Hannah Garrison 5/3/13 Hannah Garrison 5/3/13

It's true, I like numbers...

I think you can too, if you get to know them. I am offering an e-course on creating an expense budget for only $14.95 (I bet you like that number!)

YOUR EXPENSE BUDGET: a self-paced e-course

I think you can too, if you get to know them. I am offering an e-course on creating an expense budget for only $14.95 (I bet you like that number!)

The course is over 20 pages of step-by-step how-to's as well as access to password protected videos.

You get a download- so you can buy it right now, and start working at your own pace whenever you want!

Directed at women and small business owners. Great for personal or business use, or both.

I also am just an email away if you have questions during the course.

Let me share a little number love with you today! You want it, you need it. Tell your money struggling friends.

Click for more info...

or watch a video HERE.

Hannah Garrison 4/29/13 Hannah Garrison 4/29/13

Personal Honesty in Business, Part II

Negotiation is one of my particular strengths. My skills have increased over time, but negotiation always something I found enjoyable and was good at. Now that I have a toddler I am getting a whole different kind of practice, which makes me a bit introspective. My ultimate goal (and the reason I enjoy negotiation ) is:

I like when both parties get what they want.

To me, a successful negotiation is when both parties "win. " Many tactical negotiation strategies have to do with NOT being honest going into a negotiation. I think differently. I think that if you actually ask for what you want, then you are more likely to end up with it. My brother, an attorney, recommended a great book to me. It is extraordinarily simple, which makes it a pleasure to nod to as you are reading. It's called Getting to Yes, by Robert Fisher and the basic premises are these:

There doesn't have to be a trade off between getting along with someone and getting what you want from someone. It's not an either or situation.
Negotiation is for MUTUAL GAIN. You wouldn't be negotiating if there weren't something at stake that benefited both of you. Remember that.
If the other party stoops to a lower level and tries to manipulate or take advantage of you, don't meet them there. Hold your truth.
Don't attempt a strategy. BE HONEST and do business with honest people whenever possible.

Personal Honesty in Business, Part I

Honesty in business, for me, is being first and foremost honest about who I am. When I started getting into business and leaving the nine-to-five word, I was very guarded about sharing any parts of myself. I thought that to be a professional meant very certain things and I lived and worked under these assumptions.

As I grew, both as a businesswoman and an individual, I realized that keep this harsh "professional" separateness was NOT serving me. It made me feel inauthentic and secretive, which are not qualities I wanted to bring to my work. As I started sharing more of myself, my work became more EFFECTIVE.

At the end of the day, that's what I want, to be effective at what I do. I've learned that letting a little bit of myself through that professional wall allows me to maximize my efficiency and improve my business relationships.

Three ways you can begin to share more:

Tell the truth when someone asks you how you are. Let them in, not for an hour, but just for a couple of minutes. Even if you are on a conference call, this honest check-in lets them know where you are really coming from.
Be willing to listen to what someone else is feeling. Being a good listener is a big part of honesty. We have to be confident and open enough to sit in silence and listen, thoughtfully.
If a client or co-worker is having a difficult time, share with them a personal anecdote. You don't have to go into great detail, but it is always comforting for them to know they aren't experiencing something in a vacuum.