How To Inspire People.

"They don't buy WHAT you do. They buy WHY you do it." From close friend and colleague Craig Flaherty at Redniss & Mead, here's a spot from the Ted Conference in Puget Sound, WA on how to inspire people:

The Secret For Presentation Success Every Time.

I've sat through them all. The status report - the droning - the hot meeting room - the dark, comfy chair presentations. Slide after slide after slide.  Shoot me now.

I've given thousands of keynotes, workshops, seminars and sales presentations. I know what works and what doesn't. I know what keeps my audience lively and what puts them to sleep.

In the end, there's ONE clearcut rule almost every presenter forgets when they deliver their presentation.

The shorter the better.

That's it. But it's a lot harder to do in real life. So here's how I do it:

Step 1. Map out your presentation. What do you want to talk about, what do you want to convey, what decisions/next steps do you want to leave with?

Step 2. Kill as many bullets as you can. Kill them all if you have to. Bullets communicate to your audience you're lazy. You end up giving them lists, not convey a cogent message. Stick to one thought or piece of information per slide.

Step 3. When you finish the initial run through of slides, try to edit them by 50%. I know it's hard. But if you attack your slides with the vigor of an attendee to your presentation, you'll appreciate brevity.

Let me give you an example — I just presented a 7-minute sales presentation to my 45-member sales team the other day. Not one hour, 30 minutes, or 15 minutes . . . 7 minutes. And they gave me 10 minutes to present! I encapsulated EXACTLY what I wanted to say, what areas I wanted to focus on in 2012, and what I wanted them to do for me.

And it worked perfectly. So next time you have to give a presentation — The shorter the better.

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. Big presentation coming up? You and I can work on it together so you instantly get what I'm talking about - Let’s talk. I’ve worked with thousands of people who wanted to take assertive steps in this area — call or email me to schedule a complimentary session.

How To Never Make A Mistake At Work.

It could be a momentary lapse of interpersonal communication.It could be a critical number transposed in a key document. It could be a missed appointment due to a misunderstanding.

We all make mistakes. Some are small (and maybe no one notices) and some are huge (we call those fiascos!). But in the end, we all make mistakes.

Often. That's right . . . OFTEN. We go left instead of right. We mention something we shouldn't mention. We say something to a client that is taken the wrong way. You, I, and everyone else in the world makes mistakes.

Why? Because of three reasons:

1. We are careless for a second. We let our guard down, we forget what we are doing, who we are talking to. We get caught off-guard and someone or something picks it up.
2. We are not fully prepared or informed. This happens often in business. We think we know what we need to know and make a decision. Or, more frequently, management hasn't given us all the requisite information, we make a decision, and it's wrong based upon info that we were not privy to.
3. We take educated and calculated risks. This is the BIG KAHUNA. We might not be playing it safe - we are out there on the burning edge of development or decision-making, we have to choose one way or the other - and we get singed.

I understand those who fail with #1. We're human. We can't be on guard all the time - you would need some heavy duty medication to do that.

And I also understand those who fail with #2. It isn't your fault - you were missing key information.

But I commend all who fail with #3. You need to take risks - that's the ONLY way you will take huge leaps in your career and business. It's the only way upper management will recognize you as a mover and shaker. You are no longer a cog in the machine, you are a LINCHPIN.

Oh yes . . . the title of this piece is how to never make a mistake at work. Here's the secret:

The first time you slip up, the first time you make a mistake . . . it's not really a mistake. It's a LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

You did it. And you'll never do it again. You've learned and now move on.

If you do it again - then it's a real mistake. And if you do THAT often, you better start looking for another job.

So make sure you NEVER make a mistake.

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. You might need a coach - Let’s talk. I’ve worked with thousands of people who wanted to take assertive steps in this area — call or email me to schedule a complimentary session.

YOU Are The Real Problem At Work.

I was having a chat with my good friend Margo Meeker and we hit upon a reality that clearly crosses both our vocations (Therapist/Life Coach & Executive/Business Coach).

Most business problems in one way or another come from personal problems.

Let me begin by saying that this doesn't mean if your company's stock drops it is directly related to your fights with your spouse . . . . then again . . . . .

But there are many corollaries with many business issues/problems/obstacles and certain limitations that are personal. Here are some examples:

• The majority of business issues usually begin with bad communication. Why? If there is an issue or blow-up, it's usually bad or anemic communication channels that impact people's feelings and self-esteem. Monitor your feelings.
• Micro-managing bosses are extremely overbearing. Why? They focus more on your responsibilities and performance than their own deliverables. Why? They have trust issues that usually stem from past relationships. Build better 'trust' bridges with your boss.
• Peers that undercut you during a critical presentation or meeting shunts you into damage control. Why? They see everyone as a threat and instead of dealing with it internally, they lash out. Talk to them and find out what's really bothering them.
• Executives that lie, steal, and cheat. Why? They never built a strong moral code in their life and have consistently seen that their abberant behavior succeeds (in the short run) and pays handsome dividends in money and power (until they get caught). If you work for them, leave. If they work for you, fire them. If you work with them, rat them out (just kidding there folks).

Think of a situation or person that is causing you angst . . . odds are that they have one or more personal issues directing their behavior. The best way to ameliorate the issue? Try to figure out the personal problem impacting the business problem and nicely deliver solutions to (or at least try to understand) the real cause of the situation. You will be surprised how fast they disappear.

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. You might need a coach - Let’s talk. I’ve worked with thousands of people who wanted to take assertive steps in this area — call or email me to schedule a complimentary session.

Is Your Career Going Up? Or Down?

This week was chock full of incredible conversations with clients, colleagues, partners and prospects! All had wonderful ideas and goals. Kudos! One of the topics that I discussed with many of them was my theory that our world is changing.

It's not a new idea - everyone knows that the world is changing. It changes everyday. You have two choices:

RIDE THE ROLLERCOASTER OR DRIVE YOUR LIFE!

What will you choose? Let's look at each one:

RIDE THE ROLLERCOASTER

• It's easy. Someone else does all the work. You get to put your feet up and enjoy the ride.
• Someone else makes all the decisions for you. Some might not be beneficial to you.
• When you start to feel insecure about the direction you're taking, there is nothing you can do. Someone else is in control.
• When things start to go south and you definitely do not like the position you're in, tough beans.
• When the world around you starts to radically change - you can't do much - you're still on the ride.
• When you see all of your friends and colleagues move to better situations - you realize you don't know how to stop the ride.
• When processes, systems, whole ecosystems fail and fall around you - THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO.

This is happening right now in Publishing. Newspapers. Bookstores. Music Stores. Video Stores. Finance. IT. Travel. And many, many other fields . . .

Rollercoasters never really go anywhere. They go up and down, left and right, but at the end of the ride, you are right back where you started. Do you want your job to be like that? Your career? Your life? I don't think so. Let's look at an alternative:

DRIVE YOUR LIFE

• It's scary. There is no map. You chart your course.
• It has its peaks and valleys. You are energized when things are good and enervated when things are bad. But you can change the game.
• If you see other systems, people, processes change, you can assess what's happening and make modifications to your journey.
• You make all of your decisions. You probably get input to help you weigh each alternative, but in the end, it's up to you.
• You want to go left? Go left. You want to go right? Go right. You are in control at all times.
• You decide who you want to work with, who you don't want to work with, where you want to go, what you want to do - no one else. That may be energizing or scary.
• You are your own safety net. You catch yourself when you fall (or fail). But you pick yourself up and start again. It's a learning experience. Not a failure.

So . . . who do you want to be today? Start making THE DECISION. Your job, career, and life depend on it.

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. Getting tired of that rollercoaster? Let’s talk. I’ve worked with thousands of people who wanted to take assertive steps in their career — call or email me to schedule a complimentary session.

How To Be A Confident Executive.

The definition of CONFIDENCE is — Belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities, self-confidence, self-reliance, assurance, certitude. Does this sound right to you?

Or do you understand confidence in your life to its secondary definition — Presumption or impudence?

When I talk with clients, I find there are varying degrees of confidence - total confidence, situational confidence, interpersonal interaction confidence, or no confidence whatsoever. My job as a coach is to help build and fashion my client's confidence level to suit their needs and to help them excel at whatever they do.

Let me give you an example: When we discuss the state of their career, I try to cut-to-the-chase and ask one question: Is your career Growing or Shrinking? I tend to be quite severe when asking questions like this (I don't believe in a flat career - only growing or shrinking). What do I get? Immediate and honest answers that allow us to look at the symptoms and diagnose immediate actions.

Those Actions are patterned around a very famous 'organizing' principle that comes directly from a colleague of mine - Matt Baier. When it comes to Organizing (your office, house, life), you have three choices: Act, File, or Toss. Pick up a piece of paper . . . Act on it, File it, or Toss it. It's that simple.

Now back to confidence. A confident executive is a person who clearly lives in the Act, File, Toss arena. In every interaction or decision, they either Act on it, File it away for later assessment/action, or Toss it away and stop focusing on it. They don't worry about it. They don't obsess on what the other person might think. They Act, File or Toss. They 'de-emotionalize' it.

An Example: A peer of yours 'challenges' you with a pointed (and irrelevant) question during your presentation to your team. Let's disregard that that is a shitty thing to do (it happens all the time) - but you have to respond. Let's look at how this confidence model works:

1. Act - Answer the question as efficiently as possible. Short, sweet and to the point. Move on quickly.
2. File - Delve into the question - qualify it, have them expand on it - and let them know that you will take it offline after the meeting due to length of the answer.
3. Toss - Acknowledge it and immediately move it to a "parking lot" sheet on the wall to discuss later if their is time (and you will never get to it).

Other confident attendees will immediately understand what you are doing and they will pat you on the back for handling the colleague. You are not being a jerk - you are eliminating all emotion and focusing on a number of present issues: the meeting has to end on time, you have a lot of info to present, the question asked is not relavant, and you have to take charge of the situation.

The next time you are put in a position that will test your confidence, take out all the emotion and make a decision - Act, File, Toss.

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. Want to build up your confidence a bit? Let’s talk. I’ve worked with thousands of people who wanted to take assertive steps in their career — call or email me to schedule a complimentary session.

Why Lunches Are Good For Your Career.

Today's Thursday!Rush to work — get in — check your email — check your voicemail — and run off to your status meetings.

WORK. WORK. WORK. WORK. WORK.

Next thing you know, it's 6 PM and you're wondering where the day went.

I want you to make a change today. Take just one of the 10-12 hours spent at work and GO TO LUNCH.

Not at your desk. Not in your cafeteria. Not with anyone you currently work with.

Have lunch with someone new. Someone that energizes you. Someone that will get you to think out of the box. Someone that might get you to consider making a bold career move.

WHY? Because it's good for your CAREER. Meeting new and interesting people: Gets your mental energy moving. Grows your professional network. Allows you to search for future talent (so you don't have to work with those pesky people in HR). Allows potential management to look at you as possible future talent (that's always good to have under your belt).

And frankly, your work won't suffer one iota.

You need to do this more often. Why not the present?

Call that one person right now and make that lunch date. Do it. You'll thank me.

MLK's "The Fierce Urgency Of Now."

"We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism."- Martin Luther King, Jr.

I still get chills listening to MLK's speech. It's powerful. 

This line always gets me . . . the fierce urgency of now. What does it mean? What does it mean to you?

You might say, "There's no time like the present." or "Strike while the iron's hot.". But they're too weak in my opinion.

What would happen if you lived your life in the fierce urgency of now? No procrastination. No dabbling. No prevarication. Make it happen.Make it happen NOW.

It's time for you to make a decision in your life or your career or your relationships. What do you want to change? What do you want to make better?

Take hold and embrace The Fierce Urgency of NOW and apply it to your life. You might surprise yourself.

Hate Your Job? Start Your Own Business.

I know — it's scary. But here are the facts: 1. There's never been a better time to start a business. Corporate life is uncertain and with technology and the market's ever-increasing needs, you have to get out there. I know it's not the best economy — but many successful businesses were started in a downturn.

2. Start slowly. Do it on the side. Build up clients and then make your break. Small steps lead to big gains.

3. Pick your area and then meet people in that field. How is it? Up? Down? Do they like it? What don't they like? Be an information vacuum — learn about the industry, business, and all the small machinations.

4. Many businesses today don't need a lot of capital to start. Years ago, you needed a storefront, loans, etc. Today, all you might need is a website, a business card, and a lot of chutzpah!

5. Just do it. A lot of people out there HATE their job and wish they were more in control of their life and career. HERE'S YOUR CHANCE. Every year, corporate positions are drying up, bosses are becoming bi-polar, and you are at the whim of the balance sheet. Make a move before they do.

Many of my clients have made the move successfully from a corporate position to running their own business. And guess what? They LOVE it.

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. Are you interested in starting a business? Let’s talk. I've worked with people from all over the world who wanted to take aggressive steps in their career — call me to schedule a complimentary session.

Make 2012 The Best Year EVER.

This is my daily 'mantra'. It's comprised of many quotes taken from famous people and around the web (it's not original, but it's powerful). Wake up in the morning and say this to yourself:

Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I will accomplish what others can't.

Successful people get ahead during the time that other people waste.

I don't waste time, for time is what life is comprised of.

To live is the rarest thing in the world, and I'm gonna live fully until I die.

At Noon, say this to yourself when things get hard and you get discouraged:

Don't quit.

Put up with adversity now to set the stage of my future life as a champion.

I have to increase my will, my fortitude, my enthusiasm, and my energy to move forward.

Welcome the fight, for the struggle itself will not only teach me new things, it will push me to do better.

Right before you go to bed, say this to yourself to fuel your body and mind for the day ahead:

I moved my life, my career and my relationships forward today.

I did this, and this, and this, and this . . .

I am one step closer to my goals (even though we sometimes have to do the '2 steps forward, 1 step back' dance).

I have a roof over my head, I am not hungry, I am healthy. And I have myself and the wonderful people around me to thank for this.

Feel free to use my 'mantra' or come up with your own for 2012. Trust me — you will MOVE MOUNTAINS.

Get Ahead & Have Fun At The Same Time.

I coached a client this morning and got them focused and targeted. I thought I'd share it with you: I call it ENERGETIC ENTHUSIASM.

Let's say you have a strict deadline to deliver — 30 days to complete your task. So you have to get off your butt and get it done.

FACT: Dig deep into your well and pull out the energy to get things done quickly. But you also have to couple it with a deep sense of true enthusiasm to ensure you don't run out of steam halfway through.

The bad news: It's hard to start.

It's like a lawn mower in the back of your shed — you need to use it, but you haven't pulled the cord for years. It might take 5-10 minutes of pulling, sweating, and swearing — but when it's complete — it's running and you are off cutting grass.

The good news: It's easy to maintain. Once you start the enthusiasm engine, the energy just flows from all of your pores. Ideas flow, people are caught up in the maelstrom, and you just keep going, going, going.

The only caveat: Stay away from energy vampires. They are (in no real order):

• Gossipy colleagues and friends
• The piles of paper, to-do's, and mess in your office (you need this guy)
• Family members who complain
• The news, media or any resource that thrives on bad news
• Surfing - set a specific time to surf and then get off the web

Energy vampires will sap your energy in no time flat. Keep the enthusiasm cycle moving & keep your energy up. Here are some energy service stations:

• Exercise - do anything, go for a walk, workout, anything - get a personal trainer.
• Music - get your favorite jazzy tunes and listen - iTunes
• Motivational speakers - Zig Ziglar, Anthony Robbins, Gary Vaynerchuk
• Dance/Sing - move your body and your voice, do Zumba!
• Meet energizing people - say hello to everyone and wish them a great day, go here.
• Spiritual - Go to church/temple/mosque/meetinghouse - commune with God
• Meditate - If you don't know how - check John Mercede out
• Brainstorm with your team or boss - go offsite and think outside of the box

Don't just get a little energy — couple it with enthusiasm. Don't just get a little enthusiasm — bind it with energy.

You won't know what hit you, your career and your life.

What do you do to develop your Energetic Enthusiasm?

POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BELOW

P.S. How did you like this article? Let me know. Are you interested in what I can do for you? Let’s talk. I work with people from all over the world who need to fill up their energy service stations — call me to schedule a complimentary session.

It's Not As Bad As You Think.

"Why bother? Everything worthwhile has already been discovered."  I don't think you understand just how wrong you are.

In astronomy, scientists are discovering planets that more and more resemble Earth. In our lifetimes, perhaps, one will be discovered that has evidence of oxygen (which strongly suggests life). Moreover, humanity is still working on ways to explore the inner solar system, and the person who rejuvenates space exploration will die rich and famous.

In biology, genetic engineering is pushing at the limits of what was thought possible. The most difficult diseases might be curable with some applications of genetic engineering: malaria, hemophilia, HIV/AIDS, etc. Moving to biochemistry, there might be ways to solve the energy crisis or slow global warming that are on the verge of being discovered.

In chemistry, there are plenty of molecules we know next to nothing about. One of them might be the secret to curing a painful disease.

In computer science, remarkable progress has been made in past years, but the dominance of the Internet will lead to exciting new paradigms and ideas.

In the environmental sciences, there is the problem of global warming (and also pollution, ozone depletion, peak oil, etc.; all of these problems are related). Do we have solutions yet? We sure as hell need to do something. And yet these are not impossible problems.

Moving to geology: we can't predict earthquakes and volcanoes yet. By monitoring seismic activity, it might be possible. Want to save lots of lives and be famous?

In mathematics there are many unsolved problems, and some of them are quite important to cryptography (i.e. the entire Internet relies on recent discoveries in math). Even seemingly simple questions, such as whether there are an infinite number of twin primes, are still unsolved.

In paleontology we are constantly discovering new fossils that reshape our views of the history of life. With new techniques it can be even easier to visualize the past... and perhaps even clone it.

In physics there are still many, many unanswered questions as to the fate of the universe and the nature of matter. Figure out the Theory of Everything and you'll be more famous than Einstein.

Then there is the question about how to fix the United States of America. It is unquestionably broken - but how should it become effective once again? And doubly so for Europe or Africa or India or China.

In art, there is no distinctive contemporary style and no incredibly famous living artist. You could fix that.

Music suffers from fragmentation, with seemingly more styles than there are artists. In classical, jazz, and rock alike, there is no unifying theme or composer, and lots of discord. Music will enter another great era, but who will be there to lead it?

In writing, there is lots to do. Unhappy that the entire young adult section of the bookstore is paranormal romance? Write something amazing and fix it. Want to be the first American in a long time to win a Nobel in literature? Your future is out there. Not to mention the importance of the Internet on literature, which is not completely known.

Now linguistics. It is predicted that thousands of languages are going to die in your lifetime. Can you save or record one, thus preserving an ancient and unique culture?

In political science, how can the Internet be used to promote - or suppress - democracy? Would true, informed democracy be possible if every citizen had a wireless connection?

Now if you like exploring... there are still plenty of summits not yet reached, and the vast majority of the ocean has not been mapped. The deepest point of the ocean might not even be known to man yet. You could fix that. And there are still many, many unexplored caves, too, just in case that isn't enough.

In archaeology, there are still plenty of new discoveries coming in. Do some fieldwork in the right place and you'll chance across a new Amazonian city. Theories of the past are being rapidly changed.

There is so much opportunity out there in the world. Sometimes, I think it could not be more exciting than to live today.

Here's Steve Jobs to back me up (46 seconds):

Information gleaned from tick_tock_clock at Reddit.

It's Time We Value People Over Profits.

I'm talking about fairness.I'm talking about focusing on the real engine of our economy, the people. Let me explain:

Most corporations are (consciously or unconsciously) structured this way:

1. TOP -- Investors -- Money -- Products/Customers -- People -- BOTTOM In other words, attract growing investors, they give us money, we then can make good products, get customers, and then pay our people.

I envision another way to run an organization:

2. TOP -- People -- Products/Customers -- Money -- Investors -- BOTTOM Focus on nurturing, growing and motivating your people, who then make great products, attracting an increasing customer base -- which then delivers growing revenue, and ultimately attracts investors.

If you work at a company who focuses totally on targets and pleasing Wall Street rather than delivering great products at a good price, you work for #1. If your executive team is preoccupied with share price, news on the street, and terms like EBITDA, you work for #1. (By the way, the 'targets' they invent every year? It's a GUESS. A shell game. And guess who loses?)

If they are constantly cutting people, salaries, benefits, and other things which drive the engine of a #2 organization, you work for a #1 company.

Your management team is probably compensated with HUGE bonuses if they hit or exceed your Wall Street targets. Salary is one thing, the bonuses are the GRAVY. That's why they LOVE the #1 strategy.

It's easier (for them) to run a company where they can (temporarily) affect the targets, profits, and direction of an organization - and hence - get the payday. It's much harder to marshall the troops, invent and deliver great products, entice the customers, and deliver the money — that's MUCH harder to do. So they pick #1. Again and again.

Startups and smaller companies always have to go with #2. They start with great people, invent great products, attract loyal customers and deliver growing revenue. It's only when organizations get too big, too disjointed and too fat & lazy when those #1 company leaders swoop down and take over.

How do you stop this? It's easy.

Figure out who are those companies who truly value their people over profits.

• Start buying their products.
• Start investing in their stock.
• Start telling other people about them.

It's companies like Zappos (pictured), SAS, Wegmans, Whole Foods, and Costco. And there are MANY others.

Take a hard look at your organization. Stop whining about how shitty work is if you work for a #1 company.

Face it, you will always be at the BOTTOM. Go find a #2 company today.

Catch Rich on the GardenFork Podcast!

Eric Rochow is a very peculiar man. Peculiar in a way that he's just like me. He loves a lot of really cool things. Eric has one of the most listened to and watched podcasts on iTunes, called GardenFork TV. I ran into it one day while browsing the main list of famous podcasts. GardenFork is an eclectic mix of cooking, DIY gardening, and whatever cool stuff Eric thinks might be fun to share with people.

And his personality is perfect for the podcast medium. He's a great interviewer, knowledgable about a million different things, and a genuinely nice person. I listen to ALL of his podcasts on my commute to my office each day and on the weekends, my family and I watch his video podcasts.

I reached out to him a few weeks ago with a short letter* inviting him to breakfast since his weekly commute (to his weekend home in CT) takes him smack dab past my town of Oxford, CT. Next thing I know, Eric invites me on the air to coach him!

So without further ado — here's my full interview with Eric. Enjoy!

*Did you catch that readers? A simple email invitation opens doors. Yes it happens in real life.

10 Gifts For YOU.

As my holiday gift to you, here are my most read & requested posts from 2011:(it's funny - most of them have steps, tips, or ways)

Set Your 2012 Goals In Two Steps It's December 2011. Many people are scrambling to get their end of the year targets complete. How do you guarantee a great 2012?

5 Tips On How To Treat New Employees Whew! After a phlanx of interviewees and resumes, late nights, early mornings and lost lunches, you've just hired that new team member. Now make sure your new hire is happy, engaged, enthusiastic, and motivated.

Four Powerful Questions To Ask Yourself This Season Most people use New Year's Eve (and Day) to plan forward for what might be in store for 2012. And that's a good thing. During the holidays, I try to look back at what happened over the past 12 months and ask myself a few simple questions.

Top 10 Powerful Pieces Of Advice To Be Successful As a coach, I run into many great pieces of advice from books, clients, workshops, seminars, and instructors. Here is a powerful cross-section of great advice I've used in business and life.

Top 5 Regrets of the Dying I've just finished one of the most powerful books I've read this year. It's by a wonderful woman named Bronnie Ware,and it focuses in on the actual voiced regrets of people she encountered when they were dying. Powerful stuff!

The One Secret To Look More Confident There are hundreds of books out there. Thousands of speakers. And they all talk about confidence. But it's really easy. Here's the secret.

5 Mistakes You Make With Business Cards They bring me business and success everyday. That's why they are ALWAYS in my left pocket. But most people either don't have them (shame on you) or if they do - have terrible designs. Here are some mistakes people make with business cards.

Top 5 Regrets of Struggling Businesses This post is for all business owners - In my 10+ years of coaching around the world, I've seen it happen to many successful businesses. Most people get it, but there are a few who take their eye off the prize and let their house of cards tumble to the ground.

3 Ideas To Bring A Bit More Sanity To Your Life I was sitting in church this Sunday and we had a simple prayer. One part really stood out for me.

How One Powerful Poem Can Change Your Life I love Rudyard Kipling's "If". It's a magnificent poem - it doesn't get too maudlin, but it does have its highs (it's been voted Britain's favorite poem).

Get set for an unbelievable new year. It's almost 2012! - Rich

Set Your 2012 Goals In Two Steps.

It's December. Many people are scrambling to get their end of the year targets complete. Many are trying to reach out to prospects and recalcitrant clients to make that sale. Some are lining up their teams for that final push. A select few are slowly winding down their work for the eventual hibernation during the last two weeks of the month. They all should be taking just a little bit of December to begin laying the foundation for January. And February. And March. And the rest of 2012.

Some people have no time to do it. Some dread doing it. Some are downright afraid to do it. But you and I know it has to get done.

So today, let's get it done together - I will help you do it. Nothing fancy — actually a simple process that I take all of my clients through. So here goes:

STEP ONE - Plan The Big Picture.

Take a sheet of paper (or use my template) and list three (3) things you would like to accomplish in 2012. They can be personal (better time management) or linked to your position (increase my sales by 12%). To the right, list when you'd like to get each one done (I hate the term deadline).

Don't make them too big (increase sales by 112%) or too broad (change the world). Why? The odds are stacked against you that you'll never accomplish them. Keep them small, attainable, and reasonable. If you hit them early, you can always move the target up a bit.

STEP TWO - Break It Into Quarters.

Take a sheet of paper (or use my template) and draw a horizontal and vertical line to produce four equal quadrants. In each quadrant, I want you to place a number 1, 2, & 3 (they correspond to each of Step One's accomplishments).

For each number in each quadrant, I want you to write down two things:

1. What are you going to do?
2. When will you get it done?

That's it. This is your map for 2012. It might change, but you'll feel a whole lot better if you have guideposts, activities, and accomplishments to help you along the way. You can even make it more granular by planning out each month (and each week within the month). If you feel so inclined — go for it!

Finally, this might look too simple or too basic. I agree. But I would rather have someone tackle these simple steps than do nothing.

Four Powerful Questions To Ask Yourself This Season.

Most people use New Year's Eve (and Day) to plan forward for what might be in store for 2012. And that's a good thing. During the holidays, I try to look back at what happened over the past 12 months and ask myself a few simple questions:

1. What went right?
2. What went wrong?
3. Who did I help?
4. Who helped me?

Why? It's a great way to assess your growth, your track record, and to clearly see who is important in your life. I try to develop a list of bullet points under each question to ensure I am concise and targeted for each question. Let me break each one down:

What went right?

I always like to start with a positive — it gets me going and I dive right into any exercise. What did you do right this year? What decisions really paid off? What directions did you take which delivered increased revenue, energy, or positive challenges? What client not only loved you, but came aboard with gusto?

Next Steps: Keep doing this.

What went wrong?

What didn't turn out as we expected? Where did one of our decisions go off the tracks? Who did we expect to help us and they dropped the ball? What client didn't come through? What has been going along swimmingly and then all of a sudden stopped, disappeared, or caused a major upset?

Next Steps: Stop, reassess, and change direction.

Who did I help?

This is by far the most important question for me (and probably for you too). With my guidance and abilities, who did I reach out to and give them guidance, assistance, or direction? How did I use my talents to help them do their job? How did I help them make more money? Build a stronger client base?

Most importantly, how did I help them when they were down?

Next Steps: Who else can you help in 2012? How can you help more people?

Who helped me?

This is the one we always forget. This time of year is for reflection on those special people who went out of their way to help us grow our business, strengthen our career, and make us a better human being.

Next Steps: Send each of these people a personal letter or card telling them how much they changed your life. Do it today.

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P.S. How did you like this article? Let me know. Are you interested in what coaching can do for you? Let's talk. I work with people from all over the world who have the same questions — and we developed a successful and actionable plan for 2012. I schedule infrequent complimentary sessions — catch one today.

Image provided by Rich Gee.

Top Five Regrets Of Managers.

This post is for all those frustrated managers out there — I was in corporate for 20+ years and managed many large teams of dedicated people. It's one of the hardest positions to have — there's a lot of uncertainty when it comes to high-level decisions.

1. I should have worked harder to keep my best person.

The simple truth is — if they're your best, they're going to flee at some point. And there's nothing you can do about it.

When people get 'the itch' — moving upwards or onward — there are very few things you can do to hold them back. Why? Because the single action of 'holding them back' delivers the exact opposite reaction within that person. They want to grow, meet new people, experience new challenges, and make more money.

I always say — if one of your people have made the decision to leave — help them and don't get in the way. You will make a friend forever — and maybe someday — you can hire them back when you start at another company.

2. I should have spent more time growing and motivating my people.

Yes, you should have. One of the most important duties of every manager is to motivate, grow, and push their team. If you're not doing that on a regular basis, you're not managing. It's that simple.

Take time at least once a week to better understand the motivators with each direct report you manage. Do they need more attention? Less attention? More direction? Accolades? Acknowledgment? Money? Understand the motivators and you will key into what drives them to do better work and deliver 150%.

3. I should be more effective managing upwards.

You are absolutely correct. But don't focus 100% of your efforts towards this. You'll then turn into a suck-up — and no one likes a suck-up.

Find out the motivators and deliverables of your manager and help them in any way you can to deliver on their projects. It not only gives you the opportunity to learn new techniques and challenges, it allows you (and your team) to hone in on what's really critical for the company.

Also, LISTEN. Don't always go to your boss with problems. Be a sounding board and a trusted resource. Listen to what they say - don't try to solve the problem at first, just be Larry King and keep asking questions. Get them to open up. They will LOVE you for it.

4. Why do I keep hiring the wrong people?

Put on your seat belt — this is going to be a bumpy ride. 

1. Be VERY clear about the job description. Know exactly what you want in a person and what you want them to do. Most manager screw this up or are very lackadaisical about it.
2. Make time for the interview. Don't rush it. Ask key questions which will elicit answers to allow you to better understand each applicant and their experience.
3. Most of all - look for enthusiasm and fit. You want someone who has an internal power source which is ready to rock every day. In addition, you want to look for nice people, not jerks. This is a gut call sometimes, but with the right questions, you will better understand each applicant.
4. Hone in on 2-3 finalists and then have your people check them out. Also, tell them as much about the company, the position, and the environment as possible. You are looking for a good fit.

5. I need to better document performance issues.

Yes, you should. And it's not that difficult. You should do two things:

Have two files for each direct report — one for all the good things they do and one for all the performance issues. Document, document, document.

• Sunshine file - all the good things. Keep the emails, the testimonials, the comments from clients, etc. Comes in handy at review time or when they're having a bad day.
• Performance file - Add quick notes with the date, time, people involved, and the issue. Keep to the facts and don't add any emotion or perspective. If it starts to become an issue - get your HR rep involved immediately. Better safe than sorry.

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P.S. How did you like this article? Let me know! If you are interested in what I can do for you, let’s talk. I work with managers all over the world who have the same questions — and we developed a successful action plan. I schedule infrequent complimentary (i.e., free) sessions – catch one today.

Top Five Regrets of Struggling Businesses.

This post is for all business owners — In my 10+ years of coaching around the world, I've seen it happen to many successful businesses. Most people get it, but there are a few who take their eye off the prize and let their house of cards tumble to the ground. Here are some of their regrets:

1. I should have see the change in the marketplace.

This has been a HUGE regret over the past few years. Of course we all know about the economy — but there are so many business owners who think life will just go on if they stick their head in the sand and fervently hope for the best.

First, understand what market pressures are hitting your industry — are prices going up? Hard to get materials? What's changing?

Second, develop 'What-If' scenarios for these changes — if my A clients go away, I need to tap into B clients with this strategy. Also, don't get caught up in developing strategy without taking action — if you see the marketplace changing, take action TODAY.

2. I should have seen my clientele changing.

This is the one that sneaks up on you and suddenly bites you in the butt. Maybe you lose one of your better and oldest customers, then a new one defects. Suddenly, it's a downpour of defections and you don't know what to do.

First, keep your eyes and ears open. See what's happening to your direct (and indirect) competition in the industry — are they getting hit or going out of business first?

Second, retention is a HUGE part of your client relationship. Ensure you have a healthy communication channel with your customers (see #3) and you are personally speaking with them on a regular basis. What do they like? What don't they like (people hate to ask this question)? What could you improve? If you ask these questions now, you won't lose your key customers later.

3. I should have paid more attention to marketing and promoting my business.

Face it — we get comfortable in the house we build. Clients flock to our business, we make gobs of money, and we think we have a winning formula. But life (and your marketplace) changes in a millisecond. Every sustained and successful business KNOWS the secret to success is consistent and focused marketing to communicate to your new (and current) audience.

First, assess what you're doing right now. What's working? What isn't? Ask your prospects and customers how they've heard about you. Track your marketing dollars and develop a monthly ROI trend with all the things you do to market your business.

Second, don't be afraid of abandoning a tried and true method of advertising. I've had so many clients enraptured with radio (and spending thousands of dollars a month on it) and when they did a quick calculation of its current ROI, they found it came in dead last for delivery of qualified prospects. Sometimes you need to put certain marketing avenues on the shelf for a little while and try out new directions — see what happens.

4. I should have kept my eye on the 20% who deliver 80% of my business.

In business, it seems the 80% of bothersome and small-value clients make up the monster-share of our business troubles. They're the ones who are nit-picky about everything, argue about every single penny, and are never satisfied about the final product.

First, understand who are your 20% and who are your 80%. Begin to make a persona for the 20% and go out and find more of them. Actively spend more money, marketing dollars and time to find these people.

Second, clearly define who the 80% is. And start firing them — begin from the bottom and move upwards. You don't make a lot of money from them — why spend so much time trying to make them happy? A great book to read on firing your bad customers is Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port. Great way for you to put the velvet rope in place to access your services.

5. I worked so hard and put in long hours, but it didn't matter.

Welcome to the real world Neo.Every one of my clients need to be shown the red or blue pill — and take the right one to understand you need to work smarter, not harder (or longer). Everyone thinks they need to kill themselves to 'be a success'. Understand, I know there are times when there is an emergency or the delivery of a major project — you will then need to put in the requisite time and energy. But it shouldn't be permanent — only temporary.

First, take a long hard look at how you REALLY spend your time and what REALLY benefits your bottom line. We tend to do the things we like and sometimes, these things really don't contribute much to the bottom line. I had a client, a manager of a major store, spending his time replacing florescent fixtures in the ceiling while he maintained he had no time for marketing his business permanently. I instructed him to delegate the light fixture duty and get his butt out on the street to build his clientele.

Second, be smarter about HOW you work and WHEN you work. Many people ask me how I get everything done AND have a full-book of clients (with a waiting list) all the time. I tell them I get up every day at 5 AM and get 1-2 hours of work in prior to my first coaching session. In addition, I also get up on the weekends at 6 AM and work until 8 AM (when my family gets up). If you do the quick addition, I get in an extra 14 hours of work on my business every week without impacting my regular coaching session hours. Try it!

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P.S. Did this article hit a nerve? If so, let's talk. I've worked with many businesses who have the same questions — and we developed a successful plan to tackle their problems and obstacles. I schedule infrequent complimentary (i.e., free) sessions - catch one today.

150 To 5,384 Visitors In One Week — OMG!

What a week! As you can see from above, a single post really hit a chord with my readers and invited in a whole slew of new visitors.

Maybe it was the title: "Top Five Regrets of the Dying". Something resonated with an exponential increase in friends who are interested in this topic.

When I usually check my analytics, I get a wide variety of readers from all over the U.S. and the world every day. Based on the comments I received on my site, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+, many people appreciated the recommendation and each of the 'regrets'.

As a coach, I'm constantly looking for engagement with my clients and readers.

What did you really like about the article?

What do you want me talking about?

What topics would you like to see?

Thanks ahead of time for your comments and insight!

P.S. I've continued my series with "Top Five Regrets of the Unemployed" and on Monday you'll see "Top Five Regrets of Struggling Businesses". Enjoy!

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