Say This Not That

Just in time for the Holidays when foots the world over, are placed in mouths

Funny enough, Gandhi & Mother Teresa were known for their sometimes scathing tirades instead of the peaches and cream platitudes we so often hear... not because they were bad people but their passion often lead them to demand more of others and it didn't always come off well...

I'm neither of them but I've had plenty of challenges communicating my intentions in my working life and beyond..

Swearing at work always confused me.
Don't get me wrong I love to swear like a sailor on my own time. Great fun. But at work I personally feel we should be able to express ourselves intentionally with professionalism. But it's hard some times, and I haven't spent a lot of time managing people. I know it's a challenge.

The darkest conversation I ever had at work was in 2011, a critical error and miscommunication led me to a blood boiling raised voice confrontation. I hated to be in that position and if not for some basic training I would have just quit my job that day..

Enter this tiny book. Not even 100 pages to read.

I took so many notes I think I may have transcribed the whole book! I WISH I had this book before that day.

This book not only gives you the words but the context for work, home, coaching, conflict

Learn to build trust, motivate and simply get your point across ( or listen to get someone else's point ) with everyday conversation

A must read for managers and client/donor service professionals

This book is so solid in its' simplicity you'll realize you're doing 80% but just not that last 20% - that's the magic, the words in this book aren't a stretch at all!

If you want to do more, get more in 2012 - here's a quick read to do just that.

Best wishes for a great holiday season! Keep those feet on the ground...

Some ninja tips.. Paul

LinkedIn Log - Make 2012 a success!

Anyone who knows me knows I'm crazy about LinkedIn
Social media is fun but unfocused and messy.
LinkedIn is about real business networking.

A few weeks ago a wonderful peer saw this resource and sent me a note. I was fascinated and ordered a couple to check out. What followed changed my year, and will make my 2012 ( and yours if you choose ) a LinkedIn business success.

I get my hands on this little book, it looks like a passport. You can fill it out over an hour or so, but it makes you think. It guides the reader to create a well rounded profile - ON PAPER!!

Why is this a revolution? All other books just tell you what to do and leave you on your own. That doesn't work for any business professionals who are not digital natives (coined by Humber educator Ken Wyman) , ie. anyone over 30.

Also, most other great books on LinkedIn are out of date with the constantly evolving program - this was just published.

THIS book, changes the game.

I showed it to one executive who wanted to help their staff get better at LinkedIn, they said "holy crap, this is it" and did a bulk order with 24 hours.

I personally put out a few hundred of my own money and bought a bunch for an education session I was giving on LinkedIn to the supercool folks at Social Media breakfast - and I sold out my few dozen in 5 minutes.

So take heed, I am getting behind this 100% in 2012. You can order it online here but I'll be doing bulk orders and helping my network get their hands on them, let me know if you want one.

$10 ( total! Tax and shipping) to make your profile better? That's an easy investment.

As another business executive who saw it and bought it right from my hands said to me "online, I don't get it, I can't do it. I don't have time to figure it out" but holding this hand-sized book "but THIS, this I get. THIS I can do".

Giddyup network.

Let's ride into 2012 ready to rock

Paul

Poke the Box - Seth Godin

A quick read from the master of marketing - Seth Godin
Guaranteed to get you out of funks, blocks, procrastinatory type situations.

"The job isn't to catch up to status quo it's to INVENT the status quo"
What a perfect way to start a book like this.

It's no secret I'm a fan of Seth Godin,
recently I met a marketing guy
who says he's a guru and has never read Seth
- that's like the Pope saying
"Jesus who? Nevah hoid of him"
( I may be thinking of Groucho Marx but I digress )

This book exists to in the same way
you carry kitty-litter in your truck during the winter,
when you get stuck, use it for traction.

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

For established successful professionals, that answer may be, "not in a long time" - When was the last time you scared yourself?

In his chapter the seven imperatives of explosive business success Seth hits home that 99% is common but the one uncommon spark is 'initiative' the gumption to just bloody START something.

He builds on his message from his last book "Linchpin" with the question for you to ask yourself, how do you respond when people ask "what do you do here?" - A very Robin Sharma "Lead without title"concept

His basic push to start, do, act is motivating and helpful. The difference between saying at an event "let's do lunch I'll send you an email" to "we're holding our mobile devices with schedules in our hands - let's book this meeting right now!!"

Isaac Asimov the amazing Sci-fi writer wrote 400 books! It was his drive and commitment to start, go, do, finish...great chapter on this

A helpful chapter on how to make team meetings and accountability meaningful and helpful to productivity - pick this book up if you'd like to boost that.

Another great note on the concept of mistakes and failure - I too am so tired of the culture of succeed or die, so inauthentic - I recently read a quote that said the world's greatest discoveries weren't made shouting "Eureka" it was when a lab person said "huh, that's funny"

For those who want to improve HOW they work I loved his line that "juggling is not just the art of catching, it's the art of throwing better"
For the business professional,
the time crunched creator
this is a very quick read but a value read.

Pick it up
Poke the box


Paul