Take a look at this month's edition of Soto's Chronicles!
September 2020 Soto’s Chronicles
DeDe Soto
Protecting your most valuable asset — your family
FROM THE DESK OF DeDe Soto
COVID-19 Highlights Critical Need for Advance Health Care Directives
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country, doctors across the nation are joining lawyers in urging Americans to create the proper estate planning documents somedical providers can better coordinate their care should they become hospitalized with the virus. The most critical planning tools for this purpose are medical power of attorney, HIPAA release, and advance health care directives that work together to help describe your wishes for medical treatment and end-of-life care in the event you’re unable to express your own wishes. In light of COVID-19, even those who have already created these documents should revisit them to ensure they are up-to-date and address specific scenarios related to the coronavirus. Health Care Power of Attorney — Medical power of attorney is a directive that allows you to name a person, known as your “agent,” to make health care decisions for you if you’re incapacitated and unable to make those decisions yourself. For example, if you are hospitalized with COVID-19 and need to be placed in a medically induced coma, this person would have the legal authority to advise doctors about your subsequent medical care and your other wishes while you are alive but unable to make your health care decisions. Advanced Health Care Directive — This document outlines whom you want to make health decisions on your behalf regarding your express end-of-life decisions regarding life support and your wishes regarding organ donation. HIPAA Release — This document is used to obtain protected medical information and to facilitate discussions and decisions regarding your health care with doctors and insurance company. Coronavirus Considerations In light of COVID-19, there are a few unique circumstances you need to be aware of when drafting these documents to ensure all the potential scenarios related to the coronavirus and its treatment have been properly addressed. Until next time, Blessings,
Bounce Back Fast and EffectivelyWith Grit
As a business owner, you’ve had to face challenges that may have felt insurmountable at times, such as opening your business and dealing with the many ups and downs of the ever-changing economy. How do you bounce back after major setbacks or a particularly bad year for your company? How do you keep your business growing and build resilience when facing challenges? What’s the quality that keeps business owners moving forward, even when the going gets tough? Angela Duckworth calls it “grit.” You may have heard of her innovative research or her book, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.” Duckworth zeroed in on this characteristic while teaching high school math. She noticed that some of her highest- achieving students weren’t the ones with the highest IQs, and some of her “smartest” students weren’t doing all that well in class. She went on to pursue this phenomenon at Penn State University. There, she studied several demographics: cadets at West Point, young teachers, and sales representatives. After numerous psychological studies, Duckworth discovered that grit was the common denominator in people who find success. Duckworth defines grit as “passion and perseverance for very long- term goals.” Gritty people don’t start a project and abandon it a month later. They devote themselves to an overarching goal that drives everything they do. According to Duckworth, someone who builds grit goes through life like a marathon, not a sprint. Based on her findings, she came up with a grit equation: talent x effort = skill, and skill x effort = achievement.
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What makes Duckworth’s equation so important is the fact that it shows how much more important effort is than inherent talent. People who have grit are successful not because they naturally excel at something but because they put in the effort needed to achieve it. A gritty person sees challenges as opportunities, not barriers. It’s this type of growth mindset that can help businesses use grit to their success. How do you begin to develop grit in yourself or in your team? First , home in on what it is about your business or work that you are passionate about. Maybe your passion is giving every customer the best possible experience with your company, or maybe you love finding customers who need your service to fulfill a need. Whatever it is, find it and zero in on it. Second , practice that passion consistently. Have conversations with customers, find out what matters to them, take part in training, and have your team participate in customer success training. Do the work to fuel this passion. Then , develop the belief that your passion has a purpose. Concentrate on the fact that you want to give every person the best possible interaction with your business to contribute to a happier, more positive world. This belief should be integral to every move you make and every interaction your employees have with your customers. When it’s a core principle, this work is unifying.
you can succeed. Grit means being so strongly motivated by your need to achieve something that you continue to pursue it even when obstacles arise, and 2020 has had its fair share of obstacles. You may be exhausted, but now is the time to power your motivation. Along the way, look at failures as milestones on the journey to success. Don’t give up when something becomes challenging — getting “gritty” means failing and learning from it.
While it’s not an overnight transformation, these guidelines can at least give us hope, which is the fourth step : Hold on to the hope that
OPTIMIZE YOUR SALES TEAM
By Enhancing Their Leadership Qualities
Think about the traits of a leader. You may be thinking of someone who can take charge, isn’t afraid to fail, communicates clearly, has a passion for helping people, and is extroverted. Now, think of a successful salesperson. Do you see any overlap in characteristics? The answer is likely yes. Salespeople are natural leaders. They lead consumers to the best product or service, and they effectively push our economy and businesses forward. However, having multiple leaders on one team can create friction. As an entrepreneur or sales manager, you must create a work environment that nurtures your leaders in the sales department without causing issues. Those with an innate sense of leadership still need the right training and work environment to optimize their skills and excel. When you provide these, the confidence of your team increases, their ability to sell effectively is boosted, and
your sales numbers improve. It’s a win-win- win for you, your team, and the company.
best pairs feed off one another. Maybe you have one salesperson who is the best at explaining the technical aspects of your product, while another is the most empathetic and emotional seller. Together, they’re a winning combination.
You can create a plan for cultivating leadership with these two steps.
ANALYZE TRAITS
PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Leaders do have defined traits, but no two leaders are alike. Pinpointing the qualities that make each team member an effective leader — and therefore great at their job — can help you identify sales teams or partners that will function harmoniously. (Coincidentally, this process will also show you who should not work together.) The
Learning is an essential part of sales. Salespeople have to understand the
demographic, cater to trends, and be the first to admit when a sales tactic is wrong. In addition to learning skills specific to their position, salespeople should also undergo leadership training. Many of these courses and teachings target managers who have employees, but when you encourage your team to apply these concepts to potential clients, they will learn what leadership skills they must nurture within themselves to get more sales. You can also take managerial leadership training and convert it into a program that targets your sales team.
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3WAYS TO SAVE ON TRENDY BACK-TO-SCHOOL BUYS Shop Online Like a Pro
2. ALWAYS CHECK DISCOUNT APPS AND WEBSITES.
Shopping online is tricky in the best of times, but it’s doubly trying when your kids’ opinions are involved. If back-to-school shopping is challenging in your house, try these tricks to hunt down the backpack, pencil bag, and lunchbox the kiddos are begging for without going over budget.
If you’re not at least Googling “[store name] coupon code” before checking out online, you’re probably missing out on big savings. Visit popular coupon websites like RetailMeNot and Groupon, or streamline your search by downloading a money-saving browser extension or app like Honey, which automatically checks for coupon codes and offers price comparisons. Other apps, like Flipp, let you view deals from dozens of stores in one place. Remember to see if your favorite store has its own app, too — downloading it could grant you access to exclusive deals.
1. OPT FOR SECONDHAND OR REFURBISHED ITEMS.
If your kid is dying to have the same Parkland Kingston Plus Backpack that celebrities’ kids were flaunting last year, you might be able to snag one secondhand for half the price. The same goes for the popular PLAE Max Shoes or even electronics like iPads. Check out online retailers like JemJem or Gazelle for refurbished electronics, and try the Poshmark app for bags, shoes, and clothes. If you really want to get fancy, visit TheRealReal.com for luxury-brand clothing.
discounts. Many websites offer free or reduced shipping for first-time customers or orders over a certain dollar amount. If you choose to shop somewhere without such a discount, check the shipping costs and factor them into your budget before you shop to avoid nasty surprises. If your kids are old enough, consider talking them through this process as you shop. Who knows, this could be a great back-to-school lesson in budgeting!
3. DON’T FORGET TO FACTOR IN SHIPPING.
If you shop internationally, shipping can sometimes double the cost of an order. To save money, choose domestic retailers and check each website or app for shipping specials and
Take a Break!
Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak
Ingredients
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2 garlic cloves, sliced
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1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
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1 3-lb flank steak Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions 1.
Combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, mustard, and vinegar in a blender. Purée until garlic is minced. Add oil and continue blending until creamy, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup. Place steak in a ceramic or glass baking dish and cover steak with the remaining marinade. Turn to coat the other side, cover, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
4.
Remove steak from marinade and let excess marinade drip off. Sprinkle the steak lightly with salt and pepper. Light grill and oil grates with olive oil. Grill steak over moderate heat for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway through, until steak is lightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 125 F. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice, drizzle reserved sauce, and serve.
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ASTER AUTUMN CHILLY COLORFUL
EDUCATION FOOTBALL HARVEST LABOR
LIBRA SAPPHIRE SEPTEMBER SQUASH
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Inspired by FoodAndWine.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of DeDe PAGE 1 Is Grit the Key Ingredient to a Resilient Business? PAGE 1 2 Steps to Cultivate Leadership in Your Sales Team PAGE 2 Shop Online for Your Kids Like a Pro PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak PAGE 3 Is Stress Making You Forgetful? PAGE 4
Is Stress Harming Your Memory? HOWTO COPEWITHDAILY TRIGGERS
Stress can cause more than just a bad mood and low energy. Over time, mental exhaustion from stress can lead to forgetfulness and reduced cognition. This can hamper your ability to do your job and enjoy life. Though stress is unavoidable, there are steps you can take to mitigate some of the negative effects of mental exhaustion, including forgetfulness. First, consider the source of your stress. These days, a common stressor is social media. If your feeds are full of bad news and negativity, shut them down. Many researchers suggest that spending less time on the internet leads to better health. Several studies have found that constant internet use, including time spent on social media, is negatively impacting our memories. Research from Harvard, Oxford, King’s College London, andWestern Sydney University all confirm this: Too much internet use is a bad thing.
Of course, it can be easier to delete a social media app than it is to eliminate other types of stressors. Coping with a stressful coworker, for example, can be difficult. You have to figure out why they’re causing you stress and how the situation can be remedied. Dealing with a work-related confrontation can be hard, but having that difficult conversation and resolving the problem can ultimately lead to less long- term stress and improve your mental health. Another thing you can do to reduce stress is avoid multitasking. Taking on multiple projects or doing too much in too little time can leave you feeling overworked. Plus, studies have found that multitasking is not effective. You cannot deliver the same results when your attention is scattered as you can when you are focused on one thing. To make matters worse, multitasking takes a major toll on memory and cognition, according to a study from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
If stress is impairing your memory, judgment, or cognition, take the above steps to reduce it. If you find your memory and cognition aren’t improving, consider speaking with a mental health professional to discuss your best next steps. Mental health and stress management are important, and the more we do to improve these areas of our lives, the healthier and happier we will be.
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