How well are you performing in your daily life? Are you just getting by, or are you performing fully at your capability? Are you focusing clearly on what is most important, accomplishing your goals, and getting the results YOU want in life? If your answer is “no” and you want to change the results you’re getting, there’s a simple answer. You can shift to an “elite mindset.”

In the last two issues of The Spark we looked at a recent study which identified what differentiates the “elite performers” from the “also-rans.” The study, conducted by Dr. Ray Metcalfe (metcalfassociates@sympatico.ca), found that elite performers have six strengths to create an “elite performance mindset.” All six strengths must be present for elite performance. Over several issues of The Spark I will talk about the six strengths that Dr. Metcalfe identified as the “elite performance mindset.” In each issue I’ll provide tips to help you create your own elite performance mindset. At the end of the series, I would love to get your feedback on whether your “score” for how you are performing in your life has changed as a result. The six strengths are:

** Elite performers think well

** Elite performers are bold

** Elite performers bounce back

** Elite performers have strong interpersonal skills

** Elite performers are practical

** Elite performers are disciplined.

If you missed Part 1 or Part 2 which explored the first three characteristics, please email me at coachkaren@comcast.net. In this issue of The Spark we’ll look at the next two qualities: having strong interpersonal skills and being practical.

True success in business is about successful relationships. Dr. Metcalfe found that elite performers were approachable, conntected well with others, and showed a genuine interest in others. Although not all elite performers would be described as “people people,” they all had these characteristics.  This is consistent with Daniel Goleman’s work on Emotional Intelligence. Goleman discovered that EQ (emotional intelligence), the way one manages emotions in relationship with self and others, is a better predictor of business success than IQ (intellect). If you want to strengthen your interpersonal skills, here are some tips:

·        Take responsibility for your emotional responses and your relationship with others. If you tend to react to certain situations or people, embrace the opportunity to grow and better understand your triggers and indentify some alternative responses.

·        Break old patterns of how you perceive the world around you. If you perceive that when something goes wrong the “world is out to get you,” you will understandably have a different response than thinking sometimes challenges happen to good people.

·         Be “other” focused. Make a point of sincerely asking others about themselves, listening to the answer, and responding in a way that is about THEM, not you. People know when you’re really interested, and respond in amazing ways. An example of this is Southwest Airlines. In researching customer service complaints they discovered that virtually every complaint could be traced to a “self” focused employee, rather than an “other” focused employee. They began using “other focus” as a hiring factor for their staff.

·        Express appreciation. How often do you say “thank you,” or “you matter” to the people around you? We all want to feel special and appreciated, and it’s the easiest thing in the world to do.

What is one thing that could help you to connect more strongly with others?

The next characteristic on the list is: elite performers are practical. This quality is the ability to take ideas and make them practical. It includes the willingness to try new things, as well as the ability to let go of what isn’t working. My view is that the more ways you can think of to accomplish something, the more likely it is that you will succeed. I find that people often have just one or two ways to do something. If those ways don’t work, it leads to frustration or just abandoning the idea completely. Willingness to do some creative problem solving, try different things, and let go of one way in favor of something else, can make the difference between success and “failure.” Some tips for being “practical” are:

·        Ask yourself “how can I” or “how else can I” questions. Believing that there is an answer that just needs to be discovered can keep you moving.

·        Brainstorm. Brainstorming means coming up with any idea, no matter how impractical, and writing it down. Invite others to help you brainstorm. Remove the limits of practicality until you’ve created a list of several options. THEN begin to ask “how could I do this” questions. How many times have we heard that something couldn’t be done, and then before long, someone did it?

·        Redefine success and failure. Thomas Edison is quoted as saying, during his attempts to build a light bulb, “We now know a thousand ways not to build a light bulb.” Success for him was learning yet another way NOT to build the light bulb.

How can you put your ideas to work in better and more effective ways?