The Front By Lead The Team With Host Mike Phillips

Today we are talking about more than taking action... take inspirational action! Any time you take a class, or workshop, conference or training, most of the time, you will come back to your business life "FIRED UP"! But, when you return, it takes more than just fire to make an impact on your sales or your business. If there is no action taken... then nothing is going to change for you, your business, or the people around you. You will have to ask yourself a couple of questions and be deliberate about taking some specific actions. Act while you are fired up and inspired! https://youtu.be/YIlyitwzNkI What are you actually going to ACT ON, on your return? When you get back to your regular business life, what will you DO? What connections are you going to deliberately maintain? Who are you going to take initiative to stay connected with? We all make great connections and friendships throughout our lives... Do your part to maintain them once you've made them!   Download This Episode Now! As always, thank you for

I love fire, passion. I admire persistence. And I respect perseverance. There are so many amazing parallels in athletics, especially football, to business. For example, the work ethic involved. The overwhelming emotion and the continued pursuit of success and winning. You'll have to tune into the video or podcast for the full narrative today! But, let me leave you with a few definitions below. https://youtu.be/ce6D_T2pUlY Passion – A strong and barely controllable emotion. Persistence - continuance in a course of action despite difficulty or opposition Perseverance - steadfastness in doing something and achieving success.   Download This Episode Now!  

Did you learn something new? https://youtu.be/IwpTx5oT1Lg I have talked often about learning. Learning being deliberate and definitive. Regularly we talk about having a teachable attitude or a growth mindset – but what does that really mean? Like specifically. You MUST keep the wonder – you MUST be open to learning new ideas about old tasks. One activity you may involve yourself in is to look back at the end of each day and ask yourself the question, “What did I deliberately work on learning today?” One fundamental key to learning is feedback. Feedback from the people that are supposed to be learning the subject matter and then fed back to the instructor, so that they can tell the quality or the teaching. In a recent blog this week, I talked heavily about mediocrity. And one of the ways to eliminate mediocrity: learn something new every day. Make yourself more valuable today than what you had to offer yesterday. Pick up a book, do some research, listen a little bit better when someone is speaking on a subject

Get motivated and stay motivated with these five tips! When someone says, “Wow, that person is highly motivated!” We think of someone with limitless energy, and a positive attitude. But, how did they get that way? Where does the energy and the non-stop positivity come from? Motivation at its core is one of two things. Motivation is “need,” or motivation is “want.” Thus, when you NEED something bad enough, you get motivated. It creates high energy, positive attitude, laser-like focus, and more confidence. Likewise, when you WANT something badly enough, then the same or similar effects take place. https://youtu.be/m__MYEK-9uQ Here are 5 tips in 5 minutes to get motivated and stay motivated! Define your want or need (WHY do you want or need this goal?) Some people say to find a “WHY” or at least a large enough “WHY.” Write things down. Keep a list of notes. Write down and continue to evolve strategies Focus on the goal every single day. Look at it, repeat it to yourself. Tell other people about it. And then, ke

When you decide that you want to improve. You MUST practice every… single… day. Consistent, everyday practice creates more stamina, a complete skill set and therefore confidence. Let me start this with a real-life event. My wife and I enjoy going to the gym together. Sometimes we work out on our own, sometimes we take classes. We have been out of the gym for about ten days, I could easily offer various excuses – but let’s just keep it simple and call it “life.” So when we show up today to do our normal kickboxing class – it was tough, really tough. Neither of us had the stamina we normally have. And for me without stamina, I lost desire, and on top of that, I think I probably put on a few pounds, IN TEN DAYS! – and let’s just say, fortunately, the instructor, or coach, is awesome, because if he wasn’t I likely wouldn’t have made it out the other side of 60 minutes. https://youtu.be/dlH2kFDc_z4 This experience really made me realize how quickly we lose our basics, our simple skills, that we become accustomed t

Get ready for some motivation! Say YES!!! As I have done an all video episode before, this episode of "The FRONT" is all audio. You can still "see" it on YouTube and also by checking out the Lead The Team Podcast Archive. This episode is all about the power of positive thinking! It is about the power of the word "YES." I originally did the audio podcast of this episode in 2010... wow how time flies. Even now this remains one of my personal favorites; and one of my most downloaded episodes, so I thought I would share it again today. YES = Yourself Eliminating Stoppage There is an assignment in this episode, so watch all the way until the end! https://youtu.be/hh-mb3Om4tg There is so much power in spreading positivity! Eliminate the negative as much as you can! How are you speaking to yourself? Is it building you up or tearing you down? Make sure you execute on finding your inspiration and write down the assignment that I gave you! (If you didn't do it yet, now is the time!) Thank you for tuning in again to The

Let’s face it, some days you are just not in it at 100%. There are days you either are hurt, sick, or just have an off-energy day and you don’t even want to show up to your business. These are the times that you must. Today is one of those days for me – I have a head cold. If you are on the other side of the screen or speakers, it doesn’t matter – what’s the message? Here it goes. https://youtu.be/vsaThEDmOGA There is a rule in business that I have heard stated as: Performance = Ability X Motivation Therefore: Your Performance = Your Ability X Your Motivation (for the day) And: Your Team’s Performance = Their Ability X Your Motivation – WAIT WHAT? That’s right when you are in a leadership role. Your team's performance is amplified by your performance and motivation as a leader. It’s always amplified – it doesn’t matter what direction. It can be amplified for excellence, or amplified for crap. For example – if you catch a cold and have to call in sick, your team will catch pneumonia. (It’s a metaphor) And one

It's true. Evolution and sacrifice are different things, but I imagine you know that. Let me explain the context...This episode came out of a conversation that my wife and I were having about a pop artist last night. While listening to the radio, I commented that, “(The artist) doesn’t know who she is, or who her audience is anymore.” And my wife agreed. We talked for a while about how people put into certain situations, will change for the moment, to fit in, or to gain popularity. Most of the time, the people on the outside can easily see that it’s not really who they are, and they become exposed. And then I got to thinking about that statement…life is about evolving and growing. My wife even said to me, well that person is in a different place than when they started. True, but is it the right place for them, is it a good place – neither of us can answer that question. It’s not our life; not our path. https://youtu.be/WZYIxDGNZ1o ev·o·lu·tion - the gradual development of something, especially from a simple t

What if I told you, that it’s okay to NOT have everyone like you. Historically many influential and now universally loved people were hated in their time. Jesus Christ, Abe Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., just to name a few. Jesus spent his life spreading the word of God, of love, hope, and understanding. The stories of Jesus and lessons in the Bible are wholesome, they are human and real and raw. AND because of his conviction, Jesus was feared, loathed and ultimately crucified, because at the time he was not loved by all. He was feared by those that feared change, by small minds. But, he was loved by a few that made a deep and lasting impact. That impact that is still spreading throughout the world today. https://youtu.be/bF6pCwer468 We want everyone to like us. People by default crave interaction. People are social creatures, often, far more than they should be. And as social creatures, we seek approval. We seek appreciation and respect from the people around us. Especially those that we connect with, inte

Building on Yesterday’s Performance and Getting Better Every Day! Today, I’m going to give you 10 actions or mindsets to aid you in continually upping your performance. https://youtu.be/J4LF6NwryS8 Know this, your present conditions reflect decisions you have made in the past. So today, when you look back on yesterday – it was YOU that made the right decisions that garnered you the win and hit the goals you had for yourself at that time. Your decisions and actions today will be reflected in tomorrow’s outcomes. Whatever your best performance was yesterday, you’ve done it, you’ve achieved it. It’s not the BEST anymore. That doesn’t mean that it is an average performance for you, but you only get one BEST. Here is an example: If you put up a phenomenal performance, let’s say in sales. Say you sell 20 (or 30) cars. That is certainly an excellent job. While that may be your best performance now. It’s repeatable. If you invest the same activities, the same time, the same effort or energy, you should get the same o

How to keep going, and maintaining momentum! Inspiration came from my kickboxing class this morning. I had one of the gal's hollers at me, "COME ON MIKE, KEEP GOING!" My immediate reply was, "Just because I am not going as fast as you, does not mean I've stopped." I think that is so relevant and important to acknowledge in business, management, and leadership. It's okay for people to move at a different speed or take different approaches to get a task completed. You just don't want to allow them to stop or stagnate. https://youtu.be/-kLe2iVsUqU You want people to complete tasks, and you want them to complete them well. You also, want people that work for you to have an opportunity to grow at their pace. Just remember be a positive influence. Encourage people. Push them to keep going! Keep people moving forward, it's easier to keep them going than it is to get them started again from a complete stop!   Download This Episode Now! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!

Today I am talking about effective learning and growth. When people are learning and growing, it makes them more valuable. More valuable to themselves in the form of self-confidence and self-worth and upgraded intra-personal skills. It makes them more valuable to their families, improves interpersonal skills and their relationships. And certainly, makes them more valuable in business, because when you are growing as an individual, and as a manager or a leader in an organization, it brings other people along that growth pattern with you - AND – helps the organization to grow! https://youtu.be/MoDSZIQekfY So, here are my 5 tips on learning effectively. Know how you learn. Are you primarily - visual, auditory, kinesthetic. Do you learn better in a classroom, or by watching someone else? Do you learn with someone guiding you, and just going after it, taking action. These methods are all valuable. To be effective at teaching others, you must know what your areas of strength are and be an effective student first.

“Well done is better than well said.” ~ Benjamin Franklin It's very difficult to have the wherewithal to both DO great things and TALK ABOUT DOING GREAT THINGS at the same time. So if you have to do just one, which is better? I personally believe it is better to take action, to do. Talking about accomplishment, planning and being strategic is great, and they are necessary. But, execution on tasks is a real key to success! https://youtu.be/cxqTic0VwWA Action.It truly does speak louder than words. So sometimes it's necessary to just be quiet and get on your game and execute. It's not necessary to brag, or speak heavily on the subject. People will see what you are doing with their own eyes, and then they will believe in it. You must trust that you are ready. So take action... go, go, go - wherever you are, it's important to START.   Download This Episode Now!

Here are 7 success facts that you should know! (Or at least that I would like to share with you!) These are business principles that I have learned throughout my time in business, as a youth sports coach, and in leadership. So tune in and check them out! https://youtu.be/IVfIya8hneQ 7 Success Facts Success will not depend on your education, but on your attitude and the actions you take. You are either rich or you are poor. It’s a mentality. There is no in between. True freedom comes from more than a 40-hour work-week. Entrepreneurs understand this. Real success is that you work while you are awake. No one else truly cares if you succeed or fail. Your view of success and someone else’s view of failure may be much closer together than you think. You must learn how to sell, whether you like it or not, you will always be selling, yourself, your product, your company. You will never get paid what you deserve unless you sell. You must negotiate it. Be confident in yourself and what you have to offer. You'll get pa

International Podcast Day™ is today, September 30th! This is an international celebration of podcasting power! Spread the word and tell, friends, family and all of your social connections! Please tune in and check it out, and make sure to share on your Facebook, Twitter and other networks. Use #InternationalPodcastDay as your hashtag! As always, thank you for tuning in and checking out episodes of my podcast, "The FRONT." You can check out all of the episodes fo my podcast at http://leadtheteam.libsyn.com Join the celebration. Please SUBSCRIBE! And as always, thank you for tuning in!   Download This Episode Now!

Here are my 10 ways to generate customers as a car salesperson. After watching the video, do you have some additional things that work for you? Leave them in the comments below! https://youtu.be/r4Hx-jPzWzo https://youtu.be/r4Hx-jPzWzo Work with the people that you already have in your database or already know. Call them back when you say you will! Only about half of salespeople (in any industry) follow-up even one time. So if you simply call people back you are better than the other 50%. Customers will appreciate a salesperson that does what they say they will do. This is the first step. Ask everyone that you meet for referrals. With 85% of the American population owning or buying a vehicle. In fact, I have heard that somewhere between 25% and 30% of people have referrals. You must ask the question! "Who do you know that may be in the market for a new or used car, truck, van or SUV?" Social Media. Brand yourself, become the local resource for people to reach out with questions. Online Video. I include this

You must be stubborn with your goals. You should stay flexible in the approach and the methods. If you want your life to be meaningful and have a strong purpose, you must have goals! You should have lots of goals. Business goals, family goals, personal goals, each of these will move you to a successful and purposeful life! You should always have multiple goals to pursue at any given time, but you shouldn't be afraid to change them if you think that's what they need. Outside influences will try to derail your goals. People will try to change your mind. People will get jealous and will tell you that your goals are too big, or too unrealistic. They are your goals, your dreams, and you should hold onto the goal no matter what. Just be aware that there is more than one way to accomplish your goal or goals. SO don't fall in love with your approach. The method may change. For example, weight loss. You may have a goal to lose 20 pounds. But, there are several different methods to lose weight. You can diet, you can wo

Tonight I am talking about perception magic! Our perceptions affect our beliefs and belief systems. In fact, you can be looking at the same item, or in the same situation with a different person and you can each see two completely different outcomes. Let me start with a few definitions of things I'm going to talk about in the podcast/video. per·cep·tion - the state of being aware of or process of becoming aware of something through the senses. goal - the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result. a·chieve - successfully bring about or reach (a desired objective, level, or result) by effort, skill, or courage. When it comes to perception, I learned some time ago to eliminate the word failure from my vocabulary. When you have a goal, measure successes, celebrate wins, the more you wire your brain this way, the more wins you will have to celebrate! So Measure each success along the way, all of them, no matter how small. Every sale can be a win. here is my spin. For example, if you are a

This show is a repeat. It's about Purpose. “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~ Mark Twain https://youtu.be/ZOJtvxO-EFw Like the quote says, I used to think that I was searching for my purpose. And for a brief time, I thought that the one reason I was put here was to make an impact on others, help train and grow people. I thought that was my purpose… if you listen to Tony Robbins, that was my driving, “WHY.” THERE IS MORE THAN ONE REASON YOU ARE HERE! But, what if you had more than one reason… what if I told you that you need to let go of the ONE. What if there wasn’t only one “current” purpose that you should be working on for the next 5, 10 or 15 years before you can work on what you REALLY want to do? Here is a (maybe) harsh reality for some of you. God did not whisper to you and tell you to do this for only the time being, it isn’t to just pass the time. You are supposed to be excellent and be GREAT at today! Your today could be to make an imp

Leadership IS influence. If you engage actively in these three things, you can increase your influence and your leadership aptitude. https://youtu.be/WHEw_z_9FxA Know yourself and your team. You must play to your strengths as well as your team's strengths. Making sure to address and develop weak areas to minimize or eliminate shortcomings in a business environment. If you know yourself well you can lead others to success. If you know your team well, then you can drive them to greatness, and they will feel confident and help to build your vision along the way. Be an open and authentic positive influence. Leadership is influence, it’s not a title. Leadership is similar but not the same as a management role. The reason is because influence can come from anyone at any level and in any role. Therefore leadership can come from any level in an organization.  Leadership has to do with lifting other people up and working towards a common goal. When you work together and especially when you achieve together it builds