19-May-2003
From Dan Peña – Executive Coach and Mentor to the High Performer.
Dear Friend and Subscriber,
It has been some time since my last newsletter.
It still amazes me that many of the questions I get are either answered on the bulletin board, on my web sites, or in previous newsletters. Of course QLA product answers them all!
I check the bulletin board often, but rarely write. The board is for your use, amongst your selves. I am impressed by some of the disclosure and answers. I read my past newsletters, to refresh my memory. I also look at my web sites to gather my thoughts from time to time. I even listen to my various tapes. If I do this, I ask myself, why can’t my readers and other devotees? If you are serious about what you want to do going forward, I would think it would be the very least you do! The real answer is not all are serious! Eight years of coaching has proven without a doubt true personal development is rare! And belief system change is even more rare!
I have attached a paragraph from an email I received today that illustrates true change! I receive requests often, not just for sage advice, but also often for money. The requests come in different forms but at the end of the day they want an easier way forward. They want a short cut, and there are no short cuts to success or being a high performance individual. For most of these requests I have a polite answer. No! For a few I give a lengthier retort. As you can read below, this young man was given my usual answer. Now sometime later he realised what I did for him was the best thing I could do.
Like a good parent, coach or mentor should, I made him ultimately decide for himself. Sometimes because of pressure constraints you need to push the process faster and give the correct answer now, so they don’t drown. But a few gulps of water never hurt anyone! All I did was push (shove) him in the right direction. I didn’t use my 33 years experience, or 65,000 previous decisions. It was an easy task on my part. I assure you it wasn’t easy for him – in fact it was gut wrenching. And as it turned out he responded positively. Remembering, “that which does not kill me makes me stronger.”
What isn’t easy is giving this advice when you personally care, and in this instance I liked the kid a lot! Your emotional bank account can always interfere. I can still remember my dad hitting me as a youth for misbehaving and saying, “this hurts me more than you!” I would like to think it was true, though I struggle to believe it even now.
Excerpt from young entrepreneur (European):
“Dear Dan
If you just helped me out several months ago with a cheque, I would not have experienced what I have over these months. You helped me getting the best out of myself. You made me think about a lot of topics I would never have if not confronted in the way I was and you helped me find myself, the person I want to be.”
Another email I received today came from a devotee that changed more slowly. He asked if I changed the QLA methodology. He had recommended a guy to QLA the sister company to TGG. He used QLA successfully and told a friend. He was wondering if the basis of QLA methodology, success fees, had changed. Of course the precepts have been the same for over 20 years, since I formulated the QLA thought process. I told him no. Nothing had changed and it was still being used around the world. Professionals all over were still doing success stuff. But not unless you ask!
I added that my organizations hadn’t dealt on a total success fee basis for some time now. All he had to do was "read my various web sites" and he would be informed. I said, no longer a day-to-day coach, neither I, nor my colleagues had time for total success fees. It was now mandatory for the individual to show commitment and only part of the fee came on success. Though usually this was the biggest portion. He has been a devotee of QLA for some time. As you can see he has followed the daily QLA measurement idea I gave you months ago. Anyone that can maintain an 80% average for two months running must succeed! (His email follows).
”Dear Dan,
Have you changed your QLA methodology away from the success-fee model as outlined in your published materials and more towards fee for service? I kept going with your measurement test and have 2 more months of 80% +.”
I could go on ad nauseum with examples, but I won’t. One of my European friends and mentees has nicely suggested keeping these and other correspondence short. Although I must say I like to err writing "war and peace" verbose lengths!
I was going to write this newsletter on a book, written in the mid ‘90s called “Quantum Companies”, which showed 100 companies that would change your life and the world. Of course many are gone from the planet. A few are huge successes. That letter will have to wait till another time. My oldest son did the research last summer when he was TGG intern.
Speaking of interns, I had a coffee with one of my past interns a few weeks ago in NYC. I have mentioned him before, Bob Verdier. He is now with one of the big Wall Street giants. It was great to see him. I have had input into his short life since 1993. As many religions say, if you can get hold of them young enough you can make a difference. No I am not a religion, though I have been accused of being a cult leader. Cult, according to the Webster’s Dictionary: devoted attachment to a person, or a principle.
To Your Quantum Leap
Daniel S. Peña, Sr
P.S. Some special news will be coming out on my site in the next few weeks!
