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Alliance Activity Podcast

Welcome to The Alliance Activity Podcast with Andy Albright. This weekly podcast provides you with coaching, teaching and training to help you improve and achieve your personal and professional goals.
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Now displaying: May, 2020
May 29, 2020

On this episode of The Alliance Activity podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about the importance of recognizing opportunity. 

What is Opportunity?

"When a set of conditions or circumstances are favorable for you to make a move or take advantage of an offer."

Recognize the Conditions: Stop thinking as a survivor (victim) and start acting as a thriver (chooser). 

Accept as favorable: Stop waiting on a sign (the perfect storm) and start being your own miracle (take initiative).

Move on the advantage: Stop thinking that something should happen (wish as a strategy) and start acting on what is happening (realism as a strategy).

Four Reasons Why People Don't Recognize Opportunity:

1. Letting your past haunt your present

2. Ignoring the potential of the present

3. Using your willpower to manage stress

4. Not able to focus on the future

1. Letting Your Past Haunt Your Present Antidote Quote:

"Great moments are born with great opportunity." -- Herb Brooks

Moral: Start letting your future be bigger than your present. But in order to embrace that future, one must let go of the past by utilizing the power of urgency which exists in the moment.

2. Ignoring The Potential Of The Present Antidote Quote:

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." --Thomas Edison

Moral: People can't see the present as an opportunity because they only view it as a day separating yesterday from tomorrow. Seeing today as an opportunity requires one to stop reminiscing about the past, and stop fantasizing about the future. Instead, people need to start working with an intentional focus about the 24 hours called the present. Fearing today is only a reason to not work.

3. Using Your Willingness To Manage Stress Antidote Quote:

"Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness." --Roman Philosopher Seneca

Moral: It is important to stop using all your willpower to manage stress, but rather, saving most of it to use for maintaining your discipline. Luck doesn't happen when you are waiting around on opportunity to show up, but instead, it appears after you have prepared for its arrival. This preparedness comes from the great discipline to master the mundane. Implementing this as a routine, puts you in a position to take advantage of opportunity.

4. Not Able To Focus On The Future

Antidote Quote: "We are all faced with great opportunity disguised as impossible situations." --John W. Gardner

Moral: Stop waiting for opportunity to Feel right. Instead, let your Do control your discipline. Doing your way into a feel requires more will than confidence. Every situation doesn't have to feel doable, but rather, every situation should be viewed as being doable.

Two Things Happen When You Miss The Opportunity

1. Doubt sets in and the lack of confidence from your uncertainty causes you to ask:

  • Why bother? ----> Code for: Life IS Tough.

  • How can I trust again? ----> Code for: People ARE Cruel.

  • Who am I fooling? ----> Code for: I AM Depressed.

2. Procrastination becomes the norm and your excuse for lack of initiative causes you to say:

  • If I wasn't so tired ----> Code for: I have no energy

  • But I'm not ready ----> Code for: I hav no purpose

  • When I find the time ----> Code for I have no belief

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

May 22, 2020

On this episode of The Alliance Activity podcast, Mike Lewantowicz fills in for Andy Albright, who is traveling on business this week, to talk about what it means to take ownership.

This is How I See the Definition of Ownership:

Whatever you're doing, you take full and complete responsibility for making sure that whatever is supposed to happen does happen.

It doesn't matter if your upline is an idiot or the carriers have a bad attitude. The only thing that matters is that YOU give it your all and that YOU make sure that you've done everything in your power to generate that outcome.

If you are living the definition of ownership, you should easily be able to answer yes to the following questions:

  • Do you live how you want to live?
  • Do you go to bed at night completely satisfied with your day's effort?
  • Do you show up exactly how you want others to show up for you?

4 Reasons Why People Don't Take Ownership:

  1. They're not interested in taking ownership
    2. They don't want to take ownership
    3. They don't know they're not taking ownership
  2. They don't have the skills to take ownership
  3. They’re not interested in taking ownership:

Many roles don't require people to exceed expectations, just deliver what's needed. So this shifting focus of our problems onto other people and things allow us to perpetuate the myth that we are fated to live our inevitable lives with no control over the outcome.

"They're going to do what they want to anyway."

Note:
The "They" represents the people in charge.

  1. They don't want to take ownership: It's a simple trap to fall into. It feels easier to blame others for our circumstances than to shoulder the blame. But by blaming other people or things, we give away our power. Ultimately, this way of thinking, left unchecked, becomes quite intentional. It might even become Machiavellian, employing devious and ingenious methods to avoid doing what is needed to be done.

"It's not my fault that the company doesn't have its' act together."

  1. They don't know they're not taking ownership: Do people know what taking ownership is actually like? Maybe they think they're performing well. Maybe they don't realize they're actually not doing what is expected of them. This condition is called "unconscious incompetence" and it stems from a lack of feedback. Be clear about what "good" looks like in their role.

"I am doing the best I know how to do."

  1. They don't have the skills to take ownership: People might actually be unaware of their lack of skill and just quietly struggle on, unable to identify why they can't seem to get it. Therefore, taking ownership requires getting others to know what they're taking ownership of. Also, this means motivating them to do more than just what they're told.

"I am just doing what I have been told."

The Role of "Locus of Control" in Taking Ownership: How we think and act is determined by many factors including our belief system, personality, upbringing, and behavioral tendencies. But our ability to influence our own circumstances is governed by our locus of control. This locus of control is either:

Internal or External?

Internal Locus of Control: This type determines your level of personal responsibility. You're more likely to hold yourself accountable and work hard for the things you want.

Realization from Internal Locus:

"No one was put on this earth to make me happy."

External Locus of Control: Within this type, you tend to blame external factors for your circumstances. You see other people or things as reasons for not achieving your own goals.

Realization from External Locus: "I am not happy, so somebody owes me some happiness."

If you're ready to make a change, here's how:

  • Notice Your Blaming Tendencies by saying, "What is my role in this?"
  • Focus on Solutions by saying, "How can I?" vs. "I can't."
  • Practice Your Power of Choice by saying, "I choose not to be a victim anymore."
  • Become Accountable by saying, "Nobody owes me anything."
  • Try Discomfort by saying, "Change never happens in my comfort zone."

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

May 15, 2020

On this episode of The Alliance Activity podcast, Andy Albright comes to you live from his home in Treasure Island, Fla. to talk about the importance of edification.

The word used for Edification in the New Testament is Oikodomé, which translates literally as "the building of a house." The word appears in the King James Bible about 20 times where later translations shorten the phrase to mean "building up."

The Webster's Dictionary definition of edify is "to instruct (educate) and improve (enlighten) another's capacity and perspective."

According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament words, edify means "spiritual growth (understanding) and development (encouraging) of character."

Instruct/Growth:
Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance (support) of his friend."

Improve/Development:
Hebrews 3:13, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Edification formula: Instruct + Improve = Edification

Instruct through education to create growth through understanding in order to impact another's capacity (to know the possible).

Improve through enlightenment to create development through encouraging in order to impact another's perspective (to see the possible).

Edification (building up)

Tough-love edification: Edification occurs when the potential in me reaches out to connect to the potential in you. However, edification is not always warm, fuzzy and comfortable feelings of encouragement.

For example: This development of another happens when a veteran agent kindly, but toughly, tells you that you are wrong or mistaken. But first, that rookie agents need to be vulnerable (allows yourself to be exposed) and correctable (not needing to be right).

Proverbs 27:6, "Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy."

Through fellowship we can cover each others' back, sharing our expectations and disappointments of each others' effort to honor this community with work.

Maturity Requires Edification:

For some, this ability to be vulnerable and correctable (or what we call leaning in) will not be easy. It will require a form of maturity that only occurs after a growth of understanding of the bigger picture takes place.

Being teachable (tell me why) must be the prerequisite to being developed (tell me how).

Remember: Beat them to the why if possible (anticipate).

2 types of edification based on one's identity:

Edification of activity/results (work) + Action-driven identity = Initiative

Edification of values/behaviors (integrity) + motive-driven identity = initiative

Build up the reward of tomorrow because of their commitment (8 Steps) to the present.

These people need something to do to find meaning in what they accomplish

"I will (Drive) therefore I can (Confidence)."

Build up the chance of tomorrow due to their cause (8 values) of today.

These people need some- thing to be to find purpose in why they take action.

I can (Confidence) therefore I will (Drive)."

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

May 8, 2020

On this episode of The Alliance Activity podcast, Andy Albright discusses the importance and power of association.

The Collaboration Formula: Affiliation + Association = Collaboration

Affiliation (Finding connection where First Impressions matter): the act of engaging or bonding with comes with a need for attachment.

Association (Finding fit where Leaning In matters): the act of consorting or joining with comes with a need of inclusiveness.

Collaboration (Finding common ground where Shared Values matter): the product of fellowship or community comes with a need of unity. 

Affiliation: "Unhealthy cultures create disconnect. Healthy cultures create social bonds." -- Simon Sinek

Moral: Affliction based on disconnection will eventually turn into mistrust and disloyalty, but affliction based on a social bond will forever produce management and invite attachment.

Association: "He that walks with wisemen shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." -- Proverbs 13:20

Moral: Associating with negative people creates negative thought, and associating with positive people creates positive thought.

Collaboration: "Without the sense of collaboration with people of like mind ... life would have seemed to me empty." -- Albert Einstein

Moral: The power of all minds fixed on a common cause is endless and fulfilling. 

The 2 Types of Associations:

1. Communal Relationships- close relationships in which members suspend their need to equity and exchange, giving support to the member in order to meet his or her needs, and without consideration of costs to themselves.

2. Exchange Relationships- reciprocal relationships in which each of the members keep track of his or hers contributions to the partnership.

YIN (cold/fluid) and YANG (warm/dry) and the concept of Dualism:

It describes how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary and interconnected in the natural (Alliance) world.

"Wheat field is Yang, but once it is harvested, it becomes Yin."

"Communal is Yang, but once it is exchanged, it becomes Yin."

Nothing is completely Yin or completely Yang. Each aspect contains the beginning point for the other aspect. For example, day becomes night and then night becomes day. Yin and Yang are interdependent upon each other so that the definition of one requires the definition for the other to be complete.

Yin (job mentality) relies on Yang (moral aurthority) as Yang (your word) relies on Yin (your effort).

There must be balance between the two. A river (the fluid Yin) must be willing to flow into a basin (the dry Yang); and the warm basin must be willing to accept the cold river.

The Alliance's Secret Recipe: Job Mentality + Moral Authority = A Healthy and Thriving Culture

Job Mentality (Do Your Job): Living up to your expectations by honoring your commitment to work with the Exchange Relationship.

Moral Authority (Walking With Maturity): Providing a high character example by promoting a safe environment within the Communal Relationship.

That leads to a Healthy and Thriving Culture.

The Alliance's healthy and thriving culture is where members feel everything is going to be alright. If you make enough noise someone will hear you. It is where members accept the calling to act, and no one shirks their duties to "Do the Do."

Our culture requires that we "Have Fun, Make Money and Make A Difference." 

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU

May 1, 2020

On this episode of The Alliance Activity podcast, Andy Albright talks about the importance of duplication and the role it plays in success. 

WHY DUPLICATION MATTERS IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN YOUR BUSINESS:

"It doesn't matter what works, it only matters what duplicates." -- Oliver Burman

Your role is to get a large number of people to do a few simple things over a long period of time.

But How Do You Actually Go About Creating Duplication?
Well, There Are 3 Steps You Can Use:

1. Lead by Example
2. Get People Started
3. Create a Culture of Speed

1. Lead by Example Quote:

"In trying to make something new, half the undertaking lies in discussing whether it can be done. Once it has been established that it can, duplication is inevitable." -- Helen Gahagan Douglas

1. Lead by Example Explanation:

Your team won't sell if you are not selling. They won't recruit if you are not recruiting anymore. So Remember:

  • People copy what others do more than they listen to what they say.

  • Get your hands dirty (Have a track record and know your trade).

  • Blame rolls uphill so take responsibility for your mistakes as well as your team's errors.

2. Get People Started Quote:

"Success without duplication is merely future failure in disguise." -- Randy Gage

2. Get People Started Explanation:

Your team will never create duplication if all you do with them is sign them up and then wait for them to start. Help new agents as well as existing agents get over the top and stay over the top by:

  • Revalidating their reason to do insurance.

  • Giving them proper expectations to hit.

  • Introducing them to effective tools of the trade.

3. Create a Culture of Speed Quote:

"Life is a mirror that magnifies. What we see out there is only a duplication of what we are inside." --David Wolfe

Create a Culture of Speed Explanation:

When your team thinks of this business as fast moving, an internal momentum will be created. In order to sustain such speed, you must create an environment where people want to change and get better by doing the following:

• First build trust with the people you meet, then transfer that trust you have with them into the activity to be successful.

• Combine urgency with compliment and the person will have a hard time responding negatively.

12 REASONS PEOPLE DON'T DUPLICATE:

1. Can't separate their future from their past.
2. Don't believe things can get better for them.
3. Don't have a complete sureness of their ability.
4. Don't like who they are.
5. Will not take the first step to set things in motion. 6. Will not stay determined through the storm.
7. Don't desire distinction and achievement.
8. Can't show the eagerness and passion for life.
9. Don't have the hunger to recognize opportunity. 10. Don't fear the consequences of their actions.
11. Will not conform to a commitment.
12. Will not become obsessed with the boring.

www.AndyAlbright.com

@AndySAlbright

www.NAALeads.com

@NationalAgentsAlliance

@NAALeadsTheWay

#TheAlliance #DoTheDo

#N247RU 

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