Begin with the End in Mind

Some Invaluable Takeaways From TTISICon 2016

Attending TTI SI’s recent sold-out, inspiring conference provoked a response in me similar to that of riding an exhilarating roller coaster:

You’re pumped up and excited as the roller coaster navigates every twist and turn (attending one inspiring session after another) alongside fellow riders (fellow Value Added Associates) with pure joy, only to exclaim “wow” after you’re let off (leave each session).

Like any conference or seminar, the question becomes, “How do I implement all these new ideas like … yesterday?

With so many great sessions, product discussions and invaluable networking opportunities, it’s imperative to develop an action plan for implementing all the awesome knowledge you learned without being overwhelmed.

As a solopreneur, I’m very strategic when new opportunities present themselves to build my business, and I often find myself asking questions related to the three Rs before, during and after these knowledge-sharing events.

1. Relevant: What is germane to me and how can I make this content relevant to my tribe/clients?
2. Realistic: What can I realistically implement NOW?
3. Refine: How can I refine my own business offerings related to any valuable presentations and product announcements in my business?

Likewise, before attending TTISICon, I asked myself this: Why do I attend, what do I hope to gain, and what steps will I take to impact my tribe, clients and partners.

The following sessions really impacted me, and I hope to impart a little wisdom with you:

Opening Remarks:
The theme of self-awareness was prevalent throughout the weekend, and TTI SI Chairman and Founder Bill J. Bonnstetter provided remarks about “making a friend with your brain” to showcase the importance of our own decision-making. He also spoke about the importance of understanding the “whole person” and how VAAs can make a difference in organizations through TTI’s 100K Lives Touched campaign.

Keynote Address:
Delivered by disability rights activist Richard Pimentel, this inspiring talk hit on our ability as coaches, consultants and trainers to help others find their “music within,” and what it means to be a leader. In particular, his remark that “most people go to their graves with their music still inside them” really resonated with me and got me thinking what I can do to impact my clients’ lives for the better in 2016.

Product Updates:
The TTI executive team spoke extensively about the rollout of several updated products, such as the new 25 skills assessment and 12 Driving Forces™. What struck me was the fact that more companies will push to use predictive analytics to make assessment data easier to analyze and how this big data will play a role in companies better identifying talent and potential through TTI’s systems like Talent Management Plus™ and Stress Quotient™.

To say I learned a lot would be an understatement. But rather than rush back to the office and forget some of these takeaways, I implemented several action steps, including:

1. Drafting an email to my clients with a few relevant grabber headlines and relevant bullet points, while scheduling nine client meetings
2. Writing hand-written thank you notes to TTI SI staff for all their collective efforts. This exercise also reminded me how they impacted me throughout the year and how I can use their guidance to make changes in business. 
3. Immediately running Talent Insights Comparison reports on all my coaching clients & myself which is a 2-prong effect, it enhances our coaching relationship and it shows them how we can effectively use it in their team environment to better compare and onboard new employees.
4. Developing two very significant partner relationships with 2 other VAA’s, one of which we are already partnering on a very large assignment!

With everything learned at TTISICon, I realize more and more the importance of working with the “whole person” — and to celebrate the differences that make each of us unique to help organizations prosper.