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I had the honor of opening the 2012 season for the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s meeting this week with my talk on Creating Your Own Future. It’s a goal-setting session with lots of interactivity. After asking participants to dream big, I had them break down their dream into a manageable next step. Then I asked for volunteers to share what they’d written.
Debbie Blumencranz of Kitchens By Deane raised her hand to share her deep desire to pass the NCIDQ exam which would change her status to ASID - American Society of Interior Designers. She’s currently an Allied member and wants that elite distinction on her business card.
I asked if anyone in the audience had achieved that hard-won designation. Two rows in front of Debbie a hand went up. Terry Scarborough turned her chair around, faced Debbie and offered to give her some tips on taking the exam.
At the same moment, the two of them burst out laughing. I asked what was so funny. “Terry sits next to me at the office. I never knew she had that designation.”
Terry said, “I had no idea Debbie was studying for the exam.”
It was a precious moment, and the rest of the crowd had their mouths hanging open (figuratively). In my experience leading goal-setting workshops, this happens all the time. We think that our hopes and dreams are totally unique and that not one other soul could possibly comprehend how precious this thing is to us. Then, when we put it out there, the Universe provides willing helpers to guide our way.
Here’s a challenge for you this January: Share a goal or longing with someone you know and trust and notice what happens. Please share the results with me.
I’m combining business with education this weekend. I was hired to give my Distinguished Speaker Series talk for ASID-New England at the Design Center in Boston on Thursday. We worked it out so that I would come when I needed to be in Boston for my Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching training. My final session starts today and ends Sunday at 5pM. It’s been a terrific course for me, developing my coaching skills for working with teams, couples, partnerships and large organizations.
A fun side benefit of this Boston trip was pulling into the parking garage at the Westin Boston Waterfront. I knew I didn’t qualify for handicapped parking, and I was too late for the special spaces I’ve seen recently at Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk for expectant moms and parents of infants all located closer to the entrance than the rest of the parking spots. But right here, in this large hotel garage, there were spaces near the exit and elevators marked with green stripes for hybrid automobiles. I pulled my Toyota Camry right in and felt virtuous and privileged at the same time.
All of my coaching groups are on hiatus for the summer. My speaking kicks back into high gear mid-September. Several individual clients are taking a break from coaching over the summer. So I scheduled a brainstorming session with myself to figure out how to best use the open spaces on my calendar.
I came up with a healthy list that may stimulate you as well.
- Go through files. As dull as this looks, I always find gems in my drawers–opportunities laying in wait.
- Review goals sheets from my Mastermind Groups for themes, successes and patterns.
- Re-visit marketing my Distinguished Speaker Series to other Chapters of ASID around the country.
- Go through entire database (3500+ names) and segment, delete and update.
- Send holiday cards. I choose to reach out to my friends, clients and associates in the summer when mine is the only card they’re receiving, not one of 100. Our daughter got married in April, so I will send a photo to everyone along with warm wishes.
- Create a video for my website.
- Design a teleclass offering for 2009.
- Brainstorm book ideas.
I’m often asked what kinds of tasks I delegate to my Virtual Assistant (VA), Valerie. Clients and colleagues want to know exactly how a VA might save them time and money. I’ve long been an advocate of delegating any task that I can pay someone else to do while I spend my time doing the work that only I can do. So, here are a few of the items I recently took off of my desk and put onto Valerie’s:
~Send out email reminders to my current Mastermind Group participants letting them know what goals they need to be accountable for in our upcoming sessions.
~Handle all registrations and inquiries for upcoming day-long goals workshop
~Create a spreadsheet with contact information for attendees of the workshop
~Continuously pass on information to inquiring members of ASID who’ve seen my CEU (continuing education units) seminar on the ASID home page and want to know how to find out more about my course
~Update flyers for my fall Mastermind Group sessions
and more…
Valerie, who is adept at administrative details, can handle these jobs swiftly and efficiently. I tend to get sidetracked when I’m doing this kind of busy work, so it takes me longer than it should and distracts me from the work that is income-producing. The mantra here is stay productive, not just busy.
Looking for a VA? In addition to word-of-mouth referrals, try assistu.com.
