Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Two Success Articles by Mark Bowser

Success:  The P.U.S.H. Principle of Success

By Mark Bowser

Have you ever thought you were doing the right thing only to begin doubting yourself?  Have you ever known you were doing what God wanted you to do but were still not succeeding?  What is going on here?  Does God want us to fail?  Is He playing a trick on us?  Of course not!

Not too long ago, I came across a wonderful story with an incredible principle for success.  It goes something like this.  Once upon a time, a man was sleeping peacefully in his cabin when all of a sudden the room filled with a brilliant blazing light.  When the man’s eyes adjusted to the piercing light, he was shocked to see Jesus Christ standing in his room.  The Lord said to the man, “Friend, I have work for you to do.  Out in front of your cabin you will find a large rock.  You are to push against that rock with all your strength.” 

The next morning, the man awoke with more energy than he could ever remember having.  Was it a dream he had of his visit with Jesus?  Was it real?  The man didn’t know whether it was a dream, vision, or what, but he knew what he was supposed to do.  He was to push against the large rock outside his cabin.

The man got dressed and immediately went outside.  He thought to himself, “I’ll get this rock moved for the Lord before breakfast.”  The man pushed and pushed but the rock didn’t budge.  Sweat began to pour off the man’s forehead into his eyes.  Perspiration began to soak his shirt.  Push after push, hour after hour, the man worked on his mission.

The days came and the days went and still the rock stood fast.  One day, after many years of faithful pushing, the man’s spirit began to get discouraged.  What was he doing this for? 

Sensing the man’s discouragement and frustration, the Devil began placing evil thoughts into the man’s mind.  “What are you doing?  You are wasting your time.  You have wasted your time for years.  You are never going to move that rock.

Discouraged, the man planned to not work as hard.  He would only push a little bit.  He was going to put in his time and rest for a change.  However, the man finally decided to make it a matter of prayer.  He said, “Father in Heaven.  I don’t understand.  I have worked hard at what You want me to do.  Why am I not succeeding?  Please guide me Lord Jesus.   In Jesus’ precious Name I pray Amen.

The Lord lovingly spoke to the man,  “My child.  I love you!  When I asked you to serve me and you agreed, I asked you to push against that large rock.  I never told you that you were to move the rock.  You have been faithful and pushed with all your strength.  Friend, don’t think your work was a waste of time.  Look at yourself.   You have grown through the struggle.  The muscles in your arms are as strong as iron.  Your back is like a fortress protecting a city.  Your legs are like Redwood trees.  You are better now than when you began.  I will now move the rock.

Many times we expect to move the mountains of our lives.  The Bible tells us that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed then we can say to our mountain   “MOVE!” and it will MOVE!  But it doesn’t say we will move the mountain.  God moves the mountains of our lives.  All we have to do is believe and  P.U.S.H. – Pray Until Something Happens!

 

 

Have you heard the new singing group 4 Troops?  The group is made up of 4 military persons.  They are awesome.  In fact, a good friend of mine Matt Moran wrote their hit single For Freedom.  Check it out at itunes or pre-order the album at amazon.com. 

 

Mark Bowser is one of the top Corporate Trainers, Professional Speakers in the country today.  He is also the author of 3 powerful books.  He can be reached at his website www.MarkBowser.com or email info@MarkBowser.com.

 

  A Champion Succeeds Through Power Communicating

By Mark Bowser

It has been said that public speaking is a fear worse than death for many people.  Well, the truth is that we will not be as successful as we could be unless we improve our communication skills.  In this article, we are going to explore some insights and action steps, which lead to more effective communication.  The only way to really conquer a fear is to confront it and jump right in.  With that in mind, let's get started.

1.  Realize that communication may be the most important skill we can learn.  We all need to be able to express our thoughts effectively.  We are creatures of relationships.  Relationships are very important to us.  In order to make our relationships better we must make our communication better.

2.  Guard our tongues.  Sometimes the most important message is the one we never give.  Have you ever said something and then wish we could take it back?   I think all of us have.  Controlling our tongues is one of the most important and most difficult communication challenges.  In another chapter in this manual we go into more detail on how to accomplish this task.

3.  Decide that communication is a priority.  If something is a priority then what do we usually give it?  ANSWER:  Time and Commitment.

4.  Talk with people not at them.  Have you ever been talked DOWN to?  How did it make you feel?  How did you feel at that moment about the person talking to you?  Not too good right?  We need to talk WITH people.  We need to make our communication conversational and user friendly.  We need to ask ourselves, "How can I uplift this person as I express my thoughts and opinions?"  This will help us communicate our messages in a more compassionate way.  Even if we have to communicate some ugly message, compassion will see us through.

5.  Have an open door policy.  We must make time for people.  If we lived in President Lincoln's day and wanted to speak with the president all we would have to do is walk in the White House and sit outside his door.  When he came out, we would be able to speak with him.  We need to do the same thing.  If it worked for the president, it will work for us.  If at that moment it is not appropriate, then make an appointment with them.   

6.  Understand what Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc. believe when they say, "Communication is built on trusting relationships." If people don't trust us, then why would they listen to us?

7.  Prepare, prepare, prepare.  Speakers USA, Inc.  was a national speakers association, which helped train me.  They used to tell us that if we want a talk/presentation to look impromptu then make sure it is not.  In other words do your homework and practice, practice, prepare, prepare, prepare.

8.  Don't give a public presentation/talk unless you are passionate and knowledgeable about the topic.  If we are not passionate about the topic then it will come across flat and boring.  If we are not knowledgeable about the topic then our credibility will drop.

9.  Make sure your body language, tone of voice, and message are congruent.  Suppose I came up to you and said in a very gruff tone, "Sure, I would love to have the boss over for dinner!"  Do you think I really want the boss to come over for dinner?  You don't think so? Why?  ANSWER:  Because I wouldn't be congruent.  When we aren't congruent in every way, then we give mixed messages to our listeners.

10.  Have patience.  Communication, particularly public communication, is not easy.  Be patient with yourself.  You won't become an expert overnight.  Keep practicing and keep improving.

11.  Look for the benefit of our differences.  We need to constantly remind ourselves that different doesn't necessarily mean wrong.

12.  If agreement cannot be made then agree to disagree.  A great way to keep the peace.

13.  Keep your cool when someone improperly states something.  They may not be trying to insult you.  Have you ever thought you were being insulted but were not sure?  Instead of reactively attacking back, just wait.  They may have just said something in an awkward fashion.  Don't jump to conclusions.  Believe me, if they were actually trying to insult you and they thought you didn't get it, they will insult you again.  And if they were insulting you then just simply tell them that you don't appreciate it and that you forgive them.

14.  Always try to part on a positive upbeat ending.  Nobody likes to leave with a sour attitude in his/her stomach.  Always try to make peace before you end a conversation.

15.  Loyalty many times comes from private conversations.  Build trust by keeping confidences.

16.  Use stories to illustrate your points.  Jesus Christ always used stories when He taught the crowds.  Abraham Lincoln believed in stories too.  Lincoln said, "They say I tell a great many stories.  I reckon I do; but I have learned from long experience that plain people, take them as they run, are more easily influenced through the medium of a broad and humorous illustration than in any other way...."  REMEMBER:  ALWAYS HAVE A POINT TO YOUR STORY.

17.  Learn to speak off the cuff (extemporaneously).  Lincoln said, "Extemporaneously speaking should be practiced and cultivated.  It is the lawyer's avenue to the public.  However able and faithful he may be in other respects, people are slow to bring him business if he cannot make a speech."  One way to practice this is to grab your local paper and read a few headlines.  Practice speaking on those topics for 1-2 minutes for each topic.

18.  Join a Toastmasters club.  Toastmasters International is an international speaking club designed to help people of all walks of life become more effective communicators and thus more successful.  I was a member of Toastmasters for years and I really enjoyed and benefited from the experience. 

19.  Remember, we don't have to make a long speech in order to be effective.  Just say what needs to be said and then stop talking.  I remind you of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

20.  Use Millard Bennett's 30-10 Power Formula.  What is the 30-10 Power Formula?  First you read for 30 minutes everyday in whatever area you want to develop yourself in.  This will build up your knowledge base.  Of that 30 minutes, read out loud for 10 minutes.  Reading out loud will improve your communication skills.  It will improve your pronunciation, voice inflections, stamina, etc....  Of that 10 minutes, read part of it in a whisper, maybe a minute or two.  Reading in a whisper will eliminate all those um, ahh, and all those other verbal fillers.  This formula is one of the simplest formulas to practice but one of the most powerful.  Try it for a month and see what you think. 

21.  Understand that an inspiring talk can change the face of an organization, nation, family, or an entire world.  I remind you of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech, JFK's challenge to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, and Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachov tear down this wall."

I am convinced that if you really practice and work on these 21 steps you will become a POWER COMMUNICATOR and a greater success.  Make it happen and have fun. 

Check out Mark Bowser's incredible MP3 seminar "The Keys to Empowered Leadership"  Click here

 

 Check out some of the World's Best Speakers & Trainers on DVD.  Click here

Mark E. Bowser

President/CEO

Empowering Enterprises, Inc.

7723 Tylers Place Blvd. #280

West Chester, OH  45069

(513)252-GOAL

 

Superior Training, Superior Results!

 

Check out our Complimentary Success Newsletters at www.MarkBowser.com & www.TakeActionSales.com

 

Come follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/MarkBowser

Connect with me on LinkedIN 

 http://www.linkedin.com/in/markbowser

Come visit Mark Bowser's blogs www.SalesTrainingToday.blogspot.com & www.LeadershipStylesToday.blogspot.com

Monday, March 29, 2010

Model Leadership Giants

Good morning Leaders!

How do you improve at leadership? How do you gain more influence? Well,
one of the best ways is to learn from successful leaders. Here is a great
quote to ponder:

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Isaac Newton

Now, go out and make it a great leadership day. God bless you!

Mark Bowser
JEREMIAH 29:11

Mark E. Bowser
President/CEO
Empowering Enterprises, Inc.
7723 Tylers Place Blvd. #280
West Chester, OH 45069
(513)252-GOAL

Superior Training, Superior Results!

Check out our Complimentary Success Newsletters at www.MarkBowser.com &
www.TakeActionSales.com

Come follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/MarkBowser

Connect with me on LinkedIN
http://www.linkedin.com/in/markbowser

Come visit Mark Bowser's blogs www.SalesTrainingToday.blogspot.com &
www.LeadershipStylesToday.blogspot.com

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Leadership & Communication Training by Mark Bowser & John C. Maxwell

Corporate Leadership Training: The Styles of Leadership

By Mark E. Bowser

There are three basic styles of leadership. All of us use these three
styles. Now, let me pause here for a minute and say that I am not
suggesting you change your style. What I am suggesting is that you become
flexible with the styles. Would you agree with me that your style works
some of the time and fails miserably some of the time? Why is that?
Because one style doesn't fit every situation. What I am suggesting is that
you use a more flexible situational leadership when it comes to the
Leadership Styles. Use the style that best fits the situation and the
people involved.

Having said that, what are the three Leadership Styles? The styles are:
1. Autocratic
2. Democratic
3. Free Rein

Let me explain what each style is and when to use it. Autocratic: The
Autocratic Leader is more like a general. The commander of an army. They
are quick decision makers and they tell others what to do. We saw this
style a great deal in the corporate world in the 1950's through the 1980's.
We still see it today but not quite as much as those earlier decades. Why
did we see it so much in the past? Well, where did the CEOs and Presidents
of organizations get their training? Many of them came out of the military.
Is autocratic leadership a good style for the military? Absolutely.
Particularly in war time. Why? Because we are in crisis or emergency mode.
Decisions had to be made and made quickly or people would die. Autocratic
leaders took action and won wars.

After the war, these leaders came back and took their place in the corporate
world. They discovered that their civilian counterparts didn't take to
orders like their military counterparts. This caused them some challenges.
The leaders discovered that their style didn't work in every situation.
They learned that they had to be flexible in their leadership styles.
There is still a place for autocratic leadership in the corporate world
because we have emergencies and other situations that require quick
decisions and quick actions. But what we have to do in order to maximize
our effectiveness is not get stuck in one style. Use the style that best
fits the situation.

Democratic: The second style of leadership is the Democratic style. This is
the leadership style of teamwork. It is run by democracy. We put things to
a vote to make decisions and the majority rules. This is great for building
team loyalty and participation but let me ask you a question. Should every
decision at your office be put to a vote? Of course not. So, when is this
a good leadership style to use? When you need to get buy in (by having open
discussions where you can answer questions and sell your vision) and when
the decisions aren't a major importance. Use this style to create rapport
and teamwork.

Free Rein: In this style of leadership, we get out of the way and let our
team do their thing. It is a style where there is definitely no micro
management. That is good. The challenge is that your team members have to
be excellent, well trained, and go getters for it to succeed. If you have
a lot of entry level workers or workers who are new to the job, this is not
the best style to be in. Those workers will need more of your input and
guidance for at least the short term.

Well, there we have it. Three styles of leadership: autocratic,
democratic, and free rein. They all have their pluses and they all have
their minuses. Use the style that best fits the situation and the team
members involved and you will find yourself succeeding in all leadership
situations.

Vision, Connection, & Direction: The Pathway to Effective Communication
John C. Maxwell

By communicating a message of hope and significance to his oppressed
countrymen in Poland, Pope John Paul II played a lead role in toppling
communism in Europe. He affirmed the dignity and humanity of Poles, rallying
them to resist communism, while at the same time teaching them to show
restraint when confronting the communist authorities. The vision,
connection, and direction he conveyed to people in his homeland as they
struggled against a repressive regime altered the course of world history.

VISION
When Pope John Paul II spoke, the world listened. A powerful, personal
vision gave force to his words. It was a vision birthed in tragedy and
refined through years of patient suffering.

As a young man Karol Wojtyla experienced firsthand the horrors of Nazi
Germany. As the Nazis swept into Poland, they shut down the university he
was attending, executed several of its professors, and carted off many of
his Jewish friends. Enduring the cruelties of the German occupation and
witnessing the violations of his country fueled Wojtyla's passionate vision
of the rights each human ought to have.

In World War II, the Soviet Union "liberated" Poland. In reality, one system
of tyranny simply replaced the other. As a young priest and then bishop,
Wojtyla learned how to operate under the watchful eye of a restrictive
communist government. He carried out his duties within the church boldly yet
shrewdly, expanding its influence without provoking official backlash from
the government. The experiences shaped his vision, schooling him in the
strategies that would later aid him in undermining communism as Pope.

CONNECTION
Pope John Paul II connected to people because he identified with their
hopes, their troubles, and their fears. Journalist Neal Ascherton, who
accompanied the Pope on his early visits to Poland, marveled at his ability
to connect with the audience-even when crowds numbered in the hundreds of
thousands. "Each person got the impression the Pope was really speaking to
them, that he was exclusively available for them." John Paul II valued
people, and since he understood them, he could offer a hopeful message that
made them feel significant. His optimistic words stood in stark contrast to
the bleak, unpromising future that communism seemed to have in store.

DIRECTION
Soviet-style communism relied upon propaganda, or officially sanctioned
lies, to sustain itself. The government manipulated the public debate by
controlling the media, and consequently, people were exposed to a steady
diet of misinformation. Through time, it became confusing for them to
distinguish between reality and fiction.

John Paul II gave the people of Eastern Europe a moral compass to guide them
as they navigated life in a communist system. His ideals served as a
reference point, helping them to distinguish between right and wrong, truth
and farce. Thanks to his position as head of the Catholic Church, the Pope
could freely voice ideas that were distasteful to the existing communist
authorities without having to fear reprisal.

Even though he inspired people to seek freedom, John Paul II was very subtle
in his criticisms of communism. He was careful not to provoke the crushing
retaliation of the Soviet military by fomenting a violent revolution.
Through the papacy, John Paul II modeled the strategy by which communism
would be undone: persistence of belief coupled with patient, restrained
resistance.

SUMMARY
To say that one man toppled communism in Europe would be an overstatement,
but perhaps nobody contributed more to its demise than Pope John Paul II.
His prowess as a communicator allowed him to attain enormous influence
within the subjugated nations of the Eastern bloc. By voicing a compelling
vision, connecting emotionally with people, and modeling the direction
forward, he transformed the political institutions of Europe.

"This article is used by permission from Leadership Wired, GiANT Impact's
premiere leadership newsletter, available for free subscription at
www.giantimpact.com ."


Have you heard the new singing group 4 Troops? The group is made up of 4
military persons. They are awesome. In fact, a good friend of mine Matt
Moran wrote their hit single For Freedom. Check it out at itunes or
pre-order the album at amazon.com.


Mark E. Bowser
President/CEO
Empowering Enterprises, Inc.
7723 Tylers Place Blvd. #280
West Chester, OH 45069
(513)252-GOAL

Superior Training, Superior Results!

Check out our Complimentary Success Newsletters at www.MarkBowser.com &
www.TakeActionSales.com

Come follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/MarkBowser

Connect with me on LinkedIN
http://www.linkedin.com/in/markbowser

Come visit Mark Bowser's blogs www.SalesTrainingToday.blogspot.com &
www.LeadershipStylesToday.blogspot.com