Welcome to March 2005:
A Fully Realized Commitment
Greetings Everyone, A Fully Realized Commitment? Hmmm...What does that really mean?
I have been considering this question over the last 3 months as I have been engaged in one of the biggest learning experiences of my life: The Product Factory with two of the most amazing leaders in the profession of coaching: Mitch Meyerson and Michael Port.
According to Webster, commitment is defined as an act of committing to charge or trust or an agreement or pledge to do something in the future. On November 29, 2004, the 120 plus participants of the Product Factory showed up on a call, full of enthusiasm and excitement, and by our presence on the call, we made a public commitment...a commitment to develop a product in 90 days. We all came into this one place with the very same goal in mind : To not only create a product but to get it out into the world with boldness! Just the fact that 120 people were working on the same goal at one time truly blows me away.
As we end the Product Factory on Monday, March 7, many of us will be celebrating a fully realized commitment. We did it! We made it happen. This past week, the Five Star Creators Team (my small team for the product factory) spent 90 minutes on a bridge line in a very personal and moving conversation (no...it was not recorded...this was private for our ears only.) Each person on the call was asked to step up to the front and center of the call and make a statement of their accomplishment and what it took for him or her to succeed. Each person then heard from me, the team leader, about the details of what I saw in each of them as team member and a leader in life. As I told each of them "The way you played the Product Factory is the way you play life, and here is what I see is possible for you based on what I observed." I could feel faces turning red with blush as I gushed over them, but my God...these men and women were AMAZING!
I would love to go through each name with you in this e-mail, yet for the sake of keeping the connection of my team as one that is a bit more intimate, I will just share with you the qualities I observed in my team members and what I believe it takes to really make this happen. If you are considering joining the Product Factory (which I highly encourage you do) it is my deeply held belief that these qualities are essential to a fully realized commitment:
1) Showing up on every call and being fully engaged in the conversation
2) Being willing to ask for help
3) Using the language of responsibility ...blaming others for failures, computer crashes, and technical glitches is NOT a part of product creation
4) Being a home stretch player...the enthusiasm has to be full force in the home stretch
5) Playing BIG! Michael Port says this all the team, and I cannot stress it enough! You cannot hide and be timid if you are going to be successful with this work
6) Explicitly expressing what you stand for in the world by saying every day the words "I stand for _______." (You fill in the blank based on your vision
7) Being a team player
8) Being willing to learn
9) Using language which forwards the action. The words "I can't" are not congruent with product creation. The words "I will" create forward movement
10) Making clear requests, bold promises, and declarations
11) Working from a place of facts and knowledge...not assumptions!
12) Communicating appreciation and regard for fellow team members
13) Being of contribution...the law of Givers Gain has never been so beautifully witnessed in my life as it was during the Product Factory
14) Being open to coaching...it is truly a must!
Mitch and Michael,
Thank-you for the opportunity you have given me and all of the members of the Product Factory. The work that you are doing is immensely rewarding, and it is truly changing the world.
Wishing you abundance and success!
Bea
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Gift for March
As a way to thank you for your continued support of Five Star Leader Coaching and Training, the free gift for the month of March is a copy of an interview with Sounds of Success Productions, during which I discuss my 10 Principles of Leadership. These 10 Principles are a culmination of the work I have created in the area of leadership development since the mid-80's. I hope you find the information of benefit to you, your families, companies, and communities. Enjoy:
Interview: Sounds of Success with Bea Fields...MP3
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Feature Article for March 2005
Ten Pillars of Leadership
by: Bea Fields
Leadership is any influence relationship that brings about change…this can be a teacher/student relationship, a parent/child relationship, a politician/citizen relationship, a business owner/employee relationship, a community leader/volunteer relationship and peer/peer relationship. These ten guiding principles can support leaders in becoming trusted by their followers and for withstanding the challenges of today’s ever-changing world.
(1) Leaders must be willing to overcome the growing tide of cynicism and define an upbeat, innovative, and forwarding style of leadership. In the article “A Prescription for Leading in Cynical Times” authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner, authors of the Leadership Challenge discuss this in detail. Cynics are evident in every company in the world. They usually believe that human conduct is motivated by self- interest, and they have a disbelief about the integrity of others. They have high expectations of the world, and they are continually disappointed when the people in their lives don’t meet those expectations. To begin working with this challenge, leaders must be willing to drop their own cynical "The World Stinks" attitude and develop the qualities that others say are important to leadership such as integrity, competency, the ability to relate, visioning, inspiration and the drive the build a thriving and cohesive team.
By focusing on such attributes, it is possible for a leader to shift a cynical work environment, because with these qualities, a leader is more able to build the trust and positive thinking that is needed to create a thriving company. People will naturally gravitate to cynicism if they in any way doubt the integrity of their leader. If a leader is 100% committed to honesty, vision, competency, and inspiration, the world will stand up, take notice, and eagerly follow. Each time the leader is even the slightest bit off even one of these attributes, employees and customers begin to throw stones and lose trust, and the scene can become a bloody mess.
(2) Leaders must be willing to take a stand- based on their vision and their values. This does not happen in a vacuum…leaders must be willing to admit that they need strong support from an executive coach or a strong mentor who can guide them to doing the tough internal work required to shift their thinking and to get off the ego trip that many leaders live . They must be willing to carefully explore their values and how they can move their companies in the direction of a vision that is unwavering. This takes boldness, and a leader’s stand must be nailed into the ground and secured with cement...the stand must be so strong that the leader does not become “wishy-washy” during tough times and in the face of controversy. Consistency is key, and the leader must know and believe in his or her stand on a very deep level...from the heart...not because the public relations director or Chief of Staff told him or her what to do or say. This is a genuine stand that is driven by the leader's authentic value system that never changes.
To read the full article, enter here.
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Upcoming Teleclasses
Register Here
Teleclass Lab:
Dates & Time: Get It Done Event->Mar 28, Apr 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 & June 6, 13 @ 8:00 PM ET
Bonus Strengths Calls->Mar 30, Apr 6, 20, May 11, 25 & June 8 @ 8:00 PM ET
The Electrifying, Client Generating Teleclass System that Will Power Your Business to Profits in 90 Days Max!
Are you ready to step outside of your comfort zone and be guaranteed to list, lead, and leverage a dynamic teleclass by the time the flowers bloom in spring? If so, Teleclass Lab is designed specifically with you in mind. If you have a website, know the teleclass fundamentals and are willing to work hard to get your teleclasses up and running and leverage them for your future success... if you want to have fun, be inspired and reach your full potential as a teleclass leader... then the Teleclass Lab is a must for you! For 90 days, you'll be directly connected to every tool, every secret strategy, and every piece of practical advice, encouragement and insight to attract new clients and create on-going streams of income by leading teleclasses. For more information, visit www.teleclasslab.com or contact Bea Fields at bea@beafields.com.
The New CoachVille City Director Program
Are you a coach who is a natural connector and who is comfortable being in the public eye? Are you a coach who is ready to move into the deep trenches of your business community, moving and shaking with the thought leaders of your city, region, and state?
Would you like to know how to take both coaching and training into your local and regional business community based on a system which has a track record of success?
If so, the CoachVille City Director Program may be just what you are looking for. The big news? If your application is accepted, and you pass round 2 (the interview process) you will get the chance to show your stuff on stage at the CoachVille Annual Conference.
More Info
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Business Article for March 2005
Top 10 Ways to Change Your Life by Changing Your Memes
by Bea Fields and Kris Knopp
More Details on Kris Knopp at: www.deliberatelifecoaching.com
Memes. funny word, big concept. Memes are essentially the building blocks for how we move through life. From “Where’s the beef” to “Nice guys finish last”, they are made up of ideas, behaviors, styles or usages that spread from person to person within a culture. They form the boundaries and limits we use to operate in the world. When we were infants, we soaked them up like a sponge and learned how to survive. As we grew older, we began to question them as well as gather evidence to support those that had already taken root, often subconsciously. Sometimes these memes helped us reach our dreams, sometimes not. Through awareness and conscious choice, our memes can support and energize us to reach our goals and create a new reality--one of our own choosing. So roll up your sleeves and let’s do some spring cleaning on those memes…
1) Name the Memes Around You
In your lifetime, you have been surrounded by countless memes. Your family history, culture, friends, television, music, the part of the world you live in, the time period in which you grew up all play a part in the way you view the world. As you become more in tune to these messages, you will be able to identify the ones that support you and eliminate those that don’t.
Exercise: Consider the following areas and the cultural beliefs that relate to them:
- Money
- Success
- Relationships
- World politics
- Aging
2) Clarify What’s Influencing You
Were there certain beliefs in your family that you picked up? Did work have to be hard? Was it selfish to ask for what you want rather than go along to get along? Were there certain things that were just not done? The key shift is taking control and using your own thoughts, beliefs, and ideas to invent a new way of being that becomes a bi-product of your thinking propelling you forward to grow and evolve reducing the struggle.
To read the full article, enter here.
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