A Simple Guy

Most Men.

2012-01-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." ~ Henry David Thoreau.

There's a lot of talk about how to bring the best out of people. Much of it focuses on awakening a passion, drive, or desire hidden deep within. It's almost as if we are instructed to go on a quest to evaluate experiences and external stimuli. Then pick one that makes us sing. Experts seem to be saying "Go on this journey and simply figure out what inspires you along the way." ~ Then pursue that path.

Meanwhile what happens?

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation" ~ waiting for inspiration to strike so they may sing their song.

I'm certainly no expert, and hell "Quiet desperation" could well be written on my tombstone, but here is what I figure it all comes down to:

Get up early and be grateful ~ Watch the sunrise.

Do your best each day to challenge and inspire others by example.

Tain't what you do
But how you do it
That makes this life
Worth Goin through it.

Taint What You Do ~ But How You Do It.

The Critic.

2012-01-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

Just who am I to criticize?

We all do it. We notice and pay attention to the failings and missteps of others a little more than our own. We are Coaches, Comedians and Critics all. It's easy to see what others need to work on. Some call it helping, some satire and some constructive insight. ~ It's Not.

Take any great person from history, any one, and focus on their personal frailties and failings. It's easy to find them. Are those the point? Are our failings who we are? Isn't it up to us to ultimately recognize and do something about those dastardly things that we all know so well about ourselves.~ Isn't that why it's called self help?

So when we coach and communicate. When we want to help. Do we honestly believe that the person doesn't know their failings? Is it really about pointing them out ~ Does our emphasis get them to take action?

Perhaps if we light a candle to their strengths. Tell them what we like and admire first. Tell them what good qualities we've noticed and learned from them and then ~ Ask them what they think they need to work on. Perhaps if we can get them to initiate an inward look rather than responding to an external judgement. We may get somewhere together. ~ But ultimately isn't personal development personal?

We can lead a horse to water but we can't make them drink.

Just who am I to criticize
What I perceive with my dull eyes
I'll hold my candle high and then
Perhaps I'll see the hearts of men.

Why Blog?

2012-01-14T17:02:00.000-08:00

"If I don't write to empty my mind I go mad." ~ Lord Byron.

There are many good reasons for writing a blog and yet not as many good reasons for us to read them. If you're doing it for money ~ Well you'd better be damned good. If your doing it for fame ~ well you'd also better be damned good. If you're looking to enlighten and educate others ~ come on give us all a break. But if you're doing it for a catharsis, a way to empty your mind, then it makes a bit of sense.

Writing helps us to organize our thoughts, get stuff out and... Well it helps with a lot of things. Whether you just jot down draft ideas or go ahead and publish them on the net. Whether you share 'em on social media or just keep 'em to yourself. The digital blog is this centuries diary, journal or moleskin. You don't have to be Hemingway, Dickens or Shakespeare. You don't need an agenda, an expertise or even a popular topic if you don't care who or how many read your thoughts.

Just give it a go and empty your mind. Don't take it too seriously and especially don't take yourself too seriously. Just have some fun.

"Write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

Two Words.

2012-01-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

"We anticipate what's to come...then ignore what's actually there."
~ Stephan Rechtshaffen.

The sales manager was clearly very frustrated. She sat down with her boss for their regular one and one and let it all out. "It's like nothing is getting through" she said. They agree that the advice is good, and they even take notes, then go back to doing what they've always done.

I figure they're either ~ Unable or Unwilling. If they're unable I try to teach a little more. If they're unwilling I try to lead a little better.

What am I doing wrong?

"You may be focusing on the wrong words" her boss said. "What do you mean?" she replied. "Well it doesn't really matter whether they're unable or unwilling. It's not about can't or won't. Both ultimately end up at the same place" he said. ~ "It's really about two other words that they're either thinking or saying when you try to coach or lead them."

The young sales manager interrupted her boss ~ "Yeah But..."

The old man stopped her in mid sentence, smiled, and said ~ Bingo.

Passion.

2012-01-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

"Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman". ~ Ludwig Van Beethoven.

I remember the very first time I heard Beethoven's ninth symphony, 'Ode To Joy', as a young boy and I thought. - What A Genius.

What Passion.

After hearing the masterpiece I sat in stunned silence, amazed, truly gobsmacked in awe. To think that such power and beauty was within any human being inspired and humbled me. It was pure passion.

Passion drives people. To create great masterpieces, overcome insurmountable odds, and inspire others. We have only to call on it. Everyone agrees that focused passion is the ingredient that makes the difference between average and great. Yet most people put their daily lives on auto pilot. We forgo focused passion. We slumber through our days. But the fact is passion's the partner we need to dance with if we want to achieve anything of note. She inspires greatness. She's the muse that drives, determines and defines timeless accomplishment.

So where does passion come from?

From experiences, both good and bad. From memories, dreams and fantasy. From visions and images that dance in our mind we stir ourselves up. We inspire ourselves. ~ What do we need to focus these images? A catalyst. Some use music, art or words. Some memories. Some anger and hurt. Some use family and the comforts of altruism.

And how do we focus passion?

We take a powerful emotional experience combine it with a drive to accomplish something and add a reminder. A bell for pavlovs dog. Whether it be a piece of music, art, video or literature ~ Most of us need visual or auditory prompts to wake us from our slumber.

Unless we are Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Who Cares?

2012-01-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

"Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care." ~ Teddy Roosevelt.

The old man didn't say much. But he knew how to judge character. So I asked him ~ What should I look for ~ What should I ask them?

He looked up at me and said ~You know it's the same anywhere.
In the Military, Business, Sports or any arena ~ Just know that:

The guy who blames others
~ Will blame you.
The guy who talks about others
~ Will talk about you.
The guy who cares about others
~ Will care about you.

Find Out Who Cares.

What's Your...

2012-01-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

"Any damn fool can put on a deal, but it takes genius, faith and perseverance to create a brand." ~ David Ogilvy.

There's a lot of talk about Branding. What is It? Why is it important?

Well think about Walmart ~ Do they have a brand? What about Nordstrom or Apple? Do they have a brand? Think about historical figures like Gandhi and Mandela or come up with a person at the other end of the spectrum (We don't even have to mention a name). Why? Because they had a brand.~ An identity, good or bad, which conjured up images, thoughts and feelings, that we aligned with them.

How do you establish a brand both personally and as an organization?

A brand is simply ~ Who You Are AND What You're Known For.

But isn't that a reputation? ~ Yes. ~ Isn't that an image? ~ Yes.
Doesn't that depend on others ~ Yes and No. ~ Brand is Identity.
Once you figure out who you are, what you stand for, and what you represent as a person, and as an organization, then the rest follows.

Branding isn't about logos, colors, pictures or words. Branding happens before advertising and marketing. Branding is really all about determination. Determining who and what you are. Your brand strength, recognition and awareness, is all about how others view the consistency and application of what you've determined you are.

Logos, colors, images and words can reinforce and spread awareness of who we think we are. But ultimately branding is about determination.

Your Brand is about determining what you are ~ And Being That.

Time & Focus.

2012-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

"You may delay but time will not." ~ Benjamin Franklin.

The Digital World Is A Distraction.

(Go Ahead ~ Click on the image.)

And Time Goes On.

So what should we focus on?

Your Book.

2012-01-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

"You know you're writing a book don't you? ~ It's the story of your life."
The Matron.

The young boy at the orphanage was being lectured by the matron once again. Most of her talks went in one ear and out the other - but for some reason this one stuck with him. Just remember this she said ~

"Each day we write a new page in this book we call life. We get to write what we want in this book. Our experiences, relationships, accomplishments, and our response to challenges. They're all up to us. So what's it going to be? ~ What's going to be in your book?"

What are you going to write in your book today? Is it going to be inspiring or depressing? A comedy, tragedy, action thriller, or romance ~ What's it going to be today? Are you a hero or a villain. A soldier, student, servant or sage? Do you want to play the victor or the victim. The champion or the critic? You get to choose ~ You're the author.

You know people are reading it already. But right now it's more like the fine print. Some read it, most don't. Some pay a little attention but most don't care. That doesn't matter. ~ They've got their own books to worry about. But at the end of this thing called life people are going to read your book again and they're going to talk about it for a while.

Make your book one that friends and foes alike want to read.

Sales & Shakespeare.

2012-01-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

"To be or not to be that is the question." ~ Sir William Shakespeare.

The salesman was tired. Everyone had some advice for him. Every Tom, Dick and Harry knew how he could get out of his slump and sell more stuff. Everyone's an expert he thought. ~ Wouldn't it be great if he could just get advice from someone who really knew about people.

From someone with real insight on what makes them tick and take action? Wouldn't it be great if he could sit down with Socrates or Shakespeare and ask them what to do? ~ Then he drifted off to sleep.

And as he dreamed the man himself, the immortal bard, appeared. "What Do I Do Willie?" the young salesman asked and Sir William Shakespeare spoke. "I'm gonna give you five sales tips ~ so listen up."

Shut up.
"Brevity is the soul of wit". ~ You Talk Too Much.

You Need Urgency.
"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in. Its petty pace from day to day until the last syllable of recorded time has lighted fools the way to dusty death." ~ Don't Be A Fool.

Don't Ever Doubt Yourself.
"Fail? ~ Screw your courage to the sticking place and you'll not fail".

Just Do It.
"It's not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."

Be True.
"To thine own-self be true then it shall follow, as surely as night follows day, that you can be false to no man." ~ Be True To Yourself.

The salesman smiled and said ~ "Thanks Willie. ~ By the way ~ If you run into Socrates up there do you think you can send him over?"

Our Tools.

2012-01-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

"Each is given a bag of tools." ~ R.L. Sharpe.

Isn't it strange how princes and kings,
and clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
and common people, like you and me,
are builders for eternity?

Each is given a bag of tools;
a shapeless mass; a book of rules.
And each must make, ere life is flown,
A stumbling block, or a Stepping-Stone.

Mind Games.

2012-01-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of Heaven." ~ John Milton ~ Paradise Lost.

The SERE instructor stooped down and grabbed the young soldier by his throat. Staring into his eyes he whispered " Make it a game and use your weapon." He was referring to the many times the cadre had reminded them that their mind was the most powerful weapon they possessed. Our minds can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven the hardened old sergeant would say. ~ Rule Your Mind.

So how do we rule our mind? How can we channel the emotions, the adversity, and the challenges to be productive?How do we make them work for us so that we can overcome any obstacle in life?

Remember:

It's All A Test ~ Adversity in life is designed to break us ~ if we never quit ~ If we never give up ~ If we keep going ~ We pass this thing.

Take It Personal ~ Emotions, passions and feelings, fuel our mind. It's ok to take stuff personally when we channel those emotions positively.

Break It Down ~ Our mind fills in the space between stimulus and response. Think before you act. Is your response productive?

Take Action ~ Don't delay. Once you've determined the correct next action take it. Don't live in your mind. Take decisive action.

Learn and Adapt ~ Failure to Adapt kills us long before we die.

Remember ~ Life is a game that plays out in our mind.

Nothing.

2012-01-05T06:59:00.000-08:00

"The only difference between a rut and a grave is the dimensions" Ellen Glasgow.

Anyone who has ever attempted to change anything knows who the biggest enemy is. Inertia, ingrained habits and thoughts that are the status quo. Doing the same things and expecting different results. There comes a point in most peoples lives when we are simply repeating thoughts and behavior. Venues change, conditions and circumstances in our lives vary but no matter where we go or what we do - there we are. So what really changes? ~ Nothing.

Nothing is really remarkable. It's a starting point. A baseline. A clean sheet of paper. Salespeople know about nothing - it's what they get paid if they don't deliver. An immigrant knows about nothing - it's what they feel they had before they came here. A parent knows about nothing - it's what they really knew before they had a child. The smartest people that ever lived recognized that they knew nothing.

Nothing is great. It's an opportunity. A pure and beautiful opportunity. If we accept that we are entitled to nothing, owed nothing and deserve nothing life looks a little different. If we start every day with nothing as our baseline we can get out of a rut - out of a grave. Inertia moves, change happens when we let go of something and accept nothing.

What we think, who we are, what we've done before today is ~ nothing. In the timeless words of a great man "Past accomplishments are the refuge of the weak." If we really want to get better at anything in life.

Start with Nothing.

Jump Change.

2012-01-04T06:41:00.000-08:00

"Would you make a jump like that if you didn't have to?"
~ Butch Cassidy.

There are two attitudes and approaches to change.

One ~ We agree with the approach to change. Take it in small increments, get used to each step, gain confidence and grow with every little action taken - It's nice, comfortable and popular.

Two ~ We disagree with the approach, Don't Like It, It's way out of our comfort zone of thoughts and habits. It's too big a jump ~ But we jump into the fear anyway ~ It's nasty, uncomfortable and very unpopular.

In one we need some coaching, convincing, support and willpower.

In the other we need either to jump with someone we respect and trust, have no other choice or one hell of a backbone.

Change ~ Lots Of Little Steps or One Big Jump.

Numbers Game.

2012-01-03T06:24:00.000-08:00

“If you really want something in this life you have to work for it.
Now be quiet, they're about to announce the lottery numbers”
~ Dan Castellaneta.

Is sales a numbers game? Conventional wisdom says yes. But what does that mean in todays interconnected, social media, relationships are paramount world? Does a numbers / metrics focus still apply?

In business you tend to get two types of successful salespeople. The classic communicator who has a few deeper relationships and closes or monetizes a large percentage of them ~ Let's call her Christine.

And the talk and transact salesperson who converses and closes on a more superficial level with the idea that sheer volume of contacts and the law of averages works in his favor. ~ Lets call him Tom.

Right brain / Left brain? Maybe. I know it's an oversimplification but many sales personalities tend to favor either Christine or Tom in approach. So which works best? ~ Both. It depends on what the client prefers. Relationships are great ~ Transactions are great. Salespeople tend to attract and close the clients that are like them. ~ Duh.

What numbers are crucial to measure for both sales personalities?

Contacts Made.(Two way communications)
Qualified Presentations. (notice the word 'Qualified')
Closing Percentage.

The objective for both Christine and Tom should be to

Increase The Quality AND Quantity Of All Three.

The Lesson.

2012-01-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."
~ Friedrich Nietzsche.

The young sergeant was devastated. A man he had made promises to was dead. A really close friend. What good could come of any of this he thought. It's all bad. It's all pointless. It's existentialism defined.

Then the team leader came over to him and said ~

When something bad happens you have three choices.
You can let it destroy you.
You can let it define you.
Or you can let it strengthen you.

Your Choice.

Satori.

2012-01-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

"Know thyself." ~ Plato.

In the east they call it 'Satori'. ~ It literally means understanding. Combined with the experience of 'kensho', or seeing into our own true nature and purpose. Satori is considered the first step.

We can accomplish many things without ever taking this first step. Without satori. Most of us agree that we are our own worst enemy. We get in our own way in life, more than others do, with the thoughts, preconceptions, beliefs, behaviors, habits, and actions that we rationalize. We often confuse rationalizing with reasoning. After all is said and done a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest. We can go all the way to the end of this thing called life without satori. Some find its introspection and 'fluffiness' irrelevant to our ~ 'Just Do It' ~ world, especially in the west. They have a valid point. Action certainly cures fear and gets things done. ~ I respect action.

But if we buy into the premise that the first step on a longer journey is satori, a true understanding of ourselves. If we don't accept our dogs admiration as conclusive evidence that we are wonderful. Then we will need, at some point in our life, to take an honest reckoning and conduct a brutal self evaluation. ~ And at that time we may find satori, an understanding, and conclude that the problem and the solution

Is not you ~ It's me.

Selling In 2012.

2011-12-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

"Arrived too late, act already done." ~ Nostradamus.

In 2012 many commentators predict massive and sudden destructive events of global and even cosmic proportion that will result in the loss of billions of human lives. Some suggest the Earth itself may be destroyed with the loss of all life. ~ So what are we to do?

Sell A Whole Bunch Of Stuff.

If there was ever a time to prospect, qualify, and sell better than you've ever done before. Now is the time. Hell it's the end of the world. Forget tomorrow, social media, and all the long term stuff. ~ Sell 'em now.

Close 'em up.

Come on ~ In 2012 just be the selling machine you've always wanted to be ~ what have you got to lose? The world is coming to an end. ~ So here's what you do. Forget all the smart advice. Guillotine the gurus. Swig down some coffee you closer. You don't need to learn or listen to anyone any more. It's the end ~ Armagedon is upon us.

Be a widget warrior this year, a transaction terror. Let's move some merchandise. Think about it. Those that mind don't matter. Those that matter won't mind. Enough of all the fluff - Let's Focus. ~ Do it for your Family and your Friends ~ The 'experts' say that it's all over so...

Profile your prospects.
Pitch "Today is the last day" (because it really is)
Close em up now. ~ Today.

Get out there and sell. TODAY ~ You're A Selling Machine.

Too Cool.

2011-12-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

"Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire". ~ Arnold Glasgow.

The young salesman was sitting down with his mentor at one of those gut level meetings that the old man liked to call one on ones. When in fact they were more like the Spanish inquisition. Yep it was just like being strung out on a rack. Every question was direct and brutal. Every answer given drove a follow up question and a next action. The young man hated it at the time, but years later he cherished the lessons.

"Why do most salespeople miss out on sales?" the old man asked.
He didn't wait for an answer ~ "Because they're too cool" he said.

They're too cool to ask the really tough questions. Too cool to ask about timelines, budgets, or the approval process and they're definitely too cool to make cold calls or to ask for the order. So they wait. They figure if they just wait then they won't have to hear no. ~ Rejection isn't cool.

They figure it's better not to see, hear, or say the stuff they'd rather not. Better to just wait. The cool salesperson doesn't want to seem too eager or enthusiastic. Too energetic or too accessible. They figure that they've got a reputation, an appearance to uphold. But you know what?

If you don't get the sale what kind of reputation do you have?

The old mentor looked the young man straight in the eye and said ~

Don't Ever Be Too Cool.

Passion & People.

2011-12-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

" I want to put a ding in the universe" ~ Steve Jobs.

Success, in any field, comes down to passion and people.

Pursue your passion and surround yourself with really good people.

It's The Leads.

2011-12-24T07:19:00.000-08:00

" When you reach the top keep climbing." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

An ambitious young salesperson was determined to get to the top no matter what it took. So he embarked on a quest. To find out what it takes to get to the top of the sales board he visited hundreds of companies around the country and asked everybody one simple question. "Why is the same salesperson always at the top of the board?" In every company, every year, it seemed to him that the same salesperson always came out on top. Earned the most. Won the most awards and led the pack.~ Every Year ~ Why is that? ~ he asked.

And every other salesperson answered ~ It's The Leads.

Then he returned to his company and sought out a wise old mentor.
A man who had been in sales for over half a century and would give him the straight skinny. After retelling his experience to the old campaigner he asked ~ "So is it the leads?" The seasoned veteran smiled and said ~ Yes. ~ But let me explain.The very best get the very best. That's how the world works, he said. A lot of salespeople need to grow up and recognize that business, and life, is all about dependability. Customers depend on it. Management depends on it. Shareholders depend on it and Employees families depend on it. Someone has got to deliver dependably. Those at the top of the board have made it a habit to deliver results dependably. ~ That's It.

So yes, he said, it's the leads. ~ But think about it this way:

L = Leads.

Whether you inherit, earn, are given, or prospect leads yourself you need to deliver dependably on them or they will go to someone else.

E = Expectations.

Those at the top of the board have higher expectations. Of themselves and what they do with leads. They expect and deliver results.

A = Actions.

To get to the top of the board you'll need to get yourself, and others, to take uncomfortable actions. You'll need to get leads to take action.

D = Deliver.

All the talk in the world won't get you the best leads or to the top of the board. You will need to deliver results first young man.

The old mentor gazed up at the sales board in his office and said...
Yep ~ "It's the leads ~ but to get the best leads you will need to deliver results first. He smiled and said ~ "Isn't that a bitch?"

The Future.

2011-12-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

"The empires of the future are the empires of the mind."
~ Winston Churchill.

What if we could all learn from pure data? ~ If we could get our news without spin and agenda? ~ If we could access information that was completely devoid of opinion or subjective input? ~ If our searches returned more than advertisements or paid placements constructed to simply monetize a query? ~ What if our inquiry returned completely neutral FACTS and OPTIONS. What if we could communicate with a being that delivered pure DATA? Well we can't of course because someone, somewhere, a human being, has to upload that data.

But just imagine the possibilities if we could remove the subjective aspect of information. If we could always trust that the communication back to us was totally free of agenda and personal perspective.

Business decisions, Buying and Selling, Personal Development, Health, and all the affairs and inhabitants of our world could be advised with pure, unadulterated, logic. No politics, no spin, no right or left, no disagreeable diatribe fueled by preconceptions and preference. Yes it would be cold and colorless. Lacking in emotion and ego. Empirically empty and devoid of desire. It certainly would remove instinct and ambition from the equation and it would lack the soul that has created musical, literary and artistic masterpieces throughout history. But it would be interesting to see how it would effect our decisions and world.

As children we learned from books, people, and experience. But what if we each had a data android. One that could provide us with unvarnished advice. Pure clarity. Not as a playmate but as a resource of reliable, agenda free, guidance. Imagine... No politics. Truly unbiased news and credible guidance available without an agenda.

Imagine ~ The Future.

The Eagle.

2011-12-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

"Don't quack like a duck. Soar like an eagle." ~ Ken Blanchard.

There's a story told by Arapaho indians to young men who want to become warriors. It's about a test they will have to take to become a respected leader. The test is a fitting fable for any leader who wishes to work with the very best, the eagles, in any field of endeavor.

Eagles fly the highest of all living beings. Their nests are found at the peak of the tallest mountains. A rite of passage for any young man who would become an arapaho warrior was to scale the mountain and collect feathers from an eagles tail and bring them back to the chief of the tribe. With a rodent attached to him, to attract the mighty bird, the warrior began his climb. As the eagle swooped down to snare the tasty morsel the young man would grasp the king of the sky and hang on for dear life. The eagle would scream and tear at the young warriors flesh with it's razor sharp talons as the Indian tried to pluck feathers from its tail. The mighty bird would dig deep into sinew, flesh, and bone testing the warriors resolve and determination to complete his task.

The best soldiers, salespersons, and people in general are eagles.
The truest warriors, those that fly the highest, have claws and mighty sharp talons. Eagles are not the easiest to coach, lead, or work alongside. But... If You Want The Best ~ You Must Be The Best.

Be Happy.

2011-12-21T14:49:00.000-08:00

"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be"
~ Abraham Lincoln.

There 's something special deep inside human beings. Something that inspires us. It's something that makes us happy. It's the traits that we admire. The ones that prompt us to quote, salute, recognize and respect those we share this planet with. The ones that make us smile.

When we notice them, when we see these traits in others, all of life makes sense. Look For Them ~ Find Them ~ Appreciate Them and...

Be Happy.

On Faith.

2011-12-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

"All I know is that I know nothing." ~ Socrates.

Faith is a very personal thing. Some proclaim it and some ridicule it. To each his own. I certainly believe that God is my copilot ~ But lack the strength to switch seats. That is the challenge of faith. That is man at his most arrogant. A sentient being that feels and hopes there is something more yet knows that ~ "All I know is that I know nothing."

Resistance Is...

2011-12-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

"Resistance is Futile." ~ The Borg.

Why do we resist coaching? ~ Why do we resist change even if it's for our own good? ~ Why do we keep doing the same things and expect different results? ~ Why do we need to be pushed, persuaded, and convinced to change behavior? ~ Why doesn't it just happen naturally?

It's our fight and flight response. Because we've evolved to the point where we no longer have to fear for our life our fears have also evolved. We resist input. Input threatens our status quo. It's illogical I know ~

But It's True. We fight and flee from the input of others even though our intellect tells us not to. We push back. It's simply self preservation.

It's the evolution of our species. We fear the loss of our identity.

We resist change ~ We fear assimilation.

So if you are trying to coach, help, teach or inspire here's a tip.

Don't beat yourself up too much when people don't do what you advise. It's simply evolution. ~ It's the fight and flight response.

It's human nature for us to not want to be assimilated. :)

Why?

2011-12-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

"If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?"
~ Will Rogers.

Why? ~ How many times do we hear that one? ~ Why Can't We.
Why Don't We. Why Are We? ~ Usually we replace we with he, she, they, or you, but the age old question still remains ~ Why?

Well the simple answer is ~ Step Number 2.

The reason for all of the failings, frustrations, conflicts and challenges we have as human beings starts on step number two of the ladder.
We "Select" data from what we observe ~ And then it all begins.

The Ladder Of Inference.

If.

2011-12-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling.

Nobody.

2011-12-17T16:12:00.000-08:00

"As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence."
~ Lao Tsu.

Who will be the greatest leader of all time? ~ Nobody.

The greatest leaders inspire us without us ever knowing it was them.
We believe it came from us. The greatest leaders get us to do what we would not otherwise do and be more than we believe we can.

Some years ago I saw a very funny and thought provoking movie called "My Name Is Nobody". The story tells of a young man who idolized a famous gunslinger who was about to retire. He convinced the cowboy to go out in style by facing down the infamous Wild Bunch.
One Man Against A Hundred and Fifty. ~ The youngster called himself "Nobody". Nobody influenced the gunman to stand up and face tremendous odds. Nobody influenced him to be more than he was.

Some of us give credit when we do this to the big guy. Some believe we can name the leaders who have influenced us to strive and overcome adversity. And others think that they lead and drive themselves. ~ Who knows?

Nobody.

I don't know who the greatest leader of all time was. But I believe that the best leaders are often not recognized or admired. They lead us without knowing. They influence us in simple ways. They are the men and women who have the traits that we admire and emulate.

They're not famous. ~ They're not known ~ They Are ~ Nobody.

Maybe.

2011-12-17T08:35:00.000-08:00

.
"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still"
~ Benjamin Franklin.

There's a myth in sales and business. A myth that says turning a no into a yes is an accomplishment. ~ A sign of prowess and great salesmanship. ~ It seems Ben Franklin would say otherwise.

A Yes is great. ~ A No is also great. ~ A Maybe is... Well it's simply an opening. What we do with that opening is critical. Do we let it just sit there and wait? Like some timid bystander, waiting, watching, and hoping? ~ Or do we move it forward with questions & next actions?

A maybe is a challenge to our professionalism. Its' a call for us to act. An invitation to ask questions and listen intently. It could be a no in disguise ~ A yes but later ~ Or a "I really don't want to deal with this" but it's up to us to find out. A maybe is simply a signal that we've entered an intersection. It's a yellow light that we need to move towards red or green. It's not a sign to sit, and wait, in the intersection.

Each Day.

2011-12-16T06:18:00.000-08:00

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."
~ William Wordsworth.

Often we forget the most important things in life. Each day turns into night and then the sun rises again. A page is turned and another clean sheet presents itself. With the onset of a digital world we seem to have relegated one of the most powerful connections known to man to a secondary role at best. ~ The Pen ~ Paper ~ Mind.

We use it for lists, post its and menial daily tasks but we have forgotten it's power to inspire, applaud and appreciate the most important people and things in our life. We forget how powerful it can be to write down what's meaningful to us. We neglect the connection. Then at the end of the year we make resolutions, and promises, in a hasty effort to make up for what we should be doing each day.

Take A Moment Each Day to write a personal note to yourself.

Just take a single sheet of paper and remind yourself of those people and things you are thankful for, goals you would like to accomplish, and any other thought that is important to you. Take a moment and...

Write A Note To Yourself Each Day.

Old School Rules.

2011-12-14T15:39:00.001-08:00

"I tried being reasonable. I didn't like it." ~ Clint Eastwood.

What are the old school rules for work? ~ The politically incorrect rules that just won't make it past HR? ~ What rules would Clint use?

Be the first in and last out every day.
A day is twenty four hours - work half a day and that's twelve.
Sick? ~ If you are no-one should know.
Late? ~ It means you're not coming.
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
A promise is your word - period.
Work / Life balance gives 100% at work and 100% outside.
There are results and reasons - You give one or the other.
Just because I understand it doesn't mean I accept it.
Don't ask someone to do something you wouldn't do yourself.
Never whine, blame or make excuses ~ Ever.

True Achievement.

2011-12-13T06:40:00.000-08:00

"Never, Ever, Quit." ~ Winston S. Churchill.

Everyone knows the quote. The call to strive, continue, persevere and overcome from one of the greatest men in history. A man who made a difference. A man who inspired a nation to keep going and striving through the darkness. A man who truly achieved greatness.

But very few people know of the words he said during his last days.
His words of discouragement and despair that resonated so strongly with a boy who considers him a father, hero and inspiration. At the sunset of his life, Sir Winston Churchill confided to a close friend:

"I've worked very hard and achieved a great deal only to achieve nothing in the end."

Discouragement is natural for each of us ~ but you know what? Although I never met Sir Winston he made an enormous difference in my life. He really achieved something. He inspired and inspires me.
So when you get discouraged recognise only this...You have made, and will make, a difference in someones life. Some people will be close and some you may never meet. When you feel discouraged and defeated ~ When you want to give up ~ If only for them:

Never, Ever, Quit.

The Salesman.

2011-12-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

"Whatever advice you give, be short." ~ Horace.

A young salesman, just starting his career, went out to lunch with the best salesperson in the company and asked for his advice and insight. Leaning across the table the young man said to the seasoned veteran

"What Are The Greatest Sales Tips In The World?"

The senior salesman smiled then picked up his napkin and wrote on it "The Greatest Sales Tips In The World". He paused for a moment, thought, and pushed the napkin back across the table to the rookie.

Confused the young apprentice said "But you didn't write any tips?" The old campaigner lifted his eyes and in a barely whispered voice said

"There are going to be lots of people that can give you tips and advice. Much of it is good stuff. But let me ask you "What would you say to someone asking you the same question?" ~ What would you write on this napkin? ~ Because The Greatest Sales Tip I Can Give You Is:

Take the advice you would give.

The Alien.

2011-12-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

“It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.” ~ Mark Twain.

A salesman was abducted by an extremely advanced species of aliens one night and subjected to a comprehensive examination on their spaceship. They checked him out physically, and mentally, to learn all they could about human beings. Then before releasing him they allowed the curious earthling to ask them one question. He thought for a moment about the enormity of his responsibility and then asked...

Why Do We Not Learn?

The alien replied ~ "Because you think you already know."

Theory & Action.

2011-12-08T06:04:00.000-08:00

"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The Truth Is.

2011-12-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response." ~ Viktor Frankl.

What does it all come down to? ~ What Is The Truth?
If we want success, happiness, achievement or...
Every coach, teacher, leader, parent and sage will say...

Between stimulus and response there is a space.

How To Solve Problems.

2011-12-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

"We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems." ~ Lee Iacocca.

Whether we are attempting to solve rubik's cube, problems in business, or challenges in life the answers can be elusive, frustrating, and complex. There are no "right" answers. Many come down to our preferred choices. All come down to ~ Thought and Action.

What we Choose. What we Think. How we Act.

There are many methods used to solve problems ~ Eight Disciplines, Grow, How To, Kepner, Productive Thinking, RPR and TRIZ just to name a very few. ~ I kind of like Kaizen and the Deming PDCA.

Simple.

Plan – Decide upon the specific actions you intend to take.
Do – Perform those actions for a specified period.
Check – Measure and Analyse the results.
Act – Decide what you will do next based upon the Analysis.

Why make problems more difficult than they need to be?

Choose, Think and Act.

Say It Clear.

2011-12-03T13:13:00.000-08:00

"It's too late when we die" ~ Mike and the Mechanics.

It happens every day doesn't it? We take so much for granted and then... The opportunity is lost. We miss the chance to say it loud and say it clear. We say so much after. We praise so many after they're gone. But while they're here, while they're near ~ In business, life, or whatever ~ We delay and maintain our defence mechanisms until... They're gone. Say what you mean and mean what you say now.

Because ~ It's too late when we die.

Siri.

2011-12-02T16:05:00.000-08:00

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough" ~ Albert Einstein.

Buyer ~ Siri, please provide me a list of reputable vendors for...
Siri ~ Would you like local or global options?

Buyer ~ Global and Local. Give me all specifications, pricing and total costs compared to local options with credibility ratings and social media comments on customer satisfaction. Cross reference all rankings with my personal connections. Use the following criteria...

Siri ~ Will you require any human interaction?
Buyer ~ No. ~ I want a transaction not a relationship.

Siri ~ All data, specifications, cost comparisons, and comments have been sent to your phone. Your credit has been approved with all vendors anonymously. Would you like me to initiate a bidding process, are you just looking, or should we conclude a transaction now?

Buyer ~ Let me review. I will get back to you. Thank You Siri.
Siri ~ Goodnight Sir. It really was a pleasure helping you.

The Owl.

2011-12-02T06:23:00.000-08:00

" A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination." ~ Nelson Mandela.

An owl came to visit a leader one night and asked him what was more important ~ Wisdom or Action? ~ The leader immediately answered, with great confidence, "Action of course. Of what use is wisdom that does not show itself in action?" ~ The wise old owl replied

'And of what use is action that proceeds from the unenlightened heart?'

Short Stories.

2011-11-30T17:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes all we need is a short story.

The Starfish ~ (Making a Difference)

The Soldier ~ (It's worth it)

The Fisherman ~ (Success)

The Samurai ~ (Self Control)

The Two Wolves ~ (Good & Evil)

The Monks ~ (Let it Go)

The CEO ~ (Ambition)

The Philosopher ~ (Drive & Desire)

The Owl ~ (Wisdom & Action)

The Alien ~ (Learning)

The Salesman ~ (Advice)

The Eagle ~ (Leadership)

The Parrot ~ (Attention)

The Lesson ~ (Adversity)

The Starfish.

2011-11-30T16:12:00.000-08:00

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." ~ Dr. Seuss.

A small girl was walking along the beach upon which thousands of starfish had washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish she would pick one up and throw it back into the ocean. All of the adults on the beach watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said "Why are you doing this? Look ~ There are thousands of starfish. You can't save them all or begin to make a difference.

The little girl was crushed and her eyes began to fill with tears.

But then after a few moments ~ She stooped down and picked up another starfish and gently held it in her hand. Then, with all her might, she hurled it as far as she could into ocean and said to the man.

"Well I made a difference with that one."

Top Down.

2011-11-29T16:52:00.000-08:00

" I hate intellectuals. They are from the top down. I am from the bottom up." ~ Frank Lloyd Wright.

It's a funny thing about the old top down concept. The great coach, leader or intellectual we feel has all the answers. The shiny marble we place on top. If he is really good ~ If he does his job well enough ~ There should come a time when we don't need him. If he does really well we should be able to take him away and the structure still stands.

The Soldier.

2011-11-26T11:13:00.000-08:00

"It's not so much our friends help that helps us, as the confidence of their help." ~ Epicurus.

During the war a soldier watched in horror as his lifelong friend fell under gunfire. All the soldiers had to retreat. The soldier went to ask permission from his lieutenant to go and fetch his friend from the no-mans-land. The lieutenant gave permission, but added: "It is hardly worth it. ~ Your friend is probably dead and you may die too."

This soldier didn't care about the warnings and miraculously he reached his friend, lifted him to his shoulders, and stumbled back.
He was wounded horribly in the process. The lieutenant came over, noticed the friend was dead and said ~ "I'm sorry for your friend."

"But I told you it wasn't worth it. Your friend is dead and now you are also seriously wounded." ~ "I have to disagree with you. ~ It was worth it", the soldier answered. "What do you mean?" the lieutenant replied.

"It was worth it", the soldier repeated again. ~ "When I got to my friend, he was still alive and he said... ~ "I knew you'd never leave me."

Remember.

2011-11-24T07:04:00.000-08:00

"Who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you're saying."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The Best Excuse Ever.

2011-11-19T15:57:00.000-08:00

"Genetic predisposition is not destiny." ~ Kranzler.

It's the best excuse human beings ever came up with. I guess the fact that it's often true helps. We use it to explain behavior, illness, addiction, traits, likelihood of success, and even the color of...Whatever. Nature versus Nurture. Genetics. DNA. Heredity and components beyond our control play a large part in determining the appearance, attributes, health and likelihood of whatever in our lives.

Whatever.

Forgive me for oversimplifying a very complex topic. The greatest scientists the world has ever produced can't agree on this one.

Nature versus Nurture. But hey ~ what the heck. I'm gonna give it a shot. It's not my fault. It's the way I am. Simple. It's in my genes.

There are some things we can't control and some we can. But often we fall back on "That's the way I am" or a similar phrase as an excuse to not be something more. Predisposition is not destiny. As human beings we have a lot to say in our choices and our destiny.

Here's a thought ~ Genes have epigenetic markers that serve as a volume control and adjust the intensity of how a gene expresses itself, and over time, the environment, our lifestyle and yes ~ even the decisions we make can alter these markers. Genes determine a lot ~ An awful lot. ~ But Genetic Predisposition Is Not Destiny.

Beginner's Mind.

2011-11-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

"In the beginners mind there are many possibilities. In the experts mind there are few." ~ Shunryu Suzuki.

It's a simple concept. But boy is it hard to master. We try to teach, coach, help, support and even counsel and in so doing we believe that... Well ~ We have expectations. Maybe that's part of the problem ~ part of our frustration. People don't do what we recommend and we wonder why - or worse we come up with a conclusion - an answer.

Bruce Lee probably said it best:

"In order to learn we must first empty our own cup". Yet we get frustrated because other people have not emptied their cups to take in the advice or insight we offer ~ But we haven't emptied our own cup.

Wow this stuff is certainly a vicious circle.

Determination.

2011-11-15T16:15:00.000-08:00

"A failure establishes only this, that our determination to succeed was not strong enough." ~ Christian Nestell Bovee.

Most people would agree that determination is a key ingredient to success but is it the most important contributor? Does Determination Alone Work? How about intelligence, talent, circumstance and plain old luck - Where do they rank? Do we need a combination of factors and attributes to fall into place to be successful in any endeavor?
I guess it depends on who you ask.

Ask 'Rudy' and you get one answer - Ask a lottery winner and you get another. Ask a hundred people and you'll get a hundred answers from working hard to being smart. From having connections to character, ambition to ability, and talent to tenacity. However the common denominator on everyones list will undoubtedly be determination. How do we measure our determination? How do we know whether we really have it or just think we do? We measure it against the ~ "Black Dog".

The black dog is the name Winston Churchill gave to the depression that would often overcome him. The feeling of worthlessness, futility and apathy that he, and many great men from Lincoln to Kafka battled during their lives. I believe it's how we respond to this despondancy, apathy, inertia, and paralyzing introspective quagmire that determines our success in life. It's what we do when we question whether any endeavor is worth the effort to continue. It's whether we pet, embrace and accept this black dog or whether we choose to fight through the darkness he represents. This is what determines the depth of our determination. This is what ultimately determines our success.

Some black dogs are puppies ~ Distractions, embryonic ennui ,that lead us down the path of least resistance. And some are hounds from hell ~ deep depressions that drag us into despondancy and despair.

When the black dog comes to attack our dreams ~ intelligence can debate him, talent could delay him, connections might care, but there's only one thing that ultimately drives him away ~ Our Determination.

Retargeting and Change.

2011-11-13T06:55:00.000-08:00

"Insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results." ~ Albert Einstein.

98% of all website visitors leave without a conversion. They visit but don't buy or take a measurable action. So we retarget them.

Behavioral retargeting is a primary tactic used in digital commerce ~ It's also a strong indicator of what we do in sales, business, politics, social interactions and life. It's a method whereby we qualify, advertise to, associate, befriend and surround ourselves with people who share common denominators. In politics they call it "appealing to the base." We try to convert those who have identified an interest in the stuff, traits or opinions we have. We go after people that are like us. That way we become effective at getting more of what we have already got.

Retargeting the 98% who have expressed an interest is the most effective way to get more of what we've already got. In business it's smart and economically sound profiling. It just makes sense.

In personal growth though it's stagnation. In life it's death. Most of what we do, who we know, and how we behave is redundant. We keep going back to what we already know. Addressing that with which we agree. We try to convert the ideas we are already comfortable with into action. All 100% of them. We measure success and congratulate ourselves.

2% take action (Yay ~ we've already got them).
98% don't (so we keep going after them).

But what about the gazillion percent who've never expressed interest? The ideas, concepts and people that we've disqualified or are not comfortable with? What about the ones who never came to our site? The ones who've never stepped on our court. The different interests.

Could that be where real change resides?

Every Day ~ A Veteran.

2011-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

Less than one half of one percent serve in the military.

The remaining 99 1/2 percent calls them ~ Veterans.
What does it mean? What are the values and value of a veteran?

Balance Is Codswallop.

2011-11-07T06:11:00.001-08:00

"Live every day as if it were your last and then some day you'll be right." ~ H.H. "Breaker" Morant.

Ok get ready for this one. ~ "Life balance is a load of old codswallop".
It's foisted upon us by well intentioned psychiatrists, consultants and wellness experts. I say balderdash. Let me ask you a question. When you've read about people who made a difference in this world ~ Mandela, Churchill, Ghandi, Jobs, Keller, Edison, Newton or anyone else ~ How many of them emphasised "Life Balance" as the key to a satisfying life? Yes they had demons and oftentimes self serving drivers that made life difficult for friends, family and associates who got too close to the fire. But they did something that made a difference. Their lives made a difference. Go Ahead Make A Difference ~ Give Everything In Life All You've Got. ~ Life Balance Is Codswallop.

Vicarious Learning.

2011-11-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

"Anyone who stops learning is old." ~ Henry Ford.

Some say we stop vicarious learning and switch to vicarious living once we reach a certain point in our lives. Perhaps we do ~ But maybe not.

Vicarious learning is a type of learning that occurs as a function of observing, retaining and replicating novel behavior executed by others. It's example learning in it's simplest form. Do we reach a point in adulthood when we stop learning like this because we now know stuff?

Recently my daughter came home, to visit for a day, from her career at Apple headquarters. I asked her "What's it like now Steve doesn't show up in the cafeteria?" Her response was a remarkable affirmation of the power of vicarious learning. As she dove into the culture, creativity and learning opportunities that she gained from coworkers, mentors and associates the enthusiasm and excitement she displayed was enormously infectious. I felt myself learning from her. Learning about enthusiasm, listening, absorption and excitement. I experienced and felt the twin joys of both vicarious learning and vicarious living.

Whether it be through our children, friends, associates or those we admire from afar we need to turn vicarious learning into personal action in order for it to be more than just entertainment. We need to incorporate it into our own behavior. Otherwise it's just another TV show that gets turned on and off. If life is really just like a light switch perhaps vicarious learning is the ultimate power source. A source we can turn on and off at will regardless of what we think we already know.

Simple ~ Life.

2011-11-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."
~ Grandma Moses.

The Change Monster.

2011-11-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

" Compelling reason will never convince blinding emotion."
~ Richard Bach.

There's a monster that follows each of us. No ~ It's not the cookie monster (although he also follows us everywhere nowadays). This one is a two headed monster. An ever present ogre that rears his twin noggins when confronted with the challenge to change. He's present in all of us and so we are pretty familiar with his likes, dislikes, opinions and beliefs. We call him "Emotion" and "Ego" and boy is he entrenched. Think you can convince people to change with reason? Good Luck. Logic is a loser. Intellect is for idiots. The "right" thing is sometimes subjective and open to debate. When we think we're reasoning we're often rationalizing. So what moves us to change?
The Two Headed Monster ~ Emotion and Ego.

Give him a cookie and who knows...

How Good Are You?

2011-10-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

"The reason men oppose progress is not that they hate progress, but that they love inertia." ~ Elbert Hubbard.

Wanna know how good you are? No really. Do You Really Want To Know? As a leader, salesperson, manager or any person in business our success breaks down into two components - What we do AND How effective we are in influencing what others do. ~ It's All About How We Deal With Inertia. ~ Our own, our prospects, our associates and...

How do we get ourself and others moving. How do we get people on their bike? What's our method? ~ Heck I don't think it matters much.

Push, pull, inspire or irritate ~ They all work. Go ahead and pick the one that works for you - Just make sure you get on your darned bike.

Because that's when you find out how good you are.

The Stupid Leader.

2011-10-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

"Stupid is as stupid does" ~ Forest Gump.

You've seen it all before I'm sure. A member of your team who does stuff so much better than the others. Is dependable, conscientious and the person you would immediately turn to if you need to get something done - The go to guy. Richie was such a guy. He had saved our skins more times than I can remember but he kept to himself and always did it all himself. I knew he had a strong belief in the big guy but we never talked about it ~ until one night after a very difficult day. "Richie I need your help" I said "I need you to lead" Without hesitation ~ He turned me down flat. "No - I'm not stupid" he replied "Let me just do my job."

"I believe in God - I just don't believe in people" he said and the words made so much sense all of a sudden. Now I completely understood his actions, attitude and approach. He kept talking and he let it all out ~ "People are stupid and they let you down". You could see the years of disappointment and bitterness - the repressed anger and hurt and everything now made sense. Why he did it all himself. Why he watched over everyone as they slept. Why he obsessed about virtually every detail and why he always came through when we needed him.

"Richie - I believe in the big guy as much as you do. But I also believe in you. It's you, the big guy, AND PEOPLE who are going to help us out of this crap. People are going to leverage and scale our efforts. Their hearts and minds are our force multipliers my friend."

That's why I can't lead, he said - "Stupid leaders believe in people."

"But Richie ~ Those are the best leaders".

Do We Need People?

2011-10-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

"We are rarely proud when we are alone." ~ Voltaire.

Have you ever wanted to go completely off the grid?

No cell phone, internet or communications of any kind ~ Absolutely no contact with other people? We've all wanted to completely shut off the world at times. It's really appealing to escape the cacophony.

Many years ago a friend of mine decided, when we got out of the army, to do just that. ~ I haven't heard from him since. I think about Brian whenever I have the compelling urge to get off the grid. What would it be like - to go completely native? No phone - No email - No Facebook - No Blogs - No News - No People and No Bull@#*&*. ~ Hmmmm....

What Would You Say?

2011-10-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

"The worst men often give the best advice." ~ Francis Bacon.

I had to hand it to the young kid - he certainly had a sense of irony and humor. His gift was great. An 18 year old bottle of Talisker single malt. Perfect. The question he posed on his eighteenth birthday was simple and flattering. "What do you wish you knew when you were eighteen?" He knew that it was the kind of question that only whiskey and an inflated ego would respond to - cause none of us really are qualified to answer it for anyone else. Inevitably we all learn this stuff on our own. But I gave it a shot anyway. "Much better men than I have tried to answer this" I said. I choose to defer to their wisdom and their words. "You will pick your own. It's your life ~ but here's my three 'A's":

Advice ~ "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest".

Attitude ~ "The more I see - The less I know."

Action ~ "Be the change you want to see in the world".

The Q Dilemma.

2011-10-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

"Think Different."

When things get tough. When the low hanging fruit is gone and things aren't easy in business or life what do we do? Most of us take one of two paths. We wait until things get better - or - we go with the 'Q'.

What's the Q Dilemma? Well that's when we say "I just need to increase the Quantity & Quality of what I'm doing and everything will be just fine." Increasing Q helps us and it works. Better Q is always good.

But Q squared provides only incremental improvements. What if we want Quantum change? What if we "Want to make a ding in the universe?" What do we need to do? We need the third Q - Question.

We need to constantly question our mindset, habits, behavior, attitude, actions and approach. We need to question everything and...

We need to ~ "Think Different."

What's More Important?

2011-10-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

"Being brilliant is no great feat if you respect nothing." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

The old man looked me right in the eye and asked ~ "What's more important to you ~being right or being respected? Do you want their approval or action?" Do you want to be an expert or an example? Because you can't be both. He didn't wait for an answer ~ because he knew. "People Don't Care About What You Think" he said "They Care About What They Think" ~ You might want to remember that."

It was getting dark and it had been a very tough day. A day of trying to convince people to go where they didn't want to go and there was a lot of resistance. " Let me tell you something" he continued "What people think are conversations are almost always one person telling another an opinion, an observation or a perspective. It's all opinion and everyone thinks theirs is right. Even if you do convince someone of how right you are they revert back to the familiar sooner or later.

So what do you do? I asked. ~ Well that's up to you isn't it ~ he smiled and turned away with these wry parting words ~ Just Remember...

When We Think We Know - We Don't.

The Sales Dance.

2011-10-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ~ It's about learning how to dance in the rain.

The young salesman watched in awe as the seasoned professional closed deal after deal, seemingly without effort, and wondered how it could be so very easy and so he asked him ... "How do you do it?"
The old timer turned to the young man and simply said ~ "I Dance."

"People have impulses, notions and desires and I look at those as if they are asking me to dance" he said. I take a moment to qualify them ~ To see if I want them to be my dance partner ~ and then I dance.

"What do you mean?" the young rookie replied. " Well... All of us get impulses and then our minds start to kick in with doubts and questions. We start to look around for other dance partners and we even question whether we should be dancing in the first place.

The secret to closing sales is to keep people in touch with their initial impulse. To make them feel good and happy about it, and then to give them the confidence they need to overcome doubts. You've just got to be a good dance partner. Closing sales is just like dancing he said. It's a two step between impulse and doubt. The old salesman turned away with a smile and said ~ If you really wanna close more sales...

Learn How To Dance.

If Only...

2011-09-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." ~ Abraham Lincoln.

I had a friend once - He died - and I think of Sam every time someone says - "If only..." Sam was a simple soldier and he had this way of looking at things that set him apart from the rest of us. His attitude, actions, and example spoke volumes about who he was. "It doesn't matter what happens. What we have or where we are in life isn't important" he used to say - "It doesn't matter what tools or teachings we get - It's How We Respond to People, Conditions, Obstacles and Opportunities that determines how happy and successful we're going to be." ~ "It's not the stuff in life that matters it's our Mindset."

Now I know this is all pretty simple and obvious - but powerful truths usually are. I never once heard Sam say "If only" and I kind of think it was because he knew that the real secret of happiness, success and all the other stuff that makes life worthwhile is...

SAM ~ Simply A Mindset.

The Eyes.

2011-09-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

"The successful man is the average man with laser like focus."
~ Bruce Lee.

"It's all about the eyes" ~ "Look Into Their Eyes". The First Sergeant was trying to teach me something important and so... I listened.

A man either has the "Thousand yard stare" or the "Eye of the Tiger" there is no in between, he said. The thousand yard stare is the look that battle weary soldiers get when they dissassociate themselves ~ when it all gets too much to handle and their mind goes someplace else. The eye of the tiger, on the other hand, is that steely, laser focused, stare that drills right through circumstance, conditions and obstacles to an objective. Our Focus Determines Our Reality and...

The Eyes Are The Window To The Soul.

Most People Say...

2011-09-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

"The majority see the obstacles, the few see the objectives."

~ Alfred A Montapert.

What's the difference between a kindred spirit and most people?

Have you ever noticed what most people say - When we achieve or accomplish less than we can? ~ Most people say ~ "Take It Easy ~ Relax ~ It's OK." Their response is nice, supportive and comforting. It validates our effort. But does it help? That depends on how we internalize what most people say. If we are like most people ~ we appreciate the validation. If we're not well... ~ We don't appreciate it.

Why? ~ Because we know we can always do better. When we do less than we know we can ~ Our kindred spirit says to us ~ It's Not OK.

Unless we, and our kindred spirit, are like most people.

Quit Whining.

2011-09-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

" Firmness in enduring and exertion is a character I always wish to possess. I have always despised the whining yelp of complaint." ~ Robert Burns.

One of the most underrated treasures any of us can have in our life is a friend who talks straight. A man, or woman, who tells it like they see it and doesn't sugar coat stuff. I will never forget the words of such a friend when "Gunny" sat listening to my whining after a difficult day at work. What was his response to my sad lament about how tough things were? ~ "Isn't that your job?" What would other professions say if they had the courage to talk as straightforward to us?

Doctor ~ Here's your prescription "Work harder and you'll feel better."

News Anchor ~ "Here's what was on the internet yesterday."

Politician ~ "I sell fear."

Consultant ~ "Here's what you already know but aren't willing to do."

Self Help Guru ~ "Here's your crutch."

A Good Friend ~ "Quit Whining."

Wanna Be A Leader?

2011-09-12T11:44:00.001-07:00

"The price of greatness is responsibility." ~ Winston S. Churchill.

What are the characteristics of a GREAT leader?

When a team, company, or any organization falls short of expectations a great leader accepts TOTAL & UNCONDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
With success ~ Every team member should be saying "WE DID IT" and Individually each team member should be thinking "I DID IT".

A great leaders legacy is simply the PEOPLE they've influenced ~ and the only way anyone can truly influence others is by EXAMPLE.

Wanna Be A Leader? ~ Stop Sucking Your Thumb and Grow Up. ~
If you're any good ~ People will always think they did it themselves.

Mind & Emotion.

2011-09-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

"The emotion that can break your heart is sometimes the very one that heals it..." ~ Nicholas Sparks.

I have a feeble mind.

Led by notions, beliefs, and images that are held dear. Thoughts that drive. Thoughts of good and evil. It's a mind moved by emotion.

On September 11, 2001, and the days following, that mind was tested as emotions took over. Confusion, anger, revenge, determination, sadness and a flood of feelings threatened this simple soldiers mind. Like any old soldier threatened ~ In the days and weeks to come training took charge. A mind trained to ask itself one simple question:

What's my mission? ~ Years after the arena had moved from battle to business the mission remained ~ To defend, protect, and encourage that which I value and love. To recognize and support good in people and fight the evil. To multiply the force by winning hearts & minds.

Lives are driven by emotion - Minds follow according to training.

Take good actions and fight the evil ones.

The Bottom Line.

2011-09-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

"A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life." ~ James Allen.

With Money.

2011-09-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

"He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money." ~ Benjamin Franklin.

It's perceived by some as a scorecard, an evil, a necessity and a luxury. The pursuit of it alone can drive and destroy those who see its acquisition as an accomplishment in itself. But to deny it's power to influence people and events is naive. Each of us looks at money, it's role, and how much it drives our behavior differently. It's neither good nor bad but how we perceive the role it plays in our lives can be.

With money ~

You can buy a house but not a home.
You can buy a clock but not time.
You can buy a bed but not sleep.
You can buy a book, but not knowledge.
You can buy medicine but not health.
You can buy position but not respect.
You can buy leisure but not life.

Quantum Entanglement.

2011-08-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent." ~ John Donne.

When you think about the world, people, and how we interact, relate to, and treat each other ~ Doesn't it make your head hurt a little bit? We search for meaning, a why, by simply trying to put things in a nice little box, with answers that tie it all together. It's human nature. We need to make sense of all this stuff and cause and effect solutions certainly seem to help us deal with the insanity.

Now along comes a concept that, scientists believe, explains a whole heck of a lot. They call it Quantum Entanglement and it's pretty cool. Now I don't understand much, and this whole thing is certainly a bit of challenge, but it seems to break everything down like this ~

Systems become entangled and they cannot be described without considering the objects they become entangled with.

They are talking about quantum physics but, from my perspective, it covers so much more. It just seems to me that this concept puts a damper on the whole "each man is an island" pitch we give ourselves each day and adds a little accountability to every one of the thoughts, words and actions we throw out into the world ~ Perhaps it's not just physics ~ Perhaps it's saying something much more profound?

Perhaps it's saying that our every thought, word and action effects everyone, and thing, and we can't be described without considering...

The 'objects' we become entangled with.

Here's a Wikipedia Link (Have an aspirin ready though). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement

Wanna Learn ~ Shut Up.

2011-08-18T07:23:00.000-07:00

"Gibbs doesn't teach. You watch and learn." ~ NCIS.

Ok this one is going to be controversial - but what the heck. Verbal Communication and questions are overrated. There I said it. ~ Go ahead, let loose the hounds from hell. From the mentor who would chase me away with the words "Shut up and watch what people do". To a special forces soldier who never seemed to sleep, complain or rest, the best lessons I've ever learned in life came from watching good people do stuff better than the rest of us. Wasn't it a deaf, dumb and blind kid who saved the world in Tommy? If You Want To Learn. Find someone who does something really well ~ Shut Up and Watch.

If you're a salesperson - find a good one and watch. If you're a supervisor or leader - find a good one and watch. If you're an artist, musician or creative person and you believe it's a solitary endeavor and all about you - My response is "Who's your inspiration? If you need motivation it doesn't get any better than a great example.

If You Really Wanna Learn ~ Shut Up And Watch.

The Secret To Sales.

2011-08-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. ~ Dale Carnegie.

Over the years people have come up with some pretty good sales tips, processes and 'secrets' to success in the noble art and science of selling. Books, webinars, consultants and salespeople, a heck of a lot better at selling than me, have volunteered their insights on how to get better in our chosen profession. So what is the bullet point summation of what the very best do? ~ What Is The Secret To Sales?

It's simple really.

Instead of trying to be the most interesting man in the world.

Strive to be the most interested man in the world.

Interested ALWAYS Beats Interesting My Friend.

What We Believe.

2011-08-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

.
"Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is."
~ Johann W. Van Goethe.

Ask the father of a fallen Navy Seal what his son believed and you get the answer "He would say I owed it to..." Ask the young rioter in London what he believes and you get the answer " They owe me..."

Take a moment to really listen to anyone, anywhere, and their belief becomes clear ~ Some believe they owe and some believe they are owed. Regardless of our station in life. Regardless of our circumstance. Whether in business or life some look to take and some look to give. Some contribute more - and some feel they deserve more. Those that feel they deserve more rarely contribute more than self interest dictates. The true victim rarely considers themself a victim. The true contributor strives to give more.

Want to know what kind of candidate, employee, friend or person is sitting across the table from you? Ask them what they owe others ~ Then ask what others owe them.

Understanding Pain.

2011-08-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

"Pain is as diverse as man. One suffers as one can." ~ Victor Hugo.

What's the thing we hate the most about politicians? Is it the gray area of compromise they inhabit? Is it their knack, and habit, of saying some thing that really says nothing. Is it the belief they have that in order to make a difference they have to get elected and so their goal is to get (and stay) elected - rather than make a difference? It's probably a little of all of them but more than anything else I think the reason we hate politicians, and those who remind us of politicians, is:

They claim to understand our pain.

If you've ever started a business and held on during tough times does a person who hasn't done that understand? If you're a single parent who has persevered, put a child through college, and dealt with very personal challenges does someone who hasn't had exactly the same experiences understand? If you're a soldier who has carried the burden and horrors of war does someone who has not been in those boots understand? If you're a salesman who supports his family with the sales he makes. Who goes to work every day for straight commission, without a cent of salary to fall back on. Does the person who hasn't worked that way understand his pain?

Yet people say it every day don't they? A salesman says he understands the difficulties of running a business in order to build rapport with his prospect. A doctor says he understands the suffering of a patient diagnosed with cancer in order to comfort them. A civilian says he understands what our service men and women go through in time of war. An administrative assistant says she understands the salesman's challenges as she dismisses him. But do we really understand any of the pain these people go through if we haven't walked in their shoes? Hell no we don't. So why do we say we do?

Why do we have to be politicians? ~ Why don't we just listen?

A Good Rule.

2011-07-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

I will speak ill of no man. ~ There are some men I will not speak of.

One of the things I love about old westerns is the strong, silent, guys who live by their own internal honor code. They believe in the rules they've set for themselves (at least in the romantic notions of the silver screen). Grudges were settled man to man and gossip was left to others. If you had something against a man you took it up with him. If he broke the code the choice was made not to speak of him rather than whimper and whine to others about the experience.

All of us have rules that guide us in business and life. Some we keep and some we break. With the best intentions we each try, at some point in our lives, to set our own moral compass and let it direct us. In business we become aware of bad products, experiences, actions and indeed people. The internet provides a ready made platform and a megaphone to unveil and broadcast our disagreements, disgust or displeasure with people, products, companies and experiences all over the world. That's a very good thing ~ it drives accountability.

But what about when opinion turns to ridicule? What about when we personalize disagreements to the point of attacking another person? What happens to us when we choose to denigrate others in order to raise our own profile? Does knocking the character or performance of another improve our own? It seems to me that whether you're a politician, salesman, comedian, artist or businessperson ~ ridicule demeans the speaker much more than the recipient. Whether we're talking about friend or foe ~ Jefferson had it right when he said:

"Speak ill of no man, but speak all the good you know of everybody".

Send Me.

2011-07-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

"Here am I. Send me!" ~ Isaiah 6:8.

It's an attitude thing. Some say it's a calling and some disagree.
Some say it has to be religious but I'm not so sure. I tend to think it's a personal choice thing. Some volunteer for stuff and some don't. Many years ago I was lucky enough to be a 'triple volunteer' and I guess that formed my thinking about those who volunteer a little bit. I'm not just talking military though. I'm talking about any kind of service here. I'm talking about anyone who raises their hand and volunteers to do stuff. Whether selfless or selfish they step forward.

There's something about the volunteer who sings out "Send Me" that I love and respect enormously. If there is one quality that speaks to the best of us as human beings it surely must be ~ "Send Me".

Internet Tough Guys.

2011-07-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

.
"Bitter words indicate a weak cause." ~ Victor Hugo.

Have you ever noticed how people can get really tough when they're protected by the anonymity of the internet? Not just tough - but able to decide for everyone else what is right, wrong, good and bad.

I've known a few tough guys in my time and they say very little. The words, and actions, of the best of us tend to inspire the rest of us.

Here's a little video gem about venting online.

A real person, a lot like you from Derek Sivers on Vimeo.

Google + Circles

2011-07-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

"I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."
~ Groucho Marx

I recently received an invite to join Google +. It kind of made me feel like I was getting a personal invitation for the American Express Black card ~ Yeah this is exactly what I need ~ I thought (read with dripping sarcasm). But then I tried it - and you know what? I liked it. Simple, no farming, no fluff (unless you want to put some in) and then ...

The thing that really sold me - Circles.

There is something about circles that really makes sense. Maybe it's the little black book thing. We've all got some really special friends. There are some people that we don't need no stinkin social media to keep track of ~ and then we have all kinds of other "contacts and connections". But doesn't it seem that the people we communicate with move from one circle to another? In business a prospect becomes a customer. A mere contact becomes something a little bit more. And a friend becomes a really close friend. We've got people that we like and people we respect ~ Then we have those that fall within the ultimate circle ~ People We Like AND Respect.

Circles ~ hmmm... (Let me know if you'd like an invite).

What Do We See?

2011-07-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

"The great corrupter of man is the ego. Looking at the mirror distracts one's attention from the problem." ~ Dean Acheson.

What do we see when we look into the mirror? Every philosopher, sage, teacher, and coach since the begining of time has told us that success, in any endeavor, starts and ends with personal accountability. The words "If it's going to be ~ it's up to me" tell us to look for answers within ourselves ~ and so we gaze into the mirror.

But what do we see? If a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest ~ does he also see what he wants to see? Do we polish our image, buff up the fenders, spit shine our shoes and put on a little makeup to make everything seem ok? Does our ego blind us to looking at real problems?

Can we take what we see in the mirror out of the equation and solve our problems objectively? If all that we see in the mirror is a reflection of our ego the answer is no. So what should we do? Perhaps rather than gazing upon reflections of our esteemed self we should heed the insightful words of Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe when he said

"Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image."

Come On Guys...

2011-07-15T06:39:00.000-07:00

.
"Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not." ~ Vaclav Havel.

Do any of us REALLY know?

When We Think We Know ~ We Don't.

When We Think We're Good ~ We're Not.

Hobsons Choice.

2011-07-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

"It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows." ~ Epictetus.

Have you ever felt really stupid? You know the feeling I'm talking about. The ~ "Man I'm Dumb" ~ kind of stupid. It usually hits home when a wiser person says something really simple and we didn't even think of looking at it that way. We get caught up in our own endless loop of viewing things a certain way. When we look at challenges and try to solve them the same way we always do ~ We give ourselves the veritable "Hobsons Choice" and wonder why...

Hobsons Choice was named after a stable owner who had many horses but when selling to a customer would bring them into his barn and allow them only to buy the horse in the first stall. Essentially they could purchase that first horse from him, or none at all.

There was a time I was building a fish pond and waterfall in my yard. This meant getting some very large boulders, to construct the waterfall, through the front gate that led to the back yard. I thought about all of the ways to get the rocks around the gate, over the gate and even considered only getting small enough boulders that would fit through the gate. Finally, at my wits end, I asked a very old (over eighty years old) friend what he would do? Kenzo turned to me and quietly said "Dan ~ You really love that gate don't you?"

Duh...

Hobsons Choice.

Don't Take Advice.

2011-07-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

"He had only one vanity; he thought he could give advice better than any other person." ~ Mark Twain.

Don't take advice ~ and sure as hell don't give advice. Wanna be good at anything? ~ Really good? No one else can tell you how to be good at stuff. They CAN show you and set an example. Many of us believe we can articulate, formulate and give best practice insights on how to be good at stuff. So, with the best intentions, we offer advice. Many people offer advice. But no-one can really tell you how to succeed. It's inside you. It's what YOU do with what you've got. There's no formula, secret, book, lesson or insight that works best for you. Everything you need is already inside you.

Want advice? ~ Just Do It.

Experts And Idiots

2011-07-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

"I prefer an attitude of humility corresponding to the weakness of our intellectual understanding of nature and our own being."

~ Albert Einstein.

Have you ever noticed when someone says "That was such an intelligent movie, play, book, comment, or post what they're really saying is "I'm smart?" Have you ever noticed that we try to surround ourselves with ideas, people, views and concepts that we agree with? Have you ever noticed that we spend an awful lot of time avoiding, arguing with, and dismissing opinions that we disagree with? That we often label those contrary opinions "Tales told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing?" We all tend to like, follow, hire, friend, and surround ourselves with stuff that supports or doesn't threaten the precepts we have established. Of course you've noticed ~ we all have.

But what about after we notice ~ What happens next? Well next we feel the need to substantiate, "prove", convince, and convert. We feel the need to become experts. What is an expert? Someone who has an expertise. Someone who proclaims a way that is better, more effective, productive or insightful. Someone who says "I'm smart". Wouldn't it be nice if we said "It's just my opinion?" Wouldn't it be nice if rather than saying "This is THE way" we said "This is A way ~ my way ~ or just my opinion?" Why do the opinions, concepts and people that we disagree with threaten us? Is it because we want to be perceived as smart? Or smarter? Because we want to be an expert? Me? ~ It's just my opinion, but ~ I'd rather not "know"stuff. I'd rather not be an expert. I'd rather learn from those that, in my arrogance, I consider idiots.

When all is said and done ~ I prefer being an idiot.

Who Are ~ The Special Ones?

2011-06-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness".

~ Martin Luther King.

Want to know how to make more sales? Get people to take action? Follow your leadership? Or just do you a favor? There's books written about it. People who make a living telling you how to do it. Industries built around the secrets, tips, processes and insights on how to do it better. But when you drill them all down most say "Focus your attention on others needs - serve well enough and you will be served." And you know what? ~ Duh. But think about the paradox. You are tuned in to an end result that will satisfy your needs. You are tuned in to the channel WIIFM (What's In It For Me?) as a starting point. Human beings are, by nature, self serving creatures. If we don't make the sale. If people don't do what we ask. If we don't get the result we wanted it's usually because we didn't communicate to another human being that taking action was in their best interest. Our message, our value proposition, wasn't strong enough to overcome their not taking action. We didn't connect, emotionally, with their WIIFM station. Their WIIFM was listening to something more compelling and important. So we don't get what we want ~ and, if we are big boys and girls, we take responsibility for that and say "I didn't make it important enough ~ I didn't connect and tune in well enough to their WIIFM".

But what about the Special Ones? Who are the Special Ones? The Special Ones start with a different premise. They recognize that WIIFM is our true nature, and it's difficult to resist, but they start with something that's greater than themselves. They start with something that goes against their self interest - something uncomfortable, without immediate reward, with disadvantages, and with an end result that may in fact work against their self interest. Something that satisfies a good outside of themselves. Now a psychologist will argue that the satisfaction gained from this is, in fact, self interest fulfilled. So, they will point out, special ones are nonetheless following a human beings true, self serving, nature - perhaps so. I still think they're special.

So what does all this psycho babble / mumbo jumbo mean?

If we want to sell more, get someone to do something, or follow us ~ We simply need to appeal powerfully enough to their WIIFM.

If WE want to do something special ~ Tune in to another station.

If You Were Asked...?

2011-06-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."

~ Rudyard Kipling.

If you were asked to share the words of someone that really made a difference in your life ~ which words would you choose? Which words do you remember? What advice stuck with you? Was it something your father or mother said? Was it the words of a coach, teacher or a respected friend? Was it something you read or saw up on the silver screen? Was it the words of a song? What were the words that made a difference in your life? We all know about the people that made a difference to us - We all know the actions, behavior, character and the example they set that influenced us. But what about the words? What words would you choose? What would YOU say if you were asked to share those words? Which words made a difference in your life?

Thoughts become Words. ~ Words become Action. ~ Action becomes Habit. ~ Habit becomes Character. ~ Character becomes Who we are. ~ "If" you were asked...

If You're A Man.

2011-06-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

.
"There is nothing more important than being a father."

Let Me Tell You Something...

2011-06-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

.
"Maybe it's proving people wrong, ... Maybe I'm like the defiant child - Tell me I can't do something and I'm going to go out and get it done.” ~ Adam Meyer.

I don't know much - and what I do know was copied, stolen or borrowed from people who have done stuff much better than I. But there's one thing I do know ~ Those people that tell some of us " You can't do..." Those people who start off by saying "Let me tell you something..." might as well be pouring gasoline on white hot embers. If you have an inner fire it will burst into flames upon hearing those words. Support and encouragement is nice - It's like honey. Warm, comforting, and it sure goes down smooth. But take it from me. Those weak and snivelling souls who tell you that you can't do something - They can also poke and prod our passion productively. Just go out and prove them wrong. There's a very profound saying that states ~ "You never have to prove anything to anyone but yourself" and that's very true. But I say "What the hell ~ Go ahead ~ Give yourself a little pleasure every now and again - Show the world what you're made of." Don't ever let ANYONE tell you what you can't do.

The Value Of Loyalty.

2011-06-04T07:09:00.000-07:00

.
"The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith." ~ Confucius.

Some say loyalty is dead. A quaint and outdated notion that has been swept aside by the multiple choices and options now immediately available to us. Technology gives us the ability to instantly compare prices, products, positions and yes ~ even people. Inevitably we all compare "value" in our never ending quest for something or someone that fills our "needs". We all want the best deal, best job, best price, best products and the best life and so we compare - so what?

There is a beloved story, told in Japan, that talks to children about loyalty. Hachi-ko was the family dog of a well known Tokyo University professor who every day met his owner at the train station as he returned home from work. The ritual was observed by passengers for many years as the professor got off the train and warmly greeted his loyal Akita. The poignant scene of a man and his best friend walking into the darkness together after a long day was shared and understood by all. After his owner suffered a stroke at work and died Hachi-ko appeared at the train station every day for nine years waiting for his master to get off the train. Every day Hachi-ko came and waited for his friend. Every day he came, for nine years, until he too died.

It's only natural for us to compare and seek out what is best for our needs. Whether it be price, position, product or indeed people. It's good to have many options. It's good to have choices. But in this life there are a few things that we can't buy and sell. Every now and again our life brings us into contact with other lives, values and people that transcend transactional thinking. They are like Hachi-ko. We remain loyal to them regardless of circumstance, adversity, or the promises of "better". We remain loyal not because we don't appreciate our other options and choices but because we recognize something special. Something rare. Loyalty is a rare and beautiful thing. It's not dead. It's not quaint. It's hard to give and even harder to find. But like anything that is truly rare, and wanted by so many - Loyalty is Priceless.

The Question Is.

2011-05-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

.
"The Question is not 'Can you make a difference? You already do make a difference. It's just a matter of what kind of difference you want to make." ~ Julia Hill.

The earth spins on it's axis and we call it a day. The moon circles the earth and we call it a month. The earth revolves around the sun and we call it a year. We come into this earth and then we leave it and we call it a life. The question is not 'Can I make a difference?' The question really is ~ What kind of difference do I want to make?

Think about all the people you've come into contact with in your life. The faces and the memories. The lessons you've learned. The things people have said and done that stuck with you. Think about all the people you've worked for and with. The people you've sold to and those you've bought from. The people that have helped you and those that have hurt you. Think about the difference they made. Then think about the difference you made to them.

Sometimes they tell you. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes the thoughts and memories inspire us and sometimes they serve as lessons learned. Each person though makes a difference. Each day the earth spins on it's axis. Each month the moon circles the earth. Each year the earth circles the sun and each life makes a difference to someone. Each person we come into contact with in our lives provides us an opportunity. An opportunity to ask ourselves not the pitiful, self serving, cry of 'Can I make a difference?' ~ But the responsible and life affirming call to action of 'What kind of difference do I want to make?'

Define the difference you want to make - Really define your core competency, what you can give. Because that is what people remember ~ Our core is what we give. We are our value proposition to others. We are what we give and leave with others.

Listen Up.

2011-05-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

.
"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." ~ Doug Larson.

"Listen Up" -Two words that coaches, moms and authority figures of all kinds use to get our attention. They are often barked as the final call in an effort to pierce through babble, merriment, and casual conversations. But even after those words are spoken how many of us really pay attention? Recently I had one of those rare opportunities to test myself and see whether I could truly "Listen Up". A person I respect a lot, David A. Brock, introduced me to a couple of his close friends. Connections that he valued and respected. During the conversations I noticed the temptation to chirp in with common interests and shared experiences. There were people and places we had both enjoyed that seemed like natural conversation connections. But sharing those isn't really listening is it? It's me focused - not you focused. Like most people who have sold, and are alpha type personalities, enthusiasm and where we want to go with the conversation tends to interrupt our interactions unless we are very careful. During our talk the 'me too' had reared it's ugly head instead of the 'tell me more' that tends to deepen conversations. Isn't it strange how great lessons usually are recognized in retrospect? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could learn as the situation occurs rather than after the fact? But for me a valuable lesson was learned nonetheless. 'Tell me more' brings people together a hell of a lot better than ' Me too' does.

What Is Your Quest?

2011-05-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

"And I know If I'll only be true. To this glorious quest. That my heart will lie peaceful and calm. When I'm laid to my rest..."

Something Deep Inside.

2011-04-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

"I'm not interested in what your neo cortex has to say - I want to hear your heart."

There's something deep inside each of us that we are all very familiar with. Sometimes it bubbles lightly to the surface and stimulates smiles, warmth and pleasure like smooth vanilla ice cream. And sometimes it drags up from deep within us a determination to strive and overcome. It's in the mind, the brain, the heart and the soul and yep ~ We Call This Thing Emotion. It is, without any doubt, the primal force that drives each of us to take action. It's what makes us do stuff.

Many years ago, in a land called Robin Sage, a hard and grizzled man looked me in the eye and said " Have you ever cared for something greater than yourself?" While I lay in the mud, covered in putrid self pity, he goaded, prodded and encouraged me to quit. To give up. To throw in the towel and rationalize a warm and comfortable retreat from unreasonable standards and expectations ~ And then... He said the words that I will remember for the rest of my life. "I'm not interested in what your neo cortex has to say - I want to hear your heart."

We buy with our heart. We sell with our heart. We achieve with our heart. We lead with our heart and... We experience everything worth anything in this life with our heart. So if you really want to get someones attention ~ Remember ~ People aren't interested in what your neo cortex has to say ~ They want to hear your heart.

3 Simple Truths

2011-04-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable."
~ James Garfield.

I kind of like gettin' old. For many years I've told anyone that will listen that the people I really like are those remarkable souls that are younger than eight and older than eighty. Those in between?
Well... I guess I prefer my dog. Maybe it's a grumpy old man thing.

True wisdom seems to come from those younger than eight and older than eighty ~ And the truest wisdom seems to have been uttered more than eighty years ago. But gettin' old is kind of fun. We are afforded permission to say what we mean. Simple stuff and simple truth tends to resonate. I kind of like simple ~ just like ~ I kind of like gettin' old. They both sure as hell beat the alternatives. So, as I'm gettin older, what are the 3 Simple Truths that make the most sense to me?

Can't Means Won't.

Be The Change You Want To See.

This Too Shall Pass.

Our Greatest Strength.

2011-04-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

"Humility does not mean you think less of yourself. It means you think of yourself less." ~ Ken Blanchard.

What is our greatest strength? Which of our strengths provides the greatest return to friends, customers, associates and indeed mankind? Is it insight ~ A wisdom shared? Is it giving ~ A selfless act? Is it character ~ An inspiring example? ~ Or is it something else?

Social Media has provided us a platform to share more of ourselves than any time in history. We share links, blogs, opinions, insights and tales both brilliant and banal. We are talking, broadcasting and sharing ~ A Lot. We are shining a spotlight on our likes, dislikes, preferences and peccadilloes and in so doing drawing attention to ourselves like never before. It's perhaps neither good nor bad ~ it just is.

Yet something seems different today. Gone is the simplicity, the substance and the sincerity of quiet action. Quiet professionalism. The simple act of doing and being what one must without acclaim or praise.

There is the strength that it takes to get over anything.
Then there is the strength that it takes to get over ourselves.

We admire those who have the strength to get over things. We read, hear about, and praise them. We respect that strength. But perhaps ~ Just perhaps ~ True strength is rarely seen. Perhaps our greatest strength is found in the quiet and simple act of getting over ourselves.

What Do You Want?

2011-04-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." ~ John Quincy Adams.

So you're a leader, manager, coach or supervisor and someone asks you "What Do You Want?". The easy answer is for us to go straight to metrics and measurable activities. After all numbers matter in business and often that's where management determines success and failure. But once you get beyond the numbers and people ask "Ok I get that - but what do you really want?" What do you say? There is no right or wrong answer to this part ~ It's personal, It's values and it's preference. Most of us fall back on what others have asked of us. The men and women we've come to respect tend to influence the expectations we have of ourselves and others. So when someone asks me "What Do You Want?" ~ I say ~ "I Want 5 Things":

Accountability ~ I want you to take responsibility. Your actions, relationships, destiny and consequences are your own. I want you to be totally accountable. No excuses, No reasons. Total Accountability.

Example ~ I want you to be the eagle that inspires others. The eagle that flies higher and stronger than others but is willing to fly in formation when asked. I want you to "Be the change you want to see in the world." I want you to set the example that others respect.

Solutions ~ I want you to seek out solutions. I want you to search for knowledge, insights and ways to do and be better. I want you to find ways to get things done rather than point out the difficulties. Anyone can identify problems. I want you to seek out and provide solutions and answers to challenges that others can't or won't. I want you to view difficulties as opportunities to show the world what you're made of.

Dependability ~ I want you to be the person I'd choose to have beside me in combat. I want you to be the person I would trust to raise my daughter, if I were not around. I want you to be the person that friends, coworkers, customers and partners trust like no other. I want you to be the very essence of trust and dependability. Be Dependable.

Learn & Lead ~ I want you to learn and lead ~and then I want you to understand that I will always ask for just a little bit more. I want you to learn, lead, and understand that I will always ask for a little bit more.

But the most important thing I want you to remember is:

I want to learn from you.

What Are Ya Sellin'?

2011-04-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

"Every one lives by selling something". ~ Robert Louis Stevenson.

Any one who has ever sold anything knows what I'm talking about. It's the first thing that pops into every prospects mind. Whether they say it out loud or think it - The words are drowning out every other thought they have of entertaining your warm and fuzzy "relationship", "questions" and "solution" based chats. We were hoping for an opening and they went straight to the close. "What Are Ya Sellin'?" is a challenge, a test and a defense all rolled into one. So how do we respond? We've all run across the old curmudgeons, the acerbic ogres, who put up a huge barrier to test our resolve. They mainly want to see what we've got. They want to get to the bottom line of "our value to them" as quickly as possible and get rid of the riff raff just as quickly. So what do we do? ~ A lot of people will tell you that we need to know about the prospect first and that is very true. But before we go there we really need to know two things about ourselves ~ We need to know

Who We Are.

What We've Got.

When someone asks a salesperson "What Are Ya Sellin'?" Our response tends to fall into one of three categories - We Run, Defer or Answer. The way we respond answers a lot about who we are.

Run ~ (Preferred by Qualifiers and / or Cowards) ~ Whether we view challenge as a dis-qualifier or a fight to avoid we can run.

Defer ~ (Preferred by Comedians, Intellectuals, Friends & the Curious) We can amuse, entertain, enlighten, educate or simply ask questions to defer answering immediately. We can try to build and open a rapport with some type of like-able common ground before we move forward. The vast majority of sales people choose these approaches.

Answer ~ (Preferred by Direct Alphas) This may well be the toughest trait to master. We really need to know who we are and what we've got. It better be really valuable, different, evident and of interest to ~ Well ~ To the person who is thinking and saying "What Are Ya Sellin'?"

Whichever category we fall into at some time we will need to address the "What Are Ya Sellin'?" and then we should be crystal clear on who we are and what we've got. Before we ask anything of others, personally and product wise, we need to know what we've got to offer.

Do You Know What You're Selling? Think you know what you've got? Write it on a post it note in ten words or less. Write down what you've got & what your product and solutions have got. "What's Your Value?"

Can't do it? ~ Then you've got nothing.

Got A Minute?

2011-04-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

"Great companies have high cultures of accountability"
~ Steve Ballmer.

What is the primary reason a salesperson doesn't make it in any company? What is the final straw that leads supervisors, managers and bosses to speak those fateful words "Got A Minute?". Is it that they can't follow a proven process? Is it because they won't prospect? Is it because of attitude or attendance problems? Or is it because they simply couldn't bring in the revenue for whatever reason? All of these are frequently stated "reasons" for having that final "Got A Minute" talk.

But perhaps there is a bigger reason?

Many years ago, before the internet, email and social media we knew very little of the salesman who sold us something over the telephone. You couldn't check him out on facebook or linked in. We had no idea who this voice on the end of the phone was and yet we bought stuff from him - both business and consumer stuff. During those dark, dark, days I managed a few motley characters at the height of the "one call, one close" era. It was an interesting experience to say the least. I was the sales manager to a man named "Jack". Jack was a biker. Six foot three and three hundred pounds of beef, muscle and tattoos. He was a frightening bull of a man ~ with a chip on his shoulder the size of Mount Rushmore. Jack was an angry man. He saw every adverse circumstance or poor result in his life as someone elses fault. The customer, the system, the commission structure or ~ whatever ~ was always "the reason". I gave Jack my best shot for a long time but finally it got to the point where I said "Jack ~ Got A Minute". Now most people would just say "It's not working out" and leave it at that. But me? No ~ I've got to save the world. So it went something like this ~

"Jack. Somewhere along the line you are going to have to really accept responsibility and be a man. Sometime, if you want to stop this cycle and start moving forward you are going to have to recognize that what you get out of life comes from being accountable for your results, your destiny, and your relationships rather than always looking at others and blaming. Blaming is for children Jack - If you want to change this anytime in the future - If you want to really be a man - You're going to have to grow up and accept total responsibility for your results."
Jack didn't say a word - He just picked up his check and left.

But the next morning was really scary. It was 5am and I drove up to the darkened office to open the building. Sitting astride his Harley Davidson in the blackness was Jack - He was waiting for me and blocking the door. "Ok Dan" I thought to myself - "Here is a good old fashioned ass kicking coming your way." I got out of the car and walked, as nonchalantly as I could muster, to where Jack sat. He looked me straight in the eye and said "No-one has ever talked to me like that before". There was a pause that seemed like eternity, then he added..."Thank You", shook my hand, and rode off into the darkness.

What's the main reason a salesperson doesn't make it?

They don't take personal accountability. ~ "Got A Minute?"

Samurai Selling

2011-04-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

"The true meaning of the term samurai is one who serves and adheres to the power of love". ~ Morihei Ueshiba.

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to be anchored by an internal code of conduct and behavior when others are influenced and sent off course by circumstance and conditions? What is it that holds those inspiring people steady when adversity strikes? The Samurai would say it is "Bushido" or the way. A code of moral principles that Samurai were required to observe. Many years ago I fell in love with the Japanese culture. I studied her martial arts and married a young girl from Okinawa. Bushido and the principles of the Samurai are romantic ideals and actionable disciplines that I believe strongly can serve to anchor us in time of difficulty. The principles are simple and uncompromising. They are timeless tests that only we know whether we pass on a moment by moment basis. So what are the Samurai principles and how can they help us sell more and be more today?

The 7 Samurai principles are:

Gi = Honesty ~ Be acutely honest with yourself and others. There are no shades of gray. There is only honesty and dishonesty.

Rei = Courtesy ~ Samurai do not need to prove their strength. True strength shows itself in times of difficulty and adversity.

Yu = Courage ~ Do what others are afraid to do. Waiting for change, hiding and counting on conditions and others to act is not the way of a Samurai. We must act courageously. We must take action.

Meiyo = Honor ~ There is ultimately only one real judge of your honor and that is you. We each know what we must do and we either do it or avoid it. Honor is in the mirror. If we honestly look into the mirror - If we look within. Our honor or dishonor is revealed ~ It shows itself to us.

Jin = Compassion ~ The Samurai is not like others. He is selfless and develops his power to serve, teach and help others. "Samurai" means to "Serve". The way of Bushido isn't about us - it's about others.

Makoto = Sincerity ~ When a Samurai says he will do something - it's as good as done. There are no circumstances, conditions or obstacles that can prevent him from keeping his word. Speaking and doing are the same action. (This, in my view, is the very essence of Samurai).

Chu = Duty / Loyalty ~ For the Samurai saying or doing something is ownership of that thing. Total accountability and responsibility for all the consequences that follow. There are no excuses or reasons. There's no one to blame or complain about. It's an accountability thing. There is only a duty to be "Samurai" and a loyalty to those we serve.

Force Multipliers & Pain

2011-04-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

"A Force Multiplier is ~ A capability that, when added to and employed by a force, significantly increases the potential of that force and thus enhances the probability of successful mission accomplishment." Department of Defense.

The military, and particularly special operations, believes very strongly in the effectiveness of force multipliers in order to accomplish mission objectives. But what are force multipliers in business and how can we effectively use them to achieve our goals? I put it to you that they are essentially the same as those used by special operations units.

People ~ The power of a few highly trained and committed individuals to set an example and teach others through their character, attitude, dependability, work ethic and actions is enormous. Identify those few in your organization immediately. The few that take responsibility for results and possess an uncompromising focus on higher standards are critical to effective force multiplication. Engage them with a selfless responsibility to teach, train, and set an example for others to follow. One then becomes two, two becomes four and four becomes eight. The character of our people holds the key to force multiplication.

Attitude ~ Our attitude toward these few is critical. The standards we set must challenge each one separately. Consequently they are individual based. Identify the potential of each person individually. The objective is to get the most out of each according to their own unique capabilities. Talented individuals, those who accomplish what others find difficult easily, need to be challenged the most. The attitude must be that those with the most to contribute hold a responsibility, an obligation, to the team and the mission, to train and support others to achieve more of their potential. Teach them to teach.

Intel ~ You need good intel to be successful in any mission. You need to know where you are going. What is currently happening there. What you want. And what other people want. You need to know what motivates people and you only get that by listening to them and observing their behavior. When people say one thing and do another always give credibility to their actions and results over their words. Develop people who accept accountability for both their actions and their results. There are no good reasons or excuses for bad results. Bad results come from bad actions, bad attitudes and bad intel.

Never ~ Never, ever, give up. Never, ever, leave someone behind (cut those from the team that aren't on board - but never leave a team member behind). Never admit defeat and never, ever, think you are bigger than the mission or the team. Develop a great culture. Develop a special team. Develop Force multipliers. It takes pain to develop force multipliers. People, Attitude, Intel & Never = PAIN. But pain is good. Why? - Because it let's you know you're still alive. Embrace the pain - Go ahead ~ Develop force multipliers in your business.

And ~ Don't Be Weak ~ Be A Force Multiplier Yourself.