THE BALD TRUTH - Personal Branding

PERSONAL BRANDING

Personal Branding for Professional Success

The idea of a “personal Brand” is something we all understand… at least as it relates to celebrities.  Public figures like Madonna, Lebron James and even Dale Earnhart Jr. craft and maintain their brands as enthusiastically as the Coca Colas and Nike’s of the world.  But a personal brand for you and me?  Absolutely, says personal branding guru Peter Montoya.  The issue, in fact, isn’t whether to create a personal brand, but how to create the most effective one you can, he says.

“Everyone has a personal brand, whether they like it or not,” says Montoya.  In fact, I have worked very hard to brand myself as “Coach Rick” the Executive Coach.   Now where ever I go, invariably someone gets my weekly thought “The Bald Truth” (sign up here: http://bit.ly/1i1sulT ) or has seen/heard me speak.  My goal has been to craft the brand so that it creates a clear and memorable impression about who I am and what I do.  You can do the same whether you are a small business owner, solo entrepreneur or corporate executive.

A personal brand is “the powerful, clear positive idea that comes to mind whenever other people think of you,” Montoya explains.  It’s the values, abilities and actions you stand for, or, as he puts it, your personal brand is “who you are, what you do, and what make you different or how you create value for your target market.”

A critical aspect of “brand building” for small firms and solo entrepreneurs is the old stand-by: growing your network.  A crisply defined brand should make that process simpler – who you are and what you do will be easier to remember if you have done your brand homework – but it still requires getting your brand in front of people the old fashioned way, one handshake at a time.

Here are three tips for making the most of your personal brand to build your business, or to enhance or reinforce your value within your corporation:

1. Make sure that everything that surrounds your brand (your office, website, customer service group, etc) communicates the same brand
2. Build and nurture your professional network and ensure that all members understand your brand message.
3. Establish appropriate partnerships to extend your brand and gain complementary brand value.

A personal brand won’t necessarily turn you into the next Payton Manning – in fact, it probably won’t do a thing to make you and NFL quarterback – but it may be a valuable tool to define and refine what you do and how you tell your customers or employers about it.

That is the BALD TRUTH!    Now Roll Up Your Sleeves and Get To Work!

Coach Rick
if you have any questions please feel free to contact me at rick@coachrick.net

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach and thought leader who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

THE BALD TRUTH - BLAME, BLAME, BLAME

BLAME BLAME BLAME!!!  This is the reality of today's political arena.
The reality is the entire system is corrupt! Republican or Democrat, it does not matter, ALL are only out for their own selfish agendas.

Fear mongering (shut down everything), hurting the average citizen and posturing are the norm these days.  Placing blame rather than accepting responsibility has be come the norm and law of the land. Let's shut down the Washington Monument and all the war memorials, that will piss off some people and get some attention from the media. Then we can  really show how messed up the other side is.  We can blame them!!!!

Where is the leadership?  Where is Harry Truman, Eisenhower, Roosevelt and Lincoln when you need them.  These were leaders with both balls and brains who made the RIGHT things happen.  They looked for what was best for the country not for their own political gain. The entire debacle is a disgrace and embarrassment to the country. Politician today are acting like six year olds and running to tattle to mommy (the public) rather than doing what is right.

Is ObamaCare right?  Hell I don't know.  Is it good?  Time will tell. Is it in the best interest of the general population? Not sure there either.  Has it been an ugly piece of our history.  Absolutely!!!

Politics and selfish political agendas have divided this country and weakened us and put us in deeper debt.  Trillions of dollars we owe and we have no way of paying back. I think it is pretty easy to see if you spend more than you make it isn't going to end well.  We have made it easy to blame others.  I got this credit card and maxed it out but can't pay it back, it is the card company's fault for trusting me to use it right.  Hey I got approved for a mortgage that I know I couldn't afford. Sorry, not my fault, I wanted the big house and to have things I didn't earn and I was willing to go into debt (that I will probably never get to pay back) to have it! I'll leave this for the future generation to deal with.  It is simple to file bankruptcy today.  AL that does is put the burden on to responsible people to pay more for products and services to make up the losses incurred by the lenders.  SIMPLE MATH PEOPLE!!! SIMPLE MATH!!!

Washington politicians act the same way.  Spend what we don't have, let the future figure it out.  Move the debt ceiling out til next year, maybe we will figure it out by then.  HA!  Get your heads out of your ass and be responsible leaders or get out and let someone who will lead.  When put in charge, be in charge!!

I for one am tired of politician using scare tactics and threats to get their way.  BOTH SIDES are guilty!  How about a real leader who says stop the madness! Let's get this thing back on track!

Just my rant for today.

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach and thought leader who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

INTER-DEPENDENCE, CO-DEPENDENCE and INDEPENDENCE

The critical difference between INTER-DEPENDENCE, CO-DEPENDENCE and INDEPENDENCE!

There are a lot of people who are unwittingly sabotaging their future relationship effort by the misunderstanding of very different terms and ideas when it comes to relationships. First.. Lets briefly define these terms.

Co-Dependent - Neither the man or the woman can do anything apart from each other. With the lack of support or motivation both of them will likely fail at achieving their individual aims that benefit the relationship. Its like being tied at the hip or by a rope. if one falls both fall. If one is late then both are late. If one is unsure then both are unsure.

Independent - This is where the person stays single or if they seek a relationship they assert that they don't need anybody which is the unhealthy extreme opposite co-dependency. This person sometimes seeks to cut even healthy ties, reliance and dependence to demonstrate that they are able to operate on their own. The fierce need to show their mate that they can survive without them often ends in the mate giving them what it seems like they want.

Inter-Dependent - Is a state where both partners are able to independently operate but are motivated by agreement and not need or desperation. They come together to do what is best for their relationship. They LIKE to be with their partner and prefer their company but are not emotionally crippled if it is not available as with co-dependence. This is the mature balance between co-dependency and independence.

Co-dependency and independence will likely cause you much headache with very little reward. Seek to find a reliable partner that you can depend on and work also to be a support for them while maintaining your own identity and carrying your weight in the relationship.


Reprinted from Relationship Matters  https://www.facebook.com/RelationshipsMattersByEngJack?hc_location=stream

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach and thought leader who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

Walking in Your Faith at Work

Walking in Your Faith at work

Taboo subjects in the office include politics, sex, money and of course religion or faith. How have we come to this? Over the years faith has become such a touchy subject that we refuse to even acknowledge it in the workplace. 

One of the toughest things I have to do every day is to live my life as a man of faith and walk my “talk” and show my beliefs in my actions daily. You see, I AM a man of faith, I DO believe in Christ and God. Part of this belief is a profession of this faith in all I do.  The disciples that speaking of thier faith out loud and publicly was very unpopular and even got all but one killed for the profession.  WHOA!  Killed? I’m not quite ready for that.  I mean I’ll believe but I really want to keep living my life.  

As a believer I understand that my Lord gave his life for me, so that I may live with Him forever. Does this mean I have to die too?   NO  but what it does mean is that I have to live my life in such a way that I represent my faith in a light that will make other want to know more about my God. That is what got the early church started. The disciples lived their lives in such a way that others wanted to know what was going on and how could they get the peace and strength they had for themselves.

As a professional speaker and executive coach I interact with many people each week. IN fact I sometimes get to talk to hundreds of people at a time. What a platform to change others and share a message of God’s might and love.  Now if you have seen me speak you know I am a business and inspirational type speaker.  I look for the good in life and help inspire others to do what it takes to live a great life.  www.coachrickkolster.com   It is a rare occasion that I quote scripture or even reference God in my speeches. However I do ask God to make my words strong and my message heard. By that I know my words are touching lives for Him.  But one of the most joyful moments I have had in my speaking career has been the couple of times that after stepping off the stage from giving a speech I was approached by someone who said, “Loved you talk, I can tell you are a man of faith”.  Walk the walk and Talk the talk.

Through just the way I carried myself on stage, they could tell who I was to my core.  That I had faith and belief in a higher power than myself and would go on bent knee before the king. Just by the way I acted.   Is this something others can say about you?  In the workplace what can you do to show that you are a Christian? That you love God and know that He loves you. What actions can you take that will show that?

So why is it such a taboo?  Why do we shy away from talking about our faith?  Because we have been beat down by the world as a whole.  We are afraid of “hurting” someone’s feelings of making them uncomfortable.  It is the wussification of our world. The political correctness has gotten out of hand. If I believe something different than you, I must be wrong and if it involves one of the four taboo subjects,  I must be a radical!  SERIOUSLY???  Have we become so bland and milquetoast that we are afraid to take a stand?   Can’t talk about Gods, might hurt little Timmy’s feeling or confuse him into needing some kind of meds.  We have taken a Christian God out of our schools and government and anything but our church and even then we have watered Him down. 

God is God. He loves us more than we love us.   He care so much about us that He gave His son for us.  Why is this scary to so many?

 Because we are wimps!  I say take a stand.  I could care less what you stand for, but please stand for something. The disciples stood for what they believed knowing full well it was probably a death sentence and still they stood their ground for what they believed to be right.  This is where we  need to get to. A place where we stand for what is right and good.

The one thing I know without a doubt is this… God is Good! Share that message wherever you go. I dare ya!

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach and thought leader who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

Attitude the difference maker

Attitude… 

One key word that can make all the difference in how you live your life.  For years I have known that my attitude determines how I act.  But let’s take a look at how and where our attitudes are developed.  Attitudes have been said to be developed at a very young age.  In fact research has shown that most of our attitudes (up to 95%) are developed before the age of 5.  WOW!! 5 years old and we have most of our core attitudes and beliefs set.

Now what are attitudes?  I define attitudes as the way we think, or “habits of thought”.  What we think about is the way we will act or our personality.  Ask yourself, have you ever met someone with a poor or terrible attitude and a GREAT personality? Probably not.  If a person has a great attitude the likely hood is that they will have a great personality and they are someone you want to be around.  Conversely when someone has mostly negative thoughts their outward “personality” is probably negative as well.  Personality is that outer expression of our inner attitudes. What I’m basically trying to say is that there is a direct link between the way we think and the way we behave. Can you accept that link?

So how do we achieve all we can?   By changing the inner thoughts of our mind!  William James who is recognized as the Father of American Psychology once said “  "The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."

The end result of all this is: If you want to use more of your potential and resources more creatively and profitably, you've got to begin by developing the attitudes that affect that kind of behavior.

Think about this… most of our basic attitudes are more negative than they are positive. People tend to think more often about what’s going to go wrong or how they are going to fail, than what is right and what their potential is for success.  Do ya think?   So now how do we achieve more and use more of our potential?  We do it by changing our thought patterns.  Zig Zigler says “you have to change that stinkin’ thinkin’.”  Put more positive in and you will get more positive out!

The term GIGO is one used in the computer industry.  It means: garbage in-garbage out.  You get out what goes in.  Start today to put more positive in your mind.  Turn off the TV, Radio, put down the newspaper, close the chapter on gossip.  Now try this:

Listen or read 15 -30 minutes each day of a positive message.  In your car, at home, at work where ever you may be.  Start today to make what you think about is posistve all the time.  This will help to prevent those negative thoughts and can’t of your life that invade our brains every day.

Make today a positive day, put in that CD, read that positive book, look for an inspirational message and see how this can change your life.  I wish all the best in your journey to live a better more fulfilled life both personally and professionally.  

Dear Event Planner, I Hate You. Sincerely, Your Speaker.

Dear Event Planner, I Hate You. Sincerely, Your Speaker.

Tips to Help you make your event a winner!  Collaboration, communication and  cooperation are the keys to getting maximum results from a speaker.

STRATEGIES TO BRIDGE THE GAP - Leading Millennials

Part two of a two part series.

Some of the effects of baby boomers having children later in life is the RAH RAH factor.

Millennials expect and need lots of praise because their Baby Boomer parents have been the biggest cheerleaders.  They are likely to mistake silence for disapproval and can easily become discouraged without verbal “strokes”.  Managers should make a special effort to tell Millennials what they are doing right; this doesn’t mean they need to be lenient on Millennnials but lots of feedback, positive and negative, is needed.

Expectations:

•          Millennials have expectations that the information they want will be provided in a timely, fast efficient manner. 

•          Feedback is important to Millennials and the more timely the better.  The use of technology will enable employers to measure employee performance, enable them to see how they compare with the others in the group, and Millennials will expect to know how they are doing instantaneously.

•          Communication, suggestions, feedback positive and negative needs to travel in both directions for Millennials.

How do you work with them?

•          Because they have grown up in a different world, it is critical to never assume that they understand even the most basic and common business “rules”  like:

–        You don’t want to talk to their mother when they are having problems.

–        You don’t get points for showing up or an A for effort.

–        The definition of plagiarism and cheating. “It depends what the definition is, is.“

–        They can’t use IM language in emails or reports.

–        It’s not okay to email the boss 10 times a day.

–        That when they email you at 3am, you’re not sitting on the other end waiting to respond to them.

–        The business office (and most others) closes at 5pm.

 Challenges faced when hiring and working with Milennials:

•          The level of technology in most companies. They expect the have the newest and latest gadgets. (phone, computer, tablet, etc.)

The lack of flexibility within most companies in regards to work environment.  “The day starts at 8 and ends at 5.” Historically this has been “The way it is” in the workplace and the baby boomer leaders must work to do creative things (telecommuting, split shifts, shared jobs, etc.) to keep them. When I say keep them it refers to both keep them at the company and keep them engaged a while at work. Most have seen and experienced little loyalty to a job. (look at today’s athletes hopping teams for more money).  The attention span is short and multi-tasking is the norm. (I don’t believe we can multi-task but ’ll address that in another venue)

Today’s new employee must be made to feel like they are doing “important” work and it will be a challenge for them.  They need to stretch and grow continually.  They have been taught to “get to the next level” (video games).  Training will be the biggest challenge that companies face. Can the company keep up with ongoing growth and training for their employees.

So the best way to lead and manage the new generation…
Learn how to communicate with them, understand they want to work but need to be shown how to work.  Mentoring works well as does coaching.  They understand the concept of a coach. We see too many young people coming into the workplace having always “won a trophy” for participation and not experienced loss or consequences of mistakes.  Let them make mistakes, it is how they will grow and mature. Its how the baby boomers learned, how their parents learned and their parents and…

 

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

Rick@CoachRickkolster.com

www.CoachrickKolster.com
www.facebook.com/coachricksBALDTRUTH

 

 

 

BRIDGING THE GAP - Booomers to Millennials

Bridging The Gap:  Boomers to Millennials

We are going to look at the differences between generations and show what have been some of the major events that have impacted and shaped the way the millennial generation lives. Let’s view this from some distinct perspectives.

·         Societal Norms

·         Political Events

First it is important o know how we define the generations. As of today there are four generations that are still or are potentially still in the workforce as of today.  They are:

•          The Veterans (the Silent Generation or the Greatest Generation) 1922–1943

•          The Baby Boomers 1943–1964 (the largest generation) 84 million

•          The Gen Xers 1965–1982  (Lost generation, Half the size of baby boom)

•          Millennials/Echo Boom 1982-2002 (peak 1990 almost as large as the baby boom) 81 million

The largest part of the workforce today is the baby boomers, however they are steadily decreasing in numbers and being replaced by the Gen X/and Millennials. With the changing work force and workplace make up there comes a plethora of challenges. Communication style and methods, work ethic, life priorities, etc.  Some of the issues are the way that we connect as well as our expectations of the younger generation.

Generation Y -  follow Gen X  and are also known as the Net Generation - internet, cell/smart phones, computers, infinitely comfortable with technology. They are a part of the rebound or echo boom with baby boomers having more children that Gen Xers. There is an Echo Boom  “population momentum” happening as we speak.

So the question is how did this generation come to be? These so called Millennials.

First, the Baby Boomers started having a “bounty” of babies! Boomers chose to become older parents in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Then the next generation made a choice to look back at the “good old days” and chose to revert back to the earlier birth-age norm for women.

The baby boom is attributed to economic and military crises that caused GI’s to delay having their babies, whereas a cultural upheaval caused the Boomers to delay having their (Millennial) babies.

The ‘echo boom’ can be compared to the original baby boom in that most generations were having babies at what historically has been a typical age range. The shift came from the baby boomers being influenced by social changes, “free love, integration, Vietnam war, Peace movement and political activism in the late 50’s  and 60’s.  Basically they were allowed to speak more freely act more independently and forgo responsibility until a much later age. My father (b.1929) waited to get married until he was 29 years old and I am exactly 30 years his junior by 6 days.  Older parents having families like their parents.  We had 4 children over 8 years in my family. 

This is Part one of a two part article.  Check back for part two: Strategies to Bridge the Gap.

 

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be. Rick@CoachRickkolster.com

www.CoachrickKolster.com
www.facebook.com/coachricksBALDTRUTH

VALUES

I speak and converse with hundreds of people each week.  Sometimes I get these amazing questions.  Earlier this week I was asked one of those great thought provoking questions that made me take some time and reflect on it.

The question was "Is it VALUE that gives someone SUCCESS or its SUCCESS that gives someone VALUE.?"

What a great question. Now the question it self can be interpreted in a number of ways. First are we talking about value as a measured thing or are we talking about VALUES as in Core Values?

Next let's assess the word VALUE.  What is VALUE and how can we define and measure it? Are we talking dollars?  Are we talking ROI? Just what is the meaning of value?

Then how about VALUES? Should we have them? Do you have them?  Are they clear? Do you use them as guides in your day to day decisions?

I'm going take this from a values perspective since this is a large part of my practice and what I help clients with each day.

So the question now asks:  Is it a persons VALUES that gives them SUCCESS or its SUCCESS that gives someone their VALUES.?"

Simple, the only place the success comes before values is in the dictionary.  You must know what you stand for and what is important before you will truly be successful.  Now that is not to say that a person cannot make a lot, and I mean a lot of money or have the material things most would consider when they are successful.  It's easy to acquire stuff, make money, look "successful".  The true test is when you can answer the question "When you look in the mirror, do you really love that person that is looking back?"

Do you love yourself or do you just love the image you have of yourself?  Success is intoxicating, money, fame fortune is intoxicating. Just look at professional athletes, well known actors, they all seem to be successful.  All very good at what they do.  At the top of their profession, only to end up in trouble, in jail, broke or worse dead. Were they successful?  I will say NO!  They were not!

They had stuff, fame fortune, people around them kissing their A** but inside they were most likely searching for happiness.  When your values are clear, your decisions are easy. They follow what is important to you, what you stand for and you will have defined as that "line in the sand" that you will not cross.  This allows you to have the money, fame, fortune, people kissing your A** and still be grounded having solid points and boundaries that will not be crossed.

So to live a life of success, first define your values, what is important to you, what is non negotiable, then you can base all your decision on the question: "Will this action violate any of my core values?"  If not, then DO IT!

That's The BALD TRUTH

Rick Kolster, CBC is an executive coach who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.  www.CoachRickKolster.com
www.facebook.com/coachricksBALDTRUTH
 

Love Tough

LOVE TOUGH I believe in tough love. If you are a leader, manager, coach, teacher or parent, caring about someone often requires you to challenge and push them to improve, grow and reach their full potential. Even the best athletes in the world have a coach to push them. But for tough love to work, love must come first. We must love tough to bring out the best in those we lead! If people know you care about them they will be more receptive to you pushing them. On the other hand if you put tough before love you're more likely to face resistance. As Andy Stanley says, "Rules without relationship leads to rebellion." The old dictator tough, without love, style of leadership no longer works. Having spent time with a number of professional and college sports teams it's clear that even athletes who seem to have it all want to know that their coach cares about them. The best coaches love their players and their players know it and play harder and are more loyal to that coach. The same is true for education and business. Research shows that test scores go up when students have a relationship with their teacher. Numerous engagement surveys show that people are more engaged at work when they know their manager / boss cares about them. So keep pushing your people to be their best. If you are parent like me, keep pushing your kids to reach their full potential. Your team needs your toughness to grow! But remember to put love first. Make relationships a priority. Your love will create the right conditions for growth to happen! Love + Tough = Growth Originally posted by Jon Gordon in his blog. Visit himthere at http://www.jongordon.com/blog/

5 Ways to Stay Positive When Others Are Not

5 Ways to Stay Positive When Others Are Not

Destiny

Destiny is something we all wonder about.  What is it? what will it be? Is it preordained, and mostly can we alter it?  Our destiny is what we choose it to be.  Regardless of you belief system from a spiritual or religious perspective your destiny is your own and no one else’s.  You are in control of it.  If you see we are heading down the path that doesn’t meet with your vision of who you want to be or what you need/want to have it is your responsibility to change direction.  Each of us has the power to alter our destiny. 

Bottom line, it is a decision. Your decision. No one else can change your destiny. It is all you! The biggest challenge and  first step is simple (yea right) It's just making a decision. Deciding what your destiny will be.  This ties back to establishing goals and getting clarity with your goals.

 

Second is accepting that you have the potential to make your destiny a reality or even being great.  You have to want to be the best you can be.  For that, it has been said that it takes a commitment. Being the best is not a sometime thing, it is something you strive for all the time. It is not a part time job. It is a full time job and you must do what it take to be great.  It's doing the right things, all the time. Not a few of the right things some of the time.  You do the right things all the time. No excuses.

It is a decision to be great. You must say yes to greatness. Then and only then you can move towards becoming great.  It takes a decision first.  Once you have made that commitment, you have an amazing power of that commitment to drive you, it is in your mind.  Once you get this into your heart and mind it becomes a part of you.  The actions follow the commitment.

 

Vince Lombardi once said that “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”

 

No matter what you do or hope to do, make a commitment to being the best.  Say yes to greatness!

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

Rick@CoachRickkolster.com

www.CoachrickKolster.com
www.facebook.com/coachricksBALDTRUTH

Principles

"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." -Thomas Jefferson

Principles are the foundation on which you should stand. A leaders principles (values) are clear and non-negotiable. They know what they stand for and what they will stand from others.

Are your principles clear? Do people know what you stand for? If not... Why not? Make it a priority to define your principle and then let people you lead know what they are.

I have four basic principles I have instilled into my children.

1. Respect for others, show it and give it.    
2. Honesty, be honest in all you do.    
3. Integrity, keep your word    
4. Communication, it must be open and truthful.

My children and the people I lead, know what is important and what I expect. In turn they know what to expect from me. This makes life so much simpler and less stressful.

What are your principles? Define them today!

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach who works with executives and business owners to help them gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

Rick@CoachRick.net

www.PeakPerformanceDevelopment.com
www.facebook.com/coachricksBALDTRUTH