Defeats are Essential for Victories!

Maya Angelou once said “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”  I do not know anyone who enjoys loosing.  I admit that I am very competitive and have always hated loosing.  It is okay to want to win because that desire and determination fuels your drive for success; however, what you should not do is allow failures or defeats to deter you from continuing to pursue your goals.  Actually, I argue that defeat is your most useful tool in business and life because there is nothing to learn from a victory.  Victories are awesome because they allow you an opportunity to celebrate your abilities and skills while feeling good about what you have done.  The problems with victories is that they are short lived.  Often victories are finite.  Failures on the other hand are the greatest instructors in life.  Failures push you to ask tough questions like "what went wrong?... why did it go wrong?... what should I do next time to prevent the wrong from happening again?" and the like.  Failures also test how serious you are about achieving the goals you are chasing.  If you quit easily then perhaps you are not as passionate about your work as you thought.  So let us take Dr. Angelou's advice and acknowledge defeat yet never accept it.  Instead let us rise from setbacks and come out of each defeat a stronger and smarter person.  You can do it!  -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Keys to Success: Hard work & Patience!

Just after I began ministerial training I had the opportunity to shadow a senior pastor as he officiated the funeral of one of his church members.  After the service I accompanied the pastor and the owner of the funeral home in the funeral procession from the church to the member's internment.  The owner of the funeral home drove us in his car which was a beautiful late new Mercedes S class.  I was in my early 20's at the time and instantly fell in love with the car.  The first thing I said to the owner as we made our way to the cemetery was "this is a beautiful car!"  The owner was an older African American gentleman who appeared to be in his 70's or 80's and was a well known successful businessman and philanthroper in my hometown.  After I complemented his car he smiled and asked "How old are you young man?"  I told him my age and he said, "work hard and save hard.  Drive cars don't let the desire for cars drive you."  He then went on to tell a story of a nineteen year old intern who worked at his funeral home.  He said that the first time the young man saw his beautiful new car he proclaimed that he was going to work and save and get one just like it by the time he was twenty one.  The older gentleman laughed and told the young man "Funny thing is I had to work 65 years before I started buying cars like that." 

I still remember that that day in the car with that inspiring man.  He died a few years ago and I only had the opportunity to meet him once but I am grateful for that meeting.  I learned many valuable lessons in the car that day, yet the most important was the idea of working hard and being patient.  Unfortunately we live in a microwave society that says everything should be fast.  The idea of working hard and saving your money to achieve success and the American dream is often considered by some an outdated method.  Fast food encourages quick meals, yet we sacrifice taste and nutrition.  Shows like American Idol encourage overnight success, yet the participants sacrifice experience.  Lottery tickets encourage instant riches, yet those who win often do not have the fiscal acumen to handle new found wealth. In other words whenever we take shortcuts to success we usually sacrifice the benefits that we would have received enduring the entire process.  As a consultant my job is to work with clients to help them understand the next steps they should take to move closer to their desired goals.  The first thing that I make sure my clients understand is that there is no shortcut to success.  Success is a marathon not a sprint- it is achieved but it takes hard work, tenacity, and endurance.  Whenever I am asked "how can we guarantee success?" I simply reply "hard work and patience."  Unfortunately there is no substitute for hard work and patience.  Hard work is a driving force patience is the force that keeps you driving until you reach your destination.  To that end I encourage you to keep working hard and keep trusting the process!  It will pay off in the end.  - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsutltingDAT.com 

67 Minutes of Service!

Today is South African Peace Leader Nelson Mandela's 94th birthday!  In 2009 the United Nations declared July 18th International Mandela day and Mr. Mandela is calling for people all over the world to take 67 minutes out of their lives and do something positive for someone else today.  Sometimes as business leaders we are so focused on the bottom line that we forgot that whatever industry we are in we are providing a service.  Today let us take just 67 minutes of our day to serve our community.  Mr. Mandela spent 67 years of his life serving others; can't we sacrifice 67 minutes?  Serve well!  - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant. www.ConsultingDAT.com

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

In 1989 Author Stephan Covey published a self-help book entitled "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."  To date the book has sold nearly 30million copies in 38 languages.  The book as come to be known as one of the greatest authorities on leadership, management, and self improvement to date.  Recently Covey died so I thought  there was no better way to honor his life than share his seven habits with you.

Independence or Self-Mastery- The First Three Habits surround moving from dependence to independence (i.e., self mastery):

• Habit 1: Be Proactive

Take initiative in life by realizing that your decisions (and how they align with life's principles) are the primary determining factor for effectiveness in your life. Take responsibility for your choices and the consequences that follow.

• Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Self-discover and clarify your deeply important character values and life goals. Envision the ideal characteristics for each of your various roles and relationships in life. Create a mission statement.

• Habit 3: Put First Things First

Prioritize, plan, and execute your week's tasks based on importance rather than urgency. Evaluate whether your efforts exemplify your desired character values, propel you toward goals, and enrich the roles and relationships that were elaborated in Habit 2.

Interdependence- The next three have to do with Interdependence (i.e., working with others):

• Habit 4: Think Win-Win

Genuinely strive for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Value and respect people by understanding a "win" for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had gotten his way.

• Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Use empathic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. This creates an atmosphere of caring, respect, and positive problem solving.

• Habit 6: Synergize

Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could have done alone. Get the best performance out of a group of people through encouraging meaningful contribution, and modeling inspirational and supportive leadership.

Self Renewal- The Last habit relates to self-rejuvenation:

• Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

Balance and renew your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable, long-term, effective lifestyle. It primarily emphasizes on exercise for physical renewal, prayer (mediation, yoga, etc.) and good reading for mental renewal. It also mentions service to the society for spiritual renewal.

(From Wikipedia) Click here for the entire article.  

NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

I love children.  Especially those who have just discovered their personal will to be independent.  For example, have you ever seen a child who refused to allow an adult to feed them.  They defiantly grab the spoon and awkwardly swing it around their faces trying to slide it into their mouths.  Inevitably they get more food on their cheeks, their shirts, and the table than in their tummy.  As children get older they attempt to become more independent.  They want to walk at the times that their parents want to carry them.  Some children want to dress themselves at the expense of style and coordinating colors.  Other children demand to tie their own shoes even though they don't know how yet.  I love children because they don't care if they mess up; they just want to try.  Adults should take an example from children and learn to try without fear of failing.  Children don't care about getting a little messy or wearing colors that don't match; they just want to try!  Think of the victories you could achieve if you tried more without fear.  I dare you!  I Double D DARE YOU to try more!  -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Lead by Example

Have you ever had a supervisor that held you to higher standards that they refused to meet?  How did you feel?  If you are like me you grew frustrated, annoyed, or downright disgusted as you tried to figure out how someone could require so much from you and so little from self.  Moreover, if you have ever found yourself in this predicament you probably felt less inclined to do the work that you were hired to do.  After all, why work hard if your boss isn't willing to do the same?  That's exactly how many of your employees feel if you are not leading by example.  I see employers make this mistake repeatedly then wonder why office morale is failing.  If you want your staff to work hard- you must set the tone.  You should not require early mornings and late nights from them if you only put in a 4 hour work day.  I know, I know- many leaders complain that they have more work to do, more meetings to attend, and more responsibility on their shoulders so they should be allowed to regularly sleep in or skip out early.  WRONG!! You have more meetings and responsibility because you're the boss.  You are getting paid more.  You agreed to lead a team. To that end, make every effort to prove to your staff that you are a trusted colleague.  Don't just be the boss- be a cheerleader, a supporter, an encourager.  Once your staff realizes that you are not a hypocrite they will respect your work ethic and consciously or unconsciously seek to mirror it.  Conversly, if you present yourself as lazy and flakey they will mirror that sentiment as well.  Take my advice- Lead by example.  Idealize what you believe would be the work ethic of a model employee and show that example to your staff in everything that you do.  Don't just lead, lead well! -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Silent Killer: Procrastination!

This morning a longtime client of ours made a bold statement about someone we've both worked with in the past.  In essence she exclaimed that the individual we were referring to was lazy.  I thought about her words for a split second before I responded- "He's not lazy, he just procrastinates."  After the words slipped through my lips we both sat quietly on the phone for a few seconds before she replied "You're right!  That's exactly what he does."  Since that conversation I have thought about by own shortcomings and those I witness in the professional and personal efforts of individuals around me.  Sometimes people come off as lazy when the fact is that they work very hard they just procrastinate in the process.  It only appears that they are lazy simply because they wait until the last minute to do the work that needs to be done. At the last minute they then throw all of their energy into trying to get it done.  We call them lazy because too often procrastinated work is not the best work.  It usually looks last minute and pieced together.  It looks unfinished.  It is disappointing.  With that said we owe it to ourselves, our colleagues, and our customers to practice better time management skills so that we do not end up procrastinating until the last minute.  Procrastination kills companies.  Procrastination kills careers.  Procrastination kills relationships.  Procrastination kills ministries.  No one will want to work with you or hire you if you make their work feel like an afterthought.  Whenever you have a big project or task to do the first thing you should do is develop a plan of action outlining the steps you need to take to reach your goal.  Next, you should set realistic time points noting when each part of the task will be completed.  If at some point along the way you realize that you will be unable to complete the work at the time that you indicated make sure that you inform them AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  It is better to inform them early so that they can regroup.  If you wait to the last moment not only will you will be frustrated but so will those working with you.  Also make sure that you don't bite off more than you can chew.  It is better to tell people no than over commit and drop the ball.  Additionally, it is also great to keep your colleagues and clients informed as to what you are doing and where you are as you work on their projects.  This makes them less anxious and helps you hold yourself more accountable.  No matter how busy you are- Don't procrastinate!  Start being a better manager of your time today! - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Church Help: Inclusion is the Goal!

I've performed a lot of research with focus groups, surveys, and the like to understand worshipers who visit churches.  I've really tried to learn how the visiting worshiper feels, thinks, and acts.  I also sought to understand why they visited and returned or decided not to return to a particular church.  I continue to research how to welcome visitors and encourage them to pursue membership within a church.  To that end whenever I visit a church I notice what works and what doesn't work.  One of the major blunders that churches repeatedly practice is the art of exclusion.  A lot of churches I visit are constantly working to conscious or unconsciously exclude "outsiders."  I'm not saying that these churches are not welcoming but I am saying that they don't make the visitor feel comfortable or apart of the worship experience.  The majority of visiting worshipers do not want to stand out; they want to blend in.  The problem is that the old model of dealing with church visitors encourages us to call people out.  There is no greater culprit of making visitors feel uneasy than smaller churches (those with less than 100 people).  When first time worshippers visit your church do make them feel welcome but do not make them feel uncomfortable.  Let them breath.  Treat them as if visitors come all the time.  When someone visits initially do speak to them but allow them to relax and enjoy the worship service.  When first time visitors come they are likely looking for a new or initial church home and just want to test the waters at your service and maybe others.  Too often what small churches do is act desperate and fawn over visitors in an effort to be hospitable.  Sometimes members can tug and pull visitors in a million directions when all they want to do is leave.  Or, contrarily some church members completely ignore visitors making them feel unwelcome.  Its all about balance.  Most visitors just want to be treated like everyone else there.  You should have trained greeters who know how to greet and treat your visitors.  Here is an incomplete working list of tips to better serve your visiting worshipers. 

• Do ask them to sign a guest book/visitors Card.  Don't ask them to stand up and give their name/church home.  What if they don't have a church home?  After all they are worshipping with you.  Most people just want to experience your worship service not give a mini speech.  Moreover, some people HATE being singled out and the anxiety and frustration that you bring upon them by putting them on the spot may scare them into NEVER returning for fear of being called out again.    
• Make sure that your worship service is organized with visitors in mind.  If you practice weekly rituals, mantras, chants, readings, or the like that ALL of your members have memorized- please be sure that the visitors have access to a projection screen or a bulletin with the words.  Also make sure that the worship leader announces what's going on and where they can find the information to participate in every facet of your service.  If your visitors cannot easily follow along with everyone else they will feel uncomfortable.  They will feel like everyone else is included while they are excluded.  
• Also, think about those who serve as ushers/greeters at your church.  Are they friendly?  Are they trained?  Are they genuinely pleasant people to be around.  Are they nice to look at?  (I know it sounds harsh but these are the ambassadors of your church.  They create the first impression of your group.  If they are mean, surly, and scary looking your visitors will pick up on that and may not return.  Perhaps some of your current ushers or greeters need to find another ministry to work with.) 
• Make sure that you followup with your visitors a few days after they visit.  A phone call, email, Facebook message, or letter are perfect ways just to thank them for coming, answer any questions they may have and invite them again.  
• Add the visitor to your mailing list to keep them informed about the upcoming activities at your church.  You should have a box on the visitor's card that asks if they would like to receive updates from your church; if they say yes go for it!  

Now you are well on your way to making the best first impression you can with first time worshipers.  Remember, it takes a lot of nerve to go to a strange place for the first time even if it is a church.  Your goal is to not only make sure that your current members are comfortable, but you need to also ensure the peace of mind of those visiting with you!  -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant, www.ConsultingDAT.com

Wins, Losses, & Victories!

Remember that big project that you and your team worked on for weeks, months, maybe even a year?  Remember the sense of accomplishment that you felt once it was over and a total success?  Do you remember how you felt as your colleagues, clients, and maybe even competition cheered your success.  It felt amazing right?  Of course.  You are proud of your work and accomplishments when they meet or even exceed our your expectations.  On the other hand can you think back to that last project or event that you worked extremely hard on that was a complete and total failure?  Yes, I know the first thing you want to do is push it out of your memory but do you remember how you felt?  It is common to feel discouraged and embarrassed when you work hard and your expectations are not met; therefore, your goal is to have more wins than victories after you have invested vast amounts of time and resources.  Unfortunately, there is no absolute way to guarantee that you always garner the success you desire; however, you can easily improve your success rate by constantly working to evaluate your wins and losses.  After wins you should meet with your team immediately to find out what worked, why it was so successful, who were the major players in your success, how you can reproduce it and were there any new opportunities or threats that presented themselves?  Moreover, after failures meet with your team immediately to evaluate what went wrong, how you can ensure that it won't happen again, did you best utilize your resources/staff, how can you tweak your execution next time to get closer so the success you desire.  The evaluation process is the most important step in your work because it helps you to reproduce successes and minimize failures.  The evaluation process helps to make both wins and losses victorious!  Make sure that you take the time to evaluate the work that you have done so that your organization can continue to grow and flourish!  -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Word of Mouth: Sell yourself!

Telegram.  Telephone.  Tell-a-person!  You are the best marketing and advertising resource for your company.  Yes you!  Relationships build small businesses.  People do business with personalities that they can connect with and relate to.  The difficulty is understanding how to quickly sell yourself to someone without coming off as pushy or desperate.  In order to do that you must practice.  Each day you should spend time in the mirror practicing your "elevator pitch."  Essentially an elevator pitch is a short and simple set of talking points that you can easily, comfortably, and effortlessly rattle off to anyone at any place or anytime about your organization.  This speech is important because it is the first introduction that a potential customer or client has to the work that you are doing.  The key to a successful elevator pitch is to keep it simple.  Do not use any trade or industry language that people outside of your profession will not understand.  Also make sure that you answer any specific questions you are asked.  In other words if someone asks "exactly what does your company do?"  Do not go into when you were founded, how many employees you have and where you are located.  Answer their question first then provide some simple background information to support your description.  Also, always make sure that you have something to put in their hands such as a personalized ink pen or a business card.  It is very inexpensive to have pens produced and each time they look at the pen or write with it they are reminded of your company and the work you do.  An effective elevator pitch has these basic components: who your organization is, what you do, how you positively impact your customers/clients, and how a potential customer/client can get in contact with you.  Once you have a speech that you are comfortable with try it out on people who work with you to see if you are forgetting anything.  Also try it out on friends/family who are not as familiar with your work just to make sure your making sense.  Also understand that the pitch should not be written in stone.  As you deliver it more and more it should evolve, it should stay fresh.  If you realize that everyone's body language shifts negativly at the same point each time you share your pitch- CHANGE IT!  Go ahead and tell-a-person about the great work your doing today!  You never know what new business you will receive! -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant, www.ConsultingDAT.com 

Don't be Afraid to Jump!

I recently read an article about a couple of great-grandmothers parachuting from a plane to raise money for charity.  How many times have you ever talked about doing something only to talk yourself out of it because of fear?  We do it in both our professional and personal lives.  We fear failing.  We fear messing up.  We fear other people's opinion of us.  We fear looking bad.  There is only one way to overcome fear- Jump anyway!  Like the 80 something year old great-grandmothers in Lima, Ohio we need to learn how to overcome our fears, anxieties, and hesitations and just jump into our success.  Remember that without risks there are no gains.  As business leaders we sometimes grow nervous about making big or sweeping decisions because we are afraid of messing up; however, it takes guts to be a leader.  No one wants to follow someone who is afraid of everything.  Am I saying that you need to charter a plane and plunge thousands of feet through the air?  No.  I am saying that each day you have opportunities to evaluate your decisions and carefully chose well thought out and bold moves that require nerve.  Sometimes you have to jump even if you are nervous, scared, or hesitant.  If you know your job, have weighed all the options and feel good about the decision- decide and do it!  If your decision results in negative outcomes just apologize, accept responsibility, evaluate the lessons you learned and move on.  People will respect you more for trying and failing than for sitting back and always playing it safe.  Who knows- you just may succeed and land on your feet! - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant.
www.ConsultingDAT.com

Check out the article on the great grandmothers here: http://www.startribune.com/nation/160186025.html

Creative Fundraiser: Micro-Fundraiser

A few months ago I was listening to National Public Radio (NPR) and I heard a piece about a small Micro-fundraising group that caught my attention.  I don't remember their name or where they were located; however, I remember the concept.  In essence the group held regular meals for the meager cost of $5 per person.  With the $5 contribution each attendee was able to eat and vote for one of three nonprofit groups in attendance.  A representative from each nonprofit stood before the crowd and took a few moments to briefly inform those present as to why they needed a micro-grant and how the funds would be used.  After each group presented people were allowed to ask questions to learn more about the nonprofit.  At the end of the event each attendee voted for the group they wanted to earn the grant which totaled all of the $5 collected.  By the end of the event one group walked away with over $500.  WOW!  Consider seeking out Micro-Fundraising events in your area to get that little boost your organization's bank account needs!  Even if you don't win a mini-grant events such as these connect you directly with individuals in your area who may have never heard about they work that you are doing.  You never know who will be in the room and what new opportunities that exposure may afford your organization.  -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com 

Yet Wave!

The first stanza of The Star Spangled Banner is commonly recognized as the National Anthem of the United States.  The song was written by attorney Francis Scott Key in 1814 after he watched the British attack American soldiers at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, MD.  The song is a beautiful testament to how American soldiers were able to endure the attack from the larger and more powerful British Navy.  Key witnessed "the rockets red glare" and "bombs bursting in air" around the American flag at Fort McHenry.  After all of the attacks Key was unable to see whether or not the flag continued to fly above the fort because of the dust, war debris, and rain in the air.  The next morning Key saw Old Glory still flying- "O' say does that star spangled banner yet wave!"  Today as we celebrate Independence Day let us take a lesson from our precious flag at Fort McHenry- Yet Wave.  No matter how difficult our days, lives, or careers may be we must keep waving, keep flying, keep standing tall!  Keep trying.  Keep working.  Keep planning.  Keep strategizing.  Keep believing.  Never give up on your goals.  Never give up on your dreams.  Endure failures.  Regroup, reorganize, or reevaluate your work- but never quit.  Always remember that you can do it!  -Derek, Principal DAT Solutions & Consulting. www.ConsultingDAT.com\

Recently I was watching television and I heard a quote that just hit me like a ton of bricks.  In essence the subject matter expert told someone she was helping- "sometimes people remember you how they met you."  It is so sad but so true.  Some people look at us and simply remember us for who we use to be.  They don't see that we now have careers, degrees, knowledge, skills, experiences, and abilities that our former selves did not posses.  They see our past mistakes and not how we overcame them.  They see past failures but not how we healed from them.  Sometimes these are family members, bosses, coworkers, spouses, or friends who limit us to the person we once were.  Such limitations often hinder our passion and drive because they are a constant reminder of our downfalls or inadequacies.  Today's advice is simple- succeed anyway!  It doesn't matter who says what about you- you are where you are because you have earned it.  You worked for your position.  You went to school.  You graduated.  You got the job.  You have the experience.  You can do it.  Not happy with where you are?  Then use your wisdom, knowledge, and energy to transcend your current position and propel yourself to the next level.  The only person stopping you is you!  You can do it!  -Derek, Principal DAT Solutions & Consulting. www.ConsultingDAT.com

In the meantime check out this article from Forbs.com: Click Here Tor link