CRACKING THE CODE OF COMMUNICATION / A Tuesday Night with Lolly Daskal (07/08/14)

July 8, 2014:  #LeadFromWithin Tweetchat with Lolly Daskal (@lollydaskal)
The Tweetchat topic was CRACKING THE CODE OF COMMUNICATION

Join us every Tuesday evening from 8PM EST to 9PM EST and use the hashtag #leadfromwithin to find us and interact with us.


Here are Lolly's Questions and my Answers:

Q1: Why is communication so important? #leadfromwithin
A1: If you want something done, effective communication is necessary. Without it, all is lost #Leadfromwithin

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Q2: What are core elements of communication? #leadfromwithin
A2: Clarity & Brevity are the core of any communication. Otherwise, confusion sets in #Leadfromwithin

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Q3: Why is listening so important in communication? #leadfromwithin
A3: Without effective listening the understanding of what is being declared diminishes exponentially as the conversation continues #Leadfromwithin

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Q4: What is the best way to communicate in crisis? #leadfromwithin
A4: Practice crisis situations and learn from that and share that with all members of the org. #Leadfromwithin

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Q5: How does communication go beyond words? #leadfromwithin
A5: Commo goes beyond words when the action takes place with little to no follow up or questions about the action #Leadfromwithin

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Q6: What is the best way to handle criticism? #leadfromwithin
A6: You handle it with open eyes, open ears, and closed mouth. Criticism is essential for growth and development of all concerned #Leadfromwithin

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Q7: What are strategies can we use when conveying a sensitive topic? #leadfromwithin
A7: take the lead, remain calm, be professionalism, and most of all compartmentalize to those that need to know ONLY #Leadfromwithin

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Q8: How does communication increase influence? #leadfromwithin
A8: Increasing influence can only occur through consistent communication known as dialogue NOT monologue #Leadfromwithin

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Q9: What are some communication mistakes and blunders? #leadfromwithin
A9: biggest mistake is conducting a MONOLOGUE. ALWAYS have DIALOGUE, otherwise people will feel bored and move on #Leadfromwithin

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Q10: What are some important words to use when communicating? #leadfromwithin
A10: “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” and mean it! #Leadfromwithin

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Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Communication • Dialogue • Monologue • Lolly Daskal • Code of Communication • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

DEVELOP YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS / A Tuesday Night with Lolly Daskal (07/01/14)

July 1, 2014:  #LeadFromWithin Tweetchat with Lolly Daskal (@lollydaskal)
The Tweetchat topic was DEVELOP YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Join us every Tuesday evening from 8PM EST to 9PM EST and use the hashtag #leadfromwithin to find us and interact with us.


Here are Lolly's Questions and my Answers:

Q1: How do you define leadership? #Leadfromwithin
A1: I define Leadership as the ability to motivate others to the point that they willingly do what must be done #leadfromwithin

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Q2: What are some qualities and traits a leader requires? #Leadfromwithin
A2: Know themselves completely before attempting to lead. Know that others are depending on them for inspiration #leadfromwithin

A2: and direction and motivation and and the list goes on and on #leadfromwithin

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Q3: How can we turn our innate instincts into Leadership skills? #Leadfromwithin
A3: By knowing our limits on those instincts then we can move past the limits and teach others #leadfromwithin

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Q4: What are some privileges of leadership? #Leadfromwithin
A4: Leaders get to learn from and teach others. That is the greatest privilege. #leadfromwithin

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Q5: If leading is ‘setting an example’, what example should we set? #Leadfromwithin
A5: The only example to set is that WE WALK OUR TALK. We do as we do and do as we say. 100% of the time, it’s non-negotiable #leadfromwithin

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Q6: How does a leader strike the balance between control and freedom? #Leadfromwithin
A6: Striking balance is achieved through trial and error. You have to make your mistakes as well as achieve success for proper balance #leadfromwithin

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Q7: How do we ensure we keep growing/ learning as Leaders? #Leadfromwithin
A7: We keep growing and learning as leaders by ACKNOWLEDGING that we still have so much to learn from each other and then we can grow, together #leadfromwithin

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Q8: How do we measure our development as a Leader? #Leadfromwithin
A8: We can’t measure our own development because that’s constantly changing. We can measure the number of leaders we help create #leadfromwithin

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Q9: What steps can we take to accelerate our development? #Leadfromwithin
A9: Eyes Open, Ears Open, Mouth Closed, Then ASK QUESTIONS.  Question everything. Question Everyone.  #leadfromwithin

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Q10: How do we know we’re truly a Leader? #Leadfromwithin
A10: When we know deep down that we are not leaders but followers of those that follow us #leadfromwithin


Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to join the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to
follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra
visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble

Here are some Technorati Tags: • The Walking Leader • Leadership • Leadership Development • Leadership Skills • Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

Introducing The Walking Leader

I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to my contribution to the business leadership literary world: The Walking Leader: The 20 Rules You Can Follow Now to Guide You Down the Path of Leadership Greatness in Your Organization.

I wrote the Walking Leader for anyone that has wanted to get out from behind their desk and get to know the organization from within but didn't know how. To succeed in business (any business), any one in any position within any company, organization, agency, program, department, or section has to not only do their job better than everyone else they also have to get out and visit the front-lines. They have to be where the bullets are flying.

In a war, the front-lines is where the bullets are flying. The only way to truly know how the war is going is to be right out in front, meeting and getting to know those that are fighting out on the front lines every day! Business leaders, communicators, and instructors know and share with every that wants to succeed; the only way is to get out and be among the company staff.

However, there was a problem. The problem was there was nothing formally written to act as a guide to how to go and walk among the entire company's staff. There was nothing that even resemble a set of rules that anyone can go to when the time comes to get out there.

The Walking Leader was written to fill that void. The 20 rules are to be used as a guide to starting your own Walking Leader program. The 20 rules are to be used to become your organization's next Great Leader. As your organization's next Great Leader you will be in the position to recruit, guide, and mentor the NEXT Great Leader.


I invite you to get yourself a copy and get out there! Getting out there is the only way you will know how the war is going.

At this time, there are two places you can order The Walking Leader:
1. The Walking Leader website: http://www.walkingleader.com
(be sure to look for the DISCOUNT CODE)

and


2. Amazon.com


Tentatively after October 15, The Walking Leader will be available for sale at brick and mortar Bookstores, other Online Retailers, Libraries, and Academic Institutions.

Some basics of THE WALKING LEADER
Name: The Walking Leader: The 20 Rules You Can Follow Now to Guide You Down the Path of Leadership Greatness in Your Organization
Author: David G. Guerra
Page count: 106
Suggested retail price: $US 10.99
Year of first printing: 2013
ISBN: 978-1492120063


Thank you,
Dave Guerra

P.S. I do invite you to tell me what you are think of The Walking Leader.

As always you can read this blog post in its original location at http://daveguerra.blogspot.com

I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra

Here are some Technorati Tags: • 100 Ways • • 20 Rules You Can Follow Now to Guide You Down the Path of Leadership Greatness in Your Organization • • Be A Great Leader • Author • Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Leadership Development • Professional Development • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Ready, Fire, Aim! • If it ain't broke, break it. • Hire Crazies • Ask dumb questions • Pursue failure • Spread Confusion • Ditch Your Office • Read Odd Stuff • Avoid Moderation • Higher, Admire, Desire, Require, Satire, Inquire, On Fire, All Possible Scenarios • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

At the sharp end of the view....

things are certainly as they appear. This week was truly a good one in all sense of the word good. I am about 99.999% over that two week cold/sinus condition and that is definitely a big plus.

That was not all that was good this week. I was excited to get into some of the new media activities that found themselves occurring this week. Joseph Jaffe over at JaffeJuice was part of the exciting MyOOVOOday event. It was where Jaffe in "9 sessions and 41 people in really awesome conversation" would get online using the oovoo software to make it happen. Technical difficulties prevented me from being the 42nd individual in the conversation. Not wanting to be left out I asked Mr. Jaffe if future myoovooday sessions would be made available and from what I have been able to pick up, there may be more on the way. So stay tuned kiddies.

However, that was not all that was going on. Noted author Seth Godin was promoting his latest book MEATBALL SUNDAE by way of a series of teleseminars through Elizabeth Marshall's "Author Teleseminars.com". So I spent my lunch hour this past Thursday listening to Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Meyerson, and Andrea J Lee deliver some great and valuable information. There was my "Chance to Hear Seth and Top Experts Without Leaving Your Office or Spending a Dime" and I took big time advantage of it.

To round out the work week, this past Friday I kicked off an idea that I had been toying with for quite a long time: The 12 o'clock Brown Bag Lunch Training series (12BBLT). The 12BBLT is a series of hour long software and hardware oriented training sessions from managing Email to creating strong passwords to installing/upgrading memory on your PC to installing and configuring a wireless adapter on your network. Right now, I have over 12 sessions ready to roll and with the first one successfully under my belt I have ask myself what took so long?

Well, no matter what I am glad that I did it and that people I heard speak this week continue to instill in others the idea that it is OK to do something you like. All the while giving everyone the tools to be successful at doing what they like.

As you can see it has been a great week, all the while being Dad, Hubby on V-Day, and an MBA student. See what can happen when you have 24 hours every day...wait a second you do!

let's tag this blog post with:
Dave Guerra, Joseph Jaffe, oovoo, myoovooday, Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Myerson, Andrea J. Lee, Meatball Sundae, Never Eat Alone, Mastering Online Marketing, Money, Meaning and Beyond, Elizabeth Marshall, Author Teleseminars, Training, 24 hours a day

What happens when the $1000 bagel goes stale?

I got to thinking about a National Public Radio news report, back in December. It was about the $1000 bagel in New York City. The reports mentions that within the city there also exists a $10K Martini and a $25K Sundae and not to be left out, the Westin New York at Times Square serves, with 24 hours notice, a $1000 bagel. According to the Westin's chef, it is made of a plain bagel, Mascarpone cheese, a wine jelly, the so rare and so expensive white truffles, and what seals the deal at $1K; Edible gold. Yep, there it is the 100,000 penny bagel. So what happens when the $1000 bagel goes stale?

Yes, I know it's a bagel, made of yeasted wheat dough that has been boiled then baked. Real simple. However, it does go stale. So what do you do with $1,000 investment of bread that no one wants to eat? Can you recover your investment by selling the $1,000 Penicillin mold? Good Luck.

Seriously, though what happens when you invest in something (remember baseball cards?) and then something occurs to cause the investment to go stale. What then?

Alright, let's take a look at a 1985 Topps #181 Roger Clemens (RC - Rookie Card) Graded in NM - Near Mint or Better condition which has gone from a high of $16.00 (08/11/2007) to a low of $5.50 (02/11/2008). Talk about flying a lead balloon (and it continues to drop). So all those kids, back in the 1980s and 1990s, that were going to cash-in when the Rocket went Hall of Fame are now left holding a shoe box full of cards that are fast growing stale.

Considering recent revelations about Human Growth Hormones, Needles, Trainers, and Hearings things don't look so good for the Rocket and neither does it for those kids, now adults, with stacks of Clemens Rookie Cards.

Unfortunately, bagels cannot become unstale but with rookie cards that's a different story. Remember Pete Rose / Charlie Hustle's 1963 Topps #537 (RC - Rookie Card) which has been hovering around the $400 to $350 range for some time now and everyone knows the troubles Rose has had.

In the end, what does this have to do with bagels? Well, let's just file this under "what seems like a good thing today might not be so good tomorrow", so hold on to those cards a little longer but throw that moldy bagel away.

tags: Dave Guerra, NPR, The Rocket, Pete Rose, $1000 Bagel, Westin Times Square, Baseball Cards, Rookie Cards

In the morning, do you wake up to "pursue shareholder value or

In the morning, do you wake up to "pursue shareholder value or exceed customer expectations..."? And is that (or something similar) your reasons for getting up?

If you say Yes, then something might not be right. I don't know of anyone that has that kind of attitude or purpose. Those that do might just be kidding themselves. Anne Deering puts it best when she wrote, and as well as mentioned in the book Be-Know-Do, "Our personal identity and purpose cannot reside in this type of objective...We need to dig deeper to find what truly drives us--our calling in life--and then translate this calling back to into our work context."

So what does all this mean? It means that if you have priorities that are about the job and not inclusive of yourself or your family then there is fundamentally something wrong. Now I am not pointing fingers nor am I passing judgment but what I am doing is stating a fact. A fact that declares that in order to be good to anyone or anything else you have to be good to yourself.

Let me clarify, many years ago I along with a few other people were asked to make a list of those people and things that were important to me. Each of the other people, at the top of their list, placed their Family and their God or vice-versa. Then it was my turn to announce my list. I started off with, that while I do agree that family and faith should be at the top of any list, I have someone different in my top spot: Me.

I got the most puzzling looks, but as I continued with my reasoning their looks of puzzlement turned to looks of understanding. I said that in order to provide my family with the best that I can and also to be a good [[enter religion here]] I have to make sure that I take care of myself otherwise if I fail to provide for myself first then I will fail to provide for anyone. So as conceded as it may sound I must take care of myself first. This is where Self-Discipline comes into play.

After all it is Self-Discipline that set people apart from one another. Self-discipline is "the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behaviour, even though one would really rather be doing something else."

Going back to my military days, self-discipline was what kept us going when we were cold, wet, and tired. While others would have given up because it was too cold or too wet or too late in the evening, we dug deep inside ourselves and pressed on, not because we were the only ones who could do the job. It was because we took the initiative and had the self-discipline to continue when all others would have quit.

So what is your reason for getting up in the morning?

Something for you: Check out this vid on Discipline/Self-Discipline. Though the video has plenty of Football references, it's brief enough to define the need for discipline and even though it has Coach Bill Parcells and Irving Fryar, don't let that distract you from the message. As for the Cat's In The Cradle song reference at the end, well there is nothing I can do about that ;)


tags: Dave Guerra, Anne Deering, self discipline, Be Know Do, Leadership

Fix my car?

You probably have heard this before and I know I tell people this everyday so let's do it one more time.

Let's say you are an automobile mechanic and one day I take my car to your shop, tossing you the keys I say "Fix It!"

You give me a puzzled look and ask, "Fix what?"

Then I know this is the last thing you want to hear but I say, "You are the mechanic, fix my car" and I leave.

Is this anyway for people to communicate? NO. Absolutely not, yet it happens thousands (if not millions) of times every single day. Too much telling and not enough leading.

So what does one do to reverse that fact? Well, for starters one has to ensure that what you want to happen is 100% understood by those that will do it.

Basically, what I am eluding that you must ensure that you completely understand what you want. If you can't do that then having anyone else understand you will be a moot.

Take moment to make certain that those that you want to accomplish something, on your behalf, can do so without hesitation or question. If you are not able to get your message across, try a different approach. Keep trying until you are understood. Keep trying until you understand you.

tags: Dave Guerra, understand, getting things done, be understood, keep trying, Be Tenacious

I have a question (or two)

What's this two posts in todays??? I told you I was under the weather. Seriously, I have a question but before I ask let me set the stage.

Setting the stage:
I have been on Twitter and Pownce for the past several months and there have been a great number of posts that I have read over that time. Some have been about nothing in general and others have stirred the emotions and some have made me a bit more curious than I otherwise would normally have been. It's all good that is until today. Well, this afternoon to be specific. Someone actually wrote "Who do you follow on Digg? Top 3 users I watch for the most are"

The question:
This is NOT a shot at Digg but at the people that believe that if you are not one of the top tier Digg peeps then why bother.

Now the question:
Do you really believe that this is what Digg is all about?

I completely understand what Digg and the other services like it stand for, it should however, not be anyone's be all or end all.

FYI, If and when I follow someone that happens to be listed on Digg it is because I choose to and not because someone's popularity list told me I must.

It certainly is nice that I am starting to feel better.

tags here: Dave Guerra, Digg, Pownce, Twitter, Be Cool or be cast out

Running Like A Fox to Keep Up with Me

Yes, another Duran Duran reference (the blog title that is). It is also another attempt to mask the fact that this post is an overdue New Year's resolution update. So with full disclosure out of the way, thanks for stopping by and taking a few minutes of your day, to see how things are going here.

So as to not take more time away from you than need be here it is....
1. Went to Austin & San Antonio for some meetings and interviews and came home with a terrible sinus infection that, naturally, turned into a bad two week cold...long story short: lots of water, little exercise, little wanting to eat, lots of sleep=no reading.

2. Finally got some strength to write my long overdue review of a book that I will be posting here. (hopefully this weekend and hopefully before the end of the 10th Budweiser commercial during "name withheld for some crazy reason, that we would have been saying this time last year")

3. First class towards M.B.A. is well underway.

That's it. Talk to you soon, but before I go I do have one question for you to talk amongst yourselves with: Does the Writers Strike really affect original programming on TV? What I mean is TV stopped being original so long ago, so what if anything is affected?

tags:
Dave Guerra, update, New Years, travel, cold, MBA, book review

A word or two about Revenge

In my last post, Trump Traits, I included a list of traits as defined by CNBC on their series The Millionaire Inside about Donald Trump's Traits to Success. One of the traits listed, REVENGE, seems to be one that needs a little more defining.

In the TMI episode, Donald Trump said this of Revenge:
"There are a lot of bad people out there..if you have a problem with someone you have to go after them. And it's not necessarily to teach that person a lesson, it's to teach all of the people that are watching a lesson, that you don't take crap. And if you take crap you're just not gonna do well. So Be sharp, Be Smart. It's all about this (points to his head/brain) you have to have this to start off with. But you can't take a lot of nonsense from people. You have to go after them. I have always believed it."

My definition of Revenge goes a little like this:
There will always be people that will say you can't do it. That you don't have the pedigree, education, or the connections to do what others have done. I say that it is up to you to reach deep down inside and say to yourself that you are better than what others say about you. Always remember that every morning you wake up with yourself and the only person you have to impress is yourself. You be a better person today than you were yesterday and everything is good. By being better than yesterday you will soon find yourself doing much better than anyone expected or believed.

After all, isn't doing it your own way and humbling people along the way the best revenge?

tags: Dave Guerra, Donald Trump, Revenge , Trump Traits, CNBC, Millionaire Inside

Trump Traits

A couple of months ago a blog post titled "Rhythm is the Power" was about what Joseph Jaffe, Duran Duran and Donald Trump have in common. This week I was cleaning out the TIVO and ran across an episode of the CNBC's The Millionaire Inside with Donald Trump as the only guest. In the episode he mentioned key points that were critical to what he saw as success.

Now we can all sit here and say "Well, he can afford to follow the traits because he has millions to fall back on should something go wrong." While that may be true, you and I cannot let that kind of thinking hold us back. If we cannot totally wrap ourselves around these "Trump Traits" then we are doomed to "working for the man" until we retire believing that spending more hours in office will define our legacy. I personally do not see my legacy as a plaque on a desk that reads "Dave sat here for 20 years, did his job, and never asked for a new chair."

I see my legacy as one that my children and their children will pass on to their kids. So as I watched that episode of Millionaire Inside nee Billionaire Inside, the things that he talked about were concepts and ideas that are rooted in common sense. Just like Tom Peters, Dr. Stephen Covey, and others like them, teach the use of common sense is the prime factor for success. No need to get fancy and paint a pretty "touchy, feely" picture of success because they don't work unless of course, the picture is painted on a canvas based on common sense. So as the show progressed it was interesting to see that as The Donald got into talking about the path to his success he kept underscoring (albeit covertly) the role common sense played in his success. While I am not saying anything new, I am saying what others, to include Trump, have said over and over again.

Therefore, for many of us, we now have to ask; How long will it take to ensure that these "Trump Traits" sink into our thick noggins? How often do we have to be told these things? Then how long before we make that change? The answer my friends is real simple: AS LONG AND AS OFTEN AS IT TAKES.

Here are the Trump Traits as mentioned in the CNBC series: The Millionaire Inside

• Find Your Passion
• Be Tenacious
• Don't Fear Risk
• Revenge Can Be Good (don't take crap from people)
  
• Know Your Subject
• Negotiate Face to Face
• Build Your Brand (by being persistent)
  
• Get in the game (Real Estate...hmmmm)
  
• Think Globally (the world is truly flat)
• Negotiate a new deal
• Have a killer idea
• Implement your idea well
• Have Confidence
• Never Lose Focus

Each one of these traits has had volumes written about them. So I will not get too much into them now but I will revisit them from time to time. However, between now and then I invite you to think about this list and see how they apply to you and your situation. Also, figure out how by applying the traits you can create a legacy that can be passed along to future generations.

tags:
Dave Guerra, Donald Trump, Leadership, Legacy, Success, Entrepreneurship, Common Sense, Trump, CNBC

Does Everyone Really Get A Vote?

As of this writing, the first Tuesday of November 2008 is a mere 319 days away. You can't tell that from the way the media is handling the Caucuses (isn't that a mountain range in the former Soviet Union) and the Primaries. One would think that with all this coverage the deal is done. So what are we as the voting public to do?

The media are so influencing our decisions that the candidates need not spend a single dollar more on advertising. The media has taken the lead by spinning the candidates the way they want to spin them. The candidates have done their job and now the media has taken it upon themselves to tell us who the cool kids are and who should be crowned Prom King or Queen.

This being the case, the media has for all intents and purposes has given us the final four to the big dance. This push from the media will continue with such fervor as we start getting closer and closer to the Conventions (Republicans September 1-4 & Democrats August 25-28), they will do what they can to continue to dictate as to who the party nominees will be. So what are we as the voting public to do?

Very simple...with 227 days to go before the first convention, you...no...WE have plenty of time to DO YOUR/OUR HOMEWORK. Know the issues (ALL OF THEM). Know the candidates (ALL OF THEM). Above all KNOW YOURSELF and WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU.

Doing this will guarantee one thing, when it comes time to cast your vote; YOU WILL VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE YOU DECIDED TO VOTE FOR!!! not someone the media thinks you should vote for.

you bet I used tags here: Dave Guerra, 2008 Elections, Presidency, Candidates, Republicans, Democrats, Do your homework, Be Informed

Resolution Update #01-01

Here it is the first update to the resolutions of 2008. Here is how I am proposing to update on the progress of my resolutions. I will list the resolutions and I will make notes where something has happened with regards to achieving that goal.

Since 01/04/08:

1. Run in a 10K race: Ran 2 miles
2. Lower BP without the need for medicine: Ran 2 miles, 3 of the six meals since Friday were healthy oriented eating. Nobody said this was going to be easy.
3. Finish 2nd Draft of New Book by end of March: nothing
4. Drink less coffee: Drank only 5 cups in two days
5. Drink more H20: Drank 64 ounces a day for the past two days
6. Volunteer: Starting the search for ONLINE VOLUNTEER Programs.
7. Read one new book a month: Be Know Do: Leadership the Army Way, Adapted from the Official Army Leadership Manual to be delivered on 01/07/08.
   ON DECK: Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes by Mark Penn, E. Kinney Zalesne, E. Kinney Zalesne

tags:Dave Guerra, running, Microtrend, coffee, water, FM 22-100, Leadership, US Army

Update to the Resolutions

A couple of days ago I posted my resolutions for 2008 and discovered that there were two things seriously missing from my resolutions:

6. Volunteer (any suggestions would be appreciated)
7. Read one book a month

There we go, seven resolutions sounds like a lot but it can be done. So if I can do it, we all can do it. All it takes is one step.

At first, that is until the ball is really rolling I will post one update a week on how the resolutions are going. Then I will drop it down to once every other week.

So here they are in order:

1. Run in a 10K race
2. Lower BP without the need for medicine
3. Finish 2nd Draft of New Book by end of March
4. Drink less coffee (I know it's blasphemy but I gotta do what I gotta do)
5. Drink more H20
6. Volunteer
7. Read one new book a month
   

tags: Dave Guerra, Resolutions, Plan, Change, 10K race, blood pressure, book writing, coffee, water, Volunteer,
Read a Book

Now for something completely fresh

Earlier I wrote a few lines of advice on how to set a goal and what it takes to get to achieving it. So now I will take a dose of my own medicine. I present you my goals for the first half of 2008:

1. Run in a 10K race
2. Lower BP without the need for medicine
3. Finish 2nd Draft of New Book by end of March
4. Drink less coffee (I know it's blasphemy but I gotta do what I gotta do)
5. Drink more H20
   

This is a simple set of goals, think about it though. Doing all of this will create some collateral benefits such as weight loss, increased stamina, focus, and an overall sense of well being. In any situation have increased stamina, focus, and an overall sense of well being helps create a great counter to stressors. Anything that helps reduce stress makes you a much better person.

On that note, I leave you with my first 5 goals for the first part of 2008. What are your goals?

Tags: Dave Guerra, Plan, Change, Goals

It's 2008 & a new opportunity for something fresh

By now, January 2, you have probably been inundated with talk about the new year being an opportunity for change. Change your image, change your appearance, change your attitude, change you.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. This time of the year we all tend to fall into that trap (those hot, tight, ripped bods are all over our television screens) because we see something that appeals to us and we want a piece of that action. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look like them, however there is a point where reality sets in.

What does that last sentence mean? It means that if you don't already look like those hot bods, then rest assured that after one workout you won't as well. So no matter what you are wanting to do whether its getting a raise, start your own company, get published, or lose a few pounds from all that holiday partying, you are going to have to take a common sense approach. So here are few things to keep in mind.

1. Know what you want to accomplish
2. Set a realistic goals
3. Develop a plan to meet your goals
   
4. Collect your resources
5. Refine your plan
6. Solicit support from others
7. Refine your plan
8. Put your plan into Action
9. Make adjustments to you plan

See a trend in this list...it is important to keep your plan fluid, dynamic, always changing. This is the dose of reality that I mentioned. Say for instance, in my case I like to jog in the mornings. However, I do not run in the rain nor do I run when temp is below 45F so on those days I have alternate, I don't like doing it but it does keep the body moving. So if you goal is to start a new business but you don't have the revenue to open a storefront, this should not derail your plan but build into a plan a way to generate that revenue.

So take some time today and get the ball rolling, just remember that it may take sometime to get to full speed. Just remember it will take some time, remember the farmer can't grow a crop of wheat overnight, he has to be patient and keep at it until the wheat is ready to be cut.


Dave Guerra, Happy New Year, Plan, change

Gift Giving (Tom Peters Style)

This morning, while sipping on some coffee, I started my daily rounds of the Blogs that I like. Always at the top of my list is the Tom Peters blog, it sets the pace for the rest of my day. This morning was no exception, in his blog post titled Christmas Giving: Not Too Late to Do Good Tom gives us an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and who doesn't like that? Giving those last minute gifts, if you are one of those procrastinators, or just to give for the sake of giving.

Tom talks about Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child program. There has been an ongoing program at OLPC where buying one gets you one. Not a bad deal, you buy one for a child in a developing nation (the original intent) and you get one for your child, thus impacting the lives of two children forever. Now that is a great gift.

Next Peters offers the BOGO Powerlight. It is a solar powered flashlight invented by Mark Bent (and happens to be a Texan). The BOGO (which stands for Buy One, Get One) Solar Powerlight is a great idea: a solar rechargeable flashlight, thus eliminating the need for changing batteries. The BOGO site has a deal going now: Buy a $25 BOGO Powerlight (for yourself) and the good people over at BOGO will send one Powerlight to an organization of your choice, such as:

• The Humanitarian Mission of Saboba's Hope is to support the Saboba Medical Centre, of Northern Ghana.
• Africa Island Mission - Pearl River, New York
• Direct Relief International - Santa Barbara, California
• Evangel Bible Translators - Rockwall, Texas
• Feed The Children - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Global Resource Alliance - Ojai, CA
• US Troops - Afghanistan - , Afghanistan
• US Troops - Iraq - , Iraq

So as you can see, not only are you getting an opportunity to get some really cool and cutting edge gear but you also get an opportunity to directly impact the lives of total strangers. Isn't that what the holiday season is all about?

Thanks again TOM PETERS for giving us a little something to do this season.

tags: Dave Guerra • Tom Peters • OLPC • One Laptop Per Child • BoGo Light • Nicholas Negroponte • Mark Bent • Solar Power •

Failing to Prepare (Part 3)

This is becoming a very disturbing trend. Tonight, I along with several million other people got to witness another shiny example of someone that failed to prepare. Before anyone says anything this is another NFL related story.

Yep, it was on Monday Night Football and the one who failed to prepare was Chicago 3rd String Quarterback Kyle Orton. At one point in the second half of the game, the announcers basically asked everyone to cut Orton some slack as it has been two years since his last start in the NFL. This guy is the 3rd String QB, if there is anybody that should be prepared to start in the NFL is this guy. If any team has to call on its 3rd String QB then he should know that something has gone horribly wrong and now the team is counting on him to be their saving grace. He, and all other 3rd String Quarterbacks in the NFL, should be prepared all the time, every time.

Yet, a professional football team took to the field and "expected" to win with a Quarterback that looked exactly like he has not played in over two years. What was this guy doing all this time? Sitting back, taking it easy, sipping Banana Daiquiris, while his teammates worked hard to take to the field and play a professional sport. Now don't get me wrong, any NFL Team worth its salt would not let just any schmuck onto the playing field, however, in this case I really think the Chicago Bears did. This guy was an embarrassment to the team and to himself.

I guess what I fail to understand is that this guy just flat out did not prepare to play, yet he went onto that field in Minnesota. For the record, Orton's stats were 22 completions out of 38 attempts, which comes out to a 58% success rate. That's right for almost every 3 attempts he got one right...hmmm, let's see in school 22 out of 38 is 58% and that was an "F" and I bet it still is.

However, in the business world, there are plenty of times that getting an "F" is like getting an "A". While it is true that it is the times that completions are made that matters. Unfortunately, what really matters is when you win, then you can miss 99% if all it takes is that 1% to win.

So this then begs the question: Can you afford to miss 99% of the time and hope that you can make it that 1%? or is it better to prepare now for when the time comes you can make 100% or real close to all your attempts being completions?

tags: Dave Guerra Kyle Orton Chicago Bears NFL MNF Failure to prepare lack of preparation Jeers Preparation observations

'Tis the season

Here we are RUNNING head first into the holiday season. By now you have been bombarded with holiday advertisement after holiday advertisement. Have you noticed that each ad claims that it is offering the biggest discounts of the season?

Tonight, for no less than four different times in an hour I saw the same TV ad for KOHLS declaring that this weekend's sales have the biggest discounts of the season. I can only imagine how much bigger next weekend's discounts will be, "bigger than the biggest discounts of the season" maybe?

Remember back on my Black Friday post when I mentioned that retail merchants will always make a profit, so this then begs the question: "How deep can those discounts go?"

I guess we'll find out next weekend.

tags used here: Dave Guerra, holidays, ads, commercials, observations

Time to Pull The Plug (on CompUSA)

CNN.com, last night (12/07/07), reported that CompUSA will be closing ALL its stores. It seems that the company has been struggling to stay afloat for almost the past 10 years, so this comes as no surprise. The report stated that CompUSA has already closed "more than half its stores this spring and got a cash infusion of $440 million to restructure" obviously this was not enough.

I take it that the company realized that the $440 million for restructuring was not enough. It is good that the company realized that things were not going the way they were expected and decided to bring things to a halt as opposed to dragging it out until it would eventually die off, all the while the internal stakeholders would start to get apathetic and it would create greater customer service problems, which would make the fall even that much more uglier.

While it might be more valiant to stick it out and fight through the problem and "hopefully" come out a big winner. However, at close to 10 years of trying, I would say bringing this to a close and declaring CompUSA "DOA" is a good thing for all concerned.

tags used here: Dave Guerra, CompUSA, store closure, Stakeholders, Customer Service