Leadership Development Through Associations

Written by JT on January 14, 2010

Leadership Development is influenced by so many things, your head would spin just thinking about it. But one of the key factors to success in leadership is choosing who you associate with on a daily basis. Check out this video and learn how you can streamline your associations to maximize your time and cut your learning curve in half. It’s a technique I learned form the amazing Eben Pagan…

Leadership Development Lessons From a 4 Year-Old

Written by JT on January 11, 2010

Leadership development lessons can come from just about anybody, regardless of their age. Check out what my 4 year-old daughter, Callie, has to say about her champion mindset and doing what you love!

Leadership Lessons From Walt Disney

Written by JT on December 30, 2009

Earlier this year my family and I took a trip to Disneyland. It was nice to get back to Southern California for a few days, and we had the pleasure of having Mia’s folks join us for the trip.

It was the first time our daughter, Callie, had been to “The Happiest Place On Earth”, and our son Maximus (then 15-months old) was enjoying his maiden voyage as well.

I want to share 3 valuable lessons it took away from Walt Disney as I visited his amusement park.

Lesson 1: Continually upgrade, grow and build.
My two favorite rides when I was a kid were Space Mountain and The Haunted Mansion. When we visited the park in September, BOTH rides were closed. I was bummed.

But the employees of the park did a great job of enthusiastically talking about how those rides are the crown jewels of their upcoming Halloween extravaganza, and were being upgraded for their big celebration.

What did that do for me, the customer?
1.) It immediately took the frustration out of my experience, because I couldn’t help but feel the Disney employee’s genuine enthusiasm.
2.) It made me want return the following month for the big Halloween bash. Gone was my initial annoyance; that was replaced by a sense of anticipation for the future. I wanted to be there, dammit! That is great for business.

Lesson 2: Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For The Sale
From the time you show up to the park until the moment you leave, Disney is constantly selling you. You have the option to show up an hour early; when you do, you are given access to the shops, the Disney characters (gotta get a picture with Mickey!), and of course food and drinks.

You get another opportunity at this when the park closes. All the shops and restaurants are open for an additional hour “for you convenience”. Why? So you can focus on enjoying the park, the rides, and the experience. Sure. But because the rides are closed, and you (and your kids) are far from ready to leave at that point.

The impeccable cleanliness of the grounds, outstanding customer service and perceived value of the product creates an incredible immersion of joy. You almost feel obligated to purchase a souvenir before you leave just so you can take a piece of the experience home with you.

Point here is that Disney is not at all afraid to ask for the sale. They have made a staggering fortune from professionally, confidently, and consistently selling in an almost-elegant fashion.

Lesson 3: Attitude Is Everything
I swear there must be something in the water at Disneyland. Every employee presents a professional, upbeat, and gracious attitude, seemingly every second of the day. I like to think I’m pretty good at picking up on things like this, and I can tell you that in the 3 days we were in hte park, I never once picked up on a bad attitude, fatigue, annoyance, unhappiness, or displeasure from a single Disney employee. And it was all genuine.

How do you get EVERY employee to project an attitude like that?
1.) Create a culture of quality. That means “service first” thinking. In a business like Disney’s you have to serve the customer, and over-deliver the quality.
2.) Total belief in the brand. I doubt any human being, regardless of their level of mental toughness or physical fitness could wear a fuzzy duck/mouse/dog/bear suit in 80-plus degree heat for hours on end, kids pestering you for photos, and the same Its-A-Small-World-After-All music playing over and over (and over) in your head and stay happy unless they had total belief in the brand and the mission.
3.) Money Could Not Be The Only Focus. Money is great, and money is important, but it cannot be the sole motivator for entrepreneurs. Walt Disney passionately loved his work, and that energy transcends time and permeates its way into every member of the Disney staff.

Strive to have that level of influence in your business, too.

I could write a book on my trip to Disneyland; it was that profound. As a kid, I loved it for the wonder and magic. As an entrepreneur I loved it for the unbelievable attention to detail and world-class professionalism. It was a real treat to witness a top-notch organization operate at such a high level.

If you have the chance to get to any Disney park, definitely go. Take notes, learn all you can, and remember Walt Disney’s quote:
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

~JT

Leadership Lessons From Dave Stech (Part 2)

Written by JT on December 24, 2009

So, in Part 1 of my discussions on the profound impact Dave Stech has had in my life, I told you about his concept behind “The Power of 6″. I want to share more of Dave’s insight with you here, because I think it is vitally important to your business and your life.

Dave emphasizes the importance of “fewer, deeper business relationships” to create “fewer, bigger deals”. Why waste time trying to strengthen business relationships with people who are not in alignment with who YOU are and what YOU are passionate about doing?

Why chase after the “bright shiny objects” in business, only to come up in the end exhausted and frustrated?

I have seen firsthand how distilling a contact list of thousands down to a pertinent few has made my business far more effective, and the service I provide many times more valuable. Dave Stech taught me the value of this, as well as the practical steps of how to implement this practice into my daily life.

I have also learned (in some cases the hard way) the importance of concentrating on fewer, bigger deals, focusing my energies and resources in places that create win-win solutions for everyone involved.

I am deeply grateful to have Dave Stech as a friend and mentor.

If you want to “just add a zero” while “doing good, having fun, and making money” go to http://www.ThePowerOf6.com, and find out how creating fewer, deeper business relationships will lead to fewer, bigger deals and more abundant life.

Go Big,
~JT

PS: Remember to leave me a comment and share this post with other entrepreneurs you care about!

Leadership Lessons From Dave Stech

Written by JT on December 22, 2009

I have been very blessed in my life to have some tremendous teachers. Most of what I share with you has either come from real-life experience or from learning from amazing teachers and friends.

Dave Stech is one of those incredible teachers, and a tremendous friend.

I first met Dave in 2005 (my wife, Mia, actually met him at a real estate seminar). Mia and I were full-time naval aviators, and budding entrepreneurs and Dave was (and still is) and ultra-successful real estate entrepreneur. Mia and I have referred to Dave as our “Rich Dad”, with a tip of the hat to Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, in which his friend and mentor is referred to by this title.

Dave has made a tremendous impact on our lives, both personally and professionally. We have learned enough from Dave to fill volumes. When I struggled in business, he would calmly tell me, “JT, to get where you want to be financially, just add a zero.”

Then he showed me how to do it.

When I was struggling to find my true calling, Dave gave me one the of the greatest pieces of advice I have EVER received. He said, “Follow your true passion, and make sure you do good, have fun, and make money!”

And then he showed me how to implement it.

One thing that is critically important for every entrepreneur to grasp, and something that has made a huge difference in my business, is Dave’s concept of “The Power of 6″.

You can learn more about The Power of 6 here.

As entrepreneurs, we have a tendency to want to be all things to all people. We have a sense that maxing out our Facebook affiliations, having tens of thousands of followers on Twitter, and jumping into every business venture we can make time for is the recipe for success.

Not true.

In my next post, I will share some insight form Dave Stech that changed the course of my entrepreneurial life. Until then, check out Dave’s wisdom at http://www.ThePowerOf6.com.

Go Big,
~JT

PS: Remember to leave me a comment and share this post with other entrepreneurs you care about!