Monthly Archives: May 2020

Are you tired of seeing people not doing their job as efficiently as they can? Do you notice your team slacking off and procrastinating while you’re doing all the work yourself? I get it.

I’ve been building and developing teams for 30 years now and I understand how it feels like. I know how frustrating it is to see people not delivering results or not finishing their jobs at the right time. Because they are dropping the ball, most players in my team are lagging behind – they can’t perform their best.

Micromanaging Meaning

According to Webster, micromanaging means that you want to oversee and take control of every part of a process, no matter how small. For example, if you or your team are doing a project, you want to know everything that they are doing and you want every decision to be run by you.

This is different from keeping your people accountable. Micromanagers want all decisions to be made by them. They let people implement but the final decision comes from them. 

Effective leaders, on the other hand, keep people accountable by knowing what they’re doing and offering support instead. They have trust in their people and they get out of the way. Steve Jobs once said:

“There is no point in hiring smart people and then telling them what to do.”

If you want to learn how to stop micromanaging, you must first develop your trust with your people. Most people will do good work if you trust them and keep them accountable.

Signs You’re Micromanaging

Here are 8 signs that you’re being a micromanager:

1. They avoid delegation.
2. You’re constantly making reports.
3. You’re not allowed to make decisions.
4. They complain constantly.
5. Micromanagers won’t pass on their skills or knowledge.
6. They don’t see the forest for the trees.
7. Feedback falls on deaf ears.
8. Projects drag on forever.

If you want to learn more about it, read this article we’ve found on different signs that you’re a micromanager.

Micromanaging Is Majoring In Minor Things

You see, most of the time when managers see this, they immediately micromanage their team. However, micromanagement is demoralizing and is counter-productive. In the long run, people won’t have the motivation to perform their best and the manager becomes burned out.

Ultimately, when you’re micromanaging, that means you’re majoring in minor things. If you major in the minor, it’s obvious to me that you’re not worth $50 million. You’re not worth $20 million. Not even $10 million.

If you’re majoring in the minor and you’re micromanaging your team, it’s a symptom of a deeper problem. At the core of the problem is you’re missing three elements within your organization.

3 Critical Elements On How To Stop Micromanaging

You Need To Have Effective Systems

First and foremost, you’re missing effective systems. If you have systems within your business that allows people to know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it, then you can leave them alone and let them do their job.

If they’re the right people, they will produce.

Most of the time, people don’t do their jobs because they don’t know what’s expected of them. They don’t know what to do, or how to do it in the most efficient way possible. Or if they do, they are not empowered with the tools they need to deliver results.

I see this problem with the private clients I work with. Most of the time, they don’t have effective systems that are duplicatable and scalable. However, once I work with them and implement my Ultimate Business Revolution or UBR Program in their business, their productivity and business results start improving.

Your business and your team will improve if you start creating systems in your business. That’s the first thing you’re missing in your business.

You Need Great Training

Second key that you’re missing is great training. Training is not something you did. It’s not something you did once and never do again. Training is something you do now and in the future. It’s something you need to think about and do every day, every day, every day if you want your people to get better.

You should also have a training system set up to try and test them every time you train your people. So you can be confident to say that your people are “tried and tested.” It’s an old saying, but it holds true – you need to try and test people. That’s what determines if you’re going to work with champions.

So, let me ask you: What kinds of training do you provide for your team? And are you actually testing them after you train them? If not, start planning and implementing today. It’s what’s going to take your business to the next level.

You Need To Keep People Accountable

Finally, if you ever feel like you’re running an adult daycare center, you’re most likely missing accountability. You’ve got to have a culture and a system where your team is held accountable to produce results and deliver deliverables. In my program Business MMA, we teach leaders and people how to manage, measure, and adjust their results.

The principle behind this is like how a prizefighter would act inside the octagon. They’re always managing their movements, measuring their opponent, and adjusting their technique. That’s how it should be in business.

Are you managing, measuring, and adjusting the productivity and results of your people? And can your people stand up in the marketplace? Because if not, you’re going to be micromanaging all the time.

Final Thoughts On How To Stop Micromanaging

It’s not that your people are lazy or incompetent. Micromanaging is the result of your lack of systems, lack of training, and lack of accountability. If you want to build a great team, you got to have those three different elements in your business so that you can focus on transforming your business, not just the transactional things.

You see, micromanaging and checking your people every 10 to 15 minutes, that’s transactional. That’s not doing the things that will transform your business.

And by the way, if you are micromanaging all the time, then you’re working IN your business all the time. That’s why your business is not growing. For it to grow, you need to be outside your business working ON your business, not inside.

Finally, I’ll leave you with this: So many people focus on time management. Time management to me is tactical, not strategic. In all the programs that I’ve produced, and all the systems I’ve created within different businesses, we learn about being strategic and tactical, transformational and transactional.

I spend 90% of my time focused on the transformational and strategic things I can do to grow my business. I set my team up to win with the systems, training, and accountability. And then, I leave them alone. And I love to do it!

Here’s one important business lesson I’ve learned: Productivity management is more important than time management. Because if you train your people properly and equip them with the right systems, and keep them accountable, they will be 10 times more productive. As a result, your business gets 10 times more results.

Does the thought of speaking in front of a group create fear, make you sweat, and get your heart pounding? You have a fear of public speaking! In this article, I’ll share some tips on how to overcome fear of public speaking.

Fear of speaking in front of people is a common form of anxiety. Experts and entrepreneurs with this fear go out of their way to avoid getting invited to speak. Or sometimes, they suffer through them with shaking hands and a quavering voice. 

But with preparation, practice, and persistence, you can overcome your fear of public speaking.

You may have been there before. You feel nervous, your palms sweat, your stomach ties itself into knots. You don’t want to do it. But you can overcome this fear with these simple public speaking tips!

Tip #1: Prepare Thoroughly

Nothing helps overcome the fear of public speaking more than knowing your material. The ability to connect with your audience comes from having the confidence so you won’t get lost during your delivery. 

Rehearse several times before the big talk to overcome your fear of speaking in front. Time your presentation and always have back up material in case time is left over. Doing this will definitely help you to overcome your fear of public speaking.

Steve Jobs is one of the best presenters of all time. In fact, he was dubbed as the World’s Best Corporate Storyteller. Whenever he unveils a new product, people get excited about it. And he gets Apple fans excited.

His secret? Massive preparation. He gets help from experts to prepare his materials. He practices hundreds of times until he doesn’t make a mistake. He was a perfectionist. And that’s why he was effective.

You don’t have to be as obsessed as Steve Jobs. However, if you want to overcome the fear of public speaking, then you need to prepare thoroughly.

Ahead of time, carefully plan out the information you want to present, including any props, audio or visual aids. The more organized you are, the less nervous you’ll be. This article from INC will give you ideas on how to start preparing for your talk.

Tip #2: Engage the Audience

Engaging the audience is another way to lessen your fear of speaking in public. Don’t create a monologue presentation that puts the entire task of informing and entertaining the audience on you. 

Make your talk a two-way interaction with questions and participation. It will reduce boredom and allow you to speak with ease. It’s one of my secrets on how to overcome fear of public speaking.

I can also suggest having ice breakers or activities to catch your audience’s attention. Having the group involved also gives you time to reorganize your thoughts if things are going off track.

Tip #3: Practice, And Then Practice Some More

Practice your complete presentation several times. Do it for some people you’re comfortable with and ask for feedback. Practicing in front of people you know will prepare you to engage people you’re not familiar with. 

Consider making a video of your presentation so you can watch it and see opportunities for improvement. Practice makes perfect so it will definitely help you overcome your fear of public speaking.

Here’s a video on how to practice your speech or presentation:

Tip #4: Be Authentic And Vulnerable

It’s tempting to think that confidence means preventing anything from getting to us. But the truth is, our authenticity and vulnerability can be our greatest strength. It will allow us to overcome our fear of speaking in public. 

The way to connect with an audience is by being human. That means having flaws and making mistakes. It means allowing your audience to get to know you. You can’t connect with them if you’re too perfect and robotic. 

Remember, your audience isn’t there just for the information you have to share. They are there to learn something from you. To connect with you and make new connections with other people.

If you have the chance to make them see the real you, then show it. It’s the thing that will make the biggest difference in your speaking career.

Tip #5: Get Comfortable With The Venue

It is usually best to get to the venue of the event early to ease your nervousness. It will allow you to get comfortable with the venue and interact with your early audiences. 

Get to know the layout of the room. Know where the podium is (if there is one), where the multimedia team is, and how to operate tools you’ll use. You can gain confidence if you’re familiar with the things around.

Do a quick set-up and test of your presentations and check if all the PowerPoint or Keynote slides are good to go. Get to know the spots where you can interact most with your audience. 

Greet and talk to some of the participants who may arrive early. That way when you are presenting you can look around and see the “allies” that you had interacted with earlier. Not only does it improve your comfort level, it also helps you overcome your fear of public speaking.

Bonus Tip: Get In The Mood

Listen to music that gets you in a good mood and helps you to relax and overcome your fear before speaking publicly. It could be soft soothing music or loud music with mega-beats. Whatever works for you.

Breathing in deeply and then exhaling helps to overcome your fear and nervousness in speaking to the public. It allows you to focus on the breathing process and you stop focusing on your fear or anxiety.

Final Thoughts On How To Overcome Fear Of Public Speaking

If you can’t overcome your fear with practice alone, consider seeking professional help.

Nervousness or anxiety in certain situations is normal, and public speaking is no exception. But it will really empower you if you’ll learn to overcome it.

If you’re a serious business person, it’s normal to be invited to speak in public. Whether you’re giving a formal presentation or giving your thoughts in a meeting, public speaking is an essential skill to have. And learning how to overcome fear of public speaking will give you a lot of edge in business.

So many people get caught up living in the rat race. Sometimes, they are too focused on the transactional and not the transformational that they lose track of where they are. They lose track of achieving their goals and forget how to focus.

Studies show that 92% of people who set goals don’t achieve them. And the reason why most people don’t follow through is because they become overwhelmed with all the transactional things that are happening in life. They put all their energy focusing on tasks and activities  instead of the transformational – game changing priorities.

This is why I advise all my clients and my team to take a timeout. When you do, you get to stop and identify what works in your life. Instead of operating from high emotion and low intelligence, you get to come from a place and a space of creating what’s really important in your own life.

I do this every week and it gives me a checkup from the neck up. It allows me to understand if I am focused on what’s really important. And what guides me are the Five Laws of Focus that you’ll learn in this article.

What You Focus On Is What You Get

The first Law of Focus is “What you focus on is what you get.” If you’re focused on negative things, or what you don’t have, or problems, guess what? You’re going to get more of those.

A lot of people believe that they focus on the negative because nothing is going right. They have fires to put out, they have problems to solve, and people to deal with. The truth is, nothing is going right in their business and their life because they are focused on the negative things.

However, if you’re focused on gratitude, on serving people, on contributing and making a difference in your life every day, that’s what you’re going to get more of. You’re going to get more things to be grateful for. You’re going to start building a business that makes a difference. And you’re going to earn a lot more money.

If you want to create an opportunity for yourself then focus on what it is you are looking to do. Tell your brain what to look for and your brain will show it to you.

That’s the first Law of Focus: What you focus on is what you get.

What You Focus On Expands

The second Law of Focus is ”What you focus on expands.” There’s an old saying that says, “Where attention goes, energy flows.” If your focus is on the negative things that’s happening in your life, you’ll get more of the same.

That’s why I focus and commit on writing down what are the 10 things I’m most grateful for every morning. As a result, more of that shows up in my life. It empowers me to wake, create, and dictate my life, not just do transactional stuff. More important, it makes life much more fun and meaningful!

The single greatest power we have is to choose our own thoughts. If you want more good things to come into your life, then focus on those thoughts. Think about what you want instead of what you don’t want.

If you’re afraid to fail, focus on thinking about success. Fill your mind with thoughts of winning, success, and empowerment. Doing this one simple thing will help you be more successful in business and in life.

Focus Is More Important Than Intelligence

Third is “Focus is more important than intelligence.” There are lots of people more intelligent than I am – extremely intelligent people. However, a lot of them are broke, unhappy, and living miserable lives. It’s usually because they’re focused on all the wrong things. They’re focusing on what they don’t have instead of what they do have.

If you want to achieve great things in your business and in your life, you have to focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. You have to focus on using the resources that you have and be resourceful in getting the resources you need to have.

I teach this in my Ultimate Leadership Camp. It’s a program I created from my 30+ years of doing business and learning from some of the greatest leaders in the world. In it, I teach people the Ultimate Leadership System. One of those steps is identifying what resources you have and what resources you need.

At the end of the day, as long as you understand that focus is more important than intelligence, then you can accomplish anything you want.

Who You Focus Spending Time With Is Who You Become

Jim Rohn said, “We are the average of the five people we spend most of our time with.” Who you focus on attracting and spending time in your life is who you become.

This is why I invest tons of money to hire mentors and coaches who I can learn from. I spend a lot of time with them because I want to duplicate and replicate their results. Ultimately, I know that my business and my life will be better when I learn from the best.

If you want to grow your business, make sure you surround yourself with mentors and coaches who can take your business to the next level. Stop spending time with people who do drama. Stop spending time with negative people and start improving the quality of your network.

How to Focus Means Follow One Course Until Successful

Finally, FOCUS means “Follow One Course Until Successful.” You see, focus trumps multitasking. Lots of people say that multitasking is a great skill to acquire. I say that’s misleading. The people who are the most successful in the world focus on doing just one thing. That’s why they become an achiever.

Michael Jordan tried to focus on baseball. It didn’t work. He’s an amazing athlete yet he couldn’t hit a single home run. But once he came back to what he loved doing – basketball – he won 3 more championships.

So ultimately, what you focus on will turn decades into days. And when you focus, you can accomplish your goals faster than you ever have before in your life. It will help you achieve amazing results for your business.

Final Thoughts On How To Focus

Focus is more important than intelligence. Distraction makes us weak and slow to act. But the good news is if you can learn to minimize distractions and increase focus, you can outperform others. Even when they are way smarter and way more experienced than you. You can easily achieve your goals. 

In this distracted world, the most focused person usually wins. Always remember that the easiest opportunity to improve your impact and get ahead with others is to really focus on what you want and have the will to achieve it.