Executive Coaching for Business Owners by Tony Mayo

Today's podcast, "Powerful Requests" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony presents his model for, perhaps, the most important type of business conversation, the request. Much of what you accomplish, much of what people reward you for, much of the structure of our days can be understood as a complex network of requests and promises. By thoroughly understanding and applying the three components of a Powerful Request, you can get more done while burnishing your reputation as a reliable colleague, supplier, or employee. Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Say Anything to Anyone in a Way that Works for Everyone" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony shares two tools to help with your most difficult and confronting conversations. 12 Steps for Difficult Conversations http://tiny.cc/12steps The Conversation Contract http://tiny.cc/ConContract Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Breakdown vs. Problem" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony continues last week's discussion by reviewing the meaning of breakthrough, the environments that foster breakthroughs, and the foundational importance of our interpretation of events. We focus on a powerful tool for managing our responses to unwelcome or unexpected events. Declaring a "breakdown" instead of calling it a "problem," open powerful possibilities for insight and action. Today's distinctions include: • Conversation vs. complaining • Victim or Agent • Blame or Learn • Resistance vs. Acceptance Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Breakdown to Breakthrough" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony continues last week's discussion by reviewing the meaning of breakthrough, how to manage yourself and your environment to increase your chances of experiencing breakthroughs, and the foundational importance of taking control of our interpretation of events. Today's distinctions include: • Why are some coaching concepts called "distinctions"? • The holographic, non-linear nature of coaching distinctions • The benefits of not resisting, even welcoming breakdowns • Both breakdown and breakthrough are creations in language • The background of obviousness • Speech Acts: Declaration is an action that changes the world Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Creating Your Clearing for Breakthrough" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony continues last week's discussion by reviewing the meaning of breakthrough, how to manage yourself and your environment to increase your chances of experiencing breakthroughs. Today's distinctions include: • Interpretation: the thick, distorting filter between us and reality • The Foundational Practice for Breakthrough 1. I am interpreting events. 2. I can be responsible for my interpretation. • Historical Discourse • Always-Already Filter Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Criteria for Breakthrough" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony explains the meaning of a breakthrough, and discusses how to manage yourself and your environment to increase your chances of experiencing life-enhancing breakthroughs. Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Clearing for Breakthrough" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony explains the meaning of a breakthrough and discusses how to use the insights available from a breakthrough to dramatically accelerate your performance. Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "The Conversation Contract" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony teaches his all-purpose, 3-step process for making any conversation more comfortable, agreeable, and effective. He discusses applications to sales, supervision, and marriage. The Conversation Contract(tm) works for quick telephone calls, annual reviews, sales presentations, and week-long workshops. It is the way to get more done in less time with less stress by negotiating quick, clear, and clean mutual agreements. Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are availabe for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are availabe on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Tough Talk: Conversations That Make A Difference" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. This program teaches Tony's 12 Step program for engaging with people on difficult topics, simple tools for resolving contentious issues, and a powerful approach to work and personal conversations that will bring you better results and stronger relationships. Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are availabe for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are availabe on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "What is Executive Coaching?" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Topics covered include: • What is Executive Coaching? • “My own best thinking” • “I now live in a different world, see different things, take different actions.” • Differences between coaching, consulting, mentoring, managing, therapy, training, and just plain friendship. • Basic logistics of what it costs, how much time it takes, how to know if it is working, and how long the results last. • Finding, selecting, and getting started with an executive coach. • What topics and concerns are best addressed with coaching. • Typical components of a coaching conversation. • Distinguish Fact vs. Opinion • Coaching changes your view of the world • The Core of Coaching • O – A – R model • When to engage with a coach • The Gap • Some experience you want, that you have put effort into, and have not achieved or achieved at too dear a cost. Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. I have a one-question quiz to see if someone has real-world entrepreneurial experience. I thought of it while I was telling war stories with the owner of a very successful commercial plumbing business. His firm worked on new homes all over the Mid-Atlantic, hundreds at a time. He shared with me his memory from the first Christmas after he had finally earned enough from the new business to pay off the home equity line of credit he and his wife had taken out to finance the launch of the business. He knew, when he came with the bad news, that his wife had been planning a much more relaxed and generous holiday than they’d felt able to afford during the lean start-up years… He told her, “This has been a great year in the business. We’ve grown the company and cash flow has never been better. The right team is in place and they have done an amazing job to get us here. But,” he paused and prepared himself for his wife’s disappointment and …disagreement, “this rapid growth has burned through cash. We’re profitable on paper but higher sales means bigger inventory and more receivables to float. We generate enough cash to cover regular operating expenses but…” he hesitated again. … “My guys know what they’ve accomplished. Worse, my competitors know what they can do. I should give out some big Christmas bonuses to keep them happy, to keep them on board. And, more important, they’ve earned it, …but we don’t have the cash to spare so…” His wife finished the thought, “so, we’ve got to take another loan against the house.” She said it, matter-of-factly. So, it took my friend a minute to realize that she wasn’t complaining or resisting. She was …suggesting. She went on, “It’s the right thing to do for our people. They’ve proven how good they are. They earned these bonuses and soon …their work will earn enough to pay off this loan and then some. Our family will have one more frugal holiday this year, just to make sure the people working for us have a great Christmas.” They took out the loan. They paid out the bonuses. And, a few years later, they cashed out for millions of dollars. … Here’s the one question quiz to see if you’ve been an entrepreneur. “Have you ever written a personal check to cover payroll, to acquire a key piece of equipment, to buy your company one more month of survival?” If you haven’t taken that kind of risk, made personal sacrifices, you just don’t know what it takes to make a company. If you have, give me a call. I’d like to talk to you. Because you …are my kind of person. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. When the people I meet socially learn of my background starting companies and coaching business owners, many of them admit that …they’d love to have their own company. I offer my one question quiz… that shows whether he or she is an entrepreneur. I ask, “What is the -one- most important element for starting a successful business?” I hear answers like… a clever concept, a solid business plan, adequate capital or –at least– months of living expenses, a strong team, clear vision, and so on. I have never gotten the correct answer from anyone other than a business owner. Maybe that’s because most people are unclear about what entrepreneurship is, what business owners fundamentally do. Here’s my favorite definition …of an entrepreneur, from Harvard Business School Professor …Howard Stevenson. “Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.” That definition works for me because it gets causation right. Resources don’t create opportunities. Opportunities attract resources. So, “What is the -one- most important element for starting a successful business?” The most desirable single thing to have when starting a business is… a paying customer. …Why? Because without paying customers, you don’t have a business –you have a money pit. If you do have a paying customer, you could buy or build whatever else you need. If you don’t have a paying customer, you shouldn’t be buying anything —you should be out selling. I call this … “customer-centric entrepreneurship.” Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

There is a certain breed of entrepreneur who creates results orders of magnitude beyond what typical business owners achieve. Before I tell you what makes them special, let’s review the origin of the word “entrepreneur” and distinguish my three types of business owner. The original entrepreneurs, back in the European Middle Ages, operated by bringing materials to workers in their homes. Cloth to sew into garments, for example, or wax and twine to mold into candles. As they rode around the countryside delivering raw materials, they also collected the finished goods, which they would sell along the route. This original model is quite close to the behavior of what I consider to be today’s most scalable and repeatable style of entrepreneurship. But, it is still not very common. The most common and least scalable type, or business model, is followed by founders who don’t so much create an organization as create a job for themselves. They may be independent contractors providing personal services like plumbing or consulting or they may hire a few support personnel to give them more time to personally deliver the saleable service. You could make a very comfortable living this way but it is still a job. When you stop, the income stops. You can’t sell a job, so this kind of company isn’t very marketable unless you find someone who wants to buy the assets and reputation to give himself a job. Many restaurants and beauty salons change hands this way. The key characteristic of this type is that the entrepreneur is also the product. I call this the Star System. The second entrepreneurial business model is also very common …yet more scalable –and saleable– than the first. These founders also create a company to deliver their personal expertise but consciously choose to attract, train, promote, and empower others to do most of the work. The owner may still be a significant revenue producer but her goal is to own a company that could grow and prosper even if the founder transitioned from being a product into full-time management —or, retirement, maybe even a sale of the company without an earnout period, because the owner is not an indispensable part of that type of company. The biggest problem with these first two approaches is that they are recipes for overwhelming and exhausting the owner, undermining your health and family, putting you in what I call OWNERwhelm. The third and final entrepreneurial business model can be the most lucrative and the least exhausting path. It is also the one most similar to the original circuit-riding entrepreneurs of the Middle Ages. I first identified the winning approach of these extraordinary individuals as a result of a dinner I attended with a group of successful business people at the famous Palm steakhouse. There was something special about their track records, a thread that ran through all of their stories about start-ups and exits. The first unusual thing I noticed was that they were seldom experts in the industry they chose to enter. The next was that they had all started more than one company. What made them so different from most business owners? The next day, while considering this puzzle, I saw the pattern. Like the medieval entrepreneurs, these business people had noticed something that people were willing to pay for. They identified people who could satisfy that need, and they created a structure to bring those two groups together, linking buyers with providers. Then, these serial entrepreneurs stepped back and let it work. This freed their energy and attention to find and serve the next opportunity, the next –probably unrelated– market need to satisfy. It also allowed the people they had attracted to take full responsibility for growing the company. ... Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. Some senior executives once asked the head of their firm, “Why is it that, despite the years we have been learning and working with you, along with our own extensive experience and research, you always stay ahead of us, seeing new opportunities, starting new initiatives, inventing …new methods?” He replied, “The significant difference between us is simple. I’m willing to dwell in the experience called ‘not successful’ …longer than you will …without feeling diminished.” Imagine the power of being a world champion at “dwelling in the experience called ‘not successful’ …without feeling diminished.” What would you attempt, what conversations might you have, whom would you invite if you knew you could attempt it without putting your self-image at stake? What business would you start, what offer would you bring to the market, what promises would you make if the internal conversation you had about your self-worth …would not be affected by the outcome? Most of us act as though our value is the sum of our results. Maybe that’s wrong. Maybe our value emerges from the ways we express our values and commitments. Contrast the typical life lived entirely in the comfort zone vs one filled with initiatives that aim way beyond what has been tried. Gandhi failed in his life’s mission of uniting Hindus and Moslems in an independent India. Martin Luther King failed to create a world in which each person is “not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Abraham Lincoln failed to preserve the Union without war. Yet, we consider them heroic successes. Because Gandhi, King, and Lincoln were willing to “dwell in the experience called ‘not successful’ …without feeling diminished.” And, we all live in a better world because they did. How much better would the world be if you moved out of your comfort zone and tried dwelling in the experience called ‘not successful’ just a little longer …without feeling diminished? What impossible vision would you devote yourself to if your satisfaction did not require immediate success? If your moment-to-moment experience of life was one of satisfying self-expression and energizing engagement, rather than of safety or self-protection? I want to live with you in that world, making a success of bold attempts and not cheapening ourselves by valuing only predictable results. Go ahead and try. You’ll still be okay with me and, if you choose to, you’ll still be okay with yourself. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. I’m an above average driver. You probably consider yourself an above average driver, too. Chances are that at least one of us is wrong. Why do I believe that? Because surveys show that almost everyone thinks their driving skills are above the average. Based upon what I see on the streets, the average skill level is pretty low. Still, half of us must be even worse than that low average. I’m guessing it’s you. This pervasive sense of superiority among ordinary drivers so illogical that it’s funny. And, it’s scary. Because we are all so sure that we are better drivers than most everyone else, we do two harmful things. First, we automatically blame traffic incidents on other drivers, avoiding personal responsibility and further alienating ourselves from others. Second, and much more dangerous, our smug self-evaluations mean that we do nothing to improve our skill at the life and death job of piloting large machines at high speeds. This phenomenon, this error of thought, is so typical of us humans that it has a fancy name, the Dunning Kruger effect. People with low skills in a domain tend to overestimate their abilities in that domain, possibly because their skill level is so low that they don’t even know what high skill looks like. ... Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. There's a phrase becoming more and more common that I'm starting to take as an insult. When -exactly- did it become a compliment to say to someone, "I know you're busy." How do I look busy? Do I seem harried, overwhelmed, am I dropping the ball? Am I not fulfilling on my promises and commitments? Do you think I'm incompetent, unable to do my job or cope with my life? What makes you assume I am too busy to talk with you? I know. It’s assumed because of the culture we live in. We’ve gotten to the point where seeming to be over-committed has –somehow– become evidence of a person’s importance. Yet, it wasn’t that long ago —in my lifetime— that time freedom was evidence of success. The successful were relaxed enough to take on new projects, to be creative, to have really good conversations. And, it could be that way again. Hey, it was like that for hundreds of years. Let's start making a change, because, busy is for the bees, not for effective executives. Don’t say you’ve having a busy day. Say you are “fully engaged” or “I always have time for a good conversation or a fun idea.” Early in my career, a very effective executive told me, “When I see an employee staying late now and then, I assume he’s dedicated. If he stays late day after day, I know he can’t handle his job.” Is that the message you want to send by crowing about how busy and over-committed you are, that you can't handle your job? That's not who you want to be. You want to be relaxed. You want to have the freedom to choose your next activity, to know you're focused on the things that really matter. You can rest, you can create, you can consult, you can spend time with people, and when someone comes to you with a request, you don't have to prove to them you're too busy to listen. You can prove to them that you're competent and successful by carefully considering what they have to say. I don’t want to be busy. I have plenty of options and I choose my tasks mindfully. I strive to be fully engaged and well rested, highly productive and flexible, with time to think, play, and listen to new ideas...” Busy is not a success. Busy is a symptom. … Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. A client told me that today’s coaching distinction had made every one of his business conversations more productive —and shorter. But first, this… The doctor says, “Your condition is terminal. You have less than a year to live.” The patient says, “I want a second opinion.” The doctor replies, “Okay. Your tie is ugly, too.” More about this in a moment… Much of what we say is opinion, with …the occasional fact mixed in. That’s fine; it’s just what humans do. The important thing is to know the difference between facts and opinions, what philosophers call assertions and assessments. Assertion and assessment sound too much alike, so let’s stick with …facts and opinions. Facts are statements about the world. Reasonable people can easily agree on an appropriate method of determining whether a fact is … true or false. For example, [click the pen.] if I say this pen is grade 304 stainless steel, you and I could quickly find some way to verify whether the object is, in fact, 304 stainless steel or …something else. Facts …are true or false for everyone. We can demand proof because facts are objective, features of the object not influenced by the person seeking proof. On the other hand, if I say this pen is beautiful, you’re free to disagree with my opinion. You may feel it is too shiny, too squishy, too anything to be beautiful. That's the nature of opinions. They’re subjective and personal. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Like beauty, all opinions emerge from personal perceptions, filtered through the individual’s experiences, goals, and values. It's a version of the world influenced by who you are. Opinions are not true or false, they're either useful or not. Opinions cannot be proven from reality like facts, but they can be grounded in authority. For example, if Apple’s top designer, Jony I’ve, says this pen [click the pen.] is ugly I am going to give that opinion much more weight than if some random teenager says the same thing. Jony I’ve is a widely recognized authority on consumer product design. He can ground his opinion in data, principles, and market experience. That is, he can support his opinions with facts, so I grant him authority in the domain of consumer product design. On the other hand, his opinion about my skills as a coach don't really interest me because he has no particular authority in that domain. Here’s the gist, the way to use this distinction. Facts tell you about the object. [Hold up pen.] With a little work, we can all have the same objective facts. Opinions tell you something about the person expressing that opinion. The more you know about the usefulness of a person’s opinions and their ability to ground them in facts, the better able you are to work with that person. The patient in my joke with the terminal diagnosis …didn’t want a second opinion. He wanted another doctor to check the facts. Facts are not better than opinions, they just have different purposes. You can be more effective if you’re clear about which you are saying and hearing, about whether you are stating a fact or expressing an opinion. That’s how you make every business conversation more productive [chuckle] —and shorter. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. Thales of My-LEE-tus is generally considered the father of western philosophy. He's also thought to be the very first scientist, perhaps the smartest person in the ancient world. A student once asked Thales two questions: "What is hard?" and "What is easy?" The sage responded, "What is hard is to know thyself." "What is easy is to give advice." And advice isn't just easy to give. It's very easy to deflect, devalue, disagree with. We do it almost reflexively, without thinking, to protect an image of ourselves, and –most of all– to avoid admitting that what we had been doing may be wrong. Coaching, real executive coaching, is much more about …the hard part, helping you to know yourself. What matters to you. What you're capable of. What you really want. This insight, knowing thyself, helps you choose appropriate goals and communicate effectively. Sure, I've been in business for 40 years. I've seen a lot. I've tried many things. So, I do give out advice. I'm not stingy with that. —but tips and techniques aren’t the real value of an experienced coach. They’re just …a bonus. One of my clients put it beautifully. She said, "With Tony, I do my own best thinking." And, that's the way I want it. Another client said, "My biggest improvement, after working with Tony for six months, is that I live in a different world. When I go to the office, I see different things. So, I take different actions and get better results. I've changed from ‘trying to fix what's wrong’ in my company to focusing on what's possible …and working toward it." If you're stuck, confused, upset, unsure, —particularly if it's a …familiar kind of Stuckness— maybe even a "Groundhog Day" level of stuckness, don't look for an easy answer, a tip or a technique, advice or a …“Life Hack.” Do the hard work. Get help with knowing yourself better. Look inside …to who you are, what you can do, what you want, what's really going to make a difference for the people you love. Thales was right. Knowing thyself is harder, but it lasts longer and works better than mere advice. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. There's a common situation in business. Well, in life, when someone has been tasked to deliver something at a particular time –and it's not ready. You've probably been in this situation many times. I'm sure you'll be in it many times again. We'll talk elsewhere about integrity, but for today, think about this, put yourself _in_ this situation. You walk to the person's desk, you ask for the report, and the person says, "It's not ready." What's your automatic, almost instinctive knee-jerk response? [Angry] "What happened?" Right? And, the employee starts to explain, or excuse, or describe what happened that prevented them from having it ready. And, like the helpful, hands-on manager that you are, you start to solve these problems for the employee. But _think_ about this. When the two of you are talking about what happened, what time period are you dwelling in? It's the past, right? Now, how much power do the two of you have over the past? [click] Zero. Why we talking about that? It does no good. Here's a better response: Go to the person's desk, at the appointed time. Ask for the deliverable. If your employee or colleague says "It's not ready." You might say, "What are you going to do next?" or "When can you have it ready?" Now, what time period are you talking about? The future, which is where we're all going to live. Let's plan a dynamic future, instead of rehashing the static past. Talking about the future naturally involves some planning, some detail, and also some restoration of trust. [Chuckle] I don't think employees are children. They're adults. But, there're some situations in parenting that bring out in sharp relief _basic_ human behavior that shows up in the office, as well as at home. In my house, it was a big milestone toward maturity when I trained my children to take responsibility for what they'd done –or, hadn't done– by apologizing. The next step, even more powerful than apology, came after that apology, when I encouraged them to explain how they were going to do better next time. I want to be convinced by the child –or the employee– that I should believe this new deadline, this new promise. Tell me what you are going to do differently. Explain why I can rely on you now even more than I did before. Because after all, I don't want my employees —or my children— to be sorry. I want them to be successful. Let's talk about the future and describe specific steps that can be taken to make you more successful in that future. By working together to design and implement improved methods, our employee learns and grows, our children develop and mature. Here’s the gist. Use today to learn from the past and —mostly— to prepare for tomorrow. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. One of the core concepts of executive coaching is that we, as humans, exist largely in language. Now, I know there's a real, physical world out there and if you bump up against it you could get hurt. Right now, I'm not talking about bricks and buildings. I’m talking about what makes us …human. I say that our humanity emerges from the words we use, both out loud to others and silently, to ourselves. What you say and how you say it, whether it’s inside your own head or outside in the world, our language determines who we are, what our relationships are like, and how we create results. If you have any doubts about how defining language is for being a human being, I refer you to someone who lived without language for the first seven years of her life, the famous Helen Keller. She reported that she didn't have any real thoughts …before she learned to use and understand words. … That before she acquired language she didn't have emotions, but experienced only vague sensations. Helen Keller declared that —until she had language— she simply was not a living human being. If you want to be fully human, if you strive to be the best, most effective person possible, use the best, most effective language available. I'll be giving you lots of examples in these podcasts, and on my blog, but for now, pay more attention to who you are, based on what you're saying …to other people and to the most important person, in your human life …the one who lives inside your human mind. Ask yourself, is your language consistent with who you claim to be? Are the words you use …supporting your values and aspirations? Are you as responsible and conscientious with how you speak of your work as you are about doing your work? Don’t just parrot familiar phrases and time-worn excuses gleaned from your past. Avoid using the word “But” when you mean “and”… Watch out for saying “I’ve got to” when you are making a choice. Be clear and honest about the quality of ideas and work products while, at the same time, being kind and generous to the people creating those ideas and work products. (This applies to how to speak about your own ideas and work products , too.) Choose to use words that serve you. Words that support your chosen future. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I hope you enjoyed it, that you apply it, and …share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. I've spoken on other podcasts and videos about the defining importance of language to human life, to the quality of your life. One of my favorite techniques, a tip you can use several times a day, is to reduce how often you say, "I've got to do this." "I have to do that.", when the reality is, if you're honest with yourself, …you don't have to. You're not being compelled or forced. You're choosing it. In fact, often that thing you say you’ve got to do …is something you want to do. It’s a sign that your life is working. A client said to me, "I need to finish our coaching call exactly on time today, because I've got to go to my son's soccer game." I said, "Whoa, whoa! No. You can't say that to me, or …to yourself. You've designed your life. You own the factory. It's your company. You _get_ to walk out of your office any afternoon you please, and go where you choose. Hey, you _get_ to go to your son's soccer game today. If you don't want to, don't. Nobody's holding a gun to your head.” I remember a movie, well a scene from a movie , in which Morgan Freeman is playing the role of man unjustly placed in jail. A guard is trying to get him to step out of his cell, and the prisoner won't go. The guard, exasperated, says, "You've _got_ to come out!" The prisoner gives him a cold, hard look and says, "The only thing I've _got_ to do is die." And, as far as we know, that's the only "got to," the only "have to" in your life. All the rest are your choices. Almost every action is optional. Treat 'em that way, speak about them that way. You’ve made choices, celebrate them or change them, but don’t pretend to be the victim of them, because… you don’t have to. You get to. Thanks for listening to this podcast I hope you enjoyed it, apply it, and share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. Have you noticed the epidemic we're in? It's a widespread infection called “overwhelm.” You may have caught it yourself. I know I've had it a few times. Today, I'm going to tell you the fundamental cause of overwhelm. This insight will give you the key to avoiding overwhelm. Still, I should warn you, …you're not going to like the answer. Let’s do it in “Bad News / Good News” format. The bad news is: the cause of overwhelm is insincerity. Yes, your overwhelm is caused by you not telling the truth. And, if you are a business leader or owner, the cause of your staff’s persistent sense of overwhelm is caused by you fostering a culture of insincerity, an environment where it is not safe or sensible to tell the hard truths. Please don’t be insulted; you and I both do it because we are both human. But…WHY? We get into overwhelm by making promises —either to ourselves or to people around us— promises that we know we cannot or will not keep, by saying that we will accomplish certain things _knowing_ that we can't. Or, …won't. Or, …are unlikely to. When we say it, we may mean it, but at some point, it becomes clear we just can't handle it, we haven't got the time, the skills, the interest. This happens to the best of us, of course. …What makes it troublesome is, once we know we will not deliver, is our failure to renegotiate our promise with the people affected. The good news is that this insincerity is not usually caused by a personal moral failing but by a flaw in the company culture. That’s good news because you are a leader who influences your company culture. ... I’ll speak more on future podcasts about creating safety and encouraging integrity inside companies. For now, one more story about resolving overwhelm. My friend, the great coach Bob Dunham, was also in systems development before becoming an executive coach. He was an engineer writing programs for NASA’s Hubble space telescope but the project was years behind schedule. Three years in and not one finished module had been delivered. The turnaround started when Bob noticed his colleagues continually agreed to impossible deadlines. One of the things that made them impossible was that the components one group needed to start their work were late being delivered by another group or too buggy to use. Thus, problems in a few groups cascaded throughout the company. BTW, this software did not cause the serious problems you may have heard about; those were the result of an incorrectly ground telescope mirror. Hardware …not software. As a lowly software engineer, Bob made one simple change that broke the logjam. He started giving sincere delivery estimates. To do that, he insisted on accurate, reliable estimates from the groups developing the upstream modules he depended upon to do his work. Soon, executive management noticed that his was the only group delivering finished modules, so they made him the team lead. His honest estimating spread and so did the quality of deliverables. He was promoted again and the pattern repeated on a larger scale. Within a couple of years, he was the Vice President of System Development for Motorola Computer Systems. —and the Hubble software went into service. By practicing and demanding sincerity, by not accepting overwhelm as inevitable, Bob advanced his own career and put a major research tool into space. To hear more about the special flavor of overwhelm specific to business owners, which I call Ownerwhelm, head over to my public speaking page at tiny.cc/keynotes Thanks for listening to this podcast Please… Enjoy it, apply it, and share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business today. When I take an executive team offsite to guide them through a strategic planning session –or, as I prefer to call it, an alignment exercise– there is a conversation that always seems to happen right after we finish articulating corporate values and vision, …during work on the mission statement. To write a mission statement we need to get clear about the company’s competitive advantage, the Unique Selling Proposition or USP. The one thing we want to be known for. To do this, the team starts listing current products and services. The top revenue producer, the best margins, the cash cow, the fastest growing, the legacy product, the custom version, the peripheral service, etc. Everything they sell Then they start to reverse engineer the mission statement to include all of them, and that... just... doesn't... work. I explain that, even if we focused on one market, –because it’s easier to sell new products to existing customers than to sell anything to new customers– it doesn’t work to push everything at our market all at once. No matter how sharp and strong each marketing message is, you can’t cut through the noise by talking about all of them at the same time. . We need to pick one to promote, to emphasize. One message to focus our marketing efforts, one idea that prospects will associate with us, one mission that motivates employees. The good news is, if we put our resources behind one lead product, not only does that one come through loud and clear, but –in practice– the others come along automatically. Woodworkers call this the pilot hole. If you need to get a large bolt or peg into a beam, you don’t start by gouging out a huge hole. You start easy, by drilling one small hole. This hole guides the larger drill bit into the beam, just like a ship’s pilot on a tug boat guides a huge tanker into harbor. Focus your energy and attention on one key message, so you present a coherent image to your employees, prospects, and customers. “The Apple Marketing Philosophy” in effect from day one, written back in 1977 by Steve Jobs’s first mentor, had just three points. Number two was, “We must eliminate all of the unimportant opportunities.” One of the first things Jobs did when he came back to Apple twenty years later was to eliminate 70% of their product offerings. He rebuilt Apple with just four products, two for consumers and two for professionals. Four products for a company earning $10 billion dollars in revenue. How many products do you have the resources to develop? You may choose to cut back on the number of products offered, that is often an effective change, but that’s not my main point here. The important thing is, no matter whether your company has four offerings or four dozen, it pays to put the full force of your marketing and sales behind one key product, one simple message. Nike has hundreds of products, yet their brand image is only about you being more athletic. Amazon sells millions of individual products as well as many services with one simple mission statement, “Our vision is to be earth's most customer-centric company.” If you have a sensible product mix, intense, disciplined focus on one mission will increase market penetration for everything. Have I made my point? Thanks for listening to this podcast Please… Enjoy it, apply it, and share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach … with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. To increase your effectiveness as an executive, as a manager, and as a business owner: Get very clear about …and keep your attention on … your personal core values and the future you’re committed to. I’ll repeat that. You will be a better leader once you get very clear about …and keep your attention on … your personal core values and the future you are committed to. People follow a leader who is motivated by a compelling future. Team members are made uncomfortable by a leader who is the victim of events or who devotes his energy to repairing the past. Instead, use this precious present to set-up a fulfilling future. Develop the discipline to pause and assess each event and design each communication in the light of your commitments and your values. Learn your triggers, those incidents most likely to push you toward an automatic, familiar reaction (maybe that’s …people exhibiting disrespect, lassitude, sloppiness, or lack of candor) Learn to move your responses into the realm of choice instead of letting them run you. Don’t allow the worst performing people in your company to determine how you feel, how you speak, or what you decide. Be pulled by your chosen future, not pushed by random events. Resist the drift of automatic reactions, of allowing unexamined assessments from the past to determine your actions in the present. Instead, make every choice a considered, clear step into your future, the one you designed. That’s leadership. Because the people who continually work toward the realization of their chosen future, enjoy the satisfaction of living in that future …today. Podcast: Thanks for listening to this podcast Please… Enjoy it, apply it, and share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Usually, It’s a Choice Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. A wise man once said that it is impossible to be satisfied with something we're stuck with. Luckily, in today's world, most of us have many, many more choices than we often recognize. So much of what we do is our choice. We may feel stuck with it but we rarely are. One client was, well, complaining to me about his long To Do list. Dozens and dozens of items. Some of them that have been there for weeks or months. Maybe this has happened to you. I know it's happened to me. He got to the point where just thinking about his to do list, much less looking at it, was depressing and upsetting. I asked him, who put things on this To Do list? He said, "I do." "Okay. Who can take them off?" "I can." “What qualifies a task to be put on your to do list?” “It's something I want to get done." “What keeps a task on the list, other than not getting it done?” “If it's still something I want to get done." “Let me see if I’ve got this right. You made a list of things you'd like to do, results you want to have. You have chosen each one and personally constructed this list, but you're _dominated_ and depressed by it? Who's in charge here?” What my client did, the assignment he took on for himself, was to go back and look at every item on that list and say, "Is this something I choose?" He surprised himself by choosing every single task on that long list. He was so energized by this new freedom –which existed only in his head, in the language he was using– that he became very efficient and productive. As soon as he stopped putting his energy and attention into resisting the list, all of his energy and attention was available for blowing through the work. Choice is always available. Even in some cases where you're certain it isn't. I was speaking with a client who asked to cut our call short because she had to pick up her son at school. I said, “You _have_ to? It's pretty rare that you _have_ to do anything. She said, “No really, I _have_ to. He's sick.” “Come on,” I said. “Be honest. You _don't_ have to.” She reacted the way you probably are. “I'm his mother. He's sick. I have to go.” “You don't have to. Think about it. There are mothers who don't pick up their sick children at school …because they can't or because they won't. You've made a choice to pick him up. Why did you make that choice?” She paused for a moment and said, “Because I care about my son. He's more important than any of the client meetings or other projects I had going today. Because I love him, I put his needs at the top of my priorities.” As soon as she saw that she chose to take care of her son that day, all of the angst and upset went away. The appropriate action was clear. “Go get your son today, because you chose to make his welfare your most important purpose. Not everybody would. And not every time will you.” With this insight, getting present to her own values and choices, she experienced freedom and found the energy to act appropriately where before there was only upset and obligation. In the words of Jean-Paul Sartre, “You are free. Choose, that is, invent it.” Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy this podcast, that you apply it and you share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. Let's talk about anger, a very common yet often unwelcome emotion. Each emotion inclines us toward particular actions, to move in a way consistent with that emotion. Motion is right there in the word: E-motion. Each emotion has its associated motions. Joy leads to smiles, fatigue leads to slumped posture and lying down, love leads to touching and nurturing. Anger leads to motions that … harm … or damage. And, that's the problem with anger in the work environment. Chances are it really is not a good idea to do any harm or damage to the people and objects in your place of work, whether you do it physically –or verbally. But, anger arises. … What to do about it? What I encourage you to do are these four fast, simple steps. First, learn to recognize early … that anger is arising. I feel it in my forehead, the muscles squeezing my eyebrows together. For you it may be seeing red or spots, raising your voice, breaking your pencil– if you’re not sure, ask someone close to you how he or she knows when you’re getting angry. After this early warning, step two is one you’ve heard many times. Breath … slowly … in and out … at least once, maybe three times or …ten times. Next, step three, introspect. Ask yourself, "What's the value being threatened?" What principle close to my heart is being undermined, disrespected, or ignored? When my boys were young, I found that if they started to intentionally thwart or hurt each other I got instantly and intensely angry. But, of course, I didn't want to damage or harm my little boys. So, I looked inward, " What is important to my self-image, my view of the world, the way I want life to be lived, that’s not being expressed right now? … What’s the value being threatened?" I place tremendous value on the principle that people do their best to support and take care of each other, particularly family members. That’s how I want my world to be and any indication that my family isn’t behaving that way … lights my fuse. With my little boys, when I saw that was the value I wanted to promote or protect, the next step was clear. I interrupted their unwelcome behavior. I showed them ways to cooperate. I encouraged the behavior that I was looking for instead of –ironically– demonstrating anger, which I definitely am not looking for or wanting to encourage in my family. I had plenty enough of that in my own childhood. Recapping… First, learn to recognize the feelings …in your body that are the beginnings of anger. The next time you feel that hot red emotion called anger welling up, —leading you towards harming or destroying –whether by yelling, by throwing, by insulting, by making rash decisions, or even by withdrawing and withholding yourself– [breathe] go to step two, take that long, relaxing breath to feed your brain the oxygen it needs … to think … instead of react. Third, notice what value of yours seems to be threatened. Fourth, and finally, choose a response that will serve that value, that will be supportive and constructive, that will bring your value into reality instead of letting anger motivate you into destruction and harm. Notice Early ? Breathe Slowly ? Name the Value ? Act for the Value Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy this podcast, that you apply it and you share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Yes, and… vs. But Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. One of the most dangerous and harmful words we commonly use is … "but" Yeah, really. Banishing your buts in the way I’m about to suggest, will drive major improvement in your results —and …in your relationships. Consider this example. When you say to someone, "I'd love to come to your event but I have another engagement", that word …but has just negated and devalued what came before. What they're really hearing is, "I was lying when I said, ‘I'd love to come to your event.’ In truth, there is something I’d rather be doing at that time." Is that the message you want to send, that half of what you say is –at best– inaccurate and unreliable? People only hear the words after the but. An even more common example, someone brings you an idea and you say … but what about this problem, … but what about that change? Your but dismisses what the person just said. How eager is that person going to be to bring you their next idea when they know you're just going to butt in and shove it aside; push it down with your butt and raise your own ideas? Luckily, it's very simple to break this habit. Just practice replacing the short word "but" with the short word "and" “And” is additive. “And” increases. [Speed up] “And” includes what was said before. “And” puts more into the mix. Listen to how different this sounds. "I'd love to come to your event... And I have something else I need to do at that time." I haven't reduced how much I'd love to come to the event. I've just _added_ to it an explanation of why I won't be there. I've heard your idea _and_ we could consider this … _and_ we might also try that. I'm taking what they've given me and putting additional things with it. We're growing instead of grinding down. Please, stop … butting in to other people's ideas. Stop squashing your own words with a big, ugly butt Stop "butting" in collaborative conversations. Use "and" … every time —it is a small word, but it adds up. {Did you see what I did there?} [Chuckle] Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoy this podcast, that you apply it and share it. Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Control to Confidence: Ease Off. You Can Handle It Hello. I’m Tony Mayo, the Business Owner’s Executive Coach with one quick idea you can use in your business …today. Here’s the gist of today’s leadership coaching. Control …is an illusion. End your quest for certainty and proceed …with confidence. The business owners I work with tend to have very clear ideas about the results they want to produce, and about the methods used to produce those outcomes. Unfortunately, this clarity and strong intention can misguide them into attempting to control every step of the project. Unfortunately, such detailed control is mostly impossible. Managers who try to control their people are kidding themselves —and their employees know it. We call them micro-managers, which has a double meaning. By attempting to manage details at a micro level, these managers shrink their own stature and effectiveness as leaders, becoming micro- versions of real managers. Micro-managers If you're doing anything significant involving other people, resources, time, and chance, you cannot control everything. It’s just not humanly possible. Worse, any attempt to do so, discourages the very best people working with you. Because -think about it- the most intelligent, creative, responsible people don't want to be controlled; they want to contribute. They want to participate. They want to be creative. The very people you most want on your team are the same ones who most want to matter, to affect the process, and influence the outcome. To be left alone to get their jobs done. You may be thinking, “Okay, Coach. Say I'm willing to give up this illusion of control? What's the alternative? What do I do, sit back and watch?” Of course not. I suggest delegating, not abdicating. My recommended alternative to grasping at control is to move forward with _confidence_; the conviction that you can respond effectively to the many unpredictable, uncontrollable events that are part of any worthwhile project. When you're clear about your commitments, your skills, and your ability …to respond, you will be _confident_, whatever happens, that you will respond appropriately. My friend, Lt. General Gene Forrester, illustrated this principle for me with the example of Napoleon. Napoleon only ordered his field marshals to station their troops at a particular place, at a specific time, prepared to attempt a certain result. How they got there and the tactics they used were up to the field commanders and their officers. My friend went on to tell of his experience commanding the American occupation of the Dominican Republic in 1965. Because of the violence and chaos on the ground, he had planned an aerial assault, dropping men and heavy equipment by parachute just outside the capital. While in the air, my friend was contacted by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff with new orders. Because an airdrop might look too violent and aggressive, an agreement had been negotiated with a faction of the Dominican Army. They agreed to allow the US troops to land and deploy from a military air field. That makes sense, the general agreed, but it is impossible. We are airborne with enough tanks and trucks for 22,000 troops securely attached to parachutes and pallets, positioned over bomb bay doors, ready to drop. There was physically no way to get them out of a plane once it was on the ground. The equipment had to be parachuted. I hear what you’re saying, said the Chief. And, I received this order personally from the President of the United States. …Figure it out. … Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

This podcast is an interview about Tony's new novel, Crimes of Cunning: A comedy of personal and political transformation in the deteriorating American workplace. He is interviewed by longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including: * What changed in the 1980s that made so many of today's jobs inhumane * How consulting to MCI inspired the story * Influence of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey * Tools for Personal Transformation * Choosing a stand or "Way of Being" * The useful coaching concept of "game" * How physical spaces engender specific behaviors * How personal relationships can enrich business effectiveness * Transform pain and disappointment into growth * Finding time and focus to write a novel * Pre-meeting meetings and after action reviews * The "Slow / Fast" Method vs. typical business behavior * Tony's next book: "The Conversation Contract" Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     How to BE in Courageous, Genuine Relationships This podcast is Tony Mayo reading the bonus chapter to his Amazon #1 best-selling book, The Courage to be in Community. The focus of the book was the importance of compassion and authenticity, while this new chapter is all about implementation, with specific advice on how […] The post 019 Tony Mayo Reads the bonus chapter of The Courage to Be in Community • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 9 This latest podcast is part nine of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including: * Group coaching for executives * Power of public promises * Hire nice people * Writing a good want ad * Working for a jerk * The power of "I don't know" * Build charisma with genuine curiosity * Whose responsibility is it to cause significant genuine conversations * The boss's job is to create an environment where people can be effective * The CEO Conversation * Unleash creativity by exchanging certainty for confidence More at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

This latest podcast is part eight of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including: Management and sales rely upon the same essential skill Why salesperson with the most technical knowledge of the product is almost never the most top producer The Sandler Sales System Giving back the check The awesome power of the skeptical salesperson Why coaches avoid giving advice, opinions, and tips VSOP group coaching for executives Problem vs breakdown Internal vs. external conversations Probing the past vs. future focus Effective conversation with an employee or vendor who Much more at: http://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach       Podcast #16: Tony reads a short sample from his first book: The Courage to Be in Community. The complete audiobook is for sale on iTunes and Audible. Just click here and either listen on your computer or subscribe through iTunes to have this and all new podcast episodes placed on your device as they become […] The post 016 Free: Audible® book sample • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     Curiosity, Confidence, and Your Cerebral Cortex Podcast A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 9 This latest podcast is part nine of a funny and practical conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large […] The post 015 Curiosity, Confidence, and Your Cerebral Cortex • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Sales Skills for Top Managers Podcast • A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 8 This latest podcast is part eight of a funny and practical conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including: Boost your sales by employing Tony's insight into the related power of affinity and similarity. • Why it is important to sell to people rather than persuade positions. • The proper roles of laughter, emotions, product knowledge in sales. • How and why Tony refused a check for $250,000. • It is not what you say that makes the sale, it is what you hear! The podcast is available on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher, and FeedBurner. Listen through your computer or subscribe with an app on your favorite portable device.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach       Integrity: The Most Overlooked Business Advantage   Podcast #13: Teleseminar on the power and practicality of integrity: doing what you said you would do, by when you promised, and the it was expected to be done or, as soon as you know you will not, communicating and taking responsibility for the breach. […] The post 013 Integrity: Executive Coaching Teleseminar • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     This latest podcast is part seven of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including: Put […] The post 012 A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 7 • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     This latest podcast is part five of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including; Commitment […] The post 011 A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 6 • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     This latest podcast is part six of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including; Networking […] The post 010 A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 5 • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach   This latest podcast is part four of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including; Low stress […] The post 009 A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 4 • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach Beyond the Punishment Model: Executive coach to CEOs, Tony Mayo details best practices for teams and employees seeking great performance and sustainable satisfaction. http://tr.im/2truth The post 008 Truth or Consequences? Teleseminar Discussion • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach A free audio you can use to access your center, led by Executive Coach to CEOs Tony Mayo The post 007 Find your center before you act • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach An illustrated talk on his powerful approach to long term, difficult projects presented on video by Tony Mayo, executive coach to CEOs and their teams. The post 006 Roadwork for Enduring Results • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach   To avoid the #1 forecasting mistake, click here.     Keep me informed about Tony’s webinars, in-person coaching sessions, and free Life Planning & Goal Setting tools. Email Address *   First Name Last Name Title Company Phone * indicates required     Since 1996, I have led groups and individuals through a powerful […] The post 005 Managing Yourself with Specific Measurable Results • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     Teleseminar participants had a deep and practical conversation with CEO executive coach Tony Mayo about trust–a vital topic for business, family, and every human relationship. We also practiced a calming and centering exercise together. You can join these drop-in, no-set-fee executive coaching teleseminars by registering at http://tiny.cc/calllist. Click here to listen or download […] The post 004 Trust Teleseminar by Tony Mayo • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     This latest podcast is part three of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including: Tony’s […] The post 003 A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 3 • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

Tony Mayo Executive Coach     This refreshed podcast is part two of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with useful ideas in this episode including; Importance […] The post 002 A conversation with executive coaching client Ron Dimon. Part 2 • PODCAST [Refresh] appeared first on Tony Mayo.

This latest podcast is part one of a funny and useful conversation between top executive coach Tony Mayo and his longtime client Ron Dimon. Ron is an expert on the use of information by executives of large organizations. Listen as two experienced business people play with many ideas in this episode including; * how to find and rewrite the script of your life, * the value of seeing your career as a way to grow your * relationships with people, * why business people need not read business books, * the brain food available from chess, contract bridge, Excel, and programming; * the power of flat management hierarchy at Pixar and other Silicon Valley companies; * the danger of "leaving your ego at the door" in business meeting. Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Powerful Requests" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony presents his model for, perhaps, the most important type of business conversation, the request. Much of what you accomplish, much of what people reward you for, much of the structure of our days can be understood as a complex network of requests and promises. By thoroughly understanding and applying the three components of a Powerful Request, you can get more done while burnishing your reputation as a reliable colleague, supplier, or employee. Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.

Today's podcast, "Say Anything to Anyone in a Way that Works for Everyone" is the audio from a webinar presented by Tony Mayo, The Business Owner's Executive Coach. Tony shares two tools to help with your most difficult and confronting conversations. 12 Steps for Difficult Conversations http://tiny.cc/12steps The Conversation Contract http://tiny.cc/ConContract Video, handouts, and other resources from this and other webinars are available for free at: https://TonyMayo.com/Tuesdays/ All of the webinars are available on YouTube here: http://tiny.cc/TwTtv You may participate for free each Tuesday at noon, US eastern time. Register at the Zoom conferencing service: http://tiny.cc/TwTzoom Much more material is available at: https://www.TonyMayo.com ---------------------------------------------- Thanks to MusicOpen for providing public domain recordings of Beethoven.