Posted on November 02, 2018 by anstice communicationsOn October 24, Anstice was privileged to host Alison Geskin, CEO ofThe Art of Strategy,to present at our quarterly “Thinks & Drinks” excellence series to an audience of marketing pros and small-business owners alike.Alison’s session focused onHow to Eat Strategy for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner by transforming thinking from tactical to strategic and creating a roadmap for greater empowerment. Her approach to strategy is refreshing in the way it provides practical tools that consider the audience’s professionaland personal life. In her words: “There is no way you can ‘kill it’ at life if you aren’t ‘killing it’ at business. And there is no way to kill it at business if you aren’t killing it at life.”
(Click the image above for video)So, how can you tackle both realms to achieve optimal success? Here are the top tools and takeaways that you can adopt today:1) Eliminate distractions The majority of us start our day by checking our work emails, glancing at our jam-packed calendars, and scrolling through the latest news on social media. Our tools are controlling—and potentially derailing—our day before we even have our morning coffee.80% of us look at our smartphones before we brush our teeth in the morning. Alison challenged us to turn off our notifications for the next seven days. How? Start by plugging in your phone in a different room at home and leaving your phone behind when you go to meetings.By turning down the noise and taking back control of our tools, we become more present in our interactions with colleagues, family, and friends.2) Create productive habitsYou know that feeling of getting into the zone on a project, only to get interrupted by the office chatter or an urgent email popping up moments later?A study from the University of California Irvinereveals that the typical office worker gets distracted every 11 minutes at work, and it takes an average of 25 minutes and 13 seconds to get back to the original task. In an eight-hour work day, you can see where the problem lies—we are always busy, but not necessarily productive.That old (and irksome) saying “work smarter, not harder” may hold more relevance than we think—but only if everyone affected is aware of and on-board with the boundary and expectation shifts required for success.How do we win? Alison’s answer isPower Hours—scheduled 60-minute time blocks in our calendars where we turn off email notifications, put our phones away, and power through tasks. This uninterrupted time increases productivity and reduces daily stresses at the office.3) Sell emotion, not productsWe’ve all seen the heart-wrenching commercial that pulls at our heartstrings and draws us in with little focus on the actual product. These commercials work because emotions, not logic, are the hallmark of human decision-making.95% of purchasing decisions are made subliminally, according to Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman.Alison brings this top of mind and indicates that it’s the ability to tap into emotion that drives brand affinity and ultimately leads to explosive growth: “It’s not what you do, it’s how you make people feel.”4) Find your WHY The businesses and individuals that lead with “why” are the ones that succeed.Inspired bySimon Sinek’s theory of Finding Your Why,Alison suggests that every organization on the planet knows what they do, some know how they do it, but most businesses don’t knowwhythey do it. The “why” is not about making money. That is the result.The “why” is the purpose, cause, or belief—it comes down to thereason you or your organization exists.Alison challenges us to ask ourselves “why” at least 5 times in our career, business, or personal life. Each “why” peels back a layer to determine the underlying purpose. When you determine your WHY, as a business or as a person, you can lead with this on a daily basis.Are you interested in registering for our next Thinks & Drinks? Send us an email to info@ansticecom.com, and we will keep you informed about upcoming speakers and events. As the President & CEO of The Art of Strategy, Alison Geskin is a leader in Business Strategy and Coaching. She has a dual designation as a Certified Executive Coach and a Certified Life Coach from Symbiosis Coaching and topped off her education by getting certified in Leadership Coaching from Harvard University.Visit The Art of Strategy website to learn more. Follow Anstice Communications on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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