AMP Up Life & Business

"We need to invest in technologies that amplify human capacity, not replace it."

~ Reid Hoffman

American Businessman.

 (b. 1967)

To amplify is to enhance intensely.

In life and in business, we can amp things up in many ways, and in particular, we can focus on upping the AMP in the areas of:
Accountability
Motivation, and 
Productivity

Accountability is most important to be engaged with yourself. Accountability works when goals are set, action is taken, results are assessed, and either credit or change is accepted/implemented. Once goals are set, share them. Accountability is twice as effective when you include others who believe in you, understand your focus, and want you to succeed...and will ask the straight-forward questions to keep you on track while encouraging you to keep advancing.

Motivation is internal, and is to be a source of "push" when things are challenging and when things are going smoothly. Motivation is that inner voice that says "Yes, I can!" when things, situations, people, or anything is pushing back. Over the years, it has been shared that my belief is that people are motivated, and in that motivation, they are driven primarily by two of four factors: Time, Money, People, Opportunity. Two of those four are the reason individuals say yes or no, stay or go. Motivation, and knowing yours allows you to make decisions that are aligned with your life and business.

Productivity is about results and outcomes. Productivity is found when effort is compared to capacity. What is yielded out of applying energy and expertise is what is produced. Being productive is not the same as being "busy". Busy means someone is active, is doing something, and yet busy does not means anything is being accomplished or moving forward. Productive times may be full and active, yes, and yet in that full, active time, there are solutions, resolutions and advancements in goal achievement.

If you want to level-up, think about AMPing it up with a check in on your ACCOUNTABILITY, your MOTIVATION, and your PRODUCTIVITY as you enhance life and business intensely!

Answering Questions Effectively When Presenting

There's No "Great Question"

In a meeting or presentation, on the phone, over video, or in person, welcome questions when you are the expert/speaker/presenter.

Let people know that you are open to questions (rather than saying "Hold your questions until the end."), and when you get one, resist saying "Good question". "Good question" is an old trick for buying time. When a speaker says it each time, it is clearly insincere, and if a speaker says it often, it sounds like judgement of the question or person.

Here are three steps to effective question answering:

1) Use "Th..." words when someone asks a question. Saying "Thanks for asking" or "That's something I've explored" gives acknowledgement and appreciation for the interaction.

2) After that, address the inquiry directly and clearly.

3) From there, ensure you did, in fact, answer the question by asking "Did I provide what you were seeking"? or "Was that information what you wanted?", or "Did that answer provide what you sought?", or "Did I answer your question?". These confirming questions allow the person making the inquiry to ask more and/or confirm that you provided what was sought.

If you don't know the answer to a question, state that, write it down, and give a time and day when you'll have the answer for the person. Allow others to know if they want the answer, too, to provide their contact information to you for being copied on the answer. And then, research the answer and provide it by the time you offered!

Questions are a way for you to engage, grow and learn in presenting, so welcome the ask, and provide answers professionally for impact!

Accepting a Compliment/Recognition

"You look so nice!" "What a terrific presentation you made!" "How amazing are you with trivia!?!?" These compliments are only true recognition when they are acknowledged and accepted.

Too often, people deny, ignore, argue, self-deprecate, question, deflect, de-value, and/or doubt the input or displace the credit. While that may be a form of humility to some, for the complimenter, it feels like straight rejection. Instead of any of those forms of not accepting a compliment or recognition, simply consider one, or all, of the following in response:

• "Thank you."

• "Thanks so much!"

• "Thanks for noticing!"

Following the acknowledgement and acceptance, either leave it there or ask the complimenter a question about him or her so that you can move on in a conversation.