Entrevis: Helping Thrivent Advisor Teams

A Better Way to Live and Work

DSG Thrives and Creates New Direction

dsgiI was contacted by Dynamic Solutions Group (DSGI) in September 2008. DSGI is one of the leading Fax Automation experts in the nation. They have been in business for over 12 years and completed over 600 fax automation installations. Concerned over the future prospects for growing their business they contracted with me to help them help them create a new vision for the company.

In the first nine months we accomplished the following:

  • Completed the companies first off site strategic planning session
  • Identified  and implemented new revenue opportunities for the Fax business
  • Hired the company’s first office manager
  • Developed policies and procedures to streamline the business and free up owner’s time
  • Began investigating new business opportunities

In the next six months we held our second strategic planning session with the office manager, completed a detailed plan for the coming year and decided on a new five year vision for the company that preserves the Fax business and will double the size of the company with a new strategic direction.

Despite the recession in 2009 the company has doubled in revenue and profitability.

Here is what partner Greg Osterdyk had to say about our work together. “Last year, 2010, was the first year I was able to take some time off and not worry about the company. I feel confident about our future and look forward to continuing our work with George in the coming year.”

The New Medicine

monk-meditationLast week, for the second time, I watched a two hour special on PBS entitled “The New Medicine“. It talked about how medicine is becoming more integral involving the mind, body and soul of a person.

It’s really not new, but rather it remembers the way medicine used to be practiced. I saw great similarities between what they were saying about “The New Medicine” and “The Better Way To Live and Work” program we offer. The purpose of this entry is to share what they are saying and what we do in our work.

Here are some of the things being advocated and practiced in “The New Medicine” that are all part of our program:

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Using a Third Party to Help us Grow the Business

From 2002 -2012 I worked with Kay Kramer and Dana Brewer from KLB Financial in Edina. We have gone from coming up with the strategy for buying out a partner, to dealing with growth issues, to focusing on a succession plan. Here is what they have had to say about our time together.

“My name is Dana Brewer . We’ve been using A Better Way to Work and Live for a number of years now and recently went through the exercise of doing a shared 5 year vision statement. Being a co-owned firm, we each had to go through the exercise and then come together and create one for the firm.

We’ve  gone through the process of backing into “So what does that mean for today, tomorrow and a year from now to be able to get to that 5 year time line in the way that we want to get there?” This is a valuable tool, one of many, in the program.

We have been through multiple coaches and a couple of different programs and found this to be a far superior program to work through. It has been helpful to have a third party to help us grow the business. A big part of our success has been using George and the Better Way to Work program and I highly recommend it.”

Kay Kramer says, “George was instrumental in helping us strategize on our succession planning. Using the 7 Entrepreneurial Skills as a framework, he has helped us stay focused on the areas of our business that really matter. We are proud to be recognized in the last two years as one of the 25 largest financial planning organizations in the Twin Cities.“

50 Life Tips from 10 Top Coaches

May_cover_small
I was recently featured in the May issue of Motto Magazine in the article “50 Life Tips from 10 Top Coaches”.

I was honored to be included with coaches I admire including Marshall Goldsmith, Rick Tamlyn, Andrea Lee, Marcia Wieder and  Steve Mitten

My tips included:

  1. Everything starts with vision. Create a vision story of what you want in your life and be amazed at how it manifests.
  2. Pay attention to building your strengths not correcting your weaknesses.
  3. Create a niche. The best way to success is to narrow your focus.
  4. Create a plan with specific goals and be accountable for follow through.
  5. Trust your gut.
  6. Decide who you need to partner with to grow your business.
  7. Simplify negotiations by developing a clear understanding of your value proposition.

 

Slowing Down the Speed of Life

I’ve been reminded again in the past week how important it is to find time for silence, meditation, reflection or prayer if you are going to be working as a coach or consultant.

I was talking to a client who is also a company consultant and trainer, teaching around the world. She said how she used to work full throttle up until the moment of her presentation or coaching. Working to get everything perfect. She recently decided that she wasn’t going to do that any more and instead she gets to her training sites a day in advance, has a massage and spends time on quite reflection.

She says her presentations are twice as powerful since she started doing this. She also said that if you want to effect change in busy executives you are working with you must come to them with a different form of energy. If you are coming stressed out and overworked and you are wanting them to find more balance and reflection, your energy wont show them the way to find what they need.

Another example of this came from our minister’s sermon this morning. He talked about how you only find God in silence and how it is ever more important, with cell phones, Ipods and instant messaging that we find the time for quiet and silence.

For myself I have been taking time every 6 weeks for 30 years to go to Lake Superior. I go and do nothing. I watch the lake, take hikes and sleep. I do connect with God. One side of that is that I write poetry while I’m up there. I don’t write poetry and flunked the subject in high school. But when I slow down and connect with God it just comes out, effortlessly. I know when I return I am a better listener, boss and father.

Whether you are a coach or someone between seeing, give yourself a present and find some time on a regular basis to slow down the speed of life.

George’s Focus: Outcomes and Results

• Helping you by asking penetrating questions and through deep listening 
• Helping you create a new vision for yourself or your team
• Conducting Strategic Planning sessions that bring your team together with a plan they buy into and are committed to following through on
• Providing guidance in evaluating the potential ROI of taking risks or making changes in your business
• Helping you get unstuck and focused on new niches and opportunities
• Helping you and your team identify and spend more time on strengths
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