Building Online Businesses

Thomas J. Leonard was a leader in the coaching profession who passed away suddenly on February 11, 2003. I continue to be centered, inspired and energized by his leadership every day. Thank you, Thomas.

Here is a list of Top Ten things Thomas created that have impacted me most:

1. The Top 10 Factors Which Contributed To My Success available at http://www.andreajlee.com optentjl.html

This top ten list was one of the first I ever read within the context of all the material available in the coaching world. I remember getting a huge 'wow' from it, and earmarking it as pretty special. And yet when I read it again now, I realize how little I really understood it...much less lived it. So now, when I re-read it, which I do from time to time to inform the businesses I'm currently building, and help navigate the waters I'm in, I make a point of reminding myself that this list will probably bear reading for the next 10 years, it's that full of wisdom. Right now, I'm spending lots of time with item number 3. Next year? I guess we'll see. Which item rocks your world?

2. "Eliminate delay."

Graphical version here: http://www.coachingnuggets.com/eliminatedelaygif.gif

Lots of people really don't like this item, comprised of a simple two words. Yet when people ask me "how did you manage CoachVille with such a small staff," "how do I increase my company's productivity/profitability?" "what do you do differently now, compared to before you worked with Thomas?" or even "how have you achieved the happiness you have, Andrea?" - eliminate delay - is the answer in all cases, and it was one of Thomas' favorites. It seems like a simple message, but it took me more than a year to integrate, and my hunch is very few people really understand it. Key staff at CoachVille 'got' it and thrived, and others just couldn't grasp it and left with a case of burnout.

3. 12 Proven Strategies to Becoming Financially Independent available at http://www.aperfectlife.com/new/financiallyindependentpdf.pdf

This is one of those 'must-print,' 'must-frame' items. And considering Thomas was an ex-financial planner, the 12 strategies are wonderfully, inspiringly BIG, not dreary at all . (If you didn't click the link because you wanted to avoid a lecture on money, give it a chance.) I particularly enjoy the tone of this one...simple, wise, inspiring...just like the heart of the man himself.

4. Cyber Skill #29: Using Instant Messenger available at http://www.certifiedcyber.com/vanilla/29instantmessenger.html

Instant messenger has literally changed my life. As someone who builds online businesses, it still amazes me how many companies have yet to take advantage of the savings in time, money, energy, productivity and profitability that IM can bring. (Is one of them your company? Why?) In this lifetime, because of the impact that using Instant Messenger has had on my life, I will not commute to work another day; I will have less than 10% the amount of flu, cold, other sicknesses, than the general population; I will get much more done in the same amount of time...whether I'm working or catching up with my friends on the other side of the globe. It may surprise you to know that in 2 years of managing CoachVille for Thomas, I only ever met him 3 times...the rest of the time...we Instant Messaged.

5. Thomas' graphical signature file, which says "Ego is good." Graphical version is here: http://www.thomasleonard.com jllogoegoisgood.gif

It's true. Ego is good. It shocked me, shook my paradigm (self-effacing Taiwanese woman) and gave me back to myself in three little words. Enough said.

6. The 15 Leadership Proficiencies available at http://www.andreajlee.com/leadershipprofpdf.pdf

The creation and application of the 15 Leadership proficiencies were the source of several heated discussions between Thomas and myself in fall 2002. (Ask Susan Austin, she'll tell you. ) And so you'd be right if you guessed this item is the source of some pain to me because of that. Then again, leadership is about that, isn't it? Passion, integrity, honor...the leadership at CoachVille was chock full of that. And it was a privilege for me to be around to try the proficiencies on within CoachVille as Thomas was creating them. I fully expect these proficiencies to, given time, take an important place in the collective work on leadership...they are just that significant.

Note: As of fall 2002, leadership proficiency #15 on the above document was amended to read - Prioritizes and allocates for the benefit of 98%.

7. Why we Do what we do, and don't do what we could do available at http://www.aperfectlife.com/new/whywedowhatwedopdf.pdf

Soo love this one. Although sometimes I wonder why Thomas bothered going past #1...it seems to hit the nail on the head for me, almost every time.

8. Personal Page from ThomasLeonard.com available at http://www.thomasleonard.com/personalpage.html

Excerpted:

People who have really helped, and influenced me profoundly:

Andrea Lee | GM, CoachVille/GSC
Andrea cares about CoachVille/GSC as much as I do, which is a lot, and means a lot.

Shockingly, it took this tiny note on Thomas' site for me to realize that just by caring, I am enough. For who I am, this is big stuff.

9. Business Concepts #8: The Three Rivet Rule available at http://www.andreajlee.com/008.html

Sometimes I think Thomas came up with this rule because he liked birds, and disliked using the phrase "kill two birds with one stone." But actually there's more to the rule than just that and it's a universal one that pops up nearly daily for me, now that I'm aware enough to notice.

10. The Today's Coach issue on the topic of "How to Strengthen your Reputation as a Coach from Wimpy to Edgy. Available at http://www.todayscoach.com/2002/0722/default.html.

Thomas really was a prolific writer. And as editor of the Today's Coach ezine for two years, I received immeasurable benefits while reading his material in preparation for the weekly issue. This piece on wimpy to edgy had a profound impact for me on many levels...(1) the material itself and the inspiration to develop an 'edge' in my coaching/consulting (2) the clarity around why the combined creative force of Susan Austin and Thomas was so very potent - Susan was an environment that cultivated the edge, where all the good stuff comes from...and (3) how writing just perfectly about life, and in this case, his dog Fringe, could so profoundly impact so many people. This issue brought the most 'AHA' responses from readers of Today's Coach in two years. And I'm still learning from what he wrote and how he wrote it.

About the Author

Andrea Lee is former General Manager of CoachVille | SOC and multiple small business owner including AndreaJLee.com. She is grateful for having known Thomas and worked at CoachVille and invites you to share your favorite Thomas item or story. You can reach Andrea at andrea@andreajlee.com and we'll share a compilation of these at the blog at www.andreajlee.com. Thanks!