Dan Lok

Develop A Powerful Personal Brand With These 3 Secrets

February 14, 2020 by Dan Lok Leave a Comment

To develop a powerful personal brand can be a daunting task, as many entrepreneurs and small business owners struggle with developing a brand for themselves. But branding is not only for companies, it defines who you are. Like everything else, your personal brand is unique.

What is a personal brand and why is it important?

A personal brand is a perception in someone’s mind. As I said earlier, when someone calls out your name, what would be their response? The truth is, you can determine what you want people to think and say about you.

Developing a brand is about taking control of your image, and that reflects who you are in many aspects. When someone calls out your name, it should give them an honest impression of your talents, values, and beliefs.

Developing a powerful personal brand is crucial for entrepreneurs and small business owners. In fact, it’s important for everyone. Because our personal brand will not only boost our business – it helps drive them to success.

For example, what makes you different? What are you known for? This means, what are your values? Are your values aligned with your mission and beliefs? And what kind of impression do you want to leave behind for the world?

You are your brand, no matter what your current job is. Share on X

Branding is like a mental game. It acts as a magnet that pulls the matching pair together. So, if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you must develop a powerful personal brand.

If you don’t develop a powerful personal brand, it makes you no different than others in regards to your profession.

The more you present yourself to the world, the higher your brand gains its credibility and recognition. So how do you develop a powerful personal brand? In this article, I will share 3 of my secrets to develop a powerful personal brand.

1. Brand Around Your Talents, Values, And Beliefs.

People like to know the story around why you did it and what makes you do it. It can be because of a certain talent you have or a strong belief of a product that you’ve created. Either way, people are drawn into a combination of vulnerability and enthusiasm. Your beliefs are what drives your core values.

Everyone looks at your watch and it represents who you are, your values and your personal style. – Kobe Bryant

When I say value, it isn’t based upon your position at your company. Rather it’s based on what you can bring to the marketplace. What is the unique talent that you do exceptionally well that others can’t? When you establish your own target audience in your niche market. You’ll be able to develop a unique talent around your niche. So, why do you have to do this?

Because with your own target audience, it helps you narrow down your potential customers. Clients won’t just walk up to your doorstep. You need to put yourself out there and when you understand your audiences, it is easier to create value based on their problems.

But before you do that, ask yourself these questions. This is where you begin.

Am I perceived as I want to be?
How strong is my reputation in my industry?
What does my brand reflect most on my personality? My ability?
What makes me unique?
Does my website/blog reflect my brand?
Does my social media channel reflect my brand?

Asking yourself these questions is where you begin developing a powerful personal brand. Choose what you want to be known for and focus on being the best at it. If you’re looking to be a successful entrepreneur, being the best at what you do sets you apart from your competition.

2. Develop A Powerful Signature Style

As I said in the beginning, branding is like a mental game. It’s like a magnet that pulls a matching pair together. So, when you develop a powerful personal brand, you need to stand out. Because being average makes you similar to everyone else and this is where you take control in developing what people think and say about you.

When you think about a signature style, it can be varied. It can either make or break a personal brand. So, be careful when you decide on your style. If you can develop this well, it can be powerful and make you instantly recognizable. Think about your favorite brands. What makes them unique? This is crucial to know because your brand allows self-expression through your personality to the marketplace.

You can visualize your style with these guides. But remember to be consistent with your style.

Logos
Trademarks
Signs
Core visual elements
How you dress

Think of it this way, if you have a different color logo on your signs and your blog. People will find it hard to understand what you do. So, being consistent with your style is a surefire to success.

Apart from that, develop your unique dress code. As I said earlier, you are in control of what people think and say about you. You want people to remember you for the right reasons. My mentees associate me with my red suit and my Bentley. Steve Jobs always dressed exactly the same and Obama only wears either a blue or a gray suit.

My point here is, these may be their signature style. But when you call out their names, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Steve Jobs – Apple products. Dan Lok – Red suit and Bentley. On top of that, a powerful personal brand gives you an advantage in your professional and personal life.

3. Create An Impression With An Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch allows you to earn someone’s conversation. It is never an opportunity to close a deal. However, it’s an opportunity to get people’s attention. It acts as a quick introduction and with a short, snappy explanation, it explains how you can help your customers.

So, where and when should you use your elevator pitch? You can leave an impression with an elevator pitch during a networking event, warm calls or conferences. You also use an elevator pitch with job interviews. Especially when someone asks you this question, “Tell me about yourself” or “What do you do?”

Instead of convincing someone to hire you, earn 30 seconds of conversation. Share on X

A compelling short stunning elevator pitch will uplift your value. Which means, people will instantly remember who you are. But never forget that when people who listen to your pitch, the first thing they think about is “Does that bring me value?” or “What’s in it for me?” Therefore, when you develop a powerful personal brand, it’s crucial to understand your audiences.

For example, at a networking event. Someone prompts an attention-grabbing question saying, “Isn’t it a daunting task to develop a personal brand for yourself?” And you answer, “ Yes, but you know what will make it less daunting? The founder of my company constantly creates educational content. They created a video training that cost less than a cup of coffee a day. And if you spend 30 days on coffee, you could discover the secrets to develop a powerful personal brand without feeling daunting.”

Or if someone asks, what do you do?. You can say, “I help companies scale their business by exponentially increasing their conversion rates.” While different types of questions have different impressions, it should also be memorable and punchy.

What Should You Be Doing To Maintain Your Personal Branding?

Now that you’ve developed a powerful personal brand. What should you be doing to maintain your brand? Yes, it’s time to gain visibility. This is where you’re letting your audience know you exist.

To gain visibility requires multiple processes. For example, creating a well-strategized plan across your social media platform. In order to establish a strong foundation, you need to be active in a couple of things.

Here’s how you can market your brand through different channels.

Client Referrals
Direct Mail
Networking
Joint ventures
Seminars
Public Relations
Warm Calling (if you have a product or service)
Internet (Social media platforms)

Don’t get overwhelmed by the number of platforms. To begin with, you can start with one. Decide which is your best channel according to your target audience. Now, let me give you an idea of what I do to promote and maintain my personal brand.

Here’s what I do to maintain my personal brand. And this is strictly on personal branding.

Give one interview per week. 52 interviews a year which includes TV, Radio, Podcast or print.
Conduct one interview per week with successful entrepreneurs.
Create and upload 200+ videos per year on YouTube.
Publish at least one new book per year.
Give away a minimum of 3,000 books a year.
Deliver at least 20 presentation or speeches a year.

Ensuring your brand is personalized, creates compelling and convincing content. Write valuable and educational content to your audience. You need to put value to the marketplace. Why? Because your brand and value is a self-expression through your personality. So, if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, position yourself by being the best at what you do.

Why Entrepreneurs Fail At Developing A Personal Brand

As I said in the beginning, many entrepreneurs struggle to develop a powerful personal brand. So, whether it’s personal or business life, it defines who you are. In order to be successful in any business, having a powerful brand is crucial because branding elevates your success exponentially.

Developing a powerful personal brand right is crucial for success. Share on X

Of course, it’s not an overnight success. You can’t get the world to know who you are in a day. But if you’re consistent, it’s a surefire to success. It takes time and effort to understand and learn how to develop a powerful personal brand effectively.

Here’s why entrepreneurs fail at developing a personal brand.

They Don’t Fully Believe In Themselves.

If you don’t believe in yourself, certainly, nobody will. If you want to develop a powerful personal brand, you must be clear and certain about who you are and what you can offer to the marketplace. Again, your value is on what you can bring to the marketplace. But keep this in mind, there’s a difference between confidence and arrogance. If you set yourself with confidence, you’ll overcome hurdles with grace.

No Strategy

Everything you do reflects on your brand. Therefore, having a good strategy is important in every area of business. If you want to stand out and be remembered. You need to put in the extra effort as it won’t magically appear for you. Think and plan out a couple of strategies before you execute. But don’t be afraid to fail. I failed in 13 businesses before i became a self-made millionaire.

How you do anything is how you do everything – Dan Lok

Unsure What Is Personal Branding

Don’t get confused between professional and personal branding, because they are very different. Personal brand is a perception in someone’s mind. It is how people perceive you would be. Remember the first question you ask yourself? Am I perceived as I want to be? Talking to people and asking for honest opinions is the best way to do this.

They’re Inconsistent With Their Content On Social Media

Have a narrow focus on your topics with your social media channels. When you’re consistent, it’s easier to recognize a voice. To ensure a powerful brand is achieved, you have to demonstrate consistency across your communication.

Never Leverage On Social Media Platforms

In 2018, an estimate of 1.8 billion people worldwide purchased goods online. And during the same year, global e-retail sales amounted to 2.8 trillion U.S. dollars. It’s projected to grow up to 4.8 trillion U.S. dollars by 2021. So, can you imagine the number of people purchasing a product through social media platforms? It’s significantly high. So, leveraging social media might be the key to your success.

Not Investing In Themselves To Learn

I’ve seen many entrepreneurs make plenty of excuses. Such as, I’m too old to expose myself in social media. I’m not young enough to learn new things anymore. Well, let me tell you this. If you want to develop a powerful personal brand, you need to have a shift in mindset. The process of gradually developing into the person you wish to be is crucial. When you get constructive criticism, you can use that to grow. Regardless of how long it takes, your brand will grow much more quickly.

If you want to grow your business, investing in yourself to learn new technology is essential. Unless you have the confidence to learn through my free 200+ video content. Engaging a mentor and gaining their secrets will bring you success quicker.

Want To Develop A Powerful Personal Brand?

Making a name for yourself can be tough and frustrating. As I said in the beginning, it can be a daunting task. It requires time, effort and consistency. When you see other leaders making a name for themselves, you wonder, how did they have it all figured out? When you want to develop a powerful personal brand, you have to understand the most important aspect, which is trust.

A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. – Seth Godin

Whether it’s for personal or business. If they aren’t any trust, you’re not likely to achieve a personal brand for yourself. That’s why I told my team to prepare a special training video that consists of my secrets. Discover the secrets of my personal branding here.

Back in my early days, when I was in high school, I was the invisible kid. No one wanted to talk to me and people didn’t think I could succeed in business. But now that I’m a business magnate, Internet celebrity and global educator with students and fans around the world, people want to know how I developed such a reputation.

In today’s world of technology, opportunities for growth are more than before. So, to develop a powerful personal brand, be sure to stay focused and the brand stays with you.

A personal brand is nothing more than your personal reputation. If you want to create a powerful reputation for yourself, create a compelling elevator pitch and develop the perception you want your audience to think and say about you. That drives your core values with the beliefs you have.

And, if you’re a serious influencer, entrepreneur, and expert earning over $300,000 in revenue and want to take your business to the next level, read below. If you are an influencer and entrepreneur who wants to:

Scale their business to 7-figures and beyond using social media.
Generate a predictable and sustainable return on investment every month.
Build a 7-figure business that runs with or without them.

High-Ticket Influencer is the answer.

How To Find Investors Before Your Company Launch

February 12, 2020 by Dan Lok

Thinking of starting your own company? First, you’ll need to know how to find investors to fund your startup.

Most entrepreneurs who are looking to start their own company know it’s not just about having a solid plan of where they’ll take the company in the next few years. It’s not what niche they are going to go into, or the best practices within their own industry. No, it’s about money – AKA startup capital. That’s why you need to know how to find investors.

Successful entrepreneurs and business owners know they need cash on hand if they want to succeed. Research shows that most businesses fail because they lack capital. Without an adequate source of funding, they won’t be able to maintain their operations past the first 5 years of business – which is the crucial moment in time when most businesses fail.

Think of capital as a safety net. Every time you make a mistake in business, it’s going to cost you money. The more money you have, the more mistakes you can afford to make. This is why having capital is very important, and you need investors to raise capital. Compared to a startup with very little money, the companies that knew how to find investors can afford to make more mistakes. And you will make mistakes which will cost you money.

Those who started a business with very little capital (and no investors) only afford to make a few mistakes before they go bankrupt. If you’ve never tried to grow a business before, you’re sure to make plenty of mistakes.

Having capital allows you to endure through those tough first few years, and eventually build up your business to become successful. If you’re looking to start your own company, here are a few tips on how to find investors for your startup launch:

Perfecting Your Business Presentation and Pitch

Before you even begin to look for investors to fund your startup, you should have your pitch down. Have a well thought out presentation that is visually appealing. Documentation of your plan and what you have in mind. The niche and industry you are going to go into. Your expenses, operations, estimated profit and yearly revenue. And most importantly, what’s in it for the investor.

Remember, everyone on this planet is tuned into the radio station WIIFM – What’s in it for me? Realize that from an investors point of view, they are taking a risk. They don’t know who you are, if you are trustworthy or if you’ll even succeed. Worst case scenario, your business could fail, and they lose all of their money invested. Your job is to help alleviate these doubts and fears, and assure them that you are going to succeed.

To do this, focus on tailoring your sales presentation to how it can benefit your investor. Are they getting a 10% equity in your company? Will they get royalties on every product or service being sold? Make it clear that if they decide to do business with you, they are going to get a nice ROI. A little bit of greed in business is a good thing – if you can cater to that side of your investors, they’ll think less about what they have to lose, and more about what they have to gain.

Give them enough reasons to believe they have more to gain than lose, and they’ll have the confidence to say yes. And, if you come across as confident in your well-rehearsed pitch, they’ll be more likely to feel confident investing.

Before You Become a CEO You Need to Become a Salesperson

During the actual presentation, your role is going to be that of a salesperson. Your company does not yet exist – it is simply an idea in your head or on a piece of paper. You are trying to sell your company and vision to the investor, and to do that, you need to convince them that your plan is going to work.

Before you even become the CEO of your own company, you first have to become a great salesperson. Being a visionary and sharing your passion as to why you want to start a business in the first place is good, but unless you are able to clearly articulate your thoughts to the investors, you will never have a chance at succeeding. Spend time to craft your pitch carefully, practice your speech over and over until it comes second hand, and then take action.

This is where skills like closing become very useful. If you have experience doing sales, you will have a much easier time getting over your investor’s objections. Being able to redirect the conversation will allow you to get to the core of what your investor is really after – getting a positive ROI. You already know what kind of outcome they are looking for, all that’s left is to lead them towards that result. Treat them like you would treat a prospect, and get them to say yes.

Having your pitch down and solid documentation of how you are going to get there, is going to help influence investors to believe in you and your vision. But ultimately, it will be up to you and how well you can sell yourself.

Why You Shouldn’t Approach Banks For Your Startup Funding

Thinking about getting funding through traditional methods like the bank? Think again.

Banks have extremely strict lending criteria, and as a startup with no track record, no revenue and no proof of success – the chances they’ll say yes are very slim. As a startup entrepreneur, banks want nothing to do with you. Startups are a risk they aren’t willing to take, and with such a large customer base, banks have many other people they can lend money to at a much lower risk.

If you’re wondering how to find investors to fund your company, banks are the last place you’ll want to visit. Instead, get creative – and tap into the marketplace that other entrepreneurs can be found: Social Media.

Using Social Media and Crowdfunding To Build Your Business

One of the best ways to get funding is by using crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe, Kickstarter and Patreon.

“But Dan, I’m an entrepreneur! I’m not going to accept DONATIONS from other people!”

You won’t accept donations? That is precisely the kind of mentality that is holding you back. Instead of seeing it from the perspective as a donation, think of it as a business loan that you will pay back once your business is up and running. For example, let’s say you need a million dollars before you can start your business. So you set up a Kickstarter page, get the funding and now you’re ready to launch your business. How are you going to pay back your loyal supporters, who got you where you are?

This is why some crowdfunding campaigns have rewards based on the amount that people donate. Those who donate more money, have access to exclusive perks and benefits such as lifetime discounts on products and services, or limited edition products. Having a reward tier system allows the funders to feel they are getting something in return. You get the money you need for your business, and they get rewarded for their financial assistance.

You Don’t Need Money – You Need Resourcefulness

Finding investors for your startup company launch requires creativity. You are doing something that goes against traditional wisdom, which means you need to think up methods that don’t use traditional means.

The biggest problem that beginner entrepreneurs have, is that they make up excuses. They say things like “I don’t have enough money” or “I don’t know how to do this or that.” As an entrepreneur, excuses will get you nowhere. If you want to succeed, you need to realize that those who have made it, did so not because they had money, but because they were resourceful.

Imagine that you somehow got the startup capital for your company. You’re ecstatic that you finally have enough money, and celebrate with a big company launch. But then a year later, you realize you’ve already burned through all of the cash and need more. Now you’re back where you started. How will you solve the issue this time?

Having money isn’t the solution. Being resourceful is. If you have the skills and knowledge to generate money, you will never have to worry. Money is something that can be taken away from you as easily as you have earned it. And in the world of business where there are many risks and possibilities of going broke, you need more than just money if you want to succeed.

Learning how to be resourceful will allow you to overcome many other problems that you will inevitably encounter along the way. If you make excuses and rely on having everything ‘ready’ before you begin, you will struggle whenever any problem pops up. Think of the problems you currently have now as opportunities, that tell you what aspects of yourself you need to improve on.

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. Share on X

Finding Angel Investors and Getting Them to Say Yes

If you’ve ever watched Shark Tank or Dragon’s Den, you may be familiar with the term ‘angel investor’. Angel investors are entrepreneurs that are wildly successful. They are multi-millionaires and even billionaires that actively look to invest their money into funding companies and startups.

These millionaires and billionaires can afford to take the risk to invest in startups, because to them it is only a small percentage of their net worth. If the startup fails, they simply lose their investment – which is not a lot to them. They understand that if they want to make a lot of money, they must be willing to take big risks. For them, startups are the fastest way to generate more money – a small $100,000 investment could easily net them a 1000% return if the business becomes successful.

If you want to get funding from an angel investor, you need to be prepared. This is why I recommended you first rehears and perfect your pitch and presentation before you even begin looking for investors. Successful people know that opportunities can happen at any time, and if they want to win in business, they have to always be ready to give their best. That means preparing ahead of time what you want to say, and how you should present yourself. After all, you only get one shot at making a first impression.

Angel investors can be found in any local city, online, on television shows, at business workshops, seminars, and even as an associate of your friends or family. The larger your network is, the better chance you have of finding an angel investor. Once you do, all that’s left is to convince them that you have what it takes to make the business successful and generate them a massive return on their investment.

Why Your Network is Your Net Worth

The more people you know, the higher your chance of succeeding in business. Successful business people understand that having connections and growing their network is one of the most valuable assets they can have. In order to build something great, you need a team. And when you know a lot of people, you have access to many more opportunities.

People only do business with people they trust. And for them, they are much more likely to trust a friend than a random stranger they just met. That’s why having a large business network is so valuable, because it allows you to tap into many resources. Finding a business mentor, for example, could make all the difference for you. In fact, if it wasn’t for my mentor Alan, I might never have become successful.

Alan was my copywriting mentor. Before I met Alan, I had started and failed at 13 different businesses, getting myself into $100,000 of credit card debt. Even though I was desperate to succeed, I still did not give up, and did everything in my power to keep moving forward. That led me to attend a seminar, where coincidentally, I found myself sitting beside him in the audience.

At that time, Alan was this super successful copywriter whom I frequently studied. I managed to convince Alan to become my mentor, and after a lot of begging, stubbornness and hard labor, he finally agreed. As time went on, Alan found himself too busy to take on copywriting work from his clients, and instead handed them off to me. Because of Alan, I was able to kick off my copywriting career, find clients and never have to work a 9-5 job again. I knew the right people, and they helped to open many more opportunities for me. That’s the power of having a large business network.

Your network is your net worth. - Tim Sanders Share on X

Expanding Your Network and Business Connections

If you want to expand your network, you have to put yourself out there. That means going to seminars, workshops, making YouTube videos or building a social media profile.

If you’ve been following my work for some time, you’ll realize that I do all of the above. This isn’t accidental, it’s intentional. I knew that if I wanted to spread my message across the world, that I would need to put myself on as many platforms as possible. I had to grow my presence online, so that people could find me and know who I am. If you’re looking for investors to fund your startup business, I would recommend you to do the same.

There are many platforms you can promote yourself on. Some popular platforms are LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Kickstarter. Think of these platforms as your business brand – what kind of content do you want your audience to know about? What kind of content would attract investors to reach out to you for funding?

“But Dan, I HATE social media! It’s so shallow and cliche!”

Instead of thinking about it as social media, think of it as business media. You are using these popular social media platforms as a way to advertise your business. The best part, is that you can do so for FREE. Traditional methods such as running ads cost you money, and considering you are looking for investors for your startup, you probably don’t have a lot you can spend.

Get creative, and leverage social media as your business page. You’ll be able to reach millions of people by either building your own personal brand, or finding others who are doing similar things.

Follow Me On LinkedIn and Expand Your Business Network

Becoming an entrepreneur is not easy. It means you are committing yourself down a path that goes against conventional wisdom and what you have been taught. In order to succeed as an entrepreneur, you’ll have to think outside the box.

If you’re looking for ways on how to find investors for your new company, you won’t be able to do it through traditional institutions like banks. Instead, look for places where investors and other entrepreneurs are most likely to hang out. This could be at seminars, workshops, speaking events or your local bookstore. They’ll also frequently visit crowdfunding campaigns and professional business platforms like LinkedIn to grow their network and connections.

By building a personal portfolio or brand of yourself and what you stand for, you can attract potential investors to your startup. Put yourself out there, by growing your network and posting on social media. If others are interested in what you have to offer, they’ll instead reach out to you.

If you’re looking to grow your business network and meet others who are doing the same, follow me on LinkedIn here.

How Competitive Sports Develop The World’s Strongest Leaders

February 11, 2020 by Dan Lok

Did you know that competitive sports can sometimes show us the world’s strongest leaders? Are you wondering how competitive sports shape and develop a strong leader? Perhaps you’re wondering, What do sports have to do with being a leader?

Well, competitive sports develop the strongest leaders in the world. Why? Because sports are highly competitive and by nature, they push people to achieve more than their rivals. A person playing competitive sports will vigorously train to be a winner. Playing sports also provides opportunities for developing leadership skills.

Competitive sports enable people to function effectively while developing confidence and making quick decisions. On top of that, competitive sports also encourage other elements of skills that I’ll be discussing shortly.

You see, when in a crisis situation, effective leaders recognize when to behave decisively. With that said, when it comes to teams and competitive sports, it involves developing a strategy to win.

To be good at competitive sports, you need to have the ability to focus and be in the zone. Competitive sports help you get in the zone and get into a winner’s mindset.

Human beings are at their best when they’re in the zone. Share on X

Playing and coaching competitive sports also arms people with the traits of being respectful among other competitors, the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as managing time effectively.

Research demonstrates that competing in sports builds certain transferable skills which can result in becoming a strong leader. Approximately 75% of people who played competitive sports believed that it gave them skills and capabilities in their workplace as well, and 40% of employers support their employees in participating in competitive sports.

Playing competitive sports builds confidence and mental toughness. Share on X

Be Conscious of Your Own Thought Processes

Whether it’s sports or business, it’s the mental game that counts. Because your body is controlled by your mind, you have to imagine that your brain is the main core system, and what you believe in your mind enables you to produce great results.

Some people are gifted with great leadership skills. But what’s important here is, you must become conscious of your own thought processes, and develop a leader’s mindset.

Competitive sports enable you to execute both your mental and physical potential. Sports can help you become aware of your subconscious thoughts, and your inner motivators.

For example, let’s say you’re going to a competition. If you believe that you’re not as good as others, your subconscious mind will constantly remind you of what you believe. So, if you keep thinking that you’re not good enough – you will not be good enough.

Because you carry those thoughts with you all the time, instead of winning the game, you lose.

Now, let’s turn it around. Let’s say you have more positive thoughts such as, “ I am going to win.” Your beliefs lead you to a certain way of thinking which in turn, produces results.

Therefore, it’s important to always think of winning, rather than worrying about losing.

So, how can competitive sports develop the strongest leaders in the world?

Teamwork

Teamwork is one of the basic skills required for any competitive sport. It gives people the motivation needed during a game or a competition. With that said, participants will do their part by assisting the team to reach their collective goal.

Leaders that are involved in competitive sports must develop team-building skills. And great leaders inspire others by focusing on achieving objectives or common goals.

On another note, it’s not as easy as it seems when it comes to building a top-performing team. Company executives need to establish a good vision and hire talented employees for this. The same goes for a leader that’s coaching a team of competitive sports players.

With practice of good teamwork, you’ll achieve your goals faster. That’s why establishing talented employees, and putting together a great team that works well together, is crucial for success.

But then again, to act as a strong leader, you have to create a team culture that aligns with your vision. A vision that empowers the whole team to take action without hesitation.

Communication with Your Team

Communication skills are the most important element when it comes to sports. In fact, communication skills are crucial for anything we do, whether it’s personal or sports or business. So, in competitive sports, when you’ve mastered this skill, it allows you to inspire, motivate, recognize and appreciate the great work of your team.

Most people can speak and communicate just fine. However, it’s the exceptional communicators who stand out and succeed. Being an exceptional communicator requires a special talent. Especially for business owners and corporate professionals.

So, if you’re someone that’s constantly looking at stacking your skills. I highly recommend you consider learning how to communicate better.

To be a strong leader, finding ways to communicate effectively in any situation will help you succeed in anything you do. Not only will it improve your leadership capacity but also, it helps you be a good listener. On top of that, good communication skills help you persuade your team to perform.

Imagine that you’re a competitive swimmer. You’re underwater a lot, and you might not think communication skills are that important for you. There won’t be any talking while swimming, you’re right, but what about before the race? Competitive swimmers need someone to motivate them with the right words, and that requires communication skills.

Now imagine that you are a coach. You see, when you coach someone, you need to pass on a clear message and motivate them. Your ability to do this effects your team’s performance. That’s why coaches must master communication skills.

Decision Making

When you’re involved in competitive sports, it’ll enhance your decision-making skills, because you’re observing and interpreting information, and you’re required to make decisions quickly. Competitive sports help you make quick decisions in order to succeed.

What do I mean by a ‘quick’ decision? Let’s take soccer, for example. A player only gets a few seconds to decide who to pass the ball to. You don’t have time to procrastinate in making this decision. If you do, you could cost your team the win.

Competitive sports help people develop quick-thinking, which is important for success. Share on X

Sports like soccer, basketball, hockey, fencing, wrestling, and football, require quick-action thinking in order to be win. On top of that, it enables your mind to develop better reflexes and more confidence in making decisions.

But you might have this question in mind: Is this skill learnable? Yes, it’s definitely a learnable skill. Like any other skill, practice makes perfect. So, in anything you do, whether it’s in sports or business, decision making is crucial for success. As a business owner, making wise decisions quickly could put you on the path to greater success much faster.

Now, let’s say you’re a business owner and you’re wondering how you can learn or practice decision-making skills.

Imagine you have an appointment with a prospect, and this is a new prospect. So, as a business owner or a corporate professional, you must know your product and service at the back of your head. And typically, it involves “communication”. Which means you may have a script ready in your mind. Or maybe not – maybe you just wing it and just go with the flow.

Imagine that if you close the deal, you’re closing a 6-figure deal. But what happens when your prospect gives you a bunch of objections? Let me tell you something: Prospects Lie.

So, how can you use the power of quick-thinking to tackle your prospect?

Watch this video to know why we get objections:

Dealing with Success and Failure

Both success and failure have their own advantages. When you accomplished success, be proud and celebrate! And the same goes for failure. Celebrate failure, especially if you learned a valuable lesson. But you might be thinking, Why exactly should I celebrate when I fail?

When you fail to succeed, you learn a lot about yourself, your skills, and your capabilities. You learn where you need to improve. And when you set your mind to do better, that’s an incredible shift of mindset.

So, knowing how to deal with success and failure is important. Competitive sports teach you how to be proud of your successes without demeaning your opponents.

Each and every accomplishment requires a certain amount of focus. So, even if you fail at something, you will focus more to do better the next time.

To some people, failure means – they can’t be successful. And if you’re someone who thinks that way, understand that failure is just a temporary setback. You can learn from your mistakes in order to improve as I said earlier.

I’ve mentored over 5,000 students from all over the world and not everyone tastes success overnight – I know I did not… It took me twenty-three years to be a self-made millionaire. I failed in multiple businesses, made wrong decisions but that did not let me down.

So, stay on track and strive for your goals!

Setting and Striving For Goals

When I get a new mentee, I ask them a lot of these sorts of questions: “What is your goal?”, “How much money do you want to make per month?”and “How much income do you want to earn per year?”

Now you must be answering those questions in your mind.

Most successful people set two different kinds of goals. One type of goal is a short-term goal, and the other is long-term. So why do you need to set both short and long-term goals? Well, a short term goal usually can be achieved quicker than a long term goal.

For example, you want to be the strongest leader in the world. In order to see results, first, you have to acknowledge that you need to take action. And then, you start looking for courses to enroll in. You used your quick-action-thinking skill to make this decision because you want to discover their success and how they implement their strategies – for yourself.

So, you keep on stacking your skills, learning from the best of the best – implementing their strategies for your own team and businesses. Because of your quick-action-thinking, you now see success – that’s your short term goal – learning from a mentor.

Once you’ve graduated or completed all the courses you need, now you take control of your life by practicing daily – to achieve your long term goal, which is to be the strongest leader in the world.

Be proud of your accomplishments, but don’t settle. Keep pushing yourself to your limit. Share on X

Setting goals can be mirrored as your desired improvement. Once you’ve tasted success, you tend to set high goals for yourself. But, don’t be too proud and settle once you think you’ve achieved your goals. That could be dangerous and might jeopardize your future. Therefore, being disciplined is the core of maintaining your success!

Just like any competitive sports, it teaches persistence and consistency.

Competitive Sports Forces You to Be Discipline

Given the points, I spoke about. From “Teamwork” to “Setting goals” – if you have no discipline in anything you do, you’re likely not to see success. But then again, to have the discipline it’s not easy. It requires the right mindset for it.

When you have the right mindset, anything you do flows well and that’s what you want as a leader.

Competitive sports forces you to have the right mindset so that you’re disciplined to learn the skills you need. With that said, to maximize your performance from the learned skill requires a lot of time and preparation.

It takes discipline to improve and excel – success will follow. On top of that, if you have a mentor or a teacher that communicates clearly and concisely – you’ll learn faster. So how competitive sports can give you the discipline to be the strongest leader in the world?

Sports bring different challenges, just like in business, you’ll face plenty of different challenges. Not only does it teach you to recognize the challenges at hand, but with your combined quick-action-thinking skill, you’ll be able to tackle those different challenges at the same time.

As a business owner, we’re only humans. We tend to make mistakes here and there. Knowing your challenges and what mistakes to avoid is crucial to your success.

Identify Techniques

An athlete who does competitive sports faces stressful situations and anxious moments. To perform well, you need to be in the right state of mind. I spoke about success and failure earlier where if you fail to succeed, don’t give up trying and learning.

The thing is, if you’re not in the right frame of mind, you won’t be able to identify the emotional and/or mental factors. These factors tend to prevent good performance.

And in business, as a business owner, identifying your own emotions to one’s task enables you to identify which technique best fits your prospects.

Competitive sports train you to recognize your own emotions so that you can identify certain techniques to maximize your performance. Share on X

So, as a leader and a business owner, how can this help you in your business?

If you noticed, I speak a lot about mindset, because, I truly believe, “when you set your mind to do better – you’ll achieve anything in life”. Whether it’s competitive sports, in business, or in your personal life.

To identify the right techniques, it’s like learning human psychology. Understanding your own emotions gives you the ability to understand your prospects. And given that, you will be able to know which kind of technique to apply in order to seal your deal.

That’s where your quick-action-thinking and decision making comes in.

For example, when you face a prospect that has no time for nonsense and expects you to go straight to the point, but you need the time to speak to him or her – what are your techniques to tackle that kind of prospect? Will you let your emotions get in a way with such a prospect?

So, learning how to identify techniques when it comes to business is crucial and I don’t have to tell you the reasons behind it.

High-Ticket Closer Certification Program

At the beginning of my entrepreneurship career, I made a lot of wrong judgments. I let my desperation make the decision for me. And because of that, I wasted so much time developing just to watch it crumble. I blame my desperation!

I realized I needed to acquire a certain set of skills to be successful. In order to maximize my performance, over the years I learn and test many different skills. That’s why I compiled the best and came up with a program that’s like “One size fits all”.

The High Ticket Closer Certification Program enables you to acquire all the skills that I just spoke about. Not only will you discover your hidden skills and talents, but you will also be able to generate a high-income.

And if you’re a business owner who not only wants to be a strong leader – High Ticket Closer Certification Program will also be able to improve your close rate drastically – with effective implementation.

We make successful people be more successful. So, do you think this is the program for you? Whether you want to stack your skill, or to master a certain closing skill, or perhaps to purely earn handsome commissions.

My point is, don’t be like me – decide based on desperation! If you make the wrong judgment, I can tell you this now… you’re likely to deal with failure faster than success.

Want to Develop a Strong Leadership Mindset?

Now, if you’ve been following me, you must know that this certification program is extremely expensive and intense. That’s why it’s not for just anyone. This high-level program is for leaders who want to be the best and the strongest in the world.

As I said earlier, I’ve mentored over 5,000 students from all over the world and to be successful, you need to work hard and train yourself daily just like any competitive sports. You can’t set your mind to train today for tomorrow’s competition. So, don’t expect to achieve anything if you have that mindset. And I also said, it took me 23 years to be where I am today.

Developing a strong leadership mindset is a learnable skill. Just like any other skill, if you find a good mentor that is able to unlock your potential to maximize your performance. Don’t stop right there. Run to the finish line and claim your prize.

With my exclusive, 7-week intense program, I can guarantee you will be able to achieve an incredible shift in your mindset. Click here if you want to develop a strong leadership mindset.

Leaders are always looking for the “magic bullet” – the proven strategies and the proven techniques to be successful. If you want to discover the magic bullet that develops the strongest leaders, click on the link below to watch all my free videos. My team and I produced videos every day so that I can help you maximize your performance.

Click here to subscribe right now!

Are You Working Too Much Or Feel Stuck In Business Stagnation?

February 11, 2020 by Dan Lok

Do you feel like you’re working too much, and you feel burnt out or stuck in a rut? According to Gallup’s 2017 study, approximately two-thirds of U.S. employees feel disengaged at their workplace. If only 33% of employees feel engaged at work, that’s unfortunate. Something has to be done about this problem. So, are you working too much and feeling stuck?

When an employee leaves the company they work for, they’re often leaving their awful managers or their horrible bosses– not the job itself. So, when managers make a lot of unnecessary rules, the company might need to rethink some things. Unnecessarily strict rules drive employees crazy. But what does this have to do with working too much and feeling stuck at work?

As a business owner, nothing is more frustrating than feeling stuck. You know you have to grow your business, but you don’t know where to fix things, and that’s frustrating. If you’re an employee, you might leave the company and search to work with a different manager.

At one point or another, people make a change and seek out better opportunities. While some choose to stay and remain stuck – it's your choice to stay in your circumstances. Share on X

While some choose to stay and remain stuck, due to fear of change or fear of failure, those people are making the wrong choice. Furthermore, dissatisfied employees can affect the company in a negative way. Because of their lack of motivation, they don’t perform well.

Having the negativity of these employees spreading around the workplace creates a toxic work environment for everyone. It will affect the entire department and disrupt the company’s bottom line. With that said, as a business owner, you need to understand the reasons for your employee’s dissatisfaction. When you understand the reasons, you can come up with a solution that does not only create a healthy work culture, but also leads to growth in your revenue.

Key Reasons For Feeling Stuck

You’re working too much expecting a positive growth, yet you feel stuck. That’s common among entrepreneurs. You might feel overwhelmed with your current business model, or extremely busy and stressed. You’re ready to progress to the next level of your business but you’re uncertain of what step you need to take.

When you’re stuck in business, often the issue that you think is the issue, may not be the actual issue. Share on X

For example, perhaps you place a high expectation on your predicted monthly revenue due to false promises from your prospects who claim to be interested in a purchase. You keep getting false hope from your prospects when they say things like, “I really want to buy it, I’ll call you back shortly.” But they never do call back, or they say, “Hmmm, this is interesting, can you send me more information?” But you’ll never hear from them even after sending more information or following up several times.

Does this frustrate you? I understand how you feel.

You’ve worked way too hard to just throw everything down the drain just because you feel stuck in your business. You’ve put too much effort into something that you think it will bring you somewhere. Especially for those that are waiting for career advancement. expecting to be promoted, or have started their own business with high hopes of self-made success.

If you’ve received false hope from your prospects, those are called sales objections, and they can be handled with proper training.

But before I go any further, I want you to watch this video about “When you’re stuck in life”

Is Your Awareness Low?

There’s a quote from Albert Einstein that goes like this: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” This means, your awareness right now may be low, and you’re trying to solve problems only using what you know. And you keep trying to get unstuck with only what you know, and that’s why it doesn’t work.

As I said in the above video, there are a few different types of people who are most likely to experience this problem:

- People who are dumb
- People who don’t know they are dumb
- Some know they’re dumb

And, people who are dumb but think they’re smart

The last type of person I listed, the person who is dumb but thinks he or she is smart, is the most dangerous of them all. By having awareness, it’ll help you solve your problems. How? If you gain more knowledge, you’ll gain a new perspective, and you’ll have multiple choices and insightful information. When you step outside the box, you’ll see a bigger picture.

With more knowledge and training, not only will you be able to solve your problems, but you might also break free from your current unsatisfactory circumstances.

So, think about this if you feel overwhelmed with work. Are you working too much as an employee or a freelancer? Let’s say you’re an employee: How long have you been feeling this way? Do you sit around and mope when you get home from work? Are you experiencing that awful stuck-in-a-rut feeling, or a feeling of emptiness? How has this impacted you and your family?

You’re probably thinking about all the possible ways to change your current circumstances. And what exactly are you doing about it? What’s the difference between saying you will do it but not taking any action? End of the day, you’re still not taking any action to solve your problems.

Acquiring more knowledge might be the solution to you feeling stuck. Share on X

So, if you’re already good at what you’re doing, acquiring more knowledge and training might be exactly what you need to get unstuck.

Now, let’s see what the reasons are behind you feeling stuck inside.

Working Too Much and Being Underpaid

One of the biggest reasons someone feels that they’re working too much is being underpaid for the work they’re doing. If you’re an employee, are you being underpaid right now? I’m not going to ask you if you feel stuck inside. And if you’re reading this article now, I know you’re looking for a way out. So, stay with me.

Now, while being underpaid. It’s obvious you have to stretch your wallet further to cope with the cost of living. Can you imagine the number of things you have to pay by the end of the month? Health insurance, mortgage, food, utilities and it’s all constantly rising. And some of you might also get a side hustle just to have an additional Income.

Most people have told me they'd need a raise of at least $6,000 dollars to live comfortably. Share on X

Don’t you feel that the value you provide is worth much more money? Are you being paid fairly? Many employees are underpaid, which is why so many employees feel they’ve been overworked and undervalued.

But then again, these four words: “I’m working too much” are very broad. It depends on what exactly you’re doing, what your goals are, what you want to achieve and for who you’re working too much for. So, if you’re a freelancer. With the value, you provide to the marketplace. Working too much is not an issue if you’re aware of your awareness.

Also, acquiring a certain set of skills could help you solve your problems faster. However, for a business owner, they may feel underpaid if they don’t understand their prospects. Why? Because they may be selling their product to the wrong people. Knowing your audience is crucial if you want to grow your business.

Do you prefer selling a product of $5,000 to 1 prospect or $500 to 10 prospects? So, if you believe in your product. And it’s offering value to the marketplace. Don’t be afraid to ask for big money. Does that make sense?

So, being aware of your awareness and who you’re working with too much for, determines how you feel.

However, if you’re an employee and feeling stuck, you probably feel that you are working too much, and you probably don’t enjoy your work, either.

No Career Advancement

Imagine that you’re expecting a promotion. If that is the case, perhaps you’re working too much for a reason. It’s probably to show your boss that you have the capabilities for that position. But I want you to think about this.

Are you earning the additional income so you can spend more time with your family? If you are, how long have you been waiting for that moment? Will it ever come?

You see, a lack of career advancement is one of the reasons for employee dissatisfaction. An employee who feels stuck in their job position usually feels less motivation. When an employer includes them in their long-term plan, they’ll feel appreciated. But when you’ve been waiting for too long, not being valued and underpaid, you’ll eventually move on.

According to Forbes, there’s a global study that revealed, 79% of people who quit their jobs cite a lack of appreciation. That’s why it’s important to develop education and knowledge. That means, to acquire a profound skill that could possibly help you ear 6-7+ figures of income. May it be a skill you can use remotely to earn over $10,000 per month.

Develop higher skills, elite training, and more knowledge to start earning a 6-figure income. Share on X

Take Control of Your Life

Let’s imagine you’ve acquired a certain set of high-income skills and now you’re in control of your life, your time and your business. How will that impact you? And if you have a family, you could finally spend more time with them or go on a family vacation. Because you have been working too much, you never had the chance to have decent family time. But now you can. How will that make you feel?

I’ve mentored over 4,900+ students from all over the world. Business owners, corporate professionals, influencers, other coaches, consultants, and freelancers. They’ve discovered the secret method I used from getting out of a 9 to 5 job to scaling my coaching business. I went from zero to $1,000,000 a month in less than 8 months.

So, what am I talking about? Well, I’ll get into that shortly.

Lack of Interest

First of all, you should always be prepared for the future and not wait for a crisis. Even if you lack interest in what you’re doing, smart professionals keep a foot in both worlds. So, what do I mean by that? It means you can be an employee and an entrepreneur at the same time. Having said that, you should find something that you’re interested in.

Now, let’s get into some steps to help you get back on track. You’ll have better vision, clarity and a step-by-step solution to move forward.

Once you know how to work hard, you need to know how to work smart. Share on X

Identify Where Your Roadblocks Are

Working too much can lead to emotional negativity and that can lead you to feel stuck inside. While your mind can be cluttered and unclear, it’s important to identify your ‘why’ and begin a plan. This means you need to strategize, and move forward making these decisions quickly.

Evaluate your market or audience, with specificity and clarity on your niche.
Are you spending enough on your marketing initiatives to reach your ideal target prospects?
Public speaking, social media, and networking are important for branding.
Engage a mentor to help you instead of being a lone wolf. Self-Improvement requires investment in yourself.

Dealing With Your Lower-Self

Many people are likely to get stuck in their momentary lapse of judgment. Especially when they’re at the moment before the miracle. Why? Because, before the moment of going into the next stage of your business, oftentimes it creates self-doubts. So, recognizing and dealing with your lower-self is important to keep your ego away.

Having the right mindset gives you freedom. Because once you’ve recognized your awareness with the right mindset. You’ll have brilliant thoughts and make empowered choices.

The thing with moving forward is, it’ll make you feel uncomfortable. Because you have to leave your comfort zone, and that makes a huge change in your personal and business life. So, don’t let your lower-self take control over your achievements.

Instead of waiting for the right time and making thousands of excuses. Constantly and consciously think about your high-self. For example, subconsciously train your mind by telling yourself “I want to be rich!”. “I can do this!”,“ I’m going to win and will not give up!”

Make Decisions That Keep Values and Visions Aligned

Before you make any decision, ask yourself if the decision you’re making is aligned with your values, your goals, and your big-picture vision. Will your decision move you closer to your goals and closer to success?

Practice quick-action thinking. It is a very good practice in your day-to-day life. Let’s take this article as an example. As you scroll through, you might have done some thinking before you made the decision to read it.

Perhaps you’re working too hard and looking for a way out by talking to a mentor. Or maybe you’re just surfing the internet to acquire more knowledge to figure out your way out. All you know is, you’re feeling stuck and you need help.

I’ve developed a guide on how you can use our system and strategies to grow your business. Especially if you’re in the coaching business as well. It is an interactive guide and it’s called the High-Ticket Influencer Program.

In this interactive guide, I’ll show you how our strategies can be used for scaling your coaching business. But before I get into it, let me share some questions you might need to ask yourself. By asking yourself these questions, it can help you move forward and get unstuck:

- I am stuck because . . . ?
- I want to achieve my goal by (write a specific date)
- To move forward, i need to have a millionaire mindset.
- Am I working too much? So, what am I going to do about it?
- I want to make “X” Dollars as my daily income goal (D.I.G)

Once you succeed, nobody cares about your failures. Share on X

What you do for you is not as important as how you do it. As a high achiever, being good at what you do is another way to ensure career satisfaction. This means you want to become so good at your skill, you’ve positioned yourself as an expert.

Take Control of Your Time and Get Unstuck

Despite getting stuck and working too much, the main thing to avoid is feeling trapped. By having the right mindset and taking concrete positive steps in the right direction, you can start diminishing negative vibes in your workplace.

One of my mentors once told me this: “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.”

Now, why am I sharing this with you? Because the people you choose as friends will have a significant impact on your mindset and behavior.

As I said in the beginning, smart people make a change for better opportunities. But if you choose to stay and remain stuck, it’s also your decision. I know it’s not easy to leave your comfort zone. Achieving a significant shift in mindset might be the solution for you. So, think about how this change will impact you and your family’s life.

As promised, let me tell you what you’ll discover inside this insightful High-Ticket Influencer Program. In the program, you’ll discover how to:

- - Maximize your “Personal Media Platform” (P.M.P.) and NEVER have to chase clients or get on the phone with unqualified prospects again.
  - Create irresistible offers that will allow you to have the highest impact on every client.
  - Get yourself out of the small “day-to-day” minutiae and finally get your business to work for you.

You see, there are many small actions you can take to achieve quick results that could change your life. And these small changes also prove to yourself that, with the decisions you make, you can be successful. You need to shift your mindset. So, if you think you’re working too much and it’s time to take charge of your time, discover how you can take control of your time.

If you want to discover the systems and strategies to grow your business, especially if you have a coaching business or a business that relies on social media, simply register yourself for my program. Request your personal copy of my closely-guarded secrets. You’ll discover the methods I used to scale my coaching business from zero to $1 million per month in less than 8 months.

However, if you prefer leveraging the advice on my free YouTube videos, you can click on the link below to subscribe to my YouTube channel. My team and I produce daily educational videos for free, and you can leverage my knowledge to your own advantage.

Click here to subscribe to my free YouTube channel right now!

How Leadership Differences Between Men and Women Are Evolving Today

February 10, 2020 by Dan Lok

How are the differences between men and women in leadership evolving today? Are there any significant differences between men and women when it comes to business and leadership?

I believe that a true leader possesses certain skills and certain personality traits. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. Leadership is more connected to your personality and skills. Therefore, I like to take a more individualistic approach. Some people are suited to be good leaders and some aren’t. It’s not so much about gender, and more about if your skill level and personality type suits leadership.

On my team, there are plenty of skilled men and women in very senior positions. I think that the marketplace is hungry for more female leaders. So while men might have been favored by society as leaders before, the era of female leaders is fast approaching.

Still, it can’t be completely dismissed that there are some general differences between men and women. This is often because of the different ways men and women are treated by society, and how they’re treated as children. Keep in mind, these are very general differences. At the end of the day, we are all different and only some of those differences can be explained by gender.

You also shouldn’t view these differences as set in stone. Think about the general direction that society is viewing gender differences right now. It might change or it might stay like this for a while. All I know is, some of the best leaders in our world today, are female.

Let’s discuss how the leadership differences between men and women are evolving today.

What Are Some Common Leadership Differences Between Men and Women?

Let’s have a look at some general trends in regards to men and women in leadership.

In recent years, women have expressed a higher level of interest in skyrocketing their careers. Thanks to a higher awareness in society, more and more women are now more readily taking on leadership positions. The men no longer need to be the breadwinner of the family. Some women are even choosing a high-paying career over spending more time with their family. Families and household dynamics are definitely changing.

When it comes to women in leadership, society is slowly but steadily becoming less discriminatory and more accepting. Many companies have certain policies and measures to promote more female leaders. Such measures don’t come from looking down on women. Instead, companies nowadays know that women in leadership positions can create phenomenal results.

The percentage of women in leadership positions has constantly increased. While in 1950 only 13.8% of manager positions were assigned to women, in 1980 it increased to 26.1%. And today, we are talking about more than 50%. Share on X

One problem, however, is that women don’t yet find themselves in the top positions very often. They are more likely to find themselves in middle-management positions. So when it comes to differences between men and women, men are still more present in top leadership roles than women are. But we can see that this is changing, and we can at least see the number of women entering into top leadership positions rising.

Let’s look at management boards, for example. In the US, approximately 19.2% of the board seats of the largest companies are held by women. In Canada, approximately 20.8% of board seats are held by women.

There are also fewer women in top positions when it comes to the government, law or medicine.

So, there is definitely still a lot of room for women who want to strive higher.

Now, let’s have a look at leadership styles. Are there any differences between men and women when it comes to leadership style?

Are Men and Women Leading in Different Ways?

When it comes to differences between men and women, there is always an important question asked. Do they have different leadership styles? And, if the answer is ‘yes’, which style is more effective?

Again, I would argue that individual people have very individual leadership styles, regardless of gender. It’s not so much connected to their gender as it is connected to their personality. However, some might argue that women are more likely to have certain personality traits that men are less likely to have. So, let’s explore this.

First, I want to clarify that I still believe that regardless of gender, different people will naturally have different leadership styles. When we look at two men, for example, one of them might have a certain leadership style, and the other would lead a completely different way. And the same goes for women. So, differentiating leadership by men or women might be too one-dimensional of a viewpoint.

However, we can’t ignore some of the general trends that do relate to gender. There are trends we can observe in the leadership styles of men and women. In many case studies, women proved to be as effective leaders as men – sometimes even more effective. But there are still some stereotypes that only die down slowly.

Many people still possess a bit of a bias in terms of favoring male leaders. However, many people who worked under female leaders would often say they want a female boss again, because they liked having a female boss.

Often, one of the big differences between men and women is their self-perception and self-confidence. Women are more likely to be harder on themselves and women tend to experience imposter syndrome, where they experience low self-esteem and feel undeserving of their leadership position. So, while many women might think to themselves, I’m not good enough to do this, men are more likely to exaggerate their self-confidence. Men are more likely to think to themselves, I can do this. That’s why men might be more proactive when it comes to applying for a leadership job. They’re confident they can do the job, and can easily learn what they do not yet know.

So, let’s assume there is an opportunity to apply for a leadership position. The woman might think she has to wait and learn more, before applying. The man, on the other hand, might be more likely to believe he is good enough and can learn the rest along the way.

Women tend to undervalue their skills. If you are a female leader and want to be more effective, I would suggest working on your self-perception and self-confidence. You don’t want to miss out on great opportunities because of self-limiting beliefs.

Differences in Men and Women’s Leadership Approaches

Both men and women have the ability to be very competent leaders. When an opportunity presents itself, either gender can succeed.

Some people would argue that the differences between men and women lay in their way of working or their approach to leadership. Men in leadership positions often focus on the following: Accomplishing tasks, implementing structure, and establishing power.

Women, on the other hand, often focus on caring for the team on a personal level, motivating the team and subordinates, listening to the team member’s ideas, and problem-solving.

In other words, men tend to have a more authoritarian leadership style. They derive their power from their status. Men tend to take less advice from the team when it comes to leadership decisions. They might be more strict, they might come across as less caring, and give more direct commands.

Women generally have a more collaborative management style, encouraging participation and listening to ideas. They derive their power from effectively managing and cooperating with their team. So, when a female leader makes a decision, she would probably listen to the team’s suggestions first. After the decision is made, she would also communicate why and what that will mean for the team. Female leaders often provide more details and explanation regarding their decisions, than male leaders do.

In other words, women often lead with a transformational approach, while men take a transactional approach. Women spend more time with subordinates and focus on inspiring them. Men are less involved and often just give orders with no further communication. This also means men tend to provide very clear instructions. They are good at communicating who on the team is or is not meeting their expectations.

However, there are also men who take the collaborative or transformational approach. And there are also women who are very authoritarian or transactional. You see, I’m not talking in absolutes, I’m just talking about general tendencies here. Both of these leadership styles have great advantages but also have their limitations. Effective leaders can’t be too rigid about their approach.

Differences Between Men and Women – Who is More Likely to be a Better Leader?

Some people would argue that women are, in fact, better leaders than men. They exhibit a lot of leadership traits that men tend to lack.

A US consulting firm called Zenger & Folkman, conducted a study on leadership. They ranked men and women on 16 different leadership characteristics. The conclusion? Women ranked better than men in 12 of the 16 characteristics.

For example, the women exhibited better communication skills than the men. They were more respectful of the culture and ethics of a business, and exhibited more patience. If women are this great in terms of leadership skills, we definitely want to see more of them in top leadership positions.

The thing is, men and women, go through different life experiences as they are growing up. They get different advice from their parents and teachers. Women, for example, are often encouraged to be more nurturing, caring or emotional than men. They might have different role models, too. That could be another reason for their different leadership approaches.

Again, this is very generally speaking. People are already different as individuals, regardless of gender, even if gender plays a factor. Individual personality differences, however, might be bigger factors than the differences between men and women.

So, even if women ranked higher in leadership characteristics in Zenger & Folkman’s study – and we definitely want more female leaders – no two people really have the same leadership style.

Every company is different, so one approach might be perfect for one business, and not work at all for the next. There are many variables. That’s why comparing women’s and men’s leadership skills is so hard to do.

I would argue no gender is better than the other. One person might simply possess a specific leadership style that suits a certain company perfectly. It’s all very situational.

What are Some General Effective Leadership Traits?

Now there might be some differences between men and women as leaders. Yet, I want to suggest to look at something else. At the actual person. To determine if a person is a good leader, let’s look at their actual traits. What are they good at and what do they lack? Are they willing to learn?

What should a good leader act like?

I noticed that the best leaders have something in common. They have a clear vision and follow their mission no matter what. They have this clear idea of where they want the team or company to go, and guide others. So great leaders, they… Share on X

Effective leaders don’t necessarily lead by authority. Instead, they lead by persuasion. What does that mean? They inspire others to work harder. That’s what a great leader does. They find ways to motivate their team to work harder and work smarter.

Great leaders communicate their “why”. Leaders should always make their team understand the goals and objectives. They make sure others understand what they are doing, and why they are doing it. Such a leader would want to find out what motivates their team members. They make sure everybody is working hard because they want to, not because they have to.

So, rather than forcing others to work hard, effective leaders lead by example and figure out their team’s primary motivators.

Their team then naturally wants to follow their lead. Great leaders, no matter if they are male or female, inspire hope and hard work in others. They give them something to believe in and specific goals to work towards. And they remind others of the common goal often. Important leadership skills and traits include clarity, vision, and charisma.

What Are Women Better At?

When we discuss the differences between men and women, I’m convinced we can learn a lot from each other. This is, again, more generally speaking. But there are some things male leaders can learn from female leaders, and vice versa.

When it comes to leadership, what do women tend to be better at?

Women tend to be better communicators. They usually excel in verbal communication. And that kind of communication is important when you are in a leadership position. Think about it: How could a leader communicate their vision and mission without verbal skills or listening skills? That’s why women are great leaders. They are also great at problem-solving and at nurturing the skills of their teammates.

Women often take more initiative than men do, which is another great characteristic to have as a leader. Most people would think that men take more action, but actually, the opposite is often true. Women often have to fight harder to actually get leadership positions. That’s why they are used to taking initiative. They have great work ethic and think ahead.

Another difference between men and women is this: Women very often work twice as hard. Here’s why: Very, very often, when a man and a woman share a household, both work full time. However, the woman is the one who often also takes care of the household and possibly also organizes the care of the children. So, they actually get two or three jobs done at the same time. The willingness to work harder often makes women less lazy and more excellent leaders.

What Men Are Better At?

What do men excel at and what can we learn from them?

Most men don’t face the same obstacles a woman would face – especially if they want to become a leader in a top position. But that doesn’t necessarily mean leadership comes to them easy. Becoming a leader is competitive for both men and women. That’s why at the end of the day, it’s about the value they can bring to the table.

Most successful men have great self-confidence. While women tend to doubt their skills, men are more likely to rise to the challenge without self-doubt. That allows them to take action faster and get promoted – before their female colleagues even feel ready to try. Effective leaders can’t be indecisive, and men tend to be less indecisive and less hesitant than women.

Men are also great when it comes to focusing on short-term outcomes. Women tend to look at the long-term results and want to know that everything goes well along the way, even if it takes longer. Men, on the other hand, want to see results faster. So they would measure their success by creating results consistently.

And as I mentioned before, men often think in a bit more of a strategic manner. When it comes to leading a company, a strategy is important. If there is no system or strategy behind a business, it won’t last long.

Why We Need More Female Leaders

I personally think that the differences between men and women aren’t that major. Both men and women can make very good leaders. When you look at the information that is out there, many people argue women are better leaders than men. Now, I believe, this shows us how hungry the market is for female leaders and female CEOs.

In the average household, women make most of the purchasing decisions. That’s why females are needed in the marketing world, too. Women have great social and financial capital.

In the global market, companies can’t ignore 50% of the population – which is also half of the workforce. If a business would do that, they wouldn’t stand a chance against their competition. A company where all of the senior-level staff are men, would probably not do as well as a company that also had females in senior-level positions.

What does this mean for the differences between men and women in leadership? And how are the differences evolving? The market is slowly becoming more inclusive. So I’m confident we will see even more of an increase in female leaders in the next years.

The differences between men and women are definitely not easily explained. No longer is the old cliche, “men are rational and women are emotional” assumed. If anything, both men and women want to be both emotional and rational to be effective as leaders. For example, if a leader is able to connect with their subordinates on an emotional level, and evoke positive emotions, that team member might perform better. And, being rational and logical are of course important traits as well.

Hungry For More Business-Related Advice?

As you read this article, perhaps you started to wonder if you would be an effective leader. On my YouTube channel, I regularly provide advice about leadership and other business-related topics.

I run several high-level businesses and in my YouTube videos, I provide insights on how I reached my current level of success – after immigrating to Vancouver from China and being 150k in debt. Now I’m a multi-millionaire, and my followers come to me for advice. What would it mean to you to learn from a millionaire, and get tips on how to avoid common pitfalls, and learn how to be an effective leader?

If that is something you want or need, then subscribe to my free YouTube channel. See you there. Click here to subscribe.

How Effective Leadership Communication Impacts Business

February 10, 2020 by Dan Lok

If your employees are lazy and if your customers aren’t buying, one of the first things you should look at is how effective your organization’s leadership communication is.

The art of communication is the language of leadership. All great leaders are great communicators because that’s how you inspire. You have mastered the power of the spoken word to influence people to support your cause and follow you wherever you go.

If you want to motivate your employees, increase your sales, and grow your business, follow this advice on ways to improve your public speaking skills.

Watch this video about why public speaking is important for leaders.

Problems Originate From Poor Communication

When you’re a strong leader, you can take people where they want to go, even if they don’t necessarily want to go where they should. So that means as a leader, when we are communicating, we have to push and challenge people a little bit.

Very often employee problems are the result of lack of communication. Lack of employee performance is also from lack of communication.You need to have a system in place to check on the performance of your employees: what are their strengths, their accomplishments, their challenges. If you aren’t aware of their struggles, how can you help them improve?

Similarly, if you want to shift the direction of a company to make it better or to grow it, don’t focus on the company itself. Work on you, the CEO, and the other leaders of the company. Paint a clear vision and mission for everyone to follow.

If I shift the leaders, I shift the company. It’s like when you’re driving a big ship. If you turn the wheel by a small degree, the entire ship will turn.

Lack of sales in the company, like poor employee performance, is also from lack of communication, starting from the company to the marketplace.

As the leader, it’s your role to motivate your sales team. How can you inspire them to close deals, to improve their skills, and understand why selling your products is so important? It’s not just about making money. What can you do to change the company’s marketing so that your customers and your sales team understand the value that you’re bringing to the marketplace?

Strong communication skills are vital in leadership. Eventually you will develop your own leadership and communication style to motivate them. Some people may not like, it, so you’ll have to accept that not everyone will agree with you or like your style. You know what’s best for them.

Poor Communication Means Poor Sales

When I am selling something, my internal dialogue is so strong I can sell someone something they didn’t even know they wanted yet. But when I’m done selling, they say, “Thank you.” That’s not a bad internal dialogue to have. That’s how much conviction you need to have.

So what is an internal dialogue? It’s you understanding the mindset of the person you’re speaking to. Your prospect can be your employee or a potential customer.

As you’re speaking, you anticipate and you react to what they’re saying. It’s part of sales psychology to understand what’s going on in their mind. Your conviction needs to be so strong that you sell the other party on whatever you want, whether it’s an idea or a physical item.

So my question to you is, how strong a belief do you have when it comes to your products and services? Your conviction makes a difference. If it’s only 50%, how is it affecting your results?

You might think your prospects don’t know, but I guarantee you, they know. They know the minute you open your mouth. It’s all at a subconscious level. They pick up on your tonality, the words you use, and the way you control the conversation.

We can’t force people to move forward with us, but our passion can motivate and inspire them.

Conviction Drives Business Forward

As a communicator, as a leader, your energy has to be high. If you’re a five on the energy scale, your audience is going to be a one. If you want them to be at an eight or nine, you had better be at a ten. It’s the same with employees. If they’re unmotivated and low in energy, it’s because of you.

The most important person you have to influence is yourself. And you’ll need to do that all the time. As an entrepreneur, you don’t have the luxury to relax. When you chose this path, you gave that up. Your energy always has to be high to motivate yourself, your employees, and your prospects.

Ideally if you want to raise the energy level of others up to an eight or a nine, you need to get yourself up to a ten or eleven. You don’t have to be loud or outrageous like a highly animated person on a stage.

You just have to have a little bit more conviction. People crave certainty. Your employees need to know that they can lean on you for courage and solid decision making. When you walk into the room, they will stop what they are doing and pay attention. Your voice is clear, positive, enthusiastic, and authoritative when you speak.

You will need that high energy level when you deal with your customers. You need to be at a ten, because if you aren’t confident in yourself, your company, and your product, how can you sell to your customers? And if you can’t sell to your customers, how can you help them?

So confidence and conviction need to be in your voice and your attitude.

You might think that you want to be nice so you don’t offend anyone, but no transaction will take place. No one is doing business with anybody. Customers are not benefiting from your products and services. Even if you deliver great value, they might never find out if they don’t buy.

If you want to be a great leader of a company, then start with strong communication skills. You will motivate employees to perform well and customers to buy your products.

Begin your leadership by inspiring yourself.

Feeling Uncertain About Your Business?

If you want to breakthrough your current performance as a leader, and want to effectively increase your business revenue, book a free consultation with one of my advisors to discuss your goals.