In a more and more interconnected world, there are huge advantages to being able to pursue many avenues of income, friendship, relationships, etc. due to our interconnectivity. At the same time, it’s very easy to get distracted by some shiny objects. Squirrel! The more successful you become in your chosen profession, the more opportunities, offers and sales pitches are going to come your way. Having the discipline to politely decline offers which are not closely aligned with your laser-focused goals is one of the most valuable skills you can develop. Politely decline and stay focused on your goals.
Sharpen Your Saw
We get better at that which we study. And pros never stop studying. I just returned from Tom Hopkins’ very last three-day “Sales Mastery Boot Camp” in beautiful Scottsdale, AZ. Tom has been conducting these Boot Camps for over three decades all around the world. When I heard he was going to be delivering his last one, I cleared out a few days in my calendar, went online and registered. I’m glad I did. It’s always good to return to the basics of your craft. That’s what pros do. They continue to learn more and over time they continuously return to the basics. One of my favorite quotes for many years has been, “The most important thing is to remember that the most important thing is the most important thing.” This may sound like double-talk, but it’s not. It’s very easy to get distracted with the flavor of the month …
Back In School
My daughter, Anja, started high school and my son, Tristan, started sixth grade this morning. It’s back to school time! When I was in school, when the earth was cooling, we didn’t have cell phones. We didn’t have iPads. We didn’t have jeans that cost extra if you bought them with holes already in them. An interesting article came out today in the national news talking about how kids today never knew a world where Kurt Cobain was alive or where they had to take their film to the drug store to get developed. If you’re too young to get this last reference, you’re a punk. But no matter how much the world and technology changes, it serves us well to remember that human nature never changes. People will always want to be appreciated and respected. We’ll always feel better when we receive a sincere compliment. So while you’re keeping …
Corporations Can’t Outrun Their Character
I love this post by Seth Godin: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/08/corporations-are-not-people.html I tell my audiences all the time that we can’t outrun our character. Neither can corporations. Chris Brogan talks about humanizing business. I completely agree. We are in an age now where what goes around, comes around. Literally at the speed of light. On fiber optic cables made of light called the internet. Do the right thing. Because it’s the right thing to do. And all the wonderful things that will happen and come back to you in return will be the icing on the cake.
Make ‘Em Smile
In our busyness we sometimes forget what we need to do in terms of our clients and prospective clients. Yes, we need to under-promise and over-deliver. Yes, we need to keep an eye on emerging trends and threats. Yes, we need to do all that Harvard Business Review, high fallutin, MBA type stuff. But here’s your real job: make ’em smile. And keep ’em smilin’. Be real. Be a person like them. Have a heart. Never pass up opportunities to personalize things to make your clients feel more special. I’m dealing with some technology and product fulfillment issues right now that are bugging the crap out of me. Majorly bugging me. Serious buggage. And it’s having an effect on my clients. This is a good example of it’s not what happens, but how we handle it. I’m thinking creatively and coming up with ways to make ’em smile as I …