Improving personal effectiveness with a well-written mission statement

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by  John Ryan

Once you’ve got your mission statement down in writing, here are some things that you can do to make it even more effective. #1:  Make sure it focuses on something greater than you. For example, the statement, “To make myself as rich as possible,” is too self-focused and illustrates a “means” value rather than an “end” value.  A means value is something that is important as a means to an end.  In the above example, one might ask, “Money for what purpose?”  In addition, the “rich as possible” mission statement may be unfulfilling in the long run.  At some point, the ...

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Employee Empowerment

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by  John Ryan

I often hear managers lament that their teams are, “so lazy” or that their employees are “out the door at 5 pm.”  These managers are struggling with a common workplace problem, a lack of commitment. When I ask more about the teams, I usually hear about micro-managing and a tightly controlled environment and then I have to share truth that is unsettling for many managers.  There is a correlation between commitment and the amount of control a person has in performing an activity.  For some of you, this will be the last thing you want to hear, because you like ...

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Should You Try to Eliminate Presentation Anxiety?

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by  John Ryan

From time-to-time I get approached with the question, “can I get rid of presentation anxiety?” The answer is, it depends and it really depends on your level of anxiety. Some level of nervousness is not unusual before a presentation. This kind of nervousness resolves itself quickly as the presentation gets underway. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The nervousness is a reminder that the presentation is important and it gives you a boost of energy right before going on stage. Now if you have debilitating anxiety before a presentation, you’re going to want to work to dial that down. ...

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Does Your Coaching Business Have a Strong Enough Foundation to Survive?

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by  John Ryan

Chances are that you’re good at what you do. You’ve put in your time, you’ve paid your dues, you know what you’re doing, and you can help your clients get results. When you work with people in groups or one-on-one, you get great feedback. People love your message and they transform their lives and business by working with you. If you’re like many helping professionals out there who are good at what they do, your biggest challenge is not about the work you do, it’s about finding a consistent source of clients. There are so many professionals in the transformation ...

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A Simple, But Effective Definition of Communication

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by  John Ryan

The purpose of any communication falls into one of two categories: to inform or call to action. When people talk to each other, it’s either to share information or to ask someone to do something. When there is a call to action, it can either be through a direct request or it can be implied. In case you’re wondering, an implied call to action is along the lines of, “I’m thirsty.” In this case the person may very well want you to get them something to drink or would at least be receptive if you offered them something to drink. ...

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