Dennis Moseley-Williams

In operating a small to medium enterprise it is inevitable that one of the most daunting challenges you will encounter is growing your team/organization. A critical part in growing your organization is to making sure that you do not hire yourself. People seem to have an instinctive tendency to hire those who remind them of themselves.

Three suggestions for avoiding this pitfall are:

1. Involve someone else in your interviewing process to gain a higher level of objectivity.
2. Use a service like www.kolbe.com to ensure that you are hiring personality profiles that compliment you.
3. Use an organizational chart to map out the key activities that happen in your organization. Identify the activities/duties that the new hire will fulfill and then assess what the skill set and personality type you actually need. For example, if you need an administrative type person do not hire someone who is better suited to a varied and shifting role.

Using these suggestions will help you avoid hiring yourself. One of you in your organization is surely enough.

You can learn pearls of wisdom from every person if you just take the time to listen.  My professional mentor always stated to respect all people the same regardless of title. I guess the same can hold true when looking at religion, race or wealth.  Then there was his boss who stated everyone deserves to earn a living as he doled out $50 bills as tips. He put huge smiles on the faces of waiters, bellmen and others. But, I think he really did it as it made his day. He felt good about himself as he beamed with pride.

There are times when I am at meetings or on the phone and I catch myself drifting. My fatigued mind can begin to wander when I am speaking to someone. I might think that this person is “not important enough” to give my full attention to. Forgetting as I am that all people are important as we are all connected.

But it is our job to wake ourselves up and connect with every single person. That’s our only job! Because the “most unimportant” person always turns out to be the “most important”. And, the “most important” persons turns out to be pathetically petty just like me. Therefore, we do our best work when we treat each person as if she or he is gold.

I can think back on times in my Advisor days when random acts of kindness to a secretary gave me a referral that led to my largest account. Then there were those times when I did not receive anything monetarily but it led to friendships, future business, or perhaps promotions. When we treat people the way we want to be treated, there is something magical. We get energy. We are inspired. It’s contagious and we get on the roll to do it more.

As I have always stated we are not just in the Financial Services Business. We are in the Entertainment Business. It is our job to make people feel good. To turn dreams into reality. Many times we can do it with Advice. But other times it can be with a smile, praise or humor, but it is the real reason we are all here. We are all here to bring each other joy. We are all here to make each other feel better. The more we focus on that, the happier and more successful we will become.

When you are successful you manage opportunities and your problems are problems other people would kill to have.

When you are struggling you manage problems. When you manage problems your progress is stunted and your resources (time, energy, money) are scarce and you feel harassed, underappreciated or worse.

Managing problems eats up time, you are far better off to innovate and solve the problem so that you can focus on what matters most to your life. When you manage problems you have to deal with a lot of stress.

Stress Kills. I’m not kidding check this out. Throw a bad diet on that stress, add some salt, a coffee, some booze and a little bit of pressure and you better look out that thing is going to blow. As they say, something has got to give.  Or, it won’t blow. It will just simmer away in the background as you grind it out and along the way you might do alright, but you may not describe it as happiness necessarily.

Successful people hate wasting time, energy or money. They are always looking to improve, to be more efficient, to eliminate anything that is yielding a poor return.

Problems are time wasters. Problems wear people out. Problems distract us and wear us out.

I know what the three things are I need to do every day, and every day I do two of three of them. I speak to rooms full of people. I speak on the telephone. I write. That’s it, two of three. I spend a lot of time, way more time than you can imagine (unless you have made the shift already yourself) thinking only about how I can those three things better.

Start with this question … What do I do. What do I really do? Then make a list of everything you do every day, and then go through the list and ask yourself “Does this help me accomplish what I really do?” If the answer is no, stop doing it. I started with a long list, I ended up with a list of three things

I do what I like to do, which is what I am best at and also which generates the most revenue. Generating a lot of revenue in a short period of time, consistently, is very important to me. Doing what I like to do, most of the time, makes me pretty happy.

Don’t manage problems, get help. If your problem is that you keep doing what you shouldn’t be doing then stop doing that. If your problem is that you need help … then either get help or clam up about it until you are ready.

Think big. It’s not just your work, it’s your life and how you want to live it that you are fighting for. Living a life less ordinary. Living  a life with less stress and more control.

Think outside of the box. Ask yourself why not. Why does it have to be the way it is? Why can’t it be something more? Why can’t you live a happier life, do less if not none of anything you consider BS and spend all your time doing what you like for who you like under your own terms?

Seriously. Are you going to be a disorganized but loveable idiot your entire life? If you have a problem that you are working on, but its been a problem for years now then fire yourself. You’re great but you are obviously not the right person for that job.

Get help. Take action. Don’t talk about it. Do something about it.

Everything is calm in my life at this moment. I am sitting on my deck looking at a gorgeous green yard, big leafy trees and flowers, lilacs in bloom and courtesy of my Tassimo machine, I am enjoying the best cup of coffee possible. Its perfect right now. I’m not having a coffee, I’m having a perfect experience.

I feel rested, my mind is clear, and in no way do I feel rushed. I am calm, and at peace. I’ve been playing a game with the song birds in my yard this morning. I close my eyes and try to isolate each call from the others, and then pinpoint its location. It’s a simple meditation. I’m savoring this moment. In fact, I’m looking at a Cardinal which is kind of a big deal to me because I am from Northern Ontario (which I capitalize for my own political statement) and I haven’t seen very many in my life … This is what he sounds like.

About 20 minutes later …

OK … no kidding I probably blissed out for 20 minutes and now with this second cup of coffee, I’m going to share what I have been working on. I continue to strive to eliminate those things that make me unhappy, and instead focus on what I like, what I am good at and what brings me the most success.

Negativity robs me of ambition and faith, and investing my resources in activities that I don’t like or am not good at wears me down and encourages me to settle, or make it easier for me to not try so hard. Negativity will lead me to treason.

Simple shifts in thinking are not always simplistic and the positive effects they bring about can be significant. I have introduced a new simple innovation into my life – a new behavior, an upgraded perspective, a new approach.

I’m taking the time. I’m savoring the moment. I’m taking the time to enjoy this moment and put the race (the human race – people getting up, raising kids, going to school and work …) in perspective. I’m putting me in perspective. I’m slowing everything down. Last night I opted to purchase fuel rather than do it this morning enroute to the airport – it has made all the difference. That five minutes last night created at least fifteen this morning. That’s leverage.

When we are frantic, when our thoughts are at war with themselves, when we are divided against our own self we cannot succeed. This sort of frame of mind will cost you dearly over your life – you’ll suffer and perhaps not even know it.

Every day, in little ways that all matter I am taking the time to be at peace with my thoughts, to plan my day, to find my center and be calm. I organize my day in my head, and then my days in my weeks. I have eliminated time as a constraint, I focus on my opportunities and I rarely rush.

Five minutes here. No stress there. Making time for more positive things in my life. Leverage in some longer bike rides, some cabin time.

You? How are you feeling?

Today we just want to pose a simple question for your consideration.

“What is your most important technology?”

Give it some thought and let us know at info@moseleywilliams.com. We’ll post what we think our most important technology is on Tuesday, May 21.

Over and out. Oh and by the way, do something today to ACCELERATE.

It is easy to talk about change. Talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words. We have heard it all before. But knowing all of that are you still left wanting?

Change, evolution, innovation. Call it what you want it is not easy. It takes more than enthusiasm and passion, those are short lived. It takes burning desire.

Many pay lip service to change but only a few actually make it happen. What do you stand for? What do you care enough about to really dig in and make a shift? Find something, do that hard work, stay focused and you will ACCELERATE.

In business and in life, we go from feelings of being bored to feelings of being overwhelmed. As an Advisor, you dislike both. There are times when you feel you have called everyone, the portfolios are all fine and you are at a loss as to where your next ticket or new client will come from.  Then one day, it all changes.

Your phone starts to ring, you have a few issues to deal with, portfolio reviews, appointments, a compliance issue and next thing you know, you can’t figure out how you will get it all done. You have gone through this cycle countless times and you know you will work your way out but is there a better way? The short answer is yes!

When we imagine (perceive) that we are overwhelmed by outside events (the tough choices, situations, ways to make money, dealing with the rude big client, etc.,) it is an illusion because the brain does not function that way. Only a thought repeated and believed can produce a feeling of overwhelm. In a simple life in which you only do what’s in front of you, there can be no overwhelm ever!

That is the life that is yours to create. It never just arrives. It must be created. The next time you feel that overwhelmed feeling, write down all of the things you have to do or that are on your mind. Prioritize the list. Then just do the most important item on that list until its fully completed.  Check it off and feel the joy and the relief. Then move on to the next item.

That is the non-linear time management technique that is best. The one that destroys the feeling of overwhelm. The one that creates the life we want and can enjoy. By staying in the moment. In action. Not the distorted future created by our minds.

Uber Car Service is a gift from heaven to all of humankind, especially (but not limited to) all of humankind who travel for work. Uber has become a regular part of my work experience, and my life is better for it.

Uber is an excellent example of how a simple innovation can change an experience for the better, and change an industry forever, in this case the taxi cab business.

What is a taxi/car service? Answer – They are a convenient way for a client (passenger) to get from place to place easily, without the need (necessarily) to own a vehicle. You can wave one down, or call to book a pre-arranged ride.

Uber is a free App that I downloaded to my iPhone which allows me to request a car (taxi, town car, SUV) to my location and get picked up and dropped off without any of the usual hassle of a typical taxi or car service experience.

Some background – when you register with Uber you give them a credit card number, mobile # and a photo. As all smart phones have cameras and access to the internet doing all of this was EASY.

A quick play by play of my first Uber experience: I am walking through the lobby of my hotel heading for the coffee service before a ride to the airport and a long flight home. I hit the Uber button and utilizing the built in GPS in my phone; Uber shows me exactly where I am and asks me if I want to get picked up at my current location, somewhere else, and when. So all of the usual logistics are eliminated – specific location, intersection, building etc. that is normally involved plus all the time it takes to get those details clear.

I click yes ‘here’, and yes ‘now’ and then the map updates to show me where all the Uber drivers are, represented by small black car icons all over the screen scattered across downtown San Francisco. Literally within seconds I am notified that one of the drivers has accepted the request and I am told his name, and exactly when he will arrive (3 minutes 22 seconds). This is EASY.

One time in New York city I walked out of my hotel to meet my driver, I found a crush of cars and people and I wondered how I would find him. Just then I hear “Mr. Moseley-Williams” and I turned to see a stranger holding up his cell phone. When the driver arrived he looked my profile up to see my picture so he could identify me. That was EASY. I literally laughed, the problem was solved before I had considered it.

Finally, when the ride is complete all the payment happens automatically – the driver literally says “Take care Dennis” and I get out. When I signed up I gave them all my payment information so the receipt, including gratuity etc. is sent via text message to my phone, which is convenient for expense tracking. THAT COULD NOT BE EASIER. Ask anyone who travels for work, taking your wallet out, handing over the credit card, waiting, signing, folding, storing, replacing it all a hassle.

Everything Uber does is focused at making things EASIER and therefore better.

They don’t try to be anything they are not, but they have mastered what they are. Bravo.

Ticking Away The Moments That Make Up A Dull Day …

The cruelest truth about achieving a life of happiness is that by the time most of us figure out what we want to do, and how to achieve it it’s too late. As they say, youth is wasted on the young.

Know what you want to do. Know what you don’t want to do and avoid it. Do not be tempted to take on that is not ideally suited to you. You will regret it.

Innovate around how you use your time; do not get stuck in conventional thinking as it relates to how you achieve your goals. Succeeding and innovating and living a life less ordinary is all very simple, believing it so that you can start living it is the hard part.

Personally I wake up really early because I hate feeling rushed in the morning or ever for that matter. When I feel rushed I direct all kinds of energy at managing my emotions and trying, often in vain, to get control of myself. Whereas when I wake up early and have all kinds of time I am much more restful and clear with my thinking.

I never like to have scheduled appointments on Mondays, which I use to focus on my week ahead, to follow up with anyone remaining from the week. Admittedly this is an incredibly simple innovation but the effects it has had on my life are almost immeasurable.  I rarely, if ever, walk into my office in any kind of panic or unsure about what is going on that day, or with my business in general. I waste no money on stress.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are my big days. I usually load up Tuesdays and Thursdays with appointments and I use Wednesday as a Buffer Day (with a tip of the hat to Dan Sullivan at the Strategic Coach.) I reserve Fridays for me. Sometimes I need them for work, and sometimes I need them for escape. To get to the lake, or the ski hill and remind myself that life is good!

Time, energy and money. That’s what you have. That’s what you have to master. Know who and what you are. Keep a calm mind, be focused and create your art and rest and recover. Innovation will be much easier. So will celebration. Listen to this.

Want to talk more about living a life less ordinary? Email me directly, dmw@moseleywilliams.com