Carson V. Heady's Blog, page 44

How to Become a Thought Leader or Influencer in Your Industry

Have you ever wondered how some people become thought leaders or influencers in their respective industries? It all comes down to intentionality: understanding your audience and creating content with the intent of adding value and starting conversations.

Becoming an influencer takes effort, dedication, and a willingness to learn and listen. Here are some tips to help you become a thought leader or influencer in your industry:

Share Perspective, Learn and Listen

The key to becoming a thought leader or influencer is sharing perspectives, learning, and listening. Unfortunately, there is not much learning and listening happening in certain circles of social media these days. It’s critical to practice thoughtful contemplation, consideration, and genuine communication to meet people where they are.

Creation of Content

Creating content is a critical aspect of building your brand. You can’t just reshare or repurpose other people’s content. Instead, create your own unique content and share it on various platforms. Experiment with different mediums, such as blogging, videos, and podcasts, to find out what works best for you.

Look for Different Perspectives

To grow and learn, you need to find people who have different opinions, perspectives, and experiences than you. Engage in conversations with these people, and listen to what they have to say. By gathering different perspectives and opinions, you can become a thought leader in your industry.

Communication is Key

Not everything you do or create will be successful, but if you can infuse your unique talents and passions into your work, you will stand out. It’s essential to communicate with your audience, engage in conversations, and ask questions. By doing so, you will gain a better understanding of where people are coming from and what they want.

Connect with People in Your Industry

If you want to become a thought leader or influencer, you need to connect with people who are doing what you want to be doing or following people and topics you want to be known for. Follow people you respect in your industry, engage with them, and start conversations. By doing so, you can learn from them and build your brand.

In conclusion, becoming a thought leader or influencer takes time and effort, but it’s not impossible. By sharing your perspective, learning, listening, creating unique content, seeking different perspectives, communicating effectively, and connecting with people in your industry, you can become a thought leader in your field. Remember that it’s all about people, so be genuine, authentic, and open-minded, and you will be on your way to success.

The Importance of Coaching and Investing in Your Team as a Leader

As a leader, one of the most important things you can do for your team is to invest in them through coaching. However, one of the biggest mistakes that managers and leaders make is forgetting the importance of this investment. It is essential to pull your team members out of the field occasionally and invest time in their growth, as it will pay dividends in the future.

Whether you are working in a call center, a business-to-business environment, or in the field, it is crucial to keep your hand on the pulse of your team. Your primary responsibility as a leader is to figure out how you can positively influence your team’s execution. By understanding their needs, identifying gaps in their skills and knowledge, and eliminating obstacles that prevent them from succeeding, you can help them become better at what they do.

One of the biggest obstacles to coaching is the reluctance of leaders to pull their team members off the job amidst busy schedules or demanding expectations for results. However, it is important to understand that burnout is a real issue, and investing in your team’s development is crucial to their long-term success. It is worth the time today to help your team become better at their jobs, so they feel valued and glean valuable feedback.

To be an effective coach, you need to understand that every relationship is the same from the customer to the sales representative, to the sales manager, and so on up the chain. You must identify the needs of each individual you connect with and seek to serve, helping them win and overcome their obstacles. However, coaching is not just about identifying issues and providing solutions. It is also about positively influencing your team to adopt new approaches to career and their role on their quest for mastery.

One of the biggest challenges in coaching is the two-way street of accountability. It is common for team members to try something new, but then revert to comfortable ways of mediocrity or failing when they don’t see immediate results. However, as a leader, you need to encourage your team to step out of their comfort zones and embrace change. Old habits are comfortable, but it is essential to encourage your team to take strategic risks and embrace change if they want to achieve their goals.

Coaching is not a one-time event; it is an ongoing process. It is important to follow up regularly to ensure that the plan is working and that your team members are making progress. It is essential to be organized and keep track of what is working and what is not so you can adjust your coaching accordingly.

In conclusion, coaching is an essential investment that leaders must make in their teams. By identifying the needs of your team members, eliminating obstacles, and providing ongoing support and guidance, you can help your team members become better at what they do. By doing so, you can create a culture of continuous improvement that will benefit everyone involved. So, invest in your team today, and you will reap the benefits for years to come.

New to Management? Congratulations! Here’s how to Guarantee Success

Taking on a new team can be both exciting and overwhelming. It is essential to remember that every team is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing them. However, there are some things you can do to set yourself up for success.

First and foremost, spend time getting to know your team. Understand what motivates them, what their goals are, and what they expect from you. Ask them what is working and what is not working in their current process. Then work with them proactively to fix those things. You want to build consensus with your team and get their buy-in on the course of action you set out on together. Knowing their why, helping them form a path to their goals and working together to get there sets the right foundation of trust and transparency.

Avoid the temptation to come in and make immediate changes. Although you may have a wealth of experience to bring to the table, your team may not be ready to embrace your ideas yet. Take the time to build trust and earn their respect before implementing any major changes. They earned the right to their seat; know their superpowers, how you and they complement each other and what help should look like.

To influence positive change with your team, use available metrics and processes to help diagnose potential gaps in their current methods – with them. It’s best to articulate the nuances of the process and have them draw the conclusion, while also realizing what positive change could mean as they work towards their goals. Explain to them why change is necessary and how it will benefit them in the long run. Find out what motivates them, whether it is a promotion, more money, or the desire to retire from the company. Use their motivation as the driving force to help them see why they should change.

Remember that your job as a leader is to help your team be successful. Figure out exactly what is keeping them from being successful and remove those variables from the equation. Take action on the items that they give you, do it quickly, and you will gain their respect and trust. They will see you as a person of action and someone who is there to serve and protect them.

Be communicative and responsive. Hold each other accountable for what you agree to do for each other. This is the only way the relationship works.

Finally, recognize your team and get them promoted! You are paid to be the advocate and evangelist of your people. The more diverse and dynamic of a team you build and coach, the more you will get them promoted and people will want to work for you.

Don’t be afraid to help your team members get promoted, even if it means your top players leave the team. Your job is to prepare them for the next level, help them be promoted from within, remove their barriers to success, and make them better. By doing this, you are not only helping your team be successful, but you are also building a strong foundation for the future of the company.

In conclusion, being a manager is an exciting and challenging role. By spending time getting to know your team, building trust and consensus, and using their motivation to sell change, you can set yourself up for success. Remember, your job is to help your team be successful, and by doing so, you are also building a better future for your company. Good luck!

So You Want a Promotion, Now What?

If you feel like you’re ready for the next step in your career, a promotion may be just what you need. However, it’s important to understand that getting a promotion requires more than just good results. In this post, we’ll explore some tips for how to prepare for a promotion and increase your chances of success.

Reflect on your body of work

The first step in preparing for a promotion is to reflect on your body of work. Make sure that it’s consistent with the narrative you want to project. Have you consistently performed at a high level? Do your results demonstrate your readiness for the next level? It’s important to be honest with yourself and assess whether your work aligns with the expectations of the next level.

Communicate your intentions and desires

Once you’ve assessed your readiness, it’s important to communicate your intentions and desires to the people that matter. This includes your manager, who will likely be a key player in your promotion. Make sure that they understand your goals and are supportive of your desire to move to the next level. Ask for their feedback and guidance on what you need to focus on in order to increase your chances of success.

Identify areas for improvement

In order to increase your chances of success, it’s important to identify areas for improvement. What are the skills or competencies that you need to develop in order to be successful at the next level? Make a plan for how you will develop these skills and seek out opportunities to gain experience in these areas.

Build relationships

Building relationships is critical for success in any organization. Take the time to build relationships with key players in the organization, including people who have done the role before, your boss’s boss, and others who may be part of the decision-making process. Reach out and ask for feedback and guidance, and be open to learning from their experiences.

Control the controllables

Finally, it’s important to focus on what you can control. There may be factors outside of your control that impact your chances of success, but focusing on what you can control will help you feel empowered and increase your chances of success. This includes your attitude, your work ethic, and your willingness to learn and grow.

In conclusion, getting a promotion requires more than just good results. It’s important to assess your readiness, communicate your intentions and desires, identify areas for improvement, build relationships, and focus on what you can control. By following these tips, you can increase your chances of success and achieve the promotion you desire.

Embracing Change: The Key to Resilience and Success in Life and Career

Circumstances can significantly change in an instant, and it’s easy to feel lost or overwhelmed. But I’ve learned that the key to success is adapting quickly to new situations and focusing on what we can control in the new landscape.

In the last few years, we have all found new ways to be connected and work.

We can’t replicate the past or bring back old jobs or lost friends or relationships. But we can take our key learnings and experiences and parlay them into progress.

It’s like hiking up a mountain that looks daunting as can be from the ground; we can only focus on landing one step at a time and moving forward. When we look back, we’ll see how far we’ve come, but we can’t stand still.

Resilience is key in both life and career. Remember, we can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond to it.

#resilience #adaptability #change #successmindset #growthmindset #professionaldevelopment #careeradvice #mindfulness #selfimprovement #newopportunities #keepmovingforward #nevergiveup #positivity #personaldevelopment #embracethejourney #mindsetshift #learnfromexperience #progressnotperfection #inspiration #career #sales #salespeople #leadership #management #growthmindset #lifelonglearner

Bringing Your A-Game: How to Perform at Your Peak During Times of Change and Uncertainty

We’ve all been there – struggling to bring our A-game to work every single day, especially during times of change, turmoil, and uncertainty. The truth is, it’s not always easy to perform at our best, especially when we’re facing challenges that are outside of our control. But, with the right mindset and approach, it’s possible to bring our best selves to work, day after day. In this post, we’ll explore some tips and strategies to help you perform at your peak, even during times of change and uncertainty.

Be Present and Mindful

One of the keys to performing at your peak is to be present and mindful in the moment. This means letting go of the baggage of the past, whether it’s a crushing defeat or a resounding victory, and focusing solely on the task at hand. This is easier said than done, of course, but with practice, it’s possible to develop a mindfulness practice that helps you stay focused and present in each moment.

Phil Jackson, the legendary NBA coach, espouses this approach in his coaching philosophy. He emphasizes the importance of being present in each moment, not letting past wins or losses cloud your judgment, and focusing solely on the task at hand. By being mindful and present, you can bring your best self to every moment, and perform at your peak.

Let Go of the Past, But Keep the Learnings

While it’s important to let go of the past and be present in the moment, it’s also important to keep the learnings from past experiences. Every experience, whether it’s a success or a failure, provides an opportunity to learn and grow. By taking the lessons learned from past experiences and applying them to future activities, you can continuously improve and refine your approach, and perform at an even higher level.

Do It for the Love of the Game

Finally, one of the keys to performing at your peak is to do it for the love of the game. Whether you’re a basketball player, a musician, or a salesperson, it’s important to infuse your passions into your work. When you do what you love, you’ll find that you’re more motivated, more engaged, and more likely to bring your best self to work every day.

In conclusion, performing at your peak during times of change and uncertainty requires a combination of mindfulness, focus, and passion. By being present in each moment, letting go of the past but keeping the learnings, and doing it for the love of the game, you can bring your A-game to work every day. Remember, nothing good or bad lasts forever, and with the right approach, you can weather any storm and come out stronger on the other side.

Finding Your Way Back: Steps to Overcoming Burnout and Rediscovering Yourself

Feeling burnout? Here are some steps I take to get back to the fundamentals and back to who I am.

Step 1: Acknowledge and express how you feel to trusted people.
Step 2: Prioritize non-negotiables. Focus on the big rocks and shift or pivot things that are not mission critical.
Step 3: Infuse your day with your passions and what refuels you. Reading, exercise, music.
Step 4: Be mindful of your overall wellbeing and don’t be afraid to ask for help if needed.

As leaders, we also need to set the tone for our organization’s culture by creating a safe space for employees to communicate about burnout.

Remember, it always gets better. Nothing good or bad lasts.

#BurnoutRecovery #BackToBasics #SelfCare #PrioritizeYourself #HealthyMindset #MentalHealthAwareness #PassionFuel #AskForHelp #SafeWorkplace #LeadershipByExample #WorkLifeBalance #HealthyWorkCulture #BetterDaysAhead #Wellbeing #Culture #Leadership #Management

All I Had to Do Was Ask: My Dream Interview with Heywood Gould, Author of ‘Cocktail’

All I had to do was ask.

For 20+ years, I’ve been a fan of the movie “Cocktail” written by Heywood Gould. It’s been my happy place. I love the soundtrack, the story, the acting, the silly one-liners and the characters. Watching the film often with my friend Jason Smith over the years, quoting it (and its infamous “Coughlin’s Laws”) has become a pastime. My wife Amy Heady has gotten me countless pieces of memorabilia from the film – the script, the Care Bear and dinosaur behind the bar, and even the books Tom Cruise’s character reads throughout.

Recently, I asked Heywood to be on my Salesman on Fire podcast. He said yes, and you can find the recording here: https://lnkd.in/etNDMjr6

Yes, dreams really do come true.

Heywood Gould is an author, screenwriter, and film director. Gould has written and directed nine films, including “One Good Cop” and “Fort Apache the Bronx,” and wrote the book and script for the film “Cocktail.” Gould initially had no plan for his career and wanted to write the Great American Novel. However, he met a story editor who took him to the producer of a TV show, which led to him writing episodes. Gould’s story shows how his career progressed without a plan, and how he ended up in the movie industry by accident.

Relationships and saying yes to opportunities and taking risks led to a successful career.

Heywood started working as a bartender and eventually wrote a novel about the world of bartending, “Cocktail.”

I wrote an article a few years ago about why Cocktail is one of the greatest sales films of all time: https://lnkd.in/eY5kpMtk

In the interview, Heywood speculates on what would be the Coughlin’s Laws of the 21st century, talks about potential themes of the long-awaited “Cocktail 2” (where Brian Flanagan has a son who is a bartender) and
how much of his success came down to coincidence and luck and that he still aspires to write the great American novel.

He tells numerous stories about his time with luminaries like Paul Newman, Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown.

We can learn a lot from the story and stories of Heywood Gould: life is a long series of choices and chances; putting value into the world, making good relationships and saying YES to opportunities.

#CocktailMovie #HeywoodGould #SalesmanOnFire #Opportunities #Relationships #Success #CareerGoals #Author #Screenwriter #FilmDirector #PaulNewman #TomCruise #Bartending #MovieSoundtrack #CoughlinsLaws #Storytelling #DreamsComeTrue #Luck #Coincidence #TheGreatAmericanNovel #BarTender #EntertainmentIndustry #CareerProgression #Writing #Sales #Podcast #Career #Lifelonglearner

Heywood Gould: An Unexpected Career & The Story of Cocktail – Salesman on Fire w/ Carson Heady

Sometimes, dreams come true. For years, I have loved the film Cocktail, written by Heywood Gould. Today, he is my guest on Salesman on Fire talking about an unexpected career, life lessons from Cocktail & amazing stories.

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/DyxK57zAvKc

Heywood is an author, screenwriter, and film director who has created, written and directed some iconic films, including One Good Cop, Fort Apache, The Bronx, and of course, Cocktail!

I wrote an article a few years ago about why Cocktail is one of the greatest sales films of all time: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/…/why-cocktail-is…/

In our conversation, Heywood shared some fascinating insights into his career, including how he stumbled into writing for the big screen, and what Cocktail really meant to him. We talked about the enduring legacy of the film, and how its themes and characters continue to resonate with audiences today.

He shares stories about working with Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, and the legendary Paul Newman.

We also discussed some of the famous “Coughlin’s Laws” from the film, and Heywood even shared some new ones that he thinks Doug Coughlin might have added if he were still around today.

And for all you Cocktail fans out there, we also got a sneak peek into the much-anticipated sequel that Heywood has been working on!

If you’re a fan of Heywood’s work, or just love a good story about following your passions, you won’t want to miss this episode. Tune in now on Salesman on Fire!

#Cocktail #HeywoodGould #SalesmanOnFire #Screenwriting #FilmDirecting #TomCruise #PaulNewman #CareerJourney #LifeLessons #CoughlinsLaws #SequelTeaser #PassionProjects #FollowingYourDreams #LegacyFilms #MovieMaking #ArtOfScreenwriting #HollywoodInsider #BehindTheScenes #Sales #Career

Trusting in Your Preparation: Lessons from Running a Marathon & Sales – Jeff Kirchick & Carson Heady

Preparing for a marathon and sales have a lot in common. In a recent conversation between Jeff Kirchick and Carson Heady, the topic of “trust in your preparation” was discussed, and how it is crucial for both marathon runners and sales professionals to trust in their preparation.

Jeff, who is preparing for yet another Boston Marathon, talked about the importance of the tapering phase in marathon training. This is the period of time leading up to the race where runners start to reduce their mileage and allow their bodies to recover from the intense training they have done leading up to the race. Mentally, this can be challenging because runners may start to doubt whether they are ready for the race because they haven’t run a long distance in a while. However, Jeff emphasizes that this tapering phase is intentional and necessary, as runners need to trust in the preparation they have done leading up to the race.

Similarly, in sales, professionals need to trust in the little things they do every day to get them to where they need to be. When things get tough, it’s easy to panic and start pushing too hard, trying to force deals to close or customers to buy. However, this often backfires because it’s unnatural and can come across as pushy and desperate.

Instead, sales professionals need to remember what has made them successful historically and trust in their preparation. They need to have confidence in the process and the steps they take every day to build relationships, uncover needs, and provide solutions. This doesn’t mean they can’t make adjustments or pivot when necessary, but it does mean they don’t need to radically rewrite their process just because things aren’t going their way.

What’s also important is resilience and character. Like Jeff, who has faced unexpected challenges during his marathon training, sales professionals need to be prepared to face the unexpected and adapt to changing circumstances. This means being able to recalibrate and set new goals, even in the face of setbacks.

In summary, trusting in your preparation is crucial for both marathon runners and sales professionals. It’s important to have confidence in the process, trust in the little things you do every day, and be prepared to face the unexpected. By doing so, you’ll be better equipped to handle the pressure and achieve your goals.