Oh my, Marilou is giving us a recipe for some yummy sounding French toast!  Well, I could, but I am not (unless you really want the recipe, in which case you can call me).  What I am doing, however is giving you another type of recipe – a recipe for your success. 

One of the main tools that I have developed is what I call my Quadrant.  It is a simple tool really and I have recently discovered, a very powerful one.  I have my agents and my clients use the quadrant to develop their line of action for a particular situation.  If you look back to some of my past articles, I am certain I have referred to it.  What I did not realize about the quadrant is how easily it converts to other parts of my life.

I want to tell you a little story… sometime in early April (it should have been April 1) my husband Barry and stepson Jonathan returned from a meeting at Clear Channel and informed me that starting that month, I was going to host a radio show.  Panic set it immediately as my palms became sweaty and my heart began beating faster.  There was no way that I have any intention of going on a radio show!  What are they thinking!!!!  Well, as I write this, I have just completed my second show and I love it! 

There is an obvious gap in this story that I would like to bridge for you – how I got from terror to delight.    First, I do need to tell you that I was not being  forced into doing the show – when I checked it out within myself I had a green light, along with a large dose of fear.  Next, I decided that what I was lacking was confidence – hmmm, that word sounds very familiar – it is certainly one that we use frequently in my workshops and trainings.  I was out of my element, not feeling the type of confidence that I wanted to feel before actually talking on live radio, what did I need to do to feel the most confident I could before April 24, my debut show?  To find that answer, I went back…

The answer my friends is blowing in the wind – wait , not  that far back!  Just far enough to grab my quadrant and get to work!  Ah, now you may ask what is so magical about this quadrant.  The magic is not in the quadrant, it is within the person using it!  If you look at this 8 ½ x11 paper it is divided into four (hence, quadrant).  In the first square, it says “Agent Confidence”, then “Client Confidence”, followed by “Agent Comfort” and “Client Comfort”. 

I took out my pen and began in the first section “Agent Confidence” – What do I need to have in place to feel the most confident I could possibly feel?  From there my list began – starting with getting clear on my intention for the show.  From there it became a joyful task, outlining the possible guests, etc.

The second section  “Client Confidence” took a little more thought – What do I need to have in place to have the client (the listening audience) have the most confidence in my abilities?  Well, it came down to the same basics I use with agents:  Create memorable value.  Now my guest list got more specific and more exciting!

Moving onto comfort was a breeze – eating a light breakfast before the show, bringing water and a sweater, etc.  So here’s the thing……..using the same format we use to help our clients, I was able to create an action plan, easily outlined on my quadrant, which allowed me to feel as confident and comfortable as I possibly could!

I encourage you to create your own quadrant so that whether you are going on a Consultation, talking to a potential client or running a Seminar, you will easily step into your own “authentic confidence”.  When you can feel confident and comfortable, you will be amazed how much  space you free up to really enjoy what you are doing!