Bio
Tammy Holyfield is an accomplished professional speaker, leadership expert, author and consultant, on a mission to teach and inspire people to improve their everyday life.
Using the methods and principles she teaches, Tammy has overcome great obstacles. Her message is dynamic, encouraging people to succeed and inspiring them to act!
Holyfield began her professional career in marketing and served as the Director of Marketing for Summit Pet Product Distributors, the IAMs Pet Food (Proctor and Gamble) regional distribution center.
Tammy is also the founder and CEO of Holyfield Consulting, a personal and business development company. Holyfield Consulting specializes in organizational development, strategic planning, communication, building trust, strengthening teams, leadership development, increasing accountability and executing results.
Each week she writes a column entitled “Ask the Coach”®, which provides readers a fresh perspective on current challenges facing the business world.
Tammy addresses thousands of people each year from diverse Fortune 500 companies and has consulted and trained entrepreneurs, CEO’s, professionals and individuals from all walks of life. Her ideas are proven, practical and get results. And clients say that working with Tammy created an increase in moral, solidified corporate culture, and bridged the communication gap from vision to results. Her audiences and clients agree, Tammy teaches techniques and strategies that are easy to understand and put to use immediately to achieve greater results in their lives and careers.
Her latest book is due on the shelves soon, co-authored with the legendary business development expert, best-selling author and speaker, Brian Tracy. The forthcoming book, “Counter-Attack: Business Strategies for Explosive Growth in the New Economy” will feature Brian Tracy along with leading experts from around the world across diverse fields of business. Tammy and her family make their home in High Point, NC.
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Blog Feed
Winning Edge
14 January 2011, 3:28 pm
by TAMMY HOLYFIELD
Dear Coach,
Our company is operating as lean as possible but unfortunately we have experienced some layoffs. How can I secure my position within the organization?
— Looking for Security
Dear Looking for Security,
Most people think they can add value or obtain job security by impressing the boss with a “Big win.” There is another way of thinking that suggests winning happens in the attention to details. The “Winning Edge” is a concept that says, “Small differences in ability, performance, process or detail can lead to enormous differences in results.” In one year of the Olympic Games, the margin of victory for the Men’s 200 meter Freestyle swimming event was only 1.42 seconds and for the Women’s 200 meter Freestyle, .59 seconds. Over the last 25 years in all the major golf tournaments, the margin of victory combined was less than three strokes. That three stroke winning difference equated to a 76 percent difference in take home prize money between first and second place.
“The Winning Edge says success is in the details and everything counts!”
In the majority of competitions there are usually only fractions separating the decision of victory. The same is true for “winning” in business. It is attention to detail, building relationships and innovation that sets people apart. As participants in this fast-paced and uncertain global market we must always be improving our performance. It has been said, “The magic behind every outstanding performance is always found in the smallest of details.”
Giving Just Enough to Get By?
Success leaves no room for giving just enough to get by. Sam Parker and Mac Anderson shared this example of extra effort. At 211 degrees, water is hot … At 212 degrees, it boils. Raising the temperature of water by one extra degree means the difference between something that is simply very hot and something that generates enough force to power a machine — a beautiful, uncomplicated metaphor that ideally should feed every endeavor — consistently pushing us to make the extra effort in every task we undertake. It reminds us that seemingly small things can make tremendous differences.
Most people long to accomplish great tasks, but even the biggest project depends on the success of the smallest parts. We tend to focus on the big picture, which is important. People often dismiss small details, while in fact our whole ecosystem is simply an accumulation of tiny details. Think about the tiny seeds that produce the abundant harvest in the fall or the stability of a downtown 20-story building. The integrity of the structure could be threatened by the smallest element. This same principle applies to all areas of business.
There is a science behind every outstanding performance, great relationship, luxury car, custom home, exceptional meal, or a fine piece of furniture — it is a craftsmanship found in the details.
Some believe they are too busy to focus on details, or that attending to the “minutia” of your career or business would make you less effective in producing superior products and services. When the details are neglected often organizations are challenged by greater problems. The details of everyday work affect the ability to compete and prosper.
Organizations are holding on to individuals who understand that very small differences, consistently practiced, produce superior results. Successful people know that everything counts.
Today’s “winning edge” is consistent attention to details produces excellence, and often job security.
Tammy Holyfield is an accomplished professional speaker, leadership expert, author and consultant, on a mission to teach and inspire people to improve their everyday life. Tammy can be reached at 336-988-5635 or email her at tamholy@triad.rr.com Ask the Coach® is a registered trademark of Holyfield Consulting.
Read more: Thomasville Times - The winning edge
Winning the battle against stress
12 January 2011, 2:54 pm
by TAMMY HOLYFIELD
Dear Coach,
Our organization is going through change which is causing unbearable stress. Everyone is uptight. I am concerned about the effects of stress on our team, individually and our future success. What do you suggest?
— Not
Coping with Stress
Dear Not
Coping with Stress,
In the midst of change and uncertainty things can seem overwhelming. Even the news can bring on feelings of fear. With reports of the rise of unemployment and economical pressure on working families, topped with political and environmental issues our stress levels can be compounded. Here are some practical solutions for winning the battle with stress.
Know What Stress Is and Its Effects
In 1956, McGraw-Hill released Dr. Hans Selye’s book entitled The Stress of Life. It was based on his pioneering and revolutionary concepts of stress and its effects on us. Dr. Selye, often called, the father of the stress theory, defined stress as “the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it.” The “demand” can be a threat, a challenge or any kind of change which requires us to adapt. This reaction results from an outpouring of adrenaline and other hormones that causes your blood pressure to increase, your heart to beat faster and your lungs to take in more air. Stress hormones actually give you extra strength and mental acuity for a few moments. These changes in the body are intended to be a natural defense called the “fight-or-flight response”. Some stress is healthy and helps us perform at higher levels, but when the stress response occurs too frequently or goes on consistently over time, those hormones that were meant to save your life begin to destroy your health. They can lead to headaches, depression, anxiety, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and all kinds of illnesses. The causes of stress though many can be classified in two general groups: situations we can control and those that are uncontrollable or beyond our skill or knowledge. What we can control is our response to the circumstance. By practicing these stress- reducing habits we can lower the adverse effects of stress on ourselves and our organizations.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to what is going on moment to moment. It is slowing down, focusing on one activity at a time and enjoying the present moment. The inverse would be attending a staff meeting and your thoughts are focused on the tasks that await you after. It is difficult to relax and listen when you are anxious or thinking about the future, by not practicing mindfulness you could miss critical information.
Gratitude
Practice an “attitude of gratitude.” There is a peacefulness that comes when we stop and give thanks. I suggest creating a list identifying at least twenty specific things, great and small for which you are grateful. Make your list a part of your mental dialogue everyday.
Reframing
Reframing is taking thoughts; past, present or future, challenging them and choosing to see them from a fresh perspective. A powerful example of reframing is the story of Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. Dr. Frankl’s circumstances looked dismal but he knew the power within him. He had a freedom that even the Nazi captors could not take from him. This freedom was his power to choose his response. Like Frankl, we have the power to reframe and to see on the other side of the circumstances and envision the positive.
Humor
Create a habit of humor instead of worry. Worry is paying for something you may never get. Studies prove laughter boosts your immune system and lowers the levels of stress hormones. A merry heart is a great weapon against stress.
Margin
A wise way to de-stress is to build in margin. Margin is the buffer between panic and peace. When we fail to schedule adequate time between meetings, activities or events, we set ourselves up to experience stress. Building margin in your schedule, your finances, and other areas will prevent unnecessary stress.
Time-Outs
No one would expect an athlete to play an entire game without taking a break, yet statistics show that the average American is working an additional three hours per week compared with 20 years ago. That translates into an extra month per year. One of the first symptoms of distress is fatigue, which we tend to ignore. By taking quick time-outs during the day we can avoid exhaustion.
There are many other ways to cope with the daily stresses of this world, like getting plenty of sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, drinking filtered water, reducing caffeine, regular exercise, meditation, music, breathing and taking a vacation. I consider one of the greatest ways to reduce your stress level is to take the focus off your own circumstances and go fulfill a need for someone else. It puts things into perspective.
Tammy Holyfield is founder of Holyfield Consulting, a business and personal development company. For information on organizational solutions call (336) 988-5635, on the web at www.tammyholyfield.com or e-mail askthecoach@holyfieldconsulting.com. Ask the Coach is a trademark of Holyfield Consulting.
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