Category Archives: Success

Challenge, Fear, Leadership, Perseverance, Strength, Success

Stand Strong and Persevere

January 5, 2015 Liz Stincelli

“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” —Walter Elliot

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Perseverance

We do not succeed in a day, a week, or even a year. Success takes dedication and perseverance; and it takes it on a daily basis; day after day, week after week, and year after year. No one can do it for you; you have to do it for yourself. Stop dwelling on the negative; stand strong and persevere.

Overcome your fear

So where do you start? First, you must learn not to let fear stand in your way, causing you to give up. Charles Stanley wrote, “Fear stifles out thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation. I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral begins.” If you want to succeed, you must be willing to fail. Recognize that failure is not something to fear, it is only temporary; grow from it and move forward. Become courageous enough to do what you’re afraid doing. Only then will you build the resilience necessary to bounce back from defeat.

Welcome a new challenge

Summer Sanders said, “To be a champion, I think you have to see the big picture. It’s not about winning and losing; it’s about every day hard work and about thriving on a challenge.” When you learn to thrive on challenge you no longer perceive it as an obstacle to success. Take the initiative and accept the challenge to act on your biggest ideas. Develop the tenacity necessary to fight for your dreams. Every new challenge is an opportunity to get closer to achieving your goals. Step out of you comfort zone and stand strong in the face of adversity. Use challenge as an opportunity to experience, learn, and grow.

Keep moving forward

Conrad Hall explained, “You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.” You keep moving forward when to choose to take responsibility, learn from your mistakes, and make corrections. You will never regret putting forth the effort necessary to keep moving when things get tough. When you feel stuck, try looking at things from a different point of view. You never know when all the hard work and perseverance is going to pay off so, never give up. Take stock of both your accomplishments and the lessons learned from your failures and then keep moving forward.

You Can Do It

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow told us, “Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.” Accept that the only person you can control is yourself. Acceptance of this fact places the responsibility for your success squarely on your shoulders. Develop courage by overcoming fear, build resiliency by welcoming a new challenge, and use the lessons you learn to keep moving you forward. Stand strong and persevere; you can do it.

Elizabeth Stincelli is passionate about recognizing and inspiring the leader in each of us. She is the CEO of Stincelli Advisors where she focuses on helping organizations engage employees and improve organizational culture. Elizabeth holds a Doctor of Management degree with an emphasis on organizational leadership.

Learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

Challenge, Leadership, Positive Energy, Success

Where’s Your Positive Energy?

January 5, 2015 Liz Stincelli

“When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple.” —Paulo Coelho

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Positive Energy

Life can be long and tedious when you get caught up in negative thinking. Negative thinking leads to negative energy and negative energy NEVER leads to success. So, how can you cultivate positive energy?

Self-Talk

Denis Waitley tells us, “Relentless, repetitive self-talk is what changes our self-image.” Words have power, especially self-talk. Start by getting rid of all the “have to”, “must”, and “should” talk. Stop telling yourself that everything has to be perfect. Tell yourself that you are equipped to overcome the obstacles you are likely to encounter. Decide that you will maintain a positive attitude despite what comes your way. Recognize and then eliminate even the slightest appearance of negative self-talk.

Reframe

Marianne Williamson explained, “Our key to transforming anything lies in our ability to reframe it.” Recognize that in life very few things in life black or white. Learn to look at situations from other perspectives and reframe the way you define your circumstances. Find the positive in people and situations. Focus on the things that make you healthy and happy and reframe to develop a positive, yet realistic view of the world.

Growth

Bo Bennett said, “Those who improve with age embrace the power of personal growth and personal achievement and begin to replace youth with wisdom, innocence with understanding, and lack of purpose with self-actualization.” What better way to foster positive energy than to know you are growing every day. Focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t do. Connect a positive meaning to the goals you are pursuing. Emphasize continual learning, growth, and real engagement in your life. Develop positive relationships that offer support in your constructive endeavors. Figure out who you are when you are at your best and then strive to be that person 100% of the time.

You Have It

Hayley Hasselhoff believed, “People dwell so much on the little things, but why should they hold you back when you have the big things to look forward to? By exuding positive energy when dealing with your problems, you will exude it in your being in general.” Focus on positive self-talk, reframe situations to view the positive, and concentrate on your personal growth. Practice small, positive steps every day. Express gratitude for who you are, your opportunities, and your experiences. Where’s your positive energy? I know you have it so let’s see it.

Failing, Innovation, Perseverance, Success

Are You Good at Failing?

October 2, 2014 Liz Stincelli

“There’s no learning without trying lots of ideas and failing lots of times.” —Jonathan Ive

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Why Fail?

We always talk about success, but what about the stepping stones to success that we call failure? We’ve all heard the advice: fail fast and fail often. But why fail at all? When we fail, we gain insight into what went right and what went wrong. This information helps guide our next steps in the right direction. Failure helps us to learn what we don’t know so we can determine who or what we need access to for success. We can also share lessons learned from our failure with others and implement lessons others have learned from their failures. The fact is, you’re going to fail so you might as well get good at it.

Innovate

Brene Brown explained, “There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” Great innovations are developed through trial and error. It’s not very often you get grand innovation right the first time. The only way to assure you will not fail is by doing nothing and innovation is never built on inaction.

Fail

Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” As much as it may feel fatal, you will survive, failure is just part of the innovation process. The quicker you fail, the smaller and more manageable your mistakes will be. Every time you challenge yourself you are flirting with failure but, when you fail you have the opportunity to step up your thinking. You aren’t invincible so you might as well develop an accepting attitude towards failure.

Perseverance

Julie Andrews said, “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” Develop resilience; use your failures as learning experiences. Make adjustments and return better than ever. Fail, pick yourself back up and move forward. Failure can transform you and the way you look at the world around you. The more you fail the better you will become at making corrections quickly.

Success

Winston Churchill explained, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” Failure is a stepping stone to success. It often brings with it new opportunities and perspectives. Most great successes have been preceded by failure, sometimes multiple failures. You will achieve success once you are willing to accept failure as a way to learn and move forward.

Are You Good at Failing?

Woody Allen said, “If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.” Remember, failing is part of the journey. You learn more lessons and gain more wisdom from your failures than your successes can ever provide. Value and celebrate your successes, but learn to value the lessons that failure has to offer as well.

Change Management, Leadership, Opportunity, Success

Challenging the Status Quo

September 4, 2014 Liz Stincelli

“The riskiest thing we can do is just maintain the status quo.” —Bob Iger

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

The Status Quo

As Marshall Goldsmith said, “What got you here won’t get you there.” What is sufficient for success today will not be sufficient tomorrow. You must learn to be agile. Evaluate where you are today and where you want to go. Will continuing on your current route get you there? If you are seeking long-term success you must constantly challenge the status quo.

What is your mission?

Your purpose should provide a clear mission. Who needs you? What do they need and why? What must you do to meet those needs? When you have a reasoned mission, you have a clear picture of where you are going and how you will behave on your journey. This clarity allows you to remain calm during times of adversity. It helps you view the lessons of past experiences with an eye for the future. With a clear mission you will find it easier to stay true to your values. Colin Powell reminds us, “Fit no stereotypes. Don’t chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team’s mission.” Continually challenge the status quo in light of your mission.

Innovation

John Emmerling tells us, “Innovation is creativity with a job to do.” Innovation allows you to create something new that meets an unmet need and provides value. The ability to innovate requires that you overcome our fear of challenging the status quo. When you take all of your small ideas and combine them, you often come up with one, great idea. Focus on looking for ways to innovate everywhere. Listen to the needs of your customers, employees, and stakeholders as you consider challenging the status quo.

Opportunity

When you challenge the status quo you open yourself to seeing opportunity where you least expect it. Ask questions. What is working and what isn’t? How can I make it or do it better? Milton Berle said, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” Constantly step outside your comfort zone. Take on challenging situations. Be willing to look at situations from a new perspective. Welcome opportunities to collaborate in new and creative ways. Look to the work of others for inspiration and opportunity to reevaluate the status quo.

Change

Change is a necessity; we must change or we become obsolete. William Pollard said, “Without change there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement. Those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to manage the change that is inevitable.”Learn to question the status quo and then embrace the change that is required to achieve success today, tomorrow, and into the future.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Howard Schultz believes that, “Any business today that embraces the status quo as an operating principle is going to be on a death march.” It would be foolish to think that you can continue to be successful by doing the same things tomorrow that you did yesterday. You must learn to adapt your thinking to embrace new challenges, strategies, and ways of approaching your work. Clarify your mission, pursue innovation, seek opportunity, and embrace change. Challenge the status quo and move your business forward.

Inspiration, Opportunity, Success

You Can Do This

August 28, 2014 Liz Stincelli

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” —Vince Lombardi

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

It’s All About You

Maya Angelo reminded us that, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” It’s all about you; you are in control. Have you thought about all the possibilities? We all have dreams. Do you have the will and dedication to make yours come true?

Dreams

What are your dreams? Dig beneath the material things and accomplishments. What are the feelings associated with achieving your dreams? Your brain does not respond to things or actions, it responds to the way those things make you feel. Develop a clear vision of where you are going. Now see yourself on that journey.

Motivation

Success takes action. What motivates you? What is your “why”? Place reminders where you will see them every day to remind you why your dreams are important. Make a plan and then develop the self-discipline necessary to stick to that plan. Don’t let yourself become complacent and content with the status quo. Make the commitment to yourself that your dreams will be a priority.

Opportunity

Bobby Unser said, “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Take the steps necessary to ensure you will be prepared when an opportunity arises. Learn to recognize opportunity in unexpected forms and places. Be prepared to sell yourself and your abilities. When you position yourself to win it is only a matter of time before the right opportunity presents itself.

Fear

We’ve all heard that people fear public speaking more than they fear death. But, for all of you who have been required to give a speech publically, you didn’t die did you? Nothing horrific happened. In fact, I would bet that you actually felt a certain level of pride afterward. Proud of the fact that you succeeded in facing your fear. Bill Cosby said, “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” Learn to embrace the fear. The more you try, the more you fail; the more you fail, the closer you are to success.

You Can Do This

Arnold H. Glasow told us that, “Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.” Chase your dreams, come to know you motivations, seize opportunity, overcome your fear, and then celebrate the small wins along the way. It’s all about you; you are in control; you can do this.

Communication, Empowerment, Engagement, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Success, Team Building, Trust

So, You’re a New Leader

July 24, 2014 Liz Stincelli

So, You’re a New Leader

“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” —Henry A. Kissinger

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

A New Leader

So, you’ve been promoted into a leadership position. While, as the leader, you are now responsible to plan and direct the actions of those you lead, more importantly, you must learn to inspire and empower them. You are now under the scrutiny of your new team. They want to know if you are worthy to be followed. It’s up to you to earn their trust and respect. They are going to be looking to you to provide a sense of purpose that each of them can buy into.

What Now?

Are you prepared to lead? One of the very first things you must do as a new leader is to determine where you’re starting from, where you need to be going, and the obstacles you may face. You need to learn how things really work on the front lines so you will be better prepared provide direction and make decisions. You need to get to know your team and earn their respect. Here are some starting points for your leadership journey.

Self-confidence

Followers need to know that you believe in yourself. This is not arrogance but confidence. Do your homework; make sure that when you speak you know what you are talking about and then trust yourself and your judgment. Set out on a quest to continually gain new knowledge and experiences. Show followers that you are competent to lead. Live your life as an example that you can be proud of.

Establish a foundation

Establish a solid foundation of principles, expectations, and values. Develop and clearly demonstrate through your words and actions a shared purpose and vision. Provide meaningful work where followers can take pride in their contributions. Demonstrate the authenticity of your intentions through transparent and open communication.

Develop a culture that values consistent behavior, the sharing of knowledge, and encourages collaboration. Put the right people in the right roles and show a commitment helping them become successful. Commit to quality and set up measures to monitor results. Ask great questions and really listen to the answers. Foster an environment of strong relationships, teamwork, and collaboration.

Engage

Be supportive of your employees. Clearly outline your expectations and give them the opportunity to come up with their own ideas rather than you dictating what they should do. Value each member of your team for what they can contribute not for their position. Remember, you don’t have all the answers so trust the knowledge and skills of your team members. Engage and encourage each of your followers to participate in the leadership of the organization. Help followers to continue to develop personally and professionally.

Encourage your team to challenge the status quo with innovative thinking. Urge team members to voice differing perspectives, not for conflict, but to improve performance. Encourage team members to connect authentically and show them how by the example you set. Form a diverse team to ensure a continual supply of new perspectives. Emphasize accountability and ownership. Give credit to team members where and when it is due.

Character

Your character will play a pivotal role in your success or failure as a leader. Make sure your service is focused on others and not self-serving. Know what you stand for and why. Be committed to your values and principles. Always be authentic. Lead with purpose and compassion. Demonstrate patience and strength under pressure.

Build deep and meaningful relationships with those you work with. Show everyone they matter by giving them your time and making them feel valued. Show them that you recognize and appreciate their efforts. Demonstrate your competence. Do what others won’t and be willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Be courageous and embrace the lessons that failure has to offer. Show humility. Be fair and consistent in your leadership. Be a good listener. Always practice what you preach. And, strive to inspire and motivate those around you.

Intentions

Lead for the right reasons. If your intentions are not authentic your employees will quickly see through the façade and you will lose their trust and respect. Lead not for the benefits to you personally but to leave a legacy through the lives you have impacted. Be a compassionate leader. Share your wisdom. Help others grow and reach their full potential. Share and grow your vision. Always stand by your principles. Inspire all who come in contact with you. Serve to encourage and lift others through inspiration and hope.

Take-Away

As a new leader you must determine where your team is, where they are going, and how they are going to get there. You need a strong vision for the future that your team can support. If you always put the needs of your team before your own they will become your loyal supporters. Don’t lead for the sake of the position; take this new opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those you work with. Leadership is a journey, not a destination.

Engagement, Innovation, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Success

The Key to Continued Success: Innovation

July 17, 2014 Liz Stincelli

The Key to Continued Success: Innovation

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” —William Pollard

By Elizabeth Stincelli, DM

Innovation

It would be foolish to think that we can continue to be successful by doing the same things tomorrow that we did yesterday. Innovation allows us to create something new that meets an unmet need and provides value. The responsibility for innovating cannot be placed on a few, select individuals; innovation has to be everyone’s job.

How Do We Create It?

Innovation takes the effort of the whole organization. When you take all the small ideas that employees have to offer and combine them, you often come up with one, great idea. To capitalize on this one great idea, we must give valid consideration to every idea. Successful innovation requires the igniting of passion throughout the organization. The focus should be the customers, both internal and external, that we serve. Let’s create an environment that encourages innovation.

Culture

What type of culture fosters innovation? It is up to organizational leaders to create and maintain a culture where innovation can thrive. One of the most important features of this type of culture is an emphasis on learning. The organization should encourage and facilitate the process of continual self-improvement for employees. The culture should emphasize the importance of purposefully creating a new future. There should be a shared definition of innovation throughout the organization. The focus must be on continuous improvement and the prevention and solving of problems. To come up with useful, innovative ideas, employees need to be given time to become familiar with the needs of the customer. They need the opportunity and resources to experiment with ideas.

Principles

What do principles have to do with innovation? Innovation does not happen overnight. It’s about thinking long-term and requires focused commitment. A shared vision will guide innovation towards the achievement of organizational objectives. The vision should clearly outline our principles and our principles should guide our innovative efforts. Strong principles allow us to challenge the status quo while remaining true to the strategic direction of the organization.

Relationships

How do relationships impact our ability to innovate? Camaraderie between team members is the result of healthy relationships. These strong relationships allow us to work together to connect and combine ideas. Relationships with both internal and external customers are developed when we create exceptional interactions with them. It is essential that we develop mutual trust and confidence in each other. People who feel inspired are more committed and will go the extra mile to help the organization succeed. Every employee should strive to inspire those around them.

Attitude

How does our attitude affect our ability to innovate effectively? Attitude has a huge impact on innovation. We need to be open-minded and receptive to new experiences, ideas, and perspectives. We must be willing to tackle the difficult issues. We should find inspiration in the challenge. We must keep a positive and collaborative attitude even during disagreements.

Behaviors

What sort of behaviors increase the odds for successful innovation? The only way to get good ideas is to get a lot of ideas without judgment. These ideas can be evaluated for usefulness later. Employees must be encouraged to experiment with new ideas and concepts. They should be allowed to let ideas evolve and grow over time. We need to explore a wide range of solutions. The focus needs to be on outcomes and making sure everyone involved knows the vision, strategic goals, and desired results. There should be a healthy tension between where you are and where you are going. This tension should ignite passion but not competition.

Take-Away

Will what you did yesterday be sufficient for tomorrow? The answer is no. Long-term success goes to the organization where innovation is built into the culture. The truth is, you must learn to innovate or you will become obsolete. You never know where the next great idea will come from. So, create a culture that fosters innovation and involves every employee in the process.

Learn more about Elizabeth by visiting her website, stincelliadvisors.com and connect with her on Twitter @infinitestin, Google+, and LinkedIn. You can contact her by email at

stincelliadvisors@gmail.com.

Success