Tag Archive for: Integrity

Once you accept money, you have to give something UP Law Of Exchange

Right now what I’d like to do is I’d like to talk about the law of exchange.

See, one of the things that people don’t understand is that once you accept money, usually there’s something you’re going to have to give. You’re going to have to either give up or create, generate something. The law of exchange is that I give you something, and you give me something. So, when someone offers you money, you need to be very clear what it is that you are going to be giving to them. Is it going to be your time? Is it going to be part of your business? Is it going to be your body? Is it going to be part of your life? Is it going to be your reputation, your integrity, your contacts, your health? What is it that you’re going to be giving to someone when they offer you money?

Now, this sounds a little bit crazy, but it comes up a lot, and I’m particularly talking to young people that haven’t been around enough to understand that there’s always an exchange. When I was little, that was one of the biggest lessons that my mother taught me, which is when somebody offers you something for free, there’s no such thing as free. The love of your mother or your father or your family and friends that have gone through a lot with you, business associates and employees and people in your circles that have already shown to be trusted? Yes. Probably there is already the exchange has been established. But when you see an advertisement, when somebody approaches you, and when it looks like that all of a sudden you’re going to have this free something, no. There is no such thing. There’s always an exchange.

You can handle it very elegantly. You can say, “Well, just let me know, what am I going to have to give up? What would you like from me? What is it that you want from me?” because there’s no such thing as free. I actually say that. I actually say that to people, and then we kind of have established kind of like, okay, this is where we’re working from, this is how we’re understanding. And I’m happy, happy, happy to give people things. I’m happy to give them my time, give them my money and give them something. What is going to be the exchange? And vice versa. One of the greatest lessons I learned from my Mamacita.

I remember seeing advertisements, “Order this and you will get this for free, and you will get this for free,” actually yes and no. Yes, I am going to get something for free, but what are they getting from me? They’re just getting me to buy as soon as possible, which is fine but don’t believe that there’s such a thing as free. I think that once you have that understanding your life is going to change radically. You are absolutely going to have a new understanding of marketing, and you’re going to have a new understanding of some people that maybe don’t have your highest good in mind, which actually ultimately you are 100% responsible for. Just remember that. Whenever I have met people that felt like they have been robbed or they’ve been ripped off or something has gone wrong, when we really dissect the situation, we find that they were a little bit naïve and really, really believed some of the great lines that were given to them.

So, once you understand that there’s nothing for free, that there’s always an exchange, life is going to get a little bit easier for you.

Proven Business Relationship Agreement – Part 3

Proven Business Agreements

Proven Business Relationship Agreement

6 More Key Questions – Part 3

By DC Cordova

Will this really help you make more money, be happier and have more fulfillment? If you’ve ever been in a relationship before – whether business or personal – you know how to have a good relationship. Very few know how to have a great relationship.

Anthony Robbins, the world-renowned success teacher and Money & You® graduate, says it best. Your success is determined by the quality of the questions you ask. If you’ve read my previous two posts on creating a profitable business agreement (read the first Post here: Proven Business Relationship Agreement – Part 1 and the second Post here: Proven Business Relationship Agreement – Part 2), you’ll quickly realize that I outlined a series of questions for you to ask yourself and to ask your potential business partner(s).

Now we’re getting even more detailed and focused on some specifics. I find many people don’t want to deal with these. And I would ask you to take a look and see if you really applied these questions to your relationships in business, would you have more clarity? Would your planning change? What I’ve seen over the last 30 plus years is that what it takes to be an entrepreneur – not just an entrepreneur, but a successful builder of businesses that grow and thrive – is these questions are inherently a part of the way of thinking or planning.

If these posts make you think, GREAT! I’m having an impact on you. Now we’re going to take a look at the next 6 Key Questions you need to ask yourself in creating a success business relationship…

10. Know your partner

___ We have discussed and know if there are…

___ Habits they currently have and have had in the past that we might want to know about.

___ Complaints and “stories” from their past

___ Any bankruptcies and/or negative business dealings?

___ What they learned from those experiences?

___ Which ones were they able to correct?

___ If they blamed another person?

___ Were they able to take responsibility for it?

11. Personal responsibility and integrity

___ We know that personal responsibility and integrity underlies all successful partnerships and organizations. When these two distinctions are equally important to each member, everyone knows they are personally responsible for what is happening in their own lives.

___We agree not to blame and take full responsibility for our part when things don’t go the way “they are supposed to”…

___ We know going into this agreement that when we hear repeated blaming of others or constant justification of self, then we can pretty well predict the future.

12. When Money is Involved – The GREED Factor

___ We understand that a business relationship is similar to a marriage and we both are hoping that all is going to work out great. We know that it can actually get more intense when large amounts of money are made and that it can bring up negative and limiting subconscious beliefs about money, success and prosperity.

___ On the other hand, for some, the more money they make, the more the greed factor comes into play and our styles could change;  if we have blocks to having lots of money we get greedy.

___ To prevent the effects of any of these changes, we have written agreements in place and are constantly in communication with each other, because we know that maintaining alignment is essential.

___ We have met with our Professional Accountant or successful Tax Lawyer who has given us advice as to what to do with future profits.

___ What percentage of it to be reinvested in the business?

___ How much to be saved?

___ How much each of us should be taking out as profit?

___ We have met and decided in advance how the profits will be disbursed in the short and long term.

___ We agree to re-visit this and update it every six months.

13. Making Long Term Decisions

___ We see ourselves working with each other at least five, ten, twenty years from now, but if not, we have put together an “exit” agreement as well as another agreement for the possible sale of the share of the business to the other partner.

14. More than two partners

___ If there are going to be more than two partners, if any one of us is hesitant to do something, we agree to honor that person because we don’t have total alignment.

___ If this doesn’t work we agree to get the advice of a third party we all trust.

15. Personal Decisions

___ We have discussed that if one of the partners decides to get married (or divorced) what will happen with the spouse in terms of the business.

___ If one of us decides to have a child, we have discussed how it is going to affect our participation?

___ We know what each partner is personally committed to and what the business represents for them.

Wow! I actually enjoy writing these because I know this is what works. Now, ask yourself: Do these questions make sense? If I’m going to create a business with another partner, does it make sense to know the answers to these questions? Ask yourself, what if I didn’t know the answers and wasn’t prepared? Could I lose my interest in the business?

So, I’d like to have some of your feedback – We still have 5 more Keys to creating a Successful Business Agreement – and I’d like to know your thoughts. What has worked for you in business? What has caused upsets?

I look forward to sharing the next and final segment with you. Until then, I challenge you to take these questionnaires, print them out and actually go through the checklists.

And I’d like to give you a gift: Your Personal Entrepreneurial Strategy

With loving thoughts,

DC Cordova


Creative Commons License photo credit: Tracy O

The Four Agreements at Work

agreements for a workplace

The Four Agreements at Work
As a personal, professional, and organizational guide, can you imagine how much better businesses would function and the workplace would feel if we used the Four Agreements from the best selling The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz? The Agreements are so simple, yet so powerful.

THE  FOUR  AGREEMENTS are:

  1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
  2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
  3. Don’t Make Assumptions
  4. Always Do Your Best

Now let’s take a brief look at how the Four Agreements might apply in the workplace (from my book The New Agreements in the Workplace).

1. Impeccability of the Word:

Impeccability of the word addresses the power of speaking with integrity. Possibly even more important, it means remembering to think before we speak and choosing words that come from love rather than fear. Remember, every word starts with a thought. To be impeccable with the word starts with being impeccable with our thoughts. In some cases, being impeccable with our word means choosing not to speak if that is most appropriate to the situation. Can you see what this one agreement might do to reduce miscommunication, politics, and gossip in the workplace?

2. Personal Affronts:

We must realize that what others say and think about us is not important. Their words, politics, and gossip have nothing to do with who we really are in the workplace. When we become unattached to what others say, think, and do, we need be concerned with only ourselves and the meaning and quality of our work. This frees us to be more alive and energetic both in the workplace and at home.

3. The Trap of Assumptions:

Making assumptions is one of the fastest ways to create miscommunication and drama in our work lives. In most workplaces, we waste a great deal of time and energy dealing with politics, gossip, and solving problems that were created because we made assumptions that weren’t true. We should take actions based upon good data whenever possible and avoid making assumptions, especially those that are fear-based.

4. Doing Your Best Work:

Most of us do the best we can under the circumstances. Our best will vary from time to time, but if we know we’ve done our best, we can be kind to ourselves regardless of the results we create. We must remember that we can be only as kind to others as we are to ourselves. In a “Four Agreements” workplace, kindness to self and others will become a way of operating.

Can you picture everyone in your workplace being impeccable with their thinking and words? Not taking things personally? Not making assumptions? Doing their best all the time? Imagine what it would be like if everyone in all workplaces behaved that way. Incorporating the Four Agreements into the workplace is a great idea, but they must become more than an idea or concept to bring value to the workplace. We must begin by practicing what we desire to become: We must become living role models and conduct our lives according to the Four Agreements. We must become the Four Agreements.

David Dibble
New Agreements Healthcare
PO Box 2674
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
Tel: 760-431-7893
email: David@TheNewAgreements.com
Web: http://www.TheNewAgreements.com

Creative Commons License photo credit: jordigraells