment rates, a legal system that does not promote free trade or real competition, not to mention the difficult political situations that exists in several countries.

Today, leaders have to excel in uncertainty. These leaders have strong qualities and values, with an optimist’s approach to life. They have the characteristics of a strong performer, always working under pressure, having to demonstrate a sense of urgency.

In my best selling book ‘The Ultimate Success Guide’ I talk all about leadership in uncertainty.   In part, I talk about the 10 characteristics that I believe a great leader has to have in uncertain times.  These 10 characteristics are:

1. Commitment – The leader has a commitment to one’s people and co-workers in order to continuously demonstrate their presence with them in their own terrain, showing responsibility above all.

2. Understanding – A leader is capable and needs to listen, watch and understand all changing and uncertain circumstances, even when all of the information is not present. A leader is in touch with the people and understands their necessities by heart.

3. Connectivity - A leader is able to communicate effectively, creating alliances and relationships with all kinds of people. The leader is in touch with the people on a daily basis, in order to explain the ideas, tasks, responsibilities and challenges to others.

4. Vision - Leaders have a strong and profound vision.  They believe in their own objectives, but they are also willing to look at areas where other people see problems as opportunities. 

5. Values – A true leader believes that the best way to lead the people is by example.  They live by the true values and principles that guide them, maintaining their human and spiritual qualities.

6. Knowledge – A leader is constantly looking for knowledge.  They understand the needs of the society and following the path of continuous education and learning.

7. Creativity and Imagination – Leaders are always implementing creative actions, breaking the rules of traditional schemes. They anticipate the moment, armed with better ideas and solutions in their back pocket. 

8. Motivation – A leader continues to motivate themself as well as others. A leader inspires the ones that need guidance through speech and actions.

9. Competitive Attitude – A leader is armed with a positive attitude and with the motivation to achieve the impossible. They organize a better view of the future and unify their followers.

10. Take Action – Now knowing all these qualities that make a real leader, you need to take action; to decide, make opinions, to go ahead under real conditions, to be the best all the time, to bring out the best in all others, and to show the people what you are made of.  In some instances, you will need to deliver under the most difficult circumstances, and this is what will make you a complete and a true leader.

My father once summed it up excellently writing “leaders are always people who see beyond the moment, they are likely to excel in the midst of serious problems, creating a vision and motivating people to achieve it”.

Now "it is up to you to become that Great New Leader!"

 

Luis Vicente Garcia  

www.luisvicentegarcia.com

@lvarciag

 

Be Positive, Be Successful!

For the next few days I am giving away my chapter "Be Positive, Be Successful" from the Best-selling book DARE TO SUCCEED.

The book was co-authored with Jack Canfield and other leading experts from around the world. It reached five #1 Best-selling lists on Amazon.com

Just simply follow the link below, give us your first and last name and your email and we will send it directly into your inbox.

https://www.facebook.com/luisvicentegarciag/app_427089034046612

Ifyou would like to obtain more information on our products and on the trainig and development we do for companies and their TEAMS, please write to info@LuisVicenteGarcia.com

Now, start Being Positve to Be Successful.

Luis Vicente Garcia

The Foundation of your Business: Creating Customer Satisfaction

A very critical factor in today’s world is to understand how a successful business looks like. You might be selling pizza, tiles, be a dentist or having a much larger company. But regardless of the size, we all - and specially the business owners and the entrepreneurs who created the companies - need to be very clear as to which key and critical factors are necessary to make a business successful in today's economy.

When you build a building, you always start with the foundation. And what is the foundation? It is the basis on which you create your company. The purpose of a business is not to make a profit; the purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer. Brian Tracy, whom I have the privilege to work with at FocalPoint Coaching, mentioned that “of all the focus of everyone in the business, 80% has to be on customer creation, and the other 20% has to be on customer keeping.” And customer keeping is taking such good care of your customers after the sale that he or she will either be back for more business or better yet, refer your company to their associates.

When you understand that the purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer, you design the methods and ideas that will make your company grow. And then you get in front of another important question: what is the measure of a successful business? The answer is customer satisfaction. The customer uses the product or the service you sell, and is so happy that they decide to buy your product or service over and over again.

And how do we measure customer satisfaction? The answer is repeat business. The customer buys it and is so happy they buy it again and tell their friends, and then buy some more. Here's the final, ultimate- and this is breakthrough stuff- the ultimate of successful business is that customers recommend you enthusiastically to others and say, "You've got to buy this product or service like I did."

In our comany we believe that you can transform your customers into your best salespeople, your advocates. The key to all of this - the foundation- is creating a great product or service that makes people happy, that causes them to buy again and causes them to enthusiastically tell their friends, and that has to be the central focal purpose of everything you do in business.

If you would like to get more information on how we can help you improve your sales team and improve your customer satisfaction, you can contact us at info@luisvicentegarcia.com .

Keep on being successful!

Start Early on Entrepreneurship!

Entrepreneurship is about daring, taking chances, not knowing where you are going and yet, taking action. Entrepreneurship is about movement, using action verbs, about implementing strategies to fulfill your dreams. I say fulfill as you will reach them along the way and then you, the entrepreneur, will be looking for new ways to improve your company, your team, your performance; in the simplest way, to improve yourself.

As a business performance consultant I meet regularly with business owners and entrepreneurs alike. And yes, there is a big difference in their definition. While business owners most times manage their companies, entrepreneurs look for ways to innovate, create and constantly improve. You may agree or disagree with me on this definition, but put some thought into it. Most successful entrepreneurs I have interviewed have mainly one regret, not having started earlier. However, the good thing I tell them is that they have started already. And the only way you will succeed in life and in business is if you put your heart and soul into making your company, your enterprise, successful.

This is what entrepreneurs do every single day. They start with a dream and then go working out of their way to see it become a reality.

As the title of this short article suggests, you need to start early.  And then start again and again until you get it right and do it right. Taking the first step gets you going and moves you in a direction. It may not be the right one; you might have to change courses from time to time; so you have to set your mind on your goals. Developing your goals and creating the strategies to implement them is of crucial importance.

So start early. Your idea does not have to be perfect; nor does your plan (and of course you do need a plan). But until you start you will never know what you will need to change, to adapt, to modify. Simply put, start and start early so that you can become the entrepreneur you have in you.

Q4 Starts Today!

Dear Friends,

This has been a very fast paced year, or at least it seems so. Have you set aside a time to review your plan and focus on what matters most? Have you celebrated the many accomplishments you have had during the year? Are you still working on those goals you set out to achieve?

If the answers to all of these questions were ‘YES’, well, congratulations. If you had a ‘no’ among these answers, the good news is that you still have time:

·         Time to redefine and adjust your goals: Always do something that gets you closer to your goal. Remember that your strategy remains the same, but you need to be flexible on your goals (if your goal is too big, then create sub-goals);

·         Time to focus on your plan: what have you achieved so far in 2014? Are you working on your clients the way you should be nurturing and monitoring them? Remember that usually Q4 is the best quarter of the year;

·         Time to celebrate: regardless of the importance of your achievements, celebrate them. If you have had many achievements, celebrate even more. And if you have not done so, plan a big end-year celebration where you can recognize your achievements and those of your team members who helped in achieving them. Remember: Teams are comprised of people that work and perform better when working together.

New research has indicated that it is very important to share your stories, to work in your brand, to focus on your marketing, and to make your team more productive while working together. In working with companies develop their strategic plan we have realized that ‘to tap into the full potential of all of your employees, you need to share your Q4 Plan with more than just a few people at the top. Whether you schedule a company meeting and explain it or post the plan around your company, do whatever is most effective to make sure everyone clearly understands their role in making Q4 a success.’

Work on your company, on your team, on your goals and create your plan to a really great Q4. To learn how we can help you and your company achieve your goals while working on your strategies and improving your performance, please contact us at info@luisvicentegarcia.com or visit our web page www.coachluisgarcia.com  

“You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.” - Les Brown

To your Success,

Luis Vicente

Reviewing your Strategies for Achieving your GOALS.

It's August 1st.

How far are you in achieving your GOALS for the year?

The following is a very simple four step system that will help you in getting your work ready for the next fine months:

1. Review your key 7-month key performance and key results indicators;

2. Understand where you are at today according to your Plan and adjust accordingly;

3. Implement the new Strategies you think are necessary to achieve your Plans;

4. Implement all of these changes so that you and your TEAM are able to 'Reach your GOALS' by the end of the year.

And start TODAY!

Luis Vicente Garcia

Systems and processes in Franchising

As we continue to embark on a learning experience about franchising, I would like to ask you a question: How many franchising companies do you know? They may be a fast-casual restaurant, a pharmacy, a hotel chain, a rental car agency, a flower shop, a barber, an ice cream parlor or so many others you cannot even imagine. Almost 90 industries use the Business Franchising Model in order to grow their network. So now go out and start thinking on the places you visit, the shops and restaurants you go and see if you can figure out which of those are franchising establishments.

How can you achieve fast and steady growth and guarantee that it is all done in the same way? The answer is very simple: it is all a system, a series of processes and programs the franchisee has to follow, all very well documented in the different kinds of operational manuals all franchising systems (small or large) have. And the franchisee follows a strict training process that allows the new owner (he or she most times call themselves entrepreneurs) to perform at the level the franchisor (the owner of the franchise) requires.

Why? Very simply because you, the customer, will expect to buy the same hamburger, sandwich, pizza every where they go  in the world; you would expect to receive the same level of quality service from your rental car agency or your hotel also anywhere. And franchising developed a system in which you can be certain of getting those every time you go and visit one of these stores. This is why it is a system, a process, that when done well, it will allow you to grow and constantly improve your business.

And then you can start doing your own research. Which places do I go frequently to shop, dine, or use during my travels? It is actually amazing to realize that some of the largest service companies in the world operate through franchising. Hotels, car rentals, full service or fast food restaurants; you name it. They are mostly franchising units that are required to operate under a series of standards and quality measures so that you, the customer will (almost) always receive the same (or similar) product, with the same quality and with the same level of service.

Understand that it s all a system and processes, and when followed, they will produce the best results.

Please visit www.luisvicentegarcia.com in case you are interested in books and programs that would improve your results and performance, and if you wish to develop your skills in different managerial areas.