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WWW.CROSSROADS.SANDLER.COM / 208-429-9275 / JUNE/JULY 2019
FIND YOUR EDGE
THE ROLE OF ATTITUDE IN THE SANDLER SUCCESS TRIANGLE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ATTITUDE, BEHAVIOR, AND SUCCESS
Here at Sandler Training, we know how important balance is in your day-to-day life. How well we manage the delicate interactions between our personal and professional lives can be the deciding factor in our success. That’s why we urge our clients to take a look at our Sandler Success Triangle. The triangle is made up of behaviors, techniques, and, most importantly, attitudes. Your definition of success comes from how you balance those three qualities. While an endless stream of sub-qualities impact your life — such as your actions, tactics, communication strategies, and goals — we think one of the most crucial is your attitude. Without the right attitude, you will find neither the energy nor the drive to overcome life’s hurdles. We need to go into each and every business (and life) situation with the big picture in our minds. We should know what really matters to us and know which attitude will get us there. The longer I live, the more I realize the impact that attitude has on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the past, education, money, circumstances, failures, successes, and
much more important than what other people think about what I’m doing. Attitude is the sum of all the moving factors in your life and impacts any other setback you may be faced with. Attitude takes precedence over appearance, giftedness, and skill. It will make or break whatever organization you’re a part “ “WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO US AND KNOW WHICH ATTITUDE WILL GET US THERE.” of, whether it’s a company, church, team, or a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding our attitude. We cannot change our past nor how people act. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we always have control of is our attitude.
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I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. By adopting this frame of mind, I will never let a setback destroy me, no matter how big it may seem. There is always room to put a positive spin on any scenario. As you probably know, this is easier said than done. Letting life impact you is far easier than taking steps to control life’s impact on your attitude. Unfortunately, we have spent so much time reacting
to things in our lives that choosing the right attitude takes a conscious effort every single day. It is not second nature to us, but it will be once we decide to be the masters of our own feelings. In a time with endless knowledge at your fingertips, facts seem less valuable than attitude. But all the research in the world is not going to change the way you feel. You have to constantly remind yourself to will these feelings into existence. Every day we must choose the attitude we want to embody, and, in adopting that attitude, we choose the way we act. At any given moment, we must remind ourselves we cannot change the past, the future, or the inevitable. We cannot change other people’s programming nor the way they carry their own attitudes. Yet, leading by example and displaying the changes you want to see in this world will encourage people around you to be more inclined to give it a chance, too. That’s the power of attitude. To find out more about how we can help you get your business, personal life, and everything in between back on the right track, give us a call at (208) 429-9275 or visit our website anytime at Sandler.com. –Jim Stephens
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN HOW PASSIVE INDIVIDUALS INTERACT WITH THE WORLD
The four basic styles of communication include passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. A number of factors determine how a person communicates, including how their families interact in different situations. People tend to learn their communication style from parents or parental figures. Sometimes people never learn to communicate effectively in relationships — personally and professionally — and those relationships can suffer. This month, we’re taking a closer look at passive communication. People who communicate passively tend to have trouble or simply avoid expressing their feelings and opinions because they often suffer from low self-esteem, or they have long dealt with low self-esteem. They are slow to protect their rights, if they speak up at all. Here is the breakdown of the passive communication style. Passive individuals often:
• Fail to assert themselves • Allow others to deliberately or inadvertently infringe on their rights • Fail to express their feelings, needs, or opinions • Tend to speak softly or apologetically • Exhibit poor eye contact and slumped body posture The impact of passive communication is that these individuals often feel: • Anxious because life seems out of their control • Depressed because they feel stuck and hopeless • Resentful (but are unaware of it) because their needs are not being met • Confused because they ignore their own feelings • Unable to mature because real issues are never addressed
A passive communicator will say or believe things like: • “I’m unable to stand up for my rights.” • “I don’t know what my rights are.” • “I get stepped on by everyone.” • “I’m weak and unable to take care of myself.” • “People never consider my feelings.” Overall, passive people don’t typically respond to hurtful or anger-inducing situations. They “ignore” them and let negative feelings build up. At the same time, they don’t always realize these feelings are building up, but those feelings will come out once they reach their limit. Then comes an explosive outburst which is out of proportion with what ultimately triggered the breakdown. Unfortunately, after the outburst, they feel ashamed, guilty, and lost, but they will almost always go back to their passive behavior.
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BUILDING SOMETHING TO LAST
At Sandler Training, we work tirelessly with companies, both local and abroad, to help them achieve maximum efficiency. By examining the very pillars of their practice, we address core issues and follow the changes we make all the way to the top. Whether it’s something as inherent as the sales process, or how they deal with customer relations, our programs target their bad habits and turn them into profitable guidelines. We address their ultimate goals and begin building a plan to put them into action. For all we do, the core of our service simply enables business professionals to unlock their full potential and avoid typical trial-and-error processes common in their respective industries. Our clients have already made it this far on their own, so we know they can exist without our services, but staying stagnant in any field is no way to go about day-to-day operations. For those who seek to expand their brand and move their company to the highest level possible, we are happy and honored to lend a hand on their journey. Every business is more than a brand at face value — every respectable company aims to bring a much-needed service to their clients and community, and Linder Jones is a shining example of that. Linder is the founder and head of Studio Linder Architects based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. While we’ve worked together for almost a decade, it is always a pleasure to sit down and get his unique
LINDER
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perspective on his industry. His eclectic range of talents and business acumen has left us floored from the very beginning, but we’re always pleasantly surprised to hear more from him at our frequent meetings. Simply put: He’s an overachiever with a mindset to the future. His desire to improve his business and expand the quality of his services is a perfect example of the type of clients we love at Sandler Training. Like most businessmen, his journey to success wasn’t fast. He had to work his way up to become the man he is today. As Linder explains, he started out as a general building contractor, which would prove an integral asset to his business later in life. Rather than look at it as a way to bring in income, he sought to use his position to try and make real change. “Day to day, I was seeking to help people enrich their lives by running this design and construction business. Then, when I was fortunate enough to go into sales with my next position with a design remodeling firm, that was the beginning of the change in my career,” Linder says of his growth early on. “I realized wholeheartedly I enjoyed the sales more than the construction aspect, so I was happy to move up and take on a new role as the architect and designer for this new venture.” Of course, the good times don’t always last in the sometimes-volatile world of construction, especially in the late 2000s. When the economy took a dive and the housing market crashed in 2008, he could see the writing on the wall. He knew what was coming, and it soon did. Linder found himself in one of the last groups his employer laid off, and that’s when he took the opportunity to make something out of his misfortune. He found himself in the perfect place to finally branch out and make a company he could be proud of. After letting his associates know he was
planning to start his own business, he covered all his bases and locked down his connections. At that point, an associate made him an offer he couldn’t refuse — despite how dead set he was on starting his brand right away. It’s no surprise somebody with his background would be snatched up so quickly as soon as people heard he was on the market. You see, here at Sandler Training, we understand the value our clients bring to their clients. Linder Jones is a stellar example of that value, too. His unique talents as an architect and a designer give him a distinct advantage in his field. He is the type of person anyone in the building industry would be lucky to have on payroll. Having access to buildable designs and knowing how to avoid troublesome projects is an invaluable asset. “My clients and their contractors aren’t going to be spinning their tires trying to design something impossible,” Linder explains. “As good as that sounds, we’re also able to offer the best service possible. We don’t have to cut corners, and we don’t have to sacrifice good materials and
details just to save a buck. I can bring along a skill set that allows me to save my clients money and time by figuring out the most plausible solutions to their dreams. My past experience as a contractor allows me to recognize when a dream is an impossible task. I work hand in hand with my clients to find a way to bring those dreams into the real world.” Linder went on to explain how many times in his career, people would come to him with a set of plans they had already paid for. These clients were looking for bids to figure out how much this particular project would cost. Well, in dozens of cases, they’d receive bids on plans that were flat out not buildable. Nobody stopped to take the time to give these clients a realistic view of whether or not their project could be built in the first place. Their plans would not be practical for any number of reasons, whether it was because they were way over budget, or the architect and builder couldn’t agree on what was possible. Whatever the reason, he soon found that all these factors could have a major impact on the customer’s experience. These people were walking
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do. I love working with clients to enrich their lives. These are challenges I face on a regular basis and challenges I love accepting. I love getting them engaged with the contractor early on, so they can give them realistic budgets and get them involved in the design. For me, my business stands alone because we’re able to help manage their home-building experience every step of the way.” Here at Sandler Training, we can’t stress enough the importance of client connections. The more you can throw aside formalities in lieu of genuine care, the more your reputation will grow as a personable service provider. When customers can tell you’re on their team, they know you have their best interest in mind, and they will keep coming back time and time again. We’ve loved seeing Linder grow his dedicated customer base over the years and look forward to watching him flourish after each interaction. Sometimes all it takes is a new way to address your customer care to make all the difference. It doesn’t have to take years to develop on your own. By knowing the tricks of the trade, you can build stronger relationships and see better results. Linder’s results come from, among many other things, helping bridge the gap between customers and the workers who are going to make their dream into a tangible reality. them along, and then get out of the picture without taking the time to help their clients through the process. These blasé architects are a different breed than Linder Jones — and frankly, his skill is something you just can’t teach. He’s found over the years that the key to success lies in seeing projects to fruition. In his experience, if he doesn’t stay involved with the project, then it will very likely end up as something different than they discussed. Somebody has to As Linder explained, it’s very common for architect firms to develop plans, pass
help the contractor see the true scope and nuance of the original design. With so much dreaming and creativity happening, an equal amount of practical perspective is needed to make sure the clients get their home and leave satisfied. Linder lives to bridge that gap. Going above and beyond for your clients is something we know all about at Sandler, but a business also needs the realistic foundation Linder talks about so frequently. Ultimately, it boils down to quality control. Would you rather get your client a product that is going to topple to the ground in five years, or meet them halfway and give them a service that will last a lifetime? You’re the professional in your industry. That’s why they hired you, so you need to demonstrate professional integrity and see that they are walking away smiling,
away heartbroken after paying a great deal of money for a pipe dream.
That’s when he decided he wasn’t going to let that happen. Unfortunately, this sometimes means a reality check for his clients. It’s easy to look at photos online and pick a home, but the reality may be tougher to stomach. The challenge was having to play devil’s advocate with his clients. After all, he was only there to help. Yet, he takes great pleasure in the execution of these smaller microcosms of the job. He enjoys helping his customers find and maximize their budget given their unique set of circumstances. Sometimes the challenge is just helping them understand the outside circumstances in the first place. “There are times where clients would hear about lower building costs from friends in other states that flat out don’t translate to the San Francisco area. So, I’d have to sit them down and explain why it’s going to cost what it is. Then we worked from there to find the best possible options on their budgets,” Linder continues. “These interactions are why I truly love what I
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client and what those steps should look like in action. In this way, he has been able to cut his qualifying time for clients down from four hours to about one and a half on average. He’s taken to heart all the nuanced processes that go into a sales transaction, and, because of his newfound knowledge, he now understands the value his company offers to clients. He could raise his rates and keep up the highest quality customer service. We’ve been happy to meet with him and give insight into the complex process of customer decision-making, and we eagerly look forward to the two-hour ongoing training sessions he attends each week. As if that wasn’t enough, we also sit down with Linder for an extra hour a month for one- on-one specialized training for his business. All this adds up to better sales, better customer care, and increased efficiency, all which have raised his business to new heights. what industry you’re in, our team of dedicated business professionals will be sure to send you away from every session with newfound look on your business’ biggest hurdles. To find out more about how we can help, give us a call at (208) 429-9275 or visit us anytime at Sandler.com. To see what Linder Jones can do for all your building needs, you can call or text him at (408) 891-0716, or email him anytime at LinderJones@studiolinder.com. Here at Sandler, we aim to set our clients on a clearer path to success. No matter
especially with something so monumental as building a home or office.
has never been better. Even his wife, who’s been by his side all along, has taken notice of a major difference in his brand. Linder says, “I remember a few years ago, she stopped me one day while I was home and told me how much of a difference Sandler was making. She remarked that I was home more while still making more money. These are the conversations I could never get tired of.” Linder continues, “These takeaways from our meeting share something that I consider invaluable. I wouldn’t dare do business without (Sandler) now that I’ve experienced the changes first hand over all these years.” We’re proud to have had Linder involved with our ongoing reinforcement sales program over the years. When we reach another milestone with his company, his excitement gives us pride in the work that we do every day. For Linder, he says he stays with us for some very simple reasons. “Honestly, I’m afraid that since it’s worked so well for me, I’ll lose business if I stop!” Linder says. “The trust I have in these programs goes far beyond business. Ultimately, it’s about me making more money in less time, and that’s not something I’m willing to forfeit by giving up the programs I take part in.” Through Sandler, Linder says he’s seen improvements in almost every area of his business. He’s been taught the proper way to address initial phone calls with a
Today, Linder’s service model is firmly grounded in helping his clients in every way he can, but that also means making a living for himself. Through years of experience and conversations with Sandler, he’s found that his model shines most when it uses a fee-for-service platform. His customers pay him by the hour to make specific plans as opposed to a mutually agreed flat fee. It is so important for businesses to find out what billing method makes the most sense for the service they’re providing. And while you want to make a profit, you also want to make sure your customer doesn’t walk away feeling jaded or confused by your terms of service. For Linder, he put the power into the hands of his clients by only making them pay for the work they wanted. Some people make decisions very slowly, and some make decisions very quickly, as is human nature. Depending on what type of client he was dealing with, he would forgo the fixed fee for a system based on efficiency and customer desire. There is no cutting corners when you’ve decided to charge by the hour, assuming you keep your level of integrity high. The more work they want, the more you’ll provide. For your business, this could look totally different, but Linder has found it makes the most sense after seeing numerous business structures through our programs over the years. Fortunately for him, Studio Linder
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LIFELONG LEARNING WITH LYNDA HOW LYNDA.COM CAN HELP YOU ADD TO YOUR SKILL SET
TAKE A BREAK
In his latest book, “Thank You for Being Late,” author and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman emphasizes the importance of being a “lifelong learner” in a world where technology advances exponentially. Gone are the days where you could graduate from high school, or even college for that matter, and expect to follow a traditional career path with no need for further education. Even if you have a job that’s not in danger of dying out, chances are the skills and responsibilities for that job will evolve — and you’ll have to evolve as well. You could go back to school and spend money unnecessarily to learn a new skill set, or you could use some of the new advances in technology to your advantage. Lynda.com was created to help you do just that. Lynda.com, a part of LinkedIn Learning since 2017, is an online learning platform that hosts thousands of web videos and classes on business, software, technology, and creative skills to help you succeed in a rapidly changing workplace. If learning a programming language like SQL or a software program like Adobe will give you a leg up in your job search or help you with your current job responsibilities, Lynda.com can help. The content is the website’s primary purpose, but the appeal of the site is its organization, quality of content, and bang for your buck. Video tutorials may abound on YouTube, but the quality of information will always be up for scrutiny. With Lynda.com, you’ll only get access to content created by experts in each respective field in a way that is easy to understand. Videos can be organized by topic, software, author, or skill level, and each video is usually a very accessible 10–15 minutes long. A monthly subscription is necessary to utilize the site’s full potential, but, with the quality of the content, the cost is more than worth it. There’s also an app compatible with mobile devices for tutorials on the go.
We have 20 complimentary copies of this new book to send out. If you’d like one, email joan.stephens@sandler.com or call 208-429-9275 to request your free copy!
With Lynda.com, you can garner new skills and improve your marketability as a professional, propelling your career forward and upward.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Attitude in the Sandler Success Triangle
2
A Closer Look at Passive Communication
3
Case Study: Building Something to Last
7
Learning New Skills With Lynda.com
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A Closer Look at Hope House
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT: HOPE HOUSE Here at Sandler, we know how important a sense of community is, and it comes with a responsibility to take care of those around us. Hope House is able to do just that with some of society’s most vulnerable citizens. Through their work with children in need, they’ve been able to provide housing for kids all over the United States. Their main focus GIVING KIDS THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED Their mission is to provide a home-like, family atmosphere by showing their kids love, a lifestyle of structured activities, appropriate discipline, and educational opportunities. Through the years, they have found change doesn’t have to come from something profound; simply having someone there to listen allows the kids to reach their fullest potential. When that’s not enough, they ensure the emotional and social needs of all their children are met. That means reaching out to find
is children between the ages of 6–18 who are suffering from emotional impairment, developmental delays, or who come from dysfunctional families. In this way, they’re able to serve children from all areas of our great country. Not to be outdone, they also consider children from other countries if they feel the need is great enough. Simply put: Their goal is for no child to go another day without a home.
the appropriate psychiatric, psychological, social work, and counseling professionals to fit the youth’s specific needs.
Although they are a non-denominational organization, they also help the children find healing through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They offer church and chaplain services to any child who might want to pursue those. Ultimately, their goal is to return young people to their own families whenever possible. By acting as an intermediary between their old life and a better life ahead, they give kids the skills to be successful in their personal ambitions.
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