Connecting With People

Why do you want to connect with people anyway?  Well, for many reasons not the least of which it makes life so much more interesting.  If you are the type of person who wishes that you could interact better with people, who sees others interacting in social settings that are attractive to you, then this is for you.  Connecting and interacting is a gift for some.  Having an outgoing nature and a gift for gab comes easy for many people and they can use this gift to their advantage.

If you don't have it, you can acquire some degree of skill interacting and networking if you choose to work at it.  Another great audio program that I have listened to repeatedly is by author and trainer Leil Lownes.  62 Tips on Connecting With Anyone is full of great suggestions on how you can improve your interpersonal skills and begin connecting with other people in a very positive way right away.  However, this type of training is again part of your lifelong educational process.  Half of the battle is admiting that you need help in this area.  The other half is getting that help.

In this program, Lownes offers many suggestions that apply to a wide variety of settings and situations for connecting with people.  Again, as a student of this program, one must be very open to suggestions that appear to be a bit uncomfortable.

Still sitting out ...

For the upcoming election, I am still sitting out the discussions.  I know who I am voting for but I am not discussing it.

Why?  The whole discussion becomes so polarizing.  I watched the first debate.  It did nothing to change my mind.  In fact, I really don't even want to discuss the debate or the election at all.

Whoever is elected will be our President and that is what we have to work with for the next four years.  Then, get on with the business of being the best version of yourself, regardless of who wins the election.

Continual Education

Actually, everthing you are exposed to every day has educational value.  Every conversation that you have with peers, coworkers, friends, colleagues, customers, and even chance encounters with people who you don't know offer you an opportunity to learn and to compare what you learn to what you know.

With age should come wisdom and often wisdom is linked to remembering what you have learned and applying it to whatever you are encountering.  One mistake that we must avoid is that we have learned enough up to this point to get us through the next year, month, next week, or even the next hour.  We always need to grow and learn.

With each passing year, it becomes more clear that I really don't know as much as I thought I did.  I am amazed by how much I can learn from all kinds of people.  It helps to just be open to learning.

Are you endorsing a candidate or party?

This presidential election season, I have decided to sit on the sidelines.  Here's why.  There is way too much negative campaigning.  Not only that, political discussions have become way too confrontational.  That is not for me.

Secondly, a person may say that they are not necessarily endorsing a candidate or party, but it seems to me that anything that you say about any national issues at least seems like a commitment to one candidate or the other.  That doesn't seem right either.  Aren't there any gray areas anymore?  Do we have to be either Fox or MSNBC?  Isn't there a network that considers all sides to every story?

Do you think that we will ever get to the point of having discussions that are about what is best for everyone?  If I vote for one party or the other, do I have to support everything they stand for?

Wow, those are some difficult questions.  Sorry guys but for once, my place on the bench seems real comfortable.

Surround yourself with positivity ...

... and one of the best ways to do that is to be positive yourself.  Positivity and good attitudes have a way of attracting more of the same.  On the other hand, negativity by others drags you down as your negativity drags others down.

If there is someone who drains you because of their constant negativity, I suggest that you find ways to spend less direct time with that person.  On the other hand, if you find that some people really lift you up, spend more time with them.  In fact, find out what it is about them you like and copy that.

I think that we have a bigger influence on each other than we realize.

The Platinum Rule

Most people know the Golden Rule.  It is a great guideline in doing the right thing.  Treat others as you would have others treat you.  This is a rule that implies respect, patience, kindness, consideration, and more.  I am all for it.

In my listening in the car education, I picked up a CD by Dr. Tony Allesandro, who gave a presentation in my very own Cleveland a few years back at a self-improvement series titled Peak Performers.  The title of his presentation is The Platinum Rule and I invite you to access Dr. Tony Allesandro's website for more information.  The basis of the Platinum Rule is to Treat others as they want to be treated.

The advice in the particular setting where he presented it was mainly focused on increasing your sales skills.  I feel that his Platinum Rule applies to relationships as well.  If you kow and understand that all people are different, you also know that they respond differently to your approach to them.

Knowing this, why not treat people the way that they want to be treated?  If you know what pleases another person, why not deliver it when it is possible, makes sense, and is the right thing to do?

Check out Dr. Allesandro's material for more information.

Invest in People

What does that mean, Invest in People?  Well, it means a lot of things.  When you think of investing, you generally think of placing money into something.  Well, this is true for people too.  We can certainly invest in our family members, we can help those in need, and we can certainly help public causes like taxes for education.  Those things are all a part of investing in people.

Equally important or maybe more so is the investment of time.  Giving your time to those who need it is a huge investment in people.  This is especially true when you feel that you have the need to do something else with your time.  Maybe you have another agenda.  Not only does that investment of time help the other person, it helps you.

There is more though.  Investing your confidence in others iis priceless.  Being able to offer encourgement to others is an investment in people.  Building up rather than tearing down, offering support rather than envy and confrontation are forms of investing.

Investing in people could very well be your best investment.

Knock Your Socks Off

I have written about this book before, called Knock Your Socks Off Service.  I have revisited it several times and each time I learn more.  Being in a service mode with customers is common sense but this book makes many points about how to best carry that out.

Being in service mode all the time is really difficult and is probably only possible if you incorporate that into your way of living.  If you make it a regular practice of making service to others a way of life, then Knock Your Socks Performance not only becomes possible but it comes naturally.

This is not to say that the content of this book is not important, it is very important.  Day-to-day practices of providing excellent service to others requires attention to details of personality,  use of words in conversation, readiness to serve, and a variety of other characteristics and practices.

Incorporating service, Knock Your Socks Off Service, into your standards of living can lead to using this approach toward everyone and every situation.  This will not only benefit everyone you contact but you as well.

Politics ...

... have gotten really bad in my opinion.  Why do they spend so much time saying what the opponent did wrong and what is bad about their opponent?  Come on, do you really expect me to believe that there is not one issue or even an aspect of an issue that both sides agree on?  Really?

Wouldn't it be great if we heard a candidate say 'Well, my opponent has done some good things or has some good ideas but I think that my ideas are better and here is what they are'  Wow, that would be different.

Our politics have become extremely polarized.  They call attention to things about the other side to make you not like them.  I think that our society has become polarized  and I really don't like it.  I will not be discussing politics with you unless we basically agree or if you want generalities like I have written here.

The Magic Story

I am a fan of the story Richest Man in Babylon (RMIB) and I have posted about that recently.  I bought the CD so that I could listen and relisten to the story so that I could pass along the advice of RMIB.

Well, it just so happens that the CD that I bought also has a second story called The Magic Story.  You can buy this book on Amazon or you might be able to get it from the library.  This too, like RMIB is an old story, I think written in 1900 or so.  It too, like RMIB offers advice that is still very valuable today.

I recommend that you read or listen to each of these stories as they are both very short but both valuable.  The basis of The Magic Story is that there is a positive and negative entity of every person.  The author gives several tips on how you can make the positive version of yourself work for your best success.

Again, this is not a story about greed or taking advantage of others in any way.  Instead, it is about using your God-given skills and talents to your benefit and for those who depend on you.  I recommend both of these stories as simple but excellent advice for everyone.

The Richest Man in Babylon - Revisited

This is not about greed, it is not even about wealth necessarily.  It is about return on investment, that is the investment of  your time.  I suggest that everyone visit the library or Amazon.com and look into getting a copy of this book.  The book was written by George S. Clason in the 1920's but it is still relevant today.

The basic principles as I understand them are that "A part of all you earn is yours to keep," and trust your investments to experts.  The concept is that you keep at least ten percent of all of your earnings for your entire working life.  So for example, if you earn $30,000 at your job, live as if you earn $27,000 and bank the $3,000 every year.  If you earn $50,000, live as if you earn $45,000 and bank the $5,000.

It is not enough to just bank the money though, you need to make it work for  you.  That is very difficult in today's economy because of the very low interest rates payed by banks.  This is where the advice about seeking expert help is so important.

Many of us will make the excuse that we need every penny that we earn to live on.  The RMIB theory tells you that you need every penny of the 90% to live on and that you owe it to yourself to pay yourself the 10%.  Over the years, the savings compound and your return on investment of time becomes your wealth.

Consider yourself a personal corporation with your earnings as your revenue and your savings as your profit.  If a corporation achieves a 10% profit margin, that is not very favorable but at least it is profitable.  Why should the expectations be less for an individual.  Shouldn't your "profit" be at least 10%.  By all means, you should not be operating in the negative.

Pick up a copy and read The Richest Man in Babylon.  It is worth the investment of your time.

Hometown Favorites ... Fans for Life

I know that I have written about this before but it comes to mind amidst the recent losing streak by the Cleveland Indians and seemingly dismal situations of the Cavs and Browns.  Your hometown is part of your identity.  While I would love to cheer for winning sports teams, these are all I have, really.

The commercial on STO that claims that we are fans for life really resonates with me.  No matter how bad our teams perform, they are part of our hometown presence and thus, part of our identity.  We are not Yankees, Steelers, or Cowboy fans.  That is not real.  We are Cleveland fans.

One day, we Cleveland fans will have our satisfaction.  I don't know when but it will be glorious.

Skilled Work Makes You Employable

I have been very fortunated in my career to visit many manufacturing plants.  One of the facts that has become very obvious to me in recent years is that manufacturing in America has become highly technical.

Now, I know that manufacturing has always been a technical field but the way that things are made now is amazing.  From computer-managed scheduling to CNC machines, to precise shipping management, manufacturing processes today require skilled workers.

It seems to me that getting training and learning manufacturing skills is a key to gainful employment in the labor world that we face now and into the future.  I am not saying that becoming a machine operator guarantees a lifetime of employment.  But I am saying that skilled workers seem to be in great demand now in America.

I am not sure what it takes to become a certified machinist, but compared to years and decades past, it seems like a good living today.  Most of the plants that I visit today are clean, air controlled, and very workable.  It just seems to make sense that this could be a very good way to make a living.  What do you think?

Speed Networking

Sometimes we go to meetings or conferences, see the same people over and over, and never get to know any of them.  Maybe it is because we are shy, or maybe there is no opportunity.

I learned a technique called speed networking.  In this exercise, you divide your group into two.  Line up two sets of chairs or have one of the groups sit at a long table.  Have the other group lineup across from them, close enough to talk.

Give them three minutes to talk about anything.  After three minutes, rotate and do it all over again until everyone from group one has met everyone from group two.  It works.

Communicate and Find Out What They Want

In business or even in your private life, communication is, of course, essential.  In her recent book, Relevant Selling, author Jaynie L. Smith makes this point again and again.  She is mostly referring to business and sales but here theory works in everyday life too.

Her point, as I understand it, is that you must know what your customers value about your company and products or services before you can promote those values.  In other words, a business owner or manager must understand what attributes or advantages or unique skills about your company attracts customers and keeps them.  The only way to find out is to ask.

We in business can go on and on day after day telling our customers that we have the highest quality products or the fastest delivery when what they really value the most is friendly service.  We must ask by doing reserarch and by asking our customers what it is that they like.

In everyday life, the same holds true.  It is OK to ask your friends or family what it is about you that they value the most.  What do you do for them that they hold in highest regard?  Is it your understanding or kindness?  Is it your stability and firmness on decision making?  Ask and you will know.

Every company and every person has strengths but we may not clearly know what they are.  If you find out, you can keep doing more of it.  If you are a business, you can advertise it.

An Excellent Sales Team

Here is an interesting story that I found on Twitter from the Harvard Business Review.  For the story, click here.

I believe that sales management involves some special skills that are different from what makes a great salesperson.  I would guess that having an excellent sales manager will bring the best out of an average team.  On the other hand, an average manager will not help excellent sales people very much.

I believe that you need to start with an excellent manager.  What do you think?

Happiness at Work

Here is a very interesting article from Forbes magazine about the workplace. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/07/27/10-steps-to-happiness-at-work/

I invite you to check it out.

Observations about the Olympics

Having watched the Summer Olympics on television for decades, I am still impressed with the overall event. The opening ceremonies are a time for great pride for all of the participating atheletes representing their home country.

All of the competitions are world class events and winning a gold medal at any one of them is a great lifetime acheivement. All of the categories of competion represent the best in the world competing for three spots on the victory stand; gold, silver, and bronze.

I understand that many of the Olympic atheletes are gifted in some way. This is particularly evident in swimming, gymnastics, and track and field. You can't train enough to be able to compete with them without the natural God give talent and ability. They also can't compete without endless pracctice and training.

However, when I watch the final lap of a freestyle swimming event, or final attempt to make a high jump height, I forget about what goes into it and just try to enjoy the moment.

One negative about watching the Olympics are the tiresome commercials that we sit through just to get another ten minutes of action. Oh well, some TV is tolerable.

Why be bored?

We often hear others say in their downtime, "I am so bored." Wow, why be bored? I know that there are circumstances where an individual may be incapable of doing anything constructive and I am not talking about those cases here.

If a person is able to physically do something, if they are able to read, if they are able to provide service of any kind to others, then there is almost never a reason to be bored. All too often, this boredom is manifested in watching TV or even worse, getting into trouble of some kind.

Boredome is really a lack of intersting activities being pursued by a person. You don't have to be rich to not be bored, but you should be rich in interests. Simply reading is doing something. Excellent books are available at the public library.

I think that the act of combating boredom is simply the initiative to take action and do sometbing interesting. Am I wrong?

Time management is evolving

I believe that the guidelines for how we manage our time are changing. Of course we want to get the most out of our work day so that we can give an honest and fair effort to our employer each and every day. This is essential to your career.

Having said that, I also realize that balance is very important not only to you in your daily life but also to you as an employee of a company. Having happy, well-rounded employees should make for a great company.

Here is an interested blog post from the Harvard Business Review http://blogs.hbr.org/anthony/2012/07/how_will_you_measure_your_companys_life.html It is essential to keep balance in time management and it is important to your company that you manage your time well.

Online and mobile communication opportunities make keeping that balance a little different, not necessarily more difficult but a little different. How we spend our time is changing and evolving because of the availability of online options. Many professions now allow for telecommunting because of this. Having this availability is a new challenge for time management.

Answering the question, what is the best use of my time at this moment is a challenge. If you are on the company clock, that narrows it down significantly to how can I use this moment to benefit the company or the business. It is the rest of the day and night that is more complicated.

Do I work on my professionals skills, work on my physical fitness, my faith life, family life, or relaxation. The answer is yes to all of these and finding the right combination is a challenge. Online availability makes it easier to accomplish many things but more difficult to balance your time. That is why I say that time management is evolving.

Give your day plenty of thought. Use your time wisely in every way.

Great advice from a master of great advice

No not me, from Brian Tracy. If you are looking for excellent business and sales advice, check out Brian Tracy's Blog http://www.briantracy.com/blog/

Hard Work Does Pay Off

In more ways than one. Of course, pay and benefits are an important part of any job. So if you work hard just to achieve and maintain those two things, then hard work is paying off. Work hard, be honest, keep learning, and you should be fine.

There is much more to it though. Through hard work, you will accomplish things that you may not have thought you were capable of doing. Through hard work, you will achieve satisfaction that your skills have been used to accomplish goals and tasks for which you are paid.

It is not easy and at times not really desirable, but that is why they call it work. If work alone was that gratifying, you might do it for free. However, in accomplishing the goals of your employer, you also accomplish your personal goals. You are using your skills and talents to support yourself and others. There is great dignity in hard work.

So yes, hard work does pay off.

Communication is so important

So many hurt feelings can be avoided through better communications. So many businesses can run more efficiently with better communication. It takes quite an effort by everyone to make effective communications happen.

One thing that digital communication has done is to make some communication more difficult. While social media has increased the quantity of communication, it has taken some of the meaning out of it. How often do people get involved in e-mail or text battles that lack understanding because the messages are misintepreted? I would say this happens a real lot.

There are some guidelines that you can follow that should work to overcome misunderstandings. First is to simply speak up. If you need clarification on any message from your friend, spouse, co-worker, boss, or anyone, just ask. What did you mean? Or how did you mean that? It is better to get clarification than to make decisions based on miscommunication.

Also, wait before reacting if you are not really clear about a message. Don't assume too much and act on something because you think that is what the other person meant. If you really don't know something, don't act upon it without clarification. We do this often where we form feelings or reactions based on what we interpret a message to be without clear understanding.

Communication is so important. Make it your objective to become a better communicator, both is sending messages and receiving them. Also work to make technology more effective for you and those with whom you communicate.

A Customer Focused Approach

In her latest book, Relevant Selling, author Jayne L. Smith makes an excellent point about a customer focused company. She makes it very clear that a company focused on their customers has the best chance for success in any business.

The customers needs must drive your company. Smith puts it this way "The voice of the customer should dictate your budget, strategy, and resource allocations. She takes it a step further by making the point that companies must ask their customers what is important to them.

This sounds like a very simple strategy and I agree with it strongly. Find out what your customers want and structure your business to meet those needs better, faster, and with more consistency than your competitors.

Check out Jaynie's website http://www.jayniesmith.com/ and if you have an opportunity to hear her present at a seminar, I recommend it. She will help your company's sales efforts.

More About Connecting

Think about everyone you come in contact with every day. How often do you make eye contact and how often do you just look the other way. Now I will admit that there are some people who should be avoided, of course.

However, there are many opportunities to connect, sepecially in business. When you visit a company, do you treat everyone equally important or do you just breeze by the people who you feel are less important? For example, what about the receptionist, guard, or janitor? On the other hand, if you are one of those people who are treated often as less important, do you begin to feel that way?

The point is that there are many opportunities to make connections and it is especially important in business. A business setting is a great place to work on connecting with other people. Eye contact, body language, and attitude are all important.

The point of all of this is working on yourself. If you want to continue to improve your career and improve your relationships, work on making connections. However, this is not about you. If you want to make meaningful business connections, your encounter must be about them.

How Important is Making Connections Anyway?

I have re-listened to a CD program from motivation and etiquette expert Shawana Schuh and having done so, remembered so many things that I learned the first time and when I attended one of her seminars. The title of this program is Connecting in a Disconnected World.

She gives so much great advice in this session that it is very difficult to summarize even the most important parts. However, one theme keeps recurring with regard to making connections and that is "make it about them, not yourself." Whether you are connecting with customers or connecting with friends, it is alway more connecting to focus on other and not yourself.

Putting the focus on other involves all communication that you do both verbal and non-verbal. If you always place others first, you will be a desired communication partner. If you make it about them, you both win.

If you would like to learn more about Shawna, just go to her website at http://www.shawnaschuh.com/ and you will find some resources there. If you are interested in working on yourself, one of the best observations that I can make is to check out the advice of Shawana Schuh.

Three Cs of dressing for connecting

One of my favorite advisers is Schawna Shuh. She is a professional speaker and author who gives motivational advice. One of her segments is about dressing to make connections in business and she refers to it as the three C's.

First is color and we should all use color in our wardrobes when we are tring to make a positive impression. After all, our outfit and our appearance is for the benefit of others who see us. Therefore, using cheerful colors is a positive for others.

The second C is comfortable. Your clothing should be comfortable for the situation. Your selection of your outfit should be appropriate for your current engagement whatever that might be. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable because of what you are wearing.

And the final C is for cover up. In a business or formal situation, it is always best to do so. This is fairly self explanatory. All of this advice is designed to help individuals to connect better with others in both business and professional situations.

You Don't Have to be Negatively Influenced

Don't take this the wrong way. At one time, in my younger years, I was much more opened to being negatively influenced. Now I know that I don't have to be.

At one time, I thought that I must try to fit in. Now I know that I don't have to. I say, don't take this the wrong way because it doesn't mean that I don't like you. It just means that I don't have to be influenced by you.

Maybe it is just a matter of having some self confidence and self esteem. Maybe it is a part of being older and wiser. I can be nice to everyone and I can socialize with anyone, but I don't have to be anyone but myself.

I guess that part of improving self confidence is knowing that I am ok and I don't need to fit in. I don't need to change and I don't need to act or think like anyone in order to get along with them.

Therefore, I can avoid the influences of others that I consider to be negative without avoiding anyone. Perhaps, I can even positively influnce someone else in return.

Talent, Passion, and Commitment

We use the term passion quite a bit to describe an attitude or approach to your respnsibility. Passion can be defined as an intense, compelling feeling or enthusiasm or desire.

We all have talents at something and when we try to accomplish something either professionally or personally, we use our talents to help us to get there. Where talent leaves off, passion should take over. Where passion is limited, commitment kicks in.

I believe that it takes all three to have sustained success at anything. Use your talents wisely to attain your goal. Be both passionate and comitted and success should come your way.

Working on your interpersonal skills

It seems to me that working on your interpersonal communication skills are more important now than ever. I encounter a lot of people and I am always impressed and take quick notice of anyone with good interpersonal skills.

On the other hand, a person with poor interpersonal skills also stands out in the crowd by their shortcomings.

The reason that I claim that it is more important that ever is that social media offer such abundant opportunity to communicate UN-personally that we lose touch with the ability to interact. In fact, some youngsters may not learn such skills because they are growing up with social media.

Make it a point to work at connecting in your professional and personal life.

Do I really have to choose?

I used to be very interested in politics and the whole political process. Having followed presidential politcs for decades, I have at times taken both sides. There was a time when both parties, Republican and Democrat had a lot to offer. Things have changed.

Is it true that all Democrats are liberal and all Republicas are conservative? Can I be conservative on moral issues and liberal on social issues? Can I care about the poor and still be pro-life? The answer is an undeniable YES. I really don't have to choose all of the policies of one party or the other. I don't have to agree with some issues of one party and need to defend that party overall.

I used to be very interested in presidential politics. It is no longer interesting. I will choose to believe and support whatever beliefs that I choose without regard to party lines. America is still a great country. I hope that we can get back to the two-party system that chose to serve the needs of all Americans. It is no longer interesting.

Advice for selling ... advice for life

Author, Jaynie L. Smith has written a very helpful book on selling titled Relevant Selling. She advises all sales entities to know what their customers want and like about what the seller is selling. In other words, a sales organization should know which values that their customers percieve to be the most valuable.

Smith advises companies to do blind surveys to their customers to learn what values are most valued. This is great advice because a sales person can promote and highlight certain attributes of their product or service offering without even knowing whether the customer thinks that those attributes are important.

For example, a travel agent could advertise and promote the fact that they have received awards for their work. On the other hand, their customers may be most interested in the experience of the agents and the commission rate. So, they really don't care about the awards. A roofer may brag that they only carry the highest quality materials, while the prospects may be most concerned about pricing and mostly interested in middle-range materials. It helps to know what the customer values and wants.

The same is true in every aspect of life. In order to nurture any relationship, it helps to know what your family, friends, and acquaintances really value and want. What good is it if you are funny when everyone wants friendly? What good is it if you are rich and eveyone wants compassionate? It helps to know what others value.

Share your ideas ...

Many people make very good use of Facebook and other social media outlets. Everyone has ideas and everyone has good ideas. Social media provides and excellent opportunity to share.

It should not and will not take the place of interpersonal interaction. Instead, it is a part of it and supplemental to it. It is cool that people share photos and successes and milestones on FB. It think that it is great that ideas and news stories are shared on Twitter.

Of course, there are many negatives too and you know what those are if you are a regular social media user. I really hope that we can use this new technology to share good and useful ideas!

The Walk series by Richard Paul Evans

If you never read anything from author Richard Paul Evans, you are really missing something. In my opinion, he is a truly inspirational writer.

He has recently published the third installment in the series about a character named Alan Christoferson who has some very tragic turns in his life and he decides to sell everything and walk across America from Seattle to Key West. It sounds like a fairly simple plot. In book three, he has made it roughly half way.

This is a strong recommend.

Every day is a new opportunity

In the continuous self improvement process, what you did yesterday is important, but today matters. If you are on a continuous building and improving process, adding on to what you accomplished yesterday and the day before is important.

But, even if yesterday and the day before were not successful in your journey, you have a new opportunity today to get going. Every day is a new opportunity to continue, get on track, or get started. I also think that it is very important to include work on all aspects of your self improvement every day, including physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional.

As author and motivator, Brian Tracy suggests, reading at least 30 minutes per day in your field of improvement is essential to growth and success. This is a practice that takes some determination but it does pay dividends. Get some books that will help you to be the best version of yourself and devote at least that amount of time every day.

Being the best version of yourself ...

What does that really mean? What is a not so great version of what I could be? Those are very important questions to answer.

One thing that I have known for a long time is that you won't be the best version of yourself if you do not work at it every day. There probably is no standing still or maintaining your best self. Instead, being the best version of yourself requires continuous improvement.

That continuous improvement should probably take place in every aspect of your life including mental, physical, spiritual, social, and emotional. It is very likely that doing nothing to improve in these areas leads you to be less than the best version of yourself.

Defining where you want to improve, setting goals, and then going about acheiving them should get you most of the way if not all the way to the best version of yourself. There is no better time than now to get going.

Magnetic Christianity - a strong recommend

I just finished reading the book Magnetic Christianity by Gus Lloyd. I really like listening to Gus on Sirius XM 129 in the mornings on the Catholic Channel. Now I have read his book.

The subtitle of the book is Using Your God-Given Gifts to Build the Kingdom and it outlines several attributes of what a magnetic Christian personality can be. The descriptions include attributes like honesty, friendliness, and enthusiasm and full chapters are used to fully explain what these attributes are about and to give examples.

Each chapter has at least one Magnetic Insight spotlight the indicates the key point given in the chapter. Also, rich scripture passages are interwoven into each chapter to tie the points being made to Holy Scripture. Each chapter ends with some reflection questions and a prayer.

I strongly recommend this book to everyone. No matter where you are with your faith journey, this book will help you.

Despite politics, despite the news ...

One of the best ways to deal with politics and news is to avoid them as much as possible. Throughout the years, I have had varying levels of confidence that I had things figured out. I have had what I thought was a clear understanding f what was going on in the national politica scene.

I am pretty sure that I do not. I continue to be puzzled by national politics. Despite the chaos that is national politics and despite all that we are told daily in the news, I have come to the conclusion that my best way of dealing with it is by not thinking very often or very much about national politics.

It would be better to spend that time being the best version of yourself that you could be.

Your Relevance is Relative ... Your Witness is Absolute

You might think that you are the most or least significant person in your circles. You might think that someone else is the most or least important or relevant. No matter how important you think that you are, others may see you differently. No matter how relevant you think that you or someone else is, their relevance is relative.

Relevance changes over time also. As your skills and knowledge increase, your relevance increases within certain groups and circles. If you do not work to maintain your strengths, your relevance may actually decrease in other circles. You are aldo seend differently in different places and situations.

Consider this, a VIP is important and is relevant inside that group. On the outside of the company or organization, their relevance and importance is taken from another whole perspective. In other words, a VIP is very important within a certain circle. When he or she is at the movies or in the grocery store, they are seen as just another patron. They are still important but their relevance to others is relative to the situation.

You might be the leader of your family or head of your club. Outside of that, you are a face in the crowd. This is not to say that you are not important. Everyone is important. It's just that your relevance is relative.

On the other hand, your witness is absolute. What people see and witness of you is what they see. Your actions speak loudly and they influence other people. Therefore, be careful of how you act and speak because it does have an effect on other people.

You are what you do and say in the eyes of others. If you are constantly striving to be the best version of yourself that is possible, that infuence on others will most likely be positive.

Focus on your blessings ...

Everyone is blessed in many ways. Of course, there is the old saying, Count your blessings. I think that it is important to realized that 1) you are blessed in many ways, 2) it helps our personal well being to understand those blessings, and 3) share those blessings with others.

What do I mean by blessings? Well, perhaps you could look at blessings as strengths. What are you really good at? What makes you strong. In what ways has God blessed you? Those are your blessings.

Understand those things and use them for your benefit and for the good of others. That is a focus on blessings.

Be the first to make good ...

This may be a very difficult thing to do in any relationship, business or personal. Be the first to say I'm sorry. Be the first to make up in an argument or disagreement. If you do that most of the time, it seems to me that you win.

You don't win the argument but you do the winning thing. Actually, both parties win. If you delay making good or making up until the other person does, then neither party wins.

If a relationship is worth keeping, then be the first to save it. Of course, if the relationship is a harmful one theny there is no point to being the first to make good. You can still be the first to say I'm sorry though. This is all a part of working on your relationships. Focus on their strengths and manage their weaknesses. It works.

More to selling ...

There is so much more to selling than being good at sales. It starts with having a great product or service. It continues with having an organization that supports the sales team.

If you have a great sales person who does the job of getting great orders, and then the product or service is late or does not meet the expectations of the buyer, the chances of getting repeat sales diminishes. Repeat sales are a huge part of good selling. If your sales reps are excellent at serving coustomers and generating business, but your company does not allow them to thrive in this aspect of the business, this is a problem.

Selling really starts with the product or service, continues through every aspect of the company, and is carried out by the sales representative. If your company does not have this system in place, dont't just blame the sales rep for failures or shortfalls.

Job Sustainability

When it comes to a job, your job perhaps, there is no absolute security really. Things could change at any company or organization that require a change in the job landscape. In such cases where change happens, there is not much an individual could do about that.

Having said that, there are things that you could do to sustain your job or career and they are rather simple policies that you could follow. They all center around respecting your job. If your job is what is funding your very living and lifestyle, then I would think that showing the greatest respect for your job should come naturally. But what does that mean?

Well, being very respectful of the requirements of the job is a starting point. Show up on time and stay until you are supposed to stay and do what you are required to do in between is a minimum. There is a lot more to it.

Here is a perspective that works. Think of how you would approach your job if you were a major stakeholder in the business and your very performance could determine the survival and success of the company. What would expect yourself to do if you were the owner of the business? You would probably be very judicious with your time and with your efforts to give your very best. Well, take that approach and see what happens.

Continuous learning about your field of specialty is also a key to success. Continue to look for ways to learn and grow in your profession. Read every day. Attend seminars. Converse with other people who have been successful in your same field. Make every day another step in your personal success and the success of your company. If you don't feel a need to make your company successful, then you should consider looking elsewhere.

There are ways to help to not only sustain but to grow your career and job. It does start with respecting the job and doing things to get better every day.

Luck ... what do you make of it?

In their excellent business book, Great By Choice, authors Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen make some very interesting points about luck in business.  They summarize it by suggesting four possible outcomes from luck and they are:

• Great return on good luck
• Poor return on good luck
• Great return on bad luck
• Poor return on bad luck

In business, we are going to have some timely breaks and some untimely bad twists in fate.  This is a given but what we make of these can to some degree be controlled.  In the book, they give several examples of businesses that have capitalized on both good and bad luck.  They also outline some missed opportunities.

The same carries over to all aspects of life.  It would be great if we could figure out ways to make the best of whatever comes our way.

Tell me what you don't like

Sometimes, being a good friend involves telling someone what you don't like about your friend or what bothers you about them. Now, I don't mean saying that you have a big nose or big ears or things like that. Instead, I mean that there are times that you can really help your friends by telling them what you don't like about them.

For example, sometimes you seem too self-centered. Or, you make things about you and you don't listen. Or, I feel uncomfortable when you ....

These are helpful suggestions that not only help the recipient to become a better version of themself, it can possibly strengthen your relationship. Of course, you must be very sensitive because you know that we all get our feelings hurt. It the risk of hurt feelings outweighs the benefits of constructive criticism, don't do it.

If you have the kind of relationship with someone that you can definitely tell them things that need improvement, you probably have a true friend. That is golden so be very careful with it.

Analogies

I love analogies. They help to make your point and they are fun to figure out. Writing on a blog IS LIKE having a diary that you WANT people to read. You are sharing thought with others and not just your future viewing. Thank you so much for reading by the way.

Having professional sports teams compete with widely varying pay structures and vastly uneven overall payrolls is not fair to the fans or the teams. It IS LIKE having a 100-yard dash with a field of 8 sprinters. Numbers one and two, you guys are good to go; numbers three and four, put on these winter coats, numbers five and six you run with these work boots; numbers seven and eight, you carry these barbells. Ready, set, go... not fair:(

Here is another. Doing good works for others IS LIKE mining gold. Some are large and produce quick results on a large scale, while others are nuggets. Many nuggets add up over time and the results are still large.

What analogy can you share?

Focus on their strengths, manage their weaknesses

Everyone is going to have people in their lives who are difficult to deal with, difficult to get along with. This is true for your professional life as well as your personal life. That is a given and what you do about it is the variable.

At a recent conference that I attended, one of the presentations was about this very subject. The speaker was Steve McClatcly of Alleer, a training and consulting company. What Steve advised in dealing with such situations was to focs on people's strengths and manage their weaknesses. We all have both and if you want to increase the number and percentage of people you call friends, this method works.

In a relationship, you focus on the strengths and manage the weaknesses. Then you build a like and an interest in the other person. Its not that your friends are perfect, you look for the things that you like and focus on those. Discover the things that you love about that person and make those the center of your attention. For the things that you don't like, manage those weaknesses even if it means not talking about them.

Of course there are people with whom it is difficult to impossible to cope with. Those are the ones that we need to minimize our time with. For the rest, keep the things in mind that you like about them. Keep in mind the good things that they do. De-emphasize their weaknesses or the things that bother you. This will work.

More about globalization

I have the distinct privilege as Publisher of Hydraulics & Pneumatics to attend several industry functions. We at H&P have been members of the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) for over 50 years and one of my assignments is to represent H&P at the Annual Conference.

This year, it was held on the Big Island of Hawaii making it an even more special privilege. Several great speakers took to the podium this year and one of the recurring focus topics was the globalization of industry as it relates to fluid power. I tried to capture the main points presented and reviewed them in an article.

You can find that article on this website or by following this link http://hydraulicspneumatics.com/blog/more-about-globalization. If you are so inclined to share your opinion, I would love to know what you think of the article. It is my first on this website. Thank you so much for reading.

The Importance of Relationships and Trust

I attended a really excellent presentation by a speaker named Steve McClatchy about relationships in business and how good relationships are critical to success in many ways. I quickly realized that all of what Steve was presenting is also very applicable to relationships in every aspects of our lives.

Of course one of the key aspects of a good relationship is trust that is a two-way situation. This trust has to start somewhere in a relationship. Starting first in this trust is similar to "I'll like you if you'll like me. But someone has to go first.

The same is true in a trusting relationship. We may very well have a natural mechanism that prevents us from going first but it makes sense to start a trusting relationship by going first. Starting first and building trusting relationships can be a very life enriching practice. We are faced with many situtaions in life where having trusting relationships built up over years are extremely helpful.

For more information about Steve McClatchy, I recommend that you visit his website http://www.alleer.com/stevemcclatchy.htm. If you or your company is looking for an exceellent resource for coaching on this subject, this may be your answer.

Competitive Advantages

At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the National Association for Hose and Accessory Distribution (NAHAD), author Jaynie Smith gave a presentation titled Relevant Selling - Competitive Advantage. Smith made it very clear that an advantage must be relevant in order for it to truly be a competitive advantage in any market.

When asked what their advantages are, most companies will give answers that are common to a list of about 10 characteristics that include things like price and service. However, as Smith points out, if these advantages are not relevant to the customers, then they really are not differentiators. Then pricing becomes the main characteristic.

I recommend that you take a look at both of Jaynie Smiths two books on the subject including her latest titled Relevant Selling. More details can be found on her website http://www.jayniesmith.com/smart-advantage

Can you do it again and again and again?

It is one thing to have success at something once, twice, or even over a short period of time. It is all together something else to experience success at something over a long period of time. It takes repeated work and constant determination, patience, and persistency.

It is also important to know what and when to change your process or product to succeed. These are generalities but I am also speaking of specifics for being able to repeat a successful process. Specifically, if you are selling shoes, for example. Perhaps your store asks you to be polite, helpful, and follow a specific process for EVERY customer.

So, day after day, night after night, you as the salesperson must follow all of the steps. Further, for your store to be successful, every salesperson must follow every step. Every manager must enforce every step every day. This takes a lot of effort. But, if your process is successful, not only do you need to repeat it, you need to monitor the process and know when and what to change. Can you do it again and again and again?

What are you enthusiastic about?

Think of all the people that you come into contac with every day. Do they greet you with enthusiasm? Are they interested in what you have to say to them?

How many people do the things they do every day with enthusiasm? I don't necessarily mean outward obvious signs of enthusiasm but sincere eagerness to be open and sharing with others. It is so gratifying when you know that a person you speak with is really interested in you and what you have to say.

As we go through our day, whether it be at work, at play or at home, things would go so much better if we were enthusiastic about what we are doing. The golden rule does apply here, show the kind of enthusiasm that you would like to receive. Give it some consideration.

Magnetic Christianity

In an earlier post, I mentioned tht Catholic Channel on Sirius XM 129 and the morning show hosted by Gus Lloyd. The name of the show is Seize the Day and I recommend it for your morning listening.

Gus has also written a very informative and inspirational book titled Magnetic Christianity - Using Your God-Given Gifts to Build the Kingdom. That is what all Christians are called to do. Having read about one-third of the book so far, I can strongly recommend it.

There are many similarities to the t book called Rediscovering Catholicism by Matthew Kelly. This is another strongly recommended book.

Branding

Branding is key to any business. Increasing brand awareness causes more customers to know about your products and thus your sales will increase. To read more about business branding please see my other blog http://hydraulicspneumatics.com/blog/michael-ferences-blog-publisher-hp

However, I believe that branding in way actually applies to every individual. Let's only consider the positive side here. Everything about a person is part of their image or, in a sense, their personal brand. Your appearance, actions, and beliefs all make up your personal image or brand.

You are probably not selling a product necessarily but we are constantly selling our best self to others because that is who we want them to know.  Consider your overall self as your brand.  What do you want to do with it?

Some paranoia and repetition

Productive paranoia is what Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen refer to in their book Great By Choice referring to being very vigilant in taking care of all the details in business. Making all the preparations and having redundant plans for success make sense when managaing your business.

Maintaining your process with careful attention and being prepaed for any and all problems allow a business to survive and perhaps thrive in difficult times. It is safe to say that all businesses can expect difficult times to come their way. Being "extra" prepared allows them to manage these challenges.

As for repetition, it also makes sense for a business to figure out what works and being able to replicate it again and again over a long period of time. When a process works, there is less need for change. This is also very true in the field of sales. Repeated service, needs analysis, gathering and using important intelligence all help a sales rep to serve customers.

Seize the Day

When I signed up for Sirius XM radio, I did it because I knew that I would like the music choices. And I do. The factor that I did not expect was that my favorite station would be a mostly talk station and that is Sirius XM 129 The Catholic Channel.

I have mentioned The Catholic Guy which is one of my favorite shows. It is on in the afternoon drive-time and is hosted by Lino Rulli who I have posted about before. Lino and Father Rob have a great show.

Another excellent show on The Catholic Channel takes place every morning Monday through Friday and it is called Seize the Day. It is hosted by Gus Lloyd who does a fantastic job of discussing and explaining Catholic beliefs and practices. On the show, Gus, his guests, and call-in participants discuss many current topics relating to our Catholic beliefs.

Gus always shows the utmost respect to all guests and I find that very impressive. In addition, Gus reads and reflects on the daily Scriptures which I also find very helpful and inspiring. I strongly recommend Seize the Day on Sirius XM 129 The Catholic Channel. Keep up the great work Gus!

It all begins with selling

I have been involved with business for over three decades and directly in sales for most of the time. I have visited many companies and have reviewed their businesses and have studied books on selling. One observation that I can easily make is in line with the old saying that "nothing happens until somebody sells something."

There are many essential parts to a business. Accounting and Finance are necessary for the function of a business. But, without sales, there will be nothing to account for. Designing and producing products that are innovative, useful, and available is what makes a business what it is. However, no matter how good your product is or how fast it is made, without sales they are useless.

Human Resources, Payroll, Maintenance, and Management are all important. Without sales, there will be no business to manage, no reason to maintain machinery, and no resources to maintain a workforce. Our jobs depend upon sales. Let's give our due respect to salespeople. Selling is one of the oldest and noblest professions.

Applying Specific Wisdom

In business and in your personal life, you gain specific wisdom. In business, after applying certain principles and strategies to your business, you learn what works and what doesn't. It is similar to the bullets then cannonballs theory explained in Great By Choice by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen.

You use intelligence from experience to apply best practices to your business. That is using specific wisdom in business. In your personal life, of course, you gain some wisdom and intel every single day.

Again, applying what works to make your life more successful is an application of specific wisdom. It makes sense to keep and use knowledge to make all future decisions rather than guessing all of the time on the right decision.

Happy Easter

On this day, we celebrate and remember the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Alleluia Alleluia. Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ, King of Endless Glory!

Striving for Balance

Balance in life is essential for success. Keeping balance is never easy. Being overcomitted to one or other area of your life puts you out of balance. If you have the right balance, you will probably be more successful in every area of your life. For example, an individual with a balanced life is probably a better and more effective worker. If you are overcomitted at your profession, that could lead to fatigue in many different ways; physical, mental, and burn out. Keeping a focus on balance helps to maintain the right combination of elements in your life.

Teamwork is a main ingredient to success

Working as a team is the best way to achieve success in business, sports, in community events and efforts, and all areas of activity. A team is a group of individual who bring their individual talents together for a cause.

I have heard it said that ordinary people working together for a common cause can achieve extraordinary things and I believe this to be true.  There is a synergy that is naturally created when people work together.  Not only do team members work together for the common goal, they constantly have each others' backs.

Working on a great team might even be much more rewarding than being a superstar individual.  I have worked on great teams but have not experienced superstar status at anything, so I can't speak from experience.  I do know that real teamwork does work!

A Book Review - Sinner by Lino Rulli

When I first got Sirius XM radio in late 2011, I was thrilled to find that I had so many music choices from all of the stations on the Sirius XM radio dial. I did not expect to get hooked on a station that featured mostly talk shows but I did Sirius XM 129 The Catholic Channel.

One of my favorite shows on The Catholic Channel is the afternoon drive program that features a host by the name of Lino Rulli. He is a very witty guy who along with his co-host Father Rob Keigron offer lots of light-hearted viewpoints about being Catholic. In fact, the name of the show is The Catholic Guy. I have really gotten to like the show and listen to it almost every day.

Lino Rulli has written a book titled Sinner and it is mostly about the trials and tribulations of his life and how we are all tempted by and often fall to sin. However, it is comforting to know that our God is a forgiving and merciful God and Lino points this out quite clearly in Sinner.

None of us are perfect and it was fun and interesting to read about how Lino has dealt witht the things that have come his way in life. This book offers a great insight into what makes The Catholic Guy who he is. I like the radio show even better now.

More from Great By Choice

One of the very strong points that authors Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen make in their recent book Great By Choice is that discipline in any business endeavor or any activity for that matter is critical to success. They refer to it as fanatical discipline but they mean it in a very positive way.

I have learned that paying attention to every detail is extremely important to making a business successful and profitable. Striving to win in small increments helps to ensure large and long-term gains.

It is very easy to be side tracked away from discipline because of complacency, resting on success, or just losing focus. It is probably easier to stay disciplined than it is to get it back.

I have only read about the first third of this new book Great By Choice but I have learned a great deal already. It is at least the equal to their previous best business book ever - Good to Great.

The Final Four, Mega Millions, and Holy Week

Some things occur every year or every month or every week around the same time.  The outcomes for some events are more predictable for some than others.

If you play the lottery, in particular the real big one, your chances for success is micro miniscule. It could still be fun to play and, who knows, maybe one day you will get rich.  
The Final Four comes around every year at this time and it too is a lot of fun. You enter a bracket pool and perhaps pick the winning team. Your favorite team could also be the winner bringing you some joy. The odds are better here than in the Mega Millions.  My favorite teams are Cleveland State, Ohio University, and the University of Oklahoma.  This year we had a huge success with Ohio!!!

And finally, every year around this time, Christians commemorate the passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Holy Week.  The infinite love of God the Father, the Redemption offered by Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are sure things.  Have a great Holy Week and a very Happy Easter!!!

Connections to the Past

I recently acquired an IPhone. I am still trying to figure out and understand the capabilities of it and I probably won't get it until it is time for a new one.

Anyway, one of the cool apps for the IPhone, or any computer for that fact, is a music player called Pandora. So, I downloaded the Pandora app (it makes me feel cool to say app) to my IPhone and I occasionally listen to it with the headphones that came with the phone.

Then one day I wondered what it would sound like without the headphones so I upplugged them while the music was playing. Well it sounded like my old transistor radio from the 1960s and 70s. Remember them? You could take them anywhere and listen to music that was neither clear nor loud.

My next reaction was that this is not so bad, neither was the transistor radio in its day. You could still listen to music without being tethered by headphones and you could listen to other things as well.

I guess that in its day the transistor radio wasn't so bad. A connection to the past.

Wisdom vs. Grasping Things Quickly

I think that it is reasonable to say that younger people (generally 35 and under) grasp things more quickly than older people (your guess). While that may be true, it is also true that there is no substitute for wisdom.

While younger people are quick to grasp technology i.e. cell phones, computer technology, fashion, and even lingo; this does not equal wisdom. Likewise, just because a person (over let's say 50) does not easily adapt to technology like video games, computer technology, and lingo; that does not mean thay they are irrelevant.

We cannot and should not establish relevance of a person by their modernization. For example, if a person does not adapt to Social Media or current entertainment, it does not mean that they are "out of it." Rather, we should look at their level of wisdom. How have they taken what thy have lived and learned and applied it to their daily lives and shared it with others.

I think that history shows that over time, most people adapt to current technology and living environment. I do not think that history shows that wisdom is a given.

Manufacturing and the US Economy

OK, the revised GDP for the US economy for Q$ 2011 is now 3%. The manufacturing index for February stands at 52+. I have heard projections that unenployement could be headed to as low as 6% in near times.

Things look good for the US, regardless of your political point of view. I continue to have many conversations with manufacturers of fluid power components in the US and they tell me that the market for their products remain strong. The forecast for the second half of 2012 if for an increased growth rate for fluid power sales.

What does this say for the manufacturing outlook for the US? It looks very positive to me. With "smart manufacturing" on the rise, the labor advantage of low-cost producing countries is being neutralized.

I am very positive on our future here in the US for manufacturing. What do you think?

Winning in small increments

Based on the concept expressed in the book, Great By Choice by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen, I believe that a big factor in success is consistency.  A commitment to daily progress is essential to continued success in business and in your personal life.

The concept that I am speaking of is the 20 Mile March idea that a business, or an individual, must make a commitment to win in small increments on a very consisten basis.  In other words, don't rest after a giant leap by saying well we will make up for it because we always do.

In a similar way on the personal side, consider diet and exercise.  It is kind of like eating big meals because you missed breakfast or lunch.   Or exercising two hours today because I will miss the next two days or the last two days.  I don't think this works.

Consistency of accomplishing daily goals leads to success in whatever you are trying to accomplish, business or personal.

Knowing your market

No matter what business you are in, it is essential that you know your market.  If you are in sales, you need to know what your customers are interested in and capable of buying.  If service is your business, it is necessary to know what services your customers want and can afford.

It is not enough to simply state your goals at the beginning of the year claiming that you will increase sales by 10% or 20% without a roadmap of where the sales will be because of the needs of your customers.  Don't plan to sell a $20,000 product or service to customers that are only capable of buying $5,000 things.

If you are a manager of an organization or a teacher, the same rules apply.  You must know your market and know what they want, need, and are capable of acquiring.  Then and only then can you set about achieving your goals.

I would call this market intelligence and this kind of information needs to be observed, recorded, and passed on to other members of your organization.  Your marketing plan, sales plan, and management plan must be based on the knowledge of your market.

From a Business Perspective

I have learned many things during my 30-plus years in private enterprise aka business.  One important lesson is that it takes a business perspective to run a business.

In its simplest formula, you have to ask, how much revenue will be make at this enterprise and what will it cost us to do it.  The difference is what we commonly refer to as EBITDA, or earnings, or -simply stated - profit.

Without profit, you really don't have a business enterprise, you just have a activity.  I have had many mentors actually in my business career but the best one is probably the one who goes by the name Common Sense.  After all, we do live in a capitalist free enterprise system - a good one too - and the rules are fairly simple.  Make a profit. 

Making a profit, while sometimes it costs jobs, is also a provider of jobs.  Maintaining a profitable enterprise does preserve some jobs.  It also preserves your business.

20 Mile Marches

Fanatic discipline sounds kind of bad. In the book Great By Choice by Jim Collins, co-author of Good to Great, fanatic discipline is one of the foundations of a sustainable great companies.

But, it is good in the context of a 20 Mile March. This is an anaolgy of a walking trip from San Diego to Maine by taking 20 miles per day and toleratiing no less but venturing no more each day. If a company sets a 20 Mile March goal for the performance of their company and tolerate no less even in difficult economic times, then they have an excellent opportunity to become a 10Xer, a high performer in this book's description.

If a company or organization can set an attainable goal for every year, do everything in their power to reach it and never rest until they get there, this is a fanatic discipline, one that leads to financial success.

More to come.

Keep on learning

In my study of sell-improvement ideas and concepts, one theme that is clearly obvious is that continuous learning is essential in both your professional life and personal life. One example for me is that I knew that I needed to learn how to use social media because it is only growing and expanding as a communication source.

Another technology that has become so prevelant is the usage of tablet devices. I have been using an IPad for about three weeks and I will say that it is a game changer. The laptop was nice but the tablet has replaced it.

Adapting to technology is part of continuous learning and this is why I reccommend it.

Great by Choice by Jim Collins

Ever since I read Good to Great by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras several years ago, I have commented that it is the best business book that I have every read, and I mean it. In this book, there are many key strategic business concepts explained.

I specifically remember Getting the Right People on the Bus, The Stockdale Paradox, Level 5 Leadership, and The Hedgehog Theory. I have thought about and tried to apply these concepts ever since reading (and listening to) the book. Now I am reading Great by Choice (and on my IPad of all things) and I love the book so far and I love reading on the IPad.

Early in the book, three new concepts (new to me at least) are introduced and they are Productive Paranoia, Empirical Creativity, and Fanatic Discipline. In this book, similar to Good to Great, there are comparisons between very successful companies referred to as 10Xers and their comparison companies.

I will be adding more later.

The IPad is a really handy tool

I am fortunate to have a new IPad. I am learning more about it every day as it is a very useful tool. I am an active user of Social Media for business and this new tool allows me to have increased access to Twitter, Facebook, and this blog. In fact I am entering this post on my IPad.

Here is a very amateur video that I took with the IPad. While it is not good quality content, it demonstrates the ease of use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD8KFsAtC1o

I hope to continue finding more ways to be productive with my new IPad. I recommend giving it a try.

Communication continues to change

I have heard it said that we are moving to a post-PC world. The argument can be made that tablets have become more popular than PCs.

That may not be the case yet. However, the tablet device with apps sure make it easy to access informaton and locations on the web that previously could only be accessed through the internet.

It seems to be moving in that direction and the continual improvement of the IPad really helps. That is where this message is being input.

The importance of staying in touch in person

You may remember a TV commercial from several years ago, I believe it was for a major airline, where a manager was addressing his team of employees about losing a major customer.  Their customer had informed the manager that they had just lost touch.

Instead of in-person meetings between this manager's company and the customer, phone, mail, and perhaps fax messages had become all too prominent (this was several years ago.)  Thus, the customer had moved on to seek better care and attention from another vendor/supplier.

That was probably about 20 years ago, if not more.  Now, fast forward to today and add e-mail, Facebook, Twiter, texting, smart phones, voice messages, and more and where do we stand?  For companies having communication problems then, are we better off, worse, or the same now?

Has advanced electronic communication brought us closer to our customers, taken us further away, or has the dynamic stayed about the same?  Are we more in-touch with today's advanced electronic communication, more out of touch, or have things remained the same?

Here is my argument.  While technology has changed communication dramatically and continues to evolve, it is our attitude that remains the critical constraint in effective business communication.  We can, and probably will, choose to use the communication tools available in the current world.  If those tools are used to aid and enhance a great attitude of customer-centric activity, we will be successful..

If we stay focused on the needs of customers regardless of which forms of communication we use most predominantly, we will be effective.

I still believe that face-to-face contact and communication is preferred and most effective.  But, in a climate where we are asked to do more, the latest tools con be the most effective if coupled with the best attitude.

As the manager in that commercial said, I'm going to see that customer that we lost to get reacquainted.  I hope that he sets up an Outlook meeting first.

I like Twitter

I like social media in general because it is a convenient way to stay in touch with people both professionally and personally.  I specifically have come to like Twitter.

Here is why.  I have followed many Tweeters who I think have something useful to say.  Then, each day I scan Twitter for useful posts.  Ironically, I often print the good ones and read them later.  If I had an i-pad or other tablet comuputer, I would have access to useful information all the time.

For this reason, I like Twitter.

Whales, minnows, and ideas about selling

I once heard an analogy about selling that compares selling to fishing.  The story advises sales people to go after the big fish because that is what will yield the greatest return.

After all if you catch a thousand minnows, what do you have, a bucket full?  On the other hand, catch just one whale and you have a ship full.

This story is far from complete though.  First of all, only bait stores would be interested in catching minnows and they probably don't catch them but farm them.  Secondly, consider the cost of catching, transporting, and processing one whale?

A better place to be, especially for a small business, is somewhere in the middle.  For example, for a single fisherman or a crew of two or three, catching hundreds of a variety of edible fish seems to make sense.  If you depend on whales, what happens if you don't catch any?  On the other hand, if you fish for a variety of fish, your chances of success seem greater.

Selling requires a lot of common sense, just like fishing.

Let It Snow

To all who dislike winter in Northeast Ohio, I am happy for you that this has been a mild winter so far.  For those of us who love winter sports, it has been a challenging winter thus far.

We are very fortunate to have a ski resort right here in the region.  They have done a fantastic job of keeping the place open during these warm conditions.

I know that we still have a lot of winter left here in 2012 and I hope that it brings you the kind of weather that you like.  At any rate, I hope for a safe winter for all.

A Cleveland Treasure

Every area of the United States has something of beauty to offer its residents.  Of course, both oceans offer beautify scenery as well as magnificent sunrises and sunsets.  The Rocky Mountain region is majestic in its terrain and views.

The Cleveland area has the benefit of a real treasure that is our Metroparks.  If you like woods and wildlife, we have it.  If you like scenic hiking trails, we have them.  We have our great views also.

They call it the Emerald Necklace because it is draped around Greater Cleveland like a beautiful piece of natural jewelry.  It is complete with rivers and streams, hills and valleys, and beautiful scenery.  It also has great hiking trails for all to enjoy.

When you get the chance, check out the Cleveland Metroparks anytime of the year.  Each season has beautiful landscapes to offer.  And, it is free.