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The Wednesday Call with Andy Albright

The Wednesday Call with Andy Albright is a weekly program that is designed to help you grow and improve in business and life. Through simple yet effective teaching principles, Andy Albright helps people move from where they are to where they want to be in as little time as possible. If you are looking for an opportunity to change your life for the better, The Wednesday Call should be part of your weekly schedule. Through this show, Andy reveals all of his business and live strategies to help people see how they find a new career through National Agents Alliance and help people all across the United States at the same time. The Wednesday Call helps people learn how to make a living working as little or as much as they choose to each week. This program originates from NAA headquarters in Burlington, N.C. where Andy Albright, who co-founded NAA in 2002, was born and raised. Special guests appear on the show regularly and include successful business minds, athletes, entrepreneurs and people making an impact in a number of different areas in the world. You’ll enjoy the podcast if you are an entrepreneur that is ready to explode in your professional career, enjoy hearing inspirational stories and messages from everyday people just like you, or maybe you are a lifelong learner who continually seeks growth and improvement in your life. Regardless of where you are, The Wednesday Call offers educational nuggets for new listeners and old. We hope you enjoy listening and keep coming back for more!
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Now displaying: Page 7
Aug 5, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to answer a simple question: Why don't agents book 40 appointments weekly?

There are four main reasons why this doesn't happen consistently. 

The Four Reasons are:

1. BELIEF (Lack of)

2. EXPECTATIONS (Absence of)

3. TRAINING(Lack of)

4. FEEDBACK/RECOGNITION (Absence of)

1. BELIEF QUOTE: "Men in general are quick to believe that which they wish to be true." --Julius Caesar in 47 BC

4 Morals:

1. Belief requires faith to wish for a different outcome or result.

2. Belief requires desire to turn that wish of a different outcome into a preference or priority.

3. Belief requires conviction to allow that preference to become a habit or routine.

4. Belief requires will to maintain that habit as Flo Rida says: "sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a good feeling that I never had before." It is called accomplishment.

The Four Steps to Combat the Lack of Belief:

1. BELIEVE IT (accept in your heart it could happen). Possible Blockage: They believe it is not possible.

2. SEE IT (visualize in your mind it should happen). Possible Blockage: They believe they don't deserve any better.

3. SAY IT (speak in front of your peers it will happen). Possible Blockage: They think they shouldn't do it.

4. DO IT (decide to follow the system and make it happen). Possible Blockage: They think their way is better.

The Four Connecting Pieces of Belief:

1. Faith (assurance from accepting something you can't see yet). It is the fuel that creates trust.

2. Desire (strong feeling of want). It is the transition from wishing for something to preferring it to happen.

3. Conviction (reliance from depending on something you can see now). It is the fuel that creates confidence.

4. Will (allowance of choice). It is the transition from realizing a result to expecting it to happen.

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #N247RU

#DoTheDo

Jul 29, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Mike and Noelle Lewantowicz give you the exclusive chance to hear from top, growing agents with The Alliance. 

From building their own lineup and coaching their team, to hitting new production numbers, they have figured out how to execute the plan quickly. Learn how they've done it and how you can do it too!

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #N247RU

#DoTheDo

Jul 23, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about what service means to being successful.

"Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my life."

--Matthew 20:28

Moral: Being of service to something -- a person, a group, a community, a cause or a belief -- means that you have chosen to engage without expectation. The selfless act is then marked by a remarkable degree of maturity.

The 4 Behaviors of Service:

1. Acknowledge All Communication (Clarity and Listening).

2. Great Everyone with Enthusiasm (Upbeat Attitude and Vested Interest).

3. Ensure Commitment (Intentional Follow Through and Personal Dedication).

4. Show Mercy (Be the Samaritan and Be Full of Grace).

1. Acknowledge All Communication Quote: "A word to the wise is not sufficient if it doesn't make sense." --James Thurber

Moral: It is the place or responsibility of knowledge to speak with clarity and it is the privilege or right of wisdom to listen.

1. Acknowledge All Communication

Requires Two Things:

Clarity (through visibility and approachability). Downlines seek reliable service that is consistently available and pleasantly inviting.

Listening (being responsive and helpful). Uplines, who discover listening, will find that they are more able to build depth and width; and ultimately thrive more when they communicate quickly and effectively with their downlines.

2. Greet Everyone with Enthusiasm Quote:

"The success of a project is best predicted by the enthusiasm of its participant. So it is your job to make your enthusiasm contagious."  --Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Moral: A positive attitude makes everything in our business easier. An optimistic outlook will boost your team to stay on track, and will supercharge them to keep moving forward down that track. Servicing your team with enthusiasm is a small price to pay to get results.

2. Greet Everyone with Enthusiasm Requires Two Things:

Upbeat Attitude (being excited about what you can control and not sweating what you can't). The words that come out of your mouth are not just a reflection of what's in your brain --they are programming your brain how to think. Therefore, if you want to have a positive attitude, your vocabulary must be consistently positive. Refrain from using negative phrase such as: " I can't," and start saying: "I can."

Vested Interest (becoming devoted to the pursuit of another's goal with the fervor as if it is your own). If you look at something with a personal stake, it will cause your passion level for that something to increase.

3. Ensure Commitment Quote:

"When I say, I'll think about it. I really mean, I'll forget about it completely until you bring it up again." --Will Ferrell

Moral: How often are we guilty of telling someone we will think about it only to never think about it again? Maybe you have been guilty of telling someone, " I'll be praying for you," and forget about it the next second. If you really want to impress someone, don't fall into the trap of forgetting about it. Instead, be intentional about following through with what you said you were going to do.

3. Ensure Commitment

Requires Two Things:

Intentional Follow Through (purposely continuing to do something or think about its completion until you have contributed everything possible). You are being measured. Your ideal prospect is measuring your actions against your words. This isn't so much a moral judgment, and your prospect isn't trying to play a game of "gotcha." Your prospect is keeping score because your ability to keep your commitments and following up on your word, is the best indication of what they should expect as a future downline.

Personal Dedication (model commitment yourself to your upline). Failure to honor your own commitments is an indication of the hypocrisy in your leadership abilities. It's easy to talk the talk when it comes to asking others to execute and keep their promises, but it's much more difficult to walk the walk with your personal numbers.

4. Show Mercy Quote:

"No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he'd only had good intentions." -- Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

Moral: Of course the Good Samaritan was a man in a story that helped an injured traveler that was beaten and left to die. Their likelihood of getting along and being friends was unlikely, yet the Samaritan did the right thing. We may quote scripture and recite quotes on love and God, but unless we are willing to get involved in the lives of others, we are just blowing smoke.

4. Show Mercy

Requires Two Things:

Be the Samaritan (As the scriptures say, he has compassion, but more importantly, he acted on it). The correlating message here is to get strong financially and stay strong financially, so we can have the means to act on our good intentions. Jesus concludes the parable with this admonition, "Go and do likewise."

Be Full of Grace (Giving blessings towards the non-befitting). Grace allows us to award voice to someone's truth that may be in conflict with your truth. Life gives us an abundance of blessings too numerous to count, which should awaken the realization that your happiness is interdependent with the happiness of others. This awakening is where sustainable service lives.

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

 

Jul 15, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about the four behaviors of respect.

Be tolerant and accepting

Be courteous

Rely on the facts

Show humility

"To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater." --Bono of U2

Moral: One of the best ways to show respect for someone is to truly listen and hear another's point of view. We should allow each other to have and express our own views -- regardless of whether we agree with them or not.

The 4 Behaviors of Respect:

1. Be Tolerant and Accepting (Empathy and Patience)

2. Be Courteous (Courtesy and Manners)

3. Rely on the Facts (Relative Perspective & Vast Experience)

4. Show Humility (Diplomacy and Professionalism)

1. Be Tolerant and Accepting Quote:

"Tolerance isn't about not having beliefs. It's about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you." --Timothy Keller

Moral: Being accepting or showing empathy will determine your level of tolerance or having patience, which then affects your treatment of others.

This positive treatment of others creates the following three things: 1. Respect for myself. 2. Respect for others. 3. Respect for a belief system or company structure.

1. Be Tolerant and Accepting Requires Two Things:

• Empathy (Practicing acceptance). Do not judge another person until you have walked a mile in their shoes. During this process we must not only consider what they feel, but also recognize why they feel.

Empathy leads us to ask ourselves: "If I were in that person's situation, how would I want to be treated?" The treatment is the connecting bridge between empathy and respect.

• Patience (Showing tolerance). This is a process of relying on a fair and objective attitude (tolerance) toward those whose opinions and practices differ from one's own, which quickly produces a behavior of restraint to react (patience) to the bait of negativity.

2. Be Considerate Quote: "We must be as courteous to a man as we are to a good picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of good light." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Moral: Being polite is giving people the benefit of the doubt through a courteous behavior. Being well-mannered is the evidence of a civilized nature. It is important to note that good manners must be the precursor to demonstrating courteous behaviors.

2. Be Considerate Requires Two Things:

• Courtesy (Practicing politeness). The enemy of courteous intentions is the concept of rudeness. Rudeness is the face of disrespect and is a weak person's imitation of strength. In order to avoid being considered rude, one must start behaving in a way that benefits the "collective we."

This is the very essence of courtesy -- considering the effect of your behavior on others. Individual commitment creates team activity.

• Manners (practicing civility). Manners have been called: "the shadows of our virtues." Manners (sometimes referred to as etiquette) is a way to pay reverence (respect) to existing and accepted social standards of decency.

Manners are the first step to morality (what's right), and etiquette (what's proper) is the first gesture of ethics. Manners cease to have meaning without morals and etiquette ceases to exist without morals. When combined, manners and etiquette create civility (valuing our difference by watching our tongues).

3. Rely on the Facts Quote: "Facts are stubborn things. " --John Adams

Moral: Whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. The facts may get in the way of a good story, but when supported by a relative perspective and vast experience, facts become the story.

3. Rely on the Facts Requires Two Things:

• Relative Perspective (The idea that views are relative to difference in perception and consideration). Facts, in this case, form a perspective bridge between the opposing views, in order to create common ground (where we gain the individual realization that we are not the only human on earth, and there may be an alternate perspective also based on facts).

• Vast Experience (The soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of wisdom). Wisdom is supported by two types of facts: 1. Knowledge facts (learned from documented evidence). 2. Good Judgment facts (learned from observed evidence).

4. Show Humility Quote: "We come nearest to great when we are great in humility." --Rabindranath Tagore

Moral: When you practice humility, you gain the respect of others more effectively. Humility is a practical trait that requires constant monitoring, especially since "arrogance" is always tugging at our human nature.

4. Show Humility Requires Two Things:

• Diplomacy (Demonstrating Tactfulness). Tact and diplomacy are skills centered around an understanding of other people and being sensitive to their opinions, beliefs and feelings. Effective use of such skills comes from being able to sense accurately what another person is feeling or thinking, and then responding with humility as to avoid bad feelings or awkwardness.

• Professionalism (Demonstrating Dignity). True professionalism, the kind needed throughout our lives, will only be found in those rare individuals that seek wise council, admit when they are wrong, and allow others to take the credit for success. A person without this type of humility risks intoxication by their own perceived importance. Not dignifying something with a response requires a professional mindset.

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

 

 

Jul 8, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to give you four behaviors of accountability that lead to success. 

"He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." --Benjamin Franklin

Moral: Excuses provide the reasons to stop your forward motion. Once you stop, progress cannot be realized.

The 4 Behaviors of Accountability:

1. Be Self-Disciplined (Willpower & Habit)

2. Think Before You Act (Wise Decisions & Emotional Maturity)

3. Take Ownership of Your Choices (Proactive Posture & Taking Responsibility)

4. Be a Self-Starter (Being Persistent & Remaining Curious)

1. Be Self-Disciplined Quote:

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." --Vince Lombardi

Moral: Will is the spearhead of self-discipline. It is a concentration of force. It is when you gather up all your energy and make a massive thrust forward. Life doesn't first require you to have the strength (self-worth) to rise up, nor does it require the knowledge (education) to understand as a prerequisite for forward motion. Instead, it requires that instinctive desire that exists inside each and everyone of us to take just one more step.

1. Be Self-Disciplined

Requires Two Things:

Willpower (Gives you the guts to stay engaged in a course of action). A personal choice to rise above one's circumstances and demonstrate the ownership for achieving desired results. Simply put: see it, own it and do it!

Habit (Gives you a way to fortify your position during the course of action). If willpower is your initial thrust to take that first beachhead of life, then habit allows you to sustain your effort by taking a little more territory each day in order to advance your position.

2. Think Before You Act Quote:

"Regret is unnecessary. Think about the consequences of both acting (avoiding a train wreck) or not acting (missing an opportunity)." --William Shockley

Moral: Thinking before you take action encompasses much more than basic brain processing; and is typically used to anticipate the possible outcomes of a situation, and make the best choice about what to do. When one thinks before acting they must begin with the end in mind.

2. Think Before You Act

Requires Two Things:

Wise Decisions (Every single decision you have ever made or will ever make has consequences). Once we learn to evaluate our decisions or lack of deciding based on consequences, all the other considerations and distractions fall neatly by the wayside.

Emotional Maturity (Have the confidence to be your own resource). The key is to be effective and not reactive.

Here's three questions you may want to keep handy:

1. What options do you have and can you image each one through?

2. What you would tell a friend in the same situation?

3. Would you mind explaining the aftermath of your decision to a large group of people?

3. Take Ownership of Your Choices Quote:

"He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others." --Leonardo da Vinci

Moral: If you cannot take accountability for your actions, you will never have influence with others.

3. Take Ownership of Your Choices

Requires Two Things:

A Proactive Posture (Only when you implement this strategy can you direct your own destiny; otherwise someone or something else gladly will). Being proactive is something you do to yourself, and not something that someone does to you. The real benefit/value of being proactive stems from the ability to influence events and outcomes before they ever happen.

Taking Responsibility (It is the true price of greatness). If you want to be great, if you want to be a leader; then you are going to have to be the one to take responsibility for empowering others making decisions. If you ignore this type of responsibility to your downline, then their failure makes you blameworthy or guilty of culpable negligence.

4. Be a Self-Starter Quote:

"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who overcomes his enemies, for the hardest victory is victory over self." --Aristotle

Moral: In order to take initiative, we have to push past our own excuses and insecurities. This requires an attitude of accountability, which gives us permission to fill the gaps of wasted time with functional, practical and useful steps to take back our lives.

4. Be a Self-Starter

Requires Two Things:

Being Persistent (A "never give up" attitude). This type of initiative creates involvement (enfold or doing to). Being involved in your business requires you to ensure things are getting done and boxes are being checked (doing your due diligence).

Remaining Curious (A sincere "wanting to understand" nature). This type of initiative creates engagement (interlock or doing with). Being engaged in your business requires you to encourage others to continuously accept and connect to the objectives that will make them successful.

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DotheDo

#N247RU

Jul 1, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright interviews the top 5 producers this year.

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NAALeadsTheWay

@NationalAgentsAlliance

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

Jun 24, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, your host Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to discuss the four behaviors of integrity and how they can help you. 

"One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised." --Chinua Achebe

Moral: Integrity is about not yielding to temptations when they come. Doing the right thing when no one is looking may not be enough. You might have to do the right thing when everyone is looking in order to be a person of integrity.

The 4 Behaviors of Integrity:

1. Keep Your Word
2. Guard Your Reputation

3. Make Fair Decisions
4. Establish Authenticity

1. Keep Your Word Quote:

"The value of a promise is the cost to you of keeping your word." --Brian Tracy

Moral: A promise made is a debt unpaid until you keep your word.

1. Keep Your Word

Requires Two Things:

  • Naked Truth (complete and unembellished version of the facts). Most people violate the naked truth quite often by dressing the truth in a lie's clothing of language.

  • Selfless Intentions (comes from what your original motives are). Knowing later that you did a good thing is an unintended consequence and doesn't define the selflessness of the deed.

    2. Guard Your Reputation Quote:

    "Your reputation is in the hands of others. That's what the reputation is. You can't control that. The only thing you can control is your character."

    Moral: Protect your reputation with good character. Good character is not realized by trying to convince others that you have it. But rather it is achieved by setting your course to an established, ethical set of principles that require your full attention and unwavering commitment.

    2. Guard Your Reputation

    Requires Three Things:

    • Duplication (Copy from those who have earned your enthusiasm).

    • Association (Walk with those who have earned your trust).

    • 4. Establish Authenticity Quote:

      "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." --E.E. Cummings

      Moral: Authentic people do not allow their fears to prevent them from being themselves. If you are focused on being true to yourself in every moment, you are less concerned about the potential for rejection from others. Nothing is more liberating than being yourself as fully as you know how (realizing no one owes you anything).

      4. Establish Authenticity

      Requires Two Things:

      • Expression of Being (Authenticity is a quality of being). This is why we say "being authentic" and not "doing authentic." It must be expressed directly from the source (through the soul) in order for a person to be believable (to have presence).

      • Embracing your Image (Authenticity is a quality of accepting). This is the moment a person decides to be fearless enough to share their true self with the world like they have nothing to hide (warts and all).

        Edification (Invest in those who have earned your respect).

        3. Make Fair Decisions Quote:

        "The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

        Moral: If you treat a person's effort with a consistent viewfinder (established expectations), then you will get consistent effort (predictable results) from said person.

        3. Make Fair Decisions

        Requires Two Things:

        • Sameness (fairness shows no bias or favoritism). The Alliance believes we are all equals when trying to make our dreams come true. Hard work is the greatest equalizer in our culture.

        • Deservedness (fairness does not mean equal). It is a fact that life is not always fair, nor is it supposed to be. The Alliance provides reward for all that pursue success through our proven system. In this notion of fairness, you get what you deserve. 

      www.AndyAlbright.com

      @AndySAlbright

      www.NAALeads.com

      @NAALeadsTheWay

      @NationalAgentsAlliance

      #TheAlliance #DoTheDo

      #N247RU

Jun 17, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Mike and Noelle Lewantowicz host the pod to talk about the importance of finding the ambition within the result. 

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

Jun 10, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright talks to you about how you can comprehend the two types of people: Doers and Believers.

Doer Quote:"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything." --John Wooden

Moral: "I don't want to be your superman (a super doer), I just wanna be your man (a doer) and I'll be super." --Train

Believer Quote: "You don't become what you want, you become what you believe." -- Oprah Winfrey

Moral: "Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams, telling myself it's not as hard as it seems." --Led Zeppelin

Understanding What Makes a Doer Tick

  • Love: Cognitive (Reciprocity) and Investment (Loyalty).
  • Truth: Belief in the resolute urgency of now.
  • Work: Find meaning (obligation/duty) in what you deliver to society and you will never be without.
  • Confidence: Comes from wanting to compare yourself to others (sharpens the competitive edge).
  • Motivation: Keep your feet on the ground and what should be will be earned.

Understanding What Makes a Believer Tick

  • Love: Emotional (Compassion) and Intentional (Passion).
  • Truth: Belief in the absolute hope of tomorrow.
  • Work: Find purpose (service/care) in why you contribute to society and you will never work a day.
  • Confidence: Comes from not having to compare yourself to others (enhances self-worth).
  • Motivation: Keep reaching for the stars and what could be is revealed.

Other Aspects of a Doer

  • Focused Perspective: Can result in a tunnel vision approach (in the end, we only regret the chances we didn't see while being busy).
  • Survivor Mentality: Looking for something to do leads to burying mistakes of the present in order to move on to the next future conquest.

Action-Driven Motto: "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."

Moral: Get busy and stay busy.

Other Aspects of a Believer

Broad Perspective: Can lead to distraction (last person on their tiptoes misses the parade while waiting for permission).

  • Searcher Mentality: Waiting for something to be leads to blaming past actions in order to postpone an opportunity in the present.
  • Motive-Driven Motto: "You are more than the worst thing you have ever done."

Moral: Let your mess be your message not your excuse.

Doers vs. Believers

Traditionalists:

1926-1945 (What people with a servant mentality)

1946-1964 (When people with a realist mentality)

Believers

Xers: 1965-1982 (How people with a pragmatist mentality)

Y’s: 1983-2002 (Why people with an idealist mentality)

Two Kinds of Doers:

  • Thinkers (Think their way into a Do)  Beavers (Don't waste effort doing: get it right the first time)
  • Winners (Do their way into a Win)  Lions (Don't waste time thinking: clean up the mess later)

Two Kinds of Believers:

  • Feelers (Believe their way into a Feel)  Golden Retrievers (Don't get caught waiting on a promise: accept it into existence).
  • Talkers (Talk their way into a Believe)  Otters (Don't get caught waiting on a sign: speak it into existence).

Discussion Question:

  • Should I recruit a Doer vs. a Believer?

The Answer Lies Between Two Variables:

  1. Closing the Gap (it is faster to go from Doer to Believer).
    2. Sustainability (the doing has more endurance if it starts with a strong belief).

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

Jun 3, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright talks about hard work with Jeff Bright on a special edition of the show. 

What does hard work look like?

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." --Abraham Lincoln

The three elements of hard work: Perseverance, persistence and passion.

How do we get those three things? Each has implemented action (behaviors), adopted values (attitudes) and absolute beliefs (truths).

With commitment and dedication, we get perseverance. With resolution and drive, we get persistence. With loyalty and devotion, we get passion.

Let’s look at each of those elements.

First: Commitment --> Dedication --> Perseverance

"I slept and dreamt that life was joy (pride in accomplishment). I woke and saw that life was duty (commitment to a goal), I acted (with discipline), and behold, duty was joy." --Rabindranath Tagore

Moral: When pride (joy) and commitment (duty) are commingled, we are at our best and hard work doesn't seem hard. Pleasure in one's work, puts quality in the effort.

Perseverance comes through pride: when becoming relentless (steadfastness) meet deciding you deserve better (self-worth). Dedication comes from discipline: when regarding the consequences as fearful (liability) meets recognizing tenacity (stamina). Commitment to excellence: when realizing you are indispensable (distinction) meets accepting diligence (assurance of superior quality).  

Second: Resolution --> Drive --> Persistence

"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” --Confucius

Moral: Sometimes getting started is the toughest part of hard work. Having a process indicates our intent to stay around for the long haul (resolute to a proven system over a quick fix). Start by doing what's required to get started, then switch to what is possible; and suddenly you will be doing the impossible.

Persistence comes through endurance: when becoming obligated (fortitude) meets deciding to be obedient (loyal). Drive deals with desire: when regarding something as urgent (crucial) meets recognizing an opportunity (moment). Resolution to the process: when realizing your willpower (strong-mindedness) meets accepting consistency (routine).

Third: Loyalty --> Devotion --> Passion

"Truth is a tyrant -- the only tyrant to whom we can give our allegiance. The service of truth is a matter of heroism." -- John F. Kennedy

Moral: Our truth should be demanding of our time and effort when it is tied to a heroic cause like work. Being a faithful servant is only realized through acts done with passion.

Passion comes through enthusiasm: when becoming optimistic (positive) meets deciding to be willing (sacrificing). Devotion in credence: when regarding with faithfulness (honoring promise) meets recognizing morality (walking with maturity). Loyalty to a cause: when realizing strong emotional attachment (bonded involvement) meets accepting a common culture (shared beliefs).

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

May 27, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, your host Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about "The Art of Persuasion according to Aristotle."

How do we begin to define such a broad topic?

"If there are two definitive features of ancient Greek Civilization, they are loquacity (articulate talk) and competition (self-worth's edge)." – Aristotle

The Art of Persuasion

To become a master of persuasion yourself and successfully sell your own ideas, try using these FIVE rhetorical devices that Aristotle identified:

  1. Ethos or "Character"
    2. Logos or "Reason"
    3. Pathos or "Emotion"
    4. Metaphor or "Analogy" 5. Brevity or "Conciseness"

1) Ethos or "Character"

Ethos represents the part of the sales presentation when your client gains some insight into your credibility. Aristotle believed that if a speaker's actions didn't back their words, they would lose credibility, and ultimately, weaken a chance at a sale.

A simple reminder to the client that you are committed to the welfare of others, will build your credibility before you lay out your sales pitch. Here are two ingredients that make up instant credibility: Transparency and Sincerity

Transparency

Transparency is needed to produce trust and open dialogue. Its lack of hidden agendas and evidence of full disclosure defeats insecurity. The key to a transparent culture is openness. Three factors produce an open environment:

  1. a) Accessibility (easily available information) example: your relationship with the carriers
  2. b) Predictability (consistent repetition) example: your track record selling insurance
  3. c) Legitimacy (acceptable to the law) example: your license to sell insurance

Sincerity

It is important to remember before establishing your sincerity status, you have to be viewed as genuine. This is simple to do, but many people fail at seeming to be real.

When you are being real, you are behaving exactly how you would normally behave and you are not altering your behavior in any way.

While being transparent will gain you trust, being sincere will gain you respect. And sincerity is best evidenced in your passion for what you are selling.

2) Logos or "Reason"

Once ethos is established, it's time to make a logical appeal to reason. Why should your audience care about what you are selling?

The following are TWO logical appeals that will help you gain their support:

  • Data or Content (factual information such as statistics which supports the credibility of the product).
  • Evidence or Context (relevant information that furnishes proof which supports the conclusion to purchase).

3) Pathos or "Emotion"

According to Aristotle, persuasion cannot occur in the absence of emotion. People are moved to action by how a seller makes them feel. Aristotle believed the best way to transfer emotion from one person to another is through the rhetorical device of storytelling.

More then 2,000 years later, neuroscientists have found his thesis accurate. Studies have found that narratives trigger a rush of neurochemicals in the brain, notably oxytocin, the "moral molecule" that connects people on a deeper, emotional level.

Research has found that a winning formula for making a sale is:

  • 65% Pathos or Emotional Stories
  • 25% Logos or Logical Reasons
  • 10% Ethos or Credibility

The stories that can generate the best connection are stories about you personally or about people close to you. Tales of failure, awkwardness, misfortune, danger or loss, told authentically, create deep engagement. The most personal content is the most relatable.

4) Metaphor or Analogy

Aristotle believed that metaphor gives language its verbal beauty. "To be a master of metaphor is the greatest thing by far," he wrote. When you use a metaphor or analogy to compare a new idea to something that is familiar to your client, it clarifies your sales pitch by turning the abstract into something concrete.

Those who master the metaphor have the ability to turn words into images that help others gain a clearer understanding of their message -- but more importantly, remember and share them with future clients. It is a powerful tool to have.

Example of statement without and with a metaphor:
"
You can get hurt financially without an insurance policy" vs. "Going through life without a policy is like playing Russian Roulette."

Metaphors carry emotional associations that resonate instantly with listeners because:

  • Our brains are wired for images.
  • Metaphors are images in words.
  • Metaphors paint pictures in the listener's mind.

Information and Data tell, but Metaphors SELL because:

  • Images are processed 60,000 times faster than
  • 90% of information transmitted to the brain is
  • Transmission rate of information to the eyes is 10,000,000 bits per second and to the ears 100,000 bits per second.

5) Brevity or "Conciseness"

Here again, Aristotle was ahead of his time. Aristotle had discovered that there are fairly universal limits to the amount of information which any human can absorb and retain. When it comes to persuasion, less is always more.

Brevity is a crucial element in making a persuasive pitch. An argument or selling point, Aristotle said, should be expressed "as compactly and in as few words as possible." He also observed that the opening of a person's pitch is the most important, since "attention slackens everywhere else rather than at the beginning." The lesson here is: start with your strongest point.

The case for brevity or conciseness are for the following reasons:

  • People are drowning in information.
  • People have too many choices among similar sounding products, services, ideas, etc.
  • People fear making a change.
  • People have shorter and shorter attention spans.

For example: 12 seconds in 2000 vs. 8 seconds in 2019.

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May 20, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about why people should tell it like it is with people.

When you tell it like it is ...

Your intention is the biggest difference. Being direct with news no one wants to hear but needs to hear, is accepted by most if they know you genuinely care about them.

"If you want to tell someone like it is, it's not complicated. Just tell the people you love that you love them and tell them the truth whenever possible." -- Jeff Bright

Moral: The promotion of a person's welfare sometimes requires tough love. But tough love requires credibility.

3 Steps to Telling it Like it is:

It's called feedback and there are specific criteria which must be followed if you want the "telling" to be accepted (message heard) and actionable (expectations set).

Here is the Criteria:

1. Make it Clear

2. Make it Clean

3. Make it Calm

How do we make it clear?

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- George Bernard Shaw

Moral: The biggest cause of miscommunication is misconception (a mistaken belief due to a preconceived notion) and misperception (an incorrect awareness due to a lacking of facts).

Straightforwardness is a trait I've always admired in others. Being direct is the prerequisite for achieving clarity in any conversation. Direct "tellers" take less time and use fewer words to get the point.

So keep your words short and sweet. Avoid trying to over explain your reason for saying NO or appearing overly apologetic for giving constructive feedback.

But being Clear does not need to sound blunt. For example, not saying: "You got it yet?"

1. Make it Clear Continued: We need to be clear with our conversations in order to avoid vagueness. To accomplish this objective, you must learn to convey: clarity, conciseness and precision, all at the same time.

  • Clarity (make sense, do not be fuzzy). Making sense helps frame the dream or goal. Example: Produce "said" premium a month.

  • Conciseness (Be brief, do not take too long). Being brief helps remember the call to action. Example: Do the Do or Do your job.

  • Precision (Be exact, do not approximate). Being exact helps honor the expectation. Example: Book "said" appointments a week.

How Do We Make it Clean?

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad." -- Aldous Huxley

Moral: Shaking off a little mad but knowing the truth, is much better than shaking off a lot of happy after you have found out that you have been lied to.

2. Make it Clean: When I reflect on the best relationships I have or had, personal and professional, the ones I value most are the real ones, the candid ones. Because, if you have feedback, I want to hear it.

But, rarely do we get that feedback -- because we are afraid to give it. We fear sounding crass and disrespectful. And we were taught that if we didn't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

But Candor does not need to sound criticizing. For example, not saying: "You big dummy, you!"

Make it Clean Continued: When you are the person who tells it like it is, the right way, people will respect you for your honesty. Here are some tips to becoming clean with your delivery:

  • Decide ahead of time what outcome you are aiming for with the conversation.

  • Be upfront with your objectives. This transparency will defuse much of the emotion and defensiveness.

  • Choose a neutral phrasing about the situation by saying, "I've observed this...," rather than an emotional, exaggerated and personal reaction like, "You always do this..." Limit the number of times you say "you" and replace it with "I."

3. Make it Calm Quote: "You can't calm the storm... so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass." -- Timber Hawkeye

Moral: "Don't sweat it and don't stir it." -- Andy Albright

3. Make it Calm:

Remaining calm during a difficult conversation is only achieved by not being baited into a reaction which derails a focused outcome.

This requires the "teller" to refrain from reacting to the following assumptions (but instead, implementing the positive opposite):

  • Absolutism vs. Perspective (introduce empathy to
    kill the need to be right about everything).

  • Excuse vs. Contribution (introduce accountability to kill the need to find a reason why not).

  • Blame vs. Obligation (introduce promise to kill the need to decommit to an expectation).

3. Make it Calm Continued:

Listen to another's perspective, for example, on why they have not taken action.

Introduce the following calming techniques:

Acknowledge the feelings (to recognize emotion) Example: Tell me about your past experiences and intentions.

Ask questions (to understand viewpoint) Example: How do you see the current situation?

Paraphrase the responses (to establish accuracy) Example: So you are saying... (repeating back their own words)?

When you can tie these concepts together, you will be able to tell it like it is.

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May 13, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his house in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about why having fierce conversations at the right time with people is a key ingredient in being successful.

This is a way for you to set expectations with people early and often.

The Conversation is the Relationship:

We effect change by engaging in robust conversations with ourselves and others. Fierce conversations are about:

  • Moral Courage - the ability to stick to what is right (your principles) despite the risk of adverse consequences.
  • Clear Requests - are specific about what is required, for whom, and by when. Perhaps most critical, it is about establishing a culture in which requests are interpreted as expectations and not demands.
  • Taking Action - to get others to do something or act in order to get a particular result.

Fierce is an attitude. A way of conducting business. A way of leading. A way of life.

The Seven Principles of Fierce Conversations (by Dr. Susan Scott)

Principle 1 : Master the courage to interrogate reality.

Principle 2: Come out from behind yourself into the conversation and make it real.

Principle 3: Be here, prepared to be nowhere else.

Principle 4: Tackle your toughest challenge today.

Principle 5: Obey your instincts.

Principle 6: Take responsibility for your emotional wake.

Principle 7: Let silence do the heavy lifting.

Principle 1

Master the Courage to Interrogate Reality:

The person who can muster the moral courage to accurately describe reality without laying blame will emerge the leader. Your job is to have high moral fiber, accurately describe the problem and don’t blame anybody.

  • Moral - Concerned with the principles of right and wrong and manifesting those principles into proper conduct or what we call, "walking with maturity."
  • Accurately - What each of us believes to be true simply reflects our views about reality which effects our ability to see reality.
  • Laying Blame - Happens when versions of the truth are in competition. But multiple realties are not competing. They just exist. You own a piece of the truth, and so do I.

Principle 2

Come Out From Behind Yourself into the Conversation and Make It Real:

Being real is not the risk. The real risk is that: I will be known; I will be seen; I will be changed.

  • Known - when you are true to your personality (acting who you are through your behavior) Authenticity
  • Seen - when you are true to your spirit (liking who you are through your attitude) Enthusiasm
  • Changed - when you are true to your character (knowing who you are through your awareness) Perspective

Principle 3

Be Here, Prepared to be Nowhere Else:

  • We may succeed in listening to every word, yet miss the message altogether, if we choose to ignore the moment by not hearing.
  • Message - one of the best ways to show respect for the message of another is not to only listen to the words out of the mouth (tolerance), but most importantly hear another's point of view (empathy).
  • Moment - one of the best ways to live in the moment is to recognize the opportunity in your next breath. Most of us don't undertake our thoughts in awareness. Rather, our thoughts control us. So remember: you are not your thoughts. This awareness is called mindfulness or the act of being intentional with your attention in the present.

Principle 4

Tackle Your Toughest Challenge Today:

Burnout happens, not because we're trying to solve new problems, but because we've been trying to solve the same problem over and over again. All confrontation of tough challenges is really a search for the truth that exists inside each of us.

  • Burnout - Do you think a person can change their destiny? A person does what they can until their destiny is revealed to them. You must have the persistence or willingness to stay the course with a dream bigger than the mundane.
  • Confrontation - If you know something must change, then know that is you who must change it. Most tough conversations are with oneself, and sometimes they involve other people.

Principle 5

Obey Your Instincts:

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; but this essential is usually invisible to the eye (one's moral compass or lack of it). Therefore, there are things our gut knows about another's heart long before our intellect catches on.

  • Heart - how people treat you is their own deal but how you react to them is your deal. When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself -- a piece of your heart is revealed. What is truly naked to the eye is a human-beings need to be understood.
  • Gut - Most of us allow ourselves to be influenced or persuaded that the voice within us is mistaken, flawed, at best a distraction. Our radar works perfectly. It is the operator who is not at the wheel.

Principle 6

Take Responsibility for Your Emotional Wake:

An emotional wake is what others remember about you after you have left. What you leave behind is crucial.
Our context (our storyline or purpose) determines how we experience the content (our material or body of work) of our lives.

  • Context - the reasons we move forward and the circumstances that shape those reasons.
  • Content - the effort that is contained within the work and the responsibility we take for that work.

Principle 7

Let Silence Do the Heavy Lifting:

When there is simply a whole lot of talking going on, conversations can be so empty of meaning. An American Characteristic is general discomfort with silence. It makes us nervous. We feel we're expected to interject witty comments and

wise observations on the spot. Fierce conversations, however, require silence.

  • Can you hear the sound of your own breathing during a conversation?
  • Can you hear the insights and emotions of another's voice during a conversation?

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May 6, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about how to use questions to help people get stuff done.

Seven Questions To Navigate The DO:

  1. Do you always DO what you schedule?

  2. Do you tell people that you are going to DO?

  3. Do you DO necessary evils everyday?

  4. Do you go past the expectation of the DO?

  5. Do you break the DO into manageable sections?

  6. Do you bribe yourself for good DO behavior?

  7. Do you have a wall to bounce the DO off of?

Do You Always DO What You Schedule?

"Progress is a natural result of staying focused on the process of doing anything." --Thomas Sterner

Moral: You will never get real progress if you don't honor your schedule. If you are not daring and forward enough, you can never get past the thinking stage of getting work done.

Questions 1 Responses:

People are more likely to do something if you can get them to phrase it as a question to themselves (Will I honor my schedule this week?), rather than if you get them to say a declarative statement (I will honor my schedule this week!).

We are basically all "control freaks." The desire to control starts as young as 4 months old. Posing a question to ourselves gives us the illusion of that control versus a declarative statement which insinuates an ultimatum we hate.

2. Do You Tell People That You Are Going To DO?

"Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask, Act! Action will delineate and define you." --Thomas Jefferson

Moral: If you tend to concentrate your thinking on the internal "why" of the do, you will get caught up in a life of inaction. Let the outward "what" of your promise to others represent who you are.

Question 2 Responses:

People are more likely to comply to a promise, rather than a request.

When desiring a do from people, it is better to use nouns (can you be a producer?) to evoke a promise, rather than verbs (Produce now!) which evoke a demand.

3. Do You DO Necessary Evils Everyday?

"We are what we repeatedly do." --Aristotle

Moral: Having no routine or structure is so much more draining mentally, physically, and emotionally than any routine could ever be. Our peace of mind is determined by our commitment to a routine.

Question 3 Responses:

People are motivated by the fear of losing more than the possibility of gaining something.

When people are sad or scared, they will want to stick to something like a familiar routine. If they feel safe within that routine, they will crave it like an "old shoe."

The trick is to turn something productive (like dialing) into an "old shoe."

4. Do You Go Past The Expectation Of The DO?

"Learning is its own exceeding great reward." --William Hazlitt

Moral: The more we learn, the more we can do.

Question 4 Responses:

Giving people an expectation will stimulate them to want to master their craft, which in turn, will motivate them to work past the just doing of a task.

Don't mix praise with feedback if you want to stimulate the desire for mastery (which is a stronger need than an external reward). Just give honest and objective feedback about their progress of becoming a DO expert.

If people are told they can't do something, they will be motivated to prove you wrong with mastery of the task and exceeding the expectation.

5. Do You Break The DO Into Manageable Sections?

"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." -- Peter Marshall

Moral: Don't overplan and underact. Actions you take beat life- changing intentions.

Question 5 Responses:

An important part of getting someone to create a new "do" habit is to break the doing into really small steps.

The easiest way to take a small step is to anchor it to an existing good habit. Anchor habits are those habits that are recurring and imprinted in your DNA.

If you can accept anchoring, you can create a new habit in less than a week.

6. Do You Bribe Yourself For Good DO Behavior?

"The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term, is the indispensable prerequisite for success." -- Brian Tracy

Moral: Without delayed gratification, there is no discipline, and without discipline, there is no endurance.

Question 6 Responses:

If you want consistent behavior don't reward yourself every time you do something, just when you hit important markers.

People are more motivated to reach a goal the closer they get to it, so backend the bigger rewards.

When you punish someone, it only works for a little while. Denying yourself rewards is a more effective way to bribe your do to the finish line.

7. Do You Have A Wall To Bounce The DO Off Of?

"And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be crazy by those who could not hear the music." -- Friedrich Nietzche

Moral: Listen to the ones dancing, and you might one day hear the music.

Question 7 Responses:

You can prompt someone to change their own story by having others to gauge against.

If you can get people to consider at least one perspective which is in conflict with one of their self-beliefs, that one small breakthrough can be the gateway to bigger behavioral changes.

Listening to another perspective is powerful, but writing down their thoughts and ideas activates certain parts of the brain. It makes it more likely that people will commit to what they just heard. 

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@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

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Apr 29, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from Treasure Island, Fla. with his special guest Jeff Bright, coming in via the web in High Point, N.C.

Albright and Bright wanted to share 34 questions people would like to ask a millionaire on this pod. 

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Apr 21, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright delivers the show from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to discuss why speed is important to your "pit crew."

"It's not the big that eats the small; it's the fast that eat the slow." -- Gary Ryan Blair

Perhaps the most important reason of all for creating a sense of urgency and using speed as a competitive advantage is that time is finite. In terms of insurance sales, speed essentially means how quickly your business performs. 

What is your turnaround time?

How soon do you respond to prospect leads by dialing?

How long does it take you to book your appointments?

How fast do you handle your clients' requirements when submitting applications?

When responding, booking and handling occurs, your success of getting an application issued-paid without chargebacks is not dependent only on speed, but on habit as well.

The Building Blocks Of Speed

All business activity boils down to two simple things:

1. Making decisions (What do I want?)

2. Executing decisions (How do I get it?)

Your success depends on your ability to develop speed as a habit in both. 

Making Decisions

"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week." -- General George S. Patton

The process of making and remaking decisions wastes an insane amount of time in most businesses. The key takeaway is: WHEN a decision is made is much more important than WHAT decision is made. If, by way of habit, you can decide on when a decision will be made from the start, you'll have developed the first important muscle for speed.

You need to become deeply driven by the belief that fast decisions are for better than slow ones and radically better than no decisions. Some decisions deserve debate and analysis, but most aren't worth more than 10 minutes.

Executing Decisions

A lot of people spend a whole lot of time refining their approach to processes and to-do lists. Here are four ways to execute your business mission with momentum:

1. Challenge The When:

Completion dates and times follow a tribal nation of the sun setting and rising, and too often "tomorrow" is the default answer. It's not that everything needs to be done now, but for items on your critical path such as dialing and setting appointments, it's always useful to challenge the due date. All it takes is asking the simplest questions: "Why can't this be done sooner?" Asking it methodically, reliably and habitually can have a profound impact on the speed of your business. 

2. Recognize and Remove Dependencies:

Just as important as assigning a deadline, you need to tease out any dependencies around an action item. Things that can wait till later need to wait. You can't be slow-rolling on non-vital tasks when you could be hacking away at the make or break actions which bring you premium.

A big part of this is making sure you aren't waiting on something or someone to take an action. You want to be working in parallel instead. It's your job to recognize dependencies (things that need others and can wait) and non- dependencies (things that need no one and can be started right now).

3. Eliminate Cognitive Overload:

Classic cognitive overload comes in the forms of: Fit (Do my skills meet the expectations?); and Fairness (Are my actions going to be rewarded?).

Basically, Fit is code for, "Have I got game?"

Fairness is code for, "Am I going to get screwed?"

Until the mind can reconcile those two concerns, human-beings will reactively shut down all productive activities or purposely navigate the waters slowly by not deciding.

Unfortunately, speed does not wait on sureness. "Fortune favors the bold, the brave and the strong." A second chance depends on a "Take" strategy, and a missed opportunity relies on a "wait" strategy.

4. Use Competition the Right Way:

Introducing competition is a good way to add urgency. You can

either set the pace or be the one to react. Whoever is fastest out of the gate is the one everyone else is forced to react to. But, the idea of failing or being left behind is so terrifying that some may check out. Those people are only attaching competition to failure and not success.

Competition is a good thing because it gives us a realistic frame of reference to how well we are living up to our best in any facet of our lives. Ultimately we are in competition with ourselves, and our greatest adversary is our own ego because at the fundamental level, our ego desires to exist in a world where everything goes our way and we have little to no struggles. The adult in us knows better.

It knows that despite all our learnings we still know very little about the world around us, and so, therefore, there is always room for improvement. In reality, competition is a win, win situation, provided you do your best.

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

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Apr 15, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright talks about three ways you can connect deeper with people. 

1. Validation (Building Self-Worth): "Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself." -Thomas Paine

2. Empathy (Considering the Feeling): "I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself must become the wounded person." -Walt Whitman

3. Understanding (Recognizing the Thought): "To perceive is to suffer." -Aristotle

1. Validate in order to Break the Ice

This is where you "chart the course" for where you want the relationship to go. It helps disarm any hesitant participant. People crave validation. Validating-type words build self-worth in others. These type words serve as confirmation of another's internal experience, which allows you to "break the ice" effectively. Here are some sample scripts using validation to satisfy the needs of the four animal types:

• Lion affirming their greatness within the task accomplishment, by saying, "You always get the job done."

• Otter admiring their greatness within the value-added recognition, by saying, "You always do the job great."

• Golden Retriever appreciating their contribution within the value-added recognition, by saying "The support you provide is always cherished."

• Beaver acknowledging their contribution within the task accomplishment, by saying, "The data you provide is always crucial."

2. Empathize in order to Prime the Pump

This is where you learn to "stay out of judgment." One of the greatest challenges to developing empathy is overcoming the need to be right and judge others. This need to evaluate others comes from our need to compare our abilities, beliefs and values against others. Empathy, on the other hand, requires you to consider why they feel the way they do without necessarily agreeing with why they do it. Here are some sample scripts using empathy to "prime the pump" or stimulate the growth of the relationship within the four animal types by addressing each one's individual need:

  • Lion Addressing their need to be first, by saying, "I never thought of doing it that way."

  • Otter Addressing their need to be noticed, by saying, "You have every right to be proud."

  • Golden Retriever Addressing their need to be wanted, by saying "You must gain purpose knowing others count on you."

  • Beaver Addressing their need to be correct, by saying, "I cannot imagine how tough it is to provide that level of accuracy."

3. Understand in order to Establish Common Ground

This is where you practice what is called: "perspective taking."

Making statements like, "tell me more," invites others to express their views and helps solidify those views as being heard. But before someone can be heard, they must be first provided a listening ear.

This is accomplished by recognition of another's thoughts (feeling their pain). Recognizing others' perspective as their truth is the key ingredient to making a connection and gives birth to allowing the establishment of common ground (understanding).

Here are some simple scripts using the "tell me more" invitation as a way to incite expression from each of the four animal types:

o Lion -> "Tell me more about the results."

o Otter -> "Tell me more about your accomplishment."

o Golden Retriever -> "Tell me more about your experience."

o Beaver -> "Tell me more about the details."

Putting the 3-Step Connection Together within the Four Animal Types:

Lion: You always get the job done. I never thought of doing it that way. Tell me more about the results

Otter: You always do the job great. You have every right to be proud. Tell me more about your accomplishment.

Golden Retriever: The support you provide is always cherished. You must gain purpose knowing others count on you. Tell me more about your experience.

Beaver: The data you provide is always crucial. I can't imagine how tough it is to provide that level of accuracy. Tell me more about the details.

The Forgotten 4th Step Of Connection: Active Listening

Active listening involves the listener hearing what the speaker is really trying to say once a connection is made. Having the ability to hear the message from the speaker is reinforced by the following verbal techniques:

  • Remembering - by recalling key points and especially the speaker's name (makes the speaker-feel respected).

  • Questioning - by inquiring about terms that need defining (makes the speaker feel like a SME).

  • Reflection - be repeating to show comprehension (makes the speaker feel clear).

  • Clarification - by paraphrasing to ensure a correct message (makes the speaker feel understood).

  • Summarization - by reiterating the main points to define next steps (makes the speaker feel accountability).

Tips for Becoming an Effective Active Listener:

1. Pay Attention (Lean In)

• Look at the speaker directly

• Put aside distracting thoughts

• Don't mentally prepare a rebuttal

• Avoid being distracted by environmental factors

2. Show That You're Listening (Be Present)

• Nod occasionally

• Smile and use other facial expressions

• Make sure that your posture is open and interested

• Encourage the speaker to continue with verbal comments like yes, wow, really and uh huh

3. Defer Judgment (No Agenda)

• Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions

  • Don't interrupt with counter arguments

  • Avoid leading the witness 

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

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Apr 8, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. 

This week, Andy is talking about building friendships that turn into partnerships too. So, how do we do this effectively?

How to Build A Friendship:

Listen But Respond Carefully + Connect But Avoid Fixing + Accept But Communicate Honestly + Honor But Establish Boundaries

Listen with Sympathy:

This is the process of Noticing another person's suffering and Showing compassion to that pain.

Listening (noticing) requires openness and Hearing (showing) requires receptiveness. Openness is being able to pay attention without distraction; and Receptiveness is being able to read subtle cues without judgment.

Listening to words come out and actually Hearing those words is only a reality when we put our private agendas aside.

But Respond Carefully Without Giving Advice:

Think before you speak after listening.

Sometimes taking a moment to think about what you say before you start blurting out will spare hurt feelings and keep you from leading the witness.

Also, when friends feel like it is okay to be themselves around you, they trust you faster. So, choose your words with care (evading a bruised pride) and with authenticity (evading an insulted ego).

Connect with Empathy:

This is the process of taking the attitude of the other person and seeing the situation from their perspective.

Therefore, to feel empathic concern requires us to first appreciate (taking) the other person's opinion or pain; then second, we must connect (seeing) to the emotion behind the opinion or pain.

The highest form of discipline is empathy; for it causes us to suspend our absolute nature (having to be right).

But Avoid Fixing and Stunting Another's Growth:

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

The urge to fix a friend vs. grow a friend, may be the biggest dilemma in your relationship with another. Perhaps life is throwing them a curveball and they need your support or insight. Don't wiggle your way into every aspect of their life by telling them how to be the star of their own show. Give them room to process things and make their own decisions.

Practice active listening when they invite you to participate in their journey. Connect by asking them to tell you more and by repeating their responses back for clarification.

Accept with Respect:

Acceptance laced with tolerance is a fair and objective attitude toward those whose opinions and practices differ from one's own, which produces the friendship commitment.

It has been proven that learning to tolerate differing opinions actually strengthens one's relationship: asking yourself the question, "Is being right really worth it?"

By making an emotional connection with another, we can avoid destructive comments or one-upmanships. This emotional connection is the fuel for learning to accept others. And accepting others is the precursor to developing respect for them.

This process leads us to ask: "If I were in that person's situation, how would I want to be treated?" The treatment or tolerance is the connecting bridge between acceptance and respect.

But Communicate Honestly during the Tough Conversations:

Sharing bad news or criticism with a friend is the litmus test of a true friendship. Therefore, honest communication is critical to establishing creditability and trust with our friends. You can tell how open and trustworthy a friendship is by how willing each friend is to share things that are difficult, but important to hear. It is better coming from our friend's mouth than from a stranger. But delivering such news is hard for the closest of friends. So here are two tips to minimize the hurt and to keep people from feeling ambushed.

1. Just spit it out by saying "This isn't easy to talk about"... Then, saying what's on your mind

2. Keep it short by not unloading all your feelings and peppering them with details.

Honor Commitment by Practicing Indebtedness:

Waking up in the morning and repeating, "It's great to be alive," is a good place to start. This emotion that life is abundant, makes a person feel grateful for having friendship. In this example, the norm of reciprocity is not the driving force behind honoring your commitments to your friends.

Rather, each friend should be compelled to pay goodness forward, and not have to be prompted by a favorable benefit such as a gift or service. This type of gratitude is altruistic in nature (concern for the welfare of others without agenda). Therefore, a kind heart is the prerequisite when trying to be a selfless friend.

This level of selflessness is accomplished by searching for an opportunity to honor, instead of wanting to be honored. In order to build and maintain friendships, one must affirm the opportunity within the power of goodness with appreciation. And showing appreciation is the gateway to honoring commitments.

But Establish Boundaries in Order to Own Your Happiness:

No one was put on this earth (including your friends) to make you happy nor for you to make them happy. Anybody outside of yourself is really a part of your life because you've allowed them to be. You have decided what role they are playing and you decide how they stay in your life by establishing boundaries.

If you enjoy being around your friends, that doesn't mean they make you happy. They may add happiness to your life, but they should not be the sole reason for your happiness nor you for them. To say that somebody else makes you happy is to relinquish all responsibility for your emotions and the way you spend your time.

To say somebody else makes you happy is to basically say you're a collapsed puppet waiting for them to pull the strings. Nobody should have that kind of power over your emotions nor you over them. This is why emotionally-based boundaries are necessary for healthy relationships.

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Apr 1, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home office in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about how to find the best people when you are driving depth. 

The ABCs of Driving Depth:

Attributes (work ethic) Behavioral Mindset (Actions) Character (Maturity)

Appearance --> Becoming --> Confidence

Attendance --> Being --> Contribution

Accountability --> Believing --> Commitment

Attributes

The top 3 attributes which predict work ethic and are sought after by employers are: 

Appearance, attendance and accountability

Behavioral Mindsets

The top 3 behavioral mindsets which influence actions and are sought after by employers are:

Becoming, being and believing

Character

The top 3 character traits which determine maturity and are sought after by employers are:

Confidence, contribution and commitment

APPEARANCE: or making a good first impression only takes a mere seven seconds. People are thin-sliced based on how they appear and sound, but more so, how you are put together visually and your choices in presentation. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms and how you are dressed. 

This perception creates: The act of becoming or growth is based on how an individual interprets other people's perceptions of them. Those who believe they are viewed positively by others tend to have higher self-esteem. If we believe that we're accepted, we will be more likely to act and answer with a confident tone and a timely response.

Appearance (captivation) + Becoming (credibility)

PRODUCES: Confidence, or a realistic sense of one's capabilities and feeling secure in that knowledge. A realistic appraisal of one's abilities enables an individual to strike a healthy balance between too much and too little confidence. Too much confidence can cause an overestimating of one's abilities leading to failing to complete a project; and too little confidence can prevent people from taking risks and seizing opportunities.

Attendance, or the process of showing up makes up 90 percent of success. This includes showing up mentally as well as physically. It says you are not scared and you can do this thing. Being present mentally and physically also reinforces that you don't want to miss an opportunity and that you are ready to demonstrate your fill potential. You cannot walk the walk until you decide to show up. Others will see this act as you saying that you are serious. 

THIS PERCEPTION CREATES: An act of being or an empowered forward motion, which announces to the world that you are enough. In reality, this type of personal empowerment is not something we feel, rather it's something we do with a fortunate heart. Our sense of being or empowered mindset is a reflection of the increased personal value will achieve by simply showing up and being present in the moment (life in every breath). 

Attendance (being present) + Being (showing gratitude)

PRODUCES: Contribution, or the evidence of pure appreciation by being willing to work or give back to the very thing that has provided for you (being duty bound). This is a sign of a mature mind to accept the obligation promise as a bond. This relationship bond stays secure as long as the people involved trust the other to keep doing their share or contributing equally. When the contribution bond is fractured, then the disruptive concept of fairness is introduced. 

Accountability, or the display of ownership is a great first indicator of the level of trust you can put into an individual. If they are willing to throw their past decisions under a bus in front of you, then they will have no trouble stabbing you in the back moving forward. Taking responsibility for every choice you have made, ensures the viewer that your work output will come without excuses and a great sign that you might be low maintenance and lacking drama. 

THIS PERCEPTION CREATES: Believing, or the act of holding something sacred is fueled by the vulnerability experienced when willing first to say, "the buck stops here." It is very difficult to believe in anything if you can not stand for something. Standing up is less difficult if you are accountable for your actions. Taking ownership strengthens your belief system, thereby, making you more determined. 

Accountability (being blameworthy) + believing (having faith)

PRODUCES: Commitment, or the state of being dedicated to a cause. The word commitment also evokes a strong sense of intention and focus. When you combine the concepts on intention and focus, it produces the clarity of purpose. In turn, purpose provides a proclamation of your seriousness to commit. The phenomenon of commitment is the cornerstone of human life. Commitments make individuals' behavior predictable in the face of fluctuations of their desires and agendas. Moreover, commitment also facilitates "cooperation with" or "acceptance of" the setting of expectations. Honoring your commitments by meeting the expectations is the true sign of maturity.

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Mar 25, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Paul Minichino comes to you from his office in Winchester, Va. with some special guests to talk about how to stay committed to your goals.

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Mar 18, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright and his special guest Jeff Bright explain how you can effectively measure your goals. 

Here is a recipe for reaching a goal:

Firm Deadlines (in order to set expectations) plus Specific Tasks (in order to assign accountability) plus Measurable Outcomes (in order to justify consequences) equals Goal Attainment.

The best way to measure your goals is to measure your progress with three measurable outcomes:

Commitment (when dedication kills excuses)

Completion (when winning kills stress)

Consistency (when accuracy kills vagueness)

Commitment as a measurable outcome:

Commitment is not measured by how strongly you feel about something, but by what you are willing to give up. And what you give up may not be as important as how long you are asked to give it up. In that case, you have to only measure the level of commitment to what's required by the situation at that moment. 

EXAMPLE: Adherence to containment measures due to the Coronavirus. In this example, tolerance is the true measurable outcome. 

Completion as a measurable outcome:

Task completion is one of the fundamental usability metrics to measure success. It's the most common way to quantify the effectiveness of effort. If agents can't do what they intend to accomplish, not much else matters. While that may seem like a straightforward concept, actually determining whether agents are completing tasks often isn't that easy even with a mode of evaluation such as a leaderboard. Doing a deep dive (measuring) into the actions that it takes to appear on the leaderboard is much more important than the results themselves. 

Consistency as a measurable outcome:

While commitment is about intention to accomplish; and completion is about quantity within the accomplishment; consistency is then the quality within the results. 

Consistency or sustainability is measured by assessing performance over the long run. In life, you can either fail, survive or succeed. For most people, success is fleeting -- they will spend the majority of their life fluctuating between failure and survival. 

If you are failing, it means you're not living the life you want, you are not accomplishing your most important goals. Finding yourself in this state or near it will prompt you to spring into action. This is how you get back to surviving. This is the pivotal moment in your life. 

If you are surviving, you are already on your way to success. In fact, you may have accomplished one or more of your most important goals. The reason that pure, raw success is so rare is because when you find yourself on the upward trend, something triggers you to stop -- whether you are aware of it or not. Think of it as going on autopilot or becoming comfortable with your success. 

Surviving means doing just enough to get by -- just enough to reach a milestone or to win a trip or contest.

Maintaining success, however, means always pushing yourself to break through the glass ceiling above and trying to reach a higher level of consistency. This is done by implementing the following four steps:

1. Auditing your philosophy: find your "why" in order to understand what you want. 

2. Focusing on what seems insignificant: do the little things to cultivate good habits. 

3. Stop searching for the instant button: don't expect quick results but rather lasting results. 

4. Keep doing what you're doing: recognize the actions that gain you success.

"Success is fine, but success is fleeting. Significance is lasting." -- author unknown

MORAL: Success is merely rented and it is due daily through your sweat. It affords you more than money by giving you the opportunity to make a difference.

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Mar 11, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. on Sunset Beach to talk about how to remove the roadblocks to success. 

There are two major obstacles to being successful that you must get passed. They are fear and doubt. 

Fear of success phobia - Achievemephobia: prevents the sufferer from dreaming and achieving goals. It occurs when someone is not looking for any change. 

Doubt - causes the sufferer to call into question the truth or facts and to become uncertain. It occurs when someone's indecision becomes their new reality over faith and experience. 

Reasons for fear or achievemephobia:

Fear of getting what one wants and having to live up to that new standard - expectations become more pressing.

Fear of not hitting the new expectations and having to face the music - consequences become more real. 

Getting ahead without old associations causes one to feel guilty. 

Reasons For Doubt:

Past failures predict self-worth moving forward (defeat from collapse). 

Fake wins provide a false sense of security moving forward (embarrassment from exposure).

Believing success all comes down to luck (limitation from destiny). 

Ridding Yourself of Fear and Doubt:

Fear (Ignorance) vs. Courage (Knowledge)

Doubt (Feelings of Inadequacy) vs. Confidence (Feelings of Deserving)

Using the strategy of courage to kill fear:

Practicing relative reflection allows one to find a sense of placement or fit in the world we live. This type of perspective gives us the ability to recognize our fears for what they really are - an unknown. 

Taking initiative with a "can do" mindset vs. a "cannot" mindset by making the following statements:

If I could do more vs. If I wasn't so tired

But, it's not too late vs. But, I'm not ready

When can I get started vs. When I find the time

Using the strategy of confidence to kill doubt:

Trusting in the process of today to influence the results of tomorrow by completing the following statements with positives:

Life is ____________, People are ____________, I am __________________

Believing that things can get better through the power of hope. It sustains our actions by providing them breath. 

How doubt and fear kill discipline:

Doubt (lack of confidence) causes:

Fear (lack of courage) causes:

Inactivity (lack of initiative) causes:

Becoming Comfortable (lack of drive) causes:

Becoming Undisciplined (lack of routine) causes:

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Mar 4, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about the six P Formula for personal and professional success. 

Planning is discipline (which creates a habit) and a skill (which creates a competence). This means planning is a discipline that you can master through repetition (habit) and a skill that is mastered through practice (competence). 

We have all heard the phrase, "proper prior planning prevents poor performance." It's an old British Army adage that still applies today. 

Proper: It is important to have the proper strategy (Sell, Recruit and Build; Duplication, Association and Edification; Have Fun, Make Money and Make A Difference) or the HOW (mission) spelled out before taking action. 

Prior: Thinking through WHAT you must do to accomplish your goals with prior preparation enables you to take opportunity when it appears as a great moment to act. 

Planning: Planning allows one to organize their list of actions by priority and sequence by determining which tasks are more important. Priority organizes the what and sequence organizes the when. 

Prevents: Prevention helps you identify the vital elements or limiting factors of a plan or initiative. This provides more focus and time to be spent on the most important tasks. 

Poor: A poor approach will result in a poor effort. Determine the critical results or our what (The 8 Steps) and growth will follow. But, growth (work ethic) can never coexist with being comfortable (inactivity). 

Performance: The price of success is dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen. But everything depends upon the execution or performance. Just to have a destination or WHY (vision) will not get the results. One must see their how (mission) as a timeless act of performing (day in and day out) with a consistent discipline allowing them to master the mundane by "Doing The Do."

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Feb 26, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, Andy Albright gives you seven questions that will help you get started toward reaching your goals and unlocking your potential.

 

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Feb 18, 2020

On this episode of The Wednesday Call podcast, guest host Andy Riddle raps about what you need to do to build YOUR fire within. Andy will cover four aspects to building that fire in order to propel you in the direction of success. 

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