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SOLUTIONS:
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If you missed the March issue, this is a quick summary to get you up to speed. The StrengthsFinder 2.0 helps people uncover their top 5 talents through an on-line assessment tool (password found in the book) that was perfected by a team of Gallup scientists. Hundreds of strategies on how to apply your talents follow the assessment. Finding your own strengths and the strengths of those you manage will change the world around you -- forever.

Stacy Weber, Division Manager of Maly’s Northern California was quoted in the last newsletter on her use of the StrengthFinder 2.0 book. She told me last week that she used the results of the tests in her 90-minute managers meeting. Many of her managers have had their people take the test and have found new insights on how to work with them better.

Stacy said, “It has made their positions with the company more fun. I loved this part of our meeting. They are also looking at their customers differently and now understand their strengths and how they play out in situations. They are learning that one thing doesn’t work for everyone and they now understand why. People do what they do because these are their strengths and passions. We also need to allow them to be who they are and show their strengths. We are allowing them to be at their best instead of of trying to mold them into something we think they should be. We are excited about our new way of working with each other and are thriving through our newly-found conversations about using our strengths.”

Talk about excited, here is what one of Stacy’s sales consultants wrote in an email to her after their 90-minute meeting. Permission to quote was given by Patrizia Neher, Sales Consultant.
Subject: Strength Finder Test

“OMG, Stacy!!!"
I just took the test (I finished the book last night) and I am speechless: the test is so accurate in the results!!!

I read the definitions of each of the strengths and I felt like they were written especially for me!!!
Thank you for allowing us to grow and expand our minds...

By the way, if you are dying to know, here are my strengths

1) Activator
2) Learner
3) Positivity
4) Woo
5) Communication

Patty Neher”

Way to go, Patty, and by the way, Woo means winning others over. Isn’t that a great strength for a sales consultant to have?

Another client said, “After learning your five greatest strengths and how a person is “wired” so to speak, it is much easier to accept who you are and who others are naturally, and to use those strengths to get the job done. We have found ourselves changing the way we work together.”

Others have said that they now understand why they don’t get along with some people at work. It’s because their strengths are in very different areas from their own. They are learning to respect the differences and help others use their strengths to increase the team’s successes.

One manager was always trying to get his sales person to calm down and now he knows why she gets so excited about things. Two of her strengths brings out the passion and enthusiasm of a cheerleader. He realizes this is her way of expressing herself (good or bad) and he needs to use her strength in a positive way to motivate the team instead of working to calm her.

One guy was described as always positive and his manager wondered how he could be so positive through all the ups and downs in their business. It’s really no wonder because his number one strength was Positive, along with Woo and loving to meet new people. His manager is now helping him use these strengths to do more prospecting that will increase his sales. His comment was, “Yeah, maybe I would like to do a lot more of that!” He was excited about being asked to do more because it resonated with his natural tendencies to have positive experiences with lots of new people.

Some clients related that their spouses have taken the test and have learned more about why they are with them. Their strengths complement or balance the other’s strengths. It also helped them understand why there have been conflicts at times and how to deal with them in a more positive way.

Any tool that can help you grow your business during the present economic downturn and also improve relations at home (possibly eliminating some stress) has to be worth using. Give it a try!


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JJ's FAVORITE QUOTES:
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"Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there; they cause change. They motivate and inspire others to go in the right direction and they, along with everyone else, sacrifice to get there."
- John Kotter

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
- John Quincy Adams

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Tele-COACHING & Tele-MENTORING
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DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE in an area? Service? Sales?

* Motivation and growth of your people?

* Dealing with irate internal or external customers?

* Leading and Coaching your staff?

TRY our one-on-one Tele-Mentoring (phone coaching service) that is available
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Call for your FREE CONSULTATION now! 800 500-9656 or 408 445-1590

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EVALUATION OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT:
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http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/about.html

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ABOUT JJ:

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JJ Lauderbaugh, CMC
408 445-1590 or 800 500-9656, 1716 Husted Ave., San Jose, CA 95124.

JJ works with companies that want to give exceptional customer service to increase sales, and with Directors and Call Center/Help Desk Managers who want to improve human performance.

She's an international speaker, trainer, facilitator and certified management consultant (CMC) on customer service management, specializing in performance improvement, call centers, up/cross selling and outbound calling.

For training resources, free articles, tips and streaming video, go to our
web site at http://www.JJLauderbaugh.com

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© JJ Lauderbaugh, CMC, JJ Lauderbaugh & Associates, 2007. Reprinted with permission from JJ's Tips, a monthly internet newsletter. For your own personal subscription, email jj@jjlauderbaugh.com.
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JJ