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E-ssential Message # 054: Where can you go for advice, feedback and a sounding board? 10 ways and 3 guiding principles to get the help you need. In the past 30 days, I have attended a 4-day, annual conference for professional speakers, took part in a 3-day, intensive coaching workshop and almost right after that spent another intense day in a business development workshop.   The conference I attended was an incredible environment for professional development -- and all Essential Message clients, members and readers will benefit -- including you! Here's a photo of me participating in interactive exercises on Saturday night that involved moving our bodies to music. (grin) Whew! Yes I am definitely all 'coached out' now, but more importantly, I am also all 'keyed up' and energized with new ideas, new commitments to old (still great) ideas and from being around other high energy, innovative, driven and interesting people. That got me thinking -- no matter where we are in our careers and businesses, we all need advice, feedback and a good sounding board if we want to continually improve. So, where do other people go for advice, feedback and a sounding board? Books are wonderful resources (that I highly recommend) but they don't give you the same dynamic that a conversation brings. Here are the ten best ideas I found when I polled the members of one of my mastermind groups: Establish reciprocal agreements with close colleagues that give each of you permission to call the other for advice Join a coaching group (like The Bull Pen) Join or create your own Mastermind group (here's a good description of a Mastermind Group, and yes, you create one within the Bull Pen) Join your industry association (and don't just join, get on the executive where you can interact with senior members!) Hire consultants for specific projects or for topic specific expertise (copywriting for example) Create a Board of Advisors (or a more formal Board of Directors) Join a mentorship program or ask someone you respect for mentoring Hire a coach to work with you on a one-on-one basis Establish an R&D team of your clients Ask friends and family that you trust and respect (yes, like Cousin Dave) Exploring the idea a little further, it became obvious that to truly get the benefit of any of these, you have to follow three essential principles: Meet regularly -- not just when you have a problem Take it seriously -- so if you're the type of person who needs to pay for something in order to take it seriously, then pay for it Give as much as you get -- often, the greatest insights you get happen when you're helping someone else. In the the end, it doesn't matter where you go for the advice, feedback and a sounding board, as long as you get it somewhere. So go get it! Cheers,

FYI : If you're a consultant, advisor, independent professional or emerging company who is tired of pushing so hard to get sales – and you're ready to learn a better way to differentiate, position and brand yourself, we can help. As expert copywriters, we can help you get the clarity you need and the business you want. That's what the Essential Message is all about. For information about our workshops, coaching, copywriting and consulting services, or booking me to speak at your event, please call 416 534-4766 or link to www.EssentialMessage.com.

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