A Year-End Letter from Strategic Coach Jim Roman

What a year!

I don't know about you, but this year has been a whirlwind. A lot of it has been good. Some scary and stressful. Some just weird. But here we are, wrapping it up, and I think a lot of us have a mix of emotions. We're tired. We're a little worried about the future. Hopefully there's some excitement and ambition in there, too, both for our businesses and associations, ourselves and our lives.

In this newsletter, I want to share a few resources to help you tap into that excitement and ambition, while also addressing that worry. But first, let's talk about the photo of that baby.

That photo is how I feel when I get a phone call or email out of the blue from someone I haven't talked to in a while: WOW! That's a great feeling, isn't it? Being reached out to by a friend, a colleague, a childhood buddy, someone you've done business with in the past. Catching up. Feeling cared for.

It's a feeling I love causing, too. There is just nothing better than hearing the surprise and gratitude in someone's voice when you call just to say hi.

I call these Caring Calls, and this is perfect time of year to take make them.

Making Caring Calls is easy:

• Scroll through your contacts and make a list of 3-5 people you haven't spoken with in a while: current or former clients, networking contacts, members of an association you're involved with, a vendor.
• Call one person per day for a week. If they pick up, have a chat. If they don't, leave a message letting them know you were thinking about them and hope you can connect soon.
• Repeat for the next 2-3 weeks.

There's just one rule: No business. You're not trying to close a deal, make new contacts or clarify a contract. You're reaching out to let someone know you care about them personally.

This might feel awkward the first couple of times, so here are a few questions to help you get started.

• How are you doing? No, really. How are you doing?
• Do you have anything fun planned for the holidays or the New Year?
• What's the most interesting thing you've read lately?

If you know their hobbies and their family, ask about them:

• The weather's been iffy lately; how's that affecting your flying lessons?
• It's your son's first year of college, right? How's he settling in?
• How's your wife's photography going? Did she enter that contest?

Don't shy away from the hard stuff: If you know them well enough to know that their mom has been having some health issues or that they're healing from an injury, it's okay to ask about those things. That's what friends do.

Don't forget to ask the most important question:

Is there anything I can do for you?

It's not about you. (Actually, it is. :-))

Making Caring Calls is something we do for someone else, and you will be amazed at the positive feedback you get when you make them. Which is why Caring Calls are actually about you, too: When you're having a rough day yourself, making someone else's day by letting them know you care can have a huge positive impact on how you feel.

So give it a try. Pick one person to pick up the phone and call—and do it now.

By the way, I would love to hear from you. How are you doing? No, really: How are you doing? What can I do to help? Let me know.

Jim Roman

Strategic Business Coach