Make Your Own Luck.

Most people expect certain things to happen (cause and effect):

"I send out resumes and I'll get interviews/job offers."

"I promote massively on social media and I'll get lots of clients."

"I set the goals for my team and they will perform perfectly."

And we are frequently disappointed — we don’t get the interview, clients don’t bang on our doors, and our employees are watching cute dog videos instead of working.

Our Reality — The world usually doesn’t work the way you want it to (or more harshly, the world doesn’t owe you anything for your efforts).

We know the rules. We know how to play the game. But we like to bend the rules frequently and leave out difficult steps to cut corners.

We hear of those superstars who ‘bucked’ the system and made billions. Here’s a little secret: they were extremely lucky or they were in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, doing the right things.

Now you can hold out for luck — a lot of people do — that’s why millions of people play lotto every week. But even they are frequently disappointed.

You need to leverage the FOUR R’s: Right Place, Right Time, Right People, & Right Things.

Right Place - Are you picking the optimal location to reach out? Are you doing what is easy or what other people tell you what to do? And when it doesn’t work, do you give up?

Right Time - Are you frequently communicating on a regular basis or is it just a series of jumbled messages and one-offs praying and hoping someone will listen?

Right People - Are you targeting the correct people with a strong argument or just broadcasting to anyone with a weak message?

Right Things - A difficult one to decipher, but you know what you really have to do. Most of the time we are too scared or lazy to do what needs to be done. We procrastinate or distract ourselves not to feel pain.

Most people notice that the Four R’s tend to intertwine with one another to make a tight knot that is impossible to untie. Actually, it’s easy — if you structure the four R’s, the how will magically appear:

1. Step back and get REAL about your situation. You know what to do — you have to just DO IT.

2. Break out your issue/problem and clearly list what you have to do, when you have to do it, who you will be targeting, and where it will happen.

3. And then DO IT. No ‘planning’. No ‘procrastinating’. No ‘distractions’. No mercy.

4. And then DO IT AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. Until you are successful.

The funny thing is, we all know what we need to do, we just don’t DO IT.

If you'd like to learn more, reach out.

Be A Better Leader - 20 Leadership Hacks For Managers.

I managed large teams for over 15 years in corporate and have been coaching C-Level clients for 15 more. During this time, I've probably run into every scenario a manager can experience. 

​Here are my top 20 hacks to make you a better leader (in no special order): 

1. Motivate people, don't command them. It's a lot harder, but you will like the results a lot more. Find the fuel that energizes them.

2. Identify your key employees and reward them so they know they're valued. Don't worry about losing poor talent.

3. Translate upper management's vague directives into things your team can understand and take action on.

4. Never bullshit your staff. If something requires secrecy for the good of the company, just be clear on 'I cannot discuss that’.

5. When things go well, don't tout yourself to upper management, tout your team. You'll get the credit as well.

6. Don't worry about losing poor talent. In addition, the best thing you can do for your best people is to get rid of the worst people.

7. Elevate the individual and team as a whole when someone does great work. Let them take the limelight.

8. When someone on my team screws up, be the responsible "buck stops here" person as the manager. Act as the umbrella to ensure the wrath of senior management does not rain down from above, and it's your responsibility to discipline them after you catch shit from on high. In addition to that, any discipline effort should be an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Help them to help themselves when they need to recover from a mistake.

9. Don’t be their friend. It's not worth it. You are no longer "One of the guys/girls" You can have fun, don't be a jerk, but you will never be one of them again. Don't try to be. Be cool, but not that cool, otherwise you will get walked on.

10. The more you make your employees feel like they're working with you, and not for you, the smoother the sailing. That being said, make sure boundaries are clear.

11. Always remain calm. The way you react to and handle situations will have a profound and lasting effect on your staff.

​12. Criticize in private, praise in public. Praise often, punish seldom.

​13. Figure out the intricacies of discipline and HR at your organization.Any serious disciplinary actions need to be absolutely by-the-book. Get help and a buddy in HR.

​14. Learn to listen. Especially to the new hires. And the quiet ones.

​15. Be loyal to your employees and they will be 10X loyal right back.

​16. Learn to delegate. It creates frustration in the short term, but saves you huge amounts of time and makes people feel more important in the long term.

​17. Create an environment that people want to work in. I find people work harder and are more motivated if they're happy. Don't micromanage, treat people with respect, and create a sense of joining a team rather than a top-down approach.

18. Always be fair. Everyone talks to each other and compares the slightest things whether you like it or not. If you have favorites or treat someone differently, eventually people will find out. This will definitely effect how they see you.

​19. Create an open door policy. My favorite policy is that I never mind when people ask questions about the situation or what they need to do. I'd rather someone mess up rather than doing noting. Of course, I'd rather someone ask me questions so they can figure out how to do things on their own, effectively, and efficiently too. Similarly, this also helps with building respect, creating a sense of team, and having more motivated and happy people.

​20. MOST IMPORTANT: Take care of your people and they'll take care of you. 

The Key To Charisma.

"You can have a conversation with anyone — provided you actually care about what they say." 

I'm genuinely curious about people. 

So when I go out, I am intentional about being genuinely curious about people I run into. 

I'll chat with the check-out people at my supermarket. I’ll interact with servers at a restaurant. I strike up conversations with people in waiting rooms.

People often question why I do this. To which my response is always; "you can always learn something new from a person. Even if it's just their name."

I've made it a long-standing habit to memorize someone's name upon meeting them. It’s hard to do — but if you focus, you will remember it.

So when I took my kids to their friend's birthday parties, I'm on a first-name basis with most of the parents. Even if I've only met them once. I'll introduce them to one another. Or re-acquaint us all together. A simple skill but socially fundamental. 

Think about your own life — pick someone you barely know. Like a friend of a friend. Or your usual cashier or barista. After their names — what else do you know? 

Relationships are built on rapport. That familiarity builds rapport. Being genuinely curious only helps reinforce it. It's also a master hack for charisma-building.

So once you've mastered the skill of charisma — it’ll open a lot of doors. 

Additionally, another hack once you're good at memorizing names is to re-introduce yourself, when using someone's name; and give context: “Hey Molly — Rich, Chris’ dad. How've you been?"

It’s simple and frames the conversation towards familiarity — towards rapport. 

It's such a subtle skill, yet can be pivotal. In how an interaction, conversation, and possibly a relationship, is framed. 

You don't get a second chance at a first impression. So start honing that skill. It's easy to start with a name. Then continue to master being genuinely curious. Not just with people you're interested in — but to also find the interesting in people. 

Go out and make it happen!

Be Like Jack LaLanne.

I grew up with Jack LaLanne. I used to watch him, his wife Elaine (yes, Elaine LaLanne), and his German shepherd Happy every morning on TV. Jack taught me a lot of things about life — especially to stay positive all the time.

Why be like Jack? You might know him from his juicer — but he was so much more.

1. Make a bold change.

At 15, he was a wreck — sickly, skinny, and eating all the wrong foods. He realized it was a dead-end and radically changed his diet, behavior, and focus. Where can you make a bold change in your life?

2. Break the mold.

Up until Jack LaLanne, gyms were for men who wanted to box or wrestle. Jack opened the prototype for the fitness spas to come — a gym, juice bar, and health food store. What antiquated molds need breaking?

3. Keep true to your vision (and yourself).

Jack said, “People thought I was a charlatan and a nut. The doctors were against me — they said that working out with weights would give people heart attacks and they would lose their sex drive.” Never ask permission - get out and do it.

4. Think BIG.

Jack then took his idea national — “The Jack LaLanne Show” made its debut in 1951 as a local program in the San Francisco area, then went nationwide on daytime television in 1959. Pick a big dream and take one step closer to it today.

5. Speak to your audience — all the time.

“My show was so personal, I made it feel like you and I were the only ones there. And I’d say: ‘Boys and girls, come here. Uncle Jack wants to tell you something. You go get Mother or Daddy, Grandmother, Grandfather, whoever is in the house. You go get them, and you make sure they exercise with me.’ ” Learn how to better communicate to key people.

6. Keep it simple.

Most of his exercises on TV were done with a chair or broomstick. Don’t over-complexify your life - simplify!

7. Keep fresh with new ideas and offerings.

He invented the forerunners of modern exercise machines like leg extension and pulley devices. He marketed a Power Juicer to blend raw vegetables and fruits and a Glamour Stretcher cord, and he sold exercise videos and fitness books. When was the last time you read a good book?

8. Know when to get out.

Expanding on his television popularity, he opened dozens of fitness studios under his name, later licensing them to Bally. If it isn’t working for you - run away.

9. Be a showoff.

At 60 he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf handcuffed, shackled, and towing a 1,000-pound boat. At 70, handcuffed and shackled again, he towed 70 boats, carrying a total of 70 people, a mile and a half through Long Beach Harbor. Be assertive in all that you do.

10. Walk the talk.

He ate two meals a day and shunned snacks. Breakfast, following his morning workout, usually included several hard-boiled egg whites, a cup of broth, oatmeal with soy milk, and seasonal fruit. For dinner,  a salad with raw vegetables and egg whites along with fish — often salmon — and a mixture of red and white wine. He never drank coffee. Be authentic to everyone you meet.

11. Stay positive — all the time.

He brimmed with optimism and restated a host of aphorisms for an active and fit life. “I can’t die,” he most famously liked to say. “It would ruin my image.” SMILE!

Jack passed away 10 years ago at the ripe old age of 96. He brought a lot of energy, motivation, and happiness to millions of people. I hope someday, I can do that too.

Returning To Work & How To Acclimate Your Employees.

Businesses and employees are at a critical juncture right now.

​As the pandemic hopefully recedes and business gets back to a 'new' normal, companies are running into a recalcitrant employee who might not want to come back and work in the office.

​Not everyone. But there are three types of workers out there now:

1. Essential Employees - these are the people who have always worked through the epidemic - and we all salute you for your fortitude during these difficult times. BTW - give them a bonus and extra time off for helping you during this time - it's the least you can do.

2. Work@Home Lovers - these are the people who have outrageous commutes or awful office conditions who work better at home. They might have a big home with an office, family life, great location, etc.

3. Work@Office Lovers - these are the people who have been stuck at home and absolutely want to get back into the office ASAP. They might be living all alone, in a one-room apartment, and want to interact with lots of people every day.

​The Problem: How does a company neatly resume regular or new operations without losing a portion of their workforce to the change?

1. REQUIRED - If everyone HAS to come back (like schools, etc.) - you have to set a date, put standards in place (cleaning, vaccinations, etc.), and treat everyone the same. If there are recalcitrant workers, deal with them on a one-off basis. Make coming to work more fun, like a party that everyone wants to attend - serve food, etc.

2. FLEXIBLE WORK - Develop a system to allow workers to have flex time in the office AND working at home. For many positions, this might be the best option for many companies. It shows that you care about their work-life balance AND you satisfy all three types of workers.

3. TOTAL WORK@HOME - Some companies have embraced the work@home concept and have offered total work at home for many of their employees. It cuts down on office cost, commute time lost, and increases work/life balance for many employees. But some workers might want the 'in-person experience' - and many of these companies might have to develop alternatives to embrace it - get-togethers, lunches, off-sites, etc.

​Whatever you choose, be cognizant and balance the needs of your customers and your employees. Many companies might be taking the track of 'everyone back in the office' because of bad management & leadership skills, antiquated work philosophy, or just because "we've always done it this way" thinking. Do what's best for your customers and employees - not just the bottom line.

How To Lead Effective Virtual Teams.

As we slowly emerge from our country’s pandemic, there will be many current and future adjustments to how we work. 

​The impact to our teams and how we manage them will be a major concern for all leaders moving forward.

Yes — we’ve been managing from afar for the last year, but — we were in crisis mode and everyone had to adapt quickly. 

​Moving forward, successful virtual leadership must be based in solid planning, consistent communication, and regular status checks.

​I’ve developed a powerful 5-part strategy to help you move forward with your virtual teams and lead them to even greater success in the years to come:

​1. Build a plan and design processes for virtual work.

You can’t rely on the structures built during the pandemic, you need to revisit what worked and build a solid strategy to move forward.

​2. Making key decisions in a virtual environment.

Consider how to best structure various decision-making processes within your virtual team(s).

​3. Working effectively with global virtual teams.

Capitalize on the new options of working with teams separated by culture, time, and space.

​4. Anticipating the growing power dynamics within your team.

Improve the productivity, efficacy, and mutual trust within your virtual team by redefining how you lead your team and how they interact with one another.

5. Dealing with the hidden problems and pitfalls of virtual work.

Understand and anticipate the social and emotional challenges that impact individuals when working virtually.

​If you’re interested in leadership development training that delves deeper into each of my five areas (coupled with individualized coaching for your managers), let’s chat. 

​The best thing you can do is start them off right with a solid roadmap rather than a patchwork of band-aids hopefully delivering the future success of your company. Learn more.​

This isn't your parent's workweek anymore.

Going out on a limb here on a Friday . . . 

​I am a firm believer that businesses should start to shift to a 4-day workweek. Why? 

​1. Baby boomers for the most part have or are thinking about retiring - so the old adage of 'it's always been that way' is kind of a specious argument. As new generations jump onto the work bus and technology continues to improve, you are going to feel a sea-change from work-harder to work-smarter.

​2. It will become a competitive asset when hiring the best people for your business. Who would you rather work for? There's no comparison.

​3. I predict per hour productivity will soar when they get the same work done in a smaller amount of time. They will be forced to streamline, delegate, and retire unnecessary activities and focus on what really moves the company forward.

4. Think of the impact of commuting - losing 20% of the commuting traffic will greatly impact your travels. The day-off can be up to the employee - MON or FRI or WED - whatever works. This can apply to retail, manufacturing, service, etc. - spread out the resources and still deliver the products and services.

​5. Couple the 4-day workweek with telecommuting. We have seen the impact over the past year on employee productivity, facility financials, and the environment, etc. Also, who loves to come to work when you've spent 2+ hours commuting every day?

​6. Your employees will spend less on daycare and spend more time with their families. Your employees will be MUCH happier spending 3 days off and 4 days on -- more time for helping the family as their parents grow older. More time for volunteering for charities and non-profits, more time to educate themselves, and more time to just relax and recharge.

​Oh - there are probably some negatives that people will think of -- customer impact, compressed hours/workload, 'this won't work here', and the ever-present fear of employees demanding a 3-day workweek (even though we've had the 5-day, 40-hour workweek for almost 100 years.

​What are your thoughts? I would love to hear from you.

​There are 2 ways I can help YOU:

1. Check out my latest playbook - 3 Things You Need To Do To Guarantee Success - tools for your career, business, and life.

2. Schedule a call - Spend thirty minutes with me for free to see if I can solve your problems and give you a real breakthrough.

What's Holding You Back?

P = P - I

Once you understand this simple equation, it all becomes clear.

​Performance = Potential - Interference (link)

Eliminate the interference and your full potential will equal your full performance, where there are no obstacles in your way holding you back.

Have you ever felt like this? I know you have - when nothing could get in your way and you were firing on all cylinders. It's exciting.

But this rarely happens. We always invite interference into our lives. And that impacts our performance-potential ratio.

To eliminate or lessen interference, we need to leave our comfort zone frequently, like successful people do. Let go of your current familiar life and make bold decisions to live the life you dream about.

The real culprit behind our interference: Don't self-reject. ​
Most of the time, what holds us back is entirely in our heads.

• Don't think your boss will give you a raise? Ask them.

• Don't think you deserve the job? Apply for it.

• Don't think your article is good enough? Publish it.

• Don't think they'll reply to your email? Send it.

• Don't think your customers will like you raising prices? Do it.

Don't self-reject. 
When you catch yourself thinking negatively, stop it in it's tracks and take action. Just do it.

​Here are 3 ways I can help you:

1. I just finished my latest playbook - 3 Things You Need To Do To Guarantee Success - tools for your career, business, and life.

2. Schedule a call - Spend thirty minutes with me for free to see if I can solve your problems and give you a real breakthrough.​

3. Make a commitment - Email me saying “I’m ready” and my team will be in touch to plan a full consultation to work together. This is the first step in changing your career, business and life forever.

Get Ready For The Summer Tsunami.

We've been in a global lockdown for over a year. Things haven't stopped, but there's been a cumulative business anxiety level that's impacted our growth potential. Even though many businesses have posted gains, there's been a wariness of 'what's next' for the past 12 months.

​There is a light at the end of this long tunnel. Once the population is vaccinated and we see a dramatic drop in cases, the 'clogged pipe' of consumer enthusiasm will open fully.

​What will happen? I predict that we're going to experience unbridled consumer and business spending in the marketplace. We've been subsisting on minor changes and improvements for over a year and now businesses will be forced into a normal (or even heightened) competitive mode. The opportunities will be endless.

​Consumers will throng to products and places long closed to their reach. They have the pent-up dollars and enthusiasm to get back to the normalcy of their lives that they've been missing for so many months.

​What does this mean for you? Stay ahead of the curve:

​Own a business? Time to prepare. You have to break out ahead of the competition and get your message out to your key targets. What are their new needs and concerns now that it will be over?

Work in a company? Figure out what permanent changes will impact your management, leadership, and staff operations. What companies are now leading the charge? What technologies are changing the landscape?

Looking for a new position? Be ready for in-person interviews again and more company contact. Who are the new winners and losers moving forward? Start looking globally for virtual positions.

Some things have changed and will never go back to the old way. But many areas will return - are you ready to take advantage of this tsunami?

What are your thoughts? Let me know - Rich

​P.S. - Whenever you’re ready…. here are 3 ways I can help you grow your career/business:

1. I just finished my latest guidebook - 3 Things You Need To Do To Guarantee Success - key insights for your career, business, and life.

2. Schedule a call - Spend thirty minutes with me for free to see if I can solve your career/business problems and give you an actionable breakthrough.

3. Make a commitment - Reply to this email saying “I’m ready” and my team will be in touch to plan a full consultation to work together. This is the first step in changing your career, business, and life forever.

The Real Reason Why You're Failing.

The real reason you haven't gotten to the level you want to be at is that you're:

Lazy, Scared, Unfocused, or Undisciplined

That's okay.

Everyone else is too.

People who can defeat that part of themselves are the ones who rise to the top.

So figure out what the real holdback is and start today to vanquish it.

Start NOW To Guarantee A New Position For 2021.

“I need to find a job.”
”I need to find a better job.”

Is this you? The month of December is a time to slowly power-down and relax. People tell themselves they will begin their brand-new job search on January 1, 2021. What happens?

Get on stage with a cast of thousands.
You'll be just commencing your search again, with thousands of other aspiring job searchers. The competition is fierce where you will be seeing hundreds of applicants for the same job. You need to start earlier to escape the onslaught.

Now is the time to act.
Many people come back from the holidays with renewed energy and a fresh focus. They will be starting to finalize their materials — so you need to get a jump on them.

”It’s too busy this time of year.” “No one is working now.”
It's easier to reach out to a potential target now instead of January. Most organizations tend to start slowing down at this time of the year, final sales have been made, everyone is more relaxed and waiting for the onslaught of holidays and parties. They're more approachable — they know they have a budget next year to hire, why not meet with potential managers NOW?

YOU can be a powerful slingshot.
Psychologically, this will be the time for you to start pulling back on the rubber band and stretching it as far as it can go. When January 1st hits, you release the slingshot and rocket off into the marketplace with your best face on prepared to dazzle your interviewer. Everyone else is just starting.

I want one hour a day from you, five days a week.
That’s it. Instead of watching a really bad TV show every weekday night or sleeping in that morning, all I’m asking for is just one hour to plan and ensure a successful job search. So what can you do?

Research your industry to understand the big players.
Learn where it’s going and what the future holds. This will give you a better feel for who to target in your job search and a better idea of what’s out there - you’ve been in a bubble for the past few years.

Pick 5-10 companies you’d LOVE to work for.
Not just ‘like’ or ‘it would be nice’, I want you to LOVE them. Do a little research on each one, see where they are and where they’re going, find out who are the key people in your area of the organization.

Clean up your résumé and LinkedIn profile.
Add in any additional info from your current research. These two areas must shine before you begin to look for a position. Also, check all of your current (and past) social media like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Links, etc. You need to clean them up or if you can, make them private. You need to put on a perfect face for potential opportunities. Resume tips here.

Build your action plan to kick off at 7 AM on January 1.
If you’re currently employed, begin to figure out when you can allocate time to research, contact, and interview new career opportunities. If you are in transition, develop a 40-hour per week schedule that includes research, networking, etc. You need to be busy starting in January, the best thing you can do is be prepared with a comprehensive schedule.

IMPORTANT: If you feel that you can’t do this alone, REACH OUT.
Not only do I offer a free coaching session to help you understand how I can accelerate your search, but you’ll also go away with a number of key breakthroughs to help you move forward. If you want some help, message me.

All the best - Rich
www.richgee.com
richgee@richgee.com

If Life Is Kicking You In The Ass, Time To Kick Back.

“Don’t be afraid to break some rules.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger

To win, you must exploit the system. I get it - you’re worried about what the outside world will think of you — that possibly bending some rules in your favor is “beneath you”.

Listen: The most successful people on this planet do not care about how they achieve it. They DON’T CARE ABOUT THE RULES.

The entire world is simply many clearly-defined systems and rules that all work together to limit you from going anywhere. Imagine a game of poker or blackjack. Most people will say that it is just “luck” or that “luck is the primary factor in the game”. This is BS and you know it.

Just like poker, the world does not have luck, it has probability. Luck of the draw is simply a term that defines your starting point, everything else is how you play your cards.

Unlike poker though, the rules of life can be argued, bent, and even broken. Do you seriously think the people in power didn’t break every rule in the book to get their hands on the biggest jackpot in the world?

Basically, life is a maze built by people at the top to reduce competition from the bottom. Some people find they exist by wasting their entire life trying every single option.

Using the basic resources out in the world and your persistence, you can increase your odds of success. This is what successful people do. By counting the cards, observing patterns, and trying what has already been proven to work, you can increase your odds of success an infinite number of times. In other words, climb the walls of the maze, and look to find where the finish is. Once you know the end goal you can take concrete steps towards it.

But we all know this. Go forward without looking back.

You just still think that you aren’t that kind of person. You don’t need to be savage. You don’t need to embody the hunter you were born to be by evolution thousands of years ago.

You can play it safe, play it cool, and play by the rules. Guess what? No one who wins plays by the rules. We bend them to their limits. We go against the grain. The trick is to keep the rules from breaking in a way that gets you in trouble.

There is no such thing as a dream job. A dream partner. An American dream. Because it’s a . . . . DREAM.

Pick the career that you know you are predisposed by biology to excel at. You are good at math? Be the top accountant of all time. Good at arguing? Be the top dog attorney that puts Harvey Specter to shame. Oh you don’t like law school? Be honest with yourself, do you want to win?

The person printing your money obviously does. We love to bash the idiots on Wall Street for making dirty money by using YOUR money to make them money. Do you think they care?

Think about it. Do you think that someone like Jeff Bezos became rich because he had a brilliant idea? No. He simply crushed the competition, out-sued the government, walked on everyone’s head who was in his way.

Successful people are made not born. And they aren’t made through some fair game. Time to start breaking the rules.

“It’s easier to apologize than to ask for permission.”

P.S. I am not advocating for you to do anything illegal, but there is significant leeway when bending the rules.

Decisions are hard. But they're really easy.

I want you to watch “The Ten Meter Tower”.

It’s one of my favorite NY Times/YouTube videos. The premise:

“Our objective in making this film was something of a psychology experiment: We sought to capture people facing a difficult situation, to make a portrait of humans in doubt. A high dive seemed like the perfect scenario.”

“Through an online advertisement, we found 67 people who had never been on a 10-meter (about 33 feet) diving tower before and had never jumped from that high. We paid each of them the equivalent of about $30 to participate — which meant climbing up to the diving board and walking to its edge. We were as interested in the people who decided to climb back down as the ones jumping.”

How often in life (and our career) are we served up a powerful decision and we procrastinate? We know we can do it — we know it will help us — but we’re afraid of the ‘possible’ consequences.

We all have a Stephen King in our heads telling us horror stories about what ‘might’ happen — but it usually doesn’t.

What decision or action do you need to take today that you’ve put off?

Just JUMP.

Fortune Favors The Bold.

"Audentes Fortuna Juvat" (in Latin). There are many articles dissecting this simple phrase - some good and some way off base.

Here’s my take — to get where you want to go in life, you have to take chances, step out of your comfort zone, and sometimes do things that scare you. When you do these things, you create opportunities and options that were previously unattainable or unknown to you.

That’s my definition of bold — taking calculated and decisive action when most people do the same old thing and wonder why their circumstances stay the same…

• It’s asking for that promotion and raise after you show your boss clear evidence of your outstanding performance.

• It’s raising your fees in your business when you know you’re delivering top-tier service to your clients.

• It’s interviewing at another company because you want a change and/or increase your salary/benefits.

When you are bold, fortune (opportunity and options) reveal themselves.

It’s Monday - I want you to do one bold action today — even if it’s small — let’s bring Fortune into your life.

How To Reach The Right People At The Right Time.

Want to listen to the podcast? Click here.

If you aren’t targeting the right people, you aren’t playing the game correctly. Unfortunately, many businesses try a broad-brush strategy to try to attract everyone. And it always fails. Here are four quick tips (and a resource!) to help you target your best prospects:

ONE - Who are your targets? Who are the RIGHT people?

I want you to THINK BIG here. Don’t think small — if you’re going to go after the right people - go big or go home. If you shoot for the stars, you might land them. If not, you will quickly learn how to get the smaller ones.

You need to define who are your best clients/customers - who are they, what makes them your best, where can you find them? 

Once you define your best client/customers - who are people just like them? If they look, act, and buy like your customers, they would probably make great ones too.

TWO - Who knows who?  How can you find people who know them?

The HUNT! This is my favorite part. I actually have an excel sheet to work on this. I get as much information about the company and the right person as I can. My goal is never a cold call. 

Use LinkedIn then start reaching out to your close friends who might know the person. They may have knowledge as to your guess if this is the ‘right’ person to speak with. 

Create a strong trail to the person - understand who they are and what they do - a logical trail. You will need to use this for tip #3!!!

THREE - How do you get them to see the connection between the two of you? How do you ENGAGE them?

This is where you need to do a bit of work. You have to learn/research/understand/build connections between your business and their business.

What are their pain points? What do they worry about? Where do you see their blind spots? Don’t just approach them and say “Please buy my product!” -- you have to get them to NEED you. Figure out strategies to get their attention, get them interested, and then go in for the kill.

You then pick the right mediums to get their attention - email, direct mail, FedEx, social media, in-person, phone call, introduction.

FOUR - What happens if they don’t respond? What if they do?

This is all about timing - now might be the right time. Were you truly prepared to speak with the person? Was there enough connection? Get back to work on your sheet!

Continue to grow a stronger connection among their friends. They will be able to ‘meet’ at their pace. Ask that mutual friend for a ‘no pressure’ get together. They need to know you first.

Bring them into your sales funnel so they are aware of what you are doing. Your job is to land that meeting so keep at it. Persistence is key — don’t give up.

RESOURCE - Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness - By Jeffrey Gitomer 

We all hate to read — That's why Little Red Book of Selling is short, sweet, and to the point. It's packed with answers that people are searching for in order to help them reach prospects and customers.

I probably read this book at least five times and riffle through certain parts throughout the year. It’s a valued resource in my library. Pick it up!

There's No Going Back.

“Things won’t change as much as they will accelerate. While other crises reshaped the future, this crisis is making the future happen faster.” — Scott Galloway

You see it happening all around you. The impact of new tech, new thinking, and new behaviors are changing the way we work, buy products, have fun, move around, etc.

At the end of the day, some people will accept, absorb, and move forward. The rest will be left behind wondering what happened. How do you keep up?

Acknowledge that change is happening all around you.

It will dramatically affect where you work and what you do. The old rules are slowly eroding and are being wiped away with the new realities. Work at home, work anywhere, management, leadership, and productivity are all changing the old behaviors of work.

We’re seeing this happen at higher education right now — the world of college is quickly imploding. The era of parents spending ungodly sums of money for the ‘college experience’ is now revealed as a nostalgic romp that we all have tried to hold on to. A new way of learning is going to emerge (emerging now) and it will eviscerate the idea of a $60K/year academic ride.

Once you embrace that change is happening all around you and you need to get ON the wave and not to FIGHT IT, you will begin to see the myriad of options and opportunities open to you.

Develop an unlimited mindset.

You have to have an open mind to all possibilities when it comes to the world around you. An unlimited mindset will fuel a new, consistent behavior of focused confidence. People who embrace an unlimited mindset will emerge from any crisis better off than when they entered.

We’re seeing this happen with Wall Street and Tesla — the old guard has been trying to denigrate and demolish the idea of EV transportation for years. “It’s a failed technology, they’ll never turn a profit, they can never compete with the ICE monopoly.” Time and time again, the analysts and speculators who went against the tide and shorted Tesla stock have awakened to a new reality (watch this).

To develop an unlimited mindset, you have to open your mind to what is happening and where you really are going. This takes an extreme amount of confidence, new knowledge, and vision. Stop playing tennis with the same players and start running to where the ball is going to be (read this).

Start Taking Action.

Finally, you need to get off your butt, develop a new plan, and start taking ACTION — don’t be afraid. There will be a lot of people out there that want everything to go back to normal — but that’s never going to happen. Smart people realize the rules have changed and the old Monopoly board we’ve been playing on is now three-dimensional, turbo-charged, and the banker is no longer in charge.

If you’re currently employed (or in transition), start learning who are the REAL movers and shakers at your company, competition, and industry. Who are the stars who are blazing a new trail, taking chances, and growing a small group of ardent followers? If you own your own business, what has changed in the past six months? What is happening to the behaviors of your clients, customers, (and competition)?

Wrapping It All Up . . .

There are two realities that are diverging and I am valiantly working with all my clients to help them better understand each one:

Reality #1 — Keep doing what you’re doing. Hope to the heavens we will all come out of this crisis unscathed and all will go back to normal. Good luck with that one.

Reality #2 — Acknowledge that massive, structural change is happening all around you, develop an unlimited mindset, and start taking focused action.

It’s your decision.

A 5 Step Action Plan to Require of Colleges.

This is a powerful article from my good friend, Hans Hanson — a National College Advisor who helps families save college costs and win admissions. It was so spot-on, I had to re-publish it on my site. Enjoy.

The predictable behavior of college has shown itself in full force over the last week. It all started with Brown University President Paxson broadcasting to the country “reopening colleges in the fall should be a national priority.” 

To provide a simple translation, what she is saying is- America, it is in your interest to allow us to continue in our golden-goose business model, our luxurious lifestyles, our prestige perception, and our high salaries.

Had she said it was their top priority, I would completely agree, but no, it’s not a national priority. You see, this is not a Covid-19 problem, rather it’s a problem that’s been caused by the very colleges themselves. Sure, Covid-19 has exposed the problem of colleges. What’s the problem?

For the past 20 years, colleges have done some very good things, such as expanding the breadth of college majors, study-abroad opportunities, and research development. Our Colleges are among the best in the world at delivering and extending (oh my) education, but not at delivering jobs! Imagine the hypocrisy of having the number one weighted factor that goes into college rankings as the 6-year graduation rate! Why isn’t it based on four years?

So, to begin with, college goals are not in alignment with student-family goals. That’s a serious business problem. Let us not forget, parents are the customer, the buyer. Colleges are the service provider, the seller.

With that in mind, during the worst recession that we have personally experienced, colleges have managed to double their price. We now have thirty colleges or so approaching the $80,000/ year cost. We have twenty state universities with a cost of $60,000/ year for out-of-state students. The national average cost of state universities for in-state students approximates $30,000/ year…all paid for with after-tax dollars.

Over the past five years, we’ve seen an overwhelming number of colleges convert their University Need-based Aid (the aid that does not have to be repaid) to student loans. I call this the Financialization of College. And they have the nerve to call loans financial aid as a way to trick the parents into buying what they have to sell, which is the Grand Illusion. They sell the illusion of grandeur, prestige, status, privilege, and obligation all designed to facilitate the emotional-purchase of a parent desperate to support their child at any cost.

During this past 20 years, colleges have spent billions of dollars to build up the Grand Illusion. They have invested mightily in fabulous sports facilities, luxurious dorms, gourmet cafeterias, and overall campus beauty. In doing so, they have become completely reliant on parent’s willingness to pay their ever-increasing price. Herein lies the answer to the question- what is causing the college tilt?

It’s not the coronavirus, rather, it’s the parent’s unwillingness to pay for the illusion any longer. It’s the shift in the mindset of parents who have been running scared of colleges for many years and all too willing to pay for the privilege of their association. As the summer of 2020 draws near, parents will take a stand against the college stance that everything will continue as normal, when in fact it’s not normal. Parents will not be willing to risk their family finance and retirement without greater assurance of achieving the end goal—JOB OPPORTUNITY.

The college tilt worsens each passing week. College dorms, cafeterias, and classrooms sat empty for the last two months, but that doesn’t worry me. Most colleges received sizable stimulus-package payments to cover it. Texas A&M received nearly $40,000,000. Harvard, a college with a $50 Billion endowment fund received nearly $10,000,000 as if they needed a penny. Couldn’t this money have gone to the local restaurateur, gym owner, or hairstylist who’s been shut down for the same two months?

Speaking of Harvard though, a prominent professor from there tweeted this week- “We can’t charge Harvard fees for a University of Phoenix education.” That’s refreshing to hear!

Now that the standard deadline for enrollment passed, several hundred colleges have announced an extended period for which an accepted student can enroll. The colleges will posture it by saying they are doing us a favor by not imposing their deadlines upon us, the general public. Of course, that’s false. Rather, the only reason they would extend the enrollment deadline is due to not having sufficient enrollments.

Colleges are trying their hardest to hold onto their golden-goose business model, to act as if everything will be back to normal in 3-4 months. Texas A&M just announced their plan to be open in the fall with their fill of students on campus and a plan to play football games in front of packed crowds.

Texas A&M Athletic Director Bjork just said yesterday- “The social distancing in a 100,000-seat stadium ... that could be challenging.” 

Bjork thinks filling their College Station Football Stadium in four months will be challenging. How about impossible, irresponsible, and reckless?

The college-tilt will continue in its downward spiral as we move through the summer and close in on the fall semester ahead. Their realization that freshmen enrollments are way down; the freshmen no-show rate will skyrocket; the student-return rate will plummet; and, international students may not have flights available. It’s all in the response of parents who want answers, assurances, solutions, and outcomes more now than ever before.

What scares colleges the most is they don’t have a clear sense yet how strong the parent-fortitude is at this time.

They have thrived on parents willing to give-in on this well-constructed perceived rite-of-passage known as college.

Colleges will underestimate the new parent-fortitude!

The colleges will spend more time dodging, defending, and deferring than planning, preparing, and adjusting. As a result, many known colleges may shutter in the next few years. The future existence and relevance of each college will depend on their immediate responses and decisions, which are lagging right now.

A classic example comes from a northeastern college (I’ll protect the name) having 2,000 students; an application acceptance rate of 77% (very high) to go with an enrollment rate of 11% (very low); an endowment fund (their reserves) of $150M; and having just spent $140M on a new high-rise dorm with the prospect of low attendance ahead. How are they feeling right now? 

Although I love college as it’s been my work and passion for these same 20 years, let’s not be mistaken here, colleges have it coming. The game they’ve known and loved will now change forever and for the good of America’s youth.

This is indeed a national matter of interest to the parents of young children who would’ve never been able to afford college otherwise. Hope is on the horizon for young families with the glass-ceiling of college cracked.

If colleges are to resume operations in the fall, it will not be normal as they wish it to be, but rather, it will begin to reflect college-in-the-new-normal. It will reflect the time that parents take back the power-position and assert their interests as a marketplace of buyers, onto the colleges as a source of educational services. Parents are in control.

Let’s start with the upcoming fall semester. For colleges to resume operations in the fall in a safe and affordable manner for their client-families and students, these are my 5 Step Actions to Require of Colleges.

Step # 1- The 50 / 50 Rule 

My rule calls for 50% of the students to study on campus in the fall while 50% remain at home for taking online classes. In the spring, it reverses. This rule provides every student with experiencing one semester on campus while studying online (off-campus) in the other semester.

This will appease the students to some degree as they are now fearful of spending the entire next year at home… something of which the parents are also fearful. It also gives the colleges a stepping-stone year to prepare and plan for the new-normal college environment that lies ahead.

To go along with this, colleges must provide a 50% tuition-rate discount to students for the semester they spend off-campus studying online. This has to become a non-negotiable outcome. Colleges will work very hard to deflect this eventual policy, but in the end analysis, it is fair and reasonable for both sides.

Tuition rates must be capped for the next five years at a rate not to exceed the 2019 school-year rate. Parents have to insist upon this for safeguarding their own personal interests. It too is fair and reasonable for both sides.

An unfortunate result is that international students will automatically default into the Spring semester for their on-campus studies. The necessary safety procedures for providing an isolation-style quarantine of students upon arriving from out-of-country cannot possibly be in place by August. Most international student-families will see this as a suitable alternative to taking a year off or studying online at home for the year.

Step # 2- The Housing on-Campus Rule 

With half the students studying on campus, the colleges should require all students to live in a dorm on campus.

To go with this, the college must provide a free meal plan for all dorm residents.

Room & Board rates need to be locked in and capped for five years based on the 2019 school-year rate.

This rule serves twofold: one, it limits exposure to the outside elements by keeping the students better contained on campus; and two, the free meal plan is a necessary cost discount for appealing to the families. 

Step # 3- Eliminating the “Non-Essential” 

When you think of college, can you identify and draw a line between essential versus non-essential activities?

I can. All education-related activities are essential. Therefore, by default non-educational activities are non-essential.

For the fall semester, it is necessary to eliminate non-essential activities. Unfortunately, this includes canceling all college sport team activities, such as games, practices, and group meetings. This will help preserve social-distancing matters as you just can’t have the close contact that comes with sports. It also eliminates the unnecessary health-risk exposure of teams and fans traveling between colleges.

In conjunction, visitors of the college need to be limited to people deemed to be "essential". This would limit visitors on campus to be either direct-family members or service-vendors.

To stick with the theme here, marketing mail is flooding student’s home mailboxes. It’s all generated upon a student’s SAT registration. Colleges buy the lists and begin with their mail. That’s a non-essential practice costing colleges millions of dollars each year without providing an ounce of educational benefit. It must come to an end. The money saved there would be much better utilized if spent on developing a Job-Resource Center…brilliant!

Step # 4- A Testing Policy 

This action-step calls for the mutual participation and commitment of colleges, parents, and students to form a responsibility-alliance. It requires the college to perform adequate testing and screening of everyone on campus while monitoring, restricting, and tracking activities both on and off-campus.

There must be a unified understanding of responsibilities among the college, its students, and their parents. Each party must be able to rely on one another. Full compliance must be required by all involved.

Students and parents will need to sign a “Responsibility, Compliance, and Acceptance” document complete with certain legal waivers designed to prevent class-action lawsuits.

The testing-policy must include a consortium-arrangement among all colleges (by region) providing a collaborative effort for ensuring consistent application and full compliance among the various colleges.

Absent of an effective testing-policy, colleges would subject themselves to becoming a community “hot-zone”.

Should there be a Covid-19 breakout on campus, an entire community would be greatly affected. If this were to occur, massive lawsuits would follow. The only way to prevent this is to have a comprehensive testing policy accompanied by a signed document of “Responsibility, Compliance, and Acceptance.”

Step # 5- A 5-Year Plan, a 3-phase approach

Phase 1. College costs must be capped and restricted from further increases for five years. This will actually serve the college well to rid themselves of costs associated with non-essential activities and non-relevant programming.

It will facilitate the eventual outcome no matter of their immediate distaste for it.

Phase 2. College degree-programs need to be streamlined by eliminating general-education and non-relevant courses. Some courses can be pushed back onto the high schools, some can be flatly eliminated. This plan has the potential of turning the traditional 4-year degree into a more-directed streamlined 3-year degree…saving parents thousands on college costs.

Phase 3. Colleges need to develop career-specific degree programs that would act as a double Master of Science program. It would be a 3-year, 60-credit program with the middle-year used as a co-op job-training year.

The outcome here is designed to turn colleges into job-resource centers converting non-essential expenses into job-essential activities. It will substantially decrease the cost of college to parents across America. It will deliver improved outcomes. And certainly, graduate-level programs can continue to exist.

Overall, I’m not suggesting for a moment that colleges have any level of willingness to go down this path. But in typical Economic Supply & Demand fashion, businesses eventually have to comply with market demands if they are to remain in business. Just because colleges don’t pay taxes doesn’t mean they’re not a business. Rather, they are very big businesses who are masters at carrying out their business model often to the detriment of their consumers.

It has now caught up to them. Their glass-ceiling has been cracked. The College World is in full tilt.

I have polled dozens of parents who have all insisted that they will not pay full tuition in the fall for their child to be at home taking online classes. Colleges need to hear that message clear in order to compel their officials to make the right decisions in making college affordable and accessible to the general public once again. 

In constructing this complete plan, I’m giving parents a framework to follow which they can use for taking appropriate action. Parents across America are united in their desire for this course of action to materialize. It is on every parent’s mind who has a child in college or preparing for college. It is of great interest to every parent with grade-school children and younger.

Here’s my message to Brown University President Paxson- 

Making college accessible again to mainstream families across America is a national priority. 

Learn more about Hans Hanson at http://www.mycollegelogic.com
CollegeLogic, LLC, hans@mycollegelogic.com, 203.470.3704

The New Rules Of Working At Home.

Work-At-Home — we’ve done it sporadically, but now we have to do it full-time to help ourselves and our neighbors.

You might be finding it hard to stay focused on the job when you’re doing your job at home full-time. Here are seven tips to help you be a bit more productive, spend more time with your loved ones, and not venture into overwhelm.

1. Develop a tight schedule — The more you lock in each task, activity, and errand, productivity will be so much easier and you will feel so much better. Use a virtual/manual calendar and track ALL your activities — from the time you get up/take a shower to the time you go to bed.

2. Communicate often — Your boss and your team need you — keep them updated frequently (check-in twice a day) with progress, to-do items, and emergencies.

3. Kill the big shoulders — Don’t try to manage/shoulder too much. Take on only what you can handle — during times like these, we tend to try to hold onto everything. Make sure you’re delegating effectively to your team and letting your boss know about your workload.

4. Wax On/Wax Off — Working at home is different from working in an office — you have additional responsibilities to pay attention to at home. Don’t work solidly from 7 AM to 7 PM — you’re going to burn out quickly. Try the Pomodoro Method, work for 45/50/55 minutes straight and then take 5/10/15 minutes off to spend time with your family, take a quick mental break, or go outside and enjoy the spring weather. You will come back to the task at hand with renewed vigor and focus.

5. Ask for help — If you get truly overwhelmed, reach out to the people who can help you. Start with your boss, it’s their job to solve problems for you and to monitor your workload. Try to work with your direct reports to see if they can come up with a strategy to help you with your issue (they love doing this by the way). If the weight gets too heavy, ask for professional help.

6. Don’t worry and project too far into the future — When we are thrust out of our day-to-day routine, we tend to get very anxious. That’s normal. It’s when we start to extrapolate our anxiety into irrational fears and start to develop many multiple what-if scenarios. Don’t do that — you might think it will help you, but it will exhaust your energy and have you running mentally into too many rabbit holes.

7. Find ways to diffuse the pressure — In times like these, we tend to forget to take advantage of our mental ‘release valve’. Exercise, read, cook, spend time with your loved ones, listen to music/podcasts — do something that not only relaxes you, but also grows you mentally and physically. I listen to Tara Brach often — check her out.

Stay home, stay safe, and stay well. All the best - Rich

The New Rules Of Leading Virtual Teams.

Your entire team is working from home — this has never happened before.

• How do you keep the engine running?

• How do you keep the productivity up?

• How do you manage them so they will stay energized and focused?

We have two solutions:

1. Read the rest of this article . . . or

2. Listen to our latest podcast: Managing From Afar: How To Stay Connected With Remote Employees

Lead in a different way.

Let’s be honest, some people will be more productive and some will be less productive. It’s the nature of managing a team — surprisingly, some people will work better at home than at the office — so you get an increased dividend.

Figure out what’s best for each team members’ special needs — everyone is different. Some people have kids, older parents and other responsibilities. Be patient — this is the new normal.

Usually, most people won’t goof off (that is every manager’s fear). It will take them a few days to acclimate to the new altitude, but they will realize that they have basic tasks, activities, and projects to work on.

To that end, give your people discrete tasks with close deadlines. Break up big projects into smaller projects.

Finally, you are the motivational engine of your team — you need to give them energy and enthusiasm to keep focused on the job at hand. It’s very easy to get distracted with family and the news.

Set a routine.

Just like your kids came home with a schedule from school (hopefully), you need to develop a schedule for your team. Manage expectations, schedule regular contact windows, and be open to questions/issues that might crop up.

Currently, you might loosely use a calendar — step up your game by closely tracking every day and the days of your employees/clients. If you do this religiously, you’ll develop a work rhythm that will keep you, your team, and clients on track.

Hyper-connect with every employee/client.

We suggest two status meetings a day — one in the early morning and another in the late afternoon. You need to touch base with them frequently - texts, emails, calls, Slack, etc. Keep the communication flowing — you need to replace in-person with online.

Some members of your team won’t need frequent handholding — but the others will. Make sure EVERYONE makes the two status calls each day. Why?

Your better performers need to be acknowledged in front of the team not only to motivate them but to also use them as an example to the other members of what required performance really is.

If you do have a team member who is not performing well, you need to hyper-connect with them to diagnose the situation, develop a number of solutions, and track their progress.

Finally, don’t forget anyone! You need to treat everyone equally — in times like these, some people might feel alone and ignored — it’s your job to make ALL of your team feel wanted and important.

When things start hitting the fan, you need to manage the expectations of your team and clients.

If you have a crisis plan, you will have a section on when your key employees get ill. Now is the time to not only to personally review it but to review it with your direct reports and key clients. If you don’t have one, don’t worry - start laying out what you think needs to happen — make a list — prioritize it. Get input from your direct reports and professional resources. Then get everyone’s buy-in on the next virtual meeting.

Make sure you sustain a consistent contact behavior with everyone. Communicate, solve problems, offer solutions, and most of all stay in contact. The worst thing people can do is limit their contact or go offline. Be approachable via text, email, phone, or webcam.

BJ Flagg (my podcast partner) and I both wrote this article -- we also recorded a podcast. Enjoy!

The New Rules Of Virtual Meeting Etiquette.

If you find yourself sequestered at home and have to either attend or manage a number of virtual meetings, here are some effective and much-needed tips to ensure your meeting is a successful one:

1. Logistics - When sending out the meeting appointment/email, include the link to access the meeting with any additional info that might be needed — start date/time, access code, alternate phone numbers in case their audio is off, and your direct line to text you if they run into issues.

2. Close All Other Programs - Many programs are background bandwidth hogs and could affect your system’s speed (email is the worst offender). Close all programs except for the ones you might share during the meeting. Inform your family too — online games and tv streaming also take up a large fraction of bandwidth.

3. Lighting - Make sure your face is well-lit — too many people are in a shadow, out of focus or askew with the camera. A bright, clear image presents professionalism and understanding of the medium.

4. Look At The Camera - This is a hard one — most people tend to stare at the screen and not the little webcam dot on their laptop, especially when speaking. Take a Post-It note and tear it into two small 1-inch pieces — on one draw a smiley-face and on the other, the word ‘SMILE’. Place these two bits of paper on either side of your webcam lens. Focus on the smiley-face as if you’re talking to a person. The ‘SMILE’ reminder encourages us not to have an angry resting face and smile when speaking with others.

5. Mute Yourself - When you’re not speaking, ALWAYS hit mute to ensure any extraneous noise isn’t sent over the entire meeting. This is one of the biggest pet peeves of virtual meetings. Learn the keystrokes to mute/unmute quickly and to ensure you can speak up when asked.

6. Don’t Eat/Don’t Multitask - Eating is just plain unprofessional - unless it’s a lunchtime meeting, don’t eat (drinking is fine). Also, don’t check your email - we can all see when the screen brightness changes on your face - so we know you’re not focusing on the meeting at hand. Don’t check your phone either - we can see you look down - it’s rude and unprofessional when people are speaking.

7. Wear earphones/airpods - Most virtual meeting systems are great with feedback and echo/reverb, but some systems might not work well with your hardware when listening to attendees through your speakers. Wear earphones/airpods to ensure no echo/reverb explodes over the call. It seems every webinar I hold, there’s one sad individual who has this issue.

8. Dress professionally - Too many people look like they just got out of bed when they log into their virtual meeting. Take a shower, comb/style your hair, and change out of your pajamas. You don’t have to wear a business suit, but look presentable — it connotes that you’re on top of things.

9. Avoid Distractions - Ask your family to stay away for the time being and sequester your pets. Even though you might be on mute, visual distractions (like people walking behind you) are just as jarring. Try to have your back to a wall to ensure no movement in the camera lens.

10. Frame Your Face - Don’t let your body/posture be askew with the camera image — everything from missing foreheads, no mouth, or too far left/right in the frame. Center yourself, make sure the cam presents your entire face with a bit of body. Again, you look professional and ready to manage the meeting.

11. Login Early - Start your meeting early to allow participants to show up and gab a bit before you start the meeting. It will get it out of their system so you can all focus on the challenges of the day.

12. Speak Clearly - Ensure your microphone is transmitting your voice optimally and don’t mumble — keep your voice clear and speak slowly. Sometimes people miss what you just said and you don’t want to have to repeat it.

13. Keep It Short - No one likes a two-hour virtual meeting. Send out an agenda prior to the meeting and stick to it. If you get off-topic, bring it back to the agenda and tell the worst offenders to take their discussion/issue offline. You are a virtual drill sergeant — keep them on point, marching in a straight line, and people will look forward to your online meetings.

14. Stay On Afterward - If you are managing the meeting for your staff, stick around after attendees are logging off for any questions from your team. You will be able to chat with them quickly and solve an issue/question while the topic is fresh.

15. Test, Test, Test - Be prepared — way before the actual meeting (especially with a large group), make sure all elements are in place: connection, lighting, planned topics, agenda, camera positioning, noise, distractions, etc.

I might have forgotten one - feel free to contact me with new ones I might have missed.