Friday, August 29, 2014

Coaching the Uncoachable Client

If you sometimes think you are coaching the uncoachable, you are probably right. Some people just aren't willing to be coached. They think they are - they seek out coaches, spend money on coaching, show up to all their sessions, and expect results. However, not everyone can be coached.For a coach, an uncoachable client is still a paying client. No one wants to jettison a source of income, but if you really feel someone can't be coached, it is time to let them go. Coaches passionately want to help, but if you aren't helping, it is certainly not worth the money to be wasting both your time and the client's time. Coaches certainly like to make money, but they also genuinely want to help their clients reach positive outcomes.However, just because someone seems uncoachable, does it really mean they are? Or have you just not found the right pathway to success with these hard-to-coach clients?What is an Uncoachable Client?By its very definition, an uncoachable client is one that can't be coached. An uncoachable client is rigid, stubborn, and resistant to any advice or help. An uncoachable client never exhibits any progress. An uncoachable client waits for you to provide the answers. However, before you completely decide that your coaching has nothing to offer someone, one aspect of the definition of coaching should be addressed.What is Coaching?There are many definitions of coaching, and every coach has heard them all. However, coaches and clients sometime fall into the trap that coaching is something that coaches do to their clients. However, coaching is really something that coaches do with the clients. You are a partner with your clients and you work with them to identify, clarify, satisfy their dreams and goals.


4 Keys to Coaching the Uncoachable Client1. The first step is to truly identify those who are uncoachable. Yes, they do exist. However, many clients who may initially appear to be uncoachable are actually quite coachable. You just have to find their triggers and find ways to earn their trust. Don't give up too easily.2. Once you have decided that someone is coachable, it is important to have patience. Patience is definitely a virtue in the coaching world. It takes time to build trust, to delve deeper into an individual's soul, and to bring out the best in each client. It takes patience to let the process work.3. The next step is to trust your education and experience. Use all of your learned skills and accumulated knowledge to help each client find solutions and outcomes. Use everything you have learned as a coach to make it work.4. The last step is to find out what truly inspires and motivates each client. This will require your patience, your skills and knowledge, and your innate ability as a coach to ask questions and actively listen for the answers. Each client holds the answer to their own questions - it is up to you as a coach to help them unlock those answers and apply them to their desires.If you have progressed through each of these steps and things are still not working out, you may have an uncoachable client - at least one who is uncoachable by you.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Understanding Team Beachbody

Team Beachbody is a network marketing opportunity that focuses on promoting healthy living through exercise and proper nutrition. While they are best known for P90X and Insanity, they are also the company behind 10 Minute Trainer, TurboFire, Les Mills Pump and many more fitness programs. This is important to know if you are considering partnering with the company and becoming an independent Team Beachbody Coach.It is important to understand that by joining Team Beachbody, you are starting your own business. They do not tell you your hours, your business strategies, or who you need to work with. You have the freedom of a business owner. Being a business owner also comes with responsibilities. You are responsible for the start up costs ($40), and monthly fees ($16). For these costs you receive 3 websites for promoting your business, and Beachbody handle the tracking, shipping, customer service, payouts, etc.The earning potential is high, but everything is performance based. At work, you may work for 8 hours, so you receive 8 hours pay. As a business owner, you don't get paid unless you are selling products. This means that you may make a lot, or you may make nothing as a Beachbody Coach.How You Make Money
There are several ways that you earn money through as a Team Beachbody Coach. The first is the 25% commission. You receive this on all sales that come through your websites. It is important to note that once they order through the site Beachbody handle the rest. You collect the commission because the sale is traced to your site. Another way that you make money is by helping other coaches sell products. Once you are a coach, you can not only sell products, but also sign up other coaches. You do not make anything for simply signing them up. In order for you to make money from their business, they must sell products. It motivates coaches to work together to succeed.


As a business owner, it is important to understand that the money you spend on your business is tax deductible. That includes your start up costs, monthly fees, and products, assuming that you are using the products in a way that promotes your business, such as writing reviews on them.Do I Pay Taxes as a Team Beahcbody Coach?
You receive a weekly check as a coach, based on the volume that your business generates. If you make less than $600 for the year, Beachbody will not send you anything to file for your taxes. However, if you surpass $600, you will receive a 1099 which you responsible for paying taxes on. This is why it is important to remember your deductions.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Building Accountability and Consistency Into Your Healthcare Practice

One of the biggest challenges a leader in any organization faces is building accountability into their workflow. While we'd all like to think that we're hiring great people that will always work at a high level, we all know that even the best people's work improves when you build in some accountability for the work they do.What I've found in the hundreds of practices I've seen is that the majority of people in a medical practice are working hard. Sure, there are the outliers that are just coasting through the day, watching the clock for when they can punch out, but we all can recognize and deal with those people pretty well. The harder challenge is those staff who are working really hard, but are busy working on the wrong things.How do you make sure that someone in your practice is working on the right things? The simple answer is to track and report on the work that matters most in your office. In some cases, this report can be something as simple as a text message or email. In other cases, you might automate the reporting so that the accountability is built directly into the practice's regular workflow.Reporting and accountability is an extremely powerful concept for a practice. Not only does it ensure that the practice is working on the right things, but it improves productivity as well. Reports that are collected and checked regularly encourage your employees to work harder and be more productive. It's just human nature for people to want to look good on a report. This is a powerful part of accountability and reporting.However, let me offer a few words of caution when it comes to measuring, tracking, and reporting on productivity in your office. First, make sure that you're clear with your staff on why these reports are important to the office. Second, be sure they understand that you'll be working together with them to make sure that you're tracking and reporting is accurate and focused on the right things. Accountability and reporting is a double edged sword. If you're tracking the right things, it can lead to tremendous results. If you're tracking the wrong things, it can lead to negative results. Don't be afraid to make adjustments to what you're doing. Also, be generous with your staff and understanding when something doesn't look or feel right. Dig into the data with them to find the real story before jumping to conclusions. Then, make corrections if necessary.


Be sure to leverage technology where it makes sense to automatically track and report the data that matters. Your goal should be to work with your staff to create a consistent and expected workflow that efficiently measures and reports on the key metrics for your organization. Not only will this consistency make your staff more efficient, but it will make it much easier when staff don't show up to work due to some family emergency or the inevitable staff turnover.When you create a practice that is process dependent instead of people dependent, it opens up all sorts of options and flexibility for your practice. This shift in mentality provides a buffer where a strategic sourcing partner can cover any "down time" your office may experience during staff emergencies or staff turnover. Plus, your ongoing tracking and reporting is the perfect way to hold this sourcing partner accountable for the work they do for your practice.These measurements and reports also serve as a baseline benchmark for your practice going forward. As your staff turns over, you can easily assess the health of your practice and the quality of your future hires using these benchmarks. Plus, as you improve your clinic's efficiency, you and your staff will be able to celebrate the success of beating previous benchmarks. In future posts, we'll look at what benchmarks matter most and comparing your practice's benchmarks against national benchmark data.

Friday, August 22, 2014

How Haulage Companies Can Make Money in the Metropolis

Big cities form the hubs of transportation. More and more people are moving to cities, and the trucks, trains, ships and lorries are following them. This means even small to medium enterprises must learn not only to transport cargo between cities or within cities, but also manage a combination of both.If this is done wisely, there is quite a fair amount of money to be made.Trucks to VansCertain vehicles are better investments for certain uses and haulage companies should diversify their acquisition of vehicles based on this understanding. For example, for long-haul trips between Brussels and London, larger and longer trucks will carry more cargo more efficiently than vans or smaller trucks. On the other hand, smaller vehicles can take specific packages to specific clients within the convoluted web of inner-city streets. As you pick up more clients and fill your long-haul journeys between cities, it is prudent to invest in a number of vans based around a depot so you can transfer goods more effectively.Up to Date EquipmentTechnology and equipment make up a significant proportion of cargo, yet haulage companies need to also be aware that having smart, up-to-date equipment is vital for managing the demands of a business that links cities. From quality suspension to high-tech loading gear, it is important that you don't shrink from making an investment in equipment that will not only stand the test of time but is efficient enough to handle the many different scenarios faced when moving goods around and into the city. Whether or not you are picking up large crates, transporting goods from vans down narrow alleys, or dealing with logistics and measurements at borders, up and coming companies should keep abreast of the latest technological advances.


Real-time CommunicationsCommunication beats at the heart of almost any industry. There are many communication specialists and specialities, but haulage companies need to be clued in to the particular skills and technologies that will assist them. Major firms have extensive communication and logistics networks, which most small to medium sized organisations cannot afford. But from online exchanges to advanced GPS apps, there are an abundance of smart choices for the discerning budget that make the complexity of logistics between big cities much easier.Alternate RoutesAs haulage companies begin to get to know the routes between cities, they should measure and treasure this knowledge. There are a plethora of options between most major metropolises, and each has its own setbacks and benefits. Navigating through tollways and heavy-vehicle weighing stations and road closures is part of the art of knowing how to link city to city with your cargo chain. Once this art becomes a skill your firm can save money and increase the eventual payoff.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Important Factors To Consider When Investing In A Heat Exchanger

Heat exchangers are one of the most important equipment needed in a number of industries or businesses. However, not many people know what heat exchangers are and what they are used for.A heat exchanger is a device that is used to transfer or exchange heat from one matter to another. When liquid is used to transfer heat, the fluid can either be water or oil, or even moving air. This especially designed device though, is not only used in heating applications such as space heaters or car radiators. They are also used in cooling applications like in air conditioners and refrigerators.Business owners or decision makers who will be investing in a heat exchanger for the first time for their company will have to consider various factors to make sure that they make the correct decision in getting the one they need. The following are some of these important factors to consider:• The main use or purpose of the heat exchanger. The type of duty or what the equipment will be used for is an important factor or element to consider since you can get the right model or kind based on this alone. Do you need the device to heat liquids, gases and vapor? Or for boiling and evaporating substances? Or will you be using it to cool materials?• Material used in the construction or fabrication of the equipment. The material used to construct the equipment is also an essential element to consider. To make sure that you get a product that is durable, long-lasting and really serves its purpose, you have to choose a heat exchanger that is made of materials that are strong, non-corrosive, and are good conductors of thermal energy. Most experts recommend getting heat exchangers that are made of stainless or carbon steel.


• The maximum temperature and pressure the device can handle. This is also related to the second factor. It is important to choose the type of material used in constructing the device since this will also influence the operating temperatures and pressured that it can handle.• Cleaning and maintenance. There are some heat exchanging devices that are easily affected by fouling. This process pertains to certain kinds of liquid that foul the heat transfer surfaces. As such, as much as possible, choose a device that is relatively easy to clean, maintain and repair, if it breaks down due to corrosion or fatigue.• The cost. Aside from the amount you will have to pay for to have the device, you also have to consider the expenses that come with installing it and its running and maintaining costs. Remember that there are some devices that are require lots of electricity to run or use and as such, are really expensive power guzzlers.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

The Good And Bad Of Clear Braces

Clear braces are an alternative to the traditional (metal) braces. They are made out of clear material like glass, plastic, porcelain or ceramic.Clear elastic ties and white metal ties are used to anchor the brackets, which run on a metal wire. Other designs do not require the bands. Like other braces, they are used to correct under bites, cross bites, over bites, crooked teeth and other jaw and teeth problems.Ceramic braces, made out of composite materials, use tooth colored brackets and wires in some cases but work like metal braces. They have the added advantage of being non-stain.They are mostly designed for adults, and are manufactured by computers which accurately predict teeth movement.These braces are a popular choices for older teens who are best suited for it, since their near invisibility increases their confidence.Some brand names for clear braces are:1. Damon Clear, generated by Damon Smile-the brackets do not need ties. It uses a passive slide mechanism to hold the wires in place, so they move without interference. This minimizes friction so teeth can move more comfortably, and makes treatment faster. They are also resistant to staining and discoloration.2. Ormco's INSPIRE ICE-they are completely transparent, with crystal clear brackets and wires. They are easy to bond, are resistant to breakage, have fast accurate bracket placement, very smooth and comfortable.3. GAC International's Allure and Mystique -they are smooth, relatively affordable and have highly translucent auxiliary hooks, with passive wire retention mechanism.4. American Orthodontics' Virage-clear, with smooth contours for comfort and a sliding mechanism to minimize friction. Others are:


5. 3M Unitek's Clarity and Transcend6. TP Orthodontics' InVu and MXi.7. Ortho Technology's Reflections and Encore!ADVANTAGES1. Almost Invisible. They sometimes are made out of material that match the color of the teeth and are therefore discreet.2. They do not bruise the gums as much as the brackets on metal braces do.3. Some brands are small, smooth and comfortableDISADVANTAGES1. If neglected, the ligatures/wires stain easily because they are white/clear and leave conspicuous unsightly marks. The adhesive that holds the brackets can be stained by smoking, coffee or other colored drinks.2. They cost more than metal braces.3. They are left in longer than traditional braces.4. Ceramic and porcelain braces are more brittle than metal, meaning they can cheap on high impact.5. They are more expensive than metal braces.6. Older forms of porcelain brackets can damage the teeth during removal7. Porcelain braces cannot be worn by athletes for the risk of breaking.8. They are larger than metal wires.9. Plastic brackets are no longer used since they had problems with staining, fracturing and bonding.Above all, clear braces go a long way in enhancing self-esteem and confidence when smiling, instead of shyly struggling to reveal a mouth full of wires and metal. For adults especially, wearing braces have the advantages of improving gum problems, reducing the wearing away of bone around teeth, and abnormal corrosion of tooth surfaces.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Business Takes Courage: How to Harness Yours

Courage in business can take all kinds of forms, from meeting with your first client to putting your first offering out into the world. Courage is often about firsts.And it can be about ongoing issues like dealing with client complaints, in a way that is respectful for both you and your client.Scary stuff.Courage requires a certain level of confidence.Confidence in yourself and your willingness to do what you need to do.Confidence in your ability to call on resources and support when you need them.Confidence in a friendly world that will open a space for you and your venture if you only have the courage to put yourself out there.Every entrepreneur has courage. The very act of creating a business speaks volumes about you and your willingness to be present with yourself, to grow, and to reach out into the world.Courage, though, can take some surprising forms. On a trip to visit my aunt and uncle in Germany a couple of years ago, my aunt told me a story that I have heard her tell before. This time, though, it had a new element.In January of 1945, as part of the occupation of Eastern Europe, young women of German heritage were taken from their homes, to be shipped to the Soviet Union to labor camps. My aunt Elisabeth and her friend Kate were among them.Elisabeth's own aunt had passed the word about where they were going to be taken, and that they should make any attempt to escape. On hearing this, my aunt's friend Kate determined that they would find a way. Elisabeth herself, self-described as a more fearful sort, was not so sure.The first night of their captivity, they met a local man, an official. He agreed to help them. He made a hole in the barbed wire that sealed off their enclosure, and in the middle of the night, they passed through the fence and ran into thigh-deep snow. They cut cross-country, to avoid the roads and the patrols of soldiers, and walked most of the night. They made it back home.


My aunt told me that she would never have had the courage to make her escape on her own. She was afraid of being caught trying to escape, and shot. She said that she would forever be indebted to Kate for having the courage to do what was necessary.What I thought after I'd heard this version of the story is that my aunt herself was just as much the courageous one. She allowed herself to be convinced about the best course of action. She was open to having her mind changed. She acted in spite of her fear.Courage doesn't always have to be about the initiator.Our culture romanticizes that role and makes the initiator the only agent for change. But those who follow these catalysts are also making decisions for their own lives, just as much as the pioneers. This is why having friends and mentors to support you is so powerful.Courage takes many forms. Courage can be big, like facing possible death, as my aunt did. And courage can be in little acts of decision, the kind you and I face every day in creating an authentic business.We all have response-ability for our actions, that is, personal choice. That means that we each have our own acts of courage to applaud and celebrate, even when we have to be convinced to act. Because ultimately, we have summoned up our courage, stepped through our fear, and made the decisions that needed to be made.So I invite you to take a moment today, right now, and applaud an act of courage, something you did yesterday, or last week, or last month, big or small, that required you to choose to act courageously, and you did.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Three Vital Questions Guaranteed To Win Business From Your Competitors

There's no such thing as a monopoly - every business on the planet is locked in a deadly struggle for a larger share of the consumers' spending ability! Close to 99.99% of businesses in the small-medium business sector have both direct and indirect competitors, and make no mistake about it, they want what you've got and have no intention of surrendering what they already have!Luckily, their intention isn't always backed up by their actions and therein resides an opportunity for you, in both good times and bad.Put simply, you want a bigger slice of the market pie and that extra slice can only come from your competitors. But it won't come without deliberate action on your part.That said, it's often the little things in business (and life) that make the difference... and here is a very well known example with which you'd be familiar.So you come up against a prospective customer who is very quick to use the "no thanks we are happy with our present supplier" routine?With this, most dispirited, disinterested, disorganized salespeople trudge on to their next prospect - having left a sales opportunity behind.Don't do this. Here are three simple questions to get that prospect thinking:(1) "When was the last time you did a thorough market comparison of the things you buy?"Of course, it will be ages ago and this gives you the opportunity to then say "May I be your preferred second supplier? I will submit quotes & information just like your main supplier. At the very least, we will keep them honest and sharp. What have you got to lose?"


Please, don't ever undervalue the significance of them officially appointing you as their preferred second supplier - for at some time in the future, their main supplier will stuff up and you want to be there ready to step in.Note: that phrase "what have you got to lose?" is pure magic! Use it because it works! You want them to be thinking "yeah, this doesn't cost me anything at all."(2) "Have you ever given anyone else a chance to prove themselves during all those years of dealing with your current supplier?" Again, you then move towards getting yourself appointed as the preferred second supplier just waiting to swoop when the main supplier stuffs up. After all, what have they got to lose by appointing you as the preferred second supplier?And finally, here's a great question to discover the hot points.(3) "What would cause you to choose a new supplier?"Hey, why not ask your present sales people how they handle the "no thanks we are happy with our present supplier" objection? I'm betting you will be underwhelmed by their answer/s.Can you use these three questions in your business and do you have others that work for you? Let me know.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

The Benefits of Cloud Services

There are many advantages that cloud services can offer your company, including lower costs and reduced maintenance needs (among several other benefits). Cloud services include web-based e-mail, document collaboration, technical support, database processing, data storage and more. You may find yourself asking, "What does 'the cloud' mean though?" Simply put, data is transferred off-site and stored via the Internet. When information is uploaded to Facebook, Twitter, or other websites, it is being put in 'the cloud.' The same can be said of more formal data, such as health records, customer information, etc.An increasing amount of companies are ditching outdated hardware and going virtual. It may be time for yours to do so as well.Reduced Costs
Basically, cloud-based computing provides information on demand. This immediacy starkly contrasts the old ways of slow servers and fallible processors. Because the information is no longer tied to hardware, businesses no longer require on-staff IT services to maintain their data infrastructure. Additionally, most cloud service providers offer their own software, deployment, and maintenance.What's more, there are businesses no longer need to experience any growing pains. The staff is no longer limited to the available resources or hardware. Resources can be put to better use, as new employees will be able to find all necessary software from a single application.Improved Scalability
Additionally, businesses no longer need to worry about large hardware or databases. Additional space, previously used to house data holds or equipment, can be used for other, more lucrative, purposes. Businesses can also increase CPU and RAM capacity easily and affordably, keeping the necessary applications scaled to the business at hand. This can be especially beneficial to businesses that grow and recede seasonally.


Faster Deployment
The time it takes for a service provided to transfer all your existing information, deploying into the cloud, is minimal in comparison to the time it takes to replace or upgrade outdated hardware. Additionally, no further upgrades or replacements will be necessary. In other words, it's a one-time, fast deployment, with minimal (if any) downtime for maintenance. For many companies, any fixes can be made with a single phone call or online request ticket.Additional Benefits
With cloud services, power and maintenance demands will be significantly reduced. Should any sort of outage occur, external databases will automatically switch to disaster recovery and restore your data in a separate center. These additional functions may vary depending on the service provider and specific data center.Many companies, of course, have voiced concerns over the security of this form of computing. They are worried that handing over sensitive data to third parties could compromise operations. However, service providers stake their reputations on the security measures they take to ensure this does not occur. Additionally, the federal government has taken steps to ensure confidentiality and data protection. Specific standards like HIPAA and PCI regulate especially sensitive information like banking accounts and health records.