Coaches Play of the Day

Finding your personal power

2011-09-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

If you ever have the opportunity to sit down with someone and chat with them to help them discover who they truly are and what their avocation is… not their “job,” but their passion, their meaning for living, I VERY highly recommend it. I'm constantly surprised by the power that resides inside of others and how they are utilizing it.

As a Certified Professional Coach, I am blessed to see people move from their challenges to a point of celebration in their lives. I am able to assist women professionals in maximizing their skill sets in order to move ahead in a world that still has a glass ceiling. I am able to sit with people, find out what their strengths and challenges are, and help them mold and transform their lives in order to play to both. I've also recently witnessed the personal power of an immigrant, challenged by the American culture and processes, yet finding his way and successfully maneuvering what he can to make a difference for others. I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to boldly claim that I have found my personal power, and it wasn’t always an easy path. I’m also fortunate because I am able to assist others in finding their personal power.

In finding your personal power, the first obstacle most, if not all, of us face is our own inner voice telling us “No you can’t” when in reality, we should be boldly stating “Yes I Can!” In claiming your personal power, first off, we MUST learn to silence that little voice.

While this may be opportunistic, I’ve got to take the opportunity to push my book a little here. “STOP Talking to Me” teaches its readers to stop the inner critic and learn to carry on a constructive, positive conversation in your mind.

Once we get the inner critic quieted, we can REALLY get to work.

-Be kind and gentle with yourself. We are equipped to handle whatever is handed to us at the moment. You’re going to fall sometimes… you’re human. Rather than being your own worst critic, become the captain of your very own cheer squad.

-Learn what it is you stand for. Someone once said, “You’ve got to believe in something or you’ll fall for anything.” This is so, so true. What do YOU believe in? We can start with faith and move on from there. Where do you stand on your important issues? What are your “buttons”? What is it that gives your soul the strength to rise and fight for another? I never condone violence, but in order to feel passion, we’ve got to understand what makes us passionate.

-Once you find out what you stand for, back it up. Be true to yourself. Be who you are without compromise. This may involve making some scary changes in your life, but so be it. Don’t be a poser, be true to you.

-Don’t allow people to push your buttons. You control your emotions. YOU control the buttons. It’s tough to learn to put the safety shield on your emotions, but it’s necessary. If the buttons do get pushed… never let ‘em see you sweat.

-EDUCATE YOURSELF

o What are your needs?

o What brings you joy?

o What causes you fear?

o Take a workshop, class or seminar on ANYTHING that brings you joy.

-Do your best always. You are a work in progress, appreciate it and learn to live within those boundaries.

We are each born with a “God-spark”. All of us are perfect in our own ways and exactly as we are meant to be right now. Far too many of us have given in to the urge and gotten into the habit of ignoring who and what we truly are. You are the most powerful person in your life… simply reach out and claim it to be true.

Remember to spend some quality time on you.

www.lynnzettler.com

Why Do I Do This?

2011-06-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

How often do you sit alone in a room or in your vehicle and ask yourself, “Why do I do this? Why do I make the mistakes I make over and over again? Why do I continue to go back to a job that leaves me wanting something bigger in life? Why do I not sign up for the classes that I know will propel me towards my goals?”

Why do I refuse to accept that my fears of success, as well as failure, hold me back?

Why do I do this? Why do I not make the changes necessary to move me ahead? Why do I not accept that I am able, and more importantly, worthy of the greatness each of us are worthy of?

FEAR. I found a quote by Roseanne Cash when I started writing this article that says, “The key to change is to let go of fear.” How true is that? How much do we NOT accomplish in our day to day lives because we hold onto fear like a favorite Teddy Bear or old T-Shirt? Sometimes it’s simply easier to cling to the fear that holds us back than it is to let go and trust that we can do what we’re destined to do.

It’s normal to sit back and ask, “Why do I do this?” I’ve asked myself as well.

That's the question I asked myself when I realized that I wanted to start a coaching business six years ago and founded (www.lynnzettler.com). I still ask myself that question, but the answer is now that I want to be the Personal Executive and Business Coach who specializes in accelerating growth for clients who want more from their business, their team and their life.

I do what I do now because:

- I have faith that if people desire changes in their lives and if they have someone to believe in them, they can accomplish just about anything.

- I believe that with someone in your corner to help analyze where you are in life and identify the areas you wish to see change, you will be the change that you want to see in the world.

- If you can discover that which brings your life the greatest sense of accomplishment and make THAT your reality and challenge you to be your absolute best, you can in turn set an example for others.

My journey hasn’t always been easy. It took some ups and downs to figure out where I wanted to be. When I ask myself now, “Why do I do this?” I can answer with a great deal of certainty that I do this to help others find what I’ve found.

Why do you do what you do? I'd love to hear.

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

www.your-personal-brand.com

The Art of Listening

2011-06-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

“Are you listening to me?” How many times have we been asked this question? If you are like me and the vast majority of other people, you’ve been asked this or some semblance of it more than several times during the course of your adult life. We all want to be heard. We all want people to listen to US when we’re speaking, but how much effort do WE put into listening to OTHERS?

I read an article that stated we only hear (understand or comprehend) 25% - 50% of what is said to us. That means we discount or ignore the remaining 50% - 75%. How do we go about listening to others? How do we go about having our audience listen to us?

1. We have only one mouth and two ears. We should be doing twice as much listening as talking. I’d like to take credit for that, but everyone reading this would know I was being more than dishonest if I said that was my original thought. The first step to perfecting the art of listening is closing your mouth and opening your ears. Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it?

2. When appropriate, paraphrase what is being said. This may be a little tougher to learn to do because if it’s done in excess, you may appear to be patronizing the person with whom you're having a conversation. Being able to paraphrase only what is important is a fine talent to hone. It also ensures that you're on the same page!

3. Lean in to listen. Body language says an awful lot. If you’re leaning back in your seat, slumped over, eyes gazing everywhere but on your conversation partner(s), it’s obvious you are not listening. Don’t invade the other person’s space but lean in a bit and and maintain eye contact.

4. Nod now and then or give some signal of recognition. This simply lets the other person know that you are paying attention. It indicates a level of engagement that isn’t over the top.

5. Keep in mind that with the vast amount of knowledge you hold, the person with whom you are speaking has a vast amount of knowledge as well. Deep down, we’re all looking out for ourselves…what can you gain from the other person? If you are only half listening, you’re missing out on valuable insights. Don't focus on your response, instead, really listen to them.

6. Slow down. Think before you speak. Think before you act.

7. Ask others if they believe you are a good listener. Find out why they do or do not believe you are a good listener. Be prepared to be knocked back on your hind end if you believe you are a good listener, though. If, or when, someone shares with you that you could use some improvement, LISTEN to the feedback.

8. Ask questions when appropriate. If you’re confused about something, you appear far more engaged if you politely ask questions to clarify. This will save face in the long run in many ways.

9. Be patient. Allow the other person to complete her thoughts. So often we believe that we can complete the thoughts for the other person. Not only is this rude, it can be hurtful to the other person.

10. Find someone to help teach you to listen. Monet picked up a brush and started creating wonderful works of art, but I’d be hard pressed to believe that he never stepped into a classroom to learn a bit about technique. Even the greatest artists had lessons from someone.

All of us are born with innate talents and gifts. Unfortunately, the vast majority cannot count listening as one of our talents without hard work and a dedication to being a better listener. When in doubt, think back to the anatomy of your head… two ears, one mouth.

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

www.your-personal-brand.com

Notice the Little Things

2011-06-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

It's almost summer and it always makes me realize the amazement of the circle of life. Each winter, we watch trees and animals crawl into hibernation. We lock ourselves in our homes, turn up the thermostats, and grumble while we wait for spring.

Once spring is sprung, we look around in amazement at all the changes in colors and sounds. The world suddenly looks cleaner and crisper, but it’s not really “all of a sudden”. It’s not an overnight metamorphosis. The change is small and gradual over a 3 month span.

The ground warms a bit, the soil thaws. The trees warm a bit, the buds sprout. The days grow longer, the animals start their birds and bees--you know what I mean… tiny steps lead to an amazing orchestra of sights, sounds and scents that tickle our senses each and every year. The same holds true in our own lives if we take the time and are aware enough to notice the little things.

As adults, we assume so often that we’ve “maxed” out our abilities. We’ve reached the end of our roads and we’re not going to move ahead any further. When I talk to folks who hold this opinion, I’m struck with a sense of challenge and a small bit of sadness (the challenge almost always overrides the sadness, however.) We forget that we weren’t born running, reading, or working math problems. We forget that our journey through life is a culmination of little things making up a larger package that we present to the world.

When was the last time you noticed any of the following:

-Your spouse made lunch for you? You made lunch for your spouse?

-Your children did a little extra chore… without being asked?

-You straightened a tie for a loved one?

-You held a door for someone?

-You gave a flower to a random person?

-You bought a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line at McDonalds?

Remember the movie “Pay It Forward”? The entire theme of the movie was doing kind acts for others because it comes around. Taking pride in little things is very much the same… when notice and appreciate the little things, we realize there are a WHOLE LOT of little things and voila, suddenly we have a life of filled with gratitude.

Each of us can find something to be grateful for within ourselves, our children or our communities. With the recognition of the little achievements, we're motivated to look a little deeper and with kinder eyes at those around us.

The electronic disconnection experiment

2011-06-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1152

We just returned from a 10 day vacation with the kids. Traveling together can be a challenge when you ask for 6 internet passwords for one villa. It becomes apparent very quickly as you are all staring at eachother across from your laptops, that this is not what vacation is meant to be. So Mark and I did our best to electronically disconnect and implement some teachings from Timothy Ferriss who wrote The 4-Hour Workweek, including disconnecting from e-mail and embarking on a low information diet. Here's what happened:

Mark totally disengaged from answering e-mails for 7 days, then batched his e-mail and took care of over 600 e-mails in just 2.5 hours. If he would have been keeping up with mail daily, it would have seriously eaten into his vacation time and his enjoyment. There wasn't a single message that required an immediate response. We've grown accustomed to treating e-mail like it's a dialogue or instant message. We need to use it more effectively and for what it was meant to be used for. His next step is to attempt this during the work week as well. He figures that taking care of daily e-mail has prevented him from working on higher priority work. The experiment will continue...

I don't get nearly as many e-mails as Mark, but I have turned off my e-mail notification sound and my automatic e-mail retrieval. I now have to manually download new e-mail and have been attempting to do this twice a day, and never on the weekends. One of the rules of Timothy Ferriss is never to check your e-mail first thing in the morning. It distracts you from what you want to accomplish that day. Do your big work first and check e-mail at lunch and towards the end of the day. I have found this to be very true. Again, there is no e-mail that cannot wait a few hours. I didn't miss any big, fantastic job opportunities or critical communications. Mostly I missed a lot of junk mail and a few clients who needed rescheduling. I was still able to get the rescheduling done within the desired time frame and respond to those that needed a response.

Our low news diet prevented us from knowing:

Who won the Indy 500 immediately.
Whether Sarah Palin has finally announced whether she'll run for President.
About the storms coming through Indy and whether our house was injured (what are we going to do about it from Mexico anyway?)
About the twisters in the midwest and the damage and human cost they caused.
That Lindsay Lohan was placed on house arrest.
That Libyan general and soldiers defected to Italy.
That Lady Gaga was on The View.
What happened on Oprah's last show.
Who was selected as the next American Idol.

As you can see, nothing that really affected us in any real and immediate way. Amazing! Let the experiment continue! We had a great time.

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

www.your-personal-brand.com

The side effects of goals

2011-05-31T07:03:00.000-07:00

I know I have always been a big proponent of goals and I still am. However, I am also aware that at times, we set goals for the wrong reasons or we have others set goals for us. Goals can lead to unethical behavior according to Daniel Pink in his book Drive. Think about the financial scandals of recent years and the executives who overlooked long term gains, checked the box for the short term goal and hit the earnings target for their company, only to have the whole house of cards come down later.

When targeting your personal goals:

Make sure it is your goal and not someone else's.
Make the goal for the right reasons--to stretch your personal and professional growth or mastery of something.
Is it a 'check the box' goal? If so--replace it with something more meaningful.

Is there still a Good Ole Boys Club?

2011-05-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Yeah… If you ask most women they will say that unfortunately, there is still a Boys Club in the business world.

According to an article in USA Today from 4/14/2010, fifteen percent of board members for Fortune 500 companies are women (only 3% of the women are actually CEO’s). In the United States, there is a 23% deficit between women and their male counterparts in salary (http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-04-15-column15_ST1_N.htm).

In 2005, Washington State became the first to elect a woman Governor. Of the top 73 publicly held companies, less than one in five senior level jobs are occupied by women. (http://www.seattlepi.com/specials/glassceiling/292359_glassceiling-main15.html).

In Indianapolis, we are fortunate to have a company that holds a female CEO, 43 percent of senior management is female, and a female workforce which is 67 percent female. These statistics allow WellPoint to earn a ranking as one of the best companies in the world for female executives (http://www.indy.com/posts/wellpoint-on-top-10-list-for-female-executives).

So how do we, as women continue to grow and step into our success? Do the good ole boys exist more in our heads than in reality? The truth is women have some advantages:

1. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects women and other minorities from being discriminated against. Gender can be considered to fulfill affirmative action requirements. Women owned businesses are getting attention under the WBE designation for projects in Indianapolis and Indiana.

2. We can help our next generation of successful women:

· Teach our daughters and other young women that they are worthy of the same salaries as their male counterparts, and be good role models.

· Continue to pursue formal education to remain on a level playing field, or even pursue higher education to get ahead of the game.

· Talk the walk. Yes, that IS what I mean. There are women today with high profile positions, especially in politics, but they aren’t backing them up with strong intellect, learning and positive branding. Yes, we have to work harder at it. Let’s make sure we get it right!

· Set the example to continuously improve and grow. Attend workshops and conferences for leadership and management. Read at least two business related books a year. Stay on top of your game. Always be a life long learner. Don’t stop developing yourself once you have your degree in hand.

· Teach our daughters to take the moral higher ground and set the example. Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. Teach them to set their standards high and not to settle.

I am not male bashing here. I love men. In fact sometimes I recognize that women can be their own worst enemy when it comes to being successful. We are very quick to bring a woman down!

As women, we’ve had to fight a good fight. I’d like to say that the war is over and we need to embrace a new paradigm. Instead of the good ole boys club, let’s take the gender out of it all together and call it the Success Club. Let’s face it, a lot of men don’t like that good ole boys network either, and some of them can’t even get in it.

Through development like Executive Leadership Coaching, Personal Life Coaching, reading books on Leadership, and attending professional and personal growth related conferences and workshops, we are already creating the new Success Club. The more people we can sign up, the smaller the good ole boys will be!

www.your-personal-brand.com

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Websites for a sharing economy

2011-05-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

As I'm writing this, I'm taking in my view of the ocean, which is partially blocked by two palm trees. Mark and I laughed about the view, because I once was the recipient of such complaints, as the President of a condo association during a condo rebuild in Florida after Hurricane Ivan. Blessed are the palm trees! I'll take them any day!

I also have a little bird at my feet, eating my scraps of snacks I've left on the floor. He's a brave little fellow and getting very close, but enjoying whatever I drop---ooops, he just dropped something unpleasant on the chair pad he hopped on! There's always a price to pay, isn't there?

I've taken the day to catch up on my reading and made my way through three FAST COMPANY magazines and a TIME. I've decided to write a white paper on leadership, and I want to pull as much as I can from the contemporary culture that I can. During my research, I found a great article about The Sharing Economy. Did you know there are websites dedicated to help you find neighbors with power tools to borrow, to help you find a place (apartment or room) to stay in the city you're traveling to, trade books or find used kids clothes? It's amazing and I just thought I'd share. Check out the article, it's well worth the read, but here are some great websites that you might find useful in the sharing economy.

sharedearth.com Links landowners to gardeners and farmers
thredup.com Links you up to used kids cloths and toys that are age appropriate
zimride.com Ridesharing for students and coworkers
airbnb.com Rent other peoples homes, apartments, beds, boats, etc.
liquidspace.com Finds available workspaces
relayrides.com Insured car sharing with neighbors
taskrabbit.com Finds someone to run the errand for you
neighborgoods.net Connects you to neighbors to share household appliances, sporting goods, etc.
gobble.com Meals from your neighborhood chefs
bookcrossing.com Trade books with other readers
freecycle.com recycle your stuff to new owners

Enjoy! The world is changing at a rapid pace, and a lot for the better!

www.your-personal-brand.com

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Give Your Best Interview

2011-05-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

I'm sure it's no surprise that the job market has been in a state of flux over the past several years. The rate of unemployment as of January 2008 was 5.3% and sky rocketed to 11.5% as of January 2010. It appears that things are coming under control, and as of January 2011, the unemployment rate for Indiana had dropped back to 9.5% and continues to drop (http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=usunemployment&met=unemployment_rate&idim=state:ST180000&dl=en&hl=en&q=indiana+unemployment+rate).

So the good news for those looking for their next position is that there are more jobs. Now, it’s time to get down to work and prepare to amaze the interviewer with your best interview each and every time you sit before a possible employer.

1. Be ready physically. Be well rested. It's best to maintain an exercise routine to help eliminate stress, and enhance your sleep. Avoid drinking excessive amounts of caffeine prior to your interview. Being jittery may cause you to appear as though you are lacking confidence.

2. Read up on the company with which you are interviewing. Do your homework. In today’s day and age, not knowing something about the company can be a death sentence at an interview. It's competitive and you need to be the shining star.

3. Prior to the interview, sit quietly and visualize your success and your successful outcome. Tell yourself that you are the best candidate for the position. Visualize yourself giving insightful answers to questions and asking insightful questions in return.

4. Be prepared. Wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the position, and Google your directions if you aren’t sure of the interview location. Leave with plenty of time to allow for any traffic issues.

5. Prepare some questions ahead of time for the interviewer. Too often, we think because we are sitting in an interview, that it is taboo to ask questions. Not so! They want to know that you are interested and engaged in the process.

6. Write out a list of your challenges and how you make the most of them. On the flip side, make a list of your best assets and how they will benefit the position for which you are applying.

Once preparations have been made for your interview, and the moment of truth has arrived, it’s go time. Time to knock their socks off. Time to shine. Time to let the world know what you have to offer.

-- Be yourself. It’s easy to see past veneer and see what’s underneath. Be true to yourself always.

-- Expect unexpected questions. Of course the basics will be covered: What was your last position? What did you like the most/ least? Yada-yada-yada… Will you be asked questions such as “How many golf balls does it take to fill a 747?” or “If Hollywood made a movie of your life, who would you choose to play you?” or “If you could be a superhero, what powers would you have?”

It’s becoming more and more common for interviewers to throw out unusual interview questions in order to see how the interviewee handles the situation. Are you going to panic or look at them dumbfounded, or are you going to jump in with both feet and have a good time with the questions? (I thought Wonder Woman had the coolest power with her lasso of truth).

-- Interviews are always about selling yourself. Whenever possible, answer questions with specific answers as a SHORT story. Don’t tell your life story, but let the interviewer know that you are human. Make yourself stand out in a positive way. Make the interviewer remember you.

-- Let’s break it down here… the interviewer wants to know what’s in it for him or her. Sure, she’s asking YOU questions, but she’s asking YOU questions to find out how you are going to fill a need for HER. Keep answers relevant to the position for which you are interviewing.

-- Honesty is always the best policy. It’s tempting to add a little extra padding to your resume. The job market is tough and there are several qualified candidates for virtually every job. Hypothetically, let’s say you add a little cushion to your experience… how is the cushion going to affect your life once it is discovered that you lied? Is it worth risking your reputation with an untruth? In every instance, it’s simply not worth it.

After the interview, mail a Thank you card SPECIFICALLY to the person or people with whom you interviewed. Make sure to mail an individual card for each person. If you decide during the course of the interview that the position isn’t a fit for you, send a card thanking the interviewer(s) for their time. If you would like to go to the next level in the interview process, thank the interviewer(s) and advise them again how they can reach you (phone and email address). A handwritten thank you card will score even more points.

Use your personal brand and find a way to stand out.

www.your-personal-brand.com

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you.

Taking the High Road

2011-05-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

Revenge. Having the last word. Being Right. Justice. There was a lot going on this past week. I saw the headlines on the front page of USA Today in the Orlando airport, as I was returning from the very happy place of a 3 day Bahama cruise. Talk about coming back to the real world in an abrupt way! I wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand it was relief, and on the other, there was some sadness. Call me a bleeding heart, I’ll own it.

My sister posted this quote on her Facebook page, which summed it up nicely for me:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

No matter what he did in his life and how misguided he was, he had a mother and a father, he was a brother, a father, an uncle. He was a man. I’m sad for all those that suffered because of him and I’m sad that he was obviously a suffering man.

How to Envision Your Success

2011-04-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

One of the catch phrases today is “visualization”. Visualization has been around since the dawn of man, it just wasn’t always called “visualization”. When I was a child, I was caught “daydreaming” more than once. We can all admit to daydreaming at one time or another, about vacations, events or new careers. I tend to liken daydreaming and visualization under similar schools of thought. Daydreaming is less formalized than visualization, it happens pretty spontaneously, but we are still visualizing something.

Envisioning success is no different than when we visualize anything else, but along life’s road, many of us have been taught not to daydream and so, many of us have lost sight of our dreams. Many of us are fearful of envisioning our success because we’ve been taught that it’s somehow immature or out of reach.

Without dreaming, how can we move ahead? I don’t mean dreaming as if we’re all floating on purple and yellow clouds surrounded by circus clowns riding Hippopotami and singing “Candy Man”. I mean dreams such as watching our children grow up. Dreams that entail becoming more successful in your current position or obtaining one that makes you feel complete. Dreams that allow you to look forward to retirement with security rather than trepidation. Dreaming is part of envisioning. In order to get a vision, we have to have an idea… dreams are ideas with emotion pushing them forward.

Many of us have been taught to “play it safe” and maintain the status quo… whatever that is nowadays. We’ve been taught to color inside the lines, think inside the box. It’s time to bust out of the box, color all over the page and become the person that YOU are destined to be.

This is one of the most exciting aspects of my job as a Certified Personal and Professional Coach. I am given the honor of assisting people in learning to color using their own hues and their own templates. Success is nothing more than being true to you and being happy with it.

So, how do we go about envisioning our success? Does all the previous “dream talk” have anything to do with reality. YES!!!

In order to envision your success, there are 6 steps:

1. What is YOUR definition of success? This is where your dream comes in. If you could dream up a world (keep it realistic… no living in Mario Brother’s world), what would it look like?

a. Where would your world be located? Your current neighborhood? In the mountains? By an ocean shore? Next to your relatives? Far from them?

b. Who would YOU be? I don’t mean physically, unless you are unhappy with yourself physically? Most of us can come up with places we’d like to add to or subtract from ourselves physically, but I mean who are you in your heart? What kind of person are you? Who do you associate with?

c. What do YOU do? How do YOU define YOU in your dream? Do you teach? If so, what do you teach? Do you work in an office building, at home, outside? Do you have an office… with a door (sounds silly, but this was on my list of must have’s once upon a time)?

Your world has to be created through a dream in order for you to define how you see yourself and the world in your vision of success. I may think having a rock-star career is THE definition of success, whereas you may believe being a loving, caring mother is THE definition of success, yet another may believe that leaving everything behind and going to a country in dire need of compassion and love to live out the rest of her days is THE definition of success.

2. Once you have your dream ironed out, then we can begin working on envisioning. I am a firm believer in writing down what you want, but write them in present tense:

a. I have two healthy, intelligent, well-behaved children.

b. I own a business that allows me to travel with my family and live a life of financial freedom and happiness.

c. I am able to give freely of my time.

Write out these affirmations in detail. Try not to leave anything out. The color of your walls, what kind of desk, chair or supplies you have on your desk, what you wear to work, when you work, etc… Post your affirmations somewhere. You want to see them. You want to read them… often.

3. Sit quietly, daily if you can, and pull your dream up, couple your dream with your affirmations. In your mind’s eye, visualize yourself:

a. Playing with your children. Going on vacations with your children. Watching your children graduate from college and going on to live THEIR definitions of successful lives.

b. Sitting in your home office making appointments to go to other states and then making travel arrangements. Visualize going to… The Grand Canyon with your family because you happen to have a meeting in Arizona the same week your kids are out of school for Spring Break… AND you have the funds to comfortably take the family with you.

c. Walking through a garden hand in hand with a young child and taking him to a table to eat a healthy meal. Watch the twinkle in his eye. Notice your heartbeat?

4. Begin to create the habits of success. Do you need an education? Do you need to network with other people? Do you need to spend time at a shelter? Begin to live the life you see as a success in your mind.

5. Journal… every day if possible. Journal what you are doing on your journey. What did you do today to bring you closer to your dream? Journaling solidifies the vision.

6. Get help if you need it. We’ve been taught to play it safe. It’s tough to break out of that mold sometimes.

Envisioning your success really isn’t “difficult” but it can be hard to break out of old habits, form new ones, and forge ahead. This is my passion. This is what I love. I live to be able to help others envision their passions, and then give them a hand up to first envision their success before they are living their success.

Take Pride in the Little Things

2011-04-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

The circle of life is amazing. Each winter, we watch trees and animals crawl into hibernation. We lock ourselves in our homes, turn up the thermostats, and grumble while we wait for spring.

Once spring is sprung, we look around in amazement at all the changes in colors and sounds. The world suddenly looks cleaner and crisper, but it’s not “all of a sudden”. It’s not an overnight metamorphosis. The change is small and gradual.

The ground warms a bit, the soil thaws. The trees warm a bit, the buds sprout. The days grow longer, the animals start their cycles of reproduction… tiny steps lead to an amazing orchestra of sights, sounds and scents that tickle our senses each and every year. The same holds true in our own lives if we take the time and are aware enough to notice the little things.

When was the last time you noticed any of the following:

-Your spouse made lunch for you? You made lunch for your spouse? Your spouse ran out and got you ice cream!

-Your children did a little extra chore… without being asked?

-You straightened a tie for a loved one?

-You held a door for someone?

-You gave a flower to a random person?

-You bought a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line at McDonalds?

Remember the movie “Pay It Forward”? The entire theme of the movie was doing kind acts for others because it comes around. Taking pride in little things is very much the same… when we take pride in little things, we realize there are a WHOLE LOT of little things in which to take pride, and voila, suddenly we have a life of which to be proud.

Each of us can find something to be proud of within ourselves, our children or our communities. Absolutely there are things that need rectified in all areas, but in finding a little bit of pride in little areas or with little achievements, we are motivated to look a little deeper and with kinder eyes at those around us.

Coaches are human too

2011-04-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

Since it is tax season, or rather, the end of it, I have a related story to share.

Being the good coach and role model, I like to stay on top of things and keep ahead of timelines. Therefore, I sent all of my business tax information to my accountant way back in early February. They eagerly prepared my return, since most people don't utilize them so early in the year and sent me my documents with 'sign here' stickers and addressed envelopes, just awaiting the signatures, postage and mailing. Great! Everything was read by March 1.

Fast forward to last night. I was filling out an application for my business that required my accountants information. I quickly went to my return to pull the information from the folder and quickly noticed that inside were my neatly prepared business tax returns, including the 'sign here' stickers and the addressed envelopes with instructions on sending the returns by April 18, 2011. Last night, when I discovered this, it was April 19. I had forgotten to actually mail the returns!

Don't look! My humanity is showing!

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Great customer service day at Office Max and Apple in Indy

2011-04-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day to start with, and it just kept getting better. After landing a new client, I had some errands to run and made my first stop at Office Max on 86th St. to get a quote on binding some workbooks for my upcoming workshop, 'Your Personal Brand' for NAWBO at the end of the month. They gave me several good options and I steered to the paper aisle to pick up some high quality printing paper, because I decided to do the actual printing myself to save some of the cost. Matt, the Office Max employee, offered to help and pointed out a great paper that was buy 2, get one free. I jumped on it and away I went. I also wanted to find out how much the equipment would cost to do the binding of the notebooks myself. I love being able to do projects on my own time! Matt quickly found me searching again and pulled me to the correct aisle, showed me the equipment, pulled out the instructions and even showed me how easy it was to operate. This was great, as the punch and bind systems don't look all that straight forward, if you've never done it before. Again, I was impressed and decided it was well worth the investment, since it was so reasonably priced! Great day!

My next stop was the Apple store for a spare power adapter for my new Mac. There's nothing wrong with the one that come with my MacBook Pro, I just want an extra one for travel and the living room when I'm mobile. I walked in and as usual, there is a sea of blue shirted young people spread throughout the store, helping every customer one on one. I quickly went to the accessories wall and was greeted by one of them, asking what I was looking for. I told him I just needed a power cord and pulled the 45W one off of the shelf that looked exactly like the one I have. I thought I was done. He asked me which computer I had, to which I replied 'the small laptop'. Now I realize how stupid of an answer that is. He led me over to the computers, pointed to the 13" MacBook Pro and asked me if that was the one. Bingo--yes it is! "Well," he said patiently, "then you will need the 60W power cord, not the 45", as he walked back over to the wall and pulled down the appropriate box. Saved me a trip back to the store!

On top of that, he quickly found another blue shirted young man, and asked him if he could check me out. "Of course," he said, and he proceeded to scan the item with his phone, tell me the total, scan my credit card, then asked me if I'd like a paper receipt, one mailed to my email address, or both. All of this was achieved in the middle of the store without having to wait in a single line! I couldn't believe it! E-mail please! What a concept! I was in and out of that store within 5 minutes! They know how to do customer service!!

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Everyone has a garden to grow

2011-04-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

A note today from Mike Dooley's daily Universe message:

It's like everyone's given seeds that are capable of growing into the garden of their dreams, but no one's been told they even have them. Then, when they see their neighbor's garden growing, whether it's because their neighbor actually found their seeds or accidentally spilled them, there's a rush to see what's happening. In fact, whole industries are built around the buying, selling, and trading of other people's gardens. Agents are hired, sales teams assembled, and sometimes stocks and bonds are issued. Vendors compete, lawyers are hired, and accountants are sued. There are mergers and acquisitions, buyouts and takeovers, and of course 401k's, company picnics, and vacation days.

There are seeds that grow into private gardens. Seeds that grow into best sellers. And seeds that grow into happy families.

It's quite a riot, and often good fun, but would you believe that one of the biggest impediments one has to discovering their own seeds, these days, is their fascination with the gardens of others?

Hoe,
The Universe

Can you conquer the world?

2011-04-01T07:40:00.000-07:00

I recently read something that I think will change my life yet again. This is really funny. Not funny ha ha, but funny how God and the world works. In my last Oprah magazine, there was a page of little magnets with words on them that you could separate, put on your refrigerator and make little sentences or statements. I thought 'what a cute idea--I'll use them to post little messages to my husband'. So I separated them, put them up and put together my first message. This is what came to me as I scanned the different words. "Can we conquer the world?" I thought it was cute and would spark some conversation. I soon forgot about it, left it on the refrigerator and moved on to the activities of life.

A day later, my daughter forwards to me this free e-book called "A brief guide to world domination, how to live a remarkable life in a conventional world" by Chris Guillebeau. Coincidence huh? I think not. First of all Chris is a gifted writer. I couldn't put it down and had to read it in one sitting (it's not that long). I'm actually looking forward to reading it again because I know I only absorbed half of it (I'm a fast reader and sometimes comprehension suffers.) In any case, here's a few quick tidbits that I found remarkable:

11 Ways to be unremarkably average

1. Accept what people tell you at face value.

2. Don't question authority.

3. Go to college because you're supposed to, not because you want to learn something.

4. Go overseas once or twice in your life, to somewhere safe like England.

5. Don't try to learn another language; everyone else will eventually learn English.

6. Think about staring your own business, but never do it.

7. Think about writing a book, but never do it.

8. Get the largest mortgage you qualify for and spend 30 years paying for it.

9. Sit at a desk 40 hours a week for an average of 10 hours of productive work.

10. Don't stand out or draw attention to yourself.

11. Jump through hoops. Check off boxes.

Now, let's admit it, this is true. If you hit all of these, it doesn't mean you are bad, but just incredibly average. If you enjoy being average and love your life that way, it's all good and you are by no means alone. You are in very good company.

If that's not good enough for you, Chris challenges you to think about the answers to the two most important questions in the universe.

1. What do you really want to get out of life?

What is your ultimate goal in life? If you could do whatever you wanted, what would you do? What would you love doing?

I know we may all have pondered this before, but do we really answer it and use it to guide our life's decisions (the scary part)? Read his free e-book, you will be inspired.

2. What can you offer the world that no one else can?

Another good question that we all stumble on. Yet truly, we all have something to offer the world. At the very least, pondering these questions will teach you more about yourself.

So---how are these questions changing my life?

Seriously, I haven't taken the time to really answer both questions completely, but what struck me was the realization of how little I need in order to fulfill my purpose. When I think about what I want to get out of life and what I offer, it really has little to do with money or material things. So if you hear from me in the future that I am selling everything and going off to a third world country to build houses or teach English (and learn their language of course), you know where it started! Now to break the news to Mark and have that conversation about conquering the world!

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

The Power Leader vs. The Servant Leader

2011-03-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

I know you are probably already saying that "Of course, the only way to be successful is to be a leader of power---that's the only way it works right?" I'm just sharing another point of view that is gaining more and more understanding and support as we see the power models crumble.

I'm again pulling concepts from the book, The Case for Servant Leadership by Kent M. Keith. Here are some very simple ways to contrast the Power and Service Models:

Power
1. Make people do things.
2. Assumes hierarchy shaped like a pyramid, only the few at the top of the power.
3. It's about grabbing.

Service.
1. Help people do things. They are typically facilitators, coordinators, healers, partners and relationship builder.
2. Hierarchy doesn't matter, because anyone can be of service. Anyone can be a service leader.
3. It's about giving.

So now, many people will say, "Right, how well is that going to work, having no leader to make decisions? That sounds like chaos to me."

Albert Einstein said, "The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule."

This kind of thinking has been around for a long time. Why is it that we have to keep re-learning it? I think a true leader is one that people want to follow. Have you ever experienced a dictatorial type leader, where the entire function would follow them no matter what they did? Isn't the sign of a good leader their followship (yes, I just made that word up)? Have you ever experienced someone in your organization who did not have the high leadership position from the hierarchy, yet lots of people would follow them because they trust, admire, and genuinely respect them for their work and their values? I bet if you polled the followers, you'd find out who your real leaders are! Just something to think about.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Gaddafi Leadership? What do you think?

2011-03-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

"Leadership is not about the power of an individual, but rather, the good of all." The Case for Servant Leadership.

Looking at what is going on in Libya today, it's not hard to find a really good example of a leader who thinks it is about the power of an individual. But even if we don't look at the extremes, can you find examples of this even within your own sphere of work and community?

Juana Bordas broke out 5 ways that leaders grow their communities by engaging people in her book Salsa, Soul and Spirit. They are:

1) encouraging participation and building consensus,
2) creating a community of leaders,
3) generating a shared vision,
4) using culturally effective communication, and
5) weaving partnerships and connections.

In her view, leadership does not belong to any one person, but to the community it serves. Therefore 'top' leadership positions are routinely rotated and it is expected that leaders only take their fair share like everyone else, they never take more of the community resources.

I know this may really rub some of us the wrong way, especially knowing how much time and energy it takes to build consensus when we just want someone to get in there, make a decision and do it! It's just interesting to me to listen to others ideas and observe how it works differently in some cultures. Bordas also points how this type of leadership is common to the Black, American Indian, and Latino cultures. It's always good to understand where others may be coming from, don't you think?

I'm a big believer in incorporating the best behaviors, always learning from our experiences and constant improvement. I just can't buy into the complete power model that we tend to gravitate to as Americans as being the absolute best we can be. I hope we'll learn to incorporate more of the Servant Leadership model into our politics, companies and communities. I know I can always start with me.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

The Servant Leader

2011-03-22T05:13:00.000-07:00

Is there a paradox here? How can one lead and yet serve? Do we think of a servant as a weakness in our definition of Leadership?

I just finished reading The Case for Servant Leadership by Kent Keith and there are so many juicy teachings on leadership in it that I can't fit them all into one blog. So I'll be incorporating them over the next few weeks.

Servant Leadership instead of autocratic rule is not new. It's been around since before 490 B.C. as depicted in the Tao Te Ching which says

The highest type of ruler is one of whose existence the people are barely aware.

Next comes one whom they love and praise.

Next comes one whom they fear.

Next comes one whom they despise and defy.

I'm sure you can think of examples of each of these types of leaders, especially in our world today. What kind of leader are you?

When the best rulers achieve their purpose

their subjects claim the achievement as their own.

~Peter Merel

Another paradox of the Servant Leader is that power can be gained without seeking it.

...[T]rue power comes from the people. It comes from gaining the trust and support of the people who then give you the power. Power is like love. The more you try to give it to others, the more it just seems to flow to you naturally.

~James Autry

Conversely, when a leader tries to grab power, there is a constant fight to keep it. After all, if it was grabbed once, it can be grabbed again. So once you grab it, you hold on for dear life and continuously protect your turf. Does any of this sound or look familiar to your work place?

Let me just say this about leadership. It's all about the love, love, love.

Now this doesn't mean that caring about people means that you keep people who are in the wrong job or the wrong company. No, sometimes caring about people means that you need to let them go so they can find the best fit for them and be happier in their life's purpose. But a good leader will always ask themselves when faced with a tough decision, am I doing this for me (my ego), for them (the people), or for the enterprise?

www.greenleaf.org

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

How I use Facebook

2011-03-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

Facebook has become my favorite social media tool. It amazes me, especially after watching 'The Social Network', that this was developed as a way to connect the college crowd and has grown and evolved into an effective mechanism to aid in political revolutions!

Now I am no where near an expert user, but I know I use it more than a most of my age demographic. I first started my facebook endeavor to just keep up with my kids. As they moved on to college and beyond, I wanted to be able to watch what was going on in their lives and in the lives of their friends. I quickly realized I could connect with my friends who were doing the same things. I started looking for people, from my current friends and colleagues, to people from my past. At one point, I got out a junior high year book and just started typing names in to see who was connected.

Now some may say---why are you doing that? If you weren't current friends, why do you want to connect now? My answer? Lots of reasons. Here's just a few awesome reasons that I've connected with my facebook pals:

1. I love to relate to others and I learn from them. I love to see what's going on in their lives.

2. People post great things--funny videos, learning posts, though you need to be careful what you believe!

3. You can ask your friends questions---and get answers! "Hey, anybody know someone who works at ABC company--I need a contact! or Anybody know a good caricature artist?" I got answers in less than an hour. It's like having all of your friends and connections in one huge room!

4. I keep up with the Virtual Pub-where you can enjoy some good music memories while drinking your beverage of choice-check out Kirk Brewster (https://www.facebook.com/kirk.brewster)

5. I get to see pictures of friends and family that I'd never have access to.

6. I am constantly reassured that my son is alive, since he updates his FB page more than he calls home.

7. I love to share good articles that I find around communication, leadership and personal growth.

8. I can keep up, even just a little, with friends who've moved away or relatives in different cities and states, share the grief of losing a loved one and share tribute with others to their life.

9. I've even gotten business from my page.

10. Wow, I could go on and on.

Still---I'm no expert.

Did I mention that my 77 year old father-in-law has an iphone? I'm not there yet.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Accountability

2011-03-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

Lack of accountability can be debilitating to an organization. When others see that there are no consequences to poor behavior or poor performance, general morale is negatively affected. In addition, I’m sure we can all think of times when we haven’t held ourselves accountable either.

Accountability can easily be related to following through on a goal. Goals are SMART (http://lynnzettler.blogspot.com/2010/12/goal-setting.html), and holding people accountable is SIMPLE (http://www.communicoltd.com/pages/338_holding_others_accountable_is_simple.cfm).

S: Set Expectations: make sure everyone is on the same page. It’s not realistic to think the lines of communications will communicate expectations magically. Write down what is expected. EXPECT people to line up behind the decisions.

I: Invite commitment: Hold meetings to make sure everyone understands how meeting goals will benefit the individual as well as the team. Most of us are willing to commit to something providing we understand what it is we’re committing to, and how it will benefit us.

M: Measure Progress: every goal should have mile-markers. Running a race is no fun unless we know how far we’ve gone, and how much further is left before the finish line. Goals are the same.

P: Provide Feedback: Share results. Don’t hold the successes close to your chest. Don’t keep the challenges a secret. Let everyone who is expected to participate, know where they stand as well as where the group stands.

L: Link to consequences: I don’t mean to belittle anyone, but all of us are motivated if we think there is a consequence. Consequence is seen as a negative, but in reality, consequences can be positive or negative. If a goal is not hit then the consequences are…. If a goal is hit, the consequences are…. If a goal is exceeded, then the consequences are…. Maybe it’s best to use the word “reward” to get across the positive.

E: Evaluate Effectiveness: What worked? What didn’t work? It’s only fair to put it all on the line and evaluate what we need to do better or what worked well.

What role do you play in keeping yourself and others accountable?

Tips to Effective Email Management

2011-03-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

Email management is essentially time management. We communicate through email, in many instances, more than we communicate in person or over the telephone. We typically don't decide one day just not to answer emails, nor do we typically dedicate an entire day to answering emails for the week. If your email is anything like mine, you may have hundreds show up over the course of just a few days. So, what do we do to keep it all under control?

If you have an email tool such as MS Office Outlook or Lotus Notes, your world may be a little easier, but these tools aren’t absolutely necessary, just handy.

1. Schedule time to read and respond to emails. If you need two or three hours a day, schedule them, spread them out. Focus only on getting through your email during these times. Mark the times out on your calendar and treat this time as you would a business meeting. This is YOUR time to take care of email.

2. I found in an article online that classifying email as either “reference” or “action” can save up to fifty minutes per day when trying to file or find an email. Classify every email (excluding junk and spam) as either a reference email, or an action email. There is software available on the market for this, but you can build your own system easily enough.

3.       Work the emails in order. Don’t skip around. However you have them sorted in your inbox, stick to it and work from the top down (or bottom up if that is your system). Doing this will prevent you from overlooking or deleting something important.

4.       Made a decision on every email. Don’t mark them to read later, or mark them as new because you don’t have time to work through them… make a decision. Can the task be done in two minutes or less? Set up folders within your email and slip the emails into the correct folders:

a.       Delete—junk. If you don’t need it, don’t keep it. Your memory on your computer or your IT team will appreciate this.

b.      Delegate – the joys of having a semblance of power (whether perceived or real). If someone else can take care of a task (and it is within your reach to do so), delegate the task to her. Make sure you follow up (which may require a flag of some sort so that the task doesn’t fall through the cracks.)

c.       Get it done – this is where the two minute rule comes into play. If a task must be completed by you, and you cannot get it completed within two minutes, slide the email into this folder. These tasks are to be completed after the other emails have been sorted.

d.      Work in progress. If you’re working on something, keep it in here until it’s completed.
I have to constantly remind myself not to jump onto my email until the designated time because it is so easy to get lost in the whirl of communication. Roughly 100 emails can be processed in an hour once you have a system in order to work through them. Hang in there, establish your rules, and hop on it. The time you save can be spent on something far more exciting!

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

A two-year olds favorite word

2011-03-08T16:55:00.000-08:00

No. It seems so simple, doesn’t it? How many times, as a child, were we told “no” for everything from touching the hot stove to hanging out at the mall with friends instead of spending time with the family. As an adult, how often do you say no?

The older we get, the wiser we get, and the more difficult it is to tell someone that we just can’t do “fill in the blank” for whatever reason. Does that make sense?

-“Can you head up this project?”

-“Would you be the President of the PTA?”

-“Can you be in charge of the fund raiser this year?”

-“Would you mind heading up the car pool?”

-“Would you coach the basketball team again this year?”

Now before all of the volunteers get upset and worried that they won't have enough help for good causes, let me specify what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about people who overextend themselves, who over commit and over schedule. They never say no. Then they beat themselves up about it afterward or blame others for putting them in the situation. I'm talking about Joe, at work, who constantly complains about his workload, but won't delegate anything to anyone else either. And Sally, who won't disappoint her kids ever, so she volunteers for everything from soccer mom to planning every class party at the grade school.

In our minds, we know that we're being stretched, in some cases to a near breaking point, by taking on more and more responsibilities. Why don't we just say “no”? It’s not that we don’t know HOW to tell someone “no.” One of the first words we learn as children is “no.” We don’t say “no,” most of the time, because we are afraid of something. We’re afraid of disappointing someone, of being looked at in a negative light, of missing the positive feeling of being the person depended upon, or of giving up control.

Is there truly a quick and easy way to tell someone “no”? Easy is really a matter of perspective. If we’ve spent our life doing something one way, and suddenly, we wish to change our pattern, it won’t be easy, but it can be simple:

1. Never to be rude. Never tell a lie. Do be firm and sympathetic: “I’m sorry, but I don’t have time this year to be the room-mother. Thanks for asking.”

2. There are people out there who are simply not trained in personal communication, and they will put on the full court press to get something out of us. It’s O.K. to tell someone: “Let me check my schedule and see if I can help, but I can’t commit right now.” This will give them a chance to find someone else who may have more time to assist. After all, someone else may be waiting for their turn to shine, and your perpetual volunteering is getting in their way!

3. “I really can’t make the costumes for the book parade, but I’d be more than happy to pick up some juice and cupcakes.” It’s all right to volunteer for something else instead.

Each of us only has 365 days a year, 7 days a week and 24 hours to a day. Some of us believe that we can cram more than that into our lives somehow. That’s when we ultimately pay a price through our health, relationships and dissatisfaction both professionally and personally. Is that the kind of example we want to set for our next generation? Saying “no” may be the most freeing thing you can do for yourself. Remember the two-year old!

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

How are we like Alice?

2011-03-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

I had the delight and privilege to share Friday movie night with my young niece and nephews in Ohio last weekend, where we watched the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp. If you haven’t seen it, it is a real treat, especially from an adult’s point of view. I’ve read several reviews relating to the symbolism in past Alice in Wonderland versions, which touch on numerology, the occult, and even the English Reformation. But I saw the symbolism in the movie completely different and as more of a compilation of our inner selves. Of course I would, right?!

First of all you have the rabbit, who is in such a hurry and seems almost magnetically attached to his clock. He promotes the feeling of anxiety for being late. Sound familiar at all?

The Mad Hatter is very interesting in that he seems to say whatever is on his mind without any filter, to the point where he often wonders aloud if he is crazy (what does your inner voice say to you all day long?). Isn’t it interesting that he also creates unique and different hats (Which hats do you wear in your life? How many different hats have you tried?) and that he is very attached to his own top hat (he’s committed!).

You also have a feisty dormouse, who is very courageous, but can’t quite seem to make the ‘big’ things happen because of her size. (How big is your courage?)

Then there is Absolum, the hookah smoking, blue caterpillar, who appears wise and steady, always knows the truth, and ultimately transforms himself into a beautiful blue butterfly. (Have you had a transformation lately? Do you need one?)

And of course you have Alice, who must slay the Jabberwocky even though she is outsized, has no experience fighting dragons, and no idea how she will actually achieve it. (What dragons have you slayed for yourself lately? Are they still lurking waiting to be faced?) Fortunately for Alice, her father taught her to dream impossible things and she imagined ‘six impossible things before breakfast’, the last of which was that she COULD slay the Jabberwocky. She removed limitations and opened herself up to huge possibilities. And she succeeded. She slayed her own demon and transformed.

See what I mean? I think we’re all like Alice in Wonderland!

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Communication: a two way street

2011-02-23T14:11:00.000-08:00

Ever been in a meeting where you are privileged to listen to a team member who loves to listen to the sound of his/her own voice? Have you ever been that person? Sometimes, in a group or presentation setting, we tend to hold the reigns and never release them. It’s important to remember that there is a stark difference between effectively communicating and ‘talking at.’

Talking AT someone is a one-sided conversation. Have you ever been angry or frustrated with someone, so you make it your mission in life to make sure she understands what has upset you? You then spend a large amount of time explaining why (fill in the blank) was such a bad idea. We’ve all done it.

In effective communications, we are actually relaying a message. We are giving and receiving information. Communication can range anywhere from sitting down with your children and discussing their day at school over the dinner table (and LISTENING), to participating in a tele-conference with several different offices across the state or country.

Effective communication can be a tricky skill to learn. We’re often programmed through experience, that if we want to get a message across we’d better get it out there with force. Unfortunately, when we’re forcing our message, we’re not necessarily communicating effectively.

So, how do we effectively communicate in a team or group setting?

1. Who is your audience? If you’re communicating with your co-workers or working peers, you will want to communicate differently than if you are communicating with your son’s soccer team. Know your audience, what they want and what they expect.

2. Meet somewhere comfortable, if at all possible. Who ever felt good going to the principal’s office? It's not usually a comfortable place. Make sure the room is the right size, the place is appropriate for the topic, etc.

3. Maintain eye contact with your audience. WE may believe that in staring out the window at the falling snow, our message is being conveyed, but we lose credibility immediately with the receivers of our message. How in the world do we maintain eye contact with those on the phone? Remain focused on the conversation. Don’t let your mind wander. Don’t look out the window daydream about sipping hot chocolate in front of the fireplace, curled up with a great book. Focus on your audience. Be present in the conversation.

4. Keep your audience involved. Ask for feedback during the conversation. Call on others for their input. Ask their opinions. If people may be asked to participate, they are more likely to pay attention, stay engaged and contribute to the communication.

5. Take turns. Nobody likes a ball hog. Nobody likes a conversation hog. Sounds a bit like the playground in a way, doesn’t it?

6. Be polite. This may need to be at the top of the list, and honestly, it should be a no-brainer, but sometimes we forget. Treat others the way we want to be treated. A little respect goes a long way, in both directions.

7. If someone has a great idea, let them know! Don’t be bashful!

8. Be confident and know your topic. It’s human to be a little uncomfortable in many situations, but “Never let ‘em see you sweat.”

9. Be sincere. General George S. Patton said, “Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

10. BE POSITIVE. You’re far more likely to be successful in your communication if you keep it positive. There is always a bright side. Don’t sugar coat the negative, but keep the conversation as upbeat as possible.

Effective communication is an art. If we follow a few simple steps, most of which are common sense after seeing them in print, maybe we can spend more time effectively communicating, and far less time simply talking.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Tips to Becoming a Successful Leader

2011-02-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the saying “Leaders are born, not made?” I’m not sure I completely buy into that belief. Yes, you can see that some children just naturally take on a leader vs. a follower role. But I can also give you many examples of people who were typical followers most of their life, and learned over time how to lead and influence others. I just can’t quite embrace the idea that leadership is a niche dug out only for a select few. I believe that anyone with a burning desire and the proper training and guidance can become a successful leader.

In my career as an Executive and Professional Coach, I’ve assisted many people who are moving up the chain in their careers. I’ve worked with very successful people and companies in creating their paths and strategies to catapult them to the next level. While I can’t promise that you’ll be promoted to the next level, I can give you some pointers and the rest is up to you.

1. Maintain your integrity. For me integrity is the highest value we can have as human beings. As we are moving up in our careers, we’re often faced with tough decisions. It would be simple to turn away or falsify information to move ahead. You will ultimately pay the price if you sell yourself in this manner. Remain true to yourself at all times, even if you are faced with embarrassment. Once you’ve lost your integrity, it’s very difficult to get it back.

2. Accept responsibility and be accountable. As a leader, you will not only accomplish great things, but you will also fall flat on your face. Nothing builds respect faster with peers and followers than a leader who can say, “I did (fill in the blank), it didn’t work, but here’s what I learned.”

3. Beg for forgiveness, not for permission. Don’t abuse this. Remember the responsibility angle. As a leader, you must be willing to take educated chances without all of the information, and sometimes you want to ‘just do it’. You want to take risks, just make sure they are calculated and that you can afford them.

4. Be a positive role model. Negative will happen, but find a way to learn from it and share the lesson to others. Keep the positive vision in front of your team. Find out what they need to stay motivated, and give it to them.

5. Always look for ways to improve yourself and the company. Be a life long learner.

Many times, companies will hire me to work with their pipeline of leadership potentials, so to speak, to help them acquire the mindset, coaching skills, and belief systems of great leaders, as well as to define their own personal visions of success. Many of us have the capability to lead, we just don’t know how to pull all the pieces together in the most successful way. A certified coach can assist with helping leaders fully implement all the pieces that they have at their disposal in order to make their mark and fulfill their personal and professional vision of success. I look forward to hearing from you.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Recognizing Stress In Your life.

2011-02-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

I was pondering the title of this article (because, who doesn't “ponder” this and that during the course of their day?), and was struck with how immensely helpful it would be for someone to come up with a meter of sorts to check our stress level. We have mood rings, but they aren’t “stress meters” so to speak, and they probably are not quite as accurate anyway. There are meters for diabetics to measure blood sugar. We even have meters to check radioactivity levels when necessary. What would we do differently if our stress meter showed our stress level to be in the 'red danger' zone?

We can’t eliminate stress completely. Stress is a by-product of our daily lives. All of us have stress: good stress, bad stress and we all handle it differently. Stress can be beneficial: it motivates us to move forward, keeps us engaged in our lives and the world around us and it gives us energy to face the day.

As with anything else in our lives, anything in excess can prove to be a negative. Stress is no different, and unfortunately, too many of us wait until we’ve lost control to address it. Once we’ve walked the plank and jumped into the waters of stress, we begin to drown slowly.

1.       We over eat.
2.       We avoid activities which once brought us pleasure.
3.       We begin to get physically ill.
4.       We’re irritable.
5.       We have trouble sleeping.

This is just the beginning. There are potentially dozens of adverse effects caused by stress.
How do we go about recognizing stress in our lives? How can we back off from the plank before we’re sent over the edge?   Look for some symptoms. The key is to know yourself:

1.        Are you losing sleep?
2.       Are your emotions erratic?
3.       Are you abusing substances (alcohol, cigarettes, even over the counter drugs such as Tylenol pm or the like?)
4.       Are you physically ill (upset stomach, cramps, backaches, or headaches)?
5.       Are you moody, full of worry, suspicious, angry or anxious?

Once we recognize that we are feeling stressed, it’s important that we establish the source.   What's one thing we can change in our behavior and our patterns to help alleviate some of that stress? Are there people with whom you may need to spend more/ less time? In all reality, there's typically not a “quick fix”, but there are things we can do to help us out.

What can be done to help “burn up” some of the stress we have?

1.       Exercise.
2.       Explore dietary supplements. Often times, we’re lacking in certain vitamins and minerals. Simply adding supplements may help.
3.       Explore our lives to see if there are issues that can be altered or changed – talk to a counselor or a certified coach to lay out a plan to change our lives in a positive manner.
4.       Learn to meditate or listen to calming music.

Stress isn’t our enemy, it can be our friend. Too much of anything in our lives, however, can prove to be detrimental. Before anything negative becomes all consuming, take the time for yourself and take actions to address your stress and move in a positive direction.

Are you ready for Spring Break?

2011-02-09T14:40:00.000-08:00

Great rates for a Spring Break getaway in Destin Florida. 2B/2B First floor condo at the Oceanfront Aegean complex on Holiday Isle. Beautiful restored beaches and upgraded interior.

Make your reservation today!

Habits of Highly Productive People

2011-02-04T14:46:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely fascinated with biographies of successful people. It's almost shameful to say, but everyone from world leaders to pop icons fascinate me. How did they become the successes that they are? How did Donald Trump buy up some real estate and turn it into an empire? How did Tiger Woods take a golf club as a small boy, smack a golf ball, and turn it into millions? How did the Williams sisters stay motivated to become champions in tennis? And how in the world did Lady Gaga do it? I know these examples are extreme.

When you look at the success of any leader, they have specific habits that assist in keeping them on track. There are certain methodologies that guide leaders and help them maintain their level of success or excel ahead of the pack. Scores of books have been written about the habits of successful people. Certainly, more books will make their way to the top of the best seller list in the future. If you go to Google, and type in "habits of productive people," you will be given hundreds of links to blogs or other websites with advice. Here are some disciplines and traits I have always found necessary to be highly productive:

1. Dream. I read somewhere once that a dream is a wish your heart makes...Walt Disney, maybe? It makes sense. But once you have your dream, write it down. Be realistic. I can never be the Pope (and don't want to be). I can never be the starting forward for the Boston Celtics or the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts (Peyton would be hard to beat out anyway). There are limits, but why can't I dream of becoming a bestselling author? Why can't I dream of becoming the CEO of a multimillion dollar company that I found? Who is to say what my limits are?

2. Set regular and realistic goals geared towards making your dream a reality. Goals have been hammered, and honestly they are a topic all their own. I wrote a blog entry regarding goals not long ago.

3. Surround yourself with positive people. Research is abundant to reinforce this. If you hang with a group of people that are negative and are convinced they are failures, you will begin to think as they think. Negativity is the poison to success. Find a network of people that think as you think and are as successful as or more so than you. If you aspire to be a successful real estate broker, find a real estate broker willing to take you under their wing. If you desire to have a short story published, find an author to mentor you and a publicist with faith in you. If you can't find anyone in a similar field, find people who GENUINELY believe in your talents. Networking groups are all over the place. Find one specific to your dreams and build a network.

4. Never stop learning. We live in a very fast-paced world. If we simply want to maintain the status quo, we have to keep up with the status quo. If we want to exceed the status quo, we have to get ahead of the curve. Take classes, get coaches and attend seminars. If you stop learning, you will stop growing.

5. Never forget where you came from. We all have a mission. We all have a job to do and we're all at different levels of learning in our life. The kid behind the counter at a restaurant or the waitress filling your drink request is part of your plan in one way or another. I'll never forget my waitressing days. Don't forget where you are now when you reach that star you are shooting for. Don't forget to help those that follow.

It's so easy to sit back and read a blog entry, get excited, and REALLY work towards your dreams and goals, short-term. It's not so easy to keep motivated or to keep the dream alive. Sometimes you need a helping hand and a supportive partner to walk with who will always challenge you to be the best you can be. Sometimes you need guidance along the way. Give me a call or contact me through my website (http://lynnzettler.com/contact.html) to see how I may assist you in stepping into your own success.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to Spend Some Quality Time On You!

Thoughts On Motivating A Team

2011-01-31T17:07:00.000-08:00

What if you capitalized on your strengths this year, instead of working on your weaknesses? We all know what our weaknesses are and we become especially aware of the weaknesses of others when they are on our team and we’re trying to achieve something. The fact is though, that our weaknesses will always be our weaknesses. They’ll never be transformed into strengths. It’s not our nature.

Have you ever heard of someone working on their weaknesses so hard that they turn it into a strength? They may work hard at getting better at it, but I doubt they’ll ever turn it into a major strength. For example, if one of your weaknesses is creativity—it’s impossible to ‘learn’ creativity. It just isn’t your strength. So make it easy on yourself and when you need creativity, find someone who has the strength of creativity and partner with them!

Do you know the strengths of your current team members and have you capitalized on them? Here’s a great team exercise that I’ve used as a coach which has re-energized a team and given them renewed focus:

Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath is an inexpensive book and assessment based on 40 years of research by Gallup. They found that people are most successful when they are fully engaged in their job and when they are fully utilizing their strengths. I took a group of 12 through the assessment and we mapped out all of their strengths. This not only showed the group the strengths of each team member, but it also showed where their gaps were as a team. In addition, each team member was assigned a goal related to capitalizing and enhancing one of their strengths. The book gives you lots of ideas in that area as well.

So for example, if you are in sales and you have the strength of “Woo”, which stands for winning others over,

you’ve got a great strength to build on. However, if Woo is not your strength and perhaps your strength is Analytical,

where you need to see the data in order to believe that it’s true, you may have a challenge communicating with and understanding your ‘Woo’ leader, and vice versa.

The book can take you a long way in understanding how to interact with others of different strengths, and in identifying ideas for action in the capitalization of your own strengths. As a professional coach in Indianapolis, I work with teams specifically in this area and help them to see how to look at motivation in a different way.

So at the very least, you can look at your own motivations in a different way and check out your strengths.

Then challenge yourself to find ways of utilizing your strengths even more than you do today. Perhaps you’ll discover that the rut you were in is because you weren’t operating in your strengths at all. Let me know what you find out!

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Win a vacation and help yourself!

2011-01-30T19:22:00.000-08:00

Win a free Florida Vacation!

In honor of the month of "love" and International Coaches Week, I'm giving something back and offering 50 complimentary coaching sessions in February.

That's right, 50 and I've already got 10 lined up, so

~~I have 40 left!~~
I now have only 30 left!

So if you schedule a complimentary session with me, or if you refer someone to me for a complimentary session and they give me your name, I'll also enter you into a drawing for a full weeks stay at an Oceanfront 2B/2B Condo Property in Destin Florida, which can be redeemed in August-December of 2011.

So Hurry and Contact Me today for your complimentary coaching session!

How To Finish What You Start

2011-01-30T18:32:00.000-08:00

Are you familiar with the phrase “immediate gratification”? In our society, we want EVERYTHING right now. It’s especially hard for our young people today, who have been conditioned to expect things right away.

--New iphone is out? I’ve got to have the latest technology. I’ll get a new phone.

--A new car, maybe a little out of my range. I could afford it more easily in two years, but I want it NOW. I’ll finance it for five years.

--A beautiful new house. I really don’t have enough to put a good down payment on it. I could in five years. I’ll get the house now, but at a higher interest rate which will cost thousands more.

We want everything now. Unfortunately, success doesn’t just fall into place for many of us. Most of us have to work hard to achieve what we’ve got and even harder still to achieve the dreams and goals that we have flying around in our heads. Successful people have the following traits:

1. Clear vision to achieve their goals.

2. They refuse to take “no” for an answer. I’ve always been fascinated by “underdog” stories such as the founder of KFC, Harland Sanders. He persevered and persevered. If you want to read up on him, this is an interesting link: http://www.woopidoo.com/biography/colonel-sanders/index.htm

3. They work towards accomplishing their goals every day.

4. When they hit an obstacle, they find a way around it.

5. They finish.

This article isn’t about successful people, but rather how to finish what you start. If you can consistently finish what you start, you will, deliberately or inadvertently, become successful. So, not to beat a dead horse, how do you finish what you start?

-- Do you have the finish line in your mind? What is “finished”? Do you want to publish a book? Do you want to launch a website? Do you want to open a vegetarian deli? Do you want to take art classes and have a display in an art gallery? What is the finish line?

-- Is your finish line realistic? I’ve used the astronaut analogy in previous articles, but if you’re a 45-year-old woman with a high school education and carrying around an extra 50 pounds, the chances of you being an astronaut are not realistic.

-- When do you plan to finish?

Many of the above thought-provoking questions are similar in setting goal strategies. It’s not likely that you’ll finish a project without having clearly defined goals (http://lynnzettler.blogspot.com/2010/12/goal-setting.html ). Once the goals are set, get to work. Just do it.

Sometimes the things we need to finish are pretty simple: laundry, groceries, pick up the kids, clean the bathrooms, wash the car, go to the Parent-Teacher meeting. Most of the time, we can handle finishing these tasks. We normally get hung up and frustrated on the larger tasks in life: refinancing the house, starting the new book we want to write, starting the new book we want to read, finishing the five books sitting on the end table, or starting a new business.

There is no magic pill. There is no immediate gratification to major tasks in our lives. Realistically, there is no immediate gratification in most of what we do.

Here are some ideas for finishing what you start..

1. See the completion in your mind in as much detail as possible (the finish line).

2. What kind of support do you have? Do you have people in your life that will encourage you and give you positive feedback along with constructive feedback?

3. What are your limits? If you are working out, even top athletes understand they have to let their bodies rest to recover. So don’t kill yourself, but do get up and go.

4. When do you do your best work? Do you work better in the evenings? Stop at the gym on your way home. Jump on the treadmill when you get home. Pop in a DVD even if the kids are there watching you sweat. Work it as often as you’ve vowed to work it.

5. Journal your progress. Use measurements. Increase your weights. Document your workouts. Set out milestones to hit along the way to your finish line.

6. This may be redundant but it’s important. Surround yourself with positive, motivational people. It’s easy to listen to nay-sayers when you’re not feeling your best. Remember you are your best and hanging with people at their best will naturally help you to stretch yourself as well.

7. Work at your goal EVERY SINGLE DAY in one way or another. You don’t have to run full throttle every day (and doing so will simply lead to burn out), but you have to work at it in some way EVERY DAY.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to Spend Some Quality Time on YOU!

Do You Love Change?

2011-01-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

Raise your hand if you like change and embrace it routinely!

Right. I didn’t think I’d get many, if any takers on that one. Change is thrown at us on a daily basis, so it’s no wonder that we hang on to whatever feels comfortable to us as if our life depended on it, even if there are real benefits to the change. Just think about your last diet or exercise goal. See what I mean? We love to stay in the comfort of what we already know and experience. It’s predictable.

As an executive and professional coach here in Indy, I probably work with clients on change management more than anything else. Therefore, I thought it might be helpful to summarize the seven dynamics of change (paraphrased in bold below) introduced by Ken Blanchard in The Portable Conference on Change Management. Let’s use an easy example of change: becoming a parent for the first time. That’s a big change for both first time mothers and fathers, right?! Here are the general dynamics and some tips in helping others get through it.

People:

-Don’t like how it feels

It’s awkward, new and there isn’t typically a precedent or template for you. You are going through it for the first time. Think about the first time you brought your brand new baby home. Were you worried you’d do something wrong or wouldn’t know what to do? You had no choice though, you just had to jump in and handle it. So be sensitive to others when they are going through a change for the first time. They’re very uncomfortable.

-Focus on what they have to give up

This is true even for changes perceived as positive. We tend to always focus on the negative aspects. In order to make room for the new, the old has to pass away. There is a loss there. When you bring that baby home you are giving up a lot: your sleep, your freedom, your alone time as a couple, and maybe even showers at times. So when others focus on what they are giving up, help them to see that it’s a necessary loss in order to welcome the new.

-Feel alone in the change

It’s all in our heads, so we are alone in it. We have to deal with the change individually and determine what impact the change has on us individually. Even though a child is typically welcomed by two parents, each parent is impacted differently, processes the changes and reactions differently and potentially perceives the change differently. We all deal with change individually and we all need to come to terms with it ourselves. So sometimes you need to be patient with others if they’re not changing fast enough for you. They’re working through it on their own.

-Can only handle so much

Too much change in a short period of time can be extremely stressful and is very individualized. Too much change can lead to physical illness or inability to cope. New mothers typically need more help because they are dealing with lots of change in their body in addition to the change of a new family member for example. So when you are in the midst of change with others, pay attention to how much change they may be dealing with. Expectations of change management may be different for different people.

-Are at different levels of readiness

By nature and experience, we are all at different levels of readiness for any particular change headed our way. Maybe we just got over a huge challenge and need some time to regroup. Perhaps we are not ready for a big change in our life right now. Maybe we need to embrace change a little more slowly, whereas someone else can embrace change very quickly and adapt instantly. Realize that we all react to change differently and it may be worthwhile to ask others about their readiness for change when we can anticipate it or have control over the timing.

-Will think that they don’t have enough resources

Whenever we face change, our defenses go up and we very quickly conclude that we will have to do more with less. How will we do it? When we expand our family, how do we find the time for the additional person? Will we have the time, the energy, the love, the sanity, and the skill to parent well? How will we provide for the extra things we’ll need? Thank God humans are adaptable and we find the ways. Sometimes we need to give people some space to think outside the box so they can see that change can occur and the resources will either appear, or other needs will disappear so that resources can be readjusted.

-Will revert to their old behavior once the pressure is off

You have to be chuckling at this one and you know it is true. What happens after you lose that first 5 pounds? Do you celebrate with a pizza on Friday night? I’ll admit it. I do that sometimes. It’s hard to come up with an example related to parenthood here, because the pressure is never off! But you know even in your work environment that people always want to go back to what is comfortable and what they know best----the old way (That’s the way we’ve always done it!). So I guess the secret here is to never let the pressure off if you really want change to stick.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to Spend Some Quality Time on You!

Are We On The Same Page?

2011-01-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Or are you reading from a different book?

If I said I might have to reschedule our meeting and maybe we should just meet if we can, what would you think? Are we meeting or aren’t we?

If we completed our meeting with lots of ideas for ways to move forward, but no timeline and no assignments, would you expect anything new to happen?

If you gave someone a project and they asked for a deadline and you told them there wasn’t one, when can you expect the project to be completed?

I know this sounds pretty simple, but where in your life, in your business, in your family, or in your relationships have you run into this problem before? We all have. Most of our conflicts are due to differing interpretations of what we think is supposed to happen.

Most of my coaching clients here in Indy are business owners where this is a common problem and challenge. Overcommitting, emergencies, interruptions, disruptions and distractions all contribute to the feeling of being out of control and disappointing customers. Sometimes customers ARE disappointed. Sometimes customers don’t even realize that my clients feel out of control. Sometimes customers aren’t even paying any attention to my clients at all. The real issue becomes then, that my clients hate disappointing themselves.

My job as a professional certified coach is to help my clients overcome these challenges and find ways to get back on the same page, both with their customers and with their inner self. Here are three things you can do to keep yourself from jumping to another book and losing touch:

1) Realize that people aren’t always thinking about you. They are probably thinking about themselves and their shortcomings instead. That’s no excuse for dismissing poor follow-up, just don’t overthink it and beat yourself up about it. As soon as you recognize that you may not be on the same page, do something about it and get there as soon as possible. Apologies and proactive communication work much better than ignoring it because you dread the conversation.

2) Always repeat what you think you heard, so that it is clear what the expectation is for all parties involved. You can do this during the actual conversation, you can send an e-mail after your conversation outlining your understanding and asking for confirmation or you can leave a similar voicemail so that there is clear understanding and agreement of what’s going to happen next.

3) At the end of a conversation or interaction, ask the other party if they need anything else from you. This gives them the opportunity to bring up any ambiguities that they may have or they may offer to take the next step. You are leaving it in their court to make sure that their needs are met.

Remember to Spend Some Quality Time on You!

www.lynnzettler.com

Releasolutions for 2011

2011-01-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, so you are probably expecting the typical New Years goals, resolutions, visions, etc. for this January 1 newsletter. I admit, even I get tired of hearing it, and wonder how many resolutions will be broken by January 15^th. If you’ve already thought of some new goals for yourself for 2011, by all means go all in and line yourself up to achieve them, and if you need any help or support, let me know. If you are still on the fence, I thought I would give you a little variation on the theme and share with you my ‘Releasolutions’ for 2011. No, that is not a typo. Instead of resolutions, I am talking about “release-o-lutions”.

In order to have new habits or behaviors, we have to make room for them and the only way to make room is to give up something else. I like to think of it as a teeter-totter. You have to have balance on both sides. Your current life is made up of your activities, behaviors, choices, decisions, etc. If you take away an activity or behavior, you have to replace it with something else, even if it is relaxing with a good book or taking a nap J.

So, I’m working on letting go of some things so I can embrace new ones. Here’s my list:

1. I am letting go of excuses associated with a bad economy and embracing the belief that there is more than enough to go around.

2. I am releasing my resistance to my intuition and embracing the wisdom of my higher self.

3. I am saying good-bye to my fear of confrontation and embracing complete honesty.

4. I am releasing my distaste for accounting and embracing the tracking of increasing monthly revenue.

5. I am closing the door on MY life and career expectations for my children and

opening the floodgates to acceptance of their passion and unlimited possibilities, and to the trust that they will find their own success and happiness.

Gotta go and get my arms warmed up.

There’s lots of embracing coming my way!

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

Kids are Home---New Video as a gift

2010-12-28T10:39:00.000-08:00

I love when my kids are home for a lot of reasons. I love being together as a family, family dinners and even being the topic of their jokes. No matter how cool you think you are......your kids will always find something to laugh at :)

Fortunately for me, they both love to help me out with my new technology and Lauren helped me with this video for my website. Thanks Lauren!

Why I ?hate? Tom Brady

2010-12-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

Since I live right outside of Indianapolis, it should come as no big surprise that I'm a die hard Colts fan, and especially a huge fan of Peyton Manning. Therefore, I also must admit that I love to see anyone beat the Patriots and especially do not enjoy Tom Brady.

That being said, it is obvious that I'm not getting to enjoy much love in that area this year.

Now being a personal coach, and a person who genuinely wants to help and recognize the power and inner spirit of others, I find that 'hate' is actually a really strong word and seems to be out of integrity for me, so it made me stop and think. Why do I hold such a negative personal feeling toward him, when I don't even really know him?

It struck me that as human beings, we always seem to demonize those that are not aligned with our belief system and I quickly recognized the truth about what I was doing. In reality, we have always been football fans of our local team. We were huge Browns fans when we lived in Cleveland during the reign of Bernie Kosar (for those of you old enough to remember and care, you would remember the 1987 game which had 'THE DRIVE' by John Elway of the Broncos which took away the closest chance Cleveland has ever had at a Super Bowl berth). I ?hated? John Elway then too.

So, in reality, if I lived in New England, I would actually be a huge fan of Tom Brady as well...........I have to admit.

The truth of the matter is that he is an excellent quarterback and has an excellent team, and has the Superbowl rings to show for it.

I think we also do this with politics, religion and any other topic that separates us as people. If others don't have the same belief system, same goal, or same tactics, people tend to make immediate judgments and dismiss others as idiots, evil, and the enemy. Without sounding preachy---shouldn't we really have a rule of seeking to understand others first? Isn't that what we would want? Does it all come down to what we learned in kindergarten which was the golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"?

So----at the risk of ruining your 'winner takes all' feelings around football-----I'm stepping into those golden rule shoes myself. How can I understand (and dare appreciate?) Tom Brady and the Patriots? I can respect them for their passion, their athletic ability, their skills and abilities. I can stop saying that I hate them, but I still don't have to root for them. Yes, we are all connected as human beings and love to see our team striving to achieve something great. But it is, after all, only a game. And without good opponents, the winning wouldn't be as sweet.

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

Are you coasting?

2010-12-16T18:03:00.000-08:00

So the end of the year is coming up fast and you are either in one of two camps of thought. The first is that the holidays are a crazy time, no one pays attention to anything or gets any REAL work done, so I might as well coast to 12/31 along with the rest of them. The second is that the holidays are a time to regroup, plan and get a jump on everyone else so that you hit the ground running January 1 while everyone else is still dealing with the hangovers. There may be some levels of middle ground in there somewhere as well, but I think you get the idea.

Now I'm not insinuating that there is anything wrong with a little well deserved R&R with family, friends, or even by yourself over the holidays. We all need more of that!

But if nothing else, take the holiday time to get your house in order. You know what I mean. Get ready for 2011 so it is an easier year for you. Get organized so that you'll find things faster. Create some new habits that will serve you better and really commit to them because you WANT your life to be easier. Here are some ideas:

1. Make some financial goals. What loan are you going to focus on paying off? How much are you going to earmark for savings? Do you need a better record keeping system? Can you set your bills up for autopay? Are all of your accounts set up online? Have you met with a financial planner to make sure you are on track with your long term needs and goals? What are you waiting for?

2. What home maintenance projects need to be done and do they need any significant funding? Do you need to set aside your tax return for it?

3. Are there any home maintenance projects you can tackle over the holidays? Does your shower need a fresh caulking? Time to finally fix that leaky faucet?

4. And you know it.....do you have your records in order for your 2010 tax return? Have you made all of your donations? Do you need to make a run to Good Will? Here's a tip---use www.itsdeductible.com. It's a great website that allows you to list all of your donations and even gives you suggested value amounts for the items you are donating.

Enjoy your holidays AND be ready for a great start to 2011.

Remember to spend some quality time on you.

www.lynnzettler.com

Today’s Business World

2010-12-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

Today’s Business World is a cornucopia of confusion (I love alliteration!). We enter the business world bright eyed and eager to please, only to be knocked around and placed firmly back on our hind ends… repeatedly. What is it that’s holding us back? What is it that is so different today, than it was for our parents and/ or grandparents?

1. The world is MUCH smaller. I didn’t understand that concept until I had several years under my professional belt. The world is smaller because of advances in technology. We can have meetings with clients across the globe via webinar, or conference calls. Have you utilized Skype yet? It’s amazing. We can sit in our home office in Carmel, and discuss budgets and analytics with a client in Hong Kong.

2. The world moves at a FAR faster pace. While technology so often works in our favor, it also works against us at times. Once upon a time, the work week consisted of 9-5 M-F unless you worked in the emergency services as a fire fighter, doctor, nurse, police officer etc. We don’t have that luxury by and large any longer. And if we own our own businesses, a forty hour week is a dream that may never be realized until we retire.

3. Life has become more complicated. We are aware of what’s going on even on the other side of the globe. We have “friends” in Ireland, England, Taiwan, or Japan. We hear of things happening in their newspapers as well as our own. We have family members facing horrors in the Middle East that we can’t begin to fathom, and honestly don’t want to understand. We have children being bullied online to the point where they make decisions which impact the lives of other children in a horrible fashion.

4. Our expectations of ourselves are greater than any previous generation. Call it greed, or drive. Whatever we want to call it, it is what it is. We want. We want it all. We want it now. What can we do to put things into balance?

Are you working in a business that you love? Not one that is “alright”. Not a field that “makes good money”. Do you wake up in the morning and want to go to the office? If not, why not? Why are you spending countless years in a profession that doesn’t make your spirit soar?

When you look at your job, do you feel a sense of loyalty to your company? If you are self employed this pertains to you as well. Are you loyal to yourself, your customer base, your business? Whether you are an executive at a high-rise downtown, or busting your hump as a carpet cleaner from a second hand van, are you loyal to your job? If not, why are you doing it?

Do you make time to reflect on what you’ve done during your week, or day? Do you evaluate where you are, often, to insure that you are in line with what will take you up to your date of retirement?

When you think of retirement, do you think “I can’t retire…. I can’t afford to” rather than “I can’t retire… I can’t stand the thought of not going into the office”?

How can you evaluate, with honesty, the issues in today’s business world that bring you fear, apprehension, happiness, and joy? Is it possible to look at your work situation with a clear/ unbiased mind and make decisions for the betterment of YOU rather than looking at your situation through the glasses of corporate America, or a loyal spouse/ parent? If we have to do it alone, it may be nearly impossible to look at things without the distorted glasses of life. If we look at our situations through the filter of a third party, though, why couldn’t we make our business lives happier?

It’s quite possible that we’re in the correct business, simply not the optimal position. It’s possible the happiness and joy can be found in your work, but your vision has become skewed for one reason or another. In times like these, it’s best to look to someone that can lend a hand. This is the perfect time to look to a Certified Professional Coach for assistance. I’d love to help you find your happiness. I’d love to alleviate some or most of the confusion in your business world.

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

Why a personal coach

2010-12-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.” I’m not suggesting that any of us are teetering on the brink of insanity, but sometimes it feels as though we are.

We enter into jobs believing they will make us feel happy and fulfilled, and they become a chore… they become jobs. We accept positions during our career… stepping stones… to a different plateau, only to look back in five, eight, or ten years to discover we’ve been on the same plateau and feel completely unfulfilled. We eagerly embrace being a parent to assist in molding a young mind and helping our children aspire to be what they are meant to be, only to look back as they are packing their rooms to go to college and realize that our dreams and ambitions have been placed very much on the back burner… and maybe we feel some regret.

All of these emotions are normal, possibly expected, but it’s not necessary to live any longer with feelings of “shoulda/coulda” (it’s not a misspelling… it’ll show up in a dictionary one day… you watch and see). Unfortunately, many people approach the “golden years” of their lives feeling like a tarnished piece of grandma’s fine silverware stashed in a drawer. They look back on their years of raising their children and creating their careers with dismay. At what point is it too late to make the changes in our lives that we need to make to empower ourselves to be the person we aspired to be in our youth? It is never too late to make the changes. In May of 2007, Nola Ochs, a 95 year old lady in Kansas graduated from Ft. Hays State University in Kansas after taking thirty years of classes. She graduated with a degree in history and went on to obtain a Masters three years later! It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. As long as we have the desire to aspire to greatness we’re never too old. HOW do we move ahead after years of sitting still? One way is to hire a personal coach.

There is no reason to sit back and wish your life away. LifeAction Coaching is a portal to connect you with the old you and I’ll be your partner. Together we can evaluate your stalled dreams and make a plan to get the train back up and rolling at full speed ahead. Wishing won’t take you to the summit of Mt. Everest, and going to the same job you’ve detested for the past decade won’t allow you to look back on your life and tell your grandkids about the adventures you experienced on the way to your reality. A personal coach can help you uncover your passions, find out what brings your soul the most joy, and the reasons why you have stuck with the job you’ve had. There has to be something keeping you there. We can find out together what that something is, and use it to propel you to the next level in your journey.

You know where I am.

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

Goal Setting

2010-12-05T18:17:00.000-08:00

What is that sound that Charlie Brown makes when something is said, or something happens that he’s not very happy with? I think it’s something like “aaugh!”.

How often do we hear someone tell us, “you need to set goals”, or “the only way to achieve what you need to achieve in life is if you have clearly defined goals”. It seems that every executive workshop or team-building workshop focuses to the point of absurdity on goals and goal setting. There may very well be a reason for the madness.

Without goals, how do you a) know where you are currently, and b) know where you want to be in six months, a year, five years etc? If you’re among the very few, you stroll through life moving ahead at a speed that is relatively admirable and experience a sweet amount of success… and you don’t seem to have to put forth much effort. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have that luxury. Most of us either need to write out our goals, or wallow in mediocrity.

Why do we need to write our goals? When we write our goals, our subconscious mind is poked. It’s told to pay attention, something is important. While running the risk of sounding “new age-y”, our desires are sent out to be worked on while we may not consciously be working on them. When we take the extra time to write the goal down, we’re telling our mind that what we’ve written is very important to us, and it allows us to keep score in a way.

Should goals only be written for business? Sure… if business is the only part of your life that you want to attain more in. If you desire a happier home life, a more fulfilling spiritual life, a more padded checking account, a more svelte physique… you get the idea… then you absolutely should be writing goals. Write goals for anything and everything that is important in your life:

1. Career: Where do you want to be and when? How much money do you want to make annually? What kind of benefits do you desire?

2. Do you dream of attaining a higher degree of formal education? When can you get it done? What will it cost? What school do you want to attend?

3. Are you happy with your physical health/ physique? What do you need to do to attain what you desire? Granted, most of us will never look like Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt, but we can feel better about what we’ve been given.

4. What would make you happier within your family? Do you want children? Do you want your children to attend college? What do you need to do to help in the process?

5. What do you do to make yourself feel better about YOU? Do you want to volunteer? Do you want to take art classes?

Ok… so you get the point. We need to write goals… apparently for EVERYTHING in our lives. Don’t get too riled up… choose what is most important to you. Where do you need to focus your energies right now until you create the habit of setting goals? It’s not realistic to attack everything head on with fervor… you’ll get frustrated and give up. Nothing is achieved that way. Pinpoint one aspect you need to focus on. Once you form the habits of writing goals for, say, your career, write the goals for your physical health. Goal setting can be a chore, but if it is, you’re not as likely to keep at it. Make it into more of a game… make it fun. Make it something that can be measured which brings me to the meat of goal setting… you got it… SMART.

Anyone that has ever sat through a training seminar for goal setting, or knows someone that has sat through a seminar knows the acronym SMART. If you don’t know it, you’ve either been very fortunate or have seriously missed out, depending upon how you look at it. For everyone that has experience with SMART, this is a review. The newbies… prepare to be AMAZED!

· S: SPECIFIC. Set very specific goals. i.e. I will attain my MBA by 7/1/2012. I will learn to dance the Rumba by 1/5/2011 etc. Don’t leave room for not attaining… be SPECIFIC.

· M: MEASURABLE: similar to specific, but the goal has to be measurable. I will lose GOBS of weight by 1/1/2011 just won’t cut it. I will lose 15 lbs by 1/1/2011 is MUCH better. The goal has to be MEASURABLE.

· A: ATTAINABLE: Don’t set yourself up for failure. If you can never become an Olympic caliper athlete, don’t set yourself up for failure. If you want to be able to walk the mini marathon in May, and right now, you can walk a mile and a half, sure it may be tough, but your goal is ATTAINABLE.

· R: RELEVANT: Make sure your goals make sense and are relevant to the big picture. Having a goal of reducing sick time by employees by 5%, may not be relevant if you already enjoy a 98% attendance rate. Time will be better spent on other things. Keep things RELEVANT.

· T: TIME SENSITIVE: Put a deadline on your goals. “I will lose 15 pounds.” That’s great, but WHEN will you lose it? If you have no time frame, you have no motivation. We only have so many years in our lives… everything is TIME SENSITIVE.

In all honesty, goals aren’t going to bury or carry you if you choose not to set them, but find one athlete, or executive that doesn’t set goals that are SMART. You’ll be hard pressed to find one. There is a reason goals are set by top performers. Try setting goals for yourself for a week, and then a month… honest goals. Follow up and monitor them to see what a difference they can make in your life. You’ll understand why they are so vital.

Remember to Spend Some Quality Time on You!

www.lynnzettler.com

Christmas Throw Up

2010-12-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

I’m sitting at my computer on a grey, misty Tuesday and behind my back is a living room which looks like ‘Christmas just threw up’, as my daughter would say. I normally love to decorate for Christmas, but I have to admit that since my kids have gone off to college and into their own lives, the thrill just isn’t there anymore. So I now take to decorating in stages. Over the weekend the tree (we broke down and bought our first artificial one this year) went up and Mark took on the outside lights. In addition, he brought up all the decoration boxes from the basement so that I could take care of the rest of the house. Yesterday I unpacked them in the living room. And there it is.

I normally am not a procrastinator. I like to tackle things, get them done and move on. But I have noticed recently that some of those big projects get pushed back so I can tackle the quick items (like writing this blog today, rather than preparing for my talk on Saturday or making follow calls to potential clients!). Maybe it’s because I need to experience what my clients experience so I can relate to them more. Yes, that’s it! I like that answer. It’s much better than “you’re a loser because you are leaving things undone.”

The other thing that I think I’ve learned recently is that it’s also OK to slack off a little sometimes. My grandmother passed away right before Thanksgiving and it really hit the family hard. Even though she was nearly 90, and ready to go, I’m not sure those left behind are ever quite ready. Of course this threw me out of my normal routines for work, business development, video blogs and all of those extremely important things (I’m being sarcastic), and a lot of things were put on hold. That’s why Christmas threw up in my living room. I was too busy getting caught up on work to take the time to decorate right now. If you knew my grandmother (Esther), you’d also know that she’d be apologizing right now for causing all this disruption in my life and all her other grandchildren’s and children’s lives as well. She was the definition of humility. But I have to admit that I am thanking her. Sometimes I need to be forced to take the break that I need, to take the deep breath, to reevaluate my priorities and refocus on what’s really important. Thanks Esther. I know you’ll be looking out for me in the future and somehow you’ll find a way to remind me again. I think I’ll clean up the living room tomorrow.

Remember to Spend Some Quality Time on You!

www.lynnzettler.com

Who Uses a Professional Coach?

2010-11-30T05:22:00.000-08:00

The Manning brothers (Peyton and Eli), Serena Williams, the Jonas Brothers, the cheerleading squad at the local high school, the basketball team at IU… all of these folks have used, or are currently using professional coaches. There are voice coaches, music coaches, athletic coaches, acting coaches ... you get the idea. Coaches are used in a great number of situations, not just professional athletes and performers. The word coach is synonymous with trainer, teacher or instructor. Does that pertain to our professional lives as well? Absolutely!

Interestingly enough, anyone who owns a business that needs a little momentum or direction can use a coach for perspective and guidance. Complacency is pretty common in our day-to-day lives. A little extra “nudge” by a professional coach may be exactly what you need to bring your company from the bottom of the mountain to the middle of the mountain, and ultimately to the peak. No company is too large or too small to benefit from a professional coach assisting in gaining a new sense of focus to your company’s mission statement and goals.

Fortune 500 companies have been using Corporate Coaching since the 1980’s. It’s not uncommon for executives to have professional coaching included as part of their benefits packages. The companies providing these services often see the benefit as far greater than the cost as it assists in grooming the new executive to fit more into the mold of the company than if she was to simply sit back and take in the culture. Investing in a professional corporate coach allows companies to build a culture rather than having one thrust or forced upon it because of lack of vision.

Many teams have benefited from corporate or professional coaching as well. Just as in sports teams, business teams can obtain clarity of mission, interpersonal skill development, better team communications, clear direction, rapid achievement of goals and expertise in critical conversations using the skills of a certified coach.

As an individual, we can all use a little punch in the arm now and again, or a new fire lit to get that 'jazz' back in our step. How often have you looked back on the past five years and shaken your head because you can pinpoint, almost to the minute, where you stumbled? Stumbling is sometimes required and a necessary learning experience which can still lead to success. Falling on your face and accepting defeat is unacceptable.

A coach is the person to reach out, wipe off your knees, redirect your attention and focus on your strengths and attributes, point out how you’ve gotten to where you are and give advice to move you forward at a pace worthy of your efforts.

A professional coach can assist in areas of our lives that we simply may not realize needs assistance. Leadership development (for HOME and office), interpersonal skills, or conflict resolution can all be applied to every aspect of our lives, not simply to what we do when we clock in to earn a day’s wages.

Is professional coaching for everyone? Absolutely not. Some folks simply are not coachable. Some companies and individuals are happy with existing rather than excelling. Professional coaches are for companies and individuals that have a strong desire to succeed and refuse to settle for good enough. If this sounds like it may be part of your make up, or your company's…you know where to find me.

Remember to spend some quality time on you.

www.lynnzettler.com

Women facing Empty Next Syndrome

2010-11-29T05:24:00.000-08:00

If you are anything like many other women, you are looking at the prospect of being an “empty nester” with a mix of emotions. FINALLY! The kids will be out of the house (I’ve heard this is a fairy tale… they never REALLY leave home). What will I do with their room? I’ve always wanted that craft/sewing room. How will I react to the lack of music in the house----to the silence? What do I do now with my life, or with my career? Will my job be a career now, instead of just a job that I ran in parallel to motherhood? These were my questions, but I’m sure you have your own. One question that has crept up now and again is “What will I do with my time without having to taxi 2.5 kids in 35.7 directions” (it happens, trust me!) There are times now when I think, “I wish I had a kid to take to soccer practice,” (with a tear swelling up in my eye!).

Just like hundreds of other women, you face your pending freedom with a little fear, a little trepidation, a little curiosity, and a brand new outlook on life. It’s time for you to look at what YOU want to be when you grow up. At your age, what is it that will bring your life the joy that you want? Is that even a possibility? How do figure out what you want to do? You certainly don’t have the same dreams and aspirations that you had as a child… or do you?

This is where a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) comes into play. Between running Johnny to Soccer, and then to hockey, and Julie off to ballet, and soccer (of course the soccer teams meet at the same field… at DIFFERENT times), you and your new found CPC (not quite a BFF, but pretty close) can hammer out the details to get you on the path you want to take, not the path that’s tossed in your way.

1. Together, we can figure out what you want to do… a “life mission statement” of sorts. Think things through. What are the consequences to starting that coffee shop, taking those voice lessons, or pursuing your license to practice law? How will you feel when you see it as reality? How will you feel if you never pursue it? There’s a lot to think about.

2. What do you do that brings you the most satisfaction? Together, we can look at exactly what you’ve accomplished, what have been your challenges, and what brings you the most joy. Is it really ever too late to take acting lessons? What matters most to you? You and I can sort through all of the information that you’ve been learning for the past 12, 15, 18, 20… years. Do you need money? Do you prefer an active setting? Do you want to be in a crowd, or sitting silently reading a great book? We’ll find out! And it all matters!

3. Do you know anyone that does what you are thinking about doing? Half the battle is networking. Guess what… I have a GREAT network in place between my 20 year career in a Fortune 50 Company, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter; I can certainly guide you to someone to help you look into whether or not you’d like to start your own cosmetics company (LOOK OUT MARY KAY!).

4. Once you have your list of dreams, your Certified Professional Coach can help you focus in. It may be intimidating to think of all that the world can offer you… we can face it and sort it out together.

5. Once you’ve gained your focus, do you need to go back to school? Do you need to hire a mentor? Do you need to call the Peace Corps?

Your greatest obstacle may very well prove to be yourself. Understand that this is normal. You’re all right. Fear makes us stronger if it’s utilized the way that it should be.

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

Ten tips to manage your social media

2010-11-28T07:50:00.000-08:00

If you use a computer at all, it is likely that social media has impacted your day-to-day routine in some way. Want to join in with the rest of the world? Here are ten tips to help you successfully utilize social media to benefit your personal and professional goals:

1. Know Your Market. Who are you trying to connect with? What is the purpose of social networking for you? Is it to sell a product, share information, or connect with friends? Different social networks are better than others for certain things. If you are an entrepreneur, networks like Twitter and Linked In will help you make professional and consumer connections. If you are looking to connect with old fans or promote a project, Facebook may be the network for you.

2. Content, Content, Content. The most important factor in social networking is the kind of content you are sharing. If your content is interesting and pertinent, your network will share it with their networks, so on and so forth, further widening your social web. If your content isn't quality, no one is going to care and people will not pay attention. Be selective and think about what you are sharing before you share it.

3. Define Your Brand/Image. This determines what kind of content you are sharing, as well. Are you selling a product? Are you trying to be a personality? Are you representing a business? Expressing personal issues may not be effective if your goal is to represent a specific company, but may be completely effective if you are starting a personal blog or promoting yourself as your brand. Try and be specific about the image you would like to create for yourself.

4. Be Consistent. It is important to share information on a consistent basis, whatever that may be for you. Perhaps it is daily, weekly, or monthly. The only way to gain a steady readership is to be consistent and reliable in your efforts!

5. Use Current Connections to Find New Connections. If someone you know is utilizing social networking successfully, ask them for help. Maybe they can feature you on their blog, encourage their followers to follow you, or promote your business for you. And then you can return the favor.

6. Be Patient. It takes time to build momentum. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Be patient and consistent and your network will grow.

7. Care. It's important to care about what you are trying to say. Followers will easily pick up on authenticity (or lack of it). The more you care about what you are doing, the better your content will be, and the more satisfaction you will receive.

8. Don't Spam. No one likes a spammer. Give value. If you are sending messages directly to individuals, then research those individuals and engage personally with them. Send a congratulatory note for a promotion or speaking engagement, note their recent business success, etc. Be selective about how often you share content and reach out, and what content you decide to repeat.

9. Don't Get Lazy. Personal interaction is still very important when it comes to connecting with others. The internet, the number of followers, the amount of re-blogs or re-tweets...none of it matters as much as the person, business, goal itself. Don't rely on others to make things happen for you.

10. Find A Balance. Social networking can be overwhelming, exhausting, and at times, quite the time-suck. Set aside a certain amount of time per day or week for specific tasks. This will make it easier to manage, and less likely to take over your life. Consider hiring outside help, like TweetLikeLink. They will help you with the focused, targeted social media you need for your company or brand and the cost is minimal. Many social media management companies exist for that very reason. They can guide you, help you figure out a system that works best for you so that you are getting the most out of your social networking efforts. Let them do the legwork for you and spend your time doing what you do best!

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

www.lynnzettler.com

LifeAction Coaching, Inc.

Sometimes you just need a hand up

2010-11-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

Deanne didn't realize how life could change on a dime. With one day's notice she was forced to say good-bye to a job that she'd had for 18 years. With no degree and limited skills....now what?

Deanne isn't one to sit back and complain, or let herself feel victimized. She was determined to find a way to succeed, and she started by signing up for computer classes at the local neighborhood center. She teamed up with Dress for Success and was partnered with a personal coach from A Hand Up Coaching to help her create her new path of success in life and in a career. Together, she worked with her coach to create job search strategies, personal presentation skills and confidence, and financial plans and budgets in order to reach her short term goals and give her a strong foundation on which to build her future.

Deanne has since landed on her feet with a job in customer service and credits the organizations, and the personal coaching which gave her the 'hand up' that she needed.

This is the typical story of the women that come to A Hand Up Coaching who are in need of a soft ear, an encouraging voice, a guiding light and a strong sense of hope for their futures. The volunteers of AHUC are dedicated coaches, accredited through the International Coach Federation, who are passionate about helping others succeed. Now is the time, especially in our churning economy, when the need for 'hand ups' instead of 'hand outs' becomes so apparent. Won't you help give a hand up to a positive and determined woman such as Deanne today? Make a donation to AHUC to keep the 'hand ups' going!

Donate now

www.ahuc.org

Balancing Career & Home

2010-11-10T19:21:00.000-08:00

Balancing Career and Home… is there an answer?

Every one of us lives a dichotomy of sorts. You love your family. They are accustomed to a certain life-style so you have to work, often long tedious hours. Where do you strike a balance? What’s the right answer? Neglect your family in order to provide them with the coolest video games, most up to date fashions, or a home in a good school district? Neglect your job in order to spend a greater amount of time with your family and risk being overlooked for a promotion that you’ve been hounding for? It’s not an easy decision. What’s the answer?

Not only is there not an easy solution, it’s often one that cannot be answered without a great deal of introspection… and the answers you find may not be those you are hoping to find. Balance is absolutely necessary. Without balance, you burn out at work, you neglect your family… ultimately, you finish last and unhappy. How do you strike a balance? Is it even called balance? Or is it just the choices of being the best you can be wherever you are at the moment? How much time do you NEED to dedicate to your job? Often times, it’s necessary to put in long hours. Often times we put in long hours because we have poor time management skills… sorry to be so blunt.

· How often do you delegate items that can be delegated to someone that isn’t quite as busy as you are? It’s not always possible, especially if you are running your own business… but even then, are there responsibilities that can be delegated, or are you holding on to them because you are a control freak? Again, sorry to be so blunt. Have the dry cleaning delivered; can you afford to hire an assistant? It may not be possible to hire someone… but maybe it is. Even if they won’t do it exactly as you would do it…..does it really matter that much?

· When is the last time you told someone “I’m sorry. I don’t have time to… “fill in the blank”. It’s hard to tell people No, especially when they have always been able to count on you to design costumes, pick up cookies for parties, coordinate the catering, etc. “No” won’t hurt anyone for very long. Before long, they’ll find the next person that can’t say “no”… and you’ll have banked family time!

· Have you ever invested in an egg timer? How often do you get buried in the details, and completely lose track of time? A simple, inexpensive timer (there’s an app for it!) will help you keep focused on time.

· When is the last time you said to your family “Tuesday is game night. I will be home at 6pm”. Hold yourself accountable to your family and them to you. Set the goal to spend certain time slots together. A family is much like a business. You set up business meetings with clients, right? Why not set up family meetings with your spouse and / or children for a serious game of Uno, or match up on the WII Fit?

· When is the last time you told your children “No… you cannot join… (fill in the blank). Choose one (or 2) activities that are most important to you. I need time with you too.” If you have teenagers, they may very well have a screaming fit, followed by convulsions on the floor at the mere thought of having to carry on a conversation with you, AND spend time with you, but it will pay off in the long run.

· When is the last time you and your family sat around the dinner table and discussed the day? Sometimes it’s simply not possible to eat together daily. There’s no steadfast rule that says you can’t meet once a week… around the kitchen island… before work/ school… while eating a toaster pastry filled with yummy fruit glaze. Not the healthiest breakfast, but the time you share is invaluable.

Sometimes, it seems impossible to keep your family happy and to keep your career happy. Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it, and find little tricks around all of your obstacles. Get creative; you may be amazed at some of the balancing tricks you may find.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Group Coaching Class for January 2011---Strengthening Your Personal Foundation

2010-11-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand:

Strengthening Your Personal Foundation

Group Coaching Class

Is your foundation strong, sturdy and capable of weathering a storm, or is your foundation like a house of cards?

Your personal foundation is your structural basis that supports you in living an exceptional life. Just as a house must be built on a strong foundation to avoid collapsing under stress, so must your life. A house's foundation is made up of earth, cement, and steel, your personal foundation is also made up of three elements---the What, Who and How.

Start 2011 off right and get your foundation in top shape.

Contact me to enroll today.

Here's the challenge. If I can get 10 people signed up for this class, I will give a huge discount off of my coaching fee!

Together, in this class we will get you:

1. A past that you are fully clear of
2. A life that is based fully on integrity
3. Needs that have been identified and fully met
4. Boundaries that are ample and automatic
5. Standards that bring out your best

6. An absence of tolerations
7. A choice to come from a positive place
8. A family that nurtures you
9. A community that develops you
10. A life fully oriented around your true values

Classes begin Thursday January 6th, 8-9pm EST and meet every 2 weeks for 8 sessions.

Jan 6, 20/ Feb 3, 17/ Mar 3, 17, 31/ April 14

Contact me to enroll today.

Cost is ~~$325~~/month

Only $100/month

with 10 clients enrolled

Savings of $900!

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Contact me to enroll today.

www.lynnzettler.com

PNC Bank---they did something really good

2010-11-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

Since my last post was on positive thinking and Mark and I have been dealing with a lot of 'negative' feelings towards a credit score hit (long story) and our recent experience with PNC bank (not an Indy based branch at least), I feel compelled to spread the word of customer service finally winning out. After a letter to the President of the bank, all is now good and PNC made us happy customers again. (Yay--credit score is back where it should be!)

In any case, we make it a practice to use coaching principles and examine these negative experiences (which have turned positive) and see what we've learned.

1. We didn't realize how much our credit score really means to us, and how much it costs if you don't have a good one. Protect yours!

2. If you are persistent and you know you are right (this doesn't happen all the time of course, but when you KNOW you are right) keep going and go all the way to the top if you need to.

3. Be patient with people. They are all doing their job and even though they seem to be getting a little short with you, you can't attract bees without honey. Being irate never gets you anywhere.

4. What goes around comes around. If you keep putting the positive vibes out there with every person you deal with, you will ultimately be rewarded in some way. Be cordial, polite, calm, level headed and even toned. You'll get farther.

It all pays off in the end!

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

Positive Thinking

2010-11-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

Garbage In, Garbage Out (GIGO): such a simple concept. I learned the term in one of my classes while studying for my bachelors’ degree. Specifically, GIGO refers to inputting invalid data into a computer program. The computer isn’t at fault… it’s the program. The programmer made the error somewhere along the way. Had the programmer written out the pseudo code in more detail, or taken into account the end user of a program, the program may very well run correctly, and not crash on a regular basis. This pertains to life as well. The further we get along in life, the more we program our minds. The more garbage we program into our minds, the more difficult it is to find where the blurp is (that’s a VERY technical term by the way), and reprogram our mind to produce error free results by means of our words and actions.

Our thoughts are very similar to a computer program. We program our minds to do a specific job, or behave in a specific manner, typically based on past experiences and learning. If we focus on the negative, and think things are going to go in a negative direction, they typically do. We create our own self fulfilling prophecies. We subconsciously start making decisions which will guide us in one way or another to take a certain action, or speak to someone in a specific manner.

If we turn the program around, we can teach ourselves to look at our peers in a positive light (it IS possible). We can learn to look at being overlooked for that promotion as a “character building experience” rather than “the man holding me down… AGAIN”. What do you need to change in YOUR programming? How are your negative thoughts affecting your actions?

As I look back on people I’ve met, the experiences that stand out to me in one way or another, I realize that GIGO is absolutely true in our world. If we read garbage or listen to garbage, we focus on garbage, and put garbage back out into the world, AFTER focusing on the garbage. What a smelly situation.

How many times have you caught yourself dreading a situation simply because you had a bad experience in a similar situation? How many times have you been surprised when things turned out better than expected? How many times has the situation turned out as bad as you expected? Was it truly the situation, or was it your perception of how the situation should go, and it simply followed your orders on some level?

When is the last time you made a concerted effort to fill your mind with literature that has a positive message? I love to read… so much in fact, I decided to actually write a book entitled “STOP Talking to Me”. When is the last time you curled up with a good book of fiction to get lost in the fantasy world of Patricia Cornwell, Dean Koontz, John Saul, or whomever you read when you curl up? What was the message they were espousing? I’m willing to wager they had no intention of teaching you to clean up your negative thoughts.

When is the last time you listened to music that wasn’t a happenin’ groove to get you to get out on the dance floor? I love music… all kinds of music… but how often do you listen to music with a positive message in it, or just orchestra music to let your mind go where it needs to go?

When is the last time you complimented somebody? “Your hair looks very nice today.” “That’s a great color on you.” “I really appreciate you taking the time to chat with me.” Some kind of compliment with no attachments or agenda. Try it… it’s wonderful to see the expressions on people’s faces. You may be the single positive experience in their day so far!

I found the following quote written by Remez Sasson : “A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds. (http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm). It’s not uncommon in our society to fall into the pitfalls of worry and negativity. It’s not a shortfall to admit that we need help trying to get our thoughts in order to help propel us to the next level in our lives: a new career, a new promotion, a new business, being a better parent or spouse. With the aid of a professional Life Coach, we can change the Garbage In / Garbage Out to reflect Good In / Good Out.

www.lynnzettler.com

Remember to spend some quality time on you!

What's your maintenance program?

2010-11-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

When did you last change the oil in your car? Had a flush and fill? Have it washed, waxed or got "The Works" at the carwash? Did you add the tire shine treatment to really give it that extra spark?

You may be surprised to know that I take my car maintenance very seriously and that I have previously changed my own oil with my own two hands. When I bought my first car, I was determined to take full responsibility for everything that had to do with car ownership. My mother was so impressed she came out and took pictures of me, oil pan, dirty track suit (I think that's what we called them then) and all. We all know we need a maintenance program to keep our cars running well, because most of us use our cars every day.

Over the weekend I took my LifeAction Coaching booth to the Winslow Wellness Center right outside of Indianapolis for their Halloween Bash, where they offered different facial treatments and procedures, jewelry and handbags, etc. After seeing the steady stream of women and yes, some men too, it was apparent that their visits were part of a maintenance program too. Just like those of us that color our hair, or cut it routinely, we all choose different maintenance programs to keep us looking well.

I started thinking about all of the maintenance programs that we have, and how we sometimes slack off on the upkeep. We tend to take better care of our cars than a lot of things related to our lives. How about:

Body Maintenance
Health Maintenance
Spiritual Maintenance
Mental Maintenance
Intellectual Maintenance
Financial Maintenance
Career Maintenance
Relationship Maintenance

Think about which one of yours needs a 'lift' now and what do you need to do to get it back in it's best shape? Let's not wait for the end of the year and the New Year's Resolution. Let's get started right now and raise the bar on your maintenance programs.

www.lynnzettler.com

Pay it forward: Donate today to A Hand Up Coaching and win a nano!

2010-10-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

A Hand Up Coaching

Please Help Us Reach Our Goal of $100K by December 5!

Make a donation, follow us on our Twitter, join our Facebook or LinkedIn page and be entered to win a 16GB

nano!

A Hand UP Coaching

is a National 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing volunteer Coaching Services to women moving from unfavorable situations and environments to gain greater self-confidence, independence, and economic status. Our volunteers are Coaches who are involved in Accredited International Coach Federation Training Programs and provide the best Coaching available in the world.

Every little bit helps. No donation is too small. Thank you.

www.ahuc.org

Donate today!

Calling all coaches, please send this out to your networks and help us reach our goal!

Remember to spend some quality time on you.

www.lynnzettler.com

Ann Taylor, Really?!

2010-10-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

I'm an Ann Taylor girl. I love their clothes, they fit me great, they're resonably priced and I usually hit them once or twice a year for some really great sales. I can't say how disappointed I am in this advertisement where they felt the need to make the model's body look unrealistically out of proportion. What's wrong with the picture on the left? She looks great!

How did we get to the point where we are saying that 'real' people are not good enough, even for modeling our clothes. It's one thing to have a mannequin, it's quite another to re-model a real person to make them look fake. Women in particular have been well trained to think that they are not good enough.....better yet......they are never good enough.

This is a common theme that I run into with coaching clients. People who think they are never good enough run themselves ragged trying to achieve more and more in order to feel some significance. They typically have trouble saying 'no' to anything, and end up being exhausted all of the time. They never feel that they can do enough or be enough.

What does enough look like? The answer is different for everyone, but most likely it is unattainable because the definition is always changing. As soon as you get to the magic place called 'enough', you replace it with yet another level of 'enough' to chase.

The truth is that we are all good enough no matter our size, shape, beliefs, religion, sexual orientation, profession, how much we do or any other criteria you want to use. Just focus on doing the best you can in any moment and you will always be enough.

www.lynnzettler.com

Getting Over My Own Big BUTs

2010-10-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

I love giving my presentation on "Eliminating Your Big BUT", and if you haven't seen it before you are missing out on encountering my dancing expertise to 'Baby Got Back' by Sir Mix A Lot...you know the rap/hip hop song...."I like big butts and I cannot lie..."...etc....OK, you may want to eliminate that visual....

I am frequently asked about my own big BUTS. What were they, and what are they currently? This is a great question, because I believe that we continuously have big BUTS, even after eliminating one. There's always another to replace it. The trick is to get faster at eliminating them! I thought I'd share a few of mine:

1. I would leave my job and start my own business, BUT I'm afraid I won't make enough money.

I willingly and enthusiastically left a secure corporate job after 20 years to venture out on my own in the middle of the current recession. Crazy right? Believe me, this did not come without months and months of planning, self analysis, coaching and spousal support. It is probably one of the most liberating things I've ever done in my life, and I'm still loving every minute of it.

2. I want to write a book, BUT I have no idea how to go about it, get it published, or if anyone would want to read it.

About three years ago I just decided to go for it. I told people I was writing a book to make it more real and to force me to live up to the expectation. I went to a free writers workshop, read every book I could on the 'how to's' and just put one step in front of the other until it was published this month with an official release in November.

3. OK, now for a current one that I'm working on....

I would call (fill in the blank with a persons name of significance, like France A. Cordova, the President of Purdue University) BUT what would I say, what would I offer her and would she even talk to me?

For those of you that don't know, France was recently named in the list of 2010 Who's Who in Indiana by one of Indiana's business magazines. So my first step was to send her a congratulatory, hand written note. I'll let you know what my next step is as soon as I get over the BUT.

www.lynnzettler.com

Pros and Cons of Hiring a Personal Coach

2010-10-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

You’ve reached a crossroads in your life. You’ve been going to and from a job that has kept the bills paid, allowed you to take vacations with your family, and provided you with a lifestyle that is, by and large, comfortable. But something’s missing. You know in the core of your being that there is something more for you out there.

Maybe you own a decent sized company… you have a contingency of employees… you turn a profit every month. You’ve had your ups and downs, and now you’re on an upswing. You know your company has what it takes to take your widgets to the next level. There is no reason, which you can readily see, that you aren’t providing widgeting as a service to every company that can use it… but something isn’t allowing your team to come together as a cohesive unit.

What do you do? You ask around. You get some advice. Someone says in a conversation, “While I was at the Head 2 Toe Women’s Expo in September, I saw this table for a personal coach. She specializes in helping folks and companies excel… AND she got up on stage and danced in front of everyone. She’s not a coward. Maybe you should call her.” You think to yourself…’A personal coach? What is that? How can they help me?’

Well, let me help… here are some Pros & Cons of hiring a personal coach:

Cons

Cost. You’ve got a level of comfort, but personal coaching can be expensive, or so you think.
There is NEVER enough time to complete the “to do” list set up at the beginning of the day. How can you POSSIBLY add one more item?
Fear: you may have to face some things within you that you’ve kept hidden for some time.
What in the world will others think?
Change is uncomfortable, sometimes downright miserable.

OK, but if you’re at a crossroads in your life, how do you choose the path you need to take? The path that will make you happiest? The path that will allow you to make your dreams a reality? What are the reasons you SHOULD hire a personal coach?

You’ve lost site of what is important to you. You need help finding those things again.
You may have a great support group around you, but maybe you don’t want to mix business and personal or maybe you aren’t sure they will understand your situation and can offer concrete advice. Maybe you need help to look within and find out what’s holding you back from your potential. Maybe you’re embarrassed or afraid to ask for help. A personal coach can offer you another position, one with knowledge and training, that can understand and identify.
Friends are friends; sometimes you need an outside perspective. When’s the last time your friend told you those jeans really didn’t look good? C’mon… they don’t want to hurt your feelings. You know you put on an extra five pounds or so. A third party can be objective, they can tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear.
Certified Personal Coaches have been trained to help you face your fears, ambitions, desires and find common ground to allow you to face each head on. If you hire one, make sure the have International Coaches Federation credentials.
Certified Personal Coaches are trained to help you tap into what motivates you: money, recognition, just knowing you’ve done well for someone/something. We’re all different. Often, we’ve lost sight of our own motivators.
Life has gotten in the way for all of us. Obstacles are everywhere. Sometimes you need a rope to help you across the ravine. Personal coaching is a support net of sorts.
Not many people can work out towards a specific physical goal without having a personal trainer. Think of a personal coach as a mental and motivation trainer, a personal trainer for your life and business.
A personal coach can assist you in tapping into the child you left behind when life got serious. They help you find your joys and how to incorporate them into your job or company.
When you fall and scuff your knee, a personal coach will help you stand up and dust yourself off. When you cross the finish line, we’ll also be the first one there to cheer you on for finishing your marathon.
With a personal coach, you always have someone on your side…you may not like the hard truth they offer you, but you know you’ll be better off in the long run.

Even after you’ve weighed the good and bad, you may still have some voice holding you back. That’s normal. Sometimes it’s just easier to keep doing the same things we’ve always done…getting the same things we’ve always gotten. Are you satisfied with your life and business? Are you ready to do something about it? Do you think your competitors will be the first to hire a personal coach and see their business grow?

www.lynnzettler.com

I'm a lifelong learner, but let's get serious

2010-09-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

All I wanted to do was to watch (and follow) a yoga DVD. Sounds pretty simple right? It used to be easy in 1985 when we had TV's and VCR's, at least I thought that was easy enough. Now jump to the 21st century with wide screen plasmas and DVD's, DVR's, ABC, LMNOP, etc. etc. I still have to 'think about' how to turn the TV ON!

In our house:

The TV is a Mitsubishi widescreen digital TV.

The DVD Player is made by SONY.

And we have a box for our HDTV cable (a luxury my husband will never give up!)

Oh, and don't let me forget the tuner for surround sound! (another luxury as above).

I think there are only 3 total remotes for all of these, but I could be missing one.

I think I know the process of playing a DVD now, but if I at least blog about it, it will become more entrenched in my mind for future use. At least that is my hypothesis.

1. Turn on the TV, the cable box, the tuner and the DVD player. This part is pretty easy as they still have on/off buttons which are pretty easy to locate, even if you are visually impaired.

2. Now, pick up the Mitsubishi TV remote and press INPUT. This makes no sense to me so I just have to memorize it. All I want to do is have the TV play the DVD, but for some reason I have to say--Hey TV---INPUT!

3. Now from the TV screen select HTMiII and hit enter. What? I think this is just man code for--your wife will never touch the remote again!

4. Now pick up the Sony DVD remote and select play. Now it won't really play yet. The title will come up and you can make more selections, so you have to select what you really want on the screen and then hit play again.

AAAaaahhhhh, now my yoga....why am I so tense...??? and tight..???and irritable....????

Someday we will simplify this process yet again. I'm not sure if that is a wish or a fear. In any case, as always, I will learn to adjust and deal with it. The Yoga is worth it.

www.lynnzettler.com

Biker Beliefs

2010-09-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

I spent this past Saturday numbing my behind on the back of a cherry red Honda 750 with saddle bags. Yes, I have now succumbed to donning a hair flattening tight helmet, while wrapping my arms around my husband's waist and holding on for dear life, traveling up to 60 mph with nothing between me and the pavement but my jeans and jacket! It's the least I can do to support my husband's new love of the great outdoors. All kidding aside, we decided to take a long trip of 87 miles to Batesville, Indiana to visit Stonebridge Inn and Spa---the destination of a coaching event I'm hosting in November. If you've never visited this fantastic Bed and Breakfast, you are really missing out. It's gorgeous and well worth the trip. Anyway, the day was beautiful and I wish I could show you a picture like the one above of the two of us as a cool couple riding freely with the wind flowing through our hair, but in actuality, we really look like this.

Yes---the cool couple with helmet heads. I am amazed at the number of riders who don't wear helmets and I was also amazed at how much attention it takes to operate the bike safely, especially with your wife literally breathing down your neck! Mark did a great job and I've got a new appreciation for the bike. Sometimes you just have to try something before you realize the benefits.

For those of you who don't know the story, one of my neighbors was burned badly in a motorcycle accident when I was about 9 or 10 years old. That, coupled with another motorcycle accident which occurred right in front of my childhood home, and my father colliding with a deer ala motorcycle (which split his helmet in half and broke several ribs), gave me the belief that motorcycles are always unsafe and bikers always get hurt. With Mark's new found love and desire to include me (I got the helmet for Christmas), I had to re-examine this belief and found that I could look at this as fun if I felt comfortable about the safety. So we agreed never to ride on the highway, never in bad weather or rain, always with the proper clothing and always with helmets. The result: Saturday was a spectacular day, even with the numb derriere!

Are You A Fraud?

2010-09-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

For some reason, this past week, I kept running into the same question from numerous independent and unrelated sources. "What if people find out that I'm not as good as they think I am?" At first I thought this was just some mind trash that women say to themselves pretty frequently, because I have been known to think it now and then myself. However, I surveyed more than one male and found out they say it too! In fact one male friend of mine responded, "Hell yeah! I say that all the time!" So it's not gender related at all. It's just generic mind trash. I wasn't so surprised to hear it, I was just surprised it was so universal!

So I guess now the question is----what do you do about it? How do you stop saying or thinking that? What do you replace it with? Any ideas? I'd love to have more input.

I find it interesting just to think about a room full of people, where each person has a conversation bubble above their head.

If only we could see all the mind trash simultaneously, a room full of people all thinking that they are not as good as they are perceived. Of course, the ideal is to change this thought. How about, "they have no idea how good I really am and I'd love to explore and support how good they are as well!"

I love this quote from Marianne Williamson. I think it sums it up quite nicely.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

.

No One Is Thinking About You

2010-07-19T09:00:00.001-07:00

I am missing my 30 year high school reunion this weekend. I really wanted to go, but it’s also Brickyard weekend here in Indy and we always have a huge turnout at our house with out of town family and friends. We didn’t want to break our tradition. Now you may be thinking “her husband probably didn’t want to go to her high school reunion anyway,” but actually he did. Mark and I went to the same high school and actually met in study hall. We’ve been married now for over 26 years and we both have friends from high school that we still see and spend time with. They are some of our most treasured friends and memories. So a big ‘miss you’ to all my fellow 1980 graduates of Catholic Central High School in Springfield, Ohio.

When I pondered what has transpired over the past 30 years it really amazes me how much I’ve changed. Right now one of my favorite quotes is one by Dr. Daniel Amen:

‎"When you are 18 you worry what others think of you, when you are 40 you don't give a darn, and when you are 60 you realize nobody's thinking of you at all"

How true that is. Although, even now, over 40, I find myself still thinking about what others think of me. It’s a hard habit to break. Yet I’ll admit I don’t spend that much time thinking about others in a negative way, because I have plenty of my own issues and problems (thank you very much)! So it’s not a big leap to believe that others aren’t thinking about me all that much either.

So here’s my question for today. What would you do different if you realized that no one is really thinking about you and what you are doing? Would it be anything different than what you are doing today? If you knew everyone would support your decision what would you do? Make sure you leave out the word “should”. That’s not what I’m talking about. Don’t think about what you ‘should’ do, but instead what you would undoubtedly do if you knew everyone supported you. That is typically more in line with your true desires and intuition. Go for it. No one is thinking about you anyway!

Sign up for Lynn's newsletter at www.lynnzettler.com

10 Steps to Take the Leap and Succeed at Anything--No Matter How Big

2010-07-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

If I could guarantee your success---what would you do differently than you're doing today?

Call in on Thursday July 15th at 7pm EST for a Free Tele-Seminar

1(213) 289-5460 Access Code 4340874

Learn the secrets of the Masters and a list of valuable resources along with 10 Steps to get what you want.

What is your Big But? What do you wish you could do? What do you wish you could have?

Stop wishing and find out how you can really have it!

Whether you want to be an author, change careers, speak publicly, find a partner or find more time--you can!

Are you ready to commit to it?

Call in on Thursday July 15th at 7pm EST for a Free Tele-Seminar

1(213) 289-5460 Access Code 4340874
www.lynnzettler.com

If your Big But is money, then invest in yourself!

2010-07-03T12:24:00.001-07:00

During my presentation entitled “Your Big But” (if you haven’t heard it yet you really need to :-)), the number one barrier to reaching your dreams is almost always identified as money. I find that we are all more than willing to spend money and invest in our children, cars, homes, entertainment, etc., yet when it comes to investing in ourselves, we become like Scrooge. Heaven forbid we spend money on our own professional or personal development, let alone our dream.

What paralyzes us most is that we let the dream end before we can even get started. We say, “I don’t have the money.”—done—end of story. What if you DID have the money? Then would you move forward, or is something else in your way? What if you could FIND or RAISE the money? There are lots of ways to get money. Here’s a true, recent example:

I met with my financial planner, Bill Hancock from Merrill Lynch, this week for lunch. (love him btw, if anyone is looking for one). It was at his request because he wanted to learn more about my business and see how he could help. That’s just who Bill is and that is why I love working with him. As Bill walked through the door of the restaurant, I could tell he was on an important call and assumed it was another client. He interrupted his call, to say hello and stepped back out to finish it. As it turns out, the call was from a college buddy who was playing (and winning) in the World Series of Poker in Vegas. Bill explained that his buddy had always had a dream of playing in the World Series of Poker, but that the entrance fee of $1500 was a little steep for him. Not to be deterred, his friend decided to put up 50% himself and sell shares in his winnings for the other 50% to those friends and family members who would invest in him. Bill had invested 10% and his buddy was calling to tell him that he had at least doubled his money based on his current standings in the tournament! Not only was he living his dream, but he was joyfully sharing it and living it with his friends and family as well. Now that is one awesome “get over your big but” story!

So do something to invest in yourself this month. Take a class, buy a book (I highly recommend The Success Principles by Jack Canfield), hire a coach :-), spend some quality time on yourself…..something. You are more than worth it…..and contact me if you need to get creative in overcoming your Big But—whatever it is!

www.lynnzettler.com

Your Perfect Job and The Perfect Resume to Get It is 5 Weeks Away

2010-06-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

This 5 week program allows you to:

Become a Choice Seeker instead of a Job Seeker.
Discover your strengths and build your resume around them.
Uncover your perfect-fit job and the companies to target.
Learn how to use the 80/20 rule to your advantage-focus your vital few vs. trivial many
Earn a Talent Seal Certification for recognition and credibility to employers.

Have you considered that working in your perfect-fit job could change your life?

If you had to say today what is the one job that is your perfect-fit job, could you?

Have you ever wondered why you aren't getting invited to the interview?

What if creating the opportunities for getting the interview was no longer a challenge?

What if you were never stuck for answers in an interview?

Are you ready to discover and win your perfect-fit job?

A new class is forming and there are just a few spots left!

CONTACT ME today to reserve your spot.

For additional information about the ACCESS program and the Talent Seal, go the link below:

Access and Talent Seal Information

www.lynnzettler.com

You Can Fly Too!

2010-06-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

Last month, my husband and I were out to dinner at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. The view was magnificent and we could see the ocean waves crashing on the beach through a clear glass wall which was about 5 feet tall and directly in front of our table. I quickly noticed a large wasp in the lower left hand corner of the glass, trying desperately to find a way to get around the glass wall. It would fly up a few inches, fly to the right a few inches, fly back down again, and it would keep repeating this pattern repeatedly. I could feel the frustration. I finally asked our waiter if he could help the poor thing out. He quickly took a menu and guided the wasp up and over the wall so that it could fly freely away. Instant relief.

I thought about how significant this observation was and how it related to my own life (and probably a lot of others as well). How many times do we try to solve a problem over and over again doing the same things that never produce the results we desire? Isn’t that the definition of insanity? How often do we allow others to help us see a better way out? How often do we ask others for their perspective so that we may see another point of view? Do we trust that we’ll find the way or do we simply quit from exhaustion?

I am entering the final week of a 20 year career, and entering a new phase in my life with my soon to be full-time coaching business. I think I’ve been the wasp for a while now, trying to find my way. I’ve been trying to find a way of letting go of the safe, comfortable way of life and embracing a new, uncertain, challenging and exhilarating one. I’ve had lots of help and support to find my way up and over the glass wall. I’m now ready to spread the wings and fly off! I hope you’ve found your way over the wall as well!

www.lynnzettler.com

Your Next Job----The Perfect One

2010-05-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Due to popular and recent demand I am offering a number of informational calls for the ACCESS Coaching Program for professionals in transition. The first is offered below with more to come.

Free Intro Call for ACCESS Coaching Program

June 10 8 p.m. EST

The ACCESS Coaching Program allows you to:

Become a Choice Seeker instead of a Job Seeker.
Discover your strengths and build your resume around them.
Uncover your perfect-fit job and the companies to target.
Earn a Talent Seal Certification for recognition and credibility to employers.

Have you considered that working in your perfect-fit job could change your life?

If you had to say today what is the one job that is your perfect-fit job, could you?

Have you ever wondered why you aren't getting invited to the interview?

What if creating the opportunities for getting the interview was no longer a challenge?

What if you were never stuck for answers in an interview?

Are you ready to discover and win your perfect-fit job?

CONTACT ME for a one hour Free Intro Call to learn more about the 6-week ACCESS Coaching Program which can change your life.

The first Intro Call is being offered June 10, 2010 at 8 p.m. EST.

The phone in information for the call is :

Dial-in Number: 1-270-400-1500 (East Coast)

Participant Access Code 386483

Additional Intro Classes will be offered, please CONTACT ME if you are interested and cannot make the call on June 10.

For additional information about the ACCESS program and the Talent Seal, go the link below:

Access and Talent Seal Information

Free Linked In Teleseminar

2010-05-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

LinkedIn.com
FREE TELESEMINAR

Back by popular demand, I am again teaming up with Chip Lambert to provide a FREE Tele-seminar on maximizing your use of LinkedIn.com

Please feel free to pass on to your network as well!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time

(4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time)

To register click here

Please register no later than end of the day May 15th, 2010. The participant dial-in information will be sent out via e-mail and the handout will be available for download during the call.

The dial-in number is not a toll free number. Thus, long distance fees may apply for dialing in from your location based on your individual telephone service plan. Long distance fees are the responsibility of the participant.

During the call you will:

Learn what LinkedIn is and why it can work to your advantage in developing referral relationships

Uncover the networks you already have and begin to tap into them for anything you need

Identify where to get started and mistakes you may be making if you are already on LinkedIn

Learn how to handle privacy concerns

Hear how the top users of this 30+ million-user B2B platform leverage their networks to make more money

Learn how to position yourself in your networks so that people are coming to you

Our Speaker: Raymond "Chip" Lambert
Raymond "Chip" Lambert is a Business Development expert who works exclusively with seasoned professionals to leverage their existing relationships and catapult them into the business they truly want. Through his programs, Chip guides professionals to translate complex business development concepts into actions that grow their businesses exponentially. A professional speaker, trainer and business coach since 2000, Chip regularly consults professional firms on melding time tested Business Development strategies with online Social Media strategy and unlocking the value of their existing network connections. Chip is formally educated in business coaching and consulting through the Johnston Consulting Group based in Salinas, California.

Go Ahead, Make a Mess!

2010-05-02T10:19:00.000-07:00

I have been somewhat of a perfectionist for years, but I'm getting better. That is, I'm getting better at eliminating that need to be perfect. I'll let you know when I perfect it! :) Instead of constantly looking at how I can optimize everything, I have found more and more that imperfection leads to wonderful things. In fact, my latest challenge has been to look at everything that happens in my life and find a way to make it perfect. It's perfect because I learned something that I needed to learn, or it's perfect because it gave me an opportunity I wouldn't have had. It can be quite a game. My wise mother, whom many of you know through past postings, shared this very wise writing with me by Anne Lemott entitled

"Make a Mess, Discover Your Life"

Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.

Besides, perfectionism will block inventiveness and playfulness and life force (these are words we are allowed to use in California). Perfectionism means that you try desperately not to leave so much mess to clean up. But clutter and mess show us that life is being lived. Clutter is wonderfully fertile ground--you can still discover new treasures under all those piles, clean things up, fix things, get a grip. Tidiness suggests that something is as good as it's going to get. Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation.....

See you later, I've got a mess to make!

www.lynnzettler.com

Abundance vs. Scarcity Mentalities: How does your mind line up?

2010-04-03T12:01:00.001-07:00

I recently led a group coaching session within a corporate environment of leaders and innovation specialists to discuss abundance and scarcity mindsets.  Obviously this is not a typical point of conversation in a business setting, but this group is particularly open minded and willing to think outside the box, so we had some fun with it. 

What do you think about when you think about abundance? Typically, we quickly go to nature and notice the abundance of stars in the sky, wildflowers in a field, water in the ocean, air that we breathe, etc. How about scarcity? The big ones tend to be money, time, resources and energy.

I did some research on the number of millionaires (those with at least $1 million in net worth) in the U.S. since 1940 and found the following:

1940 10,000

1980 50,000

1997 2 million

2007 9.2 million

Note that in the 40 years between 1940 and 1980, the population had doubled, yet the number of millionaires increased by 5X. This is hardly the data to support that money is scarce! Even with the recent downturn, 2008 still had almost 7 million in this category.

According to Mind Power by John Kehoe, there are five steps in developing a abundance or prosperity consciousness.

I.Develop prosperity beliefs:

It’s an abundant Universe.
Life is fun and rewarding.
There are staggering opportunities in every aspect of my life.
It is my responsibility to be successful.

II. Look for and recognize abundance in your life.

Whatever you are looking for, you’ll find it. There was a study done in 1968 (The Pygmalian Study) where researchers performed IQ tests on a classroom of students, identified those that were high achievers and gave the report to the teacher. Sure enough eight months later, those identified students had in fact been the high achievers in the class. However, it was uncovered that the children selected were not in fact those with the highest IQ’s, but were randomly selected from the overall class population. Because the teachers had the expectation that they would perform well, they did! For those that were not selected, the expectati

on was lower and they stepped up to the plate too, they performed lower! If we look for abundance, we’ll find it. If we look for scarcity, we’ll find that too.

III. Recognize and associate with success everywhere.

See success everywhere you look. Office buildings, city growth, neighborhoods, online networks, success of others, etc. There are endless examples of success. Never begrudge anyone else of their success. Celebrate it!

IV. Surround yourself with success messages, positive messages, books, tapes, etc.

You are what you eat and you are what you feed your mind. Surround yourself with positive messages and information. You may have to turn your television off and pray the newspaper in order to do this. (Seriously, this is the only way I can read the newspaper sometimes, by praying for those in the news). Don’t let yourself be

inundated with negative imagery and stories. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be informed about what is going on in the world, but don’t be overwhelmed with it. Make sure you get more ‘positive’ information and mental food than ‘negative’.

V. Associate with successful people.

In Jack Canfield’s book The Success Principles, he quotes Jim Rohn, a self-made millionaire and author as saying “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” So I would encourage you to upgrade! Get rid of people who suck the life and energy force from you and spend more time with those that uplift and support you. You need to increase your average!

The only person responsible for your success is you and you serve no one by being small. Your success helps others, while your failure helps no one.

So how does this align in a business? What does an abundance mentality look like in business you may be asking?

Here’s just ten thoughts that would be within an abundance mentality for business:

I see opportunities for my success everywhere in my workplace.
I openly celebrate and congratulate the success of others. Their success does not diminish anyone else’s success.
I openly share my ideas, information, and opportunities without expectation of reward or credit.
I treat all as equals, regardless of job level.
I focus on doing the right thing, because it is the right thing to do, not because I will get recognition.
I give credit to others appropriately, and I always thank those that contribute.
I connect people with others who might benefit them, and thus the results of their relationship benefit the company.
I find beauty and joy in the workplace.
I smile and speak to every person that I encounter.
I am grateful for the lifestyle that my job enables me to have, for the people that I encounter and work with each day, and the personal development that I achieve through my current position. There is always more to come.

"What Got You Here Won't Get You There" by Marshall Goldsmith

2010-02-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

There is so much value in this book, I have to read it again. Many of the concepts seem so straight forward and common sense, yet I can think of so many instances where these things are forgotten. I just had to share some of the nuggets:

20 Most Common Faults in Interpersonal Leadership Behavior

1. Winning too much. The need to win at all costs and in all situations---when it matters, when it doesn't, and when it's totally beside the point.

2. Adding too much value: The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.

3. Passing judgment: The need to rate others and impose our standards on them.

4. Making destructive comments: The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty.

5. Starting with "No," "But," or "However": The overuse of these negative qualifiers which secretly say to everyone, "I'm right. You're wrong."

6. Telling the world how smart we are: The need to show people we're smarter than they think we are.

7. Speaking when angry: Using emotional volatility as a management tool.

8. Negativity, or "Let me explain why that won't work": The need to share our negative thoughts even when we weren't asked.

9. Withholding information: The refusal to share information in order to maintain an advantage over others.

10. Failing to give proper recognition: The inability to praise and reward.

11. Claiming credit that we don't deserve: The most annoying way to overestimate our contribution to any success.

12. Making excuses: The need to reposition our annoying behavior as a permanent fixture so people excuse us for it.

13. Clinging to the past: The need to deflect blame away from ourselves and onto events and people from our past, a subset of blaming everyone else.

14. Playing favorites: Failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly.

15. Refusing to express regret: The inability to take responsibility for our actions, admit we're wrong, or recognize how our actions affect others.

16. Not listening: The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for colleagues.

17. Failing to express gratitude: The most basic form of bad manners.

18. Punishing the messenger: The misguided need to attach the innocent who are usually only trying to help us.

19. Passing the buck: The need to blame everyone but ourselves.

20. An excessive need to be "me"; Exalting our faults as virtues simply because they're who we are.