Business tips from Marilyn Monroe

I recently watched the documentary Love, Marilyn on HBO. Recently, boxes of handwritten notes from the goddess herself were found. Viewers are able to see her inner thoughts acted out by famous actors & actresses. The documentary takes the viewer through her entire life, with commentary from Marilyn's notes and letters.

Marilyn Monroe grew up in an orphanage, due to her mother being mentally ill. She knew she wanted to be an actress at a very young age and began working towards that goal. When she got her first role in a film her daily routine involved rehearsing at the studio and a hour practice of each of the following: dance, singing, fencing, acting, and physical fitness. Her producer at the time ask her why she worked so hard and her response was "you never know what opportunity is going to arise, and when it does you have to be ready."

The Marilyn mentality is what we all need! When you have a goal in mind you need to be focused solely on that goal. Having that kind of tunnel vision helps you steer clear of distractions and attain your goal as fast as you are capable.

"You never know what opportunity is going to arise, and when it does you have to be ready." Isn't that powerful? In order to become the best in you field you need to hit all your bases. Our current goal as an organization is to have ten locations within the next ten years. In order to hit that goal we need to make sure we are bringing on the right talent, implementing replicable systems, hitting client goals, and training and developing our staff (among other things). If we are not constantly working on all of these things we will not be ready to grow when opportunities arise.

As Marilyn's career grew bigger and bigger she moved herself from LA to NYC. She was still dedicated to becoming better at her craft and decided to take acting classes at an acting studio. At the time she began her classes she was a major celebrity and had already had her big break. She in no way shape or form needed these classes to get work.

As humans we crave learning and knowledge, and there never comes a point where we know it all. Networking and learning is a large part of our business and guess what, it works! We have learned from start ups as well as veteran businesses. Creativity and innovation is what keeps businesses growing. Learning from the top dog and the new kid on the block ensures your learning it all.

Jack Welch, founder of the Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer Univeristy, recently wrote an article on leadership. It speaks heavily on the mindset change when put in a leadership role. As a leader, its really not about you. Your success is now judged by those you are leading. Being a leader requires being the ultimate example to others, being able to transfer knowledge, and develop others. 

By Jack and Suzy Welch

"Too often, people who are promoted to their first leadership position miss the point. And that failure probably trips up careers more than any other reason.

Being a leader changes everything. Before you are a leader, success is all about you. It’s about your performance. Your contributions. It’s about raising your hand, getting called on, and delivering the right answer.

When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. It’s about making the people who work for you smarter, bigger, and bolder. Nothing you do anymore as an individual matters except how you nurture and support your team and help its members increase their self-confidence. Yes, you will get your share of attention from up above—but only inasmuch as your team wins. Put another way: Your success as a leader will come not from what you do but from the reflected glory of your team.

Now, that’s a big transition—and no question, it’s hard. Being a leader basically requires a whole new mindset. You’re no longer constantly thinking “How can I stand out?” but “How can I help my people do their jobs better?” Sometimes that requires undoing a couple of decades of momentum. After all, you probably spent your entire life, starting in grade school and continuing through your last job, as a contributor who excels at “raising your hand.” But the good news is that you’ve been promoted because someone above you believes you have the stuff to make the leap from star player to successful coach.

What does that leap actually involve? First and foremost, you need to actively mentor your people. Exude positive energy about life and the work that you are doing together, show optimism about the future, and care. Care passionately about each person’s progress. Give your people feedback—not just at yearend and midyear performance reviews but after meetings, presentations, or visits to clients. Make every significant event a teaching moment. Discuss what you like about what they are doing and ways that they can improve. Your energy will energize those around you.

And there’s no need for sugarcoating. Use total candor, which happens, incidentally, to be one of the defining characteristics of effective leaders.

Through it all, never forget—you’re a leader now. It’s not about you anymore. It’s about them."

Watch out world, LTG is starting a picture revolution!

LTG officially has an Instagram. Almost all of our current employees use the app on a daily basis, so we figured it was time to get involved. Social media is an awesome way to connect with clients, potential candidates, and our current team. What can you expect from our Instagram? We will be sure to post pictures of our in and out of office events, along with pics/quotes that keep us motivated. Don't hesitate to check us out and follow us on our journey! Oh, we follow back..hashtag.

http://instagram.com/ltgmarketing