| Jerry Rice, former NFL receiver with the most | | | | hold) movements. Eg., in salsa, for every 3 |
| touchdowns, said it was the hardest thing he | | | | quick steps, you pause on the fourth. For a |
| has ever done. What is it? Competing on | | | | dance to be graceful, fluid and dynamic, |
| TV's show "Dancing with the Stars" last year. | | | | mastering its varying tempo is essential.In |
| "I worked more on dancing than when I played | | | | business, timing and rhythm are equally |
| football."Dancing - one of my greatest life | | | | important. The most successful businesses |
| passions - has also been my greatest teacher. | | | | know that there is a time to grow and seize |
| I have learned more about life and success | | | | opportunities quickly. There is also a time |
| from dancing, than any book, seminar or even | | | | to pause, regroup and put the necessary |
| business mentor. When I step out on a dance | | | | resources in place to go to the next level. |
| floor, my whole world changes. I transcend | | | | Do you honor your own business rhythm? Do |
| my everyday world of busy activities, demands | | | | you know when to move quickly and when to |
| and challenges to a place of timelessness ... | | | | pause? How can pausing help you to get to |
| that defies words. It touches every fiber | | | | your goal faster?PRINCIPLE 5: Developing |
| of my being.This "wise teacher" has taught me | | | | powerful business (or personal) partnerships |
| how to:- Achieve my goals and visions more | | | | requires sensory acuity. Pay attention to |
| effortless. | | | | the unspoken communications.One of the most |
| | | | critical skills in partner dancing is |
| - Fill my days with a deeper sense of | | | | developing sensory acuity. Both the leader |
| passion and joy. | | | | and the follower must learn to communicate |
| | | | and "listen" to each other, without words.A |
| - Increase my productivity and focus | | | | follower must "listen" to a leader's cues -- |
| dramatically. | | | | communicated from his frame to her frame -- |
| | | | for next steps. The leader uses this skill to |
| - Develop synergistic relationships | | | | discern whether his partner "heard" his dance |
| resulting in more powerful win/win outcomes. | | | | cues correctly and, if necessary, to adjust |
| | | | his lead accordingly.Powerful "partnerships" |
| - Live what I call an "inspired | | | | are at the heart of every business. Whether |
| life."Regardless whether you are a dancer or | | | | between a boss and employee, between a |
| not, you too can experience the same powerful | | | | company and their customers, or amongst |
| shifts. Below are 7 critical principles that | | | | peers, such partnerships listening to the |
| can teach you how to transform your business | | | | unspoken communications.Only 7% of our |
| journey and destination ...beyond what you | | | | communications comes from words; 60-70% |
| thought possible.PRINCIPLE 1: MAGIC happens | | | | through physiology. Pay attention to a |
| in the experience, not the outcome.Last week, | | | | person's physiology - such as their gestures, |
| I went to a seminar by Robert Dilts, top NLP | | | | posture, etc. What are these unspoken |
| (NeuroLinguistic Programming) trainer, called | | | | "signals" telling you? How can mastering |
| "Demystifying the Wealth Factor." Using the | | | | this skill improve your bottomline?PRINCIPLE |
| NLP tool of modeling with hundreds of | | | | 6: Great leaders lead from behind. They |
| entrepreneurs, he identified the top 7 | | | | know how to put the spotlight on others and |
| critical factors of business success.Passion | | | | help them succeed.In dancing, the leader's |
| was one of those factors. Although passion | | | | role is to lead the steps, bring out the best |
| being a critical success factor is not new, | | | | in the follower and let their partner shine. |
| what was new was Dilt's view on passion. He | | | | The follower's "job" is to implement the |
| said "true passion happens when the | | | | dance choreography ... ie., its vision and |
| destination and the journey become one and | | | | essence.So it is with business. Your |
| the same."A big "AHA"! I now had words to | | | | business success is directly proportional to |
| describe my own experience with dancing. | | | | your ability to lead from behind, bring out |
| Being goal-oriented by nature, dancing has | | | | the best in others and help them succeed. |
| taught me to suspend my need to be at a | | | | Such is the paradox of great leadership.To |
| specific place at a specific time. To | | | | what extent do you bring out the best in |
| experience the magic of dancing, you cannot | | | | others and help them succeed? How can |
| be anywhere other than where you are at in | | | | leading from behind make your "job" easier |
| the moment.Dancing teaches me to stay focused | | | | and produce better business |
| on the experience of the moment. That each | | | | outcomes?PRINCIPLE 7: The greatest dance of |
| moment is a destination in itself. That only | | | | all is the dance with uncertainty. To |
| in the moment can passion and magic happen. | | | | succeed in today's times, you must learn to |
| What's your experience of the moment ... | | | | let go of control, be "light on your feet" |
| right now ... in your business?PRINCIPLE 2: | | | | and ready to respond in a moment's time.The |
| Ensure that you have the right structure. It | | | | greatest gift that dancing has taught me is |
| allows maximum movement and helps you achieve | | | | the ability to live in the moment, let go of |
| goals easier and faster.From day 1, a dancer | | | | the need to control/anticipate the dance |
| learns the importance of the right frame, | | | | steps and to trust myself and my inner |
| whether as a leader or follower. You will | | | | guidance. Every follower must learn to live |
| often hear a dance instructor say in class | | | | with 100% uncertainty and be ready for any |
| "No noodle arms or hand squeezing."For a | | | | step - even those never learned - that the |
| leader to lead and a follower to follow, | | | | leader chooses in the moment.The 21st century |
| there must be enough (not too little or too | | | | is one of rapid change and unpredictability. |
| much) tension in the arms. Too little | | | | Social upheaval, technological breakthroughs, |
| tension, and the leader must effort for the | | | | environmental catastrophes, etc. can |
| follower to do her steps. Too much tension | | | | instantly change the course of a business. |
| constricts movement, can injure the body and | | | | To survive and thrive, you must learn to |
| make the dance anything but an enjoyable | | | | dance with uncertainty, Every change presents |
| experience.The same is true in business. Too | | | | threats and opportunities. Your ability to |
| little structure and you have to work harder | | | | flow with, not against, the tide of change |
| to achieve your goal. Too much structure | | | | will determine your ultimate outcome.How |
| constrains the ability of an individual or | | | | comfortable are you with uncertainty? How |
| organization from moving with ease, speed and | | | | does your management style prevent you from |
| momentum. Make sure you have the right | | | | responding to change? Do you move with or |
| amount of structure. To what extent do you | | | | against the tide?As Jerry Rice learned that |
| have "noodle arms or squeezing" in your | | | | being great in dancing is not different from |
| business?PRINCIPLE 3: True mastery happens | | | | that in football, so too have I learned the |
| when you shift your focus from "doing" to | | | | same holds between dancing and business. As |
| "becoming." Only then can you experience | | | | diverse as these disciplines seem on the |
| optimal performance.One of my favorite | | | | surface, they intersect at the core elements |
| classic books is George Leonard's "Mastery: | | | | driving every great success story. Timing, |
| The Keys to Success and Long-Term | | | | intuition, passion, creative expression, |
| Fulfillment". George Leonard was a master | | | | spontaneity and rhythm are just a few of the |
| black belt martial arts instructor who | | | | commonalities. The "Dance of Success" is not |
| applied the principles of aikido to | | | | about winning the medal. It is the path to |
| leadership and success in business.As a | | | | mastery itself that catapults us beyond the |
| runner, he used the example in his book that | | | | edge of who we are and what we are capable |
| true mastery comes when you transcend from | | | | of. I hope you enjoy the dance |
| "doing" the run," to "becoming the run." | | | | ☺).Denise Corcoran - CEO, The Empowered |
| Great musicians and artists know this state. | | | | Business (tm) - assists CEOs, executives and |
| I have experienced this state in dancing. | | | | business owners in taking a quantum leap from |
| When you move from "doing" to "becoming," you | | | | the ordinary to extraordinary ... from |
| experience an amazing sense of effortlessness | | | | unrealized dreams to mastering their destiny |
| and "flow," as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi | | | | ... from slow growth to exponential results. |
| described in his classic book, "Flow: The | | | | A business & leadership coach, strategic |
| Psychology of Optimal Experience."In the | | | | consultant and Master NLP Practioner, |
| business world, there is a big difference | | | | Denise's unique "inside out" approach |
| between "doing the right thing" and "becoming | | | | provides deep transformation and lasting |
| the right person." Great achievers know that | | | | change in you, your organization and your |
| when you focus on "becoming" more, you will | | | | results. Her latest e-book: "The Mindset of |
| do more. On what side of the equation is | | | | Greatness: 21 Principles to Becoming an |
| you focus on?PRINCIPLE 4: Timing and rhythm | | | | Unstoppable Woman ... Oprah Winfrey Style!" |
| are everything in business. Know when to | | | | to her monthly ezine - The Empowered |
| move quickly; know when to slow down and | | | | Business (tm) - and learn the legendary |
| pause.Every dance has a certain rhythm, | | | | secrets of top business achievers. |
| utilizing a combination of quick and slow (or | | | | |