<![CDATA[Kevin Hurlahe - Kevin Hurlahe Blog]]>

<![CDATA[Kevin Hurlahe - Kevin Hurlahe Blog]]>Thu, 09 May 2024 11:45:51 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Pharma Reps: Unleash your “Inner Samurai!” (part 2)]]>Tue, 30 Oct 2018 15:38:05 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/pharma-reps-unleash-your-inner-samurai-part-2

In Part 1, I described how ancient Samurai Warriors trained their martial arts skills to a level of mastery so divine that they reached a Zen-like state called “Mushin” (which translates into “no-mind” – or no need to think about what they had to do in a life or death battle).

I further hinted how stepping up your pharmaceutical sales training to a higher level of mastery would free your mind from constantly thinking about what you need to say – while your customer is talking.

By achieving a higher level of competence and confidence, you too can operate in a Zen-like state of Mushin during your sales calls – and be fully engaged with your customer.

Imagine the advantages of being able to truly engage with your customers. To connect, listen, respond, and problem-solve with 100% laser-like focus (capturing every word, nuance, verbal and non-verbal cue).

Do you think customers will notice a difference once you are really listening to them?

Will they feel the impact as you answer their questions without hesitation and provide them with well thought out solutions, processes, and best practices – delivered with the confidence of a master-teacher?

I think it will be obvious to them (and your manager)!

Okay, so how do you train yourself so that your skills become so sharp that you no longer need to think about what to do or say during your actual sales call? How do you develop Mushin (no-mind)?

These are the steps, adapted from my teacher, the legendary Tae Kwon Do Grand Master B.C. Yu, creator of the “Eurythmic Approach” to teaching:

1. Take the basic skill and break it down to its fundamentals
2. Practice it slowly and correctly at first – making sure it is exact
3. Repeat it over and over…
4. Then faster and faster…
5. Ideally in a rhythmic cadence – until it is instinctual

It really is that simple! It works amazingly well when teaching and learning martial arts skills (or any physical skill for that matter).

And, I found that it also works equally well teaching and learning verbal-communication skills!

This method is incredibly effective – yet it is not how we teach and learn in our typical sales training culture. Usually, there is a lot of lecture and theory, followed by a couple of practice sessions (and of course plenty of testing) – but very little MASTERY.

I am sure that you are already doing a terrific job as a pharmaceutical sales professional (otherwise you wouldn't be taking the time to read this article).

Imagine how much more effective you could be with mastery. Mastery to the level of Mushin – no need to clutter your mind during your sales calls anymore (just react instinctively).

Okay, so where exactly could you implement this in your pharmaceutical sales training?

Everywhere!

• Product knowledge (P.I., reprints, sales materials, etc.)
• Asking Questions (or any aspect of your sales model/sales process)
• Providing Solutions (e.g. objection handling, answering questions, presenting data)
• Any element of your sales calls (it all involves communication!)

Think about it... Your professional development and career success is up to you - and you alone. Why not “Unleash your Inner Samurai?”

...And who knows, maybe with your newfound mastery, you'll have a better chance of avoiding future "cuts!" (wink)

Here is another YouTube clip from the movie, “The Last Samurai,” where our American military Captain (played by Tom Cruise), after on-going Samurai training, finally achieves the state of Mushin for the first time. (Like my last post, I claim no rights to this video clip or its content, I am only sharing what was already publicly available on YouTube). Enjoy!

]]><![CDATA[Pharma Reps: Is it time to Unleash your Inner Samurai?]]>Mon, 01 May 2017 15:16:28 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/pharma-reps-is-it-time-to-unleash-your-inner-samurai

Okay, so what do pharmaceutical sales representatives have in common with Samurai warriors, you ask?

A lot really.

Like the ancient Samurai warrior, the pharmaceutical sales professional must also focus on mastery, and survival – especially in today’s complex and competitive healthcare environment.

Samurai warriors had to practice their martial arts skills for years to master the techniques required to defeat an opponent in a sword-fight that lasted seconds.

Their repetitive training made their skills so ingrained – so instinctual – that they could execute their techniques and strategies in combat without even thinking.

Without the noise, distractions, and internal dialogue cluttering their minds.

Their minds were free - to be in the moment - without having to think about what to do next.

In martial arts, this Zen-concept is called "Mushin" (pronounced moo-shin).

Mushin = “No Mind.”

This is an original hand painted calligraphy of Mushin (No-Mind), that was a gift from the mother-in-law of my martial arts teacher, B.C. Yu.

Now, back to you, the pharmaceutical sales professional...

While your “battle” for the time, attention, and the SALE of your product may not be a life or death struggle with your customer, there is still a lot riding on those precious few moments that you may get with him or her to execute your skills!

This is NOT the time to…

Fumble for your words,
Struggle to locate your selling resources,
Or, to THINK about what YOU plan to DO or SAY while your customer is talking!

Rather, this IS the time FOR YOU TO BE IN THE MOMENT – fully!

Like the great undefeated Samurai warrior, Miyamoto Musashi...

Your mind should be free to instinctively respond to your customer and execute your skills and expertise by maintaining a state of:

Mushin

“No Mind!”

In part two of this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to put the Zen concept of Mushin into practice, so that you can learn how to prepare yourself to execute your pharmaceutical sales calls with the same confidence level legendary Samurai displayed in swordsmanship.

In the meantime, enjoy this 45 second video clip I found on YouTube titled, "No Mind," from the movie, “The Last Samurai,” as the American military captain (character played by Tom Cruise) learns the concept of Mushin.

]]><![CDATA[What are your limiting beliefs?]]>Tue, 11 Apr 2017 20:38:30 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/what-are-your-limiting-beliefsWe all hear them. Sometimes they're loud and clear, and sometimes they're soft and discreet - but they're always lurking in the backs of our minds!

What, you ask? Those pesky voices in our heads that tell us, "you can't do it." "You're too old." "You're too young." You're not "smart enough," "rich enough," "experienced enough," "GOOD ENOUGH!"

They're called LIMITING BELIEFS - and they live in our imaginations, always ready to undermine our best ideas. And, these creatures are good at what they do! They're professionals.

They can talk us out of ANYTHING!

Kevin Hurlahe, Sales Excellence Coach • Certified Professional Life Coach • Certified Health & Wellness Coach

The first thing that you learn in Professional Coaching School is that LIMITING BELIEFS DON'T REALLY EXIST! That's right. They're like the "monsters" that used to live under your bed when you were a child.

They seemed real - but they were just a figure of your childhood imagination.

Your parents knew that there were no monsters under your bed. If you were lucky, they turned on the light, looked to make sure - and then showed you - to prove it to you.

That's what your coach will do too -- expose that your limiting beliefs are just a FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION!

Pretty cool, huh?

This 60-second video of my 82 year-old martial arts coach smashed my limiting beliefs!
Watch and find out why...

For more information on the fascinating life of this tae kwon do legend, visit GrandMasterBCYu.com

]]><![CDATA[Should you "fake it 'til you make it?"]]>Sun, 12 Jul 2015 21:02:49 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/should-you-fake-it-til-you-make-it

"Fake it 'til you make it!"

That’s a pretty common phrase. What does it mean to you? Does it sound like good business advice? Why or why not? After all, nobody likes a fake.

Would you want your surgeon to fake it ‘til she makes it before you go under the knife? Of course not! You wouldn’t want any part of that, and neither would I.

Nevertheless, I love the phrase, “fake it ‘til you make it!” For me, it has nothing to do with faking knowledge, skills or qualifications—but rather it has to do with putting yourself in an environment to create a positive mental attitude before attempting to do something important.

This phrase goes hand-in-hand with another phrase I routinely use: “your attitude determines your altitude.” A poor attitude will often lead to poor performance, a good attitude to good performance, and a great attitude to great performance!

Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t ALWAYS have a great attitude. I’ll admit it, I’m human. Sometimes I wake up a little grumpy or feeling a bit lazy and in need of a little pep talk. That’s where “fake it ‘til you make it” comes in to play for me. Let me explain.

If you looked at my LinkedIn profile, you probably saw that I am a pharmaceutical sales manager. However, I also teach karate classes most Saturday mornings. It’s been an important part of my personal development and has become a significant side of my professional identity. Training in a martial art is great for physical exercise, mental discipline, and self-defense—plus I love to coach and inspire others to become their best in life. It’s the perfect hobby for me.

Regardless of how much I love this part of my life, after a long and stressful workweek, waking up early on a cold or rainy Michigan morning to teach classes on my day-off doesn’t always sound appealing. My inner voice is complaining that I’m too tired, feeling sorry for myself, and in need of some free-time to lie around and take it easy. Perhaps I feel lethargic and unmotivated—even a little resentful for having to live up to my personal commitment. Not exactly what people look for in their karate instructor!

Do you ever feel that way about your job, or any of your other important commitments? Do those feelings affect your performance? Do you have a proven system to snap yourself out of it?

This is where “fake it ‘til you make it” works perfectly, and how it changes my attitude, my performance, and my outlook for the rest of my Saturday and beyond—and how it can work for you too!

Step one involves making a physical transformation by changing into my karate uniform. By properly dressing for my role—and looking my best, my subconscious mind begins to see its reflection and changes from the temporary “grumpy, lethargic Kevin,” to the more appropriately suited-up, “Master Kevin!”

Step two starts with welcoming each co-worker and customer/student with a smile, handshake, or high five and a cheerful yet powerful greeting coupled with genuine words of encouragement and appreciation (even if it feels a little forced, at first). I can already begin to feel my blood pumping and my attitude changing, as I know others are counting on ME to be THEIR cheerleader and motivator!

Step three, in my personal “fake it ‘til you make it” transformation takes shape as I jump into a well-established success routine that re-connects a familiar positive attitude/action feedback loop. In this case by leading the traditional warm-up exercises, which is something I’ve done thousands of times – so that once I start, I go into “auto-pilot” and my muscle memory takes over, leaving my mind no alternative but to assume its familiar positive mental attitude state automatically.

Without even thinking, I project a powerful voice, enthusiastic tone, dynamic body movements, and throw off more signals of encouragement and inspiration. In no time, the class is whipped up into a sweat-filled frenzy of drills, learning, and group camaraderie!

Everyone leaves class happy and fulfilled, ready to tackle the rest of their weekend with renewed confidence and vigor. Of course, now I can’t even remember how I could have possibly felt lethargic, grumpy, or in need of a break just a few short hours earlier. I am ready for anything now that I started my weekend by doing the one thing that is most important to me!

Maybe you’re thinking, “this doesn’t apply to me because I don’t teach Karate,” (and you would probably be in big trouble if you came to work in a martial arts uniform—kicking and screaming at your co-workers and clients!).

It doesn’t matter because the same 3-step process will apply to you and your work world too! Start by dressing for success and looking your very best. Observe your transformation in the mirror as you become your unstoppable professional alter ego.

Will yourself (you may have to, at first) to meet your co-workers and/or customers with an enthusiastic greeting and sincere words of encouragement and appreciation. Smile, shake hands, greet people by their names, and as you lift their spirits—you’ll really be lifting your own!

Finally, be sure to start your workday with routines that reconnect pre-established actions to positive attitude feedback loops as a way to change your negative attitude into a positive one! Maybe that’s driving to work with your favorite soundtrack blasting on your car stereo (instead of the depressing news or whining and complaining talk-radio). Perhaps you start your day with a great workout that pumps up your attitude along with your muscles or cardio endurance. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it is a familiar positive attitude/action feedback loop that helps put you in the right state of mind for a successful day ahead!

Regardless of your job title or what role you're playing, the right frame of mind and a positive attitude will improve your performance!

Should you “fake it ‘til you make it?”

Absolutely!

]]><![CDATA[Are you listening?]]>Fri, 19 Jun 2015 12:26:45 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/are-you-listening

"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." --Ernest Hemingway

I pride myself on being a good listener.

As a sales professional and a team leader, effective listening is critical to my success. Is being a good listener important to you too?

Really listening to others has become increasingly challenging given the plethora of electronic distractions—namely our smart phones and their texts, tweets, chats, check-ins, notifications, emails, dings, tones, and buzzes!

When I find myself losing my concentration during conversations with others, I mentally run through these 5 Skills of Listening to immediately put myself back in the moment. I use the acronym H.E.A.R.S. as a way to recall, and implement these skills:

The 5 Skills of Listening:

1. Hone-In on the other person in your conversation to physically demonstrate your undivided attention (I imagine having blinders on the sides of my face). Position your body so that you are full-facing your partner—with proper posture, either sitting or standing. Put all devices completely away.

"You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time." --M. Scott Peck

2. Eye-Contact is to be made directly and sincerely with your partner.

Former President, Bill Clinton was masterful at giving each person his undivided attention when listening—if even for a few brief moments.

3. Ask Questions to engage in the listening, and to demonstrate your attention and interest in what the other person is saying (instead of thinking about what you’re going to say!).

"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." --Stephen R. Covey

4. Read Body Language for non-verbal messages. What emotion is your partner expressing? Is the person looking for a solution or merely venting? Is there a hidden message?

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said" --Peter Drucker

5. Summarize the points of the conversation, and repeat them back to your partner to make sure you understand the message. This also demonstrates to your partner that you heard what he or she was saying—you truly listened!

"One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say." --Bryant H. McGill

]]><![CDATA[Become Extraordinary! Part 3]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:38:54 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/become-extraordinary-part-3

Become Extraordinary (part 3 of 3)

My last several posts focused on why some people become extraordinary while most of us do not. What’s their secret? How can you become extraordinary too?

If you want to be extraordinary, you must do extra – ordinary things with your time and energy.

In this post I will focus on the third simple way to becoming extraordinary.

3. Begin doing Extra – Ordinary activities in your work or career:

Two hikers are walking through the woods and encounter a mother bear that is angrily protecting her cubs. The first hiker stops to quickly change into his running shoes. The second hiker nervously laughs and says, “What’s the point of that? You can’t outrun that bear.” The first hiker replies, “I don’t have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you!”

My grandfather (in law), whom we affectionately referred to as “Grandpa-the-Great,” was an extraordinary individual in almost every way. He gave me some sound career advice about 25 years ago declaring, “Kevin, to be successful, you only need to do 10% more than everyone else!”

Now, I can’t say where Grandpa-the-Great got the “10%” figure – or if he even just made it up on the spot, but I have benefited from that advice ever since.

The point for you, dear reader, is that it takes very little extra-ordinary effort to become extraordinary in your career or profession!

Let me explain by using a metaphor about a small, one-employee (you) service business. Please be sure to read on – because this may give you an insight into your work and career unlike anything you’ve ever read before!

Success in business, as with almost anything else in life, is achieved at the margins.

For the sake of simplicity, assume your small hypothetical service business has a steady monthly revenue stream generated from your sales of $10,000.

The fixed overhead of all your monthly expenses (rent, utilities, insurance, advertising, car, etc.) is $9,000 – leaving a gross profit of $1,000, or 10% of your sales.

Using the 10% rule from Grandpa-the-Great, what happens to the gross profit if you marginally increase your monthly sales by another 10% per month?

Will the gross profit go up 10% too?

Actually, if the current sales are $10,000 per month and you increase them by 10% to $11,000 per month—your gross profit would increase 100% from $1,000 to $2,000! (Remember, the fixed costs remain unchanged).

What does this have to do with becoming extraordinary?

Let’s get back to you and your job. You are most likely part of an organization. From the organization’s point of view, ordinary performance is equivalent to the efforts needed to attain the success from our hypothetical example BEFORE the profit increase. It does not suggest those efforts are easy or unsatisfactory, just that they are ordinary.

Extraordinary performance, on the other hand, is represented by the 100% gross profit increase in our hypothetical example.

However, the difference between the ordinary and extraordinary results was a margin of only 10% extra effort on your part!

Now, keep in mind that this example is a metaphor to help you understand that relatively small and consistent extra effort, a marginal difference over what is ordinary, will generate extraordinary results!

This is a universal principle that transcends across all career fields.

...And, it is why Hiker number one knew he didn’t have to be faster than the bear—just marginally faster than Hiker number two.

...It is also why Grandpa-the-Great knew that if he worked 10% harder than his peers over the course of his lifetime that he would become extraordinary (and take my word for it, he was!).

How hard would it be for you to do 10% more than everyone else?

It’s not that hard at all! Most of what we do on the job is the result of what has been previously established by the performance culture of our place of employment anyway. This "standard" has not been optimized for extraordinary performance!

How can you become more effective in your output? What efficiencies can you develop in your position? Which of your responsibilities and objectives are the most important and valuable to your company's mission and success? Focus your extra effort on those areas.

Working 10% harder can also mean working 10% smarter. Approach this strategy as a competitive mindset and a higher level professional standard for yourself versus an expanded to-do list in an already hectic schedule.

Like the magic of compound interest, your sustained effort of working 10% harder than ordinary will yield extraordinary benefits to you in regards to your job- skills, knowledge of your field, professional reputation, and your capacity to confidently assume more responsibilities over time!

Extraordinary people are exceptional because of the extra-ordinary activities they focus on with their time and energy.

Over several posts, I explored three simple ways you can become more extraordinary, including mastering a skill or subject matter outside of your work, volunteering your time and resources toward something important to you, and by dedicating 10% more sustained effort to your career.

Becoming extraordinary is a choice. The choice is yours to make!

Instead of choosing to spend all of your free time being a customer of those who lead extraordinary lives, why not dedicate some of your time to becoming more extraordinary yourself?

]]><![CDATA[Become Extraordinary! Part 2]]>Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:18:11 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/become-extraordinary-part-2

Become Extraordinary (part 2 of 3)

My last couple of posts focused on why some people become extraordinary while most of us do not. What’s their secret? How can you become extraordinary too?

If you want to be extraordinary, you must do extra – ordinary things with your time and energy.

In this post I will focus on the second simple way to becoming extraordinary...

2. Commit yourself to a cause or purpose that is intimately important to you:

Is there a cause, such as a charity, non-profit organization, or unmet need that you believe in enough to support with your time, energy, and/or resources?

Given the wide range of ways in which to give – whether it’s to the benefit of children, healthcare, poverty, environment, animals, community, education, economy, peace, politics, religion – or whatever the cause, there is a perfect match for you, your interests and values!

What does volunteering my time and energy have to do with being extraordinary?

This is an interesting question, and, in my opinion, another one of life’s mysteries. I describe it as the universal law of reciprocity – which is another way of saying, “What goes around, comes around.”

Ultimately your deeds, good or bad, will repay you in kind. Almost all cultures and religions have a way to define this phenomenon –making it universal in nature.

Volunteering some of your free time toward a selfless cause or purpose will provide extraordinary results over time!

There are some practical benefits to you for volunteering, but the life-changing benefits are not as easily defined.

The positive difference you will make in the lives of others will be immeasurable as those results multiply in their effects with the passage of time.

While you may never know the exact outcome of your efforts, those benefits will reflect back on you—if in no other way than through improvements in your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Please do not underestimate the power of this one benefit alone! Additionally, do not underestimate the power to improve the lives of others with your individual actions, however small they may seem to you at the time!

If you are like me, you’re thinking, “This sounds good –but I don’t know what to do or how to get started.” “On top of that, every other time I signed up to volunteer for something, I didn’t really like it that much.”

I understand where you’re coming from.

Before I made the time to discover several causes that were important to me, and then matched the exact ways in which I could best volunteer my time and resources, I felt the same way!

What ordinarily happens to most of us is we end up donating money or volunteering for various charities because we either feel obligated to the person asking us for our support, or guilty for not contributing to a worthy sounding cause.

Paradoxically, these contributions, that are lacking our personal commitment and passion, create insignificant value for anyone—especially us. What meaning does this create in your life? Do you think it activates the universal law of reciprocity? Of course not! It’s more likely to activate your feelings of resentment toward those causes—creating a negative feedback loop for you!

Extraordinary people commit themselves to the causes that are truly important to them. You can too!

Your idea doesn’t have to be popular, or polarizing, or even remotely connected to your career or industry. It doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to be the next United Way!

Maybe you just set out to help a few families in your local community? Perhaps there is an unmet need at the local school? The number of volunteer ideas for you to explore are endless and limited only to your imagination.

The key to unlocking the secrets of extraordinary results for you, and those you intend to serve, is to choose something that YOU truly believe in—and to contribute in the ways that YOU enjoy doing. Once you make this important self-discovery—take action by getting started!

What could be a better use of your time than spending it on something you enjoy doing for something you believe in anyway?

Think about it.

Why use up ALL of your valuable time and energy on ordinary pursuits when you can dedicate some of your time to extra-ordinary efforts and activities?

Stay tuned for the third, and final simple way to becoming extraordinary…

]]><![CDATA[Become Extraordinary! Part 1]]>Wed, 17 Jun 2015 12:57:06 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/become-extraordinary-part-1

My last post focused on why some people become extraordinary while most of us do not. What’s their secret?

If you want to be extraordinary, you must do extra – ordinary things with your time and energy.

In order to break free from the ordinary, it’s important to live a life by design versus doing what everyone else is doing by default.

There are three simple steps that you can take to begin your personal journey of becoming extraordinary.

In this post I will focus on the first simple way to becoming extraordinary.

1. Begin acquiring mastery of a skill or field outside of your profession.

This process can be extremely powerful – and will likely change your life for the better in any number of ways! Many extraordinarily successful professionals are also experts in a completely separate field or hobby that is independent of their careers. Do you know anyone like this personally? Is this a coincidence? Are the two connected in any way?

Mastery of a subject matter requires exceptional focus and concentration on acquiring the depth of knowledge to become an expert. The mere pursuit of mastery develops self-discipline, critical thinking, and the expansion of a knowledge base that is often transferable to your vocation.

For example, there is some evidence suggesting that schoolchildren who pursue music education eventually perform better in math, science, and overall academic testing and achievement than their peers who do not study music. What is the connection? Do you think this could also apply to business or personal success?

As a 20-year part-time martial arts teacher, I have personally witnessed many life-changing success stories that resulted from the pursuit of martial arts mastery. On more than one occasion, I have had adults decide to start their own businesses (in their existing professions) because of the self - confidence they gained from becoming black belts!

Their businesses were more financially rewarding and professionally fulfilling to them than the jobs they left behind. This was never the intended goal of their martial arts training, but for them it was an unexpected benefit.

One extraordinary and well-known individual has essentially made a personal empire from his experiences in mastering skills and hobbies outside of his original vocation! NYT bestselling author, Timothy Ferris’s books, “The 4-Hour Workweek,” “The 4-Hour Body,” and “The 4-Hour Chef,” describe his journeys of mastery, life experiences, and methods of rapid learning—that, for the purpose of this post – underscores the value of mastering hobbies, skills, or fields outside of your profession!

Do you have an area of interest that you could pursue to mastery? If you do, then know that there has been no better time in history to learn and master something new than now. Because of advances through the Internet, you can easily learn just about any subject matter with ease of access and little to no financial cost to you.

Why use up ALL of your valuable time and energy on ordinary pursuits when you can dedicate some of your time to extra-ordinary efforts and activities? You have interests, curiosities, dreams and wonders. We all do! Who knows what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it—and what those accomplishments will lead you to in life? Isn’t it worth it to you to find out? Start your own journey to becoming extraordinary by acquiring mastery of a skill or field outside of your profession.

Extraordinary American Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, had this to say, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”

...Stay tuned for the second simple way to becoming extraordinary in my next post.

]]><![CDATA[Do You Want to be Extraordinary?]]>Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:19:26 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/do-you-want-to-be-extraordinary

What is it that makes some people become extraordinary? Why is having an extraordinarily interesting personality or lifestyle so rare? How do some people achieve extraordinary career, financial, or relationship success in their lives, while the majority of us do not? Who even has the time, resources, and energy to accomplish so much in their lives anyway? Surely they must have some natural advantages, or have been given a head start in life!

To be fair, without a life by design, most of us end up in a rut by either letting circumstances dictate our choices, or by doing the ordinary things that most people we interact with tend to do as well. Subconsciously, we gravitate toward heard behavior as a natural part of socialization into society, and a way to comfortably fit into our social and work circles. In short, we tend to default to what everyone else does – the ordinary. Investing your time into ordinary activities and actions will inevitably lead to ordinary results.

Do you find all of your after work time eaten up by a never-ending stream of commitments and daily activities? For example, maybe you spend the vast majority of your weekends trekking across your state for travel soccer, hockey, or baseball tournaments. Perhaps you have golf league, or neighborhood association/PTA meetings followed by a scheduled social commitment to watch the big game (you may even have to dig up a creative recipe for a dish to pass!). Of course, there are always household chores, renovation or fix-up projects, and a continual stream of urgent interruptions that demand all of your remaining time and energy. At the end of your day, you can barely manage to watch a few re-runs of your favorite sitcom, reality TV show, or ESPN sports center. “Such is life,” you rationalize.

In moderation, any of these examples can be viewed as a healthy or necessary part of daily life in America. In your case, however, is it by design, habit, or because everyone else does it that way? Do you have a child athletic prodigy that demands a professional athlete’s training regimen, or do you just end up squandering your personal resources and energy in this way simply because your friends and neighbors are all doing it (maybe your child could benefit more by focusing on something else too!)?

Watching your favorite sports team on TV is an enjoyable outlet for many of us, but do you have to watch every game, all day long, followed by the day’s highlights and the endless after game commentary and debate? Is being a walking encyclopedia of every sports trivia fact advancing your goals or helping you realize your true potential?

“Keeping up with the Kardashians” can be an enjoyable indulgence from time to time, but is it necessary to track their every move and read about their latest scandals in the tabloids too? I know this can be soothing in the short term, but isn’t there a similarly enjoyable activity to invest your time into that will be more rewarding to you over the long term?

Do you really prefer being a spectator (actually a customer) of other people who are experiencing extraordinary lives –or would you rather pursue actions that lead you to enjoying an extraordinary lifestyle yourself?

If you want to be extraordinary, by definition - you must do “Extra – Ordinary” things with your time and energy! Makes sense, doesn’t it? Now, where do you start?

In my upcoming posts, I will identify three simple ways to becoming extraordinary that you can immediately begin to implement, which will start your journey toward creating a more rewarding and extraordinary life for yourself.

Stay tuned!

]]><![CDATA[Could it be Self-Confidence?]]>Mon, 15 Jun 2015 16:16:12 GMThttp://kevinhurlahe.com/kevin-hurlahe-blog/could-it-be-self-confidence

In an earlier post, I suggested that job performance problems are typically the result of either low self-confidence (competence) or low self-esteem (motivation). My last post focused on looking for signs of cynicism as clues of low professional self-esteem, and then making improvements through career development. The result of improved self-esteem is an elevated motivation to succeed, and better overall job performance.

While motivation is expressed through self-esteem, competence is expressed through self-confidence, and is the result of appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience in a person’s work duties. Besides poor job performance, how can you tell if a team member is suffering from low self-confidence? Let’s face it—people are not going to tell you that they don’t know what they’re doing! We’re hard-wired to avoid feeling inadequate or foolish—and are silently fearful that we may lose our jobs if we are recognized as not being competent.

A good leader will recognize the signs of low professional self-confidence, diagnose which skills need developing, and help move the team to optimal performance and productivity.

The classic sign of low self-confidence is masking. Masking is used to cover up a lack of competence. A metaphorical example of this would be the stereotypical high school athletic superstar who never learned to read well. How did he make it through school? By covering up for his reading skills in other ways.

What are some of the clues that a team member may be masking? Examples might include statements such as, “This is not a good example of how I usually do it.” “This training class is not real-world, so that is why I’m having trouble.” “I usually do much better than this, I don’t know what’s wrong with me today.” “I’m not good in these situations when you are with me, but I usually do much better by myself.” Of course, everyone has a bad day from time to time. However, continual rationalizing of poor performance, coupled with objective examples of low output, usually means a person is lacking certain skills.

Your job as a good leader, is to recognize these clues early on and to address any training needs immediately. What does it say about your leadership if your team does not get the training, feedback, and support they need and deserve to do their jobs well? The best place to start is with an honest conversation between you and your team about the skills in question. This can easily be accomplished when there is a “safe zone” of learning, coupled with mutual trust. Learning and taking risks are an important part of success in any field, and a culture that discourages honesty and punishes risk taking is not conducive to innovation and growth. A strong and confident leader will continually assess, teach, and reinforce skills on a routine basis. It all starts with you!

By recognizing signs of cynicism and/or masking, and then taking strategic steps to begin improving motivation and competence, you will develop a high functioning team of people who are eager to succeed and capable of the highest level of performance in your organization. I hope these posts gave you some practical tips to address some of the all too common problems in the world of work.

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This 60-second video of my 82 year-old martial arts coach smashed my limiting beliefs!Watch and find out why...

This 60-second video of my 82 year-old martial arts coach smashed my limiting beliefs!
Watch and find out why...