I hope you find the new format for my e-zine simple and easy to read. I recently hired a Virtual Assistant to get my e-zine set up for me. It was something I really didn't want to spend time on, and she was there to help. What a treat! If you have admin tasks that are hanging over your head and you don't have the time or the inclination to do them, give Kristy Schnabel a call. She'll get it done in no time…to perfection.

I explain to my coaching clients that it is helpful to be aware of not only their activities (what they are doing) but also how they are reacting and feeling (being) about what is going on. For instance, do you find that you sabotage yourself when you get close to breakthrough success? Do you procrastinate when you know that a few hours of dedicated work would complete a project? Do you work long hours but feel guilty about it? This week, try to be aware of how you're "being" about what you're "doing." You might be surprised!

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Do you have a scorecard for your business? What would you choose as the most important areas for company success, customer satisfaction and employee retention? Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing several small business owners. It is my philosophy that all great businesses, regardless of their size, do a few important things particularly well. So, I asked each participant to rate themselves on a scale of 1-10 against a set of interrelated Core Values and Concepts that, according to the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award criteria, are imbedded beliefs and behaviors found in high-performing organizations. They are:

• Visionary Leadership
• Customer-Driven Excellence
• Organizational and Personal Learning
• Valuing Employees and Partners
• Agility
• Focus on the Future
• Managing for Innovation
• Management by Fact
• Social Responsibility
• Focus on Results and Creating Value
• Systems Perspective

I asked the participants to rate themselves from 1-10 for each topic, and then we discussed their results. I wasn't surprised that this particular group rated high, but I was a little surprised at the eloquence with which they explained how they incorporated these core beliefs into their businesses - many times without a prior realization that they were being "unconsciously competent."

Next month, look for the following topics:

--What do Values have to do with Business?
--What is your website telling your clients about you?