Start Here: Reaching Your Potential

Reaching Your Potential Approximately 6.7% of the world’s population has a university degree. Less than 1% of this select group has the intent and the will to make a difference. Because you reading this, I know you are likely a part of that small group. Thank you for being the kind of person who wants to make a positive contribution. Whether you are new to the FC community or have been a client for many years, I would like to personally thank you for being a part of our community. A community of driven and talented people around the world who understand that leadership is about implementing complex ideas and banking the benefits, which includes influencing their colleagues to act without alienating them. The challenges facing the world are too big to be fixed unless people are willing to lead. This requires teams, and often these teams must undertake innovative solutions for which there is little precedent. Whether it is poverty, climate change, a pandemic or other global health issues, inequality, income, or productivity growth, many of these problems can only be solved by this 1%. I know leadership can be a lonely and frustrating path of seeking effective, innovative solutions, and overcoming obstacles, while marshaling the resources to implement them. I…

Procrastination: Why You Procrastinate and How to Overcome It

We started our Executive Presence, Gravitas & Structured Thinking challenge by keeping your need for being important and superior to others in check. If you missed that post, please read the previous post first. It is foundational. Today I want to focus on the importance of recovering from perpetual procrastination. We will look at why you procrastinate and how to overcome it. Is Perpetual Procrastination Holding You Back? To build an executive presence, gravitas, and the strong communication skills required for advancement - beyond junior levels where technical skills are enough to get promoted - one big obstacle on your way would likely be perpetual procrastination. Humans tend to stick with the status quo. You can speak to people, isn't it enough? You worked hard in the past to develop your technical skills. Shouldn’t it be enough for you to keep rising up? Common Procrastinating Example I see clients procrastinating working on their executive presence and communication skills because they think their current skillset is good enough to get them where they want to go, only to see their careers stall. Whether you are working for a large consulting firm, major tech company, global bank, prominent government organization, or building your own…

Arrogance: Effective Ways to Stop Being Arrogant and Fearful

Summary: How to test if you are arrogant, what arrogance does to your career and life, and how to stop being arrogant and fearful. This post starts a series of posts to help you elevate your level of executive presence, influence, gravitas, confidence, and communication skills. In this first post, as part of this challenge, we would like to start off with a discussion about dealing with one of the qualities that rob people of the ability to influence and have a genuine connection with people required for effective communication. The idea to start from this insight originated from our recent results clinic for the MasterPlan Acceleration Coaching Program. And you probably guessed already what it is. We are starting our challenge by talking about arrogance and the damage to people’s lives when they are primarily driven by this need for being superior to others. “Pride goeth before a fall.” proverb Arrogance Definition and Meaning Of course, when we speak about arrogance, we are not talking about the pride you feel when you accomplish something hard or the pride you feel about your friend has mastered some new skill. The meaning of arrogance is an attitude of superiority. It is manifested…

Executive Presence & Communication Coaching Program

“To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.” Winston Churchill FINALLY: A CHANCE TO DISCOVER EXACTLY WHAT KRIS AND MICHAEL ONLY REVEAL TO OUR HIGHEST PAYING CLIENTS IN PRIVATE TO HELP THEM COMMAND ATTENTION AND RESPECT? NOW YOU CAN… https://youtu.be/avNWHzKwIug VIP level (6 months). The special price (conditions apply) is $14,995. Apply for VIP Now. Recommended add-on: Optional highly recommended add-on (6 1:1 55-minute deep dive video sessions with Kris). This allows for 1 x 1:1s per month. Changing the way you have spoken your entire life is a lot of work so this additional time will help us go more in-depth in enhancing the way you speak, changing the way you come across, and elevating your level of confidence. Some additional exercises will also be provided for you to do between the sessions to further amplify the results of the training. Add-on cost: $5,997. Add this add-on. Elite level (2 months of access).…

The Ultimate Guide To Consulting Skills For Advancement From Manager and Above

Consulting Skills as a Competitive Advantage Developing strong consulting skills such as the ability to communicate in a way that holds the attention of the room, the ability to solve complex problems in a structured and effective way, and the ability to build a peer-level relationship with the most senior executives of major companies. Developing strong consulting skills can be the competitive advantage that will allow you rise above the average and gain the momentum, respect, and opportunities you want. Not everyone working for major consulting firms have strong consulting skills. Similarly, you can develop strong consulting skills without ever working for a major consulting firm. In this post we are going to explore how to achieve career advancement from manager and above, and how to use consulting skills to help you achieve career growth. What is Career Advancement? Career advancement refers to the upward trajectory of someone’s career. Top professionals know the importance of professional and personal development. For anyone in the corporate world having a secure job to go to each week is important, but it is not enough. Humans crave progress. If we do not grow, we degrade. We do not stay still. Our skills deteriorate.  So…

Life Purpose: How to Find It & Examples

If you’re trying to find your life purpose, the central motivating aims of your life, and to find better ways to manage your time and be more productive, there’s an exercise that will help you determine what motivates you. Discovering the core of what drives you, what motivates you to do things will be a much more powerful tool than any time management technique or productivity trick. And it will help you in finding your purpose so you can steer your ship in the right direction. This is a life-changing exercise and – depending on the person – it generally doesn’t take a lot of time. Some people may need to do this life purpose exercise multiple times before they get to the core reason why. I had to do this exercise about four times before I gained clarity on my life purpose and felt that I really got to the core of what motivates me. This exercise, this way of thinking is often commonly used in problem-solving. As the CEO of FIRMSconsulting.com and StrategyTraining.com, I also use this exercise for our training programs. But my favorite application of this excercize is for discovering life purpose. What Is Life Purpose? Before…

Retirement Planning & How to Retire Early

Retirement Planning & How to Retire Early Many people are concerned about their retirement planning but put it aside for far too long. Unfortunately, this often leads to a retirement you settle for versus a retirement you want. Retirement planning is a process you put in place to manage your finances after you leave the workforce or sell your business. Retirement planning involves various steps, including planning when to start, figuring out how much money you will need to maintain the lifestyle you want after you retire, identifying priorities (what is most important, not negotiable, and what is least important), planning investments and figuring out who will manage those investments. If you plan to manage your investments yourself, you will need to learn to do so. If you plan to delegate this to a financial planner, you will need to learn enough to see if they are doing a good job for you. And then, you also need to plan for how to make your retirement enjoyable. This often means having sufficient mental stimulation and social interactions to maintain a full and engaging life. Please note that we are not financial planners. Please ensure you get proper advice from financial…

The MasterPlan Acceleration Program

“To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.” Winston Churchill FINALLY: A CHANCE TO DISCOVER EXACTLY WHAT KRIS AND MICHAEL ONLY REVEAL TO OUR HIGHEST PAYING CLIENTS IN PRIVATE? NOW YOU CAN... VIP level (6 months + additional access/deep dive one on one coaching). Special price (conditions apply) $14,995: Apply for VIP Now Elite level (3 months of access). Special price (conditions apply $5,995): Apply for Elite Now Installment options are available (outlined below). Unfortunately, many professionals are ignored, miss out on promotions, or feel they are on the wrong path and not living up to their potential. This results in feeling frustrated and under-appreciated. We have tested strategy tools and blueprints that allow our clients to stop being ignored, get promoted or start their own business, and find a greater career and personal fulfillment, and a higher level of contribution. The MasterPlan Acceleration Coaching Program is a very small group-mentoring program where we…

When Everything Goes Wrong with Your Career Plans