USB Device Policy in the workplace

Happy Holidays Everyone,
Last week, on my podcast (Dave the I.T.Guy) I talked about how the U.S. Military has banned the use of all USB devices such as thumb drives, CDs, flash media cards, and all other removable data storage devices from their networks. For the time being that is, in an attempt to stop a serious malware condition from spreading any further.

It appears that the USB devices are being used by the troops tend to be privately owned, therefore, it is quite difficult for the military to control what the troops put on them or where they connect them. Therefore, the military has banned all "Personally owned or non-authorized devices."

There is a solution that the military is imposing. They will allow USB devices that have been screened and authenticated to be used, they will allow their own devices to be used and only military approved devices.

So what does this have to do with you and your business? A LOT!!!

Most importantly, if your organization has a Local Area Network then you certainly should be concerned. The concern should definitely come from the fact that you do not know what your network users are plugging into your USB drives and CD Drives. This is where you have to take a proactive approach and head them off at the pass.

Now is the time to address this very important issue with your network users. Remember, it is not just your livelihood at stake, it is theirs as well. Your network goes off-line, your users cannot do their work so and their livelihood suffers. Now is the time to enact an acceptable use policy for Universal Flash Drives (USB Memory Sticks).

This presentation is a simple Primer on how and why a USB Flash Device control in the workplace is essential

USB Device Policy

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: virus malware)

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Dave's Blog Action Day Post Especially For You

Did you know that today is Blog Action Day and I am taking part. Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, in posting about the same issue on the same day. The goal is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion about that issue. This year’s issue is poverty.

As I sat here thinking about what to write and say about Poverty and how we live in the wealthiest nation in the worlds and we produce more waste than Gross Domestic Product of many countries, it is well just sad. Yet, even close to home, may right down at the end of your street there is someone who is going to bed hungry tonight. Someone might just need more than a can of soup but a warm bowl of chicken noodle and a even warmer heart to help ease what hurts.

This keeps bringing me back to one of three of my all time favorite Christmas movies; Scrooged. At the end of the movie our hero Frank Cross, played by the immortal Bill Murray, discovers the true meaning of Christmas and in no uncertain terms Frank makes sure the world knows too. So I will let Frank Cross tell you in his own words and you will see how it applies to today (and everyday).


The video is 8 minutes long and the speech begins just after the 5 minute mark

Frank Cross: Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Tis the season to be jolly
Don we now our gay apparel
Troll the ancient yuletide carol

James Cross: We should be taping this.

Frank Cross: How did that happen?
That happened because it's Christmas Eve.
I'm not crazy. It's Christmas Eve.
It's the one night when we all act a little nicer.
We...we smile a little easier. We...we...share a little more.
For a couple of hours out of the whole year
we are the people that we always hoped we would be.
It's a Miracle, it's really a miracle because it happens
every Christmas Eve.
And if you waste that miracle, you're gonna burn for it. I know.
You have to do something. You have to take a chance
You do have to get involved.
There are people that are having trouble making their miracle happen
There are people that don't have enough to eat,
there are people who are cold.
You can go and say hello to these people.
You can take an old blanket out of the closet or make a sandwich
and say, "Here."
"I get it now."
And if you give, then it can happen, the miracle can happen to you.
Not just the poor and hungry, Everybody's gotta have this miracle!
It can happen tonight for you all!
If you believe in this pure thing,
the miracle will happen and you'll want it again tomorrow!
You won't say, "Christmas is once a year and it's a fraud." It's not!
It can happen every day! You've just got to want that feeling!
You'll want it every day! It can happen to you!
I believe in it now.
I believe it's gonna happen to me, now. I'm ready for it!
And it's great. It's a good feeling.
It's better than I've felt in a long time.
I'm ready.

===============================
So what can we do to keep the magic happening? GIVE...real simple GIVE. GIVE what you can: Give Your Time, Give Some Money, Give A Lot of Support...Just Give, remember a little goes a long way.

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Are Celebrity Endorsements Still Needed or Relevant for Local Businesses?

I am asking this question for all the marketing pundits to toss around and when an answer has been determined please let me know.

Today is Sunday and my TV screen is reserved for the National Football League Sunday afternoon presentations. It goes without saying commercials are also a part of my Sunday afternoon. So there are plenty of ads that are specifically for the Sunday afternoon audience. There is one set of ads in particular that have caught my eye (per sé).

There are two local Lasik Eye Surgeons who seem to have cornered the market on Sports Celebrities in their commercials. It seems that they have some kind of deal worked out with Professional Football Players from the Dallas area where in exchange for some eye work there is a simple endorsement via TV and Radio commercials.

Don't get me wrong I understand the need for endorsements, however, these guys just over do it. It is now to the point that these two "medical professionals" are in an all out shoot out to out do each other. Every commercial they have put out has been with at least one "professional football player from Dallas." There was one (and only one) exception to this: one commercial in which one of the eye doctors did have a few endorsements from several prominent doctors and one city mayor, still I have yet to see these two include an endorsement from an everyday bloke or lady.

Where am I coming from with this? My vision is not what it used to be and I have reading glasses (for now). Thus I have considered the option of the Laser surgery for my vision. However, these two guys in the need to compete against each other have started to place themselves out of the reach of everyday people. So I am losing interesting in what they offer as I fear that am not socially or financially within their reach.

I wonder if even one of these guys would consider bringing themselves back down to their intended customer's level and have possibly a Teacher or Police Officer endorse the service they offer?

So I ask this question: At what point does the celebrity endorsement stop having the effect it was intended to and start to create a sense of being out of reach for (or out of touch with) the target audience?

Anyone, please feel free to respond.

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A 401K and a Mason Jar

I read a question posted on the FastCompany FastTalk board, “Q. How concerned are you about the long term value of your 401K plan?”

While normally this question would not normally draw my attention, however, it along with observing my friend (remember the would-be gold prospector?) caught my eye. Seems that since the start of this Economic Debacle, my friend, almost like clockwork, logs in and checks the latest on his 401K. I just scratch my head and walk away. Here is someone who is genuinely worried about something today that he will not need for another 20 or 30 years from now. He is worried about something that he is not living off of. Just like any economic situation it will get better. The economy has always had its ups and it has had its downs, you can bet it will have plenty of ups and downs over the course of the next 30 years. So, why get all worried, concerned, and paniced over nothing. The only people that should show some concern is those that are currently living off the return of their 401Ks.

Don’t get me wrong, I think my friend is genuinely worried about nothing. Especially, when low value is all there is . This is not time for concern (and panic) but time to take advantage of a bad situation.

I am firm believer in buying low and selling high. This is the time that my friend and many others should be dumping as much money as they can to build up their holdings. I know I am.

It is real simple: building up and solidifying the base of any 401K, mutual fund, or individual stock position while the prices are low is really the only thing that makes sense during the current economy. What is it that so many people find this difficult to believe? Some say that if the economy continues this downward spiral it will be pointless to invest in anything.

So the question from those worrywarts becomes: What if the stock market completely fails?

If you or anyone else has that kind of attitude, shouldn’t you be pulling your money out of the 401K, IRA, Mutual fund, stocks, or any investment program before the bottom completely falls out? I mean for pete’s sake, if you have defeatist attitude about the future of the market, then please cash out now before all your money is gone. Of course, what will you do with all that cash? Put it in the bank? Burying in the backyard? Or store it under your mattress?

Unless, you are ready to take advantage of a very unique situation, my guess is a mason jar under the front porch is right for you.


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Hurry Up and Wait

Hurry Up and Wait seems to be the phrase that best describes the up to the minute situation of the economy.

The Economic Bailout package is still bouncing around in the House & Senate with a vote looming. Yet all this time we have been playing that old US Army game of "Hurry Up and Wait"

Where we go 100 miles per hour and then when ready to kick things off we are told to just sit and wait.

Now we wait for Friday's vote in the house. Though all is not waiting, the markets are reacting some in a not so favorable manner. However, this is no cause for alarm as it is too early to even begin speculating as the EB has not yet been approved.

So for now we wait.

Talk to you soon



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Greed Is Still Good

"Greed is Good..." remember those famous words uttered by the Michael Douglas character, Gordon Gekko, in the 1987 motion picture Wall Street? In light of the recent economic situation, someone reminded me of Gekko's speech in the movie. They alluded to the fact that the speech was about GREED BEING GOOD and that greed is pure evil, no ands, ifs, or buts.

That certain someone told me that the Gekko speech is an exact reflection of the current economic situation. Which he said was born out of Greed and Lust for Money and Power. My friend may be right (to a certain extent).

Here is the certain extent. Those three words are part of a larger speech in the movie, when Gekko is given his 15 minutes at a shareholder meeting.

Here is Gekko's speech in its entirety, please read it and then make up your mind as to what Gekko was really saying:



"Well, I appreciate the opportunity you're giving me, Mr. Cromwell, as the single largest shareholder in Teldar Paper, to speak. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're not here to indulge in fantasy, but in political and economic reality. America, America has become a second-rate power. Its trade deficit and its fiscal deficit are at nightmare proportions. Now, in the days of the free market, when our country was a top industrial power, there was accountability to the stockholder. The Carnegies, the Mellons, the men that built this great industrial empire, made sure of it because it was their money at stake. Today, management has no stake in the company!

All together, these men sitting up here [Teldar management] own less than 3 percent of the company. And where does Mr. Cromwell put his million-dollar salary? Not in Teldar stock; he owns less than 1 percent. You own the company. That's right -- you, the stockholder.

And you are all being royally screwed over by these, these bureaucrats, with their steak lunches, their hunting and fishing trips, their corporate jets and golden parachutes.

Teldar Paper, Mr. Cromwell, Teldar Paper has 33 different vice presidents, each earning over 200 thousand dollars a year. Now, I have spent the last two months analyzing what all these guys do, and I still can't figure it out. One thing I do know is that our paper company lost 110 million dollars last year, and I'll bet that half of that was spent in all the paperwork going back and forth between all these vice presidents.

The new law of evolution in corporate America seems to be survival of the unfittest. Well, in my book you either do it right or you get eliminated.

In the last seven deals that I've been involved with, there were 2.5 million stockholders who have made a pretax profit of 12 billion dollars. [applause] Thank you.

I am not a destroyer of companies. I am a liberator of them! The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good.

Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind.

And greed -- you mark my words -- will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much."

Is this speech still relevant?
I say it is. I say that the entire speech is very much relevant. The points that Gekko makes are all to hauntingly close to the today's business world. Greed for money drives the problems we are in now. Greed to make a quick buck, Greed to buy a house at the lowest possible interest rate, Greed to buy a car that makes us look better than the neighbors. However, Gekko is NOT exclusively talking about the kind of Greed that revolves around $$$. It is part of it but not all of it.

It is about the Greed that makes us want the best for the ones we love. It is the kind of Greed that motivates us to keep going to that job we despise knowing that at the end there will be something better. Greed also motivates us to leave a bad relationship for something better. It is also about the kind of Greed that makes us want to be a better person than we were yesterday that makes things happen.

Please, do not be fooled by Alarmist tactics that are designed to mislead the population to believe one thing when the big picture is something completely different.

Just as Greed is what got us into this financial mess, Greed is what will lead us out of this financial mess.

Greed is still Good and that is the bottom line.


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Weathering The Storm

A few weeks ago I wrote change and how circumstances force change on us and how it can also be the perfect opportunity to initiate change. There was something I overlooked; the storm that usually comes with change.

The storm?
Yes, some people call it fallout and others call it the storm. This is what happens when change is happening but it affects them in a negative manner or so they think it is negative. This is when resistance starts. Thus the person initiating the change goes head-to-head against the person(s) resistant to the change.

As the person initiating the change, your change, you have to expect that there will be those that will fight you every step of the way. This is when you have continue fighting through. You have to ensure that you do not back down. Under no circumstances are you to even consider changing your mind, you went to all that trouble to initiate the change. Now, why would you want to go back on your decisions?

Sure it may eliminate the displeasure and discomfort that is causing others, but it will also let the others know that if they moan and whine long enough you will give in. Stand your ground, this time and every time.

Again, it may be difficult and discomforting for you as well. You will need to ensure everyone that your decisions are yours and you will not be intimidated into rescinding your decisions.

Keep fighting the good fight and in the end you will be better for it.

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Hurricane Ike Evacuees, Hotels, & the Web

This morning I saw a disturbing news report on CNN Headline news. It seems that College Station, Texas area hotels are between in a rock and a hard place due to a Texas A&M football game this weekend. There were hotel reservations made long before Hurricane Ike ever made the scene. Now that Ike has come and gone and football day is here, the Evacuees that were hunkering down are being asked to leave because of the reservations.

The evacuees are left out to find themselves with another place to stay. The report did mention that some hotel personnel were calling people with reservations and explained the situation with some canceling reservations but not all. So the Ike Evacuees are being forced out, again.

It got me thinking how this is a great opportunity for organizations like Hotels.com, Priceline, Travelocity, and Expedia to step up and help by doing what they do to get Hotels for the evacuees lined up. As of 9:00am this morning, I checked all four mentioned websites and only one had a direct link dealing with the hurricane it read "Travel Alert: Hurricane Advisory" but does not directly mention Evacuees and their unique situation.

With a little planning and some forward thinking they could be working with their "vast network" of suppliers to provide evacuee assistance for airline, hotel, and rental car bookings during this and every hurricane season. It really should not be a big burden for these organizations to do something good. Maybe get good old Captain Kirk to go on TV and run a spot directly aimed at those affected by weather or other natural disaster events. It should not be a stretch for Bill Shatner to do a simple promotion to give people a place to turn to, as I am more than sure the brief shameless self-promotional appearance on Saturday Night Live last week will confirm that they will do what it takes to get the message out.

Anyone have other ideas on how to help people in these situations, today and in the future?

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Bank Bailout??? and the $1000 Bagel!!!

Federal Government bails out AIG and now has its eye on the Banks and Banking System. It seems that the US Government, according to a CNNMoney.com online report, is "poised to establish a program to let banks get rid of mortgage-related assets that have been hard to value and harder to trade."

This is very interesting...sounds like the CDO problem???? Collateralized Debt Obligations? Sound familiar? It should, it was back in July 17, 2007 that I first talked about CDOs and why you should be worried.

Is this really what the Government should be doing? Is the government going to buy the foreclosed home next door to me and then do what with it? I am more than sure the government does not want to be holding on to these homes? They are going to move them and they can afford to take a loss on the resale of these home, heck after all they are foreclosed homes. These things should be a bargain and because people love a bargain, they will snatch them up and either drop property values even further or raise value as subdivisions are back to capacity? See where this is going?

While I am all for the Government backing off, I am also a proponent of stepping in when people will get hurt. This is what government should be all about. Let a business make an attempt at success or failure but let's not have government looming overhead and waiting for the first mistake so that they can intervene. Of course there are always exceptions, much like Enron or WorldCom, when the activities are more blatant and people will suffer, then by all means jump right in.

Let's trust the process enough to let it work. I would like to see how these organizations would have handled the recovery process without having the government to turn to.

Even then, when the time comes for the government to step in and take care of the people, please, let's not save someone from drowning by keeping them out of the pool.

In the "by the way" department: Time to change another channel....it was fun while it lasted. When you have to blog what you have posted someplace else, well, all I can say is that the $1000 Bagel has certainly gone stale for you.

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I'll Start Doing It When You Start Doing It

Another friend and I were talking and she was telling me about a conversation her Co-Worker (C-W) and her were having the other day. It was a very interesting conversation. It seems that a member of the co-worker's staff is flat out disregarding the C-W's directives. These directives are the common stuff you hear of in the workplace; turn in time-sheets by close of business Monday, double check your work, and other relatively mundane stuff but still disregarded nonetheless.

My friend recommended that it may be time to start holding those people accountable and writing them up as a method to not only show that C-W was serious about what is expected of the employees but also as a tool to motivate the Co-Worker's employees in the right direction.

The Co-Worker's response to my friend was "I'll start doing it when you start doing it." Needless to say, my friend was floored. My friend told me she was stunned and could not believe that the C-W, a manager of a medium size department (approx 30 members), would actually utter those words.

My friend asked me, what I thought that was all about? To me that statement was nothing short of a cop out and certainly explains how her C-W's people got so out of control and basically disrespect her Co-Worker.

While I, personally, do not know my friend's Co-Worker, but those words spoke volumes about the C-W and it also put in perspective what C-W is looking for. The Co-Worker is looking for someone else to handle his/her problems for him/her. It is quite obvious that C-W is NOT taking a leader's approach to solving problems but more of a "pawn it off on someone else" approach.

Again, I want to be sure that everyone understands that I do now know C-W but nonetheless C-W is in a position of authority and a lame response will not solve C-W's problems. Another thing to consider is that maybe, just maybe, C-W is not ready to be a leader. Remember folks, being a manager does NOT make you an automatic leader.

Something else to remember; being in charge of 30 people is not for a manager...it is for a LEADER. These 30 people certainly NEED A LEADER.

How does one empower C-W and all the other Co-Workers in the same situation? Let the C-W know that problems they are encountering are not unique to them, these problems are the same that other leaders have dealt with in the past and will deal with in the future. These are problems that are not to be passed off on someone else to handle, they are to be addressed immediately and effectively.

However, we cannot empower all of our Co-Workers until they are ready to take that stand and be fully prepared to WALK THE TALK.


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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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• Dave Guerra • Pete Ryckman • Memo to C-Level Speakers blog • Age of Invisibility • relevance • public speaking • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

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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• Dave Guerra • Donald Trump • Don't Fear Risk • CNBC • Trump Trait • Change • Mediocrity • Complacent • Make that change • Go for it • American Red Cross • Hire A Hero

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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• Dave Guerra • Hurricane Dolly • Tropical Storm Edouard • Disaster Recovery • Business Continuity • disaster planning • Contingency Plan • talk about it • American Red Cross

Internet is back

WooHoo!!! back into the 21st Century. Our current Internet Service Provider has us back online. It certainly was strange not being able to hop online when I wanted to or needed to. Let's hope no one has to go through what I went through this past week. Well, I will post more later.

Power is back

Power has been restored and we are happy campers. Then again there is still something like 75,000 people without power.

However, BIG KUDOS to those organizations that have kicked it up a notch and making it bearable for those individuals during their time of need.

MAD PROPS TO: State of Texas, Texas National Guard, Red Cross, Salvation Army, American Electric Power (AEP), Magic Valley Electric Cooperative, Hidalgo County Government, Cameron County Government, Willacy County Government, HEB, LOWES, and yes, even FEMA.

Keep up the good work and while you are at it, please update your websites to reflect your efforts and keep us up to date. Those of you that have done so, thanks.