A word of warning to would be employees

Earlier this week, I was talking to my number once client. She revealed to me that she has a project getting ready to kick off. As part of that project she has to hire 10 new people and get them trained. My friend was talking to a mutual friend who recommended that her (the mutual friend) son would be suited for a position as he was going to school and having a little extra spending money would be nice. Hey, in this day and age who wouldn't want a litte extra cash on hand??? Certainly not me and certainly not a young college student.

As my friend and I got to talking about hiring people and how tricky that always was. The tricky part came when a background check would only reveal so little, especially for young adults. I told her that a growing trend is for employers (or potential employers) to Google a potential new hire to see what information they can find about the individual.

To prove my point we "Googled" the name of the mutual friend's son. Well, Google revealed that he has a Facebook page as well as the standard MySpace page. So, my client clicked on the MySpace link and to our surprised it was locked as private. I told her that was a good thing as it prevented others from finding out too much or seeing way too much. Then we were off to the Facebook page.

My client was not thrilled at what she saw there. The young man had as his primary photo a picture of him and someone else throwing what appears to be gang signs and the international hand sign for not the number one. If you could have seen my client's face when she saw the picture, it was a look of shock and then confusion.

Shock at how could this "nice young man" have compromised himself in such a manner by allowing himself to be seen in such a picture? I told her that it is not uncommon for kids to be kids. However, if the young people today want to be taken seriously in the workplace they need to start taking themselves seriously. They need to take responsibility for what they post online. Sure it may be cute, it may be funny, but it will certainly make any potential employer think twice about who they want to represent them and their business.

The confusion was based on whether or not to bring him into the project? Does she not hire him and risk losing a friend or does she hire him and risk him losing customers? It certainly took her to a place she did not want to be.

I did recommend that she talk to the young man, look him in the eye and tell him "If I was any other employer your would be no where near my place of business, but because of who your parents and I are to one another please change your online pictures to reflect a more responsible individual before showing up for work on Monday."

Of course, I added that she can check and if he still has not changed the pics by the time Monday morning rolls around. Stand your ground and kindly tell the young man to go home as he cannot complete a simple request as a condition of employment then he could not be trusted to complete any other task set before him.

Folks, this might sound harsh but in the end, it is called Business for a reason.

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Back to School

Just wanted to take some time to wish every educator GOOD LUCK in the coming school year. Your job, unfortunately, is a Thankless Task, yet it is so VERY IMPORTANT to the future of all of us.

While everyone is getting the kids ready, I want to take the time to THANK YOU for what you do and wish you the best this coming school year.

Now, go out there and teach them everything they need to be better citizens of our world.


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Change comes quickly (when you got a plan)

As change seems to be the running theme, I will add a little more to it. Since the 8th of August there has been a lot of change happening on the other side of the planet, relative to where I am of course. Change has been happening in Beijing.

At The Summer Olympics Games?
Yes, at the Summer Olympic Games. We have seen World Records shattered and countries that were never thought to be contenders become contenders as well as those countries that were expected to win win. How is this change?

It is change when you are not expected to win a medal and all of a sudden the loudspeaker is playing your nation's national anthem, rest assured that most certainly classified as CHANGE. By now, just about everyone on the planet knows who Michael Phelps is and the feat he and his teammates accomplished. For that matter, people recognize Mexico's Tatiana Ortiz & Paola Espinosa and their bronze medals in synchronized diving (a first for Mexico).

Before I digress, or is it diverge, even further let me reel this one in. All the individuals and teams that are participating in the Olympiad are doing so because they followed a plan to get there. All of the Olympians had to change to fit the plan they set before themselves.

I am more than sure on all their plans the last item list is "Win the Gold Medal" and while not all will win a gold medal it is on that plan nonetheless.

What do those Olympians do if they don't get a gold? They go back and re-evaluate the plan to see if it was a feasible plan? Then they adjust the plan accordingly then try again. Of course, unlike football (NFL) these athletes don't wait until next year to make things happen, they have to wait four years. Four years is a long time and four years certainly takes its toll on the human body. Still, four years is plenty of time to fine tune a program that fell just short of the medal stand.

What about the rest of us that are not Michael Phelps or Misty May? Don't be discouraged...I did not participate in the 2008 Olympics, nor will I participate in the 2010 Olympics, however my plan is taking me in a different direction and if I never get the gold on the track I am on, well I will certainly re-evaluate, re-design, and re-configure my plan. Then will I press on in my quest for the gold.

Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Go for the Gold.


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The Donald does it again

No sooner than I post about Trump Trait:Don't Fear Risk, that Donald Trump goes and proves another Trump Trait. It seems that Johnny Carson's long time "Tonight" show side kick Ed McMahon has fallen on hard times and fell behind on and eventually defaulted on the mortgage to his $4.8million mansion due to his inability to work because of a neck injury. Well, just before foreclosure was to take place, Donald Trump pops in and is scheduled to seal the deal on acquiring the property from the Countrywide Financial Corp. according to a CNN.com report.

In the CNN.com posting states that Donald Trump "told the Los Angeles Times he doesn't know McMahon personally, but acted out of compassion because helping out 'would be an honor.'" This is because "when I was at the Wharton School of Business I'd watch him every night," Trump told the Times. "How could this happen?"

How it could happen? It is pretty obvious, as it is happening all over the country. Mr. McMahon, though his situation is unfortunate it is far from unique. People everywhere are finding themselves having to deal with rising fuel & food prices, layoffs or rising Adjustable Rate Mortgages that they can no longer pay. Of course, there are also those unforeseen incidents such as sudden medical situations, vehicle breakdown, and even major home appliances that need to be replaced. So what is a person to do? You persevere and continue to fight the good fight. Use those Trump Traits to get back into the game and you will be better for it.

So what TRUMP TRAIT did The Donald use in this situation? I say he used two (2) of the fourteen Trump Traits: Revenge Can Be Good and Build Your Brand.

Revenge Can Be Good: While this may have been the farthest thing on his mind, Mr. Trump seized an opportunity to do a good thing and in this case it was a complete opposite of what those that criticize him expected him to do. Therefore, revenge is certainly sweet.

Build Your Brand: Here is another thing at what makes Donald Trump who he is. He knows real estate and he makes another high profile purchase. Therefore, he continues to add to his brand, thus he continues to be relevant.

Speaking of Real Estate, Houses/Homes and Ed McMahon here is a very unique clip from the Tonight show. In Mr. McMahon's case, a very timely subject matter is discussed in the clip.



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Invisible Relevance

In a blog post by Pete Ryckman of Memo to C-Level Speakers blog, "Welcome to the Age of Invisibility", writes about living in the new age of Invisibility.

The age of invisibility is where, as he puts it, "Speakers face new problems as media content outlets -- like broadcast, cable, print, Web, blogs, etc. -- multiply at a geometric rate." While Ryckman talks, in his blog post, specifically about public speakers but I say that this can apply to everybody and anybody, public speaker or not.

In the post Ryckman warns that if people don't find a way to remain dynamic they will become invisible. As he adds, "The problem is this. If you don't speak often enough and to the right people, you start to become invisible. When you don’t move, they can’t see you. It's not that your voice is fading. The problem is that all the other voices are getting louder -- and there are many more of them."

While this is certainly true, I have one question: How does one know they are speaking to the right people?

I mean, who decides who the right people are? My answer to this question is: The right people who decide is the people that want to be inspired by you. Your peers, co-workers, students, friends, family, and most certainly your children (if you have kids).

The rest of the post goes to talk about working hard to stay relevant otherwise "you'll begin to disappear -- overlapped and replaced by the flood of new voices and new stories." There is nothing but a world of truth in that statement.

Of course, you are the master/mistress of your fate. Only you can decide just how relevant you want to be. So do everyone a favor and stay relevant.

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A Trump Trait: Don't Fear Risk...

It's no secret that I am a big fan of Donald Trump and what it took for The Donald to get to the top of the game he plays. Back in January, I wrote a post titled Trump Traits. In that post, I listed 14 traits that Trump, himself, listed as the keys to his success in an episode of CNBC's Millionaire Inside. One of which is "Don't Fear Risk" and that's what I want to talk about today.

This past weekend, I blogged about making change because it was necessary and not for the sake of change. I also alluded to the fact that people will find any excuse not to make change and I mean any excuse not to be slimmer, not to start a business, not to write that book, not to get out of a relationship that they know is bad. Why? People look in the mirror and everyday ask themselves that same question: WHY?

Why can't I write that book? Why can't I lose those last 10 pounds? Why can't I leave? Why can't I make that change? Simply it's the risk involved and the fear of failure.

What if people don't like the book? What if I gain that weight back? What if I end up alone? What if? If's and why's are fear and risk and the fear of risk all rolled up into one.

This may be the biggest Trump Trait all of us have to face. DON'T FEAR RISK. Of course, it is easy for me to say (or write) but it is just as difficult for me as it is for you to embrace. We have to embrace it anyway, everyday, every waking moment. Let NOT FEARING RISK become your friend and your enemy at the same time.

Your friend in the sense that you can make NOT FEARING RISK your daily mantra. Knowing that now you can do what you want to do without having to think too much about what may or may not happen. NOT FEARING RISK is also knowing that you are fully prepared to accept the outcome of that change.

Your enemy in the sense that you cannot become complacent in embracing NOT FEARING RISK. Meaning that you should not just assume what changes you make or what you do happen without some form of risk or repercussion. You will always be held accountable for your actions, however, if you are prepared to accept and live with what happens then you are on the right track. Just don't let NOT FEARING RISK become static. Keep NOT FEARING RISK as a dynamic as possible. Don't let NOT FEARING RISK become mediocre.

Don't Fear Risk...Make that change happen now. You will be better for it.


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It's Your Choice: Your Past = Your Future or Your Past ≠ Your Future

Interesting things are happening around here. Change. Seems that the storms (Dolly & Edouard) brought in a little more than wind, rain, they also brought change. I had a great discussion yesterday with a friend and it was all about change. It was not about change for the sake of change, it was about seizing the moment and making those kind of changes we all need to make.

Here is a perfect opportunity to make those changes that will impact your life, your family, your job, your future. These are the changes that you always wanted to make but for some strange reason you thought it would be too difficult to do because you didn't have time or didn't have the money or don't have the right contacts. Let me pass along a little secret (promise not to tell): the moment you commit to make the change (no matter if it feels good or bad) is the moment you will find the time, find the money, and have the contacts.

It will all fall inline, but if you keep doing what you have always been doing then you will most certainly be living in your past and not moving towards a future that is a better you. Of course, for those that live in the past then you can most certainly assure yourself that your past WILL CONTINUE TO BE your future. That is unless you make change, not only happen but sustain it, as well.

In making change, one has to quit something in order to start something else. Am I advocating change as form of quitting? You bet I am. Seth Godin wrote a great book called The Dip. In that book, he said that it was OK to quit so long as that change (to quit) meant getting out of the Dip that you may find yourself in.

I am not telling you anything new...I am telling you, AGAIN, because it is that important. My friends don't let it take a Hurricane to make a change...right here, right now, make that change. If anyone asks, go ahead and tell them I said it was OK to make that change.

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Back To Normal?

This week, I took a little time to decompress from the activities before, during, and after Hurricane Dolly. While it only managed to make Category 1, it still did some damage.

There was still a lot of prep that went on before the storm, as well as maintaining during the storm, recovery after the storm, and lastly prepping for the next storm. Then almost immediately after Dolly, Tropical Storm Edouard formed in the Gulf. While not in the path of that storm, I still had some personal and professional interests in the storm's projected path. My mind was in disaster recovery-mode and disaster prep-mode at the same time. Luckily, Edouard was nothing more than a welcomed rain storm.

Now, Dolly & Edouard are behind us and things are starting to get back to normal, but do things ever really get back to normal?

Things may appear like they are back to normal but deep down inside there is a stream of consciousness or a train of thought, that is just below the surface. That stream is centered on the next time.

How does one deal with that? It's easy; talk about it, put it in writing, make a plan. Soon things will start to work themselves out and with that you will start to focus less on the uncertainty about what you cannot control and more on what you can control.

Remember, Hurricane Season is far from over and natural disasters can happen at anytime. So do what you can now to be ready.

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