Influence
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Social Generosity
In this age of social networking, what if you decided to shoot and share videos that celebrated others while most are just spotlighting themselves? — Sakfucius
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Meaningful
What can you do differently to make your work more meaningful? It is often within reach for anyone who is willing to live on the edge. — Sakfucius
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Make it Fun
In life and in business, people who make it fun are more impactful than those who stay Swiss banker serious. — Sakfucius
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Focus
Many miss golden opportunities because they remain distracted even when it’s a pivotal moment. — Sakfucius
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Motivate
Most managers believe motivation is the employee’s responsibility. Experienced leaders learn that motivation is paramount to their success and one of their key missions. — Sakfucius
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Awareness
How well do you understand and empathize with the other person’s perspective? The aware and adaptable sell their ideas often, while the bull-headed struggle. — Sakfucius
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Micromanagement
Micromanagement tells employees that you don’t trust them and that they should not trust you. Strive to coach and celebrate improvement if you want a high-performing, happy team. — Sakfucius
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Interact
Interacting with individuals, even when presenting to a large group, is essential to keeping attention and connection. If unable to have direct dialog, rhetorical questions are still light years better than forceful statements alone. — Sakfucius
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Bus Step
Rainmakers convince a customer that they would step in front of a bus for them, and then deliver. — Sakfucius
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Absolute Certainty
One key difference between an average salesman and a rainmaker is projecting absolute confidence and certainty that the product or service on offer will delight the customer. — Sakfucius
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Blame Never
Blame never works because blame only leads to fight or flight, not rational, logical, constructive improvement. — Sakfucius
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Sales is Personal
A rainmaker never leaves a prospect’s office without understanding that person’s personal agenda, the real reason he or she wants change. — Sakfucius
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People
Do you sell to companies or do you sell to people? How much does your company know about the five or ten people it sells to at any given firm? — Sakfucius
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Quid Pro
Every time there’s a give, there must be an ask. A give without an ask has little value when rainmaking. — Sakfucius
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The Big Dog
Are you really interacting with the decision maker? Rainmakers don’t count on influencers selling the deal for them. — Sakfucius
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Empathy Sells
Do you know enough to put yourself inside the customer’s mind. If the roles were reversed, why would I buy the proposal? Empathy is a rainmaker’s secret sauce. — Sakfucius
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Focus Time
Rainmakers focus efforts on the opportunities with the greatest value and best odds of success. It sounds simple but most salespeople split their time far too much. — Sakfucius
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Value the Problem
Most customers buy to solve a problem with a financial benefit. If you want to make it rain, make sure they agree with the problem, the urgency, and the projected financial gain. — Sakfucius
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Generous with Credit
How often do you celebrate and give credit to someone else? When is the last time that you took the initiative? — Sakfucius
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Unsolicited
Do you give unsolicited advice? How often have you met a person who wanted to be critiqued, unless they asked? — Sakfucius
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Control and Stress
Ask yourself if today’s challenge is within your circles of control or influence. Don’t torpedo your attitude and efforts by focusing on aspects you can’t control or the past. — Sakfucius
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Impactful
For your email to make an impact, invest time to make it more concise. — Sakfucius
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Caring
In all relationships, it’s crucial to show that you really care. — Sakfucius
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Leaders and Troops
Every leader is confirmed or rejected from below. Being given the position from above doesn’t mean a person passes the test. — Sakfucius
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Concise
Being concise is more important than being comprehensive. — Sakfucius
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Focused Charisma
Being charismatic starts with finding what’s interesting and important for someone, reflecting it back, and then keeping the cycle going for the entire time you are with them. — Sakfucius
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Firm but Nice
Firm but nice is a great way to get stuff done. Too many people jump to anger which might work once in a while but burns bridges longer term. — Sakfucius
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Credit Trips
People can make a big impact if they are not concerned about who gets the credit. Claiming credit trips up success. — Sakfucius
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Want to Lead?
A leader is not a leader until someone publicly endorses and follows her. Cultivate those first endorsements with care and zeal. — Sakfucius
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Storytelling
Every important idea, every monumental change, every revolution was ignited by a story that resonated and a storyteller who sparked it. — Sakfucius
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Manage or Lead
Good leaders sell their team on a vision and collaborate with each person’s on their mission. Managers try to improve people’s efficiency. Don’t confuse the two perspectives. — Sakfucius
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Changing Opinions
Is it easier to change someone’s opinion by forceful argument or by asking questions that help him come to your logical destination? — Sakfucius
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True Leadership
Leadership is not about doing great things and gaining the accolades. The essence of leadership is getting the best out of others so they accomplish great things. — Sakfucius
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Give More
Those who give more accolades find they have an unlimited supply. — Sakfucius
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Accomplish Much
You can accomplish much more if you don’t care who gets the credit. — Sakfucius
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ESP
Can you read what another person really wants? Ask questions and listen attentively to develop your Empathetic Sensory Perspective. — Sakfucius
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End of a Leader
The day a leader admits that he is out of ideas or doesn’t have a vision for progress is the day his influence ends. — Sakfucius
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The Art of Sales
Deft questions, with patience and perfect pace, are the paintbrush of a true sales professional. — Sakfucius
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Win Someone Over
The best way to win people over is to start with a point of view or belief that they already agree with. — Sakfucius
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Ready to Fire
If you ran into your CEO in an elevator today, what killer idea do you have ready in your torpedo tube? — Sakfucius
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Stories and Memory
Facts are quickly forgotten but great stories are remembered for years. — Sakfucius
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Audience
If you don’t understand your audience’s perspective, your presentation will probably miss the mark. Each person wants to know why should I pay attention and what’s in this for me. — Sakfucius
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Offer Feedback
Not everyone appreciates feedback but it offers a unique opportunity to build a relationship and help someone shine. — Sakfucius
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Nip in Advance
What if you built your reputation as an independent thinker and a bit of a rebel? Peer pressure and embarrassment are only real if you care what a group thinks. — Sakfucius
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Leadership Lesson
Being the protagonist is not the most important aspect of becoming a leader. Recruiting your first disciples is make it or break it. — Sakfucius
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Consider Wording
There is a remarkable difference between “you might consider” versus “you should” — consider avoiding the word “should” when you can. — Sakfucius
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Getting Asked
Advice is ten times more impactful when someone asks you for it. How can you get asked? — Sakfucius
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Figure Impressions Out
What impression do people get from the first three minutes of meeting you, or from the first three minutes of your presentation? — Sakfucius
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Nine Sunny Hours
Pitch ideas in the morning, preferably on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. People are twice as open and positive during those nine hours each week. — Sakfucius
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Mentor Rich
Do you have many mentors on various dimensions of life? Why not ask more people for their advice? If cultivated, some may become your mentors. — Sakfucius
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Question Timing
Socrates lived thousands of years ago yet remains well known because he asked the right question at the right time. — Sakfucius
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Expectations vs. Reality
Setting and managing expectations wisely matters more than most people realize, because expectations influence results, perceptions, and experiences. — Sakfucius
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Kindness
Are you kind? Kindness is magical and precious yet many have built up walls of distrust, sarcasm, and bad attitude. — Sakfucius
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Positivity
Are you five closest friends positive, optimistic, and encouraging? If the answer is no, you need to upgrade in a hurry, as your friends’ attitude becomes your own over time. — Sakfucius
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Charisma
Charisma requires finding what’s special in others and listening better than everyone else in the room. — Sakfucius
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Delicate Timing
We all love to give advice, often before being asked. The efficacy of advice has much to do with the timing of delivery. — Sakfucius
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Decide to Lead
True leadership is earned, not a position given. Anyone can lead if they earn respect and influence. — Sakfucius
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A Timeless Formula
Do what is right, do what you say you will do, show people that you care. — Sakfucius
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Never Embarrased
Sheep worry about what their herd thinks. Eagles don’t care. Be bold, be daring, live out loud. — Sakfucius
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Details
The key to friendship is genuinely caring about the other person while remembering the details. Write down key details so that you can find them years later. — Sakfucius
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Expand
Expand your network and strive to make friends proactively. The larger your sphere, the richer your life. — Sakfucius
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Initiative and Impact
What can you do to make a profound difference on someone’s life? Take initiative when you see an opportunity. — Sakfucius
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Sparkle
People want to be around people who make them feel great about themselves. Help people sparkle and you will have a lot of friends. — Sakfucius
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Lead a Horse to Water
When it comes to advice, all you can do is offer it, then not dwell when people don’t take it. — Sakfucius
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The Wise
The wise ask the right question. — Sakfucius
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Marketing 201
Effective marketing is not about what you make or do but rather the vivid stories you tell. — Sakfucius
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Story Driven
Direct advice can sound judgmental while telling a truthful story about a third party is just a story with influence. — Sakfucius
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Challenger
To be memorable, you need to challenge and modify another’s thinking or at least teach them something new. — Sakfucius
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Arguments Rarely Win
Think ahead. Only argue when you foresee how the argument leads to desired outcomes. — Sakfucius
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Post-Ink
Create the summary and you will influence the outcome of every meeting. — Sakfucius
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Avoid You Should
Those who say “perhaps consider…” instead of “you should…” exert much greater influence over the people they hope to persuade. — Sakfucius
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Socratic Influencer
What question can you ask, with thoughtful timing, that leads to the other person taking the next step that you hope for? — Sakfucius