Workplace growth expert Cheryl Cran’s newsletter for leaders and business owners

Hi everyone, I hope you had a wonderful summer and took time to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with your kids while they were out of school and had some down time with your sweetie.

September to me is like the true new year of the year. We all seem to get re-focused on finishing the fall or last quarter with a new focus as we work towards the New Year ahead.

I have some exciting news to share with all of you about what I have been doing and what you can watch for in the upcoming months. First of all I have teamed up with Karen Harris and her CMI Speaker Management team. www.cmispeakers.com Karen and her team are my new partners in supporting my customers to receive top of the line care. I am very excited to be expanding my business and having such a dynamic group on my team.

I am also thrilled to announce that I have a new keynote titled, “Control Freaks Rock- How to Lead with Balance and Power” with a book of similar title to follow in the next year. This keynote focuses on the positive aspects of being a control freak and how we can learn to leverage our leadership by focusing on the ‘right’ things to control.

Also watch for my new website with a blog and downloadable podcasts all coming this fall!

It is extremely powerful to trust your gut and know when something has run its course. Many of us hold on to situations that we know are not where we want to be but we are afraid to make changes because of the unknown outcomes. Here are some questions to ask to find out if NOW is the time to hold or to fold:

1. Have I been thinking about leaving my job or situation for a while now?
2. Have I made every effort to make it work given the realities of the situation?
3. Am I afraid to let this go because of money, security or identity?
4. What is the worst case scenario if I were to make the choice to move on?

Answer these with complete honesty and do not throw the baby out with the bathwater, rather acknowledge that something has GOT to change and begin taking actions each day that help you feel empowered to test a new direction such as polishing up your resume, taking some courses at night school or using your personal time to explore things you would love to do. You could also hire a career coach to help guide you. If not now when? If not you who? Remember the acronym for FEAR False Expectations Appearing Real

Quote of the Month: “In all things success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be failure.”---Confucius

September’s Article: 3 Steps to Being a Funky Control Freak (that’s a good thing)

Control freaks get a bad rap. The term is used a lot and often in a derogatory and derisive way. But hang on; some of the most successful people on the planet have elements of control freakiness. Donald Trump would not be the success he is today without extremely high standards and high control. Barbara Streisand, Katie Couric and Martha Stewart are all self-admitted control lovers and state that they would not be where they were without a high need to positively control their directions.

The trick is in knowing when to control and when to let go for optimal results.

Here are the 3 Steps to being a funky control freak that rocks!

Step One: Own Your Inner Control Freak

Everybody and I mean everybody has an inner control freak. Think about it, are there some things that you have to have done in a certain way? Are there times that you insist on things being done your way? Do you like to drive rather than be a passenger? Do you hate surprises? These are just a few areas where our desire to control is in our faces.

The first step is awareness around the things you like control and why.

Step Two: Shift of Get off the Pot

Recognize that once we own our inner control freak we can then make shifts on how to use control in a positive way. More questions, would you want a surgeon who was not in complete control of his operating room? Would you want an airline pilot who wasn’t in control of the cockpit? Would you want a boss who abdicated all control because she or he wanted everyone to like them?

Being in control is a good thing, shift your mindset into focusing on the positive control freak attributes and the positive things they bring to our environments.

Step Three: Use Control That Rocks

Do you want to be a funky control freak that uses control to create phenomenal results or are you being a freaky control freak that destroys morale and results? Of course we want to be a funky not a freaky. A positive or funky control freak uses control in the following ways:

A freaky control freak simply wants to control for control sake. That is freaky!

So from now on when someone uses the term ‘control freak’ make sure you clarify if it is funky or freaky because being a control freak is not a bad thing.

Are you ready to make big changes and you are looking for just the right book or person to show up? Look no further here are a few recommendations:

The Gift of Fear- Gavin De Becker

What Color is Your Parachute?- A well known book on finding your true vocation

Have a Fall Retreat or Conference for Your Company

The fall is a great time to hold a leadership retreat to revisit vision, mission and goals and to rejuvenate the leadership team. The fall is also a perfect time to have a company wide meeting to inspire, re-focus and motivate the troops to stay on course and to stay committed to the goals while honoring your most valuable asset- your people. For more information on how Cheryl can help you and your company grow to the next level call or email CMI Speaker Management at june@cmispeakers.com or 1 877 307 7403.