What Would They Do?

"The principles you live by create the world you live in; if you change the principles you live by, you will change your world."   -Blaine Lee

"What would (name of a successful person) think about this? What would they do in this situation? Then why don't I do that?"

Picture in your mind someone who has already accomplished one or more of the very large goals or far off dreams you have. This should be a real person.

You see, in pursuit of whatever place we think we want to be, there are many people, dozens... maybe millions of them who have succeeded before us.

And they hold clues.

"Well, of course," you say.  "If I want to put a barn up, I have to learn how from someone who's built one before." "To be an accountant, I need go to school."

It's "common sense," as they say.

But when it comes to reaching some "dream" we've had for a long time, common sense isn't so common.

Think of a big dream you have. C'mon, you've got one...

Getting down to your ideal weight... Building a successful business... Coaching the school team to a winning season... Creating the love for math, reading or science in your students...

Have you had this dream (not quite a goal) maybe for years, even decades, and not followed through?

Why do you think that is?

Are you lazy? Stupid? Well maybe, but probably not.

The reason why most people don't reach their dreams and have trouble with self-control is that they don't have the same core level beliefs as people who've succeeded where you've failed.

Five ways to lead your team to peak performance

Five ways to lead your team to peak performance
Author: Jason Hiner

If you want to succeed as a leader, you can only do it by setting up your team members to succeed. And if your team consists of knowledge workers and IT managers, you need to develop a special brand of leadership — one that continually challenges them and allows them to solve problems independently. This episode of Sanity Savers for IT executives shares a few tips to help you guide your team to peak performance.

For those of you who prefer text to video, you can click the "Transcript" link or you can read the full text below the video. You can also read the original article that this episode was based on: 10 tips for leading your team to peak performance.

1. Don't provide all the answersYou are the leader. But that doesn't mean you have a monopoly on all of the good ideas. If your employees are hesitant to make decisions without asking your opinion first, you probably need to change some of your tactics.When they present you with information and ask what to do about a situation, push the ball back into their court and ask them, "What do you think?" They might be surprised at first, but after you do that a few times, they'll start thinking it through before they come to you so that they're fully prepared to discuss the matter and make a recommendation.That's a good thing, because they're usually closer to the customer and more familiar with the details of the work. You need their opinions. And you need them to make some of their own decisions.

2. Align people with the stuff they are passionate about. Make sure you have the right people in the right seats. Take stock of all the talents you have on the team and reshuffle the deck if you can give your team a better chance at success. Don't keep someone in a job role just because they've been doing it for long time — not if you truly think their talents are better suited for another role.You should also find out what people are passionate about and try to align them with job roles and projects that let them channel some of that passion. That could mean putting them in an area where they don't have much experience. But if their work history makes you think they can succeed, it's usually worth the risk. Their passion will usually fuel a strong desire to learn and to grow.

3. Avoid throwing people under the busIn any organization, there are going to be times when you fail. When things don't pan out as you hoped, do a postmortem to figure out what went wrong and to learn from it. If egregious errors were made by individuals, deal with them privately, if necessary. Let them know your expectations for how this should be handled in the future.Above all, don't publicly blame individuals — either directly or indirectly — in meetings or team e-mails. If you do, you risk creating an atmosphere in which people are so afraid to make mistakes they won't do the proactive and creative work necessary to avoid future problems and to drive innovation.

4. Build consensus by letting your team know WHYOne of your key responsibilities as a leader is communicating about new initiatives and strategy changes. The worst thing you can do is surprise your staff members with a fully formed idea about a new way to do something that will drastically alter their day-to-day work.Whenever possible, give people an informal heads-up that a change is coming and let them know some of the reasoning involved. If they don't agree with the reasoning, they can express their dissent. They might even bring up a concern that should be considered before the final plan is solidified. An even better course of action is to have a brainstorming session with your team when you are still formulating a new idea or strategy change, so you can gather their ideas and feedback.You may sometimes have to spring something on your team, but try to limit those occasions. Even then, make sure you fully explain reasoning behind the decision.

5. Trust your people, and let them know itIT jobs typically require creative solutions and decision-making. Your staff needs to stay sharp mentally to achieve top performance — and it's up to you to build an atmosphere that encourages that kind of creativity.One of the best things you can do is to let your employees know that you trust them and that you have faith in their ability to do the job, solve the problem, and meet the deadline. Now, if you don't trust them, that's a deeper problem altogether. In that case, you've identified an employee that you need to either manage up or manage out.

Managing knowledge workers and IT managers requires you to foster and encourage independent thinking, creativity, and problem solving in an environment of trust. And that's a tall order. But following the leadership strategies we've looked at here can help you build a passionate, productive IT department that's dedicated to delivering top-notch results again and again.

Team Building

It won't work unless people see the benefit of team building. It is not enough to get your group together off site and have a few icebreaker games. If you want team building to work, you have to show the members of the team that it benefits them personally.

 

There is very little "team" in teamwork without a lot of motivation. We live in a society that seems fascinated with individual accomplishment and almost oblivious to teams. Even in team settings like sports, we single out the All-Stars and the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of each game. That is the environment you have to overcome in order to build your group at work into a team.

 

Get Started Team Building - Do you think of your group as a team? They won't think of themselves as a team if you don't. Do you reward team performance, or only individual achievements? You won't have much success in team building if you don't reward team performance. Let your group know that they are a team, that you expect them to perform as a team, and that you will reward their successes as a team. That's the first step toward team building.

Remember that team building must be an everyday activity. It is not something you can just do quarterly at some off-site function.

 

Motivate Team Building - If you want team building to work, it's not enough to tell them that they are a team and must perform as one. You also have to show the members of the team that it benefits them personally.

Most of us are selfish individualists. We watch out, first and foremost, for ourselves and do what benefits us most. We have to be motivated to include anyone else. Fortunately, it is pretty easy for us to see the benefits of including others, so most of us do that readily. Love is a strong motivator. Parents, for instance, watch out for their children. Money is another strong motivator. It is one you can use as an employer. However, the strongest motivator available to a manager (since it is unlikely your employees will fall in love with you) is self esteem. The more the individual sees a benefit to his or her self esteem from supporting the team, the more successful your team building efforts will be.

 

First of all, your people have to acknowledge that they are part of a team. You can reinforce this by holding team meetings, posting team news on the bulletin board or your intranet page, and tracking team performance against team goals.

 

Secondly, they have to believe that the team is capable of producing more than the sum of its members. Lance Armstrong is a great bicycle racer, but he could not have won the Tour de France without the support and assistance of his team members. You may have a great customer service rep on your team, but without the cooperation of the other members of the team he or she would not be able to handle as many calls. You have to make this readily apparent to them and clearly delineate the increased rewards they can achieve through teamwork.

 

Reinforce Team Building Efforts - One company I know had a great customer support team. Their director challenged the team with higher and higher goals. He celebrated their successes in meeting and exceeding those team goals. He also celebrated them as individuals. The team decorated the cubicle of everyone who was having a birthday. They did community service projects together. They had fun at work. And they enjoyed beating the goals Clint set for their team. They got a significant boost in self esteem from belonging to a winning team.

Making up t-shirts, etc. with a team logo or motto can help reinforce the sense of team identity, but it's not required. You should know your team well enough to know whether or not something like that would be positive reinforcement for them.

 

Don't make the mistake of one Accounting Manager I knew. The motto he picked for his team and had printed on ballcaps he gave them didn't fly. He hadn't involved the team in selecting either the motto or the object on which it was printed. - F. John Reh

Dealing With Customer Complaints - B.L.A.S.T

Handling customer complaints doesn't have to always be a battle, with the right tools and responses you can use complaints to your advantage; to help you build your business. B.L.A.S.T is a great tool that is used by companies such as Yum! (Parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, A&W, and Long John Silvers). Training their employees in the basics of handling customer complaints. The acronym stands for:

Believe; Listen; Apologize; Satisfy; Thank

How does your company deal with customer complaints? The easiest way to find out is to pick up the phone and play the role of the complaining customer. What happened? If you were an irritated customer, would you return? Using the B.L.A.S.T guidelines, allows you to create a standardized method for dealing with your complainers and turning them into loyal customers.
Believe
This is the cornerstone of handling a customer complaint. Yes, the customer may be lying and be incorrect about their situation. It is important to understand that your customer believes that your establishment has wronged them.

Listen
Stop and listen to your customer's complaint. I'm not certain whether it's natural instinct or just plain stubbornness. As soon as a customer starts to complain, we start to think of how we will respond to the accusation before we are done listening, and too often the case, already have the response ready to fight back. Take a second, relax, and listen. On occasion a complaining customer will be rude, angry, and use vulgar language, stay the course and remain calm and level headed.
When the customer is done venting; in a calm, non-judgmental tone, repeat their problem. An example I used in my KFC for a mispacked order: "What I hear you saying is that, you came in ordered and paid for 10 Pieces of chicken and when you got home, you only received 8, is that correct?"
By repeating the problem at hand, you've demonstrated your ability to the customer that you heard and understood their problem. Listen and clarify. Never defend or justify. The customer doesn't care if you were shorthanded or if you're having a bad day, they only care that they get taken care of. No excuses, just solutions.

Apologize
Always apologize even if you did nothing wrong. From your customers' perspective, they have a legitimate complaint, and they expect an apology. It could be as simple as "I'm sorry we've inconvenienced you." or "I'm sorry I know how frustrating it is to buy dinner for my family, only not to have everything there when I get home" A sincere apology will usually diffuse a lot of frustration that the customer has. There is an exception to this rule though, if a customer calls with a critical complaint, such as food poisoning, don't apologize, it may be construed as an acceptance of guilt, instead refer to your company's procedures for such events.

Satisfy
Make it right. Ask the customer "What can I do to make this right for you"? Be the judge of what is fair of course, but allow them the opportunity to feel empowered over the situation. Many times they may ask for the problem be taken care of on their next visit or maybe that you talk to the person who made the mistake and correct them. We used a great system of sending out a personalized postcard apologizing for the mistake, it was a couple of handwritten sentences (yes, many times with spelling mistakes from my team members), but it was personal and always well received. We always gave them the unexpected as well, maybe a free dessert or an extra side dish just to show that we cared about them.

Thank
At the beginning, at the end, in the middle; it doesn't matter, thank the customer for calling and complaining.
Why? With the simple act of complaining, your customer is telling you "I care about your business and your success". They are giving you the opportunity to fix the problem and invite them back so they can give you more of their money. Puts a different spin on it doesn't it? Thank them for giving you that second chance, for letting you know that something in your restaurant didn't work like it normally does, for giving you the chance to make it right, and for the opportunity not to damage your reputation!

Reputation? I had to throw that one in. You work hard, day in day out, trying the best to make your business the best, and yet one unhappy customer can take it away from you. A happy customer will tell two or three friends about a good experience, but an unhappy customer will tell at least ten friends about their experience and it always multiplies through word of mouth. Case in point, when I moved cross country to my new hometown, I was at a Chamber of Commerce event and being the new person in the group, I introduced myself and what we did. No sooner than five minutes passed did I get a list of 10 restaurants in my area that in their opinion were in "need of my services". Only one person gave me a good restaurant. I didn't ask, I was told. To this day I still haven't been to those restaurants as a customer, why do I want to give them my hard earned money, when they made my new friends unhappy? It may not be a rational thought, but it is human nature.

Will some people take advantage of your kindness? Of course, a rule of thumb I used in my restaurant was:

First time shame on me, Second time shame on me, but I'm watching you,
Third time... Shame on you and I will make the decision on how I will deal with you as a customer. Keep track of who calls to complain, names, phone numbers for follow up, addresses for your postcards. Using a binder and tracking your complaints, you will be able to detect and deter those that would take advantage of your new complaint procedures.

Adding B.L.A.S.T to your expanding toolbox of customer service tools will help you in dealing with customer complaints and turn them around so they can tell their friends what great service you have!-Albert Barneto is a managing partner of CustomerTrend Mystery Shopping and Customer Satisfaction Surveys at www.CustomerTrend.com

How to be a Good Decision Maker

Inevitably, one of your job requirements might expect you to make decisions for your organization. When you rise up your career ladder you will find that you will be increasingly tasked to make decisions. Becoming a good decision maker will make you an asset to your organization.

Some of the decisions that you have to make may have a deep impact on your career as well as the lives of other people working with you. For instance, your company is suffering a financial crisis and the management team that you head has identified various causes for this crisis. To arrest this financial crisis you have been proposed with a solution that includes terminating thirty percent of your existing staff strength. Since you are the key decision maker you have the unenviable task of selecting those staff that you have to let go. How are you going to make that decision?

We sometimes pray that we do not find ourselves in such a dilemma. However, when tough situations arises only those who can make tough decisions will survive. So here are a few pointers on how you can become a good decision maker in your organization.

1. Understand the root cause of the situation.
In order to make good decisions, it is important that you have a clear understanding of the root cause of the situation. The decision you make must be based on facts that you have and these facts must be verified and authenticated so that you are certain that the decision you are about to make is a rational and reasoned one. Remember the acronym CARF which means have you ‘considered all relevant factors’.

2. Do not succumb to office politics.
Making a good decision entails that you are not motivated by people in your office who may want you to make a decision which might be in their favour. It is quite common that when people start working together there will be a tendency to form little clicks. Each click will then begin to have its own sub-culture and its own unique way of doing things in the office. As a decision maker it is your duty to ensure that you remain apolitical and base your judgement on your effective understanding of the situation.

3. Don’t be drawn into the ‘Groupthink’ mentality.
‘Groupthink’ mentality is one whereby all the members of a group or team feel that they are invincible and whatever decision and action they take and make will not fail. Such a ‘groupthink’ situation comes about when the organization has been relatively successful in all their endeavours for a long while and there is an overall sense of well being and that ‘everything is going to be fine’ kind of attitude. Organization that falls prey to this kind of ‘groupthink’ mentality will find it difficult to make harsh decisions when the need arises and prefer to take a wait and see approach until things become worse.

You will notice the effect of ‘groupthink’ mentality when you are having meetings or group discussions and everyone seems to agree with everyone else. There is no dissention and no resistance to the proposal put forward by anyone in the group. Remember that there is no such thing as a best laid plan. Any decision that you make will have with it certain inherent flaws. The important thing is to objectively identify these flaws and if possible to either try to eliminate or at least minimize their effects. This can only be achieve if you are not drawn into a state of ‘decision making invincibility’ in that you feel that you and your team can make no wrong decision.

4. Successful Decision are those that can be translated into Action.
Decision making is still relatively easier than the ability to translate the decision into action. To be an excellent decision maker you must also be the kind of person who takes action. Once you’ve made the decision you must give yourself a timeline for the implementation of the decision. You also have to engage in a review process to see how the decision has improved the situation.

5. Viewing failure as feedback for further refinement
There will be times when the decision that you’ve made does not quite turn out the way you want it. There is no guaranteed success formula in decision making. When you made a decision that failed what makes you an effective individual is your ability to assess the damage and review the situation to see how you could refine the decision again and put it into action. This certainly is not going to be an easy road. You will face obstacles and perhaps it might be a decision of tremendous magnitude that you have no second chance. However, take heed that if you’ve done your homework and have paid attention to the other pointers above, you most likely might not suffer a massive catastrophe. You may falter and perhaps sustain a few ‘executive bruises’ that will give you valuable feedback on how you could refine your decision.
-By Daniel Theyagu

Steve Jobs and IPod

The iPodOne of the things Apple had occasionally done to increase the appeal of the Macintosh platform was to build its own applications to match the style of the Mac and show off its capabilities. With the Mac’s revival and the launch the new Mac OS X operating system in 2001, Apple resurrected the strategy of making some of its own software apps.

One of the apps that it decided to build was a software jukebox so that users could copy music CDs to their Macs and manage all of their music digitally. This was part of Jobs’ strategy of turning Apple into a digital lifestyle brand and the Mac into a personal media hub.

In the process of making the software that would become iTunes, the Apple team also decided to make it compatible with some of the new MP3 players that allowed users to carry some of their songs in the digital equivalent of a Sony Walkman. However, after looking at the various MP3 players, Apple decided that all of them were crap and decided to design its own player instead. That’s when the iPod was born.

The first iPod launched on October 23, 2001 with 5GB of storage and the promise of “1,000 songs in your pocket.” Initially, it was only compatible with Macs and Apple viewed it as an accessory to help increase the appeal of the Mac. But, Jobs quickly realized that the iPod had much broader appeal, and much bigger sales potential.

In 2003, Apple ported iTunes to Windows and sales of the iPod skyrocketed. By the end of 2004, Apple had sold over 8 million iPods and was the dominate force in the digital music player market. Despite this dominance, and the fact that Jobs had convinced the music industry to sell its songs through the iTunes store, there were still a lot of doubts at that point about whether Apple would continue to own this market. With new players coming from Sony, Rio, Creative, Dell, and (eventually) Microsoft, a lot of analysts expected Apple to fade into a niche player, just as it had done in the computer business. It never happened.

By 2009, the iPod accounted for over 70% market share in the digital music player business.

Steve Jobs concord dragons

Dragon #1: The Macintosh.
When Jobs returned, Apple was in such bad shape that he wasn’t even sure it was salvageable - and industry analysts shared his skepticism. The company’s finances were in the toilet, the product roadmap was a mess, and the Apple brand itself had lost most of its former luster. Something dramatic was needed to save Apple from being bought out in a fire sale or simply fading into oblivion.

Jobs launched a two-part strategy to reinvigorate Apple. He started with the Think Different ad campaign, which associated the Apple brand with creative thinkers and revolutionaries. It was a huge hit, winning awards, drawing consumer interest, and generating tons of media buzz. But, above all, it set the stage for the rebirth of the Macintosh.

While the Think Different ads were making people feel cooler about the fruity computer maker, Jobs also refocused Apple’s product and engineering teams on developing the company’s next great product.

By the late 1990s computer sales were spiking due to the new killer app: the Internet. Lots of people were buying their first computers just to “get online.” Apple latched on to this trend with a computer that was designed to make connecting to the Internet as easy as taking the computer out of the box and plugging in two cords. Jobs and Co. even named it after the Internet - the iMac.

The iMac was a throwback to the original Mac in that it was an integrated all-in-one system, but it also included a unique new design with a translucent blue and white plastic case that allowed you to see the electronics and circuit boards inside. In the world of beige computers at the time, the iMac was extremely stylish. The launch of the iMac in 1998 (combined with the similarly-styled iBook and Power Mac G4 in 1999) drove a huge spike in Mac sales - at one point the iMac was even the single best-selling computer model in the world.
The Mac was back.

The myth of Steve Job

Jobs burst on the scene in the late 1970s as the boy leader who became the evangelist of the personal computer revolution. In 1984, he led the team at Apple that brought the graphical user interface to the masses with the Macintosh.
Then, just as quickly as he had burst upon the business world, his world imploded. In a failed struggle for power and control at Apple, he got kicked out of his own company in 1985 and went into exile. He was a rich has-been by the age of 30. Over the following decade, his next two companies — NeXT Computer (which he founded) and Pixar Animation (which he bought from George Lucas) - quietly made some important breakthroughs in computing but struggled financially and started bleeding away the $100 million fortune that Jobs had made at Apple.
Jobs launched a coup to reclaim his white knight status in the mid-1990s. His first bit of redemption came with Pixar in 1995 when Toy Story became the highest grossing animated feature of all time and Pixar rode that acclaim to a very successful IPO, orchestrated by Jobs himself. Once the IPO launched, it instantly turned Jobs into a billionaire.
His next bit of redemption was even sweeter. At the end of 1996, a badly-struggling Apple decided to purchase NeXT to help reinvent itself as a technology innovator. Jobs initially joined Apple as an advisor as part of the NeXT deal, but he quickly convinced the Apple board to get rid of its leader, Gil Amelio. As a result, Jobs was thrust into the role of “interim CEO” and company savior.
What happened next was a series of conquests that far exceeded anyone’s expectations and returned Apple to the role of technology superpower. These conquests also anointed Steve Jobs with the reputation of being a mix between warrior and magician.

Chin Up! Keep Going..

"Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence." --Ray Kroc
"Am I even a little closer today to my goal than yesterday?"

For those of you who don't know Ray Kroc, he's the guy who took McDonald's from a little hamburger stand to the most successful restaurant chain in the world. He's long passed away and the systems that he set up still thrive and dominate today.
He developed and improved on systems of training, making the food, presentation, franchising, and advertising that made a moderately successful joint into a global phenomenon. Systems and persistence.
Many people thought he was a crazed lunatic, concerning his fanaticism about consistency. But Ray understood that once a system, good or bad, is in place, it's nearly impossible to change it. And that's how we all are as individuals, too. Once we get a habit, it becomes very hard to break... Giving up too soon is the saddest thing in the world.
My wife told me a story the other day about a co-worker who has never hit the 'Help' button in any software program she's ever used...and she's used computers every day for years. She thinks it will take too long to find the answer, so she just doesn't even bother.
Don't laugh--you probably have a few of these yourself. Find them and snuff them out.

Do you look at potential goals and get overwhelmed by all the stuff you'd have to do to achieve it and thus never start anything? The right way is to write down all the benefits that you'll get--spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially... any benefit. Look far into the future. Write 'em down. This simple exercise will help you stay motivated to see it through.
If it takes months or even years to get what you want, keeping your eye on the ball will keep you going. If you don't even know why you're doing something, how can you possibly stay passionate about it? You can't. Have you given up on a goal recently, where if you attained it, your life would be dramatically improved? Were you passionate about the goal?
Of course you weren't.

Passionate desire helps create persistence. Persistence alone will often get you where you want to go. Without it, it doesn't matter how much you know, who you know, who you are, what you've done before, what you look like or how much money you have to throw at a problem.

Persistence, sheer persistence usually will win. Determination will overcome even superior talent.

On Laughter

Laughter is a great stress reducer. If you have never read Norman Cousins' account of his experience of self-healing as described in Anatomy of an Illness, I encourage you to do so. When diagnosed with an incurable illness, he brought a movie projector into his hospital room and watched reel after reel of old classic comedy movies, laughing himself into hysterics. He found he could relieve his otherwise significant pain on a consistent basis through laughter. That practice, along with some other novel therapies, resulted in his healing.

If your own mind is muddled,..

“If your own mind is muddled, much more will the minds of your hearers be confused.”
- Dale Carnegie
The effective speaker should have a clearly organized and purposeful presentation. Here is the basic structure of a successful presentation:
Opening - Favorably attract immediate interest from the audience.
Message - Clearly state your message or theme.
Evidence - Establish credibility and inspire respect and confidence by using convincing evidence.
Closing - Leave the audience with a favorable, memorable impression.

“Life is truly a boomerang"

“Life is truly a boomerang. What you give, you get back.” - Dale Carnegie

Leadership is creating environments that influence others to achieve group goals. Here are some guidelines on how to create this type of atmosphere for your team:
1. Develop an environment that encourages ideas.
2. Create opportunities for feedback to close the communication loop.
3. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
4. Recognize human potential and reward the accomplishments of others.

The Impossible takes a little longer

Think Digital. Act Analog.by Art Berg, CSP

The world is changing technologically. We have fax machines, satellite transmissions, digital technology, wireless communications and an information super highway. There is no doubt that technology has and will change the way we communicate and conduct business, locally and globally.  In 1985 I purchased my first IBM PC. It had dual floppy drives, 256K of memory, an RGB monitor and a 300 bps modem. It cost me $5,000. Today its only value is as a door stop! I remember reading an article in the late 80's that predicted that, by the year 2000, computers at work and home would give you and me as much as 40% more discretionary time. How are you enjoying all of your extra time right now? The reality is that it has made many of our lives busier. Demand is greater. The world has become a smaller place. Competition is more fierce.

Technology has increased the speed of change in every industry. I read a recent article from a financial analyst who is now predicting that, in the next 10 years, only 10% of the Fortune 500 companies will even still be in the Fortune 500-depending on how they are using technology today.

Technology isn't just about gigabytes, bandwidth, random access memory or USB ports. It has a human factor, too. As employees, citizens, parents and people, we need to take some lessons from computers without losing the human touch. If not, we will find ourselves as useful as my old IBM PC is to me today-makes a great conversation piece, but provides no value. Here are some suggestions from the digital perspective:

1. Anticipate change. Nothing is more difficult than changing when we are forced to. Far better is to anticipate change in our lives and make the necessary adjustments long in advance of changing circumstances. Put money aside for unforeseen problems. Learn cross-functional skills at work. Keep your network of resources active.
2. Learn something new. Don't wait for someone else to thrust new ideas on you. Take time each day to learn something new. Take advantage of the information age by developing new skills, discovering different perspectives, and being open to a broader view of your world. Don't be afraid to do something that makes you uncomfortable. Be willing to learn as you go.
3. Be flexible. Adjust quickly. There is little time for feeling sorry for oneself today. Get up, brush yourself off, learn something from your experiences and move forward. You have to be willing to change directions quickly, learn from many sources, and adapt to your environment. Inflexibility today may lead to extinction tomorrow.
   

While it helps us to think digitally, we should never forget the strengths of acting analog. Here are some keepers:

1. Develop meaningful relationships. In an era of "instant messaging," email, and video conferencing, there has never been a greater need for meaningful relationships than there is today. Strong relationships are built today the same way they were a thousand years ago. It requires genuine concern, mutual understanding, sacrifice, service, love, listening and selfless devotion. Solve other people's problem for them and you'll never be without friends. Write a letter. Make a phone call. Stop by for a visit. There will never be a substitute for time.
2. Contribute to a team. Few things are done alone today. Many goals are achieved by teams working well together. To be a contributing member of a successful team you need to be considerate of others, a good communicator and willing to make and keep commitments. Find reasons to include others rather than to exclude them. Draw people in rather than push them out. The strength of great teams can often be found in their diversity. Don't let the differences found in others prevent you from focusing on your common goals. When we make stereotypical assumptions about others, we limit our own success.
3. Some things should never change. Acting analog means being open to change without abandoning our values, principles, ethics and faith. Be an individual of principle. Identify your values. Consider the timeless principles that govern your life. Hold to the faith of your childhood.

Technology will continue to speed change in every industry. By embracing the strengths of a digital world and holding to the highest qualities of human nature, we will be better prepared for the new millennium.

How To Reach The Top Starting From Anywhere.

'Twenty years ago, when I went blind, it was tough to even find the bathroom. Now that I've climbed Mount Everest, well, I guess I've come a long way.' -Erik Weihenmayer
. What limitations have I been clinging to that I should and will throw right out the window, never to look back at again?
Erik Weihenmayer went completely blind when he was 13....
Since then he's climbed the world's tallest mountains, run marathons and jumped out of planes, among his many pursuits.
Erik's story is about having the 'vision' to dream big; the courage to reach for near impossible goals; and the grit, determination, and ingenuity to transform his life into 'something miraculous.'
If you want to learn more about Erik, his book, 'Touch the Top of the World' can be found just about anywhere.
OK. So if a blind guy can climb the world's tallest mountain...
How do those excuses sound that you keep coming up with about why you can't do that paltry little project that's been sticking its tongue out at you for months now.

People like Erik only have one thing that separates them from most everyone else; the attitude that life is to be lived; that accomplishments require some risk, and that the risks themselves can make life juicy and fun.
Now, it's probably not required that you risk life and limb to achieve most of your goals, is it? You want some juice, don't you? Accomplishment? Real excitement?

Then set a big goal. A REALLY big goal. But whatever it is, it's got to stretch you. It's got to be something that you really want... something that would really change your life.

Write down all the steps it will take. Who do you have to call? Where do you have to go? Does it require special training? Do you need tools or supplies?

What sacrifices do you have to make?
Sitting on the couch for another 10 minutes might be pretty 'comfortable.' Taking one more unimportant phone call might be more 'fun' in the moment.

But at the end of the day when you look in the mirror...the only way THAT'S going to be fun is if you cut short the unimportant phone calls, got off the comfortable couch, stopped hiding out and took some major steps toward a big goal... every day. If you do that consistently, you'll start to really be proud of who you're becoming.

Those 'sacrifices,' if you'll look at them aren't sacrifices at all.
Happiness comes from what you become, not what you get. Mike Brescia TRN.

Know What You Really Want!

If you want to conquer fear, breakthrough limiting beliefs, and live a life you love, you need to know what you really want. What do you really want?

It seems odd that grown people would not know what they want and often don't hold the power to act on their dreams. Yet, it is very common. Kids, on the other hand seem to know exactly what they want. Why? One reason is that they have the time to daydream, fantasize, and think. Adults, with busy schedules, don't take the time to do this.

If you haven't asked yourself lately what you want, then you probably don't know the answer. You are either living out someone else's dream for you or you are settling for what's simply good when you could have what is best!

Either of these two scenarios lead to an unfulfilled life of someone asking, "Is this all there is?" Take some time to daydream - right now. Think about what your dream life would look like? What time would you get up most mornings? Who would be in your life? What would your day look like? What job would you have? How would you be spending your time?

Keep a dream book where you write down (and even draw pictures) of what your dream life would look like. The most amazing thing will happen: You will begin watching yourself grow into your dreams! You'll look back at your dreams of five years ago and think, "Gosh, I did that - no problem."

There is so much power in knowing what you want. Clarity gives you power. When you know what you want, and you begin acting on those wants (even in small ways), every day of your life looks more exciting. You'll look back and see unfolding miracles that make your dream happen.

 

If it's true that God gives you the desires of your heart, then it is imperative that you know your desires and have the courage to communicate them. You will begin the process of creating them by first taking the time to realize them!

 

Know What You Really Want! 

Have a great day! - Lisa Jimenez, M.Ed.,

Tosan S
http://thepurchaser.blogspot.com

Seek an Edge by Finding Your Niche

Clearly distinguishing yourself is the key to entrepreneurial success.

Hector Barreto is the former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA). In his new book, The Engine of America: The
Secrets to Small Business Success from Entrepreneurs Who Have Made It!
(compare prices), he reveals winning business strategies from CEOs of
50 successful small businesses (some of which are now large
corporations), who share their experiences to help those starting or
growing their own business. In this excerpt from Chapter 6, he
explores the importance of finding your niche when you start you
company, not as an afterthought.
Two of the most successful businessmen I know, Dimensions
International, Inc.'s Bob Wright and Fabrica International's Al Frink,
have both learned this lesson.
"One thing I learned a long time ago," says Wright, "is that to be
successful you have to find a need and fill it.
There are a lot of needs that are out there, and you have to find them
and then fill them. You must create a niche for yourself and then just
work your tail off to make it happen."

Frink puts it this way, "If you're starting a new business, whether
it's producing a product or providing a service, you have to have
something that you're doing that distinguishes you from what's already
available. It's important to look for voids that are not currently
being serviced in the marketplace. When you come into the marketplace,
what is it that's going to define what you're going to do? Your
long-term success is going to be defined by your ability to be
different, unique, and better.
"The key is your ability to differentiate yourself in providing a
service or making a product that will be your edge. If you can't enter
a market with that, then you better wait until you can. How are you
going to be able to succeed in the new venture if you can't define
what you are going to do in terms of success?

"When I first started in the carpet industry, there were close to
10,000 carpet manufacturers in the United States alone. Today, there
are less than 50. The company I founded is still one of them because
it was positioned not to be a low-cost producer, but to differentiate
itself."

--
Tosan S
http://thepurchaser.blogspot.com