The Mark David Corporation - Newsletter October


	Can pessimism be positive? Although the term “positive pessimism” may be considered an oxymoron, practicing positive pessimism is anything but moronic. Positive pessimism in action is the practice of Crisis Anticipation* (Self-Manager Principle #24). Crisis Anticipation is the process of predicting possible obstacles and developing a plan to overcome them before they happen. Sometimes planning for the worst can be the best thing we can do for ourselves. Let’s face it, there are times when even the best-laid plans go awry. Remember Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will. Individuals that are prepared for this make the proper adjustments when crises occur, achieve solid success despite crises and continue to move toward their goals.		Crisis Anticipation will help you eliminate or overcome anything that can get in the way of achieving your goals. When things do go wrong, the positive pessimist is prepared and takes action rather than suffering from a reaction. By looking for opportunities to turn negatives into positives, you will become more productive, confident and cool under pressure. You will continue on your path to success no matter how many obstacles come your way. *Crisis Anticipation is Self-Manager Principle #24 in The Self-Manager Success Journal. To learn all 52 principles used by high-achievers for self-development and success, order The Self-Manager Success Journal by calling (800) 410-ANSR (2677).

To practice Crisis Anticipation and become a positive pessimist, take the following steps:

1. Visualize a future circumstance. It could be a special event, a business meeting, a health or fitness
goal, etc.

2. Brainstorm all of the possible obstacles or negative occurrences that could stand in the way of achieving
your goal within that circumstance. Create a list of these obstacles.

3. Once you anticipate all plausible crises, write down a plan or idea to either prepare for or prevent each.

4. What insight did you gain by practicing Crisis Anticipation?

How do I control my emotions and stay positive when I am constantly putting out fires?

Self-Manage. Choose a well thought-out and proactive response to the crisis. Use one of the 52 Self-Manager Principles from The Self-Manager Success Journal. (Principle #24-Crisis Anticipation-can help you avoid surprise fires.)

Use Power Words to Transform Crisis. Keep in mind that within chaos there is often opportunity. With a positive mindset we are better able to take advantage of these opportunities when they present themselves. Next time you have to field an angry phone call, calm a picky customer or take corrective action with an employee, go into the situation using a power word or phrase that works for you, such as:

                   “Opportunity Knocks!”
                   “Charge!”
                   “I AM the best!”

Your power phrase can be anything that gets you fired up. My new favorite power phrase comes from the title of a recently-released movie: “Remember the Titans!”

We all have those days, and sometimes weeks, when nothing seems to go as planned. Sometimes it seems we’re being hit with crisis after crisis with no end in sight. This can be frustrating to say the least. You have heard me say many times to focus on your Vision in order to stay motivated. However, in some cases we need “instant gratification” when it comes to simply dealing with the moment in a proactive way.

To simply survive the day or week, there are three steps that will help:

1.
Remember Separation Of Space. S.O.S. is the best way to deal with an immediate crisis. All you have to do is stop, take a breath and mentally separate your emotional reaction from the crisis at hand.

	The easiest and most intelligent way to prospect for new business is by asking for referrals. One satisfied customer can provide an average of five qualified referrals over the course of a year. What does this mean to the typical sales professional? Let’s say that the client base of a sales professional consists of 100 satisfied customers (and let’s hope very few unsatisfied!). If that sales professional were to receive five referrals from each customer, that would be 500 referrals for new business! Imagine-you could increase your client base by five times or more! How much would that mean to you in commissions?		A great way to go about getting those five referrals per client is to follow-up within the first ten days following a scale and then once per quarter thereafter. Create a follow-up schedule or "rotation." It's easy. Do yourself a favor and start working referrals instead of working so hard! To get in the habit of asking for referrals, try using Habit Cards. For more information about Habit Cards and other productivity tools, call (800) 410-ANSR(2677)

Coach's Calendar 2002

The Coach's Calendar outlines all the actions of great coaches and gives you a plan to implement them with your team.

This “intelligent” calendar

maps out the most powerful coaching activities to drive success throughout your year
includes weekly team-building activities to help you create a proactive environment, and
highlights and reinforces 12 coaching tips from my book, Coaching Illustrated^™

The Coach's Calendar is an essential and cost-effective tool to help any manager or team leader do what great coaches do - motivate and direct for success!

Investment: $14.99

Investment: $29.99
(A brilliant gift idea!)

Personal Business Plan

The Personal Business Plan is a productivity tool to help you quickly plan and achieve your business and personal goals.

It shows you how to:

Rapidly uncover and define your Vision
Instantly develop a plan of action
Quickly hold yourself accountable and reap your rewards

The Personal Business Plan can be completed in as little as 2 hours - a small amount of time for 12 months of success. You must look ahead to get ahead!

To order either of these productivity tools, please call The Mark David Corporation at (800) 410-ANSR.