Chat with Doug: The Importance of Building a Support Group

It is important to join an organization that provides the support services needed to achieve success while also creating your own! The key to success is YOU…you are creating your own circumstances, opportunities, and luck. Those who succeed do not sit back and wait for things to happen. Challenge yourself to make things happen.

As we continue our series to help you reach your potential, this message is about building and actively engaging with the support you need to create your own circumstances. In addition to what your organization provides, I am challenging you to surround yourself with a support group that believes in what you are doing and is willing to help you; to establish mentors and an accountability buddy that will offer you support and guidance. Finally, you want to create a circle of experts that you can call on to overcome the daily issues that you face.

As you set your goals and plan your specific activities to stay on track toward your goal, the following are the resources that you want to engage to help you:

From your organization:

• Dedicated coach / mentor
• Being part of a team / support group
• Accountability Buddy

From you and your relationships:

• Circle of Experts
• Mentors

The following are some thoughts and suggestions regarding these resources using our team, Team Baarman @ConferenceDirect as an example:

Organization – Team Baarman @ConferenceDirect

• Support Group- these are individuals that are close to you and want to see you be successful.
  •  You need a solid foundation of those who believe in what you are doing and are willing to support you (especially during your building phase)- you will only be successful if those close to you believe in what you are doing, offer ideas and ongoing encouragement. These individuals are:

1. Team Director – a leader that is motivated to help you as they are tied to your financial success.
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Former / Current co-workers

• Mentors

• • Mentor Program within Team Baarman @ConferenceDirect:

1. The program that we have in place will help you build relationships and internal resources on our team.
2. Get engaged in this program. It only works if you use it!

• Accountability Buddy

o This is a less structured relationship. It is someone that you have a good relationship with personally or professionally that you can have a brief call with weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. This person will help keep you on track to achieving your goals.

You:

• Circle of Experts- a team of people that you can call on for help with the issues we face daily (contract negotiations, working with hotels and destinations, staying focused and motivated, etc.)

o Within your team
o Within your organization
o Within your industry
o Reach out to successful professionals from outside our industry that will bring
you fresh ideas.

• Mentors- these are individuals that can offer you solid professional and personal
  advice.

o Please take a few minutes today to reflect on those that have mentored you in the past and enabled you to reach this point in your career:

1. Call them to say thank you and update them on how you are doing today.
2. Are they a candidate to help you in your current role?

o Reach out to potential new mentors (it could be some of your past ones uncovered in the point above)

1. Build a team of mentors with expertise in the key areas where you will
need guidance on your entrepreneurial journey.
2. Do not be afraid to ask them for help.

The advice shared in this article represents the lessons learned from over two decades of experience with the top producers in our industry and what has enabled their success. These lessons will ensure you achieve the same level of success. I hope these suggestions help you take charge of your career and achieve your dreams!

Are you ready?

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougbaarman/
Email: doug.baarman@conferencedirect.com
Team Baarman: https://teambaarman.com/