3 ways to avoid success

How can you tell if someone wants to be successful? Perhaps they arrive at the office earlier than others, tackle challenging work, or propose innovative ideas toward progress. There are some obvious signs of success.

How can you tell if someone is a failure? Perhaps they sleep in until 8am, passively market their ideas, or do not have any ideas. There are some obvious signs of failure. There are some less obvious signs too, and three are listed below.

Three routes to avoid success and find failure:

1. Coattail Riding: Success does not come to those who ride the coattails of others. If you do not work hard yourself, you will not experience the same level of success as others, even if a little of their light shines on you.
2. Copying: Success does not come to copycats. Be original. Have something new to say. If you do not work hard to be a leader in your field of expertise, you will not be an expert. Reading someone else's work can be helpful and interesting, but copying it as your own will not make you successful. 
3. Crying: There's no crying over errors. Successful people keep moving forward, as it says in Put Your Whole Self In! Crying, wallowing, and whining are guaranteed routes to failure.

Those three routes to failure seem like they would be obvious too. Yet, many people ride coattails, copy, and cry rather than do the work required to be at the top of the heap.

Success: do you really want it?

Everyone says they want to be successful, but few do the work required to achieve success. Everyone wants to be at the top of their field, but few do the work required to get there. Everyone wants to be extraordinary, but few do the little extra to go from ordinary to extraordinary.

I refuse to believe we are here to be ordinary. There is more in store for those who do the work, pay attention, and give more. If success came easy, everyone would have it. It takes hard work, perseverance, knowledge. It also takes less sleep, as mentioned in the video below. Clearly, few high school athletes prepare and practice like the young man in the video. On a business level, few managers do the equivalent in their fields. But, you can.

If you really want success, if you are All-In, success is there for the taking. Go get it.

 

Top Twelve Twitter Tactics

Twitter is a social media tool that enables users to post updates 140-characters at a time. It began in the summer of 2005 and has grown to more than 300 million users worldwide. As with other social media and internet-based tools, Twitter has evolved. Its use has evolved from mundane updates about personal breakfast choices to celebrity cyber-fandom to innovative charity drives.

One example of Twitter's use is the Twestival, which is a grassroots social media fundraising initiative that has generated more than $1 million in less than two year for more than 125 charities. All events are organized by volunteers and 100% of ticket sales goes to projects.

A second example is the innovative involvement of Twitter in The Voice, a singing competition which gives fans of the contestants, judges, and host unprecedented access to engage. “The kind of closeness, access and insider perspective that Twitter provides combined with a TV show is a really magical connection,” says Chloe Sladden, Twitter’s director of content and programming.

Additional Twitter uses include power outage notifications, flash mob instructions, conference communications, government rebellion updates, and university security emergencies. Twitter's use has evolved, and its users need to keep up. 

There are self-annointed Twitter gurus out there to provide their two cents on how you should use Twitter today. The list below includes my philosophy, based on my experience as a consultant, speaker, small business leader, entreprenuer, nonprofit leader, spiritual active participant in life. I'm not a guru, just an active user who has benefitted with friendships, clients, and knowledge from Twitter.

12 Twitter Do's and Do Not's

The Do's:,

1. Be social. Join the conversation, comment, RT, and reply. Lurking is not social and, while informative, will not be profitable.
2. Return follows. Twitter limits how many people you can follow who do not follow back, so I follow everyone back (except porn stars, get-rich-quick schmemers, and account-holders-but-non-posters). If you don't follow someone back, you limit the number of people they can follow, so, in my opinion, it is good manners to return follows.
3. Avoid self-promoters. It is time-consuming scrolling through endless sales pitches of self-absorbed people who use the tool incorrectly. De-follow them. (Yes, this is an exception to #2)
4. Use 140 characters. It is common today to dismiss the 140-character rule and cause people to click for your complete thought. If you cannot make the complete thought within the 140-character allotment, do not tweet it. Or, post it as a blog and clearly link it as a blog post.
5. Use your own words. Posting quotations is acceptable, but it is annoying if it's the only thing you do. People want to hear what you have to say. If you do not have anything new to say, refrain from posting. Constantly posting others' words shows you have nothing new to add to conversations.
6. Show appreciation for good tweets by RT'ing them, thanking the poster, or connecting that poster with others. Gratitude goes a long way in social media.

The Do Not's

1. Do not auto-tweet every minute of every day. I de-followed someone who did that, literally every minute, today.  No one wants your messages to take up the entire screen allotment.
2. Do not auto-tweet only. Twitter works best as an engagement tool, not as one-way blasts.
3. Do not overly promote yourself, your business, or your latest MLM venture. You lose credibility and interest, just as you would if you spoke in a self-absorbed manner in person.
4. Do not post a thought in 100 characters and use the 40 remaining characters to link to your book on amazon.com. That's just trampy.
5. Do not auto-DM your new followers. It is very 2010 to use DMs as auto-responders, but it would be acceptable to DM to engage in genuine conversation.
6. Do not post FF on Fridays any more--again, so 2010. Feel free to post a FF once in a while, even one a day, but do not post ten in a row full of FFs.

That's the list of Do's and Do Not's that are top-of-mind today. To sum up: treat Twitter followers with the same manners and respect you use with people in person.

What else would you add to the list?

3 lessons old people teach us about fun

All-In strategy number five, from the book Put Your Whole Self In! Life & Leadership the Hokey Pokey Way, is to Enjoy Now.

I talk in the book and in presentations about not putting off joy until something happens--like the mortgage is paid off, a new coworker arrives, the lazy boss is ousted, the kids go off to college. Seek something to honor, appreciate, and celebrate every day. Seek to laugh every day and to make someone else laugh daily too.

Here's a video that made me laugh this week:

Three things can we all learn from that clip:

1. Don't wait for joy to find you today. Create it for yourself and those around you.
2. Be prepared for fun at any time. Have the right tools--like an extra steering wheel.
3. The event may be brief, but the laugh can last a long time.

One more lesson: as funny as this was, it's from a movie. Don't create your own joy at others' expense; for example, causing accidents while driving. There's enough jokers on the road these days.

Have a terrific Friday and weekend being All-In!

Does brand congruency really matter?

Is a Kardashian baby news worthy of CNN? Apparently, yes. News of a Kardashian baby made CNN's web site today, along with a video clip of Tori Spelling talking about a naked tweet, a video titled 'Bin Laden buns' sell like hotcakes, and Donald Trump's daughter's proclamation that her father should be President.

When CNN began twenty or so years ago, it was a news organization. Now, it spends as much time devoted to celebrity topics as it does real actual news. Actually, CNN spends more time on celebrity than news.

Do you know how many of the 133 stories on CNN's home page are about Iraq today?

One. It was about a hotel chain buying hotels in Iraq. Not one mention of the war. More than 100 headlines and not one about the wars Americans are fighting in the Middle East.

Do you think CNN's in-congruence diminishes their brand? Can you take CNN seriously as a news organization when it spends more time on trashy reality stars than it does on American soldiers?

Yesterday, CNN ranked second to Fox News Channel for the day.

Lest you think FNC won the day because they are more news-centric, you should know their home page also includes Kardashian news among many other celeb stories.

I suspect we viewers/readers are just used to the mix now. News junkies have reduced their expectations of the news channels, while the channels are trying to appeal to non-news-junkies by dumbing down their topics. So, even though we are used to it, does it damage their brands?

Even more important to think about...when your company does something similar, is your brand damaged?

For example, as an entrepreneur with professional business clients, is your brand power diminished by MLM emails selling purses, jewelry, vitamins, travel, or furniture? Or, as an attorney, is your brand affected when you blog about getting out of a speeding ticket? Or, as a financial services executive, is your influence among employees impacted by padding your expenses?

If, like CNN or FNC, your brand is well known and rock solid, brand in-congruence might not matter. If you are like most entrepreneurs, attorneys, and executives, however, the inconsistency can do more damage that its worth.

What do you think: does brand congruency matter?

Self-indulgent buffoonery damages teams

If you watched last night's NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers, you saw Bob Costas express his opinion about America's culture growing more stupid and graceless, as reflected in sports. Costas speaks about the spontaneous displays of enthusiasm versus calculated obnoxious displays.

Take a look:

Costas refers to yesterdays Buffalo Bills v. New York Jets game during which a Bills player's celebratory antics cost his team a penalty, which made it easy for the Jets to score the game-winning touch down. When the same self-absorbed player dropped a pass near the end of the game, he did not do an apology dance, Costa says.

Costa asks where the coaches are and why the coaches don't bench players when their antics damage their team. So far, I have not seen a coach respond. What could a coach say, "It's just boys being boys"? I've heard that response often when this topic is debated. The problem with it is that the boy being a boy often causes penalties. When self-absorption impacts teammates or the outcome of a game, the coaches and team leaders need to step in. Team leaders can help the ego-driven athlete understand his role as a teammate and coaches can ensure the message is received.

Most players do not indulge in graceless buffoonery after they score. Most players understand where the line between buffoonery and enthusiasm is drawn, and they have the accurate filter through which to behave. The few who do not look foolish because of their actions, immature because of their lack of control, and selfish because they do not care about their teams.

The same can be said of teams within workplaces. I have not seen a teammate jump on a boardroom table, pull a pen out of his sock, and sign an approved proposal while spinning on his head. But, I have seen emails in which business teammates take credit for someone else's work. I have seen workplace teammates take jabs at others during meetings so they can keep all the attention. I've seen work teammates cause extra work for the whole team just to ensure that someone else does not get to make a good play.

Jealousy, insecurity, and lack of confidence cause the same type of buffoonery Costas refers to in the NFL. In fact, in his opening statement, Costas says our culture is growing more stupid and graceless and sports reflects it.

Another famous football legend, Lou Holtz, said, "When you reach the end zone, act like you've been there before." When players dance around like it's their first time in the end zone and they are shocked to see the view from there, they probably do not realize how they look to most people watching. The same can be said when workplace teammates behave in mindless exhibitionism.

What do you think: is there a line between enthusiasm and self-indulgence? How have you seen the line blurred at work? What should the leaders do about it?

Heineken nailed it

Heineken nailed it: You are who you are when no one is looking. As much as I dislike that trite phrase, it becomes more relevant every day as more and more people don't seem to realize its truth.

Whatever act you put on for peers, bosses, the media, clients, acquaintances, you are who you are. You are what you do. You are not who you say you are or who you think you are. You are who you are.

There are so many examples in the news right now, it is surprising to me how many people have not learned the truth. Or, perhaps they do not want to admit the truth about who they are--even to themselves.

One example is Penn State's legendary football coach, Joe Paterno. As you may have heard, one of Joe Pa's long-time coaches was arrested Saturday and arraigned on 40 criminal counts related to decades of sexual abuse of young boys. A 28-year-old graduate assistant witnessed the retired coach in the shower with a 10-year old boy in 2002. The assistant told Paterno, who reportedly told the Athletic Director, who apparently did nothing. Paterno did nothing else either.

The investigation and fallout from it continue, and I bring it up here because Paterno and his followers have upheld him as a beacon of greatness for decades. While Paterno has not been arrested, the fact is, he knew about the abuse and continued to allow the abuser to use the facilities at Penn State. So, whether he is legally responsible, he is morally responsible because he knew (he admits to knowing). He can think of himself as a beacon of greatness, his followers can continue to talk him up, ESPN can slop sugar all over him, but he is who he is. Paterno is someone who did not prevent gross sexual perversion of children from occurring in his facility, yet, he could have. Whatever his legal obligation, the bottom line is he knew about it and did not prevent it from continuing. He is who he is.

The Penn State situation is disgusting, and all details are not public yet.

Other less disgusting but just as obvious examples of people in denial of "you are what you are" are evident in workplaces every day:

• The manager or board member who takes credit for someone else's idea. 
• The business leader who promotes herself as a role model, yet is not successful in that business. 
• The salesperson who tells customers to buy more than they need, just so he can get commission on it.
• The employee who takes two-hour lunches, pads expense accounts, and takes office supplies.
• The entrepreneur who keeps long lists of things to do to improve his business, yet never does anything on the lists.

However you justify your behavior, however you position it to the media, coworkers, or your own mind, you are who you are. 

Live and work as though the truth of who you are is important. Whether you want to believe it or not, others can tell who you are and will treat you according to who you are, not who you think you are, not who you wish you were, and not who you say you are. The truth is evident to others. See yourself for what you are. If you do not like the results you are getting, look in the mirror.

As we talk about in The All-In Way sessions and the book Put Your Whole Self In, pass the Mirror Test every day. See yourself. See the truth about yourself. Live All-In so when you are treated the way you deserve to be, you are treated very well.

You are who you are when no one is looking. But, you should look. See yourself.

Too legit to quit

An entrepreneur named Stanley Burrell announced  the launch of a new search engine at last week's Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco. Yawn...

Don't get too bored...

Burrell's stage name is MC Hammer. Yes, that MC Hammer. You remember him because he's too legit, too legit to quit. Hammer was one of the biggest rap stars of all time, selling more than 50 million records in his heyday. He is credited with being one of the innovators of pop-rap because his music appealed to fans of both in a unique way back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

You also might remember him for his Hammer pants, Hammer time, and personal difficulties in the late 1990s.

He's come a long way since then.

When MC Hammer was in the midst of stardom and sang about being "too legit to quit," I thought he was focused on being "too legit." He admitted as much in interviews years after spending his $20 million fortune, losing his house, filing bankruptcy, and settling copyright infringement lawsuits. He has spoken in interviews on Oprah and VH1 and elsewhere about out-of-order priorities causing his downfall.

What stands out to me now is not the "too legit" part, it's the "to quit" part. It turns out the kid dancing to a boombox outside Oakland A's ballpark really was not going to quit.

Burrell has many business holdings including a record label, artist management company, MMA management company, horse racing stable, and clothing line (that does not sell Hammer pants, by the way). He also is an established internet mogul involved with several dance sites.

This guy came from living in a tiny house with eight siblings, dancing outside the A's stadium and made it to the height of super-stardom, then lost the superstar staus and financial security, then became a successful business mogul with diverse business interests. He's living life All In!

After all of the highs and lows, Stanley Burrell really is too legit to quit. I suspect his latest high-tech venture will be successful too. Or, at least if it's not, he will be just fine. MC Hammer: too legit to quit. Stanley Burrell: U can't touch this.

Question for Readers:

Who would have thought we could learn something from Hammer Time, but we can. Knock me over with a feather. My question for you: are you too legit to quit too?

Link to article on www.CNN.com

Leadership lesson learned from silver dollars

My paternal grandparents lived in Connecticut, and we lived a thousand miles away in Missouri. We would get together in the summers on family vacations and when the Yankees came to KC to play the Royals.

The last silver dollar from my grandfather on my desk today

Every time I would see my grandfather, just a few times a year, he would put a silver dollar in the palm of my hand and give me a wink. He made me feel like the most special person in the world, and I saved many of those coins. The last one he gave me prior to his death stays on my desk as a reminder to emulate him and how he interacted with people.

For years, my grandfather walked every day at the local mall. He knew everyone there and loved seeing the same people every day. The evening of his wake in 1997, cars lined the streets and police directed traffic for the hundreds of people who wanted to pay their respects at the funeral home. People waited in a line that twisted around the room and out in to a lobby area. The line was full of neighbors, friends, and lifelong friends of his five sons. The line also was full of people wearing a variety of uniforms required of workers at the mall. So many people who knew my grandfather only from his walks at the mall made the time to come to his wake.

I was so enthralled with all of those people, I introduced myself to as many as I could so they could tell me their stories. Each told stories about how my grandfather would stop for a brief greeting or just wave if they were busy, but he acknowledged them every day. He made them feel special every day. And, it turns out, he gave them silver dollars.

My whole life, I thought I was the only recipient of the silver dollars. As a child, I learned he gave them to my brothers and cousins too, but I thought that was it. He made us feel so special when he gave us those coins.It turns out, he was doing the same all over town! He gave them to the workers at the mall, at restaurants he frequented, auto repair shops, gas stations--everywhere!

It surprised and thrilled me to learn about his friendships with so many people none of us knew and to learn that he made them feel special. I bet many of them have the last silver dollar he gave them in a special place and remember him fondly, just as I do.

So, what's the leadership lesson here?

There are many lessons to be learned from my grandfather, but the main reason I keep the final silver dollar handy is the reminder to pay attention to others. Whether you are the leader of a company, department, home, church committee, or neighborhood, you are a leader because others follow you. The more special you make them, the more loyalty they will have for you. And, small gestures like a wink, smile, daily greeting can be all you need. My grandfather could have handed out pennies and people would have loved him. The way he made people feel is why they waited in traffic and in line to honor him. It was not about the money. It was about how valuable he made people feel because he genuinely saw them as valuable.

As a leader, if you feel sorry for people who look up to you, they can tell.

For example, if you run a call center but feel sorry for the employees answering the phone, they can tell you do not value them or their positions. Perhaps you think a 45-year old woman working in a call center has not had much of a career and will never make more than $50,000, so you feel sorry for her. You don't have to say anything for your demeanor to reflect your feelings about her. What you're missing is that she is a service-minded person who is thrilled to get paid $35,000 to help people. You might feel sorry that recent college graduates can't find better jobs than the entry level ones available in the call center. But, they might be thrilled to have day jobs while they work on their music careers at night. Your attitude toward entry level jobs is reflected, even if it is not stated.

The lesson from my grandfather would be not to judge people for holding those jobs, but to genuinely care about them. They are no worse than you, just as someone who makes twice your salary is no better than you. Don't judge them either. Don't be too busy or pre-occupied to be kind. Just be happy to see people and treat them as such.

So, the leadership lesson is to treat people as if they matter because you really think they do. It might be the Golden Rule, but it's embedded in my head and heart by silver dollars.

What additional leadership lessons do you see in this story about my grandfather?

The growth plan better extend beyond financial finagling

If the primary way your company can be profitable is by moving its headquarters, you're in trouble. If production costs have increased and operating costs have followed, and the best idea your leaders have is to reduce rent, update your resume because your company won't be around long.

Of course, saving on office expenses is wise. It should just not be the primary way a company alters its Income Statement. If you're in the movie business, figure out a way to make money in the movie industry. If you run an engineering firm, figure out how to be profitable in the engineering industry. If you run a bakery, bake some revenue-generating treats. If you're in real estate, move to generate income. But, don't be in the real estate industry if you're not in the real estate industry. If you can't make a buck in the business you're in, it's time to evaluate the business you're in.

Do not expect your shareholders and stakeholders to fall for financial finagling, even if it works short-term. They recognize when a company is at the end of its rope holding on.  

Be creative, be the expert in your industry, be innovative. Come up with ideas that inspire people--employees, clients, shareholders--rather than ideas that reek of last-ditch desperation. You might be surprised by what inspired, All-In, people do when they are invited to do more than pack their desks into boxes.

What I learned from Steve Jobs

The announcement of his death was less than 24 hours ago, and Apple haters are already bemoaning the recognition and praise being heaped on the man. They say he was not really a creative genius because he didn't invent anything. They say he just copied other people's ideas and made them better. They say their lives are just fine with Android instead of Apple products.

They stumble when asked to explain how design improvements are not inventions or how bringing products to the mass market is not creative. They don't have an answer when asked if they really think their Android products would be as useful today without Jobs over at Apple. Well, they have an answer but it is defensive and short-sighted.

While Jobs is being heralded as a creative genius today, I pondered the main thing I learned from his career--ups and downs. The main thing I takeaway is that being first to market is not always best. Being #2 is good. Jobs improved on what was available already. He didn't invent the mp3 player, he made it more useful to consumers. The same is true for computers and tablets.

In today's highly competitive marketplace, it is common to scrap an idea if someone beats you to it. Thinking like Jobs, however, one might decide to do it anyway, just do it better.  Don't fear being #2. Make #1 better and you just might overtake the position (a la Apple v. Sony in the portable music market). That's what I'm going to reflect on as an important takeaway from Steve Jobs.

Well, that and his whole thing about one's time being limited on this earth so have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. That's a good lesson too--one he began teaching in the 1980s.

The one requirement of winning teams: chemistry

It is hard to be an football fan these days, especially if your favorite team started its season on a bad note. It is especially hard for someone knowledgeable about teamwork and leadership to be a fan of teams when key elements of both are so obviously missing. As frustrating as it is to watch on a football field, it is equally frustrating to be along the sidelines of a leadership team, creative team, or project team suffering losses because of teamwork or leadership.

When a football team is full of four- and five-star recruits or highly paid professionals, the team should be able to compete well with other teams with similar skills. Why, then, do teams with equivalent talent get pummeled by opponents? Why do teams with better talent get badly beaten by opponents with less talent? Once a team is full of skilled players, what makes the difference in its success?

What makes the difference is team chemistry. Team chemistry includes:

• Respect for teammates' ability to perform their role
• Reliance on the teammate's performance for one's own performance 
• Trust that the teammates will perform their role
• Expectation that the teammates will perform their role
• Recognition when teammates perform in difficult situations

Have you been on unsuccessful teams at work? If you think about those teams, you could undoubtedly identify which of the five elements of chemistry were missing. 

The impact of teams without chemistry is time. And, usually, time equals money. 

Teams without chemistry...

• Take too long to make decisions
• Miss opportunities because they are not flexible or nimble
• Spend too much time in meetings
• Duplicate work 
• Create extra work for themselves and others

Bottom Line: Team chemistry is the key to a winning team.

There are many parallels between football and business management. From hiring to managing to performing to motivating:  both sides could learn by watching each other. As a fan of one and a player in the other, the parallels hit me between the eyes every weekend during the fall. The pain of failures stings all week but the joy of victory makes both exciting.

Is your strategy inducing confidence or shaking it?

 If one of your biggest clients said "It appears that they're lost right now" about your company, what would you do?

This morning's print edition of The Wall Street Journal includes an article about Hewlett-Packard (H-P), its strategy, and how it has communicated with customers and investors. The first line of the article is: Hewlett-Packard Co.'s recent strategic moves have shaken the confidence of investors. Now customers of the technology giant are also getting nervous. A few paragraphs later a big customer is quoted saying, "It appears that they're lost right now."

It's bad enough that a big customer considers his supplier lost, but the feeling is shared by others--and published in  The Wall Street Journal!

In the article, H-P executives defended their strategy and claimed to be in "constant contact with our customers to explain our strategy and ensure their needs are being met." Apparently their customers are unaware of the "constant contact" because many are confused and disappointed in H-P's strategy.

What has H-P done wrong?

It is unclear if H-P's strategic decisions are wrong--time will tell. What is clear is H-P's communication of their strategy has been wrong. When it comes to inducing confidence or shaking it, communication is key.

Communication with employees, customers, partners, vendors, and investors needs to be precise and targeted so the strategic direction has a chance of working. Poor communication can kill any strategic plan.

What have you done to ensure your strategic direction is confidence-inducing? Have you had enough communication with customers? Do employees understand it and know they're part of it? Whether you are charged with planning the direction of an entire multi-billion dollar corporation or a million dollar non-profit or a department of three, consider communication a critical part of your success.

H-P considers communication critical: Just three hours after the online edition of The Wall Street Journal was published, a second article which more thoroughly explains the strategy and how it is being communicated was published online. H-P has strong market position, so customer confidence has been stirred but not been shaken entirely.

When is the last time you talked with your customers about your strategy? Don't wait for them to voice their concerns to The Wall Street Journal to start the conversations. Confidence should be reinforced throughout each year.

For the full WSJ article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903895904576544822297017068.html#ixzz1Wo2juG6M

Abercrombie tries to awaken the delusional

Abercrombie has offered big bucks to the Jersey Shore cast to get them to STOP wearing the Abercrombie label on their show. While the cast has hopes of big movie roles, endorsement deals, and fame beyond its fifteen minutes, one of the most well known retailers wants nothing to do with them. Abercrombie went so far as to say being affiliated with the cast, specifically Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, goes against the "aspirational nature" of its brand and may be "distressing" to customers. (From www.KansasCity.com)

How would you feel if you were told that being affiliated with you is distressing? Not only is Abercrombie not going to pay for product placement, they want the product placement to stop.  Abercrombie, who often skims the line of good taste when it comes to promotion (remember young kids in sexy poses?), does not want to be affiliated with them.

So, while there is some irony in the story, why would I bring it to my readers' attention? My readers don't watch Jersey Shore or wear Abercrombie, so what do they care?

The point to consider if self-awareness.

While it is likely you are not as delusional as the reality show cast, it is also likely that increased self-awareness could improve your performance at work. The more aware a person is to how she is perceived and how others respond to her, the more powerful she can become.

For example, a sales person who doesn't close the sale often blames the pricing or timing when it could be the sales person's tardiness, insufficient preparation, or lack of knowledge about the client. It is easier and faster to accept price as the barrier to the sale. Price is an acceptable barrier these days. But, it shouldn't be.

Another example, a project team presents new design options to a client and all are rejected. The client might say the ideas were great, creative, and innovative then send the team back with so many revisions the next version looks nothing like the original. If the client knew what he wanted in the first place, why didn't he tell the account manager? I suspect most account managers would not take the time to assess their part in the miscommunication. It would be easier, faster, and less painful to join the chorus of frustration being sung by the rest of the team.

When something does not go your way, do a 2-Review. Reflect for just two minutes on what you could have done differently to boost the chances of success. What could you do differently next time to make success more likely? People who are highly self-aware make it easy for others to give them what they want--they make success likely.

People who are highly self-aware are paid for their reputations, ideas, and results. They are not paid for being delusional--or for not working. 

(Link to article)

All-Out Company of the Week: Lowe's

The Wall Street Journal (www.online.wsj.com) includes an article summarizing Lowe's latest earnings forecast reduction. Although sales are up 2%, the article says, the home-improvement retailer advises that earnings per share will be down 6% because of store closings.

From The Wall Street Journal: "The volume of negative news and the unsettling impact from equity markets" are having a "significant effect on an already fragile consumer mindset," said Chief Executive Robert Niblock on a conference call. "More specifically, with regard to home-improvement spending, consumers continue to focus on small-ticket, less-than-$500 repair and maintenance items and projects," Mr. Niblock said.

News of Lowe's forecasted earnings reduction coincides with horrible service I've had there this month. The CEO knows consumers have a "fragile mindset," and they've closed stores, but apparently store employees do not know. I won't bore you with details of the treacherous ordering process, lazy employee who lied rather than work, or delivery nightmare--you've had those too and can relate.

Let's focus instead on how to avoid becoming your industry's killer of quality service and how to avoid making the All-Out List:

1. When a customer requests something reasonable of you, view the request as an opportunity. People who feel like they've inconvenienced you are not likely to return. Jump at the chance to provide service if you want to enhance the bond your customers feel with your business.
2. When your company makes a mistake, be honest and efficient. Customers want to hear about the solution, not about how it wasn't your fault. They want to know when the dryer will be delivered, or when the account correction will post, or when the report will be sent rather than about poor internal procedures. A mistake usually won't cause customers to leave but poor handling of a mistake will.
3. Get the work done right. Doing the work, whatever your field, is the bare minimum expected. Being nice, taking customers to lunch, gifting event tickets do not make up for unfinished, or poorly done, work. Kenny Chesney is great, but free tickets and backstage passes do not make up for poor quality. Taking 10% off the price is great, but it does not make up for missed delivery times. Do what you promise and promise only what you can do.

Keep those three strategies in mind, in addition to the usual recommendations for quality service, to avoid becoming known as the place good service goes to die in your industry. As for Lowe's, the experience is not over yet, but today's news was somewhat consoling: at least I'm not alone.


What do you think companies need to do to avoid the All-Out List?

First impressions and basic economics

They say you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. True. But, isn't it the second impressions which matter most?

People size each other up quickly. In about seven seconds, we decide if someone looks like a worthy business adviser, expert, friend, technician, employee...the list goes on and on. How often do you judge someone unworthy, based on first impressions alone (looks, voice, written, comments), yet give them another chance anyway? Frequently, right?

It is common to give second chances. Everything today is about relationships, so we can't write people off for what bothers us in less than a minute. For one thing, we have to work with people who don't impress us right away. We also serve them as customers, live next door, work on church committees, plan school events, and dine with them as friends of friends.

If a dear friend introduces you to her favorite coworker, who is drinking her third martini at Happy Hour Friday night, you're likely to forgive her coworker's bad karaoke rendition of Sweet Caroline. Or, if you get assigned to a project team with the office gossip, you'll keep your guard up rather than complain to the boss about expecting to be assigned to teams full of people you love dearly.

We adapt. We deal with people we don't click with. We give second chances. Most of the time it is smart to do so, and it often works out well for both sides.

The one time second chances are hard to get and give is basic economics: when supply is greater than demand.

For example, when interviewing for a new position and there are dozens, or thousands, of competing applicants, first impressions separate the interviewees. Typos on resumes ruin first impressions and knock candidates out of the running.

In today's competitive marketplace, first impressions count because supply exceeds demand. For example, I recently purchased a washer and dryer at Lowes. The experience was unpleasant from start to finish, so the next time I need something, Lowes will not be considered. In my one experience, it seems Lowes employees have poor eye sight. There's a direct competitor next door. Can they see it? Supply exceeds demand in their industry.

What about in your industry? Does supply exceed demand? If so, first impressions count. As do second, third, fourth...EVERY impression counts today. Use basic economics to your advantage by paying attention to every impression and by selling when a competitor missteps. Distinguish yourself and your business by considering every impression essential.

Is there an industry today where supply exceeds demand? What do you think about first impressions in your line of work?

All-In Person of the Week: Allan Guei, high school senior from Compton

If Allan Guei is representative of its young people, Compton's image may be changing. The high school senior made one of the most stunningly generous acts I've ever heard of, and in doing so becomes the All-In Person of the Week.

Compton High School in Los Angeles held a free throw shooting contest with $40,000 scholarship fund as its prize. One hundred students were eligible to enter the contest because their grade point average was above 3.0. One of the finalists was Mr. Guei, a basketball star at the school.

Mr. Guei won the contest and the scholarship money. He won $40,000!

And, he gave it all away.

In a gesture which stuns those of us who do not know the basketball player, Mr. Guei gave the entire $40,000 to the other seven finalists. Each will get $5,500. Although NCAA rules would have allowed the winner to keep the money, he gave it to the other contestants because he already has a full scholarship to Cal-State Northridge.

"I've already been blessed so much and I know we're living with a bad economy, so I know this money can really help my classmates," he said in a release from the school.

Every once in a while we all have the opportunity to show what we're made of. Mr. Guei showed he's made of good stuff--the best. If other students in his community are like him, Compton would be lucky. In fact, we'd all be lucky to be surrounded by people like him. We'd be lucky to BE like him!

Way to go, Allan! You INspire us all by being All-In!


Full article from Rivals

Every dog has his day

The best advice from my dad, or at least the advice I refer to most often, is that every dog has his day. The good dogs have their day, and the bad ones get theirs too.

The first time I remember my dad gave me that advice was after a coworker presented an idea of mine as his own. The idea was accepted, made the company a lot of money, and the coworker got the credit. Credit doesn't matter to me, but the raise and promotion that came along with it mattered.

After my coworker's presentation, I sought advice from my dad. He drove me out to Lake Jacomo (readers in Kansas City know the area), where we sat on top of a picnic table for over an hour. I ranted about the situation, probably conjuring up all kinds of wicked retaliation schemes no one would ever really try, and my dad calmly told me not to worry about it further after we get back in the car. He said, "Kelly, every dog has his day and you do not need to spend your energy on other dog's days. Earn the day you want to have because you will get your day too."

That's good advice to ponder because it is easy to get wrapped up in other dogs, who is getting what, and when. I try to focus on the part about earning the day I want to have. If every dog has his, or her, day, I want mine to be a good one. According to my dad, I have to earn it. I can't earn a good day if mine is spent worried about other dogs' days or when they get theirs.

Last week, as Father's Day approached, my dad's advice came to mind. I asked others to share the best advice they received, and a few of their answers are below.

Courtney's dad always stressed trying not to embarrass people -- we all know it's one of the worst feelings. Her dad went out of his way to lessen embarrassment for others in certain situations. For example, if someone -- even someone he had met previously -- was shaking his hand, he would always introduce himself while shaking back. He helped them avoid the embarrassment of forgetting his name. (We've all been there and could share Courtney's lesson on this one.)

Daniel's dad told him, "Give everything you do your best. There is NEVER an excuse for not giving it your all." (This is like go all-in or go home!)

Jennifer said her father was never a man of many words. His best advice? "Go ask your mother!" (I bet many of us have heard that over the years!)

Angel's father said, "If you are going to be one of those independent-type women, you had better learn how to do man stuff because I won't always be here to do it for you" -- said whilst teaching Angel how to tile the kitchen in her first house. (Angel is one of those independent-type women--a role model!)

Suzy's dad told her to go to college and take Accounting, and make a budget. (The budget advice is something we all can take.)

Greg's told him not to be a dairy farmer. (I'm not sure we'd all have the opportunity to be dairy farmers, but learning from our parents' careers would be wise for everyone.)

Mike's dad said, "Don't trust anybody that tells you their life story in the first 5 minutes after you meet them, and don't trust anyone that doesn't drink." (When someone is too open too soon it might signal an expectation different than yours. Guard up!)

Shawn's father told him to choose his battles wisely. (Pretty good advice for an attorney to remember in today's litigious society. Advice worth noting for all of us.)

Chris was told to go to MU, there are no girls at Rolla. (I spoke at Rolla recently and can assure you it's different now.)

Mary's dad (who is also my Uncle Joe) advised not to talk about politics or money. (Sound advice for Facebook, Twitter, and blogs--if you want to stay friends with a variety of people.)

William's father said he would go far in life if he had a plan instead of letting things come along. Becky was told to keep negative opinions about people to herself because expressing them would only lead to trouble. Mary Jo's dad told her to have monthly meetings with her husband so she knew all of the family finances. Brian's dad said he should save more money than he spends--advice that came in handy when Brian bought his first home at 28.

Great advice from dads we all can learn from. Thank you to all who shared.

Every dog has his day, and today is one for all the dads. Happy Father's Day to all the fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, godfathers, mentors, and other influencers in kids' lives. Enjoy your day!

(Here are my dad and mom with their six grandchildren. The only one I have handy of my dad and me is from high school, so I figured you'd like this one better. Enjoy!)

Mistake management for dummies

Yawn! Another powerful man...another downfall. The continuous failure to take responsibility for one's behavior is just boring now.

I'm not going to post about the latest example playing itself out in the media. If you're reading this, you probably know anyway. If not, take a quick look at any news site and you'll see it front and center.

Putting personal judgements about infidelity aside, I find it almost offensive that these public figures have not learned from other highly publicized atrocious mistake management.

The pattern of behavior for how mistakes are managed by powerful public figures could be published in a book called Mistake Management for Dummies. It would include:
1. Deny! Deny! Deny!
2. State that you do not know the person/people involved at all
3. State that you are sorry for your family (don't give a thought to the fact that you didn't consider them at all before you were caught)
4. State that you are taking full responsibility for your misdeeds (don't give a thought to exactly what that means, don't really do anything)
5. Shed a few tears and if they don't come easily, fake it

While some are judging these people for their infidelity, I think they should be judged for how poorly they managed their situations once they were caught.

Has Bill Clinton taught us nothing?

Haven't they learned from Martha Stewart at all? She went to PRISON! She did not go to prison for her lies. She went for covering up her lies!

We all make mistakes. We don't all make them worse by lying about them.

Here's the basic process for Mistake Management for Smarties:
Step 1: Admit it.
Step 2: Fix it.
Step 3: Don't do it again.

It seems like every executive should know by now that it is not the mistake that hurts one's reputation and career. It is how it is handled. Covering it up or blaming others does more damage than the actual error, most of the time.

Manage your mistakes like a pro. And, by "pro", I mean someone who takes responsibility, not like the highly publicized professionals in the news lately.

Gossip in the tabloids is akin to gossip in the workplace

Some say they read tabloid magazines like People, US Weekly, and National Inquirer for the "escape from the real world." I submit that All-In people don't keep up on the lives of Paris, Arnold's mistress, or the latest celeb's rehab as a way to escape their own lives.

The tabloid paparazzi prevented a child from attending his eight grade graduation last week. Granted, his father is a famous actor and former Governor, and news of his birth just came out. So what? The child should not miss his own life events because a picture of him would fetch a pretty penny.

Who pays those pretty pennies? Readers of tabloid magazines like People, US Weekly, and National Inquirer.

It used to be comical to read those rags while in line at the grocery store or at the dentist office, but the stories are no longer about aliens abducting former TV stars with three arms. The stories are about real children who are not in the spotlight.

The stories, photographs, and tabloids aren't as innocuous as they used to be.

I suspect the same people who read the tabloids for their escape are the same who gossip in the workplace. They say they don't mean anything by it, but they sure can wreck havoc.

Workplace gossip can bring down an employee in the way tabloids bring down celebrities. Companies lose hours of productivity to gossip every year, but don't assume everyone is doing it.

All-In people do not gossip. I saw a terrific example last week.

As people were gathering early for a meeting at a client's office, a woman asked another if she heard about Phyllis. The second woman said she heard Phyllis had family affected by the Joplin tornado. As the first woman responded with, "Yes, her daughter lives there with her boyfriend and kids. I don't know where the children's father is since they are getting divorced." The second woman quickly put her hand up, looked the first in the eye and said, "Oh, I don't need to know the details of Phyllis's family. All I need to know is that she needs donations and I can help her." The first woman had no response. She knew the second was not going to listen, so she stopped.

While it is not always as simple as that, there are plenty of people who see office gossip as harmful as the tabloid gossip.

When one's own life is full and rewarding, there is no need to escape it. When one is happy with oneself, there is no need to gossip. When one is focusing on doing good in their own life, there is no need to celebrate the downfall of others at work or in Hollywood.

When one lives All-In, they don't gossip about coworkers or celebrities to escape from their own lives, or to shift focus away from themselves, or to harm someone else's reputation. Do they?

What do you think: is reading tabloids harmless fun? Is office gossip harmless too?

CNN is not a news organization

It is official: CNN is not a serious news organization.

A serious news organization would not have a story encouraging readers to revisit the sex tape scandal of two reality TV stars. On its front page.

Going in to an election cycle, if it wants to be taken seriously, CNN should stop pandering.

CNN: Do Better!

You are who you are

He was called a man of integrity, the kind of coach you would want your son to play for. But, over the weekend Ohio State's football coach, Jim Tressel, resigned amid a cheating scandal. In fact, Sports Illustrated described Tressel as having committed "the most egregious of sins for a coach in the eyes of college sports' ruling body".

When he was caught for misdeeds in the past, Tressel claimed ignorance of the rules. It does not appear that excuse will stand this time. This time, it appears he is saying he did it for the good of the boys on his team.

Is it acceptable to ignore rules for the sake of individual players, or one team?

No, it is not.

When Tressel became the coach of an NCAA-regulated team sport, he became obligated to know the rules and abide by all of them, even those he disliked.

The same is true for leaders of companies.

Once you join your company, you take an implicit oath to its Mission and rules. If you do not like the rules or the way the company performs, work to change them. Selecting to ignore them is not an option someone of integrity chooses.

You are who you are. If you have integrity, you have it all the time. If you make a mistake, own up to it. Covering it up and lying, which Tressel is charged with, are not actions someone with integrity chooses.

You are who you are. If you have integrity, you have it all the time. You don't turn a blind eye to the rules you dislike, the way some financial executives did in recent years.

You are who you are. You don't steal someone's business idea, call it your own, and take it to market, the way a local business person did in recent years.

You are who you are. If you lack integrity, even once, your reputation will suffer along with your relationships. Although you may not face a disciplinary board for each infraction, like Tressel will in August, your peers and coworkers judge just the same. They will see you for who you are and will distrust you accordingly.

When you look in the mirror at the end of each day, you know who you are. You know if you are working toward the company Mission, giving equal work for the pay given you. You know if you are breaking the rules, covering it up, and lying. Even if you justify such behavior, you know deep down that your behavior and integrity are out of alignment. You know it and those around you know it.

You are who you are, whether you like it or not.


More about Tressel:
Sports Illustrated: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/05/30/tressel.resigns/

Kansas City man named to Time magazine Most Influential list

Congratulations to Kansas City's own Gary White for being named one of Time magazine's most influential people of 2011!

Gary, and his partner Matt Damon (the Academy-Award-winning writer/actor), co-founded Water.org in 2009. Water.org is a nonprofit organization committed to providing safe drinking water and sanitation to people in developing countries.

“Water and sanitation are the most basic building blocks of human life and dignity. Without them, people will forever struggle to move forward with their lives” said Gary White. Gary has been working to bring water around the world for more than 25 years and has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work over the years.

In 2010, Gary was featured as one of the All-In people in my book Put Your Whole Self In! Life and Leadership the Hokey Pokey Way. Gary and Matt are All-In and Influential.

Links:
Time Magazine 100 Most Influential People
Water.org
Put Your Whole Self In!

The stampede has begun!

Everyone following the recession and its impact on high performers has been waiting for this day. We have expected it, warned of its arrival, and wondered when it would come. It has arrived.

A look at the headlines of the Wall Street Journal's Management page indicates the stampede of high performers toward the exits has begun.

They are leaving the companies that kept them employed during the height of the recession for greener pastures. They are leaving for positions with more authority or to start their own businesses. Some are leaving to take a break from the high-pressure jobs they've had in recent years. A few are leaving because they were kicked out, but they aren't like the top performers you should be concerned with.

Have your top performers left yet? If not, are you enticing them to stay? Are you doing enough?

If you are not enticing top performers to stay, know that your competitors will entice them to their greener pastures.

Twitter is making me skeptical of thought leaders

I love Twitter. I love connecting with people all over the world--most are interesting and generous with their knowledge. At least the people I follow are that way--interesting and generous.

I have chosen each "follow" carefully upon quick reviews of each profile. While I may have missed a few here or there, for the most part, I review profiles before re-following and prior to initiating a Twitter relationship.

Upon reviewing about a dozen profiles this morning, I noticed about half called themselves "thought leaders." Their use of the word startled me because it seems like something others should say rather than something one should say about oneself.

The word prompted me to dig a little deeper to see if they were indeed "thought leaders."

Not that I am in charge of assigning such a label as "thought leader" for everyone else, I can do so for myself. So, I assigned the label to just two of the people whose profiles and web sites I viewed. I am glad to know about those two folks and anticipate learning from them in future tweets.

What made them thought leaders? Their posts, profiles, and web sites showed them to be original (not one Zig Ziglar motivational quote among them), thought-provoking, fresh thinkers.

Surely, we all can agree that those who only post quotes from others, whether they are business experts, self-help gurus, or musical artists, are not "thought leaders."

What do you think: is it appropriate to label oneself a "thought leader"? Or, is that label better left for others to use?

Perhaps the term implies different things to different people--what does it imply to you? Your input could help reduce my skepticism of thought leaders in the future.

Why buy the cow when you can get the milk free?

The "free milk" analogy my Irish grandmother used to say came to mind when a client shared her recent experience of "putting out." My client, Jill, has been in a long-term relationship but lamented about how "putting out" is not leading anywhere. Aha, just like my Irish grandmother said!

Jill is not a high school girl learning to maneuver the dating world. She is a forty-something executive maneuvering the corporate world.

Jill is frustrated about doing the work of three people without being rewarded for it. In September, three departments merged under one VP. Jill was the one to remain, and the other two were transitioned out. At the time, Jill did not want to rock the boat by asking about aligning her compensation with her responsibilities. So, she's been doing it without complaint, without a significant raise, and without an increase in resources. And, the company has not acknowledged it.

While we could discuss whether a man would have demanded a raise at the time, my question is, "Why should the company acknowledge it?"

Why would the company buy the cow when they are getting the milk free?

Jill's expectation that the company would eventually realize what an outstanding contribution she is making--and she is!--is risky and cowardly. As I've said often, including in the book Put Your Whole Self In!, the cross-your-fingers-and-hope plan rarely yields big results. When Jill is ready to do something about her current situation, she will need to talk with her boss about aligning her compensation and responsibilities.

High performing companies who want to keep their high performing people pay attention to them. Whether it is the president whom Jill reports to or the VP of HR, someone should be aware of the disparity between Jill's responsibilities and compensation. And, they should honor her by fixing it.

To answer the question, the company should "buy the cow" because eventually that cow is going to quit giving free milk. It might even give sour milk, while telling all the other cows in the field to do the same thing.

Fancy perks are not enough--just ask Google

Google, the darling of the tech world and oft-cited king of employee engagement proved over the past several months that fancy perks are not enough to keep talented people.

Google employees get so many on-site perks, they call it the Googleplex. Some of the perks, in addition to the slide between floors pictured, include the following:

• salon with free hair cuts
• well-equipped gym with swim-in-place pools
• medical staff
• laundry and dry cleaners
• games like ping pong and pool
• private communication pods (pictured below)

The most famous perk is the 20% time each person can dedicate to special projects of their choosing.

The perks certainly are attractive. In 2007 and 2008, Google was ranked the #1 Best Company to Work For by Fortune magazine.  Upon announcing in February that it would add 6,000 jobs this year, Google received 75,000 applications. Clearly, some people want to work there.

Unfortunately, Google hires high-caliber, talented people, and many of them do not want to stay.

Since 2008, Google has ranked the #4 Best Company to Work For. More than 15% of Facebook's staff is made up of former Google employees. Google's stock declined more than 4% last year.

What has happened?

Google lost its focus. It lost its entrepreneurial edge and way of thinking. It became too silo'ed and structured and process-focused, which stymied innovation. Creative, innovative people want their ideas pushed forward not bogged down in paperwork. Former employees express frustration about Google's lack of accountability, which caused delays, errors, and lost competitive advantage.

Being able to get good work done is important to Google's employees. It is more important than free hair cuts, pool tables, and free laundry. Earlier this week, Google named a new CEO, and today, he revamped Google's management team. The new CEO, Larry Page, seems aware of the fact that fancy perks are not enough to keep talented people.

Do you?

(Sources: www.money.cnn.com and www.bloomberg.com)

All-In Person of the Weekend: 

Alonzo Mourning, former NBA star for the Miami Heat stopped busy Miami traffic Friday (March 25, 2011). He jumped out of his SUV, stood in the road and stopped traffic, while a wheelchair-bound pedestrian made it to the median. After making sure the citizen was safe, Mourning headed to his SUV to the sound of cheering fans! Way to go Alonzo! 

Alonzo Mourning All-In Story 

All-Out Person of the Weekend:

Also on Friday, it was reported that Ina Garten, the Food Network's "Barefoot Contessa" turned down a request from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She was contacted about a six-year-old boy suffering from leukemia who wanted to cook with her, and she denied the request. Apparently her reps said something to the effect of her being unable to meet every person who wants to meet her.

A Business Insider story quotes Garten's rep saying,"despite her demanding schedule, [Ina] participates and helps as many organizations as she can throughout the year, helping children and adults like Enzo with life threatening and compromising illnesses."

Sure, she is busy! But, is this really about being busy? Or, is is about being generous, kind, and humble?

Don't worry about the little boy. He's decided to swim with dolphins and is already taking the necessary lessons to make that wish come true. 

Barefoot Contessa Shuns Make-A-Wish

Reader Query...

What do you think about the Barefoot Contessa turning down the wish? 

Understandable--she's busy! Or, Rude--get over yourself!

A mouse can bring you the world

Through a few clicks of a mouse, you can connect with people from all over the world. You can connect with family you only see every few years, industry experts you've admired for years, politicians you love to hate, people who share your love of football, reading, yoga, or Star Wars. You can connect with like-minded souls who inform, inspire, and influence you daily.

Here's a Twitter video that explains it all. Enjoy!

Reader Query...
What has been your experience? Have you connected with people met online? Have virtual friends turned in to real-life friends, business colleagues, clients?

Loyalty is a two-way street

Loyalty is a two-way street, and it begins with the organization’s treatment of the employees when they join. The organization sets the tone for the relationship, and Human Resources (HR) is most often serving as the organization’s representative in setting the tone.

HR is the early link between the new person and the organization. As such, it is HR’s responsibility to set a positive tone for the relationship. It is HR’s job to get the employee to fall in love with the company through the interview process and upon starting their career there.

But, don't put the whole burden on HR's shoulders.

It is often HR’s job to help initiate a successful relationship between the new person and her manager; however, building a bond between the organization and employee rests primarily with the hiring manager.

It is widely known, thanks to Marcus Buckingham’s studies revealed in his book First Break all the Rules, that people join companies for the type of work, opportunities, leadership, and benefits. But, they leave because of the daily interaction with their immediate manager. 

The immediate manager and teammates impact how engaged new people are, how productive they are, and how long they stay that way. You can get them started on the right foot by implementing a professional New Employee Orientation (NEO).

Most organizations do not have money or time for on-the-job initiations of new employees.  Budgets are way too tight for that! They need people to get up to speed quickly. 

Companies need the benefits of a professional NEO, as explained below.

1.  Decreased turnover

2. Faster contribution time for the new person

3. Decreased disruption for coworkers and managers of new person

4. Realistic understanding and expectations of the new job

5. Reduction of mistakes made my new people and those teaching them

6. Increased pride in the new company and its leaders

7. Increased engagement

8. Increased tenure with the organization

It takes more than Human Resources to bring new people on board effectively and to build employee loyalty. The immediate teammates, coworkers, and managers have more long-term impact than HR. Extend your NEO beyond the required HR-related information to build relationships, loyalty, and results.

Reader Query...
What have you found most useful in NEOs you've experienced as the new person or manager?

Just doing their jobs

Every employee faces emergencies. Some of them are life-threatening, most are not. Some risk loss of money and markets, many do not. Some workplace emergencies are caused by natural disasters. Others are caused by people  under-performing or over-reacting.

The difference between companies who thrive after emergencies and others is often how its people respond to emergencies.

Think about your typical responses and reactions when faced with a crisis.

When faced with life-threatening emergencies, what do you do? When faced with an emergency in which your organization could lose money or market position, what do you do? When faced with minor inconveniences, what do you do?

A few examples...
In a financial services office, a financial adviser slammed his office door and threw his laptop when the market closed down recently. At an advertising agency, the creative director yelled at the account services manager when the client delayed the project again. At a restaurant yesterday, I noticed someone yelling at the host for taking too long to seat his group.

My first thought yesterday was that the restaurant patron obviously would not do well in a crisis. The others probably would not either. They can't handle themselves professionally, or even kindly, in the less-than-life-threatening situations they were in; therefore, they probably cannot control their emotions when faced with a real crisis at work or in life.

Thankfully those people not one of the 180 in Japan risking their lives confronting the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

There are 180 people whose jobs it was to stay behind when the rest of the plant, and nearby town, evacuated. These people are highly skilled and thoroughly trained nuclear scientists, engineers, and operators. They knew in training that it would be their jobs to stay behind to prevent, manage, and combat a disaster such as what they are facing today.

The 180 are being hailed as heroes in Japan and around the world. In their culture, they are just doing their jobs.

In American culture, would we consider putting our lives on the line for coworkers part of our jobs? Oh, sure, the military does. But, what about the rest of us? Would you risk your life to save your boss? Department admin? Sales team? Accounting department? It takes a special person to be willing to do that.

Maybe the rest of us could simply include being more patient, responsive, proactive, and positive with our coworkers as just doing our jobs. Patient, responsive, proactive, positive people are quite rare in workplaces today. It takes a special person to be willing to be those things every day. We could take a lesson from the 180 Japanese heroes to make being selfless just part of our jobs.

(Information from www.CNN.com)

Secret Millionaire: Something doesn't feel right

Three nights ago, ABC aired the first episode of its new series Secret Millionaire. In this episode, Dani Johnson went undercover as a volunteer in non-profits she happened to come across while in Knoxville TN. At the end of the episode, she returned to each of the three and gave them donations. Everyone cried, including me.

While it seems like Ms. Johnson's heart was in the right place (she came across as a very sincere, caring person), the premise of the show is nagging at me three days later.

Founders of The Love Kitchen

One of the nagging questions is "Who should be the real stars of the show?" Ms. Johnson was clearly the star, but should it have been Ellen and Helen, pictured at right, the sisters who founded The Love Kitchen? Are people more interested in those actually doing the work or those who write the checks? How would a show about Helen and Ellen fare on television today? Not well, I'm afraid, and that nags at me.

A second nagging question is "Why did the millionaire have to be a secret?" Was there concern at ABC about the nonprofits behaving differently if they had known it was really like a game show? Why did it have to be a set-up? For some reason, that felt deceitful. When Ms. Johnson arrived at the locations to dole out checks, it felt like she was riding in on a horse to save the day--as if writing a check was more important than everything else those doing the work had been doing. Even Ms. Johnson seemed uncomfortable telling those she met that she really wasn't one of them, that she had "boot-strapped it, baby!" and made something of herself. It was awkward and seemed unnecessary.

Speaking of "boot-strapping, baby", the implication was that it would only take two years of hard work to become a millionaire is the third nagging issue.

Ms. Johnson said on the show that she was homeless at 21 and a millionaire at 23. She said she became a millionaire by "boot-strapping it, baby." A quick Google search reveals a little more to her story, including that the money was made from 90% cold calling in an MLM company, then selling books and tapes about how to make cold calls. There was no mention on the show about how the millions were made, other than when Ms. Johnson said she "boot-strapped it, baby."

The implication that she worked harder than those who received the donations is nagging three days later. If those folks receiving meals from The Love Kitchen, or those poor folks who run it, would just "boot-strap it, baby," they could turn their lives around. It was crystal clear that Helen and Ellen were boot-strappers and had made something of themselves, even if they were not millionaires. The positioning, by ABC more so than by Ms. Johnson, of the secret millionaire being more important, or more valuable, than those running the nonprofits does not feel right.

I cried a lot during the show. I cried when the secret millionaire went to each nonprofit and met the people who were giving and those receiving. I cried at the end when checks were given. I cried when she hugged the sisters at the kitchen, the little girl who's room was redecorated, and the students at the music school. So three days later, it is annoying that something about the show doesn't feel right.

So what?

Why does this matter to a corporate leader, small business owner, or professional? It matters because the show had high ratings and is likely viewed by corporate leaders, small business owners, and professionals. The premise may seem off to me, but if you are going to watch the show going forward, you might want to consider the following:

1. Who are your role models? What have they done to earn your emulation?
2. How do you inspire others to want to model you?
3. Actions show priorities. Do your actions match your words?

What do you think about the show's premise? What am I missing?

More info about the show and the nonprofits

Do you have anything in common with Charlie Sheen?

Who is this?

• He is talking a lot about his awesomeness this week.
• He thinks he cured a long-standing issue with just his brain and his alone.
• He proclaims himself to be too complicated for anyone to understand.

If you guessed Charlie Sheen, you'd be right. If you guessed the ego-maniacal leader in your office, you'd be right too.

While Charlie Sheen is a celebrity constantly in the news lately, others have similar self delusions. You've heard people at work take credit for someone else's work? You've had executives, or dates perhaps, who think they are so complex they are hard to figure out. You've had coworkers who want to rush through solutions without research, trials, or input from others.

Charlie Sheen thinks he is bigger than life, that everyone wants to be him, and that he is more special than everyone else. But he is not alone. He's just on morning shows talking about it. His self-hype may be caused by long-term addictions, but there could be other causes as well--for him and for the manager at your workplace.

Delusions of grandeur could be caused by never being told "no," by being surrounded by people who reinforce the perception, or by being sheltered from the bigger world out there. There could be many causes of it. The point here is that the actor is in the spotlight about it, while others have similar views of themselves privately. Some people are making fun of the actor, others feel sorry for him. We all could use a self-check to ensure we are not as blinded as he appears to be.

So, how do you know if you've got the Charlie Sheen disease of self-delusion? Here are 11 ways to tell if you are deluding yourself, a la Charlie Sheen:

1. If your conversations, blogs, tweets, and posts are about you 90% of the time, you may be infected.
2. If people withdraw from being around you, you may be infected.
3. If no one lists you as one of their top 365,947 role models, even in your field of expertise or family, you may be infected.
4. If you actually say things like, "No one understands me," you might be infected. (No one is that complicated; get over yourself.)
5. If people respond to you with statements like, "Really? You think that?" you may be infected.
6. If you are excluded from meetings, lunches, and gatherings with people you think are less than you, you may be infected.
7. If web sites and blogs (or coworkers at the water cooler) talk about your delusions of grandeur, you may be infected.
8. If your friends during a time of crisis are un-respected egomaniacs, you may be infected.
9. If your behavior has made you the joke of the office and people want to be around the same way they want to watch a car wreck, you may be infected.
10. If you are unable to rally support for your ideas, causes, or jobs, you may be infected.
11. If you think you are more newsworthy than US military fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, you may be infected.

If you find yourself infected with the Charlie Sheen disease of self-delusion, the best solution is to look yourself in the mirror...ah, never mind, you'd just get stuck there.

If you find yourself infected, you'd probably deny it anyway; however, that doesn't mean it is not true. You might not see it yourself, but those around you see it and eventually will disengage completely, lose respect, and cut ties. Perhaps that look in the mirror would be worth your time after all, just in case.

(Any other questions to ponder to discover if you have the Charlie Sheen disease of self-delusion? Share in the comments section.)