The First Annual Austin Social Media Awards nominees have been announced by the Austin American Statesman.
Several of my friends have been nominated (I list them below with links to their blogs / websites).
If you live in Central Texas (or beyond) and are still confused by social media, this is a comprehensive list of people you could reach out to and better understand the medium.
You can click on the above hyper-links to see the whole list, but below is a list of folks I know well whom are nominees. I know some of the others by name, just not on a personal basis. Yes, there is a difference between following someone on Twitter and actually being their friend!!! I still believe that people claim "friendship" too fast in the social media world. A connection on Facebook is NOT an equal relationship to my my connection with my kid's godparents!!!.
Aruni Gunasegaram
Benn and Lani Rosales
Bryan Menell
Bryan Person
Connie Reece
Dave Evans
Dean Cruise
Dewey Gaedcke
Eugene Sepulveda
John Erik Metcalf
Liz Handlin
Michelle Greer
Mike Chapman
Ricardo Guerrero
Sam Decker
Scott Ingram
Congratulations to all the nominees and especially to my friends who made the list.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Monday, January 19, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
How To Win Blog Followers and Influence Tweeters
My old friend from my legal marketing day, Kevin O'Keefe, has a fresh blog post about ways to get more people to read your blog and follow you on Twitter.
It takes the wisdom of the ages from folks like Dale Carnegie (How To Win Friends and Influence People) and bring it into today's social media age.
Click Here and read this post. You will have an "ah ha" moment that while some things change, most things remain the same!!!
Have A Great Day.
thom
It takes the wisdom of the ages from folks like Dale Carnegie (How To Win Friends and Influence People) and bring it into today's social media age.
Click Here and read this post. You will have an "ah ha" moment that while some things change, most things remain the same!!!
Have A Great Day.
thom
Stepping In The Dog Poop
Seattle entrepreneur and blogger Andy Sack stepped in dog poop.
Alas, he has a great analogy for why this less than fun experience is like the current economy, and he colorfully wrote about it on his blog. I too stepped in dog poop this week. No fun, but I got through it.
Again, he says it better than I can.... so read his post.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Alas, he has a great analogy for why this less than fun experience is like the current economy, and he colorfully wrote about it on his blog. I too stepped in dog poop this week. No fun, but I got through it.
Again, he says it better than I can.... so read his post.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Pull Your Marketing Head Out Of The Sand
Sam Decker, the CMO of Bazaarvoice, and very, very smart marketing guy has a great post on his Decker Marketing Blog.
In tough times sometimes people forget that creativity and new mediums matter in marketing. Sam does a great job of summing this up, so I wont steal the thunder. Go read his post.
Have A Great Day.
thom
In tough times sometimes people forget that creativity and new mediums matter in marketing. Sam does a great job of summing this up, so I wont steal the thunder. Go read his post.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Friday, January 16, 2009
Pre-Judging Other People - Never A Good Idea
Do not kid yourself, people are making rash generalizations about you all the time.
Today I was eating lunch, alone, (sorry Keith Ferrazzi, sometimes you should eat alone!) at my favorite cool Austin Restaurant. Casa De Luz is an out-of-the-way vegan restaurant that I have come to enjoy over the past several years. The food and the atmosphere are both great - and when my planned lunch meeting cancelled I decided to go there anyway and continue reading Thomas Friedman's "Flat, Hot and Crowded". (good book, by the way -- but very technical and takes some effort).
A woman I do not know approached me and we had the following exchange:
Her: Are you Thom Singer?
Me: Yes, I am.
Her: I saw you speak a couple of times at The Chamber of Commerce. I enjoyed your presentation on networking skills and would like to read your book sometime [etc....].
Me: Thank you.
Her: What are you reading?
Me: "Flat, Hot, and Crowded" [I held up the book].
Her: [After a pause and a funny look on her face] Hmmmmm, I would have never imagined you the type to be eating in a vegan restaurant reading a book on global warming. [shrugging her shoulders]. I guess you never know.
Me: [smiling] I am not sure that was a compliment.
Her: [not smiling] You just struck me as more of a steak or BBQ kinda guy. Very corporate.
Me: [still smiling] Oh don't worry, I eat lots of dead cows!
I do not think she found my response funny and politely ended our breif conversation. I went back to reading my book.
As I left the restaurant she was sitting on a bench in the meditation garden. I smiled and waved as I walked past her. She called out after me "Oh, and do not wear a fancy leather jacket the next time you eat here". This time she was smiling and she waved a nice wave. I think we parted on good terms.
Doh! Had never considered I was wearing leather in the vegan restaurant. It is cold outside today in Austin and my coat is nice and warm. I am not sure if this was really a faux pas or not to the rest of the patrons, my being clad in dead animal skin. There was no sign asking for leather goods to be left outside!
And for the record, my jacket is not fancy.
I spent some time contemplating her judgement that I was not someone who would frequent vegan cuisine and educate myself about our world wide ecological crisis. If I came across as "corporate" when I spoke at a business setting (ummm, The Chamber of Commerce...hello!), is that enough information to understand anything about me personally?
Yet we all pre-judge people. We look at their clothes, online photos, haircuts, manners, cars, houses, job titles, etc... and lump each other into easy buckets. But human beings are complicated creatures. If we try to assume too much about those around us we will be wrong more often than right.
Thus, don't guess about people. Ask questions of them and you will learn a lot more about their hearts and souls than if you simply categorize.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Today I was eating lunch, alone, (sorry Keith Ferrazzi, sometimes you should eat alone!) at my favorite cool Austin Restaurant. Casa De Luz is an out-of-the-way vegan restaurant that I have come to enjoy over the past several years. The food and the atmosphere are both great - and when my planned lunch meeting cancelled I decided to go there anyway and continue reading Thomas Friedman's "Flat, Hot and Crowded". (good book, by the way -- but very technical and takes some effort).
A woman I do not know approached me and we had the following exchange:
Her: Are you Thom Singer?
Me: Yes, I am.
Her: I saw you speak a couple of times at The Chamber of Commerce. I enjoyed your presentation on networking skills and would like to read your book sometime [etc....].
Me: Thank you.
Her: What are you reading?
Me: "Flat, Hot, and Crowded" [I held up the book].
Her: [After a pause and a funny look on her face] Hmmmmm, I would have never imagined you the type to be eating in a vegan restaurant reading a book on global warming. [shrugging her shoulders]. I guess you never know.
Me: [smiling] I am not sure that was a compliment.
Her: [not smiling] You just struck me as more of a steak or BBQ kinda guy. Very corporate.
Me: [still smiling] Oh don't worry, I eat lots of dead cows!
I do not think she found my response funny and politely ended our breif conversation. I went back to reading my book.
As I left the restaurant she was sitting on a bench in the meditation garden. I smiled and waved as I walked past her. She called out after me "Oh, and do not wear a fancy leather jacket the next time you eat here". This time she was smiling and she waved a nice wave. I think we parted on good terms.
Doh! Had never considered I was wearing leather in the vegan restaurant. It is cold outside today in Austin and my coat is nice and warm. I am not sure if this was really a faux pas or not to the rest of the patrons, my being clad in dead animal skin. There was no sign asking for leather goods to be left outside!
And for the record, my jacket is not fancy.
I spent some time contemplating her judgement that I was not someone who would frequent vegan cuisine and educate myself about our world wide ecological crisis. If I came across as "corporate" when I spoke at a business setting (ummm, The Chamber of Commerce...hello!), is that enough information to understand anything about me personally?
Yet we all pre-judge people. We look at their clothes, online photos, haircuts, manners, cars, houses, job titles, etc... and lump each other into easy buckets. But human beings are complicated creatures. If we try to assume too much about those around us we will be wrong more often than right.
Thus, don't guess about people. Ask questions of them and you will learn a lot more about their hearts and souls than if you simply categorize.
Have A Great Day.
thom
I Don't Know You, But We Are Friends
Communicating with other people is not getting easier.
The addition of email, texting, IM, blogging, Twitter, social networking, social media, video, and all the rest of the stuff does not always make our lives easier. The reality is new communication tools have complicated the whole arena of interacting with others.
It used to be we would talk with someone face to face, on the telephone, or write them a letter. In any case there was higher levels of participation put into the communication (by both parties), and while misunderstandings still took place, everyone seemed to know where the other person was at the end of the correspondence. There were socially understood ground rules and the "non-verbal" communication was easier to interpret.
Today there are no rules. So many of the communication vehicles we use are new and people have a variety of expectations of how other should utilize them. If one party has a mis-interpretation, then it is often unknown and hard to fix.
I sometimes find it hard to always understand people in a digital world whom I have never met in person. Their sarcasm or direct approach is lost on me in print if they are a stranger.
Because I write a blog and participate in several social media communities, I have expanded my network to include many more people than I have had in the past. But the speed at which these communities bring people together can also minimize the long established mutual understanding that comes about in other venues.
When someone offends me it is easy to just "un-follow" them. In more traditional relationships with people I find I am less likely to be offended in the first place by sarcasm and much quicker to give them the benefit of the doubt. Real friends have built up credit.
I had an experience recently where I am fairly sure I mis-understood someone's email and thus my answer, which was fast, fair, utilitarian and too the point, was instead off target - and not at all what they were expecting from my response. The problem is that I don't know this person at all (Just someone I follow on Twitter, but have never met in person), and thus I am left unsure how to best approach a "do-over" and try my answer again. I have no clue as to their personality (since we have never met), thus I am not sure they would even welcome a clean slate approach. They may just assume me to be off base or simply a jerk.
It bums me out when I screw up. I hate to make communication mistakes (Heck, I teach business relationships and how to establish meaningful and mutually beneficial networks), but such hiccups are becoming more common for people with the new platforms over which we interact online. It is not just me, I hear this from others all the time.
This is one reason why I never connect in LinkedIn or on Facebook with people I do not know personally. In most cases I require that the person and I have had a cup of coffee, a meal, or a beer (or the digital equivalent) before I welcome them into my network. Doing this allow us to know each other at the level of personality.
But Twitter is a different animal, and as I get to "know" more and more people through this community, I think I need to develop a new way to correspond fellow "Tweets" who are actually strangers (yet we know each other, kind of). It is cool when paths cross, but it can be tricky.
The issue of how we interact with people whom we do not know on a personality level really does make communicating different. Social media is here to stay and growing at a fast pace. The world is changing and getting smaller, but people are still people. We need to invest in the personal side to create powerful connections.
This topic interests me. Has anyone read books, papers or studies on this topic? If yes, please share them with me.
Have A Great Day.
thom
The addition of email, texting, IM, blogging, Twitter, social networking, social media, video, and all the rest of the stuff does not always make our lives easier. The reality is new communication tools have complicated the whole arena of interacting with others.
It used to be we would talk with someone face to face, on the telephone, or write them a letter. In any case there was higher levels of participation put into the communication (by both parties), and while misunderstandings still took place, everyone seemed to know where the other person was at the end of the correspondence. There were socially understood ground rules and the "non-verbal" communication was easier to interpret.
Today there are no rules. So many of the communication vehicles we use are new and people have a variety of expectations of how other should utilize them. If one party has a mis-interpretation, then it is often unknown and hard to fix.
I sometimes find it hard to always understand people in a digital world whom I have never met in person. Their sarcasm or direct approach is lost on me in print if they are a stranger.
Because I write a blog and participate in several social media communities, I have expanded my network to include many more people than I have had in the past. But the speed at which these communities bring people together can also minimize the long established mutual understanding that comes about in other venues.
When someone offends me it is easy to just "un-follow" them. In more traditional relationships with people I find I am less likely to be offended in the first place by sarcasm and much quicker to give them the benefit of the doubt. Real friends have built up credit.
I had an experience recently where I am fairly sure I mis-understood someone's email and thus my answer, which was fast, fair, utilitarian and too the point, was instead off target - and not at all what they were expecting from my response. The problem is that I don't know this person at all (Just someone I follow on Twitter, but have never met in person), and thus I am left unsure how to best approach a "do-over" and try my answer again. I have no clue as to their personality (since we have never met), thus I am not sure they would even welcome a clean slate approach. They may just assume me to be off base or simply a jerk.
It bums me out when I screw up. I hate to make communication mistakes (Heck, I teach business relationships and how to establish meaningful and mutually beneficial networks), but such hiccups are becoming more common for people with the new platforms over which we interact online. It is not just me, I hear this from others all the time.
This is one reason why I never connect in LinkedIn or on Facebook with people I do not know personally. In most cases I require that the person and I have had a cup of coffee, a meal, or a beer (or the digital equivalent) before I welcome them into my network. Doing this allow us to know each other at the level of personality.
But Twitter is a different animal, and as I get to "know" more and more people through this community, I think I need to develop a new way to correspond fellow "Tweets" who are actually strangers (yet we know each other, kind of). It is cool when paths cross, but it can be tricky.
The issue of how we interact with people whom we do not know on a personality level really does make communicating different. Social media is here to stay and growing at a fast pace. The world is changing and getting smaller, but people are still people. We need to invest in the personal side to create powerful connections.
This topic interests me. Has anyone read books, papers or studies on this topic? If yes, please share them with me.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Fame Comes Fast to Janis Krums - But Then What?
Janis Krums (aka @jkrums on Twitter) is a young guy. Entrepreneur. Former Athlete. Student of life. He is searching for the Next Big Thing in his life.
But one can never predict when or where that big thing will appear. As I said in a post the other day - you cannot force viral! Viral just happens.
On January 10th Janis wrote five goals for the year on his blog. Number five was "to have over 1000 followers on Twitter". The purpose of this goal was unclear, just something he wanted to help him market his personal brand as he grows his career. It followed the other goals for 2009 which included learning to sail, hitting his sales goals (not sure what he does), losing 15-20 pounds, and writing 100 blog posts (to improve his writing skills).
On January 15th he was in New York City aboard a ferry boat when a US Airways plane
crashed into the Hudson River. The ferry went to the scene to rescue the passengers. Janis took a photo with his iPhone and uploaded it to the internet and linked the picture to Twitter.
WAMMO. The picture was quickly seen round the world as it was "re-Tweeted" by people on Twitter and was then picked up by traditional news sights, bloggers, etc.....
Janis instantly was someone people knew about and were looking to learn more. Within a few hours he had gone from a couple of hundred followers on Twitter to well over 2000 and growing. Local and national TV news stations were calling his iPhone and sending him Twitter and email messages hoping to interview him.
He was instantly part of the Twitterati - the whose who of those who tweet. But had said nothing new on Twitter in hours. The audience came and Janis was quiet. Hmmmmm.
Now, all this took place just a few hours ago. What happens to Janis next? He still needs to take up sailing, write 97 more blogs (although he certainly has some stuff to write about after his busy day today!), sell some product, and lose 20 pounds to meet his goals for the year.
Will his 15 minutes of fame help him in any way with his entrepreneurial endeavors? Hard to tell.
Have A Great Day.
thom
PS- He seems like a cool kid. The kinda guy you might want to have a beer with at a tech conference. This is part of my criteria for following folks on Twitter (but not my criteria for how I vote for politicians!!!). I now follow him and will be interested to see if he has anything interesting to say after today.
UPDATE 1/16/09 - 6 AM- I see from his two Twitter comments since the photo that he has been on MSNBC and Good Morning America, and more.
When you google his name you get 1500 pages, most of which are related to his TwitPic photo.
But one can never predict when or where that big thing will appear. As I said in a post the other day - you cannot force viral! Viral just happens.
On January 10th Janis wrote five goals for the year on his blog. Number five was "to have over 1000 followers on Twitter". The purpose of this goal was unclear, just something he wanted to help him market his personal brand as he grows his career. It followed the other goals for 2009 which included learning to sail, hitting his sales goals (not sure what he does), losing 15-20 pounds, and writing 100 blog posts (to improve his writing skills).
On January 15th he was in New York City aboard a ferry boat when a US Airways plane
crashed into the Hudson River. The ferry went to the scene to rescue the passengers. Janis took a photo with his iPhone and uploaded it to the internet and linked the picture to Twitter.WAMMO. The picture was quickly seen round the world as it was "re-Tweeted" by people on Twitter and was then picked up by traditional news sights, bloggers, etc.....
Janis instantly was someone people knew about and were looking to learn more. Within a few hours he had gone from a couple of hundred followers on Twitter to well over 2000 and growing. Local and national TV news stations were calling his iPhone and sending him Twitter and email messages hoping to interview him.
He was instantly part of the Twitterati - the whose who of those who tweet. But had said nothing new on Twitter in hours. The audience came and Janis was quiet. Hmmmmm.
Now, all this took place just a few hours ago. What happens to Janis next? He still needs to take up sailing, write 97 more blogs (although he certainly has some stuff to write about after his busy day today!), sell some product, and lose 20 pounds to meet his goals for the year.
Will his 15 minutes of fame help him in any way with his entrepreneurial endeavors? Hard to tell.
Have A Great Day.
thom
PS- He seems like a cool kid. The kinda guy you might want to have a beer with at a tech conference. This is part of my criteria for following folks on Twitter (but not my criteria for how I vote for politicians!!!). I now follow him and will be interested to see if he has anything interesting to say after today.
UPDATE 1/16/09 - 6 AM- I see from his two Twitter comments since the photo that he has been on MSNBC and Good Morning America, and more.
When you google his name you get 1500 pages, most of which are related to his TwitPic photo.
National Speakers Association
In 2008 I finally qualified for membership in the National Speakers Association. There are three options to qualify, and I actually hit them all. I was surprised to find that I gave 47 presentations in 2008 and I estimate that was close to 3000 people who saw me speak in audiences from 10 people to as large as 1400.
I have heard mostly great things about the organization, and feel that it is an important milestone in my professional speaking career.... so I joined.
I look forward to attending their national conference and might try to hit a workshop in Florida in February. I have discovered that professional speakers are very giving individuals and most that I have met actively share both advice, brainstorming ideas and referrals when they are not available for an event (some are also selfish, arrogant and protective -- this is the real world, not Mayberry).
Since I teach that having a strong network pf professional contacts in any field leads to greater success.... I predict that my closer involvement with other speakers will be very beneficial. I hope I can find a way to bring value to other members of the organization.
Have A Great Day.
thom
ACG - January Speaker: Lew Little, CEO of Harden Healthcare
The Central Texas Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth continues to thrive as one of Austin's premier networking and business educational groups in town (and I do not just say this because I am on the board!).
ACG thrives as a direct result of attracting a great mixture of the best corporate speakers in the area. Month after month the "whose who" of C-Level executives address the ever growing crowds of the ACG membership.
This week 120+ professionals were in attendance to listen to Lew Little, CEO of Harden Healthcare.
Lew is an Austin native (not many of those around!) who is a local business legend. He has worked in a variety of roles in banking, investment/finance and now as the leader of one of the country's most talked about nursing home and home healthcare organizations.
Little gave up caffeine in April 2008, but you would never have know it from his energy presentation.
Much of the talk centered in on the history and recent growth of Harden Healthcare - along with information about the ever changing healthcare industry in the United States. However, Little peppered the information with nuggets of knowledge that can be applied to any company:
*"Deliver the right care and the rest falls into place".
*"Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are and they will make you look good".
*"Be aware of the threats in your industry and the economy"
*"All service businesses are personal"
Little went on to site the many areas of focus and strategy that have lead to his company's continued success:
persistence, positioning, improving the product offering, diversification, increased patient (client) satisfaction, developing and tending to company culture, investing in training and development of managers and staff, creating a sales culture, showing appreciation to employees, etc....
When asked about why Austin is a great place to grow a business, Little was fast to point out the great amenities of the city which make it an easy place to entice people to visit or relocate. He does hate the fact that you must change planes to get anywhere when traveling --- but we in Austin have had that problem for generations.
Harden Healthcare has been able to attract a top team of executives who now call Austin their home. It is continuing to grow and looks toward a very bright future.
Thanks to Lew Little for his inspiring and insightful presentation at ACG.
If you have never checked out the Association for Corporate Growth meetings in your city, you are missing out.
Have A Great Day.
thom
ACG thrives as a direct result of attracting a great mixture of the best corporate speakers in the area. Month after month the "whose who" of C-Level executives address the ever growing crowds of the ACG membership.
This week 120+ professionals were in attendance to listen to Lew Little, CEO of Harden Healthcare.
Lew is an Austin native (not many of those around!) who is a local business legend. He has worked in a variety of roles in banking, investment/finance and now as the leader of one of the country's most talked about nursing home and home healthcare organizations.
Little gave up caffeine in April 2008, but you would never have know it from his energy presentation.
Much of the talk centered in on the history and recent growth of Harden Healthcare - along with information about the ever changing healthcare industry in the United States. However, Little peppered the information with nuggets of knowledge that can be applied to any company:
*"Deliver the right care and the rest falls into place".
*"Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are and they will make you look good".
*"Be aware of the threats in your industry and the economy"
*"All service businesses are personal"
Little went on to site the many areas of focus and strategy that have lead to his company's continued success:
persistence, positioning, improving the product offering, diversification, increased patient (client) satisfaction, developing and tending to company culture, investing in training and development of managers and staff, creating a sales culture, showing appreciation to employees, etc....
When asked about why Austin is a great place to grow a business, Little was fast to point out the great amenities of the city which make it an easy place to entice people to visit or relocate. He does hate the fact that you must change planes to get anywhere when traveling --- but we in Austin have had that problem for generations.
Harden Healthcare has been able to attract a top team of executives who now call Austin their home. It is continuing to grow and looks toward a very bright future.
Thanks to Lew Little for his inspiring and insightful presentation at ACG.
If you have never checked out the Association for Corporate Growth meetings in your city, you are missing out.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Turnaround Management Association
Last night I made the trek from Austin to San Antonio for the meeting of the Central Texas Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association. The company where I work as the director of business development, vcfo, consults with businesses of all sizes with a variety of issues around operational accounting, finance, HR and recruiting issues - thus TMA is an organization I wanted to know more about. vcfo can serve as a vital resource for distressed companies looking for options, as our CFO's are all highly seasoned executives who have hands-on experience with issues facing businesses in transition. Thus, extending my personal network with those who focus on "turnarounds" is ideal.
The speaker for the meeting was Cliff Atherton, managing director from the Houston based investment bank GulfStar Group. His talk was titled "The Challenges For Middle Market Transactions in 2009", and he did a great job of detailing the ups and downs that companies face in the coming year.
I enjoyed the presentation and all the conversations with the other professionals in attendance. My head was left spinning from talk about the economy, but this is an important topic for everyone, regardless of what we do for a living.
While Texas is just beginning to feel the changes that have impacted the rest of the country caused by the panic that hit all the markets in October, we are not immune from the crisis.
M&A has shut down due to the limited amount of credit in the marketplace. Banks continue to preserve capital and are not making many new loans. Bankers are not being aggressive and debt is more expensive. As we enter the new year following Q4 2008, we are seeing fewer transactions and the lack of available money, coupled with the drop in the stock market values; placing both buyers and sellers onto the sidelines. Many do not believe we have yet to see the bottom, and that does not help companies that are currently looking for options to raise cash.
Not long ago it was a sellers market, but the abrupt shift in the past few months have left few options for businesses that need to sell. Owners are holding onto the "anchor" of their 2007 valuations, and those that do not need to sell (companies with little debt and plenty of cash on hand) are not looking to make any moves until prices rebound.
The good news is that there are strategic buyers / investors out there who are looking to invest. Companies need to be realistic and flexible. We also need consumer confidence to return, as the general public is a major factor in the overall economy. As as long as people are not spending, there will not be a rebound in other sectors.
I left the meeting with an upbeat feeling about the future for the economy. While there is still some tough times ahead, everyone seemed confident. The investment bankers and others in the room are looking for deals, and that is a good sign.
My 94-year-old dad has seen a lot of things transpire in the economy over his lifetime. He told me recently that there was one fact about an economic "bust". They have all been followed by a "boom" at some point.
I look forward to attending future TMA meetings in San Antonio and Austin. It is a good organization with some great people involved.
Have A Great Day.
thom
The speaker for the meeting was Cliff Atherton, managing director from the Houston based investment bank GulfStar Group. His talk was titled "The Challenges For Middle Market Transactions in 2009", and he did a great job of detailing the ups and downs that companies face in the coming year.
I enjoyed the presentation and all the conversations with the other professionals in attendance. My head was left spinning from talk about the economy, but this is an important topic for everyone, regardless of what we do for a living.
While Texas is just beginning to feel the changes that have impacted the rest of the country caused by the panic that hit all the markets in October, we are not immune from the crisis.
M&A has shut down due to the limited amount of credit in the marketplace. Banks continue to preserve capital and are not making many new loans. Bankers are not being aggressive and debt is more expensive. As we enter the new year following Q4 2008, we are seeing fewer transactions and the lack of available money, coupled with the drop in the stock market values; placing both buyers and sellers onto the sidelines. Many do not believe we have yet to see the bottom, and that does not help companies that are currently looking for options to raise cash.
Not long ago it was a sellers market, but the abrupt shift in the past few months have left few options for businesses that need to sell. Owners are holding onto the "anchor" of their 2007 valuations, and those that do not need to sell (companies with little debt and plenty of cash on hand) are not looking to make any moves until prices rebound.
The good news is that there are strategic buyers / investors out there who are looking to invest. Companies need to be realistic and flexible. We also need consumer confidence to return, as the general public is a major factor in the overall economy. As as long as people are not spending, there will not be a rebound in other sectors.
I left the meeting with an upbeat feeling about the future for the economy. While there is still some tough times ahead, everyone seemed confident. The investment bankers and others in the room are looking for deals, and that is a good sign.
My 94-year-old dad has seen a lot of things transpire in the economy over his lifetime. He told me recently that there was one fact about an economic "bust". They have all been followed by a "boom" at some point.
I look forward to attending future TMA meetings in San Antonio and Austin. It is a good organization with some great people involved.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Work Hard And Hope Your Boss Is A Good Mountain Climber
Last week I had writers block and I asked the people who follow me on Twitter to help with some questions about networking, marketing, sales, career development, etc....
I received a lot questions via Twitter, Twitter DM and email. Thus writers block is now gone and I have plenty of topics.
The second question is below. As I write these posts over the next week I am not going to site the persons who asked the questions, as some many not want their identity exposed (a few came by direct message with a request not to use their name):
With the problems in the economy I am worried about my job, and I have a co-worker I feel is undermining me in the eyes of my boss. What can I do?
Ouch. This is a tough one.
I think that many people are worried about job security in the current economic situation. Many whom I talk to feel like their future is out of their control and their fear of the "what if's" are center stage right now.
All anyone can do is to work hard and do the best job that they can, and hope that their co-workers and superiors respect the efforts they make to advance the company's cause. The person who sent me the above question did not specify the type of role they play in their company, but regardless of job description, she should make sure that she is supporting the common good of the company.
Hard work is no guarantee against getting laid off, but if you do the best you can, then no matter what happens you will always feel good about yourself.
As for believing a co-worker is harming her reputation, I have seen this happen before in companies where I worked earlier in my career. Some people react to the touch economic situation by trying to "mark their territory". Often they do this by attempting to make themselves appear more important to the company by marginalizing the contributions of others.
Again, all you can do is work hard at what you do best for your company. I believe most people are not taken in by such tactics if they are engaged in the running of their departments. They understand the contributions that their people make, and frown on those who do not support their co-workers efforts.
Consider this (I love this analogy, but do not remember where I heard it):
Is you boss in the valley, on the hillside, or on the hilltop? Where they stand on the mountain will effect their perception when asked if the sun has risen. A boss in the valley will say "no". A boss on the hillside will say "I think the sun will be up soon". But a manager who is standing firmly on top of the mountain will say "yes, the sun is shining very brightly!!!"
An individual's perception is their reality. I hope her boss has reached the top of the mountain!
Have A Great Day.
thom
I received a lot questions via Twitter, Twitter DM and email. Thus writers block is now gone and I have plenty of topics.
The second question is below. As I write these posts over the next week I am not going to site the persons who asked the questions, as some many not want their identity exposed (a few came by direct message with a request not to use their name):
With the problems in the economy I am worried about my job, and I have a co-worker I feel is undermining me in the eyes of my boss. What can I do?
Ouch. This is a tough one.
I think that many people are worried about job security in the current economic situation. Many whom I talk to feel like their future is out of their control and their fear of the "what if's" are center stage right now.
All anyone can do is to work hard and do the best job that they can, and hope that their co-workers and superiors respect the efforts they make to advance the company's cause. The person who sent me the above question did not specify the type of role they play in their company, but regardless of job description, she should make sure that she is supporting the common good of the company.
Hard work is no guarantee against getting laid off, but if you do the best you can, then no matter what happens you will always feel good about yourself.
As for believing a co-worker is harming her reputation, I have seen this happen before in companies where I worked earlier in my career. Some people react to the touch economic situation by trying to "mark their territory". Often they do this by attempting to make themselves appear more important to the company by marginalizing the contributions of others.
Again, all you can do is work hard at what you do best for your company. I believe most people are not taken in by such tactics if they are engaged in the running of their departments. They understand the contributions that their people make, and frown on those who do not support their co-workers efforts.
Consider this (I love this analogy, but do not remember where I heard it):
Is you boss in the valley, on the hillside, or on the hilltop? Where they stand on the mountain will effect their perception when asked if the sun has risen. A boss in the valley will say "no". A boss on the hillside will say "I think the sun will be up soon". But a manager who is standing firmly on top of the mountain will say "yes, the sun is shining very brightly!!!"
An individual's perception is their reality. I hope her boss has reached the top of the mountain!
Have A Great Day.
thom
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Your Co-worker Is A Jerk
Last week I had writers block and I asked the people who follow me on Twitter to help with some questions about networking, marketing, sales, career development, etc....
Wow, I got a bunch of responses, so now I have plenty of topics.
The first question is below. As I write these posts over the next week I am not going to site the persons who asked the questions, as some many not want their identity exposed (a few came by direct message with a request not to use their name):
Wow, I got a bunch of responses, so now I have plenty of topics.
The first question is below. As I write these posts over the next week I am not going to site the persons who asked the questions, as some many not want their identity exposed (a few came by direct message with a request not to use their name):
"How do you respond when networking and people talk about how your colleague / superior is such a jerk? Umm?
Monday, January 12, 2009
You Cannot Force Viral
The more I participate in online social media, the more I learn about the off-line world at the same time. You cannot force people to take action. Never assume that others are motivated by the same things. You cannot force viral.
My participation in the HomeAway Vacation Giveaway was a wonderful experience. I did not enter with the plan of winning (although that would be very cool) - but instead I try to be an active student of how things take shape in social media (the medium is new and ever changing.... so everyone is still a student of social media!!!).
I very much enjoyed telling the story of my childhood vacation memory (yes, it really happened just as I wrote it... that is the reality of being the youngest of four boys).
My lesson comes from how few votes I have received. Nearly 1000 people have viewed my blog post asking for people to vote and I have over 700 followers on Twitter who have heard my plea. Yet as of now only 25 people voted for my entry.
1038 people have voted in the contest over the past 4 days for the 32 entries, with the leader having less than 200 votes. Voting closes on January 15th, and at his point I think that the trend is clear, that my peeps ain't voting.
This is not a gripe. It is actually totally cool, as you cannot force viral. Nobody can expect others to take actions for an event that is really all about me. The motto "Hey, win ME a free trip!" does not launch ships. It does not play into any body's self interest....other than mine.
Take this example off line and into our business lives. How often do we pepper our clients, prospects and referral sources with messages that are self serving? We forget that our self interest of making sales does not really matter to our audience. Sure we have people who like and respect our products and services, and they love us as human beings, but this is not enough to motivate them to take the actions we desire.
Of those who voted for me in the contest - one third of them were my family and close friends who live near Santa Cruz. These folks had a personal interest in my victory (as they would get to come to the beach house and party it up!). The same is true in business, our handful of evangelists sing our praises and we wonder why others do not follow suit. Those who buy or refer your company usually have personal motivation involved. It makes them look good.
Companies often make this mistake in their marketing when they lead with the history of the firm, their unique product, or all the victories they have had for other clients. "Look at Me" marketing makes the firm feel good, but does the buyer care? Will it drive them to action? Nope.
Those who will buy (or refer others) are interested in how they benefit. When they will win, they go viral and tell the world. Helping the other guy win for the greater good is a wonderful theory, but it does not motivate the masses. Sure, there are exceptions. We should cherish those who just like to help for the sake of helping others (these folks do exist!!!), but do not count on them being the majority.
While you cannot force viral, you cannot just sit on your butt if you want results. "Word of Mouth Marketing" or "Going Viral" are mysterious creatures. You cannot manipulate society into adopting and idea. But that does not mean we should not be trying. Much spaghetti will hit the floor.... but when it sticks to the wall.... Watch out. That is the holy grail of which all dreams are made.
Have A Great Day.
thom
My participation in the HomeAway Vacation Giveaway was a wonderful experience. I did not enter with the plan of winning (although that would be very cool) - but instead I try to be an active student of how things take shape in social media (the medium is new and ever changing.... so everyone is still a student of social media!!!).
I very much enjoyed telling the story of my childhood vacation memory (yes, it really happened just as I wrote it... that is the reality of being the youngest of four boys).
My lesson comes from how few votes I have received. Nearly 1000 people have viewed my blog post asking for people to vote and I have over 700 followers on Twitter who have heard my plea. Yet as of now only 25 people voted for my entry.
1038 people have voted in the contest over the past 4 days for the 32 entries, with the leader having less than 200 votes. Voting closes on January 15th, and at his point I think that the trend is clear, that my peeps ain't voting.
This is not a gripe. It is actually totally cool, as you cannot force viral. Nobody can expect others to take actions for an event that is really all about me. The motto "Hey, win ME a free trip!" does not launch ships. It does not play into any body's self interest....other than mine.
Take this example off line and into our business lives. How often do we pepper our clients, prospects and referral sources with messages that are self serving? We forget that our self interest of making sales does not really matter to our audience. Sure we have people who like and respect our products and services, and they love us as human beings, but this is not enough to motivate them to take the actions we desire.
Of those who voted for me in the contest - one third of them were my family and close friends who live near Santa Cruz. These folks had a personal interest in my victory (as they would get to come to the beach house and party it up!). The same is true in business, our handful of evangelists sing our praises and we wonder why others do not follow suit. Those who buy or refer your company usually have personal motivation involved. It makes them look good.
Companies often make this mistake in their marketing when they lead with the history of the firm, their unique product, or all the victories they have had for other clients. "Look at Me" marketing makes the firm feel good, but does the buyer care? Will it drive them to action? Nope.
Those who will buy (or refer others) are interested in how they benefit. When they will win, they go viral and tell the world. Helping the other guy win for the greater good is a wonderful theory, but it does not motivate the masses. Sure, there are exceptions. We should cherish those who just like to help for the sake of helping others (these folks do exist!!!), but do not count on them being the majority.
While you cannot force viral, you cannot just sit on your butt if you want results. "Word of Mouth Marketing" or "Going Viral" are mysterious creatures. You cannot manipulate society into adopting and idea. But that does not mean we should not be trying. Much spaghetti will hit the floor.... but when it sticks to the wall.... Watch out. That is the holy grail of which all dreams are made.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Please Help Me Win A Free Vacation
Dear Reader of My Blog:
I need your help. I entered an online contest sponsored by HomeAway (a company that helps owners of vacation homes connect to those who want to rent them, based in Austin, Texas). The prize is a one week rental of a very cool beach house along the California coast.
The winner is selected via votes. (Yes, they will want to capture a real email address for your vote to count).
To enter the contest one had to write a blog post for the contest. I did that here.
Click Here to see my entry into the contest and to register your vote. And tell a couple of friends. The only way to win this contest is to get your extended network engaged to vote. Voting ends January 15, 2009.
Thanks. I wish I could take you all with me to the beach (sorry, the house is not that big), but I promise to share more stories of how my older brothers tormented me when I was a kid (you need to read the original entry for the contest to understand - It is funny).
UPDATE - There are only 32 folks in this contest, thus my chances of winning are very good... but the whole thing is based on the number of votes. One of the people in the contest has over 8000 followers on Twitter, thus he has a MUCH bigger platform than I do. Alas, I could win, if you tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on, and so on, etc......
Have A Great Day.
thom
I need your help. I entered an online contest sponsored by HomeAway (a company that helps owners of vacation homes connect to those who want to rent them, based in Austin, Texas). The prize is a one week rental of a very cool beach house along the California coast.
The winner is selected via votes. (Yes, they will want to capture a real email address for your vote to count).
To enter the contest one had to write a blog post for the contest. I did that here.
Click Here to see my entry into the contest and to register your vote. And tell a couple of friends. The only way to win this contest is to get your extended network engaged to vote. Voting ends January 15, 2009.
Thanks. I wish I could take you all with me to the beach (sorry, the house is not that big), but I promise to share more stories of how my older brothers tormented me when I was a kid (you need to read the original entry for the contest to understand - It is funny).
UPDATE - There are only 32 folks in this contest, thus my chances of winning are very good... but the whole thing is based on the number of votes. One of the people in the contest has over 8000 followers on Twitter, thus he has a MUCH bigger platform than I do. Alas, I could win, if you tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on, and so on, etc......
Have A Great Day.
thom
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Leadership Austin Engage Breakfast - Poverty in Central Texas
January is "Poverty Awareness Month", and while not the cheeriest of topics to launch into the new year, it is worthy of our attention.
This morning's Leadership Austin Engage Breakfast Series hosted a panel discussion on the topic of Poverty in Central Texas at Chez Zee Restaurant. Panel moderator Jim Walker and panelists Frances Deviney (Director of Texas Kids Count) and Dan Pruett (Executive Director of Meals on Wheels and More) addressed the issues facing the poor in our region.
There is not enough talk in Austin about poverty. As a community we place much of our focus on music, arts, health and lifestyle. While these are the good things that make Austin, Texas one of the coolest cities in the world, we sometimes forget about those who are in the shadows of our society. A truly GREAT city is judged on how it treats its young, old, sick and poor.
Austin ranks near the bottom when it comes to money donated to charitable causes based on a per capita basis. 48th of the 50 largest cities in America (I have heard that our ranking is rising, but still in the bottom third). This is not acceptable for a growth oriented community that prides itself on a powerful entrepreneurial spirit.
Texas is a state with very low taxes, but that also means we have very low spending on programs to help those in need. We are the 2nd fastest growing state in the country, which means that more people are coming to our region who will need more services. Federal and state programs come up short as they focus on those living under the "official" poverty level (which is way way low income levels). But there are many people who do not qualify for government assistance, yet still need help.
We have amazing non-profit organizations in Central Texas, but if the current economic conditions worsen, there will be more people in need. As a community we need to be proactive in providing the safety nets for our fellow citizens.
Often those who work in the business community do not see poverty first hand, so they assume it is not a major problem in our region. But it is. Poverty is not just a numbers game on some government chart, instead it is a state of being for real families who live and work close to us.
As you plan your new years resolutions and goals, have you looked toward giving back as one of the items on your "To Do List"? Make a commitment to philanthropy in your community (regardless of what city you live in, there is need all around you). If you do not know where to start with giving back in Central Texas, check out "I Live Here, I Give Here" or send me an email and I will help you find other sources.
You can also join the Some Assembly Required - Philanthropy Discussion Group on LinkedIn.
Thank you to Leadership Austin for a great program. If you are not familiar with the Engage Breakfast Series, each month they bring together a panel of experts and address the pressing issues of our community.
Have A Great Day.
thom
This morning's Leadership Austin Engage Breakfast Series hosted a panel discussion on the topic of Poverty in Central Texas at Chez Zee Restaurant. Panel moderator Jim Walker and panelists Frances Deviney (Director of Texas Kids Count) and Dan Pruett (Executive Director of Meals on Wheels and More) addressed the issues facing the poor in our region.
There is not enough talk in Austin about poverty. As a community we place much of our focus on music, arts, health and lifestyle. While these are the good things that make Austin, Texas one of the coolest cities in the world, we sometimes forget about those who are in the shadows of our society. A truly GREAT city is judged on how it treats its young, old, sick and poor.
Austin ranks near the bottom when it comes to money donated to charitable causes based on a per capita basis. 48th of the 50 largest cities in America (I have heard that our ranking is rising, but still in the bottom third). This is not acceptable for a growth oriented community that prides itself on a powerful entrepreneurial spirit.
Texas is a state with very low taxes, but that also means we have very low spending on programs to help those in need. We are the 2nd fastest growing state in the country, which means that more people are coming to our region who will need more services. Federal and state programs come up short as they focus on those living under the "official" poverty level (which is way way low income levels). But there are many people who do not qualify for government assistance, yet still need help.
We have amazing non-profit organizations in Central Texas, but if the current economic conditions worsen, there will be more people in need. As a community we need to be proactive in providing the safety nets for our fellow citizens.
Often those who work in the business community do not see poverty first hand, so they assume it is not a major problem in our region. But it is. Poverty is not just a numbers game on some government chart, instead it is a state of being for real families who live and work close to us.
As you plan your new years resolutions and goals, have you looked toward giving back as one of the items on your "To Do List"? Make a commitment to philanthropy in your community (regardless of what city you live in, there is need all around you). If you do not know where to start with giving back in Central Texas, check out "I Live Here, I Give Here" or send me an email and I will help you find other sources.
You can also join the Some Assembly Required - Philanthropy Discussion Group on LinkedIn.
Thank you to Leadership Austin for a great program. If you are not familiar with the Engage Breakfast Series, each month they bring together a panel of experts and address the pressing issues of our community.
Have A Great Day.
thom
HomeAway $5K Dream Vacation Getaway Contest
**************************
The whole world is the oyster for this vacation paradise contest and I pick a beach house in Santa Cruz, California? Yep. One reason. Memories.
I was raised in Southern California and every summer my parents rented a house in Newport Beach. One of my earliest memories was getting to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag on our annual vacation. Wow, how cool! (yes, as a grown up I now know that the youngest kid got the worst sleeping conditions on vacation - dirty, sand covered carpet and an old army surplus sleeping bag - but to me it was an adventure).
I remember my siblings rolling me up in the sleeping bag when I was three-years-old and tossing me around. Disoriented they told me they had placed me on the top shelf of the closet, and if I moved I would fall. I cried. My mom found me rolled up sobbing in the bag on the floor of the living room while my brothers had gone out to play in the surf.
My older brothers were soon gone away to college and beyond (with that last story you probably think I did not miss them!), but those childhood memories of a week at the beach are burned into my brain.
We have not recreated the beach trip for our kids. A week of carefree exploring the coast with the sand between their toes, picking up treasures of rocks and seashells would be magic.
We live in Texas, so a week in California during the heat of the summer is a dream getaway. My brothers live nearby Santa Cruz and I might let them come visit us and enjoy the view.... if they apologize for that whole sleeping bag thing. But the cool part is that my 94-year-old Dad now lives 30 minutes away from the beach at Santa Cruz. Thus, I could drive him over the hill to enjoy the swanky house with his grandkids!!
**************************
Click here to see the house I would rent if I won and go vote for me in the HomeAway contest.
The whole world is the oyster for this vacation paradise contest and I pick a beach house in Santa Cruz, California? Yep. One reason. Memories.I was raised in Southern California and every summer my parents rented a house in Newport Beach. One of my earliest memories was getting to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag on our annual vacation. Wow, how cool! (yes, as a grown up I now know that the youngest kid got the worst sleeping conditions on vacation - dirty, sand covered carpet and an old army surplus sleeping bag - but to me it was an adventure).
I remember my siblings rolling me up in the sleeping bag when I was three-years-old and tossing me around. Disoriented they told me they had placed me on the top shelf of the closet, and if I moved I would fall. I cried. My mom found me rolled up sobbing in the bag on the floor of the living room while my brothers had gone out to play in the surf.
My older brothers were soon gone away to college and beyond (with that last story you probably think I did not miss them!), but those childhood memories of a week at the beach are burned into my brain.
We have not recreated the beach trip for our kids. A week of carefree exploring the coast with the sand between their toes, picking up treasures of rocks and seashells would be magic.
We live in Texas, so a week in California during the heat of the summer is a dream getaway. My brothers live nearby Santa Cruz and I might let them come visit us and enjoy the view.... if they apologize for that whole sleeping bag thing. But the cool part is that my 94-year-old Dad now lives 30 minutes away from the beach at Santa Cruz. Thus, I could drive him over the hill to enjoy the swanky house with his grandkids!! **************************
Click here to see the house I would rent if I won and go vote for me in the HomeAway contest.
Monday, January 05, 2009
New Year Enthusiasm
Today was the first official work day of 2009.
If each day of the year everyone worked with the same level of enthusiasm that they put forth today, there would be no recession.
I saw it in every aspect of my day. People were pumped up: At work, online, in restaurants, in coffee shops, on the street, ...EVERYWHERE!!! Never before have so many people been so happy to see the old year closed out and be over.
Good-bye 2008...don't let the door hit you in the ass!
SLAM. The last year is shut and nailed closed. Seems everyone had issues with 2008.
Today people had an optimistic glow about them. Smiles were returning to faces and their eyes again had that twinkle of hope that had been missing during the fourth quarter.
Everyone was working hard to launch 2009 with gusto. Seems they were looking ahead to all their big projects in the upcoming months and getting the ball rolling.
I had three meeting planners contact me in one day to inquire about my speaking at their events this year. That was exciting, as I am looking to do more professional speaking this year, and it was fun to talk with them and hear their plans for meetings, educational seminars and conferences.
The worries about the economy seemed to be melting away as people were tackling a variety of action items to move forward with the new year. Everyone had long "To Do" lists today and were plowing through leaving check marks behind them as they flew down the page.
Yes, it is just one day. But I was watching everyone I encountered on this first work day of 2009 as a way of looking into the crystal ball. I cannot really predict the future, but if today has any insight, this year has some great things coming for us all.
Happy New Year and Have A Great Day.
thom
If each day of the year everyone worked with the same level of enthusiasm that they put forth today, there would be no recession.
I saw it in every aspect of my day. People were pumped up: At work, online, in restaurants, in coffee shops, on the street, ...EVERYWHERE!!! Never before have so many people been so happy to see the old year closed out and be over.
Good-bye 2008...don't let the door hit you in the ass!
SLAM. The last year is shut and nailed closed. Seems everyone had issues with 2008.
Today people had an optimistic glow about them. Smiles were returning to faces and their eyes again had that twinkle of hope that had been missing during the fourth quarter.
Everyone was working hard to launch 2009 with gusto. Seems they were looking ahead to all their big projects in the upcoming months and getting the ball rolling.
I had three meeting planners contact me in one day to inquire about my speaking at their events this year. That was exciting, as I am looking to do more professional speaking this year, and it was fun to talk with them and hear their plans for meetings, educational seminars and conferences.
The worries about the economy seemed to be melting away as people were tackling a variety of action items to move forward with the new year. Everyone had long "To Do" lists today and were plowing through leaving check marks behind them as they flew down the page.
Yes, it is just one day. But I was watching everyone I encountered on this first work day of 2009 as a way of looking into the crystal ball. I cannot really predict the future, but if today has any insight, this year has some great things coming for us all.
Happy New Year and Have A Great Day.
thom
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Seeking Change In 2009: Then Do Something To Create The Change You Desire
If we all want change in 2009 we need to take action. As a society (not just Americans, but people all over the world) we have been calling for change for a long time. It is easy to look at history through our short term memory and point fingers at those in political power, while pretending the world was utopia in days of yore. But the change we seek goes deeper than just Barak Obama coming along to follow the Bush Administration.
While a small percentage of people are high achievers, and another small percentage are stuck in failure (sorry).... the majority are seekers. We seek more for ourselves, and our children, while working through our day to day lives. America was founded by generations of those seeking a better life.
Being a seeker is not a bad thing. It is great. It beats just sitting on your butt and accepting whatever comes along. But to seek we must do more than wait or hope that "The Law of Attraction" will magically bring us the goods. While I believe in the power of goal setting and visualization, we must take actions in conjunction with those things. This is true both individually and collectively. If we are "Waiting for Godot", Godot never comes. (There's a reference I wonder if anyone will get!).
Maybe I am missing it, but many people seem to just be talking a lot about the economy, the environment, health care, corruption in politics and corporations, employment / labor issues, human rights, and dozens of other issues.... but they are not doing anything.
In the course of this blog I cannot speak to the society as a whole about how to tackle the BIG issues of our day. That takes more than the views of some yokel blogger to digest. But as an individual I do know first hand that you can do the things that will bring you the change you seek in the new year - regardless of all the other stuff happening in the world around us.
Here are five suggestions to jump-starting your change:
1. Don't listen to the media. If you listen to the mainstream media then this is the worst economy since the great depression. OH? Go to a restaurant on a Friday night and look at the full parking lots. That was not the case in the 1930s. Yes, we have problems and yes many families are hurting right now. But the sky has not fallen. Accept that there are worldwide financial concerns and then go micro. Look at your own situation and make smart choices with your personal economy. You cannot change the whole planet, but you can take actions that effect your family.
2. Know what you want. If you do not know what success looks like, how would you ever know if you won? Olympic athletes know the goal - The Gold Medal. They visualize it. They practice for it. They make choices in their diet, health, sleep, etc... that lead them toward victory. They sit quietly and see the race in their heads. They visualize. Then they go out and try as hard as they can. No, they do not all win, but everyone of them tries hard -- and they are better off for it.
3. Connect with the right people. Yes, it all comes back to networking. The people you build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with will want to see you succeed. Seek out the people in your industry who have the knowledge. Be a resource for them and together you will both accomplish more. But never be selfish. If you look at them as just there to help you they will discover you as a "Taker". Takers get passed over.
And be sure to acknowledge those who help you and say "thank you". This is often overlooked when people reach their goals.
4. Get knowledge. Never before in human history have we had more access to information than we do right now. Invest the time to become educated on a variety of topics. Read books and blogs, attend seminars, take classes, participate in online communities, etc... Get knowledge, but with all your getting, get understanding. To only know something is not enough. You must understand it on a deeper level and realize how it impacts the greater community.
5. Be a voice for good. If you want change you cannot just observe the world as it goes past. You must take a stand for something. Support a local cause that can impact your community. People listen to those who make a difference. Too often people want others to listen to them, but they have no history of ever saying or doing anything significant. Thus when they do speak up they are just part of the noise. Rise above the noise by consistently being vocal about things that matter. This does not mean being pigheaded or disrespectful to those who have differing opinions. Instead it means finding ways to bring a variety of points of view into the discussion... and being the level headed one who stands for good.
Change is coming. We have started the ball rolling and cannot stop it. The question is what will that change look like? If you are one who seeks change, help shape that change.
Have A Great Day.
thom
While a small percentage of people are high achievers, and another small percentage are stuck in failure (sorry).... the majority are seekers. We seek more for ourselves, and our children, while working through our day to day lives. America was founded by generations of those seeking a better life.
Being a seeker is not a bad thing. It is great. It beats just sitting on your butt and accepting whatever comes along. But to seek we must do more than wait or hope that "The Law of Attraction" will magically bring us the goods. While I believe in the power of goal setting and visualization, we must take actions in conjunction with those things. This is true both individually and collectively. If we are "Waiting for Godot", Godot never comes. (There's a reference I wonder if anyone will get!).
Maybe I am missing it, but many people seem to just be talking a lot about the economy, the environment, health care, corruption in politics and corporations, employment / labor issues, human rights, and dozens of other issues.... but they are not doing anything.
In the course of this blog I cannot speak to the society as a whole about how to tackle the BIG issues of our day. That takes more than the views of some yokel blogger to digest. But as an individual I do know first hand that you can do the things that will bring you the change you seek in the new year - regardless of all the other stuff happening in the world around us.
Here are five suggestions to jump-starting your change:
1. Don't listen to the media. If you listen to the mainstream media then this is the worst economy since the great depression. OH? Go to a restaurant on a Friday night and look at the full parking lots. That was not the case in the 1930s. Yes, we have problems and yes many families are hurting right now. But the sky has not fallen. Accept that there are worldwide financial concerns and then go micro. Look at your own situation and make smart choices with your personal economy. You cannot change the whole planet, but you can take actions that effect your family.
2. Know what you want. If you do not know what success looks like, how would you ever know if you won? Olympic athletes know the goal - The Gold Medal. They visualize it. They practice for it. They make choices in their diet, health, sleep, etc... that lead them toward victory. They sit quietly and see the race in their heads. They visualize. Then they go out and try as hard as they can. No, they do not all win, but everyone of them tries hard -- and they are better off for it.
3. Connect with the right people. Yes, it all comes back to networking. The people you build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with will want to see you succeed. Seek out the people in your industry who have the knowledge. Be a resource for them and together you will both accomplish more. But never be selfish. If you look at them as just there to help you they will discover you as a "Taker". Takers get passed over.
And be sure to acknowledge those who help you and say "thank you". This is often overlooked when people reach their goals.
4. Get knowledge. Never before in human history have we had more access to information than we do right now. Invest the time to become educated on a variety of topics. Read books and blogs, attend seminars, take classes, participate in online communities, etc... Get knowledge, but with all your getting, get understanding. To only know something is not enough. You must understand it on a deeper level and realize how it impacts the greater community.
5. Be a voice for good. If you want change you cannot just observe the world as it goes past. You must take a stand for something. Support a local cause that can impact your community. People listen to those who make a difference. Too often people want others to listen to them, but they have no history of ever saying or doing anything significant. Thus when they do speak up they are just part of the noise. Rise above the noise by consistently being vocal about things that matter. This does not mean being pigheaded or disrespectful to those who have differing opinions. Instead it means finding ways to bring a variety of points of view into the discussion... and being the level headed one who stands for good.
Change is coming. We have started the ball rolling and cannot stop it. The question is what will that change look like? If you are one who seeks change, help shape that change.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Friday, January 02, 2009
Purging The Negative People
In 2009 I think it is wise to simply purge the people from your life who are negative influences, takers, posers, gossips, dream killers and generally rude or hurtful.
Think about it. We all spend a lot of time dealing with people who annoy us and bring grief. There are too few hours in the day to be spun into the web of these dark souls.
Now if they are your family or your co-workers you might not have the ability to totally eliminate them from your world, but you can curtail how you react to the drama that they bring to the planet.
It is easier than you think to clear your plate of these folks. Do not follow them on social media. I recently removed two people from my online platforms. Both I had met and both were self-centered "takers" whom brought little value. With a few clicks their presence was gone and I need not worry about them. They were acquaintances who I am sure will not notice I have unfollowed them.
Those whom you know better it takes a little more effort to navigate away from them. When you do cross paths, simply be polite (mutual friendships and participation in organizations will bring some of these people around often). Being rude just makes you look bad.
In a few cases you might need to "break up" with them, but in most cases you can orchestrate drifting apart and just get on with life!
That is my plan. Fortunately my list is short of those who need to be purged in 2009. But I am much happier in my avoidance of them already.
Life is short, spend it with those whom you have a mutually beneficial relationships and who brighten your world.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Think about it. We all spend a lot of time dealing with people who annoy us and bring grief. There are too few hours in the day to be spun into the web of these dark souls.
Now if they are your family or your co-workers you might not have the ability to totally eliminate them from your world, but you can curtail how you react to the drama that they bring to the planet.
It is easier than you think to clear your plate of these folks. Do not follow them on social media. I recently removed two people from my online platforms. Both I had met and both were self-centered "takers" whom brought little value. With a few clicks their presence was gone and I need not worry about them. They were acquaintances who I am sure will not notice I have unfollowed them.
Those whom you know better it takes a little more effort to navigate away from them. When you do cross paths, simply be polite (mutual friendships and participation in organizations will bring some of these people around often). Being rude just makes you look bad.
In a few cases you might need to "break up" with them, but in most cases you can orchestrate drifting apart and just get on with life!
That is my plan. Fortunately my list is short of those who need to be purged in 2009. But I am much happier in my avoidance of them already.
Life is short, spend it with those whom you have a mutually beneficial relationships and who brighten your world.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Welcome to 2009 and Your New Goals
Optimists love New Years Day. It is the ultimate calendar mark for a positive fresh start.
The negatives of 2008 were many (but so were the positives) and many closed out the old year worried about health of the worldwide economic system. While it has been battered and bruised, I do not subscribe to the "all is lost" mentality of the doom and gloom crowd. Besides, 2008 is so yesterday.
Today the page has turned and we each have a unique chance to reset our individual and collective goals for accomplishment. Dang, it is exciting if you think about it.
If you are not a goal setter, I encourage you to think about having a few things that you want to strive for in 2009. You will be surprised when you have clear, concise, and written goals how much easier it is to make the tough choices in all areas of your life. The fact that you have thought about what you want will make your year better than if you just let life happen to you.
Have you heard the expression "Shit Happens"? Yes, to people who have no idea what they want out of life!
Select one to three goals in each of these areas:
Career Goals. This pertain to your job, business, education, and income. What do you want to do differently in the new year that will bring you more satisfaction in this part of your life?
Personal Goals. These are things that effect your family, home and health. This part of our life brings us so much peace and joy when running well, and so much grief when out of sync.
Soul Goals. Here you need to examine your own spiritual journey. We all have different belief systems, but most people I know (even atheists) has some desire to connect to a higher power.
Make sure all your goals are attainable and realistic for your personal situation, but include goals that involve some hard work and dedication in their accomplishment. The good things in life always come with some level of sacrifice and hard work.
Years ago I began setting goals. Over time I have had people roll their eyes or scoff at my dedication to this process. But much of my accomplishments would never have happened without my focus on goals. I never could have written several books without having clear goals about the projects and dates of completion.
Do I meet all of my goals each year? Nope. That is not the point. Goals are not a guarantee or a magic wand. But they do make it easier when faced with any decision, as I can ponder if my actions will bring me closer or farther from achieving my goals. When I make a bad choice (and I do that often), I can quickly identify that I off course and take the steps to get back on track. With no goals how would you know what progress you were making advancing your life situation?
Embrace the power of the new year and think about where you want your live to be in 12 months. Write down your goals on paper and refer to them often. I can assure you that this process will cause no harm, but it might help... so why would you not even try?
Sure, there will be all kinds of trials and tribulations over the next year, but there always have been throughout history. The press highlights the negatives of the world because it sells papers (well, nothing sell "papers" any more, but it brings eyeballs to the news), But when you have goals, it lets you see past the headlines of disaster.
Happy New Year and Godspeed to you in 2009!
thom
The negatives of 2008 were many (but so were the positives) and many closed out the old year worried about health of the worldwide economic system. While it has been battered and bruised, I do not subscribe to the "all is lost" mentality of the doom and gloom crowd. Besides, 2008 is so yesterday.
Today the page has turned and we each have a unique chance to reset our individual and collective goals for accomplishment. Dang, it is exciting if you think about it.
If you are not a goal setter, I encourage you to think about having a few things that you want to strive for in 2009. You will be surprised when you have clear, concise, and written goals how much easier it is to make the tough choices in all areas of your life. The fact that you have thought about what you want will make your year better than if you just let life happen to you.
Have you heard the expression "Shit Happens"? Yes, to people who have no idea what they want out of life!
Select one to three goals in each of these areas:
Career Goals. This pertain to your job, business, education, and income. What do you want to do differently in the new year that will bring you more satisfaction in this part of your life?
Personal Goals. These are things that effect your family, home and health. This part of our life brings us so much peace and joy when running well, and so much grief when out of sync.
Soul Goals. Here you need to examine your own spiritual journey. We all have different belief systems, but most people I know (even atheists) has some desire to connect to a higher power.
Make sure all your goals are attainable and realistic for your personal situation, but include goals that involve some hard work and dedication in their accomplishment. The good things in life always come with some level of sacrifice and hard work.
Years ago I began setting goals. Over time I have had people roll their eyes or scoff at my dedication to this process. But much of my accomplishments would never have happened without my focus on goals. I never could have written several books without having clear goals about the projects and dates of completion.
Do I meet all of my goals each year? Nope. That is not the point. Goals are not a guarantee or a magic wand. But they do make it easier when faced with any decision, as I can ponder if my actions will bring me closer or farther from achieving my goals. When I make a bad choice (and I do that often), I can quickly identify that I off course and take the steps to get back on track. With no goals how would you know what progress you were making advancing your life situation?
Embrace the power of the new year and think about where you want your live to be in 12 months. Write down your goals on paper and refer to them often. I can assure you that this process will cause no harm, but it might help... so why would you not even try?
Sure, there will be all kinds of trials and tribulations over the next year, but there always have been throughout history. The press highlights the negatives of the world because it sells papers (well, nothing sell "papers" any more, but it brings eyeballs to the news), But when you have goals, it lets you see past the headlines of disaster.
Happy New Year and Godspeed to you in 2009!
thom
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