7/1/09
Hello again to my friends, family, colleagues, and clients. Many of you know me personally through networking or through one of my speaking engagements related online and offline networking, Social Media, LinkedIn training, or personal development; and some of you may know me by LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, email or telephone. Welcome to everyone that’s new to this distribution list.
There are a lot of very smart and interesting people that I am fortunate to network with. We share books, movies, music and ideas that stimulate us. I’m always interested to learn what other people that I respect are reading, watching and listening to. This is my monthly newsletter with books I’ve recently read, movies seen, music devoured, ideas and other things that may be of interest to you. I focus on topics related to networking, Social Media and inspiration, but you never know what you’ll find here. If you find this interesting and would like to pass it on, please feel free to do so. If you’d like to be removed from this list just let me know. If someone forwarded this newsletter to you and you would like to be added to this distribution list or if you’d like to view previous newsletters, please email me and let me know. Thank you for all the great feedback on this newsletter. I enjoy responding to your comments and am pleased to say that this newsletter goes out to many thousands of readers in over 40 countries.
I use LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/kevin
Oh my gosh, it's July. Time sure flies. In one of my recent talks I made a comment that even caught me by surprise as it came out of my mouth. We're in the last half of the first decade of the 21st century. The last six months of the first decade. Wasn't Y2K just last week? As Groucho Marx said, “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”
I hope that your year is going well and that you're taking the time to enjoy everyday. Remember…“Life is short. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly.”
UPCOMING PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
I speak many times per week and while most of my talks are private engagements for companies and organizations, there are some talks that are open to the public. Here are a few:
7/17/09 Colorado Springs
I have been asked to come back and deliver a full-blown LinkedIn training for the members of the Colorado Springs Home Builders Association. Over the last 6 months I have given many Social Media ad LinkedIn trainings to people in the real estate industry all over the state of Colorado. These folks are eagerly embracing Social Media and leveraging multiple platforms to grow their businesses, find customers, establish credibility and other business purposes.http://www.cshba.com/icws2
8/11/09 Colorado Springs
The Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and Express Employment Professionals are partnering to deliver a full day of training related to issues important to business owners, HR managers and other professionals. I will be speaking on the effective uses of Social Media in small to mid-size businesses. This will be a tremendous day of information!http://coloradospringscoco
A BOOK TO PUT ON YOUR MUST READ LIST
Who's Got Your Back?- Keith Ferrazzi
In one of my newsletters last year I reviewed Keith's first book “Never Eat Alone”. In that book Keith taught some very effective methods of networking and I refer to that book quite often in my programs.
It was a brilliant discussion of how to network ethically in the modern world by building real, valuable relationships with people centered on giving of yourself to others. Who's Got Your Back is a departure from his first book. In WGYB he teaches that networking with large numbers of people is great, but at some point it's important to develop some close, personal relationships with mentors, friends and advisors. What I really like about Keith is his “pay it forward” attitude. Keith discusses how to find this group of people and how do you ensure that you're grooving with the right people.
According to a 2006 study in American Sociological Review, the average person has only two confidants, and 25% of people have none at all. In a ever more complex world, confidants and advisors are more important than ever before – yet people have fewer of them.
Ferrazzi then makes the case for how valuable “lifeline” relationships are, focusing on four ways that such relationships are critical:
1. To help us identify what success truly means for us, including our long-term career plans.
2. To help us figure out the most robust plan possible to get there, through short-term goals and strategies that would tie us in knots if we tried to go it alone.
3. To help us identify what we need to stop doing to move forward in our lives. I’m referring to the things we all do that hold us back from achieving the success we deserve.
4. To have people around us committed to ensuring that we sustain change so that we can transform our lives from good to great.
Ferrazzi identifies four “mindsets” – more like traits, actually – that, when cultivated, provide the foundation for building such lasting “lifeline” relationships.
Generosity: You have to be willing to give sincerely of yourself without expecting a thing in return. Generosity is the foundation of trust, and trust is what makes such relationships work.
Vulnerability: You have to be willing to be vulnerable. Can you move outside your safety zone? Can you accept criticism from others?
Candor :You have to be willing to be totally honest with others. If something’s on your mind, you shouldn’t hold it back. It might be valuable.
Accountability: You have to be willing to follow through on the promises you make to others.
Keith goes to explain how to develop your own “Dream Team” and how to integrate these principles into your life. This isn't a one time shot- it's a life long process that leads to long term success.
I think that it's ironic that as the world gets smaller through global communications, social networking and other ways, people never change. Technology always changes, but people are always going to be people. We want to have people in our lives that we care about and that care about us. It just makes sense that if we spend time learning the skill sets of effective human relations as much as we spend the time to learn a new operating system or how to program TIVO, we are gong to have much more fulfilling lives. I think that you are going to love this book and that it will make an impact on your life and relationships.
www.keithferrazzi.com/WGYB
THE DIVINITY OF DOGS
Thanks to my friend Melanie for this great clip by Ben Stein….Bueller….Buelle
http://www.youtube.com/wat
SPONTANEOUS SOUND OF MUSIC
How fun would it have been to be in this train station? You can never get enough Julie Andrews. Thanks to my friend Dave Block for this fun clip.
AMAZING NEW WATER-POWERED JET PACK
This is one of the coolest things that I've seen in some time. You pull the motor behind you and have a ball. What a blast!
http://www.break.com/index
GET SERVICE
This is a great short clip about seeing beyond the obvious. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle. I'm not promoting a church here, but a thinking. Choose kindness. Kindness is the universal language that all people understand.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL FISHERMAN EVER
Please remind me to watch this clip when I think I'm having a tough day. Life never ceases to amaze me. He says that all he needs is “a heart, soul and mind”. Priceless.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
THE DAUGHTER SONG
No explanation needed.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
WILDFIRE
Most folks know that I'm a sucker for sappy songs from the 70's. Guilty as charged. Say what you will, this is a classic.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
SOME GREAT QUOTES
“The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer.” Edward R. Murrow
“Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding a truth.” Ludwig Borne
“Life is like an onion. You peel one layer at a time and sometimes you weep.” Carl Sandburg
“Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly.” Edward Albee
“It takes a great deal of faith for a man to be cured by his own placebos.” John McClenahan
“Life is just a phase you're going through….you'll get over it.” Anonymous
“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you're still a rat.” Lily Tomlin
“Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.” Henri Louise Bergson
“How long has it been since someone touched part of you other than your body?” Laurel Hoodwrit
“The obstacle is the path.” Zen proverb
“Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through through life trying to save.” Will Rogers
If you think that this newsletter will be of interest to someone that you know, please feel free to forward it on. If you have any thoughts or opinions on any of these recommendations or have recommendations of your own, please let me know-you never know where the conversation may go from there.
If you are interested in online and offline networking, Social Media, LinkedIn training or personal development, please visit my website at www.kevinknebl.com for upcoming talks, trainings, webinars and information about booking me for an event. I speak and train full-time and am always eager to deliver talks and trainings that provide immediate, measurable impact to your employees, company or organization.
As always, if you’d like to reach me, the easiest and fastest way is either by email at kevin@kevinknebl.com or mobile phone at
To your success,
Kevin