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