Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Carnival of Career Intensity – Post One – September 30, 2006

Milo Paulo milo G. Riano presents Moving Up the Ladder is a Mystery to Be Solved posted at Management, leadership & personal development of a young man.

Getting promoted is probably one of the most mind boggling thoughts in a corporate career because people get promoted around so many factors—age, peers, market, organization, superiors, environment, timing, etc. Some of the questions to ponder are:

• How many times have you seen people get promoted for so little reason?
• Have you been promoted even if you felt someone deserved it better than you?
• How many times you should have been promoted but never came?
• How come new hires moved up the ladder without having proven anything?
• How come no matter how good the process is, questionable promotions occur?

Below is a list of things that could help you to get promoted in your organization:

Opportunity – The first question you have to ask yourself is about an opportunity in your organization for career progression. My first job was at Coca-Cola Bottlers of the Philippines and from there I saw how limited career progression was in the Information Technology department, after all, they sell soft drinks not software and solutions. The only way a person could get a chance for promotion is when your superior retires or resigns.

Become Visible – It is very hard to recommend you when no one knows you exist in an organization. Visibility is very important and the more people who know you, the more people will recognize your ability.

Become the Expert – Don’t be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Make sure you become the expert of something and become recognized. People should be able to identify a valuable skill set to your name which makes you the guy everyone would look for.

Manage Yourself Well – Organizations have transformed into a “work smarter” from a “work harder” environment. If your organization doesn’t support this mindset; I suggest you start sending your resume out. Show management that you are capable of working 8 hours a day and producing the most output among your peers. Only in certain unavoidable scenarios should you work overtime; and if this happens, show your dedication, commitment by doing your job well without complain.

Avoid Cutting Corners – Cutting corners to get the job done does not set a good example to your boss, peers and the organization as a whole. Accomplish your tasks on budget and on time without omitting processes that may affect the performance and quality of work in the long-term.

Get People in Your Corner - One valuable lesson my senior manager taught me is get as much as many people in my corner as possible. Managers in our organization are the ones who meet as a whole to evaluate people for promotion. Make sure you get people at your corner and perform well, because the last thing you want is to be branded as being promoted because of politicking.

The list I presented is not to be taken as a prescription rather a guide which may help you move up the ladder. Any tips from your experience?

 

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Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Two – Sept. 30, 2006 

David Maister presents Assessing the Risks of the Next Step posted at Passion, People and Principles.

You’ll read in lots of places that, in business, the right strategy is to “fail often, fail fast, fail cheap.” That way, you learn, innovate, and develop.

It’s good advice for an organization, but not necessarily for an individual. While I like to be encouraging, urging people to stretch to fulfill their capabilities and dreams, the truth is that the world can be an unforgiving place, and you do have to choose your “next challenge” with care.

For example, if you are aiming for a big promotion, you had better make sure you want that responsibility before you try to move up. If it turns out not to work out well (for any reason), a company will most likely NOT put you back where you came from, but move you out. (It’s happened to me.)

Actually, the same is true when companies take on new client work and deals: take one on that runs into trouble, and you don’t go back to the market reputation you had before, but to one with a big black mark. (That’s happened to me, too.)

Be sure to think through what it means to move up in an organization, because it is hard to go back. The higher you climb, the more responsibilities you get that you simply didn’t know existed when you were a naive junior. With promotion comes incredible responsibility and narrow career choices.

Life doesn’t get any easier as you move up the ladder. All you ever do as you progress is trade one set of problems for another, hopefully higher class, set of problems. One set of stresses for another.

Am I counseling anyone to not be ambitious? No, what I’m saying is that you don’t accept or pursue “promotions” or “challenges” “or “glamorous client assignments” just because they are there. They’ve got to be the right ones for you.

You’ve got to go through life recognizing that, if you fail at new challenges, you’ll have rebuilding to do.You have to weigh both the benefits of succeeding and the risks of failing before you decide.

As you progress, life does get more interesting, but it doesn’t get easier.

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Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Three – Sept. 30, 2006 

Patricia presents 4 Secrets to Time Management That Define You: is Your Strategy Skyrocketing You to Success or Stopping You Cold? posted at Patricia.

Whatever your image of success, time management is at its core. Do not let time pass you by, but rather take charge of your time and pass it deliberately. Do not be distracted by the frivolous, nor be manipulated into what only appears worthwhile on the surface. Here are four secrets to overhauling your time management approach that will determine if you achieve greatness or live a life of regret. Be the 1% of people who accomplish greatness and reap the benefits of 99% of the world’s success. You are in control of your life and God has given you a vision of the amazing future you can create, if you only manage your time wisely. Do not let a moment be wasted by laziness, missed opportunities, or improper planning. Seize the day and make it count. Here is how to change your life, one minute at a time.

Secret #1: Be in the moment, every moment. Are you thinking in the present, one minute at a time? Successful people keep their eye on the task at hand. If a task does not merit your full attention, then it is not worth doing. Do you make those around you feel special by giving them your full attention? Your children, your spouse, even your clients can tell if you think them worthy of your efforts and focus. Show them your true priorities by giving your best. If, at any moment, you are consumed by frustrations over a past event, or dwelling on worries of a future deadline, you are not making efficient use of your time. Your life is an overloaded train poorly performing at reduced speed. How can you speed up your success? By releasing worries over what you cannot control, and facing challenges without distraction. By staying in the moment, you will lower stress, accomplish exponential growth in productivity, and enjoy a more peaceful existence as you confidently complete each task.

Secret #2: Make every moment productive. Instead of wishing for more hours in your day, create more day in your hours. Get up early, get started with strength for the day ahead, and you will see immediate results. I recall when I first put this into practice. While not a “morning person” at heart, I decided to rise early enough to have quiet devotion time every morning, and to have extra hours to accomplish my goals for the day. The first thing in the morning I prayed, strategized about my day, envisioned the big picture, and even added some exercise to get my adrenaline going. I was amazed at how it changed my entire day! I felt better, had a better attitude, was more confident, and accomplished more before lunch than at any other time. Take an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning to situate yourself emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mentally for the day. Starting with quiet time will increase productivity immediately, lower stress levels, and help you be more prepared for the unexpected. Then get to work, and see how far you go!

Laziness does not yield success. What are you accomplishing right now, and why? Are you putting off today what you will only dread tomorrow? “If you ever want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, simply put it off” (Olin Miller). Successful people take care of what is important immediately. Efficient time management dictates that you conquer your fear and live courageously, completing what matters most as soon as you can, not as late as possible. Procrastination is what limits success in your future and lessens happiness in your present. Procrastination is the author of regret. There are different forms of productivity to your life: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual, and they all need attention in balance.

Secret #3: Balance your life: There is a beautiful illustration of balance in time management that has been formed into many analogies, from a pickle jar to a biscuit barrel, to name a few. Stephen Covey uses one such illustration. This is a shortened variation of the popular story, which makes a crucial point: take care of first things first. For those who like to follow along while doing the exercise and live the experience, you will need a large jar, some large rocks, some pebbles, some sand, and some water. On each large rock (10-12 of them, depending on your jar size), write something important to you, a major priority in life (such as a deadline, a goal, an event, clients, loved ones).

Now imagine you are sitting by rocks and sand in front of a beautiful ocean (no surprise why I picked the beach setting). In your hand you have a large empty jar. Fill it with lots of sand until it is completely full. Sand includes all the little things you have to do. Now pour a lot of pebbles onto the sand, and try to fit as many as you can, until you can fit no more. Pebbles represent what you enjoy in life. Now try to add your large rocks. How many can you fit before they spill over? Few, if any. As you imagine this (or better yet, do this), think of ways your life resembles your jar. Are you trying to squeeze the major rocks into an already full jar, hoping it all holds together for one more day? Are there important matters and people who seem to get the leftovers of your time?

Let’s try it again. Empty the jar into a bowl (you will use the ingredients again). This time, pick up as many large rocks as you can and place them in the empty jar. Now add even a few more on the top. Notice you can fit even more than you expected, when the important parts of life go in first! Next, pick your small pebbles out of the sand and add them to the jar. Add as many pebbles as you can until the jar is full again (it is okay to shake the jar until they fit). Do you see how many more pebbles fit this time? You get more joy out of life when these “happiness” pebbles come next. Now, add your sand. Pour in as much sand as you can until the jar is full. Notice how the sand seeps in to the very bottom, surrounding all the empty spaces?

The sand represents all those chores that have to get done, and rather than taking up your whole life, can easily fit in between the rocks and pebbles. Notice how much your jar weighs. Lastly, pour in water, filling the jar until it can hold no more. Now lift the jar. Feel the difference? Water represents all the ways you allow burdens, worry, and stress to seep in and weigh you down. Your jar is your life: what is yours saying? Are you made of sand and water (with a little rocks and pebbles in the way) or are you made of rocks and pebbles (with sand filling the empty parts and the occasional water seeped in)?

Successful people are not always busy, and busy people are not always successful. How you handle balancing the rocks, pebbles, and sand of your life can propel you towards success or stop you cold. Live a balanced life. Are you letting your time be wasted? Technology can be your avenue to prosperity or it can siphon the life out of you and your prospects for the future. You decide which it is for your life every minute you spend connected to the world wide web, watching tv, reading, going to the movies. Be sure your habits fit in balance with your life strategy. Your body will run as well as you treat it. Are you running it down with bad habits now, draining it of a future? Do you have a regular sleep pattern? Are you eating right? Your body is a machine and needs regular nutritious fuel (and rest) for optimum performance.

Every day should contain time for business, refreshment (play, rest, eat), strategy (reflection on the big picture, goals, priorities, self-improvement, confidence, and spiritual strength), chores (the sand), and relationships. How you handle these components of your time defines who you are.

My husband is a successful attorney (talk about a stressful job!), and he has taught me the value of laughter and fun in everyday life. After dealing with life changing experiences in clients all day, he makes a point of seeking out humor, usually by at least catching jokes on one of the late shows every night. With the variety of jokes, you are bound to find something funny, and it is a great way to relax and have fun together. Laughter is truly a great medicine.

Do you spend enough time with loved ones? My three children love it when daddy gets home. No matter what kind of day he has had, they know that by bedtime, he will come up with something fun to do. Sometimes it is a game of hide-and-seek, other times they wrestle, or play “monster”. They feel important by his time and attention, and it gives him a way to bond with his children while he unwinds from his day. Do you let your children see you have fun? I laugh with my children, my friends, and my spouse as often as possible.

Do you have intimate time with your spouse daily? I am not just talking about sex (although that is a great idea too). If you are too busy or too tired for sexual intimacy, still reinforce the emotional bond daily. My husband and I love to hold each other in bed every night and enjoy the warmth of knowing we are there for each other. We also take time to hear about our day, cultivating the friendship. Do you spend time talking with those closest to you? If not a spouse, a friend? Give yourself time for friendships that last.

Secret #4: Say no. It is not selfish to say no, but rather is a healthy form of time management that draws others in. When you overbook your schedule, you say to your commitments” you are not worth my best effort”. Saying no tells others you know your limits and abilities, and you can be trusted to do what you promise. Being trustworthy is an effective tool to keep loyal clients, and a great parenting tip for building strong relationships with your children. Be a person of integrity, and do what you say.

Keep your focus on the big rocks to determine what to throw out. Are you keeping busy hoping to make it somehow, or are you focused on a goal and guiding yourself to it with every minute you spend? Every action accomplishes some goal, the question you must ask yourself is what goal is this action taking you towards. Your schedule defines your priorities, and your priorities define you. Why you choose your big rocks is often as important as what they are and how you deal with them. Do you have a grasp on your life purpose, and are you seeking ways to contribute to the world with your talents and your giftings? Have a strong foundation anchored in to succeed through the storms of life.

Pass your time wisely. If you live in the moment, stay productive, balanced, and live according to your priorities, you will succeed in your life’s purpose.

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Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Four – September 30, 2006 

Christine Kane presents Are You A Quitter? posted at Christine Kane

The participants of my women’s retreats stay in touch with each other for many months afterwards - giving encouragement, sharing successes, and requesting advice. The June retreat was no exception. The women still write to each other in a Yahoo Group. This week, MK wrote in a request for help. With her permission, I’m posting part of her note:

I’ve decided that trying to take a graduate course right now on top of all the
other new stuff that I’ve introduced into my life over the last few
months is not a good idea. I’m trying to convince myself that I’m
simply letting go of this for now and that I’m not a big cry baby
quitter who gives up when something is hard. So any thoughts on the
difference between letting go and quitting would be most appreciated.

Many of us have been in this exact place. You know you could do something if you stuck it out and worked harder. But you have a deep hunch that it’s not a good thing, or that you’re tired, or that it’s no longer serving your highest good. Success models and success books can make it seem like you must slug through things no matter what the cost. Go go go! Sell sell sell! Work work work!

What About Intuition?

What’s missing from this model is a few chapters on how to know if it’s time to shift gears, time to let go, time to say no, or time to take a break. Or how to let go and not label yourself a “quitter,” or a “failure,” or someone who just couldn’t “hack it.”

These chapters are missing because this level of knowing, this kind of decision is not something that’s written about easily. It doesn’t come from the head, and it can’t be “figured out.” It’s not a 7-step process. Often these kinds of decisions come out of something not “feeling right.” The voice inside you that says, “Something’s not good for me here.” Your intuition.

But that’s a deep voice. It’s a quiet voice. It’s a voice that most of us have tuned out for fear of going against the grain. We’ve neglected this intuitive part of us. We want reasons, and we want to be able to justify our choices to anyone who asks. Intuition isn’t a good enough reason.

So, we squelch it. Our ego gets big and puffy, and brings out what I call “The Inner Labelmaker.” The ego uses the harshest labels, the ones that trigger us the most. It’s scared, and it doesn’t want us to screw up. MK’s labels were “cry baby” and “quitter.” When I was young, I was pretty wild and I got in trouble a lot, so my labelmaker uses words the adults used, like, “irresponsible” or “unfocused.” Even now, after successfully performing, writing songs, and releasing CDs for 12 years, I still believe some of those labels on bad days! The Inner Labelmaker cares not at all for logic or proof. The Inner Labelmaker goes for shame, guilt, or whatever hooks you.

My theory is this: That we’re more afraid of what we tell ourselves about ourselves (and of the Inner Labelmaker) than we are of the outcome of our decisions.

Shift Happens

Here’s the truth: We change. (Thank God!) And as we get more tuned in to our intuition and our consciousness, our values grow and shift. Our needs become clearer. And sometimes we have let go of a goal or a relationship or a business plan and realize that it’s no longer in alignment with our current values. Sometimes it can be something we thought we wanted to do as recently as a few weeks ago, and it just wasn’t the right thing. (In the case of MK’s class.)

For the last seven years, my tour schedule has been packed full with 12 - 18 shows a month. This year, except for a six-week tour with a ballet company, I’m only doing a handful of shows. I’m doing this so I can take time to think and write and ask myself how to approach this career without burning out. This was an insanely hard decision to make. It required lots of changes in my life and in my office. The Inner Labelmaker cranked out labels daily. But so far, I’ve made more money this year than any other year before, and I’m happier. Really deeply happier. It was the right decision, and I needed to do it, even if it felt like I’d lose exposure or audiences.

Choosing to Stick it Out

One of the retreat women wrote MK a message back saying that even when grad school was so awful for her she stuck it out because she had “a vision of what I wanted to do in the long run.” She gave a compassionate perspective on her experience. Usually when people choose to stick things out, it’s because they want to. They’re choosing to do that because of a deeper meaning and fulfillment that they get out of following a higher calling. All of us deal with items in our schedules that are grueling but that take us in a great direction, so it’s worth it.

No Right or Wrong

The truth is that MK could stay in the graduate course and probably slug it out. Or she could quit the course and take it later, or not at all. Only she gets to determine whether or not it’s the best decision. There is no right or wrong. There’s only us deciding if it’s right or wrong. You might say, “Well if bad things happen, then that means it was a wrong decision.” No it doesn’t! It just means there’s a new challenge at your door. Welcome to life!

Sometimes, just making the decision brings about such enormous relief that I wonder if the problem isn’t the decision, but being undecided!

Intent and Motivation

Always know your intent and your motivation. Try to determine if you are being motivated by fear. Fear of anything is not a strong reason to choose something. Or to avoid choosing something. (Which is still a choice.) Fear of the labelmaker’s words. Fear of losing fans. Fear of amounting to nothing.

These are not reasons. These are lack. When you stick it out because of fear, you are setting intent for lack. You’re saying, “If I don’t stay here, then there will be nothing else there.” And that’s hooey. There’s always something else there.

What to Do if you Don’t Know What to Do

Usually when someone tells me she’s in a place of indecision, I can tell what she deeply wants to do. I don’t see it as indecision. I see it as fear. Too many voices saying too many things. So, do this:

1. Shut up and get still

Quit calling everyone and their sister trying to get their opinions on your life and the decision you’re making. When you do that, you’re engaging in drama as a way to distract you. Turn off the cell phone. Sit in the dark. Light a candle and be quiet.

2. Ask yourself, “What is for my highest good in this situation?”

Typically, the very first answer you get is the one you deeply want to do. “Go home.” “Break up with her.” “Quit this job immediately.” “Do not return this phone call.” I find that my wise voice is very loud when I give it a chance. It knows. And we all have that voice. The only problem is that our second-guessing voice is always so quick to jump in. “But doesn’t this mean I’m lazy?” “Shouldn’t I give her one more chance?” “I can stick it out! I know I can!” Those aren’t healthy deep voices. Go back and listen to the certain voice. Often, when you hear it, you will breathe deeply. It’s bigger than the others.

3. Act on it.

The only way to begin to trust your wise voice is to act on it. This might be scary, but it’s absolutely true. Take action. Get support from a loving friend if you need to, but act on it. Then observe.

I’m happy to report that MK quit the grad course. And she wrote in to the group to tell everyone how happy she was. Typically, this is the instant response we get. We feel happy. We feel relieved. The labelmaker’s got nothing on the lightness of feeling better. The labelmaker can nail us with all of the things our parents or teachers may have said to us, but our hearts and our bodies don’t lie. They will “talk” to us clearly.

Beware the Half-way Decision (or “I’m taking more time to let my fears to unfold.”)

I know someone who has been breaking up with her boyfriend for about three years. She has so many fears of being alone, and of having failed again that she is still half-way clinging to him, even though she’s half-way been with someone else for two years. It’s hard to watch this because I know it could hurt her health.

Our spirits don’t like to live half-way. They know we’re behaving fearfully. Fear takes a huge toll on a body. And fear doesn’t always mean quaking-in-your-boots fear. Fear can slowly become a lifestyle if you let it. Half-way decisions rarely work, and the universe will often make the decision for you at some point. You’ll lose the job you were half-way holding onto. Your old apartment in the city you’re subletting (just in case you want to go back) gets completely destroyed by the tenant who walks out on the rent.

The universe loves certainty. Test it and see.

 

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Five – Sept. 30, 2006 

Peter Kua presents Redesign your business in 6 steps posted at RadicalHop.com: Business. Innovation. Passion.  

Your company has been in business for many years now, and you’ve observed sweeping changes in the business landscape in terms of pace, competition, consumer demands and human resources in the last decade. This is especially true if you’re in the high-tech, fast-paced business of consumer electronics, computer hardware and software. How does your business stay ahead of your competitors who are constantly nibbling at your heels? Company loyalty is all but dead. How then, does your business retain top talent - for a little longer - to continue churning out new product breakthroughs to satisfy the never ending consumer thirst for ever faster, smaller and feature-filled gadgets? Here’s how:

Clear the way to the top. This means normal employees – your star engineers, brilliant designers and software whiz – can go straight to the C-level executives with their bright ideas. In the past, there had been too many potentially profitable ideas that were killed at middle management level. Designers had been demoralized. Whiz programmers had been disheartened. They had left and joined other companies which then made millions out of those “rejected” ideas.

Design first, engineering second. In the past, designers had to build their products around what engineers constructed. With today’s consumers demanding smaller, more user-friendly and cuter devices, now the top priority is in the design. And engineering will have to follow suit, cracking their heads on how to fit their widgets into the designer’s work of art.

Environment that permits questioning. Yes. Have an environment that allows free flow of communication. An environment that permits everyone to question everyone else, including their bosses. Sometimes bosses are so stuck to the ancestral ways of doing things that they don’t realize there are better means to execute something. So it’s good to allow yourself to be challenged, especially by an employee who is smarter than you in certain areas.

Train, teach, school. Employees love companies that don’t only treat them as workhorses, but ships them off to value-added training. MBAs for better business acumen. Design schools to discover the latest trends. Engineering doctorates for superior R&D skills. Train those employees of yours.

Reach out to the world. Don’t only stick to your own country. Reach out globally. Have sales and marketing offices worldwide. Tap the global talent by setting up design centers in major cities. People in different countries possess different perspectives and different ways of looking at things. Did I hear you say you’ve no money to do that? Form win-win, profit sharing partnerships with foreign companies that share your vision!

Have a bizarre outlook. See beyond your core competency. Look at how consumers are really using your products, from packaging to accompanying CDs to manuals and accessories. Improve every aspect of these. You’d be surprised to learn how a badly written manual can turn off consumers so much that they would never buy any of your company’s products again.

 

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.”

-Henry David Thoreau

 

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Please check out the Career Intensity Squidoo Lens.  It has excerpts of Career Intensity that you can read for free.

Click Here to Check it out

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Some would say it’s not easy to pursue your dreams, that it’s better to be sensible and stay where you are, where things are secure and stable, than to assume the risks that accompany change. They’re right that it’s not easy, but their opinions on risk are merely their own. Everyone has his own risk tolerance, and he must use that as his guide in decision making. You should never settle for less than you want out of your career and life, and here’s why:

Passion breeds success. Throughout my own life, and in the lives of my friends and clients, I have seen time and again that the people who are pursuing what matters most to them are the ones who thrive, astound others with their productivity, and make amazing things happen. Obviously, the more excited you are about something, the more motivation you’re going to have to push through and succeed. Don’t shortchange yourself by investing your time and energy in work that doesn’t mean anything to you. You may think that the benefits your current job offer you, such as money or perks, outweigh the happiness you would feel in a career that truly fulfills you. I have observed that most people who are truly happy find that their attachment to the material diminishes as their enthusiasm for life increases.

Security is an illusion. The guy with the 9-to-5 job at the conservative company that he’s been with for ten years in reality has no more security than the risk taker who leaves behind his “stable” job to found his own company. In today’s hire-and-fire world, anyone can be let go for any arbitrary reason at any time, regardless of length of service or performance. An Entrepreneur has many clients, so if he loses one, he will most likely be able to recover from the setback quickly. He creates and seeks out his own opportunity, so his future is in his hands. His friends and colleagues are drawn to his proactive spirit and want to help make good things happen for him. His security lies in his unwavering commitment to happiness and excellence.

You owe it to yourself. We are meant to thrive and achieve our potential, not to skate by doing the minimum possible. Wouldn’t you like to see the best version of yourself come to life? Of course you would! A person who is fulfilled in his work enjoys all the other facets of life more. His health, attitude, and entire worldview are more promising and positive. Life is a gift—make the most of it.

You can do more good. Friends or relatives may think they know what’s best for you. If you follow their path, they may believe you will be more available to them, or you can help them out in some way. However, only you know how to navigate your true path to happiness. When you are fulfilled, you have so much more time, energy, and shared experiences to offer everyone in your life. Your achievements radiate out beyond yourself into the world, and you enrich and inspire all the lives you touch simply by being happy and successful.

Life is for living. We are not here merely to get by. We are here to enjoy the bounty of experiences that life offers. Why waste your time doing things you don’t want to do? Follow your passion and embrace what life has to offer you. Doing so will make every day richer and better.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

“Treat a man as he is, he will remain so. Treat a man the way he can be and ought to be, and he will become as he can be and should be.”

-Goethe

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

In investigating your career options, resist the inclination to get into a search rut. If you’re browsing at jobs, for instance, widen your search into new areas. Oftentimes, if you shift your focus even slightly, you can expect to earn more money, flexibility, or opportunity for advancement. Consider positions across the whole spectrum of companies, from small to very large, spanning all sectors, including nonprofit, government, and private. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities you might not expect.

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A friend of mine is about to relocate to another city that she believes will offer better job prospects in her field. For the past couple of months, she has been sending out inquiries to companies that appeal to her, including her résumé and letters of intent. She has already started to hear back from some of them. A midsize company recently contacted her and let her know about a networking event that’s coming up. It just so happens that she’ll be there during that time, searching for a new apartment, and she will be able to attend. Before she has even officially relocated, she is starting to make contacts.

In addition to this, she has stated her intentions to friends and business partners, and through contacts of theirs, she has arranged several lunch dates to talk about the market and job opportunities. She is determined and confident in her decision to relocate, and the way is being paved for success. Her enthusiasm is apparent, and people are willing and ready to help her navigate a successful course.

When you make the right decisions for yourself and take proactive steps to attract opportunities to you, magic starts to happen. Passion, drive, and a positive attitude do wonders for your future and your career.

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What distinguishes an Entrepreneur is the business world is his willingness to take risks. His gambles do not always pay off, but even when they don’t, he learns valuable lessons that guide him in the future. What Entrepreneurs are great at is taking smart risks, and having a strong sense of the likely outcomes of their decisions. Entrepreneurs quickly learn that what others perceive as risks are often not actually risks at all.

For instance, many people are afraid to ask their boss for a raise and view this as a risky undertaking. The truth, however, is that asking for a raise poses no risk to you whatsoever. The worst case scenario is that your boss will say no. Similarly, introducing yourself to a new person and attempting to make a connection poses no risk. It may feel scary, but you have nothing to lose.

Risk takers view truly risky endeavors, such as changing jobs or moving into a new field, with caution and optimism. The more often they attempt to succeed in risky activities, the sooner they learn what their likelihood of success is in these attempts. If someone has moved rather seamlessly into new career areas and succeeded in them, he learns that he will find a way to survive and thrive in any new field.

The best way to develop your risk-taking skills is to take risks, increasing in size and scope. You will soon get a feel for how you handle risk and what can result.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.”

-Dennis Wholey

 

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Lisa Haneberg has some good advice and commentary on FORTUNE Magazine’s article on building trust.

Lisa writes: 

“This [article] smacks of Apprentice style management advice - power, manipulation, appearances. Yuck! We need to develop and build stronger, more trusting relationships in business, not more smoke and mirrors, disingenuous flattery, and short cut social strategies.”

Lisa is right on the money.  That type of behavior stinks.  Genuine leadership is rare.  We need more of it.  That is not what is represented in this article.

Lisa truly gets it.  That’s why she is one of my daily reads. 

If you don’t already read Management Craft, you need to.  You should also pick up her latest book – Focus like a Laser Beam.  It’s more straight talk about concentrating on things that are important.

 

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

I was speaking with John, a client of mine who works in sales, the other day, and he shared his ideas for lasting career success. John earned a promotion from the position of sales rep to sales manager just under a year ago, and he was assigned to the store in his market that had traditionally performed the worst. Ten months later, John’s store is #1 in his market and #2 in his region, which spans six states. He was asked to give a presentation recently to talk about his strategies for improving business. His main pointers were:

Cultivate potential. John said that he thought the main problem with his store was that the employees were unmotivated. They had been in the losing spot for so long that they felt like losers and generally exerted minimal effort. John’s first goal was to foster a sense of value and purpose among his employees. He offered incentives for reaching and exceeding monthly sales quotas. He met with each employee regularly to give positive feedback on sales techniques that were working. John’s positive attitude extended beyond himself and influenced everyone who worked for him. Sales began to climb.

Build a team. The incentive for exceeding the monthly sales quota was an evening out at the bar, with an open tab which John would cover. He strongly encouraged all employees to attend, and almost all of them did. Spending time in a relaxed setting with each other helped develop a sense of community and common purpose, and being recognized for their work motivated each individual employee to excel. Sales continued to increase.

Wow customers. John says that it’s his mission to make sure every customer leaves happy. He stops at nothing to make sure their needs are met, and, not surprisingly, he has gotten tremendous positive feedback from them and enjoyed the referrals they have sent his way. John does his best to get along with everybody and understand his unique concerns. Making a connection with the customer, tuning in to her needs, and making sure she is wowed is John’s absolute top priority, he says. His motivation is derived from a desire to provide excellent value and service, not to turn out high numbers. Of course, those striking figures are the natural result of his winning attitude.

Constantly improve. John expects a lot of himself, his employees, and his store. He never stops working on ideas to improve what’s already great. From customer service to presentation to administration, John works hard to stay on top of the game. He keeps his employees busy with their regular duties as well as long-term improvement projects. He is open to their suggestions for improvement, and shares these ideas with upper management, always giving credit where it’s due. He is never satisfied merely to skate by. He is firmly committed to excellence, and he’s determined to do the best he can.

Emphasize value. John is a happy person and a positive thinker. When interacting with customers, he places primary focus on the value of the product and service the company provides. He demonstrates his readiness to provide outstanding service and makes the customer feel secure in his investment. He shares compelling facts about the company, demonstrating his pride in working where he does. In the presentation he gave to upper management, he emphasized what a fantastic job his team was doing. Though he had been the catalyst for turning them around, he gave the credit for the hard work and upward sales trends to them. Of course, this reveals a personal security and confidence that is magnetic to everyone.

John says he can summarize his career mentality with the following statement: Whatever you do, do it well. If you don’t love what you do and you are not rewarded by your work, look elsewhere. Don’t waste your time or anyone else’s by performing half-heartedly. Follow your passion, and find work in which you can make a difference.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

“Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.”

-Brian Tracy

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Getting credit for good ideas isn’t just positive reinforcement—it’s also job security during economic downtime. So, how do you make sure your good ideas get the recognition they deserve from the supervisor? The simple truth is just as it’s your responsibility to do a great job, it’s also your responsibility to let your boss know what a great job you’re doing by demonstrating your value. How do you do this?

Make yourself visible. When the chance arises to give a presentation, take a visitor on a tour, train new employees, or contribute ideas in a meeting, jump on it. The more visible you are to your boss and colleagues, the more you stick in their minds and the more they associate you with success, productivity, in progress. Additionally, every person you interact with is another contact who might have leads to future opportunities for you.

Record and report successes. Every time you accomplish something of significance at work, write it down. Keep a notebook in your desk expressly for this purpose. When the time for your performance review comes, you have a wealth of information to draw from in preparing your argument for a raise or a promotion. It’s up to you to point out what you’ve been doing and how much value you’ve created.

Seize new opportunities. When your boss needs someone to complete a special assignment, volunteer. Refer to similar projects from your past, and assure your boss that you are fit for the work. This willingness to tackle new challenges will impress your boss and attract attention to you. When further opportunities arise, you will be the person who comes to mind to get the job done.

Don’t expect anyone else to look out for your best interests and chart your path to success. Be proactive in your career, and keep forging ahead. Make sure that your supervisor is aware of your hard work and accomplishments, and all the individual value that you contribute to the company.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

A client of mine, Vincent, recently started his own business. He hired a Web designer, who sent him a long list of questions about his vision and goals for the site. One section of the questions required that Vincent investigate the Web sites of other small businesses in his field and comment on their look, feel, and interface. In doing this, Vincent gathered a lot of information about the competition and reinforced for himself what he wants to make sure to do and avoid doing in his own work. Whether or not you need your own Web site designed, this is a great exercise you can use to improve your business.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

We all have the same number of hours in the day, and most of us wish we had more. Here are a few ideas for boosting your productivity throughout the day:

Make appointments for yourself. In the same way that you schedule time for meetings and doctor appointments, schedule in time to work on your projects and goals. This is a great way to keep yourself from always being pulled in to other people’s plans for you. Don’t allow interruptions to creep in. If you can, let phone calls go to voicemail, and don’t check your e-mail until the appointment with yourself is over.

Use your downtime. Carry a notebook, your laptop, or your latest project around with you. Get some work in on the subway or sitting in an office waiting. I do some of my clearest thinking during these in-between moments, when I don’t have to be doing anything and feel free to do whatever I need and want to do.

Say no. Saying no to someone else can be saying yes to yourself. If you’ve got a deadline or important work that can’t wait, don’t feel any guilt about telling a coworker that you’d rather schedule a meeting time to discuss his project than talk about it now. He’ll understand, and you’ll get your work done.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

What are you most ambitious about? The answer to this question reveals your passion. The more ambitious and passionate about your work you are, the more successful you will be. Don’t shortchange yourself by staying in a field that does not mean anything to you. You can go much further by pursuing the things that really matter to you.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

“Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.”

-Alice Walker

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

One of my friends is in the middle of an active job search campaign.   He is a good performer in a mediocre company and he’s ready for a more challenging role. 

This past Friday he was called into his boss’s office and fired for using a company asset for personal purposes.

What was his infraction?  He left a photocopy of his resume on the office copy machine. 

Clearly busted, my friend did the “walk of shame” out of his office Friday afternoon.  He immediately scheduled a couple of interviews for later this week. In this job market, he will find a job quickly. 

His bonehead maneuver robbed him of some flexibility (he may need to take a job that isn’t a great fit, just to have some income). 

The moral of the story:  Organize your job search at home.  Don’t bring anything involved with a job search to the office.  Don’t make job prospecting calls on the office phone.  Don’t use the office fax machine.  Don’t interview on company time. 

It’s just not worth it.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Five irrational fears that commonly prevent people from pursuing their destinies are:

Fear of the Unknown. No one knows what the future brings. To some, this fact is exciting—to others, unsettling, at best. No matter where anybody’s coming from, they have no more power to predict the future than anyone else. The best any of us can do is to proceed as if we’re going to succeed. Hope for the best, plan for the worst, and take action toward your goals today.

Fear of Failure. What if you make a plan, announce your intentions, and do not achieve your goal? Most worry about what people will think of them in this case. What we should all keep in mind is that all great leaders endure numerous failures. Their persistence in the face of adversity is what sets them apart. They are not viewed as failures because they forge ahead to eventual success.

Fear of Commitment. Once we bind ourselves to one path, we often fear that we are eliminating the possibility of pursuing others. When you are following your passion, though, you are very unlikely to fear committing to it, as nothing else will compel you so much as your primary aim. If you hesitate and waver when you think about taking the first steps toward your goal, re-evaluate whether that’s what you really want.

Fear of Disapproval. Others may not like the choice you’ve made, even if that change improves your life. Reasons for this are numerous. Maybe they’d prefer that you continue on a path that benefits them. Perhaps they’re simply jealous. Successful people are confident in their ideas and don’t require outside validation. In fact, they are often motivated to prove others wrong. Because superachievers are unique, it is no surprise to them when others do not approve of their actions or ideas.

Fear of Success. If you do succeed, how will your life change? Will you always have to work harder? Will your old friends resent you and drift away? What other changes will result? First of all, the more success you attain, the more your energy will multiply and feed into work, which will make it more enjoyable and less stressful. Secondly, any friend who does not celebrate your success with you isn’t really a friend. Most of the changes that come with success will be positive, and you are in control of how you deal with them.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time.

-Abraham Lincoln

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Check out The Sales Intensity Blog.

The last few posts include:

Sell Yourself First – Four killer tips to get your clients to like you.

The Five Habits that Make You More Money – These are the five key behaviors that will help make you rich if you own a business or sell for a living.

Grab Some Attention – Six ways to get your sales and marketing copy noticed and more importantly, read.

All three of these posts can help you build your business today. 

We’re off to a blazing start at The Sales Intensity Blog. 

Bookmark http://salesintensity.com/blog  today. 

Filed under: Entrepreneurship - General
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Today’s Business and the Bible quote comes from Deuteronomy 8:18:

“But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.”

What it means to me:

Our talent is a gift from God.  We must develop it fully over the course of our lifetime.  When we do, it gives Him glory.

Each of us has a unique ability.  If we make the most of it, we can become rich not only in money but in the knowledge that we have fulfilled our potential.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Carnival of Career Intensity – Post One 

Eric Boehme presents Surviving and Thriving (At Work and At Home): Conquer Fear, Take Action! posted at Eric Boehme (The Blogging Boss).
People who talk about doing something, yet take no action end up frustrated. They have a tremendous idea, it germinates, and is fertilized a little bit. In the end; it dies. Why did it die? The “art” of taking action was probably not understood. To build a successful business you must learn to take action. It is really a simple concept; however, it is not easy to accomplish.

Fear is the biggest enemy. Fear paralyzes so many people. It robs them from the success they should be enjoying. It is much easier to “play it safe” and not take the next step. Taking the next step requires action and the willingness to accept failure. Failing to take action day after day will ensure that the business will not succeed.

I learned the hard way. I thought success was inevitable - if I only took the initial step. Once I beat the insecurities that lurked around the monster, fear, I took action. I fully expected success to follow.

It eluded me.

I became frustrated and stopped taking any more steps forward. I became paralyzed now by a feeling of failure.

Why would I expect that taking the first step would ensure success? Nobody ever taught me that. Did anyone ever really teach me that “slow and steady wins the race?” Well, yeah they did, but I wasn’t really listening.

I didn’t understand what taking action really meant. I didn’t understand that it required diligence and patience. I did not embrace incremental progress.

My mental model was centered around taking the first big step forward. Then, I would sit back and watch the rest fall into place. I thought that I had to do everything at the front end of building a business. If I did everything possible right away, I was building a foundation that would support my entire business.

I failed. I started to blame everyone and everything for the failure to launch my first internet business. I started to discount the wisdom that was imparted to me by my mentors. I would lament to my wife - “everything I try to do fails.” Even though I had run a profitable consultancy for four years, my success was dwarfed by the failure to start an internet business.

I began to hear some of my mentors talk about taking action - one step at a time. They explained how they would write on an index card one thing that they were going to do to improve their internet business. Then each day they did what was written on the card.

Doesn’t this sound simple?

Actually it is. It has taken me some time to really take this advice to heart, but over time I finally started to believe it. Why?

I started to do it. No matter if I saw any results from what I did; I began to take action everyday.

I actually took this giant leap after applying a concept that I had learned outside of the walls of internet space. I knew that to sustain growth and experience success, I had to “hard-wire” taking action right into every part of my life. It had to be as natural as breathing. It had to be as consistent as a beating heart. By taking action day after day, even if it was as simple as writing an article, I was beginning to make it part of my life.

I go to the gym 4 days a week. I have guys that hold me accountable. If I don’t feel like “working out” on any given day, I get an email from one of my buddies asking me when I am headed to the gym. I immediately change my direction and respond. Hours later I am bench pressing, building strength in my shoulders, arms and key muscle groups. I know I need muscle strength to help keep my body healthy. Muscles keep your joints working well, support your back and slow the aging process, including arthritis.

That is my model. I obviously assigned value to working out and keeping fit. Why shouldn’t I do this in my internet business?

The daily act of taking action is moving me faster and faster towards success.

Is it time that you hard-wire action into your life?

You will not regret making the change.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Two 

Justin Driscoll at Justin Driscoll.net presents Finding Your Career Passion

Last night I had dinner with a very good friend of mine.  I knew something was wrong at dinner but I didn’t push the issue.  After dinner my wife suggested I give him a call to make sure everything was OK.  When I called he told me he is completely unhappy in his job.  To make matters worse he has no idea what he wants to do for a living.  In other words he doesn’t have a passion for anything in particular. 

For some people their career passion comes easy for them.  They know what they want to do before they ever graduate high school or college.  Then once school is out of the way they pursue their passion like there is not tomorrow.

On the other hand, these is a section of the population that has no interest in work or anything that has to do with work; especially a job that forces you to sit behind a desk all day.  If you are like my friend who cannot seem to find a job that is a good fit or one that makes you enjoy what you are doing what are you to do?  

Everyone’s situation is unique and different but I am convinced there is a job out there for you that you were destined for.  I am even more convinced that you can find a job where you can feel satisfaction and accomplishment everyday.  One of the complaints my friend made was that his job is not rewarding or satisfying.  He isn’t concerned about making loads of money but more concerned with doing something where he will have an impact on someone or something through his job.  Is this easy to find?  No, but it is not impossible either.   

My friend is 26 so he is starting to ask himself those questions all of us ask.  What am I doing with my life?  What impact am I having on the people I touch?  Is my job really what I expected it to be?  Am I doing what I should be doing in life?  As I encouraged him let me encourage you.  God has a plan for all of our lives.  He promises us He will never leave us nor forsake us.  I have to remind myself of these promises on what seems like a daily basis.  Today may seem dark and dreary but remember “Joy comes in the morning.”  Today may not seem all that great but isn’t it amazing what a good nights rest will do for you? 

If you are feeling discontent and dissatisfied with your job it might be time for a change.  On the other hand it might not.  If you have one bad day at work that doesn’t mean you should change everything in your life.  Make sure you weigh your decisions carefully before doing anything rash.  For those of us who are very emotional people we made need to temper our emotional decisions by a good nights rest.  Then in the morning get up and think with a clear mind before we do anything we will regret. 

Finding our passion in life is not always easy.  It may take a few changes or tweaks but I know it is out there.  Have you found yours?

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Three 

Peter Kua presents Wanna be more productive? Trash that bloody PDA! posted at RadicalHop.com: Business. Innovation. Passion.

All that hard sell about how PDAs can make you more productive are just some very cunning marketing targeted at suckers. Suckers who don’t know what it means to be more productive. Suckers who believe PDAs will double or triple their free time because they think they can carry out work a lot faster with PDAs. Suckers who buy US$500 PDAs with every conceivable feature jammed into them, only to use it as an awfully expensive phone book. Yes, I was one of those suckers. But I’ve long trashed my PDA for the good old pen and paper which I stash in my pocket all the time. Let me tell you why PDAs suck and the great pen and paper (let’s call it P&P from now on) rules:

I can whip out my P&P and start writing or scribbling straight away. Can you do the same with a PDA? Of course. But only after you remove the stylus, tap the screen to wake the PDA up, call up whatever application you need (notepad, contacts, drawing pad, whatever). Then you either start pattering away on the tiny keyboard provided or start doing that graffiti thingy. Oh, did I also mention making countless mistakes on that ultra-small keyboard with your fat fingers or getting those graffiti wrong and having to backspace all the time?

I can write or scribble using P&P while talking on the phone. Can you do the same with a PDA? The answer is definitely yes. But not before you search for that earpiece of your, untangle it, plug in into the PDA, and go through the same shitty routine in the first point.

Nobody wants to steal P&P. But every thief or crook or pickpocket would be eying your expensive phonebook!

I won’t get pulled over by the cops for using a P&P. But you will get stopped by them for “using your mobile while driving”. You can argue all you want - that all you were doing was looking up a contact or jotting down something - but the cops will not care. To them, anything you hold that resembles a mobile device while driving - without the aid of a car kit or earpiece– is considered breaching the law in many countries. Using a P&P while driving? No commandment on this yet!

No downtime for P&P. Imagine not being able to make it for an interview because you forgot the charge your PDA, and your PDA goes dead while you’re in the subway, and all the interview details are in your PDA. Need I say more here?

I can make detailed drawings with P&P. Try drawing something meticulous on your PDA. It’s a complete waste of time and I don’t know why anyone would even bother. First setback: small screen and crappy resolution (compared to P&P). Second snag: the stylus just doesn’t feel like a pen, and the screen just doesn’t feel like paper. The marketing people will tell you it’s just a transitory psychological barrier that you need to overcome. That’s just plain humbug. You can never draw anything complicated beyond simple rectangles and large gawky words on the PDA.

I can spread out ideas with P&P. And I can see and understand everything I’ve written all at once. PDAs? The effort it takes to scroll up and down, and switch pages back and forth makes remembering and understanding what was written a great challenge. I get tired just thinking about this.

I can easily write in ANY language with P&P. Again and of course, the PDA can do it. But how painless? You try typing or graffiti-ing Chinese or Arabic or French with all those acute, grave, tréma, and tilde accents. The energy it takes is just horrendous compared to plain scrawling with P&P.

And lastly, P&P are lightweight and they don’t hang.

 

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Four 

David Maister presents How to Get Ahead: Lie and Cheat? posted at Passion, People and Principles

Steve Shu brought my attention to a fascinating article reporting on a study of 5,000 MBA students from 11 graduate business schools in Canada and 21 schools in the U.S.

The study is entitled “Academic Dishonesty in Graduate Business Programs: The Prevalence, Causes, and Proposed Actions”. It was conducted by management professors at Rutgers, Washington State and Pennsylvania State universities, and will appear in the next issue of the Academy of Management Learning & Education journal.

The study found that 56 per cent of graduate business students admitted to cheating in the last year, compared with 47 per cent of non-business students.

Jim Fisher, vice-dean of MBA programs at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, said he wasn’t surprised by the results, since MBA students are highly competitive and have a high need for achievement.

To dampen the impulse to cheat, students at Rotman must sign a form every time they submit course work for grading to ensure they comply with academic honesty policies. When MBA students work in teams, they also must sign forms stating that they didn’t cheat, nor did their teammates.

“Those numbers are probably under-reported,” said Donald McCabe, lead researcher on the study and business strategy professor at

Rutgers. Since the survey was voluntary, more dishonest students were less likely to fill out the survey, and those who did complete it may have under-reported how much they cheated, McCabe said.

The study suggested that MBA students were more likely to cheat than others because they were focused on “getting the job done, versus how they got it done. They will suggest, in the business world the emphasis is on getting the job done at any cost.”

“There is also employer pressure to get high marks,” Larry Wynant of the University of western Ontario said. “The past few years there has been tremendous pressure to get jobs, because the employment outlook has not been as rosy (for MBA graduates) as in the past.”

I read this at the same time that that the “20-something” daughter of some good friends was telling us about her new job as a personal assistant in the world of public relations. She pointed out, with great discomfort, that it was not unusual for her boss to say “I worked on the XYZ account for 4 hours but bill them for 20.” There’s even a word for this form of lying in PR firms, accounting firms, consulting firms and law firms: “value billing.”

I have no problem billing a client BY AGREEMENT on what a project was worth, but the casual acceptance of lies astonishes me.

We have crossed over into dangerous territory. When there is the normal expectation that most other people will cheat (given the opportunity) things WILL rapidly descend into the expectation that everyone will. We then have a distrustful, society based on the expectation of corruption – and everyone becomes super-defensive.

I won’t say I have never, ever sinned, especially when I was young and stupid. But what kept me on the true path was the overwhelming sense of guilt and the consequent vow that I would never lapse again. It is one thing to succumb to temptation. It is another to give up one’s very belief in principles and pass that cynicism and skepticism on to those around us and to those who report to us.

What happens if, in school and in the first job, we raise a generation of people who think lying, cheating and stealing are the ways you get ahead?

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Carnival of Career Intensity – Post Five 

Jack Yoest presents Training Is Never Wasted and The Best Interview Question posted at Jack Yoest.

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest said Ben Franklin. And sometimes learning a skill will pay off in ways unintended and unanticipated.

My favorite interview question is to ask candidates what their high school dream was. What did they want to do, what did they want to be. The best candidates — by that I mean the most contented candidates, have a thread in their lives of what they wanted to do back then and what they are doing today.

An expert interviewer, like Your humble Business Blogger, can discern the contentment and the fire in the belly of the job candidate, by analyzing any gap between high school plans and the current stage in life — I find that the larger this gap, the more unhappy the candidate. Unhappy candidates make for unhappy employees.

Critics of this crazy question accurately say that technology, markets, the world have changed since we were in high school, back in the day. And they are right: the material world changes. Less so people. And what people love to do, and how each individual candidate would like to make a difference.

Here is my favorite example.

She was a competitive swimmer in her youth. And wanted to be a life guard. Her dream job that would make a difference. She trained, studied and was certified.

She found her calling; her vocation but she never found that job.

A disappointed teenager, she took a position as an Assistant Cashier in the athletic center at Camp of the Woods in Adirondack Park of upstate New York in June of 1982. She didn’t get what she wanted, but at least she was near the water.

One afternoon while ringing up a sale, the young girl heard a commotion from the pool behind her across the hall.

A woman was just pulled from the pool. Limp, on her back turning blue. Not breathing. Stunned on-looking bystanders frozen. Inaction.

The teenage girl darted to the woman. Started mouth-to-mouth. The woman moved, struggled, gagged, puked and breathed.

Our teenager never got exactly the job she wanted; that job she trained for.

But her education did pay off. Especially for one swimmer visiting Adirondack Park.

Training is never wasted.

Today that teenage girl, now a mature woman, lives out her high school dream making a difference in a big, dramatic vocation before an on-looking crowd of millions. She wanted to make a difference in a unique way. And does so today.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

To be on a quest is nothing more or less than to become an asker of questions.

-Sam Keen

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

When helping a customer or coworker, always end the conversation by asking, “What else can I help you with?” Even if you’re pretty sure you’ve solved his problem, let him know that you are ready to go beyond the requirements of your job to provide the best possible value and service. Every customer will appreciate being made to feel that he is worth your time and you are ready to solve his problems. This bit of reassurance fosters trust and repeat business.

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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

When you make your clients and coworkers look good, good things happen for you. Anytime you make their jobs easier for them, that positive energy cycles back to you. Everybody loves to feel good about what she’s doing and be acknowledged for it. It’s Friday—everybody’s a little more upbeat on Friday. Strike up a conversation with someone today about her work. Give her some positive feedback about what she does that you find helpful. We so often forget these small gestures, but they are the sorts of actions that project positive energy and get people on your side. Take it a step further and talk about weekend plans. Making connections that go beyond merely professional can very much work in your favor. Business partners are naturally drawn to the friendliest and most approachable of their colleagues, and any common interests you establish widen the chances that you will come to mind for a future opportunity. Take time to recognize and appreciate the people around you. Expressing these thoughts is definitely a wise use of your time and energy.

Filed under: Networking
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

A key quality that most successful people have in common is an awareness of just how much power they possess to cultivate their own happiness. Aristotle said, “Happiness belongs to the self-sufficient.” Self-sufficient people are able to provide for their own needs. They do not expect anyone else to chart their course to success. Instead of waiting for the boss or the HR department to offer them opportunities for advancement, they seek them out actively. Rather than standing around and waiting for new people to approach them, they take chances and extend themselves in social situations, making introductions and getting the conversation going. Others appreciate their proactive approach to life, and their efforts reward them with leads, connections, and opportunity.

Be mindful of how much control you have over your own happiness and success each day. You decide how much rest to get, how to manage your work for the day, how to interact with coworkers, how to approach your boss about a raise or a promotion, which company to work for, how quickly you will rise through the ranks, how much money you will earn. No one can take this power away from you. Only if you relinquish it and put your power in someone else’s hands does he hold any sway over your future. If you are following the path someone else has prescribed for you, take back your life and start making decisions that have meaning for you. Successful people are never content to let anyone else be responsible for their future.

Filed under: Individual Economy
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

In any negotiation, know your bottom line, and stick to it. Let’s say your bottom line for salary is $40,000 a year. Think long and hard about this number. What if you’re offered the perfect job for $38,000 a year? Define your absolute bottom line, and do not let yourself be talked below it. When you are offered the job and the time to discuss salary arrives, give yourself some elbow room. Ask for more than you want. This is a good idea for two reasons: first of all, you might just get it. Secondly, even if you don’t, you’ve got a built-it cushion to ensure you at least meet your bottom line.

Filed under: Negotiation
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Just moments ago The Sales Intensity Blog was born.

This is a new blog that is to helping Salespeople, Entrepreneurs and Independent Professionals deepen their relationships with their clients.

Much of the content included on The Sales Intensity Blog will be part of a book by the same title.  The book will be released in 2007.  I hope to use the feedback from readers of the blog to make the book a compelling resource for anyone who wants to develop deep relationships and clients.

Please drop by the new blog and check it out. 

You can subscribe via RSS or through e-mail.  As always, I respect your privacy and I’ll never use your e-mail address for spam.

The web address is http://www.salesintensity.com/blog

I hope to see you over there!

Filed under: General Information
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Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Abraham Lincoln did not go to Gettysburg having commissioned a poll to find out what would sell in Gettysburg. There were no people with percentages for him, cautioning him about this group or that group or what they found in exit polls a year earlier. When will we have the courage of Lincoln?

-Robert Coles

Filed under: Money Quote
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