As we have been exploring the concepts, principles, and characteristics of Servant Leadership some rather obvious parallels have emerged. As we begin 2012 we will continue to explore how these characteristics and principles align. If you are just now joining the conversation you may find it beneficial to take a quick read of our opening exploration of the topic Are you a Servant or a Slave to Your Business  as well as the follow up Servant Leadership: An Evolving Paradigm of Authentic Leadership and Listening, Empathy and Conceptualization: Characteristics of Servant Leadership and Personal Development: Servant Leadership Part 4. Today, in the fifth segment of our discussion we take a deeper look at how foresight and persuasion play a part in the principle of Trusting Relationships as a basic platform for collaboration and service.

I believe we can all see how foresight serves in creating trusting relationships. As business owners are we not always looking ahead and trying to figure out which organizations will create the most strategic partnerships for our company? Are we not always on the lookout to build collaborative relationships that provide a service we can benefit from? So how does the art of persuasion fit into all this? Normally persuasion is viewed as convincing someone to see things our way. Persuasion is often viewed as an aggressive form of moving someone away from their best interests and into a position that benefits us more than their company or best interests. More often than not persuasion is used much like propaganda; as a blunt object used to slap the intended audience into submission until they have no choice but to agree with the party wielding the club.

We believe persuasion is something all together different. In order for our relationships to be based upon trust and foresight it would be necessary for each party to have some of their values in common. Identifying shared values makes the process of collaboration easy and graceful. Persuasion, therefore, is not about pushing you to see things my way but determining how we are each aligned with the other’s values.

Servant Leadership is then about building Trusting Relationships through the use of “Collaborative Persuasion” We must be open to seeing how our values are aligned with our clients, customers, potential partners. We must also look at how their values are aligned with ours. Yes we are allowed to make our points and share our perspectives, and we must also listen deeply for their values and guiding principles. Once we are open to be persuaded to their point of view we can invite them to experience our point of view as well.

Building Trusting Relationships is about much more that just using our foresight and skills of persuasion. There are so many other ways to nurture these collaborative relationships. The use of Collaborative Persuasion is only one of many skills we must bring to the process of building relationships. At the Inspired Business Center we fully believe in “Living from what is real and true to you, as well as aligning others to your values.” As we are able to bring this concept to bear on our business relationships we are bringing a true aspect of spirituality into the equation. We thus have begun to bring balance into our relationships.

We believe in bringing all four aspects of our lives, Spiritual, Emotional, Physical and Financial into harmony so that we may live a balanced life and experience prosperity in all aspects of our business. Building Trusting Relationships is one of the various aspects of becoming a true Servant Leader.

Now is the time to learn more about how to become an authentic Servant Leader and bring balance to the primary aspects of life. In order to experience a more balanced work life, give us a call and schedule a confidential no-cost consultation. We are here to begin building a mutually Trusting Relationship with you by providing an honest, down to earth, no obligation overview of how you can use our unique model of business coaching to expand your bottom line and elevate your skills as a Servant Leader and Authentic model of business consciousness.

So…Can persuasion and collaboration co-exist in the business world? We believe they can and are confident you can be coached towards a balanced life and a thriving business. You can apply Universal Spiritual Principles to solve today’s business challenges in building Trusting Relationships through persuasion and collaboration. Call today and schedule your complimentary session to determine if you are truly ready to take the next evolutionary step in the creation of a business that fulfills your dreams and desires. Remember, it’s confidential and complimentary so you have nothing to lose and so much to gain as you begin to utilize these Proven Universal Principles.

Until next time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayfresh/3471106034/

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As we have been exploring the concepts, principles, and characteristics of Servant Leadership some rather obvious parallels have emerged. During the remainder of this year and into January of 2012 we will explore how these characteristics and principles align. If you are just now joining the conversation you may find it beneficial to take a quick read of our opening exploration of the topic Are you a Servant or a Slave to Your Business  as well as the follow up Servant Leadership: An Evolving Paradigm of Authentic Leadership and Listening, Empathy and Conceptualization: Characteristics of Servant Leadership

This week we’ll be looking at how being committed to the personal growth of other people is actually a route to better serve your clients and customers. I think we can all agree that happy employees make better workers. When someone is feeling satisfied with their work they do a better job. It’s quite easy to see how the better your employees do their job the better products and services they create.

While the theory is quite easy to understand, putting that theory into practice can be a bit more of a challenge. Not long ago I was at the San Jose airport. While waiting for a flight with my family, my son asked if we could go for a walk. As we wandered around the terminal building I came across a rather normal looking door. There were no big signs leading me to this door; however the letters on the door indicated it was a Meditation Room.  I informed my son that we had to be quiet as we stepped inside the door. It was amazing to discover this little meditation sanctuary in such a busy public space. I didn’t notice any other people in the room at the time, and I remember thinking how wonderful it was that the airport provided such a place for travelers. It was then that I noticed one of the workers from the fast food stands that fill the terminal. The young man was dressed in his uniform and sat quietly in the corner. Not wanting to disturb him, my son and I quietly slipped out of the room.

I share this story because I completely believe this man was able to provide incredible service to his employer’s customers after taking time to get centered by using the practice of meditation. Now I don’t eat fast food very often but I can say I never thought that the guy or gal behind the counter might have just invested their break time in meditation. Imagine what could happen within your company if even a small portion of your workforce invested some of their personal time in personal growth each day. What if the employee break room had access to inspirational magazines and reading material rather than the traditional sports and gossip magazines? What if you allowed your employees to use their computers to read a spiritual blog or view meditative video during their day?

According to the Alliance for Servant Leadership, “The servant-leader acknowledges that the organization’s capacity to provide for the liberation of human potential is the cornerstone for success. A commitment to holistic growth and development of every person means that the servant-leader ensures that the organization has structures, programs, and activities where everyone can grow. He or she accepts the need to create awareness, even when it disturbs more than it comforts.”  This implies so much more than an on-site workout facility or an occasional company sponsored health fair.

A true servant leader is creative in ways that serve the evolution of the whole person.  Yes, health fairs and work out facilities are portions of an overall strategy, and meditations spaces, allowing employees to volunteer in local charities with pay, and various other ways of supporting their personal growth are also important. Perhaps your organization provides ½ day Friday retreats or even late Monday start times. Have you ever considered offering a free yoga class during the lunch hour or a Tai Chi class before work? How about a company walk around the building during the afternoon? The key is not in offering one or two things but offering enough things that everyone becomes involved. A great plan does nothing if 1% of the company participates. We must strive to support 100% of the employees, manager, supervisors, directors and leaders in their personal growth.

The end result is spectacular. Imagine if you will for just a moment your entire company filled with self-actualized people. An organization where everyone is not only happy to come to work, but actually looking forward to making a contribution to the company because they know the company is making a contribution to the world, or at the very least their perfect clients and customers.

Building an Inspired Business is not an easy task and yet it needn’t be terribly difficult either. The key is finding ways to innovate, finding ways to think outside the morns, asking ourselves the vital questions and having someone that can guide us through the maze of perspectives, offerings and ideas that abound in today’s business climate. At The Inspired Business Center we believe every executive, every owner, every entrepreneur can benefit from having a coach on the sidelines cheering them on, and more importantly reminding them to watch their blindside. A coach can see a bigger picture, one that encompasses the entire field, not just the current targets and goals.

As part of our contribution to the personal development of our clients we offer a complimentary coaching session to anyone that feels they would like to explore how to become an Inspired Business. Simply call the office and we’ll schedule a complimentary session that will look at how you can position yourself and your company for greater success in the coming year. Give us a call today and learn how you can use your own personal growth to grow your company as we close out 2011 and get ready to grow ourselves in twenty-twelve.

Until next time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

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As we have been exploring the concept, principles, and characteristics of Servant Leadership some rather obvious parallels have emerged. During the remainder of this year and into January of 2012 we will explore how these characteristics and principles align. If you are just now joining the conversation you may find it beneficial to take a quick read of our opening exploration of the topic Are you a Servant or a Slave to Your Business  as well as the follow up Servant Leadership: An Evolving Paradigm of Authentic Leadership.

This week we begin with looking at how the characteristics of Listening, Empathy and Conceptualization fulfill the principle of Transformation. You may remember Transformation in this context is a vehicle for personal and institutional growth. At The Inspired Business Center we believe that Authentic Servant Leaders use Listening, Empathy and Conceptualization to help both their people and their organization as they develop new, improved and innovative forms of meeting the needs of all their stakeholders.

As authentic leaders we know that listening can sometimes not be as easy as it sounds. Authentic listening requires us to truly step away from our own notions of what the speaker is trying to convey. I know I have been guilty of forming my response to someone while they were still speaking. I wasn’t listening as much as I was absorbing some of what they said in order to refute their point. Authentic listening requires us to suspend any consideration of a response and allow the deeper meaning behind someone’s words to inform our consciousness. We are being asked to listen for content as well as context. We are being asked to allow the speaker to completely express themselves. Now this does not mean we allow them to ramble on repeating their point or perspective over and over. If we truly believe we understand what they are trying to communicate we can seek clarity and understanding without cutting them short. If we have fully understood their point they will let us know and we can then ask a question or two to gather more information or move to the second characteristic of supporting this transformative experience.

Yes the second step is to use empathy during our response to their communication. This not only conveys that we have been truly listening without trying to make them wrong or simply presenting our perspective but supports and serves the individual in recognizing that we do truly honor their perspective and experiences. Empathy says I have been where you are and I am willing to share what I know about the situation without demanding that what I share is the only way to accomplish the desired results. The very fact that others look to us as leaders implies they expect us to have some direct knowledge or experience of the situation at hand. Empathy says “I have been where you are now.” When we lead from a place of empathy we let our employees to see how we are allowing them to make their own decisions and not just demanding they do what we may have done earlier in our careers. This process allows the employee to experience a greater sense of respect and thus willingness to listen to our perspectives as leaders.

Now we can move to the conceptualization phase. By listen empathizing with a person’s situation, experience and perspective, we can begin to build a new way of dealing with any given situation. We may just be building a new cultural paradigm within the organization. All too often as leaders we are under constant pressure from our stakeholders, or even ourselves to find just the right niche, just the right market, just the right widget or product that will propel the company forward. Naturally, it is assumed that we know the most about the organization or what has worked in the past, as we do have a wealth of past experience, otherwise we wouldn’t have ended up in a leadership position.

This is where servant based leadership becomes incredibly important. You can serve and foster a culture of transformation for the individual and the organization by using the characteristics of listening, empathy and conceptualization. You can allow transformation to become the vehicle by which the organization enters a new paradigm of Servant Leadership. When someone comes to you as a leader with a great idea, a pressing concern or even a sense of failure you can listen deeply, allow yourself to gain a new perspective of the situation, share from the place of empathy and begin to conceptualize a new perspective, new way of handling the situation. You don’t have to tell the employee what to do, how you would do it, or even what worked in the past. You have allowed the process to work on your behalf and together discovered a better way of approaching the situation. How incredibly powerful is that?

Obviously, there is so much more to becoming a Servant Leader or fostering a cultural shift in your organization and we are not suggesting you run out and try to drive this change tomorrow. At The Inspired Business Center we strive to look at all the aspects of an organization and implement the most beneficial ideas slowly, with great care and consideration. What we are asking is that you consider the positive +implications on your life and the life of your organization by allowing the wisdom and intelligence inherent within every employee to be shared throughout the organization. Servant Leadership does just that. It taps into the brain trust you have developed and instills a culture of service to a greater good. That greater good is the profitability and proliferation of your company.

During the coming months we will continue to explore how you can slowly, with great care implement the principles and characteristics of Servant Leadership. If you would like to learn more about this powerful topic just keep reading this blog, or give us a call and we will be happy to discuss the topic with you at greater length. As always, we are here to serve your business and help to create a business culture that works for everyone.

Until next time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

Photo Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ky_olsen/3133347219/

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“Servant-leadership is more than a concept, it is a fact. Any great leader, by which I also mean an ethical leader of any group, will see herself or himself as a servant of that group and will act accordingly.” M. Scott Peck

Servant Leadership is not a way of aggrandizing ourselves or the position we hold. Even when the organization is one we built or started. Many leadership models are all about placing the leader on a pedestal. Making the leader the prime example of how to accomplish our goals, and fulfill our mission. Many organizations look for saviors when they are in trouble and many leaders can be set up to be the savior without knowing that is what they have agreed to. Keep in mind what we do to saviors on this planet. It rarely ends well.

Our last blog post introduced a perspective of Servant Leadership that we feel is not only beneficial to any organization, but fosters a culture of ethics and spirituality in a business setting. We looked at what are considered the principles of Servant Leadership and today we will look at the characteristics necessary to support those principles. Over the coming weeks we will take a more in depth look at each of these characteristics and how they relate to the principles themselves.

Here are the principles of servant leadership as defined by the Alliance for Servant Leadership are:

• Transformation as a vehicle for personal and institutional growth.
• Personal Growth as a route to better serve others.
• Enabling Environments that empower and encourage service.
• Service as a fundamental goal.
• Trusting Relationships as a basic platform for collaboration and service.
• Creating Commitment as a way to collaborative activity.
• Community Building as a way to create environments in which people can trust each other and work together.
• Nurturing the Spirit as a way to provide joy and fulfillment in meaningful work.

Here is what many consider the ten primary characteristics of servant based leadership:

1.     Listening

2.     Empathy

3.     Healing

4.     Awareness

5.     Persuasion

6.     Conceptualization

7.     Foresight

8.     Stewardship

9.     Commitment to the Growth of People

10.   Building Community

Even a quick scan of these characteristics leads to recognition of how closely aligned the concept of Servant Leadership and spirituality is aligned. With a few exceptions we find similarities between the aspects of living a spiritual life and leading any organization from the spiritual or servant based perspective. We want to once again remind the reader that our concept of a spiritual business is not necessarily one that profits from spiritual ideas or products. Any business can operate from sound spiritual principles and maintain their profitability regardless of their owner’s faith based belief system or lack thereof. This is not about pushing any one religion on your employees or proselytizing in any way.

The Inspired Business Center strives to facilitate leaders and organizations ability to provide spiritually based options to their employees and still maintains a healthy environment where everyone can get along regardless of where they spend their Sunday mornings. We truly are a place where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability meet and believe your organization can be served by emulating the practices and principles that have made us successful. Our goal is to encourage you to look at how spiritual principles and processes can serve you in creating the highest and best vision of your organization.

We understand how difficult it can be as a leader and or owner of a company. We understand that not everything we suggest will align with your current paradigm. We also understand that the business world is shifting. As leaders we are being called to shift with the rising tide of a new business paradigm. Servant Leadership is a concept whose time has come and we are fully prepared to support and serve you in determining what this new paradigm can mean for you and your organization.

We invite you to join us on this exploration of how Servant Based Leadership can serve your organization during the rising tide of Spirituality in Business. We can see well off to the horizon and we know the swell is coming. We still remember the old saying that a rising tide lifts all boats. We invite you to join our fleet of boats and enjoy the collaborative atmosphere at The Inspired Business Center. Call today and learn how you can schedule a complimentary session with us. Together we can explore how you can be prepared for the cresting wave of Spirituality in Business.

Until Next Time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

Photo Credits:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/poptech/6035566374/in/faves-53047939@N06/

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The Old Paradigm

The idea of servant leadership is nothing new in the business world and has been around even longer in the non-profit sector. In fact the spirituality movement is built upon the concept of servant leadership. Recently I bumped into a fabulous exploration of this concept by Leigh Buchanan an editor at large for Inc. Magazine. Her article explains the concepts and shares the stories of a few high profile servant leaders. My intent is to facilitate your own exploration of servant leadership and its implications for your business.

I was first introduced to the concept of leading from behind  by an amazing Spiritual Leader Rev. Edward Viljoen currently with the Santa Rosa Center for Spiritual Living. He presented a talk that I heard on audio cassette. Yes I am that old. And the talk truly inspired me to look at how one could lead from behind the crowd. This was his way of exploring the servant leadership concept. Next time I bump into that old tape I’ll be sure to digitize it and share with you the deeper meanings behind his talk.

Here are the principles of servant leadership as defined by the Alliance for Servant Leadership are:

• Transformation as a vehicle for personal and institutional growth.
• Personal growth as a route to better serve others.
• Enabling environments that empower and encourage service.
• Service as a fundamental goal.
• Trusting relationships as a basic platform for collaboration and service.
• Creating commitment as a way to collaborative activity.
• Community building as a way to create environments in which people can trust each other and work together.
• Nurturing the spirit as a way to provide joy and fulfillment in meaningful work.

“Servant leadership is the essence of quantum thinking and quantum leadership.”

~Danah Zohar, author, Rewiring the Corporate Brain.

Now that we have an idea of the guiding principles of Servant Leadership let’s consider how your organization and thus all of humanity might benefit from bringing these principles into the culture of your organization. Imagine what your organization might look like if every one of your employees felt empowered enough to truly do the best they could in every moment because they knew you always had their backs.

The New Paradigm

What would happen if you asked an employee what they needed and you listened and actually supplied them with their desires? Now this is not to say you provide every whim someone might ask for. The shipping department probably does not need their own hot tub, and the receptionist may not need a fully paid all inclusive Caribbean vacation. However if they asked you to drive a forklift or answer the phones for an hour would you be willing to serve your employees in such a way?

All great leaders know that they cannot make every decision necessary for the operation of a great company. Truly great leaders however do know they can make sure the right decisions do get made by the people most qualified to make those decisions. Great leaders are always looking for ways to build a culture of community and inclusivity within their organization. Eventually a state of Trust and personal accountability evolve because everyone knows the organization is about service more than just the bottom line.  What would happen if everyone was committed to nurturing a sense of joy and fulfillment in the workplace?

At The Inspired Business Center  we are looking for ways we can better serve you and what you are already doing as a servant to your organization. The idea is to ensure you do not become a slave to your work. We choose to serve you by looking at the various aspects of your business and how you might implement a culture of servant leadership while maintaining ownership of the company. We know that a more empowered workforce leads to more profitability and a better environment for everyone involved.

During the coming months we invite you to join in this conversation as we expand upon the principles and concepts of servant based leadership. We would love to hear of your experiences and questions as we take this journey of exploring servant based leadership. We are confident you can end this year on a high note and begin 2012 primer and ready for the most prosperous year ever. If you would like to learn more about what we do and how we can serve you simply contact us and we’ll be happy to schedule a complimentary one-on-one leadership exploration session. This no obligation consultation will provide you and us an opportunity to determine how we can best serve the expansion and profitability of your organization. Simply give us a call or send an e-mail and we’ll schedule your complimentary consultation right away.

Until Next Time,

Robert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

Photo Credits:

The Old Paradigm http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2137729430/in/faves-53047939@N06/

The New Paradigm http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2280340261/in/faves-53047939@N06/

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When was the last time you read a book? What kind of book was it? Many people immerse their lives in the tales of espionage, intrigue, romance and so many other forms of fiction. Some people only read those books that inform their lives, provide new perspectives and strategies to move forward in life. I know some people that only read business books, others that only read spiritual books, still others that simply do not read at all. Regardless of your preference in reading materials, we here at The Inspired Business Center believe in reading to expand our minds and perspectives. Yes we read business books, like our friend Tom Zender’s GOD Goes to Work and we are constantly on the lookout for authors that we feel will make a difference for our clients and friends.

Liz Beerman is just such an author. Her recent release of her book Beached Get Back in the swim when the receding tides leave you high and dry is more than a parable about dealing with challenges and change. Liz provides her readers with a gentle reminder that every one of us at some point in our lives has been beached. She helps to realize that while all of our beached experiences are temporary, even when they feel like they could go on forever. She inspires us to find ways of gaining some traction, even if only a little, and begin to move forward in our personal and business lives.

Throughout the book we are exposed to several characters that are beached and we also find a loving and kind advocate for these characters. I won’t give away his sage advice for the central characters and yet I can assure you it often felt that the advocate was speaking directly to me and I trust you will feel the same. Liz does a superb job of making sure Beached serves the reader in so many wonderful ways. It has been quite some time since a work of fiction has helped me gain perspective and insight into my own life.

In order to bring a greater awareness to Liz’s work, The Inspired Business Center will be hosting a very special book signing and opportunity to meet Liz. If you are the Denver metro are you are welcome to drop by The Inspired Business Center on Wednesday September 21^st 2011 between 5:30 and 7:00 pm. Liz will be signing books and providing us with some insights into the concept of being beached and how to get back into the swim of life. All we ask is that you give us a quick call and let us know you are coming so we can plan appropriately. You can find the office phone number HERE. You can also read a special guest blog Liz wrote HERE.

We hope to see you on Wednesday evening and while you’re with us feel free to ask about a complimentary business coaching or visioning exploration session. Just ask and we’ll be happy to schedule a complimentary visit at our offices or your location to take a look at how you can begin to move forward in your life or business.

Until next time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com:

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Jumping on the bus for the first day back to school is an exciting time for kids. The opportunity to sign up for a new continuing education class can create the same sense of excitement and anticipation for adults, or it can create a sense of dread and loathing. What changes our love for learning into an all out avoidance of the classroom?

Every day as I pick up my daughter from grade school she is in quite the hurry to tell me about all the amazing things she did that day. I know 90% of what she tells me is something she has done before. When I ask her what new things she learned the response is always the same, “…nothing really, I already knew that stuff, but it was so much fun to share with my friends.”  My conclusion is she is excited about learning even when she is reviewing things she already knows. Why then do more adults not engage with expanding their skills and awareness around their careers?

Do adults think they know everything they must know to make it in the world? Do they believe that there is nothing new happening in their field? I actually believe most adults do understand that continuing education is important, and they certainly know there are new processes, discoveries and theories popping up all the time. Most adults actually hunger for stimulating and exciting educational opportunities. The problem may lie with how they are being trained. I know many adults that are turned off by the thought of being trained or worse yet, being re-trained. These adult learners have invested considerable time and effort getting to know the finer points of their profession. Wouldn’t you feel a little slighted if you were told you just had not been trained quite right and had to attend a week-long training? Today’s employees are happy to engage with up to date and well presented information. What many will not do is sit in an icy cold training room and listen to someone lecture them around sensitivity training or some other mandated training. While those “trainings” are necessary and in most cases even tolerated, but what today’s adults desire is meaningful dialogue, human interactions, better communications and information they can use to increase their contribution to the company.

At The Inspired Business Center we focus on the soft skills of building teams, empowering individuals and creating a culture that can serve the organization as well as the individual. Recently we have begun offering an adult educational opportunity that brings executives together in an informal virtual based “classroom” and allows them the space to share ideas, best practices and still absorb information from trusted experts. Our new Masterful Intentions Programs are filling up almost as fast as we can offer them. We also are working diligently to bring the Visioning process to local non-profits and for profit companies so they may experience the intuitive depth of their collective expertise.

Using your organization’s human potential to drive innovation is not a new theory; however we are striving to make that theory a reality through the use of Visioning and other team building concepts. The Inspired Business Center is all about creating opportunities to bring “Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability” together in a way where everyone benefits. We are pleased to offer you a unique collection of tools, processes and programs that do just this. We also invite you to take advantage of a complimentary offer to experience what we do. Simply call us at our office and schedule a no-cost Visioning session for you and your key leadership. If you are local to the Denver metro area we’ll even come to you, and if you’re a bit farther away we’ll help schedule a virtual presentation and demonstration that shares the power of the Visioning Process. Either way you gain the benefit of experiencing one of the most powerful processes available to catch a vision of your organizations future. We are also happy to discuss developing a unique “Back to School” series of classes that will motivate your workforce, empower your leaders and create a more peaceful and profitable workplace environment. Simply Click HERE to go to our contact page and give us a call or send an e-mail and one of our experts will be happy to explore the possibilities of creating an engaging learning environment that adults will enjoy.

Until next time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

Photo Credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/2872099576/in/faves-53047939@N06/

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Yes the season is upon us. No not the holiday shopping season. The “Back to School” season is here and each of us gets to experience this season in a unique way. It is that time when most stay at home mothers rejoice, when some children look forward to returning to school and others lament the end of their summer vacation. It is the season of shopping for clothes and supplies, looking forward to rekindling friendships and meeting new friends as well. For some this may simply be a time to pull out the credit card and allow our children to shop until they drop. Others may get to experience a cross country road trip with their college aged child. Regardless of how you get to experience this season I trust you are being reminded of the value and excitement associated with education.

Each one of us has the power to either enjoy our educational opportunities or wallow in a sea of loathing. As adult business owners, managers, supervisors or entrepreneurs we are each presented with the opportunity to participate in continuing education. Perhaps your industry requires you engage in a specific number of CEUs (Continuing Education Units) every year or two. Perhaps you have chosen to sharpen your skills and make yourself more marketable by returning to college or finally getting that Masters degree you have always dreamed of. Perhaps your employer requires you to take specific trainings that serve you in completing your job more effective or effectively. Ultimately how we approach these educational opportunities can determine what value we receive from our time investment.

One of the keys to adult education is engagement. Training classes provide opportunity to engage with either new team members or deepen the bonds between existing team mates. They can also provide a valuable forum for employees to share ideas and or concerns regarding the future of your company. Whether you’re training on a new product offering, helping employees understand a new set of policies or just creating a team building exercise there are several aspects that must be considered prior to implementation of the training. During the recent economic shift many companies have cut back on their training staff and training opportunities.  At The Inspired Business Center we believe now is the time to focus on attitudinal trainings that help to maintain your staff’s morale and foster a collaborative workplace. Using training time to help foster a culture of inclusivity, creative and sharing will serve the entire organization in various ways.

During this Back to School season consider how you can re-energize your organization by catching the school bus of continuing education. Perhaps companywide training is in order or maybe something a little more specific is necessary. Ask yourself how you as a leader could engage yourself with a new technology, a new perspective or simply an educational retreat. Think about attending a two or three day workshop or perhaps a multi-week night class that looks at something which may appear to be completely unrelated to your organizations mission and vision. I have found nuggets of pure gold hidden within classes I thought had very little to do with my career. Great leaders and teachers can always inspire us to greatness and more effective ways of engaging with our co-workers and employees. Have you always wanted to learn how to meditate more effectively? Perhaps a class in Tai-Chi has been calling to you, or a pottery class. Not all classes have to be on effective database management or accounting principles for the mathematically challenged. While these topics maybe useful, what we consider fun classes can also be valuable to the long term health of you and your organization.

Going Back to School can appear to be a challenge for career minded leaders or perhaps a chore you would simply rather not consider. However, we have found ways to make your learning experience fun and profitable. Next week we will share specific examples and opportunities to engage yourself and your employees with fun, effective and motivating trainings. If you would like to learn more right now simply call us and we’ll schedule a no cost 30 minute consultation designed to explore how you and your employees can go Back to School in style with ease and create more profit during the process.

We invite you to explore how continuing education can be a valuable asset for your organization rather than a morale shrinking chore. Isn’t it time everyone had more fun at work learning how to make your business a better place to work, and more profitable as well?

Until next time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kb35/1368677930/

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A SPECIAL GUEST BLOG By: Liz Beerman

What happens in that moment in time when something unexpected crashes into your life?  How often does a day go by that we don’t either find ourselves picking up the pieces from our own crash or helping someone we work with, a friend, or family member with their predicament?  Even in that unique day where life is quiet and all seems well, all we have to do is turn on our smartphone, iPad, car radio, or television, to hear in detail about devastating events nation and worldwide.

BUT while it may sound dreary, in actuality there are three successful steps you can take, right now, to change your perspective and ultimately your outcomes.

One:  Realign your perspective

Crashes, by their nature; break things, leave messes, hurt, and change projected plans. Pick up the pieces and before you indiscriminately throw them away, take a moment or two in time to reconsider what else they might be, or be used for. Life isn’t all Humpty Dumpty where after falling off the wall none of the kings horses or men could put him back together again. Life is choices based on perspective. Loss of a customer, new competition, employee churn or manufacturing woes are thinly veiled opportunities to realign your perspective.  You know it – but do you do it?

Two:  Stay in the moment

Crashes push us to our limits—or so we think. Why are we so quick to forget all those fables and stories from our childhood. . . or our Internet pals, that remind us the race goes to the slow and steady, or the story of the tortoise and the hare, or Winston Churchill’s admonition to “never give in,” or the attributed ancient Chinese quote that reminds us to “get up one more time than we fall.” Usually we either fall backwards into the pit of regrets from the past or jettison ourselves into the uncertainty of the future.  Plant your feet, take a deep breath, stand as tall as you can, count to ten while clearing your mind and then make every single one of your senses do their job. What do you see—really see? What are you hearing with total focus, right now?  Now turn both of them off and smell the air like an animal on the hunt.  Use taste and feeling in the same way. Wring this moment out and take everything from it that you were meant to have.

Three: Be accountable to one and only one person — YOU

Crashes tend to make us push the panic button. With panic comes frenetic unfocused energy complete with well intentioned but not well thought out promises to ourselves and others. The visual of people in the freezing waters when the Titanic went down illustrates how brutal the survival instinct can be. As you are picking yourself up from the latest crash, all the while attempting to stay in the present moment and realign your perspective, remember YOU are the most important element in your own success. “Put your own oxygen mask on first.”

As time moves on and you gain strength and perspective with all the internal cravings to be back on your feet if not all the way to the top of the heap, be painfully aware of the promises you make to yourself. And then without fail, or excuses, be true to your word—and yourself first and always.

Makes one wonder what Humpty Dumpty might have been if the rhyme had not been so quick to project a single, bleak outcome, and publish his demise. Now that you know, the world is looking forward to seeing what you do with the pieces after YOUR crash.

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Liz Beerman is the author of the recently published book BEACHED available in digital and paperback through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She has crafted a well thought out, beautifully written parable sharing the lives and challenges of six beached characters. You are invited to gain from their experiences as you face your own life challenges.

You can learn more about Liz at http://www.beachedstory.com/

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It happens out of nowhere. Like a shooting star screaming across the night sky. First it’s there and then it’s gone. Intuition can be slippery. You know it works, you know it’s close and you still cannot predict when it will happen. Then it strikes and you’re only concern is remembering, recording, capturing that momentary flash of creative inspiration. It is the adrenaline of that creative moment, the moment that says “Aha….now I KNOW.”

It can also be that simple thought that you let slip by without a second thought. The thought that days or sometimes even moments later you think, “I should have listened to myself.” It is that voice that says “I told you so.” And it is the nagging feeling that had you made a different decision you would have had a different result.

Recently I had one of those gut wrenching moments when I thought I should have listened to myself. I was sitting at my computer and had one of those flash in the mind thoughts. It said, “my wife’s external hard drive is a few months overdue for a major backup. I should get to that sometime soon.” Surely enough within a couple of days my wife reports to me that her hard drive just isn’t working. I’m sure you know what happens next.

As a kid I clearly remember how the popular culture and media portrayed what we knew as “Women’s Intuition.” It was many years later that I discovered you could develop your intuitive skills and have it become your nature and even an asset. Allowing yourself to listen to your intuition can be an incredible boost to your business. Training your intuition can be even more valuable to your long term success. Developing a culture where listening to one’s intuition is as important as their ability to produce things is part of the evolution of spirituality in the workplace.

Allowing everyone in the organization the freedom of listening to their inner wisdom and guidance leads to a self empowered workforce, a workforce that is happy to come to work, that feels they are making a difference regardless of their job assignments. Keep in mind we are not suggesting you start sitting around waiting to catch a bolt of creative lightening, or wallowing in the thoughts of “Oh…. if we had only”. We believe in bringing our focus and attention to the moment itself. By nurturing a culture of intuition we know how to catch the lightening once we see it and how to hear the still small voice within when it begins to whisper about backing up our data or taking another look at the numbers after the new bookkeeper finishes their work.

Once you invest some time and effort into the development of your professional intuition and encouraging your employees to do the same you will find you rarely are concerned about the past or worried about the future. You come to a place of trust and confidence in your company’s ability to respond to the market, ask the right question, listen for guidance and wisdom and most importantly make great decisions.

Getting to that place is obviously not an overnight type of change. Nurturing this type of culture takes time and consistent effort. Getting to the end result takes cooperation and community support. There are no shortcuts, but there are some best practices and here at The Inspired Business Center we know exactly how to serve a group of committed individuals in creating just such a culture. We would be happy to discuss some quick start ideas or more in depth solutions you can implement within your business right away. Simply give us a call and we’ll schedule complimentary 30 minute session to discuss what’s possible.

Whatever you do when intuition strikes, make sure you don’t let it pass you by.

Until next time,

Robert

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Robert Brzezinski is an expert team member of The Inspired Business Center based in Lakewood Colorado. The Inspired Business Center collaborates with Entrepreneurs and Executives to transform their companies through a balance of practical spirituality, value-centered leadership and consistent profitability. Our team of experts guides clients on a path starting with an articulated, shared stakeholder vision to the results of fulfilling their organization’s purpose, satisfying customers, increasing profit margins and enhancing owner equity. Our approach combines purposeful people, best business practices, and proven systems. You are welcome to more fully explore “Where Spirituality, Leadership and Profitability Meet” by visiting: http://www.theinspiredbusiness.com

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/takomabibelot/2446200391/in/faves-53047939@N06/

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