This month Hannah Lier, Impact Association Coordinator, attended WSAE’s inaugural FOCUS event. The conference was hosted at the east side of Madison, WI in the breathtaking Doubletree Madison-East. Here, WSAE colleagues were able to network and take time to self-reflect during an action-packed day.
Sometime when life gets crazy and deadlines must be met, it can be hard to take the time for yourself and focus on you. These speakers discussed the importance of taking time for yourself outside of work to be the most productive version of yourself at work.
Be the greatest influence on your own life
Speaker Adam Albrecht presented on the many ways that you have control and influence over your own life. He provided his takeaways for shifting your mindset and enacting these easy tips.
Everything changes with the exchange of a name: Learning someone’s name is the first step to forming a new relationship. Be the person asking for everyone’s name in any situation. You never know who or where the connections will lead to.
Attitude is everything: Think positively and lift up others around you.
Start each day with a smile: It will be awkward and weird at first, but Albrecht recommends waking up and holding a smile for 5 seconds. This way, no matter what happens once the bed is left, the day begin with a smile.
Ask for what you want: Sure, sometimes the answer may be no, but sometimes the answer just might be YES.
Adopt a eulogy mindset: This one is a bit morbid but encourages you to live a great life by starting at the end. What do you want people to say about you and your accomplishments at your funeral?
Influence others for positive change
Another outstanding speaker, Moses Altsech, talked about how persuasion is used daily, often subtly. To influence others and focus on creating positive changes, individuals can become more persuasive by following these tips:
Establish connections & build rapport: Befriend others instead of starting immediately with business conversations.
Listen more then you speak: Active listening leads to solutions already being communicated in between the lines.
Communicate clearly and concisely: Be aware of the audience, any lingo, and their specific needs.
Address any objections with prepared arguments: Don’t just brush off the objections that will inevitably come up, instead hear the issues and have solutions ready.
Compliment and express confidence in others: Praise and validation goes a long way in making sure the person feels comfortable and reassured that you are there for them.
Body language matters: Make sure your body language is consistent with your words since it’s not always WHAT you say, but HOW you say it.
Overall, the key takeaway was that focusing on oneself can help focus one’s goals, inside and outside of work. Learn more ways Impact can help you and your association accomplish long-term objectives.