Matt Ballock’s Post

Investing time into reflecting, reviewing and planning for the coming year is a valuable practice that can help you learn from your past experiences, celebrate your achievements, and set your goals and strategies for the future. Here are some benefits of doing this: 📌 It can increase your self-awareness and self-confidence, as you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and appreciate your efforts and growth. 📌 It can improve your decision-making and problem-solving, as you identify the opportunities and challenges, and evaluate the outcomes and feedback. 📌 It can enhance your motivation and productivity, as you clarify your vision and purpose, and prioritize your actions and resources. 📌 It can foster your creativity and innovation, as you explore new possibilities and ideas, and challenge yourself to grow and improve.

Best month ever! This month has been incredible, and it's not just about the financial impact – it's about the people we've been able to help. Seeing clients overcome challenges and witnessing their company growth has made this the best month ever for aHRrow. It's more than just hitting professional milestones; it's about the genuine connections and the fulfillment that comes from making a positive impact. The stories of resilience, the obstacles overcome, and the gratitude shared have given these days a depth that goes beyond any financial measure. Success, in my view, is all about the difference we make in others' lives. These moments of triumph have become the heart and soul of my career, adding a profound sense of purpose. This month has reinforced that true success is not just about numbers on a balance sheet. It's about the lives touched, the positive influence shared, and the human connections that make every effort worthwhile. As we celebrate these victories, let's relish the joy that comes not from monetary gains but from the meaningful impact we've had on the lives of others. Here's to a month where success is measured in stories, personal growth, and the meaningful bonds we've created.

Best month ever! This month has been incredible, and it's not just about the financial impact – it's about the people we've been able to help. Seeing clients overcome challenges and witnessing their company growth has made this the best month ever for aHRrow. It's more than just hitting professional milestones; it's about the genuine connections and the fulfillment that comes from making a positive impact. The stories of resilience, the obstacles overcome, and the gratitude shared have given these days a depth that goes beyond any financial measure. Success, in my view, is all about the difference we make in others' lives. These moments of triumph have become the heart and soul of my career, adding a profound sense of purpose. This month has reinforced that true success is not just about numbers on a balance sheet. It's about the lives touched, the positive influence shared, and the human connections that make every effort worthwhile. As we celebrate these victories, let's relish the joy that comes not from monetary gains but from the meaningful impact we've had on the lives of others. Here's to a month where success is measured in stories, personal growth, and the meaningful bonds we've created.

The year start in spring

In case you've wondered what it's like to take part in our Corporate Mastery or Major Gifts Mastery Programme... 🤔 In this blog, Caroline Crowther shares how it helped her grow high value income... and three things she did to achieve the largest Major Gift of her career! Read more here 👉 https://bit.ly/32UmBbS

Customer service book lists are awesome. One bit of advice: you don't have to read them all. 1. Focus on one specific customer service challenge. 2. Pick the book that can best help you solve it. 3. Apply what you learn from the book as you go. For example, The Effortless Experience is fantastic if your goal is reducing customer friction. Never Lose a Customer Again is perfect if you want to retain customers through effective onboarding. Hug Your Haters is excellent for turning negative feedback into opportunities for growth. Who should read my book, The Service Culture Handbook? It's for leaders who want to get their organization (or team) obsessed with customer service. The book is a step-by-step guide for building a service culture. Thanks for putting this together, Max!

A little late posting this but better late than never! Here are the highlights for August! On the personal front: 1. Taking a vacation where I hardly worked at all and when I did, it was because I choose to, not because I had to. 2. My fastest A-10 race in a decade. 3. Not gaining weight while on vacation. 4. My oldest starting High School and a new travel team. 5. Youngest starting kindergarten and my middle one starting 7th. 6. Joined a carpool for both schools and it has been so awesome! On the work front: 1. Completed my SDMO recert. 2. Officially stepping down from doing support for Stewart. This was one of my 10X goals this year so it was exciting to make it happen. 3. Learning to ask two questions: “What can we learn from this?” and “What happened/talk to me about it.” 4. Finished the book Fierce Conversations. 5. Watched a great webinar hosted by Strategic Coach. 6. Watching my team at Stewart evolving and growing their skills as a team. So proud of how far we have come this year. What were your wins for August? Share away!

As 2023 comes to an end, I took some time to reflect on my top 10 wins and learnings. Here are some of my key takeaways from this year: 1. Trust your vision - I'm grateful that this year, my dream of opening an office in Downtown Detroit became a reality. It was a true lesson in patience and God's timing. 2. The job isn't done until it's done - I onboarded 6 amazing advisors and had 11 awesome people accept offers to join the movement. Many are wrapping up their licensing. 3. Life is short - I lost two amazing classmates and my grandmother this year. Their passing reminded me to live in the dash and make an impact every day. 4. Seeing my friends win big this year in my firm and outside was a true honor. Know that I’m rooting for everyone in my life to win big. 5. Control your controllable - there is no such thing as a perfect situation. Continue to show up every day, giving your best and owning your efforts. 6. Be present wherever your feet are - I'm grateful for my kids having amazing school years. Raising them to be great people that love and cherish family, God, and community is my greatest achievement. 7. Your village matters - grateful to my many mentors, family, and personal board of directors. You helped me navigate a very special year. Krystal Thompkins is the real MVP. 8. Your only competition is the person in the mirror - strive to be the best version of yourself always. 9. Focusing on outcomes takes you far - activity without outcomes is an optical illusion. 10. Consistency is key - dominate every day. What were some of your top wins and learnings this year? #2024YearEndReview #Reflections #Gratitude #dominatetheday Thrivent #TeamDetroit

Holiday weeks are great for reflection. July 4th week especially since it falls near the middle of the year. The phone is typically quieter, and many clients/customers are on vacation. When I was an engineering manager, I took advantage of the slower week to get caught up. Here’s some things I looked at: -- What goals did we set at the beginning of the year? How are they looking now? What can I do this week to make some progress? -- What low-priority items have been put on pause that still need an answer? Can I knock them all out today? -- When was the last time I had a 1:1 with each team member? If they're free this week, can we meet this week? If you’re working today, I hope you have a strong finish to your short week. And I hope you all have a fantastic 4th of July tomorrow. 

We know times are really tough (especially for agencies) at the moment, but we always like to celebrate some of the months' smaller wins. I know so many businesses that never stop to reflect and celebrate what they've achieved. Right now, that could mean another month of survival. We've tried to bring that feeling of accomplishment into Bounce every day. Because growth isn't one big leap, it's lots of little hops. Having been brought up in the era of Dave Brailsford's 1% improvements, I only know baby steps. Rather than celebrating the 10%, 20% or 50% wins, why not reflect on the 1% wins? The feeling of those small achievements is what drives us forward. It's what keeps us motivated. It generates momentum. And in these tough times, momentum is everything.